The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Many events across region cancelled
Winners of the Menu Food and Drink Awards will be announced in tomorrow’s Courier after coronavirus crisis prompted late cancellation of celebratory dinner
More Fife care homes have closed their doors to visitors amid concerns over coronavirus.
Rosturk House Care Home in Cupar, Peacehaven in Lundin Links and Abbotsford in Kirkcaldy will only be allowing visits to residents in exceptional circumstances.
Stirling University staff have called for leniency towards lecturers and students who choose to self-isolate.
The Dundee University branch of the University and Colleges Union (UCU) says the university should not penalise anyone financially or otherwise for taking precautions.
Dundee University said: “The university is planning contingencies to try to mitigate against any and all impacts of the Covid-19 situation on our staff and students.”
The Broughty Ferry Men’s Shed is to close next week for almost a month.
A major gardening conference planned for Perth has been cancelled.
More than 160 delegates and TV gardener Jim McColl were due to attend the Trellis charity’s therapeutic gardening event in the Bield at Blackruthven, Tibbermore, today.
Arbroath Music Festival will continue as planned today with a final concert this evening, but organisers will put up notices to encourage handwashing.
The Scottish Greens have cancelled their spring conference on March 28 in Kirkcaldy, while the Scottish Conservatives conference in Perth is under review.
Breathe Easy Perthshire, Perthshire’s leading support charity for people with breathing problems, has been forced to put its meetings on hold.
Andy’s Man Club in Perth say their meetings will still go ahead on Monday evenings but handshakes and hugs have been banned.
The Fife Business Awards have been postponed and organisers are trying to find an alternative date.
St Andrews ice-cream shop Janetta’s Gelateria has asked customers to use contactless payments where possible to prevent the spread of the virus.
The shop has issued an assurance that they have taken specific measures to protect customers and staff and have increased the frequency of their rigorous cleaning regime.
The winners of the 2020 Menu Awards will be revealed in paper tomorrow after a celebration of the best food and drink companies in Courier Country was called off due to the coronavirus crisis.
Caroline Lindsay, editor of The Menu, said it was unfortunate the 2020 awards ceremony, which was due to be held at Apex City Quay Hotel in Dundee in association with SteamPunk Retail and Hospitality Fit Out, had been cancelled at the last minute as the response to coronavirus escalated.
However, she praised the award winners for their incredible achievements and said they deserved to enjoy their moment in the sun nonetheless.
“Our roll-call of winners and highly commended companies demonstrates just how amazing – and, ultimately, valuable – the food and drink industry in Tayside and Fife is,” Caroline said.
“It is not over-egging the pudding to say that Courier Country is the bread basket of Scotland.
“We are lucky to have such incredible producers and food and drink innovators putting this region at the forefront of the UK’s foodie revolution.
“Our judges had an incredibly difficult job in whittling down the applicants and crowning the winner in each of the categories. It is very unfortunate that we have been unable to reveal our outstanding food and drink champions in the manner which we had planned.
“But the current situation with coronavirus meant it was not possible to go ahead with our awards dinner.
“The award winners will now be revealed in full in tomorrow’s Courier.
“I would like to thank everyone for their patience and understanding as we have dealt with this situation.
“And I sincerely hope our wonderful winners and finalists will enjoy great support from the public in the months and years ahead. They truly deserve it.”
The awards ceremony was called off after it emerged that the UK’s response to coronavirus was to move from the delay to the containment phase.
Courier editor David Clegg said the safety of guests was paramount.
“The coronavirus outbreak is a complex and fluid situation and, as a responsible organisation at the heart of our communities, we felt we had no choice but to cancel the event as the threat from the Covid-19 escalated.
“It is regrettable, but it does not take away from the brilliance of our finalists and winners.
“They really are the best in the business and deserve the public’s full backing, especially in what could be an extremely challenging period for the food, drink and hospitality sectors in the weeks and months ahead.”
A full roll call of the winners of the 2020 Menu Food and Drink Awards will be carried in The Courier tomorrow alongside our regular award-winning Menu supplement.