Hotel Scotland issue 16

HOTELSCOTLAND 16 – FEBRUARY 2019 ISSN 2515-8287

HIT

CELEBRATES ITS SILVER ANNIVERSARY GET SET FOR

SCOTHOT

KINGSHOUSE LAUNCHES

INTERVIEW:

MAROULLA NICHOLAS THE GLYNHILL HOTEL

CONTENTS

4 NEWS 8 HIT CELEBRATES

8

I

WELCOME

t’s certainly been a busy start to the year with both Fingal and the new Edinburgh Moxy opening, but I also took time out to interview Maroulla Nicholas – an old friend and a great personality. too. She had plenty to say.

I also caught up with David Cochrane – it’s hard to believe that HIT is 25 years old. The charity has certainly come a long way in the intervening years. My interview with David is on page 8.

I was very sorry to hear about the death of Andrew Fairlie. Cate Devine has written his obituary for Hotel Scotland. It is on page 29.

This issue we also have an introduction to what’s on at ScotHot – there are certainly plenty of people exhibiting. I hope to see a few of you there.

Last but not least I managed to fit in a visit to the new Fingal at Leith. It’s been a long time in the planning and it is looking lovely.

Our cover features Stephen Leckie of Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels and Kingshouse GM Craig Haddow.

See you next month.

Susan Young Editor

@hotel_scotland hotelmagazinescotland.co.uk

13 GET SET FOR SCOTHOT

• HIT

18 INTERVIEW:

MAROULLA NICHOLAS OF THE GLYNHILL HOTEL

23 DESIGN:

FINGAL, PORT OF LEITH

26 FOCUS ON: SPA’S

IO

• WHISKY TO STOCK

23

• FINGAL

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

susan@mediaworldltd.com

10 WHISKY WORTH STOCKING

30 PEOPLE

31 WHAT’S NEW 34 CHECK OUT

3O

• ALAN O’DEA

Editor: Susan Young Editorial: Jocelyn O’Keefe, Jason Caddy Advertising: Sylvia Forsyth, Nicole Browning, Ken Ramsay Production: Dougie Wagstaff Admin: Cheryl Cook

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 2018. Printed by Stephens & George Print Group.

FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 3

NEW CHARITY FOR HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY

Hospitality Health, which was formed last August, officially launched last month at a morning event at the Grand Central Hotel in Glasgow attended by around 80 people from throughout the industry. The charity has been set up by Gordon McIntyre, Associate Dean of Hospitality & Tourism at Glasgow College, who is also Chairman of the Charity alongside a board of trustees.

Chair Gordon McIntyre, (pictured centre) told the assembled guests that the charity had been formed to support staff and employers in the Scottish hospitality industry and improve the stressful lives of those working within the industry.

He revealed the impetus to set it up came after the tragic death of a chef that he knew well.

Says Gordon, “We are offering a service which we hope will mean that hospitality staff are only 2 clicks away from support.” He also said that he supported Danny Myer, the American hospitality guru’s view, that “Staff and not the customer should come first.”

The charity has developed a Wellness Charter, and businesses that sign up to the Wellness

Charter will commit to adopting an Employee Assistance Programme through a dedicated online support portal. Hospitality Action is offering a programme is designed specifically to assist hospitality people by providing specialist, independent, confidential advice, support and assistance, whatever the problem – mental health and wellbeing, gambling as well as assistance with drug and alcohol abuse issues.

Gordon says, “I have seen first-hand the devastating effects stress can have, and I really wanted to give something back. Our charity is here to connect staff and students to experienced professionals who can provide expert help at times of need.”

He added, “Many employers have told us that recruitment is also a challenge with many jobs in hospitality unfilled. We really hope that by improving the health and well-being of those in the industry or about to work in the industry, we will also encourage more people to join us in what is ultimately very rewarding career.”

Find out more by checking out www.hospitalityhealth.org.uk

Coylumbridge joins Britannia family Coylumbridge Hotel, near Aviemore, has joined the Britannia Hotel stable, following its sale by Starwood Capital Group, who only acquired the hotel last year. The 175-bedroomed hotel was originally for sale in its guise as part of the Hilton brand, and its previous asking price was £8.75m.

The Coylumbridge Hotel has now become the group’s 61st hotel and Britannia’s fifth hotel in Scotland with hotels

in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Prestwick and Peterhead.

The group’s guest room count is fast approaching the 12,000 mark. Its latest addition to the portfolio is set in 65 acres and offers conference and leisure facilities, including two indoor swimming pools, an 18-hole crazy golf course, and soft play area as well as five restaurants and two bars.

It was sold through Christie & Co.

IF YOU HAVE ANY NEWS FOR US AT HOTEL SCOTLAND EMAIL: NEWS@MEDIAWORLDLTD.COM 4 • HOTELSCOTLAND • FEBRUARY 2019

The Kingshouse Hotel in Glencoe reopens this month after a £12 million redevelopment. The extended hotel now boasts 57 bedrooms, plus a 32 bed bunkhouse, a new restaurant, bar and pub.

Kingshouse will be managed through Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels. Owner, Stephen Leckie, said, “Our focus will be to provide continuity for all the things which make Kingshouse unique, while ensuring its longevity for another century and more.

“Our aim is create a welcoming destination for all. By improving facilities for serious walkers as well as recreational tourists, we intend to

HAMPTON INN SET FOR ABERDEEN Aberdeen is set to see a 210-bedroom Hampton Inn created as part of Drum Property Group’s Grande Development at Poynernook Road.

Aberdeen City Council planners have given the go-ahead to the developers saying that the new hotel would “support the planning aim of turning the surrounding area into a high-quality business quarter.”

TOMATIN TRADING Co TO BUILD £10M HOTEL Tomatin Trading Company has been granted planning permission to go ahead with plans for a 99-bedroom hotel, 200-seat restaurant, farm shop, drive-through bakery, shops and a filling station – all in Tomatin. The 3.5-acre site, which has been empty since 2008, was previously occupied by the Freemore Hotel and, later, a Little Chef roadside restaurant. The £10m development, which the developers aim to get off the blocks this year, will create around 100 new jobs.

NEWS

MacDonald Hotels cut head office jobs

make Kingshouse Hotel a destination for all year round, including hosting events and weddings amongst some of the most dramatic scenery in Scotland.”

MacDonald Hotels has announced that it is cutting 50 jobs at its Edinburgh HQ, with the cuts impacting staff within the group’s marketing, conferencing, IT accounting and payroll departments.

The group, which is currently in consultation, announced the cuts after a review of the business. In a letter to staff it said, “One of the findings from the review was that our operating costs are unsustainably high and we require to focus on reducing these as a priority for this year.

“As a result of these various factors we have been left with no option but to consider implementing a number of redundancies as part of a wider cost reduction programme which will also target non-essential overheads and non-staff costs.

But regrettably one of the first steps we have been forced to consider is reducing our group headcount by around 50.”

PROMISING OUTLOOK FOR APEX Apex Hotels investment in its refurbishment programme and its expansion plans are paying dividends.

The group has just revealed an increase in turnover to £68.9m, an increase of 6%, and pre-tax profit of £7.8m. The number of rooms sold also rose by 5.9%.

Capital investment was top of the agenda for the four-star hotel group, with £18.8million invested in an extensive expansion and refurbishment programme across its 10-strong portfolio.

Angela Vickers, Chief Executive Officer, Apex Hotels Limited said, “We are pleased to report a year-on-year rise in turnover during what has been an exciting period for the brand.

“A prime example of this is London, where Apex Temple Court Hotel has benefitted from a multi-million-pound extension, creating 20 new rooms including a number of luxurious suites. The development, which opens in the coming week, will also offer a decadent wine bar and private dining.

“Elsewhere in the city, Apex City of London benefitted from £1.3million of works bringing the introduction of two new elements – the Lampery restaurant and spa facilities.

“In Scotland, demonstrating our continued commitment to providing our valued customers with a truly first-class experience and warmer welcome, we rolled out refurbishment works to the tune of £4.3million at Apex City Quay Dundee and Apex Grassmarket in Edinburgh.

“Meanwhile the year also saw an additional £9.2million allocated to the completion of our 177-room Apex City of Bath which has proved to be a fantastic and hugely popular addition to our portfolio – and one which contributed to the rise in our number of rooms sold.”

Angela continued: “We have ploughed significant investment into a range of new additions and improvements across the portfolio. Our customers are appreciative of this continued reinvestment, with guest satisfaction GRI scores increasing across the group to 90 per cent*.

“Overall we are reflecting on an extremely positive financial year, and we look forward to everything 2019 will bring including unveiling our new rooms and suites at Apex Temple Court and further refurbishment programmes in London and Edinburgh.”

MELDRUM LAUNCHES 1236 Meldrum House Country Hotel has launched a brand-new casual dining experience called 1236 in its award-winning Cave Bar. The Cave Bar is in the oldest part of their 800-year old building and they’ve called the new dining concept 1236 for a reason – it was the year Meldrum House was built.

Now open morning, noon and night, 1236 brings a different kind of offering at Meldrum. with Morning Bites, Brunch, Sandwiches and ligher meals on offer during the day and eveningf - which offers guessts an alternative to its 2 Red Rosette Dining Room.

As well as a new menu the bar is also offering cocktails and craft beer too. And during more appropriate weather there is a terrace for alfresco wining and dining.

The news comes only months after the appointment of a new GM Jordan Charles.

The Carlton Hotel Collection’s 98-room Market Street hotel, part of the Carlton Hotel Collection, is due to open shortly.

The £20m hotel which has 98-rooms is located within the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, and will offer guests views across Waverley Valley. It will be the first hotel in Scotland to be be a member of Design Hotels TM. Work has just started on a new £4.5m Travelodge in Edinburgh’s South Gyle. The 70-bedroom hotel, being built by Ogilvie Construction for developer Crucible Alba Group. It is due to be finished by the Autumn.

