Lorraine Thomson, Business Engagement Manager at Interface for the Highlands and Islands, was invited to meet First Minister Nicola Sturgeon today (Monday, 6 August).

The First Minister was visiting the recently opened Tomintoul and Glenlivet Discovery Centre, which received funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise to develop a fully immersive visual experience focusing on the past local illicit whisky industry.

Through Interface, the Tomintoul and Glenlivet Development Trust, which owns and manages the centre, accessed expert academic support from The University of St Andrews. Virtual reality technology is being developed as well as a 360 degree experience of an illicit still.

Previously, Interface connected the Trust to Abertay University and Edinburgh Napier University during the early development of the centre’s digital and marketing plans.

Lorraine said: 

“This was a fantastic opportunity to share with the First Minister a great example of  Interface’s support for an organisation in an economically fragile part of Scotland, which is tapping into our world-class academic expertise to enable it to develop and capture the imagination of potential visitors, young and old. The centre welcomed its 4,000^th visitor recently and is expanding its workforce, which is great news for the area.”

For more information on how Interface can help business connect to Scotland’s academic community contact the regional team member in your area.

(Pictured, left to right): Lorraine Thomson (Interface), First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Catherine Cassidy (University of St Andrews) and Amy Woolvin (Tomintoul and Glenlivet Landscape Partnership).