A SPEYSIDE VISITOR centre has successfully negotiated its way through a first summer season under community ownership.
When the Aberlour Community Association took control of their local visitor centre based at the former railway station their Community Asset Transfer (CAT) bid was held up as a model application that other groups in Moray were urged to follow.
Now with a first full summer season behind them the Association say they have been delighted to welcome a higher proportion of overseas visitors than ever before – with most of the overseas visitors coming from Germany and Holland.
Community members behind the visitor centre have imported exhibitions from the Spey Fishery board and vintage grocery items from the Falconer Museum in Forres – with both adding to the attraction of a site that had already risen in popularity during the 2014 holiday season when it was still owned by Moray Council.
Community Association chairman John Milne said: “We created a display along the lines of an old-fashioned shop with the bits and pieces from Forres – that was of interest to local people and visitors.”
Aberlour Visitor Centre was created from the old railway station first opened in the 1920’s but that had lain unused since 1971.
The visitor centre will remain open until the end of September.