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Category: Featured Stories

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Featured Stories

Turning Back Time

Turning Back Time

Michelle was born and raised in Camelon and attended Camelon High School. She began working in a call centre before deciding to study nursing at the University of Stirling. Michelle wanted to work in a career that improved the health and wellbeing of others daily.

After graduating in 2006, Michelle began working as a nurse at Stirling Royal Infirmary, then at Forth Valley Royal Hospital before transitioning to a community-based role.

In 2017, she took the leap of starting her own business and opened Enhanced Facial Aesthetics in a beautiful Grade C listed Lodge on Bellsdyke Road in Larbert.

Many may wonder why Michelle chose to change careers, and she states, “I love how a treatment can improve an individual’s mental health. I love that I can renew a person’s self-confidence and make them feel great about themselves.”

Michelle’s passion, coupled with her warm and friendly personality make her the go-to for aesthetic treatments in the Forth Valley area.

Larbert was the ideal location for Michelle’s clinic as it is where she currently resides with her husband and two children. The location is an excellent choice as it is within walking distance of Larbert train station and is easily accessible from both Glasgow and Edinburgh via the M876 and the M9 motorways.

The Clinic

Enhanced Facial Aesthetics is a private clinic, offering a specialised approach to delivering non- surgical facial aesthetics. Michelle’s business aim is to offer the latest and greatest aesthetics treatments, locally at a fair price. They offer a wide range of treatments such as line reducing treatments, dermal fillers, lip enhancement, and skin treatments. Michelle has always been interested in aesthetics and loves the idea of aesthetic improvement without looking false. Michelle says: “If we don’t offer the right treatment for you, we will help to point you in the right direction.”

Bespoke Aesthetic Treatments

Michelle and her team believe everyone is unique, so they treat their clients personally, professionally, honestly, expertly and with no hard selling. They are committed to providing a wide range of treatments tailor-made to each client. Michelle offers treatments such as line reducing treatments, dermal and lip fillers, fat reducing treatments, and skin and facial treatments.

As a nurse prescriber, Michelle is qualified to carry out each treatment in the clinic, but prefers to focus on the injectable treatments. She typically carries out line reducing treatments, PRP Vampire Facials, lip and dermal fillers, and fat reducing injections. Michelle refers to her treatments as ‘turning back time’.

The Team

Enhanced Facial Aesthetics comprises a small team of four; two practitioners – Michelle and Lyn – and two reception staff – Nicky and Ryan.

Lyn is Enhanced Facial Aesthetics’ resident skin guru, as her main passion is with skin and facial treatments. Lyn focuses mainly on providing treatments such as the Aqua 3 Facial, WOW Fusion and Super Hair Removal (SHR). Lyn also works with clients to create bespoke skincare programs to suit their specific concerns. Lyn has worked in the industry for over 10 years, and has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to skin.

Nicky is one of the receptionists at the clinic. Nicky also has a great knowledge of the aesthetics industry, as she is also a trained beauty therapist. She loves to chat to and get to know all of the clients, making them feel at home before their treatments. Nicky states that “The best part of my job is seeing clients be delighted with themselves aAer their treatments!”

Ryan is Michelle’s son who is the other receptionist. Ryan enjoys working in the clinic and chatting to all of the clients. He currently works part-time, as he is also studying Psychology and Spanish at the University of Glasgow. He is interested in skin and loves to promote the clinic’s products and services. He also enjoys photography and took the photos for this article – a family of many talents!

Your Skin

Their goal is to give each client the best experience and results possible. Michelle says: “We do that by listening to you, answering your questions, and coming up with a customised treatment recommendation that works for you.” Through their continued education in aesthetics, the team strive to give you the best advice on how to look aAer your skin to enable you to make a fully informed decision about any treatment that can help you reach your goal to look the best you can with a natural, younger look.

ZO Skin Health

ZO Skin Health is a medical strength skincare range that develops and delivers innovative skincare solutions. It optimises skin health based on the latest advances in skin therapy technologies using unique delivery systems, bioengineered complexes and exclusive formulations. Michelle and Lyn have extensive knowledge in the ZO range and are happy to advise on the products as well as carry out skincare consultations for a wide range of conditions. They are also official stockists and a huge range of products are available at the clinic.

