Plans to restore two historic buildings in Plean Country Park could see them brought back to life to boost the park and local area.

Plean House and Stables have been in a ruinous state for over 50 years after a fire destroyed the house.

But the ambitious plans, lead by Plean resident Jackie Stewart, hope to bring the buildings back to life and make them a landmark for the village.

Jackie said: “The plans could see a cafe, gift shop, living exhibition space and meeting place in the renovated buildings.

“They could also be used as a meeting space for groups or for weddings and functions.

“If people have other ideas of what we could do with the buildings we really want to hear their views and encourage them to take part in our consultation.

“The results of this will help us shape what is done with the buildings.”

Plean House and Stables were built over 200 years ago by Francis Simpson and the grounds are now what is Plean Country Park.

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Wallace Thorneycroft took over ownership of the estate in 1894 and was the pit owner of Plean Colliery. The family moved away in the 1970s when ownership transferred to the National Coal Board. Vandals set fire to the house and it has been derelict ever since.

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Stirling Council bought the land in the 1980s and turned it into a country park. It is the only country park Stirling Council own and operate.

Jackie added: “The buildings have stood here for 200 years and if we get this right they will be here for another couple hundred years.

“There is so much history in this area and it is important that we tell the story. By restoring these two buildings we would be able to do that and make them a landmark for the village.”

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The ambitious plan would be to develop the buildings in two phases - with the stables being developed first over five years and then attention turned to the house.

Once the consultation is complete, the next stage would be to set up a trust and start the process of pursuing ownership of the buildings as well as fundraising.

Around 35 people have expressed an interest in joining the group with around another 15 offering to be volunteers.

Jackie said: “We are looking for people with different skills to help with the project - no experience in restoring buildings is necessary - and if anyone is interested we would love to hear from them.”

Anyone interested can email pleanhouseandstables@gmail.com.

The consultation is currently open and runs until the end of May - https://surveymars.com/q/lyrx6N1Mi

Kanye West has defended his planned headlining of the Wireless Festival, saying he wanted to bring “unity, peace and love” to London.

But a Cabinet minister rejected West’s statement and said he should not be performing at the music festival as a row grew over banning him from Britain.

“This is someone who wrote, recorded and released a song called Heil Hitler...who plastered that slogan across T-shirts and has done so with his enormous fame, influence and reach at a time when there are rising levels of antisemitism in this country and many others,” Health Secretary Wes Streeting told ITV’s Good Morning Britain.

“Against that backdrop, to put out a mealy-mouthed, self-serving statement about love, unity, hope and change, I’m sorry, ‘get real’.

“In order to earn forgiveness you have to do it through actions not words and he should have been doing that well ahead of trying to get back on a stage again.”

Mr Streeting, MP for Ilford North, said it was “appalling” that West might be given such a prominent role and accused the festival’s promoters of putting “money before morals”.

But responding to the backlash, the rapper insisted: “My only goal is to come to London and present a show of change, bringing unity, peace and love through my music”.

He added: “I would be grateful for the opportunity to meet with members of the Jewish community in the UK in person, to listen.

"I know words aren't enough - I'll have to show change through my actions.

"If you're open, I'm here."

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However, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is considering banning West from the UK.

The promoter of Wireless Festival, though, said West has a "legal right to come into the country and to perform" following the calls for him to be barred from entering the UK over antisemitism - saying that West already has a visa that has been issued “in the past few days”.

The musician, also known as Ye, has drawn widespread criticism in recent years after he began voicing admiration for Adolf Hitler and made a series of antisemitic remarks, for which he issued an apology in January.

He is set to top the bill for all three night of the nights of the festival in London's Finsbury Park in July.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hit out at the music festival for allowing West to headline, saying it was “deeply concerning” that the musician has been booked, as pressure mounted on the festival organisers, with the loss of sponsors.

Breaking his silence on the controversy, Melvin Benn, managing director at Festival Republic which promotes Wireless Festival, described himself as a "deeply committed anti-fascist" and "person of forgiveness".

Mr Benn condemned West’s “abhorrent” remarks about Jewish people and Hitler, but asked people to “offer some forgiveness and hope” to the rapper.

He added: "We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions.”

Speaking on the Today programme on Tuesday he said: “He has a visa already issued to appear, to come into the country, and the Home Secretary may well rescind that today.

"If she does, then the issue is over in terms of his appearance."

The Standard understands that West does not currently have a visa to come to perform in the UK.

The Campaign Against Antisemitism said there is a “clear case” to ban him from entering the UK.

