NEWS

MARINE & LAWN HOTELS - THE NEW HOTEL COLLECTION AIMING TO CAPITALISE ON GOLF

Marine & Lawn Hotels & Resorts is a new collection of Scottish luxury hotels which includes in its portfolio Rusacks St Andrews in St Andrews, the Marine North Berwick and the Marine Troon, which although reopening this year, will officially join the Marine & Lawn collection in 2022, when its renovations are all fully completed. The hotels will offer handcrafted experiences rooted in service and prime access to Scotland’s most prestigious golf courses.

The brand has also partnered with restaurant developer, White Rabbit Projects, who will launch and run all food and beverage outlets at Rusacks and Marine North Berwick. Each hotel will offer distinct destination dining options. White Rabbit Projects is the group behind behind including Kricket, Lina Stores and Island Poké. It will use local suppliers throughout Scotland, and its range of culinary offerings will encompass restaurant, bar and café concepts as well as a standout rooftop bar and restaurant at Rusacks St Andrews that will overlook the world famous Old Course and West Sands Beach.

The newly renovated Rusacks St Andrews will open in June 2021 with 123 guest rooms, as well as a range of culinary offerings, including a traditional Scottish pub and the rooftop bar and restaurant The renovated property includes a 42,000 square foot expansion which will house additional guest rooms and the rooftop concept.

The Marine North Berwick will open in June 2021with 84 guest rooms, two food and beverage concepts and 6,000 square feet of flexible meeting and event spaces. The hotel will also offer a spa, pool and fitness centre. As part of a comprehensive interior and exterior renovation, the ‘Grand Old Lady’ will be restored to her former glory as a luxury landmark on Scotland’s Golf Coast. The hotel overlooks the 16th hole of the historic West Links course at North Berwick Golf Club and boasts scenic views of the Firth of Forth and Bass Rock.

Marine Troon on the Ayrshire Coast will be open throughout 2021, but will officially join the Marine & Lawn Collection in 2022. With 89 guest rooms, the hotel will offer two unique food and beverage concepts, expansive meeting and event spaces and a new fitness and leisure centre with an indoor pool, squash court, sauna and steam facilities..

A new Premier Inn hotel for Hamilton

The new Premier Inn at Hamilton, on the site of the former Hamilton Town Hotel, will offer 96 bed rooms and a Beefeater restaurant when it opens later this year .

The new Hamilton hotel is one of four new Premier Inn hotels that will open their doors to guests in Scotland this year, adding more than 550 new bedrooms into Premier Inn’s growing network and creating around 150 new year-round jobs.

Alongside the Hamilton Premier Inn, the new openings include a new super-sized Premier Inn in Glasgow city centre, a new hotel on Edinburgh’s Princes Street and the most northerly Premier Inn in the UK at Thurso in the Highlands.

CAMERON HOUSE FINED £500,000

Cameron House Resort (Loch Lomond) Ltd, owner of the five-star Cameron House Hotel located near Balloch, has been fined £500,000 for fire safety failings which led to the deaths of two guests Richard Dyson and partner Simon Midgley staying at the premises in late 2017. Further, an employee of the company has had an 18-month Supervision Order imposed as well as a Community Payback Order and has also been instructed to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work after admitting Health and Safety failings which started the blaze.

Alistair Duncan, head of the Health and Safety Investigation Unit,went on to state, “This incident should serve as a stark reminder to other companies that failure to implement the necessary fire safety measures can have terrible consequences.”

Hotels currently for sale include the Arisaig Hotel overlooking Loch nan Ceall. It has13 en-suite bedrooms and service areas like a covered decking outside for up to 50 guests. . They are accepting offers over £860,000 for the freehold. The St Olaf Hotel at Cruden Bay is also up for sale marketing by Christie & Co. The hotel has five en-suite bedrooms, a reception hall including a spacious lounge, restaurant, breakfast room, and public bar with a separate entrance. The business is on the market at an asking price of £450,000 for the freehold going concern.

