A hotel at the heart of a Highland village has become an “eyesore” and is driving away tourists, say locals.
The Spean Bridge Hotel was once a bustling fixture, where villagers would congregate to celebrate life events and the 21 rooms were seldom empty.
It dates back to the 17th Century when it was originally a coaching inn.
The hotel’s Commando Bar is named after the nearby Commando Memorial, which was dedicated to the Second World War Royal Marines who trained in the area around Spean Bridge.
The venue also has its own small museum dedicated to the Commandos.
But now, locals have labelled the hotel a “carbuncle” that puts off tourists passing through the beautiful spot in Lochaber.
They put this down to years of under-investment and frequent ownership changes.
Historic hotel bought over before blaze
The Herald reports the hotel on the A82 near Fort William now displays a closed sign. Official records also show the company is behind in its accounts and faces being struck off.
In 2014, the hotel was taken over by Omega Travel, an agency and tour operator specialising in bringing Oriental visitors to the UK.
The move was welcomed by community and business leaders – with one tourism chief saying the fast-growing Chinese market offered “huge potential” to the Highlands.
The new manager Paul Nzoka pledged the Spean Bridge Hotel would remain open to the public, alongside its Chinese guests.
He said the company planned to spend about £300,000 on renovations, including a refurbishment of its world-famous Commando Bar.
And he promised all the existing staff would be kept on following the buy-out.
However, in 2015 the historic hotel was badly damaged in a fire – with much of the bar and dining room being spoiled.
Thankfully, the precious collection of World War II memorabilia was saved from the blaze and the Commando Bar was untouched.
However, the museum dedicated to the Commandos was closed down two years ago to ensure the safety of exhibits”, and locals stopped frequenting their favourite watering hole.
Ming Liang Cheng is named on Company House as director of Spean Bridge Hotel Ltd.
The hotel has been issued with a First Gazette Notice, a warning that it will be dissolved by March 3 “unless cause is shown to the contrary”.
‘It makes me, and everyone weep’
While the hotel lies empty and dilapidating, the “whole village suffers”.
Tony Perriam, a Community Development Officer for the area, told The Herald the hotel is “pivotal to visitors impressions” of Spean Bridge.
He said: “It is an eyesore and you could go further and say it’s a carbunkle, which is very sad.
“It’s very visible and it’s very central and it’s pivotal to visitors impressions of Spean Bridge whether they are contemplating staying here, which is important to the local economy, or just passing through.
“The roof has been stripped off at the back.
“It casts a shadow for those who live here, it’s not an uplifting sight for residents.”
He said the idea of a community buyout had been mooted but was unlikely to find favour given the significant costs involved.
Meanwhile, local councillor and businessman Angus MacDonald said there had been scaffolding around the hotel – but locals believe the company ran out of money to finish the job.
He told the Herald: “It makes me, and everyone weep every time we pass the hotel.
“And to think innocent tourists were staying there last summer. What must they think of Scotland?
“The whole village suffers. There was scaffolding up last year and work getting done but the view in the area was that they didn’t have the money to finish the job.”
Mr MacDonald, who set up Highland Cinema and Highland Bookshop in Fort William, said he hoped to persuade the owners of a Scottish hotel group to show an interest in acquiring the business.
“It’s a long shot because it’s in such bad condition,” he said, “but if the right person came along, it could be a really fantastic thing.”
