Crumbs, brand new visitor centre takes the biscuit

SCOTLAND'S first-ever visitor attraction dedicated to shortbread is set to deliver a tourism boost to a small town in Aberdeenshire.

Helen Dean, a Huntly housewife, founded the bakery business 32 years ago, and it has now grown into Scotland's top shortbread manufacturing company.

Using her own secret recipe, Mrs Dean, who died in September aged 70, originally baked her shortbread to help raise funds for the local pipe band.

Today Dean's of Huntly makes 69 million biscuits a year and with a turnover of almost £7 million, employs over 140 people.

Huntly's will tonight officially open Scotland's first visitor attraction, dedicated to our national biscuit.

The centre, will chart the history of the company from its humble beginnings in Mrs Dean's kitchen to the present day and also tell visitors how the popular delicacy is made.

Mrs Dean's son, Bill Dean jnr, now managing director, said: "Ask anyone to come up with words describing Scotland and you'll hear whisky, tartan and shortbread. There are already centres dedicated to whisky and tartan but we are the first to put shortbread on the map."

"Who knows? Maybe shortbread could soon be up there with whisky and castle trails."