Independent North-east whisky merchants, Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky, has acquired The Castle Hotel in Huntly and The Bank Restaurant and Café.
Set in 11 acres of land, the hotel was purchased back in May for near to the £1.25m asking price and the restaurant and café followed shortly. Already, an extensive refurbishment of both is underway with The Bank ready to open next month whilst the hotel won’t open until 2022.
Chairman of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky, Euan Shand is delighted to be investing in Huntly where the whisky merchant firm has its headquarters. He said; “I was born and brought up in Huntly. My father, Albert Shand, was the manager at Glendronach Distillery and I grew up in a house on the distillery grounds, so my love of Huntly and the people is deep rooted. We have already invested heavily in the area with our headquarters, our Whiskies of Scotland shop and online retailer The Spirits Embassy are all based in the area.”
Both properties will be a boost for employment after taking on some of the original staff who worked at The Castle Hotel, whilst also recruiting some additional experienced staff to bolster both teams. The hotel will initially work with 20-25 staff and The Bank will operate with around 10 staff.
Shand continued; I’ve travelled the world and stayed in lots of hotels, so I want to bring the very best of what I’ve experienced to the hotel. Our plan is to take the Castle Hotel back to what it was in the mid 1800s with a sympathetic modern refurbishment to meet the discerning local and international standards of quality and service. We are also looking at the carbon footprint, making it as environmentally friendly as we can. The Bank Restaurant and Café will be a separate entity but working closely within our portfolio. We have some great plans there and will be putting our own spin on things once the licences are in place.”
www.duncantaylor.com