You Can Always Improve Your Practice

As well as having a Nursing Degree, Michelle is also an Independent Nurse Prescriber registered with the NMC. She is a member of the British Association of Cosmetic Nurses (BACN), and Aesthetic Complication Expert group (ACE).

She is fully trained in numerous aesthetic treatments and keeps up to date with the latest products and techniques through regular meetings with company representatives and by attending meetings nationwide.

As well as this, Michelle subscribes to the Journal of Aesthetic Medicine which details the newest breakthroughs in aesthetic medicine as well as news on new products, treatments, and techniques.

Furthermore, Michelle is currently undertaking a ten-month mentorship program with one of the UK’s leaading aesthetics practitioners. Why? Because you can always improve your practice!

Covid 19 Changes

During the lockdown, Michelle had to temporarily close her business, but she didn’t sit idle! Michelle resurrected her role within the NHS. She worked on the frontline assessing and treating patients with COVID-19 in their homes. She expressed her gratitude towards key workers throughout lockdown on her various social media channels, as well as thanking everyone for staying home. Michelle has also worked hard implementing new features in the clinic before reopening to ensure the clients’ safety.

Michelle and her team aim to bring you safe, affordable non-surgical aesthetic treatments from honest, trustworthy, highly trained and registered healthcare professionals who have a passion for restoring your confidence and happiness.

Get In Touch

We understand that when it comes to your appearance, you shouldn’t make decisions lightly, so we want you to take advantage of our Free Consultation to come and meet us, and see our clinic for yourself.

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Featured Stories

Supporting Scottish Tourism

I would say that prior to Coronavirus, Scotland’s beauty was sometimes taken for granted by us residents! When we were asked to stay at home, and away from our beautiful hills, lochs and glens we realised how lucky we are to have so many beauty spots in our wee country. When the doors were finally opened, Scottish locations were at the very top of our list.

What can we do? Support Scottish tourism in any way we can.

I have been to the Lodge on Loch Lomond several times now, and it never disappoints. It is modern with Scottish touches, and with the most breath-taking views. When we arrived we parked in the car park and had to stop for a second to take everything in; we were blessed with a sunny day. Our room had the very same view with a balcony, and an in-room sauna! We left our bags and went to the bar area, ordered Bramble cocktails and sat and chatted while enjoying the views. As is typical for Scotland, the weather had changed and it was now raining, but just as beautiful. We were almost shocked that there were swimmers in the water but nothing stops us Scots. We chuckled as tourists at other tables stared in confusion. It was a such a relaxing afternoon, one I have often reminisced about during lockdown.

Dinner at the Lodge was also a great experience; waterfront dining at Colquhoun’s. It was a hearty traditional menu with a twist! As they say on their website “Our new mantra is to embrace the shimmering aspic of tradition whilst giving the classics just enough backspin to turn heads as they come out of the kitchen.” That couldn’t ring truer! 

After dinner we sat in the comfortable, dim lit bar and enjoyed the atmosphere, which was buzzing even on a week night. We retired quite early as we were excited at the thought of a sauna and relaxing in the spacious room! It was the perfect evening catching up on our favourite shows on their big screen television in our hotel robes and slippers!

The next morning, we had a cuppa on the balcony, not bothering that it was a wee bit nippy outside. The mountains reflected on the water and we sat and took it all in. It’s almost as if we knew that in a few weeks time a view like that would only be possible via a picture. We headed to breakfast which was also in Colquhoun’s. I had my favourite Eggs Benedict and Ben had a Full Scottish Breakfast; both hit the spot! Their coffee was also phenomenal! We left the lodge with a such a great feeling, our only regret is we forgot our swimsuits as they also have swimming pool facilities. 

This is an establishment we will definitely be supporting again this year, and we hope we have convinced you to do so too!

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Charity Gala Ball

17 Degrees Magazine is hosting our first annual Charity Gala Ball, and we would love to see you there!

We believe in ‘Making it Count’, life is precious, so let’s celebrate life and raise money for important causes as a community. The event will be hosted at Beancross Hotel and Restaurant in Polmont on Friday the 17th of April from 7pm. There will be a 3-course meal, auction, raffle and entertainment. Local favourite Barbara Bryceland will be singing followed by a disco!

