AUTUMN 12
than expected. However, the company now has a modern, efficient factory (albeit one with traditional copper and steel open pans) and will be able to add shifts and expand production as necessary. It was a “challenging” period, Grant says, laughing ruefully. “But sitting here today we have a magnificent factory, and in years to come it will prove to have been a very wise decision. As long as the business continues to grow!” Grant is in the process of handing over control of the business to his son Martin, who has been working his way up through the company for eight years. Although the family has sold some equity to raise necessary funds, it still owns just over 80 % of the business and Mackays remains very much a Grant family concern. One of Martin’s sisters, Nicola, is business development manager for Mrs Bridges.
BUSINESS LUNCH
The handover is going well – a little too well, laughs Grant. “He’s picked it up very quickly, and is quite keen to get on and make it his own. Which I don’t have any problem with, but it just means I’m having to come to terms with it a bit quicker then I might have thought!” Whatever happens, Mackays will continue making its traditional marmalade and jams in the old-fashioned style, ensuring the taste stays as close to home-made as possible, Grant says. That taste has seen its success to date, and brought a recent, dramatic extension of Mackays listing with Tesco and Sainsbury’s across the UK. “Which is brilliant. All the work of creating the brand, building the factory with extra capacity has now come together. Martin will read this and claim he got the business, and its true – it was his initiative that led to this. But it’s a great conclusion to my era, I say!” n
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Hadrian’s Brasserie The Balmoral Hotel perches dramatically above Edinburgh’s Waverley Station, on the corner of Princes Street and North Bridge. Its 190-foot clock tower is one of the iconic sights of the city, and has been ever since the hotel – formerly the North British Hotel – was opened in 1902 to serve railway passengers. Now the Balmoral is a flagship of Rocco Forte’s grand hotels group, which has 13 individual grand hotels dotted across Europe. Hadrian’s is the Balmoral’s brasserie, looking out on North Bridge. The interior is gently Art Deco in style, full of dark wood with pale green furnishings, while the food shows off some of the finest modern Scottish cooking. The brasserie’s executive chef is well-known television cook, Jeff Bland, while the head chef is the acclaimed Simon Lannon. Paul chose some tuna carpaccio to start – beautiful slices of fish served with an ‘oriental salad’ and sesame and coriander dressing, while my home-cured whisky and honey salmon with fennel salad was the tenderest I’ve ever tasted. I do like my seafood, so I plumped for seared West coast scallops for a main – tender and sweet, they came with fresh peas cooked ‘a la francaise’ with lettuce, and little chunks of chorizo that added a deep meaty note. Meanwhile Paul tucked into a chunky chargrilled Blairgowrie rib-eye steak, medium-rare, with Bearnaise sauce and chips – and joked that he’d be in trouble when this feature comes out, for eating so unhealthily. We skipped dessert, though that was more because we were too full than from any health reasons. Instead, we finished with coffees and some petit fours – and then headed off into the sunshine, agreeing that we both want to return. Hadrian’s Brasserie, The Balmoral, 1 Princes Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2EQ. For reservations call 0131 557 5000
BUSINESS QUARTER |AUTUMN 12