Hotel Scotland July 2021

HOTELSCOTLAND ISSUE 35

ISSN 2515-8287

BELVEDERE ORGANIC POPS UP AT TIGER LILY

INTERVIEW:

GRANT MCKENZIE & GAVIN MACLENNAN

CONTENTS

4 NEWS 12 IS THERE FUNDING?

16 IS NOW THE TIME

WELCOME

5

BELVEDERE AT TIGERLILY

W

elcome to our July issue.

Time is certainly flying by. It seems just like yesterday we put the June magazine to press.

This month I caught up with Grant McKenzie, Head of Operations for the Chris Stewart Group and Gavin MacLennan, GM for Cheval, ahead of the opening of 329 High Street.

They had plenty to say and also talked about the opportunities as well as the challenges facing hospitality. The interview is on page 18.

Our cover features the team at Tigerlily who recently partnered with Belvedere to create a very instagrammable pop-up.

Not so sexy, but just as important Nicola Young takes a look at some of the funding available if you are thinking about making your hotel greener and this time we are not talking about foliage.

Check out the dynamic new Vega - it’s not just a bar and restaurant but has a bowling alley too - all on the seventh floor of Yotel Glasgow. While Manorview reveals the latest addition to Cornhill Castle - seven new lodges.

See you next month.

Susan Young Editor

TO INCREASE PRICES?

18 INTERVIEW:

GRANT MCKENZIE & GAVIN MACLENNAN

18 IO

25 DESIGN: VEGA

28 DESIGN:

CORNHILL CASTLE

LODGES

31 APPOINTMENTS 34 CHECK OUT

GRANT MCKENZIE

26

CORNHHILL CASTLE LODGES

HOTELSCOTLAND Published by Media World limited t: 01560 600585 e: news@mediaworldltd.com w: hotelscotland-online.co.uk

Editor: Susan Young Editorial: Nicola Young Advertising: Nikki Oji, Sylvia Forsyth, Admin: Rebecca Orr

susan@mediaworldltd.com @hotel_scotland hotelscotland-online.co.uk

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 2021. Printed by Stephens & George Print Group.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 3

Netball Scotland nets new partnership with Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels is backing the return of more than 2,000 to netball courts this summer as an official sponsor of Scotland’s Vitality Netball Superleague (VNSL) team Strathclyde Sirens for 2021/22, The sponsorship sees it support a series of camps and outdoor recreational leagues across Aberdeen, Perth, Edinburgh and Glasgow in July and August.

Fiona Leckie, Head of Design & Interiors and board member at Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, said “We’re delighted to be supporting Netball Scotland on the return to court this summer.

The leagues and camps will give over 2000 women much needed escape from the day to day and a return to camaraderie and team games.

“In the last 12 months, families have been juggling work commitments and home schooling, having very little time outside the home so, in the same way that netball is good

for mental health, we also see escaping to one of our eight locations across Scotland as good for the soul and wellbeing too.

“Our family has been helping families of all shapes, sizes and ages to create special memories for over 150 years and that’s why this par tnership felt such a natural fit for us”.

CEO of Sirens and Netball Scotland, Claire Nelson, added, “Spor t and wellbeing go hand in hand and with many of our young people missing out on the oppor tunity to take par t in events such as these, which promotes both positive mental health and physical exercise, we can’t wait to be back out delivering more camps and events over the summer holidays. It’s fantastic to launch the par tnership with Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, such an iconic Scottish brand. This is just the beginning and we’re so excited to see this return to netball.” .

Premier Inn has opened its most northerly hotel in Thurso.

The 85-bedroom hotel, is the fourth new Premier Inn opened in Scotland this calendar year.

The others were Glasgow, Edinburgh and Hamilton.

The company is still seeking other locations for hotels particularly on the Isle of Skye, Dunblane, Ballater and Callander. .

MEIKLEJOHNS SELL HUNTLY’S CASTLE HOTEL Andrew and Linda Meiklejohn, who owned and personally operated Huntly’s Castle Hotel for over 21 years have sold it to DTSW Properties Limited.

The new owners have connections with the whisky industry and after refurbishing the building, they plan to combine the use and operation of the hotel with their business as well as developing the local and leisure custom.

Alistair Letham, of selling agents Graham and Sibbald, said, “Linda and Andrew Meiklejohn, after their “handson” custodianship of the Castle Hotel, have earned their retirement.

“The new owners have exciting plans for the hotel which will increase the appeal to a range of new customers.”

The property was converted to a hotel in 1946 and has 18 bedrooms, a lounge bar, dining room, two meeting rooms, and a garden terrace, all set in around 11 acres of grounds. It was marketed at £1,250,000..

4 • HOTELSCOTLAND

NEWS

COVER STORY

BELVEDERE SHOWCASES BOTANICAL THEMED POP-UP AT TIGERLILY IN EDINBURGH Belvedere, the world’s first superpremium vodka, has launched a new Belvedere Organic Infusions Terrace at Edinburgh hotel Tigerlily.

The stunning new outdoor terrace, located in George Street, will be in situ until September, and promises to be the city’s hottest alfresco summer destination; a fitting showcase for the Belvedere Organic Infusions debut in Scotland.

Tigerlily’s renowned drinks expert Joey Medrington has curated a Belvedere Organic Infusions menu especially for the terrace, and with combinations not typically found in vodka. Signature serves are based on the new Belvedere Organic Infusions range; Pear, Ginger with a drop of Linden honey, Lemon, Basil with a touch of elderflower and Blackberry, Lemongrass with a hint of sage. .

Countdown to Maldron opening in Glasgow Early August will see the launch of the Dalata Group’s first hotel in Scotland the £40m, 12-storey, four-star. 300-bedroom flagship Maldron Hotel Glasgow City.

The Dalata Group Plc, are the largest hotel operator in Ireland and operates 45 hotels across the UK and Ireland with the new Maldron Hotel Glasgow City, which also includes a bar and restaurant, a resident’s gym, and state-of-the-art business facilities, its first venture in Scotland.

Said General Manager, Hazel Galloway, “We are really excited as we countdown to opening here in the vibrant city of Glasgow. We are passionate about all the Maldron brand offers, quality, and value, and we are confident that it will be just as popular in the Scottish market as it has already proven in Ireland and in other parts of the UK. “The recruitment process has been a huge success and myself and the team of 80 are currently working very hard to get everything perfect for the opening, which we believe is perfectly timed around Scotland’s great staycation summer.”

The hotel is highly tech-enabled with Chromecast in each bedroom, digital check-in, and a virtual guest services platform it also has been built with Dalata’s Green Tourism commitment which means the hotel has Air Source Heat Pumps and Heat Exchangers to reduce carbon emissions. - which has helped gain it a BREEAM sustainability assessment of ‘Very Good’.

KINGSMILLS HOTEL GROUP CEO NAMED ‘NORTH’S OUTSTANDING BUSINESS LEADER Tony Story, chief executive of Kingsmills Hotel Group, has been named the North’s outstanding business leader of the year at the SCDI Highlands and Islands Business Excellence Awards.

Hosting the online event was comedian and impressionist Alistair McGowan, and accepting the award, Tony said the success was not just down to him alone, but the 300 plus members of staff.

He Said, “Any strategy is only as good as the people who deliver it,” He went on to

appeal to the virtual audience to support the hospitality sector’s recovery from the coronavirus pandemic. “Hospitality is in for a very rough ride, we still have a long way to go and any support you can give is very much appreciated.”

He added, “I am delighted to receive the outstanding business leader award. However, I would highlight that no matter the vision or strategy it takes a team to deliver it. Our industry is all about people, and Kingsmills and Ness Walk truly have some of the best.”

