Donald Trump is reported to have pulled out of a move to turn Lews Castle into a luxury hotel. The building is beginning to look more and more like a moneypit / white elephant as the years go by. Although an interpretative plaque has now been nailed across the entrance gates, the castle is inaccessible as it is structurally unsafe. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar had been looking for a partner to restore and develop the 19th century building, something that would run into a 7 if not 8 figure sum of money.
I am a little bemused at Donald Trump, who sees fit to rename an Aberdeenshire estate after his mother who hailed from Lewis. When Trump visited the island last year, he went out of his way to visit the village of Tong where his mother grew up. The cringefactor was high. Yet he cannot bear to part with money to do up an iconic building in the island of Lewis, where his mother grew up. The Aberdeenshire project, incidentally, will cost him 1 billion pounds.
Roll on the next Mr Moneybags.
Brian Haggas? Mmm, perhaps not.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt the poor man has his reasons:perhaps he was afraid of putting more people against him. what do the locals think about the idea ?
ReplyDeleteSurely the main consideration for someone like Donald Trump is not how much he puts in but how much he can get out? Aberdeenshire is always going to make more money than Lewis.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope that whoever buys and improves it doesn't do what North Ayrshire Council have done with the Garrison in Millport and associated buildings- namely do them up, make several empty rooms for "conference" or supposedly community use- then charge the earth for the hire of them. The old people's lunch club and mother and toddler group are both without a meeting place as they cannot afford the cost.
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful building, with very limited use to the local population.
Looks like a money pit to me.....have been and had good look. As former hotelier can only say it has very severe limitations and Mr Trump is no no mug or fool (with or without subsidy or golden hello Lews Castle site has very little going for it. In terms of Community based asset/facilty, not sure it lends itself to lunch-clubs or toddler groups.....maybe it wil become an admin centre like so many other large houses (trouble is nowadays with so many building regs and Health and Safety issues it just may not be viable)...pretty sad way for Historic part of Island to slip into oblivion? Hope something is possible. RJG
ReplyDeleteI have to agree that Lews Castle is not likely to have the revenue potential that the Menie Estate in Aberdeenshire had. I was being sarcastic about Donald Trump on account of the way he handled the situation on the East Coast, from the start right up to the present day.
ReplyDeleteWhy has it so little going for it GL?
ReplyDeleteI thought the plans proposed were very exciting particularly the designs for a new Museum nan Eilean on the site of the old glasshouses. But not a lot of money around in this climate and Trump is a business man not a sentimentalist.
If you hadn't read it, the proposal PDF can be found here: http://is.gd/nkig
Mike...not sure why I need to answer but will.
ReplyDeleteAs a Wedding Venue Lews Castle is dubious as not at all secluded/private as it adjoins park and College...also big shortage of parking currently...also number of bedrooms is/may not be viable ( I had 12 sleeping 27 and forever needed more/even being bribed into owners accomodation 3bed cottage sleeping further 6)...also why would a developer/single owner or chain bother when transport is an issue(wedding main party/family leave on Sunday after lie in and breakfast/check-out.) truthfully at present.
Museum and Function Suites...paid for by whom and are 17000 visitors to current Museum feasible number?
In truth I cannot see a viable solution other than entirely Philanthropic (no bad idea in itself) so I watch with interest.
There may be more to this than meets the eye but I have voiced a tiny weenie opinion based on my observation and knowledge at this moment in time...I wish all parties involved with this Project very best wishes and good luck as It would be very sad to just see further decline and eventual ruin of such an historic landmark (well modern history anyway)...RJG
Unfortunately it is all about what he will get out of it and not put in. I find it sad when buildings are left to go to ruin. I know there is a lot of money involved in restoring it but I'm still saddened all the same.
ReplyDeleteGL just briefly, can't see an issue with room numbers. Proposed is 18 oversized rooms in original plans. Skibo Castle which hosted Madonna/Ritchie and Bobby Carlyle weddings has 21. Plan is to reopen a dedicated driveway to hotel entrance and expand carpark. I think it would make an excellent wedding venue and it would be great to have a decent 4 star hotel on the island. The funding info is in the linked plan. And oy vey with the transport issue, there are flights and at the rate you lot are going by the time the place is open there will be ferry's on the hour every hour Sunday or not. 17000 visitors go the the poor Francis St museum so a new museum would be a massive attraction especially when secure facilities could bring the Lewis Chessmen back regularly. Sheesh, such negativity, I despair, why not just knock it down and build an Asda to get all psyched up about instead?
ReplyDeleteI think it is a terrible shame that Lews Castle has not been 'taken care of' before 2009, but of its type it is far from alone in being uncared for. There are a great number of similar buildings in towns and cities across the land in similar seemingly hopeless situations.
ReplyDeleteWhilst I applaud CnES for trying to engage Trump I can't help but feel it was a pretty hopeless pipe dream from the start. As someone has already said, what goes against Lews Castle is the remoteness of Stornoway. The resources of the island are hardly sufficient in terms of high spend tourism to justify someone coming to Lewis for a five-star plush holiday.
But it can be done with vision and foresight. Buile Hill Mansion in Salford is a good case in point. Then there are the various projects we've all seen in recent years on the BBC's superb 'Restoration' series.
I think it would be a shame to 'lose' Lews Castle; it is after all, part of these islands' heritage. Perhaps Stornoway needs to make another bid to hold the Winter Olympics, and as part of the construction phase for the ski jump events, the castle could become the SOCOG headquarters?
http://stornowayhistory.wordpress.com/2009/01/07/stornoways-ill-fated-winter-olympic-bid/
http://www.salford.gov.uk/builehill-restoration
Affordable homes means for rent or shared ownership (usually 50:50), so the cost would be c£66k on your estimated build cost. Whether that's affordable is quite a different matter.
ReplyDeleteMike..the picture of you wringing your hands in despair brought a tear to my eye.....sorry you didn't like or agree with my answer (shocked not!!). Skibo and Lews Castle not quite comparable as no seclusion on latter? I sincerely hope a postive balanced (may have to be Philanthropic) plan.solotion is reached or we will have whip round for the great idea of 4x (thanks for both links matey peeps)..watch that space.
ReplyDeleteLes...cyncical but I agree that often it seems way too much cash is generated/promised for operations that line suit pockets.
FX - I've never really understood the 'affordable homes' lark so I am happy for you to explain further (if you know how it works!). To my mind if the government are providing £132,000 per home and that represents a 50% 'subsidy' then the actual (let's say selling) cost is £264,000. You can get a five bedroom house is the best part of Stornoway for that!
ReplyDeleteYou're the man with the government connections, how about a blog on how it all works?
over to you 4xxxx....make it all seem so balanced/nice/cosy/non-contentious...please/maybe? RJG
ReplyDelete