About Us
The Crofters Story
It all began with Fiddlers’
Crofters opened its doors in 2014, when it was called Fiddlers’. Arran local Dónal Boyle, an accomplished musician and businessman with a passion for local food and drink, established Fiddlers’ to combine exceptional food, drink and service with live acoustic music.
As the family business found its feet, Fiddlers’ quickly developed a reputation as a welcoming and innovative eatery that supported local musical talent and brought first-class visiting musicians to Arran.
Reinvention as Crofters
In 2018, Fiddlers’ became Crofters. The new name represents a commitment to local produce, a modern twist on traditional Scottish hospitality and the authentic, sustainable island lifestyle that Crofters embodies for locals and visitors alike.
Crofters flourished under the experienced management of Dónal’s eldest daughter, Ealána. Head chef Gregg Russell spearheading a dedicated kitchen team producing superb home-cooked food made with local and sustainably-sourced ingredients.
Challenges of 2020
When the coronavirus lockdown of 2020 threw a curveball to the restaurant and hospitality industry, Crofters had to temporarily close its doors and put expansion plans on ice.
However, Ealána took this time to launch Crofters Larder a sister business serving takeaway versions of the restaurant meals that Crofters customers know and love. Crofters Larder is also in the process of developing a range of tasty artisan larder staples for retail.
Whilst live music was off the cards under Covid restrictions, we worked hard developing ways to bring the authentic Crofters experience to more people in new ways. Head over to Crofters Music to find out more!
Reinvention in 2021
For those who have visited us before you'll know how compact we were only being able to offer meals to 40. Combined with the social distancing requirements of Coronavirus this meant it was very challenging for us and deeply frustrating for those who we could not fit in.
This prompted us to start our infrastructure project with the inclusion of a production unit kitchen for the larder and a 9x9m covered alfresco dining area.
With the changes to our operations in response to the ScotGov restrictions we decided to put our emphasis on to the food and service. Sourcing locally to Arran and the surrounding as far as possible.
Relocation 2023
Following both the challenges of the pandemic, and the increased fragility of being on an Island, Crofters closed its doors on Arran in October 2022.
Whilst bittersweet to be leaving their home, Ealána is now taking the reins of the family business and positioning Crofters to be the "go to" place for sustainable, experiential dining, in Glasgow.
Building on all of the experiences gained on Arran, Crofters will continue to strive for excellence and curate the eclectic array of food, drinks, and live music in a convivial environment.
We look forward to welcoming everyone to Glasgow, when we can. In the meantime if you'd like to support Crofters in any way please get in touch or follow our socials.