£250k boost for new whisky distillery in Caithness
The HIE funding will help meet the costs of plant and equipment and help lever in significant private sector investment to the project.
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Destination management organisation (DMO), Venture North, is leading the project, which will create the equivalent of three full-time jobs. The group is currently in the final stages of recruiting people from local development trusts and tourism-related groups to help co-produce a Tourism Destination Recovery Strategy. This will act as a route map for the delivery of a sustainable recovery in Caithness and Sutherland.
Venture North was formed in 2013 by a core group of entrepreneurs from Caithness and Sutherland to support the sustainable development of tourism following a HIE- funded project.
HIE recognises the important role played by destination management organisations (DMOs), their extensive reach into local businesses and communities and their influence on a sustainable green tourism recovery alongside responsible visitor management.
The HIE funding is from £3m approved by the agency in September 2020 to support strategically important tourism DMOs over the next three years, as part of wider support for the tourism sector’s recovery.
Eann Sinclair, HIE’s area manager for Caithness and Sutherland, said:
“The importance of tourism to Caithness and Sutherland is widely understood and has provided a vital source of employment in all parts of our area. Unfortunately, tourism and hospitality have been amongst the hardest hit sectors in our economy over the past 15 months, and we see supporting the recovery of these sectors from Covid-19 as a crucial part of the wider economic recovery efforts in the north.”
“Since its inception in 2013, Venture North has worked both to promote and to manage tourism activities in the north, and we recognise its successes in developing events such as the Taste North Festival. However, our investment in Venture North as a destination management organisation will see a further significant increase in its capacity to support the industry and our communities as they begin the process of rebuilding tourism and hospitality. It will undoubtedly be a challenging task, but we look forward to working with Venture North, our partners and tourism businesses across Caithness and Sutherland over the next three years and beyond.”
Catherine Macleod, Chair of Venture North, said:
“Looking to the future recovery of Caithness and Sutherland from the last 18 months, we are excited to be leading this project for the area. The recruitment of the project team has started and we will be working across both counties, with our stakeholders, to develop a recovery plan.”
The HIE funding will help meet the costs of plant and equipment and help lever in significant private sector investment to the project.
As a result of HIE’s support, businesses in the area are set to see combined turnover rise by £22.4m, while international sales will grow by £661,000.
The new product has been developed by Dunoon-based former construction industry director Allister Wood
There was support for businesses and social enterprises to lower emissions and improve efficiencies within their operations.
As a result of HIE’s support, businesses in Moray are forecast to see combined turnover rise by more than £85m and international sales by almost £14m.
The project is expected to continue to attract innovative marine businesses, creating new well-paid job opportunities, particularly for young people, and encouraging entrepreneurship.
As a result of HIE support, businesses in the area will see total turnover rise by £14.5m and international sales by £1.9m.
Figures show HIE approved £1.5m investment across 18 Shetland projects in 2023-24
Figures compiled by HIE show that businesses and communities supported by the agency in 2023/24 are set to create or retain more than 1,200 jobs across the region.
Beinn an Tuirc Distillery is investigating the development of two new canned ready to drink (RTD) cocktail recipes.
£250k helped leverage a further £3.6m in national investment
A programme of remedial works to bring Scotland’s only funicular railway back into service at Cairngorm Mountain is entering a new phase during week beginning Monday 15 April.