Fife: Couple 'devastated' after wedding hotel rooms cancelled

Iain Gordon and Kimberly Adams booked the Keavil House Hotel in February last year for their big day in September and had already booked rooms for both the night before and of their wedding.

However, they were shocked to receive an email on Thursday telling them they accommodation was unavailable as it was required for a "corporate contract".

The venue has since confirmed that its rooms would be unavailable from the end of May after it signed up to the Government's Ukraine Evacuation Scheme.

Crossgates couple Iain Gordon and Kimberly Adams say they are now looking for another venue for their wedding. (Image: Family photo)

Iain said they have been left "livid" by the disruption.

"One of the things we loved best was the way the hall was set up, it was lovely," he said. "To have it all come crashing down, it is devastating to be honest.

"It is absolutely disgusting that this is the way they can treat us. Our wedding was likely to cost in excess of £20,000. We are trying to look for another venue for the same day but we are struggling.

"It is the whole upheaval just 19 weeks before we are due to get married."

After booking the venue, Iain and Kimberly have already paid out around £4,500 in deposits and, with a 40th birthday celebration for the bride the night before, had reserved at least ten rooms for the Friday night and around 25 for the Saturday.

"The email said it will not impact on the reception but it definitely will," he said. "The bridal party were all getting ready, hair was getting done, make up was getting done.

"Various family members were staying on the Friday and the Saturday nights and they are now saying there are local hotels that may be available.

"We chose that venue because it had accommodation and everything in one place. People are coming with limited mobility, one person has a life limiting ailment and we thought they could go to their room for half an hour if they needed to.

"We are potentially going to have to change the venue. It has caused us a lot of stress. I am absolutely livid.

"I get that these people are fleeing their country due to war but Best Western should have loyalty to their customers. They have been onto my partner and we are waiting to see what they are going to do for us.

"We have tried four venues who cannot accommodate us. We were due to have 100 during the day and about 175 during the evening reception so it is a big wedding."

The Keavil House Hotel will be used to provide accommodation to Ukrainian refugees from the end of this month. (Image: NQ Staff)

The Keavil House Hotel said it has contacted affected customers to explain that accommodation is not available from the end of May after it signed up to the Government's Ukraine Evacuation Scheme.

They say the move will have not impact on weddings and large banqueting events in their separate Elgin Suite while the private members’ leisure club is also unaffected.

A statement said: "From May 29,2023, Keavil House Hotel has contracted to accommodate people from Ukraine who have been forced to leave Ukraine due to the war.

"This is an official government programme called the Ukraine Evacuation Scheme. Our guests will be a mixture of families and individuals who have been permitted to leave the country because of the ongoing threat to life.

"These are people in desperate circumstances who are being accommodated by many European countries on official programmes until the war is over and they can return home to Ukraine.

"Keavil House Hotel is pleased to help these individuals, couples and children by providing a comfortable home until they can return to Ukraine. We are not accommodating illegal immigrants."

The statement said that as a result of the corporate contract, all of the hotel rooms will become fully booked from May 29.

It added: "There is no impact on our ability to cater for weddings and large banqueting events in our separate Elgin Suite. Our private members’ Picture of Health leisure club is also unaffected and will operate normally, with access only for members of the club.

"We are proactively contacting all customers who have booked accommodation at Keavil House Hotel for the next few months and have explained to them that we are unable to provide bedroom accommodation from May 29.

"We are offering to re-book customers into alternative local hotels and will ensure that there is no change in their room rate. Any weddings which are booked at the hotel over the next few months and require accommodation, will be contacted individually and specific arrangements made with these guests."