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You’ve already seen, I hope:
Even Kevin McKenna joined in with:
‘There is much good news about the country, so why the endless denigration?’
I especially liked his attack on the right-wing Fraser of Allander Institute:
‘I don’t know if anyone has ever asked the Fraser of Allander Institute, the Scottish right’s favourite economic thinktank, if it is able to quantify how much business has been lost to Scotland owing to the Tory/Lab onslaught against Scotland. The picture painted of Scotland by Davidson and Dugdale over the years as an economic wasteland full of people who might assault you at any given time must have cost this country billions in investment and tourism. Following events last week, however, some of the economists of the Fraser of Allander Institute might have been seeking refuge in a darkened room. For it was revealed that the Scottish economy grew by 0.8% in the first quarter of 2017, a rate four times more than that of the UK as a whole. The news came just a few days after the Fraser of Allander had predicted that Scotland’s economy might be teetering on the brink of a recession.’
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/09/labour-and-tories-revel-in-trashing-scotland
So here is just one more piece of evidence that the Scottish economy is in good and increasingly good health. See this from the Scottish Business News Network:
‘Three of the biggest city centre deals in the UK helped deliver a record-breaking quarter in commercial property take-up in Edinburgh. Figures from real estate advisory business GVA reveal the capital saw a staggering 175% increase in take-up over the five year quarterly average, with a total of 432,350 sq. ft. This was driven by the Government Property Unit’s agreement to let 189,000 sq. ft. at New Waverley and investment manager State Street’s decision to pre-let 65,600 sq. ft. at Quartermile 3.’
Please share with any Nosayers you’re still speaking to.
https://sbnn.co.uk/2017/07/31/huge-office-deals-deliver-record-breaking-activity-edinburgh/
Talking-up Scotland 
Hi Prof – thanks again for the impressive info you constantly gather regarding the positive stories in Scotland’s economy and broader life and culture.
I noticed your re-posting of some earlier posts re. media behaviour during the Indyref process. No vanity involved here Prof. The info contained is vital in educating the general reader in how to analyse and deconstruct the routine slanting and framing of Scottish news and comment by the British/Scottish media.
There are always new people discovering an interest in the Scottish political situation – or who can benefit from a refresher course – so more power to your elbow.
Sorry to go off-topic like that – am returning now to giving some positive news re. the Scottish economy.
Did people see the BBC website article ‘Orkney copes with cruise ship invasion’?
Reports that visitor numbers from cruise ships is expected to be 130,000 this year. The visitor numbers in 2015 were 36,000. 140 cruise ships are expected to berth at Hatston Pier outside Kirkwall this year.
Orkney jeweller Steven Cooper of Aurora observes his sales are benefitting as “Jewellery is ideally suited for cruise ship passengers because it is a small item which is not taking up space. Over and above this they (the visitors) really like textiles and tartan products”.
Even the local charity shop (Clan Cancer Relief) spokesperson (Kayleigh Archibald) reports that crew members (often from South Asia) “..do a lot of shopping to take back to their families.”
That SNP Scottish Govt – encouraging Scottish Tourism – whatever will they do next?
Also noted on BBC website: ‘Scottish Open golf events boost North Ayrshire economy.’ Report that Dundonald Links in Irvine hosted both the Scottish men’s and Scottish women’s Open Championships during July. These attracted more than 60,000 spectators. Council estimates £4million boost to North Ayrshire economy + long-term gains of exposure to international TV audience.
(Does anyone else remember the absolute pelters thrown at Alex Salmond and the SNP Scottish Govt for the seedcorn money the Scottish Govt was providing a few years back to promote these tournaments to an international audience?)
Also noted report re. the HebCelt Festival in Stornoway in July. The main arena in Stornoway was sold-out as were various communtiy venues on Lewis and Harris. 16,000 attended – an increase of 1,000 over the 2015 event. Organisers described the event as the “..most successful..” in the festival’s 22year history.
Not content with supporting Scottish Tourism and culture events the evil Scottish Govt is even managing to create a climate that enables a family firm to open a state of the art glassblowing studio in Bridge of Allan. See BBC website ‘New glassblowing studio will “keep the tradition alive” ‘.
Co-founder Tom Young has 60years of expeience making handmade glass. He previously worked from a home workshop. With his daughter (Karen Somerville) he raised £11,000 from a crowdfund project and received backing from the Scottish Microfinance Fund.
Truly there are no depths to which those evil separatists will stoop to try and improve Scottish life, culture and economy. The evidence is all there spread out before our very eyes.
Thanks all, Ludo
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Brilliant Ludo. Thanks for your kind words and all these extra bits of interest.
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Ludo, you have totally got the hang of this good news business, you should be starting your own blog! Now there’s an idea, flood the Internet with good news only blogs,,, (that just happen to support dissolution of the U.K. Union)
I can’t do it, I get so easily side-tracked, and start rambling on about bumblebees or old stones, or quantum tunnelling – just can’t see me holding an audience. [we haven’t had the quantum tunnelling debate, or discussed Maxwell’s Equations – he was Scottish you know, and quite the genius – but these are coming, as soon as I can wrench a topic to fit].
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