Comedian and recent Celebrity Traitors winner Alan Carr has submitted plans to convert a derelict potting shed on his Scottish Borders estate into a community cafe and shop.
The 50-year-old bought the 19th-century Ayton Castle and its surrounding grounds earlier this year. The Grade A-listed property had previously been put on the market with a £3.25m asking price.
Carr’s acquisition is set to feature in an upcoming Disney+ programme, Castle Man, documenting his journey of owning the historic property. Speaking when the project was announced in January, Carr said: “Some men when they have a midlife crisis buy a Lamborghini or grow a ponytail, but me – I want my very own castle.“
Proposals lodged with Scottish Borders Council detail plans to refurbish the single-storey stone structures located at the edge of a former walled garden. According to planning documentation, the move forms “part of a wider desire to enhance and improve the visitor experience to the estate”, alongside a commitment to “properly manage and maintain the full range of estate properties”.
The document notes: “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.”
It continues: “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.”
Currently in “an overall dilapidated state”, the buildings will require "significant work" to bring them back into use.
A heritage impact assessment submitted with the application outlines plans to 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 assessment concludes: "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."
