Kelso takes four gold awards to top Borders Best Bar None list

And Kelso appears to have a wealth of quality establishments, with four of them – Rutherford’s Micropub, The Cobbles, The Queen’s Head Hotel, and The Waggon Inn –winning the top gold award.

And the latter two are in the running for a Scotland-wide award, in the Best Hotel Bar and Best Independent Pub categories respectively at a ceremony in Glasgow on March 30.

The other gold award winners on Thursday, are: Kings Arms Hotel, Melrose; The Horse and Hound, Bonchester Bridge; Innerleithen Union Club; Barony Castle Hotel, Eddleston; Hunters Hall, Galashiels; The Bourtree, Hawick and Oblo in Eyemouth.

There were four silver awards presented, to: The Allanton Inn; The Liddesdale Hotel, Newcastleton; Warehouse, Galashiels; and the Black Bull Hotel, Duns. The bronze award winners were: Grapevine, Galashiels; The County Hotel, Selkirk; and the hosts, Buccleuch Arms, St Boswells.

Councillor Donald Moffat, who is Scottish Borders Council’s executive member for community safety, said: “Best Bar None continues to grow in the Borders, with a record number of winners this year.

“This shows that our licensed premises understand the benefits of the scheme and are able to show they are meeting consistently high standards.

“I’d like to congratulate all of our local winners and wish both the Queen’s Head and the Waggon the best of luck in the national finals later this month.”

The Best Bar None awards are given to premises that meet criteria covering the five key elements of the Licensing Scotland Act of 2005.

PC Nick Walker of the Scottish Borders Safer Community Team, and local Best Bar None leader, said: “Best Bar None is a great opportunity for premises and partner agencies in the region to work together in order to maintain safe and welcoming licensed venues.

“The 2017 scheme will launch in the spring and I would encourage all local licensed premises to take part.”