Plans to bring the historic Invercauld Arms hotel in Braemar back to life have been officially sealed.
Building owners, art dealers Iwan and Manuela Wirth of Artfarm, lodged ambitious plans with Aberdeenshire Council earlier this year.
They want to “sympathetically rejuvenate” the building, promising a “renaissance” for the hotel which dates back to 1700.
Now approved, the closed Glenshee Road facility will be transformed to offer 23 short-term lets, along with accommodation for staff and a host of other facilities.
Signs currently in place outside the hotel state it is “under renovation” and is due to welcome guests once again in 2025.
What else will the Braemar site offer?
Its Castle Room will be rejuvenated to provide space for a range of special events, while a cinema room will be created for visitors to enjoy movies during their stay.
The C-listed dairy building will be restored and house 10 one-bedroom flats for Artfarm staff.
It comes amid a “housing crisis” which is pricing many out of property in the village.
And the mews of the hotel site will be redeveloped to host two artist studios and workshops.
Part of that wing has recently been refurbished and is currently in use as a pub.
Meanwhile, the B-listed Omnibus House located nearby will be renovated, forming office space for the hotel business.
The eye-catching building was originally the terminus for the Great North of Scotland bus station.
But the work doesn’t stop there.
A new single-storey leisure building will also be constructed on the hotel site, featuring a four-lane 25m swimming pool, gym and yoga studio.
The pool will be available for locals to use too.
Finally, a replacement footbridge will be created over the Clunie Water.
Braemar hotel ‘crying out’ for redevelopment
The application was considered at a recent meeting of the Cairngorms National Park planning committee.
Director of Moxon Architects, Ben Addy, has worked on the project with the Wirths, and said the huge Braemar building “beggars belief”.
He added: “It’s an absolutely wonderful building, but over the course of the last century or so it has fallen into a greater state of disrepair.
“The whole site is crying out for this kind of refurbishment.”
Mr Addy went on to say the site had “some challenges” and “undecidedly unsafe spaces”.
This included one particular one fire escape that Mr Addy explained he had to crawl through.
However, he heaped praise on the historic hotel and even claimed the Castle Room was “one of the most extraordinary rooms in the whole village”.
Under the proposals, as many of the building’s original features will be retained as possible such as staircases, fireplaces and timber detailing.
But anything that needs replaced will be fitted with replicas where possible.
Up to 100 staff members to be offered accommodation
Artfarm currently offers staff accommodation in Braemar, Crathie and Ballater to ensure the smooth running of its businesses in the area.
The Invercauld Arms redevelopment will bring Artfarm’s employee accommodation provision up to 100.
The firm also owns and runs the five-star Fife Arms Hotel and Fish Shop restaurant and fishmongers, both located in Braemar.
The luxury Fife Arms Hotel was recently named one of the UK’s best places to say by readers of top lifestyle magazine Conde Nast Traveller.
Invercauld Arms development to ‘benefit’ Braemar and beyond
Committee members claimed the development was a “great investment” for Braemar.
Banchory and Mid-Deeside councillor Ann Ross said she was “impressed” with the proposal and said it would “benefit” Braemar and the surrounding area.
While committee convener Gaener Rodger also gave the proposal her support.
She said: “It does look like a truly amazing development, bringing the building back to its true self but in a really sensitive way.”
The committee went on to unanimously support the application.
Have you seen the giant bucket outside the Invercauld Arms? You can learn more about that here:
Too bizarre for Braemar? Giant bucket sculpture divides opinion in Deeside village
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