A plan to convert a historic rural pub into a house has prompted more than 180 people to write to Aberdeenshire Council – some from as far afield as Australia and New Zealand.
The Midmar Inn, at Midmar, near Inverurie, closed in September, 2007. Owners David Cooper and Debi Begg, who took over the centuries-old ex-drovers’ inn in 2004, blamed declining trade.
The Friends of Midmar Inn Community Company was formed to represent the views of locals, many of whom were disappointed at the move.
It wanted the opportunity for itself or another company to buy the inn in order for it to start trading as a pub again.
But Mr Cooper and his partner put in an application to convert it into a house in April, prompting the company to apply for the right to buy the pub if it is ever put up for sale – a right it recently won under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003.
Friends’ secretary and local resident Margot Kennedy said the couple’s application to convert it into housing originally prompted more than 140 objections.
But Aberdeenshire Council planners had to readvertise the application after it came to light there were five “potential policy departures” from the local plan, including the fact the inn is on land earmarked for business use.
The second advert attracted more letters, taking the total to 181.
A council spokeswoman said the number includes letters from people who support the couple’s application and those who wrote about memories of the pub.
But Mrs Kennedy said the volume of letters demonstrates the community’s strength of feeling about the planning application. She added: “Many are passionately in a rage. People have written not just from this country, but all over the world, from places like New Zealand, Australia, Canada.
“These are people who have emigrated, young people from the area on gap years, and tourists. The inn was in Roger Protz's Camra Good Beer Guide and I met people who came from Glasgow, because it was in the guide.
“I hope councillors follow their own policies and say no to the change of use, but I don’t know what they’ll do.”
Campaigners against the proposal should learn its fate on November 11.