HADDINGTON’S former George Hotel has finally been sold.

The landmark building, on the town’s High Street, has lain empty for a number of years but it was confirmed this week that it had been bought.

Jim Wilkie, director of MNH Limited, told the Courier the building had been bought on “an unconditional basis”.

Mr Wilkie, who has lived in North Berwick for 30 years, said: “We’ve bought the George Hotel with no fixed plans.

“We are in pre-application talks with planners and what we would like to do is form two commercial units on the ground floor, probably a coffee shop facing up High Street and a gallery on the first floor and ballroom. That would make a nice retail space.” Somewhere between 12 and 15 one and two-bedroom flats, to be rented or sold, could then be created in the floors above in the former hotel.

The hotel, which is set in a 16th-century stone-built property, is over four floors and includes nine en-suite bedrooms. There is also a public bar, as well as male and female toilets, a kitchen, beer cellar, games room and lounge bar.

A few years ago, the building was valued at as much as £3 million, but the asking price dropped down to just £500,000 last year.

Mr Wilkie, who has been involved with developments at Broad Sands and West Bay Apartments in North Berwick, was hopeful of a positive response from East Lothian Council towards the proposals and work could then “push full steam ahead”.

He said residents’ parking was a concern but remained hopeful that could be addressed.

He said: “It was an opportunistic purchase.

“I was in Haddington and I saw it and thought I would like to do something about it.

“It is one place that would look vastly better when it is re-done.” If plans get the green light from East Lothian Council, work would be carried out by Wilkie Construction, based near East Linton, which has previously carried out work at Belhaven Hill School, Dunbar, and Luggate Steading.

The news was broken by ward councillor John McMillan at the town’s community council meeting on Tuesday evening.

He said: “The George Hotel has been purchased.

“There is a purchaser for it and a pre-application notice (PAN) is in [with East Lothian Council].” The building has often been rumoured as a potential site for a Wetherspoons pub However, this has been repeatedly rejected by the pub chain.

Mr McMillan added: “They are already consulting and talking to Haddington Community Development Trust (HCDT) and to planners. I think the developer has a commercial interest but he has got community and town growth at heart. It is a step forward.” Professor Chris Clark, HCDT chairman, was pleased to see progress being made.

He said: “It looks a very interesting possibility and everybody would be very glad to see the building come back into use and not left neglected.”