Melfort Village Spring 2021 Newsletter

NEWSLETTER Spring 2021 Melfort Village

Pack your bags, Spring & Summer Holidays are almost here!

CONTENT

APRIL 2021

04

ROOM AT THE TOP Spring update from The Room at the Top Restaurant.

05 - 07

GREEN FINGERS

There’s new life & colour all around this Spring. Plus a call for our green fingered members to bring cuttings for planting at Melfort.

09

ANYONE FOR TENNIS? Our new Tennis Court is ready and waiting for our first guests in April.

06-10

IMPROVEMENT UPDATE

FEATURES:

06 08 11 12

COACHMANS WEST & EAST Before and after the work carried out this winter.

WALLED GARDEN IMPROVEMENTS The new stoves are all installed and Walled Garden 11 is looking wonderful after interior refurbishment!

NEW E-BIKES Some shiny new toys for guests to play with this spring & summer include 2 brand new e-bikes which makes cycling up the hills a breeze.

OFFICE UPDATE What’s happening behind the scenes here at Melfort Village.

Dear Owners, I hope this newsletter finds you all well and with new optimism that in the coming months we can get back to some sort of normality and enjoy social and hospitality events once again.

As I write this, the sun is shining over Melfort, the birds are singing and for the first time ever a red squirrel just raced along my office window!

As we now have a reopening date of the 26th April, as per the recent Scottish Government update, I wanted to let you all know what has been happening in the properties as part of the investment plan, the unexpected work we have had to do, and to provide many photos of the before and after redevelopment.

GREETINGS FROM MELFORT Grab a cup of tea and have a read through our Melfort Village newsletter for a reminder of all the wonderful things that you love so much about Melfort.

As you know the majority of the staff have been on Furlough since January, so we are looking forward to welcoming them all back at the beginning of April, so that we can get all the properties deep cleaned, aired, replacements/ upgrades put in and be ready for our first guests.

Unlike the last lockdown, we will be able to open the pool on the 26th albeit that it will need to be controlled by a booking system, to ensure social distancing. More information about this will be sent with your pre stay information.

We are also pleased to confirm that The Room at The Top will also be open, from 26th April.

You will see in this newsletter the new menus, opening times and treats they are keen to introduce.

I appreciate that many of you have not been able to get to Melfort due to the lockdowns and as you know we are trying to get you all back here under the off season recompense weeks, so we have included an update in this newsletter about our plans.

In recognition that many people have taken up more outdoor sports, we have purchased 2 E-Bikes & some new mountain bikes, which will be available for hire. More information about booking these will be sent with the weekly arrivals information.

Finally, I would like to thank you all so much for the support and courtesy you have shown during this last lockdown. The speed with which the maintenance fees were paid this year was fantastic, as was the support and kindness you have offered all the office staff, especially when we have been ringing all of you that were/have been affected by the lockdown closure each week.

I am really looking forward to seeing you all at Melfort, so once again you can enjoy the “Melfort Magic” and continue to have memorable adventures.

Best wishes,

Linda Brown

Linda Brown General Manager

Fabulous Restaurant

This restaurant is a little gem set in beautiful countryside.

The food is delicious and locally sourced. The staff go above and beyond in their service to customers. We wish you every success for the future.

Liz, TripAdvisor

The Room at the Top Restaurant Sally & Mike are getting set to re-open Room at The Top Restaurant and outdoor dining area to co-incide with our own opening from 26th April 2021.

Initially plans for opening hours are: Bar Menu & Pizzas Wed to Sat - 3pm to 9pm Full Menu Thurs to Sat - 5pm to 9pm Sunday Roast Sunday - 12.30pm to 3.30pm Please do check their brand new website for up to date opening hours as the ones detailed above may change www.roomathethetop.uk The team are still asking you to pre-book tables and takeaway orders by calling ahead on 01852 200345 or messaging them on facebook.

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Here is the Restaurant’s current Full Menu. Their Takeaway offering is available on their website.

