Badenoch disaster couple will rebuild their business – with help
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A Kingussie couple devastated by the trashing of their hotel after a disastrous water pipe burst ran undetected for several weeks are appealing for help from the community and beyond to start all over again.
The nightmare began for Des Thomson and Sinead Finnegan when they returned just a few days ago from a well-earned Sri Lankan holiday to find the Osprey Hotel totally wrecked.
“It was such a shock,” Mr Thomson told the Strathy. “Utterly heartbreaking.
“We had just spent four years transforming the place into a haven for those seeking superior comfort and exceptional hospitality.
“We had immediately had to fight our way through the Covid curse but did so successfully and got the place sorted to the standard it deserved.
“By this year all the dedication had paid off with wonderful reviews, hundreds of repeat and return guests. The rooms were beautiful and the hospitality unrivalled.
“Now it’s all gone. We have to start again from scratch – but with help we will do it.
We will rise again.”
Speaking from Dublin, where he and his partner Sinead are ‘sheltering’ with her family as they get their breath back, Mr Thomson explained: “When we left for our holiday we kept everything switched on because friends were coming to keep an eye on the place, and the forecast wasn’t bad.
“Tragically, as it turned out they couldn’t make it in the end and the place was left unattended – that’s when a bad connection in the water pipe up in the attic became dislodged.
“For several weeks, water flowed through the hotel from loft to cellar.
“Everything we had worked so hard for was destroyed. Every wall, ceiling and floor will have to be ripped out. Every door frame, door, cornice and skirting, needs replaced. All the soft furnishings, mattresses, carpets, TVs and electronics are destroyed.
“Our commercial kitchen and dining room along with furniture and décor are also destroyed.”
Disastrously, their insurers have not helped since the couple were away from the Ruthven Road premises and out of the country longer than 21 days and there is an issue with the plumbing fault.
“The Osprey is our life, business and home,” said Mr Thomson.
“We will need to strip the hotel back to its joists and we will.
“We intend to rebuild it bigger and better.
“The estimated cost to do this will be in region £125,000, we will start in January and hopefully have the hotel up and running again and back to its best by July 2024.”
He added: “We can raise at around half of this figure ourselves and hopefully with help we can reach a more realistic figure to get the project started.
“If we fall short we will approach the bank towards the end of the project, by then building will be in a good state to remortgage and release the remaining costs.
This is where the Friends of the Osprey come in. We don’t seek charity, instead we ask for the community’s help to get The Osprey back up and running by July.
“Everyone can donate for as little as £1 or for as much as they can afford. Every donation will be turned into a refundable voucher, all we ask is that they allow us 18 months before claiming their refund. Vouchers will be transferable and will never expire.
“All they need to do to cash in their voucher is to send an email to us.
“Any and all support, will be greatly appreciated and hopefully voucher will give those beyond the strath a good reason to start planning their visit to The Scottish Highlands!”
Nearly £5000 had been raised by 43 separate donations in just two days towards the £25,000 target as the Strathy went to press yesterday, with plenty of well wishes coming in to on their JustGiving page.
The couple’s progress can be helped and followed here
