ONE of the most scenic eateries in the Borders will soon be back on the menu as a Chinese buffet restaurant, it has emerged.

Herges on the Loch in the village of Tweedbank, near Galashiels, closed in August 2021.

Its owners Sandy and Karen Craig made the decision to retire after struggling to find staff for their business.

Now it is set to reopen as the Shanghai Banquet, the sister restaurant of China Red Buffet, a well-established and popular eatery in Edinburgh

The team behind China Red Buffet are pledging to offer the “same great food and service, but with a more modern and stylish dining space”.

Meanwhile, a partly retrospective planning application has been submitted to Scottish Borders Council for the installation of external signage, outbuildings and a cold store in preparation for the opening of the Shanghai Banquet.

A report with the application states: “The provision of high-quality food and drink is at the heart of any restaurant, and it requires effective storage and refrigeration facilities to ensure the integrity and safety of the product.

“With additional refrigeration, they will be able to keep the optimal temperature of all the perishables, minimising the risk of spoilage. They will also be able to store larger quantities of fresh produce, reducing the need for frequent orders, and reducing deliveries.

“Due to the changes in the existing restaurant to facilitate a buffet-style dining experience, the restaurant has undergone extensive alterations and investment.

“Due to these alterations, the current restaurant lacks sufficient storage space, limiting the clients’ capacity to store essential supplies and equipment.

“To implement exceptional service, effective external storage facilities are paramount. They propose implementing external storage facilities that would provide additional capacity to support efficient restaurant operations and improve customer experience.

“We would hope that the planning authority would be in agreement with the implementation of these solutions to improve the restaurants’ daily operations and support the application of the clients, who have invested heavily into the heart of Tweedbank, and bringing a vacant building back into use for years to come.”