The Cramond Inn is a well-loved community pub that has acted as an essential hub for the area for decades.
But in recent years the doors have been closed which has sparked a campaign by the Cramond and Barnton Community Council to try to reopen the venue.
John Loudon, 73, is chair of the local community council and originally joined the campaign to champion the cause of the pub which he says is the only venue of its kind in their area. He has owned a home in Cramond for 32 years and stays locally to the pub. He says that he fondly remembers visiting the bar when he was a teenager with his parents around 60 years ago.
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John adds that the bar was always well known for providing fantastic food and drink for those staying in Cramond or visiting from further afield. He would regularly visit the Inn after choir rehearsals with other friends and confesses that the shut pub has been hard to stomach for locals.
The bar is currently owned by Samuel Smith Brewery who have remained tight-lipped on the current closure of the bar. John claims that the watering hole was opening sporadically before the pandemic but in the last two to three years it has remained completely closed to customers.
This has led to members of the community coming together to try to force the hand of the brewery in allowing someone else to take over the space. It has been proposed on several occasions that a group from Cramond would be interested in buying the Inn.
Failing this they have recently asked for it to be gifted to locals for the benefit of the area. However John argues that the best option would be for an experienced brewery, company or couple to take over the space so that it can be restored to its former glory.
But sadly all of these requests have fallen on deaf ears. In a series of letters shared with Edinburgh Live, John shows that he has approached Samuel Smith on several occasions but has never received a response.
In the first letter, which is dated October 4 2018, John wrote: “As you will note from my address, I live near to the Cramond Inn and have done so for the past 27 years.
“I used to go there regularly in the early 60's with my parents when it was one of Edinburgh's better restaurants and owned by the Gumley family who were also family friends. Lindsay Gumley being a fine ‘mine host’ was always impeccably dressed with a fresh carnation in his suit lapel.
“The Inn has been through quite a few changes during my lifetime and in a practical sense is the only real "local pub "in the vicinity. Sadly however it does not live up to a reasonable standard for a good local pub.
“I am a member of Cramond Community Choir and three of us from the choir, who are close personal friends (of over the past 45 years) sometimes repair to the Cramond Inn for a pint after choir practice on a Tuesday evening. Objectively the pub is fairly dreary and the staff unwelcoming and that is when it is open.
“A week past Tuesday a rough handwritten paper sign on the door said ‘Closed We re-open Monday 11am.’ Again this past Tuesday the Inn was just closed although the exterior sign light was on.
“This random closure, as you will know, has happened many times since you acquired the premises. I was involved in serving the hospitality industry all my working life (I retired 5 years ago) as a licensing and gaming lawyer with clients from the largest companies to single individuals.
“My other two friends have also been involved in the industry, one being a CEO of a hotel group and also a service apartments company. I have many friends and indeed former clients still very active in the pub, restaurant and hotel business who run successful and quality establishments.
“We collectively feel that the Cramond Inn needs a fresh approach and that there is a requirement for a far better service of both food and drink to the local community and wondered if you might be willing to sell it to us? If so we would seek to form a small consortium (including others active in the industry to purchase and then run it).
“We would be happy to continue to stock your beers as they are good. I appreciate that you are a family business and probably have no requirement or necessity to sell anything but would hope you would consider our interest in the wellbeing and future of this rather special (at least to us) pub.
“I trust you are not put out by my writing to you about this but I felt strongly that I should do so. I look forward to hearing from you.”
John shared his concern again in 2019 via a letter where he pleaded that suitable terms be put in place so that a manager could take over the premises. He wrote to Samuel Smith on September 12 2021 to state that the then Lord Provost of Edinburgh, Frank Ross, had also expressed interest in the status of the Cramond Inn.
He wrote: “I was asked by the Lord Provost, councillor Frank Ross and local councillor, Norman Work, who is also the convenor of the Licensing Board if I knew what was happening as regards to the Inn which as you know is currently closed but remains important to the local community as the only facility in the village of Cramond and it is desperately sad that it is not up and running.
“I undertook to ask you what was going to happen with the Inn and again to express an interest in buying it from you.”
At the tail end of 2021, John made another attempt to grab the attention of Samuel Smith with an approach for them to hand the pub over for community ownership and for the benefit of the residents of Cramond.
He wrote: “I have been asked again what is happening re the Inn and of course I have no information with which to reply. Might I float the suggestion that the Inn is gifted by Samuel Smiths Brewery to the local community who would find a commercial operator to run it on the basis that the rent and/or much of the profit is reinvested locally.
“The Inn could continue to sell Samuel Smiths beer which is very good and could even be rebranded to reflect your generosity. Please give this rather unusual suggestion some serious thought and let me know your views.
“With every good wish to you and yours for a healthy, happy Christmas and a prosperous New Year.”
John and his fellow residents are still fighting for the Inn to be reopened and have said that they are open to dialogue with Samuel Smith about finding a solution.
Samuel Smith has been contacted for comment.
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