John and Evelyn Proudfoot have returned to Scotland to make their debut as hoteliers after leaving Edinburgh to live in Hertfordshire for 27 years.
Their new business is the Conon hotel at Conon Bridge, near Inverness in Ross-shire.
The three-storey building is a former coaching inn that is believed to date back to the 1780s.
It comprises 12 bedrooms, a public bar, a 30-seat lounge bar and a 40-seat restaurant.
The Proudfoots have returned the hotel to its original name ofthe Conon Bridge hotel.
They plan to refurbish the property extensively and to expand its food and drinks business using local suppliers and quality Scottish real ales.
The Edinburgh office of Christie & Co sold the inn off an asking price of £425,000 on behalf of Paul Hart.
By Angela Frewin