The Gala’s purpose is to raise funds for two local charities extremely close to our hearts; Falkirk’s Mental Health Association and Strathcarron Hospice. More about the charities:

FDAMH is an independent mental health charity serving Falkirk and District, established in 1981. Their purpose is to promote mental well-being by providing a range of services. They also prevent deterioration in mental well-being; and provide support, education and training related to mental health to carers and across the local community.

Strathcarron Hospice provides specialist palliative care and expert end of life care for the people of Forth Valley, Cumbernauld and Kilsyth. They care for people with illnesses that cannot be cured including cancer, lung, heart or kidney failure and a range of non-malignant and neurological diseases. They are also actively involved in research and education in palliative care and promote and influence the delivery of palliative care locally and beyond.

Making it Count Awards in partnership with Renella!

On the night, we will also be recognising those in our community that are making a difference. There are three categories for these recognitions; a business who has made a difference to their community, an individual who has made a difference to their community and an individual who has made a difference to themselves.

We are looking for individuals or local businesses that embody community. Whether this be by their charity work, raising awareness for causes, devotion to helping others, or giving up their precious time to make a difference. There is also the individual category for someone who has changed their life and made it count and is now changing other peoples lives.

To nominate an individual or a business please email sophie@17mag.com and tell us why this individual or business deserves this award. The deadline for this is 12pm on Tuesday the 17th of March.

There are a few tables left for this event, please get in touch as soon as possible if you are interested in #MakingItCount with us!

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Stewart Hair & Beauty – Giving People Confidence

Taylor Stewart describes herself as a Glow-Getter; a driven, busy gal who strives to achieve her goals in life while attaining a beautiful glow both inside and out.

Taylor started her journey in the beauty sector in the Falkirk area three and a half years ago. She says, “I was always confident at doing my own makeup and my friends started asking me to do theirs for them all the time.” They also encouraged her to start a business Facebook page for her services and it all grew from there!

She started working within a local salon in the town centre and then, after the birth of her little boy, decided it was time to branch out on her own! She searched for offices to turn into a salon and managed to get premises in Camelon.

She decorated the entire place herself with the help of family, and branded the business Stewart Hair & Beauty. She soon needed more space and in June 2019 expanded the salon. She is still located in Camelon and now has a full-service salon with a reception, hair studio, nail stations, makeup stations and two private beauty treatment rooms. Taylor decorated the salon and made all of the floral arrangements herself. This made it a beautiful place to be and a strong brand statement, something she is incredibly proud of. She has a great team and enjoys helping them with their goals and motivating them to gain further training.

At Stewart Hair & Beauty they offer:

  • Makeup
  • Eyelashes
  • Henna Brows
  • Makeup Tattoo (Ombré Brow, Lip Liner, Lip Blush, Eye Liner)
  • You can book these services via the salon’s online booking system. https://www.fresha.com/makeup-by-taylor-lv65jvwp/booking?menu=true
  • Taylor’s favourite part of running her business is giving people confidence.
  • She is always setting herself future goals and in early 2020 she will also be fully qualified in Scalp Micro-pigmentation and Microblading!
  • Suite 10/11, 350 Main Street, FK1 4EG Camelon, Falkirk
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Phoenix Gym

When did you start your business?

I started the business in 2009; at the beginning I was instructing classes and boot camps in different places across the area. I realised I wanted somewhere that we could do everything under one roof and create a community, so in 2014 we got the gym. Everything then began to fall into place!

What inspired you to start a business in the fitness industry?

I’ve been in the industry for 12 years, but I always participated in competitive sports. I swam at club and national level and competed across Europe until I was 15 years old. I then started Muay Thai and trained for 9 years and competed at the professional K1 level. At 24 years old, around the time my son Jaxon was born, I decided to stop competing. I then got involved with CrossFit and weightlifting. I was training a lot more and training with people who were taking training seriously, and it got me into training people.

What did you do before starting your own business; describe that journey to entrepreneurship?

I am also an electrical engineer. I was with Scottish Power for 7 years and was working 60-70 hour weeks. While doing this I was also setting up the gym and training in the hours I wasn’t working. So I decided to focus on the gym since it needed more of my time to make it work. I took the risk, left Scottish Power and worked more flexible style working in the Falkirk area. In 2014, co-owner Andrew Boyle got involved in the gym and we’ve grown from there.

