The Selkirk Arms is located in the heart of Dumfries and Galloway, Kirkcudbright and became a valued member of The Great Inns of Britain as recently as 2019. Owners Chris and Sue Walker have lived in Dumfries and Galloway for over 30 years, 12 of which they have spent extending a warm and friendly welcome to guests from far and wide to The Selkirk Arms. We recently caught up with them to find out all about how they got into hospitality, life at The Selkirk Arms and their favourite things to do in Kirkcudbright.
“Hospitality and Hotels has been a huge part of our lives, both Sue and I worked for Trusthouse Forte Hotels in the 80’s and despite the company owning 1,500 hotels worldwide, you really felt part of a family. That’s the same ethos that we brought to The Selkirk Arms, we’re a team that support each other, learn from our challenges and aim to deliver an outstanding service to each and every guest.”
Sue explains ‘We were working at Trusthouse Forte’s ‘The Old England’ in Windermere, and whilst we loved it there, we decide it was time to take a leap of faith and run our own hotel. We’ve been here for 15 years now and are fortunate enough to work with a fantastic team of loyal staff, and very grateful for the support of a regular set of local and worldwide patrons”.
Chris continued, “We feel proud to now own this historic building and be part of the history of Kirkcudbright’s famous High Street. Our inn dates back to 1777 and was once known to host the famous Scottish poet Robert Burns, so there is a real wealth of charm and heritage about the place”.
If you’re planning a stay at The Selkirk Arms, we asked Sue and Chris where they would recommend guests explore first. Sue shared with us, “The Stewartry Museum, just around the corner, is well worth a visit and will tell you a little more about the history of Kirkcudbright and the famous High Street and we now also have a brand-new state of the Art Kirkcudbright Galleries in the old Town Hall which is drawing visitors from far and wide”.
Chris continued, “Other well-known features of the town are the pastel-coloured houses, and we have a lovely selection of mainly family-owned shops in the town centre. For those looking for something a little more active, we have beautiful country roads that are perfect for walking or cycling, and golf and fishing are both on our doorstep. For the more energetic there is horse riding and hill walking, and our marina is very popular with visiting sailors offering one of the safest anchorages on the north Solway coast”.
The Selkirk Arms will be open for both food and accommodation from Friday 30th April and they are currently taking bookings. Scottish government guidance permits hospitality businesses to reopen from Friday 30th April onwards. Please check your local government guidance for additional information.
