The fortunes of a Highland community which for years depended on the aluminium smelting industry, were given a boost today (Monday, 17 December, 2001) when plans to establish Scotland's newest craft brewery were unveiled by a leading drinks industry expert.

Neill Cotton, director of Atlas Brewery Limited, announced his plans to open the brewery in the Highland village of Kinlochleven. When fully operational, the brewery will produce up to 36,000 pints of beer each week from an attractive Victorian building on the banks of the River Leven.

With the gradual closure of Kinlochleven's aluminium smelter, the building had fallen into disrepair. Last year Lochaber Enterprise along with Kinlochleven Land Development Trust (KLDT) undertook a £291,000 project with European funding to restore and clean the Grade B listed building.

The new brewery will create full-time work for up to ten people in an area where the economy was affected badly by the closure of the aluminium smelter. When brewing begins early next year, two initial beers will be launched in both cask-conditioned and bottled form. These will be a light modern British ale and a clear, spicy wheat beer. A third beer will be added to the range soon after.

Neill Cotton said: "We have called the brewery Atlas after the Titan who bore the world on his shoulders. The brewery will live up to his name in two respects. First, we take our responsibilities to the world environment very seriously. Secondly, we have a very international, global approach to beer styles, taking our inspirations from around the world.

"With the Scottish beer market continuing to grow, and with drinkers moving up to specialist and premium products, this is an exciting time for Atlas Brewery to be starting out and we are looking forward to tasting our first beers early in 2002."

Lochaber Enterprise, part of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise network, are investing £110,000 in the new brewery which will assist with the costs of the specialist brewing and bottling equipment, as well as marketing and other start-up costs.

Chief executive of Lochaber Enterprise Jackie Wright said: "Given the recent closure of the smelter, this is one of the most important businesses we have assisted recently. Neill Cotton comes with an excellent reputation in the drinks trade, having marketed some of the biggest brands in the industry.

"Neill could have chosen anywhere in Scotland to establish the brewery, so we are delighted that he decided to come to Kinlochleven."

Councillor and chairman of KLDT Drew McFarlane-Slack said: "We have seen around £4.5 million invested on a number of key infrastructural projects which lays the foundation for future prosperity in the area. The new brewery is a welcome boost which as well as creating well-paid jobs, also has the potential to act as a local visitor attraction. This will have important spin-off benefits for other tourism related businesses in the area."

The brewery will deliver its beers to pubs, restaurants and retailers across Scotland, as well as selling direct to the public through its website and the brewery itself.

Ends.

NOTE TO NEWSDESKS:

The Kinlochleven Land Development Trust (KLDT) is a multi-agency approach to regenerating Kinlochleven following the closure of the Aluminium Smelter in 2000. The trust have overseen a number of key infrastructural projects, laying the foundation for economic regeneration in the area. Priority projects identified by KLDT include an outdoor activities centre, heritage interpretation centre, footpaths and woodland regeneration, business development, improvement of services and integrated development of the former smelter site.