The Aboyne Fountain 24 - Winter 2021

The

FREE!

Fountain A Community Magazine for Aboyne

Vikings cometh!

Youth club has designs on gaming

issue 24

spring 2021

STRACHAN’S Serving Royal Deeside for Four Generations

Newsagents

Ice Cream

Confectionery

Photocopying & Laminating

Wines & Spirits

Hardware

Haberdashery

Malt Whiskies

Lottery

Calor Gas

Balloons & Party Gifts

Pet Foods

Stationery

Toys and Puzzles

Paints

Grocery

Gardening

Delicatessen

Fishing Supplies

and lots more...!

WE WILL REOPEN OUR BALLATER BRANCH ONCE LOCKDOWN IS LIFTED

***** ABOYNE OPEN 7 DAYS 6am – 6pm SUNDAY CLOSING AT 5pm *****

By appointment to HM The Queen General Merchants

Main St Aboyne AB34 5HT 013398 86121

2 Golf Rd Ballater AB35 5RE 013397 755452

www.georgestrachanltd.com

By appointment to HRH The Prince of Wales General Merchants

Want in The Fountain?

For advertising and editorial, please note the copy deadlines below and use the contacts listed at the bottom of the page DEADLINES . FEB 1 . MAY 1 . AUG 1 . NOV 1 PUBLISHED MAR JUNE SEPT DEC

Contents Rotary 8 New! Gardening Column 11 Tatties & Fairy Doors 12 Notice Board 14 Cover Story 17 In Lady V’s Shoes 24 Sits Vac 27 Councillors’ Contacts 30 Advertisers’ Index 34 Ad Rates/Copy Dates 34 Small Ads 35

Welcome to Issue 24 of The Fountain I’m not sure I have a favourite season.

There’s pros and cons to all four of them!

But perhaps Spring, with its daily extending light, signs of new life and increase in social events and interactions, comes close.

Maybe this year we will appreciate Spring more than usual, with everything that has passed since the last. We’ll also be glad to see the back of all that snow! p32 has a few pics if you need reminding...

Many of you may have felt you’ve been spring cleaning since the end of March 2020, and there’s nothing left to do. Sadly, this is not the case in my house...

There is definitely a green tinge to this issue, with a new column from Craigievar Gardeners, news of some competitions from Cromar & District Horticultural and Industrial Society and details of some fabulous annual apprenticeships available at Douneside House through the MacRobert Trust. Plus lots more besides.

Remember that community information is FREE to include in these pages, so if you have any news for the Summer edition, tell me about it by May 1st if you can.

The end is in sight... A combination of the vaccine and sticking to the rules should see Covid-19’s butt well and truly kicked.

Cat Houston – Design/Editor

get in touch via email to catrionahouston@yahoo.co.uk

or call Cat on 013397 55243/07805 731401 www.myriadpro.co.uk find us on facebook

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Do you have something to share?

Group or individual, let The Fountain know what you are up to, using the contacts on p3 and 34.

A round-up of local developments

+ Hospital Update +

Aberdeenshire Council has released a statement reassuring residents that Aboyne Hospital is here to stay, despite its extended closure due to Covid 19: “Back in March (2019) we temporarily closed some of our community hospitals, including Aboyne, to consolidate the nursing workforce across a smaller number of hospital beds – we were predicting a 30% loss of staff. This remains the position, albeit back in autumn/early winter we were on the verge of re-starting some outpatient clinics, however the impact of the second wave led us to pause this piece of work. The Aboyne Hospital staff have proved vital in supporting other hospitals and community based services, including care homes where their expertise has been incredibly valuable.

Aboyne Hospital is a superb resource which in normal times delivers a variety of services, including inpatient beds. There is no motivation or agenda to maintain the current closure any longer than is absolutely necessary, hence we will keep the situation under review and resume services when we can.”

The Town Centre Enhancement Team at Mid-Deeside Community Trust has used your feedback from the MDCC questionnaires issued at the end of last year and has made some decisions...

Award-winning landscape designer Kirsty McLean was engaged to create a conceptual design, which was due to be completed in the new year. Watch this space!

