A businessman blamed for the sudden closure of a landmark Perth hotel has now taken the reins at a local pub, angering trade unions and causing concern among staff.
Stuart Shearer made headlines when he closed the Fair City’s Lovat Hotel suddenly in January, with the loss of 50 staff.
The shock move threw local couples’ wedding plans into disarray and left customers thousands of pounds out of pocket.
Mr Shearer went into hiding after arranging for staff to be handed a terse redundancy letter. He refused to return calls or respond to social media queries.
Now he is poised to take over the Wheel Inn at Scone, under his new company TWI Scone Ltd.
In a letter to staff from current management firm Three Thistles PLC, spokeswoman Nyssa Barron said: “As you know negotiations have been taking place with Stuart Shearer of TWI Scone Ltd to takeover the running of the Wheel Inn under a management agreement and I can confirm this has now been agreed to take effect from Monday.”
Mr Shearer will run the venue for new owners Caledonian Heritable, which operates scores of pubs and establishments across the country.
Staff at the Wheel Inn have raised concerns about the appointment with the company.
Bryan Simpson, of Unite Scotland said the news was concerning.
“We are very disturbed to hear that Stuart Shearer is set to takeover at the Wheel Inn less than three months after he made 50 staff redundant at the Lovat Hotel with a letter which simply said: ‘Any member of staff in possession of this letter has been made redundant with immediate effect’.
“We hope that Caledonian Heritable think twice about going into business with such an unscrupulous employer like Stuart Shearer.”
Caledonian Heritable would not comment on the controversy.
Among those who lost money when the Lovat Hotel closed was Blairgowrie man Brian Gellatly. He paid a deposit for his daughter’s wedding the day before it closed.
“Shearer’s got some nerve reappearing like this,” he said.
Mr Shearer’s old firm SLE Enterprises has gone into liquidation.
The Courier revealed that the Lovat Hotel is poised to re-open under new management.
Owners are investing £250,000 into the Glasgow Road establishment, creating a new family restaurant.
Mr Shearer has three failed businesses under his belt.
Puffin View Ltd and Castleview East were both dissolved and struck from the Companies House register in 2016. Mr Shearer was also listed as a director of Food and Drinks Tree Ltd, which was ended in 2013.
Mr Shearer has failed to respond to calls for a comment.
