Hotel Scotland September

HOTELSCOTLAND ISSUE 29 SEPTEMBER 2020 ISSN 2515-8287

MARTIN CREED’S FIFE ARMS RE-OPENING INSTALLATION INTERVIEW

SANDY THEFRASER OAK TREE INN

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CONTENTS

4 NEWS 13 FOGGING TO DEEP CLEANING...

6

WELCOME

See you then.

Susan Young Editor

25 DESIGN:

@hotel_scotland hotelmagazinescotland.co.uk

LOCHGREEN

26 WHAT’S NEW 30 CHECKOUT

16

SANDY FRASER

COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: COURTESY THE ARTIST AND HAUSER & WIRTH @MARTIN CREED PHOTO: SIM CANETTY-CLARKE

25 IO

LOCHGREEN’S NEW FUNCTION SUITE

HOTELSCOTLAND Published by Media World Limited t: 0141 221 6965 e: news@mediaworldltd.com w: hotelmagazinescotland.co.uk

susan@mediaworldltd.com

SANDY FRASER

23 INTRODUCING ALASTAIR ROY

SKYDIVING RAISES CASH

It’s been a while but I am delighted to be back at the helm to bring you news from around the Scottish hotel trade.

It has certainly been an eventful few months and the impact on the industry will be with us for many years.

I take my hat off to you all for your resilience and your efforts at keeping your businesses open in these uncertain times.

This month Jason Caddy caught up with Sandy Fraser at the Oak Tree Inn at Balmaha to find out how his businesses, which relies heavily on tourism, was faring. Read what he has to say on page 16.

Obviously, customers need to feel confident that they are not going to catch the virus when they visit a hotel as a result cleaning. Deep cleaning and fogging are now part of everyday conversation. But what is the difference?

Our new columnist Alastair Roy is an expert on Procurement and good procurement will help your business maximise your revenues.

Alastair’s column is on page 23.

Next month we will have a feature on Rates - yes that thorny subject is in the news again with the news a new tone date has been set.

Oh joy!

16 INTERVIEW:

Editor: Susan Young Editorial: Jason Caddy Advertising: Julia Smith Production: Fiona Gauld:

Upper floor Finnieston House 1 Stables Yard 1103 Argyle Street Finnieston, Glasgow G3 8ND

Subscriptions: HOTEL SCOTLAND is available by subscription at the rate of £52 per annum. The publishers, authors and printers cannot accept liability for errors or omissions. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the written permission of the copyright holder and publisher, application for which should be made to the publisher. Articles published in this magazine do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publishers. © Media World Limited 2020. Printed by Stephens & George Print Group.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 3

NEWS

Hotels raise £37k and counting for charity partner Independent hotel management company RBH has added £18,500 to its fundraising pot for charity partner 4Louis – taking its total for the partnership to just over £37,000.

UK-wide charity, 4Louis was launched in 2009 by the family of baby Louis – who was stillborn at 38 weeks gestation – to support those affected by miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of a baby or child.

Some of the events which contributed to the five figure fundraising total includes a burger pop up on the London Marathon route held by Holiday Inn Express Limehouse and various small scale events raising a collective £6,200 by Aberdeen Altens.

Bob McGurrell, 4Louis Chairman, said “The donation of £18,500 is very welcome in this current

climate as all our events have been cancelled. We will continue to support bereaved families across the county. We are eternally grateful for all your support, thank you!”

Physical challenges have proven to be fantastic fundraisers for the RBH team in aid of 4Louis with Raymond Peebles from Aberdeen Altens who raised £2,000 thanks to a sky dive and various members of the RBH office team who completed a Scafell Pike hike raising £1,700.

Carla Yarrow, RBH Charity Partnerships Manager who has driven fundraising efforts across the business, said, “I’m so proud of everyone at RBH and our hotels for their fantastic efforts this year in aid of such a worthy cause - 4Louis.'

Councillors delay Pacific Quay Holiday Inn project Plans for a new £18m hotel at Pacific Quay in Glasgow are on hold after councillors delayed a verdict to allow for a hearing about the development. Although 12 letters of support had been received, Glasgow’s development plan limits the use of the land for business or industrial purposes.

Mosaic Architecture + Design submitted proposals with Iceni Projects last year for the 150-bedroom hotel situated on the former Glasgow Garden Festival site. These development, if given the green light, will have seven storeys, and a Skybar on the top floor.

Now a hearing will take place which will feature a presentation by officials and also allow those who support or oppose the application to contribute. RBH Hospitality Management is lined up as the operator.

PERTH BOUTIQUE HOTEL A STEP CLOSER Henley Homes Group has been confirmed as the preferred bidder for the former Perth & Kinross Council council offices in the city, which they have plans to transform into a new £1.9m boutique hotel for the Rogue City Hotel Group.

The Group, if given the green light, will convert the former High Street offices, category B listed building, and the former council chambers and courtroom.

Henley Homes is a property development group established which through its RCHG brand, has developed the five-star Dunalastair Hotel Suites at Kinloch Rannoch in Perthshire, and is currently working on The Wellington in Glasgow.

The preferred bidder status follows a competitive marketing process and while not binding to either party, it means negotiations can begin.

Bees buzz in to Monachyle Mhor Monachyle Mhor Hotel in Balquidder now has two Webster Honey beehives on its grounds and in a unique partnership with the Fife-based honey company the hotel will now offer a series of beekeeping workshops to guests at the hotel and locals too. It’s the first hospitality tie-up for Webster Honey, which was set up by Daniel Webster and his partner Emily-Kate McDonnell in 2016. It now has hives all over the country in various venues from schools to nature reserves while Monachyle Mhor, owned by the Lewis family, has always had a reputation for local and sustainable food practices.

Daniel Webster, Managing Director of Webster Honey said, “We could not have hoped for a more suitable hotel with which to work with.”

The owners of The Old Manse of Blair, a five-star boutique hotel in Perthshire, have invested in the hotel with the creation of seven new rooms and the development of a farm shop on its 10-acre Highland estate.

The latest additions have been created within The Stable Block and Railway Cottage and the hope is that the investment will pay over post-Covid.

Owner Anne MacDonald took a keen interest in the interior design of the new contemporary styled rooms which feature a blend of bespoke furniture and eclectic art – all of which have been chosen to make the rooms unique and stylish.

The rooms have their own entrances and are located on the ground floor so from a social distancing point of view the hotel is in a good position and the hotel also has a virtual check-in.

4 • HOTELSCOTLAND

NEWS

Although Glasgow’s Grand Central will not open until 2021, its Champagne bar will re-open this month. Champagne Central will now also have a tapas-style kitchen. The hotel will re-open next year as a VOCO hotel, Scotland’s first Stirling Highland Hotel, part of The Cairn Collection, has created a new outdoor dining terrace in the hotel’s private courtyard. Open to hotel and locals it also has its own al fresco menu.

Tables are safely socially distanced to protect guests and staff, and the hotel is also operating an enhanced cleaning programme.

TripAdvisor accolade for Dunstane Houses The Dunstane Houses in Edinburgh is amongst the top 10% of hotels worldwide having just received an award in Trip Advisor’s annual ‘Best of the Best’ awards which celebrate venues of outstanding merit and customer service. It has placed The Dunstane Houses amongst the top 10% of hotels worldwide.

Shirley Mowat of Dunstanes Houses commented, “We are delighted to receive this award as recognition of our team’s hard work and dedication over the course of the last year.

Whilst these last months have been challenging, we are so grateful to have been able to reopen our doors and welcome back friends of the Dunstane Houses once again”.

BOOM IN BOOKINGS AT MELDRUM HOUSE

Investing in outdoor dining domes has proved to be inspired spend for Aberdeenshire’s Meldrum House Country Hotel. Their indoor seating was severely restricted due social distancing guidelines so when the hotel re-opened customers were able to book into two new outdoor domes and now it has taken delivery of and opened a third called Luna, due to the demand from customers who have been booking for lunch, afternoon tea and dinner in their droves.

