A NEW landlord is being sought for one of the most unique hospitality prospects in the UK.

Tenders are to be invited to secure a ten-year lease for The Ship Inn, on Piel Island, sitting half a mile off the Furness coast in Barrow.

The opportunity is to be advertised on Government procurement portal The Chest from January 18 with all submissions and queries to be made via the platform.

Barrow Borough Council is looking to award the new lease in time for the start of the 2022 season in April after the move was approved by members of the authority’s Executive Committee this week.

Councillor Ann Thomson, the leader of Barrow Borough Council, which is the custodian of Piel Island and its pub, explained the opportunity was genuinely unique and unlike any other to be found nationwide.

She said: “There’s something incredibly special about Piel Island, it’s certainly a location that is held close to the hearts of so many people across Barrow and the wider area.

“As well as running The Ship Inn, the successful applicant will need to manage and maintain other parts of the island, including its small camp site, taking into account the sensitivities that go hand in hand with a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest.”

The scenic Island, which is only 50 acres in size, hosts an array of wildlife and is home to the ruins of Historic England-run Piel Castle, a now derelict structure built in the 14th Century.

Cllr Thomson added: “The successful applicant will need to be dedicated to their role on Piel - an absolute jewel in the borough’s crown - while taking care of the many people who visit the pub each year.

“While there are periods when the pub and the island is bustling with people, there will be periods of quiet too - something the successful applicant will need to embrace.

“Our thanks go to all of the council staff who helped prepare the pub and island for reopening in 2021 in a very short space of time - and also to The Piel Island Pub Company which stepped in to make sure The Ship Inn could be reopened as soon as possible after the first lockdown of the pandemic.

“We look forward to the doors of The Ship Inn reopening again for 2022 and the bright future it has ahead of it.”