A property developer planning to establish a new eco-resort on the site of a former golf course in Portree has launched a cash prize competition to find a fitting name for the hotel on Skye.
Charles Garton Jones – a London-based property developer who also owns the Cow Shed, a boutique bunkhouse in Uig – was given the green light last week by the Highland Council’s north planning committee for his mini-holiday resort which would include 27 high-end camping pods, restaurant, bar, sauna, and a Nordic style plunge pool. Five staff accommodation pods will also be built, in addition to a 51-space car park.
The proposals also include a path which will run between the resort car park and the road junction on Struan Road that serves Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Phort Rìgh.
Although Mr. Garton Jones’ plans for the new development are so far on track, finding a fitting name for the new resort has thus far proved to be a tricky proposition. After contacting the Free Press earlier this week, we agreed to open the challenge up to our readership.
Elaborating on the finer points of the competition the Cow Shed owner said: “We would like to invite readers of the West Highland Free Press to come up with suggestions for a name for the new luxury, eco-resort hotel on the site of the old golf course on Struan Road at Portree. The winning entry will get £250. The deadline for names is Friday 15th February.
“We do need potential names to be quite easy to spell for foreign tourists. Please email ideas – as many names as you like – to charlie@gartonjones.co.uk.”
While the local councillors praised the vision behind the project at last week’s meeting, the resort has also attracted objections with one person characterising the plans as akin to building a “Disney theme park” on the island.
The estimated cost of developing the site has been put at £2 million. Mr Garton Jones said the project would create up to 20 jobs and he hoped that the development would be open for business in early 2021.
Article by Adam Gordon and Keith MacKenzie.