The former VisitScotland tourist office in South Uist will take on a new life in April when it re-opens as a gift shop – but will also return a tourist information service to the location.
Daliburgh-based Uist Gifts & Info will turn its online retail business of South Uist-branded gifts into a bricks and mortar business in the pier-side building, as well as offering tourist information.
Lochboisdale Visitor Information Centre was closed by Visit Scotland in 2016.
Community landlord Stòras Uibhist secured more than £25,000 from the Scottish Land Fund to buy the building and sought expressions of interest for the tenancy.
Donnie Steele of Uist Gifts & Info said “We aim to bring a new look to the former tourist office at Lochboisdale.
“We will sell souvenirs, gifts and clothing from the isles and provide tourist information services along similar lines to our online sites, SouthUist.com, Isleofsouthuist and online shop uistgifts.”
Bruce Beveridge, interim chief executive of Stòras Uibhist, said: “This is great news at the start of 2019 given the critical importance of tourism to the island’s economy. I am convinced that the return of a tourism hub to Lochboisdale will prove to be a very valuable initiative.”
