HIE Standards Boost Business At The Station Hotel
22nd October 2001
A European funded initiative, aimed at helping accommodation providers upgrade their premises, is proving a real success for one Thurso business. The Station Hotel, which is owned by Pam and Stan Egan, has just attained a three star grading from Visitscotland (formerly the Scottish Tourist Board) after the couple spent £133,000 on a facelift for the hotel.
Pam and Stan applied to Caithness and Sutherland Enterprise (CASE) last year for financial assistance and were awarded a funding package worth £30,000 - half of which came from the HIE Standards programme. CASE business development managers are now encouraging more accommodation providers in the area, thinking about making improvements to their premises, to apply for assistance from the recently launched HIE Standards III initiative.
HIE Standards III continues to provide financial assistance to accommodation providers for investment in the upgrade of their premises in a bid to attract and meet the needs of today's discerning travellers. Among the improvement work undertaken at the Station Hotel was the upgrade of the hotel's 21 bedrooms and ensuite bathrooms as well as the formation of a reception area and the upgrade of the hall and landing areas. The project has resulted in the creation of a number of full-time positions at the hotel.
Management and staff at the Station Hotel are not only celebrating their three star grading from Visitscotland, they have also recently achieved a Green Tourism Bronze Award and have been awarded Investors in People status, a national programme which promotes the development of staff and skills.
Steven Kelly, manager at the Station Hotel said: "With the assistance of CASE and the HIE Standards programme we have achieved our aim of a three stars award from VisitScotland in a much shorter time than anticipated. We have also got a product to be proud of and the response in terms of repeat and future business has been outstanding. CASE have been very supportive and assisted us every step of the way."
Acting chief executive Carroll Buxton said: "One of our priorities at CASE is to improve the standard of accommodation on offer throughout the area in order to meet the high standards expected from business and leisure travellers.
"We are keen to see more accommodation providers follow the Station Hotel's example and come forward and apply for assistance via HIE Standards."
For more information on HIE Standards contact CASE on 01847 896115.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
A programme of remedial works to bring Scotland's only funicular railway back into service at Cairngorm Mountain is entering a new phase during week beginning Monday 15 April. With the snowsports season now over, multiple teams from contractor Balfour Beatty, appointed by Cairngorm Estate owner Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), are set to be deployed on the mountainside.
The five-year agreement between Scotland's Rural College (SRUC) and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will also play a major role in contributing to regional economic growth. The signing of the agreement, by Professor Wayne Powell, Principal and Chief Executive of SRUC, and HIE Chief Executive Stuart Black, follows the official opening of SRUC's Rural and Veterinary Innovation Centre (RAVIC), a valued addition to SRUC’s School of Veterinary Medicine, in Inverness by HRH the Princess Royal.
Deerness Distillery Ltd has secured £246,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for the £820,000 development. Construction is underway at the distillery, which was founded by husband-and-wife team Stuart and Adelle Brown.
The Co-Chairs of the Inverness Castle Delivery Group, Fergus Ewing MSP and Cllr Ian Brown, are delighted to announce the award of £30,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in support of framing the 57 panels that will form the Tapestry of the Highlands and Islands. This financial commitment from HIE has contributed significantly to the preservation of the 57 panels created by communities across the Highlands and Islands, of which 32 will be included in the first exhibition as part of the Inverness Castle Experience.
Sumitomo Electric UK Power Cables Ltd plans to establish major operations in the region, supplying high voltage cables to the growing offshore wind energy sector. A funding package has been agreed to secure an estimated £350m in inward investment for Scotland, based in the Highlands.
As part of the study, businesses, community groups and social enterprises with future land or property plans are encouraged to complete a short survey by 22 March 2024. Whether it's interest in land for sale or space to lease, HIE is keen to hear from organisations already based in the region as well as from those that are considering locating a business to the area.
L&M Engineering has secured a grant of £58,914 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) for the development, which is set to boost business turnover by £1.2m and create two jobs over the next three years. The company is diversifying its operations to cater for additional aquaculture markets.
Most businesses in the Highlands and Islands consider their links with the local community as either equal to or more important than their profitable growth. This is one of the key findings of the most recent rural business survey commissioned by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in partnership with South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE).
Dynamic business support programme, IMPACT30, is aimed at nurturing and empowering the next generation of innovative leaders. The fully funded programme is for people aged under 35 in a young enterprise and in a key decision-making role.
A project to increase electricity supply and reduce emissions on a west coast island has been awarded more than £25,000 by HIE. The HIE funding is being used to replace and upgrade high voltage transformers and other associated equipment to enable a major upgrade of the renewable energy supply on the Isle of Muck.
