£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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The £576,000 project, by Machrihanish Holiday Park, will improve the park’s accommodation and facilities, increasing the number of holiday homes available to rent and buy.
A sports court will be created, along with a new reception building. Accessibility improvements are being made, and ramps installed for toilet and shower facilities.
The project will enable the company to grow by increasing the number of the park’s holiday home pitches from 25 to 57 over the next three years, complementing its existing 40 touring pitches.
The improvements have helped safeguard the existing 3.5 full time equivalent (FTE) jobs at the park and have created a further four FTE posts. Recruitment for another three FTE roles is also planned for 2022.
Machrihanish Holiday Park forms part of the re-emerging holiday resort village of Machrihanish. The current owners have been investing in the park continuously since 2011, transforming it from a two star to a four-star park.
The business has benefited from growth in demand for self-catering staycations. With this growth set to continue, the park is expected to benefit further from the staycation market.
Morag Goodfellow, HIE’s area manager for Argyll and the Islands, said:
“Tourism has had a very difficult time but is also key to our region’s recovery. The resilience and commitment shown by businesses in the sector has been amazing. Many continue to adapt, innovate and provide memorable and enjoyable experiences for visitors.
“Machrihanish Holiday Park is a great example. With Argyll in an ideal position to benefit from the rise in staycations, from people across Scotland and the UK, they have taken the initiative to capitalise on this market growth.
“This very welcome project will enhance the wider visitor offering, help attract more visitors and encourage longer stays in the area. As well as supporting valuable jobs in a rural area, the expected increase in visitors is also likely to benefit other local businesses.
“We are very pleased to be able to provide support and look forward to continuing to work with the business as they implement the plans.”
Ian Aitkin of Machrihanish Holiday Park said:
“There has been strong demand for self-catering, touring and camping holidays in Scotland since lockdown has ended, Kintyre has a lot to offer tourists looking for wide open spaces, miles of beaches, world-class golf and famous distilleries. Our improvement project, with help from HIE, will enable us to expand and improve the park, providing visitors with five-star facilities.”
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.
Six talented young people working at HIE over the past two years have secured permanent positions, bringing fresh perspectives and valuable skills to HIE’s economic and community development efforts.
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