The lights were last night back on at a popular 17th-century Aberdeenshire inn closed for around two years.
Locals packed out the bar and restaurant of the Feughside Inn, near Strachan, on opening night yesterday following the pro-longed closure.
The hotel, bar and restaurant was originally in line for conversion into three homes before being revived as a watering hole by Catherine and Donald Callander, from Kyle of Lochalsh.
The mood in the inn – known locally as Whitey’s – was jubilant last night as locals revelled in their re-opened pub.
Last night offshore worker, Mr Callander, 56, said that his wife had “set her heart” on the hotel more than two years ago.
He added: “The locals invited us to their Burns supper, we felt very welcome, they even had a wee sketch involving the hotel.
“I just can’t believe it. We thought we’d just come, buy a nice wee hotel, we didn’t anticipate any of this. It’s been an achievement to bring it back to life.”
The couple ran a bed and breakfast, the Seadrift, on the west coast for nine years before deciding to move to the north-east to be nearer their daughter in Alford.
Mrs Callander, 48, added: “I have adapted so well and I have lived in Kyle all my life, I feel so happy here, everyone has made us feel so welcome.
“I just feel really happy. Locals just want this place. When we bought it at first we didn’t anticipate what would happen. There’s nearly 2,000 people on the Facebook page, nearly all local people.”
Strachan local, Yvonne Hanley, said it was “brilliant” to see the pub re-opened, adding, “It’s nice to have a place and not have to come far, just walk.”
Cameron Hay, also from Strachan, added: “We’ve been without a pub for two year, we’ve missed all the gossip.”
22-year-old Banchory joiner, Chris Milne, said: “I used to come here before. It’s fine, hopefully it stays busy. The walk home’s going to be a pain now.”
Finzean electrician, Michael Buchan, 23 said: “We used to use this as a pre-drinking place, it’s quite good to have somewhere to go.”
Andrew Wright, of Finzean, said: “I think it’s an essential part of the community, it’s very sad that it has been shut for the last few years, it’s a major step forward that it’s re-opened, and the community will support the new proprietors.”
Strachan landscape gardener, Rob Strachan, 54, said it was “great to have the pub going again”, joking that he can once again “just walk across the field” to get home.
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