An Aberdeenshire couple gave up their careers to open up a new community cafe in a village’s former doctors surgery.
The Murly Tuck Cafe, in Tarves, will officially open its doors on Monday morning after months of work by local couple, Gill and Alfie Gray, to get it up and running.
The building started out life as a school at the turn of the 21st century and was the home of the village’s GP from the 1970s until two years ago.
Tarves Development Trust (TDT) began the process of turning the old school into the heart of the community after taking on the lease of it, and generating funding for the project.
The group asked for applications from locals interesting in running a business at the building, with the Grays coming out on top.
The community cafe includes a room which can be used for meetings or classes by local people and groups.
Tarves has one pub but no cafes in the village centre.
The Murly Tuck has employed four local youngsters, and will serve cooked breakfasts along with hot drinks.
Mrs Gray, 55, worked in mental health care, and Mr Gray, 54, is a former retail manager.
Mrs Gray said: “About a year past TDT acquired the building and managed to secure this building, it was the old school and they wanted to keep this building as part of the heritage of the village.
“They got the building and put out an advert to put in applications for ideas for a business.
“There is a couple of cafes within a few miles of the village. But for people that don’t drive or older people, there is nowhere to meet.
“We have had a brilliant response, there is so much positivity in the village.
“We are trying to keep it accessible for everybody. It is exciting. We both gave up our jobs to do this, it has been a bit of a dream for a lot of years.
“We are just determined to do whatever it takes to make it work.”
