Locals raised over £320,000 for the buyout

Britain's most remote pub has been bought by its community in a landmark deal.

Knoydart Peninsula residents in Lochaber are now the owners of The Old Forge in Inverie.

Its owner, Jean-Pierre Robinet, put the pub on the market last year asking for offers over £425,000.

Customers have to walk 18 miles or make an 11km sea crossing to access the pub.

Locals raised more than £320,000 through a community share offer and crowdfunder, and received financial support from Scottish Land Fund and Community Ownership Fund to secure enough capital to purchase the building and undertake essential renovations.

The pub will now be owned and run by the charity The Old Forge Community Benefit Society (CBS).

Stephanie Harris, secretary of the CBS, said: "We are ecstatic that after so many months of hard work we have been successful in securing the pub for the community.

"The Old Forge plays such an important role in Knoydart's social culture and economic sustainability, and with the business now in the community's hands we can steer it forward in a way that will work for the needs of the locals and the thousands of visitors who come every year."

The committee is now preparing to relaunch the pub in a few weeks' time.

Ms Harris said: "We haven't been able to access the building up to this point except for when our building inspectors were permitted entry for valuation purposes.

"The inspection identified a number of essential works to make the building safe and fit-for-purpose, so we plan to open on a drinks-only basis for the first few months until we can renovate the kitchen."

She said it was hoped the pub could reopen on Easter weekend "all going well".

"We're in the process of hiring staff and already have a number of local residents lined up which is great, and means we are achieving one of our goals to provide new local employment," she added.