The Kings House Hotel in Glencoe re-opens this month. The 17th century Inn has received a £12m refurbishment which has not only added 35 rooms but also includes a brand new dining room to accompany the hotel’s original climbers’ bar which has been renamed ‘The Way Inn’. GM Craig Haddow said, “Kingshouse used to be known as a welcoming place to lay your head overnight but we are now equipped to make more of the stunning surroundings to be a destination venue for longer stays as well. We will also be able to host weddings for up to 100 people, with 57 comfortable and contemporary bedrooms for guests.” He continued, “Bunkhouse accommodation will still be available for those on the West Highland Way but this too has been modernised and upgraded, with new drying rooms and a bag store added to increase comfort and utility.” The Kingshouse Hotel will be managed under contract by the family-owned Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels and owner Stephen Leckie said, “Our motivation from the outset, was to provide continuity for all the things which make Kingshouse unique while ensuring its longevity for another century and more. It was important for all of us to retain the ethos of muddy boots and wet dogs drying in front of open fires while ensuring the standard of hospitality and comfort was fit for the international audience attracted to dramatic Glencoe.” Many historic figures including author Charles Dickens and poet William Wordsworth have stayed there.
Whitbread investors are to share in the Coca-Cola deal with a £500 million share buyback programme after the sale of Costa for £3.9 billion was completed ahead of schedule, on 3rd January.
Whitbread chief executive, Alison Brittain, said in its trading update, “This has been a momentous year for Whitbread, with the sale of Costa to The Coca-Cola Company for £3.9 billion completed on 3 January 2019, much sooner than expected. We are now commencing an initial share buyback programme of up to £500 million, with further details about our plans to return a significant majority of the net cash proceeds to shareholders at our Capital Markets Day on 13 February.’’
Brittain also commented on how the company was faring both at home and abroad. She said, “The UK business achieved total accommodation sales growth of 3.5% in the third quarter. Our performance in the quarter reflects a strong Central London market and a weak regional market. We are cautious about the macro environment for the next financial year due to increased uncertainty and continuing high inflation.
“Although we are confident in our ability to create value from ongoing investment in the UK and increasing investment in international growth, in this environment we expect underlying profit before tax in FY20 to be consistent with this year.”
She continued, “Whitbread is now a focused hotel business with over 800 hotels in the UK, Germany and the Middle East, operating under the Premier Inn brand, with a committed pipeline of over 20,000 additional rooms. Premier Inn has made good progress this year, growing total sales by 2.5%, which along with strong results from our efficiency programme, means we are on track to achieve full year expectations for FY19.
“We continue to be
excited about the opportunity in Germany and our first hotel in
Frankfurt remains the number one choice for customers.
“Our second hotel in Germany will open in Hamburg in February and this year we have continued to extend the total committed pipeline in Germany, which now stands at over 6,000 rooms across 34 hotels.”
Alain Roux, Chef Patron of The Waterside Inn, Bray-on-Thames, and his father, Michel Roux, O.B.E., legendary chef and restaurateur, are set to launch a new restaurant in Edinburgh at Rocco Forte owned Balmoral Hotel next month. The £3 million renovation project started at the beginning of 2018. Once opened it will boast 210 covers across the restaurant and bar and the food on offer at the new restaurant will include classic French dishes inspired by the finest Scottish ingredients. Alain will take up the position of Signature Chef at the new brasserie and bar that will replace Hadrian’s Brasserie and The Balmoral Bar. He currently retains three Michelin stars at The Waterside Inn, the only restaurant in the world outside France to have upheld this accolade for more than thirty years. Commenting on the new partnership, Michel Roux added, “The new brasserie marks a unique alliance between the Roux and Forte families. As leaders in our fields, our families are committed to excellence, impeccable service and promoting the next generation with my son, Alain leading the restaurant. We are thrilled to be opening in Edinburgh, the epicentre of Scottish culture and a thoroughly modern city. We are fascinated with its proud past and delighted to be part of its vibrant future as we join forces with the award-winning and iconic Balmoral. It is a formidable synergy, an exciting new venture and we can’t wait to welcome our first customers.”http://www.roccofortehotels.com
Elite chef James McCulloch Thomson is taking charge of the kitchen at the four-star Macdonald Forest Hills & Spa in Aberfoyle.
Owned by Macdonald Hotels & Resorts, Forest Hills has recently undergone a £3.5 redesign and refurbishment, and has taken another step forward with James’ appointment as Executive Head Chef. McCulloch Thomson has worked with Glasgow Royal Concert Hall amongst others since returning from a seven-year spell in Melbourne, Australia in 2013.
