The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
£1m investment into hotel at Scone golfing estate
INVESTMENT: Murrayshall Country House planning further upgrades as it targets golf and wedding markets
A historic Perthshire hotel that caters to the golf market has just had a £1 million refurbishment, with more upgrading work to come.
There are two 18-hole golf courses at Murrayshall Country House Hotel and Golf Courses at Scone.
The 40-bedroom property, which sits in a 365-acre estate, has been owned by London-based Heatherly Capital Partners since the end of 2016.
Kevin Keenan, the property’s recently appointed general manager, said the public areas and five bedrooms have now undergone a £1m refurbishment, with plans to upgrade another 14 rooms and golf club areas this year.
He said the estate has a history going back more than three centuries.
Murrayshall Golf Course was opened in 1981 shortly after the former home to Sir Stanley Norrie Millar was developed into a hotel.
Built in 1664 and originally gifted to Lord Lynedoch, the house has been home to several prominent individuals. It was bought by the Dow brothers in 1978, from when it became a hotel.
Mr Keenan added: “Purchased in 1995 by Andre Van Gils, the property has been extended to accommodate the 26 bedrooms within the house. Two lodges were built in 2000, accommodating 14 individual suites. Also in 2000, the second course, Lynedoch, opened.”
The four-star property is a significant employer, with 30 fulltime workers plus seasonal and part-time staff.
The golf courses have about 460 members.
The current weakness of the pound has given many British tourism businesses a boost as it encourages more European tourists to visit here, and Murrayshall is hopeful of benefiting more from this trend.
Mr Keenan said: “We have always had strong links with Germany, France and Scandinavia, but we are now seeing guests from Austria, Switzerland and Belgium.”
However, Murrayshall is much more than just a destination for golfers.
Golf accounts for about 30% of its business, while leisure breaks are responsible for approximately 40%.
Weddings are a major growth area being targeted by the hotel.
They are responsible for about 15% of the business and the general manager is targeting this to rise to around 30%.
But Mr Keenan is also hoping to increase the number of golf visitors.
The general manager said the golf market is tough, but far from dead.
“We have invested in the golf course and we expect that to attract more golfers,” he added.
Mr Keenan said there were a variety of challenges when running and promoting a golf destination.
He explained: “There is a reduction in the number of UKbased golfers, and the time that people find they have to play golf is less than ever before.
“Golfers demand more value for their money these days and, as such, many courses are struggling for members, reducing fees for visitors to balance the books – creating a ‘race to the bottom’ price problem in Scotland.”