Mortlach 70 Year Old / Worlds Oldest Whisky / 70cl

The wait is over as the world’s oldest whisky sees the light of day
The world’s oldest bottled single malt whisky has been revealed today (Thursday 11 March) by whisky specialist Gordon
and MacPhail.

Released under Gordon and MacPhail’s ‘Generations’ brand, Mortlach 70 Years Old Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky
was finally revealed – and tasted – by special guests at a launch in the atmospheric setting of Edinburgh Castle’s Queen
Anne Room. One precious bottle of Mortlach was piped into the Castle, escorted by guards from The Highlanders (4th
Battalion).

The new-make spirit from Speyside’s Mortlach Distillery was filled into the cask on 15th October 1938 by John Urquhart,
the grandfather of Gordon and MacPhail Joint Managing Directors, David and Michael Urquhart. Exactly 70 years later, the
decision was made to carefully empty the cask and bottle the contents.

Founded in 1895, Gordon and MacPhail is known the world over as the custodian of some of the oldest and rarest single
malts available. Members of the third and fourth generations of the Urquhart family now own and manage the business.
David and Michael Urquhart, Joint Managing Directors of Gordon and MacPhail said -
"This is a very special day for us, one we’ve literally been anticipating for generations. Our family has been in the whisky
business for a long time, with each generation building and handing on a lifetime’s expertise to the next.
"We believe Mortlach 70 Years Old is a malt without comparison. If the reaction of those lucky enough to enjoy a dram
today is anything to go by, whisky fans and people wishing to own a unique piece of Scotland’s liquid history will be very
excited about it."

Charles MacLean, a well-known whisky writer and connoisseur, who was allowed a sneak preview of the single malt,
described it as "a delicate, fresh, vital, fruity whisky, with unusual attributes of waxiness and smokiness."
Each bottle will be beautifully presented in a tear-shaped hand-blown crystal decanter with an elegant silver stopper. The
decanter nestles in a stylish silver base and is framed in a handmade Brazilian Rosewood box, created using wood from
Forest Stewardship Council (FS C) Certified sources.

Mortlach 70 Years Old was matured in a Spanish oak, ex-bodega sherry hogshead cask, which yielded 54 full-size and
162 small decanters bottled at cask strength (46.1% ABV). The recommended retail price in the UK is £10,000 per 70cl
decanter and £2,500 for the 20cl version.

This is the first in a series of extremely rare malt whiskies to be released by Gordon and MacPhail under its ‘Generations’
brand.

Mortlach 70 Years Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Full tasting note, by Charles MacLean

Appearance / The colour of sun-bleached polished mahogany. I would guess the butt is American oak.

Aroma / A mellow nose, at once waxy and fruity  candlewax to the fore initially, which becomes snuffed candle (a
thread of smoke), with Maraschino cherries in Madeira cake behind, and after a while an orangey citric
note – fresh and juicy, becoming apricot jam. Flaked almonds and whin flowers, becoming light coconut oil.

Taste / Surprisingly lively tasted straight. A smooth, waxy mouthfeel  a sweetish start becoming moderately dry,
but not overly-tannic. Dried fig and tobacco notes, and an intriguing light smokiness. A long finish and, for
the first time, a hint of planed hardwood in the aftertaste. With a teaspoon of water, the smooth texture
is enhanced. The fresh, light sweetness becoming pleasantly sour (‘Soor Plooms’), with sooty smoke in the
finish.

Comment / Remarkable! No trace of wood or must or bung cloth – a delicate, fresh, vital, fruity whisky, but with
unusual attributes of waxiness and smokiness – uncommon today, more usual before the 1960s.

Images Courtesy of Gordon and MacPhail and subject to availability.
The bottle will be hand delivered, unless it’s going outwith the UK, and we need time to book flights..
If you have any questions regarding this bottle – please email – craig@thegreenwellystop.co.uk

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Amazing really, the warm weather has continued. For once, we (the locals) are moaning about the lack of water – that in itself is something that is rare in Tyndrum (the lack of water that is!) We experienced a beautiful winter, and an amazing spring, even though we still had some late snow falls! So fingers crossed that it’s going to be a scorcher! Mind you, we still want a wee bit rain; it does help with the soup sales! The first weekend of July saw 1.6” of rain fall in Tyndrum… with it; bits of trees were flying around too! It was pretty wild, however the rainfall was welcome!