He said, “Macdonald Forest Hills Hotel & Spa has an iconic Scottish setting and it is a true honour to be appointed as executive head chef. It’s an exciting time in the hotel’s history, with the property just completing a major transformation and this role was just too good an opportunity to miss.”
Highlights of James’ menu will include scallop and sea bass ceviche, warm citrus puddings with yoghurt and blueberries and one pot braised pork belly with black pudding and apple.
He continued, “My style of food offers a simple and lighter way to eat, yet with multi-layered flavour and texture combinations and the odd bit of quirkiness. For me basing the menus around Scotland’s larder is key. It’s by far and away the best there is and I’ll be focusing on seasonality and using the best suppliers and producers, from the fishermen and farmers to gamekeepers.
“The thing I get most pleasure out of is teaching and watching young chefs grow and progress within the industry. It gives me a great sense of pride to see them follow their own paths and the best advice I can give is to come in to the trade with the right attitude and the desire to learn and then adapt and dream big.”
General Manager Andrew Deighan is thrilled to have a renowned operator with over 30 years’ experience in the business in charge of Forest Hills’ culinary output.
He commented, “James is an outstanding chef and we are very excited to have him join our team. We are looking forward to welcoming our regular guests as well as new customers to experience his fantastic dishes. James will be working closely with the teams here and our suppliers to develop new menus and fresh ideas for our restaurants.”
Macdonald Hotels & Resorts was established in 1990 by Donald Macdonald and colleagues and now employs over 4,500 staff and operates 55 hotels across the UK, Ireland, Portugal and Spain. Based in rural Stirlingshire, Forest Hills Hotel & Spa is surrounded by 25 acres of landscaped gardens and looks out onto Loch Ard. James will be working out of the AA Rosette winning Garden Restaurant and Rafters Bar & Bistro.
A host of former Celtic and Rangers players will take part in a charity match in Hamilton this Sunday to raise funds for football coaching in Scotland’s most deprived areas.
Amongst those confirmed to be lacing up their boots again are former Celtic stars Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and Simon Donnelly and one-time Rangers men Arthur Numan, Bert Konterman and Alex Rae. The match is being played at New Douglas Park, the home of Hamilton Accies, and Accies fans in attendance will have one of their own to cheer on – Jose Quitongo, the retired Angolan flair player who had three spells at the South Lanarkshire club between 1995 and 2004.
Starting at 11am there will be two hours of family fun including mini golf, face painting and Zorb balls before the match itself kicks off at 1pm. Entrance is £5 per person and free for children aged 16 and under. Later that evening there will be a Sportman’s Dinner featuring a three-course meal, a raffle and an auction at the Manorview-owned Busby Hotel.
Manorview have already raised £12,000 through charity initiatives so far this year and are aiming to raise another £20,000 on Sunday.
“I’ve been impressed by A&M Scotland,” said Steve Graham, Manorview CEO. “The founders Andy McLaren and Robert McHarg share a passion and drive, and they have a team who work tirelessly to bring sport to young people. I’ve visited their holiday camps and I’ve seen hundreds of boys and girls being active, playing football, dancing and having lots of fun.
“A&M Scotland create opportunities, experiences and memories for young people which are invaluable. We’re very proud to support A&M Scotland, and I’m also excited to be working alongside them on this dedicated charity day. It’s going to be a great event.”
He commented, “We’re just about to start our summer holiday camps and we’ll have hundreds of boys and girls there. The reason we do what we do is to give young people access to sport, to create the memories and experiences some of them would not get the opportunity to have. We need to continue to do what we do and ensure our young people have the best life chances possible.”
Uplawmoor Hotel owners, Stuart and Emma Peacock, are still investing in their hotel, despite putting the hotel on the market Says Stuart, “Following a very successful year, with a new executive housing development bringing many new regulars to the hotel we can report an increased bar trade and the rooms are also a lot busier. That said we are aware that the selling market for small businesses is currently very slow -even houses in Uplawmoor can take a few years to sell. The marketing exercise is a way of us testing the market, as we have done from time to time, before undertaking a new 10 year plan of future investment.”
The couple who are just about to celebrate 25 years at the helm, are still investing in their business.
Says Stuart, “We have recently put in two super-fast Electric Vehicle Charging Points as part of our larger scale Green commitment and are keen to consider installation of a biomass boiler at the hotel, but of course we wouldn’t rule out a complete retirement from the trade ”
Stuart continues, “We had a few people ask, but we also were thinking about the future and how many people would have hybrid cars.”
