Angus anticipation is growing for this weekend’s annual invasion of AC/DC fans from around the globe The population of Kirrie will rocket for the three-day celebration of Bon Scott Bonfest will bring folk from a host of countries – many making their annual pilgrimage to the town AC/DC-decorated shop windows have already set the scene for the weekend ahead And the weekend appearance of the main arena tent on Kirrie Show field was the signal for the Bonfest countdown to begin Organisers DD8 Music have promised this year’s festival will be the biggest and best yet. they announced the main tent line-up had been boosted to four bands on each of the three nights It is also sure to whet the appetite of fans who have bagged a ticket for AC/DC’s first Scottish gig in a decade The band will rock Edinburgh’s Murrayfield stadium with their Power Up tour date in August There are still tickets available for the main arena on Friday They can be bought at bonfest.com Full details of the main stage bands can be found HERE Camping at the main Bonfest site has sold out But thousands head to the centre of Kirrie for music sessions in town centre pubs the recreation of AC/DC’s Long Way to the Top video is always a crowd-puller A band blasted the track out from the back of a truck on a loop of Kirrie town centre The Bon Scott statue at Bellies Brae is another main focal point for fans DD8 Music hope Dundee revellers will venture into Angus in even greater numbers this year dropping off in Kirrie town centre beside the Peter Pan statue and returning around midnight Happy Bus details are available on the Bonfest website here Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments A man was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee by ambulance. Police were called to reports of a man having fallen from an apartment in Ogilvys Close in Kirriemuir around 9.45am on Tuesday. Officers said enquiries are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of the incident. A Police Scotland statement read: “Around 9.45am on Tuesday, November 19, 2024 police received a report of a man having fallen from a window of a flat in Ogilvys Close, Kirriemuir. “He has been taken by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee. “Enquiries are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of the incident.” STV News is now on WhatsAppGet all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Follow STV News on WhatsAppScan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country '+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text+' "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title+" "+scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text+" Kirriemuir had a ball as AC/DC fans invaded Angus for Bonfest And what was probably the biggest ever crowd in the history of the long-running rock festival swamped the town centre on Saturday Thousands packed the streets to watch the band’s Long Way to the Top hit recreated on the back of a truck In early 1976, the original was filmed on the back of a flatbed lorry travelling along Swanston Street in Melbourne It was a couple of years after Kirriemuir baker’s son Bon Scott joined the band founded by Glasgow brothers Malcolm and Angus Young as it began its rise to global fame This year’s Kirriemuir influx has included fans from Down Under as well as a host of other nations from around the globe Kirrie charity DD8 Music organises the event which features a final night of headliners in the main area at the festival site on Sunday And the glorious weather has ensured a bumper weekend for local pubs Almost six years since the announcement of the closure of the Michelin Tyre Factory in Dundee Wilkie is announcing the next chapter of Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP) Wilkie will partner alongside current shareholder becoming the majority shareholder of MSIP and moving its manufacturing operations from Kirriemuir and Forfar to Dundee ensuring the site continues to thrive as a hub of innovation and growth This new chapter is set to deliver a potential increased workforce of up to 600 but also an estimated £50 million investment in cutting edge infrastructure Wilkie’s relocation to Dundee represents a significant strategic move While the decision to leave its historic Kirriemuir home was not taken lightly the company is committed to securing its future and expanding its potential The current factory in Kirriemuir no longer meets the demands of modern manufacturing modern layout capable of housing advanced technologies and supporting the company’s ambitious plans for growth Dundee’s larger workforce will enable Wilkie to scale operations more effectively than was possible in Kirriemuir The move to Dundee also aligns with Wilkie’s commitment to sustainability Wilkie’s ambition is to continue its transition to sustainable products whilst also allowing them to maximise the Innovation Parc’s wind turbines and connection to the MVV Waste to Energy plant enabling a significantly reduced Wilkie’s carbon footprint whilst maximising the sites renewable energy sources Wilkie recognises the impact this move will have on its Kirriemuir community and workforce The company has pledged to work closely with local councils and residents to ensure the current site is left in a safe and positive condition Community input will guide the future use of the site with Wilkie committed to supporting its redevelopment Wilkie will launch a comprehensive consultation process to ensure their voices are heard and their needs are met through appropriate support plans The expansion of the factory creates new roles and opportunities that will enable the growth and development of new skills in the workforce This significant development is a turning point for Dundee reaffirming Dundee’s position as a hub for advanced manufacturing and technology with the support of the Scottish Government and local partners Wilkie is proud to be creating this bright future Wilkie said: “The world-class infrastructure at MSIP provides a strong foundation for Wilkie to honour its proud legacy while embarking on an exciting new chapter of innovation and growth “This strategic decision reflects Wilkie’s commitment to seizing the immense opportunities presented in the global technical textiles market “While deeply rooted in its heritage and long-standing ties to Kirriemuir the decision to relocate to Dundee was emotional and not taken lightly “This move marks the beginning of a new era creating a home for Wilkie for the next 150 years and empowering the team to realise Wilkie's ambitious and sustainable growth plans for the future “With MSIP and a partnership with Scottish Enterprise we are looking forward to welcoming and supporting other related and exciting businesses to the Parc in the near future.” MSIP said: “I am delighted that Wilkie has brought its large-scale manufacturing ambition to the site as the majority shareholder in this next chapter of MSIP “Their leadership and deep-rooted commitment to innovation and growth will continue our mission to drive forward decarbonisation and advanced manufacturing including Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government marks a transformative step forward for Dundee and the region Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “This announcement furthers our ambition to make manufacturing a significant part of the activities at MSIP which is also an important centre for skills and innovation “Wilkie’s involvement will create and protect jobs and add fresh impetus to the Parc’s future development “The Scottish Government has supported MSIP since its inception This is an important day for Dundee and for our wider efforts to transform and grow Scotland’s green economy.” said: “MSIP was established as a public private partnership to secure an alternative future for the former Michelin site focused on innovation and sustainability I’m delighted we’ll now be working with Wilkie to fully realise that ambition “Wilkie is a great Scottish success story with a strong track record of investment in innovation The company has plans to create hundreds of new jobs at MSIP in the years to come which is great news for the regional and national economy “SE’s purpose is to work with companies in Scotland to innovate and scale to transform the country’s economy Ensuring regional economies have the infrastructure needed to drive local growth is crucial to that That’s evident in Dundee where we’re supporting important projects such as the University of Dundee’s Life Sciences Innovation Hub and Scottish Widows’ Dundee Tech School it has focused on creating jobs and improving sustainability The agreement with Wilkie delivers exactly that and we believe it will benefit Dundee “We are proud to have been involved in the creation of MSIP and we wish both MSIP and Wilkie all the very best for the future." Dundee City Council said: “A huge amount has been achieved at MSIP since the closure of the Michelin tyre factory less than five years ago “This ground-breaking partnership has delivered an innovation hub a home for start-ups and numerous local job opportunities “Today’s announcement marks the next stage of the site’s evolution This is a transition of ownership which aligns with the long-term strategic vision for MSIP “Ultimately the goal was to create employment for local people and this new chapter promises significant job creation for Dundee “I look forward to seeing how the site further develops in the coming years.” Cookie Settings Powered by Onclusive PR Manager™ A man knocked unconscious during a night out in Angus suffered a broken jaw and was told by doctors to “avoid chewing” for at least a month The man needed emergency surgery after the one-punch attack in Kirriemuir on July 27 last year Daniel Rodley appeared at Forfar Sheriff Court and pled guilty to assault to severe injury and impairment who appeared to take exception to prosecutors’ version of events Fiscal depute Lissie Cooke told the court: “This incident occurred after parties had been drinking together.” the accused and a woman were together at a bar in Kirriemuir the accused had made several advances towards the woman “This caused tension between the parties.” the woman and the victim remained at the bar “They then went onto to another pub and found the accused there “An altercation took place between the complainer and the accused.” When Ms Cooke described how Rodley punched the man to the head “That didn’t happen,” he said causing him to fall and hit his head on the ground Moving on after Rodley’s interruption Sheriff Jillian Martin-Brown asked about the injuries The fiscal depute said an x-ray revealed the victim had an open fracture to the left side of his jaw He required emergency surgery to install two plates to either side of his jaw He was discharged for hospital later that day and given antibiotics and painkillers “He was put on a liquid-based diet and told to avoid chewing for a minimum of four weeks,” said Ms Cooke In his pre-sentencing report, Rodley, of Kirriemuir told social workers he had been provoked over a “sustained period” Sheriff Martin-Brown ordered the first time offender to carry out 150 hours unpaid work For more local court content visit our page or join us on Facebook A 21-year-old man was taken to hospital after a two-vehicle crash on a major road near Kirriemuir The A926 was closed near the Ballinshoe road end between the A90 and Kirriemuir as emergency services attended