DISTILLERY Reveal Vision For ‘Cathedral To Whisky’ At Inverkip
ARDGOWAN Distillery has unveiled new designs for its landmark distillery and visitor centre at Inverkip.
It’s now proposed that the facility at Ardgowan Estate, Inverkip, will feature a light-filled “modern Nordic long hall” using low environmental impact composite cladding, timber and steel materials.
The revised plans for the Bankfoot site have been submitted to Inverclyde Council for planning approval. They supersede a previous design that secured planning consent in 2018.
The building is designed to provide an ergonomic, energy efficient distillery and to maximise the visitor experience. It will incorporate a glass-walled ‘sky platform’ with views of the Clyde.
The company has already pledged the operation will be carbon negative and are working with specialist distillery engineers Briggs of Burton to ensure the building has the latest innovations in energy reduction, heat recovery and carbon capture.
Ardgowan Distillery confirmed in June that the Inverclyde project would go ahead after it attracted financing of £8.4million led by principal investor Roland Grain and additional support from Distil Plc.
Depending on the planning process, the company hopes the distillery will be operational in 2023.
Mr Grain said: “My passion for whisky began as a teenager in Austria when I began to collect Scotch whisky and my wish is for this project to create the highest possible quality whisky and a lasting connection to the community in Inverclyde.
“Central to this is our innovative building -– designed by leading Austrian architects Spitzbart and Partners. This very modern Nordic long hall is pointing skyward, symbolising resurrection and our rise from the ashes of the former Ardgowan Distillery, which burned down in the Greenock Blitz in May 1941, and also our ambition to become one of the top whiskies in the world.
“I hope it will stand out as a ‘cathedral to whisky’ and put this corner of Inverclyde firmly on the tourist map.
“Ardgowan Estate is less than an hour’s drive from Glasgow and in 2019 Greenock welcomed more than 100,000 cruise ship visitors, so I believe there is a great opportunity to draw people here with a first-class food, drink and retail experience.”
Ardgowan Estate owner Sir Ludovic Shaw Stewart said: “This is a truly iconic and visionary design, one that is commensurate with Ardgowan Distillery’s aspirations to create a landmark visitor destination in Inverclyde.”
Local MSP Stuart McMillan said: “I have been fully supportive of the proposal to establish the Ardgowan Distillery in Inverkip. This distillery will be a fantastic addition for Inverclyde and will become a major tourism attraction. I wish the project every success and look forward to seeing the distillery open for business.”
Distillery chief executive Martin McAdam said: “This project will be a major boost to the local economy -– both during construction and in operation. We estimate the distillery and visitor centre will create up to 47 new jobs within five years.
“Our goal is to build a world-class whisky distillery and visitor centre which will attract tourists and bring economic and social benefits to Inverclyde.”
