ONE of Glasgow's city centre hotels yesterday changed its name -- with
as much pzazz as it could muster, a cake in the shape of a boat and a
piece of hardboard in the shape of a bottle.
The Crest Hotel in Argyle Street was relaunched as the Carrick Hotel,
named after the clipper which once lay at Custom House Quay and is now
to be restored at the Scottish Maritime Museum in Irvine.
The compulsion to rename hotels is a virulent disease, so it is little
wonder that yesterday's ceremony came about partly because one hotel
chain found itself with two hotels in the same city with almost the same
name.
Students of Glasgow hotel names already will have observed the North
British in George Square became the Diplomat and then the Copthorne, the
Skean Dhu in Cambridge Street was renamed the Hospitality Inn, the Forum
at the SECC the Moat House International, and the Bellahouston Hotel
became the Swallow Hotel.
Shortly the Holiday Inn will become the Marriott.
Forte Hotels, better known by the old name of Trust House Forte,
recently renamed the Albany Hotel the Forte Crest Hotel. This followed
its acquisition of Bass Hotels, whose national network was called Crest
Hotels.
Bass already had a Crest Hotel in Glasgow, in Argyle Street. However,
it was not suitable to become a Forte Crest Hotel, because a Forte Crest
Hotel is not so much a name as a designation, as company vice-president
David Read yesterday explained.
The Carrick, named -- with scarce regard for fate -- after a boat
which keeps sinking, has not been renamed but rather repositioned in the
market, he said.
Forte Hotels now has a chain of Travellodges (bedroom-only motels),
Post Houses (''informal and midmarket''), Crests (three-star business),
Heritages (inns and taverns ''with oak beams and log fires'') and Grand
Hotels.
Where does the Carrick fit in, The Herald wondered. Mr Read admitted
that it didn't. It is not a Crest because it is cheaper, friendly and
fun, and apparently aimed at the light blue collar sales manager.
It's not a Post House because Erskine's Crest has become the Post
House Glasgow. (While the Excelsior has become the Forte Crest Glasgow
Airport, if you are still following).
The Carrick Hotel's general manager, Mr Scott Taylor was in a more
optimistic frame of mind, however, as he compared yesterday's
ceremonials to the christening of a 15-year-old baby.
In truth, it was more like a wedding, with telegrams of congratulation
and that clipper-shaped cake, which was presented to a slightly bemused
Mr Jim Tildesley, director of the maritime museum.
But if Mr Tildesley was wondering what to do with the cake, his
problems are small compared to those of tourists seeking hotel
accommodation in the city.
A spokeswoman for Greater Glasgow Tourist Board said yesterday: ''They
all changed last year and we're used to it now, but it is very confusing
for people who come into our office and ask for hotels they know by
name.''
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