Kings Arms Hotel, Ballantrae

Community Owned

Freehold Owner: Private Limited Company (1). The Ballantrae Trust. Year Purchased 2020.

The Kings Arms had been up for sale for about 5 years. It’s offering had been shrinking. It’s the last pub in the small rural village of Ballantrae in South Ayrshire. Ballantrae Trust mounted a Community Consultation. 312 people responded with 90% in favour of purchase, 3% were against and 7% wanted to know more. With support from The Scottish Land Fund and local wind farm community benefit funds the Kings Arms was purchased and came into community hands in September 2020. Throughout the pandemic volunteers - many of whom hadn’t volunteered before - did some basic (socially distanced) upgrading work to the bar, lounge and kitchen to allow the pub to open for drinks at the end of April 2021 and for food in early August. The next stage will be to upgrade the letting rooms and resurface the badly rutted car park. Community Shares totalling around £60,000 have been purchased by over 220 residents, family and friends to secure the future of the Kings Arms. We have just extended opening hours from 4 days to 7 days per week with food available on 6 days. The new revitalised KA will help to combat social isolation.