ANTIPASTI CALIMARI – crispy squid coated with semolina served with a wedge of lemon – 4.00 BRUSCHETTA (v) – Fresh tomatoes marinated in garlic – 2.95 SARDINES – Whole griddled sardines served with a caper vinaigrette – 4.50 OLIVE & RED ONION FOCCACIA – Black olives and caramelised onion foccacia served with a peperonata ‘spread’ – 4.90 ANTIPASTI PLATTER – A mixture of cured meats, olives, burrata cheese and handmade bread with peperonata spread – 11.00

PRIMI FIRST PLATE HAND ROLLED PASTA – This dish is served as a starter, however, a main course portion is available for 13.00 TORTELLONI (v) – Handmade stuffed pasta with spinach and ricotta filling served with a 12 year old balsamic vinegar of Modena – 7.00 PAPARDELLE AL RAGU- Wide pasta served through a rich 12hr beef ragu topped with parmesan cheese – 7.50 ORECCHIETTE CON BROCCOLI RIPASSATI – ‘Ear’ shaped pasta with a twice cooked broccoli sauce served with fresh chilli – 6.75 GNOCCHI – Handmade potato dumplings served with a sage butter sauce topped with parmesan cheese – 6.00

MAINS ABBACCHIO ALLA ROMANA – ‘Roman spring lamb’ slow cooked diced lamb leg with potatoes, fresh herbs and carrots. This dish creates its own delicious gravy perfect for a cold day – 13.75 POLLO ALLA CACCIATORA – Hunters chicken stew, jointed chicken pieces pan fried then slowly stewed in a rich tomato sauce with red wine, garlic and rosemary served with fluffy white rice – 13.50 MONKFISH – Monkfish cooked in butter with cauliflower and spring onions. White wine and cream is added to create a delicious sauce finished with parsley – 18.50

SMOKED SALMON – Hot smoked salmon in a whisky and lemon cream sauce served through Tagliatelle – 13.75 RIGATONI AL RAGU BIANCO – Large pasta tubes served with a ‘white ragu’ of turkey mince, onions, chicken stock, sage and parmesan cheese finished with a splash of cream – 13.00 PETTO DI POLLO FARCITO – Chicken breast stuffed with pesto and mozzarella, coated in breadcrumbs.

Served with lemon roast potatoes and a fresh side salad – 14.00 CANNELONI – Spinach and ricotta stuffed handmade canneloni tubes baked in a rich tomato sauce topped with mozzarella cheese. Served with a homemade garlic ‘flat’ bread and rocket leaves – 13.95

PIZZA/CALZONE - 11.00 DIAVOLLO – tomato sauce, mozzarella, salami, chilli.

PEPPERONI – tomato sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni.

PROSCUITTO E FUNGHI – tomato sauce, mozzarella, ham & mushroom.

PUTTANESCA – tomato sauce, mozzarella, capers, garlic, olives.

MARGHERITA – tomato sauce, mozzarella, basil.

QUATTRO FORMAGGI – tomato sauce, mozzarella, gorgonzola, parmesan, ricotta.

GARLIC BREAD – tomato sauce, garlic – 7.00

VEGAN MENU

AVOCADO BRUSCHETTA – Smashed avocado on toasted sourdough with marinated tomatoes and fresh basil leaves – 6.00 SPAGHETTI - Spaghetti with garlic, olive oil and chilli.

Simple yet delicious – 6.00 FUNGHI RIPIENI – 2 Portobello mushrooms stuffed with mint, parsley, garlic and pine nuts served on a slice of toast – 6.25 BAKED AUBERGINE – Baked aubergine and capers in a tomato sauce with basil served through handmade pici pasta – 13.00 POLENTA WITH MUSHROOMS – ‘Creamy’ polenta served with a rich mushroom ragu – 13.00

SIDES

ROSEMARY ROAST POTATOES – 3.00 FLUFFY WHITE RICE – 2.00 MIXED ROAST VEGETABLES – 3.00 FRESH DRESSED LEAVES – 2.00 GARLICKY GREEN BEANS – 2.50 BREAD WITH OIL & BALSAMIC VINEGAR- 3.00 CHIPS – 2.50 BUTTERED NEW POTATOES – 2.00

SPRING IN

BLOOM

Spring is in attendance all around and the grounds at Melfort are really awakening with new life & colour.

Our resident red deer population haven’t gone hungry over winter as you can see from this stripped foliage.

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5

BLOOMING

S U O L L E MARV

As I am sure you all know by now we love our plants here

love to know what plants you would like to see around

at Melfort, from the snowdrops and crocuses in late winter

Melfort. Are you particularly green fingered? Do you have

to the rhododendrons and bluebells in the spring and the

some great cuttings that you would like to bring with you

wild roses and azaleas in the summer, and we know from

for us to plant on the estate? Is there a plant that used to

speaking to a great many of our guests that you all love

be in the grounds that isn’t here now and you would love

them too. When we opened the Improvement Fund we

to see again?

had a number of owners who wanted to make a donation without subscribing to the fund, when asked what they

We are also planning to have a couple of tubs filled with

would like us to do with the money “buy some plants” was

herbs to enable guests to pick fresh herbs instead of

the most popular response.

having to buy them at the supermarket (and to re-plant and Supermarket plants left behind). It would be really helpful

We have done this and will be renewing various tubs

if you could give us an idea of what herbs you would like

around the estate in the coming weeks but we would also

to use while you are on holiday.