General Manager Jordan Charles said, “With the launch of Luna, together the 3 domes will create an extra 500+ covers a week. Castor and Aurora have been open for bookings for almost 6 weeks and have been hugely successful, due partly due to the fact they are socially distant-friendly which keeps contact with other guests to a minimum.”

Bruce Group Scotland, the company behind The Cow Shed, Bar Bados and Subway nightclub on Edinburgh’s Cowgate, have presented plans to convert the venues into a new hotel with 26 modern, ‘Scottish-inspired’ rooms.

A bar and restaurant will also be developed in the Cow Shed part of the site, with the bedrooms formed above the current Bar Bados nightclub.

CCL Property are marketing the Lochalsh Hotel at offers over £2.25m.

Situated in the scenic tourist town of Kyle of Lochalsh on the tranquil West Coast of Scotland, The Lochalsh Hotel has 47 letting rooms, a substantial restaurant and lounge bar which all benefit from breath taking views. The grounds of the hotel include a car park and lawns with picnic areas overlooking the Loch Alsh and the Isle of Skye.

Portavadie, located on Loch Fyne is perhaps best known for its marina as well as its five-star luxury apartments, but now the owners have created pitches for Motorhomes and RV’s too.

Its Leisure Experience which has an indoor pool and outdoor pools and possibly the largest heated outdoor infinity pool in Scotland, is also open from 7th September.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 5

NEWS

A VIRTUAL HUNTING EXPERIENCE AT MARYCULTER HOUSE Maryculter House, best know as a popular wedding venue is pivoting slightly and has lodged plans with Aberdeenshire Council for a new wooden lodge to house an interactive hunting experience.

The virtual experience would be “in-keeping” with the hotel and be one of the first of its kind in the UK. The concept will see groups invited to form teams and wear hunting attire as they shoot virtual animals on a giant screen against a backdrop of the Highlands. The aim is to offer an “alternative to traditional country sports”.

Meanwhile the hotel has also cemented its commitment to support the Million Trees Project. Since re-opening on 1st August it has been asking dinners to add a discretionary £1 per person to their bill The cash collected is being donated to a local charitable trust, the River Dee Trust.

The money raised will go directly to supporting the Trust’s aims of planting 1 million trees over the next 15 years in a bid to encourage healthy salmon stocks and flourishing wildlife. The hotel currently owns two fishing beats on the River Dee.

Managing Director of the hotel, Peter Walker (right) said, “Maryculter House sits on the banks of the River Dee, and it’s such a big part of the hotel’s history and future”.

“I have always felt strongly about supporting local businesses and charities and more than ever during these challenging times, this has never been more needed. Contributing to this well-deserved and important environmental cause continues to be high on the hotel’s agenda.”

The trees will help prevent a repetition of the high river temperatures which damaged young salmon stocks on the Upper Dee two years ago. They will provide nutrition and shelter for all river species and they will encourage a wide range of wildlife to thrive.

Dr Lorraine Hawkins, (left) River Director, Dee District Salmon Fishery Board & River Dee Trust said, “It is great that this iconic business is looking after its local environment by supporting our communitybased Trust and the river’s future. This support comes at an especially crucial time, as like many charities, we have been impacted by Covid-19.”

New boutique hotel No 25 by the sea set for Oban Oban-based hospitality entrepreneur, Paul Sloan, is to open a new boutique hotel in Oban imminently. The nine-room property will be called No. 26 By The Sea and has been designed by Dominic Paul of Glasgow-based IBDP, The new hotel, formerly the Ach-Na-Mara, or Meadow By The Sea, guesthouse has great views of the bay and islands and guests will reside

NEW ‘TONE’ DATE 1.4.22 The Scottish Government has announced in the Programme for Government 202021 published on 1 September that the next non-domestic rates revaluation in Scotland will be delayed by one year. It is now scheduled to take effect on 1 April 2023, the same year as in England and Wales.

However, the tone date, unlike England and Wales, will be based on rental values as at 1 April 2022, and not 1 April 2020 as was previously scheduled, nor 1 April 2021 as will now be the case in England and Wales.

The Government say this will give sufficient time for market conditions to fully adjust to any post-Covid effects, more so than anywhere else in Great Britain, and these will be reflected in the rateable values assessed which should be more accurate and sustainable. By delaying revaluation it will reduce any shocks and provide stability and certainty on rates bills in the recovery period.. Next month we will look at what this could mean to hospitality businesses across Scotland.

6 • HOTELSCOTLAND

in rooms which are individually themed including a cabin room, a garden room and a Scottish room, the latter will have a four-poster bed, and feature contemporary tartan. The hotel also will have a small gynamsium and two self-serving honesty bars.

Its new General Manager is Ioana Moldovan, of Oban, who is originally from Transylvania, Romania. She formerly worked at the The Taynuilt Inn.

UKH calls for investigation into hospitality energy market UKHospitality has written to the Energy Minister Kwasi Kwarteng MP calling on the Government and Ofgem to investigate unfair practices in the energy market.

The trade body has been contacted by hospitality businesses with evidence that they are being unfairly targeted by energy firms.

UKHospitality Chief Executive Kate Nicholls said, “It appears that hospitality businesses are being singled-out by energy providers. Prices being quoted are significantly higher for our sector than others and we are even seeing instances of businesses being asked to pay extortionate deposits up-front. One of our

members has been instructed to pay a £60,000 deposit for a singe site hotel.

“This behaviour would be wholly unacceptable at the best of times. When it is happening while so many businesses are trying to recover from the COVID-19 crisis and while so many jobs are still on the line, it is totally beyond belief.

“The Government and Ofgem must investigate this immediately. Our sector has already been hit the hardest of any. It can not afford to be unfairly squeezed like this right at the moment it is expected to play a role in the recovery of the economy.”

IF YOU HAVE ANY NEWS LET US KNOW. EMAIL US AT: NEWS@MEDIAWORLDLTD.COM

NEWS

NEARLY HALF OF JOBS IN HOSPITALITY AT RISK IF SECOND LOCKDOWN COMES

Ten Hill Place reveals first phase of £1.8M refurb Edinburgh hotel Ten Hill Place has unveiled the first phase of a £1.8 million refurbishment that includes its new “Big Snug” private dining space and a new look for 40 bedrooms.

The ongoing work will result in the installation of a gym with 18 pieces of Technogym equipment and weights.

Ten Hill Place is operated by Surgeons Quarter, the commercial arm of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh, which invests profits into advancing surgical standards worldwide.

Scott Mitchell, managing director at Surgeons Quarter, said, “Refurbishing the remainder of Ten Hill Place has been a plan of ours since we completed the hotel’s extension in 2018.

“With strict social distancing rules in place and in line with Government guidelines, we have been working with Thomas Johnstone and local contractors to ensure work is carried out as safely as possible for everyone.

We are looking forward to fully completing the next step in our hotel’s journey, which we hope will finish next month. The refurbishment will give us a greater platform to enable the hotel to reach its full potential, furthering our current offering and assisting our charitable aims.”

If there’s a prolonged second lockdown academics at the University of Edinburgh Business School fear that 43% of Scottish jobs in tourism and hospitality could be lost as firms go bust. This would mean the loss of 89,870 jobs.

It also estimates that if there is not a second lockdown, but the economic downturn is as bad as 2008 – then a quarter of businesses in the sector could close with the loss of 58,000 jobs – out of the 209,000 employed.

The research carrried out by academics at the University of Edinburgh Business School in collaboration with Wiserfunding, wrote the new report to help governments and business managers decide where to focus support, and it compiled it after looking at the financial statements of 5,000 Scottish companies in the sector, and looked at their profitability and level of debt.

It came to the conclusion that businesses that showed the highest level of adaptability should be rewarded and offered additional, tailored support to overcome the crisis.

Dr Galina Andreeva, senior lecturer in management science at the Business School, said: “We hope that the results of our study will be useful to governments and business managers to decide where to focus support during the next phase.

