A new visitor centre at Belhaven Brewery has been offically opened by British Paralympian, Maria Lyle.
Paralympian Maria Lyle cuts the ribbon to open the new Belhaven visitor experience. Photograph: Belhaven Brewery
The Dunbar-born sprinter, who won a bronze medal in the women’s T35 100m final in Tokyo in August, was joined by Provost of East Lothian, John McMillan, as months of hard work culminated in the opening.
The Visitor Experience will give people an opportunity to discover the history of Scotland’s oldest working brewery, dating back to 1719, learn the brewing process of Belhaven’s beers, and even show visitors the locally-sourced malt used.
It will also allow visitors to have their picture taken in front of Belhaven’s iconic chimneys, visit the secret garden, and immerse themselves in a tutored tasting of four award-winning Belhaven beers.
Brewery marketing executive, Fiona Matheson, said: “It has been a real collective team effort to get the Visitor Experience into the position it is in today. At Belhaven, we are proud of our people, our place, and our products, and this Visitor Experience tells an exceptional story of all three of those things.
“As Scotland’s oldest working brewery, we have so many stories to tell and hope that visitors to our home will be captured by everything that Belhaven has to offer.”
Mr McMillan added: “I was fortunate enough to experience the Belhaven Visitor Centre on Monday following the grand opening. It was an amazing experience, and the whole visit encapsulated everything Belhaven and East Lothian has to offer.
“We are proud to be Scotland’s food and drink county, and Belhaven is just one of the wonderful local businesses that show why East Lothian deserves that title. We are proud to have Scotland’s oldest working brewery in East Lothian and I would encourage everyone from Scotland and beyond to come and experience the history and taste of Belhaven’s beers as soon as possible.”
