HE has a growing fan base across Scotland and has his face on stamps in Canada, but the Wee Ginger Dug will enter new celebrity territory on Monday afternoon when he and owner Paul Kavanagh perform the official opening ceremony of the new Yes Hub in Arbroath.

Whether Paul allows the Dug to chew through the ceremonial ribbon or just wields the scissors himself cannot be revealed, but the National columnist and blogger, and his canine pet, will be at the premises at 14 Brothock Bridge in Arbroath just after 2pm on Monday to officially open the country’s newest Yes Hub premises.

The opening precedes the National Roadshow at 7pm with editor Callum Baird and Paul Kavanagh carrying out the latest in an increasingly successful line of events in which readers, pro-independence campaigners and the plain curious have discovered what this newspaper is all about – and met the Wee Ginger Dug, of course.

Paul will speak about his latest thoughts on the campaign for independence while Callum will explain how The National works and why we have managed to keep going for more than three years – three years more than our Unionist competitors thought we would last.

Graham Smith is organising the Roadshow in Arbroath and is looking forward to the official opening of the Yes Hub.

He said: “We have been in business with the Yes Hub for a short while but never actually had an official opening, so we have asked Paul to do the honours, with help from the Wee Ginger Dug, of course.

“We have emphasised that the National Roadshow is an event open to anyone to attend, and we already know there are a number of people coming along.” Don’t tell Paul and Callum, but we all know they are going to see the Dug...