AN HISTORIC pub at the heart of Kelso which is believed to be the oldest watering hole in town is poised for a transformation.

The White Swan, located on Woodmarket, is currently closed and the building is said to be “looking tired and run down”.

In a bid to revive the business a planning application has been submitted to Scottish Borders Council for permission to invest in bringing the building back to life.

The proposal seeks to refurbish the internal area of the pub, including new floor finishes, new bar and back to the front café area, fixed seating, wall panelling, some timber fixed screens, timber drinks shelves, replacing a modern stone fire place for wood with an open fire, and an upgrade to the rear bar, including tiling to walls.

The existing bar in the front is to be removed and replaced in a like for like position with timber top and metal front.

A submission with the application says: “The proposals will visually have a significant improvement on the current state of the building.

“Due to the site being closed for some time, there is obvious wear and tear as well as significant issues with existing finishes that need to be rectified and brought up to a high standard in order to reopen the bar and make this a viable business to bring to life in the heart of Kelso.

“Our client is keen to invest in this site and get the doors reopen to bring new life into the heart of Kelso, and in doing so alter the internals in a way to elevate the appearance of its current state.

“We believe that these works will have minimal impact to the historic nature of the building and only will enhance and put the building back in a good state of repair to protect it for longer.”