The owners of a popular north-east hotel and restaurant are selling up after 24 years.
Tina and David Gibbins took on the Ban-Car Hotel in Lonmay, near Fraserburgh, at the end of 1999.
They managed to juggle the busy business with their young family, but have now decided the time is right for someone else to take the helm and embark on a new phase of their lives.
Their children, Scott and Stephanie, are now grown up with their own families.
Stephanie, who worked in the hotel as a manager, gave birth to Mr and Mrs Gibbins’ first grandchild, Mason, 10 months ago.
Mrs Gibbins told The P&J that she feels that her and her husband has “taken it as far as we can” and that it now “needs someone new to take it to the next level and bring new ideas”.
‘Taken it as far as we can’
She said: “I think it’s just like everything else, you just come to a point where we’re ready to take things a bit easier.”
Like other businesses across the country, the Ban-Car Hotel faced tough economic times through Covid-19 and the couple weren’t even sure the business would survive.
“Obviously Covid was a big impact on the business, but we hung in there and we just kept going. I worked throughout, when people were on furlough,” she added.
That strong mentality of hanging on in worked out in their favour, as the hotel – which is located next to the A90 Peterhead to Fraserburgh road – has bounced back and is “as busy as ever”.
As well as being a hotel of 21 bedrooms – including accommodation for three staff members – and a bar, the Ban-Car is an important economic asset to the local community and employs over 40 people of all ages, with the youngest being just 14.
Mrs Gibbins said: “A lot of our staff have been here for a lot of years now. It’s a good going businesses and got a good reputation. It’s a good going concern for anybody that wants to get into this field.”
Hosts average of 26 weddings a year
The hotel also has a function hall, with weddings being a big part of the business, hosting on average 26 a year.
Despite Mr and Mrs Gibbins selling up, they will remain in the local area and hope its success continues.
They have fond memories of their time in charge and the people that have helped make it happen, with Mrs Gibbs adding: “Our staff have been a very big part of the of the success of the hotel along with all our regulars.”
The couple now plan to “take some timeout” and spend time with their family, including their young grandchild.
Ban-Car Hotel is being sold by Bruce & Co. and the price is on application.
Conversation