The Lovat Lodge Hotel in Nairn has closed after 50 years. The trustees of the hotel, which specialised in accommodation for people with arthritis and other disabilities, took the decision because the hotel could no longer sustain a reasonable level of business.

It cited a reduction in the number of elderly customers which meant the hotel was operating at 50% capacity.

The property is now on the open market.

FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 5

CRERAR GROUP SELL SCOTLAND’S HOTEL AND LEISURE CLUB Fenwick Hotel sold to Ayrshire businessman The Fenwick Hotel in Fenwick has been bought by Ayrshire businessman Henry Fitzsimmons who also owns The Riverside Lodge in Irvine which has 128-bedroom, the Brisbane House Hotel in Largs and Oscars in Saltcoats. He bought the hotel from Jaspreet Samra who bought the hotel when he was only 23, in 2008. Since then the hotel has been totally refurbished, the functions suite was rebuilt and extended and the hotel created a small cocktail bar. It’s understood that Samra is emigrating to Canada.

Energy move for Edinburgh Park hotel Whitbread’s Edinburgh Park Hotel is trialling a lithium-ion battery to help power its operations. The 200-room Premier Inn is aiming to save energy and costs with the innovative move. The battery was installed in the hotel as part of a trial by E.ON “in part because Scotland is a large producer of renewable power, such as wind power, which can be prone to volatility.”

The battery which weighs about five metric tons, takes two hours to charge up and can run the full site for up to three hours. The savings are expected to be in the region of £20,000.

Richard Oakley, E.ON’s customer accounts director, said in a statement, “By adding the flexibility of battery storage we can help Whitbread to upgrade to the full-board option of drawing electricity from the grid when prices are low, storing that energy for use at peak times and having the ability to sell it back to the grid to help balance supply and demand on the network.”

A US millionaire Betsee Parker has been given permission by Highland Council to turn the former Ackergill Tower hotel near Wick back into a private house.

The 33-bedroomed hotel, which closed suddenly just before Christmas had been up for sale for three years.

6 • HOTELSCOTLAND • FEBRUARY 2019

An off-market deal brokered by Colliers International has seen Scotland’s Hotel and Leisure Club in Pitlochry change hands for approximately £2.5m.

The 72-bedroom hotel has been bought from incumbent Crerar Hotels by Irish firm CastleCollection.com which is owned and run by the MacCumbhaill family who also own the nearby Fishers Hotel and Atholl Palace, also in Pitlochry. This brings the Castle Collection’s estate to seven.

Fionn MacCumhaill, managing director of the CastleCollection.com comments, “We are delighted to add Scotland’s Hotel & Leisure Club to our collection, which will strengthen the hotel base and tourist offering, in what we believe is the heart of Scotland. Pitlochry is a great choice for staycation tourism and we aim to create a modern metro boutique hotel with spa to grow this segment of the market.

“We will be investing a further £2,000,000 over the coming year to develop Scotland’s Hotel & Leisure Club into a modern vibrant metro boutique hotel.”

CEO of Crerar Hotel Group, Paddy Crerar CBE, said, “It was a pleasure to deal with MacCumhaill family and Castle Collection, which made the difficult decision to let Scotland’s go much easier.

“Scotland’s could well have been retained to be redeveloped and join the high-quality portfolio we are fully committed to building, however, the deal made sense to both parties.”

Currently, there is a further cluster of Crerar Hotels for sale also through Colliers.

LMVH MOVE INTO HOTELS Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton (LVMH) has moved into hotels with the acquisiton of the Belmond hospitality group for £2bn. The deal is expected to complete within the next few months.

The means that the luxury brand now owns Hotel Cipriani in Venice, Hotel Splendido in Portofino, Copacabana Palace in Rio de Janeiro, Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons in Oxfordshire, Grand Hotel Europe in St. Petersburg, Maroma Resort & Spa in Mexico, Hotel das Cataratas in the Iguassu National Park in Brazil and Cap Juluca in Anguilla.

Moxy Edinburgh Airport books in Moxy Hotels, Marriott International’s experiential hotel brand, opened its newest Moxy, at Edinburgh Airport last month.

The 230-bedroom Moxy Edinburgh Airport is a millennial-focused hotel designed for today’s savvy hyperconnected, techy global traveller. The opening follows in the footsteps of the Moxy in Glasgow which only opened at the tail end of the year. To reflect its locality, the hotel has a book-themed interior as a nod to Edinburgh’s status as UNESCO’s City of Literature.

Auchrannie, Arran’s flagship resort which moved into employee ownership in January last year, has just published an encouraging set of accounts which show profits up by nearly one-third to £448,493 for the year to 31st March 2018 and turnover reaching £7.6m. Its accounts also revealed that occupancy rates were maintained at 90%.

XXXXXXXX NEWS

PERLE HOTELS BUY INVERNESS HOTEL Lochardil House Hotel in Inverness has been sold to Perle Hotels. The 28-bedroom hotel joins the Perle stable which also includes the Marmalade and Bosville Hotels on the Isle of Skye, and the Perle Oban Hotel in Argyll & Bute.

Beth Rehman, Brand Director from Perle Hotels, commented,“Perle Hotels continues to invest in its hotel offering of affordable luxury in the Highlands region. We offer the highest quality of service and food and drink offerings in some of the Highlands most stunning locations.”

MUMBAI ENTREPRENEUR BUYS UP THREE SCOTTISH PROPERTIES AND REBRANDS Mumbai millionaire Sanjay Narang, 56, who owns Mars Hospitality, bought Letterfinlay Lodge in Spean Bridge, Craigard Guest House in Invergarry and the Cluanie Inn in Glenmoriston recently and has pledged to invest millions in the properties to bring them up to scratch after staying in them during a visit to Scotland last Spring.

He called the experience, “atrocious” but still paid £3m for the hotels and is now operating

them under the Black Sheep Hotels banner. He has already rebranded Craigard Guest House as Rokeby Manor and has changed the name of Letterflindlay Lodge to The Whispering Pine Lodge. The Cluanie Inn name has been retained. He has pledged to spend £6 bringing the hotels up to scratch. The entrepreneur who already owns various hotels, restaurants and clubs in India including Waterstones, Pizza

By The Bay, Eat Around The Corner and The Gordon House Hotel.

Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority officials have given Cameron House Hotel’s owners permission to carry out restoration works on the hotel, which was destroyed by a fire just over a year ago. The blaze caused the death of Simon Midgley and Richard Dyson.

The interiors of the five-star hotel require to replaced entirely by a new structure which will mean according to the plans “the loss of some of the historical fabric”. The relocation of the main staircase, the installation of a sprinkler system, and extensions to the rear of the building were also apporved. The work is expected to take around two years.

Research by Savills has revealed that investment in Scotland’s hotel market exceeded £900m last year. Individual transactions made up more than 30% of that amount (£281m) with asset management companies accounting for the remaining. The largest sale was the Caledonian Waldorf Astoria which exchanged hands for £85m. The research reveals that French investors were the most active. Other key deals last year included Swedish investor Pandox AB buying the Radisson Blu in Glasgow for £39m and the sale of Jurys Inn, Edinburgh, to Fattal Hotels for £52m.

Paul Mackintosh has joined the Ayrshirebased RAD Hotel Group as Operations Manager. Paul joins from the Uplawmoor Hotel where he was General Manager.

The Carlton Hotel Collection’s 98room Market Street hotel, part of the Carlton Hotel Collection, is due to open shortly. The £20m hotel which has 98-rooms is located within the city’s UNESCO World Heritage Site, and will offer guests views across Waverley Valley. It will be the first hotel in Scotland to be be a member of Design Hotels TM.

FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 7

CELEBRATING ITS 2019 sees the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) celebrate 25 years and the organisation has been gone from strength to strength. Editor Susan Young interviewed Chief Executive David Cochrane to find out more about the intervening years and plans for 2019.

8 • HOTELSCOTLAND • FEBRUARY 2019

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hen I caught up with David Cochrane, Chief Executive of HIT, recently he was suffering from a sore throat... which is not surprising since he had finished interviewing some 300 candidates for the 2019 HIT Scholarships.

It’s hard to believe it has been 25 years since HIT was founded, but David tells me it’s been an amazing 25 years – he loves his role and the good that it does.

But let’s, first of all, remind ourselves of the beginnings. In 1994 three bastions of the Scottish hospitality industry put their heads together and came up with a novel idea – a charity that would focus on the personal development of people in the industry. The trio, Fergus Chambers, Peter Lederer and Charles Phillip, until then had been supporting the Hotel and Catering Benevolent Association which look after retired general managers (and such like) but although a good cause the first trustees of HIT wanted to raise money in Scotland and keep it here. They decided to form the Hospitality Industry Trust and its original remit was to help students complete their studies in College so that they would go into the hospitality industry.

Explains David, “I joined in 1994 right at the beginning – I was the first HIT employee.

Over the first nine years, I primarily dealt with colleges and fundraising events. During that time we supported 42 colleges and thousands of students benefitted.”

Then in 2005, it was time for a change. Says David, “The trustees, which by then included Stephen Carter, realised that HIT couldn’t

guarantee that its support of these students would lead to the students actually going into hospitality. We were raising all this money but we couldn’t really control whether the money came back into the industry. That’s when we developed the scholarship programme so that we could keep a track of where the money was going. I was able to plough it’s development my own way and the scholarship programme grew and grew. It also allowed us to be more supportive to others parts of Scotland too.”

Today HIT provides scholarships to people who are either working within the industry or studying towards a career in hospitality. You can see how far the organisation has come when you consider in 2005 at the newly created Emerging Talent Conference held in Aviemore HIT had eight applications for scholarships and everyone got one. Roll to this year and there have more than 800 applications and around 300 will be given out.