HOTELSCOTLAND • 5

NEWS

CULLEN BAY HOTEL SCOOPS EXCELLENCE Moray’s Cullen Bay Hotel scooped the Crown Estate Scotland Award for outstanding supporter of coastal communities at Scottish Council for Industry and Development (SCDI) 2021 Highlands and Islands Excellence Awards.

The award recognised how the hotel helped its local community before and during the Covid crisis and it saw off stiff competition in the category from Port of Cromarty Firth and global aquaculture giant MOWI. Announcing the winner at the online awards event, Crown Estate Scotland chairwoman Amanda Bryan said that while the three finalists were all quite different, they had all demonstrated energy and commitment to supporting their areas in their own way.

However, Cullen Bay Hotel had been selected the winner for its huge commitment to the Moray area, not just through Covid, but over the previous eight years.

“In that time they have welcomed thousands of visitors, boosting Moray’s tourism industry,” she said.

“They have employed many local people, including young people, and maintained their full complement of staff, even during the Covid pandemic.

They support local businesses by using local produce, and quite amazingly, they served up thousands of free meals to people from Cullen and neighbouring towns over the last year during the Covid crisis.”

When asked why he was doing this, hotel owner Ian Watson said it was because it was the right thing to do.

Accepting the award, he said, “We are accepting this award not only on behalf of ourselves and our staff but everyone who contributed or donated, companies or individuals. It was absolutely overwhelming. It also gives an opportunity to connect with the community in a way that you wouldn’t normally get and we have to thank everyone who appreciated what we did. It’s just phenomenal. We are overwhelmed.”

6 • HOTELSCOTLAND

Moxy Hotels launches the Great British Road Trip Moxy Hotels has launched its Great British Road Trip – a celebration of domestic tourism, encouraging guests to explore closer to home this summer.

The curated collection of five routes go coast to coast, covering 12 of the UK’s most vibrant spots for hospitality, culture, and sightseeing, and provide Moxy’s tips to discover the best of each destination, from street art tours to gin distilleries and brewery visits and include Edinburgh Glasgow and Aberdeen.

Moxy’s Great British Road Trip routes have between three and seven stops per trip, including culture hot spots such as Edinburgh. www.moxyhotelsroadtrip.com gives full details on the locations featured, along with Moxy city guides on the best things to see, eat and do at each location, Moxy style. Moxy has curated a range of downloads to make the journey as fun as the destination itself, with playlists, car games, conversation starters and suggested stop off points for those ‘Instagram moments’ along the way.

Trips are fully flexible so guests can stay as little or as long as they choose in each destination, with a minimum of three nights recommended. The routes include: The Scottish Special – Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen; The BIG ONE – Southampton, Birmingham, Chester, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen; Choo Choo (alternative train journey) – London, York, Edinburgh, Glasgow.

Said Sandra Schulze-Potgieter, Marriott International Vice President, Premium & Select Brands, Europe, Middle East & Africa, “This is an exciting time of expansion for Moxy Hotels as we prepare to open five new properties within the next two years in the UK, a reflection of the growing demand for the playful, stylish and affordable hotel experience that Moxy offers. The UK is a key market for Moxy, the fun spirit of our hotels is something that resonates very well with the copious offerings and thriving destinations the Country offers” “The campaign comes as Moxy prepares to debut five new hotels in the UK by 2023, bringing their UK portfolio to 18 hotels, including the new Glasgow SEC.

NEWS

Hospitality team embrace training at Surgeon’s Quarter

F

urloughed staff at Surgeons Quarter in Edinburgh have amassed more than 2600 hours of recorded training in the past year, securing a combined 169 industryrecognised qualifications.

The company operates Ten Hill Place Hotel alongside a host of venues and outlets owned by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (RCSEd), reinforced its culture of learning before the pandemic, with the appointment of a Business and Talent Manager.

It meant that as Covid-19 hit, it was able to work with employees, furloughed and working, to devise a training plan to boost their prospects and career ambitions – in keeping with government recommendations to encourage and facilitate professional development.

Sarah Williamson, left, who took on the newly created role and managed just a few short weeks with her team before working from home, has helped more than 60 workers achieve new accreditations.

Said Sarah, “Multiskilling is going to be the biggest aspiration in the hospitality industry after Covid-19 as many venues will have a smaller team, so staff will be required to do a bit of everything.

“There was a lot of amazing training happening within the industry whilst many were furloughed and we encouraged all 60 members of staff to take part and take full advantage of the opportunities.

“We have supplied laptops and tablets for individuals to complete training to ensure the oppor tunities were available and accessible to all staff.”

Staff have been encouraged to take par t in courses available with industry bodies including, HIT Scotland and Hospitality Action, on top of the £3,400 investment which was made to FLOW training, which included lots of Covid-19 health and safety modules as well as the statutory training requirements.

Nine employees were also successful with an application to the HIT Scotland scholarship, a 10-week vir tual learning leadership course.

Fur ther training has been made available through the Flexible Workforce Development Fund in par tnership with the Scottish Government which is wor th £5000 and will include online training courses with Edinburgh College.

Cer tificated courses on offer through Edinburgh College include Social Media and Content Creation, Sales Skills, and IOSH Managing Safely.

Before joining Surgeons Quar ter, Sarah was Human Resource Manager at DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Westerwood Spa & Golf Resor t and before that worked with Holiday Inn Edinburgh.

£100K AD CAMPAIGN TO GET PEOPLE INTO HOSPITALITY

A

n advertising campaign has launched to encourage people to choose a career in Scotland’s tourism and hospitality

industry.

The campaign, which runs until 15 August, aims to help hospitality owners find staff, by encouraging people to find jobs that suits their different skill sets in hospitality. It also encourges those aged 18-30 to play their part in helping businesses recover from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic by applying their skills to the diverse job opportunities available in the sector.

The campaign has been developed in consultation with the sector, and lead partner the Scottish Tourism Alliance and is supported by £100,000 funding.

Business and Tourism Minister Ivan McKee said, “Tourism and hospitality businesses have been extremely hard hit by the pandemic and the ability to employ committed, talented and enthusiastic staff will be an important part of the recovery.

“There are a host of job opportunities needing filled right now to suit a range of passions and interests and the possibilities for a career in hospitality are endless. Whether it’s meeting new people, being part of a team, or working with food, this new campaign highlights

that ‘whatever you love doing, there’s a job in hospitality for you’.

“We had pledged £25 million for tourism recovery in the first 100 days of this government and this recruitment campaign will play a key part in that recovery. I hope this recruitment drive will encourage young Scots who perhaps hadn’t considered a job in this sector to look at the many opportunities available to them.”

As part of the campaign, tourism employers are asked to list vacancies on the Careerscope jobs portal. The jobs will then be available to all the Careerscope users and those with profiles will be matched to suitable vacancies.

Employers are encouraged as far as possible to advertise roles as being flexible and to offer training where required as this will encourage more young people to apply.

Scottish Tourism Alliance Chief Executive Marc Crothall said, “The jobs are here in Scotland’s tourism industry and employers are doing more than ever to support and encourage people to come and work in these roles, whether it’s for the short or longer term.

“This new campaign highlights the possibilities that exist right now for all abilities, skillsets and levels of experience. This summer is absolutely the time to become part of Scotland’s tourism industry and enjoy the buzz and reward that brings.”

