Seafood giant joins the menu at Port Edgar

ONE of Scotland's highest regarded seafood restaurant chains is setting up its first eatery on the east coast.

Kenny Blair is MD of Buzzworks Holdings, which is setting up a 'Scotts' restaurant at South Queensferry. Picture: contributed

Scotts, which has flagship branches in Troon and Largs, will open in South Queensferry before the end of the year.

It will be based at the Port Edgar Marina, offering views across the Forth’s three bridges.

Bosses said the restaurant would be the “dynamic, family-run business’s first venture into the east of Scotland, offering fantastic food and drink in a world-class setting”.

Scotts is run by Buzzworks Holdings, which has ten venues in Scotland, including Elliotts in Prestwick, Lido venues in Prestwick and Troon, The Treehouse in Ayr, The Longhouse in Kilmarnock, The Mill House in Stewarton, The Corner House in Kilwinning and newest venue, The Coach House, in Bridge of Weir.

More then 1200 people have reviewed the Troon restaurant on travel website TripAdvisor with around half giving it a five-star rating.

Kenny Blair, Buzzworks Holdings MD, said: “This is another ambitious step forward in our continued growth strategy as we branch out from the west of Scotland.

“The venue will not only bring a new dining experience to the area, but an opportunity for the local community to work with a company ranked 40th within The Sunday Times 100 Best Companies to Work For.

“Buzzworks prides itself on the delicious food, serious cocktails and superb service we provide to customers, so it’s an exciting time for the business as we extend our portfolio to the east coast and take Scotts to South Queensferry.

“We can’t wait to begin fitting out the property.”

The Evening News told earlier this week how the multi-million pound Port Edgar redevelopment, which aims to transform South Queensferry’s waterfront into a “family-friendly leisure destination”, had reached a landmark stage.

Husband and wife team Russell and Cara Aitken took over the running of Port Edgar marina from the city council in 2014.

They have refurbished ancillary buildings, created more parking spaces and secured the future of the marina as a sailing destination by dredging the harbour so it can take larger vessels.

A newly refurbished 7500 sq ft retail space, Bosuns Locker, has also been unveiled, which stocks a wide selection of outdoor clothing and footwear.

Russell Aitken, managing director at Port Edgar Marina, said: “Port Edgar has a rich and varied history and we’re making sure that it has an exciting future ahead of it.

“We’re delighted Buzzworks has chosen to locate its next restaurant at the marina, where diners will be able to enjoy quality food with stunning views of the Forth’s three bridges.”

Fergus Ewing, MSP and Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity, said: “This is yet another positive addition to the marine tourism portfolio in Scotland.”

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