IT IS a time of change for many in the hospitality industry after one of the most difficult periods in the sector’s history. 

It is also, however, one of opportunity. For the Lamont family, it is time to hand over custodianship of one of the north Highlands’ most iconic hotels.

Since Murray Lamont’s maternal grandmother bought Mackays Hotel in Wick in 1955, the family have made it their own.

Murray and wife Ellie took over the management of the establishment in 1983 and went on to purchase the property from the rest of the family in the 1990s.

Three generations and 67 years in, the family has put the hotel and No 1 Bistro on the market for the next caretaker in the chain.

The hotel has the distinction of being said to the on the world’s shortest street, with Ebenezer Place measuring up to six feet, nine inches long, and is also reputed to have a haunted room.

The Herald: The family, which opens the doors to more than 50,000 guests a year.The family, which opens the doors to more than 50,000 guests a year.

The family, which opens the doors to more than 50,000 guests a year, worked with Royal British Legion Scotland to provide Caithness veterans and pensioners with regular hot meals and companionship whilst self-isolating at home, as well as a meals on wheels home delivery service for people in and around Wick, during the 2020 lockdown.

Rooms were also donated to the NHS providing accommodation for doctors seconded to Caithness General Hospital.

There are expansion options with the business. The sale presents buyers with the chance to develop the hotel’s grain store, which previously had planning permission for a new three-story extension with the potential to add further bedrooms.

Mr Lamont said: “We’ve always prided ourselves on our warm Highland welcome to guests from across the world every single year and have some very happy memories from our time as owners of the hotel since the 1990s.

"We now feel the time is right to hand over the reins of Mackays Hotel to new owners who we hope are as passionate about Wick, Caithness and north Highland life as we are.”

Patrons offer comments including that the family has “done a fantastic job with this business”. Another is sorry the Lamonts are selling, and “whoever buys it is getting a great business and a lot to live up to”.

On the other side of the coin, far-travelled Scot Benjamin Andrews has hailed the acquisition of the Airds Hotel and Restaurant in Port Appin, near Oban, which was completed late last year as its former owners, Shaun and Jenny McKivragan, retired after 19 years.

Businessman Mr Andrews is setting out on a journey of which he has long dreamed.

So it is time of opportunity, but there still lie challenges ahead. One of those could well be staffing. With labour shortages at record levels with 1.25 million job vacancies causing sever difficulties across all sectors and starting salaries rising at the highest rate in history, perhaps a twisted idea to fly out potentially legitimate refugees, and future workers, to a country with the human rights record of Rwanda is not the best way forward.

Another shorter term challenge could come as the revival of foreign travel threatens to bring less than positive consequences for the Scottish tourism industry, writes deputy business editor Scott Wright, who points out that some tourism businesses have, during certain periods when restrictions have allowed, received a boost through staycations.

Also this week, the case for developing the controversial Cambo oil field is stronger amid increasing Ukraine war fall-out, argues business correspondent Mark Williamson.

Elsewhere, there should be no misplaced business sympathies for Chancellor Rishi Sunak in these days of economic woe, insists business correspondent Kristy Dorsey this week.

The Herald: