The fate of a Stirlingshire village’s last pub could be decided by councillors next week.
Tavern 1851 – which, as its name suggests, has been a feature in Buchlyvie for almost two centuries – closed suddenly earlier this year.
However, locals were hopeful it would reopen once again as a public house.
A planning application lodged with Stirling Council planners, however, soon sparked fears the hub could be gone for good.
Pop Staycations has applied for a change of use of the vacant premises in Main Street to create short-term holiday lets in the village, which has a population of around 500.
And on Tuesday the proposal – which attracted 81 objections including from the local community council – goes before councillors on Stirling Council’s planning panel for decision, with a recommendation of conditional approval from planning officials.
Objectors say the complete loss of the pub will be detrimental to the amenity of the village and negatively impact on its ability to meet local living requirements and approval of the application would deny the community the chance to take the property over as a pub in future and could set a precedent for other community assets to be lost.
The objectors also believe lack of advertising the business, as a going concern, before the pub was closed did not allow the community to consider alternatives, such as a community buyout, and the pub is only vacant due to ceasing operations rather than lack of interest.
Council planners, however, say the owner of the pub had provided a statement saying they had actively marketed the property from January 2022 but the only interest received was in November 2023 by the current applicant for use as a short-term let or for conversion into flats.
In a report due before next week’s panel meeting, the planners added: “Notwithstanding, the change of use must be determined on the merits of the proposed use of land and not on the actions or inactions of the individual owner or user.”
Buchlyvie Community Council called an Emergency General Meeting earlier this year to discuss the application – with the 96 people attending voting to challenge the plans.
They backed a motion stating: “We note that the pub was the only licensed premises in the village, and that it provided an important social function for local people to meet and socialise and evening meals for visitors. There is no other venue in the village that does this.
“We do not believe that short term holiday lets will make much financial difference to the village, as visitors will go to Stirling and pubs in other villages for shopping and meals.
“Buchlyvie has a strong community spirit and short term lets will not benefit or contribute to the community.”
Jessica Langford, chair of Buchlyvie Community Council said: “This is the last and only pub in Buchlyvie and has been here since 1851. It’s not just a place to go for a pint. It’s where the community meets, socialises, provides company for people living alone, the football and darts teams come here and village wakes are held.”
In documents submitted with the application, the developers have said they believe their proposal will have a positive impact on the community.
They said: “We believe that there will be no negative impact on the local area and with active encouragement of the use of local amenities we hope that we can indeed have a positive impact on our local community.
“We feel that what we are offering is of real benefit to the self-catering tourism sector in Stirlingshire without any detrimental effect to either our neighbours or the local area.
“The change of use to a short-term holiday let will allow us to continue to offer this unique style of accommodation to responsible and respectable guests from around the world, showcasing Buchlyvie, Stirling and the nearby areas and beautiful lochs etc.
“The accommodation will be fitted out and furnished almost exclusively with locally purchased or manufactured.
“We use a list of trades based in Stirling and Scotland for all domestic gas, plumbing, electrical and remedial works to maintain as local a footprint as possible and continue support for local businesses.
“Occupancy will be restricted to a maximum of eight people and is suitable for couples and families. It is not a ‘party flat’.”