WATCH: New chief executive is aiming for the top for Cairngorm Mountain resort
The man appointed to take Cairngorm Mountain back to the top has pledged that snowsports remain ‘front and centre’ of everything the resort does.
Mike Gifford has given his first interview since taking up the job as chief executive exactly one month ago at the business employing nearly 90 staff.
The adventure sports and tourism specialist has shared his passion for the Cairngorms - an area he trained in whilst becoming an outdoor instructor and mountaineer.
Related articles:
UK’s longest toboggan is being lined up for Cairngorm Mountain
New chief executive appointed at Cairngorm Mountain
Find out more about things to do at Cairngorm Mountain by visiting their website here
He is also an expert skier and said: “Snowsports is absolutely still front and centre - it is really important to us.
“If we have a good winter season, it is good for the area and its local economy as well Cairngorm Mountain.
“It is key to us. If there is snow, we will be open. We are looking for more skier days this coming winter.
“We had 97 skier days last winter with the snow patch so that shows our commitment even though we did not have as much snow as we would have wished on the mountain…
“Our intention is to open as much of the ski area as possible when conditions allow.”
As part of that the servicing of the Cairngorm funicular will be brought forward so once the snow arrives in sufficient quantity the resort can open.
Mr Gifford said: “We are going to be reactive - we want to maximize mountain sports and open as much as we can.”
We want Cairngorm to be the best mountain resort in the UK. I think we are very close but there is more that we can do.
But snowsports needs to be part of an all-year round destination package because of climate change and Mr Gifford said good strides are being made to that end.
Top Stories
The Cairngorm adventure playpark fully opened this past week with the eye-catching additions of the CAIRNGORM letters which double up as play equipment.
The go-kart track has also been extended and now covers around four kilometres whilst Mr Gifford is keen to improve on the mountain bike offering and the resort’s events calendar.
He said: “I had my kids up the previous weekend to have a look around as I thought it would be a good test of how we are doing as a family orientated resort and they were entertained for hours on end.
“I think we now have an all-year package and that’s what we want to continue with.”
There are plans for a de-mountable toboggan track to be installed next summer but this project remains at an early stage.
Mr Gifford said: “We want Cairngorm to be the best mountain resort in the UK. I think we are very close but there is more that we can do.”
One big boon has been the return of the funicular to operation after its prolonged absence on safety grounds.
He revealed: “Over the past six weeks we have had around 10,000 people travel on it which is amazing.”
Mr Gifford also said there had been a really successful Health and Safety Executive inspection earlier this month.
“They basically said the system is exemplary and the team are doing a really good job on it so I do not envisage any problems at all going forward…
“All we are doing is focusing on the future.”
Another opportunity will present itself at the end of the year when the 25-year obligation period for the European Regional Development Funding expires on December 24.
It means that financial penalties will no longer be in place for the removal of the controversial closed system.
Mr Gifford said: “It is something we need to look at - I have had a look over the agreement but whatever we do we need to do sympathetically…”
“There has been a lot of regeneration of the ecosystem, however, we are about access and activities so we will see what we can do.”
He also believes that the time has come to review owners Highlands and Islands Enterprise’s 25-year masterplan with most of the phase one objectives now being completed.
For now the immediate focus is on coming few months.
“We are looking forward to a really busy summer,” Mr Gifford said.
“The team has been exceptional - they are really enthusiastic and really keen to get this place buzzing and so am I…
“People genuinely want to see Cairngorm Mountain thrive and I think now is the time to make that happen.
Mr Gifford’s most recent role was as business and operations manager for community organisation Huntly Development Trust.
Before that he worked for almost nine years at Sport Aberdeen leading a team delivering a diverse range of outdoor adventure activities.
Peter Mearns, chair of Cairngorm Mountain Scotland Ltd, said at the time of the appointment: “In Mike Gifford, we are confident that we’ve found an excellent leader to start a new chapter and take the business forward.”
