Business on remote Scottish island with only 120 residents being given away for free
Richard Irvine said he wants to support the local community and help in tackling the island's population problems
A business on a remote Scottish island is being given away for free by its founder - but there's a catch. Fish smoker Richard Irvine is looking to pass on his thriving company but wants whoever takes over to move to the isle and stay.
Richard, 65, set up the Colonsay Smokery in the Inner Hebrides after falling in love with the island decades ago. Now, he wants to hand the business over to a family who will settle on the island long-term.
The business owner hopes the move can support the local community and help reverse the island's ageing population. 'I want to keep this for the island,' Richard told BBC Scotland.
Colonsay, located off Scotland's west coast near Jura, Islay, and Mull, is home to around 120 people. Like many small Scottish islands, it faces the ongoing challenge of depopulation.
The island has a shop, a bookshop and a gallery, but retirees make up a large proportion of residents and fewer and fewer young families are living there.
Richard first visited Colonsay in the 1980s, honeymooning there with his wife. The couple have returned every year since.
Although he currently divides his time between the island and his home in Midlothian, Colonsay holds a permanent place in his heart.
After taking early retirement from a career in brand consultancy, Richard originally planned to build a home on Colonsay. But he soon became involved in launching a smokehouse, a business that has now been up and running for two-and-a-half years.
Colonsay Smokery supplies smoked salmon to the island's shop and restaurants, as well as to customers off the island. The salmon is filleted, cured in salt, dried, smoked, matured, sliced and packed over a five-day process.
Now, Richard says he's ready to hand over the reins, for free, to the right candidate. Ideally, he's looking for someone with a strong interest in food and the drive to take the business further.
He said the opportunity would be perfect for a couple, especially if one person can work remotely, or for a young family to help increase the school roll, which currently stands at just four pupils.
Richard said: 'It'll all be a matter of trust, but what I don't want is to hand this over and in six months for them to sell up. I want to keep this for the island.'
To safeguard the future of the smokery, he's considering retaining a 'golden share', which would allow him to veto any decision to sell the business. Aside from that, he wants to step away entirely and let new owners take it forward.
He's also offering to mentor whoever takes on the business for three months to ensure a smooth transition. He hopes the next owners will build on his work by growing the business and expanding its online presence.
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Richard added: 'The ideal candidate would be someone with entrepreneurial spirit and an interest in food.'
While some affordable housing has recently been built on the island, Richard said opportunity, or the lack of it, remains one of the biggest challenges when it comes to encouraging new residents to stay.
He hopes that passing on his smokery will not only allow him to enjoy more of the island life he cherishes but also contribute to securing Colonsay's future for generations to come.
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