Festive Newsletter 2019

Dear friend of Marrbury,

Twenty Nineteen!! How did that happen??

I kind of miss my seasonal newsletter - Many of you reading this, remember the old days of your mail order form arriving via Royal Mail by late November. Indeed Hana our Manager at our deli, still to this day, receives phone calls asking "Where is my letter from Ruby?"

Sadly, postage costs combined with privacy laws, mean we no longer send my letter out. Instead, we email you and hope you find us as you have been doing, year on year, since 1996!

I guess some of you, were not even born when we started out - Although, we may well have been around your parents to share their news!

Its been such a joy having our "Marrbury Family" - and even now, I look forward to still chatting with you, and catching up on your year.

I am still having "Ruby's fun phone in" day - This year I will be in my office on Sunday 1st December, between 1pm and 4pm, to take your calls. You can call me on 01671 840241.

Orders received on or before Saturday 7th December, will be entered into our annual prize draw. All you have to do, is get your order into us by that midnight on the 7th, and we will pull a winner at random on Sunday 8th.

Remember, you can place your order now but at checkout, choose from our delivery date options throughout December.

Our admin is intensive, and the earlier we get the paperwork completed, the more hands there are to help Vincent in the smokehouse with packing.

Hana can also take your orders, over the phone at our shop. You can call her most days between 10am and 3.45pm on 01671 820476. if she is busy with visitors, or on her day off, do leave a message and she will call you back at the first opportunity.

To this day, Vincent is still hand producing every single pack, without exception. His pride and passion never fails, and over twenty years on, he is still producing the world's finest smoked salmon. How fantastic is that!! In a world of mass production and factory foods.. we are hanging on to our traditions - long may we live healthy and well to continue :)

So what's been happening in the world of Marrbury in 2019.

Major changes to our facility at Carsluith Castle.

We decided this year, to "move with the times" and convert our bistro into an Eco Friendly Snack Shack and Art Gallery.

With people wanting more "snacks and coffees" - and the fact we are not getting any younger, we wanted to create a super facility which is sustainable for us for years to come.

We were awarded Five Stars by Visit Scotland and the deli, snack shack and gallery are really lovely.

I have been spending most of my working life now, very successfully in my artist' studio. I have taken a little bit of a back step from Marrbury and taken leaps and bounds into my art world.

Please do follow my Facebook Page of my Instagram - I dont want to steal "Marrbury's news" - so please, if you get time, find me either on my social media or on my website

It has been another year for us for meeting members of the Royal Family.

At the opening of the newly refurbished Bladnoch Distillery, Vincent had a great craic with Prince Charles about salmon, whilst I enjoyed a fabulous conversation about Cayman (my art world) with The Duchess of Rothesay, Camilla.

I also had the great honour of meeting with Sarah, Duchess of York, in Cayman, where i attended the Cayman Breast Cancer Foundation Gala. I donated art (which fetched a tidy sum!) in thanks to the island who do so much to support me, and in memory of my late best friend.

Feeling very fortunate indeed.

This year we have kept prices very steady - most are as they were for the past two years.

Delivery charges - Fedex are indeed now charging us £12 per delivery - There are therefore two pricings for delivery. If your order (per delivery) is over £25 - the price is cheaper for you at only £9.95.

We are not a big company, our buying power is minimal - but we do not freeze and send, we deliver fresh, from our home to yours.

An indirect signature is required at checkout so please do choose a date which works for you.

To change a delivery date may incur an admin fee.

WILD SALMON! Wild Salmon this year in the UK is extremely hard to find - Market price has hiked up, but we are still staying below others who have stocks of wild salmon (by a long chalk).

We have a stock of wild salmon this year - we have put on a bigger pack for you (whilst stocks last) (last few remaining) So order now, choose date at checkout, and your order is guaranteed!

DATES: As Christmas this year falls on a Wednesday the last date for delivery is Thursday the 19th december. All salmon delivered will have shelf life into the New Year - I am not risking Christmas Eve deliveries - and we do not have weekend collections.

Buying hand produced - means we cannot be a machine - dates at checkout are what we can do :)

And finally.. THANK YOU

Thank you for the last 23 years of Festive Fun - Its been a rollercoaster of a ride!

I really hope you will give me a call - you know I love to chat

On behalf of Vincent and I, as always,

Winter Well and Lang May yer Lum Reek!