Alistair

13th September 2022

Alistair has owned and operated self catering property on Skye for 22 years.

Our business, Edinbane Self Catering is a croft based self catering holiday business, our properties include 2 renovated stone buildings, that prior to our investment in them were redundant ruins, we have added a Roulotte (French Gypsy caravan) which is tucked away in woodland we have created on the croft.

The business has:
a) made the croft a sustainable unit
b) formed a sustainable part of a "portfolio" income that has enabled us to live on Skye, create a family home and bring up 3 children
c) Supported our Children's tertiary education (They have less debt than many)
d)Will provide us with a pension
e) Supported the cost of investments over the years that have made the business what it is today. 

The investments in the 2 cottages and Gypsy caravan were based on investment / borrowings made as a result of being AWARDED PLANNING PERMISSION for the creation of self catering / STL properties. If we are unable to continue trading we will lose our pension. Due to the proximity of the cottages to our own home converting the properties to long term lets is probably not an option we would wish to consider, long term tenancy legislation does not help. Our business has been built on long term work and borrowings.