Ross-shire distillery revamp on cards as plans lodged
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A MAJOR transformation of a popular Ross distillery's visitor centre is being planned as part of a multi-million pound investment by one of the biggest players in the industry.
The proposals were yesterday hailed "a very important development" for the county, offering a glimmer of economic hope at a time when it is reeling from the uncertainties thrown up the coronavirus pandemic.
Diageo plans to dramatically transform its Glen Ord Distillery visitor centre, a tourist magnet that welcomes upwards of 35,000 visitors a year, some prepared to shell out £100 apiece for specialist "grain to glass" tours and many others lured by its location on the world-famous North Coast 500 route.
Glen Ord sources barley from local farmers, welcomes visitors around the year and services a massive export market in Asia.
While the Muir of Ord distillery is currently closed to visitors in line with government advice, it enjoys rave reviews from around the world on influential sites like TripAdvisor.
The whisky giant, which employs around 4000 people nationwide and runs 28 malt whisky distilleries, has outlined £185 million investment plans across its estate.
The Glen Ord proposal is to more than double the existing 66 sq.m retail area and create a new 222 sq. m bar to form a centrepiece of the new-look centre, which will also be given a revamped entrance.
Other new facilities would include a "story room" and two tasting rooms.
Respected Highland economic consultant Tony Mackay said: "This would be a very important development for the Muir of Ord economy, which is not doing well at the present time. Tourism has boomed in the Highlands recently, as shown by the success of the North Coast 500 project. The Glen Ord expansion would increase the number of visitors and also encourage them to spend more time and money in the local area.
"The tourism industry is doing very badly at present because of the coronavirus pandemic but by the time the Glen Ord distillery expansion is completed I expect it to have returned to a high rate of growth. Whisky distilleries are now a very important part of the tourism product in the Highlands, so Diageo’s plans are very welcome from the economic point of view."
He said it would also generate construction work.
More in this week's North Star
