First look: Fire-ravaged Taynuilt Inn to be restored to its former glory

The first look at how a fire-ravaged historic pub will be restored to its former glory has been unveiled.

And this next step on the journey to restoration should be comfortingly familiar to locals.

An image showing the £3.5million rebuild of the Taynuilt Inn near Oban has been welcomed.

The hotel and pub was destroyed by fire during the night in September.

Thankfully no-one was hurt, despite the inn being fully booked at the time. All residents were evacuated safely, still wearing their pyjamas.

The roof of the 16th Century building caved in. Most of the building had to be demolished to allow investigators to safely enter.

But working with Historic Scotland and the local authority, the owners have pressed ahead with plans to restore the community with its village pub.

At present, all that remains is the west wing and the front porch – an archway with a stag’s head.

If the Taynuilt Inn plans are approved, it is expected that the rebuild can get underway early next year.

Identical to the original Taynuilt Inn

The building will look almost identical to the original from the outside.

A local firm, Beaton and McMurchy Architects, based in Taynuilt, has drawn up the plans. 

Calum MacLachlainn, owner of the inn, said: “There has been a very positive meeting between our architects and Fiona Scott of the Oban planning department.

“The meeting was very constructive.

Drawings for the inside could be revealed in two months

“We took a common sense approach and what we have come up with pleases everyone, from Historic Scotland to the local community itself.

“There are rough drawings for the inside, but because they still have to go through building control, they could change.

“If planning permission goes through, we hope to be able to share images of what the inside will look like in the next two months.

“We are hoping that it will sail through the planning process without too many hurdles. If that is the case we would like to be on site during the first six months of 2023.”

He added: “The villagers are over the moon that it is going to happen. They were absolutely terrified that we wouldn’t reopen.

“The feeling is that this village needs a hub. It needs a pub, a restaurant, somewhere for the community to meet. We have had nothing but positivity from the community council.”

The restaurant is first priority

Inside will be designed sympathetically to a traditional style, with between 10-12 bedrooms plus self catering accommodation.

First priority in the Taynuilt Inn plans is to get the restaurant and kitchen up and running again.

Davie Sloss, Convenor of Taynuilt Community Council, said: “Taynuilt Community Council received an invitation from the project architects Beaton and McMurchy to view the current plans for the inn and subsequently met with Frank Beaton who explained the proposed works.

Welcoming the restoration

“The community council welcomes the sympathetic restoration and development of an historic building and a business which is of great importance to our community. Mr Beaton, a well respected local architect, stressed that the owners are keen for locals to view the proposals. Taynuilt Community Council will be consulted and will make comment if required.”

Mr MacLachlainn bought the inn five years ago. But it was only after the fire, when he was discussing it with his father Eoghann MacLachlainn, that he learned it was actually built by his great-grandfather x 17 – 500 years ago.