Publication
Holyrood ‘needs to rethink rates’
AN Aberdeen regeneration chief wants the next Scottish Government to overhaul business rates to bolster efforts to return the city centre to its former glory. A survey of Press and Journal readers published earlier this week found the future of our...
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Labour ‘has to end delay and back new North Sea drilling’
LABOUR should already have approved two new North Sea oil and gas fields, according to a former prime minister’s think tank. A new report published today by the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) says the UK Government is risking the nation’s energy security...
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Scientist’s husband forged her signature
THE north-east husband of a forensics expert has been found guilty of committing forgery – after she carried out an investigation into his finances. Thomas Black, pictured, fraudulently signed Dame Sue Black’s name on documents to remove her access to...
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New stadium talks won’t be resolved by deadline
TALKS between Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeen FC over a new stadium at the beach look set to go into extra-time. The two sides have been holding conversations about a potential replacement for Pittodrie since the end of last year. A March 31...
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‘Everything at ARI is broken – but I can fix it’
Awoman suffering chest pains died while waiting two hours for an ambulance, as crews queued for hours to offload patients at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary (ARI). A whistleblower revealed the tragic outcome as NHS Grampian continues to grapple with...
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Half marathon plans to boost summer in city
A NEW summer running event is aiming to make the Granite City a “must-run destination on the UK calendar”. Steve Gray set up the Aberdeen Marathon Company to organise this summer’s half marathon, which will take place on Saturday July 18. And he...
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School enrolment drops leave some classes half-empty
CONCERNS have been raised about falling pupil numbers in Aberdeenshire, as figures reveal some schools are sitting under 50% capacity. A report presented to the local authority’s children and education committee showed that there are 415 fewer...
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Prison museum to shut – but won’t be locked up for good
PETERHEAD Prison Museum will close its doors to the public next month after a fundraising drive to keep it going fell short. However, bosses insist the visitor attraction will return as they look to “begin the next phase for this incredible historic...
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Lighter fluid thug is jailed for trying to set ex on fire
A NORTH-EAST brute who tried to set his ex-partner on fire in her home was jailed for nine years yesterday. Ian McIntyre, 40, sprayed his terrified victim from head to toe with lighter fluid and began sparking a lighter towards her leg. During the...
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Swinney: EPL has to go to decelerate oil and gas decline
FIRST Minister John Swinney said the north-east has been “betrayed” by Labour as he insisted the Energy Profits Levy (EPL) needs scrapped urgently. Mr Swinney warned the EPL – also known as the windfall tax – is causing too sharp a decline in oil and...
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Public supports North Sea oil and gas, poll reveals
A NEW survey has shown that the public wants oil and gas production to continue in the North Sea. The poll, carried out on behalf of Offshore Energies UK, found that more than 70% of people want homegrown energy, amid global unrest which could affect...
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City’s ‘best-kept secret’ stepping out of shadows
A PRIVATE members club once frequented by the north-east’s Victorian elite is broadening its horizons as it looks to build a bright future. The Royal Northern and University Club in Aberdeen’s Albyn Place has been described as the city’s “best-kept...
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‘Taxi drivers are queueing up to boost city’s fleet’
TWO taxi chiefs say dozens of would-be drivers are desperate to hit the ranks in Aberdeen – but a council logjam in taking required tests is preventing them from doing so. Aberdeen Taxis director Chris Douglas and Rainbow City Taxis managing director...
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CS spray yob is jailed for attack on ARI workers
A THUG has been jailed for sparking a terrifying lockdown at Aberdeen Royal infirmary (ARI) after a CS spray attack on a security guard and a nurse. Piotr Huczynski, 37, was imprisoned for three-and-a-half years over the assault in the A&E department...
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‘Unpopular’ health and care budget is approved
HEALTH chiefs in Aberdeen have revealed they have no financial safety net left as they fight to make savings. The admission came as members of the integration joint board (IJB) met to set the annual Health and Social Care Partnership budget. Among...
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City revs up for a £40m world rally bonanza
THE north-east economy is set to benefit from an annual £40 million world rally championship (WRC) boost as it was yesterday announced the region will stage the sporting spectacular for at least three years. The bumper deal to bring the WRC here from...
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Miliband ‘in denial over pressing need for UK oil and gas’
WESTMINSTER Energy Secretary Ed Miliband was yesterday accused of being “in denial” as he refused to consider a U-turn on North Sea drilling despite the turmoil in the Middle East putting oil and gas imports under threat. The US and Israel’s war on...
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Playing an active role for disabled people
For 17-year-old Chloe Reid, finding somewhere to play sport hasn’t always been easy. Living with cerebral palsy and using a powered wheelchair means most sessions aren’t designed with her in mind. But on Friday afternoons at Tillydrone Community...
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Fatal A96 crash sparks growing calls for change
MORE than 600 people have backed demands for urgent safety upgrades at an A96 junction just days after another fatal crash on the notorious road. Joyann Alexie Andrews, 53, died in the smash near Huntly on Sunday, pictured. That prompted local...
