Scottish regulator launches probe into charity that runs whisky museum

The Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR) is investigating a charity called Dufftown 2000, which the OSCR believes is mismanaged and unable to achieve its charitable goals.

Dufftown 2000 promotes local tourism in Moray in northeast Scotland by hosting events and running a whisky museum in the town. The 2021 accounts to January 2022 show Dufftown 2000 raised just £2,500 for charity last year, well below the more than £30,000 raised in 2020. Dufftown 2000 raised just £105 in its 2020/21 fundraiser, compared with £27,400 in 2019/20 due to the pandemic. In addition, according to statistics, Dufftown 2000 provided 3,400 less volunteer hours due to the lockdown policy.

The OSCR alleges that Dufftown 2000's events were not all in the public interest and that there were irregularities in the election of its agency managers. Members of the Dufftown 2000 also raised questions with the agency's management at their annual meeting earlier this year, according to the local Press & Journal.

An OSCR spokesman said. "OSCR is aware of issues with Dufftown 2000 and investigations into these issues are ongoing."

Dufftown 2000 has not yet responded to the investigation.