“Our results confirm that the current government efforts to support the sector are going in the right direction.

“However, we would recommend support tailored to company size to maximise impact.

Firms that show the highest level of adaptability should be rewarded and offered additional support to overcome the crisis.

“The withdrawal of current borrowing schemes should be carefully planned in order not to create additional shocks to companies with high debt levels.”

Dr Gabriele Sabato, co-founder and CEO of Wiserfunding, commented, “The picture that comes out of our models is providing a frightening, but also encouraging message for SMEs. “Although, they have been severely affected by this terrible pandemic, they are also the ones that can adapt faster and lead the recovery.

“The financial industry should carefully consider the results of this study when setting their lending criteria in the post CBILS (Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme) world in order to target the allocation of their funds at boosting the UK recovery.”

The study was funded by the university’s Data-Driven Innovation initiative, part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.

Crerar Hotels throws opens doors for NHS Crerar Hotels welcomed more than 380 NHS key workers and their families to its venues recently to say thank you for all of their efforts during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The guests were chosen following a public nomination process for the ‘Scottish Hospitality for NHS Heroes’ initiative which resulted in thousands of nominations for NHS Heroes, and has resulted in upwards of £250,000 spent by the hotel group to express gratitude to the frontline workers of Covid-19.

Crerar Hotels dedicated all rooms across its portfolio of seven hotels in Royal Deeside, Inverurie, Nairn, Oban, Isle of Mull, Inveraray and Glencoe and catered for 850 guest and 2,000 complimentary stays with Crerar chairman Paddy Crerar CBE hosting a weekend which included champagne, locally sourced food and drink and even private boat trips.

Chris Wayne Wills, CEO of Crerar Hotels, said “We were so pleased to welcome over 380 NHS heroes and their families from across Scotland for a weekend of celebrations. It was great to see them all relax and have a good time. I and the Crerar Hotels team were lucky enough to meet many of these courageous workers face to face and personally thank them for all of their work.”

Each guest also received a personal note of thanks in their room from First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 7

Hotels fund their own Eat Out to Help Out Scheme The Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group chose to extend the Eat Out to Help Out (EOTHO) scheme throughout its venues for the month of September.

The group were not the only one to do so – the scheme, which was introduced by the UK Government in a bid to help the hospitality industry and encourage customers to ‘eat out’ has proved to be a real success for the hospitality industry.

Other hotels running with a similar offer during September include The Townhead Hotel in Lockerbie, Cawley Hotels, The Chester Hotel and The Rad Hotel Group.

The scheme which ran throughout the month of August, gave customers a 50% discount (maximum £10 per person) at participating restaurants on Mondays to Wednesdays.

The Manorview Group has chosen to extend this scheme with the same deal through Mondays to Wednesdays for the whole of September at five of its venues. That means an extra 15 days for customers to enjoy the offer with the Manorview Group.

David Tracey, Managing Director, Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group, said,“The EOTHO

scheme has been a successful initiative.

We have welcomed many customers, old and new, into our venues and our team has a renewed sense of purpose. We have noted a nervousness among some people as they venture back outside. This has made us appreciate the efforts our customers have made to support us. As a result, we have decided to extend the EOTHO offer.

We want to offer something extra to our customers to thank them and to help them enjoy the benefits of this scheme a little while longer.”

The Chester Hotel in Aberdeen has launched a scheme called Missed Out On Eating Out? Graham Wood, owner of Aberdeen’s Chester Hotel says, “People living in Aberdeen missed out on the chancellor’s scheme due to the localised lockdown. We’re giving everyone the opportunity to eat out with us with a generous discount for three weeks in September. People have missed out on family celebrations and friendly get togethers for many months now and we hope the Missed Out On Eating Out campaign gives everyone an opportunity to enjoy some properly distanced socialisation.”

EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT...

Cover Story

To mark the re-opening of The Fife Arms in Braemar, a specially created new neon, ‘Work No. 3435: EVERYTHING IS GOING TO BE ALRIGHT’ by the Turner Prize-winning artist Martin Creed, has been unveiled with the backdrop of Braemar Castle and will and remain in situ in the Highland village for the rest of the summer.

Federica Bertolini, General Manager of The Fife Arms said, “Our art collection never fails to delight, surprise and intrigue our guests.

The installation of ‘Everything is going to be alright’ in the open air is an extension of our collection – and a celebration of our glorious setting in the Cairngorms. It will also be a very thought-provoking, but reassuring and smilemaking, welcome to the village.”

Martin Creed is known for his hugely varied work, which is by turns uncompromising,

Martin Creed, a Scot, who grew up in Lenzie, is particularly well-known for the much-loved Scotsman Steps in Edinburgh, a public staircase joining two streets made with more than a hundred different types of marble.

entertaining, shocking and beautiful. His charmingly engaging photographic print of two dogs, ‘Work No. 1094’, is also part of the hotel’s large art collection.

8 • HOTELSCOTLAND

Research from building society, The Cumberland, has revealed that 83% of Brits would prefer to holiday in the UK than travel abroad this year: 71% plan to holiday in the UK in 2021: 68% citing fears of being stranded abroad due to COVID-19; 55% admitted to concerns around quarantine measures; 39% selected hotels as their preferred accommodation and 31% opted for self-catering cottages.

The phrase ‘Everything is going to be alright’ has been used by the artist in a series of large-scale neon works since 1999 and draws on the comforting words Creed was offered by a friend. He explains, “If you are upset and someone speaks to you to try to help you, even if the words are empty because no one knows what is going to happen in the future, it can still feel like a comfort. No-one can really tell you everything is going to be alright, but despite that, many times in my life I have been very comforted by people saying something like that to me.”

The resulting work has never resonated so poignantly as in the current situation.

ANDREW FAIRLIE SCHOLARSHIP SEEKS ASPIRING CHEFS IN SCOTLAND

Hotel Support Scheme must be followed by additional support The £14m Hotel Support Scheme which closes on 9th September for applications needs to augmented by further support says UKHospitality.

Executive Director for Scotland Willie Macleod says, “This needs to the first step on the road to recovery, not the final one, though. Hospitality businesses remain in rescue mode despite reopening over a month ago. There is still a lot more that can and should be done to support Scottish hotels and the wider tourism and hospitality sectors that are so vitally important to the Scottish economy.

“Rents are still a huge issue for many businesses, notably casual dining, and we are going to need both fiscal and non-fiscal support to get through the crisis, probably in the form of a grant combined with a further extension of the moratorium on lease irritation. The business rates holiday and VAT cut both need to be extended and businesses will need help if they are expected to hire and retain workers following the end of the furlough arrangement for staff at the end of October. “

Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland have announced that the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship is again seeking applications from aspiring chefs working in Scotland and this year it also applies to chefs on furlough or who have been made redundant.

The scholarship, now in its second year, sponsored jointly by HIT Scotland, the Scottish Government and Gleneagles, is awarded annually to a male and female chef who want to progress their career, and it reflects Andrew Fairlie’s unwavering commitment to diversity in the kitchen.

The recipients will gain industry-wide recognition as Andrew Fairlie Scholars and experience once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to continue their culinary education, such as a practical stage in an international kitchen and at 2 Michelin star Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles.

Last year, the scholarships were awarded to Emma-Rose Milligan, 24, from Kilmarnock, Demi Chef de Partie at Chez Roux at Inverlochy Castle in Fort William, and Joseph Harte, 24, a Junior Sous Chef at Douneside House in Aboyne, Aberdeenshire.

The judges remain the same as last year, with 2 Michelin starred chefs Tom Kerridge and Sat Bains, Masterchef winner and National Chef of Scotland, Gary McLean, Stephen McLaughlin, Head Chef at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, Lorna McNee, Head Chef at Cail Bruich, and Andrew’s former mentor Keith Podmore all lending their expertise.

In support of the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said, “This is a fantastic opportunity in memory of one of Scotland’s most inspirational chefs and I would encourage any aspiring chefs to consider applying.

