Laird’s Table will serve up an economic boost
A grand estate in East Ayrshire is set to play host to a new tourism hub as part of a £ 500,000 investment.
The Laird’s Table, a restaurant and attraction set to open in the heart of Craufurdland Castle and Country Estate, is on schedule to open its doors this Spring.
Bosses have said it will put “sustainability and heritage at the heart of its operations”.
Locally sourced food with views across the estate’s private loch are to underpin the project run by the current Laird and the Craufurd family themselves, owners of the estate since 1245.
“Every inch of the project is designed to tell a story,” says the current Laird, Simon Houison Craufurd.
“And the estate has a lot of tales to tell.”
Family memorabilia and historical artefacts, including antique clothing from the ancestors who once lived at the castle, will be used in the décor of the restaurant walls.
And the family has pledged to work with local producers to ensure food is grown or sourced within a few miles.
Support from the newly created agricultural division of Barclays Bank has helped push the new project to the point of launch in April.
The company expects its investment to see a rise from five full- time equivalent employees to 18 equivalent full- time employees within the space of a few months.
“My aspiration has always been to open up Craufurdland so people can enjoy and discover its treasures the way our family have for generations,” says Simon.
The 600 acre country estate is home to Craufurdland Castle, which remains the family home of the Craufurds who have been resident there for nearly 800 years.
Business activities on the estate include fisheries, farming, Tower House self catering, corporate events, weddings, outdoor sporting activities and the unique natural burials grounds, Craufurdland Woods.
The new venture opens on April 30 and is available for bookings now.
For more information visit www. craufurdland. co. uk.