Craig Williamson, 42, the wedding planner at Guthrie Castle, Angus, has appeared in court charged with fraud.

Reportedly he double or triple booked weddings and had deposits of more than £140,000 paid into his own bank account.

Guthrie Castle was bought by an American businessman in 1984, restored with a golf course added and launched as an upmarket wedding and corporate event venue in 2003. Since the news of the problems emerged its management have decided to withdraw it from the market and have cancelled most events booked for 2017/2018. However its website still states, at the time of writing, “We provide only the highest levels of service and comfort; we want you to feel very much at home within the beautiful surroundings ensuring that your special day will be happily remembered for the rest of your lives”.