Two entrepreneurs with a wealth of experience working in some of London’s top restaurants have launched their first UK restaurant venture in Leeds, after securing a £110,000 business funding deal from Reward Finance Group. Alexander Jarvis and husband, Clement Cousin, have utilised the facility provided by Reward, an alternative finance lender, to purchase the former Little Monk site on Town Street in Horsforth, recently opened as Bavette Bistro. Alexander has enjoyed a successful culinary career since leaving college as a trained chef in 2007. His experience includes working as a commis chef at former Michelin guided Knightsbridge restaurant Racine, and more recently as group managing director and head chef for The Culpeper Family Hospitality Group. Clement moved from rural France to London in 2012 and has amassed over 10 years of front of house experience in a range of restaurants and bars, including being restaurant manager at The Culpeper Family Hospitality Group where he met Alexander. The business partners spent over six months seeking a suitable location for Bavette Bistro and needed a lender that could offer the pace and flexibility of funding when the right location arose. Speed of lending was also needed to ensure the refurbishment work could be completed within a tight timescale, whilst the working capital will help support the business during the first few months of trading. Reward specialises in providing tailored business finance and asset based solutions of up to £5m to property investors and SMEs across the UK. Alexander Jarvis, director of Bavette Bistro, said: “Having both worked in the hospitality industry most of our lives, we decided it was time to look into opening our own venture. The bistro is ideally located in the centre of Horsforth’s thriving bar and restaurant scene and will offer a seasonally-led menu of dishes to cater for around 36 covers.” “The funding provided by Reward is integral to financing the property lease purchase, complete the necessary redevelopment work to create a welcoming neighbourhood bistro and provide the working capital security while we build our reputation. We’re excited to have launched our first bistro in Leeds and we plan to succeed in an area of business that we are hugely knowledgeable and passionate about.” Alan Sanderson, one of Reward’s underwriters, added: “It’s great to support such a diverse range of SME businesses across the region, especially two hugely talented entrepreneurs who have drawn on their extensive experience in the restaurant industry to launch their first business venture." "Alexander and Clement have worked for some of London’s finest restaurants and bars and will no doubt thrive in such a high footfall area with a well-established line up of eateries and bars.” “The deal is a great example of our flexibility and speed of lending and our ability to support a new business in the hospitality sector – something that mainstream lenders aren’t doing as frequently at the moment. We look forward to following the success of Bavette Bistro as it no doubt goes from strength to strength.”

French pâtissier Tipiak has committed to using Fairtrade chocolate and free-range eggs in its sweet and savoury pâtisserie. The ingredients switch has been made as part of the foodservice provider’s pledge to boost the ethical credentials of its authentic ‘thaw and serve’ products. All chocolate used in Tipiak’s sweet products is now Fairtrade, while all products made with egg now contain free-range eggs. Marie-Emmanuelle Chessé, international development project manager at Tipiak, said: “We regularly look at the recipes and ingredients of our sweet and savoury pâtisserie to see if we can improve them in any way." “I am delighted to announce that Tipak is now solely using Fairtrade chocolate in all chocolate products and that we have committed to using only free-range eggs in anything that is made using egg. This is a positive move for our customers, who can promote the fact that we have updated and improved our ingredients to their own customers.” Tipiak specialises in exquisitely French sweet and savoury pâtisserie, supplied frozen to the UK food service sector via frozen food distributor Central Foods. Its range includes petits fours, gluten-free macarons and a selection of different savoury canapés. Tipiak’s ‘thaw and serve’ products are used across the food service sector in a variety of settings including afternoon tea, buffets, wedding, graduation and other event catering, plus as accompaniments to hot beverages and as light desserts. Its macarons are made to a traditional French recipe and are gluten free – making them suitable for coeliac customers and those who avoid gluten. Products available in the UK which now feature Fairtrade chocolate include chocolate macarons (one of the flavours in the French macarons selection), chocolate heart-shaped macarons (which feature in the heart-shaped macarons alongside strawberry heart-shaped macarons) and chocolate petits fours in the Classic French petits fours selection. Savoury range items that now include free-range egg include traditional Chicago canapés, Provencal bistro canapés and luxury temptation canapés, while the sweet pâtisserie products containing free-range egg include French macarons, pop macarons fruits and the heart-shaped macarons, plus the classic French petits fours.

