NEW life could be breathed into a former village pub after plans were revealed to create a cafe, gallery and artists’ studios.

Robyn Wade and fiancé Chris Sleigh have unveiled their plans for the former No 5 Duke Street and West Barns Inn.

The couple are keen to transform the building and have already visited West Barns Community Council with their proposals.

Robyn said: “I do think it is a shame when pubs close because quite often they are hubs of communities. It is the end of an era and we are trying to create a creative hub in the community.

“There are so many people, creative people, in East Lothian, especially round West Barns.

“It just feels like it is something that is definitely needed.

“We hope it will still be thought of as a hub of the community, just in a different sense.”

'Art for wellbeing'

Dukes of West Barns would prove a family venture, with Chris’s sister Sophie managing the cafe and his mum Gilli involved with the artists’ studios.

Robyn, who was an art teacher at Holyrood High School in Edinburgh, was “very excited” about the plans for the site.

She said: “Downstairs is going to be, when you first walk in, the art gallery.

“To the left of that, we have got a dedicated space for art classes and workshops. Those will range from children to adult and I am a big advocate for art for wellbeing.

“I do a lot of art with a focus on the process rather than the end result.

“Through the gallery, you can get to the cafe and it is a lovely space looking out onto private gardens.”

Initially, the couple, who live in East Linton, had planned to keep residential properties upstairs.

However, so big is the demand for art spaces that they would be transformed into artists’ studios, with space in the building for more than a dozen artists.

'We went to see it and fell in love'

Robyn, who is also an artist, told the Courier: “About a year ago, I wrote letters to lots of commercial landlords around about where we live and I had absolutely no luck.

“We have been looking for premises for quite a bit but nothing seemed quite right.

“This came up and we thought it was too big. We went to see it and fell in love.

“It is actually really lovely.”

A planning application to turn the former public house into a cafe with children’s play area, workshop/studios and gallery has been lodged with East Lothian Council’s planning department.

A supporting statement included with the application for the Category B listed building notes: “This proposed investment in the former West Barns Inn to create a genuine mixed-use community hub is to be welcomed to West Barns and has already benefited from considerable local support.

“The creation of much-needed studio space, a gallery to display artists’ work and the associated cafe, play area and ancillary retail will be a welcome addition to the uses in West Barns at what is an easily accessed location.

“Great care has been taken with the designs to make best use of the property, whilst retaining key features and ensuring it maintains its original character when viewed from the outside.”

A decision is expected by the middle of next month. If successful, Ms Wade and Mr Sleigh hope to open the premises by the autumn.