BLACK Sheep Hotels has invested more than £20 million in its Highland portfolio of boutique hotels, lodges and restaurants in Lochaber and Inverness-shire.

The move has created more than 80 new jobs in time for the further lifting of restrictions in the country, with the hotel chain welcoming more than 1250 guests to its hotels and restaurants in two weeks.

The new additions to the chain’s portfolio include the construction of eight new cabins, a new restaurant in Fort William and the construction of a unique bakery on the road to Skye.

It has also added an additional 19 bedrooms to The Whispering Pine Lodge in Lochaber and the Cluanie Inn at Glenmoriston.

Since first opening in the Highlands in 2019, Black Sheep Hotels has established a strong reputation for its food with its restaurants Emily’s Byre, Lochside Brasserie and The Cluanie Bar and Kitchen offering a host of different cuisine options for customers.

Its popular Asian restaurant Tiger on the Wall in Inverness, which serves Indian and Oriental cuisine, has proved extremely popular since opening last year, reaching a peak of 65 orders a night for takeaway during lockdown.