The campaign group made the demand as MPs also said the Home Office should prevent the controversial rapper from entering the country to headline the festival this summer due to his previous antisemitic comments.

Diageo has joined Pepsi in withdrawing sponsorship of the festival over the organisers’ decision to book the rapper to headline the event. Rockstar Energy has also withdrawn its sponsorship, Sky News reported.

Shadow home secretary Chris Philp urged the Government to stop him from entering the country.

The senior conservative MP said the musician’s comments were “not a one-off lapse, but a pattern of behaviour that has caused real offence and distress to Jewish communities”.

Soft drinks giant Pepsi was the main sponsor of the festival, promoting the event under the branding "Pepsi presents Wireless".

But on Sunday a Pepsi spokesperson confirmed "Pepsi has decided to withdraw its sponsorship of Wireless Festival."

Then on Sunday evening it was joined by Diageo, owner of spirits Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan, with a spokeperson saying: “We have informed the organisers of our concerns and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival.”

Sky News also reported that it is understood PayPal, a payment partner for the festival, will not appear in any future promotional materials.

London’s Wireless Festival, held in Finsbury Park, is the UK’s largest rap, hip-hop and R&B music festival, attracting around 50,000 revellers per day.

It has booked West, 48, at a time of fears of growing antisemitism in the UK and when London’s Jewish community has been on high alert following a major arson attack on four ambulances belonging to the Jewish volunteer organisation Hatzola in Golders Green on March 23.

Last year, West released a song called Heil Hitler, a few months after advertising a swastika T-shirt for sale on his website.

Sir Keir said: “It is deeply concerning that Kanye West has been booked to perform at Wireless despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism.

“Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted clearly and firmly wherever it appears.”

In March, four ambulances from a Jewish community-run service were set on fire in north-west London.

Two men and a 17-year-old boy were remanded in custody on Saturday after appearing in court accused of torching the vehicles.

A man arrested at the court on suspicion of arson with intent to endanger life and has since been bailed to a date in May.

In October last year, two men were killed in an attack on a Manchester synagogue.

Jewish community organisations also called for the Wireless Festival to think again about allowing West to headline.

Phil Rosenberg, president of the Board of Deputies of British Jews, said it was “absolutely the wrong decision” to allow West to play.

The musician apologised in January for his antisemitic remarks in a letter published as a full-page advert in the Wall Street Journal.

In his letter, he apologised to Jewish and black people, and said his bipolar disorder led him to fall into “a four-month long, manic episode of psychotic, paranoid and impulsive behaviour that destroyed my life”.

We’ve been on the hunt for the best restaurants and gastropubs in County Durham - and we can today reveal our list of finalists.

It’s no secret that there are some fantastic spots to get some great grub across the region, a place home to so many talented and dedicated restaurants.

And this year we’ve once again been looking to shine a spotlight on the best of the best, along with the help of our readers.

We can now reveal the top ten finalists in our competition - and we want you to now vote for your favourite.

This year’s top ten are:

1. Burtree Inn - Burtree Gate, Darlington, DL2 2XZ

2. Stable Hearth – 33-35 Duke Street, Darlington, DL3 7RX

3. Taipan Asia – 10 Crown Street, Darlington, DL1 1LU

4. Tawny Owl – Neasham Road, Hurworth Moor, Darlington, DL3 1QE

5. The Bay Horse – 45 The Green, Hurworth-on-Tees, Darlington, DL2 2AA

6. The Bridge Inn - The Green, Stapleton, DL2 2QQ

7. The Crown at Mickleton - Mickleton, Barnard Castle, DL12 0JZ

8. The Ivy Tree - Yarm Road, Stockton-on-Tees, TS18 3RY

9. The Loft Steakhouse & Grill - 10 Crown Street, Darlington, DL1 1LU

10. The Talbot - 47–49 The Green, Bishopton, Stockton-on-Tees, TS21 1HE

To vote, you simply need to cut out a coupon printed in The Northern Echo this week and next. You have until Wednesday, April 22 to vote for your favourite.

In the meantime, we’ll be highlighting each of the restaurants and gastropubs in our top ten to help you decide which one to vote for.

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The Northern Echo editor Gavin Foster said: “We have some fantastic restaurants across Darlington and County Durham and our best restaurant or gastropub competition is the perfect opportunity to shine a spotlight on that.

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"We are delighted to once again be launching our search for the best of the best. Get your votes in now!”

To vote, you simply need to cut out a coupon printed in The Northern Echo this week and next. You have until