Peeblesshire News | News | Locals delight at lifeline for Inn

Monday, 8th September, 2008

Published: Friday, 1st February, 2008 12:30

Locals delight at lifeline for Inn

By Atholl Innes

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THE historic Crook Inn could yet be saved for the people of the Borders, Tweeddale – and the nation.

After councillors this week gave the Save The Crook campaign a lifeline, there remains high hopes that the Inn, where Robert Burns wrote his poem to Willie Wastle’s wife, may win a last-minute reprieve.

The final decision is likely to come down to the District Valuer’s price for the property.

And waiting in the wings is the Tweedsmuir Community Company, formed last year with a view of buying the Crook under the Government’s Right to Buy scheme.

That decision, said Andrew Mason, vice-chairman of the company, is expected soon – but there are other waiting in the wings to put in an offer.

“We were surprised and delighted with the Tweeddale Area Committee’s decision (to delay a decision for four months on plans to turn the inn into flats),” he said.

“We feared that the councillors would give the go-ahead on Monday night. It was quite an interesting decision.

“But we have maintained all along that the market price was ridiculously high.”

But he warned: “The Right to Buy does not mean that the owners have to sell it to us.

“It is a very complex situation. And we now have to wait and see what happens, but we will definitely be following it up.

“Now we have to sit and wait and see what the owner, James Doonan does.

“I hope we can find a way out for it to be saved and help the community and that we get a sensible solution to it.”

Mr Mason added: “Even if we are able to buy it, we know that there are people sitting in the wings and who want to save it as a pub. I know that people on the Save The Crook campaign want to buy it.”

The campaigners, however, are also realistic.

“Let us hope that we can get a fair outcome. We want to save the Crook for the community and for the Borders. I hope that we can come up with an amicable solution,” Mr Mason said.

MP David Mundell has also welcomed the Area Committee’s decision. I think this decision shows to everyone that rules will have to be properly adhered to,” he said.

“I’m pleased common-sense has prevailed – the councillors’ decision allows the community to take their bid forward.

“It would have been a great irony had the community buy-out got off the ground at a point where the Crook had been lost forever.

“I really congratulate everyone locally for putting in such a big effort to make their views known to the committee.’’

There were 155 letters of objection to the plans by Inverwest Developments to change the Inn into flats – based on the loss of a community and tourism facility, the connection with Burns, an adverse effect on a Listed Building, the loss of employment and the local Post Office and an inappropriate location for housing.

But planning officials argued that the business was no longer viable as a going concern and Mr Doonan had demonstrated that all had been done to keep it operational and efforts made to market or lease the property as a going concern.

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