The current tenants of the ‘Local Hero’ B&B say they are moving on because they have not been “not been welcomed by the community”.
Monika and and Roland Focht announced their intention to give up running of the Pennan Inn yesterday, saying a number of “unpleasant incidents” had pushed them to leave.
The married couple from Dahlum took over the premises, made famous by the 1983 movie Local Hero, in 2020.
They arrived just as Covid hit and were only allowed to trade for ten weeks initially.
Things picked up as they launched Northern Lights tours and transformed the restaurant into a gallery.
But after only three years at the helm of the picturesque hotel, they have decided to “draw a line” under their time at the establishment.
With their lease ending on April 1, the Focht’s announced their intention to not buy over the inn.
In a social media post, Monika said they dealt with a number of “unpleasant incidents” and “faced scepticism” from members of the Pennan community.
“Maybe it is because we are from Germany”
In a statement to The Scottish Sun, Roland said that they “not been welcomed”.
He said: “We’ve not been welcomed by the community. We are new and we have new ideas.
“It’s never been easy. Maybe it’s because we’re from Germany.
“We can’t keep everyone happy. We tried our best.
“What more can we do?”
The property is set to go on the market soon, with owner Peter Simpson enlisting Turriff based lawyers Grant Smith to sell on his behalf.
The P&J has contacted Mr Simpson for comment.
Couple bid farewell to Pennan
Monika announced their intention to leave the coastal town via Facebook yesterday.
She said: “After careful consideration and heavy hearts, we’ve decided to bid farewell to Pennan, including our beloved Pennan Inn BnB & Gallery.
“The past four years have been a journey that began when we left our house and jobs in Germany in 2020 to fulfil our long-held dream of living in Scotland.
“Proudly and wholeheartedly, we brought the Northern Lights back into conversation, putting Pennan in headlines, press, and even on television.
“Suddenly, Pennan was busy even in winter, and we can proudly say that our tiny BnB with Aurora tours quickly gained recognition.
“However, our efforts and ideas faced scepticism within the local community.
“We experienced some unpleasant incidents that led us to where it’s time to draw a line.”