A big cheers! Dornoch hotel honoured for efforts during the pandemic
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A Sutherland hotel has gained national recognition for the positive role it has played in supporting its community and boosting the mental health and wellbeing of local people during the pandemic.
The Eagle Hotel, run by Eric and Suzanne De Venny, has been cited by the Brewing Good Cheer campaign as a “shining example” of a hostelry that really makes a difference and puts the community first.
The distinction comes hot on the heels of the couple picking up a SME News Scottish Enterprise Award 2020 for the best family guest inn and local restaurant in the Highlands.
Community leaders have welcomed the accolade with East Sutherland and Edderton ward councillor Jim McGillivray describing it as “well-deserved”.
The annual Brewing Good Cheer campaign, run by pub, cider and beer business HEINEKEN, celebrates and raises awareness of the important role pubs play in bringing communities together.
The campaign has collaborated this year with Loughborough University to produce the Open Arms report on behalf of the Campaign to End Loneliness.
Launched earlier this week, the report found that pubs such as the Eagle Hotel protect vital social connections in communities and help alleviate feelings of loneliness.
Brewing Good Cheer said that since the start of the pandemic Mrs and Mrs De Venny had “gone above and beyond in supporting their community”.
The couple used their suppliers to secure ingredients for a local Food Share initiative and also prepared meals for the service to deliver to vulnerable people.
They also launched a takeaway service providing hot food and free deliveries. Meals were provided to staff at the Lawson Memorial Hospital in Golspie. And, as well as helping with food, they let key workers and NHS staff stay at the hotel.
In addition the couple revamped their garden and added extra seating to provide outside space for Dornoch residents to safely get together when pubs were allowed to open following the first lockdown.
Mr De Venny said: “Loneliness and isolation have affected so many across the Highlands these last 12 months exacerbated by the closure of pubs.
“Pubs like the Eagle Hotel are much more than places to have a pint and a meal, they’re hubs of their communities and a lifeline for many, providing somewhere for people to enjoy what might be their only social interaction of the day or even week.
“It’s why it has been so important for us to keep the community spirit alive and support residents during this challenging time. A virtual community is better than none, but we can’t wait to open the doors and welcome customers back as soon as it’s safe to do so.”
Cllr Jim McGillivray said: “This is very well deserved public recognition for the sterling efforts of the proprietors of the Eagle Hotel in their wholehearted support of the Dornoch community since the very start of the pandemic.
And Dornoch Community Council chairman Patrick Murray said: “We congratulate Eric and Suzanne De Venny on the accolade, which recognises the part that the Eagle Hotel has played in the magnificent, community-led effort to ensure that vulnerable residents of Dornoch, Embo and the surrounding area have been fed during the pandemic.
“These efforts are still ongoing and I know that the whole community is most grateful to all those individual volunteers and local businesses involved.”
Couple fly high with award for Dornoch's Eagle Hotel
