IRN-BRU WANTS YOU IF YOU’VE EVER BEEN GHOSTED

HAVE you ever been ghosted because if you have, IRN-BRU wants to hear from you in time for Halloween…

Scotland’s dating scene is being haunted by the spread of ghosting with two thirds of Scots having experienced the phenomenon, according to new research by Scotland’s other national drink and  there's no better time than October to vanquish this horror.

 

To rid the nation's ghosts, theshowbizlion.com’s favourite fizz has summoned Dan Harry, star of BBC Three’s landmark gay dating show 'I KISSED A BOY', as their very own 'Ghost Bru-ster' to host the ultimate Bru-themed dating night - and for the first time ever, only those who have been on the receiving end of someone cutting off all contact with no explanation are invited.

 

The term 'ghosting' is relatively new in the dating world - and refers to a potential relationship ending when someone stops replying to messages without giving the other person any warning for doing so and disappears. 

 

Dan Harry said: "Heartache shouldn't haunt anyone's Halloween so I'm reaching out to spirited singles who have been ghosted to guide them to resurrect their love lives. Together with IRN-BRU we want to hear your ghost(ed) stories to get the chance to exorcise those dating demons and maybe even find a kindred spirit.

 

“I’ll be on hand to pair up potential matches, helping to banish any would-be ghosts this Halloween.”

 

A spooky study by IRN-BRU shows two thirds of the nation's Gen Zs reporting the supernatural experience while looking for love, with 16-percent being ghosted more than three times in the last year. Something which might also cause a fright is 58% owning up to ghosting someone, for reasons as ridiculous as getting the ick from long nails, noisy eating or overusing emojis.

 

The research found that while 59% of Gen Z are frequent users of dating apps, a whopping 94% voiced they’re eager to swap swiping for real life link-ups but 48% are spooked at the thought of asking someone on a date IRL, so IRN-BRU’s Ghost BRU-ster is here to take away the awkwardness and help give offline encounters a go. 

 

Bringing a BRU-nique twist to Halloween, IRN-BRU is teaming up with Glasgow’s El Perro Negro to host the ultimate halloween party for ghosted daters. The restaurant will be transformed into an enchanting dating night like no other, with tricks and treats, including an IRN-BRU inspired menu and cocktail selection.  IRN-BRU pulled pork sliders will be served up alongside veggie deep fried haggis with BRU sauce and Ghost BRU-ster Dan will also be on hand to play cupid in an enchanting venue which will be fizzing with eerie surprises.

 

Dan wants to hear the nation's spookiest 'ghosting' stories. Anyone who shares a tale of how their potential new boo suddenly left them on read could be lucky enough to receive an invitation for them and their pal to attend IRN-BRU's Ghost BRU-sters event on Halloween night.

Kenny Nicholson, Head of Brand at IRN-BRU said: “We know ghosting is a big red flag for young people and that finding that spellbinding match can feel a little like the graveyard shift. So this Halloween, our Ghost BRU-ster event is on hand to turn the hunt for that special someone from a chiller into a thriller.”

 

To share ghost(ed) stories, singletons should visit IRN-BRU’s Instagram or TikTok channels.

HEADLESS HORSEMAN SEEN AT INGLISTON ESTATE AND COUNTRY CLUB

A group of holidaymakers at a Scots country club couldn’t believe their eyes when they saw a ‘headless horseman’ during an evening walk.
Tommy Gillan and his friends were staying in the on-site RV Park at the luxury Ingliston estate and country club in Bishopton when they decided to go for an after dinner stroll.
They were in the middle of filming some of the surrounding countryside to show their family before they were stopped in their tracks by a figure on horseback.
And they had to do a double take when the mysterious figure began cantering then galloping towards them on a dark horse.
Tommy from Glasgow, who was still visibly shocked after the incident, said: “My pals and I decided to take an early weekend break in Ingliston and were just enjoying the outdoor scenery.
We couldn’t actually believe it when we heard hooves then saw what looked to be a headless figure on a horse. It kind of came out of nowhere.
We didn’t know if we’d had too much to drink. One of my pals, Sharon, was freaking out when she saw it and shouted out ‘it’s got nae heid’. I was just running in the other direction by that point.”
He added: “I’m really not sure what we saw - the body on the horse was dressed in a black outfit, with a cape and the horse seemed bigger than normal. We tried to film it but to be honest we were all a bit shaken.”
The group managed to get a video of the ‘headless horseman’ as it came towards them.
Staff at the venue, which hosts a Christmas party with telly star Mark Wright on December 2 refused to comment though one insider said: “Ingliston House was built in 1846 on the old Greenock Road and the area has a history of some spooky going ons. With October and Halloween celebrations coming including their Masquerade Ball on October 28 theres definitely something in the air.”

