Hotel Scotland October 2020

HOTELSCOTLAND ISSUE 30 2020 ISSN 2515-8287

26 By The Sea Oban INTERVIEW

SUSAN BLAND RBH

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CONTENTS

4 NEWS 9 FUNDING... WHAT IS AVAILABLE

6

I

WELCOME

Susan Young Editor

25 DESIGN:

16

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

@hotel_scotland hotelmagazinescotland.co.uk

NO 26 & THE MARMALADE HOTEL

28 OBITUARY

NO 25

susan@mediaworldltd.com

SUSAN BLAND

23 TENDERING...

ALASTAIR ROY

THE OLD MANSE

t’s certainly been all go since we’ve been back. Despite the uncertainty, there is still plenty to write about.

The local lockdowns and the certainty that more restrictions are likely does not help consumer confidence, but hopefully, financial measures will be put in place to mitigate some of the losses. We report on what has just been announced and perhaps by the time you get this in print, there will be more positive news on the financial front.

This month I caught up with Susan Bland the new MD at RBH. She had plenty to say.

We also take a look at the newly opened No 26 in Oban and the newly extended Marmalade Hotel on Skye. Both look amazing.

Many of you will know Greg Anderson of Blue Parrot who pivoted his event business during lockdown - his story is on page 11.

While Alastair Roy gives his view on tendering. His column is on page 23.

Until next month.

16 INTERVIEW:

HENRIETTA FERGUSSON

30 CHECKOUT

16 Editor: Susan Young Editorial: Jason Caddy Advertising: Julia Smith, Nikki Oji, Michelle MacSwan 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

Hotel staff to travel 9910KM for Bowel Cancer UK Staff at Ten Hill Place Hotel in Edinburgh, which is operated by Surgeons Quarter, have been challenged to ‘travel’ the equivalent distance of Scotland’s coastline over the next 61 days as part of the “Surgeons Quarter Cares Coastal Challenge” to raise funds and awareness of Bowel Cancer. Surgeons Quarter’s team of 60 staff will walk, run, row, or cycle their way around the Scottish coastline in October and November.

The group has extended its charitable partnership with Bowel Cancer UK after raising £20,000 so far for the charity’s “Improving Surgery, Saving Lives” campaign.

Scott Mitchell, (right) Managing Director at Surgeons Quarter, said, “The Coastal Challenge event fits with our Surgeons Quarter Cares ethos – while it’s been an extremely difficult time for all of us, we’re focusing on the positives of what we can do in looking after our staff, our charitable partners, the environment, guests and our business.”

UKH URGE GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT A FULL PACKAGE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT Pub and hospitality trade bodies UKHospitality, the British Beer & Pub Association and the British Institute of Innkeeping have written to the Chancellor and the Health Secretary, urging the Government to ensure that new lockdown measures are targeted, proportional and are accompanied by a credible financial support package.

Although supporting the Government’s approach to public health the letter highlights the disproportionately small number of COVID cases linked to hospitality.

Immediate financial support was also requested, which the trades bodies say needs to be supplemented by measures to support a revival in 2021.

The trade bodies have recommended: - A grant of 5% of the rateable value per week, uninhibited by State Aid rules or rateable value caps. This percentage could be lower for less severe restrictions - Amendment of the Job Support Scheme to allow a reduced minimum number of hours worked for businesses under restrictions – for closed businesses this should be 0%, rising to 20% for mid-level

restricted businesses - Extension of the business rates holiday through 2021/22 with VAT remaining at 5% throughout 2021.

- Support on the issue of unpaid rent – extension of current protections and - Government engagement with industry on innovative solutions to bring landlords and tenants together to find a solution.

In a joint statement, the trade bodies said, “It is crucial that any further restrictions or lockdowns are implemented so as to allow businesses to survive and then rebuild afterwards.

“We are totally supportive of a tiered approach, implemented locally, which will put the health of the public first, but will also enable our sector, which has been devastated, to survive.

“Central to this working will be a comprehensive package of financial support to ensure that businesses survive and jobs kept secure. Our sector has been hit hardest of all by this crisis and we desperately want to avoid further catastrophe, while making sure public safety remains the priority.”

IF YOU HAVE ANY NEWS LET US KNOW. EMAIL US AT: NEWS@MEDIAWORLDLTD. 4 • HOTELSCOTLAND

OYO adds new revenue management techonology Tech-enabled hospitality company OYO has launched new revenue management features to help the independent hotel owners it partners with to optimise their performance and capture increased levels of business post-lockdown.

The new tools are being rolled out automatically across the full OYO portfolio at no cost to owners and include a Smart Pricing Manager that gives partners the power to adjust their room prices instantly upwards or downwards within a specified range, and a Cancellation Prediction Engine that calculates the probability of every customer who has booked at a particular hotel actually turning up to check-in, based on the booking characteristics, customer profiles, and historical trends of the property.

Said Rishabh Gupta, head of OYO UK and Europe, “The current pandemic has created an oversupplied hotel ecosystem owing to the lower-than-usual demand from guests and gradual increase in availability of properties, so it is more important than ever that OYO responds with agility to help our independent hoteliers capture demand and maximise occupancy and RevPar,” “OYO’s revenue management systems are based on data, technology and expertise; and here, we’ve also listened to partner feedback to introduce tools that are not only effective but also give our partners greater input where they’ve told us they want it.”

NEWS

THE TORRIDON AND GLENCOE HOUSE RECOGNISED BY CONDÉ NAST TRAVELER The Torridon Hotel in Wester Ross has been recognised as the 23rd best hotel in the UK hotels category of the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards while Glencoe House has also been recognised in the survey where more than 715,000 Condé Nast Traveler readers rated their travel experiences across the globe.

Dan Rose-Bristow, co-owner of The Torridon, said, “It’s an immense honour to be named in the Condé Nast Traveler’s 2020 Readers’ Choice Award, alongside so many of our incredible industry peers in Scotland and the UK. As our first year in the guestvoted rankings, I am unbelievably proud of our wonderful team who have worked so hard this year during such strange times, to truly

showcase the finest in Scottish hospitality, and proven to our loyal guests that The Torridon really is a place like no other.”

Glencoe House General Manager, Graham Steven, said, “I am absolutely delighted for the team at Glencoe House. There is no greater compliment than when our guests want to share their experience with fellow travellers - it is recognition of the hard work that every member of the team puts in on a daily basis to ensure that our guests have a truly memorable experience in the West Highlands”.

Said Jesse Ashlock, U.S. Editor of Condé Nast Traveler, “The results of this year’s survey, conducted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, are a testament to the lasting power of a meaningful travel experience.”

MOFFAT HOUSE SET FOR RESTORATION Moffat House Hotel in Moffat, Dumfriesshire has been sold to Keith Parr, a private buyer, off a guide price of £700,000 by Colliers International acting on behalf of Tom MacLennan of FRP Advisory, the Trustee in Sequestration.

