DONALD TRUMP: Losses for one of his two Scottish golf courses
Photo credit: Flickr/Gage Skidmore
Donald Trump has bailed out one of his Scottish golf resorts with a £4.7 million (€5.6 million) loan to Trump International Golf Club Scotland in 2023.
The business, which operates an 18-hole resort in Balmedie (Aberdeenshire) and is building another golf course close by, received the interest-free loan from its Trump-owned parent company, DJT Holdings.
Losses had escalated from £738,000 (€882,330) in 2022 to £1.4 million (€1.7 million) in the year that ended in December 2023.
At the same time, revenue increased by 4.5 per cent to £3.75 million (€4.48 million) as income from food and drink increased at the Trump International resort. This covers an area of 1,400 acres (566.56 hectares) and includes a five-star restaurant and a 15th century castle which is now an hotel.
The company attributed last year’s mediocre results to the cost of the second phase of the adjoining MacLeod course, named after Trump’s Scottish-born mother Mary Anne Macleod.
There was also a “sizeable increase” in outgoings related to last summer’s PGA tournament, the largest event Trump has ever hosted in the UK.
Putting on tournaments like these raised the profile and reputation of the business and would increase revenue, a spokesperson said.
In contrast, Trump’s Turnberry course in South Ayrshire reported higher 2023 earnings despite rising energy and utility costs, higher suppliers’ bills and an increase in the minimum wage.
According to recent figures, Trump Turnberry posted a pre-tax profit of £3.8 million (€4.5 million) for the year ending December 2023, compared with £186,000 (€222,457) in 2022.
