The Oak Tree is 25!
During November 2022 the Oak Tree Inn celebrates 25 years in business. Local magazine Park Life interviewed Stuart Fraser, one of the owners for a special feature about this milestone. Here is their article:
We recently met with Stuart Fraser, who shared some stories and photographs of those early days and talked about some of the highlights from the first 25 years. Stuart's parents Sandy and Lucy, built the Oak Tree in 1997, with all of Sandy and Lucy's eight children, James, Stuart, David, Emma, Nina, Sandy Jnr, Holly, and Ben, each playing an essential role in its enormous success. (The photograph above was an early press photograph, just after the business opened in 1997.)
Sandy and Lucy were determined to improve Balmaha's reputation by opening a quality hospitality business. They bought the site, a former bus terminus (if you visit St Mocha, you can see the 1954 planning application for that!); they built The Oak Tree using locally quarried slate. Son James supervised the building works and was the night watchman for the site.
When the pub opened in 1997, James ran the bar, and Stuart took the opportunity to leave school and work in the kitchen. Stuart joined the larger-than-life character Kenny Keegan, the first Head Chef. Stuart had worked for several other local hospitality businesses, bringing that experience with him. Stuart had even started his café venture before the Oak Tree, a forerunner for future St Mocha's!
Tragically in 1999, James and his friend Dan lost their lives in a fire in the student accommodation they were staying in whilst studying in Glasgow, a preventable accident if only the landlord had installed a smoke alarm. Over the years, the family have used the opportunity to promote the importance of smoke alarms to the public, hoping to prevent similar tragedies from occurring again. Two accommodation cottages in Balmaha are named after James and Dan.
Stuart feels the Oak Tree has helped keep the family close, with brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews calling by daily. Of course, the Oak Tree family extends to the staff, many of whom have spent over two decades at the business, including Kirsty Campbell and Agnes Friar.
The Oak Tree is the largest employer in East Loch Lomond, with 150 staff members. It has also given many young people their first work experience with Saturday and holiday jobs. People worldwide have come to work here, including Poland, Lithuania, and South Africa.
Sandy and Lucy created the perfect ambience for the pub and restaurant. Their first bank manager argued that there should be a TV, something that Sandy refused to do. The Oak Tree has grown significantly over the years, helped by the increasing popularity of the West Highland Way, which passes by. The 'Muddy Boots Welcome' sign is appreciated by many walkers calling by for food, drink or a bed for the night.
Recognition of the success of the Oak Tree has come in many forms, including a series of prestigious awards. Twice voted Scotland's Pub of the Year, finalist of Gastro Pub of the Year 2022, Family Business of the Year, and most recently a deserved Lifetime Achievement Award, plus accolades for the businesses sustainable initiatives. Perhaps the best endorsement came a few years ago when VisitScotland featured the Oak Tree in a global TV advert as the business with a warm welcome that typifies Scotland's hospitality.
Sandy and Lucy's hard-working ethic, entrepreneurial spirit and friendly nature are present in their children, who have introduced their ideas, all of which have helped to grow the business.
The site has 41 rooms with accommodation spread across a series of cottages and above the inn. The incredibly popular St Mocha Coffee shop opened in 2014, roasting its own coffee on-site. So popular was St Mocha that other outlets can be found at Aberfoyle and Carbeth, the first drive-thru artisan speciality coffee shop in Scotland.
St Mocha was the vision of Stuart and David Fraser; they have been the driving force in that and other recent ventures. For example, a few years ago, they created 'Balmaha's Braw Weekend', a festival of food and drink on the banks of Loch Lomond. Over 10,000 people came that weekend to enjoy live music, fairground rides and enjoy great food and drink.
A few years ago Sandy introduced a new disabled accessible pontoon to allow more people to be able to travel by water across Loch Lomond. Before that Stuart and David created a village shop with groceries, gifts, and items to serve locals and visitors. This was especially welcomed by walkers as previously there nearest shop was four miles away.
The Frasers are also responsible for the significant improvements to Balmaha, and Sandy can often be found watering hanging baskets that help make the village look so pretty.
The Frasers are great supporters of charities, including helping charity Friends of Loch Lomond & Trossachs to establish the Tom Weir Statue site. The family maintain the popular site, which formerly was waste land.
Lucy Fraser has championed many charity events at the Oak Tree, including encouraging donations to Calum's Cabin via the wishing well. Over the years, thousands of pounds have been raised at the Oak Tree Inn to benefit good causes.
The Oak Tree promotes itself not just as a restaurant, shop, and coffee shop but as the 'Balmaha Experience'. The Frasers work hard to ensure that every aspect of a visit to Balmaha will be enjoyable and positive. That was the vision that Sandy and Lucy had in the mid-1990s. Even with their vast optimism, little did they think that 25 years on, they would have such as well-known and loved business as they do.
Feature written by Park Life Magazine
