Mediation in city fan row

THE Scottish Government has been dragged into a bizarre dispute between the city council and a townhouse hotel restaurant over "unauthorised installation" of an extractor fan.

The government's Directorate for Planning and Environmental Appeals has had to appoint a mediator to preside over an official inquiry session after the Cairn Hotel's separately-run Classics Restaurant lodged an appeal against a council enforcement notice.

Owner Kannan Nair took over the restaurant, in Windsor Street, off London Road, and carried out modernisation work across the site, which included installing the offending extractor fan.

The inquiry will be held at the hotel on February 16.

A council spokesman said: "Following a complaint, the council investigated the extractor fan and flue.

"It was found to be unauthorised and inappropriate."