Hospitality bodies put forward tweaks to levels to save jobs

Five of Scotland’s hospitality bodies have collectively presented the Scottish Government with an updated Level System for its Strategic Framework which would allow 60,000 hospitality workers to retain their jobs and which would also contribute £1.2bn to the Scottish economy. The proposed series of small tweaks to the current levels system would allow the sector to meet both public health and economy objectives as strict COVID measures would remain in place. For instance in Level three currently inside and outside there is no alcohol allowed, 5pm is the last entry and there is a 6pm close. The trade bodies asks are suggesting that inside: . Alcohol only with a meal . Last entry at 8.30pm - Two-hour time slots - Closing at 10.30 - Seated consumption only - No queuing Outdoors - Alcohol permitted - Last entry at 9.30 - Closing at 11.30 - Seated consumption only - No queuing The trade bodies who have forward the proposals include the Scottish Hospitality Group, UK Hospitality Scotland, Scottish Licensed Trade Association, Night Time Industries Association and the Scottish Beer & Pub Association and the plans been submitted to the Scottish Government, mirror the reopening plans for England as closely as possible, with the stripping away of additional restrictions such as a curfew and serving alcohol only with a meal. They have backed up their proposal with research from leading economic consultancy, BiGGAR Economics. Their figures show that under the current Level 3 restrictions, 54% of hospitality businesses could be operating, which generates a turnover of £269 million and supports 21,900 jobs. If the government was to open with the proposed Level 3 industry change, 73% of businesses could be operating, generating a turnover of £927 million and supporting 53,300 jobs. Graeme Blackett, Director of BiGGAR Economics, said, “This study highlights the severe negative economic impact that the COVID-19 lockdown has had on the hospitality sector.” He adds, “It also demonstrates that the changes to the restrictions in the level system that the hospitality sector has proposed, can place the hospitality sector and the wider food and drink supply chain in a much stronger position. Adjustments to the restrictions could get thousands of people back to work and allow the sector to generate turnover and contribute significantly to the public finances in the coming weeks and months.” BiGGAR Economics’ study also found that under the newly proposed Level 2 changes, 91% of businesses could be operating, which would generate a turnover of £1.2 billion and support 68,000 jobs. This is compared to current Level 2 restrictions in which only 73% of business could operate, generating a turnover of £634 million and supporting only 34,900 jobs. Stephen Montgomery, Group Spokesperson for the Scottish Hospitality Group, said, “We hope that this latest research will give the Scottish Government the push to re-address the current levels system which has unfairly targeted our industry since last year.” Willie Macleod, Executive Director, Scotland for UK Hospitality (UKH) said, “The plan for reopening Scotland’s economy has to acknowledge that hotels, bars and restaurants are still at severe risk and must place the survival of our sector, which will be integral to the economic recovery of the country, at its heart. The report from BiGGAR Economics shows how the reopening of hospitality venues can secure jobs, kick-start the vital supply chain and ensure that public health remains a priority.” Mike Grieve, Chairperson of NTIA Scotland said, “We strongly urge the First Minister to act on the proposed revised levels as outlined in the Hospitality Joint Association letter, and to engage in discussions with the group to find solutions appropriate to the needs of all hospitality businesses as a matter of urgency.”The priority must be to set a clear roadmap out of lockdown as vaccination levels rise and hospitalisation rates drop.”

TORRIDON PICKS UP ACCOLADE BEST RURAL HOTEL

The Torridon at Wester Ross has been named as the ‘Best Rural Hotel 2020’ at the Food and Travel Magazine’s Reader Awards.

The awards celebrate the best in the hospitality and travel industry from around the world, with winners from Italy, Vietnam and Switzerland, alongside the UK. Food and Travel Magazine readers shared their thoughts on everything food and travel related, including hotels, destinations, chefs, restaurants, cruises, cookery schools and books.

The award win comes after another successful year for the hotel, following The Torridon being named No. 23 in the UK in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice Awards. Earlier this year, the hotel joined sustainability initiative NOW Force for Good Alliance, as part of its ongoing commitment to reducing its impact.

Dan Rose-Bristow, co-owner of The Torridon, sa, “We are delighted to have been awarded the Rural Hotel of the Year award. Thank you to all of our guests and the readers of Food and Travel magazine who voted for us. I’m incredibly proud of our hard-working team who have once again shown their amazing approach to providing the best in Scottish hospitality. This award inspires us to keep creating the exceptional and memorable experiences of escape and adventure that our guests appreciate.”

