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bi4 Spring Issue 2021

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SPRING <strong>2021</strong><br />

INSIGHT<br />

bellingram.co.uk<br />

Special Agent<br />

How to carve out<br />

more time to enjoy<br />

your land assets P5<br />

Croft Original<br />

It’s important to do<br />

your homework and<br />

consult an expert P16<br />

Planning Expert<br />

From pigeon lofts to<br />

hill tracks why it’s vital<br />

to get early advice P10<br />

summer spring bi2019 bi<strong>2021</strong> 1


welcome<br />

news<br />

Contents<br />

4 What is rural land worth? Head of<br />

Valuations Sarah Tyson reviews the average<br />

rural land values in Scotland and the North of<br />

England.<br />

5 Looking for more time to enjoy<br />

your land? Partner Rob Whitson examines<br />

how expert advice from a professional land<br />

manager can buy landowners more time to<br />

enjoy their assets.<br />

6 The NC500 effect Joanne Stennett<br />

examines how the promotion of the NC500<br />

has opened people’s eyes to the attractions of<br />

the Highlands.<br />

8 Helping It Happen Awards <strong>2021</strong><br />

Managing Partner Mark Mitchell encourages<br />

rural education innovators to share their<br />

success stories.<br />

9 Getting to know Bell Ingram GIS<br />

Manager Marcus Humphrey turned an interest<br />

in geography and cartography into a successful<br />

career in Geographical Information Systems<br />

(GIS).<br />

10 Do I need planning permission? It all<br />

depends, says Planning consultant Catherine<br />

Newton.<br />

12 Plotting your dream move to the<br />

country? With self-build becoming more<br />

popular, architect Murray Fleming shares his<br />

five top tips for buying the perfect site.<br />

14 <strong>Spring</strong> Step Challenge Bell Ingram<br />

walkers go the extra miles for our three chosen<br />

charities.<br />

15 It’s a sellers' market! Head of Estate<br />

Agency Carl Warden looks at the latest trends<br />

and explains why he is braced for a post<br />

lockdown surge in demand.<br />

16 Thinking of buying a croft? It’s<br />

important to do your homework says our<br />

resident crofting expert Ian Blois who shares<br />

some top tips to consider before you take the<br />

plunge.<br />

18 How important is Gaelic? Simone<br />

Hogan explains why she thinks that employing<br />

Gaelic speaking staff can be a unique selling<br />

point for Scottish businesses.<br />

A warm welcome to the <strong>Spring</strong> Edition of Bell<br />

Ingram’s Insight Magazine.<br />

It’s just over a year since the first Covid lockdown<br />

so it’s a suitable moment to reflect not just on how<br />

our clients’ interests and demands have changed,<br />

but how Bell Ingram has successfully navigated the<br />

pandemic challenge.<br />

I’m pleased to report that the company’s substantial investment in technology<br />

continues to pay dividends, enabling staff to deliver the high levels of service<br />

our clients expect despite the ongoing restrictions to our working lives.<br />

Farming has come through the crisis better than many sectors and our Head<br />

of Valuations Sarah Tyson reviews the average rural land values in Scotland<br />

and the North of England on page 4, while on page 5 Partner Rob Whitson<br />

examines how expert advice from a professional land manager can buy<br />

landowners more time to enjoy their assets.<br />

Elsewhere, the property market has been through a period of enormous<br />

upheaval with many buyers seeking to change their lifestyles in light of the<br />

pandemic. On page 15 our Head of Estate Agency Carl Warden examines the<br />

latest trends and government measures to stimulate the sector. Meanwhile on<br />

page 18 Joanne Stennett, who heads up our Highland Estate Agency team,<br />

reveals how better rural connectivity is attracting buyers further north.<br />

Farm and crofting properties are generating a high level of enquiries as soon<br />

as they come onto the market and on page 16 our resident crofting expert Ian<br />

Blois shares some top tips to consider before you take the plunge.<br />

On page 10 our planning consultant Catherine Newton emphasises the<br />

importance of getting professional planning advice at an early stage to<br />

prevent problems further down the line, while on page 12, architect Murray<br />

Fleming talks about what you need to consider when finding and buying a<br />

plot of land, while<br />

Elsewhere, we ask, how important is Gaelic? On page 6 Simone Hogan<br />

explains why she thinks that employing Gaelic speaking staff can be a unique<br />

selling point for Scottish businesses.<br />

While there are still challenges ahead, I remain optimistic that <strong>2021</strong> will<br />

see improvements for us all, particularly since the vaccine roll-out gives us<br />

confidence that life will return to some level of normality.<br />

In the meantime, we remain grateful for the support of our clients, something<br />

we never take for granted.<br />

Mark Mitchell<br />

Welcome<br />

Managing Partner<br />

Editorial contacts for Insight<br />

l Alison Lowson, Marketing Manager alison.lowson@bellingram.co.uk<br />

Tel. 01738 621 121 or 07584 093354<br />

l Design by Stuart Cameron design100cam@gmail.com<br />

*Insight magazine is prepared for general information only. While care is taken<br />

in its compilation, neither Bell Ingram LLP nor its employees or officers accept<br />

any liability for the contents or their application to any individual circumstances.<br />

Readers are strongly recommended to contact Bell Ingram to obtain advice<br />

appropriate to their needs.<br />

New faces in<br />

Ayr & Forfar<br />

Clare Morton and John<br />

Kennedy pictured above<br />

have joined Bell Ingram as<br />

Associate and Assistant Land<br />

Agent in our Ayr and Forfar<br />

offices respectively.<br />

Clare is a qualified Rural<br />

Chartered Surveyor and<br />

RICS Registered Valuer with<br />

over 10 years’ experience<br />

in the sector. A farmer’s<br />

daughter from Dumfries<br />

& Galloway, her expertise<br />

includes rural property<br />

valuations, compulsory<br />

purchase and compensation<br />

and utility projects.<br />

Originally from Coll where<br />

father runs the family<br />

farming business, John<br />

graduated from SRUC in<br />

Edinburgh with an Honours<br />

Degree in Agriculture<br />

followed by a Masters<br />

in Land Economy at the<br />

University of Aberdeen. He<br />

will be involved in a variety of<br />

work including rural estate<br />

and farm management. n<br />

in brief<br />

Thirsk office<br />

takes lead on<br />

SEGL contract<br />

ell Ingram has secured<br />

a new contract with<br />

BNational Grid for work on<br />

the Scotland to England Green<br />

Link SEGL1 initiative.<br />

The SEGL project is an integral<br />

part of the UK’s commitment to<br />

build a greener energy system<br />

and help deliver net zero by<br />

2050.<br />

Thirsk Partner Derek Tyson,<br />

supported by Assistant Land<br />

Agent Harry Downing, will be the<br />

lead surveyor on the contract.<br />

Initially Bell Ingram will be<br />

working to secure land access<br />

for various surveys to determine<br />

a defined cable route for a new<br />

High Voltage Direct Current<br />

(HVDC) link from Torness in<br />

East Lothian to Hawthorn Pit in<br />

County Durham.<br />

As the country shifts away<br />

from traditional forms<br />

of fuel to heat homes,<br />

charge vehicles and power<br />

businesses, there will be<br />

a greater need for green<br />

electricity.<br />

To help deliver this greener<br />

energy to homes and<br />

businesses across the UK,<br />

Bell Ingram plugs into green revolution<br />

with installation of EV charging points<br />

ell Ingram ramped up our eco credentials this month with the<br />

installation of electric vehicle (EV) charging points at our Perth HQ.<br />

BThe move came as our Head of Estate Agency Carl Warden took<br />

delivery of a new Tesla and the company hopes to roll out more charging<br />

points at other suitable Bell Ingram offices in the future.<br />

Says Carl: “Until recently electric cars weren’t practical for business travel<br />

because they didn’t have the range. The Tesla, however, is a game changer<br />

in terms of the distance it can travel on a single charge (around 300 miles).<br />

