Disused Edinburgh ex-Armenian restaurant to be transformed into luxury short-term let
A derelict Edinburgh building that housed a legendary Armenian restaurant is set to be transformed into a luxury short-term let.
McTaggart Properties has submitted plans to convert the former Aghtamar Lake Van Monastery in Exile at 55 Abbeyhill into a six-bedroom holiday rental featuring a sauna, hot tub, and library.
The plans also include a glazed link from the outhouse to the main building, an apple tree garden and a window opening to the rear elevation
Each of the bedrooms would have an en-suite, while the proposals include a living area, kitchen, reading nook and laundry.
The Aghtamar Lake Van Monastery in Exile Armenian restaurant achieved cult status after it opened in 1979 thanks to its quirky owner and bohemian all-night banquets.
The B-listed former police station was built in 1896 and closed in 2011, laying empty for more than a decade before it was bought last year.
A planning application by McTaggart Ltd describes it as a “historic building close to many tourist attractions,” which would be “an excellent location for short stays”, adding that the plans would “safeguard its future”.
The Abbeyhill building, which still has an arched Armenian sign at the front door, fell out of use as a police station in the 1930’s and later became a mission hall, before the Lake Van Monastery took it over in 1979.
In 2021, BBC Scotland traced the former cook and owner Peter, who said he closed down the restaurant following a robbery in which antiques and decorations were stolen. He said he had become disillusioned after the incident and, as he was approaching his 80s, opted to retire.
The planning documents for this application include photos showing the dilapidated state of the building, with bare floors, an overgrown garden and paint peeling from the walls.
The City of Edinburgh Council’s planning department will now decide upon this application, which has so far received no comments on the online planning portal.
