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Hostel Sale Anxieties in Aberfeldy
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FOLLOWING the widening circulation of rumours regarding the future use of the former Craigthuill Hostel on Taybridge Road in Aberfeldy, efforts have been stepped up locally to discover the identity of the successful bidder who purchased it off Perth & Kinross Council when the sale was understood to have been concluded earlier this year. Fears had been expressed in the town that the substantial Victorian properties were soon to be turned over for use by groups of ‘adventure holiday’ visitors. To discover if any truth lay behind such suggestions Comment approached Steve McColl of Weem who holds a substantial and growing portfolio of properties within the town and also operates the Palace Hotel, which hosts numbers of these visiting groups. |
Stating that he was not involved with Craigthuill, he reported: “These school sites, I believe, have been bought by a developer from Boness, and I have heard that they are to be converted to residential use.”
He also indicated that “another developer from Boness” has acquired the former Church of Scotland in Crieff road and that it, too, is likely to be converted for residential use.
Adventure Tourism
Questioned about the increase in the number of Stag and Hen parties coming to the area, he stressed: “These are only a small part of my business at The Palace, and I’m pleased to say that to date we have had no trouble whatsoever with any group that we have had staying.”
He added: “It is an interesting point to note that, across Scotland, traditional tourism is in decline and adventure tourism is booming, indeed Aberfeldy is at the cutting edge of this and is well placed to benefit significantly through this opportunity.”
Sale Procedures
However, a number of residents adjacent to the former school hostel are known to have written to the P&K chief executive and to the leader of the administration. They have expressed alarm over the procedures followed for transacting the sale of the property after it was declared surplus to local authority requirements.
It is understood that its prolonged status as labelled ‘Under Offer’ has indicated problems with concluding the contract, and that uncertainty about the transaction - and the identity of the final purchaser - should be swiftly cleared up.
The Property section at the P&K Council has advised C'llr Ken Lyall that the original proposal was to convert the property to flats but, in light of the affordable housing requirement, the purchasers are now considering simply refurbishing the two buildings and putting them back into mainstream housing use.
Ken Lyall told Comment that, having contacted one of the directors of FK one, Mr Stuart Anderson, he had received an assurance that the properties will be residential and not commercial.
