Leader comment: Scotland's food is letting us down

Scotland has some wonderful food: Loch Fyne oysters, West Coast langoustines, Ayrshire new potatoes, prime venison from the Highlands, the list goes on.

Anyone would think that tourists would find themselves salivating with delight at every meal and rushing home to rave about the culinary greatness of the Scots.

But instead it appears our food falls short of creating the “genuine satisfaction” that would bring people back year after year. One visitor quipped it was easier to find Scottish shellfish in Belgium than in Scotland, while others struggled to find a place to eat after 7pm and, if they did, the fare on offer was too “bland”. Given the importance of tourism to the Scottish economy – visitors spend nearly £1 billion on food and drink alone every year – it can only be hoped the hospitality industry improves.

But perhaps we as a nation must also take some of the blame. Glasgow restaurant the Ubiquitous Chip, the kind of place those tourists would love, was named satirically when it opened in 1971 – with no chips on the menu – but many Scots are as unadventurous as ever.