The Torvhaug Inn in Kirkwall has enjoyed success and popularity at the heart of the community over four decades.
The original vision for the Torvhaug - an old Norse word for peatstack - came from Captain Jim Lee.
Jim - a former RAF pilot from County Wicklow - was well known in Orkney as the chief pilot of Loganair, and he had overseen the rebirth of the islands air service and air ambulance.
In 1971, however, he opened the Torvhaug as a restaurant and Lounge bar in the former Ministry of Agriculture buildings at 4 Bridge Street, Kirkwall.
Ownership later switched to a new partnership including Albert Reid, from Stronsay, who played a major role in developing Orkney’s whitefish trawler fleet. Albert Reid already travelled the world in the Merchant Navy when, at

the age of 23, he returned to Orkney to join forces with his brothers David and James to operate what was then the biggest fishing boat ever to be launched for Orkney owners.
Another Stronsay man to join the Torvhaug partnership was John Stevenson. John had also served in the Merchant Navy before returning home to take over the family farm of Kirbuster in Stronsay.
The parnership of Albert and his wife Christine and John and his wife Ali was to continue for 15 years - with the premises managed by Jean ‘Charlie’ Tulloch - until John’s retirement when Albert and Christine became the sole proprietors.
Sadly John Stevenson died in 2000, but the Torvhaug was part of his legacy that will hopefully continue to be part of Orkney life for years to come.