Aerial shot of the area to be enhanced: Lower Square Aboyne, North and South of the Station (pic – Lee Coutts).

The group formed with the intention of revitalising the Huntly Arms Hotel have had confirmation that it has been sold.

The buyer remains a mystery but the Huntly Arms Hotel Regeneration Project say they intend to complete their Viability Study, as the information in it “may prove useful to both the new owners and the community as the development of the hotel goes ahead”.

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Jack Nesbit – Blacksmith Aesthetic and practical compositions in metal

Bespoke items for the home interior and garden Repair and fabrication Sculpture Visit Jack Nesbit – Blacksmith on Facebook Email: j.nesbit.blacksmith@gmail.com Call: 07951253409

Drumgesk Farm, Dess, Aboyne, AB34 5BJ

We are a voluntary group working with older people in rural Deeside including Aboyne, Ballater, Braemar and the surrounding villages.

We aim to keep older people connected, active and healthy especially over this difficult time. In the run up to Christmas we hand delivered 100 bundles of Christmas Cheer to the more vulnerable in the communities of Tarland, Logie Coldstone and Dinnet.

These bundles included chocolate, shortbread, clementines, handwarmers, diaries, and knitted hats, scarves and gloves donated by the Cosy Bosie Project, a pot of spring bulbs and hand-made cards by pupils at Tarland Primary.

We received lovely notes and thank you letters from the recipients and hope to do it again next Christmas on a bigger scale.

Normally we have events and activities but hope to be able to start them as soon as possible and we are looking forward to using the brand new Aboyne and Mid Deeside Community Shed as a venue. You can follow us on Facebook youngatheartdeeside, email us at membership@youngatheartdeeside. org.uk or look at our website www. youngatheartdeeside.org.uk Stay safe and cosy! Aileen L.

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There’s a Fox in our midst…

And not just any old fox but a Vixen of Verse no less!

Glen Tanar resident, Liz Marchant, has been creating witty ditties and awesome odes for friends and family ever since she can remember but has now set up a small venture writing personalised poems for any occasion.

With customers as far afield as Australia and even the odd rhyming wedding speech for a celebrity or two, her ‘funny little side hustle’ as she describes it, is going from strength to strength.

“It’s an honour to be able to put people’s sentiments into rhyme”, Liz says. “I just ask people for a brain dump of their feelings, stories and what they’d like to say and away I go!” www.partnerinrhyme.co.uk

In need of a ditty or a special rhyme to say what you'd like but haven't the time?

A birthday celebration or a Best Man's speech where the sentiment is there but the words out of reach?

Leave it all to the Vixen of Verse, I can be romantic, or saucy, or worse...

Give me the info and in next to no time you'll have a creation from your PARTNER IN RHYME.

Personalised Poems for all Occasions from the Vixen of Verse Wedding Speeches, Birthdays, Tributes, Anniversaries, Congratulations.... And Much More!

“All Ic is W an say OW! ”

“You are so talented and have done an amazing job”

lutely “I abso it” love www.partnerinrhyme.co.uk

Rotary wheels turn

Group still busy, writes Ruth Powell 2020 may not have been the year any of us expected, and who knows what 2021 has in store for us but, whatever happens, our Rotary club will continue to make efforts to support and fundraise for local good causes. Of course, like everyone, we look forward to being able to raise funds at our usual events at some point!

Our meetings, both business and social, continue on Zoom. We are very pleased to have welcomed some new younger members who have brought fresh ideas and energy to our Club. Several have young families and this is bringing a new dimension to our projects and activities.

Over the past few months, we are very pleased to have been able to support Food Bank operations in our area as well as making contributions to our local Primary Schools and the Academy. We have also supported the annual Rotary Area Raffle which was in aid of Charlie House, which supports babies, children and young people with complex disabilities and lifelimiting conditions and their families, across the North-east of Scotland.

Our socially-distanced litter picks have come to a halt during this latest period of lockdown, but we hope to restart as soon as possible. As you can see from the photo, Rotarian Nick and his wee friend Fara, have been gathering stray bits of rubbish while out walking, so this is really making a difference to the paths they regularly use.

