Balmoral Group, the Aberdeen-based conglomerate founded by Sir Jim Milne in 1980, is expanding into the hospitality sector with the acquisition of the five-star Marcliffe Hotel. Marcliffe managing director Ross Spence - who took charge of the popular Aberdeen wedding and conference venue when his father Stewart retired in 2021 - said Balmoral is a "perfect fit" for the hotel going forward. The sale is expected to complete by the end of this month with no changes to staffing or event and hotel bookings.
"While it’s bittersweet to think we may soon be handing over the keys to The Marcliffe, we know that Balmoral are the perfect fit to continue its legacy," Mr Spence said. READ MORE: Aberdeen's Balmoral Group hails 'significant uplift' after falling to loss "As long-time custodians of The Marcliffe brand, our family has cherished and nurtured it with love and dedication. So much of our lives have been spent here and the staff and regular customers have become family over the years – Sir Jim is part of that.
"We are confident that Balmoral will honour The Marcliffe’s heritage and care for it with the same passion and commitment that has been at the heart of our family so that the hotel will thrive for decades more." Balmoral has interests in engineering solutions for the offshore sector, water storage, and property development. The move into hospitality is said to follow several years of growth and diversification to acquire market-leading businesses that align with the gro.
