This is just one of the restaurants servicing what is probably the biggest and busiest furniture store in the country. Sterling Furniture warehouse in Tillicoultry was set up in 2001 in what was originally a woollen mill, one of many lining the southern edge of the Ochil hills. In 1921 Samuel Jones Ltd converted it to a paper mill which specialised in coated papers. They marketed these under their Butterfly trade mark. They used the image to promote the idea that they could print more than one colour onto a single sheet of paper. Ludicrous nowadays but, at the time, it was obviously a bit special.

The butterfly in question was the Camberwell Beauty a rare visitor to the UK from Scandinavia and first seen in the London burgh in 1748. Anyway this is simply a long winded way of saying how this place gets its name. Although the restaurant itself does not make it obvious. We think they should.

Medication

There is soooooo much furniture around in Sterling. Unless you are careful, ‘furniture blindness’ can set in, a common complaint in these parts, especially amongst men. The symptoms (everything starts to look the same) can only be relieved by a cup of tea and a scone. It was almost closing time when we arrived at the Butterfly Inn. At least one of us was in fairly desperate need of medication.  Just closing and probably could have seen us far enough but we were made very welcome. The scones were okay but a tad on the firm side and jam was charged as an extra which always makes the overall deal expensive .. and there was no cream. All in all, not a great experience.

Views on Europe

‘Butterfly’ could be used to describe Cameron’s stance on Europe. One minute he is threatening to pull us out unless he gets his way on renegotiation; next minute, after a few totally inconsequential adjustments, he says leaving the EU would be an unmitigated disaster! Not so much a rare Camberwell Beauty as a common Westminster Plonker.

FK13 6NS        tel: 01259 751596           Butterfly Inn