Our Rotary Club is now a named good cause on the “Easyfundraising” website.

For every on-line purchase you make from one of the participating companies (and there are 4,000!) they will donate a small % of the amount you have spent, at absolutely no cost to yourself! It is very easy to sign up and no sensitive personal or financial information is

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requested, so it is very secure. We would really appreciate your support with this new venture while so many of us are shopping on-line. See our Facebook page for the one-click link, or enter; https://www.easyfundraising.org.uk/ causes/rcofaboyneupperdeeside/ The winner of our Christmas themed quiz was Chris Chantler from Bath – one of our regular E-Quizzers. The winners of Philbert Pheasant’s Treasure Hunt were Morag and James McBeath who were delighted with their Luxury Hamper prize.

Thank you to all those who entered these fun competitions!

We are always on the lookout for new Rotary members or Friends of Rotary to assist us in our efforts to help our communities and to have some fun along the way! If you would like to know more about what we do, contact Mike Powell mikepowell.obe@gmail.com

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The Saucy Horse mobile noodle bar is pleased to announce that we have our street food licence and will be at the following places at the following times:

Ballater

(next to the green) 1st and 3rd Friday of every month

Finzean

(opposite the Community Hall) last Saturday of every month

Aboyne

(outside the Huntly Arms) 1st and 3rd Saturday of every month

Please keep an eye on our Facebook (The Saucy Horse) and Instagram (thesaucyhorse) pages as well as our website (www.saucyhorse.com) for updates and menus years 30we’ve on...

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Spring Gardening In a new column, Wendy Simpson of Craigievar Gardeners offers seasonal tips to help you get the best from your patch, large or small...

What to do in your garden for spring...

First things first! Spring-clean your garden before your bulbs come up. Clear borders of winter debris, leaves and last year’s perennial foliage. Repair retaining walls and stepping stones. Fix and reseal wooden trellises, raised beds and planters.

As your bulbs emerge, feed the soil with an inch or two of compost.

Early spring represents pruning time for shrubs that will flower on new wood (this year’s growth), such as buddleias and potentillas. Do this when you’re sure that heavy frosts have passed. Hard-prune hybrid tea and floribunda roses by cutting back to outward-facing buds. Don’t prune early flowerers or shrubs that flower on last year’s growth: leave the pruning of shrubs like weigelas, forsythias, lilacs and azaleas until after they’ve finished flowering.

If you have perennials that are large enough to split, you can divide those that flower in summer and early autumn. Don’t split any that bloom in spring – leave that until autumn.

Depending on the weather, you can start sowing in mid-April, especially in a polytunnel. Plant early potatoes, onion sets and asparagus, and sow spinach, kale, salad leaves and early carrots in trays for later planting out. Later, outdoors, sow perennials and hardy annuals and plant lily bulbs.

Rake out the moss thatch in your lawn and set your mower blades high for the first few cuts. Next stop: summer!

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Tatties, chillies, gardens and fairy doors Horti Soc announces a run of green-fingered events for 2021

Every year, a highlight of the summer is the Tarland Show on the second Saturday of August and the ever perennial Cromar & District Horticultural and Industrial Society’s ‘Flower Show’ in the MacRobert Hall is an important part of it.

Although we all call it the ‘Flower Show’ the Show actually offers an opportunity to display your skills in many different fields: growing fruit, veg and flowers; cookery; art; wine-making; sewing, knitting and crochet; flower arranging. There are classes for experts, classes for novices and classes for children and young people.

But, like so many events, not last year.

However, in 2021, the Horticultural Society is launching a few ‘stand alone’ events to offer challenges to young and old. We have just launched our ‘Build a Fairy Door’ competition for Primary and Secondary aged youngsters.

Details of our ‘Spring Garden’ amateur gardening competition, the ‘Great Tattie Challenge’ and the ‘Great Chilli Challenge’ will soon be published.

