A Liverpool landmark has changed hands.

After managing the Lane’s Privateer Inn with her brother for the last 30 years, Susan Lane says they’ve sold the establishment to a family from Saskatchewan.

Lane says the Inn has passed from her grandparents to her parents and now her and her brother.

Since neither she nor her brother Terry have any children to carry on the legacy, they felt now was a good time to move it along.

“The inn is where I grew up. It was my childhood home, but it’s always exciting to venture out to see what other opportunities are out there.

Passing the inn along to another family is a dream come true for Lane.

“Something that I am very happy about is that, we come from a very strong family that’s been running the inn for three generations. To have another family come in, with young kids, really making Liverpool their home and continuing that tradition of a family-run business, I think is perfect.”

New owner, Ankur Virani has brought his nephew Milan with him from Saskatchewan to manage Lane’s.

Milan and Ankur Virani ready to welcome guests at reception

While precautions around COVID-19 have slowed their moving plans, he expects his wife and two children will be joining him in Liverpool soon.

Virani says he’s been sending photos back to his family everyday and they’re already talking about what they want to do once they arrive.

“My youngest son says he wants to swim in the river.”

Virani comes with a wealth of experience running restaurants and inns in Saskatchewan.

He is already working to expand his holdings in Nova Scotia having purchased the Victorian Inns in Wolfville and Antigonish as well as the MacKenzies and Wildwood motels in Shelburne.

Virani says the pace of life is really appealing in smaller areas.

“I’m living for the last 11 years in a small town. I like local people and local supporting.”

Visitors to Lane’s Privateer Inn and Restaurant won’t notice any changes as Virani plans to keep the operation pretty much the same.

He has retained all 25 staff that returned to work following the COVID-19 downturn.

His nephew Milan will take care of most of the day-to-day running of the inn while Ankar settles his family into Liverpool.

Milan says the restaurant will still feature all the traditional favourites that locals love, but their chef will be working to add new items to the menu.

He’s hoping the people who have made Lane’s part of their special events for the past three generations will continue to do so.

“We want to carry on the legacy of Lane’s. We are looking to meet all the people from Liverpool, Brooklyn and Milton, the communities which we serve most.”

Susan Lane was coy when asked what she plans to do next.

She says she still loves the food industry and may look to do something more on the production side of things, particularly if she can find a way to use her sommelier training.

For now, she is satisfied she is leaving Lane’s in the very best hands and looks forward to doing herself, what she has helped so many visitors do over the years.

“It’s going to be very nice to explore the province and see what everybody else has been having the privilege to see in the summers around Nova Scotia.”

Susan Lane stands outside her namesake Inn on her last day

Reported by Ed Halverson 
E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson