The Old Course Hotel in St Andrews and the Gleneagles Hotel have announced their temporarily closure due to the increased coronavirus restrictions currently in place in Scotland.
The Old Course Hotel, which is situated next to the Old Course, said that all of its bars, restaurants and spa facilities would close from November 16, as well as the hotel itself. The hotel’s golf course, the Duke’s Course, will remain open.
The closure comes just days after Gleneagles Hotel said it would close until the end of January.
Fife, as well as Perth and Kinross, where Gleneagles is situated, was moved into Level 3 lockdown last week amid rising cases in the area. The change means that restaurants and bars cannot serve alcoholic drinks with or without a meal and must close by 6pm – although hotels can serve food to guests in their rooms until 10pm.
A spokesman for The Old Court Hotel said in a statement: “All of us at Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa really appreciate our guests and our community for helping to make the last few months enjoyable and safe. We are committed to the health and safety of our guests, staff, and the public, so we will be temporarily closing the Old Course Hotel from November 16. This includes hotel bars and restaurants, Kohler Waters Spa, the Pro Shop, Jigger Inn and Hams Hame. This is a very difficult decision for us to make, but under the current Tier 3 Covid-19 restrictions we believe it is the right thing to do.”
“We look forward to welcoming everyone back as soon as we can. In the meantime, The Duke’s Course and clubhouse, and the fitness centre will remain open with Covid-19 cleaning protocols and social distancing measures in place.”
It added: “We will continue to monitor updates and follow guidelines from the Scottish Government and will keep our guests and staff informed as the situation evolves. Thank you for your patience, understanding and support during this time of unprecedented uncertainty.”
Gleneagles closed its hotel on November 13 and is not planning on re-opening until 31 January. Its golf courses and membership facilities remain open, subject to government restrictions.
Conor O’Leary, Gleneagles’ managing director, said: “Having worked so hard to provide a safe environment across our estate, we are saddened by this development, especially in the lead-up to Christmas – the highlight of our calendar for both team and guests. However, we’re committed to taking the additional measures necessary to protect the health and wellbeing of everyone at Gleneagles, and to play our part in minimising Covid-19 cases in the region.”
