Perthshire businesses have been short-listed for the Scottish Countryside Alliance Awards 2012, which takes place on the evening of 8th February 2012 in the Scottish Parliament, and MSP Murdo Fraser has welcomed the strong showing by Perthshire rural businesses to reach the finals. There are four categories: Best Local Food; Best Village Shop/Post Office; Best Butcher; and Best Rural Enterprise. In Perthshire, Cairn O’Mohr Fruit Wines in Errol has been nominated in the Best Local Food category. Kirkmichael Village Shop has been nominated in the Best Village Shop/Post Office category. Murdo Fraser, who is hosting the Scottish Countryside Alliance Awards in the Scottish Parliament, said: “I congratulate the Cairn O’Mohr Fruit Wines in Errol and Kirkmichael Village Shop for being short-listed for the Scottish Countryside Alliance Awards. It is an honour to host the event in the Scottish Parliament and able to meet rural business people from all over Scotland. “Perthshire is already a winner due to the high calibre of nominees from our area. The success of these businesses to be short-listed in these national awards shows that Perthshire has real quality and class. This is a great opportunity to showcase to the rest of Scotland and the United Kingdom the best that our local area has to offer. “It is excellent that the Scottish Countryside Alliance is celebrating the quality of local and independent rural retailers. I believe that rural retailers are ambassadors for using local produce as well as serving and representing their communities. Some rural retailers are central to their small community and it is great to see Perthshire businesses being short-listed for the Finals.”