Donald Trump’s Aberdeen golf course swings into the red

Donald Trump’s golf course in Scotland has run up a £1million loss, topping off a bad year for the outgoing President.

It has not posted a profit since it was opened in 2012 and in 2019 losses widened by 3 per cent to £1.1million despite a rise in membership.

The course north of Aberdeen is owned by Trump International Golf Scotland and includes a small hotel. 

Bogeyman: Donald Trump’s golf course north of Aberdeen has not posted a profit since it was opened in 2012 and in 2019 losses widened by 3 per cent to £1.1m despite a rise in membership

It did not publish figures for 2020 but warned that the performance was severely affected by the pandemic, with the course closed for most of last year.

It is still reliant on interest-free loans from Trump worth £40million. The company said: ‘Coronavirus has resulted in travel and border restrictions, quarantines, lower demand, lockdown of economic activity and uncertainty.

‘The severity on the golf industry is unprecedented and was not foreseen. Compounded by the uncertainty of Brexit, the hospitality sector is facing unprecedented challenges.’

Despite the poor 2019 and 2020 performance, the company was optimistic, adding: ‘Trump International continues to rise in the world golf rankings and plays an important part in the global Trump portfolio.’

Trump International plans to build a village beside the course at nearby Balmedie, consisting of 550 homes.

That could pocket Trump more than £108million in profit if he can sell the houses for the prices advertised.

It comes as the making of the golf course is set to be turned into an eight-part TV drama series that will tell the story of residents who took on Trump over plans to build it.

But despite their objections, councillors approved the proposals in 2006 to build the course on environmentally sensitive dunes.