‘Significant dereliction of duty of care’: Fife hotel owner voices frustrations at lack of gritting

The "sheet of ice” driveway which leads up to the Georgian hotel en-route to Balbirnie Park Golf club in the Markinch area is causing an “extreme hazard” for park visitors and takeaway customers of the hotel, according to the hotelier.

Mr Russell has been asking for grit bins to be filled since November – but they remain empty, and one is missing, as icy conditions continue to affect areas across Fife.

He said request forms have always been ‘auto-filled’ by the council, saying it would respond within five working days - but no action has ever come of it.

Jenny Gilruth, local MSP, has now written to the local authority asking that the matter be investigated – and the grit bins re-stocked.

Mr Russell said: “Fife Council has certainly been automatically filling the multiple community driveway grit bins since Balbirnie House opened as a hotel in the late 1980s. We have been repeatedly requesting that they are filled since early November.

"Somewhere within its allocation of resources, there appears to be a significant dereliction of duty of care.”

He said the lack of gritting is also affecting services to and from the premises.

The hotel’s morning fruit and vegetable lorry delivery was unable to get to the rear of the building, delaying operations.

Mr Russell commented that while this was did not hit the hotel, it affected the adjacent golf clubhouse.

He added: "We’d like to see all grit bins filled up by Fife Council, and then being re-filled as required, as has been the case for decades.

"The area which is affected lies beyond main guest access to Balbirnie House and affects park visitors, all deliveries deliveries and anyone visiting Balbirnie Park golf club.”

Bill Liddle, service manager said: "Gritters were out overnight, and are out and about today treating icy conditions.

"We are working to treat main roads first and we'll get to other roads as soon as possible."

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