Mothballed tweed mill to reopen

Harris Tweed is hand-woven before being finished at the mill

The Harris Tweed industry could be in for a major boost with the reopening of a mothballed tweed mill.

The Shawbost Mill, on the west side of Lewis, is to be brought back to life with funding from Scots oil entrepreneur Iain Taylor.

His friend, former MP and government trade minister Brian Wilson, is chairman of the new company.

John MacIver, who is involved in getting the mill working, said the task would be a challenge but achievable.

Harris Tweed is unique in that it must be hand woven by islanders of Lewis and Harris in their own homes.

The yarn is made in the mill and the cloth returns there for finishing.

Harris Tweed is now used for anything you can imagine Callum Maclean Weaver

There had been fears the traditional cloth faced an uncertain future after Brian Haggas, the Yorkshire industrialist who bought the main mill on the Western Isles last year, said he was limiting production to a handful of patterns, solely for men's jackets.

Mr Wilson said of the decision to reopen Shawbost: "The mill is here, the equipment is here and the skills are here, maybe for not much longer if this had not happened."

Weaver Callum Maclean welcomed the plans for the mill and said that, combined with what Mr Haggas was doing, it could mean a bright future for the industry.

He said: "What I have noticed in the last number of years is that Harris Tweed is now used for anything you can imagine."

Mr Maclean said more recently weavers were faced with the possibility that nothing was going to be available apart from men's jackets.

However, he added: "There is actually a possibility that we could turn out better than we were before because we are covering all the bases, so it were."

'Ensure livelihoods'

Textiles businessman Mr Haggas said the move was "probably a good thing for the islands".

He bought the Stornoway-based KM group last December and with it 98% of Harris Tweed production, but caused alarm bells in the industry with plans to cut the number of patterns.

Critics said the strategy could destroy international sales of the traditional cloth with designers no longer allowed access to the material.

Mr Haggas said he had spoken with the new owners and the activities of the two companies would be complimentary, rather than competitive.

He said: "If they can supply the market - especially the ladies market which we're not doing - then it will be a good thing for Harris Tweed, for the islands and for jobs. I don't feel it undermines us in any way.

"I'm delighted for anyone who may find employment. It'll ensure their livelihoods."