Palace aims for big year

ONE OF Perthshire’s most popular visitor attractions has unveiled ambitious plans for this year.

After welcoming a record number of visitors last year, Scone Palace is hoping to top this feat by hosting another successful season.

The eyes of the world will be on Scotland over the next 12 months with events like the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and Homecoming.

In a bid to capitalise on this, the team at Scone Palace have outlined a full calendar of events.

Marketing officer Margo Baird said: “Buoyed by a programme of new and exciting events, including Cycletta Scotland and Scotland’s first-ever Chilli Festival, which was combined with some glorious summer weather, we welcomed 107,000 visitors to the palace and grounds in 2013.

“This is one of the highest numbers recorded since we opened to the public in 1966. We’re gearing up for an exceptionally busy year, which could well set new records.”

The palace will reopen to the public on April 1 and to mark the start of the new season, the first local resident through the door will have the chance to win a family season ticket. Anyone visiting from PH, DD and KY postcodes will be eligible to enter.

New walking routes will be unveiled on the opening day, allowing visitors to admire the gardens and displays of spring flowers.

Meanwhile, the events programme kicks off on April 18, with an Easter weekend programme.

This will feature egg rolling, an Easter bunny hunt, face painting and a fancy dress competition.

The following

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public exhibition on Dido Belle will open in the palace state rooms.

This coincides with the release of the new feature film Belle, which tells the story of the mixed-raced daughter of a slave and a British admiral who was brought up by the 1st Earl of Mansfield.

It will focus on her life and family and the Earl of Mansfield’s role in the international abolition of slavery.

Other highlights include the popular Pot Fest and the return of the Breast Cancer Care Pink Ribbonwalk in June.

For further details go online to www. scone-palace.co.uk.

Picture: Steve MacDougall. Grounds for optimism: Scone Palace staff are hoping to top last year’s successful programme.

Picture: Steve MacDougall. Trading Standards officers Janet Reay, front left, and Angie Menzies, front right, show teacher Karen Crockart and the pupils some examples of counterfeit items.