2 May 2024
Inverness Castle's transformation team welcomes experienced operations partner onboard
Today, The Highland Council has announced an exciting partnership with 'Spider Entertainment.’ This strategic collaboration is set to enhance operations leading up to the opening of the much-anticipated visitor attraction: The Inverness Castle Experience, in 2025.
Sally Reynolds, Chief Experience Officer and Kevin Smith, Operations Director join the team with decades of experience between them, having worked with some of the biggest attractions and brands in the world. They have worked with and within organisations such as Merlin Entertainments, Continuum Attractions, Silverstone, Center Parcs and ITV and with and within well-known visitor attractions such as Sea Life Centres, Legoland, Mary King’s Close, Spinnaker Tower, Woburn Abbey, Safari Park and Golf Club and The Emirates Cable Car.
Outside of the South Tower, Inverness Castle (LtoR) Cllr Ian Brown - The Highland Council, Sally Reynolds and Kevin Smith - Spider Entertainment, Cllr Ken Gowans - The Highland CouncilImage courtesy of Ewen Weatherspoon / High Life Highland
Spider Entertainment will provide support in all the key disciplines that are essential for setting up, launching and operating a successful attraction. They will help make sure that the commercial opportunities of the project are maximised, and that once open, visitors to the Inverness Castle Experience have a consistently excellent experience.
Cllr Ken Gowans, Chair of Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, said: “I am delighted that Kevin and Sally are joining the team — both have exactly the right mix of operating expertise that is needed support our team with this immensely important Highland project that is due to open in 2025.”
Key to delivering an excellent visitor experience is the recruitment and training of the staff team. Spider entertainment will help communicate to potential candidates the rewarding career opportunities that are available in the tourism and hospitality sector - whatever their stage of life. Spider Entertainment will work alongside the Highland Council and other agencies to support and encourage young people who are soon to leave education or who are seeking work to start a fulfilling career in tourism and hospitality at the Inverness Castle Experience.
Kevin and Sally will help develop a bespoke training package for all new recruits to ensure that they are ready to welcome and host the hundreds of thousands of visitors who will soon be visiting the Inverness Castle Experience each year.
Cllr Ian Brown, Leader of Inverness City and Area and Co-chair of the Inverness Castle Project Delivery Group, said: Sally and Kevin bring a wealth of experience in high-profile project delivery, portfolio management and operations across the visitor attraction sector.“
”We are very excited about embarking, with them, on this exciting next chapter the story of the Inverness Castle Experience.”
Robert Hetherington CEO of Spider Entertainment, said: “Spider Entertainment are excited to be working on this prestigious project and look forward to working in partnership with the Inverness Castle Experience team to help open and operate what will no doubt be a world class must-see visitor attraction.”