Lochlea Distillery, a South Ayrshire whisky producer, has been granted a new licence allowing it to sell alcohol to visitors, online customers and people attending tastings or private events. The decision was made unanimously by the South Ayrshire Licensing Board at its latest meeting, which approved a provisional premises licence for the distillery.
Licence Covers Off-Sales and On-Sales
The application covers off-sales from the distillery, including sales of Lochlea’s own products and some guest products. It also permits remote and online sales, with alcohol dispatched from the premises. The on-sales element of the licence will support paid-for whisky tastings, distillery tours, private functions and corporate events.
The board heard that the application had attracted no objections, adverse comments or representations.
Farm-to-Cask Approach Highlighted
Representing the applicant, licensing agent Niall Hassard said Lochlea was a family-owned independent distillery producing Lowland Scotch whisky in Ayrshire. He told members that the business had a “farm-to-cask” approach, with barley grown on the farm used in the distilling process.
Mr Hassard said this gave the distillery a close connection to the land on which it operates. He also highlighted the site’s historic link to Robert Burns, telling the board that Scotland’s national bard had lived and worked on the farm in the 1700s.
Mr Hassard said: “The distillery’s USP (unique selling point), if you like, is that it’s very much farm-to-cask. It actually grows the barley in the farm and uses that in the production process.”
Not a Traditional Bar
He said the application was in line with board policy and was appropriate for a distillery with a small visitor centre and function area. He made clear that the premises was not intended to operate like a traditional bar.
He said: “It’s not the type of place that would compete with a local bar on the high street. You’re not going to simply walk in for a drink, so to speak.” Instead, he said the on-sales element would be used mainly for tours and tastings, where visitors could sample a flight of whiskies, and for private or corporate functions.
Board Welcomes Distillery
Board chair Councillor William Grant said there had been no objections to the application and welcomed the business operating in South Ayrshire. Councillor Bob Pollock said the application was consistent with previous applications of this type. He said the circumstances at Lochlea were “very unique”, particularly the connection with Burns, which he said the council was keen to promote.
Councillor Duncan Townson seconded the motion to approve the application. The board unanimously approved the provisional premises licence.
