BLS – Where Business Does the Talking by Iona Mchedliani
B r i a r C o t ta g e s This February I had the opportunity to meet Kim and Fraser Proven at their beautiful home in Lochearnhead. Situated on the north bank of Loch Earn, Briar Cottages sits in idyllic surroundings with incredible views of the area. Since moving to the community they have run a local business that provides luxury and pet friendly selfcatering accommodation. I had the privilege of being shown around the historic main building of their home, as well as the two cottages they run. In addition, Kim is closely involved with the Loch Earn Tourism Initiative (LETI) which is accomplishing great things in both bringing together business owners and members of the community, as well as promoting the four villages as a wonderful area to visit. How long have you been based at Briar Cottages? This will be our sixth year. What made you decide to open such a business here? There was an established Bed & Breakfast and one self-catering cottage here when we bought it. Fraser and I were both working in Edinburgh when he became ill resulting in a quadruple bypass at 64, so we had to rethink our lives. I was working for a London dental supply company marketing interdental products from my base in Edinburgh. Fraser had been involved in property management. I packed in my job, we rented out our house and we moved in to our boat in Largs to recuperate and plan the next chapter. We wanted to do something together. Fraser had always talked about retiring near water, so when this came up it was the perfect solution for a lovely way of life with plenty to do, in charge of our own destinies. Is it a family-run business then? It’s just Fraser and I, yes. What type of customers do you get From top: Panoramic view of Briar Cottages mostly? Is it couples, families or groups? from Little Briar; Kim Proven; the Cruck Room I’d say mostly middle aged couples, some at Briar Cottage professional, some retired. Statistics show launch of our business life cycle we said that 35% are Scottish, about 45% are “let’s just see what happens”. It became English and the rest are from the UK and clear that we should target visitors within abroad. Our main band is North England, 4 hours because that was going to be our anything from Hull to Manchester way, core business. When we started we only and some further north of here. So, offered 7 night holidays from a Saturday, within a 4 hour drive. Our luxury cottage last year when the market was slower we guests also include those who fly drive changed to 3-7 night breaks with any start from London and the south coast. I’d say date. So you have to review, experiment that the average age is about 45+ with a and adapt through the cycle. I keep an slight variation each year. eye on Tourism Intelligence. There is Do you do get people coming to you from a suggestion that more Germans are coming to Scotland but not Americans abroad? Yes. We have had people from Israel, Saudi this year for example. So if we follow Arabia, India, the Netherlands, Germany tourism and Visit Scotland intelligence and America. We don’t target people patterns, we have clues to where we from abroad in our marketing yet. At the should consider targeting or testing. We 14
get a lot of repeat business so they are our obvious targets but you always have to be out there pulling in new guests. What are most of your guests interested in doing while they’re here? What are the most popular activities, for example? A variety from outdoor activities to relaxation and recuperation and it depends on the seasons as we are open for business 365 days a year. Water sports, fishing, walking, cycling, whisky tours, car touring, golf, Munro bagging, photography, castles, skiing, wildlife watching. Guests in the luxury cottage tend to eat out more, watch Sky Sports and films, lounge and read in front of the wood burner because of the comfortable space from the full glass windows. Some will launch their own boat or kayak from our slipway or fish from the jetty. Many want to climb Ben Vorlich or walk or cycle on the ‘Rob Roy Way’, part of the ‘Gore-Tex National Trail’ as it is now. Scotland’s first national trail in fact. It goes from the borders north to Cape Wrath passing through our path here on the old railway line. Do you recommend any particular activities for visitors to do while in the area?