The hotel is being marketed by Smith & Clough with offers in the region of £750K sought for the freehold.
Aberdeen restaurant and bar group CranberryCo has added the Clachan Grill in Ballater to its portfolio and in doing so has created eight new jobs. Owner Mark Cavanagh was keen to support the community after the impact of Storm Frank in 2015. He comments, “Having grown up in Ballater, I was keen to offer some support in the wake of the flooding, which had a huge impact on businesses and local people, and the Clachan Grill is a perfect addition to the group. This is CranberryCo’s sixth unit and we have invested £350,000 to bring a former restaurant back to life and create jobs for the local area.”
Compass Group to Open the White Horse Oyster Bar
Compass Group, owner of Sygn and Monteith’s, is to open its sixth venue in Edinburgh called The White Horse Oyster Bar. It will sit on the former site of the White Horse Inn, Edinburgh’s oldest Royal Mile pub which dated from 1742. The bar will hopefully re-open this summer and offer the ‘best of British’ food on its menu, according to Murray Ainslie, operations director of Compass. He told DRAM, “Edinburgh is really buoyant at the moment, and with the quality of all the venues, it’s a great place to operate. We want the White Horse to be all about sharing food, having groups of people enjoying the best of Scotland’s seafood, so think oysters, langoustines and classic cocktails.” The White Horse Oyster Bar is the first venue opened by the group this year, and joins Monteith’s, Sygn, The West Room, The Chop House (Leith) and The Chop House in the New Waverley Arches, which opened last May.
Stephen White has taken over Munro’s
Stephen White has taken over Glasgow bar Munro’s from Signature Pubs. Signature bought the pub last May as part of a package of pubs acquired when it bought the Thistle Pub Group. The acquisition included Munro’s, The Raven, The Hope (now Smokin’ Fox) The Wick in Prestwick and Clerk’s Bar in Edinburgh.
White has teamed up with Jon McMillan, the manager of one of his other pubs, Blackfriars, and the plan is to increase the pub’s real ale offering.
Bellavista
Victor and Carina Contini have launched The Bellavista Room at Contini George Street, Edinburgh. This new private dining room, created in partnership with leading Italian Franciacorta producer Bellavista, boasts a purpose built dining table which seats up to 18 people. The room is now available for private lunches, dinners and events.
Wagamama has opened its latest restaurant in Edinburgh at St Andrew Square. This brings the number of Wagamama’s in the city to three.
Phil McDonald has renamed his Neighbourhood Bar in Finnieston – Taphouse Bar & Kitchen. It’s been given a revamp and the bar is now specialising in craft beers, sliders & pizza. Phil told DRAM, “I wanted to take it in a different direction and reinvigorate it.” More next month.
Partick Duck Club takes over from Cafe Rio
Partick Duck Club in Glasgow has opened its doors on the site of Cafe Rio, which closed at the beginning of April. The new owners, Ross McDonald and Greig Hutchison, have taken on the lease of the venue which has had various tenants over the last couple of years. The duo have taken a nostalgic nod to a West End tavern from 1827, called the Bun and Yill House, which was located near the site of the new venue. The tavern was favoured by Glasgow merchants, bankers and professors, who would walk from the city to Partick each Saturday to dine. Their favourite dish of roasted duck, sage and onion and green peas, was washed down with locally-brewed ale and created the name of the drinking and social club they formed in 1810, the ‘Duck Club of Partick’. McDonald told DRAM, “We were really interested in the history of Partick, so when we heard about the duck club, it seemed perfect. There are a few nods to the history on the menu with duck dishes, but not too much.”The new cafe bar will be open from Monday to Friday from 8am, and from 9am on Saturdays. Unfortunately, dogs will no longer be allowed. McDonald told DRAM, “I have two dogs and love them, but when we first took over, we found that the dogs barking and misbehaving was disrupting other customers’ enjoyment of the bar, so as a business decision, we decided our customers would be happier with no dogs.” McDonald was previously general manager at Cafe Zique, which is situated around 200 yards away from his new premises.
Private equity group Maven Capital Partners has acquired Ballantyne House office building in Inverness in a multi-million-pound deal which will see the site converted into a 54-room Travelodge.
An investment of £4.4m will transform the vacant 23,000 sq ft property at 84 Academy St into a five-floor hotel that will be leased to Travelodge on a 25 year term.
The project is being funded by a £2m investment through Maven’s co-investor network and a £2.4m bank loan.
The renovations will be done by developer Drum Property Group and the project is expected to be completed by late 2017.
The finished hotel will have 54 rooms across five floors and a bar/café area.
