Golden anniversary trip goes up in smoke
Fire crews and police at the entrance to Fisher’s Hotel A couple who spent their honeymoon at Pitlochry’s Fisher’s Hotel returned to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary – only to end up on the pavement in their pyjamas when the hotel went up in smoke.
But after fleeing the burning building, Maureen (72) and Robert Dickson (73) found that the upgraded room they’d been given in light of their 50th anniversary had escaped any damage by the blaze.
The couple were among around 180 guests who had come to Pitlochry for a four-day break over New Year to enjoy fireworks, a ball and a popular street party – which was later cancelled as result of the early morning drama.
The alarm was raised at the 137room Atholl Road premises at 6am on Sunday and around 55 firefighters with aerial ladders came to tackle a blaze in the four-storey hotel.
The flames consumed a section of the Victorian hotel, leaving the upper floor and roof of one wing in ruins. Witnesses said firedoors worked and prevented the flames spreading to other parts of the building.
Yesterday a fire investigation team from Aberdeen arrived to try to trace the cause. The hotel was closed except to returning guests needing assistance.
In the darkness of Sunday, January 1, guests hurriedly dressed or reached for coats when the hotel’s alarm systems went off. The bewildered crowd had to stand in the freezing morning gloom for over an hour while checks were made. Luckily, no one was injured.
At 7am, the guests were asked to walk to Scotland’s Hotel on Bonnethill Road to be processed before buses took them to the Atholl Palace Hotel, a sister hotel in the Castle Collection chain which owns Fisher’s.
“We spent one night of our honeymoon in 1967, I remember we paid four guineas to stay there,” explained Robert.
“Maureen and I love the town and we’ve been back almost every year since. We’re almost local.”
The guests acknowledged they’d had a shock being called from their beds at 6am on New Year’s Day, but the experience had been so well handled they could not complain.
“Many rooms were smoke damaged, some were gutted, no one knew till later on Sunday,” added Robert.
“We were lucky as they’d put us in
Fiona and John Logan and Maureen and Robert Dickson were staying at Fisher’s over New Year
a better room, number 222, because of our golden wedding. That was a bit of luck as having passed through all the blackened debris on our way back to pick up our things by torchlight last night, our room was OK, our possessions weren’t harmed at all.”
“It was a long tiring day yesterday all the same, waiting in the function suite from 10.30am to be told what was next,” continued Maureen.
“It was a bit like waiting for a delayed plane and not knowing when the plane was coming or if it would come at all.”
The couple spoke to the PA over breakfast at the four-star Atholl Palace.
Joining them were friends, also from Lenzie who had almost never missed a year to be in Pitlochry for Hogmanay.
“We left everything and got out,” said Fiona Logan. “I put on a warm coat and boots over my night clothes because I knew we’d be on the street for quite some time. As we walked to Scotland’s Hotel we got a really good view of the flames leaping high over the roof. I felt a bit panicky as I was trying to work out where our room was in relation to the fire.
“When everyone got into Scotland’s Hotel I think all the noise in the early morning upset the guests, but the staff really did their very best.”
Fiona and her husband John (80) had regularly been to Pitlochry for the annual New Year’s Day street party over the years. They vowed to come back and stay at Fisher’s if it was rebuilt for next year.
“The staff were marvellous. A team of young waiters came with us and looked after us while we spent the whole day in the function suite of the Atholl Palace. They did everything in their power to keep us happy.
“Scotland’s Hotel gave us coffee and rolls and organised us finding a new room. Then at the Atholl Palace, they gave us soup, sandwiches for lunch. Everyone was so kind.”
John added: “There were a lot of older people needing their medication. A firefighter took them back to get what they needed later in the day once the building was safe.
“The firefighters did an amazing job and everyone was calm and organised.”
Heather Morrow (57) from Aberdeen told the PA: “This is our third year of staying at Fisher’s for new year. My husband is a fireman, and so it was hard for him to watch and do nothing.”
On Sunday night two senior fire officers and three pump units remained in place to guard against ‘hot spots’ which could reignite. There had been crews in attendance for over 12 hours by that stage.
A spokesperson for the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: “Guests have been back to retrieve their belongings. We have three pumps at the location, relief crews have arrived and a support unit remains.”
Atholl Palace general manager Graeme Strachan organised a ceilidh to keep the displaced holidaymakers entertained.
He said: “We worked flat out to make sure people were warm and fed, that was our priority, we had a duty of care.”
Chair of Pitlochry and Moulin Community Council, Andrew Holmes said: “Fisher’s Hotel is one of the town’s principal iconic spots. We don’t yet know the extent of the damage.
“From what I’ve seen there is a lot of damage in the wing which contains the ballroom which has only recently been redecorated. While the upper floor is clearly gutted, lower floors in that wing which were not burnt out are ruined because of water damage.
“I feel concerned if Fisher’s is not going to be functional while repairs are made, it makes a significant contribution to Pitlochry’s economy.
“This has been a very traumatic way to begin 2017.”
John Swinney, MSP for Perthshire North said: “I am very sorry to hear about the major blaze at Fisher’s Hotel, an iconic building in the centre of Pitlochry.
“I am relieved to hear everyone is accounted for and pay tribute to the hotel staff for their swift action.
Mr Swinney added: “It is a real shame that the Pitlochry Street Party had to be cancelled but I am sure everyone will understand the necessity of this action.”
Pics by Angus Findlay Photography. See page 13 for more on the Pitlochry Street Party.
I saw flames leaping over the roof and I felt a bit panicky as I tried to work out where our room was in relation to the fire