SEBG News Archive
Owners of Estates urged to modernise
13th October 2004The owners of Scotland's estates have again been told of the need to modernise and improve their image.
The call came yesterday from the Earl of Seafield, the new chairman of the Scottish Estates Business Group.
Lord Seafield, who owns Banffshire's Cullen and Strathspey Estates and has extensive land interests, takes over the role from his chief executive, Sandy Lewis, who becomes a deputy chairman.
The organisation represents the owners of Scotland's progressive rural estates and has, since it was founded, been seen as making a positive contribution. But Lord Seafield, who stays at Cullen, said estate owners had to do more.
He said: "We must continue to modernise, move forward and embrace change. There are many estate owners who have been open and progressive for years but historically have not been successful in communicating the contribution they make to rural Scotland.
" As a group, SEBG has been tackling this problem but there is still a great deal of work to be done. It is not a time for estate owners to be burying their heads in the sand.
" There are people who continually seek to undermine estates. It is important for every estate owner to demonstrate the contribution they make and to get that message across. Estates have an important role to play in delivering future success and prosperity for rural Scotland and we must engage with those who legislate on rural issues to ensure real benefits are delivered to communities."
Lord Seafield's appointment was confirmed as the SEBG revealed Polly McPherson would be its new director of research and communications.
The group's new deputy chairman is Andrew Bruce Wootton, the general manager of Atholl Estates in Perthshire.
For more news, visit http://www.thisisnorthscotland.co.uk