Can you list all the services provided:

At Phoenix Gym we offer classes, fundamental classes, 1-1 coaching, personal training, small group training, class memberships and nutrition consultations. Our dietary plans are created by coach Derek. Derek is a fully qualified sports nutritionist and also an award-winning chef. He makes nutrition easy for people to understand. We have six coaches including myself at the gym: Andy, Scott, Christine, Julie and Derek. We all are passionate about relating to people on an everyday level. People’s lives are their priority, how can we fit this into your life. Our key word for exercise and nutrition is adaptability.

What are fundamental classes? And who are they targeted at?

They are a basically a four-week course with two classes per week. They are perfect for those with no previous experience or no knowledge and by end of the course you will have a better understanding of what we do at the gym. Some people are intimidated by just jumping into any class, so this gets you prepared for the regular classes. By doing these fundamental classes we’ve been able to bring people in who were hesitant at first. 75% of our members used to be athletes who competed but that’s flipped with implementing our fundamental classes and now we have a diverse group of people from all different backgrounds, varied age groups and occupations, who train together under one roof for health both physical and mental.

Favourite aspect of running your own business?

It’s definitely seeing the community growing and expanding within our members. There’s no better feeling than seeing people achieve healthier and better lifestyles. It’s great to see our members become friends. This drives me to want to keep going and making it bigger.

Key component for success:

I wake up at 5am every morning and I’m not home until 9pm at night. So I would say that utilising your time and realising you need to put in the hours is the key. There’s no point putting the hours in if it’s not correct, so you need to manage your time. I delegate among the 5 coaches at the gym and this takes the load off me. Working as a team is important as they feel valued and trusted, plus we all have our own strengths. Our coaches are a part of the gym and they contribute towards the business. We work in a loop, and this benefits everyone.

Describe your team:

At Phoenix Gym we have five coaches. I have implemented monthly team meetings. At these meetings I tell the team: “If you bring a negative to the table, also bring a positive. If it’s an issue to you, you’ve also clearly thought about how you’d make it right. I am all about positive mindsets. I drill positive into people as I’m not the calmest person by nature but I’ve had to change my mindset. You need to deal with negatives with positives.

Business Motto:

‘A rising tide raises all ships.’ If we all work together and every day we look out for each other then we will all rise and get better together. Everything needs to be improved on constantly for the business to continue to thrive.

Get in touch with us on our social media or view our website for more information. You can view timetables and book via our website or our app.

You can also set up membership on our website.

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The Roman Camp Country House & Restaurant

Caroline mentioned last year that she would love to go to The Roman Camp Country House & Restaurant, so we were delighted to be invited to the country house and experience the tranquillity last November!

The Roman Camp Country House & Restaurant was built in 1625 for The Dukes of Perth as a hunting lodge but has been an hotel since 1939. The owners, Eric & Marion Brown, have been welcoming guests with their warm hospitality for over thirty years! It is easily reached from the village of Callander which is just a short walk away.

When we arrived, we immediately felt the warm and inviting atmosphere with open fires, flickering candlelight and genuine hospitality! We stayed in the Lady Esther Suite which was traditional and comfortable with all the original features! There are 15 suites and bedrooms on the property, all en-suite.

We also got the chance to dine at the restaurant which has been awarded “Three AA Rosettes”, and serves lunch and dinner. They also have a small café-bistro called the Potting Shed within the walled garden serving relaxed snacks, coffee and meals.

As it is our Wedding Specialists’ issue we had a tour of the property and found it a unique and truly romantic wedding venue. Nestling in twenty acres of gardens with lawns rolling down to the river’s edge and shaded by ancient trees it is a stunning venue for your wedding! And think about the photographs!

The Wedding Ceremony

You can choose to host your ceremony in the Hotel’s Oak Panelled Library and Chapel, or the Drummond suite which can seat up to one hundred and forty guests. They also have a sheltered tree-lined clearing on the riverbank with a stone altar, which is a beautiful setting in the summertime, weather permitting! The town and surrounding area offers many alternative venues for your ceremony, including lovely churches in glorious settings within the Trossachs National Park or even a steamship on the beautiful Loch Katrine!

