A family who watched their Speyside business go up in flames this summer is on the road to recovery – and plans to be even better than before.
Father-and-son Colin and Donald McBain run Barrel Creations at Lower Cabrach, hand-crafting casks once used by local distilleries into home and garden furniture.
For more than 30 years, the goods have been shipped worldwide from the rural spot, and its decorative flowerbeds are dotted at railway stations across Scotland.
But in June a massive fire tore through Barrel Creations’ workshop, destroying essential equipment and newly finished products.
In the aftermath of the blaze, the family vowed the business would carry on and Mr McBain jun promptly scored north-east marts for replacement machinery.
The firm is now working to fulfil orders that were ruined from a makeshift workshop in a steading.
Mr McBain jun, 41, said: “Thankfully our wood shaving machine was stored in a building that was unaffected by the fire.
“The damage was really bad, but if it had wiped out all of our buildings then we would have been totally stuck.
“Fulfilling orders from a temporary building isn’t ideal but it works.”
The men are now working to ensure they can complete replacement orders prior to an expected increase in demand ahead of Christmas.
Mr McBain sen, 71, said the blaze had given the firm “a kick” and it was now looking to reinvent its countryside base as a tourist draw.
He added: “We’re looking to make a new bigger building, with a better showroom, and have it as more of an attraction for tourists.
“We want to make it an iconic building that stands out.”
The blaze took hold in the early hours of Wednesday, June 17.
Nobody was injured, but firefighters had to battle to stop the flames spreading to a neighbouring pub.
A passing motorist spotted the fire and dialled 999 from the inn, but within hours the firm’s entire stock had been destroyed.
Fire investigators have still not determined how the blaze began, but believe it may have been caused by electrical equipment.