A whisky distillery is scheduled to replace a pipe bridge that crosses a main road in Kirkwall.

The pipe bridge is used to supply whisky from the Highland Park distillery to a loading bay for tankers.

It also carries electrical and fuel supplies between distillery buildings.

Graham Manson, the Highland Park Manager, said: "The current pipe bridge is now outdated and needs to be replaced to allow for expansion and growth. We are replacing it with a sturdier steel structure that can accommodate the increase in production it needs to carry.

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"The replacement of the pipe bridge is vital to the future production of Highland Park malt whisky as it carries so many of our key services back and forth across the road.

"This is the only time that we can replace the pipe bridge, with operations currently shut down for seasonal maintenance work."

The section of the A961 Kirkwall to Holm Road in front of the distillery will be closed to enable the replacement of the bridge and associated pipework.

The closure will begin at 6pm on 16 July, with the road due to open 24 hours later.

Drivers travelling from Kirkwall will be diverted along the A960 past the airport towards St Andrews School. The diversion will continue along the B9052 past Hurtiso and then past Graemeshall until it meets the A961 near St Mary’s.

Drivers travelling to Kirkwall from Holm will follow the same diversion, but in the opposite direction.

(LM)