Latest news with #LMAArchitects
The Herald Scotland
11-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
UK's biggest hotel brand plans new landmark city destination
How the site will be utilised. (Image: LMA Architects) Whitbread is to create a 195-room Premier Inn hotel in the centre of the Scottish capital by converting an office block. Plans have been lodged for the Capital House Premier Inn which is expected to generate an additional £8.1 million per year in visitor expenditure through the external spending of more than 56,000 guests. Read the full story here Future hope amid Isle of Harris Scotch whisky distillery redundancies There is fresh hope for the future. (Image: Getty Images) The executive chairman of an island Scotch whisky distillery which is cutting jobs to "safeguard the future' of the business has voiced hopes that the workforce can eventually grow again. Isle of Harris Distillery, which produces The Hearach single malt Scotch whisky and Isle of Harris gin, last week announced plans for redundancies among its workforce of 45 as it cuts production and moves from two shifts to one shift a day. Speaking to The Herald in the wake of the job cuts announcement, executive chairman and chief financial officer Ron MacEachran said: 'At this point, we are doing this very regrettably but very much with the intent that, when circumstances change, the business will again be able to move forward and build on the foundations that have been created.' Asked if the workforce could rise again in future, Mr MacEachran replied: 'It is too early to say but one would hope that if the business was back on a growth journey that would mean more employment.' Read Ian McConnell's exclusive story here BUSINESS INSIGHT 📈 Wetherspoon basks in the spring sunshine The City responded positively. (Image: PA) JD Wetherspoon declared today that its pubs have capitalised on the spring sunshine while reiterating the impact of fresh hikes in labour costs on the bottom line. The hospitality giant, which has around 800 pubs across the UK, said like-for-like sales had increased by 5.6% in the 13 weeks to April 27 and 5.1% in the year-to-date. Total sales for the year to date were up by 5% in the quarter and by 4.2% in the year-to-date, the company said. While sales have been increasing, costs have also been rising at Wetherspoon, which reiterated that the rise in employer national insurance contributions and national living wage will add around £1.2 million per week to its wage bill. Read Scott Wright's analysis here AROUND THE GREENS ⛳ American Golf drives forward with increasing diversity This article appears as part of Kristy Dorsey's Around the Greens series Inside one of the stores. (Image: American Golf) Despite its name, American Golf was founded in the UK in 1978 by brothers Robert and Howard Bilton, who were inspired by sports shops they had visited while in the US. Following a succession of ownership changes before going into administration in 2018, the business is now owned by International Leisure Group with financial backing from Leeds-based private equity group Endless. The sport's post-Covid boom encouraged American Golf to overstretch its resources, with the business recording a loss in 2023. A subsequent restructuring has left the UK's largest golf retailer "well-placed" for growth according to chief executive Nigel Oddy, who was brought in by Endless in April 2023. The Herald Scottish Golf Survey 2025 will close to submissions on today, Sunday May 11, but until then every club and course in the country is invited to submit their views. If your club or organisation has not already received an invitation to take part, please contact
Daily Record
08-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Record
Plans approved for multiple occupancy flat above former Ayr pub
Plans were previously lodged with South Ayrshire Council, seeking permission for a change of use to the first floor of the property on 61 High Street. A developer has won approval to transform the first floor above the former Cross Keys public bar in Ayr High Street. Plans were previously lodged with South Ayrshire Council, seeking permission for a change of use to the first floor of the property on 61 High Street. The building is currently listed as a commercial unit which was previously utilised as a storage space for the DEBRA charity shop, which subsequently moved to another part of the High Street in 2024. Now the plan is to turn the first floor space into a multiple occupancy flat. Plans show designs for a flat with four bedrooms on the first floor of the building. The agents in the proposals are Ayr-based LMA Architects and the applicant is Ayr firm McKechan Holding Limited. A design and access statement said that the applicant is 'now in a position to carry out the works to the ground and first floors of the property.' The statement goes on: 'The client has received the necessary technical approval for the change of use and internal alterations to the first floor commercial unit to form a multi occupancy flat and now seeks the necessary planning consent to carry out these works.' It's understood that the reason for the exclusion of the first floor from the original consent was that 'certain information' 'had been requested' by the Planning Authority and was 'not available' at that time. The information requested consisted of two items: an acoustic assessment and an agreement with the local authority addressing the refuse collection from the property. An acoustic assessment was also lodged with the local authority and it is understood that an 'agreement' was reached with regards to refuse collection. The applicant has also 'taken on board' recommendations with regards to the floor constructions and the replacement windows for the proposed flat. In approving the plan, with conditions, council papers said: 'The development results in the repurposing and restoration of a largely vacant listed building that features on the Buildings at Risk Register as compiled by Historic Environment Scotland. "The proposals shall result in the appropriate re-use of the upper floors of the building (alongside the previous consent granted) and will not affect the vitality or viability of the town centre. 'And it is noted that the proposals do not involve any alterations to the external appearance to the building. It is therefore considered that the development will have a neutral impact on the character and visual amenity of Ayr Central Outstanding Conservation Area.'
