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Shapinsay’s only cafe reopens following development trust purchase

The grand reopening of the Smithy, on the small Orkney island, was held earlier this week.

Shapinsay
The Smithy reopened its doors this week. Image: Shapinsay Development Trust.

The community on the Orkney island of Shapinsay has had cause for celebration this week.

Their only place to meet up for a pint or a coffee reopened its doors.

A grand opening was held for The Smithy.

The island’s development trust has led major refurbishments at the historic building after purchasing it from Orkney Council in February last year.

The recent refurbishments will include a new heritage centre upstairs, set to open in around three weeks.

The Smithy will cater to the community on the island, which has a population for around 300, and visitors.

Lisa-Marie Muir is the manager of the Shapinsay Development Trust.

She said: “There has been a distinct lack of any kind of casual meeting place on the island for four years now.

“During Covid, when people were only allowed to meet in cafes and restaurants, the lack of facility was felt more keenly than ever.

Lack of meeting place on the island has been keenly felt by community

“We, as a trust, filled that gap the best we could by operating a pop-up cafe every fortnight.

This was well-supported. But, there was definitely a need for something more regular, including a pub where folk could meet more casually.

Chair of the Shapinsay Development Trust, Ashley Boyd, cuts the ribbon. Image: Shapinsay Development Trust.

“There has been a serious lack of facilities for locals and for visitors, with visitors to the island having nowhere to sit or to eat.

“We hope that this will be a big boost for the island, bring visitors in, and get a buzz back on the island again.”

The Smithy would have once been a blacksmith’s workplace but Lisa-Marie says it has been a cafe as long as she can remember.

This week’s event involved all the funders for the project invited over to the island.

The Smithy then officially opened to the public the next day.

It’s currently offering breakfasts and rolls in the mornings as well as cakes and coffees throughout the day.

Food, coffee, and alcohol already on offer – but more is to come

The Smithy will run as a pub until midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

But there are plans to offer more.

Lisa-Marie says, once the staff finds their feet, they’ll be offering evening meals and takeaways at the weekends.

Prior to being taken over by the trust, it was let out by the council and saw renovations in 2000.

However, by 2019 it had become too expensive to run and no one wanted to take it on.

The council was unable to tap into any funding. So, they approached the development trust to see if they wanted to buy it, renovate it, and run it.

The council sold it at a discounted price to the trust. Support was given from the Scottish Land Fund for extensive renovations.

As the Smithy will feature a heritage centre and is a listed building the North Isles Landscape Partnership provided support as well.

They have also kept the building’s original forge within the main part of the restaurant.

Further funding from Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the council’s community development fund, and the Scottish Government’s CARES contributed and made the project possible.

The Smith is now offering breakfasts, cakes, and coffee and serving as the island’s pub at the weekends. Image: Shapinsay Development Trust.

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