Wednesday February 18th 2026
The Dolphin Hotel, Eyemouth
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Paul Kelly
Beer and beauty will be on the menu if a bid to convert part of a Berwickshire watering hole into a new salon is approved.
A radical diversification plan has been revealed for a hotel bar in Eyemouth.
Scottish Borders Council is considering an application for the part change of use of The Dolphin Hotel in North Street.
The applicant, Mr A Bulut, has recently purchased The Dolphin and will run it alongside The Tavern bar restaurant, which he already owns and which is located next door.
The Dolphin Hotel has been run as a public house with hotel rooms for a number of years, while also serving hot food and hosting events such as weddings and parties.
It has operated with hotel rooms on the first floor and a public house on the ground floor.
Now the plan is to convert part of the ground floor to a beauty parlour.
A report with the application, from Duns-based Richard Amos Architecture, states: “With the decline in viability of public houses in recent years, the applicant would like to diversify his portfolio and convert part of the ground floor to a beauty salon including offering nail treatments and tanning beds.
“The proposed change of use does not include any external changes to the building, other than signage which will be covered by an Advertisement Consent application.”
In 2024, 56 pubs closed permanently in Scotland, an increase from 42 in the previous year.
This contributes to a long-term decline, with approximately one thousand pubs closing in Scotland over the past 20 years, driven by factors like rising operating costs and changing consumer habits.
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