This factor, combined with the growing number of charging points, makes<br />

it a much more attractive proposition for rural business professionals who<br />

need to cover a lot of ground.<br />

“I am very pleased to see Bell Ingram demonstrating its commitment to<br />

zero-emission transport solutions and hope that our new EV charging<br />

point will give colleagues and clients the confidence to make the switch<br />

to EVs, knowing they can get the charge they need in the right places.” n<br />

National Grid needs to increase<br />

the capacity of the network<br />

between Scotland with its many<br />

renewable energy sources, and<br />

the rest of the UK.<br />

To do this, National Grid is<br />

proposing to construct two new<br />

High Voltage Direct Current<br />

(HVDC) links which will function<br />

as electricity superhighways.<br />

SEGL1 will run from Torness to<br />

Hawthorn Pit and SEGL2 will run<br />

from Peterhead in Aberdeenshire<br />

to Drax in North Yorkshire. n<br />

Renewable<br />

energy<br />

village<br />

earmarked<br />

for North<br />

East<br />

Scotland<br />

Bell Ingram Design<br />

is working with<br />

Edinburgh-based<br />

Holistic Energy to<br />

develop plans for a<br />

large-scale renewable<br />

energy village<br />

near Peterhead in<br />

Aberdeenshire. The<br />

plant aims to deliver<br />

between 150-200<br />

megawatts of green<br />

energy to supply to<br />

the Scottish grid, with<br />

building work slated<br />

to commence in 2023<br />

and be operational by<br />

2026. Holistic Energy<br />

is working with several<br />

partners in the design,<br />

civil engineering<br />

and construction<br />

phases, including<br />

Bell Ingram Design,<br />

Will Rudd Davidson<br />

and Aberdeen-based<br />

Wood Group and XL<br />

Group. n<br />

2 bi<strong>2021</strong> bi2019 spring<br />

winter winter spring bi2019 bi<strong>2021</strong> 3


land management<br />

design<br />

land management<br />

What is rural land worth?<br />

Land values in Scotland and the North of England<br />

Sarah Tyson<br />

Partner and Head of<br />

Valuations<br />

sarah.tyson@<br />

bellingram.co.uk<br />

Bell Ingram’s guide to average<br />

rural land values in Scotland<br />

and the North of England<br />

has been updated and<br />

proves a useful tool for<br />

many involved with land<br />

transactions.<br />

In reviewing the figures, Sarah Tyson, Head<br />

of Valuations, said:<br />

“It is interesting to see arable land and the<br />

best pasture land values rising, proof of the<br />

limited supply and continuing demand,<br />

especially where neighbours have the<br />

chance to buy. If borrowing is necessary,<br />

current low interest rates make sense and<br />

we are seeing increasing interest in long<br />

term, fixed rate loans with AMC.<br />

“In addition, the forestry sector is still<br />

very strong with good timber markets<br />

at present. The unprecedented demand<br />

from investors for land suitable for tree<br />

planting continues and is now expanding<br />

due to the impact of carbon sequestration,<br />

although values are very site specific<br />

making it difficult to apply averages.<br />

“Values for sporting interests remain<br />

steady, but again vary depending upon<br />

the particular estate, location and<br />

facilities - for stalking estates a<br />

modern deer larder that meets current<br />

regulations is essential to support the<br />

sporting asset.” n<br />

Bare Land Capital Values,Scotland £/per acre (min) £/per acre (max)<br />

Best Arable 8,000 17,000<br />

Secondary Arable 5,000 8,000<br />

LFA / Low Grade Arable 3,000 4,500<br />

Temporary Grass / Silage 2,500 4,500<br />

Permanent Pasture 1,500 3,000<br />

Rough Grazing 450 1,000<br />

Hill (*excluding any forestry planting premium) 50 750<br />

Existing Forestry (crop and solum) * £/ per ha (min) £/per ha (max)<br />

Productive Conifer Woodland 6,000 16,000<br />

Pre-­‐Productive Conifer Woodland 3,000 6,000<br />

Native/ broadleaf/ retention woodland 3,000 8,000<br />

*these exclude any carbon/ credit peatland sums which may apply <br />

Sporting Values, Scotland <br />

Red Deer Stags (per head) 12,000 40,000<br />

Driven Grouse (per brace) 3,500 5,000<br />

Salmon (per fish) 2,500 7,000<br />

Land Values -­‐ North of England £/per acre (min) £/per acre (max)<br />

Best Arable 9,000 15,000<br />

Secondary Arable 7,500 10,000<br />

Permanent Pasture 5,000 8,000<br />

Rough Grazing 3,000 6,500<br />

Hill 1,500 2,500<br />

Existing Forestry (crop and solum) * £/ per ha (min) £/per ha (max)<br />

Productive Conifer Woodland 6,000 16,000<br />

Pre-­‐Productive Conifer Woodland 3,000 6,000<br />

Native/ broadleaf/ retention woodland 3,000 8,000<br />

*these exclude any carbon/ credit peatland sums which may apply <br />

“An agent can<br />

create some<br />

all-important<br />

breathing space.”<br />

Professional advice<br />

Looking for more time to enjoy your land?<br />

Rob Whitson<br />

Partner Rural Land<br />

Management Highland<br />

01463 717 799<br />

highland@bellingram.co.uk<br />

f you think that owning a Highland<br />

estate bears any resemblance to the<br />

I‘Monarch of the Glen’ picture perfect<br />

ideal of tramping through the purple<br />

heather with a pack of black labradors,<br />

then brace yourself for a big reality check!<br />

Land management in Scotland is under<br />

a microscope like never before with the<br />

Scottish Government’s legislative framework<br />

setting out objectives and principles which<br />

put communities at the heart of decision<br />

making in an effort to improve how land in<br />

Scotland is owned, used and managed.<br />

Gone are the days where estates could<br />

operate in splendid isolation, modern<br />

owners have a responsibility as landowners<br />

to manage the land in a way that delivers<br />

lasting economic, social and environmental<br />

wellbeing to the community.<br />

And while many landowners do indeed<br />

have the privilege of living and working<br />

in this unique environment, it takes<br />

an enormous amount of hard graft to<br />

stay on top of the increasingly onerous<br />

administrative and legislative burden that<br />

makes an estate tick.<br />

The current pandemic has also added to<br />

this workload with a sharp rise in visitor<br />

numbers as people escape the towns<br />

and villages to walk, cycle, ride or paddle<br />

down rivers and camp overnight. While the<br />

majority of these visitors are responsible,<br />

landowners are seeing a worrying increase<br />

in dog mess, dirty camping, gates being left<br />

open and fly tipping.<br />

4 bi<strong>2021</strong> spring winter spring bi<strong>2021</strong> bi2019 53<br />

