THE ILEACH :: THE INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER FOR ISLAY + JURA

Excerpts from issue 51/11 9 March 2024

Ardbeg House
ardbeg house

Ardbeg Distillery, present owners of the Islay Hotel in Port Ellen, is planning a luxurious transformation of the hotel to celebrate the best of Islay. According to the owners, the intention is to to create a world-class whisky and hospitality experience.
Ardbeg purchased the Islay Hotel in 2022, and now proposes a multi-million-pound enhancement designed to honour the spirit of Islay aiming to offer exceptional accommodation, food and drink to local residents, visitors and whisky enthusiasts long into the future.
The distillery has been a fixture on Islay for more than 200 years, and aims to do all it can to make the island a great place to work, live and visit.
They plan to run the hotel in its current guise until late summer this year, and honour all existing bookings. After a short closure period, they aim to re-open in May 2025, with a 'witty and distinctly Ardbeggian restyling of every floor'.
During the renovation, all hotel staff will be retained and temporarily redeployed to other roles on the island.
Led by interior designers, Russell Sage Studio, who have already played a leading role in the transformation of the distillery's visitor centre, proposed changes to the Islay Hotel include a reimagined bar with courtyard, called The Islay Bar. Named after the hotel's much-loved former watering hole which closed years ago, it is designed to be a hub, bringing local residents and visitors together.
There will be a new-look restaurant on the ground floor, which will be open to non-residents, with a private dining room for special occasions.
Perhaps the most controversial change will be to the name of the hotel. When it re-opens in its new guise, it will be known as Ardbeg House.
The interior will feature quirky and luxurious bedrooms and suites, each 'telling unique stories of Islay and its legends and Ardbeg, complete with numerous playful details and hidden surprises'.
In keeping with its new identity, there will be an exclusive space for hotel residents and members of the Ardbeg Committee on the lower ground floor, with an area for games, a whisky cave and a unique after-hours-style warmth. Joining the Ardbeg Committee is free by visiting ardbeg.com.
And the final touch will be an exclusive Ardbeg whisky, only available at the hotel and the Distillery Visitor Centre.
Company CEO Caspar MacRae said, "We are dedicated to making the island a great place to live and visit, so we are tremendously excited about our plans to create a world-class whisky and hospitality experience for Islay residents, visitors to the island and Committee Members.
"We welcome all to come and explore the best of Islay. While the hotel will, of course, be a spiritual home for the most ardent Ardbeggians, we promise even those just getting to know the world's smokiest, peatiest Islay malt, will leave lifelong fans."

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In this week's issue:

Dissent over council tax rise, New housing for Port Charlotte, Finlaggan's delayed re-fit - again, Diageo's £45,000 Port Ellen whiskies, Bridgend Post Office to close, Music review: Fraser Fifield's One Great Circle, Islay Birdlife Festival, Village planning issues, Forty years of Islay rugby, Islay church building sales, Easter services, Schools' trip to Stirling, Small Isles beach clean, CalMac apprentice scheme. Islay Hotel to get a new name and a refit, IHS Eco group, Wear a Hat Day, We speak Gaelic, Ferry substitutions.

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Bridgend Post Office to close (but not the shop)
bridgend shop and post office

A recent statement issued by the Post Office made clear that, following the resignation of the postmaster and the withdrawal of the premises for Post Office use, Bridgend Post office will close on Tuesday 30 April 2024 at 3pm.
The Post Office apologised for the inconvenience the closure may cause and hoped that customers would continue to use Post Office services in Bowmore or Bruichladdich.
Ann and Alistair Birse, present operators of Bridgend Stores, underlined that it is only the Post Office facilities that are affected by this closure. The retail services will continue to be available during current shop opening hours.
However, the statement received by the Ileach was headed 'Temporary Branch Closure', perhaps implying that there may be room for a reprieve at a later date.
In March 2023, Islay Estates, owners of the premises, submitted a planning application to Argyll & Bute Council wishing to setup a temporary village shop within the grounds of Bridgend Hotel.
The Ileach approached Islay Estates for comment, to which they replied, "We haven't been approached by the Post Office about this, but would be happy to discuss it with them in the future."

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Music review

One Great Circle. Fraser Fifield, Chris Stout and Catriona McKay.
one great circle - fraser fifield Readers of a certain age and musical disposition might remember the iconic BBC music programme, 'The Old Grey Whistle Test'. Broadcast from 1971 to 1988, the reputed story behind the title concerned the cleaners, receptionists and doormen at a London record company's offices. They were colloquially referred to as 'the old greys'.
The contention was that by playing recordings in advance over the building's speaker system, the most memorable would end up being whistled by the 'old greys'. Allegedly, those were the records released to the public having passed their most stringent, yet subliminal test.
'One Great Circle' is full of old grey whistle tests.
Composed by low-whistle player, Fraser Fifield, a musician who appeared with drummer Tom Bancroft and pianist, Paul Harrison at last year's Islay Jazz Festival, the nine tracks on the album gained their inspiration from Aberdeen-born storyteller, singer and piper, Stanley Robertson.
Fraser is accompanied on the recording by renowned fiddle player, Chris Stout, and harpist, Catriona McKay, two musicians who regularly perform as a duo.
Despite the presence of only three individuals on the album, you would be forgiven for frequently apprehending the sounds as from a much larger group. According to Fraser, "...I felt I knew how to write for their wonderfully adventurous style of playing", adding that recording of the album took only one day.
I might add that the album's production is immaculate.
Standout track for this reviewer, on the basis of both the tune and the title, is 'The Auld Road o Lumphanan'. It's the sole track on which Fraser employs the Scottish Low Pipes in place of low whistle, featured on the other eight tracks.
His previous trio recording, featured in a concert at Lagavulin in September last year, consisted of a determinedly jazzier approach, some of which has obviously rubbed off in more subtle fashion on 'One Great Circle'.
This can be heard to great effect on the second track, 'An Owl at the Window', the syncopation on which is literally, a joy to behold.
Several of the included compositions cheerfully exhibit a distinct sense of swing, perhaps owing more to Count Basie than to Scotland's traditional folk music. It is, I believe, a very welcome aspect of the album.
And having introduced the concept of an ostensibly folk album with an inherent sense of swing, it's well worth listening to Catriona McKay's harp underpinnings on 'Celestial City'. I confess, I didn't realise a harp could sound like that.
And credit must be apportioned to Chris Stout's fiddle playing on 'Master Robert's Permission', doubling Fraser's low whistle at every twist and turn, a skill demonstrated on several other tracks, as well as soaring clarity when left to his own devices.
On the penultimate track, 'Finding Nicole', you will learn that whistle, fiddle and harp can boogie. A masterpiece.
The album was officially released on Friday 8 March, ahead of a launch concert in Glasgow's Piping Centre on Saturday 9 March. If you're in the area and have read this in time, I'd unequivocally suggest that you make your way there in an orderly fashion by 8pm.
'One Great Circle' can be purchased via Bandcamp

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NEXT ISSUE ON SALE, Saturday 23 March 2024

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