Hotels pledge £10m to create training centre

A £10 million commitment has been pledged by hoteliers to create a Swiss-style hospitality training centre, it has been reported.

It is hoped the school – to be established in the Edinburgh area – will boost standards within Scotland's hotel sector, as well as increasing numbers of people entering the profession.

Business tycoon Sir Tom Farmer is understood to be leading a steering group of top hoteliers to try to bring to Edinburgh a Scottish version of the famous Swiss hotel schools.

Robert Cook, chief executive of the Malmaison group, is on the panel and is reported as saying: "The value of these hotel schools is astronomical. We as an industry in Scotland are bereft of talent."

He praised colleges and university's across Scotland for producing successful hospitality graduates, but insisted there was not enough of them.

It is believed the centre will offer a three-year degree, with on-the-job training and mentoring.