Dennis Smith, one of Dundee’s most prominent hoteliers, has died at the age of 79.
He was manager of the former Angus Hotel when it was the premier hotel in the city, the venue for major civic functions and the place where scores of dignitaries, politicians and other famous figures chose to visit and stay.
The Queen Mother and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher were among his guests, as were many celebrities and pop stars who performed at the Caird Hall.
Miss World visited the Angus, as did the actress Wendy Craig, star of the popular TV sitcom Butterflies, who opened the hotel’s appropriately named Le Papillon Restaurant.
Much of the hotel’s success was down to his management. With its central location, he believed it should play a vital role in the city’s business and social life and took every opportunity to promote it.
Mr Smith was from Aberdeen and went to school in Northern Ireland, where he began work with the transport authorities and trained in hotel management.
From there he joined the Swallow Group and worked in its head office before being appointed to a hotel in Cambridge and then the Ancaster Arms Hotel in Callander.
He then joined the Thistle Hotels chain and was first at the Golden Lion in Stirling before becoming manager at the Angus Hotel in the former Overgate Centre, which was on the site presently occupied by Debenhams.
After eight years, he decided it was time to go into business on his own. He took over the Newton House Hotel in Glencarse, returning to Dundee in 1990 as the owner of the Shaftesbury Hotel in Hyndford Street. He restored it to reflect its former glory as a jute baron’s mansion and its restaurant, Rachel’s, became a popular eaterie in the West End.
Reviewing his 50-year career in the hotel industry on his retirement in 2004, Mr Smith highlighted his time at the Shaftesbury as his proudest achievement.
Away from work he enjoyed playing golf but he could afford less time on the fairways as his career progressed.
Mr Smith is survived by his former wife Barbara, his partner of 22 years Dorothy, daughters Denise and Jane and four grandchildren.