It was a sad night for the people of Linlithgow when the Star and Garter pub burned down in 2010.

The pub had been at the centre of the town since the 1700s and the people who live there felt deeply the loss of a much-loved community hub.

The story has a happy ending, though, as two businessmen, Ross Wilkie and David Kennedy, renovated the pub and, three years on from the fire, it has reopened.

Mr Wilkie, who is a local boy, said he was determined from the start to bring the Star and Garter back to the town and it is clear he knows how important pubs can be to communities.

However, the good news in Linlithgow is not matched in the rest Scotland, where pubs have been closing at the rate of three per week.

Part of the reason for this is the cost of a drink in the pub - even with the end of bulk deals, it is still much cheaper to buy alcohol from the supermarket and drink it at home.

But the good news in Linlithgow demonstrates what can be done. Pubs that do not change will continue to struggle; those that innovate and embrace a new role as a vibrant, welcoming place for all the family still have every chance of success.