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Check out our website on www.tarland. org.uk or join our FaceBook page ‘Cromar Horticultural and Industrial Society’ to see all the latest announcements and share your photos and news.

Liz Cooper, Show Secretary, CDHIS, email showsecretary@mossl.co.uk

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NOTICE BOA RD Always something going on...

Send your posters (in Word, jpeg or pdf format) to The Fountain via catrionahouston@ yahoo.co.uk or the Fountain Facebook page

Cromar and District Horticultural and Industrial Society A new and fun competition for Primary and Secondary aged children!

Sponsored by ‘The Paper Shop’ Tarland

Design and make an original ‘Fairy Door’ which should be suitable for an outdoor display Entries should be submitted to ‘The Paper Shop’ on or before the closing date, Saturday 13th March 2021.

Securely attach an envelope, with your name, age and contact details inside Prizes awarded in both Primary and Secondary categories All entries will be part of a fabulous display during the Easter Holidays Scottish Charity No: SC023060

Don’t forget to check out the new Mid-Deeside area map, installed in the Aboyne noticeboard earlier this year.

Designed by Ellie Flather for the MDCC, the map contains references to facilities, activities and places of interest in the area, and is accompanied by some beautiful photos.

CROMAR AND DISTRICT HORTICULTURAL and INDUSTRIAL SOCIETY (Scottish Charity Number SC023060)

AMATEUR GARDENING COMPETITION New Competition

SPRING GARDEN

This is your opportunity to show off your Spring Garden.

20 mile radius of Tarland.

All entry forms must be received by Sunday 2 May 2021 Gardens will be judged on Saturday 8 May 2021 1st, 2nd and 3rd Prizes Membership Subscription £3.00 (18 years and under free)

Farmers’ Market plans If Government restrictions allow, Aboyne Farmers’ Market will run on the 2nd Saturday of each month from April to December, 10am-2pm, Aboyne Green with a variety of local stall holders.

See their Facebook page for updates.

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This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY

Please send your entry form to the Show Secretary (Liz Cooper), Longfold Steading, Tarland, AB34 4UR (013398 810 10 or email showsecretary@mossl.co.uk). The Show Secretary will contact you prior to judging.

Pop-up Pantry adapts

Surplus food is still available free to the community from the Cromar Pop-up Pantry. There will be food bags in Tarland Pavilion’s porch as long as the lockdown and supplies continue. Delivery needed?

Contact cromarfood@gmail.com or call 013398 91388.

The Paper Girls OPEN: Monday to Saturday 0530-1500 | Sunday 0600-1200

A community-focused shop, selling and delivering a wide range of newspapers, magazines, confectionery, stationery and local produce Charleston Road | Aboyne | 01339 886847 email: thepapergirls607@gmail.com

See our Facebook page for updates and new developments

“Putting the community at the heart of everything we do”

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WE’RE ON YOUR DOORSTEP Remember when service was truly personal and not just another one size fits all approach?

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For a real conversation about your insurance call us on 01467 698 045, or alternatively send an email to Inverurie_agency@nfumutual.co.uk.

T C Brodie & R C Silvers is an appointed representative of The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited (No. 111982).

Online youth group inspired by Norse seafarers Everything Electronic has all bases covered, writes Lesley Ellis

Everything Electronic Youth Club continues to operate online on Monday nights at 6.30pm.

The group had a great winter season.

Harvey from Torphins was one of the winners of the International CoderDojo competition, and all of the youngsters who entered the national Brebas Coding Challenge were in the top categories for their age.

Currently we have three teams, one group are developing some films on climate change for a youth film-making competition; another group are working on our first “team coding” project developing a multi-layered game on a viking theme and the third group are learning to use digital tools for producing art.

Above (and on the cover of this Fountain!) is a picture of the wonderful

Viking who is the hero of the game and a sample of first-attempt pictures for the young digital artists.

A new monthly Physics Debate Club has had its inaugural debate. To join any of their activities, see the contacts in their advert below.

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When times are tough, don’t stop ADVERTISING!

The Fountain relies on advertising to pay for design and printing and it means a lot that so many regular customers have continued to advertise during the Covid calamity.

