The appalling reality of the overdose hotel drug deaths was laid bare as Frankie McVean, 30 was laid to rest. More than 200 mourners packed into the Hurlet Crematorium near Glasgow, where a round of applause in celebration of Frankie's life followed the release of white doves into the sky.
The young scaffolder was staying at the Queens Park Hotel as a stop-gap before moving into a council tenancy, which was finalised recently. Popular Frankie, from Penilee, Glasgow, died on May 14 despite the fact he was not a drug addict and had dabbled in street Valium. He was one of five to die of suspected overdoses at just two hotels in 19 days.
His funeral on Tuesday was packed with friends and family, who were shocked at his sudden death. Ahead of the funeral, mum Linda, 54, said she was appalled to hear from residents at the hotel that drug taking was rife,
She said: “You have all the evidence you need from looking at the number of deaths to know that drugs are rife in the place. I was told that everyone knows who is dealing the drugs.
“Where there are people who are down on their luck, suffering from addiction or depression or any other problems they will be so vulnerable to drugs and overdoses.
“I think Glasgow City Council should be overhauling the way it runs these places because too many innocent people have been allowed to die. There should be counsellors and social workers, not just porters and receptionists.
"It breaks my heart to think that other families will have to endure what we have but that is inevitable if things go on the way they are."
The Record has told of three deaths since May 4 at the Queens Park Hotel and a total of 11 in just over three years. More than 40 deaths have happened at six homeless hotels in Glasgow since March 2020.
The Record has repeatedly been told of drug dealing running rife and street Valium being sold in huge quantities, often to people being released from prison. The hotels operate to rules which involve strict curfews and a ban on visitors, which many feel to be inhumane.
A whistleblower who worked at a notorious Queens Park Hotel claims he tried to evict drug dealers but was thwarted by bosses. Peter Dobbins claims he set out to drive out two dealers from the Queens Park Hotel in Glasgow after one woman suffered a fatal overdose.
But the former hotel porter says he was ordered by a manager to “let sleeping dogs lie” because police hadn’t charged anyone. Dobbins believes that bosses of the Queens Park Hotel, who own three other similar properties, should have done more to stop the flow of street Valium and rising tide of deaths.
