Iconic

A visit to Pennan today. Both the pub and the telephone box are iconic as they featured in the 1983 film "Local Hero". I admit I have not seen the film, I think it was something to do with an American business man being in the North East of Scotland and was related to the oil industry.

Rather to my surprise I learnt the phone box was in fact originally put there only as a prop for the film, and then removed, but as a result of public demand a genuine telephone box was installed a few metres from the original spot.

Pennan was a fishing village approached by a narrow steep road descending to the village. Hard to imagine a place much more remote and impractical to live. Especially at the time when it must have been built. I suspect much desperation must have been involved no doubt connected with the Highland Clearances.

Nowadays it owes its fame mainly thanks to the film. Apart from the telephone box, which apparently works though I did not try it, there is a pleasant pub and the fishermen's cottages, now mostly B&Bs or holiday homes. No shops whatsoever which must make living there even today quite impractical, even more so when the pub closes for the winter in a couple of weeks time.