Young Lochinver entrepreneur says start-up loan was crucial to setting up her new shepherd's hut hospitality business
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
Young Lochinver entrepreneur says start up funding was crucial for her new shepherd's hut hospitality venture
A 23-year-old hotel worker is embarking on her own hospitality venture, after securing funding to buy and restore a rustic shepherd’s hut on the North Coast 500.
Situated in the fishing village of Lochinver, Ardmore Shepherd’s Hut will open its doors to holidaymakers this spring.
The self-catering accommodation, which sleeps two, is a modern take on the traditional horse-drawn caravans that date back to the 16th century.
Isobel Wright received a £20,000 loan from the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme and Transmit Startups to acquire the unit in March 2023.
She also used some of the funding to install electricity and plumbing and to restore the garden with fruit trees and a vegetable patch.
Since 2012, the Start Up Loans programme has provided more than £6 million worth of funding to nearly 1,000 Scottish entrepreneurs aged 18-24.
Across the UK, more than 15,000 young entrepreneurs have received a share of £100 million in financial support.
Isobel discovered her passion for hospitality by working part-time in hotels while studying sociology at the University of Liverpool’s School of Law.
She was also inspired by her parents who started their own bed-and-breakfast in the area, after the family moved from Yorkshire in 2018.
Lochinver and the wider Sutherland area has been described as one of the last truly wild destinations in Europe, offering stunning mountain views, white sandy beaches, and unique wildlife.
Nearby Achmelvich beach was recently shortlisted as one of the world's top 50 best beaches with features likened to a Caribbean tropical paradise.
Isobel said: “Ardmore Shepherd’s Hut has a lot to offer in terms of charm and character. After moving to Lochinver five years ago, I became very fond of the area and wanted to use my hospitality experience to create a Highland escape for guests looking for a quirky place to stay.
“The property needed a lot of love and attention, so I had to start from scratch and learn some DIY skills. I wanted to keep the traditional features, such as the wood cladding and tin roof, but also add modern luxuries that would appeal to tourists, such as a double bed and ensuite shower room.
“My other passion in life is baking, having helped in my parents’ organic artisan bakeries in the past, so I’m keen to incorporate this into my new venture by offering guests a home-baked hamper on arrival.
“The support I received from the Start Up Loans programme and its partner Transmit Startups was crucial, and I would encourage other young entrepreneurs to take advantage of the various funding and mentoring opportunities to get their business of the ground.”
The funding milestone comes as the Start Up Loans programme launches a new information campaign aimed at students considering entrepreneurship as a career option, to help them turn their business dreams into reality.
The advertising campaign is running in 54 UK cities across the UK, including Dundee, Aberdeen, Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Students simply need to scan the QR code on posters and screens around their college and university campuses to access the information on offer.
New data also shows that the impact of the programme has been particularly noticeable among young entrepreneurs from across the UK, with 16.5 per cent of all loan recipients aged 18-24 having been unemployed prior to receiving their loan.
Susan Nightingale UK Network Director for the Devolved Nations, British Business Bank, said: “It’s amazing to see people in their late teens and early twenties with such a can-do attitude and motivation to succeed in working life.
“Our £6 million funding milestone in Scotland is a significant milestone and testament to the hard work of Start Up Loans and its business support partners, in giving anyone with a good business idea, like Ardmore Shepherd’s Hut, no matter their age, the chance to access the funding they need to bring it to life. We’re determined to continue to support ambitious young people with money and mentoring.”
Small Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake said: “Every big business started as a small one and today’s aspiring young entrepreneurs could be the next success story. I urge them to explore how a Start Up Loan could kick-start their ambitions today.
“Through the British Business Bank, and the Help to Grow campaign, we’ve supported the next generation of business leaders with over £100 million in government-backed finance and we’re not stopping there.”
