28th May 1944 – 17 December 2025
Kathleen Hood, co-founder of the Lisini Pub Company and one of Lanarkshire’s most respected hospitality figures, died recently following a short illness at the age of 81. For more than six decades, Kathleen dedicated her life to the licensed trade, helping to build a family business that would become one of the most recognised and enduring hospitality groups in the west of Scotland. Alongside her late husband, Harry, she established Lisini Pub Company in 1969, laying the foundations for a portfolio that today includes the Angels Hotel and Castle Rooms in Uddingston, Dalziel Park in Motherwell, and the Parkville Hotel in Blantyre.
Born in Glasgow in 1944, Kathleen was raised in a family steeped in the licensed trade. Her parents operated Tony’s Bar in the Gorbals during the late 1950s, and from an early age she developed an understanding of both the hard work and the community spirit that defined the public house at its best.
Growing up in a household that combined service, diligence, and a welcoming spirit instilled in Kathleen the values that would guide her throughout her life: commitment to excellence, loyalty to community, and a belief in the transformative power of hospitality. After leaving school, Kathleen went on to study commerce at the University of Strathclyde.
However, the sudden death of her father altered the course of her life. She returned home to support her family and help sustain the family business, stepping fully into the trade that would become her vocation.
Those early experiences shaped her approach to hospitality: grounded in resilience, attentive to detail, and rooted in the belief that a venue succeeds when it becomes part of its community. They also forged the determination and commercial awareness that would underpin Lisini’s future growth.
It was during these formative years that Kathleen met Harry, who would become the love of her life and lifelong business partner. Their paths crossed through mutual friends and shared connections in Glasgow’s community circles. They quickly discovered a shared passion for people, hospitality, and enterprise. Harry’s energy and ambition complemented Kathleen’s practical judgment and keen business sense, forming a partnership that was both personal and professional.
Together, they built more than a business; they built a community, a workplace, and a family that reflected their values. That partnership, founded on mutual respect and complementary talents, became the foundation of the Lisini Pub Company and a model of collaboration, vision, and shared achievement.
In 1969, Kathleen and Harry purchased the Sherwood Manor in Viewpark, marking the formal beginning of Lisini Pub Company. They were young, ambitious, and willing to take risks. What began as a single premises developed steadily over the decades into a respected hospitality group known for quality, professionalism, and a distinctive family ethos.
Their vision was simple yet enduring: to create venues where people felt welcome, where service was genuine, and where attention to detail reflected the care and pride of the proprietors. The Lisini portfolio expanded to include the Angels Hotel and Castle Rooms in Uddingston, a venue that has become synonymous with weddings, events, and fine dining in Lanarkshire; Dalziel Park in Motherwell, a landmark leisure and golf destination; and the Parkville Hotel in Blantyre, widely regarded for its contemporary style, welcoming atmosphere, and commitment to high standards.
Each development bore Kathleen’s influence, particularly in standards of presentation, service, and operational discipline. She was the unseen hand who ensured that excellence was never compromised and that each venue reflected the Lisini ethos. While Harry was often the public face of the business, Kathleen was widely acknowledged as its driving force behind the scenes.
She possessed a sharp commercial instinct and an unwavering commitment to excellence. Colleagues recall that little escaped her attention: from the presentation of a dining room to the tone of customer service, she believed that details defined reputation. In every aspect of operations, Kathleen combined intuition with analysis, always keeping the guest experience at the heart of decisions.
At a time when the hospitality industry was still largely male-dominated, Kathleen established herself as a formidable businesswoman. She combined warmth with authority, creating environments where guests felt valued and staff felt supported, while understanding the importance of high standards. Her leadership style was instinctive rather than ostentatious. She preferred substance over display and results over recognition, and she earned the respect of peers, colleagues, and competitors alike.
Over the years, Lisini evolved from a hands-on family operation into a structured limited company, reflecting both growth and long-term vision. Kathleen played a central role in that transition, ensuring that the business retained its family character while adopting the governance and systems required for expansion. Even as responsibilities were gradually shared with the next generation, she remained closely involved in day-to-day operations, offering guidance and oversight drawn from decades of experience.
