A HOTEL owner is kindly offering places to stay for doctors and other essential staff during the health crisis.

The Rams Head Hotel on Rawlinson Street has already welcomed several doctors who have been brought in from other countries across the world to aid in the fight against COVID-19.

Gary Hardie, owner of the Rams Head, said: “We are taking anyone in really who has the virus and can’t go home.

“We have been full at different points and have had to turn people away unfortunately.

"We have had doctors, homeless, all free of charge.

“I only opened these rooms up last month and then this happened. I think my business will struggle because of the virus.

“I am self-employed but it is only bricks and mortar at the end of the day.

"At this time money is irrelevant really.

“Some of these doctors have travelled from Bangladesh and India so we may as well give them these rooms for their services.

“The issue I am having is that I can’t cook for them really. It is just somewhere to wash and sleep at the moment.

“I am not bothered if I lose this place at the end of all this. It is not just me who will struggle, there are millions of people just like me.

“You have just got to get on with it. We have to be positive in a time of doom and gloom.

“These people could be saving your friends and your families, and putting their lives on the line. This is the least we can do.”

Currently the maximum number of rooms is five. Mr Hardie wanted to get in more rooms to be able to accommodate more doctors but has not been able to as of yet.

Jamie Herdman, who manages business for contractors at the hotel, said: “I decided to put the message out there about what Gary is doing because what he has done is pretty great.

“This will probably cripple his business but he has done it anyway.

“It is good accommodation and I feel like Gary deserves credit for what he has done.”