Historic and picturesque, the Ship Inn on Stonehaven’s harbourside was too good to resist for Aberdeen operator Simon Cruickshank, who has added it to his portfolio of hospitality venues, alongside The Albyn Bar & Restaurant, The Cults Hotel, and The Bieldside Inn.
The traditional hostelry, with eleven letting bedrooms, was sold for an undisclosed sum by its long-term proprietor – who in a rather uncanny coincidence is also called Simon Cruickshank.
Selling Simon is now set to enjoy a well-earned retirement after 21 years at the Ship Inn, while buying Simon – incidentally the son of long-established Aberdeen publican, Simon Cruickshank Snr – faces the job of convincing various suppliers and utility companies that he is indeed a new arrival in Stonehaven.
With origins going back to 1771, the Ship Inn is formed in three distinct, interlinked sections – the original building which accommodates the lounge bar and six en-suite letting bedrooms; a modern extension which contains the Captain’s Table, a 38-cover restaurant specialising in seafood, as well as a further five en-suite letting bedrooms; and another extension to the rear of the original building containing customer toilets, a utility room and a staff locker room.
Seller Cruickshank said: “I’m sure the Ship Inn will be in very capable hands. I wish them great success and hope they will be happy here.
“I also want to thank all our loyal regular customers who have supported the Ship – quite a few from well before my time here – and all the thousands of visitors from all over the world who have stayed here and sampled our hospitality.
“The Ship Inn is a very special place and it has been my great privilege to own it for 21 years. I wish the new owners and all the staff great success for the future.”
Stuart Johnston, partner in the Aberdeen office of DM Hall, which oversaw the sale, said: “Scotland’s licensed trade has faced some considerable headwinds in recent years on top of some difficult local economic conditions here in the North East.
“Despite this, the sale process attracted very strong interest, mainly from a range of private operators who recognised the unique opportunity to acquire a successful, well managed business in a fantastic harbourside location.
“It was even more pleasing to see the property being acquired by a successful local operator which will undoubtedly mark an exciting new chapter for this already successful business under Simon’s leadership.”
