The 85-year-old Laird of Balgonie Castle has attacked social media “negativity” following the furore sparked by a spat between his daughter-in-law and a bride-to-be.
Raymond Morris posted what he said was his first and last message on Facebook, prompted by the online row when Kelly Morris reacted angrily to a customer’s post on a bridal forum.
He said: “If we as a family have been unprofessional towards any client, I apologise.
“We have spent 30 years of our lives endeavouring to restore this scheduled ancient monument for Fife and Scotland.”
The 700-year-old Fife wedding venue has been placed in lockdown, having received abusive emails, a barrage of phone calls and even a death threat.
The storm erupted after Henia Roy asked other brides-to-be about paying for meals three months in advance.
She did not name her venue but Mrs Morris retorted that she was “sick to death” with people spouting about the venue and said she did not have the patience to deal with “Bridezillas”.
She also posted details of Miss Roy’s contract online.
Fellow brides-to-be reacted with fury and Mrs Morris action’s have been widely criticised on social media.
In his statement, which is also on the castle’s website, Mr Morris said that in more than 1,200 weddings hosted no more than a handful of brides had been “stressed” and only since the venue introduced its own meal packages.
Mr Morris, who confessed to being computer illiterate and having his statement typed for him, also blasted the “hate-related mentality” of some on social media and referred to an incident where his American daughter-in-law and her daughter had been the victims of racial abuse from a bride.
He said: “Unfortunately, we live in a sad world where it appears easier to text or email someone than to talk or telephone.
“From what I hear and read, social media contains too much negativity.
“It is too easy for anonymous people to be anti-social, prejudicial and all the hate-related mentality which only feeds their ego.”
Photo by George McLuskie