Skye Company And Community To Benefit From £441k HIE Investment
16th August 2022
The Isle of Skye Candle Company has acquired the Aros Centre in Portree, which has served the local community for more than 20 years.
The company is refurbishing the centre to create a bespoke manufacturing facility with visitor centre. The project will also revitalise the community facilities, which include a cinema/theatre, cafe, restaurant, retail outlet and training room.
There are plans for a viewing gallery and eventually a formal tour where visitors can manufacture their own scented candle.
The Isle of Skye Candle Company was founded 12 years ago and has steadily expanded its operations to become a popular employer and one of Scotland's best-known retail brands.
The company currently has five retail outlets throughout Scotland and supplies high-end retailers such as Wholefoods Market and House of Bruar, along with around 150 independent retailers.
Its growth plans have been constrained by lack of space to expand its manufacturing and operations to meet market demand.
The acquisition of the Aros Centre keeps the facility locally owned and available to the community, while allowing Skye Candles to continue its expansion.
HIE has worked extensively with the company for the past four years, through its period of expansion.
Alastair Nicolson, HIE’s area manager for Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross, said, "There are many social and economic benefits to this project. It will create a bespoke manufacturing facility for The Isle of Skye Candle Company, allowing it to continue growing domestically and overseas, which helps create and retain valuable local employment.
“At the same time, it will provide an enhanced community facility and high-quality tourism asset, encouraging visitors to stay longer and contribute more to the local economy.
“I am very pleased we have been able to provide support and look forward to continuing to work with the Isle of Skye Candle Company as the project takes shape."
Raghnall Robertson, director at Isle of Skye Candle Company, said, “We are delighted to have completed the purchase of the Aros Centre, which will allow us to keep pace with our growth as we begin to move into export markets worldwide.
“Thanks to the investment from HIE and our long standing banking partners, Virgin Money, we have been lucky enough to create a high end facility that we hope will be as beneficial to the community as it is popular with visitors.
“After a short period of closure, we opened our pop up cafe and shop in April, which has done really well whilst the main renovations are ongoing. We expect the shop and restaurant to be fully open by the end of August, before moving our production facilities a month or so later.
“One of the main drivers for our business has always been to provide good employment on Skye and the purchase and development of the new centre will secure and create many jobs across a broad range of sectors.”
Business Minister Ivan McKee said, “This investment is a great example of Community Wealth Building, putting existing local assets to good productive use, retaining and potentially creating new employment opportunities for local people, which ties in perfectly with aims of the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.”
Related Businesses
Related Articles
A programme of remedial works to bring Scotland's only funicular railway back into service at Cairngorm Mountain is entering a new phase during week beginning Monday 15 April. With the snowsports season now over, multiple teams from contractor Balfour Beatty, appointed by Cairngorm Estate owner Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), are set to be deployed on the mountainside.
The five-year agreement between Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will also play a major role in contributing to regional economic growth. The signing of the agreement, by Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, and HIE Chief Executive Stuart Black, follows the official opening of SRUC's Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre (RAVIC), a valued addition to SRUC’s School of Veterinary Medicine, in Inverness by HRH the Princess Royal.
Deerness Distillery Ltd has secured £246,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for the £820,000 development. Construction is underway at the distillery, which was founded by husband-and-wife team Stuart and Adelle Brown.
The Co-Chairs of the Inverness Castle Delivery Group, Fergus Ewing MSP and Cllr Ian Brown, are delighted to announce the award of £30,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in support of framing the 57 panels that will form the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands. This financial commitment from HIE has contributed significantly to the preservation of the 57 panels created by communities across the Highlands and Islands, of which 32 will be included in the first exhibition as part of the Inverness Castle Experience.
Sumitomo Electric UK Power Cables Ltd plans to establish major operations in the region, supplying high voltage cables to the growing offshore wind energy sector. A funding package has been agreed to secure an estimated £350m in inward investment for Scotland, based in the Highlands.
As part of the study, businesses, community groups and social enterprises with future land or property plans are encouraged to complete a short survey by 22 March 2024. Whether it's interest in land for sale or space to lease, HIE is keen to hear from organisations already based in the region as well as from those that are considering locating a business to the area.
L&M Engineering has secured a grant of £58,914 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for the development, which is set to boost business turnover by £1.2m and create two jobs over the next three years. The company is diversifying its operations to cater for additional aquaculture markets.
Most businesses in the Highlands and Islands consider their links with the local community as either equal to or more important than their profitable growth. This is one of the key findings of the most recent rural business survey commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in partnership with South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE).
Dynamic business support programme, IMPACT30, is aimed at nurturing and empowering the next generation of innovative leaders. The fully funded programme is for people aged under 35 in a young enterprise and in a key decision-making role.
A project to increase electricity supply and reduce emissions on a west coast island has been awarded more than £25,000 by HIE. The HIE funding is being used to replace and upgrade high voltage transformers and other associated equipment to enable a major upgrade of the renewable energy supply on the Isle of Muck.