Four Stars for The Palace The Palace Hotel and Spa on Ness Walk has become the latest Inverness hotel to be awarded four-star accreditation by the AA. The hotel has been part of the family-owned Milton Hotels group for 40 years. Said General Manager Mark Scobie, “I am extremely proud of the hotel team who have adapted well these last few months, maintaining a superb standard of guest service throughout this challenging period.

“It’s been a fantastic journey developing the hotel with the team over the years, conquering many challenges on the way, so for the teams efforts now to be recognised by the AA is absolutely fantastic.”

The hotel underwent a £2.5 million refurbishment programme in the last few years with the opening of its new brasserie, bar and reception spaces.

Milton Hotels managing director Tracey Wilding added, “We’ve been investing in the fabric of this lovely 1890 Baronial hotel for more than 40 years.

“As a family run hotel, we always want to keep that warm welcoming feeling, whilst always striving to give our guests luxury and style in their stay. As a team we are always innovating, and a pandemic won’t stop us doing just that.

We have more plans for the hotel and are looking forward to developing our guest experience throughout 2021.”

HOTELSCOTLAND • 7

NEWS

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMME AS AHS WELCOME NEW MEMBERS BUZZWORKS & COMPASS Apprenticeship in Hospitality Scotland (AHS) has opened applications for its world-class, industry-led hospitality apprenticeship programme.

Under the two-year Modern Apprenticeship in Hospitality Services framework, apprentices spend six months in four key departments and develop key skills and achieve a SCQF Level 5 in Hospitality Services. For the first time, AHS is also expanding its programme to restaurants through its Apprenticeship in Professional Cookery, which will see young professionals complete two years in Professional Cookery (SCQF Level 5).

The aim is to remove the stigma of the hospitality industry being an unrealistic career path.

Each apprentice is paid the national minimum wage and the course is supplemented with masterclasses and learning journeys through each of the four departments to enhance the learning of the apprentices aged 17–24 year olds.

AHS was implemented to nurture, develop and inspire the next generation of highly skilled talent for the Scottish hospitality industry as an alternative to university.

Rohaise Rose-Bristow, Chair, Apprenticeship in Scotland and Owner, The Torridon, said, “This is such an important time for both our industry and the careers of young professionals.

Working with our first-class industry partners, our apprenticeship provides aspiring hospitality leaders and chefs the support, experience and 8 • HOTELSCOTLAND

qualifications they need to jump start their career.

“Our combined learning experience, including masterclasses with top industry figures, learning journeys to establishments across the UK and on-the-job training is what sets us apart from other programmes within the industry and has seen the development of over 50 future hospitality stars. I look forward to inducting this year’s apprentices in September.”

Employers of AHS include Apex Hotels, The Old Course Hotel, St. Andrews and Cameron House, Loch Lomond, Compass Scotland and Buzzworks Holdings. Buzzworks Holdings and Compass Scotland have joined Apprenticeship in Hospitality Scotland (AHS) - a group of hospitality partners including Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness, The Old Course Hotel, St. Andrews, and Cameron House, Loch Lomond to deliver AHS’s hospitality apprenticeship programme.

Meanwhile global catering and support services provider Compass Group and Buzzworks Holdings have also joined recently as partners.

Rohaise Rose-Bristow, chair of AHS, said, “Aligning with the aims of the AHS, both of these organisations prioritises nurturing and training their teams and offering clear career prospects for young professionals. I am looking forward to working alongside our new and existing partners to inspire the next generation of hospitality leaders.”For more information on AHS, becoming a partner, or applying, please visit: https://www.apprenticeshipinhospitality. scot/our-partners

Travelodge recruiting 680 staff amid staycation boom Travelodge, which operates 578 hotels across the UK, is looking to fill 680 jobs across the country to meet the demand of the summer staycation season.

Travelodge’s recruitment drive includes 637 full and part time positions across its UK Travelodge hotels, a minimum of 40 in Scotland. Positions include management roles, for hotel manager and assistant hotel manager positions. Other roles include posts in bars and cafes, housekeeping, and reception.

Travelodge is also recruiting for 19 maintenance engineers and looking to fill 24 roles at its head office in Thame in Oxfordshire, including positions in finance, human resources, information technology, marketing, public relations, and property, and sales.

Chief executive Craig Bonnar said, “We are gearing up for a busy summer staycation season this year, and we need to fill 680 permanent positions immediately.

“We are looking for individuals who have passion, determination and a desire to deliver excellent customer service. In return, we provide a world-class training and development programme giving direct access to climb the career ladder into management. We also offer flexible working hours to help parents work around the school run, so that they can raise their family and keep one foot firmly on their career ladder too. .” .

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HOTELSCOTLAND • 9

WHAT’S NEW

ODDBIRD SPARKLES

OLD TOM 1821 MAKES ITS DEBUT

Three new premium sparkling nonalcoholic wines have been launched in the UK by Oddbird.

The new wines - Blanc de Blancs and Sparkling Rose wines from France and its Spumante from Italy, which are produced using traditional methods and then ‘liberated from alcohol’ using a patented vacuum distillation method.

Says Jack Hibbard of Proof Drinks who are distributing the wines in the UK, “With one in three visits to hospitality venues now not involving alcohol Oddbird really meets an increasing demand for high quality products in this category.” .

Old Tom Gin 1821 is a new and exclusive luxury gin brand founded by father and son, Giorgio and Gino Cozzolino.

Created in St. Andrews, the recognised ‘Home of Golf ’, and distilled using the finest Sicilian ingredients including citrus orange, ginger and juniper, the decadent spirit symbolises a harmonious marriage between Giorgio’s Italian homeland and his love for the Scottish town, where he has resided for the last six years.

Old Tom Gin 1821 is set to become the gin brand of choice for consumers at prestigious venues and iconic sporting events worldwide, affirmed by its upcoming involvement with the Ryder Cup in 2023.

Under official ‘Supplier and Licensee’ status, Old Tom Gin 1821 will supply all gin and gin-based cocktails at the renowned sporting event taking place at the Marco Simone Golf and Country Club in Rome.

Global Commercial Director, Richard Glover, confirms, “Since its launch, Old Tom Gin 1821 has established credibility through various commercial opportunities and business partnerships. We plan to develop the Old Tom Gin 1821 brand further through increasing our links within both the golf and drinks sector, as well as partnering with other premium/luxury brands. .

BISQUIT COGNAC REBORN Bisquit Cognac has been reborn as Bisquit & Dubouche, the original name for the cognac brand. It now joins Campari’s Prestige Challenger portfolio.

Two expressions have been launched the V.S.O.P and the X.O - the former is available in the UK now and the latter will be able from later this year.

The brand is named after Alexandre Bisquit who founded the brand in 1819 at the age of 20, and Adrien Dubouche, who married his daughter, and became his business partner. The new packaging sees Alexandre an dAdrien reunited on the label of the bottle, which is sleek and contemporary.

10 • HOTELSCOTLAND

FOR SUMMER EDEN MILL LAUNCH 9 PREMIUM GINS

Since 2014 Eden Mill has been selling its gin in an iconic ceramic bottle but the brand is now to be distilled and filled into a new crystal cut design which uses 18% less glass - a lighter more easily recycled 70cl bottle. The move the company says is a “major step forward in their journey to carbon neutrality.”

The new-look is accompanied by nine new premium gins including Rosa Rosa Gin, Forager Gin, Neptune Gin, Golden Lore Gin. Forbidden Gin and Red Snapper Gin. Passion Gin also takes the place of Passionfruit and Coconut Gin one of Eden Mill’s best sellers.

Tony Kelly, CEO and Founder of Eden Mill said, “We’re proud to be sharing this new range alongside some of our most popular gins in our innovative new bottle design. Standardising our bottle production across all our gins to this more sustainable design will greatly help us reduce waste.” .

