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UPDATED PLANS FOR LUXURY The Angus RESORT GIVEN GO-AHEAD Mike Forbes
New designs approved for £100m golf resort, hotel and spa which will create hundreds of jobs for Angus and Dundee. Construction on a £100m worldclass golf resort, hotel and spa in the Angus countryside will get underway this summer after councillors approved an updated masterplan for the once-in-ageneration luxury destination. With ambitions to become an iconic resort unlike anything seen in Scotland for decades, the development – on the Shank of Omachie near Broughty Ferry – will boast Dundee and Angus’s first five-star hotel. The Angus represents one of the biggest hospitality investments in Scotland in recent years and could contribute more than £40m to the local economy per year once it is operational in around two years’ time. The full development is expected to generate more than 300 full and part-time jobs, with a further 130 full-time equivalent posts and 285 additional employment positions during the construction and development phase. The approved new plans will see the hillside hotel offering 175 guest rooms, a rooftop sky bar and 1,900 sqm spa and leisure facilities overlooking the Tay Estuary and St Andrews, with
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traditional Scottish architecture and renowned hospitality. A hotel partner is expected to be announced in the coming months. The Angus had already secured planning permission in principle, with a section 42 order granted by the local authority in 2017 to allow a newly appointed project team to make alterations to the original designs. The redesign creates a sense of space, tranquillity and relaxation with an outlook that maximises the stunning views, including a spectacular water feature in the entrance hall. The Forbes family is working with an experienced project team of handpicked partners including 3D Reid architects, Ryden, Morrison Construction, Balgair, Manson Architects, Team Niblick (golf course design) and CPC (project management) to oversee the development. Award winning Leveraged & Equity Global Capital (L&EGC) has been appointed as financing partner for The Angus development. L&EGC and its UK division Credit Risk Mitigation have secured Invictus Risk Solutions LLP and its broking partner to create a portfolio of insurances through Lloyds of London and the London Corporate market that will underpin investment in The Angus during construction and beyond. It is hoped The Angus will be ready to open to the public in 2024.
BUSINESS PICKING UP FOR BRISTOL HOTELS The recent removal of lockdown restrictions has resulted in a welcome boost to business for many Bristol hotels. For months hoteliers have been hoping to see confidence increase enough to encourage companies to start booking conferences and large events, a vital source of income for hospitality businesses. The Bristol Hoteliers Association (BHA) says bookings are now picking up for large corporate events, leading to cautious optimism that its members may finally be able to put the pandemic behind them and look to a brighter future. BHA Chair Raphael Herzog said: “Bookings are picking up in regards to large corporate events, which is very encouraging.
“We are hoping that many more companies will now want to play catch up, as they have not been able to host events or gatherings for the past two years. While many companies have changed the way they work as a result of the pandemic, with some still working from home and others adopting hybrid working practices, there is no substitute for getting together with your colleagues face-toface. “And there is no better place to do it than one of the BHA hotels, which have all made significant investments in creating Covid-safe environments. We are hoping that many companies will be looking to push the boat out this Christmas, too, and after the deep disappointment of missing out in Christmas 2021, we are optimistic that business will be very strong this Christmas.
Luxury Hospitality Magazine
“The past two years have been extremely difficult because of the impact of the pandemic, which has hit the hospitality industry particularly hard.
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“The increase in corporate event bookings has been the vote of confidence we have been waiting for, and once people see that conferences and other large gatherings can happen safely, more businesses will follow suit.”
