The hunt for a new manager of a unique pub – and the island on which it sits – is set to begin soon.
Barrow borough councillors have been racking their brains to come up with a way forward for the Ship Inn and Piel Island.
A partnership organisation – the Piel Island Pub Company – stepped in to ensure the pub reopened in July of this year after the previous leaseholders, who ran the pub and maintained the island, terminated their contract.
However, it was a temporary arrangement that concluded in September.
The suggestion is now that a new operator for the pub – now closed – and 50-acre island, which sits off the southern tip of the Furness Peninsula, will be sought next month.
A report from Steph Cordon, the borough council’s director of people and place, said the council’s overview and scrutiny working group had drawn a number of conclusions from the temporary tenure of the Piel Island Pub Company this year.
She said camping on the island for a small fee had been very popular and that alternative routes off the island besides the ferry needed to be put in place.
She said it was felt more outside seating was needed to facilitate visitors and stressed there had been no incidents of anti-social behaviour reported – describing this as contrary to perception.
Ms Cordon said all aspects of the island, except for external urgent repairs to the buildings and jetty maintenance, needed to be the responsibility of any future operator.
“Members of the working group felt that an open and transparent procurement for a suitably experienced operator should take place,” she said.
“The emphasis would be on a long-term, 10-year lease with an annual review of performance and a rental charge that would be subject to review over the time period.”
She acknowledged an alternative was to close the Ship Inn but felt this would cause reputational damage as well as withdrawing a service to residents and visitors.
Ms Cordon’s report asks that the overview and scrutiny committee, which was due to meet yesterday agreed to recommend her proposals for future management of the Ship Inn and Piel Island to the borough council’s executive committee.
he origins of the Ship Inn are obscure although it is said to be over 300 years old. Although uncorroborated it is believed to have developed out of a former ships’ chandlery established in the 17th century.
A tradition holds that each new landlord is crowned King of Piel in a ceremony of uncertain origin, in which they sit in an ancient chair, wear a helmet and hold a sword while alcohol is poured over their head.
