Local MEP opens new hotel in Ayrshire

Local MEP Struan Stevenson cut a ribbon on Saturday (July 11) and declared that Girvan's Woodland Bay Hotel is well and truly open for business.

Woodland Bay, Ayrshire's newest boutique hotel, is a £1m development by the Forbes family on the coast just south of Girvan. With sixteen ocean-facing rooms, it has created twelve new jobs for the area.

South Ayrshire Depute Provost Mary Kilpatrick was also a visitor at the weekend and she was delighted to welcome the very first guests to check in, Annette and Michael Blessing from East Kilbride.

Director Gillian Forbes said: "What a great day - the dream has become a reality. I'm thrilled to welcome our first guests and equally thrilled with how stunning the hotel looks, especially in the sunshine.

"Our aim is to help put Girvan back on the holiday map as a fantastic holiday destination and show there is life down the A77."

Gillian's sister Tracey was a special VIP guest, having flown in from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she is a Vice-President at Sungard, a major US IT company. She spoke of her delight at the creation of "an oasis of calm, comfort and cosseting".

The hotel opened in time for the Open at Turnberry. "It's like a mini United Nations," said Gillian. "We have guests from the UK, the USA, Japan, New Zealand, Sweden and Croatia. Everyone has remarked on our terrific amenities and quality of service, which is great because we have worked very hard to give a warm and memorable Scottish welcome to everyone staying here."

Gillian added: "After the golf, bookings are looking good for the rest of the summer. We have a lot of stay-at-home Scots attracted by our introductory offer of two nights' dinner, bed and breakfast for two people from £169...as well as our fantastic steaks and our child-friendly piglets Pumpkin and Peapod which kids love."

For more information and reservations, log on to woodlandbayhotel.co.uk.