David and Katie Young sell Cross at Kingussie after 10 years
David Young, former chief restaurant and hotel inspector at the AA, and his wife Katie, have sold their restaurant with rooms, the Cross at Kingussie in the Highlands, after 10 years.
New owners, Derek and Celia Kitchingman, will take over the business from next week. They have a background in the hospitality industry, and have owned properties in Cumbria and the West of Scotland.
David Young said: "It has all happened very quickly. We dipped our toe very discreetly in the market at the end of last year. In the past few weeks we got an offer which we thought on balance we should probably accept."
The deal has already been concluded and the Kitchingmans are set to take over next week.
"We are just making sure that the transfer of business is effected as smoothly as possible so that the last meal we serve on Saruday night will be as good as the first meal we served almost 10 years ago," David said.
The Youngs sent out an e-mail to customers about the move over the weekend and they have already received a big response. "I sent out that e-mail yesterday and it has been quite overwhelming and humbling the messages that we have had," said David. "My wife has been in tears on more than one occasion. So it is with mixed feelings that we have decided to go."
David said he wanted to continue working in hospitality, food and wine, either as part of his own venture, or for someone else, depending on what opportunities arose.
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By Neil Gerrard
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