A prominent emblem of Deeside’s royal heritage will soon reopen more than two years after it was destroyed by a fire.
The Royal Station in Ballater is ready to open its doors to the public again after being transformed into a tea room and restaurant, which will be run by the Prince’s Foundation, and a visitor centre.
The B-listed building was almost completely razed to the ground following a huge fire in May 2015.
But after a £3 million investment and a painstaking restoration project, the site has been returned to its former glory.
And the tables have been set, the menus decided and the crystal polished in preparation for its official opening later this month.
Nikki Dean, the foundation’s operations manager for the new facility and the Rothesay Rooms, said: “It’s an absolute privilege to be part of this journey, from what this has been in the past to what it is today.
“I’m really looking forward to seeing what local people think about because it has been kept quite secret until now.
“It’s going to be real destination in Ballater. It’s a lovely place but it didn’t have a real focal point and that’s what the station will be now.
“My hope is that this will encourage people who come into use it as a museum to stick around and have something to eat or drink as well.”
A bistro has been built on the former platform which has been fitted out with Train carriage inspired seats, complete with overhead luggage racks, down one side of the wall.
The Victorian dining room has been renovated and has original features and tableware from the era, it will be available for private hire.
A timeline of the station’s history, including images from Aberdeen Journals’ archive, lines another wall.
And the original train carriage has been decorated, with the inside due to be restored in the coming weeks.
Kelvin Murray, who works for Kilmarnock-based Character Joinery, has been leading the restaurant fit-out.
He said: “You feel a bit of pressure when you work on something like this.
“It’s so important for Ballater and the people here.
“But it was really enjoyable and we had apprentices working on it learning traditional skills which is great.”
The facility will officially open on August 25.