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MELFORT

NEWSLETTER

If you have green fingers or a wonderful garden at home why not bring along some of your favourite plant cuttings for us to grow the next time you are here.

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7

BEFORE & AFTER COACHMANS WEST & EAST

BEFORE

Improved LAYOUT The new layout for Coachman’s East and West now allows all guests access to a bathroom without the need to enter a communal area and vice versa allows those in the lounge area access a bathroom without entering a bedroom.

This has been achieved by removing all walls beyond the main living and kitchen area and dividing this area into three. The master bedroom now as an en-suite shower room and there is an additional shared bathroom. The interior has lovely new doors throughout too!

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MELFORT

NEWSLETTER

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9

WALLED GARDEN

ANYONE FO

IMPROVEMENTS We are very grateful to all of the members who contributed to the Improvement Fund. As you can see, the work carried out is improving holidays at Melfort Village for all members & guests.

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MELFORT

NEWSLETTER

OR TENNIS? Our new tennis court is amost complete and just needs its green surfacing applied (keep your fingers crossed for a window of dry weather) before we serve our first ace!

The court is multi-use and there are basketball hoops as well as portable nets & posts to make the court children’s size.

With Summer ahead and the prospect of Wimbeldon still on the cards, we’re sure the court will be well used by guests and members alike.

New balls please!

WALLED GARDEN We have met our target of installing wood-burning stoves in all of the remaining Walled Garden Cottages (1 to 10) over the winter and just love their modern look.

Work in progress for later in the year include the blinds on the velux windows and the new patio areas. The improved children’s play area should be installed in the coming weeks.

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11

11

WALLED GARDEN

Members who own a week in Walled Garden 11 will be delighted to find a transformed look inside the apartment. The final touches are still ongoing so we are just giving you a sneak peek at some of the changes. Keep an eye on our social media for more pictures as soon as the work is complete!

From re-opening Walled Garden 11 will have a brand new kitchen, a new bathroom, and upgraded shower cubicle and following a few weeks later we will have all new furniture throughout.

The balcony which is to be installed across the front of the apartment, completing the “penthouse” style will hopefully be installed in the winter when Jack is back to full fitness and the busy season has passed.

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Walled Garden 11 has seen considerable refurbishment inside the apartment which will help create the “penthouse” style that we’re aiming for.

MELFORT

NEWSLETTER

NEW E-BIKES We have two brand new e-bikes available to hire from Reception alongside some new mountain bikes. The e-bikes are 8 Speed step-through hybrid bikes suitable for all adults.

The minimum range is around 25 miles but you can get further depending how much you pedal! We have also bought some paniers so you can easily transport your picnics.

RE-VAMPED NURSERY Parents, grandparents and the wee ones will be pleased to hear that the old green baby room has been given a make over with a nautical theme, including two of these lovely boat seats.

UNPLANNED MAINTENANCE Every year there are bits & bobs mainenance-wise that

Olwen has been busy with that!

crop up which are not in the “plan” but require urgent attention. This year’s bits & bobs included upgrading the

Our septic tanks have also been replaced this winter

electricity supply cable from the main board in Reception

which was in our longer term plan but has been brought

to some of the cottages and to the Laundry building,

forward as a matter or necessity and has been funded by

resulting in an unplanned redecoration of Reception -

an insurance claim.

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13

MELFORT TEAM UPDATE

RECOMPENSE WEEKS

The timing of this second lockdown period in Scotland has meant that while the majority of our staff have been furloughed, some of our Maintenance team have

This second lockdown in Scotland coupled with the Tier

continued to work to ensure planned works have been

system that was in place before Christmas has meant that

carried out. We hope that you can see from the previous

we have been unable to start our recompense plan that was

pages in this newsletter that they have managed to

detailed in the Christmas newsletter. Added to that we now

achieve an awful lot despite the challenges that they

have a further 298 weeks in addition to the 332 weeks lost

have faced. Unplanned maintenance work always

in 2020 to consider. Unfortunately the timing of this second

presents itself at this time of year but that, coupled

lockdown has seen Melfort closed in a period when a third

with supply delays due to the lockdown have thrown

of the Club controlled weeks fall so we have been unable to

up some particular problems this time round.

either rent these weeks out or offer any recompense weeks.

