(I'm writing in English to make sure there are no misunderstandings. This is a serious issue.)

Kilted Rabble-

A call to arms!

Last January, while the rabble was in Dumfries for the Ferintosh Burns Supper. Three of our esteemed members had a negative encounter at the local VisitScotland office. (detailed below)

I wrote to the office asking for an apology and they chose to ignore my letter.

So… I think it is time for a little grassroots wheel squeaking…

Please send an email to malcolm.roughead@visitscotland.com, denise.hill@visitscotland.com, ewan.colville@visitscotland.com

Saying something like… (or cut and paste this…)

Dear VisitScotland-

At the end of January, Mr. Kerr Matthews, who works at the VisitScotland Dumfries & Galloway Network Office, made negative and derogatory comments about American tourists and people who wear kilts, to a group of tourists in the VisitScotland office. He did this while in his capacity of a representative of VisitScotland. A letter of complaint was sent to the VisitScotland Dumfries & Galloway Network Office asking for an apology and it has been ignored. This is unacceptable.

As a kilt wearer and someone inclined to visit Scotland on holiday. I am shocked and appalled that a representative of VisitScotland Dumfries & Galloway Network Office would have the audacity to make personal insulting comments about Americans or people who wear kilts.

Both Mr. Matthews’ statements and the fact that VisitScotland ignored the letter of complaint do not leave me with a positive impression of VisitScotland. Before I plan my next holiday, I will certainly think long and hard whether or not I will include Scotland as a destination.

If there is anything you can do to influence the VisitScotland Dumfries & Galloway Network Office to do the right thing and apologize, please do.
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this is what happened…



On Monday, January 29, 2007 three kilties; two from England (Hamish & dwg69,) and one from Virginia in the U.S.A. (starbkjrus,) all wearing kilts, were perusing the Dumfries VisitScotland Office. Dwg69 enquired, to the man behind the counter (Mr. Matthews,) whether many people in Dumfries wore kilts. Mr. Matthews (who is English) replied something to the effect of “The only kilts we see are on loud-mouthed Americans.” The three tourists were quite surprised at the rudeness of the statement …Then Mr. Matthews went on to say, “There is, in fact, one loud-mouthed American living in Dumfries, who owns a guest house, struts around the town in his kilt and even does his shopping in it!”

I sent a letter of complaint asking for a written apology from both Mr. Matthews and the VisitScotland Dumfries & Galloway Network Office and asked that the apology be addressed to me personally and also to Mr. Bicknell, Mr. Gibbs, and Mr. Kellett. Copies of the letter were sent to Mr. Matthews and the three people above him in the Dumfries VisitScotland office. I gave them just over 2 weeks to respond. No response has been received. (pretty amazing since all I asked for was an apology!)





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