Major Investment To Reopen Prominent North Berwick Pub Following Six-Year Closure

An £850,000 investment is starting this week to reopen an iconic North Berwick pub that has been permanently closed since summer 2019.

The overhaul of The County Hotel on the High Street is being carried out by Heineken-owned Star Pubs and the Discovery Group, who also run The Ship Inn in North Berwick and have eight hotels and pubs across the eastern side of Scotland’s Central Belt including four in Edinburgh. The project will transform The County Hotel into a top-quality family and dog-friendly venue with two separate bars, a restaurant with a bar, function space, 11 ensuite letting rooms and one of the largest gardens in town.

Believed to have started out as a post house in 1815, The County Hotel will be renamed The Law – after the well-known North Berwick hill – to mark its new direction. The Law is expected to reopen by early-September, creating 25 new jobs.

The exterior works will renovate the outside of the Category C listed building, repainting it a classic dark green and installing new signage, lighting and planting, complementing other properties in the centre of North Berwick. The overgrown rear courtyard will become a stylish 100-seater garden kitted out with smart furniture and a spacious patio.

A complete internal makeover will revamp the building to a high standard throughout, replacing everything from the toilets and kitchen to the fixtures and fittings. Reflecting its name, the whole venue will celebrate North Berwick with a nod to the town and the surrounding area in its artwork and décor.

The entire ground floor will be remodelled to create more space. There will be a comfortable new bar at the front with a contemporary look incorporating exposed brickwork and decorative floor tiles plus screens showing major sporting tournaments like the Six Nations and Ryder Cup. A former stable at the back will be turned into a second bar overlooking the garden, complete with a pizza oven. Available for private hire, the room will have a stunning modern design that emphasises original features, such as the old stable doors, beams and stone walls. The two floors above will house a beautifully decorated restaurant that can accommodate privatefunctions and 11 letting rooms.

The Law will serve superb freshly prepared food throughout the day from breakfast and morning coffee & cake through to afternoon teas and dinner. Ingredients will be locally sourced where possible and dishes will change seasonally. To cater for all occasions the menu will include pub favourites and à la carte specials. Seafood dishes will be a specialty, and children will have a dedicated menu. The drinks selection will be equally varied, spanning barista-quality coffee, real ales and cocktails through to a carefully chosen selection of premium wines, whiskies and spirits, many from Scotland. Customers’ four-legged friends have not been forgotten either and will have their own doggy menu along with free treats and water on the house.

Says Discovery Group director Steven Winton, who will oversee The Law along with director Jamie MacKinnon: “We’re thrilled to have found another venue in North Berwick, especially one that is so prominent. People have been concerned about The County Hotel’s future and there’s lots of excitement about the plans for it. The town has a real sense of community and residents are very supportive. We want to bring out all The County Hotel’s potential and add to the diverse range of independently run hospitality businesses and shops that help make North Berwick such a special place”

Adds Steven: “A bird’s nest has recently been found on site. The construction plans have therefore been reconfigured and measures put in place to ensure that the nest is protected and not disturbed until the birds have left.”

Comments Star Pubs area manager for East Lothian Jeremy Williams: “We’re delighted to be working with Steven and Jamie to reopen The County Hotel again after so long. They’ve got a reputation for outstanding food, drink and service and, with a successful pub in the town already, they understand what residents and North Berwick’s many visitors want. We’re giving the refurbishment the works; it’s a massive investment and The Law will look fantastic.”

The refurbishment of The County Hotel is part of Star Pubs’ £40m investment in upgrading pubs in 2025, which includes £4.5m earmarked for Scotland.