IT is widely recognised as one of the most spectacular buildings in the Scottish Borders and it has just celebrated its 150th birthday.

Starting life in 1869 as a residential home so Adam Lees Cochrane could keep a watchful eye on the hill overlooking his Netherdale textile mill on the eastern outskirts of Galashiels, it is now better known as the Kingsknowes Hotel.

The sesquicentennial anniversary is a notable feat in the history of the hotel trade in Galashiels considering famous establishments such as the Abbotsford, Douglas, King's, Maxwell, Royal and the Woodlands are now a distant memory.

General manager Robert Lamont - a graduate of EHL University in Switzerland which is regarded as the best hospitality school in the world - admits the current climate is not without its challenges particularly with a Premier Inn scheduled to arrive in Tweedbank.

But he believes that a business plan is in place so that the Kingsknowes Hotel will continue to thrive for a long time to come.

He said: "For a building that it 150 years old it is in first class condition which is something we are very proud of.

"There have been major refurbishments in recent years, most particularly the Courtyard Bar, and it is an ongoing programme with more improvements planned in the New Year.

"A downside has been the loss of the fishing trade with the lack of salmon in the River Tweed, but we have learned to diversify and we are in a good position to keep progressing.

"We focus strongly on the local community and our repeat trade is excellent for things like bar meals for which we are very grateful.

"Our head chef Jack Jackson and his team do a great job continually up-dating the menu and it is good to see all the familiar faces regularly coming back.

"The opening of the Borders Crematorium was a major boost to the business because of our location and the car park and weddings continue to be popular because of the beautiful grounds."

William Hay designed the red sandstone baronial mansion back in 1869 - now A-Listed along with the conservatory by Historic Scotland - and it has remained largely unaltered over the past 150 years, apart from being converted into a 12-bedroom hotel in the 1960s.

The Lamont family purchased the Kingknowes Hotel from the Scott family 16 years ago and the business employs more than 20 people.