Vision for the future
Pair hope to create a cafe, camping pods and shop
It’s a big challenge but we’re very excited by it – we never thought six months ago that we would own this, we just love it! We want to provide a service and make a bonny part of Scotland even bonnier
Liz Angus
Work on clearing the site of the former Spittal of Glenshee hotel is under way following completion of its sale last month.
And new owners Liz Angus and Allan Brownie are excited about the potential the historic site has to benefit the local community and to provide a service for visitors to the area.
The hotel was largely destroyed during a devastating fire in 2014 and the site has since become a hotspot for vandalism and anti-social behaviour.
But the remaining hotel buildings, as well as a 3.46-acre plot of land, were recently purchased by Aberdeenshire-based partners Liz and Allan at auction.
And the visionary pair have big plans for the site involving a cafe, bar and restaurant with a stage for music, a campsite and camping pods.
Explaining how they got involved with taking on the site, Liz said: “We’d driven past it several times and thought it was such an eyesore, and earlier this year decided to start investigating the site.
“We spoke to local councillor Caroline Shiers who told us about the local interest in the site and started talking to other people with links to the site.
“We realise this is a very special place held dear in the hearts of many, it’s amazing how many people we have met who grew up here and it holds a special place for them.
“We then found out it was coming up for auction in April so we submitted a preauction bid and were told it had been accepted.
“The sale completed in May and since then we have been clearing the site. It was a real mess – the fencing was all down, the manhole covers were open, the windows smashed, there were bottles, beds and rubbish everywhere, it was downright dangerous.”
Liz added: “We hope and intend that this will be our home for many years to come.
“We are working on plans to build a cafe/bar food facility, toilet and shower facilities for camping, pods and a few campervans and, of course, a shop. We expect to be in a position to offer employment in the area and hopefully boost tourism and businesses in the area.”
Allan has a background in events having run BA Events in Aberdeenshire for a number of years. As well as weddings, charity events and festivals, the non-profit organisation also ran the popular BA Vintage Country
Fair.
He said: “After lockdown and
with the sale concluded we just wanted to get our sleeves rolled up and get started.
“We’re working with an architect who is drawing up plans for the site which will be submitted to Perth and Kinross Council before January as that is when the existing planning permission for the site runs out.
“We want to uncover what we have got here and incorporate
that into the new buildings – we know that it was once a farm and we’ve already discovered a byre and a neep shed under the old accommodation block, and a muck midden on site, and there’s a lot of old wood in the building that we want to reuse where we can.
“We’re hoping to retain the original stonework and fireplaces but it’s likely that the
accommodation blocks will have to be demolished, probably around October.”
He added: “At the moment we think the entrance to the cafe area will be where the entrance to the old hotel was, and the idea is to have three roundhouse-style buildings at the back which will be on two levels and connected to the cafe as well as providing toilet and shower facilities for
the campsite and pods.
“We’d like to possibly add another building for an education and visitor centre.
“We want the whole site to be as sustainable possible and are looking at underground heat sources and water turbines, which we could then highlight in the visitor and education centre.
“It’s all got to go through planning first though.”
Planning permission was previously granted for a restaurant and 18 holiday lodges on the land and, all being well, the pair hope to be in a position to offer camping by this time next year as part of what they say will be a phased development of the site.
Liz, whose background is in communications, is currently researching the history of the site and is keen to hear from anyone with memories of the hotel.
She said: “The history of this place is just fascinating.
“We consider it to be a great privilege really to be able to do this and look after this site and make it a thing of beauty again.
“It’s a big challenge but we’re very excited by it – we never thought six months ago that we would own this, we just love it!
“We can see the potential this site has and what it can offer people and the joy it can bring people again and that’s what it is all about for us.
“We want to provide a service and make a bonny part of Scotland even bonnier.”
Anyone who would like to contact Liz and Allan can do so by emailing liz.angus1@ btopenworld.com.