By Ian McConnell
Another 100 Scottish hotels have endorsed a call for immediate changes to restrictions north of the Border prohibiting the sale of alcohol to guests in public areas.
This brings the number of Scottish hotels supporting the campaign for the rules to change, led by Glenapp Castle in Ayrshire, to more than 200.
Hotels backing the campaign for immediate changes to the temporary restrictions introduced from October 9 by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon have warned that regulations prohibiting the sale of alcohol in public areas to guests will lead to thousands of job losses because of a damaging drop in revenues.
Among the latest hotels to back the campaign are The Fife Arms in Braemar, Culloden House Hotel in Inverness, Forss House Hotel in Caithness, the Selkirk Arms Hotel in Kirkcudbright and House of Gods Hotel in Edinburgh.
In a letter to the First Minister, Glenapp Castle managing director Jill Chalmers said: “Not being able to sell alcohol in public areas to hotel residents in Scotland negatively impacts their stay and future guests are already starting to cancel their bookings.
“This measure in particular is threatening the small thread of revenue – a lifeline for many – which still exists for hotel businesses in Scotland at this difficult time. “
She added: “We urge you to reconsider this and allow hotel guests, staying a minimum of one night, to consume alcohol in all settings, not simply [through] room service alone."
Ms Chalmers also urged a change in the rules to enable hotels to cater for non-residents until 6pm.
She said: "In addition, we believe that we should be able to serve non-residents until 6pm, as a café is allowed to do.”
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