An Evening with Ewen Allan

An Evening with Ewen Allan was the “prime time programme” for Kilrymont St Andrews Rotarians.
Chat host Isobel Clifford put the spotlight on club member Ewen has he recounted his life journey from grocery store apprentice to garden services company owner.
Born in Elgin, Ewen’s father worked in a Co-Op shop and Ewen was destined to join him in the trade, starting as a message boy aged 12 and leaving school at 14 to become a grocery shop apprentice and then bakery salesman.
He worked for several companies in sales and recounted tales of blazing coffee beans and mouldy cheese.
Ewen told how when he was 40 he became jobless for five years. Ewen and his wife Jane were now living in Craigrothie and they started running their home as a B&B. Ewen did an HND in accountancy and after 800 job applications eventually found employment with a furniture company. However after a spell with that firm he was again made redundant.
Ewen then decided to set up his own business which he has successfully built up and has operated as Tidy Gardens since 2000.
Isobel’s conversation with Ewen revealed his interests in horticulture, photography, the Salvation Army and antiques.
Ewen interest in antiques came from a mansion in Elgin where his mother was a housekeeper. As a boy, he was fascinated by articles in private home including a 2ft tall brass elephant with a tiger on top.
Ewen now has an extensive collection of china dinnerware and ornaments which he mostly acquires from antique shops. He said he loves quirky items and showed a recent purchase, a walking stick which also transforms into a billiards cue!
Ewen told of a devastating Christmas Eve fire at his home a few years ago which destroyed the whole roof and damaged two floors below and the saga of getting festive help from his insurance company. The insurers didn’t think the blaze was enough of an emergency such as burst pipes or a boiler breakdown!
Ewen joined Rotary in 2008 and found the club welcoming and he was able to continue to help people, as he had done with his Salvation Army work, and also help raise funds for charities, groups and worthy causes.
Fiona Roger proposed a vote of thanks to Ewen and Isobel for a delightful Zoom conversation.