Kelburn Castle is internationally recognised as the Graffiti Castle, the iconic exterior is now celebrated as one of the world’s top 10 examples of street art. Truly unique, Kelburn consistently dares to be different and become extraordinary in all that it does. Set in one of Scotland’s most beautiful landscapes complete with cascading waterfalls, hidden whirlpools, and majestic views of the Firth of Clyde, Kelburn has emerged from Covid-19 with a renewed sense of purpose – to ensure that our imaginations are constantly stimulated and we find each and every opportunity to embrace our inner creativity.
Kelburn immediately stands out in this category as it was voted the Best Day Out in the Scottish Hospitality Awards. However, it is how Kelburn dares to be different that makes it truly special. At a time when the countryside has been placed under enormous pressure, Kelburn has responded to this by not seeking to limit numbers through entry price point, but rather, we have removed our admission charges so that all of our community can enjoy the Estate free of charge. To manage this responsibly, however, we work with our Nature Scot funded ranger service to promote responsible use of the countryside and promote our conservation ethos through our widely utilised school programme.
Kelburn has fundamentally changed the business model in order to be more dynamic and empower visitors to phase and prioritise their daily visiting budget and create their experience in a way that meets their individual / family circumstances. Thus, there is no longer a single one-off entry charge, rather only vehicles are charged at the point of entry. Income is now generated through a range of spending options and through an events programme. Removing the entry charge has removed a barrier to participation and allows visitors to approach their time at Kelburn as a series of choices. From the Secret Forest, to Outdoor Cinema, Sensory Walks and partner Foraging courses, through to children’s summer camps, the range of activities ensures that there are experiences that visitors can either dip in to or plan to attend.
Kelburn has faced the same financial challenges that are shared across the industry. It has responded to these shared challenges by seeking to identify its USP as a vibrant, quirky, and trend defining location that is constantly exploring new options. This year, we have developed our luxury accommodation offer, providing premium and standard yurts with breath taking views across the firth of Clyde. This accomodation offer has been personally designed by David Kelburn and draws on the unique identity of the Castle’s Brazilian Graffiti Project. In addition, we have also worked with Kelburn Arts to relaunch the Kelburn Garden Party Festival and Never-Ending Glen Project, one of the UK’s leading experimental festivals of art and music. These initiatives have re-launched the Scottish festival scene and attracted over 6000 visitors to the Estate, thereby helping to further define the unique and artistic identity of the Estate.