I<br />

t is important to get over the message<br />

that the countryside is also a home<br />

and workplace to people and wildlife,<br />

and help visitors understand their<br />

responsibilities and behave in a way which<br />

does not cause damage or annoyance to<br />

others.<br />

Yet despite these challenges, land<br />

ownership can still be a pleasure rather<br />

than a pain! From sporting and mixed<br />

estates to farmers and crofters at the other<br />

end of the spectrum, Bell Ingram’s land<br />

managers help our clients to navigate the<br />

raft of ever-changing rules and regulations.<br />

Whether it be heather management,<br />

predator control or simply trying to<br />

improve their land and the amenity of<br />

their asset, we support our landowning<br />

clients to keep on top of the changes to<br />

legislation.<br />

The bottom line is that time is finite and<br />

while you can't add more hours to the day,<br />

you can engage an agent to create some<br />

all-important breathing space between<br />

you and some of the challenges associated<br />

with land ownership, thereby giving you<br />

time and energy to enjoy the land that<br />

you own. Clear communication between<br />

you and your agent is key, as with that and<br />

trust built up through shared experiences,<br />

the relationship can be very fruitful.<br />

Bell Ingram currently oversees hundreds<br />

of thousands of acres on behalf of a wide<br />

portfolio of clients. Our bespoke, personal<br />

service ensures our clients maximise their<br />

assets and comply with the ever changing<br />

rural management requirements. n


estate agency<br />

estate agency<br />

M<br />

omentum is building across the<br />

Highland property market as<br />

lockdown begins to ease and<br />

we look forward towards the summer<br />

months.<br />

Last year saw Bell Ingram properties<br />

across the Highlands and Islands selling<br />

in super-fast time, attracting multiple<br />

offers and often achieving 20% or more<br />

over the asking price.<br />

Island properties in particular sold like<br />

hotcakes, some within 24 hours on the<br />

basis of a video tour rather than a physical<br />

viewing.<br />

The<br />

And it wasn’t just traditional homes that<br />

were in high demand. Interest in anything<br />

with development potential, especially<br />

if there was an existing footprint, was off<br />

the scale, with decrofted land and croft<br />

houses also generating dozens of notes of<br />

interest and offers.<br />

While we are not expecting the same<br />

heat in the market post lockdown #3, we<br />

are braced for a surge of interest once<br />

things return to some sort of normality<br />

hopefully around April/May.<br />

Without a doubt Covid has changed the<br />

way we live and work, with investment<br />

NC500<br />

in technology making the Highlands<br />

a far more attractive proposition than<br />

previously.<br />

The big push to expand rural connectivity,<br />

not just in Inverness but throughout the<br />

Highlands, means that working from<br />

home is much less of a compromise and<br />

more of an attractive proposition than ever<br />

before.<br />

The promotion of the North Coast 500<br />

has really opened people’s eyes to<br />

the attractions of the Highlands with<br />

visitors seeing at first hand that there’s<br />

infrastructure, facilities and support in<br />

Joanne Stennett<br />

Associate Estate Agency<br />

Highland<br />

01463 717 799<br />

highland@bellingram.co.uk<br />

place to support not just tourists but<br />

those who want to live and work in the<br />

Highlands as well.<br />

A<br />

ttracted by the affordable property<br />

prices and the access to a lot more<br />

outdoor space, we are talking to<br />

people who want to move north and are<br />

happy to consider rural locations. These<br />

buyers don’t just want holiday homes, they<br />

want a permanent move to live, work and<br />

be part of the Highland community.<br />

The trend is about the quality of life now<br />

and not just about being within an hour’s<br />

commute of the office.<br />

With demand outstripping supply in<br />

the Highlands and Islands, my advice to<br />

potential sellers is to start thinking about<br />

marketing your property now and consider<br />

those things you can do to prepare your<br />

house for sale<br />

We are expecting another surge in the<br />

market when lockdown is lifted so if you<br />

have all the preparatory work done for your<br />

sale you will be in the best position to take<br />

advantage of the market opening up fully.<br />

Declutter: Ask yourself what you would<br />

look for if you were buying a property. Have<br />

a walk round every room and consider<br />

whether it is appealing or not. Declutter,<br />

don’t make it clinical and ensure your<br />

home still looks like a home and is not<br />

stripped of all character.<br />

Kerb appeal: Look at things that could be<br />

lifted by a lick of paint, nothing major just<br />

something that freshens things up. Finish<br />

any little jobs that have been outstanding<br />

for a while.<br />

Look at a Home Report: There is<br />

no better way to prepare yourself for<br />

the Home Report visit than by looking<br />

through someone else’s. Look for number<br />

2s and 3s and what the issues were. Is<br />

it something that can be addressed<br />

with little expense ie. clearing gutters or<br />

touching up paintwork on the windows?<br />