Says David, “The support we have had from the industry and suppliers too over the years has been tremendous. People from all walks of life have got involved. I think HIT also demonstrates what a supportive industry it is that we work in.”

Today there are three full-time employees – David has been joined by Kirsty and Alison. Says David, “We deliver a lot.” The current board of trustees is led by Angela Vickers – CEO of Apex, who David says “has brought some fresh thinking in.” There are also 87 volunteers on the different HIT committees.

David comments, “I am very proud of HIT and delighted with the support we get.

But I also like the fact that we have tangible

XXXXXXXX HIT

SILVER outcomes. The Talent Conference (formerly the Emerging Talent) is bursting at the seams. There will be a record number of scholarships given out, and we work very hard to ensure that the right scholarship is selected for the right candidate.”

The majority of the HIT Scholarships take place in Scotland and the people from all hotel departments are eligible. They are all about professional development. HIT also demonstrates that lifelong learning is possible with scholarships recipients ranging fron 18 years old to 75-year-olds . Says David, “I’m proud of senior people that put themselves forward.”

The organisation has grown organically. It started off by doing events in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Now there are events all over the country. David and his colleagues work with event organisers who helped facilitate the events. As David explains, “People saw the real benefit of the scholarships and wanted to get involved in their own areas. So they offered to run events. Our annual HIT Dinner was joined by the Poet’s Lunch, The Grampian Dinner, and so on. ” But a real gamechanger came 10 years ago.

Says David, “We were out of my birthday in a restaurant in Linlithgow and someone suggested the idea of climbing Kilimanjaro.

Eighteen months later 19 of us were on top of the mountain. We raised £147,000 making it our biggest fundraiser ever. But it wasn’t just the achievement of raising the funds and climbing the mountain - it was the friendships that we created. It was a fantastic experience.

I shared a tent with Andrew Fairlie – and we

remained firm friends until his death. I’ve been rocked by his passing, but HIT is in a position to keep his spirit arrive. (more next month). The money that we raised allowed us to develop more infrastructure and that’s when Kirsty came on board. The money also allowed us to be more supportive of the industry. We were able to harness the power of the networks that our trustees and volunteers had. But we were always focussing on one goal which was what we were doing was always about the industry and not about HIT Scotland.”

That experience led to further fundraising adventures including climbing the highest mountain in Italy and walking the Great Wall of China. Says David, “These events help create a sense of belonging and we are all doing it for one cause.”

One of the reasons that HIT is so successful is that David and the trustees are constantly building rapport and networks to ensure that the scholarships stay on trend with regard to where the hospitality business is heading. A few years ago it was doing financial scholarships, it also did social media scholarships. More recently it has focussed on sustainability and now mindfulness is the hot topic. As David rightly says, “The scholarships have to move with industry times. We don’t know what people are going to walk through our door and ask for. But these days because of our worldwide connections and our network we can offer to facilitate a multitude of scholarships. We cannot deliver every single request, but we can offer educational experiences that money can’t buy. “The scholarships have to be inspirational and the

people who receive them can bring back what they have learned to their team which ultimately will create a better offer for the customer.”

“We now use three keywords – Empowering, Inspirational and Development – to describe the HIT scholarship experience.”

What HIT also has is a ‘Future’s Group’. A group of people 28 years and under who are helping to keep the organisation on track to allow it to keep on delivering. Says David, “They have a massive passion and enthusiasm for the industry and they are sharing their knowledge with regard to current and future trends are.

For instance, they are not so keen on black-tie dinners but they would embrace a ‘walkietalkie’ event – meeting industry influencers for a walk.”

David adds, “I think one of the reasons that HIT has made it to 25 and has a positive agenda going forward is that it is not a membership organisation. It is a community organisation that people want to be part of.

We are also prepared to move with the times.”

He concludes, “We wouldn’t be doing what we do if we didn’t love it. I have to say massive thanks to everyone who has been involved – from our trustees to each and every supporters. We couldn’t have reach 25 years without their support. Everyone has been so generous not just with financial support but with their time and expertise. Our industry dinner on 28th March will celebrate everything that has been achieved. I am looking forward to it.”

For information on the Fairlie Scholarship see Check Out. FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 9

GREAT WHISKY

WHISKY

Some great malt whiskies to linvest in

01 GLEN SCOTIA VICTORIANA

02 LOCH LOMOND 12 YO

03 BUNNAHBHAIN 40 YO

Glen Scotia Victoriana is a modern interpretation of a classic Victorian style Campbeltown malt. Bottled at cask strength, it is full of flavour with a long, beautifully smooth finish.

Each cask is hand chosen by our Master Blender, Michael Henry for its character, maturity and flavour ensuring this amazing liquid truly reflects why Campbeltown was known as the “Victorian Whisky Capital of the world”.

Married in small batches and bottled at cask strength without chill filtration, its subtle wood and vanilla flavour is enhanced by a full bodied spicy aroma and mildly smoky aftertaste.

Loch Lomond’s distillery heritage dates back to 1814, when the first recorded distillery was based in Tarbet at the north of Loch Lomond.

The distillery has been based at its current location since 1966, and has been continually innovating ever since with its unique still set up and fermentation process. Award winning Loch Lomond 12 year old is beautifully balanced with a hint of peat and smoke. As the “Official Spirit of The Open” Loch Lomond is the perfect dram to savour whether a round of golf has been played or just looking for the perfect single malt to enjoy at the bar.

Little has changed since the first spirit was distilled back in the 19th century.

Malted barley, which hasn’t been smoked over heavy peat fires, is still shipped in – although, now by road not sea. We still use the same spring water, and of course, time continues to play its vital role. Forty long years have crawled past as this spirit has been left to sleep in its safe haven by the sea, cocooned in warmth and darkness.

Indeed the casks that this whisky was maturing in had been, all but, forgotten until our blender discovered it while reviewing the distillery warehouse whisky ledgers. Sourced from the legendary wines and spirit merchant, J.G Turney, these casks have been the home for this stunning whisky for the past forty years.

Andrew Brown, our Distillery Manager and his predecessors have overseen every part of this ancient malt’s maturation.

From hand selecting each oak cask – and discarding any with imperfections – to taking the bold, adventurous move of not chill filtering the spirit. This allows more of the whisky’s complex aroma, flavour and texture to remain. It’s a natural way to end a perfectly natural process and allows you to enjoy a full-bodied taste and savour a spirit rich in depth.

05 KINGSBARNS DREAM TO DRAM The founders of Kingsbarns Distillery have launched their first flagship expression: Kingsbarns ‘Dream to Dram’. Named to mark the Wemyss Family’s vision to bring malt whisky distilling to their Fife home, the new release has been been slowly crafted with barley harvested exclusively from the golden fields of East Fife. Speaking on behalf of the Wemyss family William Wemyss said, ‘Dream to Dram is a wonderful single malt that I think perfectly captures the Lowland style and the character of our East Neuk home in Fife. So much hard work, skill and dedication has gone into crafting our whisky over the past three years so my thanks and congratulations go to everyone at Kingsbarns.”

Dream to Dram is bottled in 70cl at 46%, RRP £44.95. It is available from the Kingsbarns Distillery online shop and at specialist and independent outlets across the UK. 10 • HOTELSCOTLAND • FEBRUARY 2019

04 PRIVATE COLLECTION: GORDON & MACPHAIL 1948 Gordon & MacPhail, has unveiled a new addition to its ‘Private Collection’: Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery. At 70-years-old, it is the oldest expression from the Speyside distillery ever bottled.

The rare and exclusive Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery was matured in Cask 2154, a first fill Sherry butt filled on 11 June 1948 – six years before barley rationing restrictions were lifted following the Second World War. Only 210 decanters of this highly sought-after whisky are available to purchase.

Bottled at cask strength (ABV 48.6%), the amber coloured single malt is presented in an exquisitely engraved, hand-blown crystal decanter. The stunning whisky is framed in a striking wooden presentation case, with doors which smoothly slide open to reveal the precious contents.

Gordon & MacPhail 1948 from Glen Grant Distillery will be available for purchase worldwide from selected specialist retailers* (UK RRP £17,500).

FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 11

SCOTLAND’S PREMIER SHOWCASE FOR FOOD, DRINK, HOSPITALIT Y & TOURISM

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at 20+ talks and workshops

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FEATURE

HOT-FOOT IT TO SCOTHOT SCOTHOT RETURNS TO THE SEC GLASGOW IN MARCH – JASON CADDY TAKES A LOOK AT WHAT’S ON OFFER.

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hich hotelier worth his or her salt isn’t looking for an opportunity to meet with suppliers, network with others to share ideas and inspiration, and learn about the latest trends from across the industry all under one roof?

That’s why ScotHot at the SEC Glasgow is where you should be hot-footing it to on 13th and 14th March 2019. It’s Scotland’s premier showcase for food, drink, hospitality and tourism and, in collaboration with Scottish Tourism Month, ScotHot is the Scottish hospitality and catering sector’s largest and most comprehensive trade event.

More than 7,000 people are expected to attend, and over the course of two days and ScotHot 2019 features more than 200 curated exhibitions from hospitality operators and suppliers, educational talks from key industry figures, and demonstrations from some of the country’s leading chefs, culminating in the Scottish Culinary Championships.

ScotHot’s extensive exhibitor space is a onestop shop for industry professionals to network and conduct business. With exhibitors arriving from throughout the UK, as well as Ireland, the Netherlands, Italy and the United States, this year’s event is set to be one of the largest and most comprehensive yet. Exhibitors in 2019 include SIMS Automatics, Alliance Scotland, Elite Contract Furniture, Fishers, InStock, Valentinez and Clear Brew.

According to ScotHot, 61% of visitors that attend do not attend any other event, while

63% of visitors place orders with exhibitors. It also reports that 74% of attendees are owners, directors, managers and executive chefs and 78% of visitors in 2017 plan to return in 2019.

