Sights set on new Loch Ness centre
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MONSTER hunters will have somewhere new to rest their beady eyes next summer when a multimillion-pound visitor centre, cafe and craft shop opens its doors on the banks of Loch Ness.
Restoration work has started at the site of a new development spearheaded by the boat tour firm Loch Ness by Jacobite.
The complex is being built within the former Dochgarroch village hall overlooking the Caledonian Canal and Dochgarroch Locks.
Managing director Freda Newton said it would be a place "for visitors and locals alike to gather, share stories, and learn about Loch Ness and the historic Dochfour Estate".
She added: "Visitors will experience a new retail offer showcasing the best of what Scotland has to offer within a unique and eclectic environment.
"We are extremely passionate about promoting incredible local produce, committed local suppliers and the Highland way of life to visitors, made all the more fitting by the building itself, which has been a community hub for almost a hundred years."
The facility is expected to open in May.
The development will include a ticket reception and entrance hall, retail outlet, a 90-seat café built around a new central courtyard, and an external terrace overlooking the Caledonian Canal towpath and quayside. Morrison Construction is handling the restoration.
Donald Mclachlan, managing director of the firm’s Building Highland division, is delighted with the contract.
He said: "It is always pleasing when a prestigious Highland client selects a local contractor to deliver their project.
"We look forward to working with the Loch Ness by Jacobite team and our proven supply chain in constructing what will undoubtedly be a fantastic facility for the local community and visitors to the Highlands."
Councillor George Cruickshank, for Aird and Loch Ness ward, said the new centre "could only be a good thing".
