Smoking Outlawed!!

Well it all happened so smoothly but in reality it has been happening for over 10 years. It was nearly a decade ago that we were deliberating whether to stop smoking in the diningroom and it was in fact a Michelin Inspector who by chance mention that we were the only hotel he had visited on his trip which allowed smoking in the diningroom! In fact I, as an avid anti smoker always pushed for a change and supported by my father an avid ex smoker quickly cut out smoking in the diningroom. Then a couple of years ago when we opened the new Spa Suites we opted to make them non smoking and this was such a success that we started to move the non smoking to the hotel.

First the Staff room, after a Democratic vote- for which we waited till the balance was in our favour became smoke free and indeed instantly more welcoming to non smokers with a pleasant environment. Then the drawing room in the main house and the Veranda Restaurant at the Spa then last year the hall and reception room and finally yesterday the library at the hotel. In reality many of our smokers already headed to the porch anyway - under the guise of checking the weather or fetching something from the car. However we will miss the odour of fine cigars after dinner but this is far outweighed by the task of emptying ash trays and struggling through a smoke filled room although there is the small downside of having to collect buts from the front door next to the newly erected ashtrays but this is a small price to pay.

So now the main house public rooms and the Spa are smoke free- it has to be a positive step and great to see Scotland leading the rest of the UK.