Frank Yorke Jr told the Tele today, “I’ve no idea why these newspapers are printing this stuff. It’s bizarre. They seem to have it in for Sir Fred Goodwin, formerly of the Royal Bank of Scotland, and have dragged us into the matter because we have a contract to supply RBS offices — they say — and Sir Fred is a friend of my father.

“Actually, we supply products to a catering company that in turn supplies RBS.

“Both newspapers have been continually harassing us through phone-calls to our office, so that columns can be filled with negative, unconstructive articles.

“We have always replied to them with ‘no comment’ and will continue to do so.”

However, Mr Yorke did explain the background to the latest allegations to the Tele.

“On our old company brochures, printed in 1999 for the City of Discovery launch, the Q Guild and Certified Aberdeen Angus logo R197 are on the back page.

“Our company was indeed a member of the two associations at the time of print.

“But as our company has progressed we have become associated with more prestigious accreditations — i.e. CMI (two Gold awards and one silver) supplier approval to the largest catering company in the world, Scotch Butchers Club, Quality Meat Scotland, Scotland Food & Drink, and a full cutting plant approval awarded by the FSA, number 1725.

“We now purchase our Aberdeen Angus cattle live, direct from local farmers, with the Cattle Movement Society Passports detailing breed, age, farm movements making the Aberdeen Angus Membership R197 unnecessary.

“Yorkes have always been very positive towards the city, its citizens and local farmers, contributing to the local economy of Scotland.

“Such weird and inaccurate stories in these two newspapers are less than helpful.”