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FUNDING YOUR SUSTAINABILITY JOURNEY FOLLOWING on from last month, NICOLA YOUNG now provides an overview of where to access funding for sustainability initiatives.

A

good starting point is Zero Waste Scotland who provide a free energy assessment to help identify where savings can be made along with a report that will highlight key actions.

The Scottish Government, via the SME Loan Fund, provides up to £100k as an interestfree loan (as well as the chance of qualifying for a £20k cashback grant) for work that is undertaken to improve carbon efficiency. The free report from Zero Waste Scotland can be used as a part of the loan application.

To be eligible you need to be registered in Scotland and to fall within the EU definition of an SME which means less that 250 employees or a turnover less than 50m euros.

The SME loan can be used to pay for work or equipment such as energy-efficient systems, equipment, and building fabric. It includes: -

heating, ventilation, and air conditioning upgrades.

-

renewable heat technologies such as installing an air source heat pump.

-

improving insulation, draught-proofing, double or secondary glazing,

-

installing LED lighting. installing solar panels, wind turbines, and wood-burning stoves.

If you qualify under the definition of an SME and you are installing eligible equipment then this is where you could receive the cashback grant and claim up to 30% of costs (to a maximum of £10k) for energy efficiency measures and 75% of costs related to renewable heat measures (heat pumps, biomass

boilers and solar thermal).

Zero Waste Scotland have highlighted a couple of hotels who have benefited from the advice and the loan fund and they provide a brief summary of what the hotels did, along with the savings achieved. It is impressive.

Ardlui Hotel, Marina and Holiday Home Park at Loch Lomond, an early mover in the drive to energy efficiency, took advantage of the independent advice to make their business more energy efficient. At the time, electricity was being used for kitchen equipment, lighting, extraction fans, heating pumps, campsite pitches and the effluent treatment plant. LPG fuelled the central heating boiler, campsite tumbler drier, campsite hot water, and additional kitchen equipment. Their annual energy bills were more than £60,000 with carbon emissions reaching almost 300 tonnes.

The report they received had several recommendations, including installing a biomass boiler, insulating loft space, metering electricity for all caravans, optimising voltage on some appliances, and introducing an energy management policy. The cost for all changes was estimated at £107,000. But the projected savings were just under £40,000 and it was estimated that the carbon output would be brought down by 113 tonnes each year, a 39% improvement.

The Cairngorms-based Boat Hotel replaced inefficient oil heating with a new biomass boiler, and installed extra layers of insulation to achieve savings of £48,000.

The West Highland Hotel in Mallaig saves nearly £20k on its energy bill each year, following the installation of a new biomass-fuelled boiler and Highland Farm Cottages, a green tourism business, also invested in a biomass boiler as well as solar PV to reduce energy and carbon. They saw energy savings of £19,000.

For those of you interested in installing electric charge points for guest (or employees) then there are grants available here too.

The current scheme, funded by the UK

FEATURE

Government, is called the Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) and it enables businesses to install EV charging points at their premises and here in Scotland, we have additional funds via the Energy Saving Trust (EST).

Under the Electric Vehicle Workplace Charge Scheme or the OLEV grant, the UK government provides an offer of up to £350 for every electric vehicle socket installation at the workplace to a maximum of 40 sockets. In Scotland, there is an additional £250 available from the EST and this rises to £350 for remote areas.

To qualify for the OLEV Workplace Charging Scheme (WCS) grant you need to have off-street parking, provide a business need for EV Charge points and your installation must be carried out by an OLEV approved installer.

You can use a service like olevgrant.com and let them find you an installer.

To access the Energy Saving Trust grant the business must be set up in Scotland. Once the application is made, it will be assessed based on the number in the EV fleet the workplace has to support and whether public access points are installed. Funding is allocated based on priority.

For hotels, you might also be eligible for free charging from Zero Carbon World. The only cost that you might need to allow for is the cost of the charge point installation, however, the OLEV grant scheme will help towards the charge point installation cost.

It is important that you have charging points that are compatible with a wide range of EVs as there is a range of voltage types available.

The Type 27kW charger is the most common option for workplaces because this tends to be compatible with all the new electric vehicles in the market.

Wall installations are the most commonly installed electric plug points and sockets that are installed on posts are also an option. Posts are more expensive than wall installations as

electricity needs to be supplied to the post from under the ground.

To prevent unwanted usage of your electric charging sockets, you can provide parking access with a key or an RFID card.

While wall points can cost around £950, a post-installation can cost between £2500 and £5000 and an advanced rapid charger can cost up to £35000.

Back-end support is provided for workplaces on their energy use, charge point basics and carbon footprint. Depending on the package purchased from the manufacturers, assistance can differ from having basic support to fullfledged assistance.

There is also £18m available via the Circular Economy Investment Fund.

This isn’t quite as straightforward as the SME Loan Fund or the EV Charging points but if you can demonstrate the right initiative it can be very useful and it is well worth looking at how any project can fit into the criteria.

Categories to consider include “Investment aid for waste recycling and re-utilisation” with grants of up to 55% of the capital cost for “plant, equipment and infrastructure costs; waste minimisation, resource value maximisation, reuse, reprocessing, recycling”.

“Investment aid for energy efficiency measures” is also a potential resource with up to 50% of cost eligible. The rules state that “Aid shall not be granted where improvements are undertaken to ensure that undertakings comply with Union standards. Eligible costs shall be the extra investment costs necessary to achieve the higher level of energy efficiency” but the overall costs can include operating as well as capital costs.

Doing these proposals can be timeconsuming, but having done a few, the time and cost spend can really be worth their weight in gold.

For hotels, you might also be eligible for free charging from Zero Carbon World. The only cost that you might need to allow for is the cost of the charge point installation, however, the OLEV grant scheme will help towards the charge point installation cost.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 13

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MCLAGGAN: SUCCESS ON A ...MUG

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ith hoteliers thinking about the in-room experience more lately, and also revenue earning opportunites, it seemed like serendipity when I was invited to visit Mclaggan Mugs in Alexandria near Loch Lomond.

This Scottish manufacturer supplies bone china mugs and decorative accessories to a number of very well known hotels, including Gleneagles Hotel, The Savoy, Browns Hotel, Skibo and the Waldorf Astoria amongst others and has an extensive customer base which includes the Tate Gallery, Liberty, Paul Smith, Lulu Guinness, the National Trust and one of the UK’s biggest retailers, John Lewis.

I caught up with Polly Thomson, the daughter of founder, Wally Mclaggan Smith, who established the business in 1974 to find out more. She explains, “My dad was a printer and he decided to go into ceramics and founded Mclaggan Mugs and I joined the business when I was 26, having trained as a CA. Today we deliver mugs, candles and baubles, and various other decorative accessories, all around the world and our team of skilled designers, printers, decorators and packers still work from our original premises near Loch Lomond.”

The Mclaggan HQ has its wide range of mugs displayed and I was amazed at how many I recognised from ‘Keep calm and carry on’, to the ‘Rosie Made a Thing’ series and they even brought out lockdown mugs which were best sellers. But I also saw displayed mugs such as classic bone china white mugs with the branding of The Savoy on.

Polly reveals, “We have worked with hotels for more than 45 years providing bespoke mugs, baubles and candles. We may be small but we are skilled, and we’re proud to say our customers enjoy working with us.”

Sometime the hotels that Mclaggan work with are looking for bespoke branded mugs that guests use in their rooms, which add to the customer experience, but some also sell the mugs in their retail shops or at reception.

