SCOTLAND'S only micropub is about to become another first - the country's only restaurant without a kitchen, writes Harry Fryer-Ness.

Owners Simon and Debbie Rutherford have become pioneers in the pub trade, trying to give their customers something new and fresh.

In 2017 Rutherfords released their own range of gin, which they used to create cocktails.

And since opening for the first time in Kelso the awards have kept rolling in - the Rutherfords have won the CAMRA Borders pub of the year 2018, as well as picking up four accolades in the Scotland business awards, and also being voted as the fifth best Micropub in the UK by the Times in 2017.

Now the couple have ventured into lunches, despite not having a kitchen.

Last week the Rutherfords launched their own vegan menu, including a vegan platter, as well as Debbie’s own walnut and mushroom pate.

Debbie said: "We have noticed a real shift in people's food requests, and one of our bar hosts is Vegan, so we had a great taste tester in her.

"People love to come and sample our very unusual drinks, and now they can enjoy the food they love at any time of the day.

"It was a challenge as we have no kitchen, but we're pretty inventive, and determined."

Rutherfords also offer a Tapas plate, local pork and game pies, as well as smoked cheese, proper crisps and pork scratchings.

The couple, who famously created their own Haggis gin for Burns night, have been dreaming up their own exotic concoctions for the past two years.

Debbie added: “ The idea has always been to have really unusual drinks - we give people an experience when they come in."