According to one testimonial, “It’s cuttingedge. If you don’t go to ScotHot you will have to trawl through magazines, articles, and the internet. It’s all under one roof at ScotHot – get a coffee and have a look around for a couple of hours” The Spotlight Stage, in partnership with Scottish Tourism Alliance, features a packed programme of expert speakers from some of Scotland’s leading hospitality and tourism businesses, who will share their experiences and insights on some of today’s hot topics.

Key themes within this year’s programme include staff retention and training, social media, brand relationships, waste management, and mental health.

Highlights include ‘Teamwork Makes The Dream Work’, a gameshow-style panel presented by Scottish Tourism Alliance CEO Marc Crothall, where three couples working in hospitality will share the secrets of their success; and ‘Talking About It: Mental Health in Hospitality’, a panel discussion with leading industry figures, chaired by broadcaster and journalist Stephen Jardine.

Each session at the Scottish Tourism Alliance Spotlight Stage seats up to 70 delegates. Spaces will be available to book on the ScotHot website in advance of the show.

Ross Carter, Event Director for ScotHot, said, “The Spotlight Stage embodies the real spirit of

ScotHot – educational, informative, immersive and entertaining. We’re delighted to roll out the Spotlight Stage Programme in collaboration with the Scottish Tourism Alliance, and we’re really looking forward to hearing from our programme of industry leaders.”

Building on the success of its debut at ScotHot 2017, the Staff Canteen Live is returning to ScotHot with a demonstration programme, showcasing the culinary skills of some of the UK’s leading chefs. Watch each chef make one of their star dishes live whilst answering questions from the session presenters – you’ll even have the opportunity to enjoy a taste of the dish each chef creates and take part in Q&A sessions to learn more about their techniques. Heading for the stage are Peter McKenna, the chef-owner of The Gannet in Glasgow, Lorna McNee from Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles.

Also on stage will be Scott Smith from Fhior, and closing the show is MasterChef: The Professionals finalist Dean Banks.

They will be joined by Jonathan MacDonald, head chef and owner of Ox and Finch in Glasgow; Jamie Scott, The Newport, in Fife; Stuart Ralston the chef-owner at Aizle in Edinburgh and Nick Briggs, head chef of Michelin-starred The Peat Inn in Fife, and Geoff Smeddle, also from The Peat Inn in Fife.

Hot topics being debated this year are ‘Scotland’s Food Tourism Strategy – Farm to Plate, Keeping it Local; The Future of Staffing in Hospitality, Teamwork makes the Dream Team Work; Disrupting the Future; Marketing Musts: FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 13

FEATURE A Social Media Masterclass; Talking About It: Mental Health in Hospitality; and Our Future World, the Challenge, the Opportunity.

The Staff Canteen Live will be showcasing all eight chefs across the two days, each cooking a dish from their menu and taking questions from the audience at the end of the demo.

They will also be handing out samples of the dish.

Dan Newman, managing director of The Staff Canteen, said, “We are delighted to be back in Scotland at the leading hospitality show, ScotHot. Our Live stage showcases some of the very top chefs doing what they do best.

Add to this our market leading partners and The Staff Canteen Live is on track to be another huge success.”

Join the Liquid Academy and delve into the latest global drinks’ innovations. What will the next big trend be? How can your business prepare for the challenges that lie ahead in the drinks industry? Whatever your questions may be, Liquid Academy Live has the answers.

Over the course of two days at ScotHot, Liquid Academy Live’s calendar of inspiring speakers will discuss innovation and development across Scotland’s drinks industry.

Don’t miss ‘Ready Steady Cocktail’, where

10 of Scotland’s top bartenders from leading hotels and bars will go head to head in the ultimate cocktail crafting competition. Two rounds of 10-minute challenges will result in 10 cocktails ready to be judged by both the audience, and Liquid Academy Live’s very own panel of experts. This will be a true test of each

bartender’s on-the-spot creative abilities, and a chance to see the country’s finest bartenders shaking up some exciting new concoctions.

One such speaker is Laura Willoughby MBE, co-founder of Club Soda, the Mindful Drinking Movement, with Drinks Health is Wealth.

New to ScotHot for 2019 is The Covered Market, developed in partnership with Scotland Food & Drink. The Covered Market was designed following feedback from previous year’s visitors, who placed raw ingredients and meeting the producers behind their creation as one of the key reasons for their attendance.

For ScotHot 2019, this cost-effective area will feature high-quality products from artisan businesses across six specialist categories: bakery, butchery, dairy, fresh fish, fresh produce, and herbs, spices and pulses.

The event’s pinnacle, the 33rd Scottish Culinary Championships, highlights the skills of Scotland’s next generation of top chefs, with awards presented for ‘Scottish Chef of the Year’ and ‘Scottish Junior Chef of the Year’. Sponsored by The Federation of Chefs Scotland, the Scottish Culinary Championships provides an opportunity for chefs of all ages to display their skills both in Live Theatre and Culinary Arts.

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14 • HOTELSCOTLAND • FEBRUARY 2019

4336

FEATURE

CMA clamps down on misleading discount schemes and pressure selling on hotel booking sites

BOOKING SITES BOOKED! T he Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has called Expedia, Booking.com, Agoda, Hotels.com, ebookers and trivago to account after an investigation over pressure selling and misleading discount claims, hidden charges and the effect that commission has on how hotels are ordered on sites,.

The competition watchdog, which began its investigation in June 2018, said it was concerned the sites were making rooms seem more popular than they were. The sites will now say if commissions they receive affect the results, plus they’ve also agreed to be clearer with discount claims and hidden charges.

All companies under investigation by the CMA have co-operated with its work and voluntarily agreed to the following: They will make it clearer how hotels are ranked after a customer has entered their search requirements, for example telling people when search results have been affected by the amount of commission a hotel pays the site.

They will not longer pressure sell by giving a false impression of the availability or popularity of a hotel or rushing customers into making a booking decision based on incomplete information. For example, when highlighting that other customers are looking at the same hotel as you, making it clear they may be searching for different dates. The CMA also saw examples of some sites strategically placing sold out hotels within search results to put pressure on

people to book more quickly. Sites have now committed not to do this.

The companies have also agreed to be clearer about discounts and only promoting deals that are actually available at that time.

Examples of misleading discount claims may include comparisons with a higher price that was not relevant to the customer’s search criteria. For example, some sites were comparing a higher weekend room rate with a weekday rate or comparing the price of a luxury suite with a standard room.

And last but not least the total amount the customer has to be paid will now be shown upfront. This will mean that there will be no hidden charges. Compulsory charges such as taxes, booking or resort fees will be included.

Sites can still break that price down, but the total amount the customer has to pay should always be shown upfront.

Chairman, Andrew Tyrie, said, “The CMA has taken enforcement action to bring to an end misleading sales tactics, hidden charges and other practices in the online hotel booking market. These have been wholly unacceptable.”

He continued, ”Sixwebsites have already given firm undertakings not to engage in these practices. They are some of the largest hotel booking sites. The CMA will now do whatever it can to ensure that the rest of the sector meets the same standards. Not all firms engaged in all of the practices cited above, but all have nonetheless agreed to abide by all the principles set out in the undertakings.”

The CMA will now monitor compliance with the commitments made by the booking sites. All changes must be made by 1 September at the very latest, though the sites have already started making improvements.

It will also be writing to other hotel booking sites including online travel agents, metasearch engines and hotel chains setting out clear expectations for how they should be complying with consumer protection law.The also expects these sites to make necessary changes by 1 September. If it finds sufficient evidence that others could be breaking consumer protection law, it will consider taking further enforcement action.

Angela Vickers, CEO of Apex Hotels, has welcomed the move. She said, “We’re pleased to see the CMA making a move towards improving transparency for hotel guests. Not only is it vital for customers to enjoy a smooth booking process, but it’s also of the utmost importance that they know exactly what they’re being charged for up front and don’t feel pressurised at the point of sale.”

She continued, “We enjoy great relationships with many of the online booking sites, but always encourage guests not to overlook the benefits of booking directly with hotels themselves. By going direct, you can often take advantage of the best possible rates as well as current offers and additional benefits.

For example, at Apex our aim is to truly give guests a warmer welcome from the start of the booking process, whether it’s online or via our telephone reservation centre.”

FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 15

XXXXXXX EVENTS

PARTY PARTY AS MANORVIEW STAFF TREATED TO A MYSTERY TOUR AND A CELEBRATORY PARTY

T

he Manorview Leisure Group shut last month – for one night only – in order to celebrate the hard work of its entire team. The 500-strong workforce were given the night off and an invitation to an event at a top-secret location. Buses picked teams up from venue locations such as Biggar, Wishaw, Coatbridge, East Kilbride and Howwood, and took them on a mystery tour.

The buses eventually arrived at their destination in Maryhill, Glasgow – where a huge hidden warehouse space, called The Engine Works, was decked out by events management company Badaboom.

This is the first time the annual party has taken place on a single evening, previously it was on two nights and the group remained open. But this year the Group wanted to hold a special evening which brought the entire company together. This action reinforced the Group’s ethos that although teams operate in different venues throughout Scotland, everyone’s contribution is valued, and ultimately, they are one team.

The entire evening was free for the Manorview team – and it included everyone from chefs, to night porters, management, receptionists, housekeepers, spa therapists, head office teams and many more.

The Group’s mission is to be a company which is loved by their team, and by their customers. They are constantly striving to improve, and to become the company of choice for people seeking a career in the hospitality industry.

Steve Graham, Managing Director, Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group, said, “Hospitality is a hard-working industry and our teams constantly focus on delivering excellent care and service to our customers. It’s only right we should look after our people and reward them. They grow our business and make us successful. It’s also important to bring everyone together because we all work as one huge team, and everyone’s contribution is valued.”

