Aviemore businessman gets go-ahead for beer shop

A new store selling beer from all over Europe is to opened by an Aviemore-based businessman despite objections that it would attract "undesirables".

The Highland Licensing Board has backed the plan by Sean Tomlinson, a director of the Cairngorm Brewery on the Dalfaber Industrial Estate.

The green light has been given to his plans to open the specialist shop on Castle Street in Inverness despite two objections from neighbouring businesses.

The Peking House takeaway claimed an "undesirable element" of people would be enticed to the shop seeking alcohol while newsagent’s Barneys claimed there was an over provision of off-sales on the street.

That was rejected by the board when members approved the licence application at their latest meeting.

Mr Tomlinson, (54), rejected the accusation that the Tomlinsons’ Castle Street Beer Shop - which will open in January - would attract people with drink problems.

"Rather than bringing in an undesirable element to Castle Street, it is quite the opposite, we would bring in a desirable element," said Mr Tomlinson.

"We are not going for the cheaper end of the market at all. I think the objectors have just misunderstood what we are trying to do.

"It is a niche specialist market and I think a more positive side of alcohol drinking. We are going to provide something which is not provided in the area - craft quality beer from Scotland, England and Europe. We will have 150 different beers."

The council’s licensing standards officer Ian Cox said the shop would be a welcome addition to the area.

"For a comparison it is like the beer equivalent of The Whisky Shop," he said.

Mr Tomlinson’s wife Tracy (47) and 26 year old daughter Lauren will run the shop while he concentrates on his day job at the brewery where he has worked for nine years.

Apart from real ale stock sold in city supermarkets there is no specialist beer shop in the Highland Capital and Mr Tomlinson said starting the business had been a dream of his for several years.

He said: "There has been a massive growth in interest in craft beers the last few years and in the Highlands if you wanted to access them it is often by mail order."

Mr Tomlinson, of Gollanhead Avenue, Rosemarkie, appreciated the full backing of the independent brewery in the venture.

"They have seen me trying to get it off the ground for a while," he said.

"They have offered facilities and back up to help get it off the ground like their warehouses and given me time to spend on it."

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