Work is expected to begin this year on the Kingsbarns distillery in Fife following an injection from the Scottish government which amounts to 30% of the total cost.

Over £670,000 from the Food Processing Marketing and Cooperation scheme has been granted for the new distillery.

This means the development will be able to begin building work this year.


The distillery appealed against the original award of £558,000.

Doug Clement, founding director and project manager, said: "We will be starting work in the spring and it will be some time in the summer of 2014 when the distilling begins and the visitor centre opens."

While a previous attempt at crowd funding had fallen short, it is thought the latest funding from the government is the result of backing from a single investor.

The Kingsbarns distillery is expected to be a major pull for tourists from the nearby golf resort of St Andrews, with as many as 80,000 visitors a year expected.

The development already has full planning consent from Fife Council.

(IT/GK)