AN East Renfrewshire hotel has significantly expanded its capacity with the addition of a new outdoor area after receiving assistance from Business Gateway.
The team behind the Eglinton Arms in Eaglesham were able to develop land adjacent to the hotel into an outdoor dining area and beer garden after working with Business Gateway advisers, who helped the business secure over £9000 in funding from the European Regional Development Fund.
The new outdoor space can cater for 80 people, increasing the hotel’s capacity by 25%. The team has estimated that the new space could generate as much as £250,000 of additional sales a year.
Operations director Tuathal Breheny said: “Like many in hospitality, we knew that we had to adapt quickly to the pandemic, and for us, the lack of outdoor dining was a significant challenge and limited our ability to survive the crisis.
“Fortunately, we were able to secure the lease for the nearby land, and by working with Business Gateway and East Renfrewshire Council, we were able to take our concept forward and make it a reality.”
Colin McNally, adviser at Business Gateway, said the Eglinton Arms team had a vision for expanding the business “but needed support on the logistics required for this to materialise”.
“While initially a response to the pandemic, I am confident this new offering will help the Eglinton Arms grow, giving customers a new space to enjoy the high-quality hospitality offered by Tuathal and the team,” he said.
