James Galbraith takes industry lead on land management issues

CKD Chairman James Galbraith will offer landowners and farmers practical advice on financial management issues when he addresses them at the Royal Highland Show, in the wake of recent legislation passed by the Scottish Parliament.

Rural businesses are facing a period of unprecedented challenge as, in addition to legislative change, revenues gained from farming and forestry have declined significantly over the past five years.

Landowner confidence has also been dented by legislation, particularly the Agricultural Holdings Act and the Land Reform Act.

The consequences are only too apparent - tenants are less able to pay rent and farming operations are significantly less profitable. At the same time production and running costs continue to escalate. As a result, landowners and farmers are experiencing poor cash flow and a shortfall of predictable income.

Many landowners have already identified that commercial property investment can fill this gap and are beginning to diversify into commercial investments.

Please join us for an insight into these matters and to meet James Galbraith, Chairman Tim Kirkwood, Chief Executive and other members of CKD Galbraith at the Royal Highland Show, in the VIP Room, Highland Hall on Thursday 19 and Friday 20 June from 11 am to 12 noon.

British holiday makers choose to stay at home

Several recent reports indicate that British holiday-makers are choosing to rekindle their love affair with British holidays, with the Scottish countryside proving particularly popular.

CKD Galbraith has seen its holiday lettings business increase by 25 per cent on last year.

The reasons are not difficult to guess - fear of global conflict, terrorism, SARS and the soaring Euro are all contributing to the 'Buy British' phenomenon.

But CKD Galbraith partner Robert Rattray also says that the uniformity of many international hotel chains is adding to the trend: "There is a sense that people are nervous of travelling abroad and are opting to holiday within the UK. But equally, many are bored of the standardised accommodation found in major hotel chains. If you hire a castle as a group, you can stay in an historic location, often with acres of grounds all to yourself, for the same cost as a room in a hotel."

CKD Galbraith's specialist holiday letting department handles more than 200 cottages, lodges and castles throughout Scotland.

For more information, please contact Robert Rattray on 01738 451600,email robert.rattray@ckdgalbraith.co.uk or visit CKD Galbraith's dedicated holiday website, www.cottagesandcastles.co.uk.

To read previous newsletters from CKD Galbraith please click here.

A New Force in Property

CKD Galbraith is a new property consultancy formed through the merger of CKD Finlayson Hughes and Cluttons (Scotland).

The consultancy specialises in serving the needs of private clients. With offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Perth, Aberfeldy, Inverness, Ayr and London, our partnership provides the full range of property consulting services across the commercial, residential and rural sectors throughout Scotland. The combined knowledge, expertise and experience of CKD Finlayson Hughes and Cluttons (Scotland) both firms – each enjoying long-established reputations for quality service – has created a national partnership with unrivalled local knowledge.

Services include:

• Sourcing properties
• Surveys
• Appraising and valuing
• Negotiating purchases on the best possible terms
• Residential Property
• Commercial Property
• Forestry Property

For more information please visit www.ckdgalbraith.co.uk