Comment posted A genius event to market Argyll and the Isles in the winter season by John Patrick.
There is to be Bungee Trampolines, Climbing Walls, Paintball Range, Pony Rides, Tea Cups, Bouncy Castle, Chainsaw Carving, Wild Birds, Face Painters, Sand Pits and a large Children Tent sponsored by Inveraray Jail and Argyll Adventure and much much more for children as well as the responsible drinking for adults. Last years event saw Music, Food, Drink and Activities all merge wonderfully, everyone including the children had a ball and this year promises even more. The weather last year was pretty good as I recall and the location is outstanding in front of the castle. Longer hours and the big name music acts add to what is already a well loved event in Argyll and one our visitors will be truly entertained at. It is a must for the diary and great event to highlight the start of the winter Visit Scotland marketing drive.
Recent comments by John Patrick
- Trip Advisor names Argyll Adventure as Top Performing Visitor Attraction
Congratulations to the other Argyll Tourism Businesses that also won Trip Advisor Excellence Awards. Well done guys, good show and it all bodes very well for visitors to destination Argyll. - Radically new council group changes all the dynamics: party politics dead in Argyll
Its not hope or giving them a chance Newsie, its a huge crab shoot and the house always wins. The experience you mention in truth is all bad in the main, thereblundersexperience has filled pages of “For Argyll” for years. Most of the players can be linked to one story or another.Many of these councillors are well known to both of us as waste of time, only in office because our brighter lights in Argyll won’t understandable stand for office here. It will be more of the same and Newsie you will be writing scripts on the continuing blunders for months to come after the honeymoon period. Sharpen the pencil.
I came to Argyll because I love the area and I am happier person living and working here in my community, being of service where I can. I look at this proposed administration and I don’t see that love. They are going fight tooth and nail for their own microcosm and forget the bigger picture of Argyll and its people. Infighting with no progress, more of what we have had through several administrations now. When it all falls apart because of the indecision in chamber they will blame each other rather than work through their differences. How many times now has the Argyll First walked out of an administration rather than fighting for what’s right. Thats why we are in this mess, all these guys run for the hills and do nothing because to do something will get put them in the frame, make them responsible for the governance of Argyll, the job they are being paid to do. Argyll First are experts at jumping ship before the sh** sticks and thats NOT what Argyll needs right now. We need strong leaders with a passion for Argyll and its people at all levels of ABC. They forget that the people are burning as they fiddle away at their game of thrones.
Everyone knows at their core I am right and that’s why we have party politics, it give us direction and purpose, no one said it was perfect but as a system it works to a fashion which is better than where we are now, with nothing but a broken promise to come.
- Radically new council group changes all the dynamics: party politics dead in Argyll
Being a councillor is not the easy job we think it is, but you have to think, it wouldn’t take a lot to sort out the local SNP problems. They have NOT tried to close all our primary schools, spy on the citizens, claim huge expenses for COSLA meetings and then not take responsibility for a screwed up reduced budget. How about this for idea; rope in Jim Mather and Ron Simon for a couple weeks. Hire a room with a coffee machine and let Jim and Ron run a training course for current & prospective SNP councillors. SORTED everyone happy to vote SNP again! Anyone coughing at the idea, Mike Mackenzie shadowed Jim for a long time prior to his election learning the ropes and SNP supporter or not you have to admit Mike is doing a sterling job for Argyll not to mention a tireless worker that always keen to help where he can. He was the one that had the idea of Inveraray bidding for CARS money and was instrumental in its recent bid win. - Radically new council group changes all the dynamics: party politics dead in Argyll
How quickly we forget all the nonsense of the last independent councillor led administration. Makes the last SNP admin look good in fact, remember the school closures and spy gate for starters. The SNP councillors may well have lost there way with the lack of good and strong leadership in chamber but I for one remember all the mess of the previous previous administration of which many of the names above played part in some fashion or another, even if it was sitting in the chamber on there hands. I just hope this is not another job split for the extra salary and more about serving the citizens of Argyll. Watch this space eh…. - Patron of Northern Lighthouse Board incredulous at Tiree Array proposal
DB stop your laughing its impolite and rude to laugh at the plight of others and yes more and more communities are owing a share of their local windfarm developments, our own community at Inveraray receives funds from two such developments and we have put the money to very good use for our citizens. Our lives are materially better for the developments, fact, but more importantly we are doing what we can to help climate change by supporting the developments which we can see from our windows, its not enough yet I agree but its our best shot right now and yes its a work in progress, but we are doing something in Inveraray.Every wind objection is costing the country a fortune and that means less to give in social care or whatever, fact. Also green units attract a premium whether your support the science or not, they are worth a lot of money to a lot of people throughout Europe. Money that Scotland can use to offset fuel poverty if its people wishes and I as a proud Scot do wish to eliminate fuel poverty in Scotland. Thats what the vote is for and why you should speak to your elected officials letting them know what is important to you and what you expect of them in office. So stop laughing, you only have one set of sides, save them, and start doing something like supporting self determination in an independent Scotland were we the citizens can make a difference beyond what we see out of our windows. I care enough to walk my talk, do you? Ask your elected officials to campaign and work for the elimination of fuel poverty in Scotland. It is the Spector of our age.
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How ironic that this wonderful marketing initiative should be displayed next to the report indicating that the main artery from Glasgow and the west to Inveraray is once again closed. When is the Scottish Government/Transport Scotland going to take decisive action to provide a long term solution to this problem?
