Kinnaird Hotel closes its doors

Oct 2 2009 by Katy Gordon, Perthshire Advertiser Friday

AFTER a month of uncertainty, the award-winning Kinnaird Hotel has closed.

Back in August it was announced that Kinnaird Estate owner Constance Ward was planning to retire from the hotel business and a period of consultation with staff at the luxury hotel, pictured, near Dunkeld, was to get underway.

A spokesperson for Kinnaird Estate confirmed: “The 30-day staff consultation period has now ended and the decision has been taken to close the hotel on a permanent basis. The house will now revert to being a family home with immediate effect.

“With the help of the management team, the majority of the staff who have been made redundant have found alternative employment.

“The other estate businesses including holiday cottages, fishing and shooting, farming and letting of houses will continue as before.”

Rumours had been circulating that a major hotel chain was interested in taking over the hotel.

The Ward family has owned Kinnaird Estate since the 1920s. Before that it was part of the Duke of Atholl estate.