12 Jun Buy your own railway station! Stunning former Victorian buildings in Highlands on the market
Press & Journal – David Mackay
The Grantown East property is up for sale after the former heritage centre and restaurant business closed in January.
A beautifully restored former Highland railway station converted into a tourist attraction has gone on the market.
Grantown East was a personal passion of owner Karen Blessington who started the restoration in 2015, eventually pouring £2.5 million into it.
However, the Covid pandemic hit just over a year after it opened its doors, and it shut for good in January with the loss of 15 jobs amidst the belief it did not have enough time to establish itself before lockdown.
Now the former station, which closed to passengers in 1965, is on the market for another enthusiast eager to go full steam ahead.
What is included in Grantown East sale?
The Grantown East railway station dates from 1863 and is next to the A95 Aberlour road, about a mile south of the town.
The sale includes the immaculate Victorian station building, which has been converted into a “bright and airy” retail and event space.
Specialist restoration teams were hired for the works, who have blended traditional stone exteriors with contemporary interiors.
Two converted railway carriages, which are now a restaurant and cafe, are outside at the former platforms. The menu was popular among visitors for offering pizza as a dessert as well as a main course.
A miniature railway was also run on the property.
