A Waxwork Welcome

 






A life-size waxwork model of Mohamed Al Fayed is turning heads at his Falls of Shin visitor centre, Sutherland.

May 2007

The kilt-clad figure, sporting Mr Al Fayed’s very own Balnagown tartan, made its first public appearance on 16th June 2007 after journeying up from London with three Madame Tussauds experts to assemble, dress and retouch it.

Mr Al Fayed has been a Scottish laird since the early 1970s when he bought his beloved Balnagown Estates, Kildary. Some forty years later, in 2002, he purchased the Falls of Shin visitor centre. Sitting proudly between Lairg and Bonar Bridge, it has benefited from his investments and is now one of the leading attractions of the north. It is hardly surprising. Boasting stunning scenic walks, an extensive adventure playground, dramatic waterfalls and the famous salmon leap, visitors would be hard pushed to dismiss its highland allure.

The Centre’s newest addition, the waxwork, reflects Mr Al Fayed’s highland spirit and is his way of welcoming visitors when he is unable to be there in person.

But visitors be warned: anyone who tries take a sneaky peek beneath the Egyptian laird’s garb may be disappointed - the model is not that detailed. 

"The only thing that slightly concerns me is that Madame Tussauds has left off my most important assets,” he joked, “so there's no point in visitors checking under my kilt. But I can assure everyone that in real life I'm in full working order." He added: "As an Egyptian, I have no doubts that the relationship between Scotland and Egypt is proven. The Egyptians wore kilts and hence I'm proud to be wearing the Balnagown tartan."

Did the kilt really herald from Egypt? Read the evidence.

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