Betty Nicols: New management takes over at much-loved Kirkcaldy pub

Betty Nicol’s on the Lang Toun’s High Street was put up for sale by owners John and Nan Wilson following eight years of ownership. Taking over the management of the establishment are Andrew McGonigal and Hannah Murphy.

The pair jumped at the opportunity to take on the the Victorian-era pub, with both being locals to Kirkcaldy.

Hannah said: “When we heard that John and Nan were retiring, Andy being a regular and a known local face decided that if it was an option we’d like to save it. We didn’t want to see the doors shutting”.

Andrew has run a number of businesses in Kirkcaldy over the years, with Hannah working alongside him at his Solutions security company. Hannah ran the nearby Wheatsheaf. And the pair hope to use their experience to build on the pubs success.

Andrew said: “The plan was to keep the doors open for the local community and Kirkcaldy itself. The High Street has been struggling and I think it was leaving a lot of people lost.

“The plans are not to change too much, it’s to develop what John and Nan have already created”.

The first two weekends under the new stewardship have been successful and the hope is that by getting more staff on board, the pub can increase its offerings.

Hannah said: “It would be great to have some local music back and things like that.

“But until you get staffing sorted, you don’t want to commit to things like that and let people down”.