GLASGOW'S hotels are ­fully booked for next year's Commonwealth Games.

Sports fans cannot get rooms because thousands have already been snapped up by tour operators and big corporations who have made block bookings.

There are more than 11,000 rooms in more than 40 hotels in the Glasgow area but angry sports enthusiasts are being turned away less than a week after being told ticket applications had been successful.

One city tourist chief admitted: "There are no hotel rooms available to the general public. It's normal when a major event is being held."

Company director Kevin Rice, 57, from Middlesex, said: "I was delighted to have been allocated tickets last Monday until I tried to book accommodation.

"There is nothing available. I was quoted £780 a night and when I ­e-mailed the city's tourism bureau I was told to try Edinburgh. I'm very disappointed."

Rooms mass booked by firms are still available online though hotels have bumped up the price, in some cases to around £800, to deter the general public. It's a trick of the trade.

Denis MacCann, of the Greater Glasgow Hotels Association, said: "There are large blocks of bedrooms currently being held across hotels in Glasgow by tour operators and large corporations associated with the Games which is standard practice this far in advance.

"The deals aren't out there yet because the rooms provisionally held at present haven't been released back to the hotels. When they are, that will be the time to book."

Scott Taylor, head of Glasgow City Marketing Bureau, said the industry was determined to help make the Games "a success".

He added: "Demand for limited hotel room availability is reflected in the current prices through online booking sites. However, we fully expect these prices to fall when these rooms are ­released back to the industry in the spring.

"Our advice is to shop around and wait for the market to settle down, which it will do"

A Glasgow 2014 spokesman said: "We are working with tourism and travel partners to ensure visitors fully enjoy their experience of visiting the Games, the city and Scotland and that there is a range of accommodation available to them offering affordable pricing, excellent hospitality and value for money.

"Our Ticketing Programme has been designed to make the live experience of world-class sport available for everyone to enjoy.

"It's important that a wide range of accommodation options are available to meet the needs of individuals, groups and families who plan to be part of the Games.

gordon.thomson @eveningtimes.co.uk