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In 1972, as one of Scotland's young up and coming caterers, Ronnie accepted the challenge of turning round the fortunes of the very run down Bridge Inn, situated on the banks of the Union Canal at Ratho on the western outskirts of Edinburgh.
He was a speed boat enthusiast but knew nothing of canals naively asking "what river ran by the Bridge Inn". One of his customers, the Rev Hugh Mackay soon enlightened Ronnie!
Having in 1973 built on an extension to the inn with windows overlooking the canal, he was now literally facing a problem as he stared out at a derelict very off colour green waterway. (RR)
The big question was how to clean it up," he recalls. "And I needed an answer fast". Three decades ago Scotland's Lowland canal network had very few friends. Most people wanted to fill in the canals and thought I was utterly and completely mad to build my business on the banks of one of them. The only person I had encountered who cared for the Union Canal was an extraordinary West Lothian retired minister, Hugh Mackay. He happily swapped his Sunday pulpit for a midweek paddle with the enthusiastic young Sea Scouts whose kayaks and canoes were almost alone in disturbing the weed which was choking the life out of these historic waterways. (RR)
I therefore invited Hugh to come to meet me at the Bridge Inn and as we together looked over the green carpet, which concealed the water, he informed me that there was definitely no chemical cure.
'The only way to clear the weed is to use the canal,' he declared and therefore he was truly delighted when I launched the first of my restaurant boats on 17 November 1974, the appropriately named "Pride of the Union" to do exactly that.
Pride of the Union arriving at the Bonnington Aqueduct.
Being craned into the canal at Wilkies Basin.
Afloat!
Navigation wasn't problem free. The "Pride" turned out to have a deeper draft than planned and grounded on the canal bottom. A bit of ingenuity solved the problem: Powerful pumps were fixed to barge to blast away the mud and debris to open up a channel.
Dining canal cruises soon became a "must do" in the Edinburgh area a second barge "The Pride of Belhaven" was introduced about 10 years later.
Pride of the Union in Ratho Basin
Hugh took a great interest in that first commercial venture on the Union Canal for almost half a century. He often stopped for a coffee and a chat and it was during one of these conversations that he fist old me that some day he too hoped to operate a boat on the canal, not as a rival for my fledgling business, but to provide cruises for those who would otherwise have the opportunity to enjoy the peace and tranquillity which these sheltered waters provide.
Several years later Hugh returned still sporting the long black raincoat which he always wore. As he slipped it off and settled down beside the open fire in the cocktail bar, he looked at me long and hard and asked, 'Ronnie, if I could get a boat would you run it?'
Hugh had the power of gentle persuasion like no man I have known and before he left I assured him that by then my set up at the Bridge Inn did indeed have the resources which he required. The Bridge Inn could provide a scarce berth for his proposed vessel, as well as a fresh water supply and facilities for gas and diesel as well as the very unglamorous but highly essential rubbish removal and waste tank pumping out. I was happy to make them all available. It’s a promise I've never regretted making and with that assurance he set off to recruit the rest of the crew he needed to launch his big idea. As it turned out Hugh's plans were already well developed.
Another award comes to one of our trustees in 1998, this time to Ronnie Rusack who got a well deserved MBE in the New Years Honours List for all the tremendous efforts he puts into everything involving the Bridge Inn, the Canals and the Seagull Trust. (NS)
The bar at the Bridge Inn was renamed the "Pop Inn" after the pub which used to be by the canal tow path just west of the Ratho Hall walled garden.
The story was that the Pop Inn had a long bar with a door at each end. Bargees would enter at the first door, have their pint, and exit at the far door whilst their horse towing their barge continued along the tow path unattended.
The Pop Inn was originally the gardener's cottage for Ratho Hall and returned to being a cottage after becoming disused as a pub. It was occupied within living memory (guess the 1950s).
The ruins of the cottage are still there behind the tow path boundary wall but hidden by vegetation.
A photo of the cottage is shown.
1989 Ducks at the Bridge Inn Ratho
1989 Ducks at the Bridge Inn Ratho
Ronnie Rusack established the "Edinburgh Canal Centre" at the Bridge Inn and re-introduce ducks to the canal in the immediate area at the Inn. Four of them were given a cosy home in a specially built compound - now disabled people both young and old could have an excellent view of them which would be more difficult on the canal so everyone was encouraged to go and meet Snitch, Snatch, Donald and Poppit.
Canada geese and a pair of black swans (native to Australia) were a familiar sight at Ratho until around 2005. It was thought one swan had become victim of a fox.
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