It can sometimes be something as simple<br />

as this that can mark you down?<br />

Approach an Agent: Contacting an<br />

Agent early in the process is a good<br />

idea. They can give you guidance on<br />

anything that should be done to make<br />

your property more appealing to buyers.<br />

Establishing that relationship early in<br />

the sale process means you can chat any<br />

decisions through. Even if you are not<br />

ready to push the button just yet, your<br />

Agent can then get any pre-marketing<br />

work done and banked so you are ready to<br />

go when the Home Report is done. n<br />

Start planning your next<br />

house move by booking a<br />

Free Market Appraisal<br />

by contacting either Joanne<br />

or Julie on 01463 717 799.<br />

effect:<br />

Highland housing<br />

market gains<br />

momentum as we brace<br />

for post-lockdown surge<br />

in rural living<br />

62 bi<strong>2021</strong> bi2019 spring winter<br />

winter spring bi2019 bi<strong>2021</strong> 37


events<br />

design<br />

careers<br />

Rural<br />

education<br />

innovators<br />

urged<br />

to enter<br />

Helping It<br />

Happen<br />

Awards<br />

Bell Ingram’s Managing<br />

Partner Mark Mitchell<br />

is encouraging rural<br />

businesses across Scotland<br />

to follow in the footsteps of last<br />

year’s winner Duffus Estate and<br />

enter the Education category<br />

at this year’s Helping It Happen<br />

Awards.<br />

The annual awards, which are<br />

organised by rural business<br />

organisation Scottish Land &<br />

Estates, are free to enter and will<br />

showcase the work done in 2020/21<br />

by businesses, farms and estates to<br />

help rural Scotland thrive during a<br />

difficult year.<br />

Bell Ingram is once again teed up<br />

to sponsor the Education category,<br />

won in 2020 by family-run Duffus<br />

Estate. Judges were impressed<br />

by the Earthtime’s Forest School<br />

Nursery at Duffus which aims<br />

to have the children outside for<br />

at least 80% of the time. The<br />

youngsters grow vegetables<br />

which they then harvest and eat<br />

in their own meals at lunchtime.<br />

Earthtime was also chosen to<br />

be an educational hub during<br />

lockdown and provided 18 weeks<br />

of emergency childcare provision<br />

for 36 children of key workers or<br />

vulnerable families.<br />

Mark Mitchell said: “Together<br />

Bell Ingram and Scottish Land<br />

and Estates want to recognise<br />

champions of rural education,<br />

so that future generations grow<br />

up knowing more about farming<br />

and the countryside and what<br />

it delivers as well as nurturing a<br />

lifelong interest in the natural<br />

world.<br />

“Duffus Estate was a very worthy<br />

winner last year and I know that<br />

the judges are looking forward to<br />

seeing an equally high standard<br />

of entries this year as we celebrate<br />

the very best initiatives across the<br />

sector, whether on-farm, in the<br />

classroom, or even online.”<br />

The Helping it Happen Awards<br />

will once again be sponsored<br />

by GLM and this year there is a<br />

new ‘Business Resilience Award’<br />

category which is open to those<br />

who have, despite the pandemic,<br />

seen their business flourish by<br />

adapting, being innovative and<br />

working hard.<br />

Sarah-Jane Laing, Chief Executive<br />

at Scottish Land & Estates said:<br />

“This year has been difficult for us<br />

all. Our world leading tourism and<br />

hospitality sector has lay dormant.<br />

Across the rural sector businesses,<br />

land managers and community<br />

groups have done everything in<br />

their power to keep their staff in<br />

jobs and their work going in trying<br />

times.<br />

“That is why this year we think it<br />

is more important than ever to<br />

celebrate the talent, innovation,<br />

and passion of rural Scotland. To<br />

recognise the efforts made in the<br />

most difficult of circumstances by<br />

our members and others to protect<br />

communities, jobs and nature in<br />

rural Scotland, through the Helping<br />

it Happen awards.<br />

“There is no shortage of<br />

achievements to celebrate from<br />

Scotland’s rural businesses. We urge<br />

people from Shetland to the Borders<br />

to submit their entries for this year’s<br />

awards. You can nominate yourself<br />

or others.<br />

“The quality of entries we receive<br />

to the Helping it Happen Awards<br />

is always exceptional, and we are<br />

excited to see this year’s crop of<br />

nominations.” n<br />

The <strong>2021</strong> Helping<br />

it Happen Awards<br />

categories are:<br />

● Education Award sponsored by<br />

Bell Ingram<br />

● Business Resilience Award<br />

● Conservation Award sponsored<br />

by Anderson Strathearn<br />

● Enhancing our Environment<br />

through Land Management<br />

Award sponsored by<br />

NatureScot<br />

● Innovation in Farming Award<br />

sponsored by Douglas Home<br />

& Co<br />

● Iver Salvesen Award for<br />

Combatting Climate Change<br />

● Rural Business Award<br />

sponsored by Shepherd and<br />

Wedderburn LLP<br />

● Rural Housing Award<br />

sponsored by VELUX<br />

● Tourism & Visitor Management<br />

Award sponsored by GLM<br />

● Working with Communities<br />

Award sponsored by The<br />

MacRobert Trust<br />

The awards close to entries on 4th August and winners will be announced<br />

at a live virtual ceremony on 27th October <strong>2021</strong>. To view last year’s winning<br />

