Fresh look for Savoy Park Hotel Plans for new bar and restaurant
Owners of the Savoy Park Hotel on Ayr’s Racecourse Road are seeking to improve their offering with a new bar and restaurant addition, the Post can reveal.
Top brass at the family-run three-star hotel and wedding venue have applied for planning permission.
They are seeking the green light for proposed alterations and to extend their existing single-storey garden workshop to form a bar and restaurant as “additional hotel facilities.”
The agent in the project is ARPL Architects and the applicant is Mrs Lucy Ingham.
A planning statement to support the application states: “The requirement for an additional income stream has highlighted the fact that the hotel has an under-sized bar area for the restaurant and function suite.
“It also has limitations to the use: ie if there is a large wedding using the function rooms and bar, there is no space for the restaurant to function.
“During times when there are no functions on, it is impossible to then develop the restaurant trade and establish a more consistent reputation and income stream.
“The proposal of adding a separate bar/restaurant with separate access means this can trade seven days a week without interruption of a function.
“The existing building can dedicate its use to the staying guests and functions whilst reusing and extending the workshop areas can add a bar/restaurant to the layout.”
The planning statement also goes on to reveal that the proposed bar and restaurant will “reuse” the workshops and extend north into the area of ground beside the service access.
And the new single storey building will “wrap around” the elevation and create a porch and entrance just in front of the service wing.
This will provide a “visual link” to the car park to attract customers and provide “adequate space” for a bar, restaurant and family dining areas along with the necessary WCs and back of house areas.
The number of covers should be in the region of 60.
And a woodland garden to the west of the new building is proposed allowing the existing trees to “thrive” and new planting to occur at a lower level.
It is also claimed the interiors will be “bright and airy” with vaulted exposed ceilings with “minimal alterations” to the existing building.
And the reuse of the stone and refurbishing the existing windows and doors is “key” to the overall appearance.
In terms of access, it will be maintained onto the established garden via the existing wing and a new external seating area will be established in the woodland.
This will be used in daylight hours only.
The statement continues: “Existing carpark areas are established to the front of the hotel and it is envisaged that the new bar and restaurant will appeal to the large residential catchment area.”
The statement adds: “As the use of the building relies on its continued success, the additional income stream is vital to this.
“The proposal is in keeping with the current use and is similar to a number of local hotel/restaurant venues.
“Screening from neighbours will reduce any impact of the proposal and provide a further leisure facility to the area, encouraging tourism beneficial to the wider area.”
The planning application is listed as ‘pending consideration’ on South Ayrshire Council’s online planning portal and a decision on them is expected in June.