End of an era for Scotland's 'Mr Canals'

Ronnie Rusack - Scotland's 'Mr Canals' - is selling his popular Edinburgh Canal Centre and pub after more than 30 years. Navigation authority British Waterways has agreed to buy the centre and the Bridge Inn, beside the Union Canal at Ratho.

By encouraging local interest in the canals, and giving thousands of people their first chance to get afloat, Ronnie is often credited with keeping the Union Canal alive from its dark days of the 1970s. Roads had been built across the waterway, and an entire section at Wester Hailes infilled - but by offering regular cruises around Ratho, Ronnie kept boats moving on the canal and encouraged others to make similar use of the picturesque waterway.

Projects such as the Bridge Inn's restaurant boat dispelled the grimy industrial image of the canals. Meanwhile, Ronnie was quietly doing his bit for society as co-founder of the Seagull Trust, which provides free cruising for the disabled. In 1999, he was awarded the MBE for services to canal restoration and the Trust - but the greatest reward for his 30 years of work came two years later, when the Forth & Clyde and Union canals reopened throughout, re-establishing the waterway link from Edinburgh to Glasgow.

Now he plans to devote his full attention to offering boating holidays on the Millennium Link. He is already expanding his hire-fleet, which will offer cruises between Edinburgh and Glasgow via the stunning Falkirk Wheel.

British Waterways, meanwhile, hopes to attract even more visitors from Edinburgh and beyond to the Canal Centre. Waterway manager Richard Millar explained that boaters would also benefit from improved facilities and moorings at Ratho.