'A wonderful lifestyle': Man offers business on beautiful Scottish island for free to help boost population

A man who has spent the last few years building up a business on a west coast Scottish island has announced he will be giving it away for free.

Richard Irvine, 65, runs the Colonsay Smokehouse on Colonsay - an island home to about 120 residents.

The islander’s move to hand over the business for free is to encourage a family to move to the island and live in the location long term.

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The main harbour and lighthouse at Scalasaig, the main settlement on Colonsay where the new affordable homes will be built. PIC: CC/dun-deagh | CC/dun-deagh

Mr Irvine said he hoped this would address the island's ageing population and help boost the number of pupils in the local school.

Colonsay is located off the west coast of Scotland, near Jura, Islay and Mull, and is home to an island store, a bookshop and a gallery.

As with many Scottish islands and rural mainland communities, it is struggling with depopulation, with retirees making up a large proportion of the residents.

Affordable housing was recently built on the island.

However, as with similar locations, a lack of properties to buy and rent is preventing young people from wanting to move back to the idyllic location.

Mr Irvine said the ideal candidate would be someone with an interest in food and with ideas for running and expanding the business.

The Colonsay Hotel: While second home owners support local businesses, the prevalence of holiday homes on the island creates issues surrounding market values and availability of properties for islanders. PIC: geograph.org/MJ Richardson. | MJ Richardson/geograph.org

He said the business would be ideal for a couple, where one person can work remotely, or a family to help boost the school roll, which only consists of four pupils.

Mr Irvine told BBC Scotland: "I've taught myself a new skill and I seem to be doing quite well at it, but the plan has always been to get the business up-and-running.

"Once I've got the money that I put in back, I want to give it away to try and entice a young couple to relocate to the island.

"The population is dwindling on the island.

“We need younger people to staff the ambulance service, the fire service and actually to just become the next generation to run the community.

"If I was 30 years younger, it might be the kind of thing I'd like to do. It's a wonderful lifestyle, it's a beautiful place to live."

Mr Irvine said he would mentor prospective owners for several months.

He hopes to retain some influence that could prevent any new owner from selling the business.

"I'm not sure whether I'll do it," he said.

"It'll all be a matter of trust, but what I don't want is to hand this over and in six months for them to sell up. I want to keep this for the island."

It was reported last year that a “turning point” had finally been reached on Colonsay, with the number of permanent homes for residents set to overtake properties used for second homes and holiday accommodation.

About 124 people call the island in the Inner Hebrides home.