Hotels in the Stirling area say they would gladly welcome people returning to Scotland who need to quarantine.
Stirling is arguably in an ideal location halfway between both Glasgow and Edinburgh Airports.
On Wednesday prime minister Boris Johnson announced UK nationals and residents returning from “red list” Covid hotspots would be required to quarantine for 10 days in government-provided hotels.
Two sister hotels in the Stirling area told the Observer they would be keen to help out, if required.
Scotland’s first minister has said the Scottish Government is “likely to set out further steps next week” in relation to quarantine for travellers.
Nicola Sturgeon said she would like to see an even stronger approach taken to help reduce the spread of the virus.
On Wednesday Ms Sturgeon said: “I am concerned that the proposal does not go far enough and I’ve made that point very strongly in the four nations discussions that we’ve just had today.
“So while the Scottish Government will initially emulate the UK Government’s steps on enhancing quarantine arrangements, we will be seeking urgently to persuade them to go much further and indeed to move to a comprehensive system of supervised quarantine.
“Given the obvious practical issues involved, we are very clear that our preference is to have consistent quarantine rules across the UK. But if there is no agreement to go further on a four nations basis, we will be considering going further ourselves and we will set out any such additional measures next week.”
It is not clear which hotels would be used and it is understood Stirling Council has not received any confirmed information at this stage.
However Stirling hotels are standing by ready to help out if required.
The managers at Bannockburn’s King Robert Hotel and Aberfoyle’s Rob Roy Hotel said they would welcome travellers requiring to quarantine.
Patricia Thomson - general manager of the King Robert Hotel - situated in a historical battlefield said: “I thought I might have been contacted by the council about it.”
While the hotel is closed to tourism, it is open for emergency purposes and for key workers. The hotel has been providing shelter for Stirling’s homeless throughout the pandemic - a role the hotel has been glad to play.
Patricia said: “It’s kept us open and our staff in jobs. Stirling Council is inundated.”
Its sister hotel in Aberfoyle the Rob Roy Hotel is currently closed but it too would happily open its doors for travellers to self-isolate in.
Asked if they would be keen to help hotel manager Viktor Obozi said: “Absolutely! Obviously we will need to know a few more details. We are up for anything.”
The hotel closed in March 2020 for the first lockdown then opened from just August to November before they were left with little option but to close again.
The hotel had planned to reopen on February 1 but with lockdown extended, reopening plans are uncertain.
