Strathnaver Museum to take over local cafe

Strathnaver Museum has succeeded in its bid to take over a local authority owned café and tourist information centre at Bettyhill.

Highland councillors last week agreed to transfer the £70,000 building, located next to the museum on the A836 at the east end of the village, for £1 to the museum.

The move secures the future of the tourist information centre and 50-cover café, which have been closed since February.

It is also an important step in a development plan to turn the museum into a cultural, heritage and community hub and attract more visitors to the facility.

Tommy Mackay, chairman of the museum's board of directors, said: "The cafe and tourist information centre are an asset to the museum. It is right on the road and visitors can be guided from there to the museum."

Museum volunteer coordinator Simon Lee said : "We are very much looking forward to getting the café and tourist information centre open as soon as we can,”

The café and visitor centre have in recent years been leased to local couple Bob and Lindsay Boyle who are understood to have retired.

Strathnaver Museum, which is grant aided by Highlife Highland, drew up a business plan with the aim of persuading councillors that the group would be able to take on the facility.

In it managers outlined their vision that the facility would serve as a “gateway” to the area, guiding visitors and directing them to the museum.

The business plan states: “The prime function of the Bettyhill Café and TIC is to welcome, inform and encourage visitors to visit Strathnaver Museum and stay and explore Mackay Country through the provision of assistance and services.”

Council officials evaluated the museum’s proposal and their report was before councillors at their meeting in Inverness last Thursday.

Some concern was expressed over the museum’s lack of experience in running a catering establishment and whether it was adequately prepared for maintenance liabilities.

But officers deemed that overall the group’s development plan appeared to be sound and recommended that the transfer be approved..

“The organisation (Strathnaver Museum) has the capacity to deliver, has a strong support network and are clear about the wider benefits which this transfer would deliver,” reads the report.

“Although there is a lack of experience in delivery within this areas, the organisation’s wider experience balances this and any transfer is likely to be sustainable and lead to value for money.”

The local authority is attaching conditions to the asset transfer including that that the museum cover all associated legal costs

North, west and central Sutherland councillor Linda Munro said she and her Sutherland colleagues had been delighted to support the gift.

She said: "The museum's board of directors along with the project officer and team of dedicated volunteers have laboured for many years raising funds to renovate the museum and continue with its superb outreach programme to schools and older adults groups across Sutherland and Caithness.

"We wish them great success and know the café and tourist office will most definitely help swell the museum coffers and play a vital role in the museums future.

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