Reception

Their reception rooms are The Drawing Room and the Library, and are perfect for welcoming guests. Both have tranquil views over the river Teith and great open fires, with a charm only a true historic building can have! These two rooms are linked together with an intimate bar where the Grand Piano sits; this is the ideal situation for a classical quartet or pianist to entertain you and your guests! Champagne and Cocktail receptions may also be held outside in their gardens which are bounded by ancient trees and river making a secluded private retreat.

Wedding Meal and Wine Service

The “Drummond Suite” is a spacious oval room with a great fireplace and panoramic views of the lawns which can accommodate up to one hundred and twenty dining guests. This room incorporates a central dance floor and hidden private bar making it the perfect room for a wedding banquet followed by dancing. Connected directly to the “Drummond Suite” is the “Wilson Room” with a dining capacity for thirty-six guests, helping increase the capacity to over 150 diners! If you are considering a smaller, more intimate wedding celebration they would be honoured to accommodate your party!

For more information, get in touch with the team today and they will be happy to assist you with any inquiry!

 

01877 330003
mail@romancamphotel.co.uk
Off Main Street, Callander
Stirlingshire, FK17 8BG

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The Corner Cafe, Falkirk – A year of success

Turning the corner to a year of success at The Corner Cafe Falkirk.

Andrew, the owner of The Corner Cafe which ‘welcomes everyone in’ in Falkirk has a background in retail management. He was a store manager with Marks and Spencer for many years but always wanted to have his own business. He says, “I always had a passion for creating really exciting dishes and good food. It’s easier to get through the busy times if you’re passionate about what you’re doing.” He is originally from Glasgow but when looking to start his own business he came to Falkirk and felt a vibrancy. Andrew felt that he could bring something a little different. He says, “We are delighted to be in Falkirk, and we have been well received here in our first year of business. We can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

The Corner Cafe is open 7 days a week from 9am to 4 pm, they are a relaxed, dog friendly cafe with seven team members. Andrew says, “We’ve focused on quality food, coffee and cake and offer breakfast, brunches and lunches to the people of Falkirk.” He is also proud of his weekly specials which you can see on his vibrant Facebook and Instagram accounts. They also strive to promote local whenever they can. They use a local coffee supplier, Henry’s, and promote local artwork on the walls of the cafe. 

“Now we’ve reached a year, we’re settled. Customers have been asking for evening events and we are looking at hosting these in the near future,” Andrews says, “We are delighted that our hard work has brought us to our 1st year anniversary and are looking forward to many more years to come.”

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Fletcher’s

Fletcher’s Stirling opened their doors on June 20th, 2019.  The restaurant was opened by the Binnie brothers, Adam and Connor. 

 Adam describes himself as the hands-on Director. He balances the daily operations, planning and marketing of the restaurant as well as working full time on the restaurant floor interacting with customers and ensuring high standards are met. He gained his experience growing up in family restaurants operated by both his parents and from working at almost any job in hospitality over the years. Connor’s role is Director/Head Chef. As well as his responsibilities as Head Chef, Connor deals with the daily running of the restaurant with particular focus on the food and kitchen operations. As well as growing up in the family restaurants, Connor has gained experience working in many local hotels including Colessio, Airth Castle and The Royal in Bridge of Allan. Furthermore, Connor added to his experience working in Michelin Star restaurant The Black Swan under Tommy Banks which was voted ‘the best restaurant in the world’ by TripAdvisor. Both Adam and Connor are lucky to work closely with their partners. Gemma, Adam’s wife, has worked in restaurants alongside Adam for over 10 years.  Similarly, Harli, Connor’s girlfriend, has worked in the restaurants for many years. They are both Restaurant Managers and focus on staff training and customer service.

The Name Behind It All

Adam says, “As Connor and I were delighted to be opening up our first restaurant as brothers, we made the decision it was only right to name the restaurant after the newest member of our family and youngest brother, baby Fletcher (9months old at the time of writing). We thought by naming it after him it would capture the essence of our family business.” 

Fletcher’s Offering

Fletcher’s are open daily from 9am serving breakfast until 12pm! They then serve lunch and dinner right through until 9pm on weekdays and 9:30pm on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday, they serve Sunday roast and brunch all day between 12-8pm! Their food is freshly prepared using local suppliers wherever possible including local farm eggs from Egglicious, bread and pastry from local baker Wild Hearth Bakery and selected meat from Skinners of Kippen. Adam says, “We truly believe that using locally sourced food and preparing our food daily creates the exciting meals which the people of Stirling have embraced over our first 2 months.”