“The hospitality industry has been severely impacted by the current pandemic and it will be vital as we move towards the safe and sustained recovery of the sector that we make the most of Scotland’s wealth of talent, skills and creativity.

“This scholarship will once again provide a fantastic opportunity for two chefs to enhance not only Scotland’s reputation but their own, as they forge what will undoubtedly be successful careers.”

David Cochrane, Chief Executive of HIT

Scotland, added,“We were extremely impressed with the quality of last year’s entrants, who truly showed the high calibre of chefs who are working and learning in restaurants across Scotland.

“It is very exciting to again be launching the search for those chefs who represent the values of Andrew Fairlie. We’re looking for people who demonstrate his work ethic, integrity and passion for excellence and who will continue to represent these qualities in Andrew’s name as they forge their careers.”

Conor O’Leary, Managing Director at Gleneagles, said, “Gleneagles is delighted to continue in its support of the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship, and carry on the work that Andrew so passionately started. Now, more than ever, it will be crucial to do all we can to provide a platform to the emerging talent within the Scottish hospitality industry, and we are excited to see what the future holds for the recipients and to be playing just a small role in what we are confident will be very promising careers.”

Stephen McLaughlin, Head Chef at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie, said, “I am so excited to have the ball rolling again on year two! All our finalists displayed fabulous skills and each one of them showed a true passion for learning. They also had a wonderful attitude towards each other. Chef Andrew would have been over the moon with our two winners. Joe and Emma-Rose both displayed everything required that comes with the responsibility of being an Andrew Fairlie Scholar.

“The Andrew Fairlie Scholarship is a must enter experience for chefs that truly want to learn, develop and flourish in an industry that genuinely allows passionate, committed people to be as good as they want to be.”

To apply, potential candidates will complete an online application stating why they feel that they should win the Andrew Fairlie Scholarship, and what they think it takes to run a successful kitchen. The finalists will take part in a skills test which will focus on their knowledge and creativity, with the winners showing the right mix of personality and professionalism to be named an Andrew Fairlie Scholar. Eligible applicants can find out more information by visiting https:// hitscotland.co.uk/scholarships/.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 9

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THE TECHNOLOGY AND SAFETY FEATURES HOTEL GUESTS WANT DURING COVID-19

A

growing appreciation for mobile technology and contactless services in hotels has been accelerated by COVID-19. Research commissioned by technology provider Criton, with 7,000 travellers, has revealed that 80% of hotel guests would now download a hotel app that would enable them to check-in, check-out and get all information about the hotel; a 10% increase compared to March 2020. Only 8% of guests now would feel comfortable to check-in and check-out at a public kiosk.

The findings highlight crucial information for hoteliers, with guests’ mobile phones now clearly being recognised as an essential tool for delivering a safe and carefree experience. With 43% of travellers staying in a 3-star hotel and 40% staying in a 4 or 5-star hotel, findings show that, compared to March this year, a higher percentage of guests, 73%, would download and use an app that would enable them to open the door of their room.

Research findings also highlight the need for hoteliers to adopt contactless solutions to boost revenue as almost half of the respondents, 47%, said they would be more likely to order in-room service or to go to the hotel restaurant if they could use a mobile app to place their order.

The importance for hotels to communicate their new guest safety protocols is confirmed by the fact that 75% of respondents said that the hotel should have clearly defined cleaning standards to fight against COVID-19; with 67% of travellers saying that, in order to consider staying in a hotel, the hotel staff should disinfect everything that people might touch in a hotel room.

Reflecting on the results of the survey, Julie Grieve, founder and CEO of Criton said, “At Criton, we work hard to track and really understand changes in guest technology requirements to allow us to ensure our operators benefit from that knowledge to enhance their guest experience and drive their bottom line.

Undoubtedly due to Covid-19 there has been a significant change in how guests are looking to interact with the hotel, however in reality the demand for digital was there before the global pandemic. At Criton, our mission is to make it easy for independent hotels and groups to embrace digital to give their guests that choice of interaction pre, during and poststay”.

Julie Grieve, founder and CEO of Criton

Criton is a guest engagement and integration platform which simplifies digital transformation in hotels, helping operators save money, stay engaged with guests and drive more revenue with a sophisticated mobile app.

Research Methodology: An online survey ran between February and March 2020 and received 5,405 responses. As the landscape of the hospitality industry changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Criton ran another online survey which between July and August 2020 received 2,549 responses.

KEY FINDINGS OF THE AUGUST SURVEY Accommodation preferences - 43% of respondents said they stay in a 3-star hotel - 40% of respondents said they stay in a 4 or 5-star hotel Technology preferences for check-in/out - 62% of respondents said they would prefer to check-in and out through a hotel app - 30% said they would prefer to check-in and out through a webpage - 8% said they would prefer to check-in and out at a public kiosk Contactless technology preferences - 80% of respondents said they would download a hotel app that would allow them to check-in, check-out and get all information about the hotel - 73% would download and use an app that would enable them to open the door of their room - 47% would be more likely to order room service if the hotel would give them the option of ordering via an app - 48% would be more likely to go to the hotel restaurant if the hotel would give them the option of ordering food via an app Safety measures when staying in a hotel - 75% of respondents said that the hotel should have clearly defined cleaning standards to combat COVID-19 - 67% said that in order to consider staying in a hotel, the hotel staff should disinfect everything that people might touch in a hotel room - 42% of respondents said they would expect the hotel to replace complimentary toiletries, whether used or not, between guests - 53% of respondents would still prefer to eat in the hotel restaurant, followed by 18% who would use room service.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 11

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12 • HOTELSCOTLAND

FOGGING TO DEEP CLEANING Covid-19 has brought cleaning protocols in hotels sharply into focus.

Hotel Scotland looks at how hotels are adapting to keep guests safe, while weighing up the pros and cons of some of the most widely used cleaning methods available.

G

uests checking into The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills might just bump into the hotel’s latest line in cleaning defence against coronavirus – a three-foot-tall robot called Kennedy. It’s a machine designed to kill the virus by flashing intense, germ-killing ultraviolet light through the room after the room has undergone the usual cleaning by Kennedy’s human co-workers.

Along similar lines, ultraviolet light (UVC) disinfection lamps designed to sanitise all exposed room surfaces and frequent touch-points and UV-C disinfection, or germicidal ultra-violet irradiation (UVGI) as it is known are available to hoteliers. This technology was first introduced in the 1900s and is widely used in hospitals as part of standard disinfection protocols. Compared to familiar disinfection methods that use liquid and powder-based disinfectants, ultraviolet disinfection lamps use no chemicals and leave no residue or by-products.

Other cleaning processes include the traditional deep clean, fogging, and electrostatic spraying of course – or a combination of these methods.

The received wisdom is that you can’t kill off germs or viruses without effective deep cleaning.

This is the removal of soiling, visible of invisible, from a surface, sanitising to reduce bacteria and germs, followed by disinfection to remove bacteria and germs. This service is usually charged per square foot, based on the companies Hotel Scotland has spoken to.

You can sanitise a surface without necessarily cleaning it first or you can have one product or process that does both. But you cannot disinfect without first thoroughly cleaning. That’s why it’s important to deep clean if you want to disinfect.

A thorough physical deep clean requires that the operative must physically touch every part of a surface, requiring diligence, plus the risk to operatives is arguably greater. The risk of human error is also a factor.

Fogging is atomising a chemical to apply it directionally as a mist. It disperses this fine mist or fog of high-grade disinfectant that kills pathogens.

The particles are so small that they remain suspended in the air long enough to kill both airborne and surface-based viruses as well as bacteria in hard to reach places such as ceilings, walls, crevices as well as furniture, floors, and equipment.

Fogging is directional and so the operative could arguably miss a spot using this method, yet one of the upsides of this method is that they don’t have to physically touch surfaces.

