Popular North Berwick pub to re-open after closure six years ago with new 100-seater beer garden
Work is underway to re-open a popular East Lothian pub which has been closed for six years.
The £850,000 works by Heineken-owned Star Pubs and the Discovery Group began earlier this month to re-open North Berwick pub The County Hotel on the High Street, that has been permanently closed since the summer of 2019, and are due to be completed in September with a new name - The Law - named after the well known hill in the town.
The project will transform The County Hotel into a family and dog-friendly venue with two separate bars, a restaurant with a bar, function space, 11 en-suite letting rooms and one of the largest beer gardens in town. The overgrown rear courtyard will become a stylish 100-seater garden kitted out with smart furniture and a spacious patio.
Believed to have started out as a post house in 1815, the transformation of The County Hotel is expected to create 25 jobs.
The exterior works will renovate the outside of the Category C listed building, repainting it a classic dark green and installing new signage, lighting and planting, complementing other properties in the centre of the East Lothian town.
A complete internal makeover will revamp the building to a high standard, replacing everything from the toilets and kitchen to the fixtures and fittings. Reflecting its name, the whole venue will celebrate North Berwick with a nod to the town and the surrounding area in its artwork and décor.
The entire ground floor will be remodelled to create more space. There will be a new bar at the front with a contemporary look incorporating exposed brickwork and decorative floor tiles, plus television screens showing major sporting events.
A former stable at the back will be turned into a second bar overlooking the garden, complete with a pizza oven. Available for private hire, the room will have a modern design that emphasises original features, such as the old stable doors, beams and stone walls.
The two floors above will house a restaurant that can accommodate private functions and 11 letting rooms.
Discovery Group director Steven Winton, who will oversee The Law along with director Jamie MacKinnon, said: “We’re thrilled to have found another venue in North Berwick, especially one that is so prominent.
“People have been concerned about The County Hotel’s future and there’s lots of excitement about the plans for it. The town has a real sense of community and residents are very supportive.
“We want to bring out all The County Hotel’s potential and add to the diverse range of independently run hospitality businesses and shops that help make North Berwick such a special place”
He added: “A bird’s nest has recently been found on site. The construction plans have therefore been reconfigured and measures put in place to ensure that the nest is protected and not disturbed until the birds have left.”
The Law will serve freshly prepared food throughout the day from breakfast and morning coffee and cake through to afternoon teas and dinner. To cater for all occasions the menu will include pub favourites and à la carte specials. Seafood dishes will be a speciality, and children will have a dedicated menu.
The drinks selection will be equally varied, spanning “barista-quality coffee”, real ales and cocktails through to a carefully chosen selection of premium wines, whiskies and spirits, many from Scotland.
Customers’ four-legged friends have not been forgotten either and will have their own doggy menu along with free treats and water on the house.
Star Pubs area manager for East Lothian Jeremy Williams said: “We’re delighted to be working with Steven and Jamie to reopen The County Hotel again after so long.
“They’ve got a reputation for outstanding food, drink and service and, with successful pub The Ship Inn in the town already, they understand what residents and North Berwick’s many visitors want.
“We’re giving the refurbishment the works; it’s a massive investment and The Law will look fantastic.”
The refurbishment of The County Hotel is part of Star Pubs’ £40 million investment in upgrading pubs in 2025, which includes £4.5m earmarked for Scotland.