Mintlaw is a large village in Aberdeenshire, Scotland lying along the A952 road and is geographically a route centre. The 2001 UK census records a population of 2,647 people. Mintlaw:- Smooth, flat place.
As the largest settlement within 11 miles in each direction and with the towns size it can support a number of convenience stores, a butcher, chemist and a petrol station plus local amenities such as a police station, library, dental surgery and group doctors practice.
The town is most famous for its fish and chip shop Zanres (now called the Mintlaw Chipper) which has won the British Fish and Chip shop of the year competition as a takeaway but has since turned into a restaurant. There are three main pubs; two, the Garret and the Pitfour (also a bed and breakfast) are located at the square, and the Shak which is located behind the Mintlaw Chipper. The Country Park Inn is a bed and breakfast with a pub, childs play area and a restaurant.
The Happy Plant Centre is a large garden centre that is well known in the local area, it recently has expanded and now has a small cafe. It is beside a newly revamped swing park and the football pitch.
The nearby Aden Country Park is open to the public and contains a ruined mansion house, agricultural museum and forest walks and theme park. Aden Park can be accessed by Station Road or Netheraden Road.
Mintlaw is also home to the Aberdeenshire Museums Service, and it is based in a new purpose-built museum building housing the Aberdeenshire's large reserve collections, a conservation laboratory and the Discovery Centre. The service also runs 3 museums; the Arbuthnot Museum, Peterhead, Banchory Museum and the Aberdeenshire Farming Museum at Aden Country Park, home to the service's nationally recognised agricultural collection.
