It’s a new era for this familiar island building

St George’s Church has a prime spot on the Lamlash shoreline, with views out to Holy Isle, but it’s not had the best few decades.

It was built in 1885 by the Duke of Hamilton, but, since church services stopped back in the Eighties, those who’ve passed have watched the pale sandstone building become increasingly run down.

Back in the Nineties, this Arran property nearly reopened as a theatre, but those plans were shelved.

However, it has at last been refurbished and reopened, after being taken over by property developers, as Arran Shores - a luxury self-catering development, with 14 holiday apartments and suites available to let.

We asked house manager, Val Storrie, to tell us more.

How did Arran Shores come into being?

Arran Shores is owned by a privately owned Scottish family business with immediate family connections to the Western Isles. We became aware of St George’s in late 2021 at a point where we were involved in other residential property development on the mainland. We were conscious it had been largely derelict for a long period and that the intentions of the owner to complete a residential conversion had stalled. It had been on the market for a long time with little or no interest. Several members of the management team had connections to Arran and were aware of its popularity as a holiday destination and felt it would be both a good project and of significant benefit to the local area. Our initial intention was to develop and sell the properties although we subsequently decided to support the island economy further by creating a holiday let business.

What was the building like before you started work on it?

When we acquired St George’s the roof had been replaced and some internal structural work had been completed. The link between the church and the new building to the rear did not exist and the new building required to be fully rendered, and certain balconies/windows installed. There was a working BT phone line going in one window, through the building and out the other side! Internally it was a shell with nothing started and externally it was mud and weeds.

How have you designed the interior and what was the inspiration?

The original internal plans involved mezzanine floors within many of the units which did not make a huge amount of sense. Our initial task involved re-designing the units within the constraints of the existing structure. The removal of the mezzanine floors meant that the relatively new 10-year-old long full height church windows at the front and side of the church required to be replaced. The main inspiration behind the interior designer’s vision was to provide a high quality, home from home experience with a luxurious feel and a contemporary finish.

View from an Aran Shores bedroom | Contributed

Any signature tweaks or luxuries?

Yes. Including instant boiling hot water via Quooker taps, luxury Amtico flooring fitted throughout internal apartments, king sized double beds throughout with high quality bed linen and towels, luxury furniture and finishings, Farrow and Ball colour palate, fully tiled bathrooms with feature lighting, bespoke media walls and smart TVs in all living areas and bedrooms, dedicated bar areas in certain units, Arran toiletries made on the island at Home Farm, environmentally sustainable heating systems and air source heat pumps, keyless entry system and 100Mb fibre broadband throughout.

What do Lamlash locals think of it?

We have received a great deal of support locally with the project. In fact, we would not have achieved what we have without that input. The vast majority of the tradesmen working on the site were local and they were all keen to contribute to a building which throughout their lifetimes they had seen only as a derelict and decaying structure in the heart of the village. It seems fitting that the building has been largely brought back to life by men and women from the island and indeed from Lamlash itself.

Why should people holiday to Arran?

Arran has the absolute best bits of Scotland, all on one stunningly beautiful island that is easy to get to and even easier to explore. Widely known as ‘Scotland in miniature’, it has something for everyone – bays, beaches, breweries, castles, coastline, distilleries, historical sites, jagged summits and ridges, villages, waterfalls, water sports, wildlife (Scotland’s Big Five), woodland walks, oh and seven golf courses. Arran also has an incredible range of food and drink offerings and is a real ‘foodie’ destination.

Our top recommendation would be a day trip to the Holy Isle, only a 15-minute ferry crossing from the Old Pier in Lamlash. This spiritual, historic, and tranquil island is a spiritual retreat for those seeking solitude, meditation, and reflection, with practicing Buddhists as resident volunteers. Soay sheep, Eriskay ponies and Saanen goats roam the stunning landscape which offers a choice of walks with spectacular views. It really is a special day out and a bit of an adventure.

Is Arran an increasingly popular holiday destination and did it need something like this?

Coastal and island destinations are increasingly popular and the accessibility of Arran with only a short ferry crossing has always been hugely appealing. People talk about Arran time, and it is true, life slows down and you start to feel like a different person.

Despite there being several luxury hotels, we felt that there was less on offer, in the luxury self-catering sector. Our suites have been designed with open plan kitchen, dining, bar and living areas to provide a luxurious sociable space in which friends and families can relax, after a day’s island adventure. It was also important to us to provide boutique accommodation as opposed to a large hotel or resort.

Living space at Arran Shores | Contributed

What sort of customer are you aiming for - families or couples, and is it dog friendly?

We think that Arran Shores is best suited to couples, groups of couples, friends, and grown-up families, not to mention golfers, cyclists, walkers, and ‘foodies’ on their Taste of Arran journey. As there are already a large number of accommodation providers on the island that are dog friendly, we have taken the decision to keep Arran Shores free from pets to provide an allergy-free, peaceful environment.

Prices start from £880 for two nights for four people, for more information, see www.arranshores.com

The stunning Lamlash accommodation in transformed 'derelict and decaying' Isle of Arran church

Comments