FOLK in Eyemouth will soon be able to ‘bank’ on an exciting new eatery at the heart of the town.

A café and bistro-style restaurant is to open early in the new year, members of Scottish Borders Licensing Board were informed on Friday (October 25).

Board members unanimously agreed to grant a premises licence for the sale of alcohol at the Auld Bank at 2 Market Place.

The Royal Bank of Scotland occupied the ground floor of the front range for around 50 years before a refurbishment scheme undertaken in 1990 extended the premises into the ground floor of the rear range which was formerly a workshop/depot for Eyemouth Town Council.

The premises are a semi-detached ground floor building consisting of dining area, lounge area, kitchen, toilets and storage.

It is situated within Eyemouth town square and will operate as a coffee shop during daytime until 5pm, whereupon the business model will change to a bistro-style restaurant.

Alcohol will generally, but not exclusively, be sold to accompany food.

Applicant Gregory Horner told the board members: “We’ve been developing the old bank for quite a while now and we’re in a position to finalise the construction work, getting it signed off and hopefully opening in the very early new year.

“We’ve done it out to a high standard, we are going to be importing some good wines and we hope that we can create something a little bit different for Eyemouth.

“We have also got some younger people from Eyemouth and Berwick onboard to run it, so hopefully it will contribute to the community.”

Board member councillor Tom Weatherston said: “I’m happy to approve this. It is good that an empty premises on the High Street is being opened up again to the public.

“It sounds like a great idea – I wish them well.”