Residents of a Highland Community have written to Bob Dylan asking him to help lift their North Country Blues by saving their local pub.
They are inviting him to buy and run the Heatherbrae Hotel in the village of Nethy Bridge, near Grantown on Spey. Last year the poet of the protest generation acquired Aultmore House in the village, which is regarded by some as one of the finest houses in Scotland.
But it is the future of another property that is exercising local opinion. The Heatherbrae Hotel has for over 50 years apparently been a popular and welcoming meeting place for residents and visitors alike but it is now for sale with promotional material emphasising its development potential.
The Save the Heatherbrae campaigners have written to the musician, telling him how the times threaten to change in Strathspey.
They warn him: "The village is at present faced with the sad news that the Heatherbrae Hotel is for sale and is being marketed as suitable for development or conversion to a private house. We don't think it is too strong a statement to suggest that the Heatherbrae Hotel has been the hub of the community (second only to the Church?) since its opening over 50 years ago and has been instrumental over the years in bringing together residents and tourists.
"Friendships have been forged between folk who may never have met by any other means than over a drink or a bar meal in the Brae.
"May we ask for your support in indicating how much the community and the tourist industry as a whole would miss this valued amenity, by signing the enclosed statement of support? Maybe you could go the extra mile and add the Heatherbrae to your property portfolio in the village and continue to operate it as a hotel?"
One of the signatories is David Clegg, who explained "We really regard the Heatherbrae as our village pub and our appeal to Bob Dylan is a last ditch attempt to save it. The people who sold Aultmore House to him are also the owners of the Heatherbrae so there is a connection and we thought it worth a try."
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