A VISITOR experience detailing more than 300 years of brewing in Belhaven has officially opened its doors.

Paralympic Games medallist Maria Lyle, who lives in Dunbar, was joined by members of Dunbar Royal British Legion Pipe Band and East Lothian Provost John McMillan on November 1 to officially open the facility at Belhaven Brewery.

The brewery’s visitor experience will give people an opportunity to discover the history of Scotland’s oldest working brewery, which dates back to 1719, learn the brewing process of Belhaven’s beers and see the locally sourced malt used in the brewing process.

Fiona Matheson, Belhaven Brewery marketing executive, has been leading on the project and was delighted to see the experience open.

She said: “It has been a real collective team effort to get the visitor experience into the position it is in today.

“At Belhaven, we are proud of our people, our place and our products and this visitor experience tells an exceptional story of all three of those things.

“As Scotland’s oldest working brewery, we have so many stories to tell and hope visitors to our home will be captured by everything that Belhaven has to offer.”

The brewery, which is famous for beers including Belhaven Best, Belhaven Black and Belhaven 80 Shilling, will allow people to enjoy a tutored tasting of four award-winning Belhaven Beers.

The experience will also enable visitors to have their picture taken in front of Belhaven’s iconic chimneys and visit the secret garden.

Mr McMillan, who is also East Lothian Council’s spokesman for economic development and tourism, enjoyed the tour.

He said: “It was an amazing experience and the whole visit encapsulated everything Belhaven and East Lothian has to offer.

“We are proud to be Scotland’s Food and Drink County and Belhaven is just one of the wonderful local businesses that show why East Lothian deserves that title.

“We are proud to have Scotland’s oldest working brewery in East Lothian and I would encourage everyone from Scotland and beyond to come and experience the history and taste of Belhaven’s beers as soon as possible.”