Scottish Highlands

[welshbairn]

6 hours ago, thistledo said:

How did the trip go then? Was the Carron restaurant any good? 

We walked straight down to the Carron restaurant to find it closed. Owner was very apologetic, they were short staffed and him and his wife were knackered after a busy week of coach loads of yanks. New staff arriving today. Let us have some tea and freshly baked shortbread on the house and drove us back to the station which was handy as it started pissing down. The hotel at the station suited us fine, main courses under a tenner and the beer and whisky was grand. I understand why the landlord is unpopular though he was friendly with us, it used to be a locals bar and he's turned it into short opening times and mostly reserved meals only, probably servicing mainly coach parties. So the locals have had to move to one of the Lochcarron bars which would be a pisser if you live nearby, or are hoping for a few beers after a day in the hills. I can see him selling up, living somewhere where everyone thinks you're a c**t would get wearing to most people, though he gave no indication of moving on, he's just put up a space age looking glamping pod. I'd phone both places beforehand to check if they're open, my bet would be the food would be better at the Carron but no complaints at the Station food given the price. 

Edited September 16 by welshbairn

[thistledo]

5 hours ago, welshbairn said:

We walked straight down to the Carron restaurant to find it closed. Owner was very apologetic, they were short staffed and him and his wife were knackered after a busy week of coach loads of yanks. New staff arriving today. Let us have some tea and freshly baked shortbread on the house and drove us back to the station which was handy as it started pissing down. The hotel at the station suited us fine, main courses under a tenner and the beer and whisky was grand. I understand why the landlord is unpopular though he was friendly with us, it used to be a locals bar and he's turned it into short opening times and mostly reserved meals only, probably servicing mainly coach parties. So the locals have had to move to one of the Lochcarron bars which would be a pisser if you live nearby, or are hoping for a few beers after a day in the hills. I can see him selling up, living somewhere where everyone thinks you're a c**t would get wearing to most people, though he gave no indication of moving on, he's just put up a space age looking glamping pod. I'd phone both places beforehand to check if they're open, my bet would be the food would be better at the Carron but no complaints at the Station food given the price. 

Good of the Carron owners to do that, unfortunately it's a very familiar story in the area, a lot of the young ones move away and they can't get staff for the bars and restaurants. The Plockton hotel used to do a 'Gin & Ale Festival' every year, was basically a 3 day bender with live music every day, loads of different gins and ales to try, if the weather was good it was a real party, dancing on the streets and sitting out at night listening to live bands. Sadly it no longer happens as they can't get the staff, which is a real shame. Similar stories in the Balmacara hotel, they've got a front and back bar, the back bar used to be a great place to go down to watch the scores and play pool, doesn't open until after 6pm now and even then I think that's maybe just weekends and during season. 

If you think about that route from Inverness to Kyle, there's just f**kall in-between really. 

[welshbairn]

16 minutes ago, thistledo said:

Good of the Carron owners to do that, unfortunately it's a very familiar story in the area, a lot of the young ones move away and they can't get staff for the bars and restaurants. The Plockton hotel used to do a 'Gin & Ale Festival' every year, was basically a 3 day bender with live music every day, loads of different gins and ales to try, if the weather was good it was a real party, dancing on the streets and sitting out at night listening to live bands. Sadly it no longer happens as they can't get the staff, which is a real shame. Similar stories in the Balmacara hotel, they've got a front and back bar, the back bar used to be a great place to go down to watch the scores and play pool, doesn't open until after 6pm now and even then I think that's maybe just weekends and during season. 

If you think about that route from Inverness to Kyle, there's just f**kall in-between really. 

Predictably the Carron guy said the staff trouble started with Brexit and then Covid put the boot in, the staff at the station hotel looked Far Eastern. When I worked in a hotel in Nairn post Brexit it was mainly local school kids, the locals said they missed the Poles and Romanians. I guess the answer is catering to Outlander and 500 tours, stuff them with fixed menus until they f**k off back on the bus, no profit in catering to occasional locals or thirsty walkers

Edited September 16 by welshbairn

[thistledo]

16 hours ago, welshbairn said:

Predictably the Carron guy said the staff trouble started with Brexit and then Covid put the boot in, the staff at the station hotel looked Far Eastern. When I worked in a hotel in Nairn post Brexit it was mainly local school kids, the locals said they missed the Poles and Romanians. I guess the answer is catering to Outlander and 500 tours, stuff them with fixed menus until they f**k off back on the bus, no profit in catering to occasional locals or thirsty walkers

Ah yeah that makes sense as well. Superb.