Top visitor attraction is calling for passionate storytellers to become Experience Ambassadors
Johnnie Walker Princes Street, the award-winning global visitor experience in the heart of Edinburgh, has announced exciting opportunities for passionate individuals to join its renowned team.
With both part-time and full-time Experience Ambassador positions available, aspiring actors and storytellers are invited to become a part of an exceptional team dedicated to delivering unparalleled experiences to visitors from around the globe.
Ambassadors will guide guests through the venue across the many different experiences available, taking them on a journey through the story of Johnnie Walker, the single malt and single grain whiskies from which it is crafted, and through the multitude of ways whisky can be enjoyed.
Dedicated to challenging stereotypes and busting myths around Scotch, no background in whisky is required for the roles available at Johnnie Walker Princes Street. Instead, applicants should be natural presenters and storytellers and have a passion for hospitality.
Successful candidates will have the chance to work in the multi-award-winning destination starting from June 3, with the opportunity to be a part of a key venue during the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, work with experts in the experience and whisky field and receive extensive training and development from industry leading professionals.
Additionally, Johnnie Walker Princes Street offers staff a strong reward and benefits package with many pathways to great career opportunities across Johnnie Walker and parent company Diageo. Recognising the need for flexibility, employees can also expect a range of shift and working patterns to cater for people at all ages and stages of life.
Rob Maxwell, Head of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, said:“We are proud of the exceptional team we have built at Johnnie Walker Princes Street, and we are excited to offer opportunities for new talent to be part of our award-winning visitor experience.
“If you are energetic, enthusiastic and, passionate about a career in hospitality and tourism then we want to hear from you.”
To apply for the role of Experience Ambassador at Johnnie Walker Princes Street, please visit our website here.
This month has witnessed a new zoo opening its doors and welcoming visitors to the grounds in Oxton, just north of Lauder. Bird Gardens Scotland is a not-for-profit organisation and works with some of the rarest birds as part of a global effort to help these threatened species.
The grounds are developing rapidly and with each bit of progress, more bird species arrive to be part of ever-expanding breeding programmes. It has been a great year for breeding successes thus far and the last few chicks of the season can be seen through the Baby Barn windows.
Visitors are currently enjoying a clutch of tiny ducklings taking their first wobbly steps and learning to swim in their little pond. These are ringed teal ducklings, a species becoming rarer due to rainforest loss in South America, at Bird Gardens Scotland however, they are thriving.
Visitors are able to get nose-to-beak with some of the wonderful characters in the grounds. A very curious and nosey kookaburra family enjoy people-watching as visitors walk-by.
The highlight for many visitors is the friendly flamboyance of flamingos on the main pond. Only being four years old, staff at Bird Gardens Scotland were a bit surprised when the flamingos started nest-building.
These pink delights spend hours picking up small stones and bits of mud as they create their nests just beside the main boardwalk giving visitors a thrilling close-encounter of the pinkest kind.
Mark, one of the founders of Bird Gardens Scotland said: “Being so young, we were delighted and a bit surprised that the flamingos started nest-building.
“They can live up to 70 years old and don’t usually breed until they are a bit older than four. That said, we’re not going to stop them breeding and actually we hope they’ll go all the way and make little flamingling fluff-balls.’
In the grounds is a new visitor centre with a coffee shop where freshly baked cakes and quiches can be enjoyed, washed-down with great coffee and other refreshments. The visitor centre is completely off-grid so this is your rare chance to enjoy a coffee made with Bird Gardens Scotland’s onsite spring water from a coffee-machine powered by the sun.
The natural history themed classroom in the visitor centre is getting ready to welcome school groups where children can meet tortoises, snakes and tiny frogs and learn about the conservation of the natural world. The classroom is also a quirky out-of-office meeting space and it could be the only rentable room that has the delightful song of poison dart frogs creating a charming atmosphere.
Owen, also one of the founders, and Mark’s husband, said: ‘We literally built the visitor centre during lockdown. We had materials on site and we learned a great deal as we built the building and installed the play areas.
“We are incredibly proud of ourselves for getting this far and we are very excited about the years to come.
“There are many plans to add gardens and breeding facilities. Sadly, there are many species in need of a helping hand as climate change, habitat loss, wildfires, deforestation and many other influential factors cause loss of wildlife.”
To make the bird gardens as accessible as possible, Mark and Owen decided to have a reasonable admission charge which allows entry for a whole year, this means that for the local community the site is effectively free to use and for passing visitors it is cheap to visit.
Owen said: “As a not-for-profit organisation, we wanted to get people in the doors to learn about the birds we work with and to celebrate conservation efforts with us. When people are exposed to the actual birds, a strong sense of care is naturally generated.
“This is a powerful driving force for collective change which is the only way we are going to push forward addressing environmental issues and make changes that will benefit wildlife, habitats, the planet and of course our future too.
“If Bird Gardens Scotland can contribute to that, then all our work will have been a success.”
Bird Gardens Scotland is a registered Community Interest Company.
Bird Gardens Scotland is open daily.
Admission: adult £10 & all concessions £6.50 (under 4 go-free)
Everything to date has been built, created and installed with volunteer help.
Bird Gardens is just north of the Carfraemill roundabout outside the village of Oxton.
Home to over 400 birds and wallabies.
The site is 7 acres. Half has been developed, the second half is underway.
Bird Gardens is part of the global zoo community working on effective conservation breeding.
The visitor centre is an eco-build using recycled, reclaimed and upcycled materials where possible.