Council decision makers are set to invest over a quarter of a million pounds, to kick start the district’s newest country park at Welbeck. The Council’s Cabinet is expected to give the green light to a phased approach to developing the country park. This will see phase one get underway immediately and be delivered in just three years. Councillor Jack Hemingway, Wakefield Council’s Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “Welbeck’s new future is as a country park." “These plans reinforce our long-term commitment to making this happen. The first phase will see the creation of circular walking trails, natural woodlands and grasslands, cycling trails and links to existing trails in the local area. As well as bird hides and other places for wildlife watching.” Outline work has already been done on the Council’s plans, which were created based on public views gathered from a survey carried out last year. Welbeck Country Park will be built in phases over several years, as new sections are restored and released. With the initial work focused on areas of land that the Council own. Plans also include the creation of a ‘Friends of’ group to help guide and manage the creation of the park. Councillor Hemingway added: “Phases 2 and 3 will then take us through the next ten plus years, where there is huge potential for its future. Anything from a visitor centre and toilets, to a café and a cycling hub." “In time Welbeck will become an important destination for recreation, a haven for nature, a valuable green space and source of biodiversity. It’s days as a landfill site must come to an end.” The Council’s Cabinet will be discussing the plans at their meeting on Tuesday 19 March. The meeting will be live streamed and can be watched live or later at Wakefield Council - Cabinet meetings - YouTube

Chairman of the Scottish food ingredient firm Macphie is stepping down this spring. After 17 years as chairman, Alastair Macphie, great nephew of the company’s founder, is stepping down from the role, but will continue as a non-executive director where his intimate knowledge of the business will add value to the long-term capital investment decisions. Alastair Macphie joined the business in 1987, taking over from his late father as managing director in 1995. In 2007 he was made chairman and went on some years later to appoint the firm’s first non-family managing director. In 1995, Macphie’s turnover was £14m and since then has grown to current year revenues exceeding £73m, delivering record growth over the last three years. Alastair Macphie said: “In four years, Macphie will mark 100 years in business. This is a remarkable achievement and one we look forward to celebrating." “It has been 29 years since I first took on the role of managing director and it has been amazing watching the company grow. Despite the recent challenges, last year we reported record sales, double-digit growth, and healthy profitability." “In recent years we’ve strengthened our leadership team with several key appointments – including my nephew Ed Widdowson as strategy, people and sustainability director - to lay the foundations for the next 100 years. Ed is the fourth generation of the family to be involved in the business.” Alastair continued, “I indicated to the board some time ago my ambition to step down this year and we’ve been working at getting the business into great shape with strong leadership and a clear growth strategy; with that in place, now is the right time to make this transition”. Macphie CEO Andy Stapley said: “Alastair has been a reassuring constant at Macphie, providing wise counsel, dedication and passion for the business and our people." “He has overseen huge changes in the company, investing in the manufacturing capability and our people, making sure the business stays ahead of its time, leading on sustainability and meeting the changing needs of our customers.” Alastair’s stepping down follows last year’s completion of a £5m refurbishment of its Glasgow factory, while plans are advancing for major upgrades to its Glenbervie facility. Future focus As of 1 April, Norman Soutar will take on the role of chairman, with Andy Stapley, who has been in post since 2018, as CEO. Soutar first joined the business as a non-executive director in late 2022. Soutar has had a highly successful executive career in the food sector, bringing over 30 years of leadership experience with household names such as Baxters, Auntie Bessie’s, and William Jackson Food Group. Soutar said, “I’ve known Macphie for many years, and I’m delighted to take up this appointment and look forward to supporting the business with its ambitious plans.” On stepping back from the business Alastair still has plenty to keep him busy. He continues to chair the Macphie family non-food businesses and holds several non-executive directorships. It will also allow him “to concentrate his efforts in the community”. In 2020, Alastair Macphie was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire, a role which he holds for the next 12 years. Macphie is an internationally renowned ingredients manufacturer that was established in 1928 and now employs more than 250 people across its three sites. Its vision is to be the go-to partner for food brands around the world, turning ideas and creativity into practical solutions. That and its “simply clever food” strapline reflects its passion in making life in the kitchen and bakery easier. Sustainability has been a key element to the fourth-generation family firm. It was among the UK’s first businesses to achieve B Corp status in 2015, having successfully evidenced an unwaveringly high standard of social and environmental performance.

The Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust has donated a four-figure sum to assist a vital charity which provides comprehensive support to families with children undergoing cancer treatment. The Emma Cameron Foundation has been a pillar of support for families coping with the devastating impact of childhood cancer. Established in memory of Emma Cameron, who battled osteosarcoma (bone cancer) until her passing in 2011, the foundation channels Emma's spirit of resilience and generosity by offering financial assistance and support to families in similar circumstances. With a deep understanding of the financial hardships that accompany a child's cancer diagnosis, the foundation was created to provide the numerous forms of support that Emma and her family were grateful to receive during her treatment. Operating on an annual budget of £60,000, the Emma Cameron Foundation support everything from funding for real hair wigs, trips to Lapland, support for social workers, facilitating end-of-life care at home in partnership with CHAS - a service that was not available to Emma but is now a critical form of support for families - to providing supermarket vouchers to help with immediate needs. Funding these essential services has become more challenging in the wake of the pandemic, with the foundation now relying entirely on self-generated fundraising and donations due to the depletion of reserve funds. The Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust has donated £2,500 to fund these supermarket vouchers, which will cover the Emma Cameron Foundation’s annual cost for provision of this service. Alan Cameron, Emma’s father, founder of the Emma Cameron Foundation said, "From our experience with Emma we know that having a child in hospital with cancer is expensive, adding more worry and issues to the most basic concerns about their diagnosis. There are so many financial consequences to a child’s cancer diagnosis, and we are trying to minimise this impact and let families focus on their child’s health." “We work with the hospital social workers who are aware of the impact a child’s cancer diagnosis has on each family. They identify the families most in need and the vouchers funded by the Allied Vehicles Charitable Trust will be used to help families who are having to stay away from home, have extended periods in hospital, make emergency pyjama / toiletries purchases, and more.” Jennifer Miller, Corporate Sales Manager and Charitable Trust committee member at Allied Vehicles Group said, “We are honoured to support the Emma Cameron Foundation's shopping voucher scheme with a donation of £2,500. With this contribution we aim to alleviate some of the burdens these brave families face, ensuring they have one less worry as they focus on their child's health and well-being."

Baked Earth Bakery has launched two new flatbread wraps for the food service sector. The fully baked, round Turkish style wraps and the Greek style wraps can be packed with tasty ingredients to make a light lunch or a food-to-go snack or used as an accompaniment to dips. Both suitable for vegans and vegetarians, the Baked Earth flatbread wraps are available to the catering sector via frozen food distributor Central Foods and warmed from frozen in 4-5 minutes in an oven or in a few minutes under the grill. They can also be defrosted and eaten cold. The flatbreads are an ideal replacement for tortillas for food service professionals who are keen to offer their customers something extra special. Dan Butt, MD of Nottingham-based Baked Earth, said: “We have been baking flatbreads for almost 35 years, continually innovating and creating new and exciting products for our food service customers." “We are very pleased to have launched the Turkish and the Greek style flatbreads. They are tasty, versatile and just perfect for the latest trends in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine.” Both approximately 200mm in diameter, the Turkish style is topped with brown and yellow linseeds and kalonji (black onion) seeds, while the Greek style is embedded with ancient grains, such as linseeds, sunflower seeds, millet, wheat flakes, oat flakes, barley flakes and crushed rye. For more information visit www.centralfoods.co.uk

Property consultancy Vail Williams has hired a senior surveyor directly from looking after Windsor Castle. Historic buildings specialist Chris Bailey has been appointed in the firm’s Thames Valley regional office in Reading as an Associate to bolster the Building Consultancy team. Chris, who also previously worked at Cluttons, Knight Frank, Savills and the National Trust, joins from the Royal Household Property Team where he worked as a senior building surveyor at Windsor Castle. He has in-depth experience in technical due diligence, design and contract administration, project management and historic building conservation, working across both the commercial and residential sectors. Chris, who qualified as a chartered building surveyor in 2016, has worked for clients ranging from high-net-worth individuals, landed estates, banks and building societies. He said: “I am very pleased to have joined such a progressive firm as Vail Williams. It is the ideal time to join a major firm to challenge myself further." “I hope to use the skills I have gained in my previous roles to continue to provide clients with the exemplary service they have come to expect.” Thames Valley Regional Managing Partner David Barden said: “We welcome Chris aboard as an experienced operator whose extensive historic buildings knowledge will add additional expertise to our already established building consultancy team." “Our strategic and geographical growth – particularly the opening of our new Oxford office last month – continues at pace and our hard-working team is expanding to match the market opportunities." “Chris, who has quickly become an appreciated member of the team, is tasked with helping to grow the building consultancy offering across the Thames Valley area." “There is huge growth potential across the region and we are determined to benefit from these opportunities and deliver expertise, support and successful outcomes for our clients.” Vail Williams’ full-service property advice includes commercial agency, investment and development advice, building consultancy, property valuation, planning, lease advisory, property asset management, business rates and occupier consultancy.

