owner retiring after decades behind counter

Skye village to be left without shop and PO

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A small Skye village will be left without a shop and post office from the end of this month when Kyleakin’s only village store closes its doors.

The next nearest post office is at Kyle, over the sea from Skye via the Skye Bridge, or at Broadford on Skye, a 12-mile drive away.

Caroline Clouston, 59, the owner of Cameron’s Shop and Post Office, is retiring from the family business after decades behind the counter.

She is the third generation of her family to run the store, which opened in 1930.

But while the closure of the post office is expected to be temporary, the future of the shop itself is uncertain.

Mrs Clouston said that business was often “a struggle”, with winter months proving the toughest.

She said: “The way forward might be a community shop, if the community could get funding.”

Mrs Clouston added that she had no plans for her retirement but hoped to spend more time with her family, many of whom live abroad.

“I’ve been doing this all my life and I am looking forward to time to myself.”

The shop, which sells groceries and newspapers, was originally beside the slipway, but moved into the village in 1995 when the construction of the Skye Bridge meant that the ferry was shut down.

The shop took in the post office in 1998, when their premises were closed.

Post Office Ltd said yesterday that the branch would close on May 27.

Field change adviser Kenny Lamont said: “Regrettably, following the resignation of the sub-postmaster, and the premises no longer being available, and despite our best efforts to maintain a Post Office counter service at this location, we have no other option but to temporarily close this branch on May 27 2009.

“The provision of a Post Office service to our customers in the local community is of paramount importance and we continue to work hard to restore service in the area as soon as possible.”