New lease of life for former sergeants’ mess
A LONG overdue convenience store, café, gift shop and restaurant is to revolutionise life at the Sound of Kintyre.
The Tin Roof Diner, which formally opens next weekend, is the brainchild of the Gilbert family who have lived in a former airbase house for at least a decade.
Opening a café or restaurant had been a long-term plan for former policeman Hugh, 50, and his wife Rhona, who formerly worked at the Aqualibrium bistro.
Rhona said: ‘We thought of doing something in Campbeltown, but we’d lived here for 10 years and there was nothing.
‘The Sound is seen as a housing estate but with 140 houses it is a small village. Hopefully the diner will become a bit of a meeting and gathering point as we have parking and in finer weather hope to have benches outside.
‘Machrihanish Airbase Community Company has been very helpful with the lease and we will be fully licensed for on and off alcohol sales.
‘There will be five full time staff and we can seat up to 36.
‘We have been giving little tours to people who come in. We decided to include a convenience store because people asked about it, but we don’t want it to interfere with the ambience of the diner.’
It is a true family operation with daughters Charlotte, Molly and Kelly all involved, although the core workers are mum and dad.
The plan is to open from 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm Saturday and on Sunday from 10am to 4pm.