The new owner, who formerly owned Auchen Castle Hotel, plans to restore the Grade A Georgian manor, which closed at the end of 2019, house back to its former glory.

The property benefits from 21 letting

bedrooms and a good range of public areas as well as a two-bedroom cottage which is ideal for letting.

Robert Smithson, senior surveyor at Colliers International, commented’ “The completion of yet another deal proves the uplift in activity we are seeing.”

“In the last month alone we have witnessed a 200 per cent plus increase in formal viewings whilst the volume of buyer enquiries has increased exponentially from a wide variety of domestic and international enquirers.”

The Dunstane Houses in Edinburgh is inviting guests that are working from home and getting cabin fever to book a room as a private office for as long as they like from October and for every seven nights booked, the hotel will cover two free of charge. Guests can take advantage of ‘generous desk space, complimentary WiFi, a Nespresso coffee machine, a smart TV, and complimentary parking.’

The global tourism industry had a rosy outlook for 2020 with a forecasted revenue of around $712B but now it sits at $369.4B - a decrease of 41% according to data from Stockapps.com, which also reveals that as a country, Italy has been hit the hardest.

Europe, Asia and North America’s tourism are the most affected among the different regions. Europe’s forecast was slashed by nearly $95B - a 41.4% decrease while Asia’s forecast was slashed by 33.4% totalling over $85B. Among individual countries, new forecasts show that Italy is expected to feel the most significant impact in terms of tourism with new projections nearly at 45% less than originally forecasted.

During the height of the summer period for most European tourist hotspots, Spain recorded only a 16% decrease in week 26 while France recorded only a 13% decrease in week 27. In the UK and Italy, where the situation had not improved to the same level as France and Spain, the summer period fell well below 2019’s numbers. Even at the Uk’s lowest percentage of decrease during their summer period, week 31 recorded a staggering 51% decrease compared to 2019 numbers. Italy recorded its lowest percentage decrease in week 30 at 44%.

Adventurous Journeys (AJ) Capital Partners has acquired the 89room Marine Hotel in Troon, from a UK-based JV composed of owneroperator Cannock Group, developer and manager Hetherley Capital Partners and investment manager Stellar Asset Management. This is the third Golf property in Scotland purchased by the US private real estate company. Next year they aim to launch the Marine & Lawn brand, a collection of high-end golf resorts.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 5

NEWS

ROOM TO BREATHE AT CRIEFF HYDRO Crieff Hydro Hotel has enhanced its studio offering by developing nine dog-friendly studio apartments -located a short stroll from the hotel. Each one is a constantly monitored hypoallergenic space using technologies that kill 99.9% of viruses, eliminates bed bugs, and generally boosts wellness of all guests giving peace of mind for allergy sufferers, says the hotel.

The studio rooms have a compact kitchen unit fitted with a sink and microwave and can accommodate up to four guests in two separate sleeping areas with a King bed and a set of single pull out sofa beds.

Kristian Campbell, General Manager at Crieff Hydro Hotel, said, “We have always been an advocate for clean and safe environments at our hotel and as we offer dog-friendly accommodation, it’s extremely important that all our visitors are cared for. “

GO AHEAD FOR 2ND TRUMP GOLF RESORT AND 450-ROOM HOTEL Aberdeenshire Council have approved plans for an 18-hole golf course next to the original Trump golf resort at Menie Estate. The plans for the course, to be named MacLeod, after Trump’s mother, also include a 450-room resort hotel with conference facilities and a spa.

The green light was given despite local objections to the plan which also includes plans for 36 golf villas, 950 holiday apartments, 500 houses and

Food delivery app aims to support hospitality A new hotel delivery service app ‘Room Service’ has launched in Scotland. It is used by more than 350 hotels in London and has recently expanded to Edinburgh and is set to launch in Glasgow shortly.

It links restaurants to hotels, so the latter can offer a range of restaurant-quality food to their guests day and night.

The main difference from rival services such as Deliveroo and Uber Eats is that hotels can make money in commission on every order placed. Hotels can also choose the restaurants that feature on the app, and choose the opening hours.

“We’re seeing a lot of uptake from hotels which are expected to provide food, but are understandably struggling to do that internally”, said founder and director Simon Pusey.

6 • HOTELSCOTLAND

community facilities.

Locals objected on the grounds that there would be a loss of public space and the impact it would have on water supply, private roads and nearby estates.

The Scottish Environment Protective Agency has objected to the application suggesting both the water management plan and the environmental management plan were lacking.

Gardiner secures Crerar’s Oban Bay a four-star AA rating The Crerar Oban Bay Hotel whose GM is Marc Gardiner has become the only hotel in the town to be awarded an AA 4-star status following detailed and anonymous inspections by the hospitality inspectors and during Covid-19.

Oban born Crerar Hotels Chairman, Paddy Crerar CBE said, “It’s people that make hotels and knowing Marc’s skill brought us 4-stars at our Loch Fyne Hotel in Inveraray, we had no doubts that his ability to unlock and motivate a team that would deliver the same for us at the Oban Bay. “Of course we are completely delighted, and at the same time, we fully expected it.

The people at the Oban Bay work brilliantly together. They bring fun to what they do and that shines through in their hospitality. Their job is to stay authentic and my goodness they really

do. From Lexi, the hotel collie dog, to Marc the General Manager, everyone played part in this superb team achievement!

“Scotland is a global player in tourism and it’s up to us all to raise our game to match the rightly high expectations of our guests.

Competition for Oban is not the next door hotel - it’s the towns and resorts of the Lake District, Cornwall and mainland Europe. Despite Covid-19, we all have opportunity, and we must take it, we can do that by being the best we can be. Oban should be the shining gem in Scotland’s hospitality crown.”

Crerar Hotels has four 4-star hotels and two 4-star inns. The fifth hotel on the Isle of Mull, the Isle of Mull Hotel & Spa, was mid refurbishment when lockdown halted work and the group hopes to be able to resume its plans over winter to add a fifth 4-star hotel to its portfolio.

NEWS

OLD MANSE OF BLAIR DOUBLES CAPACITY

B LETTER FALLS ON DEAF EARS Jill Chalmers, the managing director of Glenapp Castle in Ayrshire, organised a letter to the Scottish Government recently urging them to reconsider the new rules which prohibited the selling of alcohol in public areas of hotels to guests.

The letter was signed by 100 businesses in hospitality from hotel owners and managers to suppliers, and it urged the Government to reconsider because of the impact it would have on their businesses.

Jill Chalmers, the managing director of Glenapp Castle in Ayrshire Hotels, wrote to the First Minister saying, “We urge you to reconsider this and allow hotel guests, staying a minimum of one night, to consume alcohol in all settings, not simply room service alone. In addition, we believe that we should be able to serve nonresidents until 6pm, as a café is allowed to do.

