Contents:

• Scottish Renewables
• The Arran Voice
• Green Tourism News
• Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald
• Ayrshire & Arran Spotlight
• San Francisco Chronicle

Scottish Renewables

Case Study: Biomass at Langside Farm

Download the Brochure complete. (PDF file — 1633KB)

In a foreword to this brochure, Jim Mather, MSP, Minister for Enterprise, Energy & Tourism, wrote:
"SCOTLAND has many world class assets at its disposal, but there are two among them which tower above all others - our natural energy resource and our unrivalled landscape. That is why the Scottish Government is determined to develop both our renewable energy and our tourism potential in harmony. These industries are vital to our aspirations of achieving sustainable economic growth, and can help to improve our economic prosperity while enhancing our environment for future generations of Scots. It is our priority to work with industry to optimize the potential of these two sectors.

It is really pleasing to see the great benefits gained by these businesses who have successfully harnessed the potential of both tourism and renewables. Many have found that the installation of green energy devices has not only proved useful in terms of marketing a businesses' sustainability credentials, but it has also helped reduce energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint."

Jason Ormison, Chief Executive, Scottish Renewables, added:
"There is a great story to tell about tourism businesses using renewables - at small and relatively large scales - and we are keen to tell it. But even we were surprised by the level of response we received when we put the call out for case studies. The difficulty was not finding good, representative examples but knowing what to leave out!"

Langside Farm features as a Case Study showing how a new biomass wood fuel boiler has been installed as part of the upgrade, providing central heating & hot water with environmental & economic benefits.

Also featured are:

• A waterwheel in Stornoway
• Biomass at The Lovat Arms Hotel and Culloden Battlefield
• Solar at RSPB Vane Farm and Mersehead
• Hydro at Ardverikie Estate
• Ground Source Heat Pump at the Castle of Mey

The Arran Voice

Boilers and Chips?

Download the Newspaper complete. (PDF file — 6994KB)

Keith Robertson wrote:
"A very well attended meeting at the Auchrannie last Monday heard presentations from a number of experts on use of wood chips as a fuel.

Nick Quick of Langside B&B, Dalry discussed his own installation of a wood chip boiler which has gained him the gold award in the Green Tourism Scheme.

The boiler is a Heizomat 50 kW model. The cost was £27,500 with generous grant aid. It has an operating efficiency of 92%, so Nick expects to see some significant savings on his heating bills; it will also reduce his B&B's carbon dioxide emissions by at least 12 tonnes per annum. See www.langsidefarm. co.uk. Nick also recommended the Efergy smart meter at £50 to monitor your electricity use.

Nick has experienced problems with the moisture content of mainland-supplied wood chips and so the Arran team are pre-warned about this crucial specification."

Other speakers went on to quantify the acceptable levels of moisture content and give examples of the suitability of the different types of fuels - chip, pellets etc - for different applications. Finally, Carola Menzel of the Energy Agency compared prices, explaining that this is done by a price per kilowatt hour: wood chips come in at 2.3p and compare favourably to heating oil at 4.4p. Wood pellets are 3.8p and will certainly come into their own as oil prices rise.

Green Tourism News

Case Study — Towards Carbon Neutral

Download the Newsletter complete. (PDF file — 1204KB)

Langside Farm Bed and Breakfast is located in a beautiful setting near Dalry in North Ayrshire and is run by Nick and Elise Quick who have been providing high quality accommodation since 2000.

Silver graded by GTBS since 2004, they felt it necessary to address the twin problems of the ever-increasing price of heating oil and worries over what they felt were unacceptably high emissions of fossil fuel derived carbon dioxide emissions. Nick, who is a Chartered Engineer, considered the options and decided that a biomass boiler was probably the solution. At a stroke, this offered the potential to halve the B&B's heating bills whilst at the same time taking the business a long way down the path to becoming carbon neutral.

Through a number of communications and events Nick found out that the business would be eligible for a grant under the Scottish Biomass Support Scheme and might also be eligible for support under the Loan Action Scotland scheme. The prospect of an interest free loan in support of the project quickly led Nick to the Energy Saving Trust's business advice programme.

An Energy Saving Trust business adviser discussed the energy and resource issues of the business with Nick and arranged for a consultant to visit the farm to undertake a free energy efficiency review. The consultant produced a report containing advice on a number of practical energy saving and efficiency measures, and confirmed Nick's estimate of the likely savings that would be generated by the biomass boiler. The report also confirmed that the project would be eligible for an interest-free loan from Loan Action Scotland, subject, of course, to the submission of a satisfactory application. Nick found the application process to be simplicity itself. The application form was clear and concise, and just one side of A4. The Energy Saving Trust's business adviser kindly checked the form at draft stage and a few days after Nick posted the completed form, he received a contract with a covering letter confirming that his application had been successful. The boiler is now in place and is fuelled by locally sourced wood chip.

Commenting on the support provided, Nick said: "We were able to call on support from the Energy Saving Trust's business advice programme to provide us with advice and to also help us complete a Loan Action Scotland application. The whole process went incredibly smoothly and we were able to secure the financial support and install the boiler. This installation has been central to us achieving a Gold grading in the Green Tourism Business Scheme which we are very pleased about."

