Macleans of Grantown will close the coffee shop but refit the bakery
Grantown’s High Street changes continue.
This week Maclean’s Highland Bakery have been speaking to the Strathy about the need to adapt as ever to the vagaries of the economy, local or otherwise.
Managing director Lewis Maclean shared the good and the not so good news on Monday.
“We have been looking at refurbishing our coffee shop in Grantown for about 12 months.
“We had looked at other similar business models across Scotland to see what could be done that could enhance the service and experience of our customers.
“The shopfitter we chose created a drawing that just blew us away with both the bakery and the coffee shop looking great.”
Mr Maclean shared one fear the company had been wrestling with: “That fear was that the coffee shop might get really busy, as we have been struggling to get staff to cope.
“As a company, for about two years we have struggled to recruit staff not just in Grantown but in Moray too.
“We would not be in a position to even take staff from other parts of the business.
“Having spoken to fellow businesses we are very aware it is not just hospitality who are struggling to recruit but every trade.
“Our gut feeling is there is nothing imminent about this situation changing.
“So our train of thought was that if we were going to invest in Grantown we wanted to do it right and just launch with the bakers side of the business.
“Hopefully in the not too distant future we will be able to open the coffee shop side because the plans are there and it would be quite straightforward to do that.”
Mr Maclean was excited, at the same time, about the design for the new shop.
“It should look fantastic and be easier for our staff to prepare and bake off goods for our customers.
“We would hope it enhances our regular customers’ experience along with visitors to the area.”
The bakery shop and coffee shop closed on Sunday and the plan is to open the new look shop on Monday, June 17.
For many years the Maclean family were part of the Stag Bakery in Stornoway on the Western Isles, before moving to Forres in 1978 to take over the then named bakery James Thain
Using best locally sourced quality ingredients, they soon gained a renowned reputation and before long customers were literally queuing out the door.
A number of successful shops followed throughout the region, as well as a new bakery facility in 2004 on the outskirts of Forres and national and local accolades.
