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The owner of a five-star Aberdeen hotel has apologised after making what were described as “homophobic” remarks at a fundraising dinner.
Stewart Spence used a derogatory term about homosexuals during the Hospitality Industry in Trust (HIT) Scotland event, which he was hosting at his Marcliffe Hotel.
A source who was at the dinner told BBC News “jaws dropped” at the use of the word “poofs”, which related to claim of the hotel industry having a history of employing homesexuals and Spence having not.
In a statement to the BBC, Spence said he felt “extreme shame and embarrassment” over the remark and admitted he had made some “very ill-advised comments” at the dinner.
He said: “I made some very ill-advised comments at the dinner last night and I am absolutely mortified today. I would like to sincerely apologise for the offence caused. I don’t know what I was thinking.
“I was hoping to raise a few laughs around the Seventies theme and while the words I used may have, regrettably, been commonplace in that generation, they were still entirely unacceptable.
“The Marcliffe is an inclusive place both for staff and customers. We welcome everyone regardless of their sexual orientation. I really regret this and am truly sorry.”
A spokesperson for HIT Scotland said: “We strongly disagree with the homophobic views and comments expressed by one individual at last night’s Grampian fundraising dinner, they were a complete surprise and as shocking as they were inaccurate to the truth of the hospitality industry.
“Hospitality is a diverse and inclusive industry, it has consistently led the way on equality and diversity above and beyond any other sector and that is something we take great pride in.
“We would like to reassure everyone that his offensive comments were his own and in no way representative of the opinions of HIT Scotland or indeed the hospitality industry as a whole. It was very regretful that he chose an event in aid of the industry to make such unwelcome remarks.”
The spokesperson added that, despite the comments, the event went on to be another successful evening of fundraising for the charity.
