Prince opens tea shop to stir revival of flood village
WHEN the village near his Aberdeenshire home flooded, he rushed to offer his support to local businesses and made a ‘significant’ donation to help with the clear-up.
Now Prince Charles is preparing to go a step further – by opening a ‘pop-up’ shop close to his Birkhall home on the Balmoral estate.
The Highgrove tea shop – modelled on his own private estate in Gloucestershire – is set to take over an empty shop in Ballater. And the outlet will really be ‘by Royal appointment’.
McEwen’s of Perth announced it was going into administration in March, taking with it its outlet in Ballater’s Bridge Street.
The shop immediately closed with a sign on one of its windows announcing it was due to ‘unforeseen circumstances’. It was a fresh blow for the village, as McEwen’s was one of just a few businesses on the main artery through the community which survived the flooding that accompanied Storm Frank on December 30 last year.
Now Charles is in early discussions to house a ‘pop-up’ Highgrove tea shop at the site.
A spokesman for Clarence House said: ‘His Royal Highness has a close relationship with Ballater and is committed to exploring ways in which his charities can help the local community.’
And a source added: ‘Discussions are at an early stage and include potentially housing a ‘pop-up’ Highgrove tea shop in the village along with other ideas which are being considered.’
Delighted residents said that the prince’s new venture would be a great boost for the village. Charles was spotted taking a tour of the empty shop, which is based at the top end of the high street, a few weeks ago.
Wendy Wilson, who works in the butcher’s shop in Ballater, said: ‘With Prince Charles’s credentials behind it, it will be good for the village right now. I think it would take off really well in the village so hopefully he continues to keep the shop here.
‘There’s a lot of people out of work. I’ve got a lot of friends who had jobs at other places in the village and their employers aren’t able to pay them. Some of the shops aren’t re-opening.’
Ballater SNP councillor Geva Blackett said: ‘I welcome all new businesses to Ballater and hope that a high-end tea shop such as Highgrove would attract more high-end businesses to the area.’