the incident Emergency services and an air ambulance were called to the scene on Wednesday afternoon A Scottish Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call today at 2.19pm to attend a road traffic collision on the A926 an air ambulance and our trauma team to the scene “We transported one patient to Ninewells Hospital.” A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 2.25pm on Wednesday we were called to a report of a two-vehicle crash on the A926 “A 21-year-old man was taken to hospital and enquiries are ongoing.” A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We were called out at around 2.35pm and one pump from Kirriemuir responded.” An eyewitness told The Courier: “I drove through the scene and the police were directing traffic past the scene “Shortly afterwards the air ambulance turned up “It left about 3.50pm and the road is still closed.” Stagecoach bus services were also diverted due to the road closure A Stagecoach East Scotland statement said: “Due to a RTC at Checkiefield service 20 and service 27 are currently unable to serve Padanaram A woman has been taken to hospital after a major rescue operation in Angus fire and ambulance crews were called to Peel Farm after a vehicle went down an embankment on Wednesday night Tayside Mountain Rescue also deployed a helicopter to assist The 55-year-old woman was rescued from the vehicle and taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee with serious injuries It is thought the vehicle ended up in water near the cafe and glamping site An eyewitness told The Courier: “There’s a huge emergency rescue operation going on here “The area is completely lit up with emergency service vehicles “There is also a rescue boat on the water and there was a rescue helicopter overhead.” Another local said: “It happened about 4pm, just down river from the Reekie Lynn “There is a big emergency presence near Peel Farm with the fire brigade “It definitely looks serious given the rescue operation that’s going on “You just have to hope that no one is seriously injured.” The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service confirmed that a vehicle had gone down an embankment A spokesperson said: “We got the call 5.34pm and got there at 5.55pm “The boat team were called as the incident was close to water “One female was removed from the vehicle and passed to the Scottish Ambulance Service “They were taken to Ninewells Hospital “The stop message came in at 9.17pm and all appliances left the scene at just after 11pm.” said: “At 6.20pm Tayside Mountain Rescue Team were tasked to an incident whereby a vehicle had gone down an embankment “A rope rescue system was set up and the casualty was successfully extracted working in partnership with colleagues from Police mountain rescue Scottish Ambulance Service and Scottish Fire and Rescue.” A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 4.50pm on Wednesday we were called to a report of a single-vehicle crash on an unclassified road in Lintrathen “Officers attended and the vehicle was discovered down an embankment was taken to Ninewells Hospital with serious injuries “Inquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances.” A new operator has taken over a popular Angus restaurant based at Drumshademuir Caravan Park at Roundyhill has been run by Lyndsey and Lindsay Orrock for the past 10 years the restaurant – which is one of the top-rated in Angus – has now been taken over by business partners Stuart Glen and Roger Allchin Stuart has worked in the hospital industry for many years while Roger was a chef in South Africa Stuart told The Courier: “We were both keen to start up a new hospitality business together and when the chance came along to take over the running of Armstrong’s “We will be keeping on the same staff and not planning to change things too much at all because what is here currently works so well “We will be learning from the current staff and we go along “We are both excited and nervous but looking forward to the challenge.” In a statement on social media the Orrocks – who also took over The Drovers Inn near Forfar in 2018 – said: “At Armstrong’s we have been fortunate enough to have been part of an excellent team “Their support and hard work has helped to build a successful and enjoyable business “Our team’s positivity and loyalty allowed us to expand and we feel now is the time to focus our attention at The Drovers.” They added that vouchers for the restaurant will continue to be valid Armstrong’s has a 4.7 out of 5 rating on reviews site Tripadvisor, and is eighth on the list of the top Angus restaurants A 62-year-old woman has died after collapsing on a street in Kirriemuir on Wednesday afternoon A doctor and a passer-by helped her in the incident at Knowehead Emergency services then arrived but the woman was pronounced dead a short time later Derek Ramsay found the woman collapsed while walking in the area He said: “I was out for my walk and came across a woman collapsed at the top of Knowehead “If I hadn’t decided to go that way I would never have found her “I called for an ambulance and Kirriemuir Health Centre “Dr Andrew Wilmshurst arrived along with the first responders who arrived on a motorbike – they were all brilliant “A young man who passed by carried out the initial CPR with Dr Wilmshurst and was magnificent “A young girl was there with me at the start until the medics arrived “Sadly the woman didn’t make it – I’m shocked A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 1.30pm on Wednesday we were called to assist with a medical matter in the Knowehead area of Kirriemuir “A 62-year-old woman was pronounced dead a short time later “There are no suspicious circumstances.” Kirriemuir’s camera obscura is facing a new fight for survival – a decade after local volunteers saved it from closure The attraction on Kirrie Hill is one of just three of its kind in Scotland It is housed in a pavilion gifted to the Angus town by Peter Pan creator it was managed by the National Trust for Scotland But when Angus Council pulled a £10,000-a-year subsidy to keep open Kirriemuir Regeneration Group was set up to secure its future the camera and pavilion café have welcomed thousands of visitors The 2025 season has been delayed by a technical issue with the camera in the roof space of the building KRG treasurer Irena Krasinska-Lobban said volunteer numbers were critically low we really are struggling for volunteers,” she said “March was the tenth anniversary of KRG being formed but we’ve never struggled for volunteers as much as this year.” a plea on local social media has offered a glimmer of hope “One of our volunteers put a message up on Facebook I’ve already sent out 20 emails to people who have said they might be interested in helping out “All we ask is for them to do a shift of three hours a month in the camera obscura or the café but we need to know that we have volunteers so we can let people know we will be open then we will try to arrange something with the people who have been in touch “If we could get even half of them to volunteer regularly it would make such a difference,” Irena added Anyone willing to volunteer should email krg7630@gmail.com The pavilion features a host of items relating to Kirrie-born author Barrie. Those include prized pieces of history connected with his love of cricket Thousands witnessed a match there to mark the gift of the pavilion on the day he was made a freeman of the town in June 1930 Irena added: “Last summer was really excellent and the café has also become a place where Kirrie folk like to meet “It is lovely for them to come in for a coffee and a scone after enjoying a walk up The Hill “KRG is involved in a lot of other things but I really hope we can get the volunteers to keep the camera open An Angus couple have reflected on the past 30 years of owning pubs and restaurants across the region Graham and Tracy Douglas met in Forfar 31 years ago and have been together ever since Having spent the past three decades as business partners for several ventures Tracy said: “We’ve done our bit for Angus The late Alex Salmond and First Minister John Swinney attended the launch 28 years ago ran the successful bar for five years before selling The pair prided themselves on buying failing or derelict businesses and turning them into award-winning venues The pair opened a second venture in Kirriemuir called Hook’s Hotel which they owned for five years Band Ocean Colour Scene regularly visited the pub for a month while recording an album in Angus The couple then moved around the corner and bought the Ogilvy Bar which they leased to new owners three years ago They also started a nightclub in the town called The G-Spot – named after Graham – which they later rebranded as Buddies Graham and Tracy secured Kirriemuir’s first late licence at the venue and converted the lower level of the club into the Fire Station Grill and Steak House The couple ran the club and restaurant for 18 years before selling during lockdown Buddies is now known as The Attic Club The couple bought their final venture in Montrose seven years ago They intended to run a bed and breakfast but decided to take on one last pub after seeing the “cute and quaint” The South Esk Inn Tracy said the business took off because they “brought a smaller bar into the modern century.” They wanted to encourage more women to visit and regularly held ladies’ nights at the pub The couple said the Covid era put a damper on their career Tracy told The Courier: “During lockdown we erected a temporary gazebo and applied for planning permission to keep a more permanent one we had purpose-built by Montrose Rope and Sail “Unfortunately the council denied our application which was a bit sad as people loved sitting outside.” The couple say one of the secrets of their success as pub owners was being sole traders They sold The South Esk Inn to a new owner at the start of February Tracy added: “There’s no reason he shouldn’t succeed “It is a tough time to come into this trade but I’m sure he’ll do great.” Graham and Tracy both want to slow down and spend more time with their family Tracy has opened a women’s shop called Curvelicious Boutique which she is running part-time before retiring with Graham She says it is like a hobby where she can still meet up with people to chat and get out of the house “We’ve never given up on our businesses,” Tracy reflected “I’m a workaholic and we love a social life but we never let ourselves become alcoholics “Now we want to spend more time with the grandchildren A Kirriemuir street was closed due to a two-car crash The collision at the corner of Lindsay Street and Clova Road happened just after 9am on Monday Emergency services attended at the scene and buses were diverted A spokesperson for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “We got a call at 9.04am reporting a road crash in Lindsay Street “We left the scene at 9.30am.” A witness said: “There are two cars crashed on Lindsay Street just at the turn off up to Webster’s High School the fire brigade and ambulances are all at the scene It looks like it’s quite a serious crash.” Stagecoach reported on X that buses couldn’t access the road and were being diverted paramedics and a coastguard helicopter were called to a search in Kirriemuir on Wednesday Locals reported significant activity in the Caddam Woods area as part of a search for a missing person A helicopter from Inverness was heard hovering above the Angus town for