A Highland Perthshire community aims to secure funding to breathe new life into its fire-ravaged facilities.
A blaze destroyed a third of the Spittal of Glenshee Hotel in August.
Mount Blair Community Council, the Mount Blair Community Development Trust and the Glenshee Tourist Association have backed proposals to create a new pub/restaurant.
A feasibility study into the scheme will be undertaken.
Concerns over the loss of the hotel were raised at the meeting because the area lies on the Cateran Trail and is also part of the Cairngorms National Park.
The fire at the hotel was described as “devastating” by Tony Thompson, chairman of Mount Blair Community Council, although he is optimistic that relevant bodies will now come forward to provide vital funding to allow proposals to come to fruition.
Mr Thompson told The Courier: “The question and answer session we held was very good and many local people took part in that.
“We were very pleased with the turnout and are now trying to go forward with a feasibility study, which will cost a lot of money.
“However, we’ve been advised to get a solid report done and get cash provided for the study.”
He continued: “The Spittal of Glenshee is famous throughout the United Kingdom and over the world.
“I was at Heathrow Airport once and met a woman who asked me where I came from. Once I told her, she mentioned the Spittal of Glenshee Hotel, which is amazing.”
Mr Thompson revealed the members of Mount Blair Community Council, Mount Blair Community Development Trust and the Glenshee Tourist Association will form a new steering group whose main aim will be to raise funds for the feasibility study.
However, he said that he has been encouraged by the community spirit demonstrated in the recent meetings and the skill set of people trying to help redevelop the area.
“There are many people locally who have skills which will be very useful to this project,” he added.
“These skills are all beneficial to us and we have also been helped by Perth and Kinross Council, so we can tap into that expertise.”
No plan has yet been formally established but the intention is to build a pub/restaurant, followed by a phased development to boost the area.
More than 50 firefighters took more than three hours to contain the blaze at the hotel, which was unoccupied at the time.
Police Scotland’s Tayside Division later stated that the fire was not being treated as suspicious, after carrying out a joint investigation with Scottish Fire and Rescue.