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Gordon Arms Hotel, The Square, Aberdeenshire, AB54 8AF

Leisure for sale

£370,000
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Total price
SOA
Space

Charming hotel with 13 en-suite letting bedrooms plus a bunkhouse which can accommodate up to 31 people. Also included is the modern Highlander Cafe / Bar in Huntly town centre.

• Substantial and established C-listed Highland hotel and 4-Star VisitScotland bunkhouse in a most prominent town centre trading location in the heart of thriving Huntly.

• Operated under management, the business has strong turnover drawn from traditional income streams of accommodation, food and beverage sales with greater potential.

• 13 en-suite letting bedrooms with additional bunkhouse accommodation for up to 31 guests.

• Within this landmark property are well-presented and comfortable public areas with dining for up to 36 customers and a function room for large events / celebrations (150).

• Included is The Highlander Cafe Bar with a separate access and accommodates up to 50 customers.

DESCRIPTION

Gordon Arms Hotel is a most substantial property, built in 1795, ideally located in the main square of Huntly. This Georgian period building has many original architectural features including high skirting boards, coving and cornicing. A 'C' listed property with a charming and prominent frontage, allowing excellent signage and use of natural light within public rooms. Within a superb trading setting, the hotel is able to take advantage of the diverse customer base utilising Huntly either as a location for work or tourism. The business consists of 3 main elements, a 13-letting bedroom hotel with dining room and function suite, a separate public bar and a 31-bed modern bunkhouse. In addition, the property has exceptionally spacious owners' accommodation, in need of decorative upgrade, comprising of a lounge, 3 bedrooms and secondary area with two large rooms.

Adjacent to the hotel is the Highlander bar offering a cosy pub atmosphere with a strong local customer base. To the rear aspects of the hotel is The Highlander Bunkhouse which was fully refurbished in 2010 and offers functional accommodation for up to 31 guests with excellent kitchen facilities. The business has a strong reputation and is a landmark business within the town.

TRADE

The current operation is traded under management as the owners live overseas. There is a heavy reliance of staff and new owners with an intention to be hands-on could significantly increase the level of services and provision within this popular hotel. The business trades well across all three traditional revenue streams of beverage sales, catering and accommodation. There is scope to develop a higher level of function activity. Gordon Arms Hotel derives a high proportion of its income through the accommodation offering and supplemented with the requirements generated from these overnight guests, in the dining room and Highlander Bar. The business also enjoys good regular custom from locals, which further helps to drive turnover. The business trading model ensures that the business operates to a high level of turnover (c£420,000 in 2018). An experienced hands-on operator should be able to increase the level of trade making this a profitable business. The business has a modern website with an automated booking system which generates a high level of direct bookings. In addition, the business utilises online booking platforms including the Scottish Independent hostel website.

LOCATION

Huntly is a thriving community in the North East of Scotland and has a population of circa 4,500. Situated in the beautiful rolling countryside of Aberdeenshire, Huntly is strategically located on the main A96 road, roughly equidistant distance from both Aberdeen and Inverness. The town is also served by a main line railway station on the Aberdeen to Inverness line and has an hourly bus service between the two. The area surrounding Huntly is renowned for not only its beautiful country side but also its fertile land and is agriculturally very productive and steeped in farming tradition. The Town has a wide range of cultural, educational, environmental, religious, social and sporting groups providing activities for both residents and visitors alike. Huntly has a strong sense of community with a recognised network of supporting organisations and public services. Today Huntly has a most attractive town centre, planned by the Duke of Gordon in 1769, with some great architectural features which has remained mainly unchanged for over 100 years. To the west of the Town lies the great river Spey with its famed string of whisky distilleries (The Whisky Trail) and beyond to Inverness and the West Coast. To the south stand the hills of Royal Deeside visible from high ground around Huntly. Northward stretch the beaches, fishing ports and villages of the Moray Firth. The prosperous city of Aberdeen sits to the east and is the oil capital of Europe.

Huntly offers visitors a wide range of places of interest in which to relax and unwind. Historic buildings such as Huntly Castle and Leith Hall provide a fascinating insight into the local history. The town of Huntly is situated on The Castle Trail which encompasses many castles in the region. Contemporary places to visit include stops on the Huntly Food Trail, such as Rizza's and Dean's, the Town's well-known producers of ice cream and shortbread respectively. Whisky buffs can indulge their passion at Glendronach Distillery. The award winning Peregrine Wildwatch and Huntly Falconry Centre are popular attractions with locals and visitors alike. The Town is an ideal central base for enjoying the beaches of the Moray Firth, the many local golf courses, the ski slopes of the Lecht and cross-country skiing locally at The Nordic Ski Centre at Hill of Haugh near Huntly Castle. Huntly Golf Club is an 18-hole course and there are many other world renown golf clubs within a short drive. Fishing is also a major attraction and local pastime. The River Deveron holds the UK record for a salmon and is known as the Hidden Gem of Scottish salmon rivers. Pony trekking is also a popular pastime with Britain's Longest Trail Ride from Glass, over the Grampian hills to the west coast. Field sports are also a major attraction to the area with pheasants, partridges, snipe, woodcock and hare shooting plus Roe deer stalking. Both primary and secondary schooling is available in Huntly.

REASON FOR SALE

The current owners purchased the property in 2017 investing significant capital through a programme of refurbishment and renovation. However, given their personal circumstances they now wish to reluctantly bring the Gordon Arms Hotel to the market.