several hours early on Wednesday morning resident Bill Nicoll said: “I’m at the bottom of Mid Road “I was wakened at 5.30am by a helicopter going over the house “The noise of the helicopter didn’t go away so I got up to have a look “The helicopter was hovering and moving slowly with its search light on and off “I could see several cars and people out with torches which turned out to be police.” Another resident said: “I was out walking my dog and was surprised to see all the emergency vehicles at the woods “Someone told me they saw police with torches in the woods earlier and there was a coastguard helicopter flying over the area shining a big light down into the woods The Courier’s reporter Lindsey Hamilton was at the scene She said: “All the activity was centred around Caddam Woods in the Northmuir area “There were four police vehicles and three ambulances at the scene “They were all parked on Windyghoul Road and access was blocked because it’s a single-track road “There were several police officers walking around but it was hard to see exactly what they were doing “It was obviously a serious situation “Several people who live in this area and other areas of the town talked about hearing a chopper for several hours “From my position at the other side of a field I could see all the emergency vehicles and police officers and paramedics “The emergency services had all left by around 8.50am.” Police Scotland confirmed the incident was a search for a missing person but has not provided any further information An HM Coastguard spokesperson said: “We received an alert at 4am from police to assist in a search of the area at Kirriemuir “A coastguard helicopter was then dispatched from Inverness to assist police at the scene.” The sudden announcement Kirriemuir’s biggest employer is to break its 150-year bond with the Angus town had been met with disappointment and anger staff at technical textile firm Wilkie learned the historic company is to move its Angus operations – it also has a factory in Forfar – to the former Michelin tyre factory in Dundee The company plans to invest £50 million and triple its workforce It has acquired the majority shareholding of Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP) to pursue its global ambitions The chief executive who is the sixth-generation of the family firm said it had been a tough decision to move from Kirrie But Hamish Rowan said the company needed “world-class” facilities to compete in the defence Wilkie said it hopes all its Angus staff – 160 in Kirriemuir and 30 in Forfar – will make the move to Dundee it’s moving to a 25-minute drive away,” said Mr Rowan Local politicians reacted with shock to the sudden announcement Former Angus Provost and Kirrie Conservative councillor Ronnie Proctor said: “As someone born and bred in Kirrie whose granny worked in Wilkie’s factory I can’t help but think this is a big blow to the town “Wilkie’s are a major employer Where other firms have fallen by the wayside by their foresight they have managed to diversify and keep the business going in new markets “That has been a great thing for Kirriemuir “So on one hand I applaud them for what they have done from the death of jute to continue to make the company such a success “And I empathise with how difficult a decision this will have been to move out of Kirriemuir “But on the other hand it is a big blow for the town “The removal of the workforce to Dundee means the shopkeepers and other businesses in Kirriemuir will take a hit “The workers will have to travel and they’ll then spend their money in Dundee.” He added: “It is going to be another empty site in Kirriemuir “The old Gairie works has already fallen into disrepair folk should be thinking about what could be done with the site “That’s an opportunity for Kirrie that must be taken.” Councillor Julie Bell said she was “really disappointed” with the sudden news “This breaks 150 years of history in Kirrie,” said the SNP councillor “And I’m also hugely concerned for the town centre economy following Wilkie’s departure.” She added: “Whilst it’s good the company will continue I’m also very disappointed no prior engagement with elected members and the Angus Council economic development team took place prior to this decision Angus SNP MSP Graeme Dey said: “Whilst this news in positive from the perspective of the wider Tayside and Scottish economies there is no doubt it delivers a significant blow to that of Kirriemuir and the surrounding area.” it has created uncertainty for the existing “It is imperative the interests of those staff are front and centre in how this is taken forward along with finding a use for the existing site which brings benefit to the town.” The sudden announcement Kirriemuir’s largest employer is to end its 157-year presence in the town has raised questions over what will happen to its historic site technical textile firm Wilkie revealed ambitious plans to triple its Tayside workforce to 600 It is to invest £50 million in the global business following the acquisition of the majority shareholding in Dundee’s Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP) But the city’s gain will be Kirriemuir’s loss The company hopes its entire Angus workforce – 160 in Kirrie and 30 in Forfar – will make the MSIP move The sudden announcement has already been met with shock – and anger – over the economic impact on Kirrie And it has turned attention to what will happen to the red sandstone factories which have housed the looms and other equipment since J & D Wilkie was founded in 1868 The firm says it will work with the community to secure a positive future for the town centre site Last September, it revealed plans to redevelop the dilapidated Gairie Works on Bellies Brae Storm damage has led to the collapse of parts of the former factory Wilkie’s want to demolish it and build five retail Its plans also incorporated a larger unit for the firm’s own storage or manufacturing But that was before Friday’s announcement of the Dundee move And the remainder of the site would be given over the car parking Wilkie said a new access would take traffic away from the town centre That application is yet to be determined by Angus Council the MSIP relocation will also leave the Marywell Works to the east vacant The firm said: “Wilkie recognises the impact this move will have on its Kirriemuir community and workforce “The company has pledged to work closely with local councils and residents to ensure the current site is left in a safe and positive condition “Community input will guide the future use of the site with Wilkie committed to supporting its redevelopment.” Ambitious proposals to knock down Kirriemuir’s historic Gairie Works in a major redevelopment of the old textile site have emerged Owners J&D Wilkie plan to bulldoze the dilapidated building in the latest chapter of the firm’s illustrious 156-year history And they say the Gairie scheme is the outcome of a community consultation over the future of the unsafe factory It sits on Bellies Brae, opposite the now world-famous statue of AC/DC frontman Bon Scott. More than a decade ago the Gairie factory was at the centre of a Kirrie supermarket war between rival developers But despite the site and another at Pathhead getting the go-ahead J&D Wilkie remains a world leader in industrial materials and technical textiles And in June it announced the acquisition of a factory in Massachusets in a strategic  move to help grow the key US market But production in much of the original Kirrie factory buildings has long since ceased The firm say major storms have caused areas of collapse and left them unsafe They want to bring down the dilapidated parts of the site In its place they would build five small (32 sq for retail or storage/manufacturing for the firm The lower part of the site beside the Gairie Burn is in a Sepa flood risk area So the firm plans to create more town car parking there – opposite the council’s Bellies Brae facility – with EV charging bays The company say it would have the added benefit of taking their delivery vehicles and other traffic away from the town centre And the site’s disused loom shed would be converted into a house The firm say: “The proposals are a practical solution to a problem area blighting the town centre of Kirriemuir “The existing building is in a dangerous state of collapse and requires to be demolished “These proposals offer significant public gain and benefit and removes a dangerous structure which is clearly beyond any sort of repair.” The application has just been submitted to Angus Council It will be considered by the authority in due course I was inspired to get into property development after working on various renovation projects through my job as an architectural technician I run a small architectural firm, Sime Design, in Dundee So I started looking for a suitable flip project (house to buy I asked a local estate agent for some advice That is when they pointed me towards a four-bed house on Grampian Drive in Northmuir which had sat empty for a couple of years after being repossessed The ceiling had collapsed after a water tank in the attic leaked and the roof was infested by weeds This might have put other people off – but for me it was perfect I was going to be ripping everything out and starting from scratch anyway close to Kirriemuir Golf Club and Northmuir Primary School I brought in a team of tradesmen and we got to work Although I’m not a skilled tradesman by any means I project-managed and did a lot of the donkey work myself to save money The first thing I did was replace the roof One of the previous owners had had a plant wall which had grown up underneath the tiles Then I stripped everything back and the entire house was reinsulated I also installed a new gas boiler and heating system Then I rejigged the layout to create a second bathroom I did this by turning one of the upstairs bedrooms The kitchen then became a bedroom – so the house retained four bedrooms I moved the kitchen into the dining room to create a spacious open-plan kitchen living dining room I bought a new kitchen from B&Q and ordered the bathroom suites online from Wholesale Domestic Bathrooms. I get a lot of my interior design inspiration from property development accounts I follow on Instagram Many people who flip houses tend to keep it neutral – they’ll paint the walls white and put grey carpets in But I wanted 2 Grampian Drive to be a little bit different I didn’t want to make any crazy design choices that would put people off… as well as a media wall in the living room and marble-effect kitchen counters I also put a lot of thought into the bathrooms which I think are probably the two best rooms in the house I could have easily opted for plain white bathrooms but I tried to make them stand out a bit more I put wall niches and feature lights in both showers I built a plinth for the freestanding bath and added a feature light underneath I also put a boiling water tap in the kitchen but it’s a nice addition that people wouldn’t necessarily expect in a standard flip project I’ve staged (brought in for demonstration purposes) the property with furniture and decor as well I think this can really increase the saleability of a property While some buyers will be able to come into an empty house and visualise exactly where they will put the furniture – there are just as many who will struggle to do so My plan is to keep the furniture in storage once I sell the house and reuse it in my