HOTEL’S CLOSURE WRECKS COUPLES’ WEDDING PLANS
Owners slammed as receptions and other special events are scuppered
HAPPY couples preparing to get married have been left devastated after a hotel hosting their receptions suddenly shut.
The Lovat Hotel in Perth locked its doors without warning on Thursday, throwing wedding plans, Burns Suppers and a school reunion up in the air.
Shaun Campbell and Shannon Allday were due to get married there next month.
The couple have already stumped up almost £1800 for their February 24 reception and 30 guests had booked rooms.
Shaun, 26, from Dundee, said: “We don’t have a clue what’s going on.
“We’re going to have to find a new venue but we will need our money back before we can book anything.”
Though the Lovat is promoted by the international Best Western chain, it’s owned by managing director Stuart Shearer, who is originally from Galashiels.
The closure has left shocked staff fearing for their jobs.
Shearer moved from the Borders about two years ago with partner Lucy Smith. She admitted on a blog on the Lovat’s website that she “tried to talk him out of ” buying the business.
Guests arriving on Thursday found the doors barred. Some said they’d spotted staff inside, but they refused to speak to them.
Shaun and Shannon were among customers seeking assurances from the hotel.
Shaun said: “We came round because nobody at the hotel was answering their phones.
“We had been there earlier this year for meal tastings and we were told the manager was away on holiday for two weeks.
“He didn’t look worried about anything. We had no idea they were about to close.”
Shannon added: “I emailed the owner on Monday and asked if all of our day guests can check in early, and we were told: ‘Yes, no problem.’”
Blairgowrie dad Brian Gellatly, who paid the deposit for his daughter’s wedding on Wednesday, added: “The first I heard was when my daughter Sarah called me in a panic. I had phoned them up and paid the £250 yesterday but there was no indication anything was wrong.
“We even got a tour of the building on Saturday. Nobody said anything to us.”
Raging Sarah posted a message on Shearer’s Facebook page saying: “You took £250 off my Dad only yesterday, knowing there would be no wedding? I’m absolutely distraught. I have sent you my bank details to pay it back. Thanks.”
A Burns Supper was due to be held at the hotel on Thursday evening, although the guest speaker, actor John Canmore, said his booking was cancelled in December.
David Fyfe fears he has seen his plans for a Perth High School reunion for the class of ’96 left high and dry. The event, set for September, is expected to attract guests from as far afield as Canada and Russia.
He said: “I spoke to the general manager Stuart via email last week, asking about room prices. Not a word was mentioned about issues, he talked about perhaps doing tribute nights.”
A blog on the hotel’s website, written by Smith, outlines how she and Shearer came to run the hotel. She wrote: “We wanted somewhere small, and easy to manage with a little team of staff, as we had no formal experience.
“So, imagine my shock when Stuart came home from a long day working, and told me there was a hotel in Perth, up for sale, and he wanted to take it on.
“So this suddenly felt far too real, and far too massive an undertaking for me! Naturally, I tried to talk Stuart out of it.”
She later added: “Two years in, and we are nowhere near finished working on The Lovat, but it is a labour of love.”
A Best Western spokeswoman said the owner would “not be commenting at this time”.
Guests were being offered refunds or other accommodation Best Western said, adding: “We have also started to contact customers on our system who have future bookings to notify them of the need to make alternative arrangements.”