VINTAGE LUNDIN LINKS AND LARGO
  • Blog

Lundin Links Hotel - Part 1

21/8/2022

2 Comments

 
Picture

With the sad loss of the Lundin Links Hotel building this week, due to a major fire, it feels appropriate to revisit the history of this iconic landmark. The next few blog posts will remember the hotel as it was intended to be - a place that people gathered for enjoyment and relaxation.  The above sketch of the brand new hotel appeared in 31 May 1900 Leven Advertiser and reminds us that when the hotel first opened its doors, travel was still primarily horse-drawn. The late Victorian era was a time of rapid development in Lundin Links. The late 1890s saw a row of shops built opposite the hotel site on Leven Road. Many new villas and boarding houses were springing up to meet demand for accommodation.

The old inn, which pre-dated the hotel, had been bought in 1897 by James McTavish, who had the vision of demolishing it and building a modern, up-market hotel to cater for the golfers and summer visitors that flocked to Lundin Links.  Construction of the new hotel was hindered when McTavish was declared bankrupt in March 1899.  Three individuals stepped in to save the project (with McTavish retained as manager).  The new investors (shown from left to right in the image below) were Samuel Duncan (McTavish’s father-in-law, a tailor from Edinburgh), Peter Henderson (the architect of the hotel), local man businessman William Bethune . All men were keen golfers and the hotel was conveniently close to Lundin Golf Club, of which Henderson was Captain at the time.

Picture
Picture

The 1899 photograph above shows the hotel part-built. At this point the roof was yet to be completed and the west side of the hotel was not yet up to its full height. The second floor arched window spaces were present but incomplete. Construction of the west-wing of the third floor was yet to be started. ​The hotel was eventually completed for the summer season of 1900, with specially-invited guests attending a preview of the premises in May. The East of Fife Record on 11 May surmised that the hotel "should secure a large clientele among the golfing fraternity". Indeed the guest list for the 24 May opening preview event included a fashionable crowd of golf enthusiasts including Edinburgh furrier John Gerrard, founder of luxury jewellers Hamilton and Inches, Robert Inches, and musician John Kenyon Lees, who had a 'Piano and Music Saloon' on Edinburgh's Frederick Street and was composer of 'The Golf Song Book'. 

Picture

The smartly-turned out party of locals and visitors can be seen in the photograph above, taken by William Drummond Young of Edinburgh (and featured in June 1900 Golf Illustrated magazine). All of this commotion and change must have been quite bewildering for the older residents of Lundin Mill. The Leven Advertiser piece recognised that one "cannot pass Lundin Links without being struck with the thorough way in which modern buildings have entirely obliterated the village, even to the name, Lundin Links, coming trippingly off the tongue of all save the older natives."

In fact the old inn had not been entirely demolished at the time of the opening of the new hotel and stood in stark contrast to the "new hotel resplendent in its fresh paint, flags and draperies." However, it was noted that the old "deserving institution" had to "give place to a building more suited to the wants of this growing and popular watering place". The modern design of the new hotel was an example of a fashion for red brick work coupled with half-timbering. The Leven Advertiser provided a detailed description of the interior, which included a flexible space on the first floor featuring a sliding partition. 
​
Picture

The varied facilities had clearly been carefully planned with the target clientele in mind and took advantage of the latest innovations. Other features included electric light powered by an oil engine, modern bathrooms (no longer was there a need to bring your own bath on holiday) and an extensive laundry at the rear. All work was carried out in the "most lavish manner" by the contractors, whose details are provided below. 

Picture

As well as a tour of the building and a dinner, the 24 May event involved musical recitals and many speeches, paying tribute to the many people involved in achieving completion of the venture. Among the speech-givers was local baker Andrew Thomson who gave reminiscences of the village and golf course as he knew the place 37 years ago. He was one of the six founders of the Lundin Golf Club back in 1868. In another speech, Sir John Gilmour speculated on the type of guests that might visit the new hotel. Aside from the golfing fraternity, he spoke of city-dwelling 'week-enders', seeking some sea air to put colour in their cheeks (see newspaper extract below). 
​
Picture

​So, the hotel's story got off to a flying start with fashionable guests, amusing speeches, fine dining and musical performances. In the next post, the hotel moves out of the late Victorian era into a more modern age.

2 Comments
John Band
21/8/2022 12:56:56 am

A very sad time indeed, so many happy memories. Good bye auld girl.

Reply
MRS R.J.S. GOODWILLIE (Jean Gillies)
24/8/2022 06:03:55 am

The wanton destruction of the landmark hotel has upset me a lot this week. My husband, Allan, and I had our wedding reception there on 31st July 1971 and Allan's sister, Lorna and her husband, Ian had their reception there in July 1973. We had always hoped to have our Golden Wedding celebration there but it wasn't to be. The hotel was closed and we were in the middle of the pandemic shut-down. I always thought that when I used to see the hotel that I was nearly home. The gap-site will be awful to look at. I wonder what will take its place. Will it be something with no character whatsoever?

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    About

    This blog is about the history of the villages of Lundin Links, Lower Largo and Upper Largo in Fife, Scotland. Comments and contributions from readers are very welcome!

    Search

    There is no in-built search facility on this site. To search for content, go to Google and type your search words followed by "lundin weebly".

    Contact

    Categories

    All
    Antiquities
    Beach
    Boarding Houses
    Business
    Churches
    Clubs And Societies
    Drummochy
    Facilities
    Farming
    Fishing
    Golf
    Houses
    Keil's Den
    Largo Law
    Lower Largo
    Masseney Braes
    New Gilston
    People
    Railway
    School
    Shops
    Standing Stanes
    Streets
    Tourism
    Upper Largo
    Viaduct
    War

    Archives

    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013

    Links

    Largo Baywatch Blog
    Fife Family History Society
    ​
    Polish Parachute Brigade Info​

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.