next project The entire renovation process took about six months It was hard work –  especially as I continued to run my architectural services firm I struggled to keep all the plates spinning at the same time There were some days I completed up to three trips between Dundee and Kirriemuir – so I certainly got the miles in But I’m delighted we managed to add £110,000 to the value of the property And I’ve just been given the keys to my next project… My business partner, Jan Cooper, and I have bought a former mill in Tannadice, overlooking the River Esk which we are going to convert into a stunning four or five-bedroom home I’ve also decided to bring in a main contractor to project manage it this time around You can follow the mill renovation on my Instagram page. As told to Poppy Watson. A 75-year-old man was taken to hospital after a car crash in Kirriemuir The incident happened near the Co-op on Roods at around 5pm on Friday A witness reported seeing four police cars, a police van and an ambulance “They seemed to be emptying a black van in the car park,” the onlooker added A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 5pm on Friday we were called to a report of a crash involving a car and a pedestrian on Roods in Kirriemuir “Emergency services attended and the pedestrian was taken to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee for treatment “A 30-year-old man was arrested and charged in connection with road traffic offences A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.” Angus sisters who brought the Airlie Arms in Kirriemuir back to life are now looking to hand the keys to a new owner Dilys and younger sister Nicola Ewart were aged just 25 and 20 when they bought the hotel for £75,000 with their father Barrie they say now is the right time to sell – if the right owner can be found They want the hotel to continue to focus on its work in the community Dilys said it was a tremendous amount of work to bring the St Malcolm’s Wynd property back to operation She said: “My dad lives across the road and my bedroom window looks onto the building so I remember it being open and thriving “It took us three hours to view the property as there was furniture everywhere that we kept having to move to get into the rooms “Some roofs had caved in and lead had been stolen from the windows “A deal was made with another party to buy it – but the sale fell through 10 months later the agent said ‘if you still want it “The price was £75,000 plus VAT and the building was ours.” It took almost six months for the Ewarts to open the bar before each of the 10 bedrooms were upgraded Dilys said: “We had no idea where we were going to find the money to do it up “The priority was to open the bar and start generating some money Initially we didn’t even have a card machine and it was cash only “We upgraded the kitchen in the summer which allowed us to start serving food The Covid pandemic forced the property to close giving the sisters time to reflect on its future They ended up removing the restaurant to add an additional five bedrooms Nicola said: “The Covid shutdown was a challenging time but in hindsight it gave us the opportunity to step back and refine our business model “We shifted our focus from a more traditional town bar to a strong hotel-restaurant “This change has allowed us to attract customers from further afield and take the business from strength-to-strength.” The property was listed for sale by CCL Property last year but the family are prepared to wait for the right owner to come forward In the meantime it is business as usual for the hotel It has a workforce of 35 that increases to 45 in the summer months Dilys said: “We feel we’ve put almost everything we have into it “I have a seven-year-old daughter and essentially life has changed “We are very active in the community and we’d want this to continue with a new owner “It’s done us very well but we just think that somebody else could probably take it further than us.” A quantity of drugs was discovered in a house in Kirriemuir on Friday The haul was made by Police Scotland after officers executed a search warrant at a property on Hillbank Road There was a large emergency response in the area during the search This included three Scottish Ambulance incident response units at the scene At least two police vehicles were also seen at the location One eyewitness also described seeing police and police dogs at Kirrie Hill They said: “There were several emergency vehicles parked on The Roods for most of Friday morning “These included three ambulance incident response units and several police cars “I also saw police officers and police dogs in the area at Kirrie Hill “It definitely looked like something major was happening “It was really worrying to see that many ambulance incident response units “Everyone in the town was talking about it especially in light of the other police incident in Kirrie this week.” A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 9.30am on Friday officers executed a search warrant at a premises on Hillbank Terrace “A quantity of drugs was recovered and enquiries are ongoing.” It follows an incident on Tuesday that attracted a large police presence in Kirriemuir The town centre was closed off for hours after a man was reported to have fallen from a window in Ogilvy’s Close He was taken to hospital by ambulance for treatment police have kept the area of the fall sealed off for the rest of the week A 17-year-old teenager and a 34-year-old woman have been arrested after an assault at a school in Kirriemuir. Police Scotland were called to a school in Kirriemuir at around 2.55pm on Tuesday, after receiving reports of the incident. An 11-year-old boy was taken to hospital for treatment following the incident. A 17-year-old male and a 34-year-old woman were arrested and charged in connection with the incident. They are due to appear at Forfar Sheriff Court at a later date. A 12-year-old girl will also be reported to the relevant authorities in connection. A police spokesperson said: “Around 2.55pm on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, officers received a report of an assault which happened at a school in Kirriemuir. “An 11-year-old boy was taken to hospital for treatment. “A 12-year-old girl will be reported to the relevant authorities. “A 17-year-old male and a 34-year-old woman have been arrested and charged in connection with the incident and are due to appear at Forfar Sheriff Court at a later date.” Kirriemuir’s Bonfest is hoping to ride the wave of excitement created by AC/DC’s return to Scotland for the first time in 10 years the band announced a Murrayfield stadium gig as the only UK date on their Power Up 2025 tour It is a long-awaited return for the legendary outfit formed by Glasgow brothers Malcolm and Angus Young And the charity behind the annual Angus celebration of former AC/DC frontman Bon Scott says it hopes it will bring a Bonfest boost “We’re aiming for this year’s Bonfest to be bigger and better than ever,” said DD8 Music manager Scott Ferguson The countdown is already on to this year’s festival from May 2-4 “The line-up this year is probably the best we’ve had since Bonfest began,” added Scott Bon was a Kirrie baker’s son who emigrated to Australia as a young boy before becoming the lead singer of AC/DC will kick off the main arena offering on Friday And across each of the three nights there will be four bands on stage “That’s 33% extra Bonfest for the fans this year,” said Scott It includes all-girl acts The Hot Damn!, Girlschool and Back:N:Black Wildhearts and renowned tribute outfit Sin City are also coming to Angus Scott continued: “We really hope to get 1,600 people in the main arena each night “We’ve kept 2024 prices across the board “The plan was to get more people to come rather than charge those who do come more.” Bonfest is an annual mecca for AC/DC fans from across Europe the United States and other parts of the world But DD8 would love to see more folk rock up to Kirrie from closer to home “The Bonfest Happy Bus runs to and from Dundee to the festival site for all three nights so we’d love to get music fans there motivated for this year,” Scott added “Tickets sales have been going well. We’ve already seen the impact of the Murrayfield announcement on our own socials “There was a bit of disappointment when there was no Scottish date on the tour last year “But AC/DC will be on the mind of every Scottish fan this time round “Bonfest could be the perfect warm-up for that gig.” The main arena programme is just part of a weekend which sees Kirrie bursting at the seams with pub sessions across the town Tickets are available at bonfest.com Officers said it was established to be a replica with no wider risk to the public. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) team alongside Police Scotland cordoned off the Prosen Road area of Kirriemuir at around 1.35pm on Thursday to assess the item. A Police Scotland statement read: “Officers were made aware of a possible unexploded ordnance device being found in the Prosen Road area of Kirriemuir around 1.35pm on Thursday, October 31. “A cordon was put in place as a precaution and EOD attended to assess the item. “It was established to be a replica, with no risk to the public. “We would like to thank the local community for their patience as enquiries were carried out.” A 12-hour rain warning has been issued for parts of Perthshire and Angus The Met Office yellow warning comes into force from 6am on Friday The warning area covers towns including Pitlochry A spokesperson for the Met Office said: “Following a wet few days further spells of heavy rain are expected through the course of Friday “High ground is most likely to see the highest rainfall totals with 30-40mm possible in the space of six hours or so and close to 70mm by the time rain eases Friday evening.” It comes as temperatures across the region are set to get much milder The region will see highs of 12-13°C on Thursday and Friday A flood alert has also been issued across Dundee and Angus. An Angus estate has won permission to turn a historic museum and observatory into an unusual holiday-let The B-listed tower at Kinnordy is part of the estate’s walled garden Parts of the garden were reputedly built by ‘nameless Highlanders’ after the Jacobite rebellion of 1745 The elegant two-storey observatory has a circular tower rising to a cupola and an external rooftop walkway It’s planned to add a single storey extension outside the walled garden to create additional accommodation The ground floor will feature two bedrooms as well as a living and kitchen area There will be further living space at first floor level The clock and sundial on the tower will be restored Seven luxury homes on the site of a former Forfar market garden are earmarked for approval It is the third application in the past two years for the land at Lour Road Previous proposals for affordable housing developments of more than 40 homes were withdrawn Now Edinburgh-based Cullross has received a conditional approval recommendation for the detached four and five-bedroom properties An old house on the 1.3 hectare site will also be renovated There are plans for a stunning detached family home on ground close to Westmuir Community Woodland The Viewbank site at Westbank is on land which once formed part of a market garden John and Lynda Grant’s proposal involves the creation of a detached three-bedroom house with separate garage and two