Ballantrae Community Pub (The Kings Arms)

The Kings Arms is a historic 18th century village pub and hotel at the heart of Ballantrae, South Ayrshire. It is a key part of village life and a vital amenity for visitors. The business has been on the market for over 3 years and, although it still operates at a small profit, no buyer has come forward. With the loss of two other pubs, the dozen or so shops that provided everything from shoes to groceries and hardware, and most recently, of the RBS branch in the village, the village has al-ready suffered from the disappearance of centres of community life. If the Kings Arms were to close, the village would lose its remaining social hub and would be less attractive to visitors, resulting in loss of jobs and tourism income.

In response to demand from the community, the Ballantrae Trust has purchased the Kings Arms and plan to run it as a community-led social enterprise. Redeveloping the Kings Arms will allow Ballantrae to join the 600 or so other Scottish communities that own and manage major assets for the benefit of local people. If we achieve our goal, we will have restored a well-loved building to its traditional place at the heart of our community, where among other things, locals and visitors can meet to socialise and enjoy food and drink in comfortable surroundings.