A “bullet-proof” plan is needed for a community buy-out of a dilapidated Crieff hotel, it has been claimed.
Members of Crieff Community Trust (CCT) have now gathered around 750 eligible signatures of support for their plan to save the Drummond Arms Hotel.
The petition will be completed by the end of this month and sent to the Scottish Government, along with their proposal for the site in James Square.
CCT decided to press ahead with the Community Right to Buy when it was approached by the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) with an offer to transfer the bank’s portion of the Crieff property to the trust for a nominal sum.
The building has historic roots, with Bonnie Prince Charlie holding his last war council there on February 6 1746, prior to defeat at Culloden.
Ailsa Campbell, chair of CCT, told The Courier that she is confident the petition will reach a target of 1,000 signatures but admits the planned buy-out will have to proceed in the correct manner.
“We actually have 1,100 people who have signed the petition but some of these people live in Comrie and Muthill,” she explained.
“It has to be Crieff residents who sign it and are eligible.”
Mrs Campbell said she will be travelling to Edinburgh next week with a CCT colleague to speak to the Heritage Lottery Fund (Scotland) regarding possible funding and she revealed that a “robust” feasibility study will take place regarding the planned buy-out.
“The goal is for an asset for Crieff that will probably be multi-use with some commercial space,” she added.
“We need a bullet-proof plan that is a reality. The whole process is to get local people involved but some are sceptical of the proposal.
“They have blinkered vision, but we are only talking about a handful of people.”
She continued: “Things are going well and I’m hopeful we’ll get the Community Right to Buy agreed.”
MSP Roseanna Cunningham has pledged her support to the move as a local resident.
She said: “I am pleased, to be able give my full backing to another piece of community action. I hope that many other local residents will joining me in showing their support for the campaign to rescue this much loved and historic landmark.”