Plans to make historic pub flats are dumped

Published on Wednesday 4 February 2009 21:02

ONE of the country's oldest pubs has been saved from being turned into flats by the Scottish Government.

A public inquiry took place last year into the proposals for the 17th century Crook Inn at Tweedsmuir, Peeblesshire.

The owner, James Doonan, had appealed against Scottish Borders Council's decision to refuse planning permission to create a house and four flats on the site. But the inquiry reporter backed the council.

The decision brings to an end a long-running wrangle over the plans for the former coaching inn, which dates back to 1604, and has been greeted with delight by locals as it is the only pub for 20 miles.

Last night Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale MP David Mundell welcomed the decision by the Scottish Government reporter.

He said: "This inn is too important to the community to be lost and the outcome is a great victory for everyone who campaigned to save it – they have my warmest congratulations."

The inn was the setting for a work by Robert Burns.

In four cruel verses entitled Sic A Wife As Willie Had Burns lampoons the ugly wife of a Borders weaver, referring to her rotten teeth and how her chin and nose threaten each other.