The Scotsman

Best Beat Forward

THERE are moments you do not forget, moments that shape your career, dwarfing all that came before and casting a shadow over everything that follows. For Justine Curran, the chief constable of Tayside Police, that moment came when she was in charge of policing 130,000 Rangers fans, many of whom ran riot through the streets of Manchester on the day of the Uefa Cup final in 2008. As assistant chief constable at Greater Manchester Police, she already had a wealth of experience handling major eve...

Cd Review: Cd of the Week: Adele: Coming of Age

ADELE: 21, XL RECORDINGS, GBP11.99 *** Another year, another girl singer has been selected as the recipient of The Brits Critics' Choice Award. Along with the BBC "Sound of..." equivalent, they just can't seem to get away from the solo females. Who knows, maybe Jessie J will take the country as forcefully as Florence, but it's the girl who first won the accolade who has always been the one worth keeping an eye on.

Cd Review: Marti Pellow: Serving at the Cheese Counter

Cd Reviews: Pop, Classical & Folk

POP Wanda Jackson: The Party Ain't Over, Nonesuch, GBP12.99 ***

Critic's Choice

CREOLE CHOIR OF CUBA CITY HALLS, GLASGOW, 29 JANUARY

Review: The Beckett Trilogy

Theatre, The Beckett Trilogy, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh **** THERE'S a bold, beautiful idea behind the Gare St Lazare company of Ireland's Beckett Trilogy. In an evening lasting almost three and a half hours, it takes Samuel Beckett's great trilogy of novels written in Paris in the late 1940s and transforms them into a three- part solo performance, delivered with a fierce, fragile courage by Conor Lovett, and directed by his partner, Judy Hegarty Lovett.

Review: Scottish Chamber Orchestra

Music, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, Queen's Hall, Edinburgh **** The Scottish Chamber Orchestra's mini series - Stravinsky: the Chamber Ballets - looks set to become one of this season's highlights. Everything about Saturday's opening programme suggested that, from the inspired symmetry of the programming itself to the invigorated playing by the augmented orchestra under its principal conductor Robin Ticciati.

Review: The Cunning Little Vixen

Opera, The Cunning Little Vixen, Theatre Royal, Glasgow **** Thirty years on from its inception at the 1980 Edinburgh Festival in the hands of Scottish Opera, David Pountney's production of Janacek's The Cunning Little Vixen remains a charmer. The opera itself is like a children's fairy tale with all the pathos of Bambi translated to the world of foxes.

Review: Mountain Stage with Larry Groce Featuring Mavis Staples

Mountain Stage with Larry Groce featuring Mavis Staples, Royal Concert Hall, Glasgow **** The West Virginia-based Mountain Stage radio show, broadcasting in a live concert format for nearly 28 years, finally made its first foray out of North America this weekend to record its 735th edition at Celtic Connections.

Television Review : Henry's Promise Is Weak On Execution

Rumpy! Pumpy! Murder! Political skulduggery on the cobblestones of power! Men laughing heartily as their cups runneth over! It's odd that any superficial precis of the contents of The Tudors always makes it sound far more enjoyable than it is. Set in a richly dramatic period of European history populated by fascinating characters, it contains acres of potential for rip- roaring drama. But it's thin gruel in reality.

Comment : Now, If China Sneezes, the Whole World Catches Cold

For the best part of a decade, China's growth story has lit up world stock markets. Now and then there have been scares that it could come to a crashing end. Last week was one of them. Markets across Asia dipped, and Wall Street faltered. Here in the UK the FTSE100 Index saw sharp falls last Wednesday and Thursday before a rally on Friday cut the loss to 1.7 per cent over the week.

Monday Interview : Kevin Brown : It's Snow Joke for Man in Charge When 'His' Airport Is Frozen Out

THE turbulence began even before Kevin Brown landed his job as managing director of Edinburgh airport. In the six months since the former head of Aberdeen airport took up the post, he has not had a smooth ride, with extreme snow falls, an unpopular "kiss and fly tax" and the threat of Edinburgh being sold to new owners all taxiing towards him. His predecessor, Gordon Dewar, had announced the airport would start charging a GBP1 drop-off tax, causing outrage among passengers and MSPs. Having an...

Lovering to Quit M&B As His 'Rescue Job Is Completed'

PUBS group Mitchells & Butlers will confirm this week that private equity specialist John Lovering is to abruptly quit just a year after he was parachuted in amid a boardroom upheaval. It is understood that Lovering, a retail veteran who once ran Debenhams department store chain, has told the M&B board he thinks his restructuring job at M&B is done. An announcement may come as early as this morning. It comes before the AGM on Thursday of M&B, whose 90 Scottish outlets include the Sheep Heid I...

Temporary Jobs Growth at Highest Since 2007

DEMAND for temporary staff from Scottish firms is rising at its fastest pace since October 2007, according to data out today. The Bank of Scotland's monthly employment monitor report also found that demand for permanent staff increased at its highest rate for seven months.

Scottish Firms Are 'Less Distressed'

SCOTTISH firms were "less distressed" during the fourth quarter than those in other parts of the UK, a report claimed today. The number of distressed businesses rose by 15 per cent in Scotland in the final three months of 2010, compared with a 20 per cent increase for the UK as a whole.

Signs of Recovery As Kerr & Smith Gets Back On the Road

Kerr & Smith - the family-owned car dealer with Fiat and Vauxhall showrooms in Ayr, Cumnock and Glasgow - motored back into the black last year after trimming its headcount and cutting its costs. Accounts filed at Companies House showed that the return to a modest profit of GBP81,000 in the year to 31 July, from a loss of GBP232,000 in the previous 12 months, came despite sales falling by 8 per cent to GBP25 million.

Hopes Fade of Early Announcement On Bank Lending and Bonuses Deal

HOPES look to have been dashed that an announcement on a deal between the banks and the UK government on lending and bonuses could be made as early as this week due to sticking points on levels, industry sources say. One source close to the talks said the lack of agreement between the parties in the so'called Project Merlin talks meant an announcement could now be "some weeks away".

Scottish Food Producers Hope to Build On 'World Cup'

SIX Scottish food and drink companies are heading out to France this week to ply their wares at the Bocuse d'Or - the cooking world cup. Scottish Development International (SDI) and Scotland Food & Drink are leading the delegation of producers to Lyon for "Sirha", one of Europe's largest food service exhibitions, which runs alongside the Bocuse d'Or.

Gdp Figures Expected to Prompt Fear of Fresh Dip

FEARS of a potential double-dip recession could flare again this week as new data is expected to show Britain's economic recovery slowed to a crawl in the final three months of 2010. GDP numbers tomorrow are expected to show that economic growth edged up between just 0.2 per cent and 0.4 per cent.

Legal Giant Spreads Its Wings with New Team in Aberdeen

SCOTLAND'S biggest indigenous law firm will today signal the start of a major phase of expansion by unveiling plans to open its first office in Aberdeen and appointing six senior legal sector figures as partners. Brodies - one of the most venerable names in Edinburgh's legal community - has hired Colin MacLaren, former head of property services at Granite City-stalwart Paull & Williamsons, and Clare Munro, an oil and gas consultant at Bond Pearce, to launch its Aberdeen operation.