A FORMER Borders post office could be transformed into a hot and cold food takeaway if a planning bid receives a stamp of approval.

Scottish Borders Council is to consider a change of use request from applicant Tony Wood for the Old Post Office building in Earlston High Street.

The plan will see the retention of the current Lucky Finds gift shop but the change of use of the ground floor to form a takeaway, selling rolls/sandwiches, soup, baked potatoes, pasta, chilli and other similar food.

The plans also incorporates a separate dog food and treat shop.

Mr Wood said: “Lucky Finds is the old post office, effectively, with the front shop and the counter and then the back shop.

READ MORE: ‘Going Dutch’ £8.5m Borders care village plan under the spotlight

“We are going to keep the Lucky Finds gifts side of things in the front shop and where the counter used to be, for the post office many years ago, that will be for the fast food place and behind that will be converted into the kitchen area for the food preparation and right through the back at the smiddy we’re looking to put in a dog food and treat shop.

“The bothy at top of the garden we’re looking at an Airbnb, but that’s further down the line after we get the takeaway thing up and running.”

Mr Wood moved from East Lothian when he purchased the property in February and he and his family live above the premises.

He added: “During lockdown I changed direction. I was a publisher so I changed my career.  We’d looked at other properties and this came up at the end of last year and it was ideal for us. It means the boys can go to school locally at Earlston Primary. It was a change of direction and it’s a lovely village.

“With COVID still in the background we are very mindful that if we have three or four different revenue streams coming in we can can still continue to operate.”

You can go to the Lucky Finds website at wwwluckyfindsearlston.com