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When hell freezes over, as things stand at the moment.
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Is it not a bit pessimistic to describe mid September as “winter”?
I smiled when I read that A&B was arguably the best place for families immediately followed by mention of a whisky event. I suppose it depends on how old your children are.
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There is to be Bungee Trampolines, Climbing Walls, Paintball Range, Pony Rides, Tea Cups, Bouncy Castle, Chainsaw Carving, Wild Birds, Face Painters, Sand Pits and a large Children Tent sponsored by Inveraray Jail and Argyll Adventure and much much more for children as well as the responsible drinking for adults. Last years event saw Music, Food, Drink and Activities all merge wonderfully, everyone including the children had a ball and this year promises even more. The weather last year was pretty good as I recall and the location is outstanding in front of the castle. Longer hours and the big name music acts add to what is already a well loved event in Argyll and one our visitors will be truly entertained at. It is a must for the diary and great event to highlight the start of the winter Visit Scotland marketing drive.
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Very interesting & certainly well worth a look. I must put the date on the calendar. Er, what is the date? Mid-September – do we assume that it’s the 15th/16th?
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Keith – we weren’t given a date or a website – so assumed the date was not yet entirely final and that the website was not yet ready.
Apologies.
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Hello Keith
yes indeed , the festival is on the 15th and 16th of September. Details are on http://www.bowfest.co.uk
Looking forwards to meeting you there
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Thanks for filling in the gaps & the link.
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Best wishes to the event .
Regarding Food from Argyll , there appeared to be a complete absence of Argyll businesses at the Royal Highland Show food hall this week , in contrast to the excellent stalls and displays from other areas .
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Food from Argyll is about feeding the masses at events, rather than marketing Argyll produce to the consumer. It must make a good living for the few involved, hard work tho it is, but that is not really changing the public perspective nor availability of what we produce in Argyll.
What a shame some of our great companies were not able to be at the RHS.
Maybe it is time to have a combined marketing initiative for more than the great burgers and sticky toffee puddings of FfA. That way the smaller companies can afford to go, and the public can learn more of the fabulous food of the county.
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They do get media coverage and word-of-mouth broadcasting for the food of the entire area in their visits to the music festivals.
But you have a sound point in the imperative for collective action.
Part of the problem is the usual parochial factionalism of separate groups refusing to merge and collaborate. Food From Argyll is a good brand, big enough territorially to make an impact to everyone’s benefit but not too big to start to get bland.
The uber brand is Scotland Food and Drink – which pays gallingly little attention to Argyll. This is largely because there is not a single body speaking and acting for the food producers of the entire area.
The growing success of Argyll and the Isles Tourism, as an umbrella marketing body with universal buy-in from the various local marketing groups, should have shown the way forward to our food producers.
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News room
The food hall ths year was packed out, Most of what was on display was from private companies from Scotland, not all big companies but a good range from small to very big. To be honest what we had was a very Scottish food fair and a very good one at that. Im not sure if a Argyll food theme would work or not as a lot of what we have in Argyll is duplicated else where in Scotland? The food show was just that, a very good show of Scottish produce from mostly anywhere in Scotland and presented very very well.
Maybe the same thing might just work very well in the Queens Hall during Cowal Games for Argyll and the Isles foodies?
BTW thats five years in a row that we have bought the very best of Curry sauce from that very food show, and that just about answers the question in that I can get everything else that was on show on my door step because I live in Argyll. mmmmmm
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“gallingly little attention” isn’t exactly accurate newsroom and I’m confident that your opinion isn’t drawn from informed conversation with members of SFD from within Argyll. SFD had myself based in Oban and supporting many of the clients that you regularly feature in good news stories such as that of MacMillan Foods. Many have also been Excellence award winners and some gained extra supermarket listings via SFD activity. Over and above this, many Argyll companies will have contributed to F&D exports & growth stats during a deep recession which helped prop up Scottish economy. Finally, Our past chief exec also visited the first “Stronger Together” summit and sought further engagement with companies.
Unfortunately, SFD priorities are with companies that can grow in UK and export markets, including the much maligned multiple retailers. When doing so, the “readiness” has to be established as there are factors to consider and lots of work for many of the primary producers and micro biz’s before they can benefit from SFD activity.
SFD is be held up as an exemplar of how to cooperate as a sector. Just look at the recently launched Scottish Tourism Alliance strategy document and you’ll notice how they have used it as a model of best practice. In a similar comparison, your positive view of Argyll & Isles Tourism has also benefited from adopting such a model.
With the exception of large international brands (salmon, whisky) Argyll doesn’t have a huge number of tier 2 businesses. We do have a series of very exciting businesses in the meat, bakery, beer and seafood categories but all will require time & support to achieve the growth and market penetration. All whilst, they still have to overcome major challenges that hinder their ability to remain competitive such as connectivity (transport, ferries charges), skills shortages and profitability so they can invest for the future.
so…….SFD is only been in existence for 4-5 years, so give them a chance and get behind them and seek their involvement. Argyll & Isles Tourism and Food from Argyll aren’t the magic bullets in isolation but events such as this where all the positive businesses come together will certainly help the region get noticed. Working in partnership and aligning with strategic bodies will help accelerate growth aspirations if all “buy-in” with cash and energy and pull in the same direction
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