Electrostatic spraying applies a coating, cleaner, disinfectant, or other liquid that is applied with an electric charge so that it fully coats a surface. The electrostatic charge clings to surfaces but it may not guarantee the full coverage of, say, a deep clean - i.e. on every single surface.

Stephen Montgomery is the owner of The Townhouse Hotel in Lockerbie whose staff are now taking significantly longer to clean guest rooms, plus he has invested in his own fogging and swabbing equipment once he got a pre-reopening industrial deep clean after lockdown.

He said, “We have eight bedrooms and each one now takes an extra 15 – 20 minutes for a turndown. A complete strip-down now takes approximately 45 minutes. A full exit is now about an hour and 20 minutes compared to half an hour pre-pandemic. All of this has a wages impact.

“Before we reopened after lockdown we got a company to do a complete deep clean. This entailed a deep clean and a fogging machine, for which they charged per square foot, plus they took swabs before and after, the results from which we posted on social media and this proved to be good for boosting customer confidence going on all the positive feedback we got.

“We have since purchased our own fogging and swabbing machines, which can be quite fun as well as keeping housekeeping on their toes because the swabbing machine gives readings on lots of things in addition to COVID. You input all the readings from all types of surfaces - like remote controls, light switches, etc. – plus the room number. The machine then selects at random a room and a surface to spot-check going forward.”

HOTELSCOTLAND • 13

Stephen’s staff also disinfect all dining tables and chairs in between sittings and the tables are now completely clear. Cutlery is stored in pouches and we have disposable condiments.

The hotel also has old Highway Code ‘Give Way’ signs at the foot of the stairs to try and inject some fun as guests adapt to this new normal.

Crerar Hotels was the first hotel group in Scotland to be accredited by both the Good to Go scheme by Visit Scotland, and also for the AA’s Covid-19 Confident scheme for its ‘Cleanliness Commitment’ which includes deep cleaning and decontamination processes.

Bedrooms and bathrooms are covered by an ‘intelligent fogging system’ which will is deployed just before check-in to disinfect areas.

Dale MacPhee, General Manager Waldorf Astoria Edinburgh, told us that guest rooms are now sealed after being disinfected. She explained, “Hilton has identified 10 high-touch point areas in guestrooms including switches and electronic controls, handles, hard surfaces, bedding, and climate controls, as areas where extra cleaning and disinfecting will be done and all printed materials have been removed.

“All guest rooms are sealed by our housekeeping team after deep cleaning and disinfection. The seal confirms no one has accessed the room since being cleaned.

Elevators are being cleaned even more frequently and only one person or household may travel in the elevator at one time.”

Marriott International has a ‘commitment to clean’ policy across its entire business requiring that surfaces are treated with hospital-grade disinfectants. The company will also be placing disinfecting wipes in each room for guests’ personal use.

Electrostatic sprayers are used to sanitise surfaces in conjunction with air purifying systems to eliminate viruses in the air and on surfaces.

Food safety-wise, Marriott is also enhancing sanitation guidelines and training videos for associates that include hygiene and disinfecting practices. The company is also modifying its operational practices for in-room dining and designing new approaches to buffets.

The Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) has adopted a ‘Way of Clean’ protocol that includes deep cleaning with hospital-grade disinfectants.

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In guest rooms there is visible verification of sanitised items (e.g., glassware, remote control), reduction of in-room furnishings/high-touch items, and new laundry protocols. Additional deep cleaning of public spaces and facilities includes high-touch surfaces, ‘last cleaned’ charts, best practices for pools, fitness centres and lounges.

Several cleaning companies are offering various solutions to hotels in Scotland, such as Sanitise Plus, Capital Power Clean, Clean-Mist West Scotland and B&G Cleaning Services.

Clean-Mist West Scotland specialises in the application of non-toxic, eco-friendly decontamination solutions against surface and airborne pathogens. The company has been using a form of hypochlorous acid (more commonly known as HOCL or nature’s disinfectant) as a means of eradicating pathogens in ice machines under the guise of its sister company Clean Ice West Scotland.

very effective, but it is also recognised as being completely safe for humans, animals, plants and the environment.

The chemical, which is a form of something that is naturally produced in the body to fight infection, was deemed to be a great help in curbing the spread of coronavirus in South Korea and other parts of Asia and is now being used to spray many public areas. The UK government has now authorised trials to evidence its effectiveness.

Tom Reynolds, Managing Director, Capital Power Clean Ltd is offering a service that safeguards the planet’s safety as well as that of your customers. He said, “Tersano’s revolutionary Stabilised Aqueous Ozone systems allows us to now offer a single, natural and safe product, to clean, sanitise and deodorise in all areas of the hospitality industry.

This first came to light when, working in partnership with Cornwall Council, CleanMist West Scotland was looking for a safe but effective chemical to deal with the build-up of bacteria in these notorious havens of disease.

“Created on-demand from normal tap water, Tersano SAO replaces traditional chemical cleaning products as a cost-effective cleaner and disinfectant, proven to combat the current Coronavirus and a wide range of other viruses, bacteria, pathogens, general soiling, and malodour, without risk to people or the planet.”

HOCL fitted the bill because it was not only

And no hotel can afford not to offer hand

sanitising.. Wayne Lyons, owner of Sanitise Plus, “Sanitise Plus has developed and produced commercial Sanitising Stations. These costeffective, touch-free units, automatically deliver a fine mist of high quality, alcohol-based sanitising liquid direct to the users’ hands. The units come in wall-mounted or stand-alone versions.”

Hotels in Scotland might not quite have anything to rival Kennedy the robot yet but there is innovation happening right here in Scotland right now. Glasgow-based company Insite uses an American product called Stepan, which has recently been listed as meeting the US Environmental Protection Agency and Centers for Disease Control’s criteria for killing Covid-19. The company has devised a process using the product which it is now using to clear premises of harmful bacteria.

Bellshill-based Biotech firm Andersen Caledonia, meanwhile, has developed surfacetesting technology that can detect even tiny traces of Covid-19. Undoubtedly cleaning methods, products and services is a growth industry and one we at Hotel Scotland will be watching with interest.

A HOUSEKEEPER’S VIEW… Carol Dove is Hotel Manager at Holiday Inn Theatreland and Head Housekeeper at the hotel, as well as at Holiday Inn Express Theatreland. The hotels are owned and operated by Chardon Hotels, under the Intercontinental Hotel Group (IHG) brand.

Said Carol, “We are cleaning in the same way we always have, only the staff are now wearing full PPE. We now also have a clear 5-step system and new chemical cleaning products that all fall under the IHG IClean system. “ The 5 steps are: 1. Survey. This is where we check for maintenance, any smells, and lost property.

2. Service. This is where we strip the room and spray chemicals and let then remain on surfaces so that they break down debris while the housekeeper works on other things.

3. Shine. Once chemicals break down any debris, the housekeeper sets to work cleaning the bathroom, cleaning the floor, and the room generally.

4. Stage. Housekeepers replenish guest supplies, make the bed, and clean the floor. This is also when they add finishing touches, like setting the curtains and spraying odour neutraliser.

5. Self-inspect. This is when the housekeeper takes a step back for an overview of the room to make sure that they haven’t missed anything. Including the removal of all cleaning chemicals.

“All housekeepers carry ultraviolet torches as part of the inspection around the bathroom surfaces and if any bacteria is detected, the area is cleaned again. For each cleaning product, the staff has a colour-coded cloth that goes into a bag after each room is cleaned to ensure no crosscontamination takes place. “

HOTELSCOTLAND • 15

INTERVIEW

AT THE TOP OF THE OAK TREE SANDY FRASER OWNS

THE OAK TREE INN, BALMAHA, A BAR AND RESTAURANT WITH 36 ROOMS. JASON CADDY CHATTED WITH HIM AT A SAFE DISTANCE TO FIND OUT HOW THE BUSINESS HAS ADAPTED TO COVID-19, AND WHAT HE THINKS THE FUTURE HOLDS FOR A HOSPITALITY BUSINESS THAT WAS HUGELY DEPENDENT ON FOREIGN TOURISM.