Polly explains, “Bone china mugs and baubles are some of our bestsellers in hotels. Many guests who stay there want an affordable reminder of their stay and will either purchase a mug or two for themselves or to take back

as gifts. It is a revenue opportunity for hotels and also provides an ongoing marketing tool as the mugs remind guests to revisit. Hotels also put their own bespoke, high end mugs into bedrooms to complement their identity and the rooms décor.”

Customers can supply their own designs or Mclaggan’s designers can work with clients.

Once your design is finalised, Mclaggan use screen-printing techniques to turn it into a transfer which can be applied to the surface of the chosen ceramics. Transfers are applied by hand before being fired in traditional kilns overnight. This gives a vibrant, durable finish.

Products are then quality checked as they come off the kiln, before being prepared for despatch. Any finishing touches (for example, barcoding or bespoke packaging) are added at this point.

Polly says, “We can bring your ideas to life.”

Adding, “We generally supply at intervals of 48 with a minimum print run of 96. For designs with many colours, we recommend ordering 384 mugs as it keeps the price per item at a reasonable cost.”

As we have mentioned it’s not just mugs that Mclaggan can provide they do espresso sets, cappuccino sets, jugs, teapots, travel mugs bespoke baubles and hand-poured scented candles in a keepsake ceramic pot too.

Polly concludes, “We’ll work with customers to create products that we feel will delight and inspire.”

Their customers obviously appreciate the work they put in. Testimonials include: “Ordered 300 mugs and they sold so well I ordered another 200. They were very helpful during the design process. Would certainly recommend them.”

“What a fantastic company! So glad I came across them when I was looking for a collection of mugs for a special event. Highly recommend and I’ll be back!”

“I’ve been doing business with Mclaggan since 2001 and I’ve always experienced excellent service.”

“Excellent quality product and high standards of packaging, delivery and service. Thoroughly pleased and will purchase again.”

To order check out www.msmugs.com or speak to Mclaggan directly call 01389 755655.

RED DOOR HIGHLAND GIN WITH SUMMER BOTANICALS open, serve and share the good times. @RedDoorGin Discover more at reddoorgin.com please enjoy responsibly 16 • HOTELSCOTLAND

COMMENT

IS NOW THE RIGHT TIME TO INCREASE PRICES IN HOSPITALITY? BY GORDON MCINTYRE, CHAIRMAN HOSPITALITY HEALTH

W

e are certainly living and working in strange times. No one alive has lived through what we are experiencing right now. There is a saying “never waste a pandemic” Certainly unusual to hear, but I really feel it makes sense for the hospitality sector right now. We are in the midst of a perfect storm, a recruitment crisis, caused by the pandemic and worsened with the effects of Brexit and many overseas workers having now returned to their homelands, never to return to the UK. Many businesses are operating on reduced capacity, due to Covid restrictions, and also because they have insufficient staff to open longer hours. It is honestly the most worrying time for many in the industry. They are worried for their staff, worried for the continuity of business, worried about the debt they are in, worried for their own health and wellbeing.

In my opinion the time has never been better to increase prices within the hospitality industry and with the increase in pricing, pass on that reward to the staff and raise the income of our staff. I know it may sound controversial and a challenging move for the sector to go down, however we need to be brave and courageous in fighting our way back to getting fully open and trading in the future, post pandemic. As an industry we need to stand together and all act in this positive way, we have been without customers for months and they

are hungry to come back to enjoy fabulous food, wonderful wines and superb service.

They will pay for this now and in the future as long as we deliver the level of service and quality of food they expect.

“When the tide comes in all the boats are lifted” we need to act together, and I am confident that now is our time to effect a change that will be a lasting one in creating a better industry for the future.

The reputation of long hours, low pay has got to change, businesses now need to pay the living wage and start to follow the principles of Fair work. Fair work is work that offers effective voice, opportunity, security, fulfilment and respect; that balances the rights and responsibilities of employers and workers and that can generate benefits for individuals, organisations and society. The Hoteliers Charter, created by Sally Beck has made a start to move towards this, as does the Wellness Charter from Hospitality Health in Scotland, both need to be promoted to make the changes permeate across the industry and beyond.

For those who fear that the customers will abandon the sector if prices are increased, I have to suggest that they have been forced to stay away for the past 18 months due to lockdown rules. It is clear now, as things are opening up, they are desperate to return in their droves. This demand will continue and as long as guests receive high quality service and products they will continue to support the industry, happy to pay for provenance, atmosphere, storytelling and so much more.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 17

CHALLENGING THE NORMS IN The Chris Stewart Group is certainly dynamic and its continued investment in hotels and aparthotels has continued despite the challenges of the last 18 months. Susan Young caught up with Grant McKenzie, Director of Operations and Gavin MacLennan, General Manager for Cheval Edinburgh to find out more.

18 • HOTELSCOTLAND

Y

ou might not be very familiar with the Chris Stewart Group (CSG) but you will be more familiar with its properties which extend from the prestigious Cheval Edinburgh Grand to the luxury Cheval Old Town Chambers, The Courtyard by Marriott and various bars and restaurants in the capital city including the Devil’s Advocate.

The business founded by Chris Stewart more than 20 years ago is one of Scotland’s real success stories – a multi-faceted organisation with a focus on quality. It has also gained a reputation for its expertise in renovating listed and old buildings alongside its ability to create new-build.

It may have started out primarily in property development and investment but today it is also a key player in the Scottish hospitality arena.

This August will see the latest CSG development project at 329 High Street Edinburgh completed and handed over to operators Cheval Residences and The Bon

Vivant Group (TBVG), in time for the festival season.

While next year it hopes to complete the development of a new 246-bed hotel, part of Marriott’s AC brand, located on Glasgow’s George Street which will be part of a lifestyleled development called Love Loan, All in all the group’s portfolio includes 240 hotel bedrooms and when Glasgow opens next year that room count will double, 125 five star serviced apartments and of course its award-winning restaurants and bars as well as more than 200 employees.

Grant McKenzie, Director of Operations, tells me, “Each of our premises have management contracts in place. Old Town Chambers and Edinburgh Grand, and now the Old Town Chambers extension at 329, fall under the Cheval brand and management contract. RBH manage the Marriott Baxter’s Place and also will have the management contract for Glasgow.” His role is managing the CSG assets on behalf of the owner. Grant explains, “The best way to describe it is when you have so many different properties,

INTERVIEW

N HOSPITALITY different franchises and brands, and different styles of accommodations, operating through one channel (me) that leads directly into the owner makes it more collaborative.”

CSG started moved into hospitality when it developed Motel One on Market Street in 2012, and Old Town Chambers followed in 2014.

The A-listed restoration, situated just off the Royal Mile was part of the Group’s £45m Advocate’s Close development and is a collection of 50 luxury serviced apartments and a 15th century stone merchant’s house, as well as some modern extensions.

Then in 2018 The Edinburgh Grand opened, situated in the former Royal Bank of Scotland’s HQ in St Andrews Square with 50 suites. It too is an iconic Edinburgh building, This development included The Register Club and Lady Libertine and this was when the group first brought in partners TBVG but they managed the operational side of their businesses through their own management company Lateral City. However that changed last year.

Says Grant “We have brought on board Cheval as our partners to manage Old Town Chambers, The Edinburgh Grand and now the Royal Mile frontage to Old Town Chambers.”

He explains the move from their own management company Lateral City to Cheval.

“It took us over two years to select Cheval.