“If there is no change, we have no doubt that we will suffer deeper losses. We are talking about trying to survive, not about profitability. Without this small change in your policy, there will be thousands more job losses in the coming month.”

Under the new rules, wedding parties already booked in at hotels are able to consume alcohol yet non-wedding guests nearby, staying under the same roof, are unable to.

As we went to press there had been no movement on this from the Scottish Government. Their letter it appears has fallen on deaf ears.

lair Atholl’s independently owned five-star boutique hotel Old Manse of Blair has doubled its occupancy to capitalise on staycation demand by unveiling a new Stables development and Railway Cottage. Plans have also been secured for a further eight suites next year with another two now in planning, marking a total £400,000 investment.

These will be built around an orchard within a walled garden as part of the next phase with work commencing late 2020, opening in April 2021. The expansion project commenced in January and was due for completion in late March and despite COVID-imposed closure, the build project finally completed in early July.

Said estate owner Anne Macdonald, “There’s clear nervousness around travelling abroad so more people are wanting to holiday closer to home, quarantines are also a constant reminder of the uncertainly facing foreign travel. The accommodation expansion was committed prior to the pandemic so we had to navigate a perfect storm. Our business was forced to close reopening in July. During that time, we were resilient, we slowly and carefully project managed completion of the renovation works, doubled our capacity and came back fighting.

“We’ve had a great start and whilst we

adjust to the new normal our team have been incredible in adapting. The new rooms have exceeded our expectations and are a welcome addition to the estate.

“This has helped our business to continue operating. The investment in creating more rooms for guests wanting a luxury break in Scotland has been sensible, albeit often challenging during times of uncertainty.

However, we are in a positive position to meet the demand for staycations by investing for growth and adapting our business model.”

In addition to the Railway Cottage conversion with two rooms, a former stable block has been converted into five rooms with en-suite facilities, including one fully accessible suite designed for the less mobile.

Anne has collaborated with artist and designer Iona Crawford of Glasgow-based Iona Crawford Atelier to create interiors that take inspiration from the history and heritage of the estate buildings and their equestrian and railway connections. An earlier report by the University of Edinburgh Business School, also recommended that Scottish tourism businesses should aim their marketing at UK and German visitors as they are most likely to visit and spend money in the immediate future. .

MORE FINANCIAL SUPPORT TO ENCOURAGE EMPLOYERS TO TAKE ON APPRENTICES More financial support is being provided to employers to take on apprentices who have been made redundant as a result of the pandemic.

Payments for employers recruiting apprentices who have lost their jobs is being increased from £2,000 to £5,000 through the Scottish Government’s Adopt an Apprentice programme.

The increased payment will help more apprentices find a new employer and complete their apprenticeship.

Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills Jamie Hepburn said, “Apprenticeships are not only valuable for those undertaking them, they are a key way for all employers to invest in their workforce, and provide the skills the economy needs both now and in the future, especially as we focus on restarting and growing Scotland’s economy from coronavirus (COVID-19).”

The incentive is available to businesses who employ Modern or Graduate Apprentices who have lost their job to continue their training and complete their apprenticeships.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 7

WHISKY SHOWCASE TOBERMORY 23 YO RELEASED WITH QUAICH TO BE AUCTIONED FOR THE BEN CHARITY Tobermory Distillery has released Tobermory 23 Year Old Oroloso Cask Finish (46.3% ABV, RSP £320) – a beautiful deepgold sherried single malt that will join the distillery’s core malt range.

To commemorate its time on the Isle of Mull, the distillery has collaborated with another of the island’s long-standing stalwarts, Mull Silver and Goldsmith, on a one-of-a-kind sterling silver and gold quaich which will be auctioned alongside the new bottle in the coming months.

The quaich celebrates the creative and expressive nature of the Tobermory distillery and its island home. Funds raised from the auction will go to The BEN – a Scottish hospitality charity that is seeing more demand than ever for their services as a result of Covid-19.

Julieann Fernandez, Master Blender at Tobermory Distillery, said, “It is one of the finest expressions we’ve ever made.” www.tobermorydistillery.com.

BENROMACH LAUNCHES 21 YO

MONSTER ARCANA FROM COMPASS BOX

To mark the worldwide release of Benromach’s new look, the Speyside distillery has launched a new permanent addition to its core range – the Benromach 21 Year Old.

In continuing to honour its 20th anniversary year, Compass Box has released Peat Monster Arcana this month. It is the result of a long-running experiment into the secrets and mysteries of oak and smoke.

Matured exclusively in first-fill sherry and bourbon casks, the 21 Year Old leads with sherry aromas followed by the taste of subtle spice, raspberry and Seville orange, with a soft smoky finish.

Benromach launched its new-look core range, which includes the 10 Year Old, 15 Year Old and 2009 Cask Strength Vintage, in June. Keith Cruickshank, Distillery Manager at Benromach, said, “The 21 Year Old is the oldest expression we have offered in our core line up since our team reopened the distillery 22 years ago. It provides a unique take on the classic Benromach style.” Benromach 21 Year Old is priced at £129.99.

8 • HOTELSCOTLAND

A cask strength version of The Peat Monster was further matured in three French oak custom casks for more than two years; it was then blended with malt whiskies from the Talisker, Miltonduff and Ardbeg Distilleries to complement the richly spicy and more subtly smoky profile that developed.

Compass Box Founder and Whiskymaker John Glaser comments, “Peat Monster Arcana is the first Compass Box to feature smoky whiskies matured in French oak. We hope dedicated fans of The Peat Monster discover a new side to this charismatic whisky.”

SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT FUNDING TO HELP WITH ADDITIONAL HOSPITALITY RESTRICTIONS THE SCOTTISH GOVERNMENT HAS MADE AVAILABLE FUNDS TO HOSPITALITY BUSINESSES AND SUPPLIERS IMPACTED BY THE CURRENT RESTRICTIONS. A COVID-19 Restrictions Fund will be available to hospitality and other businesses required to close (except for takeaway) by these new restrictions regulations. It operates as a twotiered scheme, with a smaller grant of £2,000 for businesses with a Rateable Value (RV) of under £51,000 and a larger grant of £3,000 for those businesses with a RV over £51,000.

An upper limit of £15,000 in total will apply to any eligible business operating multiple premises.

At the same time, Local Authorities will invite applications for a business hardship fund - with payments of £1,000 or £1500, dependent on Rateable Value - to support some businesses that remain open but are still significantly impacted by the restrictions, including those in the direct supply chains of firms that must close.

An upper limit of £10,000 will apply in total to any eligible business operating multiple premises.

There is a finite budget available for this support. The first round of applications will be accepted from:

If your business operates multiple premises you can apply for grants for each premise, applying only once to the local authority in which your business is headquartered. The maximum any one business can receive will be restricted, regardless of the number of premises: the upper limit for the business closure fund is £15,000; the upper limit for business hardship fund is £10,000.

