We’ve restored our inn’s va-va-vroom
The original Leadburn Inn, a 228-year-old coaching house, was destroyed by fire after a car crashed into it in 2005– and its replacement now stands on the same countryside site.
Publicans Iain Dempster and Fiona Brown took over what was an ailing business nearly three years ago and have turned the place backack into a thriving village pub.
Now it caters for everyone from local villagers, farmers, tourists and families – who benefit from the full-size softplay area on site.
It’s also a favourite hauntunt of bikers, who hold regularular meets there to show offf their gleaming prestige machines.
Iain, a Harley-Davidson owner himself, said: “When we came in we wanted to instill some old-school charm again.
“We turned it into a proper pub again, with real beer, fresh food and really comfy beds in the three bedrooms we have at the moment. I’ve been in the licensed trade forfo 30 years and both of us enjoy being in hospitality. We want the customers to leave as friends.
“The motorcycle element is really important for us.
“We sit right at the crossroads for Edinburgh to Peebles and the route to Moffat to the south and we have regular meetings. At big events we can have about 800 bikes here.
“We welcome all walks of life and it’s a very friendly, social atmosphere.
“We get a huge kick out of taking a unit that was probably going to be shut down and turned into offices and making it part of the community again.
“So we’re ecstatic to be in the last four of Pub of the Year. It’s overwhelming.”