Villagers seek to save historic pub

Anita Rogan, The Citizen, 4 May 2001

Residents of Kingsbarns have launched a determined campaign to save the village’s only pub amid fears that the well-known Cambo Arms Hotel could be lost to posterity.

A proposal to convert the historic pub into two residential houses has outraged the villagers, who are up in arms at the prospect of losing their only place to socialise and meet for a drink.

A total of 86 objections to the proposal by owners Anne and Al Fraser, to convert the hotel into two de-luxe houses, have been lodged with Fife Council, and a petition currently circulating around the village has already gathered 178 signatures.

The Cambo Arms Hotel has had a long and illustrious history of providing liquid refreshment, and was used as a coaching inn for several hundred years.

The radical plans to sub-divide it have come as a shock to villagers who are campaigning against the move, and who have vowed to fight to keep what they describe as “a valuable and irreplaceable asset to the village”.

Joan Elliott, whose partner lives in Kingsbarns, delivered a newsletter to every house in the village last week urging residents to oppose the move.

She explained: “The owners of the Cambo Arms are seeking approval of a scheme which would allow them to close our only pub and restaurant and convert the listed property into housing”.

“The hotel is the only place which provides refreshment and hot food on the 10-mile scenic coastal route between St Andrews and Crail, and its future as a tourist-related business in the area would seem to be bright”.

“Everyone we have spoken to about this so far has been on our side. No one wants the pub to shut, and the whole village - including ex-residents and regular visitors who enjoy coming here - are in agreement”.

The hotel, which was in use as a coaching inn as far back as the early 17th-century, has three bedrooms, a lounge, bar and dining room.

If the proposed change of use is approved, many of the essential elements of the hotel, including the beer cellar, car-park, dining room and commercial kitchen, would be lost for good, and the building would be unlikely ever to revert back to its original use.

Mr and Mrs Fraser, who bought it in 1988, are only the third owners in its long and colourful history. Previously, it belonged to the local Erskine family, who also own the surrounding Cambo estate, from which it takes its name.

Chairwoman of Kingsbarns Community Council, Kate Holy, said they had submitted a letter of opposition to Fife Council following numerous telephone calls, letters and expressions of concern raised by locals.

She added: “This has aroused more feeling in the village than anything I can remember. People have always enjoyed socialising there and are concerned that, once the pub has gone, we will never have another.

“Kingsbarns is a thriving village for its size. Not many villages have their own school, a shop, church and pub, and the Cambo Arms is very much part of the fabric of the village. We would be very sad to see it go”.

Mrs Fraser was contacted by the Citizen but declined to comment.