A SUCCESSFUL catering company is aiming to inject new life into a Haddington bar.

Kurt Edwards and Laura McSweeney will step behind the bar at The Bell next month, with plans for a fresh outlook and a name change.

Mr Edwards and Miss McSweeney are behind Eats on the Green, which handles catering at Haddington Golf Club, with Graeme Flick set to become head chef at the pub, which was previously The Railway Hotel.

Thirty-eight-year-old Mr Edwards said: “We have got children and we found there was a need for a family pub in East Lothian.

“We had been going to The Pine Marten in Dunbar but there was nowhere for us take the children.

“I spoke to Greene King (who own the business) and we came up with the idea to put in a play area upstairs and they were all for it.”

The trio will officially be handed the keys on April 15 and will put in a new till system and run the business until the end of the month.

Then, the final bell will toll for The Bell, with a new name of The Green when the business reopens.

Mr Edwards said there would be a similar outlook at the Court Street business as to their business at the golf club, with an emphasis on “working with local suppliers, everything made in house and tasty food”.

He added: “We are going to lose the big screen television upstairs.

“It was just not working and we are going to get a couple of screens downstairs.

“Upstairs will be more of a family environment and we are going to change the bar and add a coffee machine.

“There will be cakes and sweet stuff, plus alcohol.

“Downstairs will be more of a pub and we will have a food offering so if there is a game on you can get a pint and a meal during the game.”

A spokeswoman for Greene King wished the new parties well.

She said: “We’re thrilled that Kurt and Laura have agreed to take on The Bell and we wish them all the best with their new venture.

“We made a significant investment in this pub in recent years and we’ve spent time recruiting the right partners who we believe can take the pub forward and continue to ensure its success at the heart of Haddington.”

Haddington and Lammermuir ward member Councillor Tom Trotter also wished those involved the best of luck.

He said: “You go further down the street and see what has happened to some of the pubs.

“Hopefully, they get a turn and make a success of it.”

Meanwhile, The Victoria Inn, which is also owned by Greene King, remains on the market after a potential buyer fell through.