A family whisky firm with 130 years of heritage has closed its shop after “unexpected” news that the town’s only shopping centre will close.
Gordon and MacPhail moved into the St Giles Centre in April 2023, after a major refurbishment saw the unit turned into a luxury whisky store.
Gordon & MacPhail is temporarily using a unit in the St Giles Centre while its South Street premises is being done up.
The Moray business moved into the shopping centre temporarily to allow their long-time shop on South Street, which opened in 1895, to be transformed into a whisky experience.
A Gordon and MacPhail spokesperson confirmed this morning that the shop had its “last day of trading” yesterday – closing after less than a year.
However, the statement also confirmed the firm were “evaluating all the options” and are “actively develping contingency plans to continue serving our community”.
Upland Developments Limited controls St Giles Shopping Centre Ltd, which operates the shopping centre, with both led by Aviemore buisinessman David John Cameron.
After the closure was announced on Wednesday, an Upland Developments Limited spokesperson claimed that “severe financial pressures” and Moray Council’s support for out-of-town shopping developments contributed to the coming closure on January 20.
In November, it was revealed that Moray Council had agreed to pursue £750,000 in unpaid business rates owed by St Giles Shopping Centre Holdings Ltd.
A spokesperson for Gordon and MacPail said: “Learning of the closure of the St Giles Shopping Centre was unexpected.
“We have decided that our last day of trading in our property at St Giles was Friday, January 10, 2025.
“We are currently evaluating all our options to determine the best course of action.
“We want to reassure our customers that we are actively developing contingency plans to continue serving our community and we will keep our customers updated as we progress.
“We thank our customers for their loyalty and patience during this time and remain dedicated to providing the high-quality service and products they have come to expect from Gordon and MacPhail.”
Those with questions, or who are looking to order products from Gordon and MacPhail, were also urged to contact the company on 01343 545110 or by emailing whisky@gordonandmacphail.com or by visiting the website.
The news comes after Elgin’s branches of Subway and The Works have confirmed they will close, with replacement stores unlikely.
However, other retailers have pledged to work to remain in Elgin.
Ahead of the opening of Gordon and MacPhail’s store in the St Giles Centre, Stephen Rankin, director of prestige at Gordon and MacPhail, said: “We see this as a major vote of confidence in Elgin.”