New lease of life for former Burns Tavern

The Sandy Brae venue is undergoing a major restoration and is on line to reopen, possibly in around six weeks or so, as the Oakwood Bar & Grill.

The new boss is Amit Patni, who has around 16 years’ experience in the trade in various parts of the UK, and says he wants to freshen it up, bring it back to life for the area, and give something to the community.

The Burns has slipped into a derelict state since it shut around four years ago, but Mr Patni, who bought it at auction, hopes to transform it with a “woody, rustic feel” and make it suitable for families.

Fresh cocktails and familiar pub food will be among the main attractions, with Mr Patni hoping they will be “dispensed with a bit of flair”.

He added that service, as well as the new decor, would be key factors.

Originally from London, Mr Patni has worked with groups such as Scottish & Newcastle and Barracuda, in places like Cambridge, Brighton, Milton Keynes, Manchester and London’s east end, as well as Inverness and Glasgow.

“I had ideas of my own about different things I could do if I had my own venture,” he said.

“We thought the layout plan for this place was perfect.”

Mr Satni said he’d be employing around 10-15 staff to begin with.

Anyone wanting more information can have a look on the Oakwood’s Facebook page.