We are super excited here at Angels Share Hotel, that in the building right next door to us, Diageo will opening the brand-new Johnnie Walker visitor attraction in Edinburgh as the focal point of a £150 million investment in the Whisky tourism. Diageo, who will employ more than 160 people at the Johnnie Walker visitor experience , received official approval from the City of Edinburgh in May 2019.
This new Edinburgh attraction, opening towards the end 2020, will occupy the former 7 floor Frasers Building at the West End of Princes Street and is geared at attracting visitors to the city who might not go out of their way to seek out a distillery, but could be enticed to enjoy a dram as they are visiting Scotland’s capital.
The centre piece of the attraction, which features rooftop access with views of the city, as well as retail space on the first floor, will be a multi-sensory, immersive visitor experience across three floors, which will take visitors through the 200-year history of Johnnie Walker, explain how whisky is made, and take them on a journey through the flavours of Scotland.
Whisky from Diageo’s distilleries all over Scotland contribute to Johnnie Walker, but four distilleries – Glenkinchie, Cardhu, Caol Ila and Clynelish – will be linked directly to the Johnnie Walker venue in Edinburgh, representing the ‘four corners of Scotland’ and the regional flavour variations crucial to the art of whisky blending. Together these sites will create a unique Johnnie Walker tour of Scotland, encouraging visitors to the capital city to also travel to the country’s extraordinary rural communities.
Diageo is also making an effort to integrate it into Edinburgh’s cultural life, hosting arts and community events, and will also host a training academy as part of Diageo’s Learning for Life program. That initiative will create training and employment opportunities in the hospitality industry for unemployed people and works to improve hospitality standards and promotes the responsible serving and consumption of alcohol.
The new attraction will be run by Barbara Smith, formally chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which operates Edinburgh Zoo and Highland Wildlife Park and she has over 30 years of leadership experience running top UK attractions which also included Edinburgh Castle and Chester Zoo.
Here at Angels Share Hotel, Bar & Restaurant we are working closely with Diageo to ensure the customer journey can continue into Angels Share Hotel, Bar & Restaurant and/or tourists visiting the attraction can stay in a local independent hotel which has Scottish charm and Whisky connections.
More details to follow….