Paul Johnston, investment director at Maven, said, “Maven has been keen to invest in Inverness for some time and Ballantyne House has proved to be an excellent opportunity for our investors.
“The city is a key destination for tourism and leisure and the new hotel is well located within the city centre.”
Hong Kong-based company Creation Gem has acquired The Isle of Eriska, Hotel, Spa & Island from the Buchanan-Smith family, and have announced “significant investments” in the island resort.
The private island, located off the west coast of Scotland, covers 300 acres and includes a 25 bedroom, five-star hotel with Michelin-starred restaurant, golf course and spa.
The sale to Creative Gem, owned by the Rong family, was agreed in August 2016.
The new investment includes a full renovation of seven of the 25 en-suite bathrooms and a new piano lounge and drawing room, which have been opened up into one space
The changes will be unveiled when the hotel re-opens in February.
New owner, Mr Rong said, “My family and I are honoured to continue as the custodians of such an iconic property and aim to protect and nurture the island.”
General Manager, Gordon Cartwright, added, “A change of ownership doesn’t mean a change in ethos. The Isle of Eriska is synonymous with quality and an intimate guest experience that will be wholly preserved moving forward.”
Edinburgh-based hotel chain Apex Hotels is looking to expand in 2017 after a strong trading year in which its underlying pre-tax profits leap 11.8% to £10.3m for the year end of April.
The group’s turnover rose by 7% to £61.3m and its room stock also increased by 134 rooms, following the opening of Apex City of Glasgow in September 2015 and a 30-bedroom extension to Apex City of London.
The company attributed the results to strong trading across its nine hotels in London, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Dundee, and new room openings.
Angela Vickers, CEO Apex Hotels Limited, said the positive results will pave the way for future expansions and investments in its existing properties, including developments at its Dundee waterfront hotel, as well as potential future acquisitions.
Vickers (pictured above) said, “We are proud of our continued growth in recent years, defying challenging market conditions, and 2017 promises to be a very exciting time for us. We will continue to look at other opportunities to extend and complement our existing portfolio.
“We are also set to develop Customs House on Dundee’s waterfront next to our existing Apex City Quay. We are planning further bedroom expansion at Apex Temple Court in London as well as refurbishment totalling £6million across our City of London, Grassmarket and Dundee hotels.”
Crieff Hydro has announced an additional three signings to its family of hotels having secured the management contracts to operate the Green Hotel in Kinross and Kings House Hotel in Glencoe as well as the lease to operate the Peel Café at Glentress in Peebles.
The Green Hotel in Kinross is made up of its namesake, The Green Hotel, and the adjacent Windlestrae Hotel.
The Green Hotel has 46 rooms, the historic Jock’s Bar, Basil’s restaurant, a variety of meeting rooms and Backstage, one of the region’s most popular live music venues while the Windlestrae Hotel, located just across the road has a further 47 rooms, Monty’s restaurant, Rushes Bar, meeting and event space for up to 120 people as well as a Spa and Leisure Centre.
Both hotels are owned by the Montgomery family, who first purchased the Green Hotel in 1926. Owner Jamie Montgomery said, “Having Crieff Hydro manage our hotels is the start of a new chapter.
As well as benefiting from the experience of the management team at Crieff Hydro, I am also pleased to announce that we will be investing a six-figure sum in upgrading and refurbishing both hotels.”
Crieff Hydro has also recently added the Kings House Hotel in Glencoe to its now 10-strong group of hotels. The Kings House Hotel was acquired by the neighboring Black Corries Estate two years ago.
Over the past six months the management team at Crieff Hydro have been working closely with Bidwells, who have provided interim strategic management for the hotel. Together the two parties are progressing plans for an ambitious redevelopment which will secure the long term future of this hotel.
A brand-new bunk house, with 30 bunks in 10 rooms, opened at the beginning of November, along with The Way Inn
Manorview Hotel & Leisure Group has added The Star & Garter Hotel in Linlithgow to its growing portfolio. The hotel, affectionately known to locals as, ‘The Star’ was bought from local businessmen Ross Wilkie, David Kennedy and fellow director John Ward, who were responsible for restoring and re-opening the hotel in 2013, following a fire in 2010 which saw it lie derelict for a few years.
The three storey, Georgian mansion, which has been at the heart of Linlithgow for 250 years, currently boasts five bedrooms, bar, restaurant, function room, coffee shop and courtyard and it remains home to Krafty Brew.