16 • HOTELSCOTLAND • FEBRUARY 2019

PROMOTION

HOTEL MANAGEMENT AGREEMENTS – AN OWNER’S PERSPECTIVE ENGAGING THE CORRECT MANAGEMENT COMPANY

E

ngaging a management or operating company is a huge decision for any owner of a hotel. It means giving up control of their own business and entrusting an external third party with achieving the growth (or simply stability) that is needed.

That is why the choice of hotel management company is crucial at the outset – an owner will want to ensure that it is the correct “fit” for its hotel. Considerations will include the operator’s track record of running similar hotels, comfort that the operator’s key staff are not spread too thinly and will give sufficient attention to the business, sufficient flexibility going forward and ensuring that fees are appropriately structured for the type of hotel and circumstances of the owner(s).

THE VISION

Having taken the time to choose the correct operator, the owner should have a shared vision with the operator of how the relationship will work and what it is designed to achieve.

The Hotel Management Agreement should be tested against that vision – does it truly reflect the agreement between the parties?

Operators will have to keep many of their terms and conditions standard to ensure consistency across their portfolio, but should be willing to vary those terms to accommodate the circumstances of the particular hotel. Too

brodies.com

often, I see management agreements that can be described as ‘copy and paste’ jobs; these can cause significant difficulties – usually for the owner.

THE HMA

Below are some of the key issues owners should keep in mind when negotiating a Hotel Management Agreement. Note that these points relate to management agreements with domestic “white label” management or operating companies – not management agreements with international brands, which are altogether different beasts.

Professional advice from someone who regularly deals with these agreements should be sought in each case – these agreements are detailed and have various “pinch points” that such an advisor can make sure work for you.

1. Control: The manager will need a relatively wide discretion to successfully operate the hotel. This should be balanced against a package of different types of protections, including appropriate reserved matters, and also other protections; e.g. ones relating to certain types of loss and ensuring owner involvement at key points.

2. Fees: There will be different layers to the fee structure, but – on top of an appropriate base fee – you will want to see alignment

of objectives through an incentive element.

Do the maths – make sure projections are realistic and result in a win-win. Also, ensure the detail of the (often extensive) definitions relating to the calculation of the fees is appropriate.

3. Term and exit: A well-established operator will likely be looking for a longer initial period, but again the particular circumstances of the hotel will determine how long that should be. In any case, it will be vital for the owner to be comfortable with the mechanism that dictates how they can sell the hotel or exit during the term, as well as ensuring that termination rights and performance tests are set appropriately.

4. Extent of services: Be sure of what you require operationally and agree the associated costs upfront. There are usually a number of extra fees and costs, over and above the general management fee, so you will need clarity at the outset.

5. Third parties: The agreement has to work alongside other agreements relating to the hotel – leases, franchise agreements and, of course, funding and security arrangements.

Be alert to what those other parties will reasonably require in return from you and/or the management company.

Euan Tripp HOTELS LAWYER +44 (0)131 656 0242 euan.tripp@brodies.com FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 17

A DOYENNE OF HOSPITALITY 18 • HOTELSCOTLAND • DECEMBER 2018

INTERVIEW

Maroulla Nicholas has spent 50 years in hospitality SUSAN YOUNG caught up with her to find out more.

M

aroulla Nicholas is a legend in the hospitality industry. The boss of The Glynhill Hotel in Renfrew grew up in the business and is a vivacious, slightly eccentric doyenne of hospitality with a heart as big as her personality.

If her father, Harry Nicholas, could see the hotel he founded today I am sure his heart would be full – because the family have continued his legacy and next year will will see the family celebrate half a century since The Glynhill opened. Today the business has grown from a 22-room hotel, with a restaurant called The Ivy and a function suite, into Renfrew’s only fully serviced 4-star hotel with 147-bedrooms, two restaurants, a luxury conference and banqueting facility which can cater for more than 400 delegates, as well as, a leisure club complete with swimming pool.

In the last three years alone the family has invested more than £2.5 million in the hotel and there is now planning permission for further 14 bedrooms.

Maroulla is as passionate about the business as she has ever been. She has been raising awareness of the unfairness of hospitality business rates, based on hypothetical values and communicating to many including Finance Minister Derek Mackay. She runs the business with brother Ross, her older brother Daso is also a non executive director, so The Glynhill is still very much a family-run business. But things are a changing. After more than 30 years at the helm she is trying to reposition the business, with a team that can take the hotel even further. Explains Maroulla, “I love the business, but I also realise that to take the business forward it is necessary to keep evolving. Firstly with the refurbishment of the hotel which is ongoing, and then18 months ago we bolstered our management team with the appointment of Graeme Gibson as General Manager. He joined us from the Principal Hayley Grand Central in Glasgow and he is bringing a new style of management to the hotel. There have been a further three management appointments, Elizabeth McNeil, Financial Controller who joined from Kained Holdings an independent restaurants and bars operator,

Richard Wilson, joined as Food and Beverage Manager whose experience includes working with Ken McCulloch, and for the first time the hotel has a dedicated Sales Manager - Jeanette Ward, whose career has included time at The Thistle and the G1 Group.

Says Maroulla, “It’s not easy making such significant changes to the management team, but by bringing in the calibre of people that we have, I believe we are investing in the future success of the hotel. Now that we are a sizeable privately owned hotel we need people to help run the business and who are very good operationally.

“We are heading in a fresh direction with the new management team – and we are re-inventing our business model. We all like familiarity and our own comfort zones, but sometimes we need to work outwith it to ensure continued success and growth” And Maroulla should know because she has done just about every job in The Glynhill, from the shop floor up. She helped clean it when she was a child – she remembers her father bribing her with ice-cream to help, and when she joined full-time after University she was involved with revenues – organising the Christmas promotions. She worked alongside her father Harry Nicholas taking on more prominent roles and in 1987, when her father started taking more of a back seat, she became Acting Finance Director and Managing Director. Her father passed in 1997.

Maroulla is proud of the fact that The Glynhill has remained unbranded. She comments, “The Glynhill is a privately-owned hotel, with its own unique identity, and we have to be able to compete for business not just in the local market but nationally and globally.

We keep our standards high and I believe that The Glynhill is a hotel that would fit into any branded market. Our room revenue has been healthy and indeed we need the new rooms to ensure that we take advantage of all the business going – which we need to do to ease the burden of our excessive rates and utilities.

She continues, “To continue to grow I realise that we needed a better structure and a strategy for the future. Let’s face it, as you FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 19

INTERVIEW grow you need to be adaptable to the changing business trends but equally we need to get more professional in order to compete in the wider market. The business expenses are not going down, and it is not just a case of working harder but working smarter to ensure that the business flourishes. In this business you have to keep reinventing yourself and modernising as the market demands.”

She believes that the Scottish Government is not aiding the hospitality industry. She says, “We’ve got the same business challenges we have always had, but now the costs are escalating out of control. We don’t have a level playing field. It amazes me that other businesses with higher turnovers pay a massive amount less, because they are not rated on their turnover, which the hospitality business is.

Other business people that I have spoken don’t realise this. When I tell them how much we pay they are astounded.

“Nicola Sturgeon should be supporting private businesses that are indigenous to Scotland, Government makes it easier for dotcom and franchise businesses to do business here than the private sector. I also think that Scottish Enterprise should do more to support well-established companies. As our margins become tighter, and our costs rise, we are not able to carry inefficiencies – and the very people that the government has supported with the likes of rises in minimum wages are actually the people that could suffer the most. I am sure many of them would prefer to have a steady 35-40 hour week on slightly less, rather than not knowing how many hours they will be working in a week. This may sound controversial, but the luxury of being able to look after loyal staff has been made more difficult as a result and being a family run business with people being the heart of the business this is a tough one to swallow.”

She adds, “This is a multi-million pound family business – we employ more than 150 staff, and we certainly contribute to the local economy. We support local suppliers and we are very loyal. But I fear for the future of midscale private businesses including hotels, bars and restaurants that don’t have the purchasing power of the larger chains.”

The Glynhill continues to evolve and the family have a capital plan that is invested back into the hotel. Says Maroulla, “We have managed to do this over the years with good support of the bank, suppliers and our own resources, it is an ongoing investment, even though over the last 12 months the uncertainty of Brexit has kept capital investment lower than it may have been. We are working to align our business efficiencies to map to those of our large corporate clients. We still do very well for a hotel, sub city and peripheral to the airport. Our business is made up of corporate 20 • HOTELSCOTLAND • FEBRUARY 2019

“Nicola Sturgeon should be supporting private businesses that are indigenous to Scotland. The Government makes it easier for dotcom and franchise businesses to do business here...” accommodation and meetings/events midweek.

At the weekend leisure guests take over with the hotel being a popular wedding venue.

We were prudent when the Referendum was happening - we held back a bit on investing, but as soon as we decided to ‘stay’ we got our cheque book out.”

She may be doing that again once Brexit is passed with her planning permission for the new rooms, but says she, “We’ve just got the planning through so we haven’t made any firm plans when to start.”

Certainly on the day that I caught up with Maroulla business was booming. There was a conference running for 200 clients, an event for 35 people and various people dining. The hotel was bustling on a cold but sunny Monday.

With her management team in place Maroulla is also able to take a bit more time off and she has used her time constructively visiting other hotels. She reveals, “The visits are for pleasure, but you can’t help compare their offering to ours. And I am always seeing things with fresh eyes when I come back.”

Hotels she loves visiting include Turnberry

Hotel, “Ralph Porciani is very good”. She also loves what Tim and Kit Kemp have done, owners of Firmdale Hotels . Says Maroulla. “.I just love the way Kit Kemp has designed the interiors of each hotel. I would love to meet her.”

