The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
St Andrews hotel in the bunker for three months
INVESTMENT: Old Course to close during quiet period for upgrading and refurbishment
One of Fife’s biggest hotels is preparing to close its doors for three months.
The Old Course Hotel is to shut for refurbishment from next month.
A favourite with golfers from around the world, the five-star complex will reopen in April with some bedrooms and suites upgraded, its spa extended and a new lap pool and gym.
The investment in the 144-bedroom resort has been welcomed as a vote of confidence in the town and local business leaders did not expect trade to suffer as a result of the reduction in bed spaces.
Work will take place during the quietest period of the year for St Andrews, which welcomes more than 666,000 tourists each year.
Patrick Laughlin, manager of St Andrews Partnership, said: “This is a big investment and there are others in the pipeline, including the extension of the Rusacks Hotel just along the road.
“It shows St Andrews continues to be a place where the larger hotel operators want to invest.”
He said the start of the year was the best time to shut and there appeared to be little concern from local traders.
“Historically, the Old Course Hotel has been more seasonal in its business than other hotels in the area.
“There is sufficient capacity elsewhere in St Andrews to pick up the slack so other hotels and guest houses could end up benefiting from this.”
Ray Pead, president of the hotels and guest houses association Stay In St Andrews, predicted the closure would have a marginal impact on other accommodation providers.
He said: “With the closure coinciding with the quietest time of the year and with accommodation in plentiful supply, most of our members would not expect to be full in any case.”