Inverness B&B owners recall the times a Nepalese royal came to stay and a Japanese diplomat left without paying
Bed and breakfast operators Richard and Nan Paxton recall the time a senior member of the Nepalese royal family arrived in a bullet-proof car.
And there was the occasion when a Japanese diplomat left without paying for his three-day visit.
As the couple draw on more than 20 years of memories of running the Westbourne Guest House in Inverness, they recall guests such as American singer P. J. Proby, Northern Irish snooker player Dennis Taylor and Big Brother winner Cameron Stout.
But Richard (69) - a vocal defender of the B&B sector and his local community - and Nan (71) have now decided it is time to retire and have put the guest house in Huntly Street up for sale.
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Richard’s links with the Westbourne go back to 1949 when his parents, Jim and Jean, bought the house which previously stood on the site and ran it as a guesthouse.
“Before I went to school, I would do chores such as washing the knives and forks and doing the dishes,” he said
“It was in my blood.”
Initially, he started running discos in 1968 and later worked at AI Welders and then the McDermott fabrication yard.
After his parents died, he was left with the Westbourne and decided the best option was to have it demolished and rebuild it.
Initially in 1997, he operated four rooms but such was the demand, a new building was created incorporating a fire escape which gave him a total of 10 en suite rooms in 2000.
In October 2001, he married Nan, who had previously been widowed, and she also became involved in the business.
One of their memorable moments was the arrival of Princess Helen Shah of Nepal with a small group, including a chauffeur/security officer, who took over the top floor.
Richard mistakenly thought she was a lady-in-waiting and assumed a younger woman in the group was the princess. It was only when the older lady handed him her card on their departure, he realised his mistake!
“She said, ‘Thank you so much for talking with me and telling me all about Inverness. I thoroughly enjoyed my stay here and if ever we are here again, we will stay here.’,” he recalled.
He also asked why they had opted for a guesthouse rather than a hotel.
“She said that if they came officially they would have to go to various places,” he said.
“They wanted to be alone to see what other visitors see and not what they were shown.”
The Paxtons still have the receipt from the visit in 2000 - the following year, the princess survived a massacre when 10 members of the Nepalese royal family including one of her daughters were killed in a mass shooting.
They also recall a “lovely” Japanese diplomat and his family staying and inadvertently leaving without paying.
When Richard chased it up via the embassy there were profuse apologies when the oversight became apparent.
One famous guest was snooker player Dennis Taylor who was giving a demonstration in Inverness. Having discovered he was also a keen golfer, Richard managed to get him booked into one of the city’s golf courses that same morning.
Westbourne guests have travelled from all over the world benefitting from the couple’s extensive knowledge of the area and contacts although there have sometimes been bizarre requests such as a query from an American visitor about the best times to see the Loch Ness Monster.
Many have become friends and the couple have also picked up many awards and certificates over the years from organisations such as Les Routiers, Booking.com, Lodging World, the AA and Inverness Tourism Awards.
“If you don’t like meeting people and don’t like being friendly, you are in the wrong trade,” Richard said.
“When someone comes to the door, you greet them with a smile - and it costs nothing.”
Nan, who was a cook by profession, always ensured guests were served a good breakfast with the menu including specially-sourced vegan sausages and homemade yoghurt.
“The minute you open the door, you can suss whether you are going to have a rapport with people - and mostly you do,” said Nan who reflected on why guests - including the more well-known - opted to stay in their guest house rather than a hotel.
“I think it is the personal touch. These people don’t want to be a room number in a big hotel where perhaps people don’t have time to speak to you.
“Communication is 90 per cent of it.”
Other extra touches included Nan’s homemade shortbread, or having port and sherry available in the lounge for guests wanting a nightcap, while they also picked up ideas while staying at other guest houses themselves.
During the coronavirus pandemic, the Westbourne had to close and since then they have not reopened other than to have friends stay.
Reflecting on the state of tourism in Inverness, Richard said the Highland capital remains a popular destination where for four months of the year, there are never enough rooms.
“Inverness is in the middle of nowhere and is at the centre of everything,” he said. “There are so many places you can go to.”
Although they have now decided it is time to downsize, they will miss the camaraderie and people
“There are so many memories here,” Richard said.
“In a way I don’t to move. I can walk into town. Everything is on the doorstep.
“It is in the city centre but without being in the centre. There is no noise. It is a prime location.”
The couple, who also own the nearby Thistle Inn which is used for parties and functions, have much to occupy their spare time, however.
Richard is a member of Park Community Council and Inverness Culloden Rotary Club while Nan is a keen curler, sometimes playing two or three times a day.