. hospitality businesses and some gyms, required by these new regulations to close or operate in a restricted way and able to evidence a minimum 25% reduction in turnover during the brake period . producers/wholesale businesses based in Scotland supplying primarily short-life goods or produce to hospitality businesses required by the regulations to close or operate in a restricted way and able to evidence a minimum 25% reduction in turnover during the brake period

Businesses with connections to tax havens, as set out in the Coronavirus (Scotland) (No.2) Act 2020, are not eligible to apply.

Your businesses must have been open and trading before 9 October.

You must have a business bank account. This is the account your grant will be paid into if your application is successful.

Your business premises must be registered for Non-Domestic rates.

Businesses that pay rates through their landlords rather than directly to a Council are eligible to apply (evidence to be provided through copy of lease agreement).

Businesses which have breached wider COVID regulations/ requirements prior to local restrictions are not eligible to apply.

Applications are welcome from Limited Companies, Sole Traders, Trusts and Partnerships provided they meet the other criteria.

Retail and businesses that provide takeaway food as the core and established basis of their operations are not eligible for these closure or hardship funds.

How to apply:

For clarity, retail and businesses that provide takeaway food as the core and established basis of their operations are not eligible for these closure or hardship funds.

ELIGIBILITY To be eligible for this support you must meet the following criteria.

For the business closure fund you must be a hospitality or other business required by law to close under these new restrictions.

For the discretionary business hardship fund you must be: a hospitality business and some gyms, required by the regulations to operate in a restricted way a producer/wholesale business based in Scotland supplying primarily short-life goods or produce to hospitality businesses required by the regulations to close or operate in a restricted way and able to evidence a 25% reduction in turnover during the brake period

The Government is working with local authorities to prepare and finalise all the administrative arrangements required to ensure efficient and effective application, processing, payment and appeal arrangements - and access to the information and advice you may need.

Local authority websites will be updated at 9 am on Tuesday 20th October, allowing business to complete applications. At this point in time there is no merit in contacting your local authority.

Applications will close on Tuesday 3rd November at 5 pm.

Local Authorities will prioritise processing of applications with a view to making as many decisions as possible within the brake period while restrictions are in place. Local authorities will ensure any payment is made within 3 working days of notifying you of their decision.

Local authority websites will provide information on appeal arrangements.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 9

Feeling lost & confused We can shed with your some light. business? Access free 1:1 business adviser support and online resources for a brighter future.

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PIVOTING OUR BUSINESS AND SAVING JOBS IN THE PROCESS

THE BIRTH OF THE SANITISER GUYS

BY GREG ANDERSON

GREG ANDERSON EXPLAINS HOW HE PIVOTED HIS EVENTS COMPANY, BLUE PARROT, TO ENSURE ITS FUTURE.

I

t was March and I was sat in a local retail park car park with tears in my eyes. I was listening to Rishi Sunak announce that no business would be left be behind and started to believe there could be a way to move forward. Texts and calls were hitting my phone every few minutes from friends who were saying things like “ you have a chance now” “you’re saved” “ that’s what you needed to hear”. The Furlough scheme had been announced, and for at least the next few months the pressure was slightly off Protecting over 20 jobs was always the biggest concern when I think back to March a few days before the scheme was announced. We had just lost £65k of business in cancellations by 9.45am that day and from what we were hearing from our colleagues in our associated offices in England, things were looking bleak. Early indications showed that we were likely to lose 70-80% of our income for the remainder of 2020.

It was clear that this was going to be a shortterm fix and although the furlough scheme was welcome it wasn’t going to safeguard our future.

At that, a call came from a client and a very dear friend that changed our future and gave us the

hunger and desire to not lie down to this crisis that was going to inevitably cripple so many businesses.

Arlene Smith who runs the inspirational Brightest Star Charity had called to offer her support. Knowing we had the resources and machines to make protective visors she wanted to pay us to make some to be donated to Glasgow’s Children’s Hospital. In her words, she told me, “you have supported us all these years, it’s time for us to support you”. And unknowingly at the time, Sanitiser Guys was born.

From that day a few of our team got together and suggested we make more of this opportunity to help protect our business and our workforce.

It was clear as early as April that the rest of the year’s Events calendar would be wiped out for us, so if we were going to survive we had to embrace the opportunity that Arlene had opened our eyes to and run with it. And run with it we did!

We started designing and building a range of protective screens for a variety of businesses from retail to hospitality, we built a range of sanitiser stations and continued to produce protective visors for the workplace. Five months on, a couple of our team have now developed our own Track HOTELSCOTLAND • 11

WE ARE 6 MONTHS NOW INTO OUR JOURNEY AND IT’S FAIR TO SAY IT FEELS LIKE 6 YEARS. THE SPEED AT WHICH WE HAVE PROGRESSED HOWEVER HAS TAUGHT US A LOT ABOUT OUR CORE BUSINESS AND THE WAY WE CAN DEVELOP IT WHEN THE EVENTS INDUSTRY RETURNS. FOR NOW THOUGH I’M EXCITED TO BUILD OUR NEW BUSINESS WWW.SANITISERGUYS. CO.UK

and Trace system for the hospitality industry and created one of the most innovative digital sanitising stations in the marketplace, which even has a built-in photo booth feature.

The creative thinking and skills from our team have excelled in this new venture, however it’s not come without its challenges. We had to find a way of building a production system and get used to a point of sales process that we weren’t used to,. Holding stock was another area that I myself had to become used to having been involved in the hire industry the majority of my life. Assessing demand and retaining the correct levels of stock has been an area I have had to quickly master. I applaud the many hospitality businesses that we now support as to how they manage this area of their work.

We are 6 months now into our journey and it’s fair to say it feels like 6 years.The speed at which we have progressed has taught us a lot about our core business and the way we can develop it when the Events Industry returns. For now though I’m excited to build our new business

www.sanitiserguys.co.uk We have created an online shop to make it easier to order social distancing products online.

While we have recdently launched the production of our own range of scented sanitisers which will be available in some well known retail stores and hospitality venues over the coming months. We are also in the process of launching a managed service for venues which makes complying with social distancing measures easily managed.

Sanitiser Guys has provided a lifeline to our core events team and we hope in turn we can provide the many hospitality venues that we work with in helping them as they fight against this pandemic in keeping their own businesses operational during these challenging times. www.sanitiserguys.co.uk sales@sanitiserguys.co.uk Greg Anderson Greg@blueparroteventsgroup.com

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BY ALASTAIR ROY, ARO PROCURMENT

PROCUREMENT: TENDERING IN TURBULENT TIMES

T

CAPEX ITEMS INCLUDING PLANT, MACHINERY AND EQUIPMENT OR ANY ASSETS THAT TYPICALLY HAVE A LIFE OF MORE THAN ONE YEAR, SHOULD ALSO BE TENDERED TO ENSURE YOU ARE GETTING VALUE FOR MONEY EVERY TIME.

he world rumbles on irrespective of circumstances and as the seemingly endless list of restrictions currently aimed at the hospitality sector shows no signs of abating, businesses are being forced to innovate on an almost a daily basis just to keep going.

