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No money to build hotel at Lews Castle             2/7/14

 

The serious sticking point over the shortage of cash for saving the Lews Castle is the absence of millions of pounds required to build the main part of the hotel.

 

Money is in place to upgrade the ground floor reception foyer, café as well as the ballroom, which could host weddings and functions.

 

But converting the upper floors into hotel bedrooms and self-catering flats is priced at about £4 million - most of which is simply not available.

 

Natural Retreats -the holiday firm confirmed as the operator for the revamped castle - is obliged to invest some of its own money into the project.

 

The shortfall has been whittled down to about £.3.2 million and the Comhairle will put in some of its own money.

 

However, it cannot afford to cover the whole amount outstanding.

 

Stopping work and scuppering the hotel plans at this advance stage is not an option the Comhairle wants to consider.

 

It is determined to preserve the crumbling castle and open it up to the public while creating jobs in the process.

 

The project has been dogged with recent controversy. Local accommodation providers are furious with the council for quietly changing the initial proposals for a hotel into a self-catering facility.

 

The local authority admits the bigger, outside tourism operator will take trade away from some existing hospitality providers.

 

But it maintains there would be an overall boost to the wider local economy.

 

A planning report highlighted objectors warned the "economic regeneration strategy for the castle is flawed and fatal for those already serving this market and should be reconsidered."

 

They said it would be a "direct threat to existing self catering business," while Heritage Lottery Funding should not be at the "expense of established local businesses."