The couple behind Falls of Shin has told of their devastation after having to close the building after a fire.
Tom Bannerman and Annie-Rose Munro have run the Sutherland site as The Salt and Salmon Company since January last year.
Annie-Rose said the journey has been “nothing short of incredible” after a rewarding start to time in charge.
However, an electrical fire in the staff room on December 30 has prevented them for celebrating too much – with the venue closed since.
Work is now under way to repair the damage on the £1.4 million salmon-shaped building which was erected in 2017.
Worry that history may repeat itself
Annie-Rose and Tom were away visiting family when the fire broke out.
Falls of Shin has a history with flames, with the original building destroyed in a fire almost 12 years ago.
Annie-Rose said: “This wasn’t the end to the year we were hoping for.
“When we got a phone call from our security team about a fire alarm going off, my sister Jessie went straight over to the Falls to make sure everything was okay.”
When Jessie arrived she could see smoke coming out of the rear of the building and called the fire brigade immediately.
Teams from Inverness, Dornoch and Invergordon arrived at the scene.
Annie-Rose added: “We were very worried so headed up as soon as we could.
“We were devastated to have to shut our doors after the fire as we had lots planned for the coming months.
“Fortunately the fire brigade got there when they did and managed to contain the fire that started in the staff room.”
Falls of Shin future as bosses eye reopening date
Annie-Rose said no reopening date has been set yet but hopes to bring Falls of Shin “back to its busy self” in the coming months.
The pair also “filled with excitement” for what’s to come as they look to expand its menu and offer new events.
She said: “Like any new venture, the first year brought its share of challenges and the fire has led to us unfortunately closing temporarily.
“However, we’ve faced each challenge with determination and passion, and the hard work has paid off.
“We’re proud of how far we’ve come and excited for the future. We plan to expand our menu, offer new events, and even have some weddings booked.
“Our team have been fantastic in getting everything repaired and ready for reopening.
“We hope to announce an opening date closer to the time.”
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