SCOTLAND GETS ITS TEETH INTO DRACULA LINKS

 SCOTLAND’S surprising links to Dracula and its famed author Bram Stoker are being celebrated by Visit Scotland on the iconic book’s 125^th anniversary. 

 

Scotland is said to have played a crucial role in the creation of the classic story with Stoker holidaying north of the border as he wrote it. Visitors and locals alike are being encouraged to indulge in some literary tourism – whereby people are inspired to visit the locations depicted in literature – and delve into the country’s connections to Dracula, following in Stoker’s footsteps.

 

Locations in Edinburgh, the Scottish Borders and Glasgow all have links to Stoker – but it is perhaps the striking cliff top castle in Aberdeenshire that is best known for its links to the story.

 

Slains Castle, near Cruden Bay, is believed to have inspired Dracula’s castle – specifically a unique octagon-shaped room described in the book, which Slains boasts. Stoker began writing Dracula – which was published in 1897 - while staying at the nearby Kilmarnock Arms Hotel, with his signatures from its guestbook in 1894 and 1895 surviving to this day. 

Now in ruins, the castle is best admired from nearby and should not be entered due to safety reasons.

 

The 125^th anniversary of Dracula is fittingly marked during Scotland’s Year of Stories which celebrates and promotes the wealth of stories inspired by, written, or created in Scotland.

The national tourism organisation has just co-hosted a special event with Blackwell’s bookshop in Edinburgh to mark the anniversary attended by Stoker’s great-grandnephew Dacre Stoker, who took part in a Q&A and book signing attended by fans of Dracula and horror literature.

 

Jenni Steele, VisitScotland Film and Creative Industries Manager, said: “This anniversary is a fantastic opportunity to highlight Scotland’s connections to this world-renowned book and character. 

 

“Dracula holds such a sense of intrigue and mystery, so it is not surprising that Bram Stoker’s writing is said to have been influenced by the country's magical landscapes and locations while on his travels. It was pleasure to co-host the special event in Edinburgh and have Dacre involved in sharing his passion and knowledge about Dracula in Scotland.

 

“2022 also marks Scotland’s Year of Stories – so this anniversary is a perfect fit to celebrate our links to this world-famous tale. And we hope that by shining a light on those ties, people will come and see the inspirational places that arguably helped created one of the most famous pieces of literature ever written.”

 

Dacre Stoker, great grandnephew of Bram Stoker, said: "It is a great privilege to part of this special anniversary, and even more so to be celebrating it in what is arguably the birthplace of Dracula; Scotland.

 

“The rich culture and heritage clearly left its impact on Bram; from the ruins of Slains Castle clearly inspiring the gothic setting of Dracula’s castle, to the vast landscape of Aberdeenshire’s coast to his links to Edinburgh and the Scottish Borders, including his friendships with writers such as Arthur Conan Doyle and other writers that make up the fabric of Scotland’s literary tradition.

 

“Scotland has inspired many writers and artists for centuries and its stories and landscapes hopefully will continue to inspire many more to come.” 

 

Aberdeenshire Council will host a civic reception at The Kilmarnock Arms Hotel in Cruden Bay tonight [Thursday 26 May] to unveil a new information panel detailing Bram Stoker’s ties to the area. 

 

Scotland has world-class literary links. Our landscapes, history and people have inspired writers for centuries, helping to bring to life enduring characters that capture the imagination. From Dracula to Outlander, Harry Potter to Sunset Song, Scotland has inspired some of the world’s best-loved literary creations.

 

Pre-Covid19 there were over three million visits to literary attractions across Scotland (2013-2019). Figures released by the Moffat Centre for Travel and Tourism Business Development at Glasgow Caledonian University detail visitor numbers to places with literature links including Abbotsford – The Home of Sir Walter Scott, Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, the Grassic Gibbon Centre, the Writers’ Museum, JM Barrie’s Birthplace, Scott Monument and Burns Monument Centre. 

 

And there are several Scottish locations with Dracula and vampire ties for visitors to discover:

• Renfield Street, Glasgow – It is believed Bram Stoker supported the staging of plays at the Theatre Royal in Glasgow and that the name of RM Renfield, the character featured in the novel, was taken from Glasgow's Renfield Street.
• Edinburgh - Before writing Dracula, Bram Stoker worked as a theatre manager, which saw him heavily involved in the opening night of the Royal Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh in 1883.
• Glamis Castle, Angus - There is said to be a ‘vampire child’ who was born in the castle and kept in a secret room. Another vampire legend tells of a woman who worked in the castle and was caught drinking blood from a body and was punished by being walled up alive in a secret room, where she remains to this day.

