Johnnie Walker bottles back Paisley bid

Diageo has supported Paisley's bid to be UK City of Culture 2021, by raising a glass at the world's biggest Scotch bottling plant and with the release of specially produced bottles of Johnnie Walker.

Some of the team behind the Paisley 2021 bid visited the Renfrewshire base of  Diageo, the latest major business to back the town’s ambitions.

Aside from the limited-edition bottles, Diageo is one of a number of local businesses that have agreed to donate £20,000 to meet the costs of hosting the title.

The company’s packaging plant at Shieldhall bottles more than 25 million cases of Scotch whisky annually – including Johnnie Walker, Buchanan’s, J&B and Bell’s.

Paisley 2021 bid director Jean Cameron met some of the staff at the plant.

The Paisley 2021 Johnnie Walker bottles are not currently available to the public, but a small limited edition will be produced at a later date.

Paisley will lodge its bid with the UK Government’s Department for Culture, Media and Sport later this week. The town is bidding for the title as part of wider plans to use its unique cultural and heritage story to transform its future.

Jean Cameron said: “Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture 2021 has had incredible backing to date from across the local community – so far, more than 30,000 people have taken part in the conversation around it.

“Along the way we have had wonderful backing from local businesses – with almost 200 to date publicly supporting the bid.

“That includes major local employers of international importance assigning uop as bid sponsors – including Glasgow Airport, WH Malcolm, intu Braehead, Gordon Leslie Group and Coats PLC – and we are thrilled to add Diageo to that list.

“I loved seeing two iconic global Scottish brands – the Paisley Pattern and Johnnie Walker – combined in one beautiful bottle.”

Gavin Brogan, operations director at Diageo Shieldhall says: “Paisley is famous for its rich history of craftsmanship.

“Today we are part of that living heritage, making the most traditional of Scottish products, Scotch whisky here in Renfrewshire. We’re delighted to support Paisley’s bid to be UK City of Culture in 2021 and we wish the team every success.”

For more on Paisley’s Uk City of Culture 2021 bid, see www.paisley2021.co.uk

1 May 2017 - Sam Coyne The Drinks Report, news editor