Greens at Gretna Bar & Restaurant will be opening soon, and we’re excited to welcome our first guests to “The First Restaurant in Scotland!”. Although the restaurant is opening for the first time, Greens at Gretna has existed for years, albeit under different names. From its early days as a hotel to its current reopening as a bar and restaurant, we hope we can tell you everything you’d like to know about Greens at Gretna!
About Greens at Gretna – From Hotel to Restaurant
Known locally as “The First Hotel in Scotland,” Greens at Gretna was, for many years, the Garden House Hotel. However, in 2015, the hotel was acquired by Gretna Green Ltd. who renamed it Greens at Gretna. Following a major £1 million refurbishment, the hotel reopened for its first guests later that year, whereupon it became Gretna Green Ltd.’s third hotel in the village, directly across from The Old Toll Bar. For the next five years, we welcomed guests from near and far to Gretna Green!
Tragically, when the COVID-19 pandemic struck in 2020, Gretna Green Ltd. had no choice but to close the hotel. Post-lockdown, rather than reopening the hotel, we made the decision to refit the location as a dedicated Bar & Restaurant! This decision allowed the hotel rooms to be converted into new office space and staff accommodation for our growing business.
Greens at Gretna Bar & Restaurant will soon be opening as a local hot-spot, offering dining, drinks, and a place for locals and guests alike to enjoy a night out in Gretna Green! “The First Hotel in Scotland,” will soon be known as “The First Restaurant in Scotland”!
About Gretna Green Ltd.
A family business established in 1885 and still owned by the Mackie-Houston family today, Gretna Green Ltd. has been at the heart of Gretna Green for over 135 years! In addition to the Greens at Gretna Bar & Restaurant, the family business owns two four-star hotels in Gretna Green. These are the boutique Smiths Hotel and the historic Gretna Hall Hotel. The business also owns The Famous Blacksmith’s Shop, a historic wedding venue and five-star award-winning visitor attraction. Directly across from Greens at Gretna, you can also find The Old Toll Bar, another historic destination owned by Gretna Green Ltd.
Across all of our hotels and venues, Gretna Green Ltd. hosts several thousand weddings every single year, keeping the romantic traditions of Gretna Green alive and well! If you would like to know more about the storied history of runaway marriages in Gretna Green, click here. While runaway marriages are no longer commonplace, the village remains a famous wedding destination, and the old marriage anvil still sees plenty of use!
