Ewen McLachlan

Ewen McLachlan has spent the last 40 years waltzing his way through the peaks and troughs of Scotland’s cultural and political landscapes.

Starting with a crawl at Mayfest… baby steps with the Year of Culture… tippy toes in the media world of script writing/editing…short film production… stomping about as a regular on-air, talking head for the national broadcaster… stepping backwards with writing about silent film history… soft shoe shuffling as a community cinema manager… and a stab-proof vest-wearing festival director.

A career hiatus, full-time across Europe in a Wohnmobile with his young family, was followed by a return as a dancing-on-the-head-of-a-pin linen-suited political advisor… a steel toe cap booted blogger… professional au naturel sunbather… and, more recently, body-popping about the North Highlands in community development.

Currently investigating the disassociation between two governments and endangered remote rural communities, where tackling multiple crises in depopulation, attainable housing, collapsing school rolls, a childcare void, creaking public transport, community benefits, energy and digital disconnect, has become something of an inconvenience for our policy-makers and purse holders.

His message to our Central Belter politicians is simple: “Do better: Scotland extends further south of Hamilton and north of Perth.”