Scotland green-lights £900k food manufacturing hub

By Gwen Ridler

- Last updated on GMT

A food and drink manufacturing hub in Scotland has won approval from local government. Artist rendition of the site above
A food and drink manufacturing hub in Scotland has won approval from local government. Artist rendition of the site above
Food and drink firms are soon to benefit from a new £900,000 manufacturing hub in the west of Scotland, after receiving consent from the local council.

Riverside Inverclyde (RI) Property Holding has been given planning permission by Inverclyde Council to build a new food and drink ‘incubator’ on Baker Street, Greenock.

Baker Street Food & Drink Enterprises will include six manufacturing units ranging from 45m2​ to 95m2​, designed for small and medium-sized food and drink businesses. The investment for the project is derived from the Scottish government’s Regeneration Capital Grant Fund and was made public in March 2017.

RI said it hoped the incubator would facilitate growth for businesses that take up residence, with the expectation that they will expand in a sustainable manner before moving to larger premises in Inverclyde.

Room to expand

The building will include shared office space, storage units, research areas and boardroom facilities for its tenants, as well as shower and change areas.

“We have already seen interest in the incubator from businesses and expect to see further demand as the project develops,” ​said Fiona Maguire, ceo of RI.

“This popular and busy corner of Greenock will have a completely new feel and flow and we look forward to getting started with this project.”

RI will also provide a business growth programme to support the businesses, as well as potential match-funding support for machinery and equipment.

‘Real growth and opportunity’

Commenting on the incubator, councillor Michael McCormick, Inverclyde Council’s environment and regeneration convener, said: “The food and drink sector in Inverclyde has the potential to be an area of real growth and opportunity.

“Baker Street will play a key part in this and we look forward to seeing the completed incubator hub.”​ 

Development at the site is due to begin this summer, with a completion date of early 2019.

Dr Gerry McCarthy, chair of RI, added: “This incubator offers Inverclyde some exciting opportunities, not least to grow the number of local producers, but hopefully also to see some of the early companies grow to be success stories and offer employment opportunities.”

Meanwhile, food and drink companies based in Wales are to benefit from a £3M technical and staff development training fund​ from the Welsh government.

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2 comments

Thank you

Posted by Lynne Copland,

Many thanks for changing your article headline and including the fact that the Scottish Government provided the funding for the Baker Street incubator. Also thank you for highlighting the contribution made by Scotch to U.K. exports ( over 20% of the total of U.K. food & drink exports ) Too often of late, I have felt that some writers have ignored the contribution which Scotland makes to the overall wealth and economic performance of the U.K.
Perhaps you could consider writing a piece on the “ Keep Scotland the Brand “ campaign.

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Development funding

Posted by Lynne Copland,

It should be emphasised that the funding for the Baker Street incubator is being provided by the SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT with £900,000 from the Scottish Government's Regeneration Capital Grant Fund (RCGF).

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