Latest news with #A&DCC
Daily Record
28-04-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
'Haunted' Scottish castle for sale with £1.5million slashed off price
A Scottish castle believed to be haunted by a ghost has just hit the market. The unusual property is on sale for £5million, with a whopping £1.5million slashed off the price Carbisdale Castle near Ardgay in Sutherland is now being offered at £3.5million. It is on sale amid an ongoing dispute between the owner and the local council. The property is being marketed by Strutt & Parker as "one of the Highlands' most iconic castles, occupying the most prominent position of any building in Scotland". It follows owner Samantha Kane's decision to pull the plug on a proposed transfer of the castle to a community interest company. Kane, a London barrister, had planned to hand over the property. However, she has since reversed the decision as a result of alleged discrimination. She commented: "I have now halted that and decided to put the castle back on the market as a direct result of the discrimination I have suffered. Obviously the big loser is the community but the hatred and discrimination I have endured is too much." Ms Kane, 65, purchased the castle in 2022 for £1.2million. She has since undertaken "vast" restoration work to key parts of the property. According to selling agents, improvements have been made "to suit 21st century living and the potential development of a spa and swimming pool". A major factor in the listing of the castle has been an ongoing dispute within Ardgay and District Community Council (A&DCC). The conflict is said to have escalated in recent weeks. The group, of which Kane is a member, has called an extraordinary general meeting (EGM) to dissolve the council. It cited concerns about the castle owner's conduct at meetings. Chair Les Waugh accused Kane of behaving "like a football hooligan", with the community council writing in a statement: 'Following six months of very difficult meeting and very difficult operating conditions in between meetings, the chair and the vice chair took the view that the intimidation of members of the public at the meeting on April 17 made the continuation of A&DCC, in its current form, untenable." Ms Kane has strongly denied the allegations, stating: "Allegations about my alleged behaviour are entirely untrue—totally false. If anything it is the other way around and I have evidence to support that. I am considering claiming damages from the community council or individual members for the harm they have caused me." One described as "Britain's poshest youth hostel", the 19-bedroom Carbisdale Castle is known for the ghost dressed in white named Betty that is set to haunt its 29-acre grounds. People who have stayed in the hostel have even named one of its top-floor bedrooms the 'spook room'. Built in the early 1900s, Carbisdale became known as the Castle of Spite due to its original resident's bitter dispute with her husband's family. Mary Caroline, Duchess of Sutherland, was the second wife of George Sutherland-Leveson-Gower, 3rd Duke of Sutherland. However, the marriage was not approved by the Duke's family. Following his death, the Duchess' inheritance was contested by her stepson. acEventually, a financial settlement was reached and the family agreed to build the Duchess a new castle. However, it was required that the castle be constructed outside the Sutherland Estate boundary. In response, the Duchess built her home on the most prominent hillside site just outside the estate. The new property overlooked her former family's land and railway line, and it is widely believed the she located the castle to spite her husband's family and the settlement agreement.
The National
24-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Scottish Highland castle put on sale again amid 'transphobia' row
Carbisdale Castle, located near Ardgay in Sutherland, is on the market for around £5 million. The property, which dates back to the early 20th century, was previously bought by barrister Samantha Kane in 2022 for £1.2 million. Kane previously told BBC Scotland that she had finished the job of saving the property from going to ruin and was selling up as she needs to be in London for her work. READ MORE: Bishop to represent Scottish Catholics at funeral of Pope Francis But she went on to remove the castle from the market after holding talks to transfer the property to a community interest company with a pledge to benefit local residents. The transfer was set to be concluded on Friday, however a row between Kane and Ardgay and District Community Council (A&DCC) of which she is a member, is understood to have led to the castle being placed back on the market. Kane, a barrister from London, said: 'I have now halted that and decided to put the castle back on the market as a direct result of the discrimination I have suffered. 'Obviously the big loser is the community but the hatred and discrimination I have endured is too much. 'One option now could be to have shared ownership with a boutique hotel of 14 of the rooms involved. I was close to selling the castle last time and a hotel group were among the interested parties." Members of the A&DCC are set to host an extraordinary general meeting to dissolve the body after claiming Kane was "disruptive" and "intimidating". The claims come after Sutherland councillor Michael Baird, a LibDem, was suspended after he was found to have been 'disrespectful towards the chair and committee". Baird accepted he breached the code of conduct and has since 'apologised unequivocally". A statement from members said: 'Following six months of very difficult operating conditions in between meetings the chair and vice chair took the view that the intimidation of members of the public at the meeting on April 17 made the continuation of A&DCC, in its current form, untenable given our duty of care to the many members of the public who attend." Kane also said she is exploring a "judicial review" and denied the allegations made, claiming she faced transphobic abuse. Kane said: 'I am also going to launch a judicial review of the community council's decision to hold an EGM as its sole purpose is to get rid of me, which is discriminatory in its nature, is unfair and bias and nothing to do with democracy. 