The Boath House Hotel wants its Michelin star to be removed

Luxury country house in Nairn, The Boath House Hotel have asked to be stripped of its Michelin star after 10 years due to the “enormous pressure” it brings.

• Read the original article here
• Why does French chef Sebastien Bras want his 3 Michelin stars to be removed?
• Is the Michelin Guide still relevant?
• Read more about the Michelin Guide here

The BBC reports that the hotel in Scotland have followed in the footsteps of renowned French chef, Sebastian Bras who last week pleaded with Michelin to have his three stars removed for his restaurant, Le Suquet in France. The chef stated he feels immense pressure having to retain the sort after accolade and wants to “start a new chapter” in his career.

According, to the BBC the hotel’s owners, Don and Wendy Matheson said in a statement they wanted to "re-evaluate their relationship" with the Michelin Guide since choosing to "move Boath House in a new direction".

They couple who have retained a star in the guide for the past 10 years also expressed that the expectations of the guide were "at odds with achievable profit margins".

Opinions on social media outlets such as Twitter have been mixed following their announcement.

Sounds like blaming Michelin stars is a cop out. If your delivering the correct product then a star can only ever enhance your business

— christopher archer (@christopherarch) 29 September 2017

Totally agree. Thankfully some places are now seeing they don't have to be "posh" or "stiff service". Cracking food, great staff=job done.

— Mark Barefoot (@ralphcat) 29 September 2017

The family run business has now decided to refurbish the restaurant and give the menu a complete overhaul but understand this may mean the restaurant could lose its star when the new guide is revealed on Monday, October 2, 2017.

The BBC reports that Wendy Matheson said: "Whilst we are extremely proud of the Michelin star we gained 10 years ago and it undoubtedly enhanced our reputation, our restaurant has consistently made a loss.

"We believe that the expectations from Michelin are at odds with achievable profit margins and put an enormous stress on a small family-run business like ours.

"The feedback we are hearing time and time again from our customers is that they want an experience that is more informal and relaxed and this extends to the restaurant, the food and even how it is served."

In response to the Boath House's decision to move, Rebecca Burr, editor of the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland told the BBC: "It's obviously up to individual restaurants how they want to run their businesses, and there is absolutely no formula for winning or retaining a Michelin star.

"There has certainly been a trend towards more informal dining over the past 10 years or so, and in fact Michelin has been at the absolute forefront of recognising and celebrating that."