A popular Perthshire pub and restaurant has re-opened with two familiar faces behind the bar.
And Kev and Martine Sinclair have been on quite a journey to becoming proprietors at The Anglers, in Guildtown.
Martine, 58, quit her career in pharmaceuticals after battling breast cancer in 2018. And Kev, 47, is also ploughing a new furrow after 18 years working as a blacksmith and welder.
Running their own pub has surprised even them, says Martine.
But The Anglers has a big place in the Perth couple’s hearts.
They held a number of fundraising events for cancer charities there while Martine was having her treatment.
And if cancer taught her anything, it’s that opportunities are for grabbing.
“I told myself then ‘if your life is a story, be the hero’,” she said.
“Life is for living. Get out there and do the things that make you happy.”
The Anglers will be at heart of Guildtown life
The couple picked up the keys for The Anglers a few weeks ago and have been hard at work putting their own stamp on the Guildtown landmark.
The white-painted hotel has been a popular Perthshire watering hole for generations.
As the name suggests, its bar and five bedrooms are also a draw for anglers visiting the nearby Tay and Isla rivers.
Kev and Martine’s plan is to restore it to the heart of village life.
They’ve converted an unused public bar into a snug with comfy sofas and newspapers, where everyone is welcome to pop in for a coffee or just a chat at any time of day.
“Guildtown is like a lot of wee places,” said Kev.
“There’s no shop. A lot of the places where people used to meet are gone. We want The Anglers to be a real hub for the community.”
And if the opening day last Sunday was a taste of what’s to come, they’re in for a busy time.
“We thought we might get 30 or 40 people through the door,” said Kev.
“In the end, we had 106. It was crazy. But good crazy. And a lot of them are already booked to come back.”
‘This is meant to be’
The Sunday carvery will be a regular fixture, with snacks and coffees through the week for now.
But the couple are also excited about the arrival of their new head chef Kieran Kerr later this month.
He has worked at top Perth venues, such as Deans, Cafe Tabou and the St John’s bar and restaurant, and is eager to get started in his own kitchen, serving up the best in sustainable, local produce.
For the new landlords, taking over The Anglers at Guildtown has meant throwing out their five-year plan.
Martine and Kev had pictured themselves buying a nice place in France in the next few years.
But they couldn’t be happier about where life has take them.
“We’ve been coming here for years,” said Martine.
“We love the place. And maybe if I hadn’t had so much going on the last time the lease came up five years ago, we’d have gone for it then.
“When we found out it was coming up again, we thought ‘this is meant to be’.”
Conversation