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30
Sept
Troubled Harrogate hotel listed for sale
One of Harrogate's historic hotels is to be sold after its owner went into administration.
The Cairn Hotel is one of eight hotels – six of which are in Scotland – to go on the market following the collapse of East Kilbride-based Strathmore Hotels.
All eight properties will continue to operate as normal while the sale process is underway, and their 410 employees are being retained by administrators from Interpath.
The 135-bedroom Cairn, which includes extensive function space and a 350-seat restaurant, is reported to be valued at £6 million, although it has not yet been brought to market.
That's more than most of the other hotels in the group – only the flagship Ben Nevis Hotel & Leisure Club in Fort William has a higher asking price, at £6.5 million.
All the sales are being marketed by commercial property agent Christie & Co, which has been instructed by the joint administrators of Strathmore Hotels Limited, Interpath's James Dewar and Alistair McAlinden.
Mr McAlinden said:
We are pleased to be able to bring this very well-established portfolio of hotels to the market as a going concern – and we are heartened by the significant level of interest expressed in the portfolio already.
Upon the sales process being launched, interested parties should contact Christie & Co as quickly as possible to discuss and progress their interest.
Christie & Co said the Cairn Hotel offered "strong year-round trading and significant redevelopment potential", and advised that initial enquiries should be directed to its hotel specialists, Brian Sheldon, Jeremy Jones and George Ranachan.
According to Interpath, Strathmore Hotels was under “sustained creditor pressure for a number of months” before a winding-up petition was lodged in the Scottish courts in July. Administrators were finally called in in August.
How the Cairn Hotel used to look in the early 20th century.
The Cairn Hotel started life in the mid-19th century as a grand private residence, and was turned into a hotel in 1890. It later became the Cairn Hydro and was a popular destination for guests during Harrogate's heyday as a spa resort.
You can read more about its history – and its disused vintage hydropathic facilities hidden away from guests – here.
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