Work under way on Orkney gin distillery

The new Kirkwall seafront distillery in Orkney is expected to open later this year

Work is under way on a new artisan gin distillery and visitor centre in Orkney.

The company behind the project, Orkney Distilling Ltd, said it expected the facility in Kirkwall to open in late summer.

The development is set to create up to 10 local jobs.

Orkney Distilling was formed early last year by local couple Stephen and Aly Kemp, who developed their own variety of gin called Kirkjuvagr.

Full production of Kirkjuvagr will move to the new Kirkwall seafront distillery in Ayre Road once it is operational.

The company also said it had plans for further product lines, which it will reveal later this year.

'Really excited'

Mr Kemp said: "After months of planning, we're really excited to see the project now under way.

"Our aim is to have the project completed by the end of August, with our focus then on training our new staff and gradually moving full production of Kirkjuvagr to Ayre Road."

He added: "With a major increase in tourist numbers predicted for this year, along with a rise in cruise ship visits, there's a real need for more high-quality attractions in the county to enhance the experience of those travelling to our islands."

In a separate development, the company which runs the UK's most northerly distillery has reported a big increase in output in the past year.

The Unst-based Shetland Distillery Company said output grew by 300% to 300,000 bottles because of the popularity of its gins and whiskies.

The Shetland Distillery Company is based at the northern end of Unst

Distillery manager Mark Turnbull said: "It's been a really busy year with a big upturn in demand both from our distributors and from online orders.

"We're delighted that more and more people are enjoying our products and supporting the distillery and Unst."