Highland Coast Hotels eyes up another six hotels on NC500 route
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Highland Coast Hotels has its sights set on acquiring another six establishments on tourism route North Coast 500, it has emerged.
The company bought over the Kylesku Hotel, the Newton Lodge, the Royal Marine Hotel, Brora, and the Royal Golf Hotel, Dornoch, earlier this year.
Assynt community councillor Malcolm Bangor Jones gave news of the firm’s future plans to Assynt Community Council at its meeting at the end of last month.
Dr Bangor Jones was speaking after attending the inaugural meeting of the Kylesku Hotel and Newton Lodge Community Liaison Group at the Newton Lodge on September 29.
He said: “This was an interesting meeting and we heard of their plans to acquire perhaps another six hotels but also their plans to invest in their existing hotels, starting with the Royal Marine in Brora because that is possibly in the worst state.
“The investment appears to combine both upgrading and expansion. There was particular discussion over the Kylesku Hotel because it was recognised it was a constricted site and the number of cars there is quite extraordinary.
“I made the point that I would expect provision for additional parking to be party of any planning application.”
Dr Bangor Jones said the hotel group was keen to remove the public toilet block, sited near the Kylesku hotel, but had backed down following resistance.
He continued: “But we should all just bear in mind these are just plans, which could change. They have to talk to the Kylesku Crofters’ Trust over land acquisition. There are going to be future meetings and it sounds like these will be a regular occurrence.”
