It's time for us to tell the whole truth

Some people consider country house hotel managers to be boring, even predictable. I had occasion recently to attend a couple of meetings with others from the industry, and the topic of conversation was identical on all occasions.

The opening gambit is always how our businesses are faring - and the reply is that everybody else is just that little bit busier than their fellows.

Obviously, a hotel with a full car park is more likely to tempt the traveller than one with an empty, soulless car park.

In similar vein, if I ask a fellow hotelier how busy he is, and am told he is full to bursting, I am more likely not to try him when I have a potential customer. Indeed, if I knew of an establishment with low occupancy I would try to help them out by sending them business. It is only common sense, and we hope others would do the same.

I was shocked, therefore, when I phoned a colleague recently. As always, talk turned to business, and I moaned about an empty room the night before, only to be told that he had sent business to a competitor that evening because earlier I had told him how busy we were. From now on, if anyone asks, I shall reply that although business is good, it could be better.

The second standard topic of conversation is staff. Either we are short-staffed, waiting for new staff to join, or overstaffed due to overcompensating on the departure of staff.

At present I am in the first position, but was given substantial notice. I was left with the choice of either advertising the position myself or going to an agency.

I approached an agency and was persuaded to pay a fee upfront. I was led to believe that they had a number of suitable personnel and filling the position would be straightforward.

They must have seen me coming, since in seven weeks they have produced only two candidates: one unwilling to come north and the other asking for 25% more than I was prepared to pay.

Imagine my annoyance when the agency suggested that it would be easier to pay the increase than wait around for another suitable candidate, because now, two months later, there did not seem to be as many people on their books. n

BEPPO BUCHANAN-SMITH is director of the Isle of Eriska, a privately owned hotel on the west coast of Scotland

Next diary from Beppo Buchanan-Smith: 2 September