300 Year-Old-Pub On Remote UK Island Looking For A 'Monarch' To Run It
The search is on to find a 'monarch' to run Piel Island and 300-year-old pub Ship Inn
The search for a licensee to run a 300-year-old pub has begun with expectation to find a 'monarch' to run a remote UK island.
The 'Ship Inn' pub is located on Piel Island off the coast of Cumbria and since July, a partnership organisation has stepped in to run the old pub.
However, applicants can now apply for a 10-year lease to run and manage the island.
If you get the job then you will be crowned 'King of Piel' and will get a cool coronation ceremony.
The tradition sees buckets of beer poured over your head and you get given a rusty sabre, according to The Guardian.
There is also a throne inside the Ship Inn and anyone who wishes to sit on it will have to buy everyone in the pub a drink.
The hunt is on to find someone with 'sound local knowledge' to become the King of Piel, so you'll have to scrub up on your history and your geography for this one.
The applicant's duties will include 'maintenance of the Ship Inn, grounds maintenance of the surrounding area and management of camping and the toilet and shower block'.
The search is well and truly on as Barrow Borough Council is worried the area will fall into disrepair unless they find someone to take it over.
They'll be looking for the new starter to begin in April 2022.
On its tourism website Barrow Council said: "One of the most enduring aspects of the Ship Inn is the tradition of the king and knights of Piel.
"The tradition holds that each new landlord is crowned King of Piel in a ceremony of uncertain origin, in which they sit in an ancient chair, wearing a helmet and holding a sword while alcohol is poured over their head.
"By the 19th Century it had become an important aspect of the island's history to such an extent that responsibility for looking after the helmet and chair fell within the tenancy agreement."
John Murphy has been leading walks on the island for four decades and says the job will only go to someone who is 'massively dedicated'.
He said: "You can't just nip across to Tesco for a loaf of bread when you're on Piel Island.
"You'll need to have dedication and a strong passion for isolation and peace and quiet. It takes a special personality.
"I absolutely adore Piel Island, I adore its isolation.
"I also love the fact that Barrow still is an industrial town and yet we have this gorgeous, isolated island within spitting distance."
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Anish Vij