A major increase in visitor numbers to the Calanais Visitor Centre on the west coast of the Isle of Lewis has led to an upgrade of its facilities.

Work has been completed this week to extend the kitchen and restaurant area at the centre which is owned by Urras nan Tursachan and is situated near the world famous Calanais Standing Stones where it provides an exhibition, a gift shop and a cafeteria.

Urras nan Tursachan is a social enterprise which HIE has been building an ongoing relationship with over the past two years with the aim of creating a development plan which will have a positive outcome for the company.

HIE has confirmed £24,000 towards the developments and a total of £61,050 has come from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar's Community Challenge Fund and the Tourism in the Community Fund. HIE also funds a local development officer in the area to work towards developing and implementing community plans as well as additional support from a HIE business development manager.

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With around 40,000 tourists visiting the standing stones each year and that number increasing, it was required to improve and extend the centre's kitchen facilities to keep up with the demand. It is expected that further employment will be created at the visitor centre during the next two years. The kitchen development is part of a wider expansion of the facilities at the centre.

The standing stones are around 5,000 years old with the main stone complex containing 50 stones in a cross shaped setting. The inner circle comprises 13 stones, the tallest of which is four meters high and a small chambered cairn.

Jane Macintosh of HIE said: "This is an excellent example of the close working relationship that HIE has with its social enterprises that HIE works with. Through Urras nan Tursachan's development plan it was identified that the functionality of the visitor centre needed to be enhanced by improving the restaurant and kitchen facilities.

"It will also enable staff to provide a better service to visitors and the local community. Helping communities to provide services and develop infrastructure for themselves is a major part of what we do at HIE and we are delighted to be able to support this ambitious social enterprise to strengthen and grow."

(GK)