The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
£1m funding package to build out Carse lodges
FAMILY: Business venture inspired by couple’s wedding
A husband and wife team are accelerating the build out of their luxury lodges park in the Carse of Gowrie after securing a £1 million finance package from HSBC.
Rod and Adelle Sim operate Silverwood Lodges and Bistro at Inchcoonans near Errol.
The pair maried at Errol Park but were struck by a lack of accommodation in the area for their wedding guests and resolved to improve the situation.
The couple decided to use the old clay works site they had owned for 10 years as the location for their venture.
Adelle and Rod – who also has an experiences business and is known for his tank driving stunts – supplemented their own resources with an initial £300,000 loan from the bank to develop out and landscape the first six acres of the site last year.
They have since secured a further £700,000 from HSBC to expand operations, with 13 lodges currently on-site and plans for a further six and a new bistro restaurant.
The site supports five jobs, with additional cleaning and groundkeeping staff expected to join the team when all of the lodges are fully functional and the bistro opens in spring next year.
“The idea for our business came to us when we were planning our own wedding five years ago,” Mr Sim said.
“The Errol Park wedding venue was stunning, but we felt there was a real lack of accommodation options nearby for our guests.
“With HSBC UK’s support, we’ve been able to accelerate the development of our dream business.
“We can’t wait for it to take shape over the coming months and we thank the bank for supporting us take our business ideas to the next level.”
Susan Rowand, HSBC UK’s Head of Business Banking in Scotland, said: “Rod and Adelle’s enthusiasm and vision for the site is infectious and we’ve bought into their passion and plans for the business.
“We’re thrilled to help them with their ambitious growth plans and look forward to seeing the benefits their plans bring to the area’s economy.”
In addition to the extension, a scheme is in place to sell some of the lodges as a managed financial investment.