Plans for Glencairn Bar to become a four-bedroom house get the green light despite community concerns about economic impact.
The plan is to change what the Glencairn Bar is used for. The application came earlier this year, and now work can start on the conversion. The bar will become a four-bedroom house, and no conditions were attached to the approval.
The community council worried about the pub closing, saying it would hurt the local economy. It could mean fewer jobs and less town center traffic. They felt the town’s character would suffer.
The proposal applicant addressed these worries in documents. The pub has been losing money for over a year, and the applicant stated that operation is not sustainable. Even if the application fails, the pub will close.
The applicant stated that an empty, boarded up pub helps no one and negatively impacts the town. A house would bring life back and would also complement nearby homes. There are three other pubs still open in town.
Two councillors, Davina McTiernan and Jim Montgomerie, supported the proposal. They understood the community council and wanted to avoid another empty eyesore. An old pub nearby has been empty since 2014.
That nearby pub is considered an eyesore. The councillors don’t want the same thing to happen here. Soon after, the council approved the application, and nobody opposed the change.