The West Highland Way has been very busy with walkers this year. There have been some ‘unusual’ sights; including a group of four walkers who had a dog, Ben with them… he was carrying his own little panniers, containing his food and blanket. He had sore paws, so had on little booties. He was too exhausted to get up, so I served his water to him! I wish I had been able to take a photograph of him when his Dad, Darren, put his panniers back on… the look Ben gave him was priceless! In addition to Ben, there was a brave Danish couple walking the WHW on a hot Saturday morning in June – also with full packs and their young daughter in a push chair! I met them after they had just bought some Contigo Mugs (great choice) from the Filling Station. That must be a mission and a half to do that. One of the staff said they would carry the bairn and wheel the packs – they have a point! Ben – top left; The Danish Couple showing off their new mugs are on the right.

Recycling has been a major project over the last few months and we have been making a huge effort here. As you can imagine, the amount of rubbish / packaging / waste that a business of this size goes through is scary! We have been compacting waste for a while now; however, the amount of recycled products that we have collected is fantastic. Plastic: 2,280 kg; Cardboard: 19,354kg; Metal: 2,630kg; Paper towels: 61kg. We also collect polystyrene and paper. The last collection amounted to 26,148kg being recycled! We have managed to reduce the commercial bins (the rubbish that goes into landfill) from 16 bins per week, to only 6 of them! Long may it continue! We do have other uses for card and plastic: the ‘good wrapping’ we use to post out internet orders – so if you order something, it will come in a recycled box with oddly shaped packaging to keep it safe! We try to recycle as much as we can.

Did they really say that? We do get the strangest things said to us…. As I am writing this, I got a call from Susie in Goodies & Gifts. A customer asked her, “Excuse me, can you tell me where the nearest petrol station is please?” Now, that’s a first! Looking back through the ‘Did they really say that’ book, here’s another cracker: “How did you come up with a crappy name like The Green Welly Stop?” Nice.

Look for the apple logo for healthy eating options in the Restaurant! We do try our best to cater for all tastes and dietary requirements. Don’t hesitate to ask a member of staff if you have any special needs – vegetarian, gluten free diets, we can feed you all!

Profile time!
Bernadette Marno has been employed in the business since 1992. Prior to working with us, she worked in Faslane, ensuring there were supplies for fixing the Submarines when they docked. Bernadette started in the business clearing tables, moved to the sandwich bar, bakery and then onto the counter. She has since moved up through the ranks as Supervisor, Assistant Manager, Restaurant Manager and now is the business Food & Beverage Manager. Her remit includes the Restaurant, Snack Stop and all other fresh foods that are sold in the business! Half the total numbers of staff in the business are managed by Bernadette. She is a busy lady! She has three daughters; Jennifer, Lorraine and Lyndsey. They have all worked in the business from a young age and all attended university. Lorraine is now our Office Manager and Lyndsey our Assistant Restaurant Manager. Bernadette is to be found on her days off generally in Asda or Makro, wheeling trolley loads of custard and Kit Kats. She has an amazing gift for remembering ‘numbers’, which was a talent from a very early age!

Cullen Skink: The Secret is revealed – well, sort of! It’s our best selling soup by far, and we have been known to sell over 70 litres in one day. So, what’s the secret? Buy the best peat smoked haddock that you can find – remember there’s good top quality smoked haddock and smoked haddock that has been ‘coloured’. Ours is supplied by Andy Race from Mallaig. In a pot, cook onions and tatties in a fish stock. Once your tatties are just about cooked, add in your smoked haddock and cream (you can try part milk and part cream, it depends how rich/fattening you want it!). Add parsley if you want for a bit of colour… Serve with fresh chunky bread (or buy a round of our cheesy cracked black pepper bread from the Snack Stop!) That’s about it really. Cracking Scottish soup is all about keeping it simple! Oh, did I say already that you can buy the cheesy bread (and the soup) to take home??

