Issued by: Alan Air Media Services

On behalf of: Gretna Green Famous Blacksmith Shop

23.1.14

Tel: 07974 765870

For immediate release

SCOTLAND'S ICONIC

FIRST HOUSE TO

RE-OPEN IN 2014

ONE OF Scotland's most familiar buildings is to re-open

to the public after lying dormant for several years.

Gretna's historicFirst Houseis to be refurbished and will

begin trading as a coffee shop for visitors in the summer of

2014.

"It's an incredibly iconic building and deserves to be put

back into sympathetic use," said Brian Douglas,

Operations Director of Gretna Green Ltd which has

owned theFirst Housesince 1934.

The distinctive black and white former Toll Bar cottage

and runaway marriage venue - which has seen more than

10,000 marriages - was mothballed in 2008.

"Back then we decided to concentrate our focus on

developingGretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shopjust

up the road into an international standard visitor

attraction," explained Mr Douglas.

After VisitScotland awarded this destination the top-rated

Five Star Visitor Attraction status in the summer of last

year, attention switched back to theFirst House.

"We had always intended to bring it back into appropriate

use as soon as possible," added Mr Douglas.

"We recently restored all the black and white livery to its

former glory and interior conversion work will begin in

January for an early summer opening.

The coffee shop will initially be housed in one part of the

building and seat up to 40 people.

Contemporary fittings and the opening up of a vaulted

ceiling will "create a very special ambience", said Mr

Douglas.

TheFirst Housegained itsnom de plumein 1830 after a

new road from England to Scotland bypassed Gretna

village and passed over the River Sark right next to the

house.

Runaways using the new road and bridge would stop off

here to seal their legal declaration of love.

Of course, Gretna Green Famous Blacksmith Shop - just a

few yards up the road - had already been marrying young

runaway couples since 1754 after a new law restricting

marriage for under 21-year-olds in England came into

force.

For many years Gretna Green Ltd ran theFirst Houseas

a marriage venue and as part of a thriving caravan and

camping site and shop.

Ends

Notes to editors:

• A digital image of the First House accompanies this media release;

• Brian Douglas is available for interview;

• Gretna Green Famous Blacksmiths Shop attraction is near the Scottish/English border includes a museum housing the legendary Marriage Anvil, high-quality shopping, Foodhall, a restaurant and is one of Scotland's most popular visitor destinations and wedding venues;

• It is owned by the local Houston family who also operate the adjoining award-winning four star boutique hotel, Smiths at Gretna Green and farm the land surrounding Gretna Green;