As if by magic, a Harry Potter scarf is flying off the shelves.
And its creator, Kirkcaldy-based Alan Santry, is helping conjure up a taste of Scotland’s produce as well.
The scarf worn by Hermione Grainger in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince has become a bestselling success in VisitScotland iCentres across the country.
Originally only stocked in the St Andrews iCentre, the national tourism organisation is now selling the famous Fair Isle scarf in centres across the country to keep up with demand from visiting Potter fans.
The news comes as VisitScotland launched its new retail initiative, Shop Local, at the St Andrews iCentre on Thursday.
Initially launched as a pilot in 2016, Shop Local is now being rolled out across the country, offering the opportunity for communities, local businesses, craft makers, artists, designers and others to promote and sell their products to visitors via the VisitScotland iCentre network.
Alan was one of the first suppliers on board during the pilot.
Alan’s range was initially only stocked in St Andrews, but is now countrywide due to its popularity with the Harry Potter scarf accounting for 50% of Alan’s sales.
Feedback from a recent VisitScotland survey suggested that film tourism was one of the key factors in influencing international visitors to visit Scotland.
First published 20 years ago next month, Harry Potter has a number of connections to Scotland.
Not only does author JK Rowling live in Edinburgh, where she wrote the original books, but Scotland features prominently in one of the biggest movie franchises of all time.
Among the locations featured are the Glenfinnan Viaduct, which is seen carrying the Hogwarts Express, Loch Shiel, which doubles for the Black Lake, and Glen Coe, the site of Hagrid’s hut.
VisitScotland’s Lynn Jack said: “Shop Local has been developed to provide a unique sales channel for small businesses producing Made in Scotland products, offering visitors the chance to take an authentic, locally produced, piece of Scotland home with them.
“The iCentre in St Andrews has seen great growth in recent times thanks, in part, to some of the amazing Shop Local suppliers on show such as Alan Santry’s Harry Potter scarf.”
Alan added that Shop Local had been excellent for business.
Born in St Andrews, it gives me great pride to sell our goods not only in my home town, but Scotland wide.”
