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Children urged to stay away from Carrbridge danger spot


By Gavin Musgrove

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The Struan House Hotel was once a popular hostelry but has become an eyesore and a potential danger since being vacated.
The Struan House Hotel was once a popular hostelry but has become an eyesore and a potential danger since being vacated.

Carrbridge parents are being urged to highlight the dangers of playing or congregating in a derelict hotel in the village.

Highland Council has said its building control officers have had to act yet again to take steps to secure the Struan House Hotel.

A spokesperson said: "Please can parents take note that this building hopefully soon to be compulsory purchased by Highland Council is in a dangerous condition so please tell their children to keep away from it."

Local Highland councillor Bill Lobban has contacted both the headteachers of Carrbridge Primary School and Grantown Grammar School to see if they can highlight the problem to pupils too.

He said: "The building is in a dangerous condition but unfortunately kids are forcing access. Please make sure your kids know how dangerous it is and try to stop them going there."

The long-time eyesore in Carrbridge is to be compulsory purchased by the council and demolished to make way for affordable housing.

Members of the authority's economy and infrastructure committee recently unanimously agreed to make a CPO to acquire the Struan Hotel which has fallen into disrepair since closing 15 years ago.

The Struan was Scotland's first ski hotel.

It was bought by developers to convert into homes, however, the 2007 credit crunch meant they never materialised leaving the village with a blight at the prominent site opposite the Landmark Forest Adventure Park.

The Struan – now nicknamed 'The Ruin' by some locals – was opened by ski pioneer Karl Fuchs, a member of the 1948 Austrian Olympic team, and his wife, Eileen, in the mid 1950s.

The hotel was bought in 2007 by Aberdeen-based property development firm Scoin Investment Partners, who had intended to convert it into five homes.

It was put up for sale in 2010 with an asking price of offers over £405,000.

Most recently it was listed for £250,000. Efforts by the council and Albyn Housing Society to thrash out a deal with Scoin IP have failed on several occasions.

Council officials have said the building had fallen into a state of 'severe disrepair' and become a potential hazard due to damage caused by break-ins and vandalism.


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