It’s 10 years since RAF Leuchars transitioned to Leuchars Station Army base.
But in the heart of Leuchars village at Ye Olde Hotel – known as Hendies – faded RAF squadron stickers still dot a pillar at the bar.
Manager Louise Coyne, 42, has spent 24 years serving the locals.
Her daughter, Teigan Cameron, 19, joined her behind the bar a year ago.
The pub, which was sold by Louise’s stepdad Jimmy Henderson and mum Wilma last September after 55 years in the family, feared the worst when it was announced in 2011 that RAF Leuchars was closing.
“The RAF were some of our most regular customers, and my mum worked at the base too,” she recalls. “It was a worrying time.”
However, Louise says the Army’s takeover of Leuchars in 2015, combined with the ongoing support of villagers, has been vital to keeping the pub alive.
How important is the Army to Leuchars pub ‘Hendies’?
“We’re particularly grateful for the support of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (SCOTS DG),” she says.
“Yes there’s been changes. The Army tends to deploy more frequently, leaving us eerily quiet during their absences.
“More personnel from Scottish regiments tend to go home for the weekend, and less “day drinking” along with stricter drink-drive laws have also altered the general culture.
“But SCOTS DG are a good bunch. They get on well with the locals, and when they are here, they really make their presence known!”
Teigan shares the sentiment, adding: “SCOTS DG drink a lot of Guinness. When I did my first shift, I was shocked at how much they could drink! But they are a good laugh, and there’s never any trouble.”
Once home to the RAF’s Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) squadrons that safeguarded northern UK airspace, the transition of RAF Leuchars to Army control on March 31 2015, marked the beginning of a new chapter.
A decade later, Army officials say Leuchars Station is on track to become Scotland’s largest military garrison.
The Army confirmed to The Courier this week that new accommodation will be provided for the 3rd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS), ‘The Black Watch’, at Leuchars by 2032.
But how has the wider community adapted to Leuchars being an Army base, and when is ‘The Black Watch’ expected to relocate from Fort George?
Leuchars Army base has bright future
In an exclusive sit-down interview with The Courier, Lieutenant Colonel Ben Parkyn, commanding officer of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (SCOTS DG) and head of establishment at Leuchars, reflects on the 10th anniversary with anticipation and pride.
The 44-year-old took command of SCOTS DG in late 2022. His diverse deployments, from Iraq and Afghanistan to Eastern Europe, give him a unique perspective on the Army’s integration into the community and the challenges of adapting a former RAF base for modern Army use.
“For SCOTS DG, being based here is like having the best of both worlds,” says the father-of-two, who loves spending time in the pines at Tentsmuir.
“We have easy access to both cities and countryside. People have bought houses locally and become part of the community.
“Our relationships with Leuchars and St Andrews are well-established now, and we have great links with the local education authority, the university, and also Dundee.”
Leuchars Station’s long history as an airfield dates back to 1911.
It became a vital location for defending the UK’s northern airspace during the Cold War.
When politicians announced in 2011 their intention to close RAF Leuchars, which opened in 1920, fears were expressed that a “rusting padlock” might appear on the gate.
However, when SCOTS DG relocated from Fallingbostel, Germany, to Leuchars in 2015, the site became a key logistical Army hub.
SCOTS DG were joined by 2 Close Support Battalion Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers (REME) and other smaller units.
The transition, Lt Col Parkyn acknowledges, brought challenges.
“The RAF had lots of concrete bunkers, but we need warm hangars for vehicle repairs,” he explains.
“We also have expensive and potentially dangerous equipment, which requires a different security setup.”
Clarity call over ‘Black Watch’ arrival
Currently, Leuchars Station is home to around 1,000 service personnel, and more than 1,000 dependents, totalling around 2,500 people.
SCOTS DG and REME each have around 400 personnel, with 40 RAF running the diversionary airfield.
While the Royal Military Police based at Leuchars will soon disband, more Army units are expected as part of a £500 million investment programme.
“There is still the intent for this to become the largest garrison in Scotland,” says Lt Col Parkyn.
“Under the Defence Estates Optimisation Portfolio, two more units should arrive here.”
The Courier reported in 2021 that the Black Watch will leave Fort George barracks in 2029 and relocate to Leuchars as part of a wider Army restructure.
The Army would not confirm this timeline or the identity of the other unit earmarked for Leuchars when pressed by The Courier this week.
However, an Army spokesperson said of 3 SCOTS, ‘the Black Watch’, in a statement: “As part of our drive to create a modern and cost-effective defence estate, new accommodation will be provided for 3rd Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland at Leuchars by 2032.”
Various other investment of the base is already under way.
Time of heightened tensions in Europe
As a reconnaissance unit, SCOTS DG is strategically positioned to support NATO’s objectives.
Their role in recent NATO exercises, such as Steadfast Dart in Romania, which was attended by The Courier, underscores the base’s importance in maintaining military readiness.
We recently explored what it was like to be on exercise with the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards in Romania.
‘The Black Watch’ has deep roots in the Fife and Tayside community. Perth’s Black Watch Castle and Museum charts the story from its formation in 1739 to the amalgamation with the Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2006.
Their relocation to Leuchars would be a major boon for both the military and the local economy, according to North East Fife MSP Willie Rennie.
“Leuchars will provide a ‘warm home’ for the Black Watch, especially as it would be at the heart of its traditional recruiting grounds,” he says.
He’s in no doubt the economic benefit to the area would be “significant.”
However, he would like clarity on the timescale of their relocation from Fort George.
“I have been banging the drum for this to happen for some time and would encourage the MOD to make the decision soon. This would be good for the defence of the country, especially in the face of a more aggressive Russia,” he adds.
Leuchars Station support is ‘tangible’
Leuchars Station engagement and community support officer Susan Budd says the base remains committed to creating, building, and strengthening strong partnerships and relationships with the community.
The aim is to ensure they remain “good” neighbours.
Tay Bridgehead Fife councillor Jonny Tepp, also North East Fife Area convener, said the support Leuchars Station gives to the community is “tangible.”
“I am pleased to see that projects to provide the necessary infrastructure for the expansion of the Army Station are already approved and underway,” he says.
“I hope and expect that the local community will further benefit from this expansion.”
The 10th anniversary of the Army’s takeover will be celebrated with a special event at Leuchars, including a fun day for families and local residents and an opportunity to reflect on the station’s achievements.
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