Well done to that august publication The Publican for its informative piece on Carinish Inn being bought by the Free Church (below). And well done to Rev Iver Martin for talking to the aptly-named hack, Roy Beers.
Pub to be converted into place of worship
A church famous for its hardline stance against drinking has bought a pub to bring its parishioners together.
But the Free Church of Scotland is adamant its purchase, through property firm Bruce and Co, has nothing to do with trying to deny anybody the chance of enjoying a drink.
It has acquired the Carinish Inn on the island of North Uist in the Hebrides for around £395,000. The pub will be converted into a church complex serving three different island communities.
A downturn in tourism trade to North Uist, due in part to a dismal summer, is understood to have persuaded owners the Macinnes brothers to put the three-star Visit Scotland-rated pub and restaurant-with-rooms on the market.
The Free Church was keen to acquire a building able to act as the focus for a currently scattered congregation.
Spokesman Rev Iver Martin told The Publican the new church would bring together worshippers currently meeting in small numbers on Berneray, North Uist and Grimsay.
“This is not about the church wanting or trying to close down pubs,” he said. “It’s just the case that this building came on the market and is ideal.”
The church would have preferred a new build but the pub is in a good central site, has full disabled access and a large car-park.
The purchase goes against the trend which has seen former churches being converted to licensed premises – for example in Glasgow’s West End two landmark former churches already play host to major “arts-with-bars” hybrid ventures.
Two pubs in South East England are also facing conversion into places of worship. In October the Skinny Dog in Aylesbury was sold to the Toheed Ul Islam Association to be redeveloped into a mosque, whilst regulars at the Swan on Clapton Common in East London are campaigning against the conversion of the pub into a synagogue by the Stamford Hill Bobov Jewish community.
4 responses so far ↓
thecroft // November 27, 2008 at 9:19 pm
This story would have maxed its humour value if the spokesman had been the Rev. Iver Martini. So near yet…
Roy Beers // December 4, 2008 at 3:28 pm
I am the aptly-named scrivvener responsible for informing England’s publicans (The Publican is a UK publication, read largely down south) that Carinish had a dismal summer. A local informant has since upbraided me for this falsehood and I now realise (should have checked) that in fact the summer weather in these parts, unlike rain-sodden Glasgow, was perfectly fine. But unfortunately the word didn’t get to anyone south of Inverness, apparently. So sincere apologies - I don’t want to end up being fried in a giant Wicker Man by vengeful crofters next time I visit!
Vengeful Crofter // December 4, 2008 at 4:02 pm
Fried? Disembowelled and then fried, surely?
Lochmaddy // December 12, 2008 at 10:05 am
It was really Rev Ian Macaskill who had the idea of the Free Church purchasing Carinish Inn and he has been the force behind it all.
Two recent quotes from him.
1.”Happy Hour” will now be on Sundays…6-7 pm
2. On Christmas Eve 2008, there will be “plenty room at the Inn”