Although probably well down the list of things to do for most business owners and operators at the moment, tendering can offer an opportunity to innovate in a different way by helping stimulate new ways of delivering value.

Although many of your suppliers are hurting, they too can benefit from the tendering process as a means of objectively looking at their own business processes to improve value for their customers and hopefully themselves at the same time. It does not always follow, that a tender will result in the incumbent supplier losing the contract for the goods and services they provide. However, a tender process will often inject new ideas and vitality to the hotel’s supply chain – in addition to providing improved commercial terms and added value services.

It might seem like a daunting prospect to start a tender but when the process is handled correctly, it helps clarify the needs of the buyer, sets clear guidelines and ensures a fair and purposeful review of options.

Benefits of tendering include: Realignment of the buyer and supplier relationship to ensure the balance of power is weighted firmly in the buyer’s favour.

Due diligence to confirm if your supply chain is operating at an optimal level providing the best possible value for money for every £ of expenditure and identify how it can be improved.

Demonstrating to the marketplace that complacency is not an option and there is always the possibility of an account moving to a new supplier – thus keeping all suppliers vigilant Improved value in terms of cost reductions, higher quality specifications/products, better service and other add value benefits including improved credit terms and prebates/rebates.

Engagement from key stakeholders to recognise the value of the process.

Gaining an understanding of innovation and improvements in the market which can benefit your hotel’s bottom line and potentially the service offering too.

Tendering is most appropriate when the spend value is relatively high and the benefits gained from the competition process outweigh the cost of approaching the market. Where a monopoly market is in operation, single source supplier is determined to be the best fit or when market standards are so varied as to prevent a direct comparison, tendering is probably not the best option. Other strategies can be deployed in those situations.

Some areas to consider tendering include:

Utilities Telecoms including mobiles Linen & laundry Food including fresh meat & fish, fresh produce, ambient and frozen foods Beverage including wines, spirits, beers and soft drinks Chemicals and Janitorial Maintenance contracts Credit and debit card commissions Maintenance consumables Guest consumables

Capex items including plant, machinery and equipment or any assets that typically have a life of more than one year, should also be tendered to ensure you are getting value for money every time.

While many of you will have a procurement function working on these categories on a day to day basis, not every business has the knowledge and experience to manage a tender process. If you would like to tender any of your high value, mission critical supplier categories and need advice on how to proceed, contact alastair@ aroprocurement,com to help deliver a better deal. www.aroprocurement.com HOTELSCOTLAND • 15

INTERVIEW

BLAND PUTS PEOPLE AT THE HEART OF RBH I

SUSAN BLAND TOOK OVER THE ROLE OF MANAGING DIRECTOR OF RBH – THE UK’S LEADING INDEPENDENT MANAGEMENT COMPANY LAST MONTH. SUSAN YOUNG CAUGHT UP WITH SUSAN, WHO IS ALSO CHAIR OF THE HOSPITALITY EMPLOYERS GROUP (HEG), TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT ONE OF SCOTLAND’S LEADING HOSPITALITY OPERATORS.

16 • HOTELSCOTLAND

am a great believer in meeting people face to face and despite the current climate, when I suggested interviewing Susan Bland the new Managing Director at RBH, she didn’t hesitate. We met at the Ibis Styles in Glasgow’s Waterloo Street – one of the hotels that RBH look after.

Susan, who hails from the North of England, has hospitality in her blood. It was her auntie who really got her into it. This aunt had a hotel in Clacton-on-Sea in Essex and Susan used to visit her and from the age of 12 she would help out in the hotel waiting tables and such like. She tells me that’s when she got the hotel bug. So it seemed natural to follow her Business degree from the University of Newcastle with a post-grad in hotel and catering. And of course, she funded her education by working in hospitality. Says Susan, “I worked wherever I could doing whatever I could from cleaning bedrooms to waiting tables.”

Roll on 30 years and Susan has worked her way up through the ranks and has just taken on the role of Managing Director of RBH. She was previously RBH’s Chief Operations Support Officer for the company which she joined nine years ago. Her new role includes overseeing operations across the business, as well as looking after its commercial side.

As Chief Operations Support Officer, Susan was responsible for multiple operating functions including commercial, leisure, spa, procurement, F&B, IT and HR. Now she has the opportunity to merge the responsibilities to help navigate the business through and over COVID-19 pandemic, which remains one of the most challenging periods ever for the hospitality industry.

Susan is a genuine role model. She now leads a company which manages a diverse collection of over 45 branded and private label hotel properties, with an annual turnover under management in excess of £200m, and RBH works in partnership with five of the most prestigious international hotel brands, including IHG, Hilton,

Accor, Marriott and Wyndham.

I can count on one hand the number of women I have met who have risen to the top in the hotel industry in Scotland, but as Susan reveals, it is not just Scotland that sees women under-represented at management level. Susan says, “There is no denying the statistics. There are fewer women in leadership roles than there ought to be. The vast majority of senior roles in corporate companies are still occupied by men. And if there is any gender pay gap it is being driven by the gender at the top.”

She continues, “One of the reasons there is still in inbalance is exactly because of the lack of female role models. I feel like the exception.

“I think senior people in leadership roles should encourage more women but this is not about positive discrimination. We are all working in a more flexible world – and the home world has changed for both men and women. Whether it is home schooling or cooking, home tasks are now shared.

“Men and women often do approach things from a different perspective, but I think that is a good thing. I perhaps have challenged the ways things have been done and that is something that I encourage in my management team. One of my worst bosses was a woman who tried to emulate some less appealing male traits such as being overly aggressive, and over dictatorial in their approach. I believe you can influence and make an impact with a consultative approach. And it has never been more important to be personable and take people with you than now.

“Our approach puts flexibility at its core and when we compare women in leadership roles in this business we have fared well compared to our competitors with 33% of our General Managers being female and 50% of the team female. Teams benefit more from diversity whatever that looks like whether it be the teams you work with or the teams you manage.”

The RBH business has 100 hotel specialists

HOTELSCOTLAND • 17

INTERVIEW

operating in London and Glasgow. The portfolio unites over 5,700 rooms and over 1,900 colleagues across the managed and leased hotels.

One of the things that Susan loves is having the ability to influence the culture in a company and the ability to get people to work together. She believes this is what helps create a successful business. But what has led to her own success?

After leaving Uni she joined Swallow Hotels and took on her first management role as a trainee manager. The experience she had gained while working her way through the food and beverage side of the hospitality business while at school and then University stood her in good stead and she was soon promoted to Deputy General Manager.

She says, “My goal then was to be General Manager. However, when I got there I realised that this wasn’t a role I wanted to do. In those days the deputy and the hotel team dealt with customers and the General Manager dealt with things in the office on the computer. I wanted to be out with the guests ensuring that our customers had a good time and I could do that by really focussing on the hospitality team and helping to develop them.

