The Diageo Johnny Walker plant might have bitten the bullet, but residents of Arran have a new reason to celebrate- the new £3.9 million bottling plant that is due to be set up near Kilmarnock.

After the closure 200 year old whiskey bottling plant was announced by Diageo, the hunt began for a new place to set up a bottling plant. The project is being spearheaded by Gerald Michaluk, managing director of Marketing Research Services, the company that bought the Arran Brewery from Richard and Elisabeth Roberts in May 2008. He expects production to begin on the 8.45 hectare site as early as mid 2010. Already, there are plans underway to induct the skilled labour of the demised Johnny Walker factory into the new one.

Presently, Arran beer is brewed at Cladach, and transported in 180 barrel tankers to Dunbar and Hartlepool for bottling. However, the Bellhaven plant at Dunbar- where the famed Red Squirrel beer is bottled- is due to be shut down in December, so the company will need to find a temporary bottling plant until the one in Ayr commences operation.

Arran Brewery started full production on February 2000. Its Arran Blone and Arran Ale have been award winning brews for their fine quality.