Official press release: Autumn 2007

BALBIRNIE SPA IS GIVEN THE GREEN LIGHT

MORE than 30 new jobs will be created, and a boost predicted for the local economy, when a state-of-the-art £5million spa is created at Balbirnie House Hotel.

The spa, which is scheduled to open in the spring of 2009, will take the Markinch hotel onto another operational level entirely, and additional spa themed bedrooms, which are also being created, will increase capacity for weddings and corporate special events.

Work begins on the spa in January next year and a membership of about 500 - mostly drawn from the local area - is envisaged, at an individual monthly fee of less than £60.00, and the project will take 14 months to complete.

The spa will include a swimming pool located in a Georgian pool house, a fitness and gym suite, yoga studio, relaxation areas, a range of massage and treatment rooms, a beauty centre, and also Club lounge areas for healthy refreshments, snacks and Thai tapas.
 
The facility will also include a quite unique rooftop thermal suite with different steam and sauna heat treatments, theme showers, ice chutes, a central glass-roofed fireplace, a chill-out area and external decking with hot tubs and hydrotherapy.

The spa will be run by one of the hotel directors, Rosemary Spenke, who will lead a team of highly-trained consultants and therapists.

Balbirnie General Manager Nicholas Russell said: ‘We are all very excited at the prospect of the spa and in design terms it is truly a first for Fife and in a wider context, Scotland. We have spent the last 3 years evolving the concepts. It has been created by a combination of listed-building architectural specialists Hurd Rolland, and the UK’s foremost spa designer, London company Corporate Edge. For a hotel such as Balbirnie, there is nothing at all like it north of the Border’.

‘There has been a lengthy process over the last few years with a large design team, and many complexities have had to be addressed. Our sincere thanks go to all involved. It was of the utmost importance that we could conceive the new extension with great empathy, a complete measure of respect, and a wonderful compliment to the magnificence of the existing original Grade A listed house. That has indeed been achieved with substantial inputs from many official bodies, especially Historic Scotland and the Fife Planning Authorities, and externally the new buildings retain elements of the strength, symmetry and definition of the original house. Inside however will be an entirely different proposition, with the use throughout of cutting edge materials and finishes’.
 
‘It will really take us onto another level in terms of what we are able to offer our guests and we anticipate the special event and corporate markets, which are already fantastic for us, will become even better’.

‘It is also great news for local people who, if they elect to become members, will have this facility on their doorstep, and with all the extra people we anticipate it will draw from throughout the UK, the omens and knock-on potentials are really excellent for quite a few other local businesses. Over the next few years there are going to be substantial inputs into the local economy’.

‘Balbirnie is already one of the most vibrant hotels of its size in the country, and the spa extensions will have a capability of substantially increasing trade. We have been really delighted with the level of support for this project across all spectrums from the local area’.

Under private ownership and personal management, in the last 15 years Balbirnie House has grown significantly both in terms of size and job creation. In 1992 it had 30 staff, now there are 110. The addition of a ballroom in 1999 meant that the hotel could compete in the booming wedding market and today Balbirnie holds on average three large weddings every week. In recent years the property has been the recipient of a stream of awards and industry accolades, including Scottish Wedding Hotel of the Year, and has become one of the UK’s top destination event venues.

Nicholas Russell said: ‘The reason we have been able to do all of this is because of tremendous inputs from the whole team at Balbirnie. It has been a cracking effort from the entire brigade. Over recent years turnover has risen substantially - we are now among the highest revenue per bedroom hotels in the UK, primarily driven by the substantial amount of special events business - and it is all because of the effort of everyone pulling together for the same common aim’.

Spa designer Ian Sherman, Managing Director of Corporate Edge says: ‘The spa at Balbirnie House will bring to this already outstanding hotel a totally new concept in customer experience, and will establish Balbirnie as one of the UK’s leading country house spa hotels. Corporate Edge are proud to be working with the Balbirnie team to create what will be a simply stunning spa experience’.

The expansion is being funded with assistance from the Clydesdale Bank. Mike Natta, Business Partner for Fife says: 'Balbirnie House is already a landmark business and a key employer for Fife. The new extensions provide exciting opportunities and underlines our ability to provide innovative funding structures for dynamic businesses'.

Tricia Marwick, MSP for Central Fife says: ‘I am delighted that this project has been approved. Balbirnie House is a jewel in the crown for tourism in Fife, and I congratulate the Balbirnie’s team on their continuing innovation and investment which will ensure enhanced local employment, and increased national and international visitors"

Anyone who is interested in finding out more about the spa can log on to www.balbirnie.co.uk

For more press information on Balbirnie House-
Gordon Walker/ Milestone Media/ E-mail: milestone.media@btinternet.com