The owners of a luxury Perthshire hotel have achieved an increase in turnover to more than £7 million.
The Hydropathic Hotel Pitlochry, which owns the four star Atholl Palace hotel in the town, as well as the three star Beaches Hotel in Prestatyn, North Wales, saw turnover rise by 1.3% from £6.94m in 2018, to £7.04m for the year ending March 2019.
However, pre-tax profits fell by 12% from £668,739 in last year, to £586,369 over the period.
The firm operates more than 180 bedrooms, holiday lodges and chalets, as well as a range of leisure facilities.
In the newly released annual accounts, company secretary, Kevin Fingleton, said: “We sell rooms and packages to the leisure market, corporates, groups operators, events and conferencing market as well as to the local market.
“We target each of these markets so as to have no reliance on one sector of the market to generate our sales and allow each of the hotels to have a sustainable business mix.”
Mr Fingleton added the firm has prepared a detailed sales and marketing plan to “drive the business forward” and the focus is to develop business through various sales channels, while continually monitoring the company’s cost base to achieve greater efficiencies and savings.
The company employs around 117 staff, bringing a salary and wages bill of £2.48m.
The firm’s risk strategy is to develop the business across a number of different target markets.
Addressing risks to the business, Mr Fingleton added: “Competition from existing and new operators is an ongoing risk facing the group which is best managed by maintaining our reputation for excellence in customer service, product offering, value for money and constant investment in the business. “
The landmark Atholl Palace took four years to build and opened its doors to guests in 1878, as the Athole Hydropathic, and was used to host evacuated school children during both world wars.
In 2001, the hotel was purchased by the Castle Collection and underwent extensive refurbishment.
It was named Best Overall Hotel for Service in the UK by IRish coach tour operator, CIE Tours International in 2018.
The hotel was recreated in the iconic computer game Minecraft in 2016, when the intricacies of the Scottish baronial architecture was captured using go-pro cameras combined with 360-degre photography.
The ultimate controlling party at the firm over the period was Mr Fionn MacCumhaill.
jimillar@thecourier.co.uk