THE LONG-awaited work to breathe life into two iconic Kintyre hotels which have been lying empty began this week at the Ugadale Hotel, Machrihanish.
This is seen as the start of plans to renovate the empty Victorian building and the Royal Hotel in Campbeltown town centre.
The firm behind the work, Kintyre Development Company owns both of the empty buildings. Their renovation and reopening is linked to the plans for the Machrihanish Dunes Golf Course now nearing completion.
Contractors moved onto the Ugadale site on Wednesday.
This is the first phase which will begin the building of eight cottages and the demolition of parts of the Ugadale Hotel.
Campbeltown firm McFadyens, are sub contractors and have begun working on the ground, and Kintyre Development Company is hoping to have people in them by September with all of them completed by the end of the year.
A preview is hoped for the end of the year for tour operators and journalists to publicise the area, as well as for those who have purchased the holiday cottages for a week per year.
The intention is to retain and refurbish the eastern section of the Ugadale but demolish the ‘less flamboyant section’ along with extensions and store rooms at the rear. What remains will be turned into a restaurant, bar, health suite and 11 bedrooms on the first and second floors.
In the remaining part of the site the plan is to build a ‘golf village’ in a series of blocks of terraced cottages in natural stone with slate roofs; each would have two bedrooms, ensuite and a small kitchen and living area. There would be car parking and putting greens and the level of the site would be altered in places.