entries or make a nomination please visit www.scottishlandandestates.<br />

co.uk/helping-it-happen<br />

What can you do<br />

with a GIS degree?<br />

Marcus Humphrey turned<br />

a schoolboy interest in<br />

geography and cartography<br />

into a successful career in<br />

Geographical Information Systems (GIS)<br />

and hopes his journey will inspire others<br />

to think differently about the type of job<br />

opportunities that exist for students with<br />

an aptitude for geography, maths or IT.<br />

Says Marcus: “As a relatively new<br />

profession, GIS has been overlooked<br />

to a certain extent when schools are<br />

giving out careers advice. I’m glad to<br />

say that this situation is changing and<br />

with organisations like Ordinance Survey<br />

actively supporting the national geography<br />

curriculum, the profile of GIS has never<br />

been higher.<br />

“A variety of careers are open to those<br />

interested in working within the GIS<br />

sector and I’d strongly advise young<br />

people to test the water by organising<br />

work experience with a company like Bell<br />

Ingram to give them a flavour of what’s<br />

involved in the job.”<br />

Based in our Perth HQ, Marcus joined<br />

Bell Ingram in 2016 and heads up our<br />

Geographical Information Systems (GIS)<br />

department which provides mapping<br />

expertise across the company.<br />

After graduating BSC (Hons) in<br />

Geographical Information Systems from<br />

Kingston University in London, Marcus<br />

Marcus Humphrey<br />

Manager GIS &<br />

Mapping Services<br />

perth@bellingram.co.uk<br />

worked first for BP conducting offshore<br />

mapping before joining a data<br />

management company mapping utilities<br />

in London and the South East of England.<br />

His work at Bell Ingram has a similar focus<br />

on utilities and infrastructure projects.<br />

Marcus continues: “I’m currently mapping<br />

routes for new fibre optic telecoms going<br />

into Aberdeenshire. Working alongside<br />

land agent colleagues, my role is to<br />

confirm land ownerships as well as the<br />

adopted highways.<br />

“Rural professional services companies<br />

often have dedicated GIS departments<br />

which can offer support to staff with<br />

different levels of mapping expertise.<br />

This is the case at Bell Ingram where I<br />

work alongside colleagues whose rural<br />

or forestry degrees included a mapping<br />

element. While some might have<br />

completed a basic GIS module which<br />

gives them the confidence to produce<br />

a location/site plan, others have more<br />

advanced skills.”<br />

Marcus’ love of maps continues outside<br />

work and he enjoys sharing his knowledge<br />

by volunteering with the Scout Association<br />

and the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.<br />

He says: “As an adult volunteer I help<br />

young people to develop their navigation<br />

and outdoor skills. It’s a privilege to be able<br />

to share my knowledge and expertise, and<br />

maybe even encourage them to consider<br />

GIS as a potential career.”<br />

“It’s an exciting<br />

time to be<br />

involved in<br />

the geospatial<br />

industry<br />

thanks to the<br />

advancement of<br />

new technology<br />

which is making<br />

it one of the<br />

fastest growing<br />

global sectors.”<br />

8 bi<strong>2021</strong> spring spring winter bi<strong>2021</strong> bi2019 91


design planning<br />

Do I Need Planning<br />

Permission?<br />

It all depends says Bell<br />

Ingram’s Planning Consultant<br />

Catherine Newton<br />

Catherine Newton<br />

Planning Consultant<br />

Tel: 01738 621 121<br />

perth@bellingram.co.uk<br />

planning<br />

Changes to<br />

Permitted<br />

Development<br />

Rights (PDR) for<br />

farm and forestry<br />

buildings<br />

The Scottish Government is making<br />

changes to increase farm and forestry<br />

permitted development rights (PDR)<br />

which are intended to support rural<br />

development and diversification.<br />

These changes include increasing<br />

the size of agricultural buildings and<br />

allowing some farm/forestry building<br />

to be converted into homes and other<br />

uses without the need for planning<br />

permission.<br />

However, these extended rights are<br />

still subject to a number of conditions<br />

and limitations including size, height,<br />

distance from a public road. There<br />

also remains the requirement for prior<br />

notification/prior approval from the<br />

planning authority.<br />

Do I need planning<br />

permission to keep a<br />

donkey; race pigeons;<br />

cut down a tree; build<br />

a shed; or form a hill track?<br />

The answer to all these<br />

planning questions around<br />

land use and development<br />

is invariably, “it depends”. It<br />

depends on what, where,<br />

when, why and who the<br />

development is for. And it also<br />

depends on legislation, local<br />

development plan policies and<br />

guidance.<br />

The same applies to the<br />

question I’m asked most<br />

frequently, ie. what planning<br />

permission is needed to<br />

develop new houses in the<br />

countryside? My answer<br />

is – you’ve guessed it is – “it<br />

depends”!<br />

As Bell Ingram’s Planning<br />

Consultant, I provide<br />

professional advice to clients<br />

and colleagues on an infinitely<br />

varied range of planning<br />

projects across Scotland and<br />

the North of England.<br />

My expertise is in everything<br />

related to town and country<br />

planning, and my knowledge<br />

and experience allows me to<br />

make an initial assessment<br />

on whether or not a new<br />

house in a specific countryside<br />

location would be supported<br />

in principle by the Planning<br />

Authority and if further<br />

investigation and appraisal<br />

would be cost effect and<br />

beneficial to the client.<br />

For example, I often work<br />

with my colleague Andrew<br />

Fuller from our Oban office<br />

to identify rural plots with<br />

development potential for<br />

clients who are in the process<br />

of selling estates and farms,<br />

and want to add value to the<br />

sale.Most recently I was<br />

able to provide<br />

timely planning<br />

advice to a client<br />

before he agreed the sale of his<br />

house and surrounding land<br />

south of Oban. I was aware<br />

that there is a clear planning<br />

policy presumption in favour<br />

of rural development in certain<br />

parts of the countryside near<br />

Oban. I undertook a site visit<br />

and successfully identified two<br />

suitable plots of land for small<br />

scale development where,<br />

in accordance with policy<br />

criteria for new houses in the<br />

countryside, development<br />

would have no adverse<br />

impact on the character of the<br />

landscape.<br />

In this case, the Planning<br />

Authority was able to agree<br />

that the sites offered an<br />

appropriate opportunity for<br />

new homes, subject to a high<br />

standard and sustainable<br />

design being agreed through<br />

the submission of a subsequent<br />

planning application.<br />

Ultimately our client did not<br />

want to go as far as submitting<br />

planning applications, but was<br />

satisfied that the development<br />

potential had been identified<br />

to support the sale of the house<br />

and the land.<br />

The bottom line is that I can<br />

give clear and pragmatic<br />

planning advice on the best<br />

approach, based on the client’s<br />

needs and aspirations. Much<br />

of my work starts with a quick<br />

phone call from a colleague or<br />

a client recommendation … so<br />

if you need planning advice at<br />

early stage please just get in<br />

touch. n<br />

l Securing planning<br />

permissions was an<br />

important part of<br />

the process when<br />

Bell Ingram Design<br />

transformed this derelict<br />

agricultural building in<br />

the Angus Glens into a<br />

stylish holiday home.<br />

One of the biggest changes - which will<br />

interest Bell Ingram clients - is allowing<br />

the conversion of existing buildings to<br />

residential dwellings. It is not intended<br />

that the right should permit the<br />

redevelopment of sites, but to allow<br />

alterations to an existing building to<br />

function as a dwelling with installation of<br />

new doors and windows being included.<br />

Conditions may still be attached when<br />

Prior Approval is given and a building<br />

warrant would also still be required for<br />

the conversion.<br />

In my experience, the conversion of farm<br />

buildings to residential use requires<br />

extensions, adaptions and often a new<br />

build element beyond just conversion<br />

to make the development financially<br />

viable. Such changes would not become<br />

permitted development. Therefore<br />

we would not necessarily advise<br />

trying to stay within the constraints<br />

of permitted development, where<br />

planning permission would otherwise be<br />

supported in principle and provide more<br />

flexibility to create a well-designed and<br />

viable project.<br />

If you have a project in mind, it<br />

is always wise to seek planning<br />

advise at an early stage. Contact<br />

Bell Ingram’s Planning Consultant<br />

Catherine Newton on<br />

01738 621 121 or email<br />

perth@bellingram.co.uk<br />

10 bi<strong>2021</strong> spring spring winter bi<strong>2021</strong> bi2019 11<br />

