Ardgowan Hotel Sold to Private Investment Firm

Another historic, family-owned, St Andrews hotel has been sold to a private investment firm. Owned and operated by the McLachlan family for over 20 years, the Ardgowan Hotel has been purchased by Wirefox LTD.

Located on Playfair Terrace behind The Scores, overlooking the Old Course sits the Ardgowan Hotel. The Georgian townhouse and those that surround it were built in 1847 and designed by St Andrews architect George Rae who, according to the Hotel’s website, also designed St Regulus Hall and developed much of the housing on South Bell, North and South Streets. The Scottish Tourist Board has allocated it a 3 Star Rating, and it is ranked number ten in St Andrews Hotels on TripAdvisor.

The Ardgowan hotel follows in the footsteps of The Scores Hotel, which had also been under family ownership for 34 years and was purchased in June of 2021. Both Hotels were bought by Wirefox, a Northern Irish property investment firm, both for an unknown price. The company purchased the Ardgoward through its hotel sector, expanding their portfolio into Scotland.

Despite new ownership, the Ardgowan Hotel will operate in its current form with the current employment, according to The Scotsman. The McLachlan family have reported that the purchase was a success, hoping for “a very bright future” under new ownership. When asked by The Saint about the change in ownership and operations, the Hotel’s previous manager, Rachel McLachlan responded on behalf of the new business owners, thanking for the enquiry but declining to comment.

An investment director at Wirefox also reported that the 150th Open revealed promising investment in the golfing town, calling both The Scores and the Ardgowan Hotel “iconic golfing hotel[s].” Scottish Business News suspects that Wirefox will continue to grow its hotel’s portfolio in the coming months, and should they follow their pattern of investment in St Andrews, historic golf hotels in particular are involved.

Earlier this year, the LTD also purchased a Hotel and Restaurant in the north coast of Northern Ireland. The company is one of the UK and Northern Ireland’s most successful real estate investment companies, having completed one of the largest commercial property transitions in Northern Ireland in the last decade. Despite their recent acquisition of family-owned hotels, in the past the LTD has also invested in office and retail spaces, creating thousands of jobs in Belfast and Glasgow.

Image: The Scotsman