Second flagship youth hostel axed as poor visitor numbers cited

The Loch Lomond Youth  Hostel on the south-western shore of Britain’s largest body of freshwater closed its doors for the tourist season last month and will not reopen in 2013.

The 14th-century baronial manor house carries the highest heritage rating because of its  national importance.

Its grounds were once used by Scotland’s national hero  and lie within the protected Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.

The property, otherwise known as Auchendennan House, was also a base for the 12th Anti-Aircraft Division during the Second World War, before being donated to the Scottish Youth Hostel Association (SYHA) at the end of the conflict.

The 110-room facility has since become a highly rated destination for budget travellers and  is said to be one of the most haunted hostels in Europe.

It is understood the manor house has been sold in recent weeks to a private developer for an undisclosed sum, with plans for a new facility in the pipeline.

Confirmation of the closure came after The Scotsman revealed on Monday that the SYHA was also considering selling off 100-year-old Carbisdale Castle in Sutherland – another of its prized properties.

The association has cited “nightmare” costs needed to restore the building to modern standards as the reason for the potential move.

Carbisdale Castle has been closed since February last year, with an estimated £6 million needed to repair extensive damage to its ceiling and decorative plaster work.

Keith Legge, chief executive of SYHA Hostelling Scotland, said the Loch Lomond youth hostel had failed to attract a viable number of guests in an increasingly competitive market. The association did not disclose  visitor numbers for recent years.

Mr Legge added: “While it is always a difficult decision to close a youth hostel, SYHA has to make responsible decisions which support our charitable aims.

“We must target our resources in a sustainable way. As a not-for-profit, self-funding charitable organisation, we have a duty to make best use of scarce resources to ensure a sustainable youth hostel network in the  future.”

Loch Lomond is one of five SYHA hostels that have been earmarked for closure since November last year as part of a sweeping review into the financial viability of their network of 46 buildings. Facilities at Broadmeadows, Canisbay, Kirk Yetholm and Melrose have also been shut or are due to close.

A VisitScotland spokesman said the tourism authority was sympathetic to the situation at Loch Lomond.

“First and foremost, the priority would be to get the house up and running and back to its former glory,” the spokesman said. “If it was used for tourism purposes, that’d be fantastic.

“It’s always a shame when these places close up. It’s such a beautiful part of the world and we would hope as many people as possible can get up there for themselves to see it.”