NEWS Steven McLeod’s hotel group adds two properties to its portfolio
Aurora to shine in Perthshire
By Gillian McKenzie
THE firm behind Airth Castle and Glen- bervie House hotels has bolstered its portfolio with two Perthshire properties. Aurora Hotel Collection has bought
Cairn Lodge in Auchterarder from liqui- dator Campbell Dallas in a seven-figure deal brokered by Jones Lang LaSalle. Chief executive Steven McLeod told
SLTN work is already underway on a £1 million refurbishment of Cairn Lodge, with the property to be relaunched as The Cairn – a five-star, 16-bedroom ho- tel, bar and restaurant, in February. Aurora, meanwhile, has taken over the management and marketing of the Ken- more Hotel at Loch Tay. A refurbishment, which McLeod said will position it as a four-star hotel, is un- derway and the first phase of a develop- ment of 20 luxury lodges is complete, with four of the properties built. McLeod, named SLTN Entrepreneur of
the Year 2010, said both properties are a “good fit” with Aurora, which also owns Solsgirth House near Dollar, Hetland Hall Hotel in Dumfries-shire, and the Coach House in the Glenbervie estate. “I first looked at Cairn Lodge three
years ago and I knew it would be a good fit for the company,” he told SLTN. “It will be finished in February and bookings are already phenomenal. “The restaurant will be a big part of the offer; it will be a traditional but con- temporary Scottish steakhouse with a Josper Grill in the kitchen.
“The Cairn will benefit from the Ryder Cup [at Gleneagles in 2014] but that will come and go, the hotel will be there for- ever. “With the Kenmore, Aurora will han- dle the marketing and the day-to-day management with the team that’s al- ready there. “We don’t usually do management deals but this was also a good fit for us.” Aside from the two Perthshire prop-
erties, Aurora is set to open its Colessio Hotel in Stirling in May – two years later than planned. McLeod said the project, which was
delayed after a building firm ceased trad- ing midway through the development, is about 60% complete, with work set to resume in the new year. The company, which employs more than 400 staff, is looking for hotel sites in Glasgow and Edinburgh.
And it has plans to build a 120-bed- room hotel, complete with sky-line bar and spa, as well as luxury apartments and lodges in Glenbervie estate. “These are all big investments and it is challenging,” he said. “There’s been a massive change in the last two or three years and there are ex- citing opportunities out there. “If the opportunity is there and it’s the right business then we’ll consider it but it’s got to feel right for me before I even think about it. “At the end of the day I’m a true hotel- ier and I want to look after my custom- ers and staff.”
Lidl case puts test failures in spotlight
RETAILERS caught selling alcohol to youngsters look more likely to face sanc- tion after a sheriff upheld a decision by Glasgow licensing board to suspend a store’s licence for five days. Lidl appealed the board’s ruling to sus- pend the licence at its Victoria Road out- let after a failed test purchase in which the youngster was not questioned about his age.
The store passed a second ‘follow-up’ test purchase, but Sheriff Mitchell up- held the board’s decision, saying a five- day suspension was “proportionate”. Licensing lawyer Stephen McGowan,
of Lindsays, said the ruling “affirmed the extended discretionary powers avail- able to boards” under the 2005 licens- ing Act.
“Under the old legislation they could
merely suspend a licence,” he said. “The new powers include suspending a licence for such period as they see fit, issuing a written warning, revoking the licence altogether or varying the licence in any number of ways.” One prominent advocate said the case
was potentially worrying for retailers. “If a shop employs trained staff and has rigorous systems in place to prevent underage sales, yet someone makes an underage sale due to a lapse, it could have a licence revoked, which could be catastrophic for a business,” said Robert Skinner at the recent Scottish Licensing Law & Practice conference in Glasgow. “And that is not in the public interest.” Lidl now has the option of appealing the sheriff ’s ruling at the Court of Ses- sion.
Steven McLeod: on the acquisition trail.
How the new Broomielaw would look.
Leisure quarter gets green light
UP to nine new bars and restaurants could be added to Glasgow’s going out scene after a new waterfront development got the go-ahead.
Located on the north bank of the Clyde, the Broomielaw Quay scheme has hospitality units at the heart of a 32,000 sq ft pavilion-style development. Jones Lang LaSalle has been appointed to market the development to potential occupiers. “We are currently in discussions with a number of aspirational restaurants which are showing strong interest in the development, as well as brewery-led bars and, of course, coffee shops,” said the agent’s Fiona Hamilton.
3 Fabulous opportunities Attractive, flexible leasing terms
Duke Inn Neilsland Rd,
Hamilton Excellent main road location adjacent to William Hill bookmakers Barco
St Vincent St, Glasgow
Magnificent refurbishment now complete. Low overheads
Broadway Bar Erskine St,
Dundee Easily run unit in densely populated area. Low overheads
For further details contact Rosemount Taverns on 0141 226 3087 Or visit:
www.rosemounttaverns.co.uk November 24, 2011 - SLTN - 3
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