Land Ahoy! Distillery Boat Restaurant to Open for Easter
A former Thames pleasure cruiser is to be converted into an unique Angus roadside restaurant.
Angus Alchemy has sailed through the council’s planning process to get the go-ahead for the innovative development beside the A92 near Carnoustie.
And the self-styled mixers of mayhem hope the first customers will be stepping aboard the Boathouse Smokehouse next spring.
It is a major investment for the business set up by three pals in 2020.
Phil Paton, Martin Brown and Campbell Archibald produce their own gins, and a host of intriguing varieties of moonshine.
They recently released Mistaken Identity Moonshine in a collaboration with My Name’5 Doddie Foundation to support motor neurone disease research.
And Campbell says the boat is already a talking point even before work to create the novel eatery has started.
“We brought it up a few months ago so its definitely been catching the eye,” he said.
“When we bought the distillery we definitely wanted it to be a destination for visitors.
“We built the moonshine village inside the distillery but thought it would be fantastic to have a restaurant too.
“On my travels I have seen lots of eye-catching restaurant conversions inside things like train carriages.
“But this is a bit different.
“With its glass roof and glass sides it will be a fantastic setting looking right down to Panbride and the coast.”
The boat is called Serefina – burning fire in Hebrew – and weighs more than 13 tonnes.
Arbroath firm Voigt Architects have created the stunning designs of how it will look.
The boat will become the dining space alongside modular buildings for the kitchen area.
“It will also have a Changing Places toilet, which is a really important thing to us, ” said Campbell.
“We want to create something unique and sustainable with local suppliers.
“It’s a big project but we’d love to have it open for Easter.”
Angus planning officials welcomed the idea.
They said: “The project is innovative and would create an unique offering for both locals and visitors, but in a manner that would not detract from the character of the rural area.”
It was approved under delegated powers.
