The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
Perfect timing as town’s new shop opens ahead of travel restrictions
While stores across the country have been forced to close during the coronavirus outbreak, a shop has just started up in the Highlands’ newest town.
Tornagrain Stores opened this month near Inverness and lets people shop for groceries and hot food without the need to travel far.
It is providing a vital service for Tornagrain’s 375-strong population at a time when going out is restricted and supermarkets are particularly busy.
Shop owner Joe Mooney said: “In the current situation we managed to open just in time to play a useful role to local residents and help people manage to shop close to home.”
The business is also supporting local trade by selling bread and rolls, meat, cheese and fresh produce from nearby suppliers which is proving very popular.
In addition, it is providing a delivery service for those unable to go out.
So far there has not been a problem with queuing, but the shop is following the two metre social distancing guidelines and there is a hand sanitiser station at the till.
Mr Mooney said demand has meant the shop is running very short of flour, toilet rolls, pasta and rice but all are slowly starting to come back into stock again.
The creation of a new “model” town at Tornagrain has been planned by Moray Estates for many years.
It proposed creating an “enduring and sustainable” community, building on the architectural and planning traditions of Scotland and the Highlands.
Planning permission was finally received in 2012.
The town of 5,000 homes, three primary schools, a secondary school, shops, employment space, parks and other services will eventually cover 620 acres and is expected to take 50 years to complete.
The first residents moved in to Tornagrain in March 2017.
Other facilities opened so far range from tennis courts, allotments and a community hall to an outdoor nursery and a pilates studio.
Nicole Petrie, Tornagrain development manager, said: “We are delighted that Tornagrain Stores has now opened and is no more than a five minute walk for all our homeowners.
“It was always our intention for Tornagrain to be a fully-fledged community, and now more than ever a local shop is a lifeline for residents.”