Founders of a Highland distillery are calling for more affordable housing on the island as they lodge plans to help provide staff with stable accommodation.
Isle of Raasay Distillery is striving to secure additional housing on the tiny Hebridean island in an effort to sustain island workers.
It’s understood around 20% of of staff at the Hebridean distillery reside in long term accommodation, whilst the remaining 80% are currently renting.
Co-founder Alisdair Day is now calling on the local government to rectify the problem and construct additional affordable properties.
His pleas come just weeks before they prepare to take on additional staff ahead of bottling their first legal single malt whisky.
Mr Day said: “One of the issues with Raasay is just the lack of housing.
“There are plans for affordable housing on Raasay, around five houses, but if there was 10 or 15 affordable houses that would be much more helpful.
“For us the main thing is about trying to encourage more affordable housing. That would be excellent for everybody.”
Embracing online consumers
Production at the island distillery was ground to a halt this time last year due to the Covid-19 restrictions.
Officials went online amidst the pandemic to generate sales, as well as providing virtual tasting to prospective customers.
He added: “It’s obviously been a strange year for everyone. At the end of March last year we stopped production, closed the accommodation, stopped all tours and closed the shop.
“We really did what everyone else did and focused on online.
“We are fortunate to have a website with online sales and we have developed a virtual tasting online. We would send samples out to people and then get everyone together on Zoom and conduct a tasting.
“That’s been really helpful. That’s worked well.”
Production at the Isle of Raasay business is now set to recommence in May as they begin bottling their first single malt whisky.
The distillery’s inaugural release in September sold out via pre-orders, with 7,500 bottles snapped up by consumers and trade partners.
Distillery bosses are also preparing to take on several new members of staff to commence the decanting process and meet demand.
Planning application for staff accommodation
In an attempt to provide a viable solution to the housing crisis, distillery owners have now lodged plans with the Highland Council to erect temporary accommodation.
The application for full planning approval proposes to site several caravans for staff members, just a stone’s throw away from the distillery’s warehouses.
Officials propose the accommodations to be in place for a period of five years.
Mr Day said providing additional housing for employees is important in providing them “peace of mind.”
He added: “The main thing for us is we are just about to start bottling. We have expanded our warehouse and put bottling in.
“We will need more staff for bottling and we are hopeful that we can reopen the middle of May for the accommodation and tours when allowed and the shop.
“I think its peace of mind that you can employ the numbers of staff that you need and that they have got somewhere to stay. That’s very important.”