Iconic Borders hotel is launch item for entrepreneurs' latest business

Published on Monday 2 March 2009 20:59

ENTREPRENEURS Donald Emslie and Peter Murphy yesterday revealed that they are to take over the running of the four-star Roxburghe Hotel as part of a new business venture.

In a new departure for Emslie, the former head of the Scottish Media Group, the pair have set-up the Castle Hotel Management Company (CHMC) to run existing premises and set up new hotels for developers.

Their company will also target "distressed assets", hotels that are owned by banks or pension funds after their previous owners have defaulted on loans.

But Murphy – the former managing director of Macdonald Hotels' Scottish operations – yesterday stressed that the Roxburghe, near Kelso, did not fall into that category and was a "very successful" hotel.

Murphy and Emslie yesterday signed the contract with the Duke of Roxburghe, who owns the hotel and its golf course, before officially launching their business last night at Edinburgh's New Club.

CHMC will manage and market the hotel and will also take over the running of the golf course and other country pursuits at the Borders landmark.

Other industry figures involved with CHMC include: Andrew Phelan, who has worked at the Old Course Hotel in St Andrews; Stephen Coupe, with experience at Glasgow's One Devonshire Gardens; Brian Hunter, who worked at Spa Developments; and Stewart Smith, of the Carrick Loch Lomond Golf Club.

Murphy said that, between them, the team had a combined experience spanning 240 years.

He added: "The Roxburghe is a fantastic hotel – the duke had a number of options but he chose us. 'Grey' is back again – people are looking for experience. We believe we are well placed."

Emslie added: "The duke has brought us in to help him develop the hotel and create a world-class resort."

The pair said they were looking at hotels throughout Scotland and said they were confident there would be opportunities available to them in the coming months, including development opportunities and "distressed assets".

Emslie explained: "My experience at SMG was managing people and very high-profile, iconic assets, dealing directly with paying customers in the form of advertisers and then also viewers.

"A lot of that is very similar to running hotels in that you've got to maximise the yield from the asset every night of the year.

"Peter and I have been good close friends and, when he left Macdonald Hotels, it seemed liked the ideal opportunity to combine my experience of running a public limited company with his experience of running groups of hotels around the world, especially at a time when a lot of hotels will need strategic input."

Emslie said the pair had stumped up the money to set up the company but that it did not need to be "highly capitalised".

Since leaving SMG, Emslie has become chairman of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland – which runs Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park, near Kincraig – and chairman of Edinburgh's Lyceum Theatre.

He is a member of the boards of Scottish Water and the Scottish Rugby Union, and has invested in a technology start-up.