The north east’s most famous hotelier has stunned his staff and customers by announcing he is no longer to retire – and the much-loved hotel will remain open for business.
Stewart Spence, owner of the Marcliffe Hotel, told his employees yesterday morning that a deal to sell the North Deeside Road site was now off and that the business would remain open and in the hands of his family.
Mr Spence had been due to sell up to housebuilder Stewart Milne with plans to demolish the hotel and build executive apartments in its place.
The hotelier said both parties had now “walked away” from the deal in mutual agreement amid public pleas to stay open and the timing of the development.
The hotelier said both parties had now “walked away” from the deal in mutual agreement.
The Marcliffe, the north east’s only five-star hotel, will now be refurbished and returned to its “glory days” by Mr Spence and his three sons.
It comes after Mr Spence received “hundreds of letters” from his customers saddened that the Aberdeen institution was coming to an end.
He said: “There is no doubt that the public demand for the Marcliffe made the decision to keep the hotel going much easier.
“I was ready to retire as after all I have worked for 53 years.
“Because this deal has fallen through it was decided we had to take a long term positive approach to the future.”
“There have been a lot of sleepless nights but now that it has been made, things feel very positive for our family.”
Mr Spence told his staff the news at 10am yesterday and described the the moment as “a bit of a tearjerker.”
Everything you need to know about the Marcliffe
He said: “There were a lot of tears. They are like family to us. A lot of them are very happy and very relieved. They are going to keep their jobs.
“They really are fantastic staff here. Every good hotel in the world is all about the people who work in it.
“Some of the staff have been with me for 40 years and I wanted to be positive about their futures too.”
Mr Spence said the move towards bringing the Marcliffe to a close had been difficult, with the hotel no longer taking bookings for functions.
Mr Spence said: “We stopped taking bookings because we thought we were closing. That was difficult because we are a famous function hotel.”
For the first time in decades, Mr Spence did not take bookings for Christmas dinner with only the family eating at the Marcliffe on December 25 last year.
Mr Spence said: “It was a terrible Christmas, just horrible.”
Ross, 35, head chef at the Marcliffe, now plans to take over from his father’s front of house role in the long term
He said: “It is something to look forward to. Getting to this point has been hard and its been unsettling for everyone. It is great to feel positive for the future.”
But Mr Spence said he has no plans to retire – yet.
“I am 67-years-old and as fit as a fiddle. We want to bring back the business to where it was before and get the hotel back to the glory days.
“Above all, I will be hanging up a sign that says ‘not for sale’.”
Mr Milne declined to comment last night.