'This is fundamentally an attack on my female identity and not receiving the respect of a woman of my age. 'The allegations are seriously offensive in nature and will have a direct effect on my private life. READ MORE: Reform UK names Tory defector as candidate for Holyrood by-election 'Allegations about my alleged behaviour are entirely untrue – totally false. 'If anything it is the other way around and I have evidence to support that. 'I am considering claiming damages from the community council or individual members for the harm they have caused me.' She added: 'I came here, really driven, with a vision of seeing the castle renovated and back to its former glory, really serving the community, and really being where it should be; one of the most iconic landmarks in Scotland." The castle was previously built for the Duchess of Sutherland, Mary Caroline, with the property dubbed the 'castle of spite' as she was embroiled in a feud with her in-laws. Over the years, it has been used as a war-time sanctuary for members of the Norwegian royal family and a youth hostel, operating as the latter for 60 years from 1945. There is also currently a planning application for 12 one-bedroom lodges around the loch area.
The National
23-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Scottish Highland castle up for sale for fifth time in a decade
Clifftop Carbisdale Castle, located near Ardgay in Sutherland, is on the market for around £5 million. The property, which dates back to the early 20th century was previously bought by barrister Samantha Kane. Kane, who bought the clifftop castle in 2022 for £1.2 million, previously told BBC Scotland that she had finished the job of saving the property from going to ruin and was selling up as she needs to be in London for her work. READ MORE: Bishop to represent Scottish Catholics at funeral of Pope Francis But she went on to remove the castle from the market after holding talks to transfer the property to a community interest company with a pledge to benefit local residents. The transfer was set to be concluded on Friday, however a row between Kane and Ardgay and District Community Council (A&DCC) of which she is a member, is understood to have led to the castle being placed back on the market. Members of the group are set to host an extraordinary general meeting to dissolve the body after claiming Kane was "disruptive" and "intimidating". The claims come after Sutherland councillor Michael Baird, a LibDem, was suspended after he was found to have been 'disrespectful towards the chair and committee". Baird accepted he breached the code of conduct and has since 'apologised unequivocally". A statement from members said: 'Following six months of very difficult operating conditions in between meetings the chair and vice chair took the view that the intimidation of members of the public at the meeting on April 17 made the continuation of A&DCC, in its current form, untenable given our duty of care to the many members of the public who attend." Kane, a barrister from London, said: 'I have now halted that and decided to put the castle back on the market as a direct result of the discrimination I have suffered. 'Obviously the big loser is the community but the hatred and discrimination I have endured is too much. 'One option now could be to have shared ownership with a boutique hotel of 14 of the rooms involved. I was close to selling the castle last time and a hotel group were among the interested parties.' She also said she is exploring a "judicial review" and denied the allegations made, claiming she faced transphobic abuse. READ MORE: Reform UK names Tory defector as candidate for Holyrood by-election Kane said: 'I am also going to launch a judicial review of the community council's decision to hold an EGM as its sole purpose is to get rid of me, which is discriminatory in its nature, is unfair and bias and nothing to do with democracy. 'This is fundamentally an attack on my female identity and not receiving the respect of a woman of my age. 'The allegations are seriously offensive in nature and will have a direct effect on my private life. 'Allegations about my alleged behaviour are entirely untrue – totally false. 'If anything it is the other way around and I have evidence to support that. 'I am considering claiming damages from the community council or individual members for the harm they have caused me.' She added: 'I came here, really driven, with a vision of seeing the castle renovated and back to its former glory, really serving the community, and really being where it should be; one of the most iconic landmarks in Scotland." The castle was previously built for the Duchess of Sutherland, Mary Caroline, with the property dubbed the 'castle of spite' as she was embroiled in a feud with her in-laws. Over the years, it has been used as a war-time sanctuary for members of the Norwegian royal family and a youth hostel, operating as the latter for 60 years from 1945. There is also currently a planning application for 12 one-bedroom lodges around the loch area.