And I would love to get Maroulla one of Ken McCulloch’s ‘Doo dahs’! He uses this discrete button to alert staff that something requires to be done – whether a meet or greet, or an order taken – by pressing the button each of his staff (or the nearest one) gets a vibrate from their pagers...Maroulla doesn’t have one but I am sure if she had she would save herself a fair bit of anxiousness – because she is always the first one to notice when a guest is a bit unsure about where to go or what to do... and despite, or perhaps because, she is the owner she is always right there helping out and making sure they have the best experience in The Glynhill that they can have. That is the sign of a true hotelier. She concludes, “I just love this industry but you need a good team, and I think I’ve got one, that will help take The Glynhill forward to a new era.” She may have, but they have big boots to fill.

Grants Family Butchers are Proud suppliers of the Glynhill Hotel.

We wish Maroulla many Congratulations on her continued success.

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22 • HOTELSCOTLAND • DECEMBER 2018

DESIGN FOCUS

BY SUSAN YOUNG

FINGAL PORT OF LEITH, EDINBURGH

F

ingal, the £5 million floating boatique hotel, launched last month after many years in the planning. Now firmly ensconced at Port of Leith Docks, the new hotel is a feat of engineering and design having been totally transformed from a Northern Lighthouse Board ship, into a luxurious floating hotel.

Today the 230+ft ship boasts 23 beautiful cabins, a dining room and bar, and a banqueting suite. The design has a very art-deco feel and owners Royal Yacht Enterprises, who also own The Royal Yacht Britannia, have been hands on when it has come to the design.

Andrew Thomson, Head of Hospitality and Events, explains, “The designer was Stephen Flanagan of the Pedley Group, but we were all very involved, and we were learning new things every single day.”

Fingal has a ballroom reached by a sweeping staircase in the bow of the ship. It is situated to the left when you enter the ship. The reception space boasts a curved art-deco style bar and some fixed leather seating. This space looks over the ballroom and boasts a bespoke balustrade with glass portholes. The walls are wood panelled and the portholes have been retained, with the space itself featuring a movable skylight which not only allows light in but can also be removed to allow access for exhibitors should they need large objects, such as cars, lowered in. Says Andrew, “The ballroom was not originally enclosed, in fact, this was

the deck of the ship.” He continues, “This was a working ship, and we literally have taken just about everything out and rebuilt.”

What was the Bridge is now a private dining room which still has in situ the original ship’s wheel, and its original log books and also on the first floor there is also an elegant bar and lounge/restaurant. It boasts a Raise a glass at the welcoming Moët Hennessy Champagne bar, a tiled black and white floor, marble tables, fixed leather seating as well as some comfortable leather sofas, and a shiny silver ceiling – which looks like the light glancing off ripples on the water. The banqueting space has the same ceiling. This lounge area also leads out to a deck which,come the summer, will be a perfect setting for an alfresco drink.

Fingal’s 23 luxury cabins are all named after Stevenson lighthouses and guests can choose from 10 classic cabins, eight luxury cabins, four duplex cabins and one luxury suite – the Skerryvore Suite. As you would expect, the beds are the height of luxury, with Hypnos’ mattresses sitting atop bespoke bed bases.

Ashbourne king, super king and zip and link mattresses were specified, to allow the rooms to be quickly adjusted to cater for double or twin occupancy. Clare Taylor, marketing manager at Hypnos Contract Beds, comments, “We are delighted to have worked with Fingal on this one of a kind project. At Hypnos, we take pride in working with clients to design and produce the most comfortable beds tailored to their FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 23

individual requirements. In this case sumptuous, quality mattresses that offer the best sleep experience and enhance the guest’s well-being and satisfaction were just what was needed.

With its exceptional design and history, Fingal is set to become a landmark destination in Scotland and we are proud to be part of this historic hospitality project.”

It’s not just the beds that the designers have gone to town on. The suede headboards are bespoke – created by Transcal in Livingstone who managed to impose maps which show where the lighthouses, apart from the Skerryvore Suite which has a map of Scotland.

The wardrobes are leather upholstered and the throws on the beds have been specially created by a local designer. Says Andrew, “We have tried to source locally where we can.”

The bathrooms are all very striking and beautifully presented, particularly the one in the duplex, which is large enough to host a party with sliding doors to the bedroom!

Even the hallways are elegant – they seem to stretch forever and take you back to a by-gone era. Black and white framed photos line the hall, while a beautiful sycamore handrail is very smooth to the touch.

There are, as you would expect, lots of nautical touches, from the heavy rope that 24 • HOTELSCOTLAND • FEBRUARY 2019

acts as a bannister on the stairs, to the glass portholes in the ballroom balustrade. But the most nautical area of all is the walkway that takes you over the ships former engine rooms.

The glass and steel walkway allows guests to see the inner workings of the old ship and you can even smell the old engine oil.

Andrew told us that the ship has attracted former Northern Lighthouse crew, who have found the experience emotional, and I’m sure they have. But what a great legacy to see a part of the ship preserved for future generations to enjoy.

The last word goes to Andrew who says, “We currently have 600,000 visitors a year to the Brittania. If only one one-percent of them stay, we would be fully booked.” Fingers crossed.

With extensive outdoor space to relax and entertain – there are also 23 luxury cabins All of the rooms feature bespoke cased furniture – with the wardrobes finished in leather – The former bridge is now a meeting room – it still boasts the original ships wheel and log books are dispalyed on the table – a PDR. The trident thewas actulaly at the very front of th eship it was Neptune. Toolk Tirdent and have used it as logo. Doors open up. Bits and pieces will still be added. Very emotional for some the ships old crew. Our barman obseessed with logo books cocktails wehre the hsip went.

The carpets in the public areas has a diamond design and portrays the shining lights of the lighthouse.

The top suite is the Skerryvore – the Orthern Lighhouse board gave the name of all the lighthouses. Twnety three names – the book shelf opoens up hidden door – Nobel Isle – really love their products.

The lift was a working ship where you are walking round, was hard to get lightlouse Says Andrew, “We currently have more than 600,000 visitors an annum to the Britannia and if just one percent opt to stay with us, we will be full.”

Following an extensive restoration, Scotland’s historic Fife Arms Hotel was officially reopened this week with a visit from the Duke and Duchess of Rothesay – as Prince Charles and his wife, Camilla, are known when in Scotland.

Dressed in plaid – Prince Charles in a kilt and Camilla in a tartan print skirt – the royals viewed the property and unveiled a plaque to mark their visit on the occasion of the reopening. Located in Braemar, Scotland, close to Balmoral Castle and the site of the annual Highland Games, the Fife Arms Hotel is a local landmark dating back to 1856.

During the extensive renovations, new owners Iwan and Manuela Wirth put a

DESIGN FOCUS

“We currently have more than 600,000 visitors an annum to the Britannia and if just one percent opt to stay with us, we will be full.”

significant focus on the property’s design and art collection. Co-owners of the Hauser & Wirth Gallery, the couple have brought in a large number of antique and newly commissioned pieces. As a result, the hotel’s collection boasts more than 14,000 historic objects and works of art, many with close associations to the Braemar area and its history.

The hotel’s collection includes pieces by artists such as Lucien Freud, Louise Bourgeois, Pablo Picasso and Archibald Thorburn. It also boasts a pencil and watercolour piece

by Queen Victoria dated October 6, 1874.

The Duke of Rothsay’s great-great-greatgrandmother was known for having sketched and painted throughout her life.

The Duke and Duchess of Rothesay enjoyed a drink while exploring the hotel and viewing the detailed work of designer Russell Sage. Sage was inspired by Scottish heritage when it came to the interior design with tartan aplenty and unique, varied designs for each of the rooms.

Built in the 19th century, The Fife Arms Hotel displays the traditional architectural characteristics of the area with timber bargeboards and a multi-gabled elevation. The current design foundation was laid by Alexander Marshall Mackenzie, the man who remodelled the original building into the category B listed building it is now.

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FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 25

26 • HOTELSCOTLAND • DECEMBER 2018

DESIGN FOCUS

BY JASON CADDY

SPAS – BIG BUSINESS? S pas are big business – so it’s no surprise that Scottish hoteliers are investing in either putting new spas in or improving their existing facilities.

Over the last year the Old Course in St Andrew’s, The Bowfield Hotel & Country Club and Loch Green House Hotel & Spa have made substantial investments, and they’re on the button, because the global spa market is projected to grow at the rate of 5.7% between 2018 to 2023, according to Mordor Intelligence.

Add that to research by Statista which shows the value of the health and wellness market in the UK increased from over £19.9 billion in 2013 to over £22.8 billion in 2018, and you can see what the potential is. This is one hot topic.

Jason Goldberg, owner one of the UK’s longest-established spa booking agencies, SpaSeekers.com, which has about 40 spa partners in Scotland, has just announced that it would like this to reach 60 to 70 north of the border this year. The success of the SpaSeekers business reflects the growth in spas, with its turnover growing from £2.5 million in 2014 to now fast approaching £10m.

Last year, The Old Course at St Andrew’s unveiled the first Kohler spa in the UK, after an £8m investment. The new 25,000sq ft leisure

facility has been designed by architects Sedley Place and marks the first venture in this country by plumbing expert Kohler, with the spa joining three other locations in the US. Bill Costley is in ‘the early stages’ of adding a pool to Lock Green House Hotel after opening a spa facility two years ago this May, while the spa at The Blythswood Hotel in Glasgow, which opened in 2009, has only enriched the business.

Said Spa Director Finlay Anderson, “Opening the spa at Blythswood Square has lead to a 16% increase in profitability and a significant increase in Average Room Rate for the hotel.”

Manorview Hotels invested £1.5million in the redevelopment of Bowfield Hotel & Country Club, which already had existing spa facilities, but a total revamp, extension and branding have led to the creation of a completely new space just over a year ago, to which they’re adding to later this year.

