Gaelic plan gets thumbs up

[Sally Toms]

Plans for a new distillery on Skye are still said to be going ahead after a turbulent few months.

And now a Highland politician has backed controversial plans for it to employ staff who will speak only Gaelic.

Sir Iain Noble, chairman of Praban na Linne whisky company, received the verbal support from Scottish parliament member John Farquhar Murno who said: “I think it is reasonable because the end product is marketed as Gaelic whisky. That justifies the employees having a background in Gaelic.”

Edinburgh based Praban na Linne currently produces The Gaelic Whiskies range.

The new distillery and visitor centre on the Isle of Skye will be housed in an old agricultural building at Cnoc Farm, Teangue.

It is expected to open in late 2008 and attract 60,000 visitors a year.