The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Island residents issue ‘keep out’ plea to tourists
Locals ‘sacrifice summer season’ in bid to fend off Covid outbreak
RESIDENTS on Eigg have effectively closed the island to visitors while other communities have opened up for tourism as lockdown restrictions ease.
Islanders have asked day trippers and overnight tourists alike to stay away for the time being, sacrificing the rest of the season to protect vulnerable members of the 110-strong population.
A large majority of people in the community-owned island voted to keep closed all self-catering, hostel and guest house accommodation, as well as its cafe and restaurant, until August 31.
The difficult decision was taken with large numbers of people hoping to travel to Eigg, but spaces on the Small Isles ferry have been reduced from 190 to 40 due to Covid restrictions.
A community statement said the “ferry conundrum” means it is fairer to say “please don’t come to Eigg for now”.
Stuart Fergusson, who owns the Galmisdale Bay Cafe and chairs the island’s hospitality group, said: “A lot of people here would like to be open, because we’ve lost a season going into lockdown so have lost a lot of money. But we can survive, and it’s weighing up safeguarding our community against the small amount of money we could make in what is left of the season.”
Islanders on Eigg have asked visitors to stay away for the time being as tourism opens up across the country.
The community-owned island has closed all selfcatering, hostel and guest house accommodation, as well as its cafe and restaurant, until August 31 to discourage any visits from day trippers, campers or sailors.
The 110-strong community says it has “agonised” over the decision, which was taken to protect vulnerable residents and due to limited capacity on ferries.
A vote showed a large majority of locals in favour of not opening up.
A statement from the community said: “We realise for many people our decision is hard on you.
“It wasn’t an easy decision to take and we’ve all agonised over it collectively, as well as individually.”
Due to physical distancing measures, the ferry to Eigg and the other Small Isles of Muck, Rum and Canna has just 40 bookable places, instead of the usual 190.
Residents said while people wish to visit Eigg as lockdown eases, others, including tradespeople, need to get to the island. Islanders also wish to go to the mainland, including for hospital appointments and to see loved ones.
“With only four ferries a week, how should we use those 40 places fairly?
“Prioritise one islander’s return visit to their elderly parents in Glasgow over another’s need to have their boiler fixed?
“A visitor coming to stay for a week in a cottage, over one in a tent for a fortnight, or a day tripper?
“Sadly, for our visitors, the ferry conundrum means it seems much fairer to you and to our Eigg and Small Isles communities to say ‘please don’t come to Eigg for now’.”
Stuart Fergusson, who owns the Galmisdale Bay Cafe and chairs the island’s hospitality group, said: “We are in a fortunate position of being socially isolated anyway, but 30% of our population is in the at risk category.
“We want to protect what we have achieved with Covid not coming here.
“A lot of people here would like to be open, because we’ve lost a season going into lockdown so have lost a lot of money.
“But we can survive, and it’s weighing up safeguarding our community against the small amount of money we could make in what is left of the season.”
Eigg is the only one of the Small Isles to ask visitors to stay away, although others have limited services.
Day visitors are not being encouraged to visit Rum where the campsite, bunkhouse, visitor centre, village hall, Kinloch Castle and mountain bothies and toilets are closed.
A statement from islanders says: “We are a remote community with good but geographically challenging health care provision and so it is important that we mitigate the risks associated with any reintroduction of visitors to the area.
“Everyone must play their part to protect one another.”
Mu ck has some visitors in self-catering accommodation.
One local said: “We’re not going out of our way to get more business and most of those who are here are people who come every year. We’ve gone to extreme lengths to reassure everyone it’s safe.”
“It wasn’t an easy decision to take, we’ve all agonised”