workshop/garage buildings They were previously told the demolition of dilapidated buildings on the site could be done without prior permission A full application for the new house has now been submitted and will be considered in due course A major application has been submitted for a 50MW battery energy storage site on an Arbroath industrial estate The site is vacant ground on Kirkton industrial estate It is sandwiched between Sir William Smith Road and Baden-Powell Road close to two electricity sub-stations serving the estate It is the subject of a proposal of application notice (PAN) to Angus Council Two public consultation events are being staged by the company in Arbroath Those will take place at Arbroath library on October 24 and November 21 Plans to turn former council offices beside Arbroath library into 19 flats have been recommended for approval Dewar House was previously Angus Council’s housing office in the town The authority moved out of the Hill Terrace buildings some years ago Local developer Mayara Agnes’ plans will go before development standards councillors this week with a conditional approval recommendation The flats would range from small bedsits to three-bedrooms And the proposal includes a new-build four-bedroom detached house in the overspill car park behind the three-storey sandstone offices Six letters of objection have been submitted raising concerns including the loss of privacy for neighbours A farmer’s appeal hearing for a new crematorium west of Arbroath will be heard on Tuesday Neil McEwan of Myreside Farms wants to build the facility near Carmyllie Hall beside the B961 The applicant considered almost 50 possible sites across Angus for the development But those were all considered unsuitable for a variety of reasons However, the Greystone application was refused by the council’s planning department earlier this year under delegated powers Officials said a lack of public transport serving the location was a key factor in their decision A previous appeal hearing was delayed in September Development management review committee councillors are due to consider the appeal on Tuesday Stracathro Estates has lodged a bid for a self-storage site beside the A90 near Brechin The East Mains of Keithock buildings are currently used for timber storage and processing But the estate hopes their 112-container development would fill a gap in self-storage provision in north Angus Customers would be able to access the fenced and CCTV-monitored site 24 hours a day by entry code houses in existing buildings and externally on the site The application will be considered by Angus Council in due course Kinnordy observatory short-term let Forfar luxury homes Westmuir family home Arbroath battery energy storage Dewar House flats  Greystone crematorium East Mains of Keithock self-storage A Kirriemuir driver has jokingly threatened to call on TV’s Line of Duty chief Ted Hastings after spotting a police van parked in a disabled spot Former university lecturer Alan Draper has a blue badge after being fitted with an internal defibrillator and suffering heart failure tried to park in the space during a trip to the High Street newsagents on Saturday morning He claims the van had been parked for more than an hour In Scotland, it is illegal to park in a disabled bay without a valid blue badge Mr Draper said: “On that particular morning I was surprised to see the police car there and wondered why it had stopped “Having picked up my paper I wandered off for a coffee “There was no explanation as to why it was there “I took photographs of it thinking: ‘Well I hope the police have a sense of humour’ “I thought it may be referred to Superintendent Hastings at AC-12.” AC-12 is the police professional standards unit in cop drama Line of Duty Police Scotland confirmed officers were forced to park the van in the spot due to an incident nearby A spokesperson said: “At around 7.35am on Saturday we responded to an emergency call in the Crofthead area of Kirriemuir “Officers found a property insecure and provided immediate assistance to members of the public requiring assistance “The incident lasted around two hours but was concluded safely and no criminality was established.” Mr Draper said: “That raises the question Normally you’d hear alarms going off a member of the public who said a property seems insecure you’d certainly park near but definitely not there “They didn’t need to leave it there for so long and they should say sorry If you have a particularly disabled person who has difficulty getting in and out of the car and crossing the street it would be difficult for them especially if they have to find somewhere else “It’s not something they should do They can look for excuses but they don’t really have one “An incident involving property doesn’t mean you have to go off all lights blazing “I won’t refer the matter to AC-12 now.” Nearly 500 pavement parking tickets were issued in the first three months of the rules being enforced in Angus Are you brave enough to visit Hell House in Kirriemuir this Halloween If the answer is yes then you have just a couple of days to step into one of the scariest garden displays in the area this year The house on Prosen Road in Kirriemuir has been turned into a ghouls’ graveyard by its owners It is the base of family fun firm Dreamtime Events So on Halloween they go to town and bring out the skeletons in their cupboard – and every other fiendish friend they can find And Kirrie AC/DC rocker Bon Scott provides the perfect soundtrack blasting out Highway to Hell in the background “We put on a huge display every year and collect donations for Kirriemuir Christmas lights,” said the company “It’s all self-funded through the charity who host events to ensure the town is lit up beautifully for Christmas “On Halloween night we will have our creepy Stillwater and fire performer doing shows in the garden for trick or treaters.” The display has also been viewed thousands of times on the Dreamtime Facebook page Here are some of the other best spots to enjoy a spooky Halloween in Angus and Dundee. A man has been taken to hospital after falling from a window in Kirriemuir Emergency services descended on the town square just before 10am on Tuesday Two ambulances and several police vehicles were spotted near the Boots and Braes shops An air ambulance also landed in the playing fields at Webster’s High but the incident was not connected to the school One resident said: “It all kicked off with police and paramedics pulling up into the square “Paramedics seemed to be working on someone in the area behind the chemists “I have been told an air ambulance also landed at the high school in connection with the incident.” A second onlooker said: “Police and paramedics seem to be everywhere “It looks like someone must be badly hurt given the level of emergency service people here.” A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 9.45am on Tuesday police received a report of a man having fallen from a window of a flat in Ogilvy’s Close “He has been taken by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee “Inquiries are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of the incident.” Textile technology company Wilkie is leaving its historic base in Kirriemuir and relocating operations to the site of the former Michelin tyre factory in Dundee Manufacturing in Forfar will also move to the new site where it intends to increase its workforce by 400 to 600 backed by a £50 million investment The move will see Wilkie become a joint shareholder with Scottish Enterprise in the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc It will affect 190 employees at the current sites and the company said the decision to leave Kirriemuir after more than 160 years “was not taken lightly” and the company iscommitted to securing its future and expanding its potential It has pledged to work with the workforce on “new opportunities” as well as local councils and residents “to ensure the current site is left in a safe and positive condition” Wilkie said it will launch a comprehensive consultation process to ensure the workers’ voices are heard and their needs are met through appropriate support plans The company said the Kirriemuir factory no longer meets the demands of modern manufacturing modern layout capable of housing advanced technologies and supporting the company’s growth The move to Dundee also aligns with Wilkie’s transition to sustainable products processes and materials and allows it to plug into the Innovation Parc’s wind turbines and connection to the MVV Waste to Energy plant and described Wilkie’s decision as a “turning point for Dundee” and reaffirming Dundee’s position as a hub for advanced manufacturing and technology Wilkie was founded in 1868 and has two wholly owned manufacturing sites in Jiaxing and Zhengzhou as well as a technical materials coating factory in Lowell It currently has revenue of £60 million.  Chief executive Hamish Rowan said: “The world-class infrastructure at MSIP provides a strong foundation for Wilkie to honour its proud legacy while embarking on an exciting new chapter of innovation and growth “This strategic decision reflects Wilkie’s commitment to seizing the immense opportunities presented in the global technical textiles market “While deeply rooted in its heritage and long-standing ties to Kirriemuir “This move marks the beginning of a new era creating a home for Wilkie for the next 150 years and empowering the team to realise Wilkie’s ambitious and sustainable growth plans for the future “With MSIP and a partnership with Scottish Enterprise we are looking forward to welcoming and supporting other related and exciting businesses to the Parc in the near future.” “Their leadership and deep-rooted commitment to innovation “With Wilkie as the majority shareholder “Wilkie’s involvement will create and protect jobs and add fresh impetus to the Parc’sfuture development “The Scottish Government has supported MSIP since its inception the wider region and Scotland as a whole.” I’m delighted we’ll now be working with Wilkie to fully realise that ambition.” Recipients of The King’s Awards for Enterprise have been announced today, celebrating the achievements ofRead More A Scottish manufacturer of insect repellents is targeting new markets following a management buy-out. ManagingRead More and website in this browser for the next time I comment This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. The former Kirriemuir Masonic lodge has been put up for sale for £70,000 The building on Roods in the town centre has been used for a variety of activities through the years – primarily Lodge Airlie Masonic Hall stone-built building has hosted events such as youth discos and coffee mornings to Girl Guide meets it has recently been declared surplus to requirements It is now being marketed for sale and could be turned into housing The property has separate meeting rooms along with kitchen and bar facilities There are separate male and female toilet facilities to the rear On-street parking is also available within the immediate vicinity The lodge is being marketed by Shepherd Chartered Surveyors for offers over £70,000 Nearby, a four-bedroom rural home with sheds, a workshop and a kennel is on the market for just £270,000 Comments are currently disabled as they require cookies and it appears you've opted out of cookies on this site. To participate in the conversation, please adjust your cookie preferences in order to enable comments. © DC Thomson Co Ltd 2025. All Rights Reserved. Win HappyPremiumSearch RayotaylocalnewsMan in Dundee hospital after falling from window in KirriemuirIt happened earlier this morning A man in his 20s has been taken to hospital after falling from a window in Kirriemuir were called to Ogilvy's Close around 9.45am He was transported to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee Officers say enquiries are ongoing to establish what happened A police spokesperson said: "Around 9.45am on Tuesday 19 November 2024 police received a report of a man having fallen from a window of a flat in Ogilvy's Close "He has been taken by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee "Enquiries are ongoing to establish the exact circumstances of the incident." The Scottish Ambulance Service said: “We received a call today at 09:48 hours to attend an incident in Kirriemuir with our first resource arriving on scene within seven minutes "We transported one male patient in his 20s to Ninewells Hospital.” Hear all the latest news from across Tayside, Perthshire and Angus on Tay FM. Listen on FM, via our Rayo app, DAB, or smart speaker. Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales VAT no 918 5617 01H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) Webster’s High School and Southmuir Primary School in Kirriemuir have been evacuated after a possible unexploded ordnance device was discovered Police cordoned off an area of Prosen Road as a precaution after the device was found near the school building A bomb squad was called to attend and the schools were shut The nearby Bellies Brae Car Park and a path leading to the building were also taped off One parent claimed she was told a grenade had been found during a rural skills class in the grounds of Webster’s High She said: “There was a note to parents alerting them but telling us there was no immediate danger “It seems the pupils were all moved away.” Another parent said: “The police are at the scene and we were told the bomb squad is on the way the school has been closed with immediate effect.” An Angus Council spokesperson said: “As a precaution children and staff from Southmuir Primary School were evacuated into the front area of the school “Webster’s High School closed earlier than usual following advice from Police Scotland and the EOD who also confirmed there was no immediate risk to the pupils A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “We received a call from police to attend Webster’s High School in Kirriemuir “We have one appliance at the scene and are assisting Police Scotland.” A message sent to parents said there was “no imminent danger” A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Officers were made aware of a possible unexploded ordnance device being found in the Prosen Road area of Kirriemuir around 1.35pm on Thursday “A cordon was put in place as a precaution and EOD attended to assess the item New blue bins are heading to households in Forfar and Kirriemuir for the next phase of the council’s kerbside recycling changes It is the second part of a roll-out which added a new bin for paper and cardboard only And glass is banned from household bins under the new scheme people are being asked to take bottles and jars to dozens of community bottle banks The controversial changes were delayed for months before being launched in Arbroath Council waste chiefs hope the new set-up will save around £500,000-a-year A £33,000-a-year ‘waste tsar’ has been appointed to lead a clampdown on households which do not recycle They have been warned that general waste bins which contain too much recyclable material might not be emptied The council confirmed phase two will begin in October But households will get letters setting out the changes And deliveries of the new blue bins are due to start soon More than 65,000 have been bought with Scottish Government cash Those will be collected on alternate fortnights with the grey bin which is now to be used for plastic bottles and pots and food and drinks cans Food waste collections are also being extended to an extra 4,000 homes The final roll-out – Montrose and Brechin – is scheduled for spring 2025 the council says bottle bank issues at Tesco in Monifieth have been sorted out Locals complained three bottle bins had been reduced to one – and it was removed earlier this week It’s led to piles of empties being left on the ground beside the overflowing bin But a spokesperson said: “The location of the glass recycling point at Tesco Monifieth has been moved to another section of the carpark where the bins are easy to access “There was one bin during the transition that was not easy to move and was temporarily left in the previous location “All bins are now together in one location.” The council added: “Since the roll-out of separate glass recycling we have had a very good response from residents “We have introduced 79 sites where people can bring their glass with locations for phase two areas being introduced soon.” I spend way too much time on social media or surfing the web which leads to me planning where I want to visit next My journey in food will be one that will never end and I am constantly striving to dine in different places For more than a year now I had been gazing longingly at pictures of dishes posted by the Airlie Arms Hotel in Kirriemuir but for one reason or another I had never got round to visiting until recently Kirrie is at the gateway to the Angus Glens and it was a lovely calm and sunny day when we set off to drive there The Airlie Arms is a 15-bedroom hotel in the heart of the town and is easily found In the restaurant lounge area they pay homage to Kirriemuir’s most famous son, writer JM Barrie with a lovely portrait on the wall of the man who brought us Peter Pan There are plenty of tables and the hotel was doing quite a number of covers when I visited with my daughter which is always a good indication the offering is ticking the right boxes they have an excellent range of gins and malt whiskies And if you aren’t in the mood for a full meal you can have coffee and cake or a breakfast roll – and lighter bites are available After our drive through Angus to the hotel I was famished and opted to start with haggis bon bons (£6.95) Five lovely homemade bon bons were garnished with some pea shoots The peppery haggis was encased in some very crunchy breadcrumbs which gave a fantastic crunch and went perfectly with the mustard mayonnaise that accompanied them This was the ideal appetiser and they were very tasty indeed For my main dish I had plumped for battered Arbroath haddock and chips (£13.95) mainly because I had seen a picture of it on their social media and it looked incredibly appetising The beautifully cooked meaty fillet of haddock – which flaked perfectly as I cut through – was coated in one of the crispiest batters I have experienced and I savoured every mouthful but I didn’t use very much as the fish spoke for itself The chips were lovely and crispy on the outside and packed full of fluffy potato It was a real crowd pleaser and it just shows that sometimes going for a classic really does pay dividends Cari loves a burger and she is also a big fan of hunter’s chicken – a hunter’s chicken burger (£13.95) gave her the best of both worlds The bacon was perfect and both combined well with the barbecue sauce – and there was lashings of it The burger was accompanied by skin-on fries that were very crispy and moreish I was extremely full after my fish and chips and didn’t think I could do a dessert justice The homemade cheesecake – which regularly changes – was nothing short of amazing Cari said it was high up on her list of best-ever desserts There is something to be said about places that do tasty classic pub grub and the Airlie Arms is in that category Their food is very good and it came out in a timely fashion Service was impressive with our server being helpful and funny This definitely enhanced our experience at the hotel I hope they just keep doing what they are doing at the Airlie Arms because they do it very well – and I am looking forward to returning to sample other delights from their menu W. airliearms.net iron brew frying pans… the list goes on I’m like a kid in a sweetie store when I enter the legendary Star Rock Shop in Kirriemuir and no wonder my nostrils are twitching and I can’t wait to try some of the emporium’s vast collection of retro delights The Star Rock Shop is the oldest sweet shop in Scotland having been established by David Ferguson in 1833 Ferguson had to give up his job when an accident left him almost blind he turned his hand to boiling up sugar rock sweets in his kitchen – and it turned out he was pretty good at it He needed to earn a living to support his family so friends urged him to turn his home into a shop – with the legendary ‘Star Rock’ soon flying off the shelves This unchanged recipe has been handed down through the generations ever since and is taught to each new owner of the shop the Star Rock Shop trades from the same premises in The Roods making it the oldest producing and continuously trading sweet shop in Scotland I popped in recently – for the first time in my life I knew I wanted to sample the famous Star Rock sticks, following in the footsteps of Peter Pan author JM Barrie who stopped at the shop on his way home from school to buy the sweet treats But with so many different types of confectionary on offer I’d surely have to experiment with a few other items I cast my eyes around the seemingly endless jars (there are estimated to be around 400) that line the groaning wooden shelves and eventually settled on: a bag of rhubarb rock a waffle cone of ice cream slathered in chocolate sauce I’d been tempted to also buy chewing nuts but decided to wait – it would be a great excuse to return soon So what’s the secret behind the shop’s success I caught up with current – and 14th – owner Liz Crossley-Davies to find out and was well aware of the shop’s legendary status when she took it on in 2018 “If it wasn’t for our local customers who’ve been coming in for 60 years and more the Star Rock Shop wouldn’t be here,” she told me “The one constant thing is the Star Rock recipe We think it’s probably the oldest rock recipe in the world!” The iconic sticks are handmade and flavoured with natural lemon oil They’re hand-pulled and rolled on a marble slab in the very same kitchen they were first made The mix is cooled to harden and then hand-cut into 10cm long rods and tossed in sugar powder to stop them from sticking Liz says the original 1833 packaging had seven sticks of Star Rock in paper but there was also a bumper pack of 12 in cardboard These days they’re only produced in paper packs of seven Peter Pan author JM Barrie called in to the shop on his way home from school to buy some rock – and when he moved to London he had the sweet treat delivered there men were gifted boxes of Star Rock as reminders of home And in 1919, when Queen Mary and her daughter stayed a few miles from Kirriemuir at Airlie Castle with the Dowager Countess they were presented with a gift of Star Rock by the owner Jessie Morrison Ramsay (Ferguson’s grand-daughter) The traditional flavours are original lemon mint and horehound – the shop’s “medicinal” wonder humbug I have no idea what ‘horehound is’ “It’s a plant extract that reputedly soothes sore throats and coughs “I’m the only person in the UK who still makes horehound humbugs When our supplier