Landlord of ‘Local Hero’ inn feared drowned off African coast

THE former landlord of a pub made famous in the cult Scottish film Local Hero is feared dead after he went missing at sea off the Canary Islands more than two months ago.

Sandy Taylor, who was landlord of the Pennan Inn, in Pennan, Aberdeenshire, in the 1980s, left Scotland and moved to Lanzarote a few years ago.

He was well known on the popular holiday island due to his love of sailing, and kept his yacht in the luxurious Puerto Calero marina. However, after a rumoured problem in his personal life, he vanished on 2 July while sailing in the Atlantic.

The 61-year-old father of two – whose former pub was made famous by the 1983 film – started his new life on the Spanish island after splitting from his wife, Jennifer.

The owner of a company that provides sailing courses in Lanzarote, who did not want to be named, told The Scotsman she had been at sea when an alert about Mr Taylor came out on the radio.

She said: “The message said he hadn’t been seen from a certain date and if anybody spotted him could they let the authorities know.

“The talk in the bars was that he had some personal problems and had then just gone off. We haven’t heard much about it since the first reports in July. I had seen him around and knew who he was. It’s a small place so you tend to know most people.”

Family members are thought to have flown over to Lanzarote to help police but a search has revealed no sign of the Buckie-born businessman or his yacht.

It is understood Mr Taylor, who was believed to be living in the town of Tias on the island at the time of his disappearance, had been suffering from a painful form of arthritis.

He was caught on CCTV shopping in a supermarket just hours before he vanished, leading to a theory that he was stocking up for a trip out to sea.

Close friend Sandy Dalgarno, from Dyce, Aberdeen, said he was praying for his friend – a former champion go-karter – to be found safe and well.

The garage owner said: “All we know is that he has gone missing. The search turned up absolutely nothing – no boat or anything. We all hope that he is still alive, but it’s been such a long time now. It’s just a complete mystery what happened.”

The friends – who competed together in some of the world’s toughest motor rallies, including the Monte Carlo and London-to- Mexico events – met up on the holiday island just six months ago, when Mr Taylor was in “good spirits”.

Mr Dalgarno said: “I saw him in March when we went over to celebrate his birthday.

“He liked it out there. He suffered form ankylosing spondylitis, a form of arthritis, and the heat was good for him. He used to be in so much pain with that, but he had overcome it. He had even taken up windsurfing because it helped his bones.

“It has been a very sad time for his family. He was always completely devoted to his grandchildren.”

A Foreign Office spokeswoman said an investigation into the disappearance was ongoing. She said: “We have been giving assistance to the family. The case remains open.”

Mr Taylor ran the Pennan Inn with his wife after buying it in 1985 – two years after it was featured in Local Hero, a hit film staring Burt Lancaster.

They put the pub on the market in October 1987 and about ten years ago they took over the now defunct Links Hotel at Banff. Mr Taylor was a member of Banff Sailing Club.

A member of staff at Puerto Calero marina said he knew of Mr Taylor’s disappearance but did not have any other information. Mr Taylor’s family have declined to comment on his disappearance.