An Aberdeenshire tourist shop is celebrating after achieving one of the highest Quality Assurance accolades from the national tourism organisation.
The Platform has achieved the prestigious 5-star Tourist Shop award from VisitScotland at its first ever grading visit.
What was once a railway station has now been renovated into a fantastic shopping destination, located in the small coastal town of Macduff, situated within Banff bay.
The Platform offers a wide selection of gifts, home furnishings and both men and women's clothing with various popular brands on offer, including French Connection, Gym King, Superdry and Tia, Robell and Lauren Vidal to name a few.
The Platform also includes a café – Annie’s Cakery – which is perfect for visitors looking to stop for a light lunch or a homemade cake with their tea or coffee, whilst enjoying the scenic view over the bay.
With its strong emphasis on promoting local produce, Annie’s Cakery has achieved a Taste Our Best award - a joint initiative between VisitScotland and the Scottish Government to recognise businesses including and promoting local Scottish Produce on their menus.
The Platform has also joined the VisitScotland Information Partner (VIP) programme. Launched in May 2016, the VIP programme harnesses the local knowledge, warmth and enthusiasm of partners across the country to help visitors receive the warmest of welcomes and make the most of their trip to Scotland.
Visitor attractions, accommodation providers and social enterprises have all joined the scheme to become a network of local ambassadors who help ensure visitors receive first-class quality local information about the region and Scotland as a whole.
Elaine Williams, manager at The Platform said: “We are absolutely delighted that The Platform has been awarded its 5 Star status. This is a testament to both the dedication of the staff and the support we have received from our valued customers.
“We have already opened a new extension to our store since our grading and are constantly sourcing new and exciting products to offer something that little bit different and to have been recognised for this is a great achievement.”
Annie Anderson, owner at Annie’s Cakery said: “We are delighted to have been awarded 'Taste Our Best' from VisitScotland. This recognition reflects our hard work and passion for using the very best of Scottish produce with locally sourced ingredients to create our menu.”
Jo Robinson, regional director at VisitScotland said: “It is fantastic to see Aberdeenshire’s tourism offering enhanced by The Platform and Annie’s Cakery, and their well-deserved achievements. Achieving these awards at their very first grading visit is particularly impressive.
“The Platform is an exceptional example of a business that is working in partnership with VisitScotland – making the most of our opportunities and drawing on the impartial advice and experience to invest in and develop their business.
“My sincere congratulations go to The Platform and Annie’s Cakery on these outstanding achievements and I wish them continued success for the future.”
Developed and improved for over 30 years, VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance (QA) schemes are world-leading and provide a trusted, independent and impartial source of information for visitors. They allow businesses not just to meet visitor expectations, but exceed them.
QA can open the door to new customers. It is a powerful marketing tool and works well with online review sites in using an independent perspective to measure visitor experience against tried and tested criteria, so visitors know exactly what to expect.
For more information, visit: theplatform-macduff.co.uk
For more information on VisitScotland’s Quality Assurance scheme, please visit: visitscotland.org