THE SCOTTISH TOURISM ALLIANCE, the leading representative body for the tourism sector in Scotland has announced details of its first STA virtual annual national conference. Entitled ‘Looking Forward…’, the event will take place on WEDNESDAY 24TH MARCH from 1000-1300 and has been structured around the ‘Outlook 2030’ tourism strategy themes of sustainability, experiences, people and place to offer delegates the most relevant insights to enable effective recovery. iMarc Crothall, Chief Executive of the STA said,

“Scotland’s tourism industry has changed so much from everything we knew as a result of the pandemic; our ‘new world’ will look entirely different, as will Scotland’s tourism product and the way that people choose to experience our vast and varied assets so it’s absolutely vital that we bring all sectors within the industry the most up to date insights and inspiration to guide them towards and indeed through recovery. We would normally host a 600 delegate conference at one of Scotland’s largest venues so this feels very new for us to be doing but hugely exciting and represents a valuable opportunity for people from all types of tourism business in Scotland to come together for a morning to network, hear the most important insights and really importantly, be inspired and energised to move forward.”

THE COLONSAY HOTEL SEEKS A DISCERNING BUYER

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The Colonsay Hotel, the only hotel on the Isle of Colonsay has been put up for sale. The hotel, which has stunning views, has nine boutique-style bedrooms and suite, along with a bar, conservatory, and dining room and extensive outbuildings and separate staff accommodation.

It is on the market with a guide price of £650,000 for the freehold going concern and is being marketed through Christie & Co.

Current owner Jane Howard, who took over the hotel in 2005 comments, “It presents a fantastic opportunity to build on an already successful business and take it to the next level on one of the most beautiful islands in the world! The Isle of Colonsay is becoming more and more desirable as a unique tourist destination for guests looking for remote and beautiful landscapes, beaches, ancient history and stunning wildlife. The hotel offers the most comfortable and welcoming base to enjoy the island and huge potential to develop its offering.”

Colonsay is renowned for having the longest hours of sunshine and the best white sandy beaches in all of Scotland, making it a highly popular holiday destination for families and outdoor enthusiasts.

Brian Sheldon, Regional Director, Hospitality, at Christie & Co, who is handling the sale adds, “As the island’s only hotel and pub, the business enjoys excellent occupancy as well as good levels of local trade and is considered to be the hub of the island’s social life. We believe this will be a very successful business for a buyer going into 2021 and beyond.”

MORAY PROJECT GETS £100,000 HIE FUNDING

xHighlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has backed a new luxury venue and holiday accommodation venue in Moray to the tune of £100,000. The project, by Rothes Glen Limited (RGL), will create up to ten new fulltime equivalent jobs in rural Speyside. RGL bought the property in 2019 to convert it from a private home into a high-end exclusive use venue with world-class hospitality aimed at attracting malt whisky connoisseurs. The HIE funding will go towards the £0.5m final phase of the alterations, which are due to be completed by the middle of 2021. Thereafter the business will offer private luxurious malt whisky-themed holiday experiences as well as hosting high-quality industry events..

UNIVERSITY LOOKS TO CREATE GENERATION OF ECO CHEFS

Glasgow Caledonian University is looking to help create a new generation of chefs in a bid to curb the devastating impact food waste has on the environment. The University has been awarded funding to develop an online training course for young people working as apprentices in the hospitality and restaurant sectors. The idea is to develop chefs who are aware of the impact food waste has on the environment and who can then implement practices in the kitchen to tackle it. Academics are developing an online tool to deliver the training, which the young chefs will work through with their employers. The two-year Europe-wide project, which has received £180,000 funding from Erasmus+, is being led by Professor Jim Baird and Dr Charles Russell. Professor Baird said: “Sustainability is an emerging concern in the sector, and any avoidance of waste, in preparation or on the plate, can have a significant impact on the environment and climate change. We are therefore developing a piece of online software that allows a young person working in a kitchen to develop an action plan that will minimise food waste. “Young people straight out of school don’t necessarily possess the skills needed right away to think about how they might work differently, so our tool will be there to help them think about how they are going to go about their work in a sustainable way.”environmental damage.”

Links House at Royal Dornoch raises cash for cancer

The five-star Links House at Royal Dornoch, previously voted the sixth top hotel in the UK – has raised more than £2,400 for charity Hope for Tomorrow at a recent charity auction. The hotel donated “The Ultimate Luxury Highlands Weekend” at a recent “Aston Martin, Go Behind the Scenes, Get Behind the Wheel” fundraiser. It is providing accommodation in their bespoke penthouse apartments, The Mallart, dinner on both nights in Dornoch’s Courtroom Bar & Brasserie and Links House’s soon-to-debut signature restaurant, Mara.

Hope for Tomorrow is charity which organises bringing cancer care closer to patients home via Mobile Chemotherapy unit (MCCU)..