Always delighted to welcome new advertisers, I have opened up opportunities with a new value ad size, see p34.

At Myriad Pro Publishing, advertisers are not just a space on a page. All advertisers benefit from featuring in a Facebook album every quarter, and where advertisers’ own posts are seen on that social media platform, they will be shared.

Feel free to tag The Fountain to make sure.

New customers can also benefit from introductory features, and there are perks to being a long-term advertiser too, as well as discounts for featuring in the Alford and Banchory publications.

The business landscape and publicity methods are changing all the time, and especially at the moment! So if you have any ideas on how The Fountain can further support you, do let me know.

No matter if you are on the main street, out in the sticks, working from your spare room or just operating online, I can help.

Have you started a new business in the Aboyne area? Want a mention? Get in touch.

The Fountain represents a unique opportunity for you to promote your business to a targetted area at reasonable cost. Ad rates start at just £27 for a quarter page.

Around 1,500 copies are distributed through the doors of residences in the village, prominent spots in the local community and within businesses willing to stock it.

Geographically it covers Aboyne and the surrounding areas and includes Tarland.

All Myriad Pro Publications are also available to read online at issuu.com

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The Best of Starts...

Home-Start Deeside, Alford & Strathdon is a unique family support organisation who offer emotional and practical support to local families with a child/ren aged 5 or under. We believe that all children deserve the best start in life.

We enable people in the community to help other people in the community through volunteering opportunities supporting families or within one of our two charity shops based in Aboyne and Alford.

Can you volunteer to help HomeStart provide support for families with young children who are facing difficult circumstances? Or can you donate to support our work on early intervention that benefits children and parents alike?

For more information on how you can get involved please call 01330 824443 or email info@homestartdeeside.org Please follow us on Facebook.

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Dental practices in Aboyne and Banchory High quality private dental care in a comfortable environment Children welcome under the NHS Disabled access and easy parking Emergencies treated promptly Payment plans available Call us today for more information and to make an appointment

Aboyne Practice Old Ballater Road Aboyne AB34 5HN Tel: 013398 86177

Banchory Practice Fountain Lodge Station Road Banchory AB31 5YA Tel: 01330 822583

www.fountaindentalgroup.co.uk

>> Pointing the way

Tarland Paths has launched a new FaceBook page which aims to share information about the extensive and varied paths network around Tarland.

Under the auspices of the Tarland Development Group, and supported by The MacRobert Trust, the TDG Paths Group aims to maintain existing waymarked paths in the Howe O' Cromar, as well as developing new possibilities for exploring.

For more information, see the new page or email tarlandpaths@mossl.co.uk

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in

Lady V’s Shoes

I have decided that, after spending 2020 flattening the Covid curve of the nation by enhancing my own personal curves, it is time to get proactive about at least feigning an interest in becoming more streamlined for 2021. Obviously, gyms are not able to be open at the moment, and those who know me know that no matter how much I wish it were not so, I am not a runner. Given these two limitations that I currently face, I had to get creative with a fresh action plan for the new and improved version of me. And then, it came to me.

It was my birthday at the start of the year and my husband began asking the customary “what would you like?” questions soon after Christmas. Giving it great consideration, I decided what I would like would be to a) support a local business b) try something new and c) find something that encourages me to get away from the screen and into the fresh air. Naturally, there was only one conclusion that I could draw from this criterion. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, I asked for a skateboard.

As it happens, my husband used to work with a chap who now has a business doing screen printed skateboards in Aberdeen – Doric Skateboards. Within days of suggesting a new deck to celebrate my birthday, my baby arrived. I have been assured that it is the ideal deck for a beginner, something that I most certainly am.

I will not silver-coat it – I am wobblier than a jelly on a rollercoaster. My core really needs some work. Any time I try and stand up every fibre of my body just wants to lean over to the side. This has resulted in more than a few very ungraceful dismounts and mucky knees. I also need to work on my co-ordination. I am yet to master the skill of pushing off and simultaneously looking where I am actually going. So, yes, I have crashed a few times as well. Thankfully, all of these topples and bumps have never happened at any great speed. My current pace is that of a tortoise – Slow as shell, but I will get there in the end.

