END OF AN ERA FOR EDRINGTON Whisky firm closes the doors of its Perth base
One of Perth’s most successful global names will close its doors on the city for the last time today when Edrington’s offices at West Kinfauns shut.
The company, famed for its Perthshire brand The Famous Grouse, is centralising office operations to a new headquarters in Glasgow, with around 100 local jobs affected.
It marks the end of an era, at least for Perth, which at one time was synonymous with the industry through companies including Bells and Dewars — although Edrington says it is committed to the Glenturret distillery outside Crieff and whisky distilling remains a major employer from Highland Perthshire to Strathearn.
Suzy Atkinson, corporate affairs officer for Edrington, told the Perthshire Advertiser yesterday: “Friday is officially
The Edrington base at West Kinfauns is shutting the last day for staff at West Kinfauns. Operations from our new HQ in Glasgow begin on Monday, which will help us continue to reach our global market.”
Ms Atkinson confirmed that about 98
staff were affected by the move with 38 transferring, 18 working on projects for the immediate future and about 47 deciding to take redundancy packages offered as part of the relocation.
Around eight staff are due to leave the firm on Friday.
The company moved to West Kinfauns in 1996 after previously being based at Bordeaux House, now the Bothy, in Perth city centre.
The whisky bond in the city centre closed and made way for flats in the mid-90s.
Highland Distillers built the offices in 1995 for the sales and marketing team, with the gates of the offices listing its many whisky brands, including the Famous Grouse, first blended by Matthew Gloag in 1897. Edrington acquired Highland Distillers in 1999.
Last April, Edrington made the shock announcement that it was looking to centralise its headquarter functions, based at West Kinfauns and Glasgow to new offices, with no impact on its other sites.
Perthshire MP Pete Wishart said: “I am immensely disappointed that Edrington are to close their offices at Kinfauns. Perthshire has historically been a whisky region, with 44 distilleries in 1819, and I am sorry to see the curtain come down on the site at Kinfauns.
“I have never been able to secure a good reason for the closure of the offices and feel that Edrington were well supported in the site.
“The loss of skilled jobs in the area will be a massive blow.
“Suggestions that many members of staff have chosen to leave rather than move to the new offices would indicate that the decision to leave Kinfauns was the wrong one.”
Ms Atkinson confirmed that the company was putting the offices up for sale but could not comment further.