Seaside town has new look following Covid crisis

A Scottish seaside town which boasts sandy beaches, championship golf courses and award-winning restaurants is getting ready to re-open to tourists with a whole new look after its businesses were severely hit by the Covid 19 crisis.

Nairn which is located on the Moray Firth and was once dubbed the ‘Brighton of the North’ has been rebranded ‘Scotland’s Highland Playground’ due to its diverse range of activities, events, history and culture.

And now, with tourism operators gearing up to open following the Coronavirus pandemic, the new brand which was commissioned by the town’s Nairn Business Improvement District is being launched.

Michael Boylan, chairman of Nairn BID said: “The new brand for Nairn was never intended to be about Covid 19, but now that things are starting to move in the tourism industry and it’s looking likely that Nairn and its many tourism-related businesses will be able to open to visitors we are using our new fabulous rebrand to our advantage and we want to be a town that is leading the way.

“Nairn is predominantly a tourist town, so there is not a business in the town that has not been adversely affected by the impact of this worldwide situation. Our local economy relies on people wanting to travel and stay here and enjoy what we have to offer and as that has not been an option, businesses are struggling.”

He added: “However, we have always been looking forward. Staycations are likely to become more of a thing and Nairn really does have something for everyone. From championships golf courses, three stunning beaches, award winning restaurants, Culbin Forest on our doorstep and of course great transport links, Nairn is an ideal holiday destination. It has it all.”

Nairn is a relaxing seaside resort and is one of the sunniest and driest places in Scotland. Not only is it a popular family holiday destination and an ideal base for walking, cycling, touring and golfing but being located so centrally with Inverness to the west and Aberdeen to the east, it is a great base to explore other attractions too.

Lucy Harding, manager of Nairn BID added: “We are very excited to be launching Nairn as Scotland’s Highland Playground as it really does have everything you could want for a traditional family holiday. There is something for everyone to enjoy whether that’s simple relaxing walks and picnics on the beaches, exploring our rich history with Cawdor Castle, Brodie Castle and Fort George on the doorstep or something a bit more adventurous.

“The Highlands are increasingly popular with tourists, particularly with the success of the North Coast 500, which is also on our doorstep, which means we get a lot of visitors passing through. So, we wanted to make a statement about Nairn’s uniqueness as a seaside resort in the heart of the Highlands. Nairn is a wonderful natural playground. We have beautiful beaches, world class golf courses, lots of open space and play areas and, of course, the famous Moray Firth dolphins which you can often see from the beach. Even dolphins come to play in Nairn, so we would like more visitors to come here to pause, relax and enjoy a seaside holiday and outdoor activities in our beautiful surroundings.

“Nairn BID has around 200 members and the majority of them have been hit hard by Covid 19, but we have a real community here and everyone is raring to go and is eager to get back to business as quickly and as safely as possible.

“We are working closely with our members to ensure they have everything they need to welcome what we hope will be an influx of visitors ready to experience our stunning town and surrounding area. There is a new website, nairnscotland.com , to make it easy for visitors to plan their trip and find out everything they need to know about Nairn, where to stay, eat and what they can enjoy here.”

ENDS