It’s business as usual for The Star & Garter, while the Manorview Group get to know the building, its staff of 45, and its customers. The Manorview team knows the hotel is a renowned institution at the heart of the local community, so any changes will be carefully considered, including details of a planned six-figure refurbishment to the bar and restaurant in Spring 2017.
Manorview Hotel & Leisure Group, which celebrates its 10th birthday in 2017, was founded by Steve Graham and currently employs 450 people and has a portfolio of eight hotels which includes Boclair House Hotel in Bearsden, The Lynnhurst Hotel in Johnstone and The Busby Hotel in Clarkston.
Fallon Cowley, Group Operations Director of Manorview Hotel & Leisure Group said, “This is an exciting acquisition for us. The Star & Garter occupies an excellent central location in the historical town of Linlithgow and has a fascinating background. It’s a much-loved hub of the town and we’re looking forward to becoming part of the community.”
Richie Hawkins who owns the Taypark House Hotel in Dundee has submitted a planning application to convert a 150-year-old stable house on the hotel grounds into a wood-fired pizza and BBQ restaurant.
Hawkins who bought the hotel in 2014, acquired the once derelict building on 482 Perth Road earlier this year and plans to open it to the public as a spacious 120-cover restaurant called The Stables next Spring.
He says, “Most of the old stables have been converted into houses so there’s few left untouched. We want to preserve the historic features so will convert three old horse stalls into booths and turn the original fireplace into a wood-burning oven. We want to offer something rustic, authentic and a bit different.”
Five-star luxury hotel resort, Gleneagles, in Perthshire has added three key staff members, including hotel manager, director of leisure and executive chef.
The new appointments are part of new owner Ennismore’s multi-million-pound investment and development programme across the resort.
Conor O’Leary (below), has stepped into the role of hotel manager and will have chief responsibility for all food and beverage operations across the hotel and estate. He takes over from Alan Hill, who worked with Gleneagles for 27 years.
O’Leary is a former director of food & beverage at the five-star Grand Hyatt in Dubai and brings 20 years’ experience to the role.
He said, “I am delighted to be joining the team at Gleneagles. An ambitious vision has been set by Gleneagles, in terms of strengthening the hotel’s position on the global stage and enhancing the guest experience, and I very much look forward to contributing to its future success.”
Warren Brown (below) has taken up the post of Gleneagles’ Executive Chef, and is a former Executive Chef at the Hilton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur; at the Shangri-La in Manila and at the St Regis, Shanghai. He will lead Gleneagles’ four head chefs and kitchen teams.
Colin Farndon (below) will fill the position of Gleneagles’ Director of Leisure, drawing on past experience gained as Spa Director at Armathwaite Hall Country House Hotel & Spa, Cumbria
He will implement a new leisure strategy, to maximise opportunities for guests to enjoy leisure activities on the 850-acre estate, including shooting and archery, falconry, fishing, gundog training, tennis and off-road driving.
Paul Heery, Gleneagles’ General Manager, added, “Conor, Warren and Colin bring with them an outstanding range of skills and valued experience in the industry, which will help us advance our ambitious vision for enhancing the Gleneagles offering and the guest experience.
“This is a tremendously exciting time for Gleneagles, with our investment programme already well underway, and these three roles will be critical to the business – ensuring we build on our existing success and forge new opportunities to strengthen our position as one of the leading hotels of the world.”
The Busby Hotel in Clarkston has been awarded the title of Wedding Venue of the Year for 2016 at this year’s Scottish wedding industry awards, the VOWS. The Busby Hotel, which is part of the Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group portfolio fought off strong competition from some of Scotland’s most acclaimed wedding venues including sister hotel, the Lynnhurst in Johnstone; Balbirnie House Hotel, Markinch; Rufflets in St Andrews; Western House in Ayrshire and The Balmoral in Edinburgh.
The Award, comes nearly two years after the Busby re-opened after an extensive refurbishment programme, which saw the creation of two modern function suites which cater for both large and intimate weddings. An external balcony at the front of hotel was also built which provides a perfect setting to enjoy a glass of champagne overlooking the River Cart.
Manorview Hotel & Leisure Group, which was established 10 years ago, has already established itself as a leader in the wedding venue market with its expanding portfolio this includes Boclair House Hotel in Bearsden and Cornhill Castle in Biggar.
Juliet Parry, General Manager of Busby Hotel said, “We’re especially proud to win this because nominations come via the happy couples for what is one of the most memorable days of their life. We’re honoured to be part of such an important day and we aim to keep offering the highest quality and to create a unique experience for each bride and groom as they start their married life.” http://manorviewhotels.co.ukhttp://thebusbyhotel.co.uk
