Investment Timeline

“We made the decision to sell our flat in Edinburgh – a move that many would consider foolish, I know! We then approached Invest in Perth at PKC to discuss grant funding, and thanks to a Property Feasibility grant, we employed Mill Architects from Dunkeld to help us to realise our goals.

“From there, we tapped into a Micro Enterprise grant for an EPOS system, an Open for Business grant for outdoor signage and a refurbishment of the gold leaf details, and a Vacant Property grant for the main fabric of the building. Much of this was match funding which made the difference between opening, or not opening.

“As a final effort, just before our doors opened, we ran a crowdfunder which raised £14K from local people and an additional £5K from PKC. Not only did this get us over the line but it also confirmed to us just how much people shared this vision of ours, and that the customers were still there, missing us.

“We opened The Lass O’Gowrie – named after an ancient variety of local apple – on 16th May 2022 and welcomed a perfect blend of old regulars and new customers. We now have a thriving local business that partners with local suppliers, employs local staff, offers a great quality product, provides a gathering place for people, and brings new life to a once dilapidated building.

“We’ve recently branched into corporate catering and often provide support for events at Errol Park itself. We also run quiz nights and pop-up events such as whisky tastings and food pairing events.

“I would say to anyone who is considering tapping into funding as a route to building their business to do it. It’s easy to be held back by thoughts of large investments in small businesses but when we look at what we’ve achieved, not just for ourselves but for our community, we know it will bring returns year after year, on an economic and human level.”