“Less formal” Scottish trade dinner proves success

A new, less formal Scottish timber trade dinner has been voted a great success.

This year’s Scottish Timber Trade Association (STTA) dinner at Edinburgh’s Balmoral Hotel was attended by supporters of the Scottish Timber Products Forum and STTA members and adopted a less formal approach including inviting all Scottish timber traders to attend, dispensing with a top table and reducing speeches to one.

“This decision certainly paid off; with guests saying that they had thoroughly enjoyed the evening and that it had been the best Scottish dinner for years,” said STTA secretary David Sulman.

“The new style was just right, we all know how challenging the market is at present, so we don’t need any lectures on it, or other matters that we can do nothing about,” said one guest.

During the dinner, Scottish timber traders were encouraged to work together for the common good of the trade.

Bruce Muirhead, speaking on behalf of the Scottish Timber Products Forum, told dinner guests that the Scottish timber trade was “all about people”, and the opportunity to get together at social, educational or networking events, was very important and worthwhile.

The guest speaker was Robbie Glen, a former Scottish prison governor.