ICONIC Dunfermline pub Somewhere Else is "ready to rock and roll" – without booze – after opening up again this week.

The Guildhall Street bar welcomed patrons back yesterday (Wednesday) for the first time since January.

It had lain empty after the attempt to revive it as gastropub The Drouthy Fox came to an end due to "operational issues".

The Press reported previously that it has now been bought by an investment company – Elgin Investments – headed by three friends and successful local businessmen who aim to restore the pub's good name and glory days.

However, since William Braisby, owner and managing director of Braisby Roofing Ltd, last spoke to the Press in October, new coronavirus Tier 3 restrictions have been placed on the hospitality sector in Fife.

The sale of alcohol is now prohibited, with only food and non-alcoholic drinks allowed prior to closing at 6pm, with 5pm the last entry.

Despite the nature of the restrictions, the owners have persevered and opened up this week with the hope of restoring the venue back to its former glory.

Mr Braisby said: "The new restrictions have made a big impact.

"When we first looked into this, we were planning on budgeting for six, potentially seven, days of operation with six or seven directly-employed staff.

"With the restrictions in place, we can't open up to the extent we would have liked to. We've still directly employed four members of staff.

"Ultimately, we're operating on a reduced scale between Wednesday to Sunday, instead.

"We can't do what we planned but we hope to be able to in the future.

"We've conducted an extensive overhaul of the pub and we've never scrimped on any expenses there but we simply can't open as we would have liked to, which is a shame."

Somewhere Else will offer a range of pub classic meals as well as coffee, soft drinks and non-alcoholic beer between 12-6pm from Wednesday to Sunday.

Mr Braisby continued to add that the owners never considered walking away from yesterday's planned opening when the Scottish Government restrictions were announced.

He said: "We made a commitment to staff and although the easy thing for us to do would have been to go back on that and stay locked up for two or three months, we feel we have a sense of responsibility to open it.

"We're committed to it and we want to make it work.

"We're going to have to take this short-term pain, as directors, but once we come out of the COVID period, a demand for the bar and restaurant, and the venue as a whole, will be there.

"We've made a commitment and we're ready to rock and roll when we're open."