Campaigners who won the right to buy a former watering hole are celebrating after an appeal to convert the building into a house was lost.
David Cooper and partner Debi Begg closed Midmar Inn, near Echt, in September 2007, blaming declining trade for their decision.
They asked Aberdeenshire Council for permission to convert the building – which was part-pub, part-house – into a home, but members of the authority vetoed the move.
The couple subsequently appealed to the Scottish Government. However, a reporter has now dismissed the case and refused planning permission.
Reporter Michael Shiel said: “There is clearly no obligation on a privately-owned business to continue trading at a loss in order to provide a service to the community.
“However, the planning system is not primarily concerned with the circumstances of specific individuals or businesses, but with the appropriate use of land and buildings.”
He said the proposal was at odds with the council’s development plan. He said the Friends of Midmar Inn Community Company, which has first option to buy the inn under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, represented a “serious attempt to secure its future for a use which makes a positive contribution to the community”.
Friends secretary Margot Kennedy said she was “over the moon”.
Mrs Kennedy, 67, of Upper Balblair, Midmar, added: “We are absolutely delighted. It’s been a huge amount of work and a long fight, which we have won at every stage.
“I think we’re actually at stalemate. He can’t convert it into a house but there’s nothing to stop him improving the quality of it.”
Mr Shiel said the matter would be looked at again if “realistic” proposals to re-use it as a pub are not put forward after a “reasonable period of open marketing”.
The inn owners were unavailable for comment yesterday.