A new supermarket has opened in Moray – on the site of a popular 19th century hotel the community tried to save.
The Co-Op has opened the £510,000 store in Lhanbryde, creating 13 full and part-time jobs.
It has been constructed on the site of the Tennant Arms, which had stood on St Andrew’s Road in Lhanbryde since 1854.
During its heyday was a popular hotel for people travelling between Aberdeen and Inverness, and locals – sad to see it demolished – had campaigned to save it.
They even held a vigil for the former hotel, but the Co-op plans were finally approved by councillors.
Construction crews used stone from the original Tennant Arms as building materials as they look to replicate the pub as much as possible to quell complaints about it being a possible eyesore.
Store manager Karen Neish said: “We are delighted to have made such a significant investment in Lhanbryde and are very proud to be part of this community.”
Michael Boylan, Co-op area manager, added: “The Co-op is moving forward with a clear purpose and momentum, and our ambition is to ensure the store is a local hub for people living in the area.”
Colin Keir, a partner in the Plans Plus architectural design firm behind the project, said: “There’s nobody disputing that it was a beautiful building, it absolutely was, but it had to be moved for planning reasons. I’m looking at this as the phoenix rising from the ashes.”