Explained Steve Graham, Managing Director, Manorview Hotels & Leisure Group, “Our AURA Spa at the Bowfield Hotel & Country Club was developed to offer more value for our customers, and an enhanced experience.

We see this as a solid investment in our venue and in what we can offer. And we’re continuing to enhance our customer experience. Our new outdoor hydrotherapy spa at the Bowfield

“Our AURA Spa at the Bowfield Hotel & Country Club was developed to offer more value for our customers, and an enhanced experience. We see this as a solid investment in our venue and in what we can offer.”

STEVE GRAHAM

FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 27

DESIGN FOCUS

Hotel opens in April 2019, at an investment of £200k.”

He continued, “Last year we sold 204 spa/ accommodation packages, which meant we were able to offer our customers an enhanced experience with packages offering more value for money.”

Spas have traditionally been the preserve of the female market, but Spa Manager Laura Doran has also noticed that more men are using the facilities at The Bowfield. She said, “Over the past two years there’s been a massive increase in male grooming and pampering. Guys are looking after themselves and I wanted to create a space for them. They can come and have a spa day, visit with their friends or on their own, and we offer sports massages where they can ease their muscles after a workout”.

There are also home-grown treatment products available, such as Creme du Loch, a moisturiser combining calcium,magnesium, potassium,iron,vitamins C,E and B12, along with oils of citrus, eucalyptus,wheat germ,kelp extract,cucumber oil, alfalfa and sunflower, which 28 • HOTELSCOTLAND • FEBRUARY 2019

are then put through a lengthy bio-process Including a spa element in your offering is a wonderful way to massage your revenue stream – but what does it add on to your business?

Said Jenni Watts, Marketing Manager, Stobo Castle Health Spa, “It’s an expensive business and there are huge maintenance costs, but a spa is definitely a way to build growth and enhance the customer experience. There’s increased competition in the spa market and we always make sure that we are ahead of the game. One way we do this is sending our therapists on training courses all the time.

The latest one is for people affected with cancer because the latest thinking is that spa treatments can be helpful to sufferers.”

She continued, “We run at about 80 to 90 % occupancy. It slowed down during the 2008 recession but we are slowly building it back up, and we sell £1m worth of gift vouchers every Christmas. Most of our customer base is female, although we have had to add new facilities because more couples are joining.”

The stats all say that more of your customers are riding the health-conscious wave, but,

paradoxically, this isn’t what’s happening at Stobo. Explained Jenni, “We’ve just celebrated our 40th anniversary and 40 years ago, customers would want to get weighed upon arrival and when they left, plus all of their meals were calorie counted. But today all of that has been replaced by an appetite among our customers to relax and be pampered, plus we have just added a cocktail lounge.”

And there is room for creativity here as well as the more sizeable investments. Last year, for example, Edinburgh’s Sheraton Grand began offering customers a multi-sensory bath experience in their own room or suite, complete with ESPA bath oils, a pot of herbal tea and an exfoliating wash glove. Lighting in the bathroom and music suggestions to play through the bathroom’s speaker system are also employed to set the mood.

What all this tells us is that, whether it’s driven by the pursuit of the body beautiful or pure recreation, there is an appetite for hotel spas among both sexes, and there are a variety of potential offerings for hoteliers to chew over regardless of premises type and budget.

OBITUARY XXXXXXXX

ANDREW FAIRLIE November 21, 1963- January 22, 2019

BY CATE DEVINE

T

he tributes and expressions of sympathy that poured in on the news that Andrew Fairlie, Scotland’s most celebrated chef, had died aged 55 are testament to his influence across the industry he so excelled in – but also in the fields of art, design and, most recently, horticulture.

The Perth-born chef grew up in a modest council house in Letham, left school with no qualifications at age 15 to become an apprentice at the local Station Hotel under Keith Podmore, maintained two Michelin stars for his eponymous restaurant at the Gleneagles Hotel for an impressive 14 continuous years, and recently joined the international culinary elite as one of only a handful of Grands Chefs du Monde. Yet alongside his undoubted gastronomic prowess he possessed many endearing personal attributes.

Top among these were self-deprecation, coupled with his ability to exude absolute Zenlike calm in his beloved kitchen, even during the most heated service. I once had the privilege of observing him during one of the busiest services of the year. He stood at the Pass, head down, waiting for his section chefs to bring him the perfectly prepared components of each dish for him to assemble personally before calling – never shouting – “Service, please!”. As he waited quietly, I could discern him counting out the seconds in his head. Without turning to watch what was going on in these final moments of world-class culinary creation, he knew who was doing what and when.

Everything came together as it should. The quiet harmony of Fairlie’s kitchen – the beating heart of Scotland’s only two-Michelin starred restaurant – was renowned as the antithesis of the shouty testosterone-filled cliché and gained him the enduring respect of his peers and the many young chefs he mentored throughout his 40-year career. He once told me that he believed in karma: “If you’re nice to people you’ll get good things back,” he said, and stuck to that belief all his life.

Andrew was first diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2005, but only started chemotherapy in 2011. With typical

“I have been very lucky in life and I feel very peaceful. I know this is not the end.” magnanimity, he interrupted treatment to climb Mount Kilimanjaro to raise money for the industry charity HITS. He resumed chemo in 2012 and underwent a second course in 2013.

Last summer, however, he was discharged from the Beatson Cancer Centre in Glasgow.

Loyalty to others was another defining trait.

Andrew built a close-knit team around him – lead by head chef Stevie McLaughlin and restaurant manager Dale Dewsbury, both of whom followed him from One Devonshire Gardens in Glasgow, at that time run by Ken McCulloch, and where Andrew attracted his first Michelin star in 1996. He’d returned to Glasgow after training in France and working at Disneyland Paris, in Australia and on the Royal Scotsman.

The trio moved to Gleneagles in 2001 and

were joined by business manager Gregor Mathieson. Restaurant Andrew Fairlie got its first star the following year, and its second in 2006 – remarkably, just a year after Andrew’s initial diagnosis. Over the years he encouraged Stevie to take on ever-greater responsibility in the kitchen, and he has been key to Restaurant Andrew Fairlie’s continued success. ] Andrew was a great collaborator, commissioning Scottish artists for the paintings, artworks and crockery in the restaurant.

In his final interview last November, he revealed to me that his cancer was now terminal. His motivation was to let the world know that his restaurant was secure: Restaurant Andrew Fairlie will remain under the current team for the foreseeable future.

The private Victorian walled garden in Perthshire that he acquired in 2014 was a significant influence, both personal and professional. He regarded it as his “salvation” and loved the quiet energy of the many varieties cultivated exclusively for his restaurant.

A new line of soft furnishings and ceramics inspired by the garden had recently been launched.

Despite his condition, Andrew never lost his sense of taste and the produce from the garden had a galvanising effect on his menus in line with - if not pre-empting - global culinary trends. Nevertheless, his signature dish of home-smoked Scottish lobster with warm lime and herb butter has endured throughout.

Andrew married his long-term partner Kate White last November in a private ceremony attended by both sets of parents, his two grown-up daughters, and Kate’s own two daughters. He’d had to forgo his long-held dream of taking Stevie, Dale and Gregor to the three-Michelin-starred Les Pres d’Eugenie in south-west France just a few days later. He’d wanted them to work with head chef Michelin Guerard, with whom Andrew had worked at age 20 as the prize for winning the very first Roux Scholarship in 1984.

Despite the disappointment, he remained philosophical. One of the last things he said to me was: “I have been very lucky in life and I feel very peaceful. I know this is not the end.”

FEBRUARY 2019 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 29

PEOPLE

O’DEA JOINS CAMPBELL GRAY HOTELS AS MD Alan O’Dea is the new Managing Director of Campbell Gray Hotels which includes the Machrie Hotel on Islay in its portfolio. Irish-born O’Dea has spent 20 year in the hospitality industry. He joins from Swiss-based Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts where he spent the last 12 years in a variety of roles across the Europe, Africa and the United Arab Emirates.

Founder of Campbell Gray Hotels, Gordon Campbell Gray, will still be involved. The official statement says that he will be, “preserving the high standards for which Campbell Gray Hotels is known, overseeing hotel design implementation, and protecting the company’s unique DNA for the future”.

Saad Audeh, chairman of Campbell Gray Hotels and founder of its parent company, The Audeh Group, which bought Campbell Gray Hotels in 2015, “[Alan] will also combine some of our other hospitality and engineering divisions, providing more services to developers and our existing portfolio.”

O’Dea’s remit will include Le Gray in Beirut, Campbell Gray Living Hotel & Residences in Amman, Jordan, and The Phoenicia in Malta. The Merchant House in Manama, Bahrain has just opened and Alex, a Campbell Gray Hotel which will open on Lake Zurich, Switzerland in the spring.

CRIEFF HYDRO’S WARREN BROWN INDUCTED INTO MASTER CHEFS OF GREAT BRITAIN Chef Warren Brown has been inducted into the prestigious institution of the Master Chefs of Great Britain. Warren, executive chef at Crieff Hydro, has joined a select number of chefs who work to promote fine produce and local suppliers.

This exclusive institution hosts leaders in their field who work as Ambassadors for the association and promote the highest standard of cuisine and working practices. Members not only promote best practices within their own companies and establishments, but also assist in the training of the next generation of chefs in schools and colleges around the country.

There are only 150 Master Chefs currently inducted in the UK who work to promote the use of the finest food produce whilst embracing the very best that local suppliers have to offer.

George McIvor, National Chairman and Fellow

of the Master Chefs of Great Britain, said: “I have watched Warren’s culinary Journey over many years with a keen interest. He is a shining beacon in Perthshire and the greatest example of where hard work and professionalism can take you.

He is sheer inspiration to our chefs of the present and so hugely important to our young people of the future.”