NEW! This season – Porrelli’s ice cream – This is amazing stuff – Scottish Dairy Ice Cream with awesome flavours which include: Iron Brew (yes, that is the correct spelling for this product!), and Scottish Tablet. Don’t miss out on the Belgian Chocolate, for all the Chocolate fiends out there! It is available from the Snack Stop – in regular, waffle & teddy cones, and by the tub to take home in the Filling Station. Recommended too, and available from the Snack Stop and the Restaurant are yummy ice cream sundaes! If it’s an ‘after thought’ and you are in the Restaurant, don’t worry – go back up to the till and order one from there, it’s easy!

Are you on facebook? If so, become a fan of The Green Welly Stop. We invite you to take a picture of you / your family / your friends in and around the business and post them on our page… you might even get a prize for the most original picture… We post regular updates of what is happening in the business and even some special offers that are available online! If you have an email address, write it on one of the slips of paper that you will find in the restaurant on the wee table. We will add you to our very own, private mailing list and send you an email with our special offers and ideas for gifts! You will also have your address entered into a monthly prize draw! We won’t share your email address with anyone else, we promise.

IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists): Mobile Display Unit in Tyndrum. We try where possible to promote road safety in our area, and have the IAM here for advice over the summer weekends on how you can improve your driving. They are a friendly bunch, and might even persuade you to take the plunge into a ‘Skill for Life’. We have fantastic roads up here, and we would like you to drive / ride safely, other wise if there are accidents, the roads get closed and that is just an inconvenience for everyone. Keep the ‘shiny side up’ folks. Be safe, so everyone can enjoy their holidays, the lovely roads and the scenery!

It always seems to be holiday weekends that I get the ‘oops, haven’t blogged for ages’ feeling.  We have had a hectic start to the season between the renovations in the business and all the new stock coming into the shops.  We have some cracking stuff for you this year!

Our Internet Manager, Craig has been a busy bee in the last few weeks.  He went on an educational trip with Edward (the Author’s hubbie) to Elgin for a visit to Gordon & MacPhail.  I don’t want to steal Craig’s thunder, however, this is the official ‘nag’ – as if you had nothing better to do! …. you still have to write a wee blog telling us all about your trip…. I believe they had a great time, being both educational and giving them both peace and quiet from me for two days! I also got peace and quiet… let’s get that straight!

Motorbike season has started in earnest here.  The hard stand in the car park has been full to brimming most weekends, yet still our biker guests still insist on parking their pride and joys in the most silly places.  Parking on the exit to the business makes the whole place grind to a halt… think lads and lassies before you abandon your ‘beast’ in daft places! We have to attempt to keep the entrance/exits safe!

The Snack Stop have brought back Dairy Ice Cream which is going down really well, and we look forward to getting some lovely warm summer ‘ice cream’ weather! Remember, our stunning home made pizzas are on sale from 12 noon through to 9pm! For picnic addicts and those who enjoy taking your lunch to the office, you will love our new picnic boxes.  When we were at the Trade Show in February, Irene, Lynne and myself fell in love with these.  What’s even better, Black + Blum also make the bag for the boxes, which doubles up as a wee mat – it’ll save you getting crumbs everywhere.

Lynne’s other half works at the Gold Mine in Tyndrum. Not only has Lynne convinced him that Contigo are the mutt’s ‘what-sits’, but she showed him the new picnic boxes.  He was, apparently well impressed.  Lynne went on to ‘sell’ the bag idea…. that didn’t go down very well, apparently…. he thought that she was taking the mickey when she showed those to him…. Maybe not really what is required when you work at the Gold Mine… he might just get *cough* teased for that one…. not the ‘roughty-toughty’ image that he needs, carrying his lunch out of the truck in a nice coloured bag!

