Television presenter Sean Batty has shared his love for an Aberdeenshire village as part of a drive inspiring Scots to choose local.
The popular STV weatherman says Ballater, in Royal Deeside, is one of his favourite places to visit.
And, as an ambassador for Scotland Loves Local, he has been filming – alongside his dog Harris – with some of the businesses he often enjoys calling into while in the area.
That video has been released as part of Scotland Loves Local Week, which is highlighting the critical difference that people choosing local can make in building stronger, more sustainable futures for communities, with activities taking place across the country until Sunday (September 3).
Sean said: “Ballater’s a place I fell in love with when I came filming a few years ago.
“There are great walks and beautiful scenery. And what I love about the shops is that they’re all run by local people – some unique and bespoke.
“Harris loves it here as well because it’s a very dog-friendly place. He’s allowed into lots of the shops – and there’s a cafe which even serves doggie pancakes.”
Sean’s video for Scotland Loves Local highlights how Scots enjoying staycations and day trips close to home is an important part of the village’s economy – underpinned by critical year-round support from local people, sustaining shops, services and jobs.
It is hoped that the stories told by the businesses he visited will inspire people not only to visit Ballater, but those in communities like it across the country.
Among those who explained the difference that choosing local makes was Julia Miller of Bridge House Cafe – where Harris enjoyed a bowl of his favourite chicken pancakes.
She said: “Ballater is a beautiful place with so much to offer.
“No big chain businesses can beat local produce. It’s nice that the local community can get together and buy from each other.”
Bridge House, which employs a team of 11, has been open alongside The Treehouse Gift Shop since 2018.
Across the road, Bryn and Marilyn Wayte have run Deeside Books & Gifts for 20 years.
They know the determination it takes to succeed in business, battling back from devastating floods which wiped out much of their stock, building back up to selling between 10,000 and 12,000 books in the shop, plus up to a further 6,000 online.
Many of them are books showcasing the local area, written by authors living locally.
“In many respects it’s local interest. Some of these things have gone to all parts of the world,” said Bryn.
“It’s so important to have local support. This was highlighted particularly after the pandemic. When we first started going out again, the local support was tremendous. It helped the whole village. Ballater is still a traditional Highland village with most of the businesses run by family concerns.”
At Sheridan’s The Butchers, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary, director John Sinclair told Sean: “Shopping locally is so important. We employ about 15 people. If people don’t shop locally, these jobs won’t be there. We have great support.”
Sean rounded off his visit at ice cream parlour Shorty’s. There, owner Cheryl Anderson explained how she set up her business after feeling an immediate connection with the village when her parents moved there for work.
“Locals keep us going, particularly through the winter. It’s definitely community spirited in the business world too,” she said. “In the quieter months, we would not survive without local support.
“When we opened there was nothing like it here, so I decided to open an ice cream parlour because I’ve always loved the idea of cold deserts. And it’s been a great success.”
While born out of that first coronavirus lockdown, Scotland Loves Local has evolved into a campaign for long-term behaviour change in communities, supporting ongoing financial fightback from the pandemic, the cost of living crisis and supporting local responses to the climate emergency.
Scotland Loves Local Week is shining a spotlight on much of that work.
