Hopes are high for hotels under threat

Jul 3 2009 by Edwin Lawrence

IT’S BUSINESS as usual this at week at two Ayr hotels whose parent firms have collapsed.

And there are high hopes that both Belleisle House and the Ivy Rooms cans be sold as going concerns.

The McKever Hotel Group, owners of Belleisle House, went into administration last week after bankers called in debts of £70 million.

The hotel only recently reopened after refurbishment and is well booked for the Open Championship.

A spokesman for administrators BDO Stoy Hayward said they aimed to keep businesses open and staff in jobs.

The McKever Group has 10 hotels, including the Riverbank in Kilmarnock, as well as Belleisle House.

It also has apartments, self-catering holiday homes and boat moorings.

l McKever sister company Dark Star this week also went into administration.

Dark Star’s 14 premises includes the Ivy Rooms in Ayr’s Miller Road.

The hotel – previously known as the Kylestrome, then the Cariston – has been a popular venue in Ayr for generations.

And administrators Tenon are keen to stress that the Ivy Rooms will continue trading. And there are no immediate plans for redundancies.

A spokesman for Tenon said: “Dark Star has a portfolio of high quality bars, restaurants and hotels in good locations that are well known in their local communities.

“While not immune from the economic downturn, the units are performing relatively well, and we are confident the business will appeal to companies already operating in the licensed trade, or to entrepreneurs keen to enter the sector.

“It is very much business as usual while we focus on finding a buyer or buyers as soon as possible.”