Home

News

10th July 2008

The community has been awarded the ‘Right to Buy’ the Midmar Inn by Scottish Ministers.

The 'Community Right to Buy’ has been awarded under the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 to a company limited by guarantee set up as a ‘Community Body’. Should the inn be put on the market, the Community Body now has first refusal to buy it and will be given six months to do so. For more information, go to the next web page by clicking on this link /CRtB.aspx

The Midmar Inn

On the 3rd September 2007 a once popular rural watering hole in Midmar, Aberdeenshire closed its doors to customers.

The Midmar Inn was originally a shop but has been an Inn for more than 100 years. Known as the Cottage Bar pre-1985 - and still referred to as such by the locals - it has been an important hub of the community with some locals visiting regularly for up to 36 years.

The Inn was taken over by its current owners in October 2004 as what a local paper recently described as a 'thriving business' . The then new owners stated that they planned to offer good home-cooked quality meals at reasonable prices as well as running a musician's night every Thursday and to build on its reputation as a real ale pub. The Midmar Inn had the much sought-after honour of being mentioned in Roger Protz's CAMRA Good Beer Guide and real ale enthusiasts came from as far afield as Dundee. After a busy start, trade appeared to decline until the unannounced and shocking closure in September 2007.

The owners stated at a public meeting that they were losing money on the Inn. The business status of the Inn appears to be at odds with several other local hostelries and a nearby visitors centre which continue to attract investment and a strong trade.

The Friends of Midmar Inn Community Company

The Friends of Midmar Inn Community Company has been formed to represent the views of the community and customers of the inn whilst its future is decided. Our vision is to have the opportunity for the company or other interested party to purchase it in order that it can re-commence trading, and once again contribute socially and economically to the community.

Why the Community Company

Midmar has a geographically dispersed population with a tremendous sense of community spirit. After the closure of the local shop in 2003, the pub is the second important community hub and amenity to be lost in recent times. The Community Company and its many supporters believe it is time to highlight their concerns about the decay of the rural way of life and their wish to maintain this valuable social gathering place.

We also appreciate certain attributes of the premises such as
o Its setting with views over the Hill of Fare, Midmar Castle and the associated herds of red deer
o Its proximity on a fast road to Echt, Westhill and Aberdeen
o The ongoing business and residential developments at Echt and Westhill
o That a shortage of local hotel accommodation ought to provide valuable revenue at a country Inn if it were set up to take advantage of such.
o The power of the local ‘community spirit’

An important community amenity now barricaded to its customers

What about you?

Fill in the petition at the Aberdeen CAMRA Website

Or if you would like to register your support or air your views then send an e-mail to the Community Company by clicking on the following link.

mailto:info@savethemidmarinn.co.uk

Save the Midmar Inn

Site of The Friends of Midmar Inn Community Company