A six-figure investment in new facilities and accommodation will turn Gilsland Park in North Berwick into a year-round destination, according to its owners.
The Macnair family, which has owned and managed the park since the 1930s, attracted a six-figure finance package from Allied Irish Bank (GB) after explaining their vision to a relationship manager at the bank’s Edinburgh branch.
Carlene Macnair, who manages the park with her brother Adam, believes the new accommodation and facilities will result in greater visitor numbers during traditionally quiet seasons.
Macnair said: “We had a number of winter season and Hogmanay bookings for the studios and glamping pods, which appeal to couples and groups of friends who like active holidays, so our instincts were right.
“North Berwick is a beautiful location, and by offering a range of different accommodation options to guests we’re ensuring Gilsland Park is a sustainable, year-round business.
“We were lucky that the team at Allied Irish Bank (GB) understood the hospitality sector and once they visited our park they knew our potential for growth and worked with us to develop a finance package.
“We have five stars on TripAdvisor, a loyal customer base that comes to us year after year to enjoy North Berwick, and now we have accommodation options that suit guests all year round.
Tina Crookston, relationship manager at Allied Irish Bank (GB), said: “Gilsland Park is an institution in East Lothian, attracting holidaymakers for decades.
“As a bank we’re always proud to support ambitious businesses, and as specialists in the hospitality and leisure sector, we see the potential in operators.
“Gilsland Park’s expansion will create a sustainable, long-term income stream for the business that will mean it can continue to offer the highest standard of holidays for decades to come.”
