Luxury hotel blaze costs millions

About 50 firefighters fought the blaze

A blaze which gutted large parts of a historic hotel has caused damage which could run into millions of pounds.

Much of the luxurious Gleddoch House Hotel, in Langbank, Renfrewshire, was destroyed in the fire which broke out about 1830GMT on Friday.

The blaze destroyed 11 bedrooms as well as the reception and public rooms.

It emerged that Scotland football boss Berti Vogts has had to cancel a summit meeting with top club managers due to take place at the hotel on Sunday.

The Scottish Football Association (SFA) had arranged for the Scottish Premier League's 12 managers to spend a night at the hotel.

An SFA spokesman said: "We were not able to reschedule the meeting at another hotel so it has had to be cancelled.

"It was a get-together to discuss the international team's programme for the year ahead and was more in the spirit of good co-operation between club and country rather than urgent business.

"We hope it will be rescheduled later in the season."

Smoke inhalation

Once owned by shipping magnate William Lithgow, Gleddoch House now forms part of a hotel, spa and sports complex.

Spanish football giants Real Madrid stayed there on the eve of their Uefa Champions League victory in Glasgow in 2002.

It was also a favourite venue of former Rangers boss Graeme Souness.

Two hotel workers were taken to hospital last night suffering from smoke inhalation.

The fire broke out in the Victorian mansion house kitchen and guest house section of the four-star hotel.

Berti Vogts has had to cancel a manager's summit

Fire crews brought the flames under control using water from the hotel pool after staff raised the alarm.

A turntable, almost 50ft in the air, fired jets of water into the roof of the hotel where the fire seemed to be worst.

Les Conn, senior manager of the hotel, said: "The damage to the old house is substantial. There is near enough a wipe-out there.

"We have not had a full chance to assess how bad the damage is but it has been contained."

Original condition

The building is listed and remains important to the local economy.

Crawford Russell of Renfrewshire Council said: "It is a very valuable property as far as the council is concerned.

"We would definitely wish to see this retained and we will be speaking to the owners and using ever endeavour to ensure this building can be brought back to its original condition."

It is hoped the building could be restored with 18 months. The owners want to open the unaffected parts of the hotel within days.