A HOTEL in St Andrews which overlooks the Old Course has changed hands for the first time in 34 years.

The Scores Hotel, located next to the first tee on the famous links, has 36 rooms spanning 3,000 square feet, and includes a bar, restaurant and events venue.

Property agent Savills acquired the hotel on behalf of Wirefox, a real estate and investment company, which plans to undertake an extensive refurbishment and reposition the property.

The deal comes ahead of St Andrews hosting the 150th Open golf championship in 2022.

Steven Fyfe, associate director in the hotel capital markets team at Savills Glasgow, said: “This was an extremely rare opportunity to acquire a special hotel next to the first tee of the Old Course itself.

“With plenty of opportunity to add value, the new owners plan to invest further capital to extend and enhance the property creating more jobs for the local economy.”

Charles Human of HVS Hodges Ward Elliot, which acted for the vendor, said: “We were excited to have had role in the sale of the hotel by the family owners, and it was gratifying to have completed the disposal following substantial international interest generated in a process that required careful navigation throughout the pandemic.”

The Scores Hotel, which trades under the Best Western banner, was previously in the hands of an unnamed family owner.

Documents at Companies House suggest its shareholders were David Mann, Kimberley Lozito and Pauline Mann of the US.