Great to hear from @britishretail.bsky.social ‘s Dr Kris Hamer about the latest picture for Scottish and UK retail

Really fun morning this morning in Hamilton to join Primark in celebrating their 50th anniversary of opening in Scotland. I can't pretend watching store colleagues dancing to "Yes Sir I can Boogie" at 08:35 wasn't surreal; but great to see the investment into Scottish high streets:

Little Sorrel it turns out is a wee angel:

Just delighted to welcome this little ball of fluff to our home - Sorrel MacDonald-Russell; already sweetest and silliest of cockapoo puppies!

My entire timeline this morning is just trade experts channeling Benoit Blanc:

Rather delighted to see this make the front page of today's Metro (in Scotland)

Busy day of interviews today on the seemingly endless rise in retail crime, but the highlight has to be the @dailyrecord.co.uk.web.brid.gy splashing @britishretail.bsky.social ‘s data:

Back to proper work this morning as the SRC Board met @thomascarthur.bsky.social virtually to discuss festive trading, the Scottish Budget, regulation, and retail crime

Ooh - well, that's a nice early Christmas present:

Really good roundtable with Anas Sarwar and SRC Members earlier today talking about the Budget, policy, and economic growth - hosted wonderfully by Dobbies at Lasswade

Friday update - having a dog is still brilliant (taken last Saturday at Crail)

Probably the last chance to get up Allermuir today before we get proper winter - was absolutely stunning #cockapoo #edinburgh

Early start talking to Radio Scotland about just how severe retail crime has got and consequently why SRC and Usdaw are jointly calling on customers to be kind to shop workers in the run-up to Christmas:

Myrtle doing her bit earlier for #dogsatpollingstations for the Fairmilehead by-election:

Edinburgh last night in the gloaming was amazing (even if this was at 16:47)