Spean Bridge Hotel: Herald readers react to demise

The hotel, which once housed a museum celebrating the area's link to World War II commandos,  is thought to be owned by a Chinese travel firm and currently has a closed sign displayed although it is not for sale.

Official records show the company is behind in its accounts and faces being struck off.

Former guests and locals have told of a once "vibrant" hotel that won awards for its food and was as popular with locals as it was with holidaymakers.

It was once home to a museum of World War II exhibits commemorating the soldiers who trained in the surrounding hills.

The village is close to Achnacarry Castle, which was regarded as one of the finest Allied special training centres established in the Second World War.

Drew Rowney was among those who contacted The Herald to share their thoughts on the demise of the hotel. He said he checked in regularly for a period in the 1970s while on business in the Highlands.

Spean is always a busy village at a crossroads between two trunk routes in a very popular tourist area

He wrote: "What a damn shame. It was the winner of an award for truckers food once or twice. My late brother trained as a Marine Commando up there…sad."

READ MORE: Historic hotel now a 'carbuncle' damaging Highland tourism

Kenny Know said: "I had the money I would buy and renovate and bring it back for the community as well as visitors. Such a shame."

Sarah MacDonald said she was surprised the hotel had not been developed to maximise its potential.

She posted: "Spean Bridge is a prime spot for food and accommodation for people travelling from the A9 and Fort William and those staying in the area. "Fingers crossed some decent investment comes along."

James MacRae, whose grandparents ran the Commando Bar for over 25 years, also shared his dismay.

He said: "It was sold in the early 2000 [and] was never the same again. Such a waste of a brilliant pub."

Jack Catto posted online: "It used to be such a vibrant hotel , I used to call here three times a week and the cook Joama ( lovely lady ) would give me my lunch, roast lamb .

"Colin McFarlane was manager at the time . This was early seventies."

READ MORE: Businessman says he would restore Highland 'carbunkle' hotel 'for the right price'

Guests who stayed at the hotel more recently were not so complimentary.

Richard Garrett said: "Stayed there a couple of year ago, an absolute dive of a place. Staff clueless and useless.

"It’s a horrible hotel."

Graeme Dewar said he stopped off at the hotel after a day's hiking in 2016.

He said: "There was a sign outside advertising take away fish and chips.

"One of my mates was driving so the other 2 of us had a pint while we waited.

"Four pints later there was still no sign of our food! Quite a crowd had now assembled and were waiting for their food.

"As the tension palpably increased, tempers frayed.

"I recall one chap who was waiting for a sausage supper going off to the toilet. While he was gone his food turned up and some random punter took it out of pure desperation!

"Eventually some formidable looking old woman emerged from the kitchen (I was reminded of an old Scotch and Wry sketch) and reestablished some semblance of order. I barely managed to walk out of the place under my own steam, having lost count of the number of pints I had sunk. Absolute chaos."

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David MacFarlane added: "Last time was in there the TV was blaring out some sports channel for the benefit of the staff.

"It took one hour for someone to come back to say they were out of fish so couldn’t give me my pub lunch.

"The request for a glass of white wine was fulfilled but the other bar person exclaimed that I had been given the ‘good stuff’!!!

"My partner had wanted a Bloody Mary. Fortunately they were stopped as they were reaching for the Heinz tomato sauce bottle to make it. I am not making this up. I am not at all surprised it is shut."

Others said the situation was not unique to Spean Bridge Hotel.

Alison Hay posted: "Often these hotels are bought up by inexperienced people who seem to think a hotel run's itself!!

"They think they can just sit back and relax and not put any effort into these lovely buildings, slap dash repairs if any.

"Any profit they might make isn't put back into the building so it's a downward spiral.

"It's not easy to run a hotel. People really need to think hard about taking on ownership, if you're not willing to put in the work and long hours please don't do it."

Ruth Hay added: "Buyers coming from (wherever) and believing they can run a business.

"Isolating the locals (who they depend on in lean months) and focusing on tourists but giving a sub-par experience for said tourists and then wondering why they lose money!

"Happening all over Scotland! Raised energy prices doesn't help either but even before that the "hospitality" in Scotland was and still is dismal.

"Think "they " rely on having a continuous supply of one-time tourists who will just suck it up at the time and vow never to return but maybe that's not working considering there's now TripAdvisor, etc?"

Georgia Reid said: "Loads of old crumbling hotels all over Scotland… so much potential in them and just left to rot. It’s an absolute disgrace… in my town one was finally torn down after YEARS of it being a complete eyesore."

Diane Hewlett added: "THIS IS TERRIBLE! Also - Look up Ayr station hotel.

"Something needs to be done about this issue of people (or companies) buying important local establishments and abandoning them.

"Apparently, in the case of the Ayr station hotel, nothing could be done. The hotel is crumbling over the train station. Both cases are ridiculous!"

John Shearer urged Highland Council and the community to help regenerate the hotel.

He said: "There has been no energy assistance in the Highlands for off-grid properties.

"This hotel has given long-standing service to the community over many years."

Ruth Millar said sub-standard hospitality risked driving tourists away from Scottish towns and for good.

She posted: "I reckon most villages have at least one hotel that this is happening to!! Of course the present economic climate is difficult for a lot of business hotels are not the only places to suffer, it seems to me and only my personal opinion! the tourists will wise up and stop coming to visit our villages."

However, Stuart Donald believes the hotel's decline is also in part due to societal changes.

He posted: "I’m up the hills all year round and you don’t see the locals in the pubs out of tourist season in the numbers you used to.

"That’s not just Lochaber; people don’t socialise the way they used to and it isn’t just a covid hangover."

Edward Millband said there was "no reason" why the hotel couldn't be a success.

He posted: "Spean is always a busy village at a crossroads between two trunk routes in a very popular tourist area so there’s no reason why it can’t do well with the right business model."

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