The owner of Nessieland on Loch Ness claims he is missing out on business as coach drivers are refusing to pull into his car park.
Donald Skinner, who has owned and run Nessieland for 40 years, says he is “jumping up and down in anger” at coach drivers who pre-book customers but then don’t bring them to the door.
He claims that instead of day trip coaches pulling into Nessieland, they are parking illegally in the village centre car park in Drumnadrochit.
He says that on a weekly basis, customers – some of whom are elderly or frail – are then put off by the walk up the steep hill to the attraction, leaving him out of pocket and over-staffed.
There is a 30-coach berth at Nessieland, but Mr Skinner claims coaches are ignoring the “mini bus only” sign at Drumnadrochit and pulling in there instead.
Visitors to Nessieland are being dropped at a Loch Ness car park
Mr Skinner said he has written to the local council about the illegal parking in the village centre- but to date he has still to have a reply.
Nessieland is a key visitor site in the Loch Ness village.
He said: “At least once a week we put the buns on, and have the coffee ready for a coach party and they do not appear.
“Instead the coach drivers are refusing to come up here, and instead they are parking in the village.
“They say they find parking at Nessieland is difficult, and they are passing that onto other bus drivers – which means they will not come up.”
It is the first time Mr Skinner has come up against the problem. In the past coach drivers have simply driven up to the hotel, dropped passengers – often from cruise ships or tours – at the door of the attraction, and gone further up the hill to park in the coach park.
“They stayed there for an hour or so, when the visitors were in Nessieland, and then they came back down from the bus park and picked them again. It was simple,” he said.
“But now they are refusing to do that, and it is causing us difficulties.”
“I am worried, and I am angry – so yes, I am jumping up and down about it.”
A Highland Council spokeswoman said: “We will review the situation and engage with partners to balance the needs of all users locally.”
Nessieland is currently on the market for £2.5million.