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A Base for Success

Nairn already provides the base for a range of successful local businesses and inward investments attracted by the town's skilled workforce and lifestyle benefits.

Ian Petrow, CJ Petrow International Limited
Ian Petrow runs an international business trading in steel, timber, spices and oil spill remediation products which requires regular travel to and the Far East . He first moved his business to Guildford but found it too busy. As his wife is from the Nairn area, he moved north in 1997 - and has no regrets.

"The lifestyle is excellent, it only takes me a couple of minutes to get from home to office and from Inverness Airport I can get connections to wherever I need to go. I'd like to see more businesses taking advantage of what Nairn has to offer".

George Asher, Ashers Bakery
George Asher needs no convincing about the attractions of Nairn. He is the fourth generation of his family to run a much-respected local business, founded in 1877 and now employing 110 people.

"Nairn is a very pleasant place to live and work. It's a very positive environment for business with a skilled, reliable and loyal workforce. And the area offers a host of activities which make leisure interesting, satisfying and enjoyable".

"We were looking for a place which offered us greater flexibility, the freedom to set our own priorities and build our business from a small start, and a high quality of life. From our point of view, there’s no better place than Nairn".

in 1999. With sister operations at Forres, Dingwall and Inverness, Nairn handles a range of UK accounts including rail ticket sales, collecting parking fines, payroll, and finance and accounting.

 

"In common with our other Highland sites, Nairn gives us access to staff of very high quality", says general manager Fiona Larg. "They have high skill levels and are flexible, committed and loyal. We have a very low turnover, with many staff having been with us since start-up.

"Nairn has excellent transport links. It is also close to Inverness Airport , offering a direct service to our head office in Manchester , while other daily services give us easy access to clients throughout the .

"Another important factor in the development of our company and its services is the support of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise network, both in finance and training."

Finlay Bell, North of Marquees
The economic expansion of the Highlands and Islands has stimulated year-on-year growth for North of Scotland Marquees since the company set up in Nairn in 1984. Today the company employs four full-time, two part-time and 12 seasonal staff, supplying marquees, furniture, crockery, cutlery and glassware to major outdoor events throughout the region.

"Nairn makes an ideal centre for our operations which cover the area north from Glasgow and Edinburgh and into the islands", says proprietor Finlay Bell. "We have easy access to all parts of the area and to a labour market which supplies good quality staff who respond well to our in-house training scheme. We benefit from Nairn’s high quality of life and from its close proximity to the City of Inverness" .

"I owe it all to my grandmother", says Becky (30). "She ran her own shops and I gained experience and lots of contacts by going with her on buying trips from the age of 10".

Becky built on that experience by working with major retailers, in hotels and studying business administration before setting up Marmalade on a trial basis. The response was so good that it quickly expanded into a permanent presence on Nairn's High Street.

"Operating in small towns like Nairn and Forres means that you really have to get to know your customers. I try to specialise in the more unique labels from the and Europe and we’re now attracting regular customers from a wide area, including Inverness" .