The owner of an upmarket Aberdeen hotel has apologised after making a series of homophobic remarks at an industry dinner.

Stewart Spence said he was "lucky" never to have hired a gay employee and made offensive comments about the actor John Travolta during a speech, witnesses said.

Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland (HITS), which organised the event at the Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen on Thursday night, has distanced itself from his remarks.

They have also been strongly criticised by LGBT rights group Stonewall Scotland.

One guest at the event, who asked not the be named, said: "The room went so quiet you could have heard a pin drop. Not one person defended him afterwards.

"It's a shame that the dinner was about emerging talent in our industry and he was making a statement that there are certain people we don't welcome - which is not true."

In an email sent on Friday afternoon, Mr Spence told dinner guests: "It is with extreme shame and embarrassment that I send you this email today.

"I made some very ill-advised comments at the dinner last night and I am absolutely mortified this morning and would unreservedly like to sincerely apologise for the offence caused.

"I don't know what I was thinking. I was hoping to raise a few laughs around the seventies theme and while the words I used may have, regrettably, been commonplace in that generation, they were still entirely unacceptable. I really regret this and am truly sorry."

A HITS spokesman said the organisation "strongly disagrees" with Mr Spence's comments.

"They were a complete surprise and as shocking as they were inaccurate to the truth of the hospitality industry," he said.

"Hospitality is a diverse and inclusive industry, it has consistently led the way on equality and diversity above and beyond any other sector and that is something we take great pride in.

"We would like to reassure everyone that his offensive comments were his own and in no way representative of the opinions of HIT Scotland or indeed the hospitality industry as a whole."

Catherine Somerville, head of campaigns at Stonewall Scotland, added: "The comments made at last night's event clearly demonstrate that there is a lot of work to be done before all LGBT people can feel safe and included at work, and that LGBT customers are treated fairly and with respect.

"It is really positive to see such a strong reaction against these homophobic remarks from HIT Scotland, and we will always offer support to employers across the hospitality sector who want to create more inclusive workplaces for LGBT people."