A FORMER hotelier has come out of retirement to welcome customers back through the doors of a village’s hotel.

Nick Heckford, along with wife Anne, reopened the doors of The Goblin Ha’ in Gifford on Friday afternoon.

The couple had been looking to move to the area to be closer to their grandchildren.

However, when passing the pub and restaurant, which closed its doors in October last year, Nick said they found something that “looks interesting”.

Negotiations with the owner took place over a number of months before the first customers were welcomed at the end of last week.

Mr Heckford had been delighted by the response from people visiting.

He said: “I tell you what, they are so friendly the people here.

“I have probably given tours to about 300 people that have stuck their head in while we have been doing work.

“They are so welcoming and the number of messages I have had saying they are happy the Goblin has reopened – they are really supportive.

“That is why I am fairly confident we are going to be alright.

“They all want to support us.”

In the 1970s, Mr Heckford was trained with British Transport Hotels and also worked for Grand Metropolitan Hotels.

That saw him managing businesses in both South Queensferry and Aberdeen.

He was also chief executive of an airline catering company before setting up his own consultancy business.

Mr and Mrs Heckford retired more than a decade ago with plans to operate a business sailing through the French canals to the Mediterranean Sea.

However, implications of Brexit meant the dream was shelved and instead time was spent “knocking around” and going on holiday during retirement.

Now, the couple have signed a 10-year lease at the business, on the village’s Main Street, which is named after the Goblin Ha’ (or Goblin Hall) hidden beneath the nearly 800-year-old Yester Castle located nearby.

Mr Heckford, 67, said: “The response has been very, very good.

“The patio area that we have holds 50 and it was choc-a-bloc on Friday as was the bar.

“We are very, very pleased with the success of it.”

A new head chef is due to start later this month and further phases of work are planned including the creation of Hugo’s Hall’s Café and Hugo’s Chambers, comprising nine bedrooms.

Adam White, chairman of the village’s community council, wished him well.

He said: "We are absolutely delighted it has reopened – it is brilliant."