‘Cold, brutal, shocking’: Workers told they would be homeless after Scottish hotel sacks hospitality staff who lived on site

‘They gave me a letter and said I had to leave on the same day,’ waiter said

Around a dozen workers at a Scottish hotel have received a letter saying they had been redundant and would be kicked out of their accommodation amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Britannia Hotels has since apologised for the "incorrect correspondence".

The news sparked outrage from politicians and tourism authorities, who had called the letter "shocking" and "appalling".

Alvaro Garcia, who worked at the Coylumbridge Hotel near Aviemore​, said he learned he had lost his job and had to vacate from the premise straight away.

The waiter from Spain said: “They gave me a letter and said I had to leave on the same day.”

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“Now I do not have accommodation,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme on Friday morning. “I was living in the hotel.”

He said other colleagues from Coylumbridge Hotel – part of Britannia Hotels – had been affected: “I don’t know what they are going to do.”

Macdonald Hotels Aviemore Hotel​, a nearby resort in the Scottish Highlands, has offered onsite accommodation to the ex-employees ”to ensure they would not be put out on the street”.

Drew Hendry, a local MP, told The Independent he understood 13 workers had been let go and had all been offered a place to stay by the nearby Macdonald hotel.

“It is just about getting the word out to them now,” he said, speaking before the hotel group apologised.

Local hotel owners have also flooded his Facebook post about the “appalling” situation, saying they were also willing to help out.

“Where the letter from the Coylumbridge Hotel was shocking,” he said. “It is just fabulous the way the wider community is rallying round with offers of support for those affected.”​

A letter, which was shared on social media on Thursday night, told staff that they were no longer employed and had to leave their onsite accommodation immediately.

Marc Corthall, CEO of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, blasted the way the news was broken to workers, calling it “cold, brutal and shocking”.

“Aside from the approach, the letter sent to employees lacked any compassion or humanity in tone,” he said. “We have never encountered anything like this.”

Speaking on the Today programme, the UK's shadow chancellor said: "No one should be treated like that where they lose their job and their accommodation like that so brutally.”

John McDonnell said the news showed the “urgency” for government action to support companies and employees during the coronavirus crisis.

Labour has suggested that the UK could support workers by the state underwriting up to 90 per cent of wages if employees guarantee they will not get rid of staff.

The news of the Aviemore hotel workers comes as the British chancellor, Rishi Sunak, is expected to announce new protections for jobs and salaries, as the coronavirus outbreak continues to affect businesses. ​

A Britannia Hotel spokesperson said: "With regards to the current situation regarding staff at our Coylumbridge Hotel and being asked to vacate their staff accommodation. Unfortunately, the communication sent to these employees was an administrative error."

"We have approximately 25 live in staff who did not receive this communication. Unfortunately, Mr Garcia and a few other members of staff received the incorrect correspondence, due to this administration error."

"All affected employees are being immediately contacted. We apologise for any upset caused."

When contacted for further comment, the hotel group said it could not give any further details about whether the workers are still employed. However, they said those who received the communication would be allowed to stay on site.