Plockton business’ expansion plan aims to ‘safeguard’ future after lodging application with Highland Council
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A long-established Plockton business hopes a planned expansion and creation of a café will help safeguard its future amid the "challenging" retail conditions of recent years.
If approved the application would see The Studio gift shop and art gallery, which sits on Innes Street near the junction with Harbour Street, extend into the neighbouring 19th century semi-detached house next door.
It would also alter and partially change the use of building to provide additional retail and café space.
The Studio and the neighbouring property form two semi-detached properties. The proposal would see the existing business expand into the ground floor of the residential property – with an alteration to a rear window to form a new separate entrance enabling the upstairs to continue to be used for residential use. The application would also result in alterations to internal partitions on the ground and first floors, as well as the creation of a new accessible toilet, and the installation of new kitchens on the ground and first floor – the latter of which would be for use by the separate upstairs residence.
Once complete the retail space would occupy most of the ground floor of both properties, with the café contained within that space providing "coffee and cakes, and light meals".
Three new jobs could be created as a result.
Applicants K Davies and S Bruce. explained that the shop dates back to "at least the 1970s and has been run by the Davies family since the property came into their ownership in 1986".
In a design statement they submitted with the application, they said: "The Studio has operated for 40+ years in the centre of Plockton as a craft shop and art gallery.
"Remaining profitable through retail alone has proved challenging over the last few years and so to continue we need to improve and grow our business offer.
"We proposed extending the space on the ground floor to add a café alongside the existing retail operation. We believe that the combination of art gallery/shop/café will appeal to both visitors and locals alike.
"There is a clear need for a good coffee shop in the village. Shop customers routinely ask where they can get good coffee and although Plockton is well served with hotels, and takeaways (during the summer season) there isn't a simple café where customers can sit down, drink coffee and relax.
"There is nowhere in the village that serves breakfast/brunch, or sells food between lunch and dinner service in the village and there are countless existing visitors who seek this out and leave disappointed. We intend to cater for this market, as well as for locals, throughout the year.
"Our business is also driven by the desire to create an attractive and welcoming social space where local people can meet all year round, building community and improving general well-being for those of us who live here.
"Our business model will work by benefitting from the large number of tourists that visit the village in the main summer season. The cafe will greatly enhance the food and beverage offer to tourists and improve the visitor experience to our village.
"I have run the shop for twenty years and intend to form a partnership with another local person to help achieve this expansion. We would expect to employ around two to three extra staff for most of the year and buy our café supplies locally where possible. We are committed to living and working in the village of Plockton having both grown up and made our lives here."
If approved the owners envisage the creation of some outdoor seating "both at the front and rear of the building" in a similar fashion to that provided by other businesses in the area like The Plockton Inn and Harbour Fish Bar. At the front of the building, the seating would sit "between the back of pavement and the building", while to the rear, the existing garden has been terraced "and it is envisaged that a part of the lower terrace area will be designated for seating".
They added that the intention is for "most of the food preparation [for the café] will take place off-site and that the majority of food prep will be in the form of re-heating".
Proposed opening hours would be 8am to 6pm, seven days a week, with occasional hours for special events seeing the site remain open until 10pm (but not on Sundays).
