FLYING START
When Simon and Joanne Cotton stumbled across a disused council yard in the Borders, they couldn’t wait to turn it into a fisherman’s dream retreat, finds Nichola Hunter
From disused Borders council yard to stunning holiday home
Adisused council yard might not be everyone’s choice for a holiday home but for Simon and Joanne Cotton it offered exactly the potential they were looking for. It’s fair to say that Simon has a passion for fishing and for several years he’d been crossing the border into Scotland at least once a month to get his fix along the River Tweed.
‘Over the years I’ve stayed in hotels all around the Borders and in latter years we started using Crabtree & Crabtree and rented one or two self-catering cottages from them. Eventually I said to Joanne that we come here so often we should really buy something. So, we started looking. Six years later we still hadn’t found anything that would suit us.’
As the owner of a building firm, Simon was always going to have high standards, as he readily admits. ‘You can never buy exactly what you want but the problem was that nothing was even coming close,’ he said. ‘Eventually we decided it would have to be a new build, a conversion or a refurbishment.’
In the end, the Cottons ended up with almost a combination of all three.
At first glance Coledale Stables does indeed look like a stable conversion which in some part it is. However, when Simon and Joanne came across it, the stables were housed in a former council depot.
‘It had been out of commission for a long time and was being used as a storage yard but the old stable block was there, the joiner’s workshop, the store, all in disrepair but there. There were dividers running through the building and I realised, if we take these out and lengthen the building we could do something with it.’
The couple put in an offer which was accepted and a planning application was submitted. ‘We worked with architect Ray License from Ednam, who was very good. He had a meeting with the planning department about what we wanted to do and it all went ahead relatively smoothly.’
The plan for the site was not just to create a beautiful holiday home but also to create one that totally met the needs of fishermen. As an experienced angler, Simon knew exactly what was needed.
‘We already had a great location, the local pub is literally a minute’s walk away and we’re slap bang in the centre of Kelso so that was the first box ticked.
‘My next main requirement was to have as many bathrooms as bedrooms, and we settled on four. We’ve always struggled as fishermen to find properties that have that – if you’ve got a group of pals together and you’re getting ready to go out
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It had been out of commission for a long time and was being used as a storage yard
everyone wants a shower at the same time. We have four showers and two baths and we’ve installed two heating systems so everything can be run together.
‘I’ve also allocated storage space for tackle and rods and we’ve put in back-up fridges and a chest freezer to store any fish we catch, as well as a preparation area. The south-facing courtyard is a real sun trap and it provides plenty of space for parking, as well as being incredibly private.’
The couple also wanted to incorporate some luxury and the wow factor. ‘Joanne loves interiors and design,’ says Simon. ‘I just do the building work but Joanne comes up with all the design ideas.’
These ideas included making the property predominantly open-plan. ‘Joanne has done the interiors in many properties over the years and this time she wanted it all open-plan but also no pipes, no radiators, very, very minimal.’
To accomplish this, underfloor heating was installed, as was a stunning talking point – the JC Bordelet log burner, which was sourced from France by Lloyds Fires in Derbyshire. ‘You can choose any colour or design you like.
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We put in back-up fridges and a chest freezer to store any fish we catch, as well as a preparation area
When we were deciding what to go for, they showed us one covered in zebra stripes which I thought looked a bit obscure – where would you have that? And then I saw a picture of it in a hunting lodge in South Africa and it looked great.’
Another talking point is the feature wall in the living area, which is a map of Kelso which Joanne commissioned. ‘I think it’s nice for guests to plan out where they are and see what’s around them. It takes in from Coldstream to Dryburgh Abbey and it’s quite detailed.’
Solar bifold doors which keep the heat in when you need it and out when you don’t, enclose the main living areas and complement the open-plan atmosphere. Overlooking the courtyard, they increase the living space ten-fold when opened.
Within the glass, the doors also incorporate remote controlled blinds which can be operated from within the house or via your phone, as can the electric gated entry system. ‘It’s very secluded and very secure which is important for a holiday home,’ says Simon. ‘It’s hard to believe you’re in the centre of Kelso.’
‘Ultimately, we’ve put in everything we think was missing in the holiday homes or hotels we’ve stayed in,’ says Joanne.
‘I think we’ve got it right but it is quite an odd experience setting up a home from scratch. They say moving to a new house is stressful but when you have to think of putting in everything from a bath mat to a pizza cutter it’s a big job.
‘It’s been a bit of a busman’s holiday for Simon but at least on his next trip across the Border he’ll have somewhere to store and cook his catch.’
It’s very secluded, which is important for a holiday home