When you were a General Manager (then) it was not part of the experience.

“It is not the same today.” Although she qualifies that by saying ‘well maybe for some’ before continuing, “Generally General Manager’s are more front-facing. I certainly 18 • HOTELSCOTLAND

believe the best engage with people and look after their guests and they need to be out there to do that, in effect they need to be Mr and Mrs Hospitality – and the good ones get that. They are passionate about their people, their hotel, and the industry.

Susan admits that for many years hospitality has had a poor reputation for long hours, low pay and unsociable shifts. And that is a preconception she wants to change. She revealed that last year during a presentation to hospitality students at Strathclyde University she invited them to guess the wages of various roles in hospitality using RBH’s wages model. “They estimated the wages in every role too low. Maybe its bad reputation was justified at one point but not now. It is such a good industry to be part of – it is flexible and dynamic, I honestly don’t think there is anything better. There are so many opportunities to grow and develop.

Career progression is there for everyone and when you add travel into the proposition – because it is one of the few careers where you can travel the world – it’s is a great career.” she says.

However, she admits, “We have to influence parents that hospitality is not just a holiday job or a job when you are studying – that it is a good career with great prospects.

Despite what is going on at the moment everyone will always want to socialise.”

From Swallow Hotels Susan left the hotel sector to work in the branded restaurant

sector and she tells me that she learned a huge amount about finance and business while there.

Her next role was at leisure company Invicta, that was subsequently bought out by Esporta.

It was a highlight in her career. She reminisces, “My job was to open health and racquet clubs. I was right there from the start – from making the plans to wearing the hard hat on the building site. I opened clubs around the country. Once you got one up and running it was on to the next one. It was a great experience. I loved recruiting the teams, creating the culture, embedding it, and getting the people on board.”

A few years later she returned to the hotel industry. Says Susan, “I realised that a lot of the stuff I had enjoyed in previous jobs was around people, culture, engagement and recruitment. So I joined IHG in a training development role. I subsequently did my CIPD (Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development) qualification and spent ten years with IHG becoming HR Director UK and Ireland for the company. It helped me greatly on my people journey.

“One of the great things working for a huge brand like IHG is the support and opportunities you have. One of the frustrations is that you are a tiny cog in a huge machine. Your span of control is quite restricted. In brands it is also very political – you had to play the game to get your stuff done. When I left to join BDL, now RBH,

the role was to look after 70 hotels, the same number as I had been looking after at IHG, but it was a totally different world.

“Franchise is much more entrepreneurial and you can think out of the box, and can change things through guidance, and implement decisions straight away. The buck stopped with you. If it goes wrong it’s you. I’m glad I did it that way around. It’s also positive that we can work across brands – the Hilton, Accor, IHG as well as unbranded hotels. You can learn from the best and use bits of each to help the wider portfolio.

Utilising a hotel management company like ours can help you navigate. For instance, if you are opening a new hotel we can look at making it fit in the market. We might already know there are three brands in the area – so we would work with the client to ensure that we offer a different brand proposition and advice on the best approach to use in that location.

We have a lot of resources and can do a lot of research. For instance, the current focus on being more environmentally friendly has been implemented and resourced by the bigger brands work. The intel and the suppliers that they have sourced means that all our hotels can benefit from their knowledge. But brands do take longer to turn as they are a bit like a ship. It is more fast-paced in franchises and this adds to the passion and the excitement.”

Susan’s background is also operational, and she took on the role of Chief Operating Support Officer for RBH two years ago.

Her remit included procurement, revenue, marketing, sales, housekeeping, F&B, HR and learning and development. She worked alongside the Chief Operating Officer. When he left, the role of MD was introduced which meant the operational team and the other teams were brought together. In fact, it has been one of the few pluses of the pandemic.

She explains, “Since March we have worked as one joined-up team. It has been more cohesive.

Everyone is working from home and we have daily team calls. It has put hotel operations at the heart of everything. “ Hotel owners are our customers and we have been supporting them. Some have had horrific financial challenges, and we have restructured our team to be much more owner-centric, where perhaps it was split by brands. Communication has been a massive focus – we’ve had daily and weekly calls.

Sometimes to keep the engagement going and check on the mental health of the team. We plan to continue that. Everything changes so quickly and it means that everyone gets the same information first hand. We can reassure them that we are keeping their businesses and

ours intact. The strength of the team and the communication is ‘the glue’ that keeps our plan intact.

“As we get back to the world people will travel, calls will be more difficult, but it is important to stay joined up and we all have the same goal which is to see our hotels successful.”

Susan revealed that RBH found the furlough scheme “hugely beneficial’ during the months of April, May and June. She reveals, “It allowed us to be flexible and re-engage people. The majority of people do not want to stay home and do nothing. From July everyone was back to work in some capacity. We have built that up over the past few months.

“Clearly we have gone through a consultative process but we have also been able to make savings through reducing hours, allowing people to take sabbaticals and such like.

“Everyone can work from home, although people could come into the offices. It will never be mandatory for people to go back to the office. We were always good at allowing our team to work flexibly and this has just heightened it. Hotel roles too are more flexible especially around childcare and we have to flexible if some have to self-isolate.

“In July and August, of our 45 hotels, a dozen were open throughout for key workers or associated workers. That was hugely beneficial because it gave has a head start before our competitors opened. From 4th - 15th July, we opened most as quickly as we could.”

She reports that after opening, her hotels performed, mainly, ahead of expectations.

Saying, “Staycations have been huge for us, for instance in Edinburgh we expected an appalling summer and it was far better than expected for our four hotels there. Inverness was positive and Aberdeen benefitted from the oil and gas business. Glasgow was less so – it relies heavily on corporate business and event travellers and that has not come back and international travel is not back either. City centres and London are definitely the worst-performing which is a complete turnaround from nine months ago.

Until businesses return these will continue to struggle. However, July and August were better than forecasted. September onwards has had its challenges as the Staycation market was not strong and local lockdowns have impacted on people who may have come out.

“This business is working on short lead times, bookings are very much last minute, and we have to offer flexible cancellation terms – so we have different challenges which we are having to adapt to. It is very hard to forecast and although occupancy has been good, rates not so much. The rates won’t return until the

corporate market and international travellers return. We don’t have a crystal ball and even using stats from STR – it is a lot of guesswork.

City centres and the luxury end of the market will struggle. However, we have still got a pipeline of new builds ongoing – the Hampton in Manchester, The Westin in London and The Gantry in Stratford amongst others. Just recently we took on the management of the historic Crown Hotel Harrogate, so my new role comes into play at an exciting time.

“We have managed to keep our management team intact – we’ve got a great team that has got us through this, and we will need them all going forward. There will be businesses that close, others will go into administration – some of which we could still work with as a business to turn them around. I believe that although managing costs is very important it should not be to the detriment of the experience. For instance breakfast in a bag was okay at the height of the pandemic but it is not now.