stopped sending the oil to us during lockdown “We’re testing new oils but they can be extortionately expensive.” What Liz loves best about her job is meeting customers and taking trips down memory lane “People say: ‘When I was a kid “Everyone remembers the old favourites and it’s amazing to see people so animated “I deliberately keep penny sweets and 5p bubblegum for kids I try to take the money concept out of it so that the joy stays and everyone can afford something.” The story of how Star Rock was born is brilliant It was common for people to make their own sweets in the 1830s – there were wee sweet shops everywhere “David Ferguson made sweets for people in Kirrie and when they knew he’d lost his job they encouraged him to open his kitchen and start selling his goods,” said Liz So the big question – what’s Liz’s favourite sweet “I’ve more of a savoury palate “I’ve always loved food and have been a qualified chef for donkey’s years but I’ve just not got a sweet palate “I like creating things and seeing if they work I prefer a classic toffee bar or maybe a dark chocolate and coffee sweet “I’ve got a son with a viciously sweet tooth – he’s my chief taster.” Liz is always delighted to welcome visitors and is amazed by how far some travel “I had a family in recently telling me they’d travelled four hours to get here “Another couple told me the sweet shop was the deciding factor in where they’d stay during their holidays “I feel responsible because they’ve made so much effort and want to be able to tell customers as much about the history of the shop as possible.” include Iron Brew frying pans and lucky tatties The tattie used to feature a small toy or lucky charm in the middle but health and safety put an end to that quirk which also produces bespoke sweets for Bonfest the annual celebration of AC/DC frontman Bon Scott survives thanks to its huge following of loyal customers But it’s facing the toughest challenge yet in its 191-year history Liz reckons bills have quadrupled as a result of the cost-of-living crisis “I make Star Rock recipes in the kitchen at the back of the shop “That means using the large gas rings every few days as fresh batches are made and pulled by hand and then rolled and shaped “It’s not cheap to run the business but I’m determined it’ll survive.” diabetics and those with sugar or dairy-free diets Angus Council said the issue was resolved with full services set to resume on Wednesday. A pest control issue was identified at Webster’s High School in Kirriemuir with meals having to be provided from elsewhere this week. A deep clean of the food preparation area was completed and measures put in place for pupils at the school. Angus Council confirmed the issue was resolved on Tuesday with full school meal services set to resume on Wednesday. Environmental health and pest control officers were called to investigate and continue to monitor the situation, the council said. An Angus Council statement read: “We can confirm that a pest control issue was identified in the school kitchen at Webster’s High School. “School meals were provided from alternative locations during this time and a deep clean of the area completed. “The issue in the kitchen has been resolved and the kitchen will be back to full school meal service on Wednesday. “Having taken advice from pest control and environmental health appropriate mitigations were put into place to support continuity of learning for young people. “We take hygiene and safety seriously, ensuring any issues are dealt with swiftly and effectively. “Environmental health and pest control officers are continuing to monitor the situation.” RayotaylocalnewsKirriemuir school evacuated after "replica" explosive device foundWebster’s High School was closed early following advice from Police Scotland A Kirriemuir school was evacuated after reports of an "unexploded device" being found Emergency teams were called to the Prosen Road area around 1.35pm today Webster’s High School was closed early following advice from Police Scotland and staff from Southmuir Primary School were moved to another section of the building A cordon was put in place as a precaution and disposal teams were called to assess the item Police Scotland has confirmed the device was a replica and there was no wider risk to the public A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of a possible unexploded ordnance device being found in the Prosen Road area of Kirriemuir around 1.35pm on Thursday “A cordon was put in place as a precaution as EOD attended to assess the item "We would like to thank the local community for their patience as enquiries were carried out." an Angus Council spokesperson said: “As a precaution children and staff from Southmuir Primary School were evacuated into the front area of the school Webster's High School closed earlier than usual following advice from Police Scotland AN evil Scots killer who lured the dad of her unborn child to his death has been "sent back to jail" Twisted Tasmin Glass was sentenced to ten years in prison in 2019 for her "pivotal role" in plotting her ex's savage playpark murder. The 26-year-old was granted parole last July after serving less than five years of her decade-long sentence We previously told how she was spotted near an East Lothian primary school after her early release Glass was found to be the mastermind behind the evil plot to end Arbroath oil worker Steven Donaldson's life in Kirriemuir She has now reportedly been sent back to jail after having her licence revoked, reports The Courier. Devious Glass enlisted the help of her new boyfriend Steven Dickie and his pal Callum Davidson in the sick murder plot She lured unsuspecting Steven Donaldson to the Peter Pan playpark in Kirriemuir where he was savagely attacked by thugs Dickie and Davidson before they drove him to the Kinnordy Nature Reserve where they killed him The violent thugs inflicted horror injuries on Steven and severed his spinal cord in two places. Maniacs Dickie and Davidson, both 24 at the time of the killing, then torched Steven's car in a bid to hide evidence The pair were each convicted of murder and caged for over 20 years Davidson was locked up for 24 years for the killing Dickie was jailed for 23 years - but was found dead in his cell at HMP Perth in November 2019 Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click here TWO Scots schools have been locked down and pupils have been evacuated as a bomb squad swooped on a suspicious item Emergency services were called to Webster's High School in Kirriemuir after a potentially suspicious item was discovered this afternoon Staff and children were rushed out of the school for their safety as cops descended on the scene Explosive experts also arrived to carry out enquiries as cops locked down an area of Prosen Road One parent claimed that a grenade was found during a rural skills class in the grounds of the High School, reports The Courier She said: "There was a note to parents alerting them but telling us there was no immediate danger Bomb squad teams will be attending to assess the item as the school remains closed A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “We were made aware of a possible unexploded ordnance device being found in the Prosen Road area of Kirriemuir around 1.35pm on Thursday. “A cordon has been put in place as a precaution and EOD will be attending to assess the item.” "Webster's High School closed earlier than usual following advice from Police Scotland Scottish government stresses risk to public is low as chief veterinary officer says it is first outbreak since 2023 A protection zone has been set up after an outbreak of bird flu in Angus Scotland’s chief veterinary officer has said Sheila Voas said a 10km (6.8 mile) surveillance zone had also been declared around the area as well as the 3km protection zone in Kirriemuir after a highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) was reported According to the declaration published on the Scottish government’s website the affected premises is Over Ascreavie House The restrictions will stop the movement of poultry used poultry litter and manure to prevent the disease from spreading said: “The chief veterinary officer (Scotland) has formed the opinion that highly pathogenic avian influenza exists on-premises and has informed the Scottish Ministers of that conclusion.” The outbreak is the first case of avian illness in Scotland since the summer of 2023 “almost all” of the 32,000 infected chickens found on one Aberdeenshire farm had to be culled in July Aberdeen city council said 100 dead birds were collected from the city’s beach over a fortnight during the same timeframe and Aberdeenshire council said it found more than 300 dead birds on its beaches simultaneously The Scottish government stressed that the risk to the public was “very low” even for people who have experienced prolonged exposure to infected birds and avian influenzas also pose a very low food safety risk A spokesperson said: “We can confirm a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) H5N1 has been detected at a premises near Kirriemuir This is the first case in Scotland since 2023 “Keepers of poultry and other captive birds in Scotland are advised to remain vigilant for signs of the disease and reminded they have a legal requirement to immediately report any suspicion of disease in Scotland to the local Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) field services office.” Bird flu is a virus that infects birds and other animals such as foxes The dominant H5N1 variant was found in Hong Kong in 1997 and included zoonotic (animal to human) transmission Kirriemuir Amateur Operatic Society is about to return with a bang for the first time since the pandemic And it hopes fans will fill the Town Hall for the hit show Grease For five years the group has been off the theatrical map after Covid-19 struck just as the curtain was about to rise The KAOS cast were in full costume and make-up for the dress rehearsal of The Mystery of Edwin Drood on March 16 2020 It was the eve of opening night in Kirrie Committee member Lindsey Wilson said: “The sound and lighting crew were set up and the Town Hall was buzzing Covid was tightening its grip on the country – but the first official UK lockdown was still a week away Then came the news a leading cast member had someone in their household who had tested positive for the virus Lindsey said: “The responsibility fell on us to do right by our team and our community It cost the society dearly in purely financial terms since the pre-lockdown decision wasn’t covered by insurance “But we had to do the right thing,” Lindsey added “Our sacrifice was minor compared to what many endured through the Covid pandemic “It has taken us a while to properly regroup So the stage is set for the Pink Ladies and T-Birds to begin their five-night run on Tuesday March 25 It includes a matinee performance on Saturday March 29 Darren Handy and James Webb are the show’s directors Penny Stephens and Ally Semple fill the lead roles of Sandy and Danny Tickets for Grease at available at Ticketsource or Three Bellies Brae in Kirriemuir “We’ve really been working hard to make sure everyone has the best experience and really hope to see a big audience,” said Lindsey Courier photographer Mhairi Edwards captured more shots from KAOS Grease rehearsals Historic Kirriemuir textiles company Wilkie has completed a deal to acquire a factory in America The Angus business