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.

-- Advertisement --

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)