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Point of fact re: Union Terrace Gardens. The only plans existing prior were those of Peacock Visual Arts, costing £13.5m, with full planning permission and more than £9m secured. Wood had offered nothing to this, instead scuppering it with his own proposal - as opposed to an existing one.

Stay clear of the fantasy business models of football, like the bankers the wages are out of control. Scotland needs to concentrate on high technology and re-creating manufacturing and engineering excellence that generates true jobs and wealth.

Pity. This means that the well service sector is now once again dominated by mainly US companies. Wood has now gone back to his roots running a low value adding maintenance outfit.

#3

That's a bit harsh - they did operate as duty holder on the NNS assets during the transition from Shell to Taqa Bratani and performed more than competently in that role.

It's no secret that Wood Group want to end up operating platforms and facilities just like the upstart Petrofac - they're just going about it a different way.

#1

I for one am happy for Sir Ian to do his thing both in business and insofar as Aberdeen's civic square is concerned.

Just like Trump, he's defying the norm and investing heavily in Aberdeen with his own cash. If it weren't for the fact we were the poorest oil producing country in Europe - UK PLC might have seen some way to meeting, encouraging or even stumping up for some of that much needed investment; case in point being the 30 years-in-the-making western peripheral route - or "bloody bypass" we've all waited patiently for these many moons.

Instead - we get London Olympics, Glasgow Commonwealth games and other sundry "prestige" events.

My point being - Wood is spending the money here and so is Trump while all this time the city's been effectively neglected by consecutive UK governments who have chosen to ignore it in favour of white-city white elephants.

Afore anyone accuses me of knocking a fellow scots success, just how much tax is avoided on this paltry £200m? The mention of trust's i.e. the offshore variety vehicle that does just exactly what it says on the tin! 99.9% percent of the worlds wealth is owned by 0.1% of the worlds population! Just how much money will this family and others like it including the one I work for, lavish amongst themselves when the alleged trust laundering services are complete! There are other things I'd like to say but I fear Mr Moderators axe would fall. Simply the vast majority of their employees could only ever dream of such wealth even a lottery win would not scratch the surface!

#4 Gary, Wood has invested £0 thus far. He has scuppered a development that would have given Aberdeen a world-class arts centre. Destroying the PVA scheme means that Wood has cost Aberdeen the £9.5m they had secured. Add to this the money spent on the ignored public consultation and the Halliday Fraser Munro technical appraisal (that "misled" the public, apparently) and currently we're more than £10m worse off - and Wood is yet to spend a red cent of his own money. If this is what you call "investing heavily" then I would question your understanding of the situation.

Douglas,

Quite intrigued by the title you have chosen!

Does this hint that you and the lovely Isabel dance around the kitchen table of an evening to the most wonderful sounds of the estimable Woody Herman Band??

We should be told!

Or does it mean that the Wood man has taken his ball (Union St proposal) and run off with it - in the manner of 'it's ma ball'??.

Any which way, enjoy the Four Brothers!!