Last orders at inn as landlords seek change of use
Tushielaw Inn. Yarrow Valley.
THE landlords of a historic inn up the Ettrick Valley have called time and are aiming to turn it into a house.
The Tushielaw Inn was built during the 1830s and has served as a coaching stop, drover’s halt and toll house.
Up until December it was operating as a bar and restaurant, with three guest bedrooms.
However, landlords Wendy and Robin Whitehead have now submitted an application to Scottish Borders Council for a change of use.
The couple have lived in the property for 10 years, but said that a number of factors have prompted their decision to try to turn the historic inn into a proper home for themselves.
Citing their reasons for the application to planners at Scottish Borders Council, the couple wrote: “The no smoking, the recession, the rising cost of fuel and cheap supermarket alcohol have combined to destroy trade.” Tushielaw’s remote location also contributed to declining business.
They said: “Passing or drive-out trade is non-existent out of season, with very little during the season to the point where no-one comes through the door most days.
“We have three local customers who come regularly and two occasionally.”
Robin, 62, and Wendy, who is almost 70, have also been battling illness, and took the decision to close the pub in December.
The inn has been on the market for the last two years, with the latest guide price of £290,000, but so far it has failed to find a buyer, with most showing interest in the property as a dwelling.
“We’ve done all we can. It’s just not viable any more,” Wendy told TheWeePaper. “Our plan is to change the use and live here.”
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Weather for Selkirk
Thursday 23 May 2013
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