Community sports hub secures £400k support
The Inverness Caledonian Thistle Community Development is leading the £1.28m project, which will create five jobs and around 50 volunteering opportunities.
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A sister property to the city’s Kingsmills Hotel, Ness Walk has been developed from a Grade B Listed building on the banks of the River Ness. It is expected to create 65 full and part time equivalent posts and increase the company’s turnover by £2.4m, more than half of which will be from international sales.
The HIE funding will help with consultancy, marketing and training costs related to generating sales from international and rest of UK customers.
The staff training plan has been devised in conjunction with Skills Development Scotland (SDS) and is seen as crucial to the overall project. Its availability in the region is new and it is expected to help attract employees into the region for year-round employment.
Linsey Munro, business development account manager with HIE, said:
“Tourism is central to the Highlands and Islands economy and demand for high-end five-star accommodation and service has increased over the years. It is essential to attract this clientele to the region and this new hotel will play a key role in that.
“The training programme provides an excellent opportunity for staff in the industry and to ensure visitors receive the expected standard of service. We are very pleased to be able to provide support and look forward to monitoring progress.”
Tony Story, Ness Walk manager, said:
“I am grateful for the ongoing support we receive from Highlands and Islands Enterprise. Their team have consistently shown a solid understanding of the nature of our business and are supportive as we develop new opportunities in the city”
The Inverness Caledonian Thistle Community Development is leading the £1.28m project, which will create five jobs and around 50 volunteering opportunities.
The Mull and Iona Community Trust (MICT) is providing eight more storage containers to meet local demand.
HIE’s application is for permission to establish infrastructure, such as roads and utilities, to create serviced plots for sale to developers.
Bloom & Graze Ltd is developing half of the town’s railway station building to form its new premises.
Cairngorm Mountain (Scotland) Ltd has confirmed dates for essential annual maintenance on the funicular railway.
Over the next three years, the project is expected to generate nearly £1m in turnover and create 12 new jobs.
The work involves the redevelopment of the company’s existing marine hatchery facilities, including new tanks, controls, lighting, water circulation and energy efficiency measures.
New state of the art automated plant and machinery, including artificial intelligence (AI), is being installed.
Businesses in the tourism sector and its supply chain in the Highland Council area are being encouraged to secure a place on the Digital Tourism Support Programme.
The move will help facilitate the company’s further growth. Its corporate and compliance team of ten will relocate to Aurora House, with the company’s operational base remaining in Beauly.
The Isle of Luing Community Trust owns and operates the Atlantic Islands Centre and is leading the £87,320 improvement project.