St Andrews’ Old Course bid for hostel to help veteran soldiers become caddies

Plans have been lodged to change to use of Woodside House and Dukeside into a ten-bed hostel.

Woodside is currently a private house, while Dukeside is a guest house.

The application has been lodged by the Old Course Limited, based at the Old Course Hotel - and it sees the move as part of its existing operations.

The Caddie School for Soldiers is a non-profit organisation that has the mission of helping veterans suffering with physical and/or mental injuries by bringing them to St. Andrews for a month to learn how to caddie

The Old Course wants permission for the change of use to create one ten-bedroom hostel - six at Dukeside, and four at Woodside.

It said the hostel would not be the principal residential address of any guests, and stays would be be short term. Only minor internal alterations are required to provide the sleeping accommodation for hostel residents, and the Old Course also wants to repurpose living rooms for communal living space.

It said: “The new hostel operating as a Caddie School for Soldiers will provide the highest quality of facilities to visitors, based in St Andrews for all of Scotland and with international interest. The proposal will not result in any disturbance or reduction in amenity to surrounding residents.

Councillors will consider the application in due course.