Hotel gives up Michelin star award
A Scottish hotel has said it is “walking away” from its Michelin star, claiming that the accolade has dented its profits and put off customers.
The owners of Boath House near Nairn said they did not expect to be included in the latest edition.
An award-winning Scottish country house hotel has said it is “walking away” from its Michelin star, claiming that the accolade has dented its profits and is discouraging customers.
Boath House near Nairn has enjoyed a place in the coveted guide for almost ten years, but its owners said they did not expect to be included in the latest edition, due to be published next week. However, the hotel’s head chef said he had not been informed about the decision and was “shell shocked” when he heard that he was set to lose the award. Owners Don and Wendy Matheson said they wanted to “re-evaluate their relationship” with Michelin and hoped to encourage more local residents to visit the hotel and restaurant.
“Whilst we are extremely proud of the Michelin star we gained ten years ago and it undoubtedly enhanced our reputation, our restaurant has consistently made a loss,” Mrs Matheson said. “We believe that the expectations from Michelin are at odds with achievable profit margins and put an enormous stress on a small family-run business like ours.”
Last week the celebrated French chef Sebastien Bras asked for his restaurant to be dropped from the guide, saying he disliked the “huge pressure” it placed on him and his staff.
Boath House, which has held a Michelin star since 2009, is a Georgian mansion set in 22 acres of parkland with an ornamental lake, streams and a walled garden dating back to around 1550.
Mr Matheson said the couple did not bear any “malice” towards the Michelin Guide, but were simply “walking away” from the idea of formal dining that it represented.
“We’re not being driven by anything other than what the customer wants,” he said.
The hotel is planning to open a more casual cafe in its walled garden next year, having already made changes to its dining room giving diners less expensive options.
The decision came after the resignation of head chef Charlie Lockley six weeks ago. He is due to stop working at the hotel in February and said the owners’ decision had left him “really sore”.
“[A Michelin star] is what every chef aspires to. When I got it, it was a dream come true,” he said.