Experienced business leader, Jamie Tinsley has been appointed as chief executive officer (CEO) of Leeds-based golf mental performance coaching company, Underpin Sports. As CEO, Jamie will draw on his leadership and commercial acumen to provide strategic oversight and enable the firm to benefit from the experience gained during his successful career as a trusted CEO, investor and business leader across several multinational organisations. With Underpin Sports providing mental performance coaching to elite amateur and professional golfers across the globe, Jamie aims to engage and grow its corporate network of 72 Club members and help scale the business further throughout the UK. Each member of the 72 Club, which includes Blacks Solicitors, C&C Healthcare and Sagars Accountants, benefit from bespoke golf and business events through to commercial networking opportunities. They also gain a unique insight into the world of elite sports performance and help Underpin’s portfolio of players achieve their full potential at the very highest level of the professional game. Jamie, formerly a director of one of the world’s largest paper, print and packaging suppliers, will along with his role at Underpin Sports, maintain his full-time commitments as CEO of business consultancy firm, Touchstone Global and the chairman of Burnley-based marketing company, +24. Commenting on his appointment, Jamie said: “What really resonates with me is the opportunity to support Underpin and be part of an extremely dedicated team that shares such an ambitious vision for the business." "There is a genuine passion for the sport of golf and the development opportunities for both players and corporate partners are endless. It’s giving back to the wider golfing community and future stars of the game, by creating better, stronger, happier and higher performing humans." “The role combines my love of golf with an exceptional network of corporate partners that are integral to our future business growth.” Stewart Clough, managing director for Underpin, added: “To bring someone of Jamie’s calibre on board is a major coup for Underpin. We have ambitious aims for the company and feel his commercial acumen and pedigree within the companies he has worked for can only benefit us in the journey ahead." “He shares our philosophy of developing elite golfers, not just as players but as people as well, creating a solid platform for them to excel at the highest possible level. Everyone connected with Underpin has been energised by his arrival, and we’re looking forward to utilising his experience to take the business to the next level.”

Researchers at the University of Glasgow and Lancaster are on a mission to inspire the next generation of plant scientists with educational resources that transform existing plant science curriculum into an engaging and interactive subject for classroom learning. The Sci-Seedlets project – led by a multidisciplinary team from the University of Glasgow – aims to educate school age children on the importance of plant physiology and plant science research using a mix of traditional and digital STEM-led educational resources, including an interactive game resource which launched at Knightswood Primary School in Glasgow this week. The new Sci-Seedlets educational kits for classrooms combine traditional, experiment based, interactive-gaming and digital STEM-led educational resources to enhance learning outcomes for pupils. The resources are designed to be sustainable, accessible, and affordable; designed to provide tasters into plant science research and its importance in solving global problems by drawing upon plant science research at the University of Glasgow. By supporting educators to teach plant science in the classroom, the ultimate goal is to influence future career decisions of children by making them fully aware of the potential of plant science. By integrating a range of cross-disciplinary partnerships, the Sci-Seedlets project has evolved over a decade to better understand the needs for engagement and learning. The team have participated in science festivals, conducted school trials, held workshops, worked with teachers, and shared the individual resources, also translated into Chinese, Arabic, and Spanish for wider accessibility, with over 20,000 people and educators worldwide. The Sci-Seedlets’ first of its kind virtual game “Thaliana: Quest for Gene X” – developed in collaboration with Human Computer Interaction scientists at Lancaster University – now includes new STEM diversity character designs and opens the world of plant science to children through an interactive game where children can perform virtual molecular plant experiments, embark upon adventures in a plant science laboratory, and unlock fascinating facts about plants and plant growth, while sparking their curiosity and improving their knowledge about plants. By gamifying plant science, the team hope to encourage children around the world to learn not just about molecular plant science, but the importance of molecular plant research’s role in developing new strategies to engineer crops to be healthy and resilient to climate challenges for global food and water security. Dr Rucha Karnik, Senior Royal Society University Research Fellow and Sci-Seedlets developer and project lead, from the University of Glasgow’s School of Molecular Biosciences, said: “We are so excited about the rich engagement experience we have gained over the years culminating in the development of the Sci-Seedlets educational kits." "As a team, we want to not only communicate our science, but also to enthuse a fascination for the subject and encourage more children and young people to pursue plant science. This is best served by understanding the needs of the pupils and educators to help facilitate teaching of the subject in the classrooms.” Mrs Rhona Martin, Principal Teacher at the Knightswood Primary school at Glasgow, who has supported Sci-Seedlets resource developments from an educator’s perspective, said: “We believe the Sci-Seedlets projects has the immense potential to impact public interest in plants and empower younger generations to pursue plant science.” Dr Abe Karnik, Senior Lecturer HCI at Lancaster University, and developer of Thaliana said: “Sci-seedlets is a unique opportunity and challenge for a cross-disciplinary team of scientists to make complex science interesting and attractive to a young audience." "We transformed complex concepts into simple game mechanics that retained the scientific accuracy while delivering a playful experience. To us, Sci-Seedlets is an exciting new direction for experiential learning for STEM and grounded in game design and interactivity research.” Sci-Seedlets resources include new designs for scientist characters in the learning activities to promote concepts of equality, diversity, and inclusion in science. Dr Tim Peacock, Lecturer in History and Co-Director of Games and Gaming Lab at University of Glasgow’s College of Arts and Humanities, who helped develop the characters, said: “Our UofG Games Lab contribution to this innovative project has included graphic design of the game characters, informed by research-led historical study of how people from diverse backgrounds have represented themselves in different art media and video games." The Sci-Seedlets project is realised through support from SMB, MVLS Innovation team, funding from BBSRC, The Royal Society, Glasgow Knowledge Exchange Funding and the University of Glasgow.

