Muir Group builds up 50 years in business
Founder still turns up every day to grow construction firm
THE Inverkeithing-based construction and property firm, Muir Group, has celebrated half a century in business.
The family-owned operation still has founder John Muir serving as chair.
The former joiner set up the company in 1973 after managing another homebuilding business and has seen it grow to the point where it now employs around 250 people.
Its diverse portfolio comprises of six subsidiaries including construction, homes, timber systems, property development and property investment arms, as well as owning and operating Deer Park Golf and Country Club in Livingston.
Last year, Muir had turnover of £85 million with net assets of £87m.
Two of John’s sons, Ronnie and Alan, have also worked in the business for more than 40 years and currently serve as group directors.
Since its inception, Muir Group has developed dozens of commercial buildings across Scotland and the UK, worth £1.5 billion.
Muir has also built more than 4000 homes across Scotland, with several housing developments underway and for sale currently in Perthshire, Aberdeenshire and Lanarkshire. This construction and development of homes have supported the creation of hundreds of jobs, as well as contributing millions of pounds to the Scottish economy.
Muir Group recently celebrated its 50th anniversary at an event in Edinburgh, with speeches from John and former prime minister Gordon Brown.
Commenting on the achievement, John said: “This business has been such a huge part of my life, and that of my family, for more than five decades.
“I am incredibly grateful for everyone who has helped build Muir Group into what it is today and helped strive for the highest standards of quality across all our companies.
“In the early years I was very reliant on my wife Christina who did a sterling job on bookkeeping, records and importantly wages! Christina is still involved in the business to this day, encouraging and supporting new ideas.
“Some people are surprised when they hear that the founder of a 50-year-old company still works in the business every day and serves as chairman. The truth is that I still have the same enthusiasm for growing the business as I have ever had, and I know that 50 years on Muir Group’s best days still lie ahead.”
Gordon added: “I want to congratulate the Muir Group on their success across the decades and particularly congratulate founder and chair, John Muir, on his dedicated service to his community and his country.”
A SCOTTISH storyteller will be performing her novel, The Witches of Culross, this weekend for the Scottish International Storytelling Festival.
Rowan Morrison gives voice to the accused witches of Scotland through her visceral tales of the burning times, and she has written her latest novel based on the true story of a mother and daughter from Culross who were executed for witchcraft.
She said: “In Scotland, around 4000 people were accused of witchcraft during the Scottish witch trials.
“It is estimated that two-thirds of them were executed, 84% were women.
“Their stories of injustice were all but forgotten and remained the shame of our nation until Nicola Sturgeon made an apology on behalf of the Scottish Government.
“In time, I hope there will be a historic legal pardon made in recognition of the legal killing for a crime that they did not commit.
“In terms of the Scottish witchcraft trials, there is little more than the ashes of bones recorded in dry academic textbooks and difficult-todecipher records.
“Facts that allow the reader to keep the horrors of the persecution of women at arm’s length. As a storyteller, I believe stories live on in hearts and minds.
“This was my rationale for the weaving of fact and fiction to create my book, which was inspired by the true story of a mother and daughter from Culross who were both executed for witchcraft in 17th century Scotland.”
The basis for her novel came from researching a sell-out collaborative performance at the Scottish International Storytelling Festival last year with the visual artist Karen Strang.
She continued: “Turning the written, oral performance into a book required a leap of faith, but I believe that this true story of intergenerational witch persecution deserved to reach a wider audience.
“I made a promise to these daughters and sons of Scotland a long time ago that I would tell their stories. To me, this is the greatest act of remembrance.”
Now, a year after the sell-out show that made this book possible, Rowan and Karen will come together once again for their show titled The Witches of Culross, Merk o’ the De’il.
The show will detail the history of witches, their persecution and Culross. Due to the harrowing nature of the witch trials, this will be an adults-only performance.
The event will take place at The Stables in Culross from 2.30pm to 3.30pm on Sunday, October 29.
For more information on Rowan and her storytelling, visit rowanmorrison.co.uk. Witches of Culross is available to purchase on Amazon.