Cocktails

Adam says, “We started off with a small list of 4/5 cocktails and as they have proven very popular, we have expanded our list to15 along with weekly specials and cocktail trees. Our cocktail trees are the perfect centrepiece for any table and allow your group to try a selection on cocktails whilst getting the perfect Instagram opportunity.”

The Future at Fletcher’s Stirling

The brothers plan to continue to refresh their menu to keep things exciting for their customers. There is a planned mini refurbishment for the bar area and bedrooms followed by their beer garden in time for next summer.  

Christmas at Fletcher’s

Their Christmas menus have been released and they already have a large number of bookings and enquires which is really exciting! Get in touch today to celebrate the festive season at Fletcher’s! 

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Behind the Wall – Stay local, eat and drink global

Behind the Wall has been a social experience at the heart of Falkirk that has developed and thrived through the years. You may remember when BTW first opened it was just the front bar and how over the years it has expanded. Brian Flynn, co-owner of BTW said: “At the start we didn’t see how big it would get.” But it has always been a comfortable transition when it comes to evolving with the times. They never forget their origins; for example the wood in the bar when they originally opened has been recycled into the building and used for tables and other bits of decor. Jane Lafferty, co-owner says: “We wouldn’t want to lose what Behind the Wall was.”

Behind the Wall has now been serving the people of Central Scotland for 30 years and is over two levels, with three bars, a conservatory and a fabulous heated beer garden with outstanding food, drink and live entertainment to enjoy! There’s also a soft play area for the kids and a newly opened Pizza Pad upstairs! There is something for everyone, so what’s not to love! 

Early Years

They were one of the first pubs to serve coffee, which might seem normal now but in the 80’s it was very much revolutionary. They were actually worried whether the people of Falkirk would like it or not, and oh they did! BTW soon became a popular spot for everyone, a place where anyone could walk in themselves, be greeted by a friendly face and enjoy a beverage. At this time, it was uncommon for women to feel comfortable sitting in a pub themselves, BTW changed this perception. It has always been a social experience, for everyone.

The Food Concept

They served basic food right from the very start, explained Brian. This initially was just a servery with salads and sandwiches, but plans were almost immediately made to extend. First came the conservatory and then they built the kitchen and bistro. The food concept came from the owners’ travels. Brian describes the moment they realised what Falkirk needed: “We went to a restaurant in New York which served Tex-Mex dishes and this inspired our menu.” This was in the days before you could get food inspiration online, you had to go to other places to see what else was out there. Their Tex-Mex dishes are now well-known in the area, signature dishes such as their fajitas and nachos and Between the Sheets. Brian says, “We’ve always had a transatlantic thought.” They are open for lunch and dinner seven days a week for a casual dining experience which still brings together flavours from all over the world at family friendly prices. They will be launching a new menu in October, but don’t worry they’ve made sure to keep the fan favourites. 

You will have no problem finding your chosen tipple at BTW! 

BTW is very well known for its delicious cocktail menu, especially for the infamous Drumstick cocktail! Brian says: “Cocktails have grown massively in the past ten years, vodka revolutionised things right around when we started and it’s grown from there.” Continental lagers and ales also came along around the time BTW opened and Scotland came into the modern day with regards to its pub scene. Nowadays they stock everything from world leading brands to local products and are always listening to requests for updates to their drinks list.

Within the Community

Behind the Wall’s location puts it right in the heart of the town centre, being close to travel hubs such as Falkirk Grahamston, a bus hub and a taxi rank. It’s been a part of the community since it opened its doors in 1985. As you can see from the cover which features three members of the team and Brian, they are a team-focused company which acts as a family. Brian said: “We have had loads of local kids and kids from all around the world come to work here. Couples have met here and started families, children of original staff. It is a family.” They’ve seen staff leave and come back again after university or travelling, it’s always somewhere they can call home. BTW currently employee 60 local people and its owners are also active in the community. Brian has been Chairman of Falkirk Delivers, the business improvement district, for the past four years and Brian and Jane jointly won Business Personality of the Year at the Falkirk Herald Business Awards in November 2018. Behind the Wall has also won many awards. To name a few: Best Bar None, gold and national and platinum awards, Sunday Mail Pub of the Year in Scotland and Daily Record Pub of Year. They have a strong link with the local football club and run a shuttle bus to the Falkirk games on a Saturday. They also show live football in the bar area.