During the two lockdown periods we have discovered

The following will now be put in place:

that many of our staff have skills that they have been

- As was set out in the Strategic Plan that was adopted by all

able to offer that they do not use in their usual role at

members at the SGM in November we will continue to try to

Melfort. Because of the electrical work carried out in

rent out Club weeks at full market rate as a matter of priority

Reception it became clear we would have to redecorate,

to ensure that we meet our projected rental income for 2021.

knowing that the maintenance team were too busy to

- Those who own between weeks 13 and 16 and who have

do this the office team have been taking turns with the painting. Linda has been out with the secateurs deadheading the hydrangeas in her lunch break and has been busy with the Polyfilla as she makes her way round the cottages making notes for replacements needed.

We are very much looking forward to welcoming back the remaining furloughed staff members from the beginning of April in readiness for reopening at the end of the Month, and we know that although they

lost weeks in both 2020 and 2021 will be prioritised when the allocation of weeks starts.

- We appreciate that some members have to plan their holidays in advance to be able to book time off work etc. so we will contact all affected owners from both lockdowns to let them sign up to register their preference for either: Long notice: there will be a limited number of fixed weeks available from 2022.

face a mammoth task they are also looking forward to

Short notice: for members who can be more flexible you may

returning. Due to the length of this latest closure our

receive your replacement week sooner as unrented weeks

Housekeeping team are not only facing their usual

will be offered as and when they become available.

spring cleaning tasks of making sure 32 kitchens, 69 bedrooms and 59 bathrooms are spotless, due to the fact the heating in their Laundry was turned off for the

We hope that we can start to start allocating weeks by the end of this year.

electricity cable replacement they will now have to

The Committee are aware that with so many Members now

wash and iron every item of linen and all of the towels

affected it will take some time for everyone to receive a

to freshen them up. Don’t worry plenty of tea and

recompense week and we do ask that you are patient.

biscuits will be supplied to keep them going!

Our Grounds team also face a mammoth task of their own with the weed management…….

It really is great to see Melfort coming alive again with more people on site.

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SPEEDY RECOVERY JACK!

In amongst all of the busy development work on site came the news that Jack’s knee replacement operation he had been waiting on had been finally scheduled for the second last week in March! I am sure you will all join the staff in wishing him a speedy recovery.

A picture says a thousand words and we will be updating our image library this year to help with our visual storytelling.

Photo Call As we work on our new website, we will be very pleased to receive any high-resolution photgraphs you may have which showcases Melfort Village.

Please send images to lucy.thornhill@melfortvillage. co.uk and remember to provide permission to use them on our marketing collateral.

SALES OPTIONS We have continued to see sales enquires come in during lockdown from both current owners and new customers who are interested in securing their holidays for the future. With the uncertainty still lingering over foreign travel if you or friends or family are considering purchasing a week here are our current options for membership:

5 Year Term Membership • Guarantee a specific property for 5 years and then change to another cottage or time of year as your needs change.

• You can exit membership after 5 years with no ties, renew or opt for one of our other holiday ownership options.

10 Year Term Membership • After 10 years, you can choose to move to a smaller or larger property, choose a different week, or walk away with no ties.

• After permanent membership, our 10 year membership is the 2nd most cost effective option.

Permanent Membership • Our most cost effective option.

• You will own your week in perpetuity but will have the option to exit after 25 years.

• Permanent members will receive a share of any residual value if the club is ever sold.

Lifestyle Membership • Designed for cosy winter getaways.

• Help balance your budget by paying your maintenance fees as an ongoing fixed monthly direct debit.

• Use of the Melfort leisure facilities all year round, perfect for those living locally.

• Exchange your week with an exchange company for a holiday anywhere else in the World.

Melfort Gift Vouchers We are delighted to offer gift vouchers for sale on our website which make an ideal present for friends or family.

Simply choose the amount you’d like to purchase, pay securely online and the gift voucher is emailed directly to you or the recipient. Vouchers can be used in The Room at the Top or at Reception to pay for accommodation or Resort services.

Buy now at www.melfortvillage.couk/store PAGE

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MAKE MEMORIES BREATHE DEEPLY EXPLORE WIDELY INDULGE COPIOUSLY VISIT OFTEN