Her influence helped ensure that the company’s values—integrity, consistency, and respect for staff and customers—remained constant through periods of growth and change. In 2018, Kathleen and Harry were presented with a joint Lifetime Achievement Award at the DRAM Awards, by myself and Stuart Ross, becoming the first couple to be honoured in that way.
The accolade reflected not only the commercial success of their business but also their contribution to Scotland’s wider hospitality sector. Under their stewardship, Lisini became known for investing in its properties, nurturing talent, and maintaining a consistent commitment to quality. Their achievements set a standard within the industry and inspired others to follow their example. Beyond balance sheets and bricks and mortar, Kathleen understood that hospitality is fundamentally about people.
Many who worked within the Lisini group built long careers there, crediting her steady leadership and clear expectations for fostering professional pride. Suppliers and industry peers regarded her as principled and fair, a businesswoman whose word carried weight. Her ability to combine empathy with accountability created workplaces where staff were encouraged to flourish while consistently upholding high standards.
Kathleen was also a fabulous mother. She balanced the demands of running a growing business with raising her children, Siobhan, Nicky, and her late daughter Lisa, creating a home filled with warmth, laughter, and curiosity.
Even after Harry’s death in 2019, Kathleen’s connection to the company remained strong. Though she formally retired as a director in June of this year, she continued to take an active interest in its progress, offering advice, encouragement, and perspective drawn from decades of experience. Her resilience in the face of personal loss, particularly following the death of her daughter Lisa, was characteristic: composed, practical, and quietly determined.
She faced each challenge with dignity and unwavering commitment. There were countless small moments that reflected her warmth and generosity. She loved hosting family and friends at the Angels Hotel, where she would personally welcome guests to weddings and events, offering guidance and reassurance with her trademark calm and charm.
Staff remember her walking through a dining room to quietly adjust a place setting or check that every detail was perfect, but always with a smile and a word of encouragement. She celebrated successes with champagne and humour, making even the most challenging days feel lighter.
Those who encountered Kathleen often remarked on her sense of style and presence. She carried herself with assurance and grace, equally at ease welcoming guests, negotiating business matters, or supporting charitable initiatives linked to the company’s venues. There was a natural elegance to her approach, coupled with an ability to put others at ease.
Yet behind the warmth was a steely resolve that had been honed from her earliest days in the trade. Her instincts, judgment, and attention to detail set her apart and ensured that Lisini remained a model of excellence in hospitality. Her life spanned a period of significant change within Scottish hospitality, from traditional community pubs to contemporary destination venues.
Through those changes, Kathleen remained adaptable. She embraced new ideas where they enhanced standards but held firmly to core principles: quality, consistency, and genuine service. She believed that innovation should never come at the expense of care and integrity, a principle that became a cornerstone of the Lisini brand.
She is survived by her daughter Siobhan and her son Nicky, along with her wider family. They inherit a set of values shaped by hard work, loyalty, and pride in one’s craft, as well as the enduring example of a mother who lived with courage, grace, and vision. Kathleen Hood’s contribution to Scottish hospitality extends far beyond the properties that bear the Lisini name.
She exemplified the best traditions of the licensed trade: resilience in adversity, ambition tempered by responsibility, and an unwavering focus on the guest experience. Her passing marks the end of an era for a business she helped to found nearly six decades ago, but her influence endures in its standards, culture, and continued success.
In Lanarkshire and beyond, she will be remembered as a pioneering businesswoman, a respected industry figure, and a gracious ambassador for hospitality. Her legacy is one of strength, professionalism, and enduring commitment to excellence.
On a personal note, she was a woman of great warmth and spirit. Her laughter could light up a room, her enthusiasm was infectious, and her observations were often delivered with a wit that disarmed and delighted in equal measure. She offered wise counsel when it was needed most and steady encouragement in moments of challenge.
Kathleen was more than a businesswoman or a community figure- she was a radiant presence in the lives of everyone who knew her. A loving mother, a devoted friend, and a guiding light, she had the remarkable ability to make every person feel seen, valued, and cherished. Her laughter could fill a room, her hugs could comfort a troubled heart, and her zest for life—often celebrated with a glass of bubbly in hand – was utterly contagious.
She leaves behind a legacy not only of excellence in hospitality but of love, warmth, and joy that will be felt in every family gathering, every shared meal, and every memory she helped create. Those who knew her will carry her spirit in their hearts forever.