“Our guests want to be kept safe. If they don’t feel safe they won’t come. Cleanliness is an absolute necessity and staff also need to feel safe. Cleanliness probably comes ahead of service at the moment, but when things start to normalise service will be as important, because that is what differentiates hotels.

“It is certainly going to be challenging over the winter. If people could see an end date it would be a different mindset. When it comes to the restrictions, one size does not fit all.

Some people are choosing to bend the rules and are bringing hospitality into disrepute. A lot of restrictions are common sense, but unfortunately not “common enough” and there should be support in play to protect employees from abusive guests. The rules change so much it is difficult for staff and guests alike to keep up.

“However, the pandemic has resulted in a pipeline of talent that didn’t exist previously.

Around nine months ago, one of our biggest potential challenges linked to Brexit was our talent pipeline possible drying up - an issue which has lessened substantially due to COVID. We now have talent available, but for all the wrong reasons.”

She concludes, “I’m proud to step up and lead the team as we head into a new chapter, following the most challenging trading period in our history. We are all in this together.”

The last word goes to Helder Pereira, Chief Executive Officer at RBH. He said of Susan’s appointment, “The breadth of industry experience Susan has is exactly what is needed in a leader of a business of this scale.” He is not wrong.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 19

THE MARMALADE HOTEL

,

ISLE OF SKYE

I

t is surely an endorsement of successful design and testament to solid client relationships when the designer is asked to return to a former project to devise its sequel. When the original project was the refurbishment of a grand Georgian villa and its sublime setting the Isle of Skye, this only adds to the joy that is enkindled by such an undertaking.

So it was that ICA was invited to return to the Marmalade Hotel in the Isle of Skye to design an extension wing that houses an additional 23 guestrooms; each with an aspect providing spectacular views out across the bay to the rugged beauty of the Cuillin mountain range.

While RK Joinery was appointed main contractor.

ICA Associate, Douglas Young, commented, “This has been an important project for us; it has been a challenging brief to satisfy in an area of outstanding beauty. The scale of the building and its close affinity with the landscape is demonstrative of our creative ingenuity and has given us the opportunity to deliver again for a

20 • HOTELSCOTLAND

client we have enjoyed working with in the past.”

Perched on a plinth of blonde stone and clad in black larch, the extension is assuredly contemporary in an understated manner that is appropriate in its relationship to both the existing villa and its breath-taking landscape. Douglas explains this sympathetic approach and the notion of a deferential posture: “The building is located subserviently to the existing building to retain the stature and setting of the Georgian structure—the extension runs off at an angle, set back to frame the historic building and to maximise the views.”

Whilst the original Georgian villa retains its prominence, with its full harled render and stone pilaster frontage, gables and existing courtyard spaces left untouched, it is offset by the striking design of its extension. Projecting frames and fixed shutters punctuate the rhythm of the blacktimbered verticals, which take their place amongst the canopies of the surrounding treescape.

Meanwhile, the serenity of the interiors of the guestrooms acts as a counterpoint to the rugged

beauty of the Isle of Skye. ICA’s Lead Interior Designer for the project, Lorraine Sansom said, “The guestrooms have a pared-down, contemporary feel with a nod to the traditional aspects of the heritage of the original building.

Each guestroom has a full-height window, which provides fantastic views from the elevated vantage that the hilltop hotel enjoys over Loch Portree and the Sound of Raasay. The extension offers a generous amount of accommodation whilst retaining an authentic boutique hotel atmosphere.”

Altogether, the design of the extension is befitting its context and the overall effect is complementary to the existing hotel and its setting. Happily, the client concurs: Angela Finlay, Operations Director, Perle Hotels comments, “The extension was designed in subservience to the original building, the end result is that far from playing second fiddle, the extension is a beautiful piece of design in its own right—and a joyful surprise on approaching the hotel.”

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FEATURE

NO 26 BY THE SEA CORRAN ESPLANADE, OBAN PA34 5AQ

BY SUSAN YOUNG

O

ban-based hospitality entrepreneur, Paul Sloan, of Diversity Leisure has opened a new boutique hotel in Oban.

The nine-room property is called No. 26 By The Sea and has been designed by Dominic Paul of Glasgow-based IBDP, The new hotel, formerly the Ach-NaMara, or Meadow By The Sea, guesthouse.

The Victorian building was originally built in 1895, and is located by the sea, on the Corran Esplanade. and as a result the rooms have great views of the bay and islands.

The rooms have all been individually themed. There is a cabin room, a garden room and a Scottish room, the latter has a four-poster bed.

Some rooms have balconies to make the most of the great views and the hotel also

HOTELSCOTLAND • 23

The hotel’s public areas feature jewel colours, bespoke furnishings which have been sourced from around the world - the result is a warm and inviting space with lots to comment on.

The owners describe it as a Stylistic Boutique House Hotel, it certainly is.

It also has an Honesty Bar. General Manager Ioana Moldovan explains, “We decided to have an Honesty Bar as we want our guests to feel as they are home away from home(is basically a bar without a bartender and guests help themselves). To enjoy the true taste of Scotland, we fully stocked the bar with a large variety of local products as Whisky, Rum, Gin, Vodka, Liqueurs etc.

The bedroom, which have all been individually themed feature curtains and soft furnishing supplied by Select Contract

Furniture. They too are colourful and in keeping with the hotel’s quirky feel.

From baths at the foot of your bed to a room which makes you feel that you are in Sweden instead of Oban, there is plenty to catch your attention.

Owner Paul Sloan also owns various restaurants and bars throughout Scotland and his love of food is demonstrated by the events the hotel plans to hold once COVID allows. They will include Cooking Classes and Wine Club. The No 26 Cook School is both informal but informative, whether a beginner or a pro, it will teach the basics as well as indepth techniques to create some of the most amazing culinary dishes from around the world. www.no26bythesea.com

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26 • HOTELSCOTLAND

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David Cochrane, Chief Executive of Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland (HIT), has been awarded an MBE in the Queens’ birthday honours list announced last month.

David, 52, from Milnathort, Kinross has been recognised for his pivotal role in spearheading the hospitality charity’s scholarship programme which has transformed the lives of young people carving out a career in the hospitality sector.

Under David’s guidance, HIT Scotland has raised in-excess of £4 million and awarded over 10,000 bursaries and 2,000 scholarships.

HIT’s Scholarship & Bursary programmes are estimated to return £1 million annually to the hospitality industry in new skills, promoting best practice, improving staff retention and encouraging professional development Well regarded in the industry, David offers his time as a volunteer to champion the sector and is an active member of many industry forums, including the Scottish Government’s Tourism Skills Group, as trustee of Dynamic Earth (one of Scotland’s top tourist attractions) and as a fellow of the Institute of Hospitality.