Key Points

• Installed a 50kW wood chip boiler to provide heating and hot water.
• The boiler runs on locally produced wood chip so minimising transportation costs.
• Significant savings generated
• Initial annual energy costs (before installation) - £3,700
• Expected annual energy saving (after installation) - £2,150 (approximately 60%)
• Supported through an interest-free loan from Loan Action Scotland

The Energy Saving Trust's business advice programme is an initiative funded by the Scottish Executive.

Our [Green Tourism Business Scheme] business advisers and consultants provide free, impartial information and advice to businesses and other organisations to help them become more energy and resource efficient. Our business advisers can also assist businesses and organisations to access financial assistance where possible.

To contact your local business adviser, call: 0845 458 5040, or visit: www.energy-efficiency.org

Ardrossan & Saltcoats Herald

Gordon Robertson wrote:

A Dalry bed & breakfast establishment has been included in the Michelin Guide after winning a prestigious Bib Hotel Award.

The award for good accommodation at moderate prices went to Langside Farm and owners Nick and Elise Quick were absolutely delighted when we broke the news.

"This is fantastic," Nick told The Herald when we contacted him last week. "I am absolutely over the moon and so will my wife Elise be when she hears. This is the first we've heard."

Homely

Langside Farm will now be able to display the Michelin man, whose name is actually Bibendum — and we bet you didn't know that — on a pillow to signify that they are one of the top 66 hotel/B&Bs in the UK offering accommodation for under £65 for a double room [See the tariff page for current prices - webmaster].

The Michelin Guide for 2004 describes Langside Farm as "a converted farmhouse dating from 1745 situated away from the town. Classic furnishing throughout, comfortable bedrooms, with a homely and relaxing ambience".

Nick, a retired chartered engineer, and Elise, a schoolteacher, bought Langside in 2000 and opened it as a B&B two years later. They believe that one of the reasons for the Michelin Guide's recognition is that they are "people people".

The attention to detail at Langside Farm in the four letting rooms means that guests feel it is almost a home from home. But the hospitality is what makes all the difference, they say.

"A good B&B can outclass a hotel in terms of hospitality," said Nick, "We always serve breakfast in the kitchen so that it is less formal and people feel more welcome."

Their reputation has grown fast and the Michelin award will help spread the news even further afield.

"We are choc-a-bloc for the Open at Troon and we have bookings well into next year," Nick added.

Ayrshire & Arran Spotlight

BE QUICK - HEAD FOR LANGSIDE

A FARMHOUSE bed and breakfast has won an entry in the Michelin Guide.

And the award is the icing on the cake for husband and wife team Nick and Elise Quick.

They started B&B at Langside Farm in 2002 - the year of foot and mouth and the worst possible time. But the lonely months enabled them to spend more time renovating the 1745 farmhouse which sits high above Dalry on the moor road to Largs.

Elise revealed this week: "Michelin have just given us a Bibendum Award for good accommodation at moderate prices and we are one of only 15 in Scotland and we are absolutely delighted."

The Quicks are just back from a five-week holiday to visit their daughter Fliss in New Zealand as a reward for their hard work at Langside. Elise said: "It is the first time we have had a holiday since we bought Langside in October 2001. Of course it turned into a much bigger project than we thought it would but we are delighted at the success. We had a really good 2003 and turnover doubled in 2004. Nick and I always enjoyed looking after people and hopefully it shows."

Langside has gained a Four Star VisitScotland rating, has a Green Tourism silver award and sits in 36 acres, some of which will be made more wild animal friendly.

Art teacher Elise, who is originally from Paisley, and university engineering lecturer Nick spent 20 years in Birmingham before deciding to move north and produce "breakfasts to die for." She said: "Due to work we were like ships that passed in the night. So when Nick got the chance of early retirement he took it and Scotland beckoned."

Prices are from £25 per person per night and individuality is the key to the four rooms and to the Langside experience. [See the tariff page for current prices - webmaster] The Culzean suite for instance has a Queen Anne four poster and roll-top bath. There's a blazing log fire in the lounge and the kitchen naturally boasts an Aga and an old wooden table complete with bench-style seating.

The Quicks have not been slow to innovate ideas and can look after pets, organise babysitting and even cater for horse[s with some] loose boxes. And as a terrific example in the tourism trade of working together they have linked up with the nearby Braidwoods Restaurant. Elise said: "We are just finalising the details now but it is a gift voucher scheme where people will go for a meal to Braidwoods and stay the night here. We'll take them there and back and I think it will be a terrific present for somebody."

San Francisco Chronicle

Pat Cody wrote:

Scottish countryside farmhouse inn

We recently stayed at a great bed and breakfast in the countryside of Ayrshire, Scotland. Langside farm is an updated 1745 farmhouse across from a meadow populated by sheep and cows. It makes a good base for visits to Glasgow (35 minutes by car), Edinburgh (1 hour, 15 minutes) and ports (15 minutes) for the ferry to Arran and Troon.

The owners, Elise and Nick Quick, offer complete breakfasts in the large kitchen, and dinners by arrangement. They charge a reasonable 25 to 35 pounds ($49-$68) per person, per night, for double rooms. A family suite rents for 50 pounds for the first two guests, plus 10 pounds per additional child (3 to 16 years, no charge for children under 3) [See the tariff page for current prices - webmaster].