Rusacks Hotel

Rusacks Hotel, previously known as Macdonald Rusacks Hotel between 2001 and 2019, is a 4-star hotel in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, overlooking the 1st and 18th greens on the Old Course, St Andrews Links. When it first opened in 1887 it was known as the Marine Hotel, and shortly afterwards, it became Rusack's Marine Hotel. The hotel faces both Pilmour Links and The Links thoroughfare, and overlooks the 1st and 18th greens on the Old Course. In 2021 the hotel was renovated and extended over the old car park, to increase the number of bedrooms to 120.

Rusacks Hotel
Rusacks Hotel in July 2022
Former namesMarine Hotel,
Rusack's Marine Hotel,
Macdonald Rusacks Hotel
General information
Architectural styleNorthern European Renaissance
AddressPilmour Links
Town or citySt Andrews
CountryScotland
Coordinates56.34263°N 2.80416°W / 56.34263; -2.80416
Opened1887
OwnerMarine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts (AJ Capital Partners)
Design and construction
Architect(s)David Henry
Architecture firmHall & Henry
Renovating team
Architect(s)WCP Architects
Other information
Number of rooms70 (114 after renovation)
Website
Rusacks St Andrews
Listed Building – Category C(S)
Official namePilmour Links, Rusack's Hotel with Boundary Walls and Piers[1]
Designated26 February 1999 (1999-02-26)[1]
Reference no.LB45916[1]

History

Rusacks Hotel was opened in 1887, when it was known at the time as the Marine Hotel.[2] It was built in the Free Northern European Renaissance style and designed by David Henry of Hall & Henry partnership.[1][3] The hotel was owned by Johann Kristof Wilhelm Rusack (1849–1916) along with a group of Fife businessmen.[2][4] Shortly after opening, the Marine Hotel became known as Rusack's Marine Hotel,[3][5] and later again as Rusack's Hotel or Rusacks Hotel.

Rusack was a local farmer, owning Bogward Farm,[6] he had originally come from Bad Harzburg in the German state of Lower Saxony.[4][1] He was a German of French Huguenot extraction who came over to Britain after the Franco-Prussian War.[7] Rusack settled in St Andrews with his Scottish wife Janet in 1874.[6] He started by taking over a hotel at 12 Abbotsford Crescent in St Andrews, called Rusack's Private Hotel. He later went onto take over the Star Hotel at 92 Market Street, the Temperance Hotel and Kinloch House in Cupar.[7]

After the hotel had opened, there was further construction and development between 1887 and 1893.[8][3] After the main central part of the hotel was built, there were additions to the north towards The Links road in 1893, and to the south towards Pilmour Links in 1911.[3] These additions were again mostly designed by David Henry of Hall & Henry partnership.[3] The hotel was modernised in 1981.[3]

During the First World War, the hotel was requisitioned by the British Army for conferences,[6] and the hotel was used as a barracks during the Second World War.[1] In 1981 the St Andrews Links Trust took out a mortgage on the hotel.[9] A locker room was added for golfers to change, and in 1985, the hotel was sold at a profit.[9] By 2001, Macdonald Hotels had taken over ownership of the hotel from Forte Heritage,[10][11] when it was known as Macdonald Rusacks Hotel until 2019,[11][12] when the hotel was sold to AJ Capital Partners, a private real estate company based in Chicago.[13]

Hotel renovation and extension
Rusacks Hotel before the renovation and extension in 2009

The 42,000-square-foot (3,900 m2) £7 million six-storey extension will create 44 more bedrooms to the west of the hotel on the car park, with a 3,000-square-foot (280 m2) rooftop bar and restaurant for 145 diners.[14][15] The new extension to the hotel has been designed by WCP Architects. The renovation of the hotel will improve the hotel’s existing 70 bedrooms and the three existing bar and restaurant areas and meeting areas.[14]

In 2015, Macdonald Hotels applied to Fife Council for planning permission for the new development; however, this was initially refused on the grounds of its "impact on a conservation area, negative impact on residential amenity and reduction of parking".[16] Macdonald Hotels appealed the decision on the basis that Fife Council had failed "to give enough weight to the economic benefits of extending it".[17] The appeal was successful later in the year and work was due to start during 2016.[11] After the hotel was taken over by AJ Capital Partners in 2019, they began construction and renovation of the hotel in 2020, and was opened in September 2021.[18]

References
  1. "Pilmour Links, Rusack's Hotel with Boundary Walls and Piers". Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  2. "St Andrews Conservation Area Appraisal & Management Plan 2010" (PDF). Fife Council. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  3. "Basic Site Details Rusacks Hotel". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  4. "Rusacks Hotel". golfing-scotland.com. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  5. "Rusack's Marine Hotel St Andrews Scotland Golf Course Restauraant Menu 1901". Dictionary of Scottish Architects. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
  6. "While I Breathe I Hope". whileibreatheihope.co.uk. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
  7. Bruce Durie (2012). The Murder of Young Tom Morris: An Inspector McArdle St Andrews Golf Mystery. Lulu.com. p. 19. ISBN 978-1-4716-3775-9.
  8. Raymond Lamont-Brown (2006). St. Andrews: City by the Northern Sea. Birlinn. p. 207. ISBN 978-1-84158-450-8.
  9. Scott Gummer (4 October 2007). The Seventh at St. Andrews: How Scotsman David McLay Kidd and His Ragtag Band Built the First New Course on Golf's Holy Soil in Nearly a Century. Penguin Books. p. 57. ISBN 978-1-4406-2332-5.
  10. "Forte Heritage has appointed Ian Fleming as general manager at the 50-bedroom Rusacks Hotel in St Andrews, Fife". The Caterer. 1 January 2000. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  11. "Old Course Rusacks Hotel extension gets green light". BBC. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  12. "AJ Capital Partners acquires Macdonald Rusacks Hotel in St Andrews". Property Funds World. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  13. "Luxury St Andrews hotel Rusacks set for revamp after sale to American firm". The Scotsman. 19 November 2019. Retrieved 29 November 2020.
  14. "Plans unveiled for Rusacks Hotel extension and roof-top bar". Dundee Press Agency. 20 November 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  15. "£7m St Andrews Development To Showcase 'Most Famous View In Golf'". e.GolfBusiness.com. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  16. "Council Refuse Rusacks Hotel Planning Permission". Media World. 7 February 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  17. "Rusacks Hotel owner says council ignored economic argument in turning down extension plans". The Courier. 29 June 2015. Retrieved 26 November 2020.
  18. "Rusacks St Andrews: Rooftop restaurant with world-famous golf course view to open next month". The Herald (Glasgow). 30 August 2021. Retrieved 16 January 2022.
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