By Mike Robertson

The anticipation started before Christmas last year when Adele and Lyndsey took a stand at the ‘Something Different Something Deerness’ event to explain their plans for a café at the Deerness Distillery.  So, when they announced The Dashing Deer was opening, we had to book a table, bundle the old mother-in-law in the car and head there for lunch.

After studying several pages of drinks and food in the menu, we settled for soup and chicken goujons with chips and Eviedale sourdough bread.  It was delicious.  The friendly staff soon took our order and we looked around the new premises while waiting for our food to arrive.

The huge windows looking out over Copinsay and the Horse filled the whole place with light. The hard surfaces made it a bit echoey but they plan to put in sound deadening materials which hadn’t arrive in time for the opening. There is also a small shop and viewing gallery to watch the distillery in action.

Chatting with the owners, Stuart and Adele Brown, after our meal we heard how this was only the start.  At the moment they are open for lunch and as a bar in the evening.  So Deerness residents we can avoid the 20 mile round trip into the town.  Later, they hope to add themed evening meals with guest chefs, take away fish and chip nights, Sunday carvery and more. 

But this is not just about the café.  At an OREF presentation over a year ago Stuart explained his plans to go completely off-grid, energy-wise, and he has now taken a step closer that by installing a 60KW digestor.  This generates heat and electricity from kitchen and distillery waste.  Not only that but the waste from the digestor can then be used as a fertilizer.

The is a great asset for the thriving Deerness community.  It will benefit not only the resident but will also attract people to visit the area.