It’s a time to venture out from behind our desks, and get out into Scotland’s wonderful countryside visiting fantastic locations ranging from Thurso for the Caithness Show to the Royal Highland Show at Ingliston.
And what’s great about these events?
They’re an opportunity for town and country to come together: for rural and urban businesses to meet, network and showcase their products and services.
Importantly too, these events highlight the diversity of the rural economy through the sheer variety of stand-holders available, ranging from engineering firms, farm machinery merchants, hospitality businesses and those selling food, drink and crafts.
Where have we been?
We took our stand up north to Thurso for the Caithness Show at the end of July; south to the Nairn Show a few days later, before heading to the Highland Field Sports Fair at Moy at the start of this month. We also hosted breakfast events — the coffee and bacon roll combination proves consistently popular — at the Royal Highland Show in June, as well as the Black Isle and Turriff shows in August.
And, at the Turriff Show this year we sponsored the Year of Young People marquee, which showcased the work of a number of talented young entrepreneurs, from bakers and singers, to artists and jewellers.
Why do we do it?
There are many reasons we make the effort to support these local events that, in turn, boost the rural economies in various parts of the country.
Front of mind of course for us is catching up with clients and contacts away from the day to day business of legal contracts and deadlines. And while we have collectively more than a century’s experience working across the farming, forestry, fisheries and food sectors, there’s always something more to learn, and a new perspective to understand.
And on a side note, we often build or find new skills. For example, our construction talents were tested to the limit when erecting the gazebo at the Nairn Show, as well as carrying out emergency repairs to it during a downpour!
So, back to those chats with clients and contacts, what were some of the themes that emerged throughout the shows this year?
From a legal perspective, it’s no surprise that new residential tenancy rules, Brexit and its impact, and workforce retention were hot topics
The sector’s reporting mixed fortunes: the recent hot weather means some farmers have struggled to feed livestock due to the lack of grass. Conversely, soft fruit producers have enjoyed a bumper harvest
Innovative technology and engineering came up often, including water pumps, artificial intelligence, drones for monitoring activity over large areas, and sophisticated security systems to protect plant and machinery
In Thurso and Wick in particular we heard tourism is booming, with the North Coast 500 bringing significant investment and opportunities. Plus, the Beatrice Offshore Windfarm project seems to be helping the economy with its onshore hub at Wick
Recent success with farm stay B&Bs and the opportunities through diversification in the Highlands seem to be creating a range of encouraging prospects
Incentives for farmers willing to introduce forestry pockets on sheep farms came up at Moy
All in all, the time spent is hugely worthwhile.
And of course, looking at the wider context over the long term, the success and sustainability of the rural sector will hinge on this ability to attract more people to the countryside from urban areas — whether that be employees, family members with great ideas and vision for the family business returning to the fold, or indeed members of the public keen to visit shows, find out more, or to buy produce or use services and facilities.
An earlier version of this article appeared in The Leader in August.
