Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels Chairman and CEO, Stephen Leckie, has been awarded the prestigious Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland (HIT Scotland) Industry Award 2021.
Awarded to an individual within the Scottish hospitality industry who is recognised as being head and shoulders above their peer group for championing the interests of the sector in Scotland, it is the only award bestowed by HIT.
Leckie has had a long career in hospitality and is the fifth generation of his family to run the Crieff Hydro Family of Hotels, with his wife and children all contributing to the family business.
The announcement was made at one of the biggest hospitality industry dinners seen in Scotland for almost two years, hosted by HIT Scotland at the Glasgow Hilton on 20th October. Nearly five hundred industry professionals attended and raised over £42,000 for the inspirational HIT scholarship programme.
HIT Scotland CEO, David Cochrane, said, “Stephen Leckie is a well-recognised and very worthy winner. The nomination was universally agreed without question by the judging panel.
“The theme of our dinner was “this is who we are” and was all about having pride in our industry and being proud of the people who work within it.
“Stephen has spent the last 19 months looking after the interests of the industry and in addition to managing his own portfolio of hotels – he has spent countless hours informing the politicians and industry groups of the strategy and route towards recovery. He is the epitome of someone who cares passionately about the industry and all the people who work within it.
“It was a pleasure to invite him to take his place amongst all the hospitality heroes who have been previous winners of the Industry Award.”
Leckie said, “It was a huge surprise and real honour to be recognised with this award – especially as it is decided by my peers in this superb industry that means so much to me.
“Our hospitality sector is so vibrant and absolutely vital to the economy, culture and indeed the very fabric of Scotland. In the last year and a half, more than ever, it has needed voices to stand up for its interests and I am proud of the way the industry has come together to do just that. To be recognised as having played a part is humbling and I’m very grateful to HIT.”
