Ryder Cup hotel sued over Norovirus claim
Luxury Gleneagles restaurant faces test case over meal dispute
THE five-star Gleneagles hotel, which will host one of the world’s biggest sporting events later this month, is facing court action over a major outbreak of norovirus.
Legal papers have been lodged at Perth Sheriff Court against, the luxury golf resort, after more than 100 guests were affected by the vomiting bug. The action could lead to thousands of pounds being paid out in compensation.
The Ryder Cup opens at Gleneagles in Auchterarder, Perthshire, on September 26, attracting 15,000 spectators from all over the world and netting Scotland more than £80 million.
Top players from Europe and the US will be staying at Gleneagles during the event.
Last night, Gleneagles said it was unable to comment because the matter was “subject to the court process”.
Airport supervisor Gary Philp, 60, his wife Margaret, 60, and his 84-year-old mother Mary, who passed away last year, fell ill after eating an £80 two-course meal at the hotel’s Dormy Clubhouse restaurant in May 2012.
The Dunfermline family’s ordeal will be a test case for around 40 others lodged by Thompsons Solicitors at Perth Sheriff Court against Gleneagles.
Father-of-one Mr Philp said he was appalled the hotel failed to shut the restaurant down even though they told him six members of kitchen staff had called in sick that same day.
He said: “I feel bitter and disappointed a five-star hotel like Gleneagles with its great reputation and hosting the Ryder Cup in a week’s time could treat their customers like that.
“Our meal seemed to take ages to come and the supervisor told us the reason for this was that six members of staff had called in sick that morning.
“They should have closed the restaurant down when they knew that kitchen staff were off with a vomiting bug.
“They were so complacent about it. They just wanted our money and weren’t bothered that there was an elderly woman in the restaurant at risk.
“What really sticks in my throat is that they’ve never said sorry to us or admit that their restaurant caused it.
“It was two weeks of purgatory for us and my mother, in particular, was in a terrible state. She was so ill we could have lost her.
“Gleneagles was my mum’s favourite place and it’s just a shame I couldn’t take her back there before she died.
“If they had had the decency to apologise and invite us back for a meal as a goodwill gesture we would have accepted that, but now we are taking them to court.”
Thompsons has begun legal proceedings against Gleneagles by setting out the Philp’s case in a writ to the court.
Solicitors now have to wait for Gleneagles to lodge its counter argument before a date can be set for a hearing and the entire process could take up to a year.
Thompsons lawyer Patrick McGuire insisted the Philp case was very strong and has evidence from a leading public health expert that the bug originated from the Dormy restaurant.
He said: “An eminent professor of epidemiology and public health has looked closely at this case and he has informed my legal team that this outbreak originated in t he Dormy restaurant at Gleneagles.
“By the restaurant’s own admis- sion they were aware of this outbreak on the afternoon of the Sunday in question but yet Gary and his family were served a meal in the evening of the same day.
“While waiting for his meal to arrive Gary was told by restaurant staff that a number of kitchen workers had fallen ill and we also know of other diners who had fallen ill in the days previous and had informed the restaurant of their illness.
“All this clearly shows that the hotel management knew this was a huge problem, but did not act properly.”
A Gleneagles spokesman said: “This relates to an incident in May 2012 which was dealt with in conjunc0 tion with the relevant authorities at the time. Because the matter is subject to the court process, unfortunately we cannot comment any further at present.”