Well known Peterhead businessman dies suddenly:
Gerry Gaffney, Director of GCG Shotblasting, passed away at Peterhead on Sunday 23rd December 2007:

Dual Carriageway to Peterhead?
With regular press coverage of Aberdeen’s Western Peripheral Route and the Scottish Government’s recent confirmation that the Balmeddie to Tipperty stretch of the A90 Aberdeen to Ellon road will be converted to dual carriageway (as reported in issue 5 of PBF News), the PBF welcomes recent discussion about the proposed dualling the A90 all the way to Peterhead.
Aberdeenshire Council’s Local Transport Strategy report (2007-2010) states “Aberdeenshire has the highest number of cars per head of population in Scotland…” hardly surprising when you consider that the Buchan area around the shire’s biggest town has not had a single inch of railway for nearly 40 years! Accessibility of Peterhead to the UK and rest of the world is essential for achieving sustainable economic growth – road travel and road freight via a safe modern road network is vital. Peterhead continues to be the largest fishing port in the UK and with further planned expansion of harbour facilities; this trend is expected to continue. The PBF therefore calls for the Scottish Government to support the town’s efforts and to consider the imbalance of transport network provision throughout Scotland – single carriageways and lack of railways are in effect, a strangle-hold on potential industrial expansion.

Peterhead Port Authority - Annual Public Meeting
The event took place on the evening of Wednesday 29th August 2007 at Arbuthnot House, Peterhead. Chief Executive, John Wallace presented an overview of the Port’s operations since the merger of the Harbour Board and the Bay Authority in January 2006. He outlined the proposed Smith Embankment Project, which will provide additional quay space to safeguard Peterhead’s existing pelagic vessel landings – and also to allow for safe manoeuvring of diving support vessels, which accounted for 200 berthings in Peterhead during 2006.
Harbour Engineer David Buchan, detailed the work required to complete this project, which includes dredging some of the Bay to a depth of 10 metres and the construction of an extension to the existing Albert Quay; which will provide shelter to the new Smith Embankment quay extension as well as a new 95 metre length quay space.
Stephen Paterson outlined the Port Authority’s financial position. The turnover of £6.4M in 2006 has provided a healthy profit, allowing the authority to press on, with confidence, to develop the Smith Embankment at a cost of £32M. Further reassurance in a positive future for the Port Authority is drawn from 2007’s level of business which sees an increase over 2006 of 7% for pelagic landings, 13% white fish landings and 18% for oil related business.

Fish Landings
In issue 6 of Peterhead Business Forum News, we reported that Peterhead was the highest gross landing Pelagic fishing port in Scotland in 2006, with an approximate total landing value of £49M.
This compares with white fish landing total of £52M and shellfish £6M, the half yearly figures for 2007 also show a healthy rise in landing values for 2007.

Town centre changes
The flower shop at 26 Chapel Street (formerly ‘Janines’), has recently been bought by Mark and Gina Grant who have renamed the business ‘GRANT’S FLORAL DESIGNS’. Mark Grant told the PBF “We have had great support from past customers and welcome feedback to find out people’s requirements.” Contact Grants Floral Designs by telephoning 01779 478887. Not content with taking over one business, the Grants are about to open another! Hickory Dickory Tots children’s nursery is due to open at the ex RAF camp at Boddam in late October. They have capacity for 50 children. For more information contact Gina: 07971 956027.
New owners of the Peterhead newspaper ‘The Buchan Observer’, have recently closed the Chapel Street stationery shop. Over the past couple of years, the business has lost its printing and stationery departments and suffered workforce reduction of around 75%.
The former Curry’s electrical shop has been acquired by a clothing company which will hopefully be open soon.
Queen Street also saw the opening on 10 September, of a new fast-food outlet. KACO Delites, owned by Kal Ahmed in premises which were previously a video shop (next to Hame Bakery). KACO specialises in Southern Fried Chicken meal deals, Piri Piri Chicken (healthy option of chicken which is steamed and char grilled with unique flavour), Pizzas,Burgers and a wide range of ice creams and employs 8 people. Kaco offer family deals and lunch deals.
More information about KACO Delites is available by telephoning, 01779 474674.
Next door, an empty hairdresser’s shop is to be refitted as a new Symposium Cafeteria and deli. This will be the 3rd Symposium, the others being in Broad Street and at New Hope Trust just outside Peterhead.
This flurry of activity makes Queen Street a focus of food restaurants and take-ways. Although providing competition for existing food outlets including Zanres, Edz, Kit Kat café, Nazma Tandoori and Far East Chinese take-away, the additional foot-falls of hungry customers will have an overall positive affect on town-centre food trade.
Former Studio Nova photographer and photographic processors shop at 28 Queen Street, has been sold recently and will open soon as a dental surgery. Studio Nova now operate from a purpose built photographic studio at Inverugie, on the outskirts of Peterhead - telephone 01779 838866.

Wetherspoon welcomes local catering suppliers
The PBF recently contacted JD Wetherspoon to obtain contact details for prospective local catering suppliers for their forthcoming pub restaurant. All enquiries should be directed to Rebecca Payton, Head of Catering at JD Wetherspoon, telephone 01923 477777
Construction of the new JD Wetherspoon’s new pub restaurant – ‘The Cross Keys’ – specialising in cask conditioned beers, is under construction, in the old Salvation Army building at the corner of Chapel Street and Back Street. This is now due to open on 11 February 2008 and will provide 40 full time and part time jobs. Eddie Gershon, spokesperson for JD Wetherspoons said “in a competitive market it is up to the customers to ultimately decide where to place their business and ‘The Cross Keys’ will offer a good range of beverages and menu choice backed by the good reputation of the company”.
For employment information contact Personnel on 01923 477777, local advertisements will be placed nearer to the opening date.

Offshore Europe 2007
35,000 delegates attaneded this year’s Offshore Europe Exhibition at AECC, 3000 more than in 2005, from over 100 countries.
1,455 exhibiting companies occupied a total of more than 20,550 square metres of exhibition space – more than ever sold before. Exhibitors included major oil companies such as Shell, BP, BG Group, ExxonMobil, Total, Chevron and Saudi Aramco, as well as agencies such as the Colombian National Hydrocarbons Agency and major contractors including Halliburton, Schlumberger, Wood Group and Baker Oil Tools.
The show was held from September 4-7th in Aberdeen, Scotland has been declared an “outstanding success” by organisers The Offshore Europe Partnership.
Offshore Europe 2009 will take place 8-11 September 2009.

The Peterhead Project
The Peterhead Project (TPP) group meets regularly to discuss items of concern in the Peterhead area and influence the distribution of Aberdeenshire Towns Partnership funding. The group comprises representatives from Aberdeenshire Council, housing, business and community groups, Buchan Area Committee and local Councillors.
The meeting held at the Waterside Inn, Peterhead on 28th August 2007 aimed to discuss the future operation of the group.
The meeting was presided over Kristin Von Wald of Avante Consulting, Edinburgh, who acted as facilitator. Those present formed three sub-groups within which delegates were asked to discuss the positive and negative aspects, outcomes and achievements of previous. operations.
Each group’s findings were reported back to the meeting at the end. These outcomes will form the basis for a report which will be discussed at a future TPP meeting in order to establish the group’s future aims and objectives.