Warren said, “I’m honoured to be inducted into the Master Chefs of Great Britain and I very much look forward to being in excellent culinary company. It’s a great opportunity to help promote our wonderful hospitality industry.

Warren joined Crieff Hydro this summer from Macdonald Hotels & Restaurants, where he was Regional Executive. Other roles have included Executive Chef at Gleneagles, Hilton Worldwide and Shangri-La Hotels and Resorts.

CHEFS-GO-ROUND Two of Glasgow’s most celebrated chefs are moving on. Chef James Murphy, Executive Chef at the Principal Grand Central is moving to the Hilton at William Street, and Chef Zoltan Ssabou is taking his place at the Grand Central. Chef Szabo was Chef Murphy’s number two at the Grand Central before he moved to sister hotel The Blythswood as Executive Chef. While Chef Murphy was the Hilton before he joined Grand Central for its opening in 2010.

30 • HOTELSCOTLAND • FEBRUARY 2019

WHAT’S XXXXXXXX NEW

TORR LAGER An Aberdeenshire brewery has launched a new premium lager called TORR. The 4% ABV lager is handmade using just four ingredients – Scottish water, barley, hops and yeast which brewers Beer Story say reflects the purity of the Scottish mountains.

TORR is brewed at the team’s independent brewery in Insch, based on the Bavarian method of allowing the lager to ferment at a cave temperature of 2 degrees and brewing for at least four weeks.

Brewer Neil Stirton comments, “The cold temperatures of Scotland make it an ideal location for using the traditional Bavarian method of brewing,” he said. “Some of the base ingredients were sourced from Germany but as up to 95% of the ingredients

in the brewing process is water, we wanted to ensure that the product was brewed in Scotland, using 100% Scottish water. TORR is available on draught and in 330ml bottles and the Marcliffe in Aberdeen is just one hotel that has agreed to stock the brand.

Philip Anderson, TORR’s business development manager, said: “We wanted to create a Scottish lager which uses Scottish water and reflects the pure, clean air of our mountains. TORR is the result, with just four ingredients and no chemicals, colourings or preservatives.”

Bespoke Torr Lager Stein glasses have been created alongside the brown glass bottles.

Devil’s Point – the First cask strength single cask-aged rum launched in UK Devil’s Point, developed by Deeside Distillery, is the first single cask cask strengty rum to be aged in a variation of experimental casks in the UK. The procedure used by the Banchory-based Distillery includes using higher temperatures to ferment the product in order to mimic the warmer climes paired with the use of dunder and dunder pits, a traditional and sometimes fabled flavour source used in the fermentation and distillation of the wash of Jamaican rum. This gives this new spirit a much higher ester count

which create a whole array of different flavours and complexities that make the products unique.

Deeside Distiller Liam Pennycook comments, “It has always been my goal to release a range of my own rums. I wanted to make something that I would want to drink myself and it’s fantastic to finally be able to do that. We have some really exciting plans this year including a new whisky distillery – our ability to continually develop new products and flavours onsite is something we are proud of.”

BAMBU RUM Bumbu Rum XO is the lastest release from the Bumbu Rum Company in Panama. The smallbatch ultra-premium rum is aged up to 18 years in bourbon barrels and finished in white oak sherry barrels from Andalusia, Spain. Bumbu XO is a full-strength, 80 proof rum and would be perfect for traditional rum cocktails but according to the distillers it is even better on its own, neat or over a single ice cube. It is packaged in an ultra-heavyweight, fragrancequality paperless glass bottle, with a striking matte black finish, silver and white details and a tarnished silver “X” medallion.

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ORO GIN SCOOPS SILVER AT THE WORLD GIN AWARDS 2019 Dumfriesshire-based Oro Gin Distilling Co picked up the silver title for its Oro Gin in the London Dry Gin (UK) category at last month’s World Gin Awards 2019. Ray Clynick Jr, Head Distiller at Oro Gin, said, “I’m thrilled to announce Oro Gin has been presented with a silver award at the World Gin Awards 2019. A lot of work has gone into making Oro Gin one of the smoothest, most sophisticated gins on the market, and it’s fantastic to see gin experts, award judges and our customers enjoying it as much as we do.” Oro Gin, which is described as a “Scottish dry gin”, is distilled with fifteen different botanicals including juniper, coriander, cinnamon and pink peppercorns – plus one secret ingredient – with spicy vanilla notes on the palate. In just thirteen months since launching, the Oro Gin Distilling Co have picked up five awards, cementing Oro Gin’s position as one of the finest dry gins on the market, not only in Scotland but worldwide.

FEBRUARY AUGUST 2019 2018 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 31

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CHECKOUT The Tourism Tax or TVL, which Edinburgh Council is set to bring in, despite opposition from the Scottish Tourism Alliance and UK Hospitality, has now got government support. It seems that the SNP’s stated opposition to it was overcome when it needed extra votes to get its recent budget through Parliament.

Willie Macleod, Executive Director, Scotland for UK Hospitality (UKH) was dismayed. He said, “We are extremely concerned that the Scottish Government ignored the advice of the country’s leading tourism experts and announced the introduction of new legislation for a Tourist Tax. “ He continued, “We hope they see sense and use this announced second consultation to properly listen to the views of the majority of the tourist industry and dismiss this ill-informed and badly conceived tax.” Meanwhile the Scottish Tourism Alliance said it was “ beyond disappointing and will deliver a significant blow to our industry.” It pointed out “The national consultation on a tourism tax, undertaken by the Scottish Government only drew to a close last Friday, thus providing just three days to assimilate and analyse the evidence shared by the many businesses and organisations that took time to contribute to this national discussion through various channels.

“A decision of such importance and one which has the potential to cause significant negative impact, not just to businesses who provide visitor accommodation but to all businesses that benefit from tourism economic activity, has been reached prematurely. It will only serve to undermine the confidence that the thousands of tourism businesses operating across all sectors of the industry has had in the Scottish Government, both in its commitment to conduct in depth research and economic analysis and consider views, prior to reaching a decision on one of the biggest threats to the sector.”

While you might be thinking this is an issue for Edinburgh...

Council’s throughout Scotland are now considering a similar tax.

FAIRLIE SCHOLARSHIP LAUNCHES How nice that HIT the Hospitality Industry Trust have unveiled its in augural Fairlie Scholarship to recognise Andrew Fairlie’s significant and lasting contribution to the hospitality industry. The scholarship which was launched at the HIT Talent Conference, has been in the planning for some time with the late Andrew Fairlie spearheading the initiative in partnership with HIT Scotland – an industry charity he was closely associated with.

The scholarship is sponsored jointly by HIT Scotland, the Scottish Government and Gleneagles, and positioned as the ultimate scholarship any aspiring chef could receive, the Fairlie Scholarship will be awarded annually to a male and female chef in light of Andrew’s unwavering commitment to diversity in the kitchen.

The scholarship, run through HIT Scotland, will recognise two outstanding individuals who are forging ahead with their culinary career and either studying and/or working in Scotland. The recipients will gain industry-wide recognition as Fairlie Scholars and experience oncein-a-lifetime opportunities such as a practical stage in an international kitchen, a placement at the Culinary Institute of America and at Restaurant Andrew Fairlie at Gleneagles.

34 • HOTELSCOTLAND • FEBRUARY 2019

In support of the Fairlie Scholarship First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said, “Andrew Fairlie was taken from us far too soon. Yet his contribution – to the food industry, and to Scotland – will always be remembered.

And we are determined to ensure that his legacy endures.

“That’s why the Scottish Government, the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland and Gleneagles Hotel are creating an Andrew Fairlie Scholarship. Each year, it will give two talented young people – one male, and one female – the opportunity to train in top restaurants, make important industry contacts and learn from top chefs.

Having worked closely with Andrew on the development of this scholarship, David Cochrane, chief executive of HIT Scotland, added: “In a world where honesty, integrity and sheer hard work to achieve success are not always apparent, Andrew Fairlie summed up these qualities in abundance and influenced many chefs locally, nationally and internationally. What will make the Fairlie Scholarship so unique to Scotland is the fact that it will be awarded annually to two chefs in Scotland - one male and one female. This reflects the huge amount of work that Andrew has championed over the years to ensure gender equality in his kitchen and the industry at large.

“We are hugely appreciative to Andrew Fairlie for paving the way for aspiring chefs to work in inclusive and diverse kitchens and believe the Fairlie Scholarship will provide a huge opportunity for future talent in our industry in Scotland.”

Gleneagles and Ennismore’s CEO, Sharan Pasricha, said, “Andrew Fairlie was a treasured part of our Gleneagles family, whose remarkable talents, passion for excellence and unwavering efforts to nurture the talents of others inspired the wider team every day. Through our co-sponsorship of this scholarship alongside the Scottish Government, we’re proud to ensure the flame that Andrew established continues to burn as we support and celebrate the next generation of world-class chefs in Scotland.”

Transactional activity across the hospitality market remained stable in Scotland throughout 2018 with increased activity in the freehold pub market and the independent hotel sector in strong tourist areas, according to the Christie & Co Business Outlook, which was presented to key clients in Scotland earlier this month.

However the report also said, “Hotel operators are likely to experience either flat or negative movement in 2019’s profit margins with lower RevPar growth and higher bedrooom supply and operators costs.”

Fasih Rehman, owner of Perle Hotels, which has a few Highland Hotels, spoke at the launch of the report and gave his take on the market saying, “Scotland has always been a favourite destination for tourists and that’s not going to change. There are inherent strengths in that. It’s therefore been a success story for us because we serve a tourist-driven market, which is becoming increasingly international.”

On the subject of a lack of beds he said, “This has become less of an issue because of Airbnb coming online, plus investment in Highland hotels is going up, accompanied by lots of building activity. Staffing, however, is a big issue because there is a severe shortage of skilled staff, even before Brexit, and I’m not sure that the apprentice scheme has worked.”

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