Row over Culloden House name
A four star luxury hotel at Culloden has challenged a care home developer that appears to have “stolen” its name.
Culloden House, which has close links with the Battle of Culloden of 1746 and regularly welcomes A-list guests, immediately contacted Glasgow-based Simply UK Construction after learning the 90-bed retirement development is carrying the name Culloden House Care Home.
The home is at Cradlehall outside Inverness, about a mile from Culloden House hotel, and ancient trees near the site once lined the drive to the country house. Cradlehall is about three miles from the battlefield.
The fence round the building site carries the name Culloden House Care Home and advertises “chauffeur service, bar bistro and cinema room.” Images show a barman with cocktail shaker and a beauty salon.
Culloden House general manager Stephen Davies said: “We are in communication with the developer to mutually find a solution.
“We fully understand the sensitivity of the name, but we also feel that the use of ‘Culloden House’ might cause confusion between our hotel and the home.
“We are in talks and negotiations with the developers who are being very proactive towards finding a mutually agreeable solution.”
Simply UK Construction did not comment.
Cllr Duncan Macpherson who highlighted the issue said: “At best the developers have been misguided, and at worst it is blatant plagiarism.They are trying to give a luxury hotel look to their home, but there could be a considerable public backlash if they go ahead with this.
“I can see why people think they are cashing in on the name of an iconic country house hotel.”
Cllr Ken Gowans said he had received complaints about the use of the name. He added: “Culloden is not a brand and should not be treated as such by businesses trying to capitalise on the name.”