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Business owner was ‘in talks’ to buy Epstein’s jet
FORMER millionaire Calum Melville was in talks to buy the plane of sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, US government papers have revealed. The businessman – who is being chased for debts of £500,000 – was linked to the so-called “Lolita Express” in an...
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Failed tycoon is back... and being chased for £500,000
• Our investigation reveals ex-bankrupt pursued over huge sum • Calum Melville claims to run a multi-million-pound empire
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Resignation set to spark council power struggle
ABERDEEN City Council chiefs are bracing themselves for a power struggle following a shock resignation. Liberal Democrat Desmond Buchanan, pictured, has announced he will resign as George Street and Harbour councillor on April 2. It puts the SNP and...
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The windfall tax is hurting smaller firms, boss warns
A KINTORE businessman has joined the calls for the windfall tax to be ditched as its impact spreads to the wider supply chain. Tom Murdoch, managing director of Brimmond, explained that smaller companies reliant on the energy sector have been hit by...
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City’s upper class inspires rest of UK
ABERDEEN regeneration experts have told how wooing outside investors has been key to their ongoing efforts to revive the city centre. The Union Street taskforce spoke at a major event in London held by The Association of Town Centre Management. The...
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Sir Ian: Reeves must act swiftly on EPL reform
INDUSTRY titan Sir Ian Wood is today urging Rachel Reeves to act decisively and scrap the windfall tax as quickly as possible to stop vital skills being lost in the UK energy industry. The Aberdeen businessman, pictured right, welcomed the news that...
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Talks to end windfall tax set to begin within days
Talks to replace the UK windfall tax could begin within days – unlocking £50 billion of investment in oil and gas. Major firms joined trade association Offshore Energy UK to meet with UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves at Downing Street yesterday. They...
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Council tax set for 6.8% hike to pay rising costs
ABERDEEN residents could see their council tax bills rise by 6.8%, budget proposals have shown. Councillors are due to meet today to finalise their financial plan for the year ahead and the increase in council tax would add £10.5 million to the...
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BrewDog’s Ellon jobs all saved in £33m deal
HUNDREDS of north-east jobs were saved yesterday as a major US company bought most of financially stricken BrewDog for £33 million. Tilray Brands acquired the craft beer firm’s Ellon brewery, pictured, and DogTap bar in the Aberdeenshire town, along...
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Revealed: 999 gritting fears as snow chaos swept region
Documents have revealed how ambulance crews were pushed to breaking point as several feet of snow smothered the north-east at the start of the year. Days of extreme weather caused chaos across the region shortly into 2026, leaving some people unable...
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P&J community comes together to boost local causes at Charity Gala
8-PAGE PICTURE PULLOUT
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Teachers facing sexual assaults and daily attacks
TEACHERS in Aberdeen have shared how they face a daily barrage of attacks and abuse from pupils – ranging from sexual assault to the creation of “deepfake” AI images. The EIS teachers’ union, which has compiled a report based on feedback from its...
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City unveils plan to find £12.5m to balance finances
ABERDEEN City Council last night revealed a raft of proposals as it looks to find at least £12.5 million to balance its books for the coming financial year. Among the suggested price hikes published is an 8.13% rise in council tax bills for residents...
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Council tax bills across shire poised to soar 10%
ABERDEENSHIRE residents are poised to be hit with a 10% rise in council tax as the local authority looks to pull in extra cash to tackle budget pressures, it emerged yesterday. Councillors will vote next Thursday on whether to approve the increase –...
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SNP vows to act ‘urgently’ in bid to save butcher jobs
SNP Business Minister Richard Lochhead yesterday said “urgent arrangements” are being made in an effort to save Aberdeenshire butcher Donald Russell. The Inverurie-based company’s bosses announced on Tuesday they are considering shutting down their...
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120 jobs at risk as firm reveals plan for closure
AN ABERDEENSHIRE butcher has admitted it is “planning realistically for closure” as it begins talks with staff around the company’s future. Bosses at Inverurie-based Donald Russell blamed “volatility in meat prices, unpredictable energy costs and the...
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Uni chief admits more jobs could be axed as 83% of staff back strike
MORE than four-fifths of Aberdeen University staff yesterday voted to go on strike as the institution’s principal again refused to rule out compulsory job cuts. Professor Peter Edwards, pictured, told The Press and Journal it would be “irresponsible”...
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City losing £8m in rent as 2,336 homes lie empty
AN Aberdeen City Council chief has warned there will be “no quick fix” to the housing emergency costing the local authority more than £8 million in lost rent every year. The local authority has 2,336 vacant homes – a staggering 24% of Scotland’s...
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‘I won’t let toastie tax kill local firms’
A BUSINESS owner forced to close her Stonehaven cafe because of the so-called “toastie tax” is now fighting to ensure the survival of other businesses in the region. Caitlin Turriff, 29, and her husband Craig made the heartbreaking decision to close...
