Harrison Holidays has taken ownership of the Ardlui Hotel, Marina and Holiday Park on the northern edge of Scotland’s Loch Lomond, purchasing the long-established resort after its previous operators stepped back from the business to retire.
The English leisure company, headquartered in Preston, secured a £7m funding package from HSBC UK to complete the deal and initiate a programme of improvements across the 11-acre site. The property includes a marina, a 12-room hotel and a caravan park licensed for 96 units, along with existing lodges, a bar and restaurant, and facilities for self-catering visitors and tourers.
Ardlui Marina currently offers 26 berths for craft up to roughly 35 feet in length and includes floating pontoons, a 20-tonne hoist, a slipway, fuel facilities, pump-out services and storage areas. Watersports and boating activities such as wakeboarding, water skiing, kayaking and speedboat outings operate from the location, with a floating pier linking visitors to the hotel’s bar and restaurant.
The wider investment programme is expected to increase the company’s turnover and support the creation of ten jobs over the coming year. Harrison Holidays says it is exploring options to enlarge the marina to allow space for more vessels.
The new owners say they intend to modernise the hotel and upgrade its surrounding grounds. Planned changes focus on reshaping indoor and outdoor dining areas to better accommodate guests travelling toward the Highlands and people using the West Highland Way. The company also aims to add further lodges and small-footprint holiday pods, while two houses already on the estate will be renovated for use as premium rental properties.
The sale represents a major transition for the property, which had remained in the same family’s hands for decades. Brian Squires, whose family has been associated with the resort for generations, tells STV News: “We’ve had a lovely life looking after this corner of the Loch and sharing it with visitors and guests. I’m pleased that this legacy will be continued by Harrison Leisure, who has the same attitude and ethos to looking after the area as we have. We wish them the best of luck for the future.”
William Harrison, director at Harrison Holidays, adds: “Ardlui Hotel, Marina and Holiday Park already has a well-established reputation, providing customers with high-quality hospitality situated within Loch Lomond’s iconic, picturesque countryside. With HSBC’s support we can now add to this rich legacy.
“As a family-run business, we are always strategic with growth and expansion plans. This investment into such a unique holiday park marks an exciting step forward, creating new opportunities for our business and delivering benefits to both holidaymakers and community members alike.”
Harrison Holidays, founded in 1974, operates multiple holiday parks in coastal and rural areas across England, including sites in Cumbria, Northumberland and Suffolk.
David Edwards, global relationship director at HSBC UK, praised the development, saying: “This acquisition is a fantastic example of a business identifying a significant investment opportunity that strengthens its own portfolio but also contributes to local tourism and economic growth in the region.
“As one of the UK’s largest family-owned holiday and leisure park businesses, Harrison Holidays has a long history of offering family-friendly holiday experiences. We are proud that, with our support, the business can provide even more holidaymakers with a greater range of destinations.”
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