Visitor centre in Aviemore transformed into vibrant hub

The Glenmore Visitor Centre was taken over by community group, Aviemore and Glenmore Community Trust (AGCT) from Forestry and Land Scotland in November 2024.

The trust secured £211,624 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for a project to develop the centre to create a shared space for visitors and community groups alongside upgrading meeting space and facilities.

Located in the Cairngorms National Park, it is estimated that the Glenmore area has more than a million visitors a year.

The current visitor offering will be expanded to bring to life the historic story of the Glenmore area and will incorporate a visitor information hub to promote other Glenmore, Cairngorm and wider Aviemore area activities.

The hub will make it easier for people to explore the area in an environmentally friendly way. There will be an exhibition area, bike storage, trail maps and real-time travel information. Other measures to enhance the building’s efficiency and green credentials include automatic doors and solar PV e-bike chargers.

In 2021, AGCT opened Aviemore Ice Rink located within the Macdonald Aviemore Resort, which operates year-round welcoming visitors from the local community as well as the resort and wider area. It has quickly become an important and much-loved community facility. This venture has been successful and now employs a team of eight.

Profits generated will be reinvested back into the visitor centre and other community initiatives, ensuring long-term benefits for the Aviemore and Glenmore Community. 

HIE’s funding will contribute to the costs associated with improving the heritage centre and ancillary public areas.

Brian Robson, account manager at HIE’s Inner Moray Firth team, said:

“The visitor centre plays a vital role in our local tourism economy. Community ownership ensures that it continues to promote responsible tourism and environmental stewardship while contributing to our community's long-term economic sustainability.

“This includes the creation of jobs, engagement of local trades and supply chains, and opportunities for the development of our young people. We are very pleased to support this project and we’re looking forward to working with AGCT as the project develops.”

Kirsty Bruce, development manager at AGCT, said:

“We’re so grateful to everyone who’s helped us breathe new life into the Glenmore Visitor Centre. With support from funders, local trades and volunteers like the amazing Aviemore Path Pirates, the centre is already looking more loved and cared for. The café has quickly become a space the community uses and enjoys.

“This first phase has given us a strong foundation to build on. The cycle hub is already proving popular, and we’re now focusing on developing the heritage and visitor information areas, including encouraging visitors to explore all of Badenoch and Strathspey. At the heart of it, we want Glenmore to feel like a shared space – where community groups feel welcome, and where locals and visitors can connect."