We've been keeping a HUGE secret!
After almost seven months it’s finally time to tell all.
The news is out…….. The Brewery is moving!!
We’ve been bursting to announce the good news, let you know what’s been going on behind the scenes and tell everyone our exciting plans.
How we got here
When we opened our little shop here at the Brewery back in May we were really excited to welcome customers down to Borrisdale but even then we were frustrated. We had planned to host tasting events where we could showcase our beers and local food however we didn’t get planning and licensing consent. As soon as we opened the shop we realised that many of our customers assumed that we would have a taproom where they might be able to enjoy a beer and a bite to eat. It was upsetting for us to disappoint our customers and very often we couldn’t even suggest a local alternative other than takeaways and honesty shops.
Sadly, it’s now harder than ever to find a seat at the table in South Harris to enjoy great local food and drink. In the last few years in the immediate area we have lost two busy and much loved licensed restaurants; the Rodel Hotel and the Anchorage at the pier in Leverburgh. The famous Hebridean hospitality has meant that existing businesses have worked harder than ever to try to meet demand, new honesty shops and cafes have popped up however there is still a huge shortfall.
The big idea
In April this year, a month before we opened the shop we accepted an invitation to have dinner with our neighbours Euan and Morag. That night six months ago we had a lovely meal, the beer was flowing and we chatted for hours. We were distracted by the arrival of Euan’s famous baked cheesecake when the evening took an unexpected turn with one question.
If they could help us to move the Brewery to a larger premises with a bar and restaurant, would we do it?
The Big Decision
It was a big decision, it would change everything and was it really what we wanted? We knew we could use a bigger brewing space and it was obvious that the area desperately needed places to eat but could we stay true to our tiny brewery values if we scaled up to meet the demand and could we run a bar and kitchen at the same time? Over the next few weeks we went over all of the pros and cons of the idea and thought of spaces locally which might be available and would be a good fit for what we wanted.
In the end both decisions were no-brainers. Of course we wanted to do it and obviously the perfect place was the Anchorage.
Making it happen
At this point there was one major problem. The Anchorage wasn’t for sale! As many of you will know the Anchorage is owned by Sally who successfully ran the business as a seafood restaurant. After almost 20 years and countless happy customers Sally closed the doors for the last time in October 2021. Since then we have been asked many times if a rumour was true that we were taking over the Anchorage and we could say no with a clear conscience. However, in the last few months when the inevitable questions about what’s happening at the Anchorage have been asked we have had to bite our tongue. In a small community it’s incredibly hard to do anything without everyone knowing all about it but incredibly we don’t think the news has leaked.
Our Big Plans
We are delighted to say that we have now formed a new company with Euan and Morag which we have imaginatively named the Isle of Harris Brewery Ltd. Of course this is a big step forward but we are all determined that the Brewery’s small business ethos will stay the same and in case there was any doubt, Spud will remain as MD! We are planning to start brewing even more beer in our new Brewshed early in the new year. We will also open a taproom serving a casual brunch and dinner menu and a new bottleshop and deli with a grab and go takeaway in time for the summer season. As we will be brewing year round we will also be open year round and we hope to be a place where the community and our visitors will gather throughout the year. None of this would have happened without the patience and goodwill of Sally and the business and cheerleading skills of Euan and Morag. If you have read any of our other blogs you will know this isn’t the first time neighbours have changed our lives for the better.
There is a lot of hard work ahead and a lot of decisions have to be made but we are already loving working together and we are looking forward to welcoming you to the new Isle of Harris Brewery and kitchen down at Leverburgh pier in Spring 2024.
NICK, ANNA, EUAN, MORAG & SPUD THE BREWERY DOG
