A hotel has had its five-star status suspended after its owner made homophobic remarks during a speech at an industry dinner.

Stewart Spence, owner of the Marcliffe Hotel in Aberdeen, said he was "lucky" never to have hired a gay employee during a speech at the Hospitality Industry Trust Scotland event last week.

Mr Spence later said he apologised "unreservedly" for his comments, which had left him "absolutely mortified."

VisitScotland, which gives Scottish hotels their star ratings, has removed the Marcliffe from its website until the hotel provides written evidence that it does not discriminate.

The tourism agency said all members of the Quality Assurance (QA) scheme had a duty to comply with equality legislation.

A spokeswoman said: "VisitScotland is currently looking into this matter as a priority and in the meantime, we have suspended the Marcliffe's QA membership and the hotel's entry on VisitScotland.com.

"We have advised the hotel that their membership of QA and listing on the website is suspended until such time as we have received written evidence that they do not operate a discriminatory policy with staff and customers and that they both fully understand and meet, in full, the requirements of appropriate legislation.

"We have also advised them of training and support available through organisations such as Stonewall.

"Only on receipt of the written evidence requested will their QA membership and VisitScotland.com entry be reinstated."

Mr Spence made the remarks at the event on Thursday, which was held at his hotel.

One guest, 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."

Mr Spence's remarks were widely condemned, including by LGBT campaigners Stonewall Scotland.

The group's head of campaigns Catherine Somerville said earlier: "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."

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."

STV News has contacted the Marcliffe Hotel for a response.