New owner for city centre hotel
A WELL known hotel in Inverness city centre has been sold, marking the end of a 60-year era.
The Waterside Hotel in Ness Bank has been sold by Nicol Manson for an undisclosed sum to Jon Erasmus who owns the nearby Glen Mhor Hotel – also previously owned by the Manson family.
The sale of the 36-bedroom hotel, which was concluded on Wednesday, comes after Mr Manson and his family recently celebrated six decades in the city’s hotel business.
"Having traded for 60 years on Ness Bank, firstly at the Glen Mhor and for the last 15 years at The Waterside, the Manson family and I are delighted that the hotel has been bought by a private entrepreneur," the 72-year-old said.
"Having already sold the Glen Mhor to Jon it’s a bit like keeping it in the family now by selling him the Waterside.
"I wish him well for the future."
Mr Manson was 12 years old when his father, Donald, a well-known championship piper and a hotelier by trade, bought the Glen Mhor in 1958.
He followed his father into the hospitality industry and received the OBE in 2010 for services to tourism.
His son, Grant, also joined the family business which expanded over the years.
It included the acquisition in 2003 of the Haughdale Hotel, later renamed The Waterside.
The official handover took place on the same day Mr Manson supervised a Highland Business Awards lunch at Eden Court Theatre attended by the Queen and Prince Philip.
"As the Queen went out the front door, I went out the back door and hared straight over the Infirmary Bridge to take over the keys," recalled Mr Manson.
He was pleased the new owner was keeping on the 40-strong team at the hotel which includes a 60-seat restaurant plus a function room with space for 150 people.
Mr Erasmus wished Mr Manson and his family all the very best for the future.
"It is a pleasure to be able to take over the Waterside and we are looking forward to building on their success," he said.
Mr Erasmus, meanwhile, recently lodged a planning application to transform the block between 8 and 14a Church Street into 29 self-catering apartments.
He also hopes to add a rooftop extension to the building which he acquired for £1.7 million earlier this year.
