The application would see the village's vacant pub replaced by short-term holiday lets. Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter We have more newsletters Get the latest top news stories sent straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter We have more newsletters Residents in Buchlyvie are galvanising over fears they could lose their chance to cling on to the village’s only pub. Tavern 1851 - which, as its name suggests, has been a feature of the village for almost two centuries - closed suddenly earlier this year.
However, locals were hopeful it would reopen once again as a public house. A recent planning application lodged with Stirling Council planners, however, has 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 in order to create short term holiday lets in the village, which has a population of around 500.
Around 60 representations have already been made to Stirling Council on the proposals, mostly objections. Buchlyvie Community Council called an Emergency General Meeting on Wednesday evening to discuss the application - with the 96 people attending unanimously 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.
” A community-supported petition has already been signed by a similar number of people, and is expected to be lodged with Stirling Council in due course, prior to the application being considered by its planning panel. It continues to be available at local businesses, The Coffee Kiln, and The Costcutter store, both of Main Street in the village. 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 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.” Alan Reed, also of the Community Council said: “When I moved into the village less than a year ago, little did I tthink that the Tavern’s continuation as a pub would be a matter for discussion.
“It quickly became a place to meet both our neighbours and the wider local community. It’d be a shame to lose the last place we can enjoy a drink and an evening meal within walking distance.” During the course of the evening the meeting also heard from Colin Garvie of Gartmore, who outlined the process surrounding the community buyout of the local pub ‘The Black Bull’.
A separate group will now look at the viability of a community buy-out (if the opportunity presents itself) in terms of both demand and finance. In documents submitted with the application, however, the developers say 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’.
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