The Stag is a café and wine bar in Falkland, Fife, with weekend dinner service; a warm, refined place for food and drink that’s relaxed, not fussy.
The new owners were drawn to Falkland and took on an ambitious local project: reimagining the village’s former pub and bringing it back to life with a fresh purpose. Their vision was rooted in quality, community, and craft. Combining experience in wine, cooking, growing and design to create a food and wine–focused venue that feels right at home in Falkland.
Client:
- The Stag, Falkland
Sector:
- Food & Drink
Services:
- Brand identity system
- Signage suite
- Website
- Photography
A new venture, a new direction
The building’s history as “The Stag Inn” came with strong, familiar pub associations, but the new owners were intentionally moving away from that. They wanted a clear departure: a refined-yet-relaxed destination built around fresh, local ingredients, elevated familiar dishes, and genuinely great wine at fair prices. While positioning away from “pub expectations”, they still wanted to keep the feeling of a local and familiar setting.
Their challenge was positioning the venue in a way that felt authentic and confident in the new trajectory, while still belonging in the village. They needed a brand identity and signage system that communicated quality without pretension, and a website that presented the atmosphere, food, and drink offering at a glance.
Inspired by local heritage
From the outset, it was clear The Stag’s personality lived in the tension between refined and approachable. The experience had to feel elevated, but still relaxed, welcoming, and human. A key discovery moment came from leaning into local heritage: we were drawn to the original Falkland crest featuring a stag. It instantly grounded the brand in place and story. Giving us a symbol that felt authentic, recognisable, and timeless. From there, we shaped a visual direction that centred around a rustic illustration of a Stag which resembled the Falkland Crest. Something which felt organic yet refined, mirroring the sentiment behind the venue itself.
A brand for bricks and mortar, not just digital
The owners had a clear ambition, and our role was to translate that into a brand system that could steer every touchpoint, from first impressions outside the building, to the feeling someone gets scrolling the website. We created a brand identity system for both digital and the building itself. The signage suite shaped their waymarking and was hand-painted by local artisan sign maker Barry Robertson. It perfectly reinforced the brand’s values: doing things properly, supporting local craft, and prioritising quality over shortcuts. We provided photography, capturing the interior, atmosphere, food, and drinks, showcasing the experience and inviting customers to book.
“We loved how collaborative this project felt, the owners had a strong vision, and together we shaped it into a brand that feels effortless, rooted in Falkland, and confident without shouting. The final identity hits that sweet spot: refined, welcoming, and full of character; just like the space itself.”
Daniel Lockhart
Designer, Daysix