5


design<br />

design<br />

Murray Fleming<br />

Associate Design Highland<br />

01463 717 799<br />

highland@bellingram.co.uk<br />

Plotting your<br />

dream move<br />

to the<br />

country?<br />

Here’s 5 top tips<br />

for identifying a<br />

perfect site<br />

Readers of a certain vintage will remember<br />

1970s’ sitcom The Good Life which<br />

chronicled the adventures of Tom (Richard<br />

Briars) and Barbara (Felicity Kendal) Good<br />

as they embraced a life of self-sufficiency<br />

in their home in Surbiton.<br />

And this desire to create a ‘good life’<br />

has been one of the enduring property<br />

trends of the last 50 years with the current<br />

pandemic only increasing the demand<br />

for house plots as many people reassess<br />

their priorities in favour of building a better<br />

quality of life in the countryside.<br />

So, if you are thinking of swapping city<br />

living for the rural idyll, Architect Murray<br />

Fleming who heads up Bell Ingram’s<br />

Highland Design team shares his 5 top tips<br />

for things to consider when plot hunting:<br />

Where is the sun?<br />

One of the great benefits of<br />

designing a new house on<br />

your own plot of ground is the<br />

opportunity to take advantage<br />

of the sun as it moves through<br />

the day and to simply enjoy the<br />

pleasures of a light filled house.<br />

Whether it be the morning sun<br />

in the kitchen or a view of the setting sun<br />

from the living room, good house design<br />

begins with designing around the sun<br />

‘path’.<br />

However it is not a simple as north facing<br />

site = bad and south facing = good, it is<br />

much more a matter of the surrounding<br />

topography and how that affects how the<br />

sun reaches the site. A north facing site<br />

may actually benefit from sun throughout<br />

the day if there are no obstructions and a<br />

south facing site may not see any sun if its<br />

path is obstructed by trees or a large hill<br />

immediate to the south.<br />

Try and visit the site at different times<br />

of the day to find out when the sun first<br />

hits the plot and when it dips below the<br />

horizon at the end of the day. Then, taking<br />

account of the time of year, an assessment<br />

can be made of how this will vary during<br />

the year, as the sun path from winter to<br />

summer varies enormously at our northern<br />

latitudes.<br />

Where are the<br />

utilities?<br />

Not so glamourous,<br />

however as many sites<br />

in the countryside are<br />

sold with no utilities, an<br />

assessment of the cost<br />

of bringing in water and<br />

electricity, and dealing with<br />

sewage is crucial to understanding the<br />

‘real’ cost of the project.<br />

A site that seems like a good buy at first<br />

can quickly become a money pit if the<br />

cost of running in each of the utilities<br />

is exceptional due to long distances<br />

for water/electricity, or poor ground<br />

conditions for a sewage system soakaway.<br />

Watch out too if no water supply is<br />

available and the only option is an<br />

expensive and uncertain water ‘borehole’.<br />

Where are the<br />

under-ground<br />

services?<br />

While bringing services a<br />

long way into a site can<br />

be expensive, dealing with<br />

services already on site, but<br />

which are in the ‘wrong’<br />

place, can be equally<br />

problematic, whether it be a water main<br />

running across the plot (which can be<br />

the case even in an apparently remote<br />

location) or overhead electricity or BT<br />

lines.<br />

There are several companies that can<br />

supply this information for a fee, however<br />

local knowledge is equally invaluable, and<br />

a short chat with a long-time neighbour<br />

of the site could save you thousands!<br />

Where are<br />

there planning<br />

conditions?<br />

Most house sites will<br />

be sold with either<br />

‘Planning in Principle’ or<br />

full ‘Detail Approval’ and<br />

both are likely to have<br />

‘conditions’ attached<br />

which you will be required to comply<br />

with. These can vary from a requirement<br />

to carry out protected species surveys to<br />

archaeological ‘watching briefs’ or simply<br />

forming a new vehicular entrance from<br />

the public road to meet the current local<br />

council standards.<br />

While many conditions may have no cost<br />

implications, the above examples could<br />

prove expensive and so making a careful<br />

assessment of the potential costs and<br />

indeed risks of any planning conditions is<br />

an essential part of plot assessment.<br />

Where is the<br />

love?<br />

Buying a plot of land and<br />

designing our own house<br />

is a dream for many of us,<br />

and it’s not as complicated<br />

as it might first appear! But,<br />

before you make that life<br />

changing purchase, ask<br />

yourself: “Do I love this site? For better, for<br />

worse? For richer for poorer? ‘Til de … well<br />

hopefully not that part!” And if the answer<br />

is YES!, come and speak to us at Bell<br />

Ingram Design and we can help make<br />

your dream come true.<br />

Start planning your dream home by<br />

checking out the plots for sale on our<br />

website www.bellingram.co.uk<br />

or contacting Murray Fleming by<br />

ringing our Beauly office.<br />

12 bi<strong>2021</strong> spring spring winter bi<strong>2021</strong> bi2019 13<br />

9


Bell Ingram<br />

walkers go the extra<br />

mile for charities<br />

intrepid walkers of miles) during the month-long<br />

all ages and abilities March fundraiser, the group<br />

37 have been stepping of colleagues from across the<br />

up to raise cash for Bell<br />

company’s offices in Scotland<br />

Ingram’s three chosen charities and the North of England<br />

- rural charity RSABI, the Great set themselves daily targets<br />

North Air Ambulance (GNASS) ranging from 2,000 to 15,000+<br />

and Scotland’s Charity Air steps.<br />

Ambulance (SCAA).<br />

Clocking up a combined total<br />

of 10,843,048 steps (5,134<br />

Supported by their dogs,<br />

children and partners, the<br />

walkers fitted in their extra<br />

miles before, during and after<br />

work as well as at weekends,<br />

and a WhatsApp group was<br />

set up to motivate the group<br />

and soon became a great way<br />

of sharing routes and posting<br />

pictures.<br />

As well as walking some<br />

people also added cycling<br />

and paddle boarding to<br />

the challenge, converting<br />

kilometres into steps!<br />

Alison Lowson, Bell Ingram’s<br />

Marketing Manager, helped<br />

organise the challenge. She<br />

said: “With so many people<br />

home-working at the moment,<br />

the idea was to challenge<br />

colleagues to take more<br />

exercise during the day and<br />

focus on something else apart<br />

from Covid and the dreaded<br />

home-schooling!<br />

“The land agents and foresters<br />

definitely had an advantage<br />

when it came to putting in<br />

the mileage because the very<br />

nature of their jobs means<br />

that are always out and about<br />

managing estates, farmland<br />

and forestry as well as<br />

supporting our utilities clients.<br />

“However, it encouraged the<br />

rest of us to ‘up our game’<br />

and we made a real effort to<br />

explore our local areas. We all<br />

live and work in some of the<br />

UK’s most beautiful places<br />

and it was great fun sharing<br />

pictures and seeing some of<br />

the stunning walks.” n<br />

Housing<br />

market<br />

is very much open<br />

for business<br />

The high level of transactions we saw<br />

carried over from the latter half of last<br />

year into January <strong>2021</strong> has now hit a<br />

roadblock with demand far exceeding<br />

supply in the prime residential market.<br />

Given the lack of stock, buyers are<br />

reluctant to sell their own homes which<br />

in turn has created a vicious circle. The<br />

incorrect perception that the housing<br />

market is closed for business is another<br />

factor creating a drag on the market.<br />

However, we are very much open for<br />

business and know that the demand<br />

is there. In Perthshire and Kinrossshire<br />

for example, we are seeing offers<br />

accepted within hours of being listed<br />

on our online platforms. Private deals<br />

are also becoming more common with<br />

properties snapped up before they’ve<br />

even hit the market.<br />

More good news for sellers is that the<br />

market is attracting serious cash buyers<br />

with no chain to hold them up. Any<br />

Carl Warden<br />

Head of Estate<br />

Agency<br />

perth@bellingram.co.uk<br />

available properties are selling fast, often<br />

achieving 10-20% over the asking price.<br />

Looking ahead, there are plenty of<br />

reasons to be optimistic that the<br />

situation will improve, and estate agents<br />

are holding their breath in anticipation<br />

of a much-needed housing boom when<br />

lockdown eases in April and May.<br />

In his <strong>Spring</strong> Budget, Chancellor Rishi<br />

Sunak chose to keep the fire under the<br />

property market alight by extending<br />

the stamp duty holiday from the end<br />

of March to the end of June. After this<br />

date, the starting rate of stamp duty will<br />

be halved to £250,000 until the end of<br />

September.<br />

estate agency<br />

l An offer was<br />

accepted on this<br />

Perthshire property in<br />

just three days.<br />

However, Stamp Duty is only applicable<br />

in England and Northern Ireland, and it<br />

will be interesting to see if the Scottish<br />

Government follows suit with the Scottish<br />

equivalent, the Land and Buildings<br />

Transaction Tax (LBTT), as Ministers<br />

previously indicated the LBTT holiday<br />

would end in March<br />

The Budget announcement of a mortgage<br />

guarantee scheme to help people with<br />

small deposits get on the property ladder<br />

by offering incentives to lenders to provide<br />

95% mortgages is most welcome. This will<br />

help first time buyers get onto the housing<br />

ladder which in turn stimulates the rest<br />

of the property market and increases<br />

property transactions<br />

Simultaneously, the Chancellor is easing<br />

the UK from an end-of-furlough cliff edge<br />

and has turned away from increasing<br />

capital gains tax - an increase in CGT<br />

could have dented the holiday home and<br />

investment sectors. These moves point the<br />

way to a lively property market through<br />

<strong>2021</strong>.<br />

With the public looking forward to the<br />

stepped retreat from lockdown and many<br />

people planning new ways of working<br />

between office and home, there are<br />

compelling new opportunities for buyers<br />

looking for first homes or for homes with<br />

more room in different surroundings. n<br />

214 bi2019 bi<strong>2021</strong> winter spring spring winter bi<strong>2021</strong> bi2019 153


