Skyetime

This week, Skyetime Podcast presenter, Simon Cousins talks to the Project Manager and two Directors from SkyeConnect - the official Destination Management Organisation for Skye and neighbouring areas. The organisation has just made the formal transition from a Limited Company to a Community Interest Company. As part of the process, SkyeConnect is now seeking to broaden island representation on the Board by recruiting a number of new Directors.  Project Manager, Alistair Danter and Directors, Steve Smith and Gary Curley talk about the role of SkyeConnect and the rewarding experience of shaping Skye's future.

In the latest edition of the Skyetime Podcast, Simon Cousins reflects on a week of Government announcements and policy changes that will have a significant impact on the business community. His guest is Faye Macleod of Accountants, Campbell, Stewart Maclennan and Company. Faye unravels the detail of the extension of the furlough - and other support schemes - and examines the decisions many businesses will have to take in light of the news.

In the week that the 2020 tourist season draws to a close along with the furlough scheme that has provided much-needed income to tourism workers during the pandemic, Simon Cousins talks to Marc Crothall, the Chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance.
Marc talks about the dire situation facing the industry as  losses mount up and support mechanisms fail to fill the gaps. Marc sits on the Scottish Tourism Recovery Task Force that has just published a list of recommendations and urgent action for the Scottish and UK Government. He outlines some of these recommendations and the urgent need for action.

In the latest edition of the Skyetime Podcast, Simon Cousins meets photographers Gill Williams and Geraint Ashton Jones who are collaborating on an underwater photography project in the waters around Skye. Gill is a retired police diver who spends her time diving beneath the waters to capture unique images. Geraint is retired from the Royal Navy and runs a commercial photography business. He takes Gill's raw images and uses post-production techniques to create the final images that are commercially available through their website www.belowtheskyeline.com 

In the latest episode of the Skyetime Podcast, Simon Cousins talks to SkyeConnect Project Manager, Alistair Danter, about the plight of the hospitality and tourism industry on Skye following the latest Covid-19 restrictions announced by the Government. In the interview, Alistair reveals the details of a new survey of hospitality businesses and the work SkyeConnect is doing in terms of lobbying politicians for the financial support the sector needs. He also appeals for more businesses to share their stories to enable the organisation to build a bank of case studies to provide further evidence of the urgent need for support to enable the industry to survive the winter.

In the latest edition of the Skyetime Podcast, Simon Cousins talks to Fiona Campbell, the Chief Executive of the Association of Scotland's Self-Caterers. Fiona has been dealing with the fallout from the latest Government restrictions preventing multiple households from staying together in self-catering properties. She is also leading the sector's response to the Government's proposal to introduce legislation to license short-term lets across Scotland.

In this week's episode of the Skyetime Podcast, Simon Cousins meets designer and landscape artist, Peter McDermott. After art college, Peter entered the world of marketing in London as a designer. His life changed when on holiday in the west coast he spotted Aird Old Church in an Estate Agent's window. He bought it instantly and eventually moved from London. Today, the Old Church near the Point of Sleat is both a family home and a Gallery displaying Peter's landscape watercolours.

In the latest edition of the Skyetime Podcast, Simon Cousins meets the Chief Executive of OATS - the Outdoor Access Trust for Scotland, Dougie Baird. OATS is in the final stages of a major project to build a new carpark and toilet block at the Fairy Pools in Glenbrittle. Dougie talks about the challenges of the project and his hopes that Skye will lead the world in creating collaborations to improve infrastructure at some of its most iconic sites.

In the latest edition of the Skyetime Podcast, Simon Cousins visits one of Skye's most popular visitor attractions - Skyeskyns. The business has been tanning sheep fleeces and creating a range of luxury goods since 1983. Simon meet the latest member of the Hartwell family to run the business - Jess Hartwell - and takes a tour of the tanning operation.

In the latest edition of the Skyetime Podcast, Simon Cousins meets the Bristol Gulls. The Gulls are a team of four female rowers preparing to take on the Talisker Atlantic Rowing Challenge. The three thousand mile race starts from La Gomera in the Canary Isles on the 12th of December and will take between 35 and 55 days to reach the finish line in Antigua. As part of their training they brought their boat Vaquita to Skye to spend a week circumnavigating the island, with the new Skye Flag painted on the stern of the boat. During a break in training Simon sat down with the Gulls to talk about their epic adventure.