Carol Fraser is co-founder of No More Bottles, a Dubai company that supplies and services mains-fed water filtration systems, enabling hotels, offices and homes to drink tap water, reducing costs and plastic usage — by 375,000 bottles annually at one hotel.
Born in Scotland, she has been working in the drinking water industry since the late 1980s, including co-owning a water cooler company. During a Dubai holiday, she met a former colleague and began devising No More Bottles. Ms Fraser, 48, relocated to the UAE in 2017 with her husband Garry, a former property developer, who now works with her, their 11-year-old son and daughter, 16. They live in Damac Hills.
How did your upbringing shape your attitude towards money?
I was born in Hamilton (south-east of Glasgow), on a council estate, with one younger sister. My parents worked in a factory. We had food on the table, clothes on our back, got to do things we wanted to do, but if you wanted something in particular you had to save pocket money; about £2 (Dh9.5) a week. Money was never handed on a plate, hence when I left school I was encouraged to get a job. You strived to do something better and my priority for my kids now is to always do good for them.
My best investment was a plot of land in Scotland we bought in 2004. We split the big country house on it into two and built three houses around it.
How much did you earn in your first job?
I left school at 16, straight into my first job, which was office work on a Youth Training Scheme for £29.50 a week. Later on, a boss at the time started a company and introduced five gallon water dispensers to Scotland. I went from sales administrator to distribution manager, to branch manager. Then we got bought out and I became general manager for the Scottish division.
Are you a saver or a spender?
At the moment a spender; starting a business here is not cheap. We funded it from savings. We’re primarily a rental business so we’re having to buy equipment. It takes several years to get your investment back. So far we’ve got about 900 machines and it’s growing rapidly.
We’ve still got savings we live on just now. We’ve got stocks and shares and a property we rent out in the UK. We always had quite a large chunk in the bank we could get at if we needed, like if we wanted to buy land quickly.
Why did you launch a business in the UAE?
For my 40th birthday I came to Dubai, a birthday present from my husband. We loved it and started coming every few months for long weekends. During one of the first visits I met by chance my now business partner, who used to work for me in the UK. He had a job here with one of the biggest five gallon water companies. We were talking about the volume of water drunk in the region, the logistics. An average water cooler in a UK office uses 39 bottles per year. Here they were using 10-20 per week.
There were no high-end filtration companies in the UAE and we discussed opening a business. I made the move over in 2017 and No More Bottles started that June, mainly business to business, but exploring how could we make filtration possible in the home. Now that’s 50 per cent of our business. We saw an opportunity here and were in a position where we could come and start a new life. We said ‘if we don’t do it now, we never will’.
How much money can filtration save?
Commercial customers are on average saving 50-70 per cent of what they’d be paying using bottled water. An average family saves 50 per cent, if spending Dh50 per week on bottles. We’re speaking to a number of hotels in the region.
When I came here it was mainly a commercial venture, I didn’t realise the feel-good factor of getting involved in plastic-free UAE and the things we can do to make a difference. It’s a recessionproof business. It saves people money and helps the environment, so it’s win-win.
What’s your best investment?
A plot of land in Scotland we bought in 2004. We split the big country house on it into two and built three houses around it. We still have planning permission for another 10 houses, so if this goes wrong we can go back and start building again. But I believe we’re in the right place, at the right time with the right product with No More Bottles, and this will be our best investment.
Are you wise with money?
We’ve learnt to be as we went along. I’ve been lucky, my husband is good with money, has always been a saver, and that rubs off. We’ve never had separate money, anything we’ve earned always went into the pot.
When we bought our first house, by the time we’d paid our mortgage and bills we had £40 a week between the two of us. That took us out at the weekend, fed us, got us clothed, travel to work. We’ve been careful and never had credit card debt. We don’t get it if we can’t afford it.
During the 2008 property crash we lost a great deal, but we came back. You always keep enough to start again. My husband always has the plan B, whereas I’ll always go ‘I’ve got the vision, let’s go for it’.
There have been times when a house sale fell though, but it’s never been the end of the world.
What are you happiest spending on?
Holidays, rather than possessions, when you can spend time to relax with the kids. Bora Bora is on the hit list of places to go. Prior to Dubai, our favourite place was the Dominican Republic. We need to start going east a bit more, though.
I’m not very materialistic. My husband, on the other hand likes his cars and motorbikes.
Is there anything you regret spending on?
A 4 Series BMW bought in 2016 for £45,000. It had ‘run-flat’ tyres, so anytime one burst you had to order from Italy and wait three days for a new one costing a fortune. It had a nice body kit, until you hit a kerb, £1,000 every time to repair — I must have done that four or five times. I was glad to see the back if it. Now I’m driving a 10-year-old No More Bottles sign-written Land Rover. It’s practical.
What’s been your key financial milestone?
When we paid the mortgage off on the family home — five-bedrooms, detached on a nice estate, that we built ourselves — in our early thirties. In the UK we bought land, built houses, sold them on. Business was doing well.
Do you plan for the future?
We want to be retired by the time we’re 55. It was 50, but we’ve extended because of the business. We thought we’d come here, make some money and go back home, but we found we like living here. My husband wants to sail around the South Pacific and we’re looking at doing a joint venture in Africa. Everyone’s going to wake up tomorrow morning and need a drink of water.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
How to join and use Abu Dhabi’s public libraries
• There are six libraries in Abu Dhabi emirate run by the Department of Culture and Tourism, including one in Al Ain and Al Dhafra.
• Libraries are free to visit and visitors can consult books, use online resources and study there. Most are open from 8am to 8pm on weekdays, closed on Fridays and have variable hours on Saturdays, except for Qasr Al Watan which is open from 10am to 8pm every day.
• In order to borrow books, visitors must join the service by providing a passport photograph, Emirates ID and a refundable deposit of Dh400. Members can borrow five books for three weeks, all of which are renewable up to two times online.
• If users do not wish to pay the fee, they can still use the library’s electronic resources for free by simply registering on the website. Once registered, a username and password is provided, allowing remote access.
• For more information visit the library network's website.
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Getting there
The flights
Flydubai operates up to seven flights a week to Helsinki. Return fares to Helsinki from Dubai start from Dh1,545 in Economy and Dh7,560 in Business Class.
The stay
Golden Crown Igloos in Levi offer stays from Dh1,215 per person per night for a superior igloo; www.leviniglut.net
Panorama Hotel in Levi is conveniently located at the top of Levi fell, a short walk from the gondola. Stays start from Dh292 per night based on two people sharing; www. golevi.fi/en/accommodation/hotel-levi-panorama
Arctic Treehouse Hotel in Rovaniemi offers stays from Dh1,379 per night based on two people sharing; www.arctictreehousehotel.com
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
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Conflict, drought, famine
Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.
Band Aid
Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Company%20profile
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Tips to stay safe during hot weather
- Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
- Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
- Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
- Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
- Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
- Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
- Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Burnley 0
Man City 3
Raheem Sterling 35', 49'
Ferran Torres 65'
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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