estate agency<br />

estate agency<br />

TV programmes like Amanda<br />

Owen’s ‘Our Yorkshire Farm’<br />

and Ben Fogle’s ‘New Lives<br />

in the Wild’ have tapped into<br />

a national obsession with selfsufficient<br />

lifestyles.<br />

So much so that even during<br />

lockdown, farm and crofting<br />

properties generated high levels<br />

of enquiries as soon as they<br />

came on the market.<br />

But for those seeking the rural<br />

idyll, does the romantic notion<br />

of swapping city life for a sheep<br />

farm in the Dales or living in a<br />

white-washed croft house on<br />

a west coast bay live up to the<br />

reality?<br />

Bell Ingram’s resident crofting expert<br />

Ian Blois says: “It can do, but it’s<br />

not always straightforward and<br />

prospective crofters need to be<br />

aware of a number of points when buying<br />

a property which could be restricted by<br />

crofting legislation.”<br />

He continues: “Increased interest in<br />

crofting properties during the Covid<br />

lockdown has been prompted partly<br />

by lower property prices and partly by a<br />

genuine consideration of escaping to the<br />

country and leaving behind the stresses<br />

of city living. Working from home is now<br />

a reality for many people and with good<br />

broadband, connectivity to a business or<br />

employment anywhere in the world is now<br />

possible amidst the freedom and slower<br />

lifestyle of the Highlands.<br />

Based in Bell Ingram’s Beauly office,<br />

Ian has worked with Estate Agency<br />

colleagues advising potential crofters for<br />

over ten years and reckons that a working<br />

knowledge of crofting legislation almost<br />

comes as standard if you are a rural<br />

professional living and working in the<br />

Highlands.<br />

He adds: “While the rules and regulations<br />

around crofting aren’t particularly<br />

complicated, like most things of this<br />

nature there are certainly a few pitfalls that<br />

could trap the unwary, and it’s sensible to<br />

do your homework and consult an expert.”<br />

Ian Blois<br />

Senior Land Agent<br />

01463 717799<br />

highland@<br />

bellingram.co.uk<br />

Thinking of<br />

buying a<br />

It’s important to do<br />

your homework and<br />

consult an expert<br />

Here’s a number of points you might want<br />

to consider if you are thinking of buying a<br />

croft:<br />

What is a croft?<br />

Crofting is a system of landholding which<br />

is unique to Scotland and is an integral<br />

part of life in the Highlands & Islands. A<br />

croft is legally any small land holding,<br />

which is registered as a croft by the<br />

Crofting Commisson and therefore subject<br />

to crofting legislation. The croft may or<br />

may not have a house or farm buildings<br />

associated with it and there is no size limit.<br />

Currently Bell Ingram have a number of<br />

crofts for sale ranging from a 1.6acre croft<br />

near Oban to 127 acres of farmland near<br />

Lairg in Sutherland.<br />

Where are crofts<br />

located?<br />

There are 21,186 crofts entered on the<br />

Crofting Commission’s Register of Crofts<br />

(ROC) of which 15,137 are tenanted and<br />

the remainder are owned. These crofts<br />

are located within the traditional Crofting<br />

Counties of Argyll, Caithness, Inverness,<br />

Ross & Cromarty, Sutherland, Orkney<br />

and Shetland, or in one of the newly<br />

designated crofting areas – Arran, Bute,<br />

Greater and Little Cumbrae, Moray.<br />

How much does it cost<br />

to buy a croft?<br />

This depends of a number of factors,<br />

including location, land quality and<br />

whether the sale includes a croft house.<br />

For example, a croft (with a croft house)<br />

in a desirable area like the Black Isle with<br />

good transport links to Inverness is likely<br />

to fetch a higher price than a property<br />

without a croft house in a more remote<br />

location.<br />

What is the legal<br />

position if I buy a<br />

croft?<br />

There are two possible scenarios when you<br />

buy a croft and these should be apparent<br />

in the sales particulars. The croft may be<br />

classed as owner-occupied, in which case<br />

you would be buying the land and the<br />

crofting tenancy, which is the right to farm<br />

the land. Or, in some cases, the ownership<br />

of the land is not part of the sale and<br />

you would be buying the assignation or<br />

tenancy of the croft, which is just the right<br />

to farm the land.<br />

What are my rights<br />

and responsibilities if I<br />

buy a croft?<br />

Owning a croft is not the same as owning<br />

an ordinary regular home or farm because<br />

the use of the land is regulated by the<br />

Crofting Acts. Whether you become an<br />

owner-occupier or just the tenant, in both<br />

cases you must comply with certain duties<br />

imposed on you by the crofting legislation.<br />

These are:<br />

lA duty to<br />

be a resident on, or<br />

within 32 kilometres<br />

of, the croft.<br />

lA duty not to misuse<br />

or neglect the croft.<br />

lA duty to cultivate<br />

and maintain the croft<br />

or to put it to another<br />

purposeful use.<br />

If any of these rules are breached, the<br />

Crofting Commission have the statutory<br />

powers to terminate the tenancy and<br />

allocate the croft to someone considered<br />

to be more suitable. This applies even<br />

if you own the croft, so it is important<br />

that prospective buyers understand the<br />

commitment they are making.<br />

Can I buy a croft house<br />

without any land?<br />

A “croft” house is not necessarily a croft.<br />

If a house is being sold without land, it is<br />

unlikely to be subject to crofting legislation<br />

which applies mainly to land. In this case,<br />

normal property laws apply and you can<br />

use it as a second home or let it out as a<br />

holiday cottage.<br />

If a registered croft is being sold with a<br />

house, the house and garden has often<br />

been de-crofted which means that while<br />

the land remains under crofting tenure,<br />

the house is no longer subject to crofting<br />

legislation. This can be important if the<br />

buyer needs a mortgage as lenders will<br />

only offer financial assistance if the house<br />

is free of crofting legislation.<br />

Making an Offer<br />

If you are serious about buying a croft,<br />

speak to the selling agent and your<br />

solicitor to make sure you are fully aware<br />

of what it will mean to become a crofter.<br />

It is usual to make a formal offer subject<br />

to getting approval from the Crofting<br />

Commission. This means that if your<br />

offer is accepted, you will then make an<br />

application to the Crofting Commission to<br />

be approved as the tenant of the property.<br />

This is likely to be successful as long as you<br />

intend to live permanently on the croft or<br />

at least within 19 miles of it and to actively<br />

farm the land. Once approved, your offer to<br />

buy will be completed.<br />

Still Confused?<br />

If you have found you dream house on<br />

an internet search and you find that<br />

crofting is mentioned, please do not be<br />

discouraged. Just give us ring at either our<br />

Beauly or Oban office and someone will<br />

be pleased to answer all your questions. It’s<br />

not as complicated as it sounds.<br />

Useful links:<br />

• Crofting Commission<br />

www.crofting.scotland.gov.uk<br />

• Citizen’s Advice<br />

www.citizensadvice.org.uk<br />

• Shelter Scotland<br />

www.scotland.shelter.org.uk<br />

16 bi<strong>2021</strong> spring spring bi<strong>2021</strong> 17


Gaelic<br />

speaking<br />

staff are a unique<br />

selling point for<br />

Scottish businesses<br />

A<br />

surge<br />

Simone Hogan<br />

Administrative Assistant<br />

Highland<br />

01463 717 799<br />

highland@bellingram.co.uk<br />

of interest in Scottish<br />

