Glencoe Ski Centre awarded £500,000 boost for new base after blaze

Glencoe Ski Centre has been awarded up to £500,000 to construct a new base station following a fire in 2019.

The funding, awarded by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), will go towards building a brand-new base station at the popular tourist attraction located in Lochaber.

The new base will see the demolition of the current building, which was heavily damaged following a fire on Christmas Day 2019.

New and improved facilities at the base station will include a bar area, café, and will be entirely insulated to help reduce energy consumption.

The project, due for completion in February 2022, is expected to create an additional four full-time jobs.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise confirmed that £250,000 the investment will go towards helping the Ski Centre achieve net-zero.

The funding is part of a larger package of £3.95m that the Scottish Government announced in March 2021, to help tourism businesses recover from the pandemic while still achieving climate goals.

HIE’s area manager Alastair Nicolson said: “Glencoe ski centre is of course an incredibly popular spot for winter sports enthusiasts, but it is also a popular tourist attraction all-year round.

“Following the fire in 2019 which destroyed the previous base station, staff on the mountain have done a fantastic job to keep the business going but we are delighted to be able to help fund the construction of a new facility.

“This development will enhance the appeal of Lochaber as one of the UK’s top adventure tourism destinations, while also providing new employment opportunities for the area.”

Andy Meldrum, managing director of Glencoe Mountain Resort said: “We are delighted to receive support from HIE toward the rebuilding of the Glencoe Mountain base station café.

“This support has ensured we can create a modern, well insulated, but still iconic base station building which will not only provide an enhanced experience for visitors but will also allow us to safeguard existing jobs and create new ones.”