Balmaha hotel plan on hold after firm goes bust

Jul 3 2009 by Amanda McKendrick, Lennox Herald (main ed)

THE future of a £4 million bar and restaurant project in picturesque Balmaha is in doubt following the collapse of a leading Scottish hotel chain.

The McKever Group began work on the development, which was to have brought 30 jobs, at the site of the old Highland Way Hotel just over a year ago.

It also announced plans to create an additional 42 bedrooms at the nearby Rowardennan Hotel which it also owns.

At the time, group owner Alistair McKever spoke of his love for Loch Lomond and promised “something very special” for visitors and residents.

But last week the Glasgow-based group, which owns hotels, hostels and apartments all over Scotland, went into administration, putting around 600 jobs at risk.

Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park confirmed this week that work has stopped on the Balmaha project. No work has begun at the Rowardennan Hotel.

Mr McKever spoke of his devastation and the demise of the 27-year-old business, which he said was a victim of the economic downturn.

He said he was co-operating fully with the administrators, BDO Stoy Hayward, and was determined to do everything possible to maintain the business and secure jobs.

Work to clear the site for the new development was completed in May last year with Mr McKever, personally putting the finishing touches to the demolition of the Highland Way Hotel.

The McKever Group had purchased the building four years earlier with what he described as “an eye to the future”.

He announced details of the bar and restaurant, together with a further 13 holiday lodges for rental in its grounds

He said: “This new development is very close to my heart. I just love Loch Lomond and have spent many family holidays here, so I can promise it will be something very special. The finish will be superb — our architects and designers are planning lots of wood, slate and glass — and it will tastefully complement the natural beauty of the area.”

National park planners granted planning permission to both projects for a period of five years.

A spokeswoman for the national park said: “Work has stopped at Balmaha for now. The park authority asked the owner to put up a timber fence and they have done that now around the site.”