Gaelic saw more than<br />

560,000 people sign up<br />

to learn the language with<br />

learning app Duolingo during the 2020<br />

lockdown.<br />

Statistics released by the company<br />

revealed that a third of learners on the<br />

site are from Scotland, with another third<br />

from the US, and the remainder from<br />

around the world, including eight per<br />

cent from Canada.<br />

The global popularity of Scottish Gaelic<br />

comes as no surprise to Bell Ingram’s<br />

Simone Hogan who had been learning<br />

the language since 2009 having<br />

emigrated to the UK from Australia in<br />

1995 and living in Kent before finally<br />

settling in the Highlands in 2019.<br />

And Simone, who works as an<br />

Administrative Assistant in the company’s<br />

Highland office in Beauly, believes that<br />

Scottish hospitality and tourism industry<br />

is missing a trick by not weaving Gaelic<br />

into their business plans and employing<br />

more fluent speakers.<br />

Says Simone: “From personal experience<br />

I know that international visitors seek out<br />

Gaelic speaking businesses when they<br />

travel to Scotland.<br />

“For example, when a friend I met<br />

through online Gaelic classes travelled<br />

to Scotland from the USA with a group<br />

of her colleagues, she specifically sought<br />

out accommodation, restaurants and<br />

excursions which employed Gaelic<br />

speakers. As a Gaelic learner, she<br />

understood how intrinsically linked to<br />

Scotland’s landscape, history, heritage<br />

and culture the language is, and she<br />

wanted to share this with her co-workers.<br />

“It’s also worth pointing out that<br />

Duolingo’s Facebook group alone has over<br />

9,000 members worldwide who use the<br />

forum; combined with members of other<br />

learners’ groups, the number of potential<br />

customers exceeds 18,000. Post-lockdown<br />

many of these people will be looking<br />

for opportunities to travel to Scotland,<br />

practice speaking the language and<br />

interact with fluent speakers. So, say you<br />

have a café with a Gaelic speaker behind<br />

the counter then learners are more likely<br />

to pop into your establishment to get<br />

some practice speaking.<br />

“The #cleachdi Gàidhlig badge is also<br />

popular with learners and when I<br />

wore mine I noticed others who did<br />

too, including at the local outdoor<br />

markets. Businesses can apply for these<br />

promotional materials once lockdown is<br />

lifted.<br />

fiath<br />

is fàilte<br />

romhad<br />

tapadh<br />

leat<br />

halò<br />

“The bottom line is that Gaelic groups<br />

are full of people asking about<br />

accommodation, tours, excursions,<br />

restaurants, music venues, ceilidhs, etc.<br />

where Gaelic can be heard, and spoken.<br />

In addition, there are people who take<br />

photos of everyday instances of Gaelic<br />

to post on social media; in some cases<br />

just to make the language, and culture<br />

(at least appear) more accessible. Any<br />

sign, poster, brochure, clothing, jewellery<br />

or gift that has the Gaelic becomes a<br />

collector’s item. Honestly, these pictures<br />

– together with the information on where<br />

to see and buy these Gaelic products<br />

– are shared around Gaelic groups and<br />

pages constantly.<br />

“If you are a business employing Gaelic<br />

speaking staff, make sure you shout<br />

about it as it’s a unique selling point.<br />

Learners will spend considerable time<br />

seeking you out even if you just promote<br />

and/or support Gaelic.”<br />

After a decade living and working<br />

in London and the South East,<br />

Simone finally made the move<br />

to Scotland permanent in 2019,<br />

working first at the port of Nigg before<br />

taking up her current position with Bell<br />

Ingram in Beauly.<br />

She continues: “Scotland has always<br />

felt welcoming and inclusive and the<br />

slàn<br />

leat<br />

first time I visited I knew instantly that I<br />

wanted to make my home here. Learning<br />

Gaelic felt like the best and fastest way<br />

to immerse myself in the culture and<br />

history of the country.<br />

“My first time spontaneously speaking<br />

Gaelic was at Bell Ingram when one<br />

of our clients mentioned returning to<br />

Uist. As I had only ever discussed Uist<br />

in Gaelic classes, I instinctively asked (in<br />

Gaelic) if she was from North or South<br />

Uist – ‘Uibhist a Tuath, no Uibhist a<br />

Deas?’, and our conversation continued<br />

exclusively in Gaelic. It was exciting!<br />

Weirdly, my very first use of<br />

Gaelic in the workplace<br />

was when I was in London<br />

working for a Texan law firm.<br />

They were drafting an agreement with<br />

one of the parties having a Gaelic name,<br />

and I noticed an accent was missing<br />

during proofreading. Forgetting an<br />

accent can be dangerous in Gaelic (you<br />

might be referencing something rude!),<br />

so I made certain the correct accents<br />

were added.”<br />

Despite the challenges of lockdown<br />

Simone is committed to improving her<br />

command and understanding of the<br />

language.<br />

She adds: “I am aware of other learners<br />

àitefuirich<br />

Gàidhlig<br />

in my area, so once lockdown is lifted,<br />

I hope to set up a Cofaidh & Craic<br />

(coffee and fun) group in the area. More<br />

particularly, I hope to find Gaelic friendly<br />

venues to host the group as well as any<br />

excursion providers who can expand our<br />

working Gaelic knowledge, e.g. walking,<br />

foraging, boating, cycling, etc.” n<br />

Useful Links &<br />

Articles<br />

Visit Scotland’s Gaelic<br />

Tourism Strategy: https://<br />

www.visitscotland.org/aboutus/what-we-do/working-inpartnership/gaelic-tourismstrategy<br />

A collection of available online<br />

resources for (beginner) learners<br />

can be found here: https://padlet.<br />

com/Sgribhisg/storasan<br />

There is also a Gaelic LinkedIn<br />

group https://www.linkedin.com/<br />

groups/4025859/<br />

18 bi<strong>2021</strong> spring spring winter bi<strong>2021</strong> bi2019 19 11


www.bellingram.co.uk<br />

Follow Bell Ingram on:<br />

Facebook, Instagram, Twitter,<br />

Linkedin<br />

Beauly<br />

Oban<br />

Ayr<br />

Aberdeen<br />

Forfar<br />

Perth<br />

Morpeth<br />

Ambleside<br />

Head Offce: Durn, Isla Road, Perth<br />

Northwich<br />

Thirsk<br />

Durn<br />

Isla Road<br />

Perth, PH2 7HF<br />

Tel: 01738 621 121<br />

Email: enquiries@bellingram.co.uk<br />

Aberdeen<br />

2 Albert Street,<br />

Aberdeen, AB25 1XQ<br />

Tel: 01224 621 300<br />

Email: aberdeen@bellingram.co.uk<br />

Ambleside<br />

Low Nook, University of Cumbria<br />

Rydal Road, Ambleside<br />

Cumbria, LA22 9BB<br />

Tel: 01539 896 101<br />

Email: ambleside@bellingram.co.uk<br />

Ayr<br />

33 Sandgate,<br />

Ayr, KA7 1BG<br />

Tel: 01292 886 544<br />

Email: ayr@bellingram.co.uk<br />

Forfar<br />

Manor Street<br />

Forfar, DD8 1EX<br />

Tel: 01307 462 516<br />

Email: forfar@bellingram.co.uk<br />

Highland<br />

5 High Street<br />

Beauly, IV4 7BS<br />

Tel: 01463 717799<br />

Email: highland@bellingram.co.uk<br />

Morpeth<br />

Ellington Business Centre<br />

Lynemouth Road, Ellington<br />

Morpeth, NE61 5HB<br />

Tel: 01670 862 235<br />

Email: morpeth@bellingram.co.uk<br />

Northwich<br />

Blakemere Village, Chester Road<br />

Sandiway, Northwich<br />

Cheshire, CW8 2EB<br />

Tel: 01606 523 030<br />

Email: northwich@bellingram.co.uk<br />

Oban<br />

5 Albany Street<br />

Oban, PA34 4AR<br />

Tel: 01631 566122<br />

Email: oban@bellingram.co.uk<br />

Thirsk<br />

Thirsk Rural Business Centre<br />

Blakey Lane, Thirsk<br />

North Yorkshire, YO7 3AB<br />

Tel: 01845 522 095<br />

Email: thirsk@bellingram.co.uk<br />

20 bi<strong>2021</strong> spring winter bi2019 1

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