Hotel becomes the village hub

Borders business opens shop with help from rural pub group

Roy and Theresa McIntosh opened a village shop in their pub.
Roy and Theresa McIntosh opened a village shop in their pub.

A HOTEL in the Scottish Borders has opened a village shop and café inside its premises with support from rural pub organisation, Pub is The Hub.

The move means that residents of Clovenfords, located four miles west of Galashiels, are saved the eight-mile round trip to the town for everyday groceries.

Roy and Theresa McIntosh, owners of the Clovenfords Hotel, decided to take on the task of opening the shop in their business when the village shop closed earlier in the year.

They were advised by their local councillor to contact Pub is the Hub’s advisor for Scotland, Gordon Izatt, who was able to help them secure funding and support.

With that help from Pub is The Hub, the couple was able to secure a grant of £3953 as part of the group’s programme of support, which has been funded by the Scottish Government and the Scottish Borders Council.

The Clovenfords Hotel Village Shop and Café now stocks essential daily provisions alongside newspapers, fruit, vegetables and local arts and crafts.

The café offers a daytime meeting place for locals and visitors.

Roy McIntosh said: “When the village shop closed in January, taking it on seemed like the natural thing to do and [councillor Stuart Bell] suggested that Pub is The Hub could guide us through the process and possibly help with some funding.

“Communities like ours need day-to-day items and they provide a lifeline for village residents.”

Scottish advisor for Pub is The Hub, Gordon Izatt, said the hotel was “a great example of how a co-ordinated approach to put the local pub at the heart of a community can make a real difference”.