Browsing through some older issues of the Ileach newspaper I found this article about Islay House Square. It was written in 2003 and gives some interesting background information on the Square, of how it was and what the plans were back in 2003. It's interesting to see if the plans were succesfully completed.
Like many great estates, Islay Estate has witnessed remarkable changes over time. Gone are the days when hundreds of people were employed directly by the estate. In its heyday, Islay House Square was a hive of activity with up to 120 stable hands arriving each morning to report for duty at the Estate. This splendid example of Scottish island architecture fell into disrepair and was abandoned for several years as the character and operations of the estate changed. However, Islay House Square is once again a vibrant centrepiece amongst Scottish estates where local people live and operate burgeoning cottage industries. It is an outstanding example of how an estate is transformed from the old to the new. The self-contained business units now operational in Islay House Square have enabled people to live and work on the island. It has underpinned the local property market and rekindled a strong sense of community.
There will be further retail units to let once the final stage of the redevelopment is complete. In 2001, the 2nd Lord Margadale, James Morrison, Chair of the Islay House Square Company, was ready, albeit reluctantly, to sell the Square. Tim Kirkwood, Chief Executive of CKD Galbraith, persuaded Lord Margadale that it was possible to retain the land and convert the buildings into a number of smaller self-contained units that would be ideal bases for local businesses. The cost of the redevelopment of the buildings could be offset against the revenue generated from commercial leases. In addition, CKD Galbraith advised that the redevelopment may attract funding through Scottish Executive initiatives to promote rural economies, such as the Highlands & Islands Agricultural Programme and the Agricultural Business Improvement Scheme. Continue reading....
Tim Kirkwood explains: 'Lord Margadale and the Board of Directors were reluctant to lose the land which is obviously a significant asset, but they were on the brink of selling up. The pressures on large estates are enormous, particularly in the current economic climate. The buildings in the Square were traditional agricultural buildings and were not designed for modern estate needs. We had to find a way to retain ownership of the buildings but to generate adequate monthly income to cover the repair and maintenance bill. Sub-dividing the buildings into studios for commercial lease was the perfect solution to the problem. The asset has now become an income-generating business.' Lord Margadale founded Islay Estates Company to manage the redevelopment of Islay House Square in 2001. In April 2003, Lord Margadale sadly died. His son Alastair Morrison, the 3rd Lord Margadale, has been keen to continue his father’s work as Chair of the Board of Directors, and to support Islay businesses. Today, the studios are home to a photography studio, a furniture-maker, a micro-brewery and a charitable organisation which produces quilts and batik prints, among others. The micro-brewery, Islay Ales, is the first brewery on the island – Islay is world famous for its whiskies.
Lord Margadale says: 'My first priority was the same as my father’s – to ensure that Islay House Square could operate at a profit. But the potential to assist local artisans was a powerful incentive to go ahead with the scheme. My family has been associated with Islay for many years and it has always been our aim to support local business initiatives as much as possible. This redevelopment offered the best of both worlds. We were fortunate that CKD Galbraith could manage the entire process from planning the development, overseeing the building work, applying for relevant grants and finally providing the tenants to occupy the studios.' Today two-thirds of the buildings have been redeveloped. The final stage of the modernisation – which has involved extensive work on the building structure and fitting a new roof – will be complete in late 2004.
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