Trump’s Scottish golf courses lose £9m

Accounts for the controversial tycoon’s courses at the Menie Estate, Aberdeenshire, and Turnberry, Ayrshire, have revealed that both made losses in 2015.

The latest figures show that the north east resort has now made a loss every year since it was opened in 2012, despite Mt Trump, 70, declaring it the greatest course in the world.

Mr Trump, who faught a long battle with environmental campaigners opposed to the construction of a course on protected sand dunes, had promised to spend up to £1 billion on the development and pledged to create 800 jobs on the site.

However, last year’s results show that it employed 95 people, who were paid a total of £1.9m.

The resort made a loss of £1,096,108 in 2015 compared to losses of £1,139,513 in 2014, £1.8m in 2013 and £1.7m in 2012.

The resort, valued at £31.5m, had an operating loss of £815,413 but increased turnover to £3m during the year – up £200,000 from the previous 12 months.

Meanwhile, accounts for Mr Trump’s Turnberry resort, bought for £39.5m in June 2014, had a turnover of £11.4m last year but made a loss of £8.4m which the Trump Organisation attributed to significant investments.

Records show 337 people were employed at Turnberry in 201 and were paid a total of £6m in wages.

Mr Trump’s companies did not pay any corporation tax in the UK as a result of the loses.

Speaking in the director report for the Menie Estate, Mr Trump’s son Eric said: “Overall revenues in 2015 have increased 7.4 per cent compared to 2014, in spite of the economic downturn experienced in the North East of Scotland due to the collapse of the oil prices, with over 100,000 redundancies in the oil and gas industry affecting every sector in the region.”

In his report for Turnberry, Mr Trump said: “Turnover for the resort has reduced by 13 per cent from 2014 to 2015, as a result of the closure of the hotel and Ailsa course during the final quarter of 2015.

“Upon completion of the construction project, it is expected revenue will increase as the property is re-established as an industry leading resort.

“The directors believe the resort will return to profitability in the short to medium term.”