We went through a rigorous process to select the right partner. We looked at their key strengths and what they could bring to the party. We wanted to have more reach and a partner that would help develop the business of the Edinburgh properties going forward. Cheval were the best fit. It was large enough to give us greater outreach and small enough for us to have a close working relationship. .”

However, the change of management also meant a change of employer for General Manager Gavin MacLennan who until then was GM at Lateral City. He has moved to Cheval. But has taken the move in his stride.

He admits it can be tricky being the ‘middle man’. Now he reports in to the CEO of

GRANT MCKENZIE ( LEFT) AND GRAND MACLENNAN (RIGHT).

Cheval and keeps Grant informed too. He tells me, “I work closely with both Grant and Cheval. I benefit from Cheval’s global infrastructure and I speak to them daily when it comes to the business, sales, marketing, revenues and HR, and when it comes to fixtures and fittings I am lucky enough to be able to run decisions past Grant first. I am lucky that I have an owner on-site who I have worked with for four years.

He adds, “I think the support you get with Cheval which includes being able to speak to colleagues in Australia, South Africa and such like is invaluable. We didn’t have that outreach before as Lateral City.

Chris Stewart managed to persuade Gavin to come and work for him six years ago.

Says Gavin, “He was quite sneaky I came to talk to him about Old Town Chambers he then showed me the then derelict Edinburgh Grand. There was no question of me not taking the job after that.

“The role has continually developed and changed over the last six years and I feel like I am running different businesses. Now I am HOTELSCOTLAND • 19

INTERVIEW

“We need to be challenging the norms in hospitality. I never accept ‘that is the way it has always been done’!

We look for people with the right qualities, who may not have considered hospitality as a career and invest in them to make them the best they can be. Giving them the opportunities to grow within the business.”

Grant McKenzie

20 • HOTELSCOTLAND

going to take the five-star model of the Edinburgh Grand and introduce it to 329, the extended Old Town Chambers. And although Cheval is a large company it doesn’t feel corporate, in fact it still feels as if we are independently owned.”

I asked them what they thought the difference was between running a hotel and their serviced apartments, which to my mind fall into the category aparthotel.

Says Grant, “The Edinburgh Grand has all the full services of a five-star hotel. When guests walk into a room they see a large, beautifully designed apartment with all the facilities. But there is more space and it is luxurious. It is serviced accommodation with a plus, plus. Guests can stay for one night or six months.

“All of our properties have an apartment-led offer but we sell the rooms in a similar way to hotel accommodation. This allows us to cast the net wider. Essentially the reality is that we provide short and longer term accommodation and hospitality of the highest calibre in the UK for people who want to come and have a luxury stay.

“Our guests include people who are here for business and corporate clients, who stay for between three and six months. Some people come because they are relocating and others because of insurance issues which require them to be out of their own homes.”

The business model is working because although the Group has seen a downturn in business over the last 12 months, they have managed to keep all of their estate open.

Explains Grant, “A significant percentage of our guests stay for an extended period but we also have a number of angles covered for different eventualities and this has proved useful. People who had to travel were looking for something a bit different and many didn’t want to stay in a large corporate hotel. They also wanted more spacious workspaces and wanted to able to cater for themselves all of which we could provide. As a result, I think we have pulled through to the top of the pack in Edinburgh. We stayed open

throughout and have performed very well. It also puts us in a good position going forward.”

This brings us to 329 High Street, the new Royal Mile addition to Old Town Chambers whichwill open imminently, with 24 apartments, reception, restaurant and bar.

Gavin is looking forward to the challenge.

He tells me, “Since we opened the Old Town Chambers in 2013 we have had extremely high occupancy. We always knew that if we could extend we would. We also realised that any extension would benefit from having the same facilities as Edinburgh Grand.”

This is why when offices, formerly occupied

by Edinburgh Council, across from St Giles Cathedral, became available CSG jumped at the opportunity.

Grant comments, “We had just taken it on when the pandemic hit. But there was no point in slowing down. The building at 329 is an exciting prospect especially with the Royal Mile frontage.

It is Grade A listed and we did the entire development and the design in-house.

“It might have been considered risky to continue to spend the money on the building but we believe it will be one of the key factors in our recovery. We knew our business would take a drop, but the demand we see and the business levels we see coming back into the Old Town Chambers gives us confidence that the additional 24 apartments will accelerate our bounce back.

We didn’t take a short term view, we have a long term plan.”

The added benefit of the new extension to Old Town Chambers is that the business model now reflects that of the Edinburgh Grand with food and beverage and leisure facilities, part of the offering.

CSG has continued its alliance with what they consider ‘best in class’ operators – The Bon Vivant Group (TBVG).

TBVG will operate the multiple food and beverage operations within the development which will include the 140-cover Luckenbooths

restaurant ,which will open in September, and a new El Cartel Mexican restaurant on the site of the former Zizzi’s. This will open in August and will complement the existing Devil’s Advocate.

Says Grant, “Multiple brands both large and small would jump at the chance to get into one of our units but TBVG shares our ethos and will provide a very exciting and interesting offering.”

Gavin is confident that once open the Old Town Chambers extension at 329 will soon be thriving. “We may need to wait a bit longer for international guests and we may not see them fully back until next year. But later this summer and certainly by the autumn we hope all travel will resume.

“Right now ‘staycation’ is the way to go and this is reflected in the booking for familyspecific units. There are also indications that some of the corporates are coming back too.

We have spoken to some of our colleagues on the Square and they, like us, are fairly confident that offices will be back, albeit in a slightly reduced capacity, in the near future. That will help us mid-week.

“What also helps us being part of Cheval which has a large middle eastern customer base and we have been able to tap into this.

We know by speaking to our colleagues in London that these customers are eager to book into our Edinburgh suites.”

However, although CSG is confident that business will come, other issues are facing the business which they don’t have control over.

Grant explains, “There are challenges, and not just from the business perspective. The challenges the front line team are facing are not to do with hotel operations directly, but because our suppliers are also facing unprecedented times and deserve everyone’s support.

Gavin agrees, “The supply chain has been forgotten but it is the unsung hero of this

industry. People see the industry as just the bars and restaurants but I can’t operate without my linen, crockery suppliers and such like. When we talk about the industry these are the people who make it work for us. For instance, when your linen says they can’t help you that is a bigger issue than not being able to get a member of staff. Perhaps the linen company had to close for three days because they could not get staff to clean the linen and that certainly impacts on us being able to deliver the guest experience.”

However, Grant point outs, “The last 18 months have brought out the best in us individually. When the pandemic first hit, we were still operating independently – we didn’t have Cheval on board, and we looked at what we had to do to protect our guests and our teams. We took on temporary measures to ensure their welfare and a lot of that has stuck with us going forward.

“The Edinburgh Grand didn’t close for a single day. There was not one day when we couldn’t service a room, or look after a staff member. It’s not been easy but we haven’t witnessed some of the challenges others have and I put that down to really good management from Gavin and the fact that he knew that he had flexibility and the support from the owner.”

He continues, “We made the right decisions at the right time and adapted.. We had to up our game and I think going forward suppliers will do that too. Some smaller suppliers out there, who did adapt, were able to rise the challenge. There are always options and opportunities and there is dynamism in the industry. It is about making the best of a situation.”

And talking about making the best of a bad situation there has been negative comments in hospitality regarding guests.

Gavin comments, “ I’m reading a lot about hotels being challenged by demanding guests.

But really that has not changed in a 100 years. That is our job. There are operational challenges. But you have to be passionate about the industry to work in it, and you have to be up for those challenges.

