Hospitality Heaven

DOMINIC ROSKROW has been travelling into Scotland’s heartlands in recent weeks. And he’s been amazed at how the country has changed

I’m not really sure I should be telling you this, but whenever I go out to a bar or restaurant, I develop an unhealthy interest in the establishment’s serving staff, and its toilets.

The washroom is important to me because I believe it is the last place many of us visit before we leave, and the establishment’s reputation hinges on it. Women particularly judge a venue on its conveniences and make long-term decisions on its quality.

It always amazed me that even a few short years ago, it was possible to enjoy some of the finest country pubs Britain had to offer, then walk into the washroom only to find it was a chilly outbuilding with a wet wall and a cold tap.

More important, though, is the attitude of the staff when you arrive at a restaurant. Those first few minutes will dictate how much you enjoy the whole experience.

And, I have to say, at one time the Scottish hospitality industry had no idea whatsoever. It was dreadful.

Hotels were run by two types of people. There were those with the same sort of Scottish accent that the Queen has – none whatsoever – and who lurched from one disaster to the next fuelled by an amazing degree of rudeness. And there were the surly, bad-tempered Scots who mumbled threateningly under their breath when you made any enquiry.

Food was limited and burnt. ‘Medium’ meant well done, ‘well done’ meant frazzled, and ‘rare’ was kept for those special occasions when the meat – invariably beef – was still brown.

Meals were strictly served in a five-minute window just when you least wanted them; and woe betide you if you were late. And if you wanted to come in and dine after 9pm, forget it. It was as if Scotland wanted a tourist industry only without the inconvenience of the tourists. One year, we went to Scotland for Hogmanay, and I swear the bar shut at 11.55pm. And I’m sure that while our hosts liked the idea of charging English
tourists a fortune for a genuine Hogmanay experience, that didn’t stretch to them missing out on their own celebrations.

I’d go as far as to say that in the years between the end of family holidays to Scotland and starting this job, the improved service is the most notable change.

I’ve been visiting Edinburgh and Glasgow for years, but they are cosmopolitan exceptions and have never been a let-down.

But in recent weeks, I have been travelling further afield, and have been amazed at how much more tourist-friendly Scotland has become. But not in an impersonal way.

No, it’s a unique Scottish hospitality; all the friendliness you’d expect from Scotland, mixed with the country’s quirkiness, but all built on truly exceptional American-style service standards.

In some cases – such as the truly outstanding St Andrews Golf Resort and Spa, which I’ve written about on pages 60 and 61 – the perfect mix is obtained through dedicated training both in Scotland and the States. In others, though, it has come about through a natural evolution.

In practice, it means that visiting Scotland is no longer akin to hiking up a mountain in bad weather – a lot of sacrifice and hard work to get the scenery. You don’t have to tolerate Scotland’s imperfections to appreciate all that is good about it.

It has sacrificed nothing of its uniqueness, its strangeness even. But it has learned masses about catering and providing for the modern visitor’s needs.

And that makes for an awesome offering.

By Dominic Roskrow

Section : From the Editor

Page number : 3