‘Everything is possible’ - veteran Scottish hotelier pledges £3 million hospitality support

Scotland’s hospitality workforce is set to benefit from an “unprecedented” £3 million investment in training and skills development.

The five-year partnership between Crerar Trust and the Hospitality Industry Trust (HIT) Scotland charity aims to develop the “talent, leadership, and creativity essential for the sector’s success”.

Plans are said to be “well underway” to develop a comprehensive calendar of professional development programmes and masterclasses. The in-person sessions will take place across Scotland and will cover key areas such as customer service, people management, data and technology, compliance, innovation, and marketing and communications.

Paddy Crerar: 'Everything the Crerar Trust has been able to achieve is thanks to our long association with Scottish hospitality.'

Aimed at senior level executives, the development programmes are designed to “inspire the next generation of hospitality managers”. The move comes after the Crerar Trust made a £3m investment in HIT Scotland.

Since its inception, Crerar Trust has been able to support a range of causes thanks to the profits of the Scottish hotels it previously owned. Each year, the trust gifted half of its hotel profits to communities near these establishments. Now, following the sale of its hotel business, the trust said it was looking to “pay forward its gratitude to the industry that made it all possible”.

Chairman and veteran hotelier Paddy Crerar said: “Everything the Crerar Trust has been able to achieve is thanks to our long association with Scottish hospitality. With the sale of our hotel company, we wanted to make a gift of wider gratitude to the industry that has given us so much. This £3m investment is our way of supporting the people who make the already brilliant Scottish hospitality industry world class.”

Crerar has worked closely with HIT Scotland for nearly 30 years, serving as trustee, chairman and now patron. HIT Scotland is calling upon industry leaders and professionals to “actively engage” with the new initiative.

Crerar added: “By participating in these developmental opportunities, senior level executives will strengthen their teams, enhance their competitive edge and contribute to Scotland’s standing as a world-class destination. There are no legitimate reasons for a striving business to look past giving their people access to what HIT plans to offer.

“We are only providing fuel; it’s Scotland’s dynamic and ambitious hospitality industry that will drive this forward. I’ve seen what the people in Scottish hospitality can achieve - everything is possible.”

David Cochrane, chief executive of HIT Scotland, said: “We are honoured to work alongside the Crerar Trust on this initiative. This investment represents a monumental opportunity to drive excellence and innovation across the sector, while creating a sustainable legacy for the industry. Together, we will ensure that the people who make Scottish hospitality so extraordinary can achieve their fullest potential.

“Coming on the back of the successful 30th anniversary celebrations of the charity last year, the five-year support from the Crerar Trust is a foundation for continuing progress and one that HIT Scotland will build on to elevate the entire industry. Through greater collaboration, enhanced skills, and innovative thinking, this partnership will ensure Scotland’s hospitality sector thrives, creating a legacy of pride and excellence.”