“In some ways it has brought out even more passion for some people. Yes, there are some recruitment challenges and a few other issues but you still see the people who are absolutely passionate about this industry and want to keep working in it regardless of what has happened. That has been great to see.”

Certainly, the last 18 months have seen CSG adapt, but Grant feels there is more to come.

“We need to be challenging the norms in hospitality. I never accept ‘that is the way it has always been done’! We look for people with the right qualities, who may not have considered hospitality as a career and invest in them to make them the best they can be.

Giving them the opportunities to grow within the business.

“We didn’t have to close for one day because we were short of staff, we looked after our people and treated them well. Many of them are as passionate about our business as we are. They were up for the challenge.”

The next project for CSG is finishing its AC by Marriott, a 245-bed hotel, in Glasgow’s George Square, next year. The hotel is part of the first stage in the realisation of CSG’s vision to deliver an experience and lifestyle-led destination in the heart of the city, skirting the Merchant City and Queen Street station. The initiative will also create contemporary new homes at Love Loan with retail, leisure and hospitality.

There may also be another announcement regarding Glasgow shortly.

Pandemic or no pandemic the Chris Stewart Group, and its management team, are definitely up for the challenge.

REFURBISHMENT PROJECTS - FF&E AND OS&E PROCUREMENT

by ALASTAIR ROY of ARO PROCUREMENT

For more information on how full service project procurement for FF&E and OS&E can benefit your refurbishment project, contact alastair@arorocurement.com www.aroprocurement.com

T

he multi-lettered acronyms in the heading are abbreviations for Fixtures, Fittings and Equipment and Operating Supplies and Equipment – in other words FF&E is mainly focused on furniture, lighting, carpets, artwork and window coverings and OS&E relates to all the smaller items including crockery, cutlery, bedroom and bathroom knick-knacks – some useful, others decorative - amongst a multitude of other items. You probably already know that but as they are not necessarily tripping off the tongue on an everyday basis, hopefully this serves as a helpful reminder.

When embarking on a refurbishment of your property’s interiors, including public spaces, guest bedrooms and bathrooms, you might decide to outsource the interior design element. Often the interior designers will offer to procure the FF&E and OS&E as part of their services and it might suit your requirements to proceed on that basis. However, before doing so, check if the designer is adding a margin to the cost of goods being purchased for your refurbishment and also if they are reviewing the entire market place or perhaps focusing on a smaller group of suppliers that they routinely work with on projects.

Whilst there is nothing inherently wrong with the approach described above, it is important to gain clarity on the margins and understand if you are paying a fee for their services in addition to margins which are not immediately disclosed. Arguably, it is better to take matters into your own hands and deal

direct with the suppliers and manufacturers to ensure you are achieving optimal value for money, especially at this stage in the recovery of the hospitality sector.

To get started, obtain the specifications from the interior designer and then cast the net across the supply chain to determine which manufacturer or supplier can supply the correct specification products, on time for the project deadlines, at the appropriate quality level and within your budget range.

Under no circumstances should you disclose your budget sums to the supplier. Instead obtain a proposal based on clear item build up costs which you can then compare on a like for like basis to make a decision on your preferred supplier. This is especially pertinent when considering bespoke items and you should be pleasantly surprised at the savings that can achieved by going with this method.

You may decide to outsource management and delivery of the FF&E and OS&E procurement to a 3rd party procurement company to handle the relationship between your designer and manufacturers/suppliers.

The procurement company would handle the entire tender process for all items, arrange shop drawings with manufacturers of bespoke items, control and report on the budget sums to ensure savings are achieved on original estimates - focused on extracting value for the client at every stage in the process. They would also manage the delivery and installation in accordance with the project timelines to ensure your project is ready and open to start earning revenue at the earliest opportunity.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 23

24 • HOTELSCOTLAND • 2019

DESIGN FOCUS

VEGA YOTEL, GLASGOW

V

ega, operated by hotel group YOTEL, is the first of its kind in Scotland – a sky-high bar, restaurant and bowling alley taking over the entire 7th floor of Glasgow’s newest hotel.

This new concept brings together panoramic skyline views, neon-lit ten pin bowling and a contemporary menu concept in its 282-Cover space.

Turning the fun up a notch, the impressive day to late-night venue also boasts a striking four-lane bowling alley, neon-lit and complete with state-of-the-art interactive light shows that will be sure to light up guests’ social media.

Euan Wilson, Manager at VEGA said, “With VEGA we wanted to create something special where people can go and have an out of this world experience.

“Our menu has been created to offer guests a seamless day to late night adventure - there’s no other lifestyle venue quite like us in the city.

“With its bold design, epic food and drink offering and weekend DJ sets, we’re bringing fun to Glasgow in a uniquely VEGA way.”

HOTELSCOTLAND • 25

Design & installation of superior furniture for Restaurants and Hotels tables • chairs • fixed seating • re-upholstery • bedroom furniture• beds • bedspreads • curtains • sofas • lighting • carpeting

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DESIGN FOCUS

CORNHILL CASTLE LODGES OFFICIALLY OPEN

O

ne of Scotland’s most popular hotel and wedding venues, Cornhill Castle in Biggar, has officially opened seven lodges on the grounds of the hotel.

The sustainable log cabin style lodges, all named after a Scottish river, add a luxurious and versatile staycation offering to the Manorview portfolio and are set within the grounds of the Castle offering privacy and stunning views in abundance.

Set in close proximity to both Edinburgh and Glasgow and the Scottish Borders, each lodge has been carefully designed to cater to every whim of the short break tourist who is looking to enjoy a luxurious stay with all the modern amenities of a hotel.

The lodges boast high spec fixtures and finishes, luxurious soft furnishings, comfy beds and heritage style interior touches such as chesterfield sofas.

The lodges will be marketed to those seeking a relaxing retreat away and feature a bedroom (with twin or king size bed), comfortable living space, private decking area with hot tub, HOTELSCOTLAND • 27

DESIGN FOCUS

shower room and panoramic views of the Scottish countryside, plus sofa-bed in the living area, meaning each lodge can sleep up to four.

Guests can tailor their stay with bespoke in-lodge drinks & dining packages which include continental breakfast hampers delivered to the lodge every morning.

Fluffy bathrobes, smart TVs, Nespresso coffee machines and wifi are just some of the touches that ensure guests never need to leave the lodge, however they can venture up to the main castle to dine in the Ghillie restaurant or enjoy a drink in the hotel bar at their leisure.

Commenting on the new development at Cornhill Castle, Carlton Graham, operations manager said:,“We are delighted to be launching our new lodges just in time for summer. Our team has put a huge amount of thought into the lodge design and we’re confident the stunning location and attention to detail will really set us apart from the competition. The location, stunning views and high spec amenities ensure guests can enjoy a calming and luxurious short break all year round.”

28 • HOTELSCOTLAND

OPENING FOR DOGS: POST-PANDEMIC BUSINESS BENEFITS AND TIPS

A

s life begins to return to ‘normal’, many are excited to go out and explore again – and some alongside their four-legged friends, who were a lifeline to many during lockdown.

New research by The Kennel Club* shows that 64 per cent of Scots are worried about dogs bought during the pandemic as restrictions lift. Similarly, almost half (49 per cent) agree that there are not enough businesses accommodating man’s best friend, and more than half (57 per cent) would like to see more dog-friendly places. 62 per cent also agree it’s better for businesses, citing benefits such as more people visiting if their dog can come too, and that dogs make the atmosphere more friendly.

Nationally, more than one in two (55 per cent) dog owners claim they would happily stay longer and spend more if their dog was with them when out socialising. Clearly the burgeoning market of dog owners want to introduce or re-introduce their dogs to the world as we return to normality, and this presents a previously untapped opportunity for establishments who currently don’t welcome four-legged punters.

