The Ferry Stores, the most westerly shop on the British mainland, has closed its doors for the final time after more than 50 years of service. Located in Kilchoan on the remote Ardnamurchan peninsula in Highland, the shop fell victim to changing shopping habits and the rise of home delivery services.
Morag Doherty, 66, who ran the shop with her husband David, 67, said the final straw came when Morrisons started home deliveries. 'That killed us,' she told the BBC. The shop had been the only grocery store, post office and petrol station within a 20-mile radius for the village of around 200 residents.
Keeping the shop stocked required an eight-hour round trip involving a ferry crossing and a drive on a twisting single-track road. Doherty, who worked in the shop since childhood, described the closure as 'the end of an era' and said she was 'very emotional' about it.
Brendan O'Hara, the SNP MP for Argyll, Bute and South Lochaber, warned that the loss of such shops 'strikes at the very heart of rural community life' and could accelerate depopulation. The nearest filling station is now 29 miles away in Strontian, and the nearest post office is 22 miles away in Acharacle.
In a statement to customers, the couple thanked their staff and loyal patrons, saying they took comfort in having served the village for seven years. 'We have decided that now is the right time to bring this chapter to a close and step into retirement,' they said.
