Whisky maker Penderyn has started recruitment for its new distillery in Llandudno.
They were granted planning permission in August last year to restore and convert the Old Board School on Lloyd Street into a Distillery and Visitor Centre.
Since then, contractors from Mold-based MPH Construction have been carrying out the renovation works, including the addition of a modern glazed extension to the back of the building.
Opening later this year, the working distillery will produce a range of unique peated single malt whiskies on site, as well as provide a year-round, all weather tourism attraction in North Wales.
In the region of 13 jobs are expected to be created in the first year, with the role of site and visitor centre manager now open for applications.
Neil Quigley, Penderyn director of operations, said: "We are very pleased to see the progress that's been made on site, despite the obvious challenges presented by the Covid-19 pandemic and Brexit.
"Now that the restoration is almost complete, we're aiming to bring in the distillery equipment within a few weeks and start the installation and commissioning by early April at the latest.
"This means that we're still on track to be open to the public by the spring or early summer."
He added: "We want to recruit a strong team to run the operations in Llandudno, and the site and visitor centre manager role is a really important one in bringing that team together.
"This person will have responsibility for both the production and visitor elements of the site, and so we're looking for someone who has experience in operational efficiency as well as marketing and customer relations.
"We already have a solid base of loyal customers in North Wales, but having the Distillery and Visitor Centre in Llandudno will put us in a stronger position to further develop our brand and networks across the region and beyond."
He added: "Once we have this person on board, we'll be recruiting for the other posts - including still operators, administration and tour guides.
"We're really hoping to attract people with the relevant skills from the local area and help boost the North Wales labour market at the end of what has been an exceptionally difficult 12 months."
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