Historic East Lothian pub set to reopen following 5-year closure with revamped look

The County Hotel, on North Berwick High Street, has been empty for five years – but a giant brewery has plans to reopen the venue once the work is complete.

According to local historians, the County Hotel was established in 1816, when it was a Post House with a stable courtyard to the rear.

Now, Heineken-owned Star Pubs is looking for a new operator for the venue, which benefits from being in a sought after location that was crowned this year's Sunday Times winner for the Best Place to Live in Scotland.

A spokesperson for Star Pubs said: “Subject to recruiting a new operator to lease The County Hotel in North Berwick, we would like to undertake a major refurbishment to reopen it as a top quality pub with a fantastic food, drinks and accommodation offer serving both the local community and visitors to the area.

“The plans would include introducing a delicious, fresh modern food menu catering from brunch to dinner, an extensive range of drinks, and the creation of an all year round garden space with a bar in the existing outbuilding, as well as upgrades to the beer garden.”

Advertising for a new tenant on their website, Star Pubs said: “We’re always open to new ideas, what would you do to drive trade? If you’ve benefited from running or owning a pub business, we’d love to hear what experience you can bring.

“The right operator for the County Hotel will have extensive experience in destination food outlet hospitality businesses. They will have a clear vision for their food & drinks menu, marketing strategy and can create a memorable experience for their customers.

“If this sounds like the incredible pub opportunity you’ve been waiting for, apply today and tell us what you can bring to this pub's next chapter.”

For more information, visit www.starpubs.co.uk