BUZZWORKS Holdings, the Ayrshire-based hospitality group, is to begin work on a new outlet at the recently built Greenock Cruise Ship Visitor Centre.
The company has received the keys to the property and will start fitting out what will be its latest venue to trade under its Scotts brand in the coming weeks.
The new outlet will be Buzzworks’ first in Inverclyde and is expected to generate more than 70 jobs for the local community. It will join a portfolio that currently includes Scotts venues in Largs, Troon, and Port Edgar.
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Buzzworks said it will invest a “seven-figure” sum in the project, which will be designed by the acclaimed designer Jim Hamilton.
Colin Blair, chairman of Buzzworks Holdings, said: “It’s a great moment for Buzzworks to finally access the Greenock Cruise Ship Visitor Centre and begin our much-anticipated renovations for our new Scotts Greenock restaurant.
“The new venue has been in the pipeline for a number of years and is another major milestone in our continued growth strategy, so we can’t wait to get started in creating another fantastic Scotts venue in Inverclyde, which will cater for all within the local area and beyond.
“Both Buzzworks and Scotts has become synonymous with great food alongside world class service, and with such a spectacular setting here in Greenock, we look forward to continuing that tradition, bringing both a new and exciting dining experience to the area and helping to create numerous opportunities for the local community to work.”
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As well as the new Scotts outlet, the Greenock Cruise Ship Visitor Centre will feature a museum that will pay tribute to the late artist George Wylie, who worked as a customs officer in Greenock and lived in Gourock for many years, and a dedicated arrival and departures hall for cruise ships docking in the area.
Inverclyde Council believes that the development is expected to increase visitor numbers to 150,000 a year and provide a £26 million boost to the Scottish economy.
Councillor Stephen McCabe, leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “This is another significant milestone in the delivery of what will be a first-class facility for the people of Inverclyde and the many thousands of cruise ship passengers and crew who will pass through here.
“We’re delighted to have secured such a high-calibre operator in Buzzworks and their famous Scotts brand for the restaurant space and I’m sure it will be a huge success once it is up and running.
“There are also 70 jobs being created, which is a welcome boost to the local economy.
“It’s another exciting addition to the area and another reason for people from near and far to visit these shores and discover Inverclyde.”
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