Yahoo! pulls remote village from wilderness

The inhabitants of mainland Britain's most remote village have the chance to join in the Christmas e-tail bonanza thanks to Yahoo! and a progressive pub landlord.

Inverie in North West Scotland isn't even connected to the UK's road network, with the nearest shops a boat trip and five-hour train journey away.

However, from today the high street is coming to Inverie after the community teamed up with Yahoo! to install a Christmas shopping station in the community's only pub, The Old Forge, which itself is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the most remote pub in mainland Britain.

Yahoo! has installed a computer in the pub for residents to use free during pub opening hours. It's also carrying out demonstrations to show how having gifts delivered to your door can help take the stress out of shopping.

Located on the Knoydart Peninsula, Inverie is officially the only village in mainland Britain not connected to the national road network. The remoteness of the Peninsula means that almost everyone and everything comes and goes by the TSMV Western Isles ferry, which makes a 30-minute journey to the port of Mallaig on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in winter -- weather permitting.

From there a train runs three times daily to Glasgow, taking five hours. Due to sailing times, that can make a 12 hour round trip.

A spokeswoman for Yahoo! Shopping said: "When we heard about the lengths that people in Inverie have to go to when it comes to buying presents, we knew we had to help."

Pubs are rapidly becoming a focal point for many net-related community initiatives. EDS recently installed a touch-screen kiosk designed to help job seekers in The George pub in Wedmore, Somerset.

Have your say instantly, and see what others have said. Go to the ZDNet news forum.

Let the editors know what you think in the Mailroom.