29-04-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Appeal bid for ‘coffee stops' on Scotland-England border rejected
The bid was refused and the applicant submitted an appeal to members of Scottish Borders Council's Local Review Body.
But by a majority of five to four, the application was refused by the body's members.
The facilities were earmarked alongside the site of the Redeswire Fray, one of the last Border battles which took place in 1575, and included the formation of hard-standing areas for public seating.
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The applicants had also proposed to provide two toilets and to locate Highland cattle at the site.
But the bid raised a number of objections, including one from the provider of the existing Reiver's View coffee stop in the area.
Concerns were also raised over the bid being detrimental to retailers in Jedburgh town centre, being incongruous to its surroundings, with the presence of a gas pipeline at the lay-by raising health and safety concerns.
Mid Berwickshire councillor Donald Moffat said: 'I've been at that lay-by quite a lot over the years and I think that what is proposed would spoil the setting for the actual thing for the tourists who stop and take pictures there.
'Apart from being out of keeping, it could encourage people to cross the road to a bigger setting and take pictures beside the Highland cattle.'
Hawick and Hermitage councillor Jane Cox disagreed, saying: 'I do not think this would be out of place and I think it would be very good addition for tourists who stop there to look at the views and I have no problem with it.'
