Arthur J A Bell CBE (Hon)FIDM FRSA

A Brechiner, Bell developed his lifelong interest with food from his doctor mother. Aged 12 he won a national children’s cookery contest, and he wanted either to be a chef or an MP. Neither ambition was achieved although he established the mail order club “Scottish Gourmet” in 1977. He also played a highly active political role for over thirty-five years. Thrice he stood as a Parliamentary candidate, and for a decade he was Chairman of the Scottish Tory Reform Group.

Bell has held many different public appointments, and now, as well as chairing the Food Trust Scotland, he chairs Biggar Civic Society, and the Scottish Wheelchair Curling Club. In 1973 with his wife Susan he set up his business Scotland Direct Ltd in the then crumbling mill village of New Lanark. There, Robert Owen had introduced social and educational reforms that would change the world. Bell has played a part in the revivification of the now UNESCO World Heritage Site of New Lanark, where he chairs the Conservation Trust.

Arthur Bell’s direct marketing career involved him in an actively in the establishment of both the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), and the Institute of Direct Marketing (IDM). The Institute made him an Honorary Life Fellow in 1997. Over the years the Bell’s companies won 12 British Direct Marketing “Gold” Awards (including top copywriter twice for Arthur), FEDMA European Awards, and the supreme award “The Gold Echo” of the US DMA. He has lectured on direct marketing around the world, and in 1999 he chaired the European Direct Marketing Forum.

He established the above named businesses, as well as The Thimble Guild, The Great British Beer Club, The Coffee Connoisseur, and The Whisky Connoisseur. In the 1980’s Guinness PLC sued him for using his name and signature “Arthur J A Bell” on a bottle of whisky (called “Scottish Gourmet”). “A man has an inalienable right to trade under his own name” was the judgement in Scotland’s Court of Session.

Bell’s other activities included advising Government on entrepreneurship as Editor of “Small Business News” and a Director of The Small Business Bureau. It is the skills of the unsung heroes of Scotland’s independent food producers that he likes to champion. He is still a (non exec.) Director of his daughter’s Caledonian Connoisseur, a natural food Internet business (caleyco.com).