Magic 70th celebrations for Mackays Hotel in Wick
Mackays Hotel in Wick is celebrating its 70th year in business with a bumper programme of hotel-hosted food, drink and entertainment events.
One of the county’s leading accommodation providers and owned by Murray and Ellie Lamont, the hotel, along with the No1 Bistro, the Bin Ends and Whisky Cellar shops, supports 40 local jobs.
The annual Taste of Caithness Champions’ Dinner was held in March, where guests enjoyed a six-course meal of culinary excellence using Highland champion produce purchased by the hotel at the annual Quoybrae Christmas Sale.
On May 17, Kevin Quantum, best known for competing on ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent, enchanted a sold-out audience of dinner guests with a magical show of masterful illusions and mind-blowing magic.
Further wine and whisky paired dinners are planned throughout the year. Special festive events will conclude the 2025 event programme.
Ellie Lamont, owner of Mackays Hotel, said: “We are thrilled that our milestone birthday year is crammed with fun, food and drink.
“We pride ourselves on offering opportunities for the far north to enjoy these in Wick. We were particularly delighted to bring Kevin Quantum, a Guinness World Record breaking magician up to Ebenezer Place – our own Guinness World Record breaking street – officially the world’s shortest.”
Mackays Hotel has been a key part of local community life in Caithness since being purchased by the first family member in 1955, Murray Lamont’s maternal grandmother. Murray and Ellie took over the management of Mackays Hotel in 1982 and went on to purchase the property from the rest of the family in the early 1990s.
Since then, the hotel has gone from strength to strength, winning a number of industry awards and accolades.
Mackays received the Best Hotel Experience (over 20 rooms) award at the 2022 Highlands and Islands Thistle Awards. At the same ceremony, Murray and Ellie were named as Highlands and Islands Tourism Ambassadors. The hotel has also successfully retained a Gold Green Tourism Award since 2014.
Murray Lamont’s first job was working with his father as a cellar boy at Mackays Hotel when he was just eight years old. Even when he was away studying in Dundee, Murray travelled home every weekend to work in the hotel. After graduating, he found employment in the central belt of Scotland before returning to Wick in 1982.
Ellie and Murray are also well known for actively supporting the community interests of the town, including their involvement of the Wick Development Trust and the RNLI.
To find out more about any of Mackays hotel-hosted events in 2025, visit: www.mackayshotel.co.uk
You can also call the hotel on 01955 602323.
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