If you are a fan of Facebook, keep up to date with The Green Welly Stop – I put in regular weather updates/news on it! It has been suggested that we need a webcam to show what the current conditions are in Tyndrum… The debate is: do we show the forecourt of the business, with 276 bikes parked outside on a busy weekend, the rain going horizontal, or the view of the queue to the Restaurant?? Your comments are welcome! Also, if you are a fan of Twitter, The Green Welly Stop moniker is @TheGreenWelly.  Follow us and you will get regular updates on new products, news items, updates from Facebook and daily witticisms from our Internet Manager! He has been known once or twice to publicly slag me, his boss and as you will see here (top right), his very own PA. Hmmm.

Where ever you are heading this holiday weekend, I hope you stop in for a wee break.  The shops are now fully stocked, and you can read an update on the main website. When you are passing, pop your email information in the box to be found in the restaurant.  We do regular draws for goodie bag winners from the email addresses posted! We promise never to share your details with any third parties – there is nothing worse than that!

We look forward to welcoming you to the business.  In the meantime, have an ace weekend!

Fiona

A wee update on the business….. Easter has started with a big bang – the weather this week doesn’t seem to have put anyone off visiting so far!  The roads are all clear, and Good Friday has been stunning – clear blue sky and sunshine – wow! This week has seen some wild weather in Tyndrum, and there are still piles of snow in some areas….

All our renovations are now complete: the Restaurant with its lovely new ceiling, and the Outdoor Store has had all the internal walls replaced to make shopping a much better experience. We can now hang things on the wall, leaving more floor space for wandering around!

There has been a tonne of new stock delivered in the last few weeks – one of our best selling new lines are Contigo Mugs not only are they really popular in the shops, they have been the best selling item on our internet shop this season! So, for the ultimate auto-sealing, non-spill technology lid, why not treat yourself. I have 3 travel mugs – one for the car, and two for work – one with water and the other for my coffee.  (I have to confess to consuming far, far too much coffee in a day, however, with the help of the Contigo Mug keeping the coffee nice and warm, I have halved my caffeine consumption!)

The Perfect Present has some fabulous lines – it puts the expression ‘cake of soap’ into the real context.  We are selling lovely soaps that really do look like slices of cheesecake! They smell so good you want to eat them! Look out for the new lines of jewellery – funky stuff at cheap-as-chips prices – so much so, Irene has had to re-order them already.

Coming soon are lovely picnic boxes – Black and Blum make these, and we will be selling them in Goodies & Gifts, the Filling Station and online too.  They are the ultimate must for the kid’s packed lunches, and you can buy with them a special bag that opens out into a wee picnic mat! We also have heaps of new lines in here, from fun mugs, witty tea-towels to coasters that are guaranteed to put a smile on any Victor Meldrews out there (you know who you are!) I dare you not to have a wee giggle as you go round the shop! One of the tea-towels that I love is this one!

The Filling Station have loads of games and stuff to keep the kids amused over the holiday period, from card games, aeroplane kits and kites.  Look for the Spirit of Air kites in the middle of the shop – ones for the wee kids to the big kids!

New in the Snack Stop is Dairy Ice Cream - Porrelli’s Dairy Ice Cream is produced to the highest standards with some unusual flavours – I dare you to resist the Scottish Tablet or the Iron Brew Ice Cream! I have just been chatting to one of our regular customers who was looking for a gift for their 7 year old grandson.  She was delighted when I took her to the Filling Station and showed her the Airplane kits, Balloon Modelling kits and the Stunt Kites.  We had a laugh at that one, we got our words all muddled up.  Try saying ‘stunt kites’ after a few beers!

Biker season is here! The Snack Stop is a favourite for them – giving the bikers the chance to take their cuppa outside for a blether, or sit in the warmth of the Café….. Welcome – ride safe and keep the shiny side up all of you!

Have a good Easter folks – remember to bag a bargain in the Whisky Shop there are one or two crackers there!

Be good, don’t eat too much chocolate and have a good holiday!

Fi :0)

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Staff Maintenance

As much as I will probably be bashed about the head for posting about our annual staff party… posting this picture is an absolute must…!! The first picture you see is unfortunately aimed at any customer who visits in the days prior to our party… it is unfortunate, but alas, we would rather say we are having staff maintenance rather than “electrical problems” which we have done for previous parties!