• Melrose Abbey, Scottish Borders – Reportedly, during the 12^th century an unpopular priest lived at the abbey. He was a rule-breaker and nicknamed Hunderprest because he preferred hunting with dogs rather than serving God. After he died and was buried on the grounds, it’s alleged Hunderprest rose from his tomb, wailing and drinking the blood of the nuns. One night, as the undead priest rose again, the other priests beheaded him, cremated him and scattered his ashes to the wind.
• Blair Atholl, Perthshire - A local tale describes how two poachers were attacked by a blood sucking creature while they slept in a bothy near Glen Tilt. The pair fought the creature off after which it flew away into the night or accounts claim it simply vanished.

Another interesting Dracula connection is through Emily Gerard, an author born in Jedburgh, Scottish Borders and lived in Airdrie, North Lanarkshire. She was the first person to bring the word "nosferatu" or "vampire" into use in western Europe. She studied and wrote about Transylvanian folklore having married an Austro-Hungarian chevalier, who was stationed in a small town there. Gerard’s collection of Transylvanian myths and legends are known to have influenced Stoker's Dracula. 

 

For more information about Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022 visit: https://www.visitscotland.com/about/themed-years/stories/ 

 

REVIEW: ITISON GLASGLOW 2020 WILL HAVE YOU FLYING

GLASGLOW returned to Glasgow’s Botanic Gardens and theshowbizlion.com was invited to try it out. 

We  jumped at the chance because let’s face it, it’s been a long time since we could go out and have some actual fun in a Covid safe environment. 

We took our mask and our own hand sanitiser in case buy they’ve got plenty of sanitiser dotted around the Botanics in case you need some. They ask you just to wear a mask in queues or loos but we kept ours on for the bits where we thought there would be more people. There are stewards all along the attraction asking people to socially distance so it seemed very safe. 

 The attraction this year is centres around superheroes and Itison founder Oli Norman wrote a narrative that sees you start off on a journey of self discovery. It’s a positive message for wee ones - and those who might need it in this time of anxiety. There’s a hero in every one of us. 

We were taken through different zones that were reminiscent of a Superman movie, the crystals, the fire, the lasers and the other worldly props. 

There were pumpkins galore in what might be one of Scotland's largest pumpkin patches and we loved the huge Close Encounters style UFO. 

The marshmallows and fire pit proved a hit and at £3 extra it wasn’t overpriced. 

There’s a good village too if you want to enjoy some tacos and burgers. 

By the end of the night we could feel the power and we loved posing for some superhero pics. In fact,  you could say we were flying. 

Tickets are officially sold out for those year but there are some floating about online - just make sure they are authentic :) 

For peace of mind: 

* A fully outdoor event with one-way system

* Reduced capacity and staggered arrival times

* Widened paths and removal of any pinch points

* Dedicated COVID safety officer

* Socially distanced queue management throughout

* Increased facilities, cleaning and hand sanitising stations along the route

CHAMPAGNE WIDOW TO RISE FROM DEAD DURING HAUNTED GLASGOW PARTY

VEUVE Clicquot is expected to rise from the dead tonight during an elaborate Scots Halloween party.
The Grande Dame of Champagne passed away 150 years ago and is planning to stir things up tonight at Hutchesons Bar & Brasserie, the award-winning venue in the heart of Glasgow’s Merchant City, for a spookily stylish night of mystery, indulgence and nocturnal fun.
Hutchesons Meet The Widow party this evening takes place in the lavish Grade A-listed landmark as it is transformed into a gloriously dark and twisted haunted mansion to mark the 150 years since the passing of Madame Clicquot.
The famed French businesswoman who took on her husbands wine business when she was widowed at 27, was a true visionary, developing crucial innovations that would shape the future of the Champagne industry.
The ticketed black tie Masquerade party at Hutchesons, set against the theme of ‘A Beautiful Darkness’, presents two alluring options for the evening; the Veuve Clicquot Champagne Dinner commencing 7pm, with season-inspired courses created by Rusk & Rusk Executive Head Chef, John Molloy, followed by the striking reveal at 8.30pm of the Veuve Clicquot Meet The Widow Halloween Party, hosted in The 158 Champagne & Oyster.
Gemma Leisegang, Moët Hennessy said, “Veuve Clicquot Meet The Widow Halloween Party at Hutchesons will be an unmissablecelebration of magical mystère; dark, indulgent and utterly enthralling. The most spellbinding Halloween party awaits.”
Rusk & Rusk co-owner, Louise Rusk added: “We have a real passion for throwing innovative and unique events here at Hutchesons, and Halloween is one of those occasions when we get to really open up our imaginations. We’ve built an incredibly strong relationship with Veuve Clicquot over the last twelve months, so getting to toast and raise a glass to the Grande Dame of Champagne herself is very exciting!”
Tickets available from meetthewidow.eventbrite.co.uk




- Posted with love from Scotland by theShowbizLion.com