Pitlochry, Scotland, Jan 6, 2026, 19:12 GMT
- Clark Contracts was appointed main contractor for a new 26,900-sq-ft Tesco store in Pitlochry for developer West Ranga Property Group
- West Ranga said it has four schemes under construction in 2025 and projects six more site starts in 2026
- Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Out in the Hills programme includes “Family Pride”, a talk featuring trans playwright Jo Clifford and journalist daughter Catriona Innes
Clark Contracts has been appointed main contractor to build a new Tesco supermarket in Pitlochry for Dundee-based developer West Ranga Property Group. The project includes a 26,900-square-foot (about 2,500-square-metre) store near the junction of Perth Road and Bridge Road, with internal fit-out. Clark Contracts director Michael Scanlan said the firm was “pleased” to be working on the site, while West Ranga managing director Jamie Parratt called it a “best-in-class retail development” and said the group had “four schemes currently under construction in 2025” and “a further six site starts projected for 2026”, largely using pre-let or pre-sold design-and-build projects, where an occupier is lined up early and one contractor handles design and construction. 1
The contract underlines Tesco’s continued spend on bricks-and-mortar stores as Britain’s biggest grocer defends share against rivals such as Sainsbury’s and discounters Aldi and Lidl. For builders, supermarket projects can offer longer runs of work than smaller refurbishments, but they also bring tighter deadlines and higher visibility in local communities.
Pitlochry will also host a set-piece conversation on trans family life later this month as part of a new programme at Pitlochry Festival Theatre. “Family Pride”, billed as a one-hour session on Jan. 18 at 4 p.m., pairs trans playwright Jo Clifford with her daughter, journalist Catriona Innes, with tickets starting at £16, according to the theatre’s website. 2
The event sits within Out in the Hills, a three-day LGBTQIA+ festival — shorthand for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and other identities — running Jan. 16-18. In a press release announcing the line-up, artistic director Alan Cumming called it his “first piece of new programming in 2026”, while programmer Lewis Hetherington said it felt “more important than ever” to celebrate difference; broadcaster Graham Norton said he was “delighted” to be making his debut at the theatre. 3
