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New plans for the future of Banff's Ship Inn


By Kyle Ritchie

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A proposal has been lodged to transform Banff's former Ship Inn into a café bar and create a separate flat.

The pub, situated at 7 Deveronside, became famous after it appeared in the classic movie Local Hero.

It closed it doors when coronavirus restrictions were introduced and has remained shut since.

Plans have been lodged to turn Banff's former Ship Inn into a café bar and flat.
Plans have been lodged to turn Banff's former Ship Inn into a café bar and flat.

Previously, an application was submitted by George Wood to turn the property into two flats.

It was assessed by the Banff and Buchan area committee in January which refused it over concern that policy regarding tourism had not been considered.

Councillor Glen Reynolds moved that the plans be rejected and said during the meeting: "I would be willing to put forward a motion that this delegated grant be refused on the basis that the process surrounding policy B3 has not been addressed and there's no evidence before us in terms of marketability and viability as a business or any alternative venture sufficiently, adequately or at all."

An amendment was also tabled to approve the proposal which took it to a vote. Councillors were five to three in favour of rejecting the application.

Mr Wood has now submitted new plans to Aberdeenshire Council to turn it into a café bar and flat.

The plans lodged show that the former pub area would be transformed into the café bar and the lounge area would become the flat.

The application can be viewed on the local authority's planning website and comments are open until Thursday, July 28.

The previous plans attracted national interest due to the pub featuring in the renowned 1983 film.

The bar's interior was used for scenes in Bill Forsyth's movie, which starred Peter Riegert, Burt Lancaster, Denis Lawson and Peter Capaldi.

It tells the story of an American oil company representative who is sent to the fictional village of Ferness on the west coast of Scotland to purchase the community and surrounding property for the firm. The Pennan Inn was used for exterior shots.

Film critic Mark Kermode and Lawson backed calls to save the pub.


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