Best of Scotland: How new venture looks to redefine luxury hospitality and add 150 jobs

Andrew Marshall’s messaging is clear-cut as he sets out bold plans to add 150 jobs across his business empire this year.

“It’s definitely a time to innovate in hospitality,” he says, as the Scots entrepreneur and chief executive of Carlowrie Group looks to create a range of employment opportunities and take the company’s headcount to more than 500 by the end of 2025.

As many hospitality operators batten down the hatches and grapple with spiralling costs, staffing shortages and lacklustre consumer demand, Marshall is pressing ahead with an expansion that will see his latest venture, Carlowrie Residences, ramp up its presence across Scotland. The move is set to offer exclusive access to some of the country’s most luxurious properties, where guests can expect “the best of hospitality and bespoke experiences”, regardless of the length of stay.

In 2024, Carlowrie Castle, on the outskirts of Edinburgh, became the first castle in the world to gain B Corp certification

Under the guidance of the company’s Michelin-trained executive chef, all meals will be expertly prepared, while a concierge team will be on hand to craft personalised itineraries. The group will look to build on the “exclusive-use” model it has developed over the past decade or so at Carlowrie Castle, a Scottish Baronial-style property that is located on the outskirts of Kirkliston, just north of Edinburgh Airport, and is popular for weddings and special events.

“The way people travel is changing,” observes Marshall, who has a background in hospitality and the service industry, and was behind one of London’s first luxury lifestyle concierge companies some 25 years ago. “Our guests are choosing the exclusivity of an entire property rather than a room in a busy hotel. They want tailored guidance and support at their fingertips to make their entire experience flawless.

“There are not many doors that we can’t open,” he says. “It could be a short stay in the Hebrides or a break in a new-build property in the Highlands or in an historic castle in Perthshire. We can provide access to a wide range of properties and a wide range of contacts to make our guests’ stays really bespoke. We aim to take our experience and offer it to the whole of the Scottish market.”

Carlowrie Residences forms part of a group that spans a diverse range of businesses and charities founded or co-founded by Marshall, including Carlowrie Castle, hospitality venue Edinburgh Street Food, which is located within the capital’s Omni Centre, funding consultancy Innovative Partners and charities The Breakfast Bothy and RESTART Lives. The group currently employs more than 350 people in businesses across the UK, with that tally poised to expand over the coming months.

Andrew Marshall, CEO of Carlowrie Group.

Marshall’s experience working with high-profile clients should stand him in good stead as he scales up his latest venture. One recent client, described as a high-net-worth Emirati with a passion for travel, chose to stay in Scotland for an entire year based in a luxury residence just outside Edinburgh, at a total cost in excess of £1 million.

“We are also speaking to agencies representing sports players and artists that want all the conveniences associated with a luxury hotel but are looking for something a bit different, where they can get the additional privacy and can pretty much choose from our portfolio properties as to where they want to be,” says Marshall, who is inviting owners of unique properties throughout the country to partner with Carlowrie Residences, which will be taking on an average of ten new employees to service each property.

“I am very excited about the opportunities,” he adds. “Back in my London concierge days I was tasked with looking after a whole range of clients from around the world, so I’m coming back to my roots a bit there dealing with the sorts of clients we have at Carlowrie Residences. It’s an offering that myself and the team are really excited about.”

Earlier this week, it emerged that Labour ministers were under growing pressure to exempt hospitality businesses from their “misguided” hike in national insurance contributions as research revealed the increase could cost Scottish firms £369m over five years.

Carlowrie Residences allows guests to stay in some of the finest properties in Scotland.

Changes announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her autumn Budget mean the rate that employers pay national insurance will rise from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent. The threshold for paying it on each annual salary will also fall from £9,100 to £5,000. Critics fear the move, branded a “jobs tax”, will act as a hammer blow to firms that are already on the “precipice of closure”. It comes as a rise in the minimum wage also kicks in.

“Hospitality is such a major driver of economic growth in Scotland and it’s a shame that government policies and the Budget don’t reflect that,” argues Marshall, who is based in Norway for much of his time. “There were a few small wins in the autumn Budget. However, it did fall massively short of expectations for UK businesses. The reality is that the support that we really require is not available from government, so there is a real need for businesses to diversify and to be innovative and to find new ways of working.

“It’s definitely a time to innovate in hospitality. There is clearly still demand for it when it’s done right and done uniquely.”

He said Carlowrie Residences would uphold the strong core values of the wider group, with a percentage of profits reinvested into social and environmental endeavours. In 2024, Carlowrie Castle became the first castle in the world to gain B Corp certification, meaning guests can be assured that the business has exceptionally high standards of environmental and social practices.

“We can have a positive impact on the charities and community projects that we run,” Marshall stresses. “There is a strong appetite to do good through business.”

Wedding venue set in castle on outskirts of Edinburgh to expand with multi-million investment