has acquired the factory and its machines in Lowell will see Wilkie add 25 employees and retain around £6.25m in revenue Wilkie has operated in Angus since 1868 and develops industrial textiles and materials to solve specific problems for customers globally The firm said this strategic move will help its growth in America the sixth generation of the family business said: “This strategic move reinforces our commitment to growth and producing high-quality products made in the USA “Wilkie’s acquisition of Bradford Industries not only enhances our manufacturing footprint but also cements our pledge to leading-edge development in the technical textiles industry “The site will continue to specialize in key markets such as airbag coating parachute and high performance sports equipment coating and advanced coatings for various industrial applications.” Wilkie plans to invest heavily in research and development at the new American operation It said integrating its existing American sales activity Avidia Bank in Massachusetts assisted with financing to purchase the assets The factory will be rebranded as Wilkie America Mr Rowan added: “We are enthusiastic about the opportunities this acquisition presents particularly with Wilkie Scotland supplying woven fabrics to be coated and resold by Wilkie America “This acquisition paves the way for a prosperous future for Wilkie.” Wilkie has around 180 members of staff between its two Angus sites in Kirriemuir and Forfar The Forfar site – which includes a weaving workshop and PVC coating line – was an investment of around £2m and created 25 new jobs General manager John Reid added: “Wilkie has been going through a period of rapid growth in the last couple of years “This was driven by a significant expansion of our capabilities and our team here in Angus “We increased our park of looms from 40 to 124 a brand new warehouse in Kirriemuir and added new coating processes “To match this growth our team grew from 80 to180 people “We’ve been selling into the US for some time and had the view that a manufacturing footprint would be hugely beneficial The investment we’re making now is an ideal first step in this.” The owner of a family-run hotel in Kirriemuir says he will miss it “very much” after putting the business up for sale says he felt it was the “right time” to sell The Thrums Hotel on Bank Street after being at the helm for 33 years He hopes to spend more time travelling with his wife Dave told The Courier: “It has been a great place to live and stay it just got to the point where we wanted more time to travel and things like that “It is a really good business and it has been really good to me “It’s in a lovely area and it is always busy it is a huge part of my life but I have never had the time to travel and do things like that.” Dave took over The Thrums at the age of 28 after previously working in the hospitality industry with his dad He has since been helped by his daughters Ellen And although he thinks it is the right time to put the hotel on the market he expects to be sticking around for a while longer He said: “It could take a long time for buyers to come along but we thought now is the right time to put it on the market “There is a good chance of me being here a while longer “I would like to see someone coming in who is young and enthusiastic.” The hotel employs five full-time staff and about 10 part-time staff who Dave hopes will stay on to help any new owners The Kirriemuir hotel is being sold for offers around £750,000 Graham & Sibbald describes it as “an established and very well presented nine-bedroom hotel that offers its guests the best of both with charming features and modern comfortable accommodation” dining room and small function room and comes with private owner’s accommodation There is also car parking for about 20 cars and a patio terrace for outdoor dining Wilkie is moving its operations from Kirriemuir to the Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc in Dundee. Angus-based textile firm Wilkie is moving its operations from Kirriemuir to the site, investing £50m and trebling its workforce to 600. It comes six years after Michelin workers were dealt the devastating blow that the factory was to shut. When the last tyres rolled off the production line, the future of the sprawling site looked bleak. Wilkie has become the major shareholder at The Michelin Scotland Innovation Parc (MSIP), which was created after a deal was struck between the French firm, Dundee City Council, the Scottish Government and Scottish Enterprise in the wake of the Michelin factory closure. MSIP aims to develop economic growth through the green energy sector and it’s being led by a familiar face. John Reid was the Michelin factory manager but is now general manager at Wilkie and didn’t expect to return to the plant where he started as an apprentice. He told STV News: “It’s a massive thing for Wilkie. The first phase will be investing in the infrastructure here and preparing the workshops to become a textile factory. “The second phase will be the acquisition of new technologies to us and the third phase will be the development of new processes and products through research and development. That encompasses an investment of £50m and we aim to grow the workforce up to 600 people.” Deputy first minister Kate Forbes toured the site this week, which has supported 53 new businesses. They include 4SB, which has invented swappable batteries for electric vehicles. Forbes said: “We are not far off restoring the number of jobs that were lost. “There’s already 16 tenants operational here, just short of 200 jobs already here, and with Wilkie coming in as a majority shareholder, it’s 600 jobs, £50m worth of investment over the next five years. That will be a tremendous boost to Dundee.” But Dundee’s gain is Kirriemuir’s loss. Wilkie has been based in the Angus town for 160 years. The company say they won’t abandon the ageing buildings it occupied in the town but will work to find the factory a new future. Mr Reid explained: “We aim to bring all our workforce to Dundee and we’ve got time to do a proper consultation, so we’ll work with the local community, our employees, and the local council to arrive at a win-win.” With Wilkie now the major shareholder, there is renewed confidence that the Michelin site can once again employ more than 800 people. Machinery will start to arrive in September but it will be a further year before the Wilkie workforce is fully up and running, weaving a new future for the firm and the former tyre factory. Police have been on a round-the-clock watch outside a home in Kirriemuir after a cannabis factory was reported Officers descended on a flatted property in the town’s Sidlaw Range in the Southmuir area on Wednesday morning Residents say they saw police arriving after several of them complained about the smell of weed in the street as well as hearing a constant drip coming from the property A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 10.45am on Wednesday police received a report of a cannabis cultivation site in Sidlaw Range, Kirriemuir “Officers attended and enquiries are ongoing.” One woman said: “The police have been coming and going from the property for a while now “Eventually on Wednesday several police vehicles arrived at the house and went inside “They spent all day there and there were police guarding the property overnight and again on Thursday morning “Lots of locals have been speculating about what is happening but none of us knows for sure “Everyone has also commented on the really strong smell of weed in the street for a while now.” Another neighbour said: “I saw several police vehicles at the house on Wednesday “Officers were going in and out of the house all day “Three officers were guarding the property overnight on Wednesday and are still there on Thursday morning “Yesterday an SSEN van also arrived at the house as well as a digger “There’s a lot of local talk about it but no one knows what’s happening “The police told a neighbour they are likely to be there for a couple of days yet.” The neighbour added: “For ages now the entire street has had a strong smell of weed and it definitely seemed to be coming from the property the police are at “Everyone has been talking about it and eventually someone reported it “It’s scary to think something like that could be happening in a wee flat close to all our homes and also close to two of the town’s schools.” Kirriemuir delivered another cracker for the town’s annual bonfire and fireworks night A huge crowd turned out at The Hill as the spectacular display lit up the night sky The event was organised by the Rotary Club of the Angus Glens Kirriemuir Regeneration Group members served up refreshments for the huge crowd It included folk from across Angus and many from Dundee The Kirrie display rounded off a weekend of Angus fireworks fun after another big turnout at The Muir in Edzell on Saturday night Wilkie’s said the decision to leave its historic Kirriemuir home was not 'taken lightly'. The tyre factory site, which closed its doors in 2020, will be taken over by Wilkie as it moves its operations from Kirriemuir and Forfar. The company said the decision to leave its historic Kirriemuir home was not “taken lightly” but that the location “no longer meets the demands of modern manufacturing”. Wilkie will partner alongside the current shareholder, Scottish Enterprise, becoming the majority shareholder of MSIP. The company said the new purpose-built site will be capable of housing advanced technologies and supporting its ambitious growth plans. This new chapter will not only bring an estimated £50m investment but a potentially increased workforce of up to 600. The Michelin factory first opened in 1972 and was one of the biggest employers in Dundee with over 800 staff. Hamish Rowan, CEO, Wilkie said: “The world-class infrastructure” at MSIP provides a strong foundation for Wilkie to honour its proud legacy while embarking on an exciting new chapter of innovation and growth. “This strategic decision reflects Wilkie’s commitment to seizing the immense opportunities presented in the global technical textiles market.” Mr Rowan said the move marks the beginning of “a new era” creating a home for Wilkie for the next 150years. “With MSIP and a partnership with Scottish Enterprise, we are looking forward to welcoming and supporting other related and exciting businesses to the Parc in the near future,” he added. Greig Coull, CEO of MSIP, said he was “delighted” that Wilkie has brought its large-scale manufacturing ambitions to the site. He added: “Their leadership and deep-rooted commitment to innovation, sustainability, and growth will continue our mission to drive forward decarbonisation and advanced manufacturing. “With Wilkie as the majority shareholder, this partnership, supported by our invaluable collaborators, including Scottish Enterprise and the Scottish Government, marks a transformative step forward for Dundee and the region.” Mr Coull said the future looks bright, creating lasting economic, environmental, and social impact.John Howe, managing director, Michelin UK said: “Since MSIP was set up, it has focused on creating jobs and improving sustainability. “The agreement with Wilkie delivers exactly that and we believe it will benefit Dundee, the wider region and Scotland as a whole. “We are proud to have been involved in the creation of MSIP and we wish both MSIP and JDW all the very best for the future.”