Commenting on the award, David said, “I am deeply honoured and humbled by this award. What has been achieved by HIT Scotland

would not have been possible without the commitment and ambition of our Trustees and Exec team who have played a huge part in the success of the charity, alongside members of the industry who have given generously of their time, hospitality and funds to make such a positive impact on our sector.

“This comes at a really difficult time for the sector as we grapple with the catastrophic impact of Covid-19. This has certainly tested our resilience but again the industry has demonstrated real ingenuity in overcoming the many obstacles we face. The ambition and drive to look to the future is shining through and HIT is proud to be part of this incredible industry.”

Chair of HIT Scotland and Chief Executive of Apex Hotels, Angela Vickers said:,“ I can truly say that David is devoted to the industry and its betterment. Throughout his working life from Gleneagles, to Springboard Charity, to HIT Scotland he has championed the cause by promoting Hospitality as a sustainable occupation.

Through his work at HIT David has assisted hundreds of students into education, employment, progression and genuinely enhanced careers.

I would like to pass on my congratulations, and that of all the HIT trustees, to David and his family..”

HOTELSCOTLAND • 27

OBITUARY

H

Henrietta Fergusson Killiecrankie House Hotel BORN 8 JANUARY 1952. DIED: 1 OCTOBER 2020

enrietta Fergusson was an inspirational hotelier who died at the start of this month aged 68.

Henrietta who had owned the Killiecrankie House Hotel near Pitlochry since 2007 was an expert on the art of hospitality and a real character.

Henrietta’s father was a Church of Scotland Minister and she grew up in mainly in the south-west of Scotland. Her first job in hospitality at the age of 17 was a summer job at the Clachaig Inn followed by roles at the George Hotel and Timothy’s Restaurant.

This started her out on her life long career which saw her work at some of the best hotels in the country.

She was General Manager at Greywalls Hotel in Gullane from 1984 – 1988 and spent a further eight years in Gullane at the Sea House. She also managed the Johnstounburn House Hotel.

Then, in 1988, she headed to Dornoch and the Carnegie Club st Skibo to work for millionaire hotelier Peter de Savary. During her time at Skibo, she famously looked after Madonna who chose Skibo Castle as the venue for her 2000 wedding to Guy Ritchie.

Henrietta, who was in charge of the booking, looked after the wedding party.

Bovey Castle in Dartmoor was her next destination. It was also owned by Peter de Savary and she stayed there until 2006 before fulfilling her ambition of buying her own hotel, with the help of friends and family. She poured all her energies into the 11-bedroomed Killiecrankie House and she transformed it into, officially, the best hotel in the land in 2011 when the Good Hotel Guide awarded Henrietta its top accolade because of its excellent reputation for good food and wine, which Henrietta’s loyal Head Chef, Mark Easton helped her with. She delivered on the warmth of the welcome and the many small touches which helped create a cosy and inviting hotel for so many – from the hot water bottles delivered at turndown to its melt in the mouth shortbread readily available.

Over the years she made many good friends in hospitality and kept in touch with many former colleagues and employees. She took great pride in her work but was a hard taskmaster – either employees quit early doors or remained lifelong friends.

28 • HOTELSCOTLAND

Her younger brother John (JS) says, “It has been very touching the number of people who have been in touch to pay the condolences. It has been heartwarming.

Henrietta also made many more friends in her local community championing local causes. She wasn’t afraid to put her head above the parapet and was not short of an opinion which she was known to share with her guests who were also very loyal.

On hearing of her death, the hotel’s Facebook page was awash with condolences from far and wide with people sharing their memories of this extraordinary kind and generous woman and the hotel.

As well as her a love of hospitality she had a love for dogs – and her faithful spaniel for many years was called Beanie - it resided at the hotel’s reception.

Brother JG Fergusson said, “She knew her market, she would never let standards slip and she gained a reputation as a first-class hotelier.

“The Killiecrankie Hotel thrived under her ownership, with occupancy rates increasing each year, and the number of repeat bookings at an impressive 65 per cent.

“In January, she was diagnosed with terminal cancer and stepped back from involvement in the day to day running of the business, although never lost her interest in the hotel, its staff or its guests.

He continues, “She was a formidable woman and she had no self-pity which made it easier for the rest of us. An example of her practical nature was the fact that before her diagnosis she had downsized to a Skoda when she knew she didn’t have to cover her retirement she bought herself a Landrover Discovery so she could travel in comfort.

In mid-September, with no further treatment possible, she returned to Killiecrankie where she continued to welcome friends to her house until the end with the hotel catering for them. She went out in style with those she loved around her.

Pitlochry paid its respects to this doyenne of hospitality as her coffin was piped from the hotel and along the Main Street ahead of her funeral on Thursday 22nd October.

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CHECKOUT From day to day, never mind week to week, nothing remains the same. In hospitality that pivot is hard to manage. But hoteliers up and down the country are doing their very best. I just wish that Government were consulting with the industry because despite the effort of UKHospitality, SHG, and the recent letter penned by 100 industry professionals it seems like the Scottish Government are unable or unwilling to take on board the industry’s recommendations. I cannot understand why. Surely in a crisis like this you would take information from the most informed and utilise it to ensure you take the businesses with you. I know we are in unchartered waters but come on. Use the expertise at your fingertips and that IS the hospitality industry.

We always knew the £14 million Hotel Recovery Programme created by the Scottish Government to support larger hotels through the crisis was not enough.

Now it has been revealed only 30% of applicants made it through to the first stage with Scottish Enterprise offering a ‘holistic’ approach to the rest. Unfortunately that ‘holistic’ approach is just not going to save jobs. it refers to an approach that looks at the “whole” company and all of its variables. If there is no more funding made available in the light of the ongoing restrictions the ‘variables won’t matter a jot! I’m not surprised the Chief Executive of Scottish Enterprise has quit. It’s new boss Linda Hanna has her work cut out the efforts of Scottish Enterprise to get drive forward a recovery plan has been thwarted by Government so far.

It seems like their words are falling on deaf ears too.

You may have read Henrietta Fergusson’s obituary on the previous page. She was one of the real characters of the hospitality industry. I met her on a number of occasions and was always impressed by her forthrightness and professionalism. She will be missed.

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Time to re-think how customers are served safely whilst keeping staff protected.

Time to re-think how customers are served safely whilst keeping staff protected.

Time to re-think how customers are served www. safely whilst keeping staff protected.

CONTACT US FOR MORE INFORMATION

Time to re-think how customers are served www.

Glasgow Edinburgh Aberdeen safely whilst keeping staff protected.

0141 299 1802 0131 503 1802 01224 216430 Time Time to to re-think re-think how how customers customers are are served served www. safely whilst whilst keeping keeping staff staff protected. protected. safely

Last but not least I would like to congratulate Nicola Taylor on her recent marriage. This is our very own superwoman - with everything going on she still managed to organise her wedding. Lovely news.

30 • HOTELSCOTLAND

E: info@icrscotland.co.uk

www.

www.icrscotland.co.uk

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