VINTAGE LUNDIN LINKS AND LARGO
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Lundin Links Hotel - Part 6

8/9/2022

2 Comments

 
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The previous five blog posts have charted the history of the Lundin Links Hotel, from its 1900 opening to the more modern era of the 1960s. The years from the 1970s to the present day will remain fresh in the memories of many, if you have your own memories or photos that you would like to share, and add into the archive of the hotel's history, please do get in touch, either by commenting on this post or hitting the 'contact' link on the sidebar (or footer on mobile version of site). The black and white images of the hotel above and below date to the mid-1970s and belong to the Canmore collection of Historic Environment Scotland. J.W. Mathison was still in charge at the hotel at this time. He advertised Christmas Dinner in 1975 at £2.50 plus VAT per head. A night's accommodation was £5.25 for a single room and £8 for a double.
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Above is a typical advert for the hotel from 1980, setting out the entertainment for the week ahead. A mix of private functions, music nights, high teas and bar lunches would have been typical of the time. The price of £1.75 for a full supper with live music sounds like a good deal. Early in the 1980s the Jurecki family, who also had several other local businesses in both Lundin Links and Lower Largo over the years, ran the hotel. The adverts below date to 1982 and you can see the 'under the care of M. J. & R. Jurecki' note on all of these. Also notice the reference to 'our new Papillion Restaurant' and the 'Double L'.
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Circa 1984, ownership changed, with Peter and Mhairi Taylor becoming resident proprietors. Below is a postcard featuring a range of images from their time in charge, as well as a 1984 newspaper advert highlighting their chef's dishes and Sunday carvery lunch.
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A highlight from the mid-1980s was when the TV series Tutti Frutti was filmed inside the hotel during the summer of 1986. The images above are stills from scenes filmed inside the hotel. Also shown is a publicity shot featuring some of the cast, that appeared on the front page of the East Fife Mail. Around this time the next hotel owner, Campbell McIntyre, took over. The images below of the hotel at night, the bridal suite and the bar date to his era. As the 1980s drew to a close, David Tong took over the hotel for a brief spell.
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​A longer spell of ownership occurred between 1991 and 2002 when Ian Ladd and Lyn Barron-Ladd owned and managed the Lundin Links Hotel. Stating that they wished to appeal to both local clientele and those from further afield, in 1992, they embarked upon an extensive facelift for the property. The ground floor was redesigned to create a new restaurant and to double the size of the bar area - which was renamed the 'Side Door Bar', following a naming contest. A dance floor, CD juke box and pool table were installed. The reception area was moved and a new replica arched doorway was created by John Donaldson the joiner. The images below, which appeared in a full-page advert in the East Fife Mail, illustrate the changes. The downstairs restaurant initially specialised in Tex-Mex food.

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Later the ground floor was significantly enlarged with the addition of the conservatory style Brasserie restaurant. This was named 'The Braeside' (later changed to 'Alexander's'). In 2002, Grant Ross took over the reins at the hotel and further refurbishment was carried out, including moving the kitchens to the ground floor and creating a conferencing and banqueting suite. A selection of photographs, from more recent times, can be seen below. 
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​The final owners, from 2010, were Claire and Martin White. The hotel finally closed its doors in January 2014. ​It was incredibly sad to see the hotel slowly deteriorate over the years that followed. Without wishing to dwell on recent events, the final photographs below show the hotel boarded up and then its remains after the fire that took place on 17 August 2022 (and before the demolition which began on 1 September and was carried out by Austin Wilkinson Demolition). A distinctive landmark for almost a century and a quarter, the hotel may now be physically gone but the good times that it provided will live long in the memories of a great many people.
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With many thanks to Stuart Donaldson for the images of fire-damaged hotel.
2 Comments
John Band
8/9/2022 11:45:26 pm

My memories are mainly from the early 80's onward. So many happy memories of evenings spent in the Lundin Links Hotel, family weddings, showing of presents, Robert Band Ltd staff dances, and staff afternoon & evenings parties at the start of the trades summer holidays, etc. along with nights out with friends. One night in particular I fondly remember was a Smirnoff Vodka promotion night held in the public bar, the bar was highly decorated for the occasion. Mine host was Mr Jimmy Gray the best barman I ever knew, Jimmy was a lovely man & could keep control of a bar and serve half a dozen folk at the same time, as the night wore on and the fun & games progressed a "Conga"was suggested, much to the delight of the public (Jimmy was not so keen!). The dance commenced around the small packed bar area, before we knew the front of the chain of folk went from the bar to the main hotel via the link passage between the cellar and the main hotel lobby, we took the chain all over the hotel to every floor in the building, goodness knows what the residents and those in the lounge bar must have thought but it was such a laugh!! Jimmy was not amused, he did see the funny side however. I attended many functions in the old billiard room on the first floor above the bar, this room with its glazed skylights was always cold, with a band playing in the bay window area facing the rear carpark. Back in the late 70's or very early 80's I remember dad digging up part of the front carpark to make repairs to a drain, the excavations revealed the foundations of the old original hotel.

Reply
Wendy Myles
16/9/2022 07:29:44 pm

How very sad. I had only recently been wondering what was happening with the hotel. In 1998, when visiting my cousin, I spent a couple of nights there. My family who lived across the road in 'Beechwood' would have spent many happy times there.

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