Welcome to our Blog
Welcome to The Old Byre Showroom blog, I am Lorna Mansfield. I have created this blog for you to keep up to date with our new arrivals, latest fashion trends and useful information on aran wool and much more.
About The Old Byre Showroom
The Old Byre Showroom was established in 1967 by my parents John and Iris Mansfield who moved to the Isle of Arran in 1957. They came to Arran when they married from the town of Langholm in the borders of Scotland.
It was in Langholm that my great grandfather, Tom Paisley, ran the fellmongering business; separating the sheepskin from the wool. The business was later run by Stewart and Charlie Paisley, and it was John’s uncle Stewart who suggested that they bring some sheepskin rugs to Arran to sell. Not thinking that there would be a demand, John and Iris simply sold a few sheepskin rugs from the house – until things got out of hand! It got to the stage that the doorbell was going constantly and the decision was taken to make the old byre, a Scottish word for cowshed, into a shop.
I took over in 1997 when I returned to the island, my husband moved here when we were married in 2004. In 2012 we renovated the Old Byre as it was in a bad state of repair. Fast forward to today we now have a modern bright shop. We have also managed to retain the original gable and some of its character.
Up, up & away
Over the years, the business has grown to include a variety of handmade products such as sheepskin slippers, gloves and knitwear. When I took over the business in 1997, I decided to expand the business further to include brands like Barbour, Sealsalt and many more Scottish and Irish brands.
Take a look at our range of ladies, mens and childrens clothing & accessories, homeware and leather bags at the Old Byre Showroom online or visit our store.
An extra slice
When we renovated the Old Byre in 2012 my husband opened Cafe Thyme, a small cafe which caters for 30-40 people. He built a Turkish wood burning oven in the kitchen from which he produces homemade breads and pides (Turkish style pizzas/calzone) baked fresh to order. Try our Scottish haggis with a Turkish twist!
At Cafe Thyme our ethos being to serve freshly prepared food and that is why all of our food is made using homegrown or locally sourced produce from Scotland. We even have fresh salad which is grown on the premises. Take a look at our menu to see what tickles your taste buds.
Dietary requirements can be catered for, including gluten free, vegetarian, vegan and dairy free diets. If you have any dietary requirements please do not hesitate to ask.
Make a day of it!
Why not make a day of it and visit the Old Byre Showroom for a spot of shopping, once you’re done shopping treat yourself to a scrumptious lunch, cup of coffee, slice of cake or glass of wine whilst enjoying the amazing views of the Isle of Arran.
We haven’t forgotten about the kids. We have an outdoor children’s play area complete with a climbing wall, basketball, tennis, football, digger den, swings, trampoline, slide, fort, diggers, dumpers and a giant sand pit! So you can shop to your hearts content knowing that your children are having fun too and what more you can take a relaxing break the cafe before heading home.
Our opening times
The Old Byre Showroom and Cafe Thyme is open Monday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm.
Monday 10am–5pm
Tuesday 10am–5pm
Wednesday 10am–5pm
Thursday 10am–5pm
Friday 10am–5pm
Saturday 10am–5pm
Sunday 10am–5pm
Lunch is served between 12 and 3pm.