INTERIOR OF THE RESTAURANT OF THE SCORES HOTEL PRIOR TO NEW OWNERSHIP, 2020 IMAGE MATT HOOPER
ONE OF ST ANDREWS' BEST LOCATED HOTELS IS SET TO BE GIVEN A MAJOR REFURBISHMENT AFTER FIFE COUNCIL APPROVED PLANS SUBMITTED BY NEW OWNERS US-based Links Collection and Ireland-based Wirefox, WHO HAVE TEAMED UP WITH Global hotel management company, Valor Hospitality Partners.
THE PLANS INCLUDED A 5-STOREY EXTENSION TO THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY, and rooms will be reconfigured - taking the number of rooms in the hotel from 36 to 51. As well as a new glazed frontage, the property will feature multiple dining outlets including a restaurant, bar, café, garden patio and outdoor terrace, AND WHEN THE HOTEL REOPENS IN 2023 IT WILL EMPLOY AROUND 70 PEOPLE.
THE PLANS INCLUDED A 5-STOREY EXTENSION TO THE REAR OF THE PROPERTY, and rooms will be reconfigured - taking the number of rooms in the hotel from 36 to 51. As well as a new glazed frontage, the property will feature multiple dining outlets including a restaurant, bar, café, garden patio and outdoor terrace, AND WHEN THE HOTEL REOPENS IN 2023 IT WILL EMPLOY AROUND 70 PEOPLE.
INTERIOR OF THE FORMER SCORECARDS BAR WITHIN THE SCORES HOTEL PRIOR TO NEW OWNERSHIP IMAGE MATT HOOPER
THIS ANNOUNCEMENT BY FIFE COUNCIL THAT PLANNING PERMISSION HAS BEEN GRANTED HAS BEEN MET, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT, WITH HOSTILITY FROM ST ANDREWS LARGE NIMBY POPULATION AS WELL AS THE R&A AND THE ST ANDREWS BURGH COMMUNITY COUNCIL.
THE COMPLAINTS INCLUDE FROM The R&A, as owners of the property at Beach House, said it would suffer “significant adverse impacts” as a result, while the St Andrews Community Council argued the development was “out of keeping” with surroundings and not acceptable in a Conservation Area.
5 PEOPLE LODGED OBJECTIONS TO THE PLANS, WHICH DID NOT MEET THE THRESHOLD FOR REFERRING THE CASE TO to councillors on the north east Fife planning committee.
THE COMPLAINTS INCLUDE FROM The R&A, as owners of the property at Beach House, said it would suffer “significant adverse impacts” as a result, while the St Andrews Community Council argued the development was “out of keeping” with surroundings and not acceptable in a Conservation Area.
5 PEOPLE LODGED OBJECTIONS TO THE PLANS, WHICH DID NOT MEET THE THRESHOLD FOR REFERRING THE CASE TO to councillors on the north east Fife planning committee.
SPEAKING AS SOMEONE WHO HAS WORKED TWICE AT THE SCORES HOTEL UNDER ITS PREVIOUS OWNERSHIP I BELIEVE THIS IS FIRSTLY GREAT NEWS BECAUSE IT WILL FINALLY SEE THE SCORES HOTEL REACH ITS POTENTIAL, AND WILL, IN A POST-PANDEMIC ERA FOR THIS AREA, OFFER 70 JOBS, WHICH IS FAR IN EXCESS OF THE FORMER GROUP OF STAFF WHO WORKED ACROSS THE HOTEL PRIOR TO ITS CLOSURE LAST AUTUMN.
THE REFURBISHMENT WILL BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO THE SCORES AS A STREET IN ST ANDREWS, HELPING THE TOWN TO CAPITALISE UPON THE COASTAL VIEWS IN A WAY WHICH IT FAILS TO DO PRESENTLY. IT WILL PROVIDE COMPETITION FOR THE ADJACENT RUSSELL HOTEL AND HOTEL DU VIN AND BE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE ST ANDREWS ECONOMY POST THE 150TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP THIS JULY.
IF THIS REFURBISHMENT HAD NOT HAVE RECEIVED PLANNING THERE WAS A VERY BIG DANGER OF THE SCORES HOTEL CLOSING PERMANENTLY. FIRSTLY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE LOSS BECAUSE THE HOTEL EMPLOYS PEOPLE AND WITH IT CLOSED IT WOULD MEAN LESS CHOICE FOR PEOPLE TO WORK IN ST ANDREWS. SECONDLY THE HOTEL WOULD THEN ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED INTO LUXURY APARTMENTS, WHICH THE NIMBY BRIGADE WOULD BE OPPOSED TO AS WELL.
THERE'S SIMPLY NO WAY THE HOTEL COULD CARRY ON IN THE SAME WAY IT WAS PRIOR TO THE PREVIOUS LONG-TERM OWNERS SELLING LAST YEAR, THE HOTEL WAS TIRED INSIDE AND OUT AND IT NEEDED NEW LIFE BREATHING INTO IT.
THE REFURBISHMENT WILL BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO THE SCORES AS A STREET IN ST ANDREWS, HELPING THE TOWN TO CAPITALISE UPON THE COASTAL VIEWS IN A WAY WHICH IT FAILS TO DO PRESENTLY. IT WILL PROVIDE COMPETITION FOR THE ADJACENT RUSSELL HOTEL AND HOTEL DU VIN AND BE A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE ST ANDREWS ECONOMY POST THE 150TH OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP THIS JULY.
IF THIS REFURBISHMENT HAD NOT HAVE RECEIVED PLANNING THERE WAS A VERY BIG DANGER OF THE SCORES HOTEL CLOSING PERMANENTLY. FIRSTLY THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A HUGE LOSS BECAUSE THE HOTEL EMPLOYS PEOPLE AND WITH IT CLOSED IT WOULD MEAN LESS CHOICE FOR PEOPLE TO WORK IN ST ANDREWS. SECONDLY THE HOTEL WOULD THEN ALMOST CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED INTO LUXURY APARTMENTS, WHICH THE NIMBY BRIGADE WOULD BE OPPOSED TO AS WELL.
THERE'S SIMPLY NO WAY THE HOTEL COULD CARRY ON IN THE SAME WAY IT WAS PRIOR TO THE PREVIOUS LONG-TERM OWNERS SELLING LAST YEAR, THE HOTEL WAS TIRED INSIDE AND OUT AND IT NEEDED NEW LIFE BREATHING INTO IT.