So, if you see someone attempting to look slick and elegant on a skateboard like that of Shakira, but failing to do so, say “Hi”. It is most probably going to be me.

Stay safe out there everybody, Lady V Xx

A column on village life from Victoria Kennedy

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FOOT CARE IN YOUR HOME All relevant C-19 precautions taken

Opportunity to train with the best Deadline for Trust applications is April 30th

The MacRobert Trust Horticultural Training Scheme will recommence in September 2021, Covid-permitting.

Trainees are paid the National Minimum Wage and provided with accommodation.

Placements run for one year with a second year available to trainees who would benefit from this progression.

A programme of full-time, hands-on practical training is undertaken whilst trainees assist our professional gardens team in the maintenance and development of the Trust’s extensive ornamental and productive horticultural training gardens. Trainees are based primarily at their flagship Douneside House Garden, which is an RHS Partner Garden and an RHS Qualifications Approved Centre.

Trainees range from recently qualified horticultural college students to new entrants and career changers. The training scheme is designed to develop and progress practical horticultural skills and enhance professional career options.

The MacRobert Trust Horticultural Training Scheme is highly successful. Since 2010, each and every MacRobert trainee has either secured full-time employment, many within prestigious gardens across the UK, or has been accepted on to further training placements such as the HBGTP and Horticulture Level 3 with the RHS. Recruitment for four traineeships will close on April 30th so if you want to join a growing alumni of trainees who are working as professional gardeners in prestigious gardens across the country, You can find the application form, and further information on the MacRobert Trust website and Horticultural Training Scheme Facebook page.

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Councillors'

These are your Ward 15 councillors

Contacts

Cllr Peter Argyle

01339 882973 07801 900843 cllr.p.argyle@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Cllr Geva Blackett

01339 741541 07876 475269 cllr.g.blackett@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Deeside Creations Local Artisans Gift Shop I have been busy contacting new artisans to supply plenty of interesting and beautiful crafts Please support small local businesses I look forward to your custom

Also Agents for Alford Dry Cleaners + Stockists of Fusion Paint Hopefully re-opening soon... e: Deesidecreations@outlook.com

Cllr Paul Gibb 07388 956148 cllr.p.gibb@ aberdeenshire.gov.uk

This is your MP and MSP

Westminster

Andrew Bowie MP 0207 219 2791 andrew.bowie.mp @parliament.uk

Scottish Parliament Alexander Burnett MSP 0131 348 5642 Alexander.Burnett.msp @parliament.scot

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SSE

Snow daze We sure had our fair share of weather this winter!

On top of another lockdown, life was challenging for all for several days and weeks.

Huge thanks to all keyworkers and everyone who kept essential services running throughout.

Pic: Aberdeenshire Council

Aboyne Photographics BBC

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Providing full furniture solutions to create the perfect space in your home

Kitchens

Our showroom may be temporarily closed until restrictions are eased but we continue to work with our clients remotely to develop their 2021 kitchen designs and are planning ahead for manufacturing and installing when it is safe to do so. To arrange an online design consultation, you can contact us on the details shown below.

Cookware

To complement your kitchen, our premium selection of cookware and kitchen tools from exclusive brands such as Emile Henry, Scanpan and Dreamfarm are available through a click and collect service. Contact us for more information.

Station Square, Aboyne, AB34 5HX

sales@ellingtonmennie.co.uk

Remote Consultation

07788 316144

ellingtonmennie

www.ellingtonmennie.co.uk

Index of Advertisers to help you find who...

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The Commercial THE SQUARE . TARLAND ....................................................

Welcome Back!

COVID

SAFE We Are Open Every Day for Full Takeaway Menu Collection or Delivered 4pm til 8pm Three-Course Sunday Roast Package £30 for 2 (new menu every week)

Call 013398 81922 See Facebook or www.thecommercial-hotel.co.uk

for menu and online ordering

013398 81922 www.thecommercial-hotel.co.uk