Plans drawn up to convert former Hawick pub into home

Until it pulled its last pints in April, the Mansfield Bar, opened in 1893, had welcomed sports fans on their way to Hawick Rugby Club’s nearby Mansfield Park ground for decades.

Visiting teams looking to take on the Greens were greeted by the Mansfield Road bar’s stained-glass windows, including one showing a Hawick player taking on maroon-clad opposition, a nod to the Teries’ traditional rivalry with Gala.

Owners Brian and Susan Lee have now applied to Scottish Borders Council for planning consent to convert the bar into a three-bedroom flat.

A spokesperson for their agent, Galashiels firm Aitken Turnbull Architects, said: “The Mansfield Bar had been run as a successful public house over a long number of years.

“However, the economic decline of the traditional working mills in the area, along with a change in the social habits of the local population, produced a severe, and terminal, decline in business.

“Consequently, the owners regrettably closed the doors on the public house in April of this year.

“Prior to that, the business had been up for sale as a going concern for five years. However, there had been little interest and no offers in that time.

“In view of this, the owners have explored alternative uses for the building and decided that the only viable use is as residential accommodation.

“The area around Mansfield Road is largely residential, therefore this use does not conflict with the local environment or impinge on local residents.

“The applicant acknowledges that the area is susceptible to flooding. However, there are many other residential properties at ground-floor level in the same area.

“In view of this, a flood risk assessment is not provided with is application.

“It is expected that the flooding risk will be significantly reduced on the completion of the Hawick flood protection scheme.

“The applicant also acknowledges that there is no off-street parking available for this property. However, there is ample on-street parking in the vicinity, and it is anticipated that the proposed residential use will not generate any more parking demand than a public house.”

Aitken Turnbull Architects also confirmed there would be no structural alterations to the exterior of the building in an attempt to preserve its character and history.