Burrs of Tongue

Our client, Wildland, embarked on a new approach to return Burr’s of Tongue back to the vital community hub it once was, having been previously ear-marked for demolition due to its poor condition and unsympathetic alterations.

GRAS proposed an alternative view to retain as much of the existing fabric as possible through a careful conservation-led approach to retain the building’s environmental, historical and community value. By embedding the site in its history, the project seeks to harness the strong collective memories that are very much still alive in the area. Investigations revealed much of the original fabric, furniture and fittings were still intact underneath the recent additions.

Once uncovered a community event was held within the building which celebrated the importance of the store within Tongue and beyond. Peter Burr undertook the running of the shop in 1913, purchased it outright in 1932. He worked there until he retired in 1939, when his sons took over the family business. Burr’s ran a bakehouse which supplied the adjacent tearoom and shop, providing a social space. Burr’s also operated a bus and van delivery service as far as Thurso.

The event allowed the history of the store to be discovered, memories to be shared, and ideas about the future of the store to be proposed, all of which informed the conservation ethos that favours retaining, repairing and adapting existing fabric in preference of replacement. It is this ethos and commitment that will help secure the significant and lasting legacy of this site.