The developer behind a planned £12 million visitor attraction at Tomatin says he is confident work will start on the delayed project within months.
The Tomatin Trading Company (TTC) proposals include a 99-bedroom hotel, a 200-seat restaurant, farm shop, drive-through bakery and filling station off the A9.
It is predicted the retail/food village project south of Inverness will create more than 100 jobs.
The site was bought in 2005 by businessman William Frame when it housed a Little Chef and petrol station.
Highland Council granted planning permission for the redevelopment in November 2018.
Why has the development been delayed?
But since then the Covid pandemic and a long-running, high-profile court case have set back the ambitious proposals.
The Tomatin Whisky Distillery launched a legal complaint against TTC, arguing that the name Tomatin was associated with its brand and that its use by the developer took unfair advantage of its established reputation.
In 2021 the Court of Session ruled TTC could use the Tomatin name in its branding. Last year it also rejected an appeal by the distillery company.
Mr Frame said the “David v Goliath” court battle and the pandemic had delayed the project by several years.
“If it hadn’t been for Covid this thing would be up by now. That, and the little spat with the Tomatin Distillery did not help.
“But we are moving now and due diligence is being done right now on financing and investing in it.
“With a fair wind we will start work in late winter or early spring.”
He said he is “as confident as one can be at this stage” of financing the development which is expected to take 18 months to complete.
“We have had so many knocks you question your own judgement at times, but we will get there.
“We’ve done the hard bit in getting planning permission and we’ve crossed so many hurdles.
“It’s a tough time for raising finance as there is a lot of anxiety about the economy, but we are very positive.
Showcasing Highland produce
“Sometimes things take a bit longer than you felt they would at the beginning.
“Covid and the court case derailed us, not once but twice, but we’re pushing on now.”
The site was once occupied by the Freeburn Hotel, which was built in 1895 and was reportedly a stopping off point for Bonnie Prince Charlie.
The hotel stopped trading in the 1960s, later became a Little Chef and was eventually demolished in 2008.
Mr Frame said the planned development will showcase the Highlands using locally sourced produce in the restaurant and farm shop.