16 • HOTELSCOTLAND

S

andy and Lucy Fraser are at the top of the tree that is the family-run Oak Tree Inn at Balmaha, on the beautiful east side of Loch Lomond. Son Stuart is a partner and their other children are also involved in a business that employs 100 people across the Oak Tree, its accommodation, village shop, coffee shop in Aberfoyle, plus a newly opened food and coffee drive-thru pop-up in what used to be The Carbeth Inn. Sandy also runs an electrical business.

A 36–room total offering is made up of nine rooms in The Oak Tree, six holiday cottages, and two purpose-built holiday pods – self-contained rooms with their own en suite facilities. Customers tend mainly to buy individual rooms within the cottages but they are able to block book an entire cottage. They range from four, five, and six bedrooms and some have balconies and they are all within close proximity to the Oak Tree Inn hub and its dining facilities.

Sandy reopened a very different business on July of 15th after lockdown forced the business to close down on the 24th of March resulting in all 100 staff being furloughed – apart from Sandy and Stuart.

He explained, “Since we reopened, 99 per cent of our business is now coming from the Scottish central belt, London, the English midlands and north. We have lost virtually all of our foreign tourist trade, and International as well as domestic tourists made up a lot of our accommodation business, both of which have declined.

“Our business as a whole is down 40 to 50% I’d say, and although we are very grateful and aware of all the support that we have had, we are heading into another very dark winter.

“It’s very hard to say what is going to happen immediately once the English

school holidays are over and tourists start to thin out in September. We are being very proactive and targeted with our online marketing for our accommodation to try and mitigate any more losses.”

Walkers along the West Highland Way used to make up a huge part of their overnight custom, again, until Covid-19 tore into this business too.

Explained Sandy, “On a normal year, 100,000 people walk the West Highland Way which runs past here and that itself is ready-made business for us.

“But they are no longer coming out in anywhere near this number because there simply isn’t enough accommodation on offer at the moment.”

Time was, dozens of daily coach trips would likewise pull up right outside The Oak Tree, but the road to Balmaha is far quieter now. Explained Sandy, “We used to enjoy 10 to 20 coaches a day coming mainly from Edinburgh, but we also got them from Glasgow and Perth, and they were full of international tourists.

“This business has completely disappeared. It’s fair to say that they brought day-trippers who weren’t necessarily using our accommodation but what they did do was supplement our quiet times during the day as well as showcase what we offered accommodation-wise should they wish to return in the future. “ The Oak Tree’s business was also hit hard

by Forest Holiday’s caravan and camping club at Cashel - also on the east side of the Loch - being shut for the entire season. This would normally have fed business into their hotel, restaurant and village shop.

Sandy was keen to point out how much the financial lifelines thrown by the government have helped – but he wants them to go further. He said, “The decision

HOTELSCOTLAND • 17

INTERVIEW

to give businesses a year’s holiday on business rates has been hugely important because if there’s no business there’s no way you can pay business rates. But the most important contribution to the possible survival of our business is the VAT drop to 5% until January 2021.

“However, from a rural hotel perspective, this is only benefitting us off-season. To give us the best chance of survival this needs to be extended, ideally, and like our European counterparts, permanently - or certainly for a full year. This is absolutely crucial.

“A review of business rates is also now long overdue. Our revaluation and the amount of money we have to pay in business rates are not sustainable. “ How has Sandy and family adapted the accommodation side business in light of Covid-19? “Naturally, we have been extremely stringent when it comes to cleaning. We use specialist equipment for fogging and we have rolled out additional training with all of our housekeepers and our menus are all QR codes.

“We also changed breakfast from buffet-style to a personal table service, which I happen to think is a nicer way of doing business. This is more labour intensive too of course, and so there is an added cost.

“The holiday cottages are designed as such that there is no communal area in which people can congregate yet we weren’t sure if we could book all of the rooms out at once but I have taken advice on this and we can book the rooms out adequately and, as far as I’m aware, comply with all the necessary Covid-19 regulations. We have hand sanitiser in all areas.”

Sandy also voluntarily closed the village shop during lockdown for the sake of the greater 18 • HOTELSCOTLAND

good. He explained, “We didn’t have to shut the village shop by law, which is adjacent to the accommodation, but The Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park was told to shut by Nicola Sturgeon and we thought that it was the right thing to do because it’s a shop for tourists and visitors and people were not abiding by the rules and using our shop as the excuse to visit. So we were in a very big dilemma, plus we didn’t want to fall out with our neighbours that have no great interest in tourists. “ The uniqueness of the accommodation at The Oak Tree is what a lot of customers feedback to him on. He said, “I think there has been a move away from the traditional hotel room toward something a little more quirky and we will be looking to increase the amount of pods that we’ve got as part of our future offering.”

After so many years in business and with such a deep understanding of his market, how does he see the future panning out? “I don’t have a crystal ball to consult in order to tell you if things will improve as soon as next season, and I don’t know whether our European or international guests are going to feel safe enough to fly in great numbers by then. I fear that people will be happier to stay at home until there’s a vaccine.

“What I am finding, speaking to people that run guest houses and B&Bs in this area, is that this situation is too much for them. They don’t want to go on and although I wouldn’t like to put a number to this, it is not an insignificant amount. They simply no longer have the appetite to reopen, which is very sad.”

Nevertheless, he remains upbeat about the future accommodation side of his own business. “We must all stay positive and

reinvent ourselves. We are very lucky given our proximity to the central belt, while the National Park remains extremely popular for tourism.

“We also need to increase the length of stay.

It’s a well-known fact in the National Park and on the east side of the loch the average stay is two to three nights and I would like to see us stretch this to seven, even 14 nights. There are plenty of things to do and we will try harder to accomplish this.

“I would like to think that we could attract more domestic visitors and convince then that they can come here and enjoy a safe holiday, or as safe as they can be. We are embracing all the guidelines and we certainly don’t want a situation that happened in Aberdeen coming here. We are very fearful of that.”

He wants to see a greater long-term commitment from the government in support of business or there will be more going to the wall.

“These challenges are here for a considerable amount of time which is why the support from central and local government needs to continue.

There won’t be any hotels left to welcome visitors nationally and internationally -if they don’t we’ll all be bankrupt. “ Sandy dearly hopes to leave a legacy for his children and this is a big part of what continues to fuel his drive. He said, “I have to be optimistic because I’ve got my kids involved in the business and I have to make sure that there’s a future in hospitality and that future can only be there if we don’t get hammered with business rates and constant ways of eroding our ability to make a profit. Because if we don’t make a profit, we can’t reinvest in the businesses and this disincentives the kids to want to stay in hospitality.”

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SPIRIT SHOWCASE JURA UNVEILS CASK EDITION SERIES

Nàdar VODKA IS CLIMATE-POSITIVE

Jura Single Malt Scotch whisky presented the new Winter Edition from the tiny island community distillery.

Arbikie Distillery has created another world-first with an addition to their climate positive spirit range, Nàdar (Gaelic for ‘Nature’).

The new expression follows Jura Red Wine Cask, the first in the series released earlier this year. Each whisky in this new series will celebrate the role of different cask finishes throughout the maturation process and the impact they have on creating the distinctive flavour of Jura Single Malt Scotch Whisky.

The Cask Editions series will highlight the connection between the land and the spirit bringing distinct regional and seasonal flavours to the island malt.

G&M COMMEMORATES 125TH ANNIVERSARY Gordon & MacPhail has revealed plans to launch four rarely seen single malt Scotch whiskies to commemorate the company’s 125-year history.

Exceptionally scarce, each whisky – either from a closed distillery or made on Lomond Stills no longer in production – is from the last cask held in Gordon & MacPhail’s famous warehouse in Elgin. Since 1895 Gordon & MacPhail has released single malts from over 100 celebrated, little-known, or closed distilleries.

47YO Coleburn first in the series of four rarely seen whiskies. Only 353 bottles are available.