The UKs leading supplier of gritters and winter maintenance vehicles is celebrating its female employees today as the world marks International Women’s Day.   Yorkshire-based Econ may operate in what many regard as a male-dominated engineering and manufacturing world, but its ethos of equal opportunities continues to promote diversity within its workforce.   Figures from the Women’s Engineering Society released in 2022 revealed how women now make up 16.5% of all engineers in the UK, compared to 10.5% reported in 2010, representing a six per cent increase in the proportion of women in the workforce.   This year’s International Women’s Day message is to ‘inspire inclusion’, and Econ is keen to ensure opportunities at its Ripon factory are there for everyone… no matter your gender.   Econ director, Katie Sharman, said: “Econ is a family run business which looks after its staff as though they were part of that family. Being a woman should not, and does not, prevent you from doing any job that you wish to take on, and here at Econ we make sure there are equal opportunities for all our staff." “International Women’s Day is important as it raises the profile of women workers in a wide range of sectors and industries, helping to break down the barriers that may have previously blocked female applicants.”   With an 85% share of the market, Econ prides itself in providing the vehicles and machinery needed to keep our nation’s roads open and our streets safe.   Whether sold or leased to councils and contractors, the Econ vehicle stands for British manufacturing excellence and durability… and equality.   Finance Director, Beverley Shepherd, said: "International women’s day is really important to Econ because it celebrates the achievements of our hard-working staff and promotes equality within the workforce.” Clare Hope, Hire Desk Manager and Office Manager, added: "I believe that days like International Women’s Day really do help to stamp out any inequality and stop discrimination across the workforce.   To  ensure that Econ has a more diverse workforce, all opportunities within the business are open to everybody, not only men, helping women to grow and to develop their skills.”   And Chrissie Gargett, Hire Desk Administrator at Econ, added: “The types of women who inspire me are those who challenge the industry and those who go against the grain."   “There are barriers within the industry because it is traditionally seen as a male dominated industry and it can be regarded as quite difficult for women to climb the ladder… but it is not impossible.”

