THE LOCHABER Bar on Kilmallie Road is to be turned into three, two-bedroom flats after the owner of the former pub last week had planning permission granted by Highland Council.
Planning was first sought in 2015, when support for the flats was mixed. A petition, ‘Stop Lochaber Bar becoming flats’, was started and signed by more than 160 people with many calling for the pub, next to the Co-op and Sammy’s fish and chip shop, to be brought back to life after being out of use for six or seven years.
Caol Community Council raised a similar point at the time. In its comments to the planning committee, it said: ‘It was a great bar and could be again. It is important to keep social facilities such as this available to the community.’