The Rose Street Foundry in Inverness is in need of new tenants to take on the beautifully restored business premises after closure was officially confirmed by Cairngorm Taverns
New tenants will be sought to take on the running of a highly-prominent Inverness city centre hospitality venue that closed suddenly last month.
The Rose Street Foundry has lain in darkness for three weeks, with acts and bands booked to perform there being cancelled.
Cairngorm Taverns, who hold the freehold rights for the prime Academy Street site, have now confirmed to the Courier that the recent tenants’ lease was terminated on February 19.
Cairngorm Taverns did not disclose the reasons for the departure of previous operators Rio Sol, a firm set up by business partners Stuart Forrester and Donald Mackay in late 2023.
Mr Mackay, also a gym owner, stood down as a director of Rio Sol in October and has told us he has had no involvement in the Rose Street Foundry since.
A spokeswoman for Cairngorm Taverns indicated that an announcement on the building’s future would be made as soon as possible.
She confirmed: “The lease with the most recent tenants Rio Sol was terminated on February 19 and the business is temporarily closed, until a new tenant is found.”
Having bought the building in August 2013, Cairngorm Taverns invested £2.2 million in an ambitious and painstakingly careful restoration of the historic, 1895-built premises.
Original mosaics on the frontage with the words ‘Rose Street Foundry and Engineering Company Limited’ attractively displayed were a surprise discovery. Although painted many years before, they were beautifully restored to their former glory.
Such was the complexity of maintaining the building’s integrity while complying with modern-day fire and building control regulations, it took until early 2020 for the first tenants - Cairngorm Brewery, a firm separate to Cairngorm Taverns - to begin trading.
To the brewery’s great misfortune, just six days later the first Covid lockdown struck, forcing temporary closure.
The business operated for a 12-month period but closed completely from September 2022 to February last year when Rio Sol took up occupancy.
At the time, there was significant interest in acquiring the lease, including from established Inverness publicans.
It is understood the building is yet to be readvertised as a leasing opportunity.
