We're trading up

The Urgha Depot cabin has reached its 14th anniversary with us and is now showing its age. When it arrived, despite it being second hand, it was a huge step up from the old touring caravan that provided shelter on the cold wintery days. Initially HHP leased half the cabin as a base for its Harris Handyman. Depot staff used the other half. In 2012 we started stocking wood briquettes following a particularly cold spell when people were struggling to get to Stornoway. This was the start of the retail operation.

In 2014, a container arrived to stock animal feeds. Slowly the retail operation started to grow. The first display units arrived in the cabin in 2022 to house the growing stock of ironmongery. The same year we installed the ramp to improve access to what has become the shop. In 2023 we went official, securing a change of use from CnES Planning for a retail operation.

Now in 2025, 14 years on, the cabin floor is a little spongey, the roof a little leaky and the paint peeling. It's time to trade up.

This year we were successful in securing funding for a replacement. The Coastal Communities Fund and Community Led Local Development Fund have both contributed to the project.

The new cabin will be built shortly and should be installed in November. It will be the same size externally, but will offer more retail space internally as well as being warmer and lighter/brighter.

October will be a busy month as we are going to have to empty and remove the old cabin before work can start on the foundation pads for the new cabin. We plan to remain open for business throughout, working from a temporary container on the parking area behind the depot.

Please bear with us whilst we move home - twice.