With a champagne reception and ribbon cutting by Provost of Fife, Jim Leishman, together with local MSP, Shirley Anne Somerville last night in Dunfermline, the new Amorist Hotel in the High Street was officially launched.
The brainchild of Dunfermline businessman, Nihat Oymak, the 18 bedroom hotel, at 82 High Street, is set to provide a major boost to the City’s potential as a short break destination.
Nihat, who also owns and operates the award winning Antioch Turkish restaurant in Bridge Street, Ace Alterations, a tailoring business in East Port, and The Wee Shop, a traditional newsagent and convenience store in Douglas Street, has spent in excess of £700k creating a modern and contemporary hotel which he is confident will appeal to tourists and business travellers alike.
With every bedroom en-suite, the new Amorist Hotel retains many character features, such as the original cornicing and window shutters. Several of the bedrooms are so spacious that they feature free standing baths.
Between the new hotel, and Amorist Bistro Bar, several new jobs have been created, including the hiring of Head Chef, Victoria Morrison who used to cook for royalty and dignitaries at the Palace of Holyrood.
Commenting on Amorist Hotel opening its doors to the paying public, Nihat said: “The sympathetic refurbishment of the top three floors of this building into a modern hotel has been a huge labour of love by myself, and my team. It’s taken a great deal of hard work, commitment, and, of course, budget, to create the inviting, well equipped space we now have for the City of Dunfermline.”
“We started the project in 2022, planning to open the hotel in Spring 2023, but a huge and catastrophic earthquake hit my home town in Turkey in February 2023, and not only did I sadly lose several family members, but I lost properties, not to mention a great deal of money. I had to take time away from the project to return home to Turkey. But we persevered, as I really wanted to finish the hotel, so I am very proud to present the building that you see today,” added Nihat.
“I wish to thank Provost Leishman, Shirley Anne, and the other invited guests who came along last night. I cut the ribbon with them, along with my daughters, my wife, and other family members who have all supported me in this challenging project. We will open to paying guests next week. Opening now gives us the opportunity to service Spring guests. The new hotel will be a fantastic edition to the City’s existing accommodation options, as at the moment, there is not a great deal of hotel provision here. Given our City status, it’s a missed opportunity. We want to attract more visitors to Dunfermline, and also cater for business travellers.”
“The whole place looks amazing, and I could not be more pleased. It’s a real vision brought to life,” he said.
“We look forward to attracting a star rating for the hotel, from the relevant bodies, in the coming months.”
A popular venue for live music & events, Amorist began life under Nihat’s ownership as La Menta in 2017. It was re-branded to Amorist Bistro Bar in 2022 and now has a large local following for its food & drink, with the City’s largest selection of spirits & gins.
Back in 2022, Nihat spent over £43k on redecoration of Amorist Bistro Bar, with more planned now as he looks to boost the food side.
Supplier wise, the restaurant uses the very best, such as meat from Campbells Butchers, and Ice Cream from Lucas of Musselburgh.
“Antioch has now won the prestigious accolade of Best Turkish Restaurant in the whole of Scotland for five years now, beating restaurants in Edinburgh and Glasgow,” said Nihat. “It also won Best Middle Eastern Restaurant in Scotland.”
“Developing the City’s hospitality & tourism sector, together with promoting our food provenance, is the way forward for Dunfermline. The opening of this new hotel is a definite step in the right direction,” finished Nihat.
Convener of the City of Dunfermline Area Committee, Cllr James Calder, added: “This investment is fantastic news for Dunfermline and for Fife’s tourism and hospitality sector. The opening of the Amorist Hotel will strengthen the city’s appeal as a destination for short breaks and business travel, creating new jobs and supporting local businesses. We’re proud that the council’s Invest Fife team was able to support this development, facilitating loan funding through Business Loan Scotland to help bring this ambitious project to life.”
Commenting from VisitScotland, Caroline Warburton, Destination Development Director, said: “Increasing the number of rooms in the city and surrounding area is important for the ongoing success of Dunfermline as a visitor destination. The city has much to offer for those looking for a short break full of culture, history and heritage, or a longer stay to explore Fife and the wider region. The Amorist Hotel will be a welcome addition and help encourage those overnight stays.”
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