SEC Talks With Bridgeen Mullen
We’re delighted to share part of the riverside with its latest addition – the Clydeside Distillery. It’s the first fully functioning single malt distillery in the centre of Glasgow for over 100 years and is hoping its first batch of single malt to be ready in a couple of years.
We spoke with the Visitor Centre Manager, Bridgeen Mullen, about the value of cultural assets like the distillery and how they can enhance a delegate’s time in the city.
“When our chairman was deciding on a site for the new distillery, he wanted somewhere that was easily accessible to the city centre but also a building that had a story to tell. He decided on the pumphouse – where we’re sitting now. The Pumphouse was originally designed to provide hydraulic power to operate the swing bridge, servicing the Queens’ Dock which witnessed the export of whisky with ships destined for all continents of the world, which are now home to our neighbours the Scottish Event Campus – how’s that for history!
“The customer experience was at the centre of all discussions when developing the distillery. Creating a rich cultural experience for everyone who comes through our doors – something that reflected Glasgow, Scotland and indeed the history of our fine liquid!
“We opened our doors at the end of 2017 and have taken over 25,000 people on our distillery tour since. A lot of these visitors come from events held in the city – it’s a great extra-curricular activity for attendees. The distillery has capacity to host up to 200 guests for private events. We have used this space to create additional hospitality options for organisers at the SEC which has gone down well.
“A huge part of any delegate coming to Scotland is the cultural enrichment. We aim to provide an authentic, holistic experience for our visitors. All our tour guides are multilingual, and we ensure they are all trained through VisitScotland’s Exceeding Visitor Experience programme. It’s important to us to get the simple things spot on.
“We’ve created an experience where visitors can take in the essence of Scotland by touch, sound, sight, smell and even taste. It’s something that’s so unique to us and for delegates coming in from afar, what better way to enhance their time here?
“Culture is so important for attendees of any event. It creates memories, encourages emotion and feeling. If people are engaged in their destination, they’ll enjoy it more, and learn more. I don’t think you’ll find many destinations where a distillery and a conference venue go hand in hand… but it certainly works for Glasgow!”
The Clydeside Distillery is situated just a five minute walk from the East Doors of the Scottish Event Campus and offers tours with a wee dram every hour, on the hour.