Agent aims to take failed golf scheme out of bunker

The Scotsman, 25 July 2000

Leisure surveyor Alan Creevy was a frequent visitor to St Andrews before the Millennium Open teed off last week; but it had nothing to do with getting a few rounds in before the arrival of the crowds, writes Ken Houston.

Creevy is licensed hotel and leisure director in Scotland with Chesterton, which has been: am pointed to market a golf-related leisure complex - cost, £9 million - whose developer, St Andrews International, went into receivership ,earlier in the month.

“A lot of American visitors who were in St Andrews especially for the Open wanted to see the place so it was too good an opportunity to miss,” he told me.

The collapse of the scheme, called The Gateway, has led to doubts that, along with existing facilities, the new golf courses and golf-related facilities planned for the vicinity may lead to a situation of gross oversupply in and around St Andrews.

Creevy believes, however, that the scheme failed because it was a “flawed concept”. The principle was an exclusive golf club, mainly for overseas visitors. And it had everything they would have wanted - luxury restaurant and bar, health club, golf museum with several rare artifacts, changing facilities - everything except a golf course.

Creevy believes the property still has a good future, but in a less ambitious role. Unfortunately the options are limited because the place was even fitted out - reputedly to a high 2 standard - before its owning consortium went down the tubes. “It would probably have ‘been easier had it been a shell,” Creevy admitted, “because the options would have been greater”. As things stand, a high-capacity, but high-quality, restaurant and bar (with conference facilities) is its most likely role.

Said Creevy: “The property has been built to spectacular standards and has superb facilities, all of which have superb views over the Old Course.”

However, the complex is unlikely to a figure close to the £9 million estimated to have cost to build it. “I would welcome any sensible offers,” said Matt Henderson of the receiver, Grant Thornton.