A VILLAGE’S only shop has been given the go-ahead to serve alcohol in its cafe and garden, as well as for off-sales.

The Bothy in East Saltoun opened in November after the community had been left without a local shop for several months.

Pauline and Gary Ford took over the shop and adjoining house, turning it into a popular village store and cafe with small seating areas inside and in the garden outside for visitors.

They applied for permission to sell drinks so that customers could enjoy “a cold beer on a summer evening” after demand for local produce from their customers grew.

Pauline told East Lothian Council’s licensing board in a statement: “We are stocking more and more local produce as there is a clear want for this in the village.

“We would like to stock for sale and consumption on the premises and garden some local cider, beer, wine and gin from, for example Thistly Cross and NB Gin, supporting local crafters and providing the village with these items without having to commute too far.”

She asked the board to grant The Bothy a licence to serve alcohol on-site between 11am and 9pm, and off-sales from 10am to 9pm seven days a week.

The board was asked by police to reduce the time for serving alcohol in the garden area to 8pm in the evenings.

At a meeting, the board agreed to make the reduced outdoors drinking time a condition of the licence, which was approved unanimously.

The Bothy will begin serving alcohol from next Friday (September 14).