20 • HOTELSCOTLAND

Nàdar Vodka- crafted from the pea-base spirit originally developed for Arbikie’s initial world-first Nàdar Gin- avoids more carbon dioxide emissions than it creates with a carbon saving of over1.53 kg CO2e per bottle. This new spirit derives its environmental performance from again utilising the humble garden pea: avoiding the need for synthetic fertiliser and reliance on imported protein for animal feed.

The single-estate distiller controls the growing, distilling and bottling process, which ensures exceptional provenance and traceability.

EIGHT LIMITED EDITIONS FROM DISTELL Eight exceptional new limited-edition expressions have been unveiled across Distell’s Single Malt Scotch Whisky portfolio – Tobermory, Deanston and Bunnahabhain distilleries The new expressions promise to appeal to all whisky-lovers – with an array of cask finishes to suit every palate Julieann Fernandez, Master Blender at Distell, said: “Our annual collection of limited-editions always bring the distillery team’s talent and craft to the forefront, with unique takes on our beloved core classics. And this year’s expressions are truly special.”

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he hospitality industry is facing a massive challenge. They must convince their staff and their customers, that the environment in which they operate is safe. The hotel industry will undoubtedly up its game and meet the challenge. Rooms deep cleaned and everything sanitised for incoming guests. However, the paying customers do not see any of the preparation work. Being spotless is not enough, there must be visible reassurances and confidence builders to reinforce to guests that your establishment is taking no shortcuts.

Professional, commercial sanitising facilities must be available to guests at every access point, a bottle of sticky gel on the reception counter will impress no one.

Sanitise Plus have developed and produced commercial Sanitising Stations that will meet and surpass all your business’s requirements and equally importantly, your customer’s expectations. These, cost effective, touch free units, automatically deliver a fine mist of high quality, alcohol based sanitising liquid direct to the users’ hands. The units come in wall mounted or stand-alone versions.

Your staff and customers deserve the assurance that you take their well-being seriously. Our sanitise stations come

with a choice of backplate designs or a customised, bespoke branding option for orders of 5 units and more.

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Providing a clean environment is not enough, it is essential that you provide your guests with a visible, effective, professional solution to their understandable worries. We are a company who were here before this pandemic, we will be here through this pandemic and we intend to be here to serve businesses and the public long after this pandemic is gone.

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Sprout CRM Free Contact Tracing Initiative to Help Venues Re-Open Safely.

Sprout CRM have developed a free Check In App which allows venues to easily capture customers’ details for contact tracing if required during COVID-19.

A simple QR code, scannable using any smartphone device, directs customers to a secure webform to input their data, allowing venues to manage contactless check ins at their venues for rapid contact tracing.

All data collected by the Check In App is stored and deleted as per Govt guidelines. Data is only accessible by the Check In App account holder.

To date, over 10,000 venues have signed, with over 3,000,000 check-ins in the UK; over 6 million check-ins globally. Operators using the platform include; IHG Hotel Group (InterContinental, Crown Plaza and Holiday Inn), Marriott Hotels and PPHE Hotel Group (Park Plaza).

How It Works Customers check-in at the venue easily by scanning a QR code on entry or once they have been seated. There is no need to download an app.

Using secure GDPR Compliant infrastructure, the venue captures and securely stores the data with the date and time of check-in and check-out.

The venue can then access and export the data at any time with a search / filter for any given date in response to track and trace associated with potential outbreaks.

Features • QR code check-ins & check-outs for customers • Your business, your branding. Poster branding, form - branding and form customisation • Repeat visitor recognition • Multiple locations under one parent account • Advanced reporting by group, single location and any time period and many more ......

FEATURE

HOTEL SUPPORT PROGRAMME: MAXIMISE VALUE ON YOUR GRANT FUNDING T

BY ALASTAIR ROY, ARO PROCUREMENT

he recently launched £14m multi agency support programme aimed at protecting employment in the medium term within large hotels in Scotland is a welcome intervention.

The support package available comprises various components including grant funding up to £250,000 per hotel – for hotels receiving funding in excess of £100,000, a human rights due diligence check will be conducted to ensure policies and procedures are in place to address obligations.

By the time you read this, the likelihood is that you have already submitted an expression of interest. Whilst you might have thought there were too many eligibility hurdles – I don’t believe it was a prerequisite for 23% of your full time payroll to have tartan hair and orange eyes but sometimes the rules are as equally arcane – hopefully you decided to go ahead with an application.

If the awarding body looks favourably upon your application, you are free to put your grant towards any additional costs which could help your business adapt to the changes being imposed on the hospitality sector as a result of the Covid outbreak. (Some examples below) The key drivers to make your application successful include protecting jobs of key employees at your hotel, continuing to support the local and wider Scottish economy through utilisation of local and national supply chains and focusing on fair work practices and reducing carbon emissions.

For many businesses, the key focus for the immediate future is naturally to ensure they

survive, thriving can come when we are free and clear of the virus threat.

Undoubtedly guests and customers are much more attuned to ways in which experiences in hospitality establishments have changed and are willing to accept them because they know the paramount consideration is safety and wellbeing. Some of the technology trends emerging might previously have been stalled because they didn’t fit with a perhaps more traditional feel of a hotel. Everyone is pivoting the best way they can in the current situation and while businesses will not want to lose the personal touch, dovetailing the right sort of technology with your style of business can enhance and elevate the guest experience.

You are free to spend the grant fund any way you decide but it could be interesting to explore items which might otherwise not appear on your Capex wish list.

Good luck with your applications and hopefully you can secure funding to help your business in some way at this time. If you require any assistance in helping stretch the grant fund to maximise value for money on cost negotiation for items you to decide to purchase, please contact alastair@aroprocurement.com for help and advice.

ARO Procurement’s aim is to support companies within the hospitality sector to deliver savings, consolidate supply chains and maximise value for money without compromising on quality. www.aroprocurement. com

Some areas of expenditure to consider: STouchless tech including touch free check-in and digital concierges SHealth and temperature screening for staff and guests SCellular enabled digital bookings for on-site experiences SDigital checklists to manage recurring safety and cleaning procedures including which cleaning solutions to use on surface areas Sand how often high touch points should be cleaned SRemote working systems for non-front-line staff SOutdoor cabanas for al fresco Scotland dining experiences Combined Heat & Power systems to help deliver low cost energy

HOTELSCOTLAND • 23

xxx LOCHGREEN HOUSE HOTEL TROON

C

ostley & Costley has refurbished its function suite at Lochgreen House Hotel, Troon, which now includes a large glass Orangery extension.

It was finished just two weeks before into lockdown and the works also included the creation of a new art-deco inspired bar called The Brodick which serves the function suite.created with the help of Kilmarnockbased Character Joinery.

Set in thirty acres of woodlands with

beautifully manicured gardens, the new function suite leads out to the rear with a view over the sea and the capacity has increased from 150 to 300 and the space can be split into two separate areas thanks to a bi-folding door.

Most of the weddings business has been rescheduled until next year, but the hotel has also confirmed that the marketing of the new extension is attracting lots of new weddings and function business.

THE BALMORAL NAMED AS FIRST Judy Murray serves up Local Legends for Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight Tennis ace Judy Murray kickstarted this year’s Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight celebrations with an Instagram cook-a-long from Dunblane’s Cromlix Hotel.

Now in its 11th year, the Scottish Food & Drink Fortnight took place from Saturday 5 to Sunday 20 September.

The annual celebration aims to shine a spotlight on the suppliers, products and people who contribute to Scotland’s £15 billion food and drink industry.

This year’s Fortnight focuses on the Local Legends who have kept our stomachs and fridges full throughout the Coronavirus lockdown and beyond, and who continue to make Scotland’s larder the envy of the world.

Due to ongoing restrictions related to Coronavirus, many of this year’s Fortnight events took place online, Mother of Wimbledon Champions Andy and Jamie Murray, Judy will hosted an Instagram cook-a-long on Sunday morning from the kitchen of the Cromlix Hotel in Dunblane where Scottish sourced ingredients are a central focus of the menu.