Ok, I don’t know who is going to get bashed about the head more for this.  I did not start this thread, however, I have been itching to post it anyway.  The Boss (Craig, overworked Internet Manager – or so he says )) is on holiday right now – so what are the chances of him reading this?? Hmmmm.

Decisions, decisions….

Oh, and the staff party was really, really good fun!

Oh dear.  My hand must have slipped.  This seems to have posted all by itself!

As an after thought – what other photos might end up on here is not even worth thinking about – so careful, Mr Dearden or you might just get a bash on the heed!

Further update:

I thought that I would ‘get in here’ first and post some safe pictures.  Last year, we had two staff members retiring – Petra, one of our bakers, who worked with the family for 26 years…. my goodness.  Petra worked in the restaurant from day one of her employment.  Sadly Petra lost her husband to cancer last year and decided to retire.  She was unable to make it to the Party, however, we wish Petra well in her retirement so she can spend more time with her family, particularly the grand kids!

Cathy has also retired.  This last stint of her employment was 11 years, however way, way long before that, she worked with us, so racked up about 15 years in the business.  She will be missed in the Filling Station team – she was really good at keeping the boys in the filling station in check!

Cathy being presented with flowers by Ken

I personally think it is lovely when we have members of staff that stay for years. We have had so many families working with us over the 45 years, and in some cases, we have had the third generation starting their working lives with us.  We like to think that we give all the kids that work with us a good start in life, and give them a bit of confidence that is needed to face the big world outside of Tyndrum!

I have to confess that I start to feel old when some of the kids come to work with us….We have a true family business, that’ s for sure! It’s interesting when you put new starts through induction – and take them on a tour of the business, introducing them to the staff… we do have a few staff who are related so it’s always advisable to let everyone know who is who!!

Iain and Fiona

The staff party is held every year and is our thank you to our staff for their hard work. We do appreciate the effort that they all put in, and it gives us all a chance to let our hair down for the evening!

As you can see by the photo on the right, we were having a pretty good time! On the left is my brother, Iain Wilkie (nice shirt and tie, bruv) and that is me on the right with my sensible face on…. I won’t say who was on the other side of the camera….. I was sticking my tongue out at him…. hehe!

I think I have managed to omit that important bit of information – the business celebrates 45 years this year. Goodness.

Trying to keep the mess to a minimum!

It’s still all go here.  The Restaurant ceiling has been done, painted and just needs little bits and bobs done to it to finish it completely.  In the middle of the renovations it was a bit messy and confusing for both staff and customers when the plasterers were making a mess! I have to say, the plasterers did an amazing job. Not only were they tidy, but the huge ceiling was covered in no time.

Getting Plastered!

Above, you can see where the plasterers were working.  All the surfaces were very carefully covered so that there would be minimum mess! I have to say I was pretty impressed! Once the plaster was dried, in came Alan and Kevin to do the painting – that must have involved one or two tins of paint, that’s for sure! What has resulted is a lighter, brighter restaurant.  We have to admit that there were one or two people that were very unsure about covering the pine ceiling, however now it’s done, everyone loves it! Here’s what it looks like now – and there’s Lesley Wilkie – one of the founding partners enjoying her breakfast – over on the left hand side!

Brighter Restaurant!

Now there are only one or two finishing touches to be done in the Restaurant, but the main work is complete – so well done team!

Next on the list is the Outdoor Store.  Last year when we moved it, we literally put the stock into the existing shop fittings.  As Catherine and her team have discovered, it has not been very practical, and what should have been a bigger shop with more space, ended up being jam-packed.

Last year, the Snack Stop and the Perfect Present swallowed up all the finances with their major re-constructions, so now it is the turn of the Outdoor Store:

The sectioned off Outdoor Store

The outside walls of the shop are being removed and replaced with slat walling so we have more hanging space so we can display a greater range of products, have a more logical flow to the shop and hopefully make a better shopping experience!A big bonus with this renovation has resulted in extra floor space that none of us had considered, so it’s all good!

