The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Hotel ‘devastated’ by cancellations caused by strikes
The owners of a Perthshire hotel say they are “devastated” after 70% of their bookings have been cancelled due to next week’s rail strikes.
Moor of Rannoch Restaurant and Rooms at Rannoch Station has lost most of its custom next week as Network Rail workers prepare to take industrial action next Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Scott and Steph Meikle, who run Moor of Rannoch, say they fear for the firm’s finances and are trying to secure new bookings.
Scott said: “We are in a very remote location, we run a small restaurant and have five rooms to rent.
“Train cancellations really impact us because it is the main way guests can access us. We were 100% occupied originally, now we are 70% vacant, it’s quite scary.
“It’s a frustrating situation. This is devastating.
“Previously, more than 70% of our business came from those who travelled here by rail.
“We are on the route through to Glenfinnan, so tourists come to visit us for a few nights along the way.
“We really hope that we can get these rooms filled.
“We still have overheads to consider, even if the rooms are vacant.
“How can we pay the bills when so many of our rooms are vacant?”
Tourism bosses in the area say they expect the impact of the strikes – which come with ScotRail already operating a reduced timetable due to its own pay dispute – to be significant.
David Smythe, chairman of Perthshire Tourism Partnership, said: “Rural areas especially will feel the weight of this.
“Many rural businesses rely on the trains for
both customers and staff getting to work, so this is a really stressful situation to be in.
“The train is integral to rural Perthshire’s tourism, and this is really going to sting for places.
“We are in trouble at the minute, rural businesses need the railway.”
Vicki Unite, chief executive of Perthshire Chamber of Commerce, said: “After Covid, in the midst of a cost-of -living crisis, if people can’t rely on rail transport to get to a venue, many will understandably elect to stay at home, and this could spell disaster for some businesses.”
Staff employed by Network Rail are striking as part of an ongoing dispute over pay and redundancies.
More than 40,000 workers across the UK are taking part.
It means that only five train routes will be running in Scotland on those three days, with all other services being cancelled.
A special timetable will also be in operation for the entire week.
Last week it was confirmed there had been a breakthrough in the separate ScotRail pay dispute.