Judy’s cook-a-long was the first in a series alongside other interactive content with well-known chefs, restaurants, celebrities and social media influencers.

Judy Murray said:, “In Scotland, we’re so lucky to be blessed with such brilliant ingredients and a vibrant industry full of talented and hard-working people. I’m was thrilled to get behind the Scottish Food & 26 • HOTELSCOTLAND

Drink Fortnight campaign to celebrate the people and products that make Scotland’s produce the best in the world.

“With the help of the amazing chefs at Cromlix, I made a deliciously decadent Cranachan for my Instagram cook-a-long on Sunday morning..”

James Withers, Chief Executive at Scotland Food & Drink, commented, “Scotland’s food and drink industry has been hard-hit during the Coronavirus pandemic. That’s why it’s more important than ever that we, as consumers, support Scottish producers and buy Scottish products.”

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said:, “In recent years, the food and drink sector has been one of our strongest economic success stories, particularly for our rural economy. And throughout the COVID-19 pandemic it has stepped up to ensure we all have access good food, often in very challenging circumstances. In these difficult times, we have also seen remarkable resilience, creativity and innovation from the sector.

“As we look to the future, it is vital that we continue to support recovery and growth. Working together with industry, we will launch a joint recovery plan to stimulate demand for Scottish products and support businesses to capitalise on new opportunities.”

“This year’s Fortnight is another a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the world-class food and drink produced right here in Scotland and toast the people

HOTEL IN SCOTLAND TO RECEIVE FIVE STAR ACCOLADE IN FORBES TRAVEL GUIDE’S 2021 STAR AWARDS

The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh, has been named as the first hotel in Scotland to receive a Five-Star award from the world-renowned Forbes Travel Guide.

Forbes Travel Guide, the expert in genuine FiveStar service and only global rating system for luxury hotels, spas and restaurants today revealed some 2021 winners early to provide getaway inspiration as travel picks up post-quarantine.

The Balmoral joins the world’s finest hotels, flying the flag for Scotland on the Five-Star award list for the first time.

The Balmoral’s General Manager, Richard Cooke, said, “Receiving this amazing accolade is an honour for my team and I. Forbes Travel Guide is undoubtedly one of the most sought-after hospitality awards in the world and an independent measurement of success. Every day we strive to evolve and improve by working together to create memorable experiences for our guests. We have been working towards this goal since Forbes Travel Guide arrived in Scotland and to be the first hotel in the country to be awarded Five Stars is truly humbling.”

The Balmoral adds the Forbes Travel Guide FiveStar award to a list of accolades received in the past year including an AA 5 Red Star award; one Michelin star and 4 AA Rosettes for the hotel’s finedining restaurant, Number One, and a Conde Nast Traveller Readers’ Choice award naming the hotel as the Top Hotel in the UK outside of London.

“We extend huge congratulations to the entire team at The Balmoral, a Rocco Forte Hotel, for achieving the first ever Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star rating in Scotland,” said Filip Boyen, CEO of Forbes Travel Guide.

PEOPLE

CASTLEFORGE MOVES INTO HOTEL INVESTMENT WITH APPOINTMENT OF MATT LEDERER Property investment firm Castleforge Partners announced its entrance into the hospitality sector last month with the major new hire of Matt Lederer from Marriott International.

Lederer joins Castleforge as the company’s Hotels Acquisitions Director, broadening the firm’s portfolio from investment in residential and office property to hotels.

With Castleforge looking to invest in the hospitality sector in the next year, Lederer will form a key part of Castleforge’s decision making team on hotel acquisition across the UK and Europe.

Lederer joins from Marriott International, the world’s biggest hotel operator, where he was UK Development Director responsible for the growth of the company’s select service brands including Moxy, Residence Inn, and Courtyard

by Marriott.

With 14 years of industry experience, including stints at commercial real estate firm JLL, Lederer brings with him an excellent hotel

real estate network which he will draw on at Castleforge to evaluate the market and finalise deals.

Matt Lederer, Hotels Acquisitions Director at Castleforge Partners comments, “The company takes a long-term strategic view, and they can see that the hotel industry will rebound from its current setback. The appetite for leisure travel, in particular, is already growing again and fast. Working together with Castleforge’s diligent research team, I look forward to some really exciting projects across the UK and Europe as we begin to invest significantly in the sector.”

Brandon Hollihan, Founding Partner of Castleforge Partners said, “We are thrilled to have Matt join us. We are focusing on a sector we believe will become increasingly attractive, guided by an expert in the field who shares our values. Matt is the perfect person to help our firm execute this strategy and grow our expertise.”

PERTH FISHMONGER NETS CRIEFF HYDRO HOTELS Perth based George Campbell & Sons, a specialist family run seafood wholesaler has announced it has signed a contract with Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels to supply their portfolio of hotels across Scotland.

Iain Campbell, Managing Director of George Campbell and Sons said; “It is a proud milestone for us to work alongside another longstanding family business.

Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels and George Campbell & Sons have a combined 300 year history of working in hospitality and foodservice in Scotland. This is a great opportunity for us to send a positive message to other businesses in the hospitality industry about how we can all work together to achieve a positive outcome moving forward.”

Stephen Leckie, Chairman and CEO of Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, said: “In all our restaurants across our portfolio, we’re proud to serve locally sourced seasonal ingredients from trusted suppliers. We’re delighted to announce our partnership with George Campbell & Sons, not only are they a fantastic seafood wholesaler but they are also a fellow proud Scottish family business.”

The contract makes George Campbell & Sons the sole seafood supplier to the seven properties within the group, Peebles Hydro and Park Hotel in the Scottish Borders, Crieff Hydro and Murraypark hotel in Perthshire and the Isles of Glencoe, Kingshouse Hotel in Glencoe Valley and the Ballachulish Hotel overlooking Loch Linnhe.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 27

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HOTELSCOTLAND • 29

CHECKOUT It’s always difficult putting news in a magazine when you are in the midst of a pandemic - no sooner than you put it to print than somethng happens. So from next month we will have our new website up and running too.

The news that research shows that 47% of hospitality and tourism jobs in Scotland could be lost if there is another lockdown, and at the least, with an economic downturn looming a quarter of jobs are a risk due to businesses going bust, does not come as much of a surprise to the hospitality industry which has been warning of this jobs armageddon for months. Hospitality needs more support and the £14 million hotel package although very well - is only a drop in the ocean!

Plans have been unveiled for a brand new whisky hotel that comes complete with a whisky fountain and free dram on check-in - but its not in Scotland it is in LA. The man behind it is restaurateur Adolfo Suaya and its name Whisky Hotel. I am surprised no one has thought of doing that here.

Stephen Montgomery, who many of you will know, is setting up a new collaboration. It isn’t replacing any other trade organisation - and it is not fee orientated - but it aims to reflect the views of entrepreneurs - whether they be hoteliers or publicans. It’s purpose is to supply much needed information directly to the folk that need it most - youIt will feed into government on issues which operators are concerned about, and market and PR the Scottish industry. I hope you will support it. More to follow.

There are more questions than answers at the moment but one which is a real worry - not just for employers and employees too is ‘ Who pays the wages of staff when, and if, they have to self-isolate for 14 days?

What if test and protect tell you all staff have to go home and isolate for a fortnight. If you are doing all the mitigations right you shouldn’t have to close but you may have to because you won’t be able to staff

30 • HOTELSCOTLAND

Martin Creed paid a visit to The Fife Arms to re-launch the hotel and see his latest installation (on the Cover) unveiled. I’m sure it will give everyone hope who passes and I hope the the sentiments give you hope too Everything is going to be alright. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

Lastly but by no means least - Hotel Scotland has a sister magazine called DRAM and we run the Scottish Bar and Pub Awards - which will take place this year. If there is anyone that you think deserves an accolade let me know. We will be giving an award to Hotel of the Year - and it will be based around their efforts during Covid-19.

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