Highland bar MacGregor’s all-weather beer garden plans ‘will ensure financial sustainability’ of popular Inverness pub and live music venue
A popular Inverness bar’s plans to make its beer garden an all-weather affair is needed to ensure the “financial sustainability of the business”.
That’s the view of MacGregor’s, which sits on the corner of Academy Street and Friars Lane and its a major part of Highland capital’s nightlife and live music scene.
The bar attracts tourists and locals alike and boasts a spacious outdoor beer garden at the rear which faces out onto Friars Lane.
But it is not roofed, meaning that in wet or cold weather conditions, a large part of the bar’s potential seating space can go unused - with patrons not wanting to brave the cold and damp conditions outside.
To counter that, the business recently lodged a planning application for a new pergola with a retractable roof, which it intends to erect over the beer garden. The roof would be retracted during fine weather, but could be extended during inclement conditions.
And, in a new document lodged alongside the application, MacGregor’s has explained that the pagoda is a direct response to the weather’s impact on footfall at the pub.
“The bar currently experiences a quantifiable reduction in revenue during periods of inclement weather, which are frequent during Highland summers,” it said.
“The absence of adequate shelter limits the usability of the outdoor seating area, directly impacting customer footfall and the financial sustainability of the business .
"The pergola will enable the premises to accommodate patrons in comfort during wet weather, while the retractable nature of the roof ensures that natural light ingress to the interior - via existing bi-fold doors - is preserved during dry conditions.
"This flexibility allows the structure to adapt to rapidly changing weather patterns throughout the day."
If approved, the new pergola would be erected over most of the unsheltered beer garden, but would have no wall panelling on the side looking out into Friar's Lane in order to "preserve openness and transparency" and "ensure the structure remains visually lightweight and unobtrusive".
A large part of the roof would also be retractable, in a bid to preserve even more of the open air feel of the beer garden when the weather is fine.
"The roof has been designed as a retractable system, intended to remain open during favourable weather conditions to preserve the openness and transparency of the site," said MacGregor's designers in drawings accompanying the application. "This approach ensures the structure remains visually lightweight and adaptable, minimising its impact on the surrounding environment while allowing for responsive use in changing weather conditions."
The application will be decided by Highland Council at a future date.
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