Sutherland worshippers will certainly be in good spirits after a local pub was donated to a church by its owners.
The Crask Inn is the first pub in Scotland to have regular services within it.
The Scottish Episcopal Church has been given the Crask Inn at Lairg by outgoing owners Michael and Kai Geldard.
It will continue to operate as a pub, but also in future as a b and b offering daily prayers, services and spiritual retreats and clergy training.
It will be run by Douglas Campbell, who is a licensed Eucharistic minister and his GP wife Denise, who are moving from Hopeman in Moray to start the venture in April.
Mr Campbell, who is personal assistant to the Rt Rev Mark Strange, the Episcopalian Bishop of the United Diocese of Moray, Ross and Caithness, said neither he or his wife had run a pub or b and b before but was looking forward to the challenge.
Prayer will be on offer as well as Christian retreats.
But Mr Campbell, 52, stressed that the facility – which has four letting bedrooms – would continue to be “open to all.”
The Rev. Chris Mayo, priest in charge of East Sutherland and Tain, also stressed that the Crask would continue to be a pub and b and b first and foremost but with a developing “spirituality.”
“There have been other services in the grounds of a pub, but to my knowledge this is the only one that holds services in the fabric of an inn,” he said.
“My job will be to develop the spirituality of the place. There’s an inherent spirituality in the hospitality of the diocese. “Worshippers can have a drink afterwards – as long as they don’t break the driving laws – it is part of the fellowship.
“I am quite happy to be a part time barman. I have no problem pulling pints.
“It will be run as an open b and b. The church will not dominate it. But we will run spirituality days, training days for clergy and other church leaders.”
The diocese will form a board of trustees to oversee the running of the venture. Any profit will go to the church. Room rates are yet to be set.
The old coaching inn, which dates from 1815, had been on the market for nearly three years at £295,000 which included a bunkhouse and some farmland.
Mr Campbell said:”We will be running it as a Christian b and b – it will be a new, little venture for us. We will offer evening and morning prayers.
“All people are welcome to come. We are trying to maintain what Kai and Michael did. You will not have to be a Christian to stay but we hope to offer Christian retreats.”
