SCOTLAND’S BEST KEPT SECRET! By R o b Kesti
O
ver the past decade something within the private gated community at special has been happening in Pittormie Castle, just a few miles away, St St Andrews. Prince William and Andrews is now leading the way in luxury Kate Middleton’s time at the University living in Scotland. The Fife coast has long had far greater impact on the town than been the desired destination for Scot’s to anyone could imagine. Since their graduation have second homes. But in the main it’s the demand to attend the University has reached international clients of the University, St unprecedented levels which has impacted the Leonards, The R&A and The Eden Club and town in many ways. The buy-to-let market foreign investors which has had such a positive has strengthened considerably as rented impact on the local economy. property is now in high The creation of The demand, rents whilst Eden Residence Club is rare, are increasing year incredibly attractive to “We have over 40 great those that want the luxury on year. With property in scarce supply inside lifestyle without the links courses on our St Andrews town due negatives that come with door step, beautiful mainly to the need to buying your own second fishing, shooting and accommodate the increase home in St Andrews. other pursuits, it’s close Pittormie Castle is the most in the number of students which has grown by to St Andrews, Dundee, beautiful development to over 1,000 in the past enter Scotland for decades. Edinburgh and Perth, few years, prices in St In addition to turning the its perfect” Andrews are now some of old baronial castle in to a the highest in Scotland. centrepiece of the club, with Bathroom magnate Herb multiple dining options, Kohler’s development bars and lounges, there of Hamilton Grand, the are lots of other luxurious large red building behind the 18th green of facilities like a swimming pool, tennis the Old Course, now luxury apartments, courts, gym, spa, short-game centre, and has witnessed the number of residential lots of activities plus 20 two, three and four properties sold in St Andrews over the £2.5m bedroom residences which can be utilised mark, rivalling those of any other place in under the clubs membership programme. Scotland. Instead of tying up millions for years and With the 27 multi-million pound residences paying the inflated stamp duty introduced in Hamilton Grand, added to dozens of other by Nicola Sturgen’s Government, plus all the single dwellings in the town over the £2m annual maintenance bills (not withstanding mark, plus the 20 ultra-luxurious residences all the aggravation that comes with it), here TOM LAWRENCE, CHAIRMAN OF THE EDEN CLUB
TOP, P i tto r m i e Ca s t l e . L EFT, P r i nc e W i l l i a m g r a dua t i o n . RIGH T, H a m i l to n G ra n d .
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you simply buy a membership to utilise all only use a few nights each year. This was a 20 homes whenever you want. Members better option. This way hundreds of people have the option to pre-purchase nights in can call Pittormie home and benefit from a the residences at discounted rates meaning more attractive investment structure”. John that if you were to use it for the average two Crawford, a 47 year old Telecoms investor or three weeks that most people use their from Dublin echoed the sentiment adding second homes, it would cost you peanuts to “Choosing one week at somewhere like live like a king! This is not timeshare. It’s a Glenmor (Gleneagles) just didn’t work for similar model that’s been a success in other us. Apart from the fact Pittormie is a far locations around the world and brought to higher quality, as a family we can’t be tied St Andrews by Tom Lawrence, Chairman of down to the same week each year. We like The Eden Club. “Why to come across for a few would you want to live weekends and have an on your own somewhere extended break of a week along the coast, without or so during the summer. “Pittormie Castle is all the other wonderful It’s much more flexible. the most beautiful facilities and services, The parents and extended development to enter not to mention the family can come and Scotland for decades. magical social interaction visit and you’re not all that comes with on top of each other. If It provides a wonderful participation in a luxury we want to take another lifestyle that makes the gated community said home and invite guests St Andrews experience Lawrence. My wife is we can, but we don’t feel even more special.” Scottish, my kids are obligated to keep coming Scottish and we come each week just because here every year. I don’t we own it”. And if we want to spend my want to try somewhere holidays fixing the house else, they have an amazing and cleaning the pool. Sharing something so reciprocal program with hundreds of other special with other families was a no brainer luxury residences all over the world. Parents to me. We have over 40 great links courses of other students at St Andrews University on our door step, beautiful fishing, shooting and St Leonards pointed out that the benefits and other pursuits. It’s close to St Andrews, are not venue dependent or limited to St Dundee, Edinburgh and Perth, its perfect. Andrews. “We have used the Club all over If you want privacy you can go into your the world while having Pittormie which has home. But if you want to pop up to the bar made our time in St Andrews truly special” and meet other amazing people, you have said Ed Ellers. “So special, that we won’t be that option as well. I wanted the level of giving it up when our children leave”. quality provided at Pittormie, but realised For more information visit like everyone else, I didn’t want to invest www.theedenresidenceclub.com millions of pounds for a second home I’d JOHN CRAWFORD
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A bove, A ct ivit ies at P it t ormie. B elow, P it t ormie C ast le.