The owners of a Highland hotel that has sacked staff and made them homeless during the coronavirus outbreak have been roundly condemned.
More than a dozen workers at the Coylumbridge hotel near Aviemore received a letter on Thursday informing them management was “taking the latest government advice” and that staff employment had been terminated, with those who live at the hotel complex asked to leave the premises immediately.
Symptoms are defined by the NHS as either:
- a high temperature - you feel hot to touch on your chest or back
- a new continuous cough - this means you've started coughing repeatedly
NHS advice is that anyone with symptoms should stay at home for at least 7 days.
If you live with other people, they should stay at home for at least 14 days, to avoid spreading the infection outside the home.
After 14 days, anyone you live with who does not have symptoms can return to their normal routine. But, if anyone in your home gets symptoms, they should stay at home for 7 days from the day their symptoms start. Even if it means they're at home for longer than 14 days.
If you live with someone who is 70 or over, has a long-term condition, is pregnant or has a weakened immune system, try to find somewhere else for them to stay for 14 days.
If you have to stay at home together, try to keep away from each other as much as possible.
After 7 days, if you no longer have a high temperature you can return to your normal routine.
If you still have a high temperature, stay at home until your temperature returns to normal.
If you still have a cough after 7 days, but your temperature is normal, you do not need to continue staying at home. A cough can last for several weeks after the infection has gone.
Staying at home means you should:
- not go to work, school or public areas
- not use public transport or taxis
- not have visitors, such as friends and family, in your home
- not go out to buy food or collect medicine – order them by phone or online, or ask someone else to drop them off at your home
You can use your garden, if you have one. You can also leave the house to exercise – but stay at least 2 metres away from other people.
If you have symptoms of coronavirus, use the NHS 111 coronavirus service to find out what to do.
Source: NHS England on 23 March 2020
The letter stated: “Taking the latest government advice, this letter is to confirm that with effect from 19 March 2020, your employment has been terminated and your services are no longer required. You are asked to vacate the hotel accommodation immediately, returning any company property.”
Alvarito Garcia, from Madrid, who has worked at the hotel – which is part of the Britannia Hotels group – for nearly two years, told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland that staff had no warning they were about to lose their jobs.
Garcia said he was unsure if he would be able to return to Spain because of the travel restrictions and that he would have to live in a tent until his food ran out.
He said: “I don’t know what to do. They gave me the letter and they said I had to leave immediately. They didn’t give me any notice. Even in my rota, they didn’t put anything different.”
Kate Forbes, the Scottish government’s finance secretary and also the local MSP for the area, described the decision as “appalling”. She tweeted: “It’s a tough time for everybody, that’s why we’ve tried to help the hospitality industry, so it’s disappointing to see what appears to be the heartless treatment of staff.”
It’s a tough time for everybody, that’s why we’ve tried to help the hospitality industry, so it’s disappointing to see what appears to be the heartless treatment of staff. https://t.co/Tebzs6aMWa
— Kate Forbes MSP (@KateForbesMSP) March 19, 2020
Marc Crothall, the chief executive of the Scottish Tourism Alliance said the hotel’s behaviour was brutal.
“This is not reflective of the approach of any business we know, or our members and all have come out to condemn the deplorable actions of this company. Aside from the approach, the letter sent to employees lacked any compassion or humanity in tone; it was cold, brutal and shocking. We have never encountered anything like this”.
Overnight, locals rallied round the evicted staff with offers of temporary accommodation and alternative work.
Britannia Hotels has been approached for comment.
