Apply to Be the Landlord Slash Monarch Slash Pub Owner of a Remote, 50-Acre Island
The unique job opportunity sounds amazing, but it won't be easy.
Pretty much all of us could use vacation or a change of scenery. It’s been a challenging year – a few years really – but there’s a new job opportunity that might be exactly what you need. And many of us have been unintentionally training for it already. Want to be a monarch, a landlord, and a pub owner and not have to deal with people on a remote island? Well, there’s someone hiring for that exact job position right now to run a remote island off the coast of England.
It’s not a typical job but it sounds both like a dream come true, but it could be a nightmare, too. (The Shining, anyone?). According to Thrillist, the Ship Inn on Piel Island is looking for a special person to take the helm of the 50-acre island. The person chosen will manage not only the inn and pub for a decade, but they will also be charged with looking after the (very remote) island.
And it doesn’t sound like it’s going to be easy. A report to councilors outlining the job position describes Piel Island as a unique place but “any operator needs to appreciate the constraints offered by power, weather, access and its location within an area… of special scientific interest.”
Whoever applies for the job needs to be OK with staying in place. The island is reachable by ferry, but it only runs from April to September, so the other months of the year will likely mean you have to stay put. We’ve done some practicing about isolation over the past two years, but this will be different, warns John Murphy, who has been working on the island, leading walks, for four decades.
“You can’t just nip across to Tesco for a loaf of bread when you’re on Piel Island,” he said, according to The Guardian. “You’ll need to have dedication and a strong passion for isolation and peace and quiet. It takes a special personality.”
He continued, “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.”
While the job sounds like it won’t be the easiest thing in the world, there are some pretty big perks, too – including being named the official Queen or King of the island. There’s a crowning ceremony, too, that involves a saber, a throne, and beer being poured on your head. Adding to that, the island is beautiful, full of breathtaking views from every angle, and waking up to seals and a 10-year job offer isn’t too bad either.
The councilors are looking to lock someone into the role before April when the Inn is open again for the season. For more information, even if it’s just to daydream about leaving the world behind, visit the island’s website.
