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Scapa Distillery gets green light from licensing board as owners look ahead to opening ‘The Noust’ tasting room

Scapa Distillery licensing
The owners of Scapa Distillery say new areas at the visitor centre will be ready early next year. Image: Andrew Stewart/DCT Media

Orkney’s Scapa Distillery has been given the go-ahead to serve more alcohol on-premises at the visitor centre from the Orkney area licensing board, as a new tasting room and terrace take shape.

An application from the distillery owners, Chivas Brothers Ltd, was considered by the Orkney Area Licensing Board.

They asked to increase the number of people who could be served at the visitor centre, from 21 to 36.

Board members seemed happy with the proposals, as they went through unopposed.

The company’s application came as work is underway for a new tasting room and terrace at the distillery, which overlooks Scapa Beach and the historic Scapa Flow.

The licensing board members were told the new areas, which will be separate from Scapa Distillery’s main building, will be ready to welcome visitors from early next year.

Representing Chivas Brothers Ltd’s interest during the board meeting Eilidh McGuire, from Hill Brown Licensing.

She said the new building, featuring the tasting room and terrace, will be called ‘The Noust.’

The intention is to use it for pre-booked, private tastings, with a maximum capacity of 15 people.

There would be no bar in the tasting room, and it would be purely for tastings.

Scapa Distillery’s new tasting rooms and terrace to open early next year, licensing board told

With the terrace, there will be the potential to hold tastings outside. However, given the exposure to the weather, the owners aren’t expecting this to happen too often.

She also told the board  it would not be “a family attraction” and would have no intention for that to change.

There were no objections attached to the application.

There were no comments or questions from the board members on the application itself.

However, area councillor Leslie Manson did take the opportunity to bring up a road safety issue related to the distillery.

He said: “I represent the ward in which Scapa Distillery stands.

“We have had some concerns about the road out to Scapa and we’ll be actively exploring – with the proprietors of the distillery – whether or not there’s a means of investment to improve the safety.

“Quite a number of cruise liner passengers take the opportunity to walk out to experience your excellent whisky.”

However, it was noted that the board meeting wasn’t the forum to address this.

As such, no response was given by the applicant.

Site plans for a tasting room and terrace at Scapa Distillery, St Ola, Orkney. Image: Orkney Islands Licensing board document.

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