Forty-one-year-old Mr Henry, formerly of Arran, lives in St Petersburg and has the largest foreign-owned property company in Russia.

Known as the McAlpine Hotel for the last three years, the property was bought by Mr Henry last December. On Monday he and his team were here to examine their investment.

Luxury

He told the Banner: ‘We will change the name back to the Douglas and expect to build 12 luxury suites. Most will be around 500 sq ft with the top ones up to 900 sq ft. My architects are already in discussion with North Ayrshire Council about possible plans.’

Sean Henry moved to the Island at the age of 12 and attended Arran High School. His younger sisters Elaine and Janice went to Corrie Primary School before going to the high school. Both women are involved in the project and he describes them as his business partners.

The Banner asked Mr Henry why he had come in at the 11th hour to buy the Douglas. ‘My Mum told me to,’ he joked, referring to his foster mother Nancy McLeod of Corrie. ‘No, seriously,’ he said, ‘my old school friend Alastair Dobson felt it would be a good thing for the Island. This will be a small project for us.

‘Most of our business is in apartment buildings and office blocks in St Petersburg. It is a boom city, particularly as the Russian president Vladimir Putin comes from there.’

Has he ever met Mr Putin? ‘Oh yes. I see him every few months and know him to say hello to.’ Will this be Mr Henry’s first hotel? ‘No. I have a couple in Estonia. One is a 600-year-old medieval building in Talinn with 37 rooms and a presidential suite of 2,500 sq ft. Everything we do is of the highest specification.

‘There is a saying in Russia; ‘I am too poor to buy cheap shoes.’ It means that it is short-sighted to take the cheapest option.

‘This hotel will have top-class facilities such as air-conditioning and under-floor heating. I plan to make the Douglas child-friendly and hopefully open all year round.’

Progress

Sean Henry’s sister Elaine Campbell will be coming over regularly to check progress. She said: ‘There is a lot of work to do to get this right. We don’t expect to open until 2009.’

Commander Gavin Pritchard, captain of HMS Kent which was in Brodick Bay after a Perisher submarine commanders course asked the Banner about the Perisher Bar sign still outside the Douglas. Elaine Campbell said: ‘There are submarine plaques around the wall of the bar from the days when the Perisher course was held here. We shall keep them and name suites after them.’

‘There will be changes along the way,’ said Mr Henry. ‘Luckily I have architects with a lot of vision and imagination.’

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