The Stromness Hotel hopes to work more closely with the community when it reopens later this month.
The Orkney-based hotel has been closed to the public for the past eight months as its owners work to address safety issues.
The issues came to a head last year after a pensioner fell down the hotel’s lift shaft.
They have guaranteed the building will be “fully compliant” when they welcome back guests for the first time this year on Monday, April 14.
The reopening date was shared on social media last month, in a post which confirmed the restaurant would also return to business.
It stated: “Hello from The Stromness Hotel! We’ve missed you, and we’ve missed being here. But the wait is nearly over – our doors reopen on April 14.
“Even better, our restaurant will be back too, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
“We can’t wait to welcome you back and share some lovely times with you all.”
Safety concerns address ahead of Stromness Hotel reopening
The hotel, located near Stromness Harbour, was forced to close during the busy tourist season last summer.
An unannounced visit from fire chiefs led to the owners – the Paymán Club – being issued a prohibition notice on July 27, 2024.
This came a day after an 83-year-old man was injured after falling down a lift shaft in the building.
Fritha Jaine, chief executive the Paymán Club, confirmed work has been carried out during the closure to address “a number of fire and safety deficiencies”.
This includes the replacement of the fire escape staircases on the east and west of the building which were deemed to be “non-functional” due to corrosion.
She added: “We’ll be doing some updates to the rooms and improvements where needed.
“Nothing structural, we just want it to look smart for the reopening.”
More staff hired at Orkney hotel
The four-storey hotel, which first opened in 1901, was taken over by the Paymán Club in 2021.
The business was founded by Na’ím Anís Paymán a decade ago and now operates a variety of accommodation across the UK and Europe.
All of the hotelier’s destinations follow a no-alcohol policy, however, they have confirmed guests will be able to bring their own alcohol to private events at the Stromness Hotel.
Ahead of the April 14 reopening, the team has also taken onboard feedback from past guests and customers.
One of the main issues raised was staffing levels.
Ms Jaine said: “There will be a lot more people on site. One of the things mentioned in reviews was the lack of staff so we’re making sure we have more staff this time.”
The hotel shared vacancies for seasonal positions in January, including for a general manager, night porters, a sous chef and a cook.
Conversation