Guerrilla tactics including spraying a winged gargoyle on an eyesore hotel could shame its owner into selling the building, it has been claimed.
The front door of the Drummond Arms in James Square, Crieff, has been tagged with graffiti and a sign saying, “Beware: Eyesore above”.
The incident follows similar action where bunting was put up outside the former Strathearn Hotel in the town prior to Dundee-based GarlandProperties Ltd buying the property.
Craig Finlay, of Crieff Community Council, claims it is the same “vigilante” group behind both acts, known locally as the Secret Scottie Squad.
Ailsa Campbell, Crieff Community Trust (CCT), said the Drummond Arms, which once hosted Bonnie PrinceCharlie, is still on the group’s radar despite a proposed community right-to-buy campaign stalling.
She claimed any prospective sale had been hampered by the owner slapping a £500,000 price on it and praised the actions of the graffiti vandals.
“I think it’s great people are taking action like this,” she said. “Anything that highlights the situation is good.
“The building that stands out asholding the ticket to the regeneration of Crieff’s town centre is the formerDrummond Arms Hotel, but it’s a huge derelict eyesore.”
Mrs Campbell claimed the hotel is currently having an adverse effect on the local economy with no proof thebuilding is safe or secure.
She added: “Our vision for theDrummond Arms will bring money into the local economy estimated at £1.5m.
“It will create footfall but we feel the hotel owner is holding the whole town centre to ransom by not selling it.”
Registers for Scotland, Companies House and Perth and Kinross Council all state the hotel is owned by Glasgowcompany Strathfare Ltd, which was run by Glasgow councillor Sohan Singh.
However, Mr Singh yesterday claimed he sold the hotel and no longer hasanything to do with it.
Perth and Kinross Council confirmed they previously issued a disrepair notice to the owner of the Drummond Arms Hotel and their building standards team is keeping a watching brief on it.
Roseanna Cunningham, MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, said: “This building is of enormous importance to Crieff but the continued refusal to either renovate or sell ishaving a very negative impact on the town.”Young Pretender held council in the hotel before suffering Culloden defeatThe Drummond Arms Hotel has great historical significance, playing host to Bonnie Prince Charlie’s last war council on February 6, 1746.
Known at that time as the Drummond Arms Inn, the site was used by the Young Pretender to make plans before marching north to the infamous defeat at Culloden on April 16. A red plaque isfastened to the wall of the Drummond Arms Hotel to mark the occasion. The ‘45 Jacobiterebellion saw Charles Stuart’s Jacobite troops sweep south through Scotland, occupying Edinburgh anddestroying theHanoverian government army of John Cope atPrestonpans. In November he crossed into England with almost 6,000 men and marched as far as Derby. With the capital in his sights however, theshortage of EnglishCatholics rising to the Jacobite cause, coupled with lack of backing from France, saw the army turn back to Scotland. As it retreated to the Highlands, Charles and his generals took shelter in Crieff to discuss their plans. They eventually made it to Culloden where they were roundly beaten by government forces under the Duke of Cumberland. Bonnie Prince Charlie fled to France, never to return to Scotland.