THE PROPERTY

The Gordon Arms Hotel is mainly of traditional stone construction under a slate roof with extensions. Dating back to 1795, this 'C' listed building is arranged over 3 trading floors; there is an additional attic floor. The property is situated in a most prominent trading location on the town square.

THE HOTEL

Reception - The reception is accessed via two large wooden doors via a vestibule into a spacious area set to tartan carpet. The large reception counter is set to the right and has a large office and counter. Within the reception are sofas and a display unit plus stairs leading to the upper floors. The generous reception area is a most effective space to control the hotels trading activities.

Dining Room - Set to the right of the reception hallway is the modern and well-present dining room with its self-contained bar. Set to around 36 covers, this area provides a pleasant dining experience. Comprising of fixed and free-standing furniture, this is an attractive area which is served by dedicated bathroom facilities for diners.

Function Room - Set to the rear aspects of the hotel is a most spacious function room which could comfortably accommodate events for up to 150 people. Within this area is a separate and large bar servery offering the capacity to cope with busy functions. A self-contained unit, the function room has its own ladies and gent's washroom facilities. In addition, this flexible area has its own food preparation area making service much more ergonomic.

Breakfast Room - The breakfast room is set to the first floor and offers a well-laid out area for guest to comfortably enjoy breakfast with an area set aside for display of self-service items. Set to free-standing tables and chairs for up to 60, where demand was generated this area could be used for supplementary dining. This bright and airy room offers views across the town square.

Private Dining Meeting Room - This compact and beautifully appointed room is ideal for small private events or meetings. Set to 8 covers, this room has views across the town square. There are separate customer bathroom facilities available on the first floor.

Letting Accommodation

The Hotel has 13 en-suite letting bedroom which are all comfortable with modern facilities including, hospitality trays, hair dryers and TV. The bedrooms are configured to:

Room 11 - Single with en-suite shower room

Room 12 - Double with en-suite shower room

Room 14 - Twin with en-suite shower room

Room 15 - Double with en-suite shower room

Room 16 - Single with en-suite shower room

Room 17 - Double with en-suite bathroom

Room 18 - Twin with en-suite shower room

Room 19 - Double with en-suite bathroom

Room 21 - Double with en-suite bathroom

Room 22 - Double with en-suite shower room

Room 23 - Double with en-suite shower room

Room 24 - Double with en-suite shower room

Room 25 - Family Room with 1 Double / 1 single with en-suite bathroom

THE HIGHLANDER CAFÉ / BAR

The Highlander Bar offers a modern bar facility. With a pool table, jukebox and large TVs (showing Sky channels) the bar is considered to be one of the best bar venues in Huntly. In addition, it has gaming machines. This modern facility with fixed and free-standing seating can accommodate c50 customers and has its own modern bathrooms set to the rear. The bar is popular with locals and visitors and offers a casual dining option with a traditional ambiance.

BUNKHOUSE

In addition, the hotel also operates the Highlander Bunkhouse which is a STB 4-Star facility. The bunkhouse has 7 modern dormitory bunk rooms which can accommodate up to 31 guests. Guest share the well-provisioned communal bathroom and shower facilities plus catering and dining facilities. All aspects of provision are of a high standard with the kitchens being well-fitted out with modern units and appliances. Rooms 1 - 4 are located on the ground floor and rooms 5 - 7 are on the first floor. The bunkhouse is configured as follows:

Dorm 1 - 6 bunk beds

Dorm 2 - 1 double / 1 single beds with disabled Access

Dorm 3 - 4 bunk beds

Dorm 4 - 6 bunk beds

Dorm 5 - 4 bunk beds

Dorm 6 - 4 bunk beds

Dorm 7 - 4 bunk beds

SERVICE AREAS

The hotel has excellent service / storage spaces. There is a well-equipped commercial Kitchen plus spacious food preparation area and ancillary rooms. The main cooking area has a substantial extraction unit. The kitchen has a pot wash area, dry goods store, walk-in chiller and a chef's office / staff room. In addition, the hotel has a spacious laundry on the first floor and separate housekeeping rooms. There is a beer cellar plus ample other storage throughout.

OWNERS ACCOMODATION

An attractive feature of the sale of this property is the separate owners flat. The spacious accommodation is self-contained and accessed via a private staircase and would suit an extended family or could potentially be used as staff accommodation. The unit comprises large lounge with an open fire place, double bedroom with fitted units, secondary room which is currently configured as an office and a 3rd double bedroom. There is also a separate suite which comprises of 2 large rooms.

GROUNDS

The hotel is situated overlooking the town square in Huntly. There is on-road parking plus ample public parking within the town centre. There are some grounds to the rear of the hotel with storage sheds and space for external seating and smoker's area to the rear of the bar. The property benefits from licensing board approval for a beer garden and the venders are in the process of getting approval from planning department.

SERVICES

The subjects have mains electricity, gas, water supply and drainage. The property is fully compliant with fire regulations.

Listed Features

  • Natural Light
  • Meeting Room
  • Carpeted
  • Development
  • Storage
  • Reception
  • Parking
  • Outdoor Space
  • Period Design
  • Office
  • Pubs/Bars/Clubs
  • Lounge Area
  • Refurbished
  • Kitchen
  • Staff Room
  • WC Facilities
  • Hotel
  • Multiple floors
  • Modern Design
  • Showers
  • Disabled Facilities
  • Catering
  • Column Free
  • Cafe
  • Cafè
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Property Marketed By
ASG Commercial Ltd