East Kilbride restaurant owners apologise after destroying 80 trees to 'open up space'

The owners of a restaurant in East Kilbride have issued an apology for chopping down dozens of trees in a wooded area near the business, saying they had “made a mistake”.

The Birk family, the restaurateurs behind The Osprey, said they cleared the trees to try and “open up the space” around the eatery. However, they have since apologised following a backlash online.

Around 80 trees were chopped down at the site | Collette Stevenson MSP

While the trees were not protected by a preservation order, meaning the owners did not have to seek permission from the council, Scottish Forestry confirmed it had launched an investigation into the alleged unauthorised felling.

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The family are refurbishing the premises after taking over the venue on Strathaven Road, previously known as the Carrigans, earlier this year.

A statement posted online by the Birk family read: “We’re sorry. We got this wrong. We have to hold up our hands and say we made a mistake in clearing the wooded area in front of the restaurant.

“The intention was to open up the space at the front and possibly extend the car park in future.”

The family said it recognised the fact no preservation orders were in place was not an excuse to chop down the trees and that it wanted to “apologise unreservedly” for its errors.

Locals on social media attacked the restaurant for the move, with some calling for a boycott | John McIntyre

The restaurant owners said they planned to replant young trees and bring in a landscape architect to rectify the damage.

The family added: “We hope you will all give us another chance, to show you who we really are and what we hope to bring to the local community.

The Birk Family took over the venue formally known as the Carrigans in October | Google Maps

“We never wanted to upset or offend anyone and we are happy to work with local conservation and heritage enthusiasts and organisations to help educate us and others so they don’t make the mistake we did.”

The restaurant owners' decision to remove the trees was met with significant outcry on social media, including calls for a boycott of the restaurant when it opens.

Collette Stevenson, the MSP for East Kilbride, said she had contacted South Lanarkshire Council over the issue.

In an earlier statement, she said: "There's clearly been a lot of anger from locals with regard to the felling of the trees outside the Osprey, which is why I wrote to both the chief executive of South Lanarkshire Council, as well as the owners of The Osprey.

“I sought to establish who was responsible for the works, if prior permission had been sought, and the reasons behind doing so. Facts are important.”

South Lanarkshire Council has confirmed no permission was needed to remove the trees. However an investigation has been launched into the incident by Scottish Forestry.

A Scottish Forestry spokesperson said: “We take all reports of alleged unauthorised felling very seriously. There is no felling permission in place for this work, so we have now opened up an investigation and today visited the site for inspection.”

Fraser Carlin, head of planning and regulatory services at South Lanarkshire Council, said: “We are aware of the felling of trees on this area of private land and the council has received a number of enquiries about it from councillors, local residents and other interested parties.

“I can confirm that the trees were not the subject of tree preservation orders and so no permission was needed or granted. However, we can advise that in some instances felling permission may be required from Scottish Forestry.”