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Auditors reveal council’s ‘risk’ over Raac home payout records
ABERDEEN City Council’s response to the Raac crisis is open to major fraud risks, it has been revealed. Auditors looking at a small number of the payouts to tenants and homeowners forced to leave Torry have said that it’s “not possible” to verify...
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Location for GB Energy’s Granite City HQ revealed
GB ENERGY will be based in Marischal Square, it has been revealed. Bosses at the publicly-owned business made a deal with Aberdeen City Council to lease the space. And local authority bosses hope it will boost the local economy, as well as the...
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Chamber’s cards are on the table over windfall tax
A HEARTFELT message from Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce (AGCC) to political leaders across the UK is calling for the removal of the energy profits levy (EPL). Every MP and MSP has been sent a Valentine’s card urging them to ensure there is...
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Rally could be bigger for city than Tall Ships
THE World Rally Championships could be a better event for Aberdeen than the Tall Ships, Aberdeen City Council’s finance chief has said. Alex McLellan told The Press and Journal that, while last year’s ships event brought thousands into the city, the...
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Hillwalker in ‘miracle’ escape after 150m plunge
A HILLWALKER had a “very lucky” escape after he fell through a cornice in the Cairngorms. A major search operation was launched on Glas Maol after the incident. Members of the rescue crew included Braemar Mountain Rescue, Search and Rescue Dog...
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‘Soaring bills and taxes are killing small businesses’
SCORES of under-pressure small business owners from across the north-east united yesterday to declare “enough is enough” on punitive taxes and rising costs putting their livelihoods at risk. Around 30 hospitality traders – from cafes to fish and chip...
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Mystery of shire telephone calls in Epstein files
PHONE calls from three north-east villages have emerged in records linked to the late billionaire sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The mystery logs cover Strichen, New Pitsligo and Stuartfield in 2004 and 2005. The phone numbers and who the calls...
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‘Six weeks left to save Blue Toon’s prison museum’
BOSSES at Peterhead Prison Museum have warned it could be forced to close by Easter unless vital funding is found. The visitor attraction’s long-term future is in jeopardy as an ownership transfer is hit by delays. In 2024 Cove Attractions stepped in...
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Man due in court over baby boy’s ‘murder’
A MAN has been charged in connection with the murder of a two-month-old baby boy in Aberdeenshire last summer. The injured boy from Banchory was taken to Royal Aberdeen Children’s Hospital, pictured, on June 11 2025. He died a short time later as a...
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Lanes near new £40m market set for glow-up
ABERDEEN City Council wants to spend £500,000 from bus gate fines to brighten up dark streets and lanes near The Green ahead of the new £40 million market opening. Carmelite Street, East Green and Carnegie’s Brae, pictured, will all be key routes...
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£20m Castlegate revamp ‘must be delivered swiftly’
ABERDEEN traders say the £20 million revamp of the Castlegate can’t come quickly enough as they struggle amid lengthy delays to work beginning in earnest on the project. The transformation of the historic cobbled square had been due to start in...
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SSEN substation vote goes to wire
PLANS for a major substation in a north-east forest which attracted more than 2,000 letters of objection have been narrowly rejected by Aberdeenshire councillors. SSEN was seeking approval to build the energy hub at Fetteresso near Stonehaven as part...
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Record sales for firm before the death of founder
AN Aberdeen engineering business has posted record figures, following the death of the company’s founder. First Tech Limited was established by Ian Suttie as a small engineering firm, which he grew into a group that operated across offshore energy,...
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‘Retail can recover from seasonal dip’
AN ABERDEEN business leader is confident the retail and hospitality sector can bounce back from the traditional January drop in trade. The Granite City has already seen many outlets – including the Vue cinema and Geek Retreat – shut their doors this...
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Mum’ s ‘terror’ as son’s taxi is caught in f lood
AN ABERDEENSHIRE mother has spoken of her “terror” after her teenage son’s school taxi became trapped in a fast-flowing flood on the way to school yesterday. Amanda Dobie had to make a frantic 999 call when her 14-year-old son Arlo’s taxi became...
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Buchan port nets bumper catch worth £340 million
PETERHEAD Port bosses are celebrating after yet another record-breaking year for fish landings. The total value of catches across the Blue Toon’s quaysides in 2025 topped £340 million. The port authority’s chief executive, Graeme Reid, said: “These...
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Care home firm’s £13m investment in the shire
A MAJOR care home operator is aiming to expand its operations in Aberdeenshire by building a new £13 million facility. Parklands plans to open the 60-bed centre in Turriff by the summer of 2027. It will be the firm’s largest purpose-built care home...
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‘North-east must reap rewards of energy projects’
A MAJOR survey today shows 55% of people across the north and north-east support the move to renewables but they also want to see the rewards from the influx of projects and grid upgrades coming to the region. A total of 3,235 people from areas most...
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