Tributes paid to well-known founder of the Speyside Centre
Tributes have been paid to one of Strathspey's best known business people who founded the popular Speyside Centre along with his wife.
David Lambie passed away at his home by the attraction at Skye of Curr by Dulnain Bridge last Thursday (November 2) aged 85.
He was the much loved husband of Betty and father of Craig and Iain who now run the restaurant, retail and garden centre business.
His funeral service will be held at Inverness Crematorium on Wednesday 15th November at noon.
Mr Lambie and his wife have done so much to raise funds for charity through their own Wishing Well charity.
The centre was established in 1972 when the couple and their two young sons moved from Carmunnock in Lanarkshire to Skye of Curr.
The 'Corner' as it was known at that time, was virtually an area of waste ground on a corner of two roads and the Lambie family lived there, in a caravan, for the first three years.
By the summer of 1973 signs offering 'Heathers For Sale' were erected.
The centre grew bigger over the years and became known as the Speyside Heather Centre famed for its Clootie Dumpling served up at its very own restaurant.
It was also home to a gift shop and boutique, a garden centre, the Wee Whisky Shop, the Whisky Tasting Lounge, an antiques and collectables centre, a unique heather story exhibition and wildlife viewing stations.
But then disaster hit on April 29, 2016, when a huge fire almost completely gutted the business.
Fire crews from Grantown, Aviemore, Nairn, Kingussie and Inverness attended at the scene after the alarm was raised 8.20am but despite their best efforts many of the timber buildings were razed to the ground.
However, the family took on the challenge despite the huge obstacles placed in front of them and rebuilt the business to something even bigger and better and rebranded it as the Speyside Centre.
Tributes have poured in to Mr Lambie and his huge contribution to putting the strath on the tourism map.
Many have described him as a 'true gentleman'.
Anne Dickson captured much of the sentiment with her post: "David was a true gentleman and just a lovely man".
Ann Drummond stated: "David's advice over the years was immeasurable".
Debbie McIntosh said: "David is definitely one who will leave a big void".
Mr Lambie was also a nature lover and a keen photographer and he combined the two to produce his excellent comprehensive book 'A Camera in the Cairngorms National Park' published in 2021.
All friends are respectfully invited to attend Mr Lambie's funeral service and those who are unable to do so are welcome to join the family to celebrate his life at the Speyside Centre at 2.30pm.
Donations will be collected for the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK.
