Perthshire guest house and cake school to open doors following 'six-figure' deal

A guest house and cake school is to open its doors in Perthshire thanks to a six-figure acquisition and investment deal.

The Cumberland Building Society said its investment in Strathardle Lodge, an 18th century Jacobean property set among woodlands in the foothills of the Cairngorm National Park, demonstrated its continued commitment to lending within the hospitality industry.

Lee Doswell, commercial relationship manager, and Natalie Richardson, commercial associate at the Carlisle-based society, worked on the project, which involved financing more than half of the purchase of the property - previously named Strathardle Inn - by cake decorating expert Paul Bradford and partner David Brice.

The pair purchased the property to offer guests “luxury, dog-friendly accommodation” with the provision of residential cake courses, led by Bradford.

The Strathardle Lodge is an 18th century Jacobean property set among woodlands in the foothills of the Cairngorm National Park.

As part of the investment, the lodge is undergoing a renovation to upgrade its nine guest rooms and include a gym on the property. In addition, the owners plan to make the property more sustainable by installing solar panels on the land.

Scott McKerracher, head of commercial at the Cumberland Building Society, said: “We’re expecting to see more challenges in the hospitality industry in the next year, including staff shortages and inflationary pressures, adding to the sense of instability.

“However, many businesses have still been able to snap up great opportunities to invest - David and Paul’s project is a perfect example of this.

“It’s a really exciting time for the future of hospitality, and this new chapter for Strathardle Lodge promises to bring something special to the stunning Perthshire countryside,” he added.

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