“BTW is a unique destination which aims to provide a safe and comfortable venue for all ages and social groups. We are always here to serve you and adapt to trends and customer expectations. From frothy cappuccinos in the morning to late night music and dancing BTW has something for everyone, whoever you are.”

The Pizza Pad at BTW

In the 90’s they opened upstairs, as Eglesbrech Ale and Whisky Bar. Eglesbrech is the Gaelic name for Falkirk. It was a traditional Scottish ale house.The concept has been slightly changed recently as they have rebranded upstairs as The Pizza Pad at BTW; they saw an opportunity to grow the space. As Brian says when asked what they can attribute years of success to: “We’ve never stood still.”

The mascot of the Pizza Pad is a French Bulldog named Eddy. Jane explained: “We were looking for an identity, and Eddy was our team member’s dog and was very lovable.” The slogan goes, ‘Ready for an Eddy’ which translates to ‘going off to behind the wall for a pizza.’ The Pizza Pad opened in July but the old identity is still there as customers are more than welcome to still just go up for a drink. It still has all the essential elements, fabulous beers, quality spirits and entertainment. Upstairs was always a venue and still will be! You can dine on delicious home cooked pizzas and street fries! Everything’s homemade and they make their own dough, fillings and toppings!

There is never a dull moment at BTW!

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Gail Wilson & Miss Scotland

Gail Wilson from Redding couldn’t believe it when she made the finals for Miss Scotland. Gail is 24 years old and after having tried and tested many different career options since leaving school eventually decided to join her mum running Envy Gowns, the family business.

She had always had an interest in hair & beauty which led her to complete a few courses in Nails, Make Up, Eyebrows & Lashes. It has been 10 years since they opened their first shop in Grangemouth. They have now moved into Falkirk town centre located within Callendar Square Shopping Centre. Gail says, “Watching Envy grow and expand into the business it is today is something I will always be proud of. I am very lucky to have amazing role models in my life who help me through everything I do; that being my mum and my family.”

Fundraising

Gail also has a passion for charity fundraising. This year she has raised £3,413 for two different charities. One is local charity FDAMH for whom she held a Charity Ball through her business Envy and raised £2,183. Gail says, “I personally have struggled with some mental health issues and FDAMH are a great support system for anyone to speak to if they are having problems. Through my work I see a lot of young women who struggle with self-confidence, eating disorders, anxiety, stress and depression. I wanted to partner up with this charity to raise awareness to our local people.”

The other charity is Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland where she held a family fun day in Callendar Square Shopping Centre and undertook a virtual cycle from Edinburgh to John O’Groats. These events raised £1,230 for CHSS. Gail chose Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland as her charity to fundraise for throughout her Miss Scotland 2019 journey as it was a charity close to her heart. Her mum had a stroke earlier this year which was a complete shock at the time. Gail says, “Thankfully she wasn’t left with any lasting effects, but she definitely had to overcome a few mental challenges and Chest, Heart & Stroke Scotland did that with her.

This charity has been close to our family for a long time as my granddad also suffered from a stroke about 15 years ago and lost mobility on one side and his speech. Sadly, my granddad passed away in April this year, so I felt it was important to raise money to support other families who suffer with chest and heart conditions or strokes.”

 

Image on Left (Gail on right)

Miss Scotland 2019

Gail says, “My Miss Scotland journey has been an experience of a lifetime! It was something I never thought I would ever do but I am so glad I pushed myself into it. The people you meet and the experiences/challenges you are involved in are something money can’t buy.”

She explains that getting past the first round for an interview with the Miss Scotland team was a big shock for her as she had always thought they looked for models; however that’s not the case. Gail says, “They’re looking for a genuine girl with personality, determination and someone who wants to give something back to their community. This year’s Miss Scotland, Keryn Matthews, is all that and more and I can’t wait to follow her journey to Miss World later this year.” Gail was placed in the top ten this year representing the town she is passionate about and with a fantastic amount raised for Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland.

Well done Gail!