Worries over locked gates at castle hotel
Residents say post and bin lorries can’t get through
Concerns have been expressed over access to houses after a core path was seemingly blocked off following the closure of a popular wedding venue in Fintry.
Culcreuch Castle Hotel closed its doors earlier this month to undergo a major refurbishment.
Now it’s claimed that residents residing in properties along an access road past the A-Listed building are unable to be reached by vital services, including receiving post, deliveries and blocking off access for emergency services and bin collection lorries.
In October last year, it was reported how couples due to get hitched at the castle were devastated when they were told that it had been cancelled as a result of the closure.
The hotel shut its doors in December.
Since then, gates have been closed along the core path around the castle estate and bear signs saying ‘Private No Access’.
The castle is owned by a firm called Hideaway Country Holidays Ltd, led by Los Angeles-based businessman Michael Kim. The firm took over the venue in 2007.
A spokesperson for Fintry Community Council said: “The concern for us is the impact this has on the village and villagers and raises the issue of absentee landlords.”
Core paths give the public reasonable access throughout the area. They are paths, waterways or any other means of crossing land to facilitate, month promote and manage the exercise of access rights under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.
A statement on behalf of the owners this week read: “The core path has not been closed to the public. It should be noted that a core path is for the use of walkers, cyclists and horse riders, not vehicles. Following a meeting with the Access and Sustainable Travel Officer at Stirling Council, we reached an agreement to further improve the paths created at the side of each gate to better allow those who can use the core path. We have also agreed to replace the ‘Private No Access’ signs with ‘No Unauthorised Vehicles’.
“The access has only been restricted to one household and they have keys and combination numbers for the gates. Agreement for them to place a mail box and secure delivery area is under discussion.
“Gates were installed for security reasons after consultation with our insurers and our solicitors in Edinburgh advised on the current tenancy agreement with regard to access rights. There are many properties where security gates are in place and we feel certain that any emergency services would be able to access the household in question. However we will contact them for their opinion on this matter.”
A Stirling Council spokesman said: “We can confirm that the castle driveway is a core path and the council is in dialogue with the landowner and the local community.
“Council officers have proactively met with an agent of the landowner to remind them of their responsibilities in maintaining access to the core path and we are working with them to ensure this is upheld.” Forth and Endrick Independent councillor, Robert Davies said: “Culcreuch Castle was an important local employer as well as one of the oldest continually inhabited castles in Scotland. Its closure for an undefined period is a great pity but I hope the owners can work with the authorities to reopen it, and the associated core paths, as soon as possible”.
Culcreuch Castle was built in 1296 by Maurice Galbraith and was the clan seat of Clan Galbraith from 1320 until 1624, when it was sold to a cousin, Alexander Seton of Gargunnock, to settle a financial debt.
In 1632, it was purchased by Robert Napier, a younger son of John Napier, the 8th Laird of Merchiston. The Napier family held the estate for five generations. The castle was used to garrison Oliver Cromwell’s troops in 1654.
In 1796, the castle was sold to Alexander Spiers of Glasgow, who built a cotton mill and a distillery in Fintry. It was then sold in 1890 to JC Dunwaters, then again in 1901 to Walter Menzies.
It passed into the hands of Hercules Robinson in the 1970s, the last of that line of the Menzies family.
It was sold in 1984 to Arthur Haslam, who operated the castle as a hotel. In 2007, ownership was transferred to the current owner.
I hope the owners can work with the authorities to reopen it, and the associated core paths