Barra community’s plea to save shop from demolition
A PETITION on Barra to save a community shop has more than 2,300 signatures - with 400 from within the local community - but the building is still under threat of demolition.
Buth Bharraigh, a community co- operative, has occupied the ‘old Co- op’ building in the village of Castlebay, Barra for almost three years - having built up trade since 2012 - but last week Comhairle nan Eilean Siar ( Western Isles Council) was still pressing forward with its plans to take the building down.
The social enterprise has supported more than 80 people develop businesses on the islands and runs a community shop with a craft and social meeting place for all ages.
A spokesperson for Buth Bharraigh told The Oban Times that it had had very little support from the local authority development department to continue in its current location.
Yet its work has been rec- ognised at both a local and regional level.
The spokesperson continued: ‘ We think that we have the best building in the best location and we hope the local authority will rethink its plans to demolish our community shop.
‘The council has allowed us to have this building since December 2013.
‘As a group we feel we are being forced to move into a much more expensive building, outwith the historic centre of Castlebay, that has little potential to develop.’
The new building also belongs to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar but is one of the commercial properties in the Castlebay Development Estate.
Described locally as ‘a barn’, the empty business units are up for rent at approximately £7,300 per annum with a rateable value of a further £ 3,500 per annum.
Much more than the fledging, yet successful, co- operative can afford, it says.
At present Buth Bharriagh pays a rent of £125 per month.
Over the past three years of trading, year- on-year the business has grown to turn over almost £97,500 per annum with three full months of trading still to complete in 2016. Of the £97.5k turnover until the end of September, £43,000 goes back to producers, which is a massive boost to the fragile local economy.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar was asked for a comment but at the time of going to press it had failed to respond.
To sign the petition visit the shop, or go to the Buth Barraigh website at barrahebrides.com/bth-bharraaigh