A Remote Scottish Island Is Hiring Someone to Run Its 3-Room Bed & Breakfast
Canna, a Scottish island that is home to 15 residents, is looking for the "right fit."
Tighard guesthouse, located in Canna—a tiny island off of Scotland that is home to just 15 residents—is one of the hardest to reach guesthouses in all of Britain, according to The Guardian, and it's looking for a new innkeeper to take the reigns.
This isn't a job for just anyone, however. According to the British newspaper, more than 100 people have applied for the job since it was advertised in November, and the National Trust for Scotland (NTS), which owns the island, is currently working to narrow it down to 10. Applicants are either unbothered or unaware that the island is only 4.5 miles long and one mile wide. It's also notoriously hard to get to, meaning living there can be not only difficult but lonely.
Tighard—Gaelic for high house—sits atop a hill with picturesque views over Canna's bay. Canna is a small, Gaelic-speaking community. It has long winters and less-than-ideal weather conditions. There are only three ferries a week in the winter and four in the summer that reach Canna. The service relies heavily on the weather conditions too, meaning that the schedule is subject to change.
Jim Whyteside, a spokesperson for NTS, told The Guardian that the agency is "thrilled by the quality and diversity" of applicants.
"It comes down to two things," he said. "Firstly, the reality of island life, from getting supplies to getting a break from work, fitting in with the community and helping the community meet its aspirations. People have to understand what they're taking on. It is not an escape, you're going to be working very hard."
"Second, what can you bring to the community? There may be skills and other attributes it will value because that's very much part of becoming one with the community. Everyone is very serious about making sure that that can happen," he continued.
Whoever takes over the guesthouse, an Edwardian villa built in 1904, will have to tend to three guest rooms during high season. They'll be expected to provide breakfasts and dinners and share their living room with guests.
"This is technically not really a job, it's more of a business opportunity for the tenants," a spokesperson for National Trust Scotland told Insider.
The final 10 applicants selected by NTS will be asked to produce a business case, which NTS staff will pick apart. From there, a shortlist will be created and those on it will be taken to Canna for a tour and have the opportunity to meet the island's community.
This new testing recruitment process was introduced after an ill-fated attempt 10 years ago to bring on new islanders. Those brought to the island were reportedly frustrated with housebuilding rules and not prepared for life on the island. Many left claiming they had been misled.