Floating hotel
The £5 million conversion of a former lighthouse ship into a luxury hotel and events venue will help the managers of the Royal Yacht Britannia cope with visitor demand.
The Trust behind The Royal Yacht, berthed in Leith, has secured support from Santander Corporate & Commercial to help with the refurbishment of Fingal, funded by trading company, Royal Yacht Enterprises.
Britannia has regularly been voted Scotland’s Best Visitor Attraction but has to turn away visitors as it can only host events in the evenings as the Trust’s constitution says it must be open to the public during the day.
The Trust is now converting the Fingal into a five-star hotel offering corporate hospitality and events such as weddings.
Bob Downie, chief executive, Royal Yacht Britannia Trust, said: “Developing our own hotel has been a long-held ambition.”
It would generate an income stream that is not reliant on visitors to Britannia, he said. Having accommodation on Fingal is also expected to help increase the number of evening events held on The Royal Yacht.
All surplus funds generated by the Trust go into the preservation of Clyde-built Britannia which served the Royal Family for 44 years.
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