Warm welcome ensured at Tayvallich
Tayvallich has been quieter than usual over the last few months of lockdown as visitors have stayed away during the Covid-19 restrictions and residents abided by the rules.
But, in line with government recommendations as restrictions are relaxed, businesses in the village are gearing up to reopen…albeit with an altered appearance.
Relaxed dining
The Tayvallich Inn, closed since the start of lockdown, reopens on July 31, with a service adapted to meet the crisis. Food will be served in the beer garden overlooking the beautiful bay using compostible containers. The emphasis will be on relaxed dining to minimise personal contact between staff and customers, using digital technology in the form of QR codes to deliver menus to customers’ phones and to take orders. A weekend takeaway service will be on offer, with home delivery in Tayvallich.
‘It’s all about giving the best service in response to the changing circumstances,’ says proprietor Kathryn Masson.
At Tayvallich Café and General Store, the café has been closed during lockdown while the shop has remained open, offering an invaluable collection and delivery service, particularly for those shielding. The café terrace reopened for table service this week, serving breakfasts, light lunches, cakes and drinks. The priority is to provide an enjoyable service while keeping staff and customers safe. Masks are obligatory for staff and customers, choices are displayed on a blackboard rather than individual menus, and personal contact is minimised.
For manager Abigail Haworth, lockdown has reinforced the value of local shops and businesses, able to respond quickly to changing demands.
‘The village would be worse off,’ says Abi, ‘without this facility to meet the challenges of times like these.’
Challenge
At Leachive Caravan and Camping Park, the 2020 season finally got under way on Saturday July 4. Open initially for private static caravans only, the welcome will be extended on July 16 to pitches for tourers with their own toilet and bathroom facilities. Closure of the toilet and washing facilities means the site cannot accommodate campers with tents. For owners Roly and Fiona MacArthur, there’s a challenge in striking a balance between offering a traditional welcome and reminding visitors of physical distancing and other safety precautions.
Sandy Campbell, skipper at Venture West boat trips, plans to restart sailing in the Sound of Jura from July 15. Given the difficulty of keeping physical distance on a small deck, trips will be restricted to single-family groups of up to 12 people. The fortuitous launch earlier this year of Venture West’s second vessel means that boats can be alternated to accommodate cleaning regimes. Like other businesses, Sandy has signed up to ‘We’re Good To Go’, the UK-wide industry standard and consumer mark, which signals that a tourism and hospitality business has worked hard to follow government and industry Covid-19 guidelines and has a process in place to maintain cleanliness and aid social distancing.
Meanwhile, Will Self of Wild Argyll, which offers bespoke guided adventures, is taking a slow approach to resuming his kayak excursions, temporarily limiting these to experienced paddlers only.
Self-catering holiday cottages with their own front door are now able to receive visitors and other properties will follow suit from July 15, with strict cleaning regimes in place to protect guests’ safety.
So, it may not be business as usual, but Tayvallich is certainly good to go. Businesses are keen to resume, in a way that safeguards the health of their visiting customers and the community they serve. As the village adapts to the new normal, the old favourites are still there and ready to welcome visitors with traditional warmth and hospitality.