The back wall of the Outdoor Store

We have actually started the renovations two weeks ahead of our original plan.  Yet again, we have managed to capture the local tradesmen (that’s Andrew Riley in the picture).  What we didn’t bargain for was Catherine being on holiday – so when she comes back, I think she might just get a wee surprise!  It has been hard work this week for the team – ably led by Fiona, Catherine’s assistant manager.

Thank you to our customers who are having to put up with the banging and  sawing going on! We hope to have a completed Outdoor Store for you to enjoy very soon!

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The day starts with a good breakfast (needed) caffeine (also needed) and a bag packed with note book and a sense of humour! By 3.30 each day, you have given up the will to live, or walk another yard.  The day’s topped off with a meeting over a glass of wine/gin/whisky (whatever your tipple) and the day’s finds discussed.  So many people think that going to these shows is a breeze.  I have to say that it’s quite the opposite.  It’s a hard graft, and you need to concentrate! It is worth it though! To be able to purchase the newest exciting products makes the visit worthwhile!

It would take a huge blog to explain the lot, so I will put in a couple of products that I have bought, that I really am looking forward to having on the shelf!

Over the years, I have collected loads of vacuum mugs.  I have a cupboard full in the house. Don’t get me wrong, you may think that vacuum mugs are just vacuum mugs. They’re not.  They have to be leak proof, indestructible, keep hot drinks hot and cold drinks cold.  That might seem obvious, however, there are some not-so-good ones out there !

I have been hunting for the best mug  for sale in the business – Lynne found it, I ordered them, and I got an email today to confirm that they have been shipped.  I would have to say that is really efficient! So here we go, arriving soon in the business are Contigo mugs.  Fun, funky colours and ones for the kids too! I will be grabbing one of these mugs and testing them as soon as they arrive…. I will also be making sure that the kids ones are tested too!

Continuing on a practical vein, we have picked up an amazing new line of snack boxes.  Dishwasher proof, microwavable parts, a wee sauce pot – a practical size and a clever bag to put the box in that opens out as a wee picnic mat. From Black & Blum, we thought these were amazing. Have a browse through the Black & Blum site, we will be stocking a lot of their products!

Joseph Joseph is a cool supplier of well designed product.  New products this year include lovely salad bowls for those barbecue days, scales and pepper mills! Watch this space!

We have coming games for the kids – big and small, lovely handbags, scarves, jewellery and lots more. We will also have a new line of kites on sale in the Filling Station – the range will include kites for toddlers, to kites for those who are more experienced.  I will update on here as soon as we get them in! As much as there are hundreds of products available on line, we will have new products on line for purchase as soon as Craig is able to add them – he has a bit of a to do list at the moment, as do we all…

We still have a lot of goodies on the website on sale, so hurry before special offers end!

In the meantime, my feet have stopped squealing and my brain has made a marginal recovery from our trip.  I needed a ‘dark room’ day today – which followed the 11 hour sleep that I had last night! Shouldn’t ever complain when we have been working hard to get new goodies for our lovely customers! Enjoy!

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It has been all go at the start of this season.  We have been busy doing our usual round of improvements in the business.  The biggest one has to be in the restaurant.  The ceiling is being replaced to make way for new lighting.  The original pine ceiling which has been there for the best part of 35 years has been covered over. I know, it was a nice cosy look, and we were all really fond of it, however, the only way we could change the lighting was to cover it over.

It has been a bit of a strange transformation, and some would say optical illusion! As soon as the work started, it was an odd feeling.  The ceiling being lowered, automatically made the ceiling ‘look’ higher.  Hmmm. It’s amazing how much brighter the place looks without the pine, which was pretty guaranteed, but really, it’s nice and already I don’t miss the old ceiling!

We would like to thank our customers who have come in and followed the necessary detours that were set up to keep you (and the staff) safe whilst the workmen did their thing… One day in particular it was pretty tricky whilst the plasterers were in, however, everyone was very patient, if not slightly lost at one point when we all had to enter and leave the restaurant by the queue!

At this point – I wanted to put in some of the photos, however, my camera has been hi-jacked and they are going to have to be put in at the bottom of this. That’s after I delete the 500+ photographs off of it that Craig took this week – pfft! I would write another caustic comment, however, it would only get deleted and I have already been given a row for letting out a *sigh* at the thought of having to delete all the pictures!

