Mystery new owner takes over resort

PIPERDAM Golf and Leisure Resort on the outskirts of Dundee has been sold, it has been confirmed.

David Copley, chief executive of current owners Coppergreen Developments, confirmed the news yesterday that the 650-acre estate will change hands.

He said he was not able to give any further details at this stage and the new owner has not yet been named publicly.

Coppergreen Developments has owned the golf and leisure facility near Fowlis – around four miles from Dundee – since 2016.

It brands itself as an award-winning leisure resort aiming to create the “ultimate Scottish experience” in the “idyllic” Angus countryside.

Featuring lodges sleeping two to 12 people, it also includes the Room With a View Restaurant overlooking Piperdam Loch.

It is a popular venue for weddings and other celebrations and includes two golf courses as well as a multi-functional activity barn, which is also capable of hosting events for up to 700 people.

In August the company revealed the resort had made a £270,000 monthly loss during lockdown.

Its accounts in the summer showed sales fell by more than £3 million in 2020, but bosses insisted the resort was still performing well.

The group’s turnover fell from £14.9m in 2019 to £11.6m to the year ending December 31 2020.

In her strategic report published alongside the accounts, Coppergreen director Donna Copley said it had been a challenging time for the group.

She said the enforced closures had allowed Coppergreen to “improve the foundation of the company’s operations” and “future-proof the business.”

Ms Copley said the figures did not accurately represent how well Piperdam had performed while it was able to open.

“On Monday March 23, the park closed due to the national lockdown and did not reopen until early July,” she said.

“On reopening, bookings were incredibly strong. They outperformed 2019 results and over-achieved budget.”

Ms Copley said the tightening of Covid restrictions in October 2020 “further hindered” the resort.

She said that, since reopening in April this year, the site has regularly been busy.

In addition to Piperdam, Coppergreen operates Kenwick Park Estate, Woodland Lakes Lodges in Thirsk and Clumber Park Lodges in Nottinghamshire.

In September a farm shop and steak barn project by Forest Energy Scotland at Piperdam was approved by Angus councillors who reversed a previous ruling blocking the bid.