Haddington: Plans for The Railway to return to town

The Railway Hotel was a familiar sight for many people entering Haddington from the west for several years.

However, following the retirement of Hamish Colgan at the beginning of 2016, the Court Street premises underwent a near quarter-of-a-million-pound renovation.

Among the changes was the name with ‘The Railway’ becoming ‘The Bell’ and then changing again to ‘The Green’.

Now, Belhaven Pubs, who own the premises, which are now managed by Rebecca Fowler, has confirmed they are looking to rename the premises as The Railway.

The Railway could be returning to Haddington under plans with East Lothian Council. Image: East Lothian Council planning portal

A spokesperson for the chain said: “The pub was renamed The Green in recent years to link it with another business operated by our partners who were running the pub at the time.

“Following their departure last autumn, we are working with our new partner at the pub to take it back to its original name of The Railway.”

The name for the pub comes from its location near to the town’s old railway line, which closed to passengers in 1949.

John Hamilton, who runs the Lost Haddington Facebook page and is a member of the town’s community council, felt the potential change would prove popular.

He said: “We know for a fact that feedback on the likes of Lost Haddington when they changed to The Bell originally that the old Haddingtonians were ‘it will always be The Railway to me’.

“For several generations, it has been known as The Railway.

“I’m sure the community would welcome it.”