ATTEMPTS are being made to salvage parts of the condemned Cross Keys in Selkirk.

The former town centre pub was bought by Scottish Borders Council in 2014 for use as a community hub.

But it closed the following year after extensive dry rot was discovered.

An agreement was reached earlier this year for the three-storey inn to be demolished on safety grounds.

And plans will eventually be drawn up for a replacement building which will link onto the neighbouring Town Hall.

But this week it was revealed that efforts are being made to keep the frontage of the once-popular public house.

Local councillor Michelle Ballantyne said: "There are ongoing discussions regarding the Cross Keys.

"Eventually we want to see a replacement building but the discussion just now is what we do in the mean time.

"We don't want to end up with a gap site in the middle of Selkirk. This would be disastrous for Selkirk.

"Keeping the frontage of the Cross Keys is being looked at but we are not sure how practical this would be."

Major improvements are scheduled to start in and around Selkirk's Market Place over the coming months.

Final preparations are being made for a new roads lay-out, improved pedestrian areas and new street furniture.

Councillor Ballantyne added: "There is an argument that we should do the demolition before the town centre improvements, but there is also an argument that access can still be achieved after the improvements for any demolition work."

A funding bid is currently being drawn up to support plans to create a new building for the Cross Keys site, which could house the town's library, contact centre and tourist information.

But it is unlikely that any progress will be made on the ground over the next two years.

Fellow Selkirkshire councillor Gordon Edgar added: "The Cross Keys fills an extensive area going backwards and we don't want to be left with an unsightly gap site in the middle of our town."