I have been away at a trade show this week, so I am looking forward to seeing the painted ceiling.  That’s another wee quirky bit – we do like to use local tradesmen, (they can be as rare as hen’s teeth, however, we have found them!) so, Alan and Kevin have been doing the deed.  They do tend to use 6″ brushes for all their work, so I did say to big brother, Iain (a bit tongue in cheek) that I hoped they would be using rollers for the job…. Apparently all the ‘cutting in’ was done by an 8″ brush, and yes, the rest thankfully has been with rollers! So, we hope all our customers will enjoy a lighter, brighter environment.

Other restaurant changes are some new items on the menu.  The bakers have been busy experimenting with cakes – of particular mention cup cakes – oh dear, we have to sample them.  What a scunner that is… The team in the kitchen have been cooking up some nice new soups and pasta dishes to tempt you! More details of mouth watering delights to follow!

Remember if you are up walking the hills, skiing or generally visiting, the Snack Stop is open until 9pm in the evenings selling amazing pizzas, hot snacks and drinks.  By popular demand our delicious pastas are also available! We are bringing back scooping ice cream for those of you with a sweet tooth too!!

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Welcome to our new Blog.  We were having some technical difficulties with our previous blog – I can’t explain what the problems were other than it was a ‘pain-in-the-whatsit’ administrating it.  If you are that intrigued ask Craig – I am sure he will be delighted to explain!  Being quite cunning, our esteemed Internet Manager had ‘delegated’ the administration of the Blog to me.  I think he waited until I had a full blown whine before taking the decision to start again! So here we are!

I can’t believe it’s a new year already – 2009 went by in a blur. It was an adventure packed season with the new layout of the business.  All in all, we have been very pleased with all the changes we have made.  Both the Outdoor Store and the Snack Stop have benefited from the extra space! The Perfect Present may have been reduced in size, however, we have been really pleased with the popularity of the gifts on offer.  We have intentionally been buying in gifts that suit everyone – we don’t want the boys to be left out now, do we? Whilst I have your attention, for those of you who don’t already know, we have a sale on! Hurry whilst stocks last! Grab a bargain!

Winter is hitting everyone hard this year, so do remember if you are coming down off the hills and are needing some fuel, come into the Snack Stop and fill up with home made soup and freshly prepared pizza!

Freshly produced pizza

The Snack Stop is open from 4pm-9pm during the winter months – do come in and sample our amazing fayre – I have to admit that I am having to ration my pizza consumption – they are so good – lovely crispy base with some smashing toppings to choose from – I have great difficulty resisting the BBQ Chicken to be honest! In the mean time, my other half is in Pizza heaven!

For the next month, if you are in The Green Welly Stop  you will see that we continue to upgrade and improve our business for you.  After our huge summer project of extending the car park, we are not doing so many winter ones, however, at last we are going to improve the lighting in the Restaurant.  At the moment there are holes in the ceiling and wires dangling out… hopefully it won’t be like that for long! There are plenty other projects going on behind the scenes, that’s for sure!

Very soon, the team and I head off to the Spring Trade Shows.  Here we will be trying our level best to buy in the fun, funky and unusual gifts for you all.  I will update you on our new purchases as soon as I have news of them.  If you cannot visit the business yourself, then we will try our best to have our new stock online as soon as it comes in!

Known to be a blether, I am going to sign off for now…. I have a ‘to do’ list and if I don’t do it, I know I will be in trouble! Keep warm everyone, and we look forward to welcoming you to the business in 2010.  If you are venturing out on the roads, drive safe! Oh, I was meant to be signing off…..

Later

Fi

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This is our new look blog – integrated within the website itself.
We’ve just deleted the whole lot of old posts, nothing major, we didn’t have a huge amount anyways…

Some of you know our Blogmistress, Fiona. For those that don’t know her, I’ll put up a wee post confirming who she is, and I may even post a picture of her too. (in a professional workmanlike photo) of course!

Stay tuned.

Craig
Internet Manager

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