The North British Distillery, in Wheatfield Road, has long been famous for brewing Famous Grouse, Chivas Regal, Lang's and Cutty Sark.

Now the excess hot water from the site is to be used to heat Tynecastle High School, which is due to move to a new building next to the distillery.

The environmentally-friendly method is expected to cost the city council a fraction of what it would have had to pay in gas to heat the school and provide hot water.

Initially the distillery was a stumbling block to the council's plans because of rules about how close public buildings can be to such premises because of the chemicals mixed in vats to make whisky. However, education chiefs, distillery bosses, and Hearts Football Club, which is redeveloping its stadium nearby, agreed a deal that will see the amount of liquid mixed at any one time reduced to safe levels.

Source: Scotsman

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