News

A hotel in Arbroath will open its doors on Christmas Day to anyone on their own or keen to escape the festive “hustle and bustle”.

Sianhan Smith, 31, has been a co-owner of The Townhouse Hotel on High Street since 2020.

She worked her way up, starting as a waitress over a decade ago and now owning the bar and restaurant alongside Jodie Gersok.

The pair have decided to open the hotel for two hours on Christmas Day to anyone who needs a chat or a safe space.

The Townhouse Hotel has had a huge response since announcing its plans to offer a free bowl of soup and some company on social media.

“We truly did not expect this response,” Sianhan told The Courier.

“We hoped just to have one person come through the door, and we could change their day and make it better and brighter.

“It’s been crazy how well it’s been shared around, as it’s something we wanted to do last year.

“This year we said, ‘Let’s do it, let’s go for it.’

“If it means we’re with one person having a coffee, then that’s lovely, but if we can help more, then even better.

“We just want to create a warm place for anyone to come – maybe you want to get away from the hustle and bustle of Christmas and have a day that feels normal.

“If you’re by yourself, you can come and see us for a chat or some soup.

“The sense of community behind the post has just been unbelievable.

“We’ve had places like Poundland donate biscuits for us, and we’ve had people offer to bring in milk and vegetables for the soup.

“It’s just really heartwarming to see everybody group together and think about what’s actually important.

“Especially at this time of year, there’s such a pressure to have an Instagrammable life and do all these fun things.

“Maybe you don’t have all that, and you get overwhelmed.

“We want to be here for people, and they can come and see us.”

The Townhouse will be open between 11.30am and 1.30pm.

Sianhan added: “It should be a nice afternoon.

“We try to make the Townhouse a safe space for everybody.

“Any day of the week, you can come in, even if you’re looking for a coffee by yourself.

“There’s always someone to talk to, the staff are very friendly.”

This article appeared in The Courier on 12 December 2025.