Questions
Why the Anchor?
It’s a manageable venue for the size of the community. A building the size of the Port Royal or Crown would need to be mainly tourist focussed to cover its costs, and may have been too much work for the community to run.
Is the old corner shop (Lindens) still part of the plan?
Yes, now that the refurbishment work on The Anchor is complete, we decided to take the opportunity to buy Number 35 Marine Road and refurbish the space. We shall be consulting with the community and shareholders to ask their opinion on how they would like to use the building.
What about the land to the rear?
We are delighted that Fyne Futures is helping us to develop a community garden at the rear of the Anchor Tavern. This should be completed in 2023.
If this is a project for the community, why worry about what tourists want?
The community alone is unlikely to provide enough trade to sustain the Anchor. We need tourists’ business to generate profit for the community and stay open all year, so what we offer needs to be welcoming to everyone.
Will the Anchor serve food?
Not at the moment, as we want to compliment the Port Post Office and CaleDonia, not compete with them.
Is there a business plan?
Yes, you can see this here or it is available by writing to us at 40 High Road, Port Bannatyne.
Who is going to run the pub?
We now have paid staff on the bar daily during all hours of opening. Other roles will be carried out by the Management Committee assisted by other volunteers.
What happens to the profits from the business?
We aim to pay shareholders 2%, which is more than they would get in a savings account, but much less than it would cost us to borrow funds commercially. Remaining profits will be reinvested in the Anchor or used to fund other projects in the community. We expect to be in a position to provide small amounts of investment for local projects in summer 2023.
Where can I find out more about Community Shares in PBDT?
We can sell shares in PBDT in line with our rules that specify that at least 51% of shareholders live within local postcodes. Take a look at www.communitysharesscotland.org.uk for more on this or contact admin@pbdt.org for more information.
