A POPULAR café at the heart of Kelso has been granted permission from Scottish Borders Council to sell booze.

A provisional premises licence for Off the Square at 20 Horsemarket was rubber-stamped when members of Scottish Borders Licensing Board met on Friday, August 23.

The busy ground floor café is, as the name suggests, just a few metres from the focal point of Kelso, the main square, incorporating a courtyard area and outdoor seating.

The application sought permission to sell alcohol, on an on-sale and off-sale basis, from Monday to Sunday, 11am to 6pm.

The application was submitted as a result of customer demand, board members were informed.

No objections to the application were received from Police Scotland.

Applicant Denise Allan said: “Quite a few people have asked, especially in summer, if they can have a beer or a glass of wine with their meal, so for this reason I just think it would be quite good to provide that.”

Councillor Tom Weatherston said: “I’m more than happy to support this application. It’s in a perfect location, it sits back off the footpath and it’s a well-run cafe.”