An East Lothian hotel which ran a self check-in service due to staff shortages has had its licence to sell alcohol suspended over Christmas after confusion over who was in charge.

The Folly Hotel, on Station Hill,  caused concern among East Lothian Licensing Board members when it was late paying its annual licence fees and it was found that guests were checking themselves in using lock boxes.

At a meeting on Thursday, they were told by former premises manager Gareth Cotten that work was underway to increase staff numbers and introduce a new manager at the start of next year.

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And while he said that the hotel had stopped serving alcohol in the summer of 2022, stating that he stepped down as premises manager in October that year, a Police Scotland representative said the premises had actually been without a licence holder since November 2021.

The board was told that Mr Cotten had been appointed premises manager at another hotel in the Highlands two years ago and would, at that point, no longer hold the licence for The Folly.

The board’s licensing standards officer reported that a visit to the hotel had revealed that it did not appear to be manned, leading Councillor Lachlan Bruce, board convenor, to question whether it was, in reality, short-term lets.

However Mr Cotten insisted it was a hotel with a reception and one live-in member of staff in place.

In her report to the board, the officer said of her visit: “There was a notice on the door. The sign detailed that the hotel was using a self check in due to a staff shortage.

“It directs guests to a side door with six lock boxes [containing keys]. It appears that the hotel is unmanned and guests reside there without staff. This is concerning in relation to all the licensing objectives and the control the licence holder has over the operations and behaviour at a licensed premises.”

After adjourning to discuss their options, the board agreed to suspend the premises licence until its next meeting in January to allow Mr Cotten to appoint a new premises manager and produce a new layout plan for the hotel to be approved by them.