Comedian Alan Carr has submitted plans to turn a potting shed at his castle in the Scottish Borders into a community cafe and estate shop.
Carr, who won last year’s Celebrity Traitors, bought 19th century Ayton Castle and its surrounding estate earlier this year. The grade-A listed building had been on sale with an asking price of £3.25 million.
New Disney+ series
In January, Disney+ announced a new series will follow Carr as he finds, buys and runs his “very own castle”. The comedian said at the time: “Some men when they have a midlife crisis buy a Lamborghini or grow a ponytail, but me – I want my very own castle.”
The 50-year-old has now lodged plans with Scottish Borders Council to redevelop the estate’s derelict potting sheds, which sit at the edge of a former walled garden.
Visitor experience plans
According to one of the planning documents, the move is “part of a wider desire to enhance and improve the visitor experience to the estate”, and to “properly manage and maintain the full range of estate properties”.
It goes on: “The wider Ayton estate is open to the general public and used recreationally by dog walkers, ramblers and nature enthusiasts and dedicated paths and routes on the estate lead past the potting sheds.
“In the wider area and Ayton itself there is no cafe serving the local community. It is therefore perceived that a cafe in this location, whilst not in Ayton itself, would draw customers from the village, which is a five-minute walk away.”
Restoration and heritage impact
The single-storey stone structures are described as being in “an overall dilapidated state”, and “significant work” will be required to bring them up to scratch.
A heritage impact assessment of the proposal, submitted as part of the application, states the redevelopment will include “public toilets, staff welfare and storage facilities”.
It adds: “With regards to the walled garden, there is a long-term commitment from the client to clear, repair and invest in this space over the coming years.”
The document goes on: “The proposal sets out to both preserve the existing fabric, form and character whilst making a clear statement that the new works are contemporary to the existing.
“Overall, we objectively view that the proposed works have minimal negative impact on the significant of the potting shed and as a whole provide a positive development in the life story of this single-storey range of estate buildings.”
