A2Z And The Clachan Hotel, Main Street, Aberfoyle

This late 19th century, three-storey gabled building is located on the north side of Main Street in Aberfoyle. It was originally constructed as a temperance hotel, with two shop units on the ground floor. The shop on the west side, now known as A2Z, retains its original shop fittings. The front elevation was initially ornamented with half-timbering, but this was removed after a fire. Despite this loss, the building remains a valuable architectural feature and contributes to the streetscape, representing one of the few surviving late 19th century commercial buildings in the village, a direct response to increasing tourism. It is also a rare survival of a high-quality, purpose-built late 19th century shop interior.

The front elevation is asymmetrical and features three bays, rising to gables. Timber canted oriels are present on the first floor of the outer bays. The remaining windows are timber mullioned double-sash windows, with six-pane upper sashes and single pane lower sashes on the first floor, and single-pane upper and lower sashes on the second floor. A dormer window, originally in the centre bay, was removed following the fire. The ground floor shop fronts project slightly, supported by ashlar sandstone piers and corniced fascias. The west shop front retains its original appearance with large plate glass display windows and a recessed entrance door. A non-original door provides access to the hotel between the two shop fronts. The unit on the right, which no longer has its original shop front and is now a public bar, is part of the hotel.

The side elevations are relatively plain, with gables and limited window openings. This may be due to the original expectation of continuous development along the main street, which would have obscured the sides.

The west shop unit (A2Z), originally a chemist’s shop, is fully fitted with high-quality floor-to-ceiling display shelving which is highly decorative, surmounted by a cornice with raking and segmental pediments. Various shelf profiles are present, including a canted corner display, all backed by timber-boarded wall lining. An original service counter remains. The shop originally comprised a front and rear room, divided by a timber screen; the lower section of which has been removed, but the upper section remains. The rear room features timber-lined walls but no shelving. Both rooms have plasterwork ceilings, with roll moulding in the rear room and egg-and-dart in the front. The Clachan Hotel itself retains little original interior character beyond cast-iron balusters to the staircase and some ornamental plasterwork, mainly in the ground floor entrance hall.

The building is externally harled, with timber sash and case windows. It has a pitched slate roof with gable head stacks on the east and west gables.