ROYAL Approval For Kip Marina Boat Show
THE Princess Royal is to open Scotland’s Boat Show at Inverkip.
She will launch the event — the largest boat show in Scotland and the biggest brokerage show in the UK — at Kip Marina on Friday 14 October.
Kip Marina managing director Gavin McDonagh said: “We are delighted. All the staff are very proud that the Princess Royal considers us worthy of a visit. We have developed the boat show inhouse and every single person employed by Kip works very hard to put on a quality event.”
The princess’s visit was revealed on a section of the Royal Family’s website which lists future engagements although no further details have been released.
Meanwhile boat show organisers say its popular food and drink pavilion promises to be the best yet after a partnership agreement with West College Scotland which means young hospitality students will have the chance to work alongside TV celebrity chef Nick Nairn.
The pavilion will be filled with unique Scottish food producers selling and demonstrating their wares in an indoor ‘street market’ style setting, plus a live kitchen and stage area where visitors can enjoy cooking displays each day from Nick Nairn, assisted by young chefs who are studying at West College Scotland’s three campuses.
Nick, pictured, who is currently filming another series of Big Food Trip with Paul Rankin said: “I’m thrilled to be at Scotland’s Boat Show this year. I absolutely love boats; I even started my career in the Merchant Navy, and did my first TV series Wild Harvest sailing around the Scottish coast visiting Kip Marina during filming.
“I’m also really looking forward to working with the young hospitality students of West College Scotland and together we will be demonstrating some great dishes using some of our country’s finest produce.I’ve had to cook many a meal at sea, though I think I’ll be on terra firma for these demos so come and visit us – it should be a fun weekend.”
West College Scotland’s head of sector for hospitality, tourism and languages Jim McAllister said: “We are delighted to be working once again with the team at Kip Marina at such a prestigious event for the industry. This will be a great occasion for our students to gain valuable experience of working at such a busy show which they will relish. The added opportunity for our students to assist Nick Nairn at the live kitchen and stage is unprecedented and it will be fantastic for them to see him in action.”
Kevin Blamire of Scotland’s Boat Show said: “The food and drink pavilion was hugely popular last year so we are delighted to join forces with West College Scotland’s Hospitality, Tourism and Languages Sector which, as well as giving young chef students the chance to work with the legendary Nick Nairn, will also offer event management students the chance to get fully involved with a local national event in Inverclyde.”
Paul Bush, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “As the largest event of its kind to take place in Scotland, Scotland’s Boat Show is an immensely important event for the community of Inverclyde and we are delighted to support it through EventScotland’s National Programme in 2016.
“The inclusion of cooking displays by Nick Nairn will add another exciting element to this year’s event programme and I’m sure that the students who have the chance to work alongside him will take much out of their experience.”
Scotland’s Boat Show 2016 takes place at Kip Marina from 14 to 16 October. Admission is free with a car parking fee of £5.
