A couple who have been visiting Crieff Hydro for decades have been treated to afternoon tea with the hotel’s founding family.
Jock and Diana Douglas first travelled to the Perthshire hotel together in 1968 and have since introduced four generations of their family to the resort.
To mark the 56 years since the pair first visited the resort together, they were invited to spend the afternoon with chairman and CEO of the Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, Stephen Leckie, and wife Fiona at the hotel’s Winter Garden café, overlooking the Strathern valley.
Jock, who first visited the hotel in 1946 when he was just ten years old, met Stephen’s father and former managing director of Crieff Hydro Hotel, John Leckie, on the rugby field while the pair were at school.
“John was a very good friend of mine,” Jock recalled, expressing interest in learning more about the next generation and their future plans for the family business.
“The Leckie family’s commitment across the five generations who have operated Crieff Hydro Hotel is notable. It’s quite unusual, as lots of families don’t hold on to family traditions like they once did.”
Originally opened in 1868 as a centre for hydropathic treatments, Crieff Hydro Hotel originally operated as a temperance hotel, meaning it didn’t serve alcohol and had strict rules in place for guests.
“It’s changed days at the hotel now compared to what it was like back in the 40s and 50s,” Jock continued.
“There were no bars in the hotel, so everyone drank in their rooms. Children had high tea before the adults were called for dinner.
“At 7pm, the dinner gong rang, and everyone, smartly dressed, would go down to the main dining room.
“In those days, if you were late, you’d be fined. Children weren’t allowed at dinner—they were taken off and amused but were allowed to return later to enjoy some dancing.
“The ballroom hosted dancing until 9pm, with the night ending in the children taking part in a giant conga before being led to bed.”
The resort now boasts an extensive range of entertainment and activities for the whole family to enjoy, including its flagship Riding School, which holds fond memories for both Jock and Diana.
“The riding centre has always been a highlight,” Diana added. “Mind you, one of the first times we visited as a family, our son Andrew was just three, so he was too small for a horse and had to ride Jimmy the donkey instead.
“It’s safe to say it was a compromise he wasn’t too thrilled with.”
The couple have brought four generations of their family to the resort and continue to visit the hotel every Easter with their grandchildren.
“We’ve always had ball whenever we’ve visited,” Diana said.
“The Leckies have helped create a lasting legacy here in Crieff, and we’ve been delighted to watch it grow for several decades.”
Stephen Leckie said: “It was an honour to sit down with Jock and Diana and listen to their fond memories of their times at Crieff Hydro.
“The stories they shared were truly fascinating. I have so many great memories of growing up around the resort as a child, but hearing their stories first hand brought them all back.
“It’s meeting people like them that makes this job so special.”
