The Balgarth Pines Inn to be reborn with finance from Santander

New life has been breathed into The Balgarth Pines Inn, in Ayr, following a new investment package from Santander Corporate Banking.

The inn will be holding its grand reopening on Friday after being closed for more than a year.

The Balgarth Pines Inn, which is just a stone's throw away from the birthplace of the Poet Robert Burns, is a grade 2 listed building, is located in Alloway and is prominently placed to serve the tourist trade and locals. Indeed, during the filming of Hollywood Blockbuster; World War Z - scheduled to launch next year - celebrity superstars Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie even took their six children and entourage during their time in the area.

The new finance from Santander Corporate Banking has enabled the new owners, led by local entrepreneur Kenneth Macpherson, to undertake significant refurbishments and to return the property to its former glory.  The Inn is set to create around 20 new jobs following the reopening.

Kenny MacPherson, Manager of The Balgarth Pines Inn, said: "I cannot wait to re-open this fantastic and historical inn, and am delighted with the help that Santander has provided.  My family ran The Balgarth Pines between 2003 and 2007, and I'm thrilled to be the one to bring it back into the family. It is a fantastic opportunity to give this community an excellent, family-friendly service and we're extremely excited about returning the inn to its former glory."

Douglas Dunlop, Relationship Director for Santander Corporate Banking, said: "We are pleased to be able to assist Kenny and his team in refurbishing The Balgarth Pines, and proud to be the banking partner going forward. The Balgarth Pines is an extremely popular place with tourists and locals, is excellently placed and Kenny has fantastic experience in running similar places in the area.  We're looking forward to the new look and grand opening, and can't wait to celebrate it with a drink!"