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Could £30m revamp serve up Inverness Castle as best seat in town for a dram? Highlife Highland’s bid for an alcohol licence to be decided this week





An artist's impression of the Cèilidh Rooms bar at the Inverness Castle Experience.
An artist's impression of the Cèilidh Rooms bar at the Inverness Castle Experience.

Could Inverness Castle be about to become the latest addition to the city’s nightlife as one of the more dramatic places to take a tipple of whisky when it opens later this year?

A decision is expected on Highlife Highland’s bid for a licence this week after Highland Council’s at-arms-reach leisure provider applied for a provisional alcohol licence for Inverness Castle.

If granted it would see the £30 million revamp of the castle to turn it into a top tourist attraction and join the ranks of some of its leading bars – which makes sense as The Inverness Castle Experience aims to celebrate the 'Spirit of the Highlands'.

That is perhaps best done with a whisky in hand through its stories of past, present and future with an array of options though some would clearly benefit from an alcohol licence.

An artist's impression of the Cèilidh Rooms bar at the Inverness Castle Experience.
An artist's impression of the Cèilidh Rooms bar at the Inverness Castle Experience.

That is perhaps best done with a whisky in hand through its stories of past, present and future with an array of options though some would clearly benefit from an alcohol licence.

Two of them will be free access to the public - the North Tower Bar and the Saltire Bistro, which provides access to a terrace which will be a designated outdoor eating and drinking area.

But it is likely to access the Ceilidh Rooms - described as a place for people to come together to share the best of Highland music, food and drink - is part of the Inverness Castle Experience, so a ticket would be needed.

The provisional licence will seek on-sale hours of 10am to 1am from Monday to Sunday and off-sale hours from 10am to 10pm Monday to Sunday but there is no suggestion that the facility will be open after 10pm.

There were no objections from Police Scotland, the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service or the Council’s Community Services (Environmental Health) and Planning and Building Standards.

The council’s licensing board will decide the issue on Tuesday.


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