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Interest rate rises and the
inability of salaries to keep up with property prices
will I imagine, cause prices to cease to rise so
fast at the lower and middle end of the market.
As far as second home purchases are concerned I
think the market will remain strong as many professionals
are happy to take advantage of cheap flights to
and from the south.
AR: Many of our clients either take part in fields-ports
activities or own sporting properties. Scottish
Field has traditionally been seen as a champion
of field-sports in the Scottish countryside. Do
you still see the magazine in this position?
AM: I would like to think
that Scottish Field would always continue to give
full support to country pursuits. In its first issue
over 100 years ago the editorial read: `Our aim
is to produce a high-class monthly, got up in the
best and most modern style, and conducted on broad
and comprehensive lines, which will commend it to
the large and ever-growing section of the public
who love all manly sport and outdoor-life.’
Today the magazine is strong in its support for
the country way of life and many of our regular
advertisers who are country based depend on visitors
coming to enjoy country pursuits.
AR: You frequently include articles featuring stunning
photographs of Scottish wildlife. It is not always
easy for everyone to reconcile wildlife interests
with field-sports. Do you think Scottish Field can
help to show how these interests can be complementary
and indeed how nurturing one can often help the
other?
AM: I appreciate that it sometimes
can be difficult to reconcile wildlife interests
with field sports but in the natural world there
will always be predators and raptors. In our columns
we always endeavour to show how important it is
for country pursuits enthusiasts to work within
the law.
It can also be difficult for people without a country
background to understand why deer culling is necessary
at certain times. No one wants to see these majestic
creatures suffering and dying because of lack of
natural food.
Equally on the fishing front the catch and release
schemes, which are now in operation, show a concern
for fish stock numbers on our rivers.
AR: Two of your rival magazines published in the
South tend to adopt strong editorial positions on
countryside issues such as building in the countryside,
wind-farms and fox-hunting to the point of running
campaigns. Do you see Scottish Field as a campaigning
vehicle?
AM: I think that Scottish
Field is involved in an on-going campaign promoting
all that is best in Scotland. Again on the country
scene we gave continuing support to the Countryside
March sending a photographer to London to record
the scene. We have also written several very strong
articles which are pro foxhunting and we have also
tackled the wind farm question, which seems to be
very much to the fore at this time.
AR: Do you feel that with the Scottish Parliament
into its second term, and in view of difficulties
encountered it will in time gain some respect and
confidence from the electorate? Could the Scottish
Parliament and the Scottish Executive do more to
foster some of the cultural and sporting interests
of your readers? If so, could Scottish Field play
a part in encouraging the powers that be?
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AM:
I would like to think that the Parliament would
gain some respect and confidence from the electorate
in due course. In recent months it has been dominated
by the question of costs and of course the Fraser
inquiry – which will also add to the burden on the
taxpayer.
In April the Scottish Countryside Alliance held
a major conference in Perth `People. Places and
Prosperity: Rural Scotland’. This attracted public,
private and voluntary bodies and covered various
diverse issues including transport, tourism, jobs,
rural issues etc.
Last year the four major political parties were
all represented but sadly this year the Scottish
Government was notable by its absence.
In a recent editorial we did take them to task on
this issue. After all if the present administration
have a vision for Scotland’s future they should
certainly have been at this conference to demonstrate
some leadership and to hear the views of the many
and diverse organisations who made the effort to
attend.
AR: With the current
focus and interest in building restoration do you
think this is an area where Scottish Field could
contribute?
AM: An article or a series
of articles on restoration would be of interest
to readers and clients. Following the recent publication
of the Historic Scotland booklet `Buildings at Risk’
we hope to give regular space to this subject in
the coming months. Perhaps we might put on our campaigning
hat and select a specific building with support
from our readers and run some sort of campaign for
sponsorship to save it. It is certainly a popular
topic at the moment and much favoured on TV as deserving
of coverage.
AR: As editor you have to balance all these interests
and run a successful business. Do you ever run out
of material? Can you maintain an upward trend in
circulation figures?
AM: Shortage of material is
never a problem in the magazine world as there are
always lots of people wanting to write on many diverse
subjects. Circulation is vital to any publication
and I am happy to say that over the last number
of years we have shown a steady growth year on year.
However, to make sure that the growth is maintained
we always have to be vigilant and give our readers
the kind of editorial that they enjoy. From reader
surveys there is a particular interest in heritage,
natural history and art and antiques which form
a regular part of the content.
Scottish Field is a quality lifestyle magazine,
which seeks to entertain, inform and give its readers
a flavour of Scotland, not only of its rich past
but also of the modern vibrant country in which
we live today.
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