Becoming a dog-friendly establishment doesn’t need to be a difficult task but does require a plan. As experts in all things dog, The Kennel Club has shared with us some advice and tips to consider before you start welcoming four-legged guests.

Make it clear which areas of your hotel, restaurant or pub are dog friendly and which are off limits, and make sure that all guests are aware of the rules.

Decide whether you want to have a limit on dogs per guest, and if bringing a dog along means guests pay a little extra.

It might be useful to group those staying with dogs in similar areas in one segment, as most dog owners can be understanding towards a bit of a doggy noise.

Consider whether you want to only make the rooms dog friendly, or also any restaurants or bars, if you’re a hotel. Make sure that it’s clear which areas are dog friendly, including information online or in leaflets in the room, lobby or reception.

Think about putting together a welcome pack for dogs staying at your hotel to show you want to make their stay ‘paw-fect’. You can include

things like dog treats, toys, or even a personalised water bowl. Consider having dog beds available upon request or in dog-friendly rooms too.

Consider whether you’d like to provide a dog-sitting service for guests when they cannot take their dog with them for the day or evening.

Make sure there’s fresh water available for dogs upon arrival and during their stay.

Dogs will need access to an outside area, where they can roam around and go to the toilet. Also ensure to put dog bins outside so owners can clean after their dogs easily.

Make sure that any areas that dogs will have access to, including the rooms, are safe and free of any plants and items that are toxic for dogs – like mini chocolates. You can find more information about items and plants which are toxic to dogs on The Kennel Club’s website: thekennelclub.org. uk/health.

Consider preparing a special map of the local area with dog-friendly places to visits.

Create an ‘Open for Dogs’ policy that can be uploaded online and displayed to ensure guests and those considering visiting with their dog are aware. You can find a template policy on The Kennel Club’s Open for Dogs online hub: thekennelclub.org.uk/openfordogs You can also order The Kennel Club’s Open for Dogs sticker to display in your window to make it clear furry lodgers are welcome in your hotel, pub or restaurant.

For more advice and resources for pubs, restaurants, and hotels to help improve dog-friendly credentials and reap the benefits, The Kennel Club has launched its Open for Dogs campaign: thekennelclub.org.uk/ openfordogs * Figures based on survey of 2,001 general consumer and dog owner respondents, carried out for The Kennel Club’s Open for Dogs campaign

by Censuswide, in June 2021.

HOTELSCOTLAND • 29

30 • HOTELSCOTLAND

PEOPLE

OAKLEY IS GLENAPP’S NEW GM Glenapp Castle has appointed Will Oakley to take the reins as General Manager Will has recently moved back to the UK after seven years as General Manager of Cobblers Cove, in Barbados.

Will’s career started after he graduated from the Savoy Group of Hotel Management Training and then joined the five-star Lanesborough Hotel in 1992. He was only 25 years old when he took his first role as General Manager! He has also previously worked for Luxury Hotel Partners at The Cadogan Hotel as well as Bespoke Hotels and the Halcyon Hotel in Holland Park.

Jill Chalmers, Managing Director of Glenapp Castle comments, ‘’we are utterly thrilled that Will has joined our team. He will be instrumental in taking Glenapp Castle and the business to the next level, we are delighted that he has joined us at a very exciting time for Glenapp Castle.’’

The hotel has recently launched The Endeavour, its brand new castle apartment that encompasses the whole of the top floor of the castle.

Providing more than 4,500 square of luxurious accommodation for total seclusion and privacy. The Endeavour has been a dream of Paul Szkiler, the proprietor of Glenapp Castle, ever since he took over the Castle in 2015. He is aiming to transform the hotel into a world-class

destination and future plans also include an onsite spa development.

Glenapp Castle is also extending its food and beverage offering this summer, launching its new Azalea Glasshouse Restaurant, located in the Castle’s picturesque Walled Gardens. Glenapp Castle already holds a fantastic reputation for its stunning and delicious Scottish cuisine and service, however, The Endeavour, the new Azalea Glasshouse restaurant and The Hebridean Sea Safai are sure to enhance the guest experience even further. .

CAMERON HOUSE APPOINTS SENIOR CHEF TEAM AHEAD OF AUGUST REOPENING

Complete systems f rom only £1395

Cameron House Hotel has appointed five new senior additions to its kitchen team ahead of the resort’s reopening in August.

Part of the new senior team of chefs is Mark Drummond, who will join Cameron House as executive sous chef, with a focus on Cameron Grill. He has been appointed from his most recent role of head chef at Rosewood London’s Holborn Dining Room.

He will be accompanied by Vinny Tzortzis, Cameron Grill head chef, joining with experience from Celtic Manor Resort.

David Lilley joins as head pastry chef with experience ranging from the Chester Hotel to the Michelin Star Peat Inn. Working closely with David Lilley is pastry sous chef Martin Goldie.

Michael Williams re-joins Cameron House as meeting and events head chef, a role he previously held for seven years, and will further elevate the resorts offering.

Commenting on the new appointments, Zoltan Szabo, resort executive chef said, ‘I believe that this is the strongest line up of senior chefs we have ever had at Cameron House. Each of them brings exceptional new talent to the team here, and we’re all looking forward to that first service together in August.”

Jennifer Jurgensen, director of HR at Cameron House added, “Since we launched our recruitment drive in February of this year we have seen a fantastic response and we have already recruited 300 new positions across the resort.”

Cameron House Estate spans over 400 acres and comprises the 140-bedroom Cameron House Hotel and a luxury spa, 18-hole golf course and range of restaurants and bars.

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CHECKOUT As we went to press Scotland’s First Minister revealed that Scotland is moving to Level 0. But she made some modifications - licensing times are restricted to midnight in hospitality no matter what your local licensings rules are. She explained her decision by saying that ‘hospitality was still risky.’

The number of guests allowed at weddings and funerals is now 200. Outside hospitality can serve 15 people from 15 households and inside 8 people from four households, but the 1m social distancing rule remains between groups.

The need to self-isolate for close contacts which has been a huge issue for hospitality, is now not applicable for those that have been double vaccinated, as long as it has been two weeks since their dose. A negative PCR test is also required.

She told parliament that a ‘gradual approach stands the best chance of being sustainable.”

I sincerely hope it is ‘sustainable’ and that the 9th of August will see all further restrictions lift.

According to recent research hospitality vacancies have risen by 73%, and 33% of people felt that roles in hospitality offered little progression. We all know that is just not the case. That’s why I was delighted to see the new campaign by the Scottish Government encouraging people into hospitality and tourism employment. However it strikes me that it is not just potential employees that need to be educated about the industry, the Scottish government too needs to learn a lot more about how it operates. One thing the pandemic has thrown is the lack of knowledge that ministers have regarding hospitality. It is time for a Hospitality Minister. Who would you like to see take the role on?

Sustainability is certainly going to be a challenge for hospitality going forward. But there is funding out there, but as Nicola Young explained it’s not always easy accessing it, but once you do it is worth the effort.

Here’s hoping the Scottish Government is going to release some funds for replacing entire heating systems for hotels, but that’s what is on the agenda for those who don’t currently use biomass boilers or indeed heat pumps.

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I see that itison is going to trial a four-day week and some people I have been talking to in hospitality recently have revealed that they have Chefs on four-day weeks too, in an effort to keep them. It will be interesting to see how this pans out. I would quite like a four-day week too, but I like most of you am a business owner, and that is very unlikely!

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