UNCERTAINITY hangs over the future of Creetown’s Glenquicken Farm Game Meats, as new council guidelines require over £10,000 worth of enhancement to the site.
The game meat dealership was set up by Mike, Wilma and Graeme McCart in 2018, and since then they have diversified to include holiday cottages and trout fishing tuition.
But following a recent inspection of their private water supply – which they passed – they were shocked to be told that their setup needs ‘major improvements’.
Graeme said: “We received a 50 page risk assessment from said council basically saying our setup needs major improvements and more filters fitted. We’ve got big filters, small filters, magnetic filters, UV filters.
“After digesting this document and crunching some figures with local contractors, an investment of around £10,000-£15,000 will be required to meet these new guidelines.
“For a small family business to stump up cash like that and still carry on is a big ask.
“We set out six years ago to be a small family run, local and sustainable business and we have the certificates and awards to show for it, but we just don’t see how adding all this extra infrastructure is good for the environment, let alone disturbing sensitive peatland to allow for it.”
The family are looking for a solution but fear they may have to shut the business they’ve created.
Graeme added: “We have diversified our farm in four different ways since moving into Glenquicken 25 years ago and never received a penny in funding or grants for doing so.
“Now it seems local authorities are out to kill small rural businesses with their outrageous demands, not to mention local tourism with the closing of holiday cottages.
“Hopefully we can find a solution and keep building on the business we have worked so hard to get up and going.
“At the moment the future looks very uncertain for us but we will try our utmost to carry on, but for the meantime our backs are to the wall.”