Leicester Pride are thrilled to announce that Zander Murray – one of only FIVE out LGBTQ professional footballers IN THE WORLD – has been ‘signed’ to co-host Leicester Pride, as it makes its colourful return to the city on August 31st, 2024. Zander will co-host the main stage at Leicester Pride 2024 - which celebrated its 15th anniversary last year with its biggest ever event – as it returns to the city’s Abbey Park once again, bringing the city together to celebrate Leicester’s diverse LGBTQ+ community. Zander achieved worldwide ‘fame’ overnight, when he became only the third actively playing footballer in the world to come out back in 2022. He now plays successfully for Bonnyrigg Rose – a Scottish Professional Football League club – using his profile off the pitch to benefit LTBTQ+ charity, Stonewall, where he is an Ambassador. He regularly works with ‘Time for Inclusive Education.’ He not only devotes time to the sport he loves, but shares his passion with workshops in schools, football academies and even the Hong Kong Gay Games. In 2023, he was named by Attitude Magazine as one of the LGBTQ trailblazers changing the world and the football shirt he scored his 100th goal wearing was placed in the Scottish Football Museum – testament to his record-breaking goal scoring achievements in one season. Since coming out, Zander has shared his story on many TV shows including Lorraine (ITV), Good Morning Britain and Sky Sports, as well as many BBC shows including the BBC documentary, Out On The Pitch, where he explored what is being done to tackle homophobia in football and follows him as he discovers how the sport can be made more inclusive. Simon Harrison, Event Manager of Leicester Pride said: “We are thrilled to be welcoming Zander Murray to our hosting team – such a high profile and inspirational out pro footballer. We hope that Zander’s involvement in Leicester Pride 2024 will not only inspire our community, but show the world that sport is changing and can be a welcoming and inclusive space for all sexualities. He’s a true icon changing the face of football.” Zander Murray comments; “I’m absolutely ecstatic to co-host Leicester Pride. I’ve seen the footage of last year and it looks amazing. I’ve got family in Leicester and friends, but more importantly, I think there has to be more crossover with football and LGBTQ+. Celebrations like this can only help this.” He continues; “I’m well aware of Foxes Pride – LCFC’s LGBTQ+ group for members and allies – and have had many interactions with them. I can only hope that my involvement with Leicester Pride encourages closeted people in general to be their authentic self, as I came out at the first Pride event I went to. I’d strongly encourage anyone struggling with their sexuality getting yourself down to Leicester Pride as I have no doubt, you’ll have THE best time ever! And, of course, I’m co-hosting it, so what better way to get yourself down. It’ll be an amazing day”. Leicester Pride will take place on Saturday 31st August, with the parade starting at 12pm outside Curve before heading through the city to Abbey Park

One of Scotland’s leading hospitality groups Buzzworks is raising a glass in celebration after being shortlisted for four industry-leading awards. The Ayrshire-based bar and restaurant operator – which has 19 venues across Scotland – has been announced as a finalist in the ‘Best Managed Pub Company’ category at the annual Publican Awards. Described as one of the “biggest awards in the business”, the annual event celebrates the very best managed companies currently operating across the UK. Buzzworks is the only Scottish operator of its kind to be shortlisted in the category, with the winner set to be announced at a glittering ceremony at the Evolution London venue on 27 March 2024. Kenny Blair, managing director at Buzzworks, said: “It’s an honour to be recognised among some of the UK hospitality industry’s biggest players on one of the most hotly-anticipated awards nights of the year." “We are incredibly proud to be the only Scottish company nominated for this prestigious title, and are excited to wave the flag for Scotland’s dynamic hospitality sector on a national stage." “This nomination is a testament to the outstanding people who work in our business, as well as our commitment to delivering a superb customer experience to our guests throughout Scotland’s towns and suburbs. I’m looking forward to meeting the other finalists in March and celebrating the very best talent our industry has to offer.” Meanwhile, the family-run hospitality company has also been nominated for two separate categories at the Scottish Hospitality Awards in Glasgow on 22 April. Scotts Greenock, which opened last year at Greenock Ocean Terminal, has been nominated for the ‘Best Dining Experience’ award, while The Corner House in Kilwinning has been named as a finalist in the ‘Casual Dining Restaurant of the Year’ category. Additionally, Scotts Greenock has also been shortlisted for ‘Family Restaurant of the Year’ at the upcoming Scottish Restaurant Awards on 18 March. Kenny added: “We are consistently striving to provide great dining experiences and culinary excellence in each of our venues right across Scotland. I am thrilled this has been recognised by our guests and we couldn’t be more thankful for their continued support.” Buzzworks is renowned for its commitment to the wellbeing and development of its team, as well as its staff benefits, ongoing training, flexible working and career progression. The group was recently named one of the ‘Best Companies to Work For in the UK’ for the eighth year in a row, gaining an ‘Outstanding Levels of Engagement’ accreditation thanks to employee feedback.