And finally…world’s first community-owned distillery opens for business

In what is being called a world first, a community-owned craft whisky distillery has opened in Scotland following a crowdfunding campaign.

GlenWyvis Distillery has been constructed on a hillside near Dingwall in the Highlands through a community benefit company set up to raise funds.

The company has more than 3,000 members who will have a stake in the distillery which will make the first whisky in the local area for nearly a century.

Gin is also to be produced at the site, which gets its power from a renewable energy project, from next year.

A community share offer was launched in 2016 and raised £2.6m from 2,200 people in just 77 days to transform a greenfield site into a new distillery.

While more than 60 per cent of investors come from the local IV postcode, and more than 70 per cent are in Scotland, investment has arrived from a total of 40 countries.

A second funding round was launched in August, having been brought forward from 2019. With a £750,000 target, it has so far raised £350,000 from 600 people.

GlenWyvis managing director and founder, John McKenzie, said: “From the outset we have envisaged the project as much more than a distillery.

“We recognised this was an opportunity for all social investors to help reinvigorate the town of Dingwall and build on our whisky heritage through community-ownership.

“We have undertaken a massive outreach programme to build interest and investment in the project both locally and further afield.”

Chairman David O’Connor added: “We are now all set to move from commissioning to whisky production, and we are all extremely proud that this ambitious two-year project has reached the stage of the official opening today.

“This is a remarkable community project and the support has been overwhelming.”

The first of a number of community shares offers to pay for the distillery was launched in early 2016.