Castle of Mey pays its way – with help of heir B&B
IT was the treasured Highland hideaway of the Queen Mother, who spent many summers enjoying the peace of the Castle of Mey.
Now her beloved holiday home is run by her grandson Prince Charles – and his wealthy friends are ensuring its preservation.
The Castle of Mey Trust – headed by Charles’s Prince’s Foundation – had a £532,000 surplus and made more than £104,000 on investments up to last March, accounts show.
Donations and legacies topped £1.26 million – more than half the total income – with charitable activities, other trading and investments making up the rest.
It is hoped this will offset harm caused by the pandemic, which has meant visitor numbers to the Caithness castle have plummeted.
The ten-bedroom Granary Lodge bed and breakfast in the grounds – which opened in May of 2019 – was funded thanks to benefactors including US philanthropist Julia Irene Kauffman.
Charles – known as the Duke of Rothesay in Scotland – stays at Mey every August and is adept at attracting generous benefactors.
In 2015, a wood near the castle was renamed in honour of a wealthy Saudi businessman who reportedly donated £370,000. Dr Mahfouz Marei Mubarak bin Mahfouz is a honorary patron of the trust.
The trust’s accounts, lodged with the Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator, cover the 15-month period to March 31 last year, when it came under the trusteeship of the Prince’s Foundation.
The previous annual return spans 12 months, making comparisons difficult. But the latest figures show income rose by more than £540,000 to £2,287,526, while expenditure increased by around £640,000 to £1,754,854.
The accounts do not reflect the impact of the coronavirus crisis, which has forced closures. The report says funds were boosted by the opening of Granary Lodge – dubbed ‘heir B&B’ – which returned ‘strong occupancy rates’. The trust is now looking at offering it as a wedding venue. Up to March 31 last year, the castle had 28,210 visitors, with admissions raising £242,000.
Shirley Farquhar, administrator for the trust, said: ‘Mey is well supported by the Caithness community, visitors to the area and donors to the Prince’s Foundation. We are looking forward to the day when we can safely welcome tourists back.’