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John O’ Groats Regeneration

Location: John O' Groats, Caithness

The brief

Working on behalf of a joint venture partnership between Natural Retreats and Heritage Great Britain, GLM re-engineered the masterplan for John O’Groats, which would see the once recipient of the ‘2010 Carbuncle Award – Most dismal town in Scotland’ reinvigorated as a tourism destination.

The outcome

GLM’s masterplan delivered 23 self-catering lodges, the revitalised Inn at John O’Groats, as well as remodeling to the Journeys End Cafe, Last House museum and public realm. The scheme worth £6.5m represented the first tangible investment in the area for 25 years.

The transformation of John O’Groats was recognised by both the architecture and surveying professions with the Inn at John O’Groats receiving an RIAS award for best building in the tourism and leisure category 2014, further, the project was also awarded best use of timber. The scheme was Highly Commended at the RICS Scotland Awards in the Tourism & Leisure category.

See more of our work on leisure and tourism buildings.

"The team at GLM came up with a design for our John O'Groats project that excited my people and the planners but, as Chief Financial Officer, frightened the life out of me. We had a budget that we just had to hold to. GLM have been relentless. They have not only delivered the exciting design, they've done it within the cost and time parameters we set down and they have kept me in the picture all the way through. I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them to anyone getting into the scary business of investing in a building project."

Anthony Wild, Chief Financial Officer, Natural Retreats

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John O’ Groats Regeneration

The brief

The outcome

Anthony Wild, Chief Financial Officer, Natural Retreats

Edinburgh

Highlands