Crieff locals back Bonnie Prince Charlie hotel bid

MORE than 1,500 local residents have signed a petition to save a derelict hotel where Bonnie Prince Charlie held his last war council.

A portrait of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Picture: Neil Hanna

Residents have given their backing to a planned bid, under community right to buy legislation, to purchase the decaying Drummond Arms Hotel in the centre of Crieff, Perthshire.

The hotel, which has lain empty for years, carries a red plaque marking the location of The Young Pretender’s last council meeting, in February 1746, before his final defeat at Culloden on 16 April the same year.

The group behind the buy-up bid, Crieff Community Trust (CCT) said it was “working closely” with Perth and Kinross Council and the Royal Bank of Scotland to address the “many challenges” posed by the state of the building.

The voluntary group wants to save the hotel for community use.

CCT action group leader Ruth Stone said: “This petition has brought people together from around Crieff,

“Most people just want to see something done to address the state of this building which has been neglected for far too long.”

Funding plans are in place to raise £100,000 towards a comprehensive plan for sustainable use of the site.

The town’s RBS bank branch, located directly beneath the derelict hotel, was forced to close last January after part of its ceiling collapsed.