AN UNFORGETTABLE DESTINATION IN THE HEART OF LOCHINVER

OUR VISION

Our vision is to create a welcoming and unforgettable destination in the heart of Lochinver that celebrates the unique qualities of the natural area and the local community. The new Lochinver Larder and Boathouse will include a pub, restaurant, bistro cafe, deli counter, bakery, brewery and smoker - offering a welcome pit stop for travellers and a cosy, familiar den for locals. And a raft of employment opportunities.

Lochinver Larder and Boathouse vision and plan

history

Famous for its extraordinary array of delicious homemade pies, the Lochinver Larder restaurant has attracted a loyal following over the last thirty years. Travellers of the North Coast 500 will regularly stop in to pick up a pie and enjoy the warm hospitality and breathtaking setting. The pies have earned such a reputation that they can be sent by post to anywhere in Britain - helping people to share their tales of adventure in the North West Highlands around the kitchen table, wherever home is.

Next door, the Caberfeidh pub has seen a roaring trade in the past, serving beer in the garden or to those sitting atop the large rocks on the small beach outside - with a takeaway Lochinver Larder pie in their hands. The pub was a popular place for locals to gather throughout the year, until its closure in 2018.

By combining the two properties to create the new Lochinver Larder and Boathouse, we can continue the great work created by Ian and Debra Stewart and create an authentic experience that can be enjoyed by both locals and visitors to the area.

Location

Lochinver is the jewel in the crown of the North Coast 500. It sits on a sheltered bay in the wilds of the far North West, in the Assynt district of Sutherland. Wherever you go in Lochinver, your eyes are drawn to the “sugarloaf” shape of Caisteal Liath, the summit peak of nearby Suilven.

Lochinver Larder sits on the water’s edge right where the narrow Inver river flows into the wider sea loch. It’s an ideal vantage point to enjoy nature’s beauty while you relax with great food and drink. Catch the magnificent sunset - or witness the magic of a howling gale as it blows out to sea.

The Larder

Access to both the Larder and Caberfeidh will be united to create one entrance that frames the view to the river, creating a memorable sight for visitors as they enter the building. The building will be revamped to create a modern and welcoming interior, and internal reorientation will provide greater operational efficiency and positive connections to the river.

The baking area, currently hidden away to the rear, will be brought forward to the front of the property. The “Bake House” will create a striking setting for guests as they relax over a meal.

“We would like to strengthen and celebrate the connection between the local people and the specific qualities and resources of the landscape in which they live.” - Kerr Blyth, KBA+D

Pause for a pie!

The Boathouse

The former Caberfeidh will become “The Boathouse” to echo its position next to the water. An extension to the pub, constructed of glass and steel metal profile, will provide decked seating outside and large restaurant space with views directly across the loch - bringing the magnificent environment even closer to the dining table.

At the front, the “Ridge End House” - a structure similar to the Bake House - will have a microbrewery and smokehouse element to it. These structures will bookend the main entrance to the Larder and Boathouse. They will be distinctive in their shape, and the industrial cladding will create a striking contrast with the original generic domestic architecture - and more accurately reflect the industrious activities taking place within them.

Corten steel is proposed for the Ridge End House and Bake House, providing a matt finished deep rust colour beautifully contrasting with the existing white rendered buildings. The Boathouse is proposed to have gloss black corrugated steel cladding, which again contrasts with the white render. The gloss black will shine in the light that reflects from the water and will shimmer when wet with rain.

The design, led by Kerr Blyth at KBA+D, respects the existing building mix and context, while at the same time seeking a new expression. The new structures, designed for distinct purposes, will respond dynamically to their unique surroundings.

Pie Collection

the Plan

Click below to download the full plan

Pause for a pie!

See our full range of pies here

the Team

Kerr Blyth - Director of KBA+D Architecture

Duncan Cameron - Rose Hospitality Director

JOHN SNYDER

John Snyder purchased Lochinver Larder in January 2020, primarily to keep a thirty-year tradition and craft business going and to save important local jobs. His vision now is to build a sustainable business around the famous Lochinver Larder pies so that people can take a part of Lochinver back home with them.

Building a successful business is about creating jobs. For John, the goal is to create more local employment opportunities to encourage young people to stay in Lochinver when they finish their education.

“My measure of success for this adventure is the number of young children attending the local primary school. Can Lochinver retain more of its young people after school years and be the home for young families with attractive employment and more training opportunities on their doorstep?”

KERR BLYTH

DIRECTOR, KBA+D ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN

Kerr and the KBA+D team have considerable experience of working on projects of this nature across the UK, from Orkney and the Highlands to London, Cardiff and many cities and towns in between for national chains and independent bespoke leisure operators.

Kerr and his team’s unique understanding of leisure operations and requirements along with a passionate, respectful, sensitive and scholarly approach to alterations of listed buildings and complex sites, allow them to successfully balance the integrity of the listed buildings and sites alongside the very sustainable businesses that occupy these buildings.

KBA+D projects have won many design awards because the team is committed to seeking out the key ingredients for each project. This brings some magic to the design - a crucial catalyst for a successful and enduring business.

This project is also a personal journey for Kerr having spent a large part of his life in the Highlands; with his mother coming from Lairg he has always had a deep connection to the Highlands and Sutherland.

DUNCAN CAMERON

Duncan Cameron has the task of transforming the thirty years of Lochinver Larder created by former owners Debra and Ian Stewart, into a larger hospitality venue covering the combined site - pub, restaurant, bistro café, deli counter, bakery, brewery and smoker – into one larger scaled destination.

“We will be designing and installing modern software systems to underpin the way Lochinver Larder interacts with each customer, to provide a personal level of onsite and takeaway service. We want to include the voices of the wider Lochinver community as we work hard to help people explore and find the many secrets around Lochinver – both people and places.”

JOHN SNYDER

KERR BLYTH

DIRECTOR, KBA+D ARCHITECTURE + DESIGN

DUNCAN CAMERON

HAVE YOUR SAY

Would you like share your thoughts and ideas on this Vision plan?

We are keen to consult widely across the community.

Listening to views and opinions of locals, and visitors to Lochinver too, we want to tap into a wider exploration of good ideas on how to best use our unique riverside location for the widest benefit.

Our ideas include using a private dining room as a community meeting room in the mornings, and outdoor food demonstrations (how to smoke fish or make pies) and music events. What are your ideas?