Kilmarnock estate to add restaurant to attractions

Craufurdland Estate in Kilmarnock has received funding to help launch a new restaurant set in the grounds of the 800‑year old, family‑owned estate.

The Laird’s Table restau‑ rant is set on a loch in the grounds of the estate which covers 600 acres of wood‑ land and farm land and is scheduled to open later this month. It will operate seven days a week, offer‑ ing a “high‑end menu cre‑ ated from locally‑sourced ingredients”.

The restaurant has been made possible thanks to £500,000 in funding from Barclays.

Simon Craufurd, who owns and manages the estate, said: “Being able to diversify your business is a hugely critical part of run‑ ning a successful estate.

“Since making the switch to Barclays, I’ve been extremely impressed by the understanding they have of estate manage‑ ment, as well as their local expertise.

“We’ve been looking at opening a restaurant ever since I started running the estate in 2003, so to see eve‑ rything come together is fantastic,” he added.