Changes on way at top hotel
Bid to expand Cromlix
Ambitious plans to create a conference and wedding hall at Sir Andy Murray’s Cromlix House hotel have been formally lodged with Stirling Council.
Permission to build additional bedrooms and a new glass-fronted afternoon tea room overlooking the famous Cromlix lawn is also being sought.
Hotel general manager Graeme Green says this is to meet high demand – with bookings in the existing tea room full for most of the year. This would lead to the creation of 40 new jobs.
The planned development outlines extension into the walled garden area of the five-star hotel’s 34-acre grounds.
A total of 27 additional bedrooms would be created, each with a private garden, while spa treatment rooms, a conference and events area for up to 200 people and a gym designed by the two time Wimbledon champion would also be introduced.
The hotel is managed by Inverlochy Castle Management International on behalf of the Murrays, and a team of local businesses have already been recruited to develop the plans – including Perth-based architects Denholm Partnerships and project managers Jones Associates from Glasgow.
If approved by Stirling Council the new facilities will open in autumn 2020.
Mr Green said: “Since we re-opened in spring 2014 Cromlix has been a real success story, with both the hotel and restaurant far exceeding expectations and often operating at capacity.
“We are now hoping to build on this success by extending the existing buildings to create additional hotel bedrooms and banqueting facilities as well as growing the team.
“We receive hundreds of calls from event organisers, couples hoping to get married at Cromlix and, sadly, we have to turn most away. This new development means we can meet this demand while continuing to welcome hotel and restaurant guests all year round.”
Similar plans to expand the hotel were originally revealed in January of last year but these proposals were never formally submitted to Stirling Council.
Cromlix House hotel, an elegant Victorian mansion, has won a number of top awards since it was purchased by the Dunblane tennis hero in 2013 and refurbished the following year.
We are hoping to build on this success