Unique Property Bulletin 25 March 2012

Sequestration On Summerisle

Britt Eckland Not Included (c) 2012 Colliers International.

An odd headline description, but factually correct. This building was used in the 1973 Edward Woodward and Sir Christopher Lee film “The Wicker Man”. Currently trading as the Ellangowan Hotel, St. John Street, Newton Stewart, DG8 7JF, this property adopted the fictional name of “The Green Man” for it’s role in the cult following film.

As well as being that little bit special with an unusual pedigree, the property is also priced at a level to sell. After missing out on the last unique hotel to come up, we still have three of our long term hotel syndicate members keen to join in with this building if we can find 6 more for bedrooms at £19,000 whole ownership each, and the manager’s accommodation part at £29,000. Please check out our Unique Hotel Syndicate section for further details and email us if you have any questions. Please note, unique hotel syndicate purchase is arranged via our group lawyers and should not be confused with an outright purchase by one person of this building. If you are wanting to consider buying the hotel outwith any unique hotel syndicate, please contact Colliers International direct as per the details below. Thankyou.

The Wicker Man – A Risque Promotional Shot (c) 1973 British Lion Films.

Notwithstanding a possible unique hotel syndicate purchase, this building is for sale as one entity for a bargain £200,000.

The owners have voluntarily gone into sequestration, which is the Scottish equivalent of bankruptcy. Hence the low price.

Established traditional 9 bedroom village hotel. Popular establishment attracting range of local and visiting clientele. There is a mix of good facilities including owner’s private suite.

Background to sale: On the instructions of A. Menzies, French Duncan, Trustee in the Sequestration of W W Christie, this hotel might be confused with the infamous “The Green Man”, which featured prominently in the iconic 1973 British horror film, “The Wicker Man”. The Ellangowan Hotel was used as one of the principal locations, and even featured actress Britt Eckland behind the bar. Today, almost 40 years on the Ellangowan is a conventional fully licensed village hotel possessing and retaining a great deal of character and features which will have served it well over many decades. As a business the Ellangowan is a straight forward mixed establishment, having responded over the years to shifting standards and demands, and now operates as an important social centre for the local community, and provider of temporary accommodation for a wide range of private and business visitors. Creetown takes its name from the wide expanse of water at the estuary of the River Cree, a prolific sporting river and one of the most popular with fishermen in the south-west of Scotland. The village has a steady local population serving both private and public sectors, and the hotel can attract business from the busy A75 trunk road which passes very close by, carrying a huge volume of traffic across to the Irish ferry ports at Cairnryan. The present owner purchased the Ellangowan Hotel in 1987, and has enjoyed many years of satisfying and rewarding business. For personal reasons in 2011 the decision was taken to place the business, voluntarily, into Sequestration.

Tenure: Feuhold (Scottish Freehold Equivalent).

Guide: £200,000.

Contact Colliers International: 0131 240 7570.

Online Brochure….

http://www.colliersproperty.co.uk/hotels-for-sale/newton-stewart/208552

 

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Leading Lights

Harbour Lights At Hastings (c) 2012 Clive Emson & Co.

 

This is an unusual lot, the style of which we have never seen sold before. It has been described by the auctioneer as a lighthouse, and whilst technically correct, nautically it isn’t quite the traditional lighthouse building as used for warning of a hazard at sea.

For anyone not of a maritime disposition, there is often an arrangement at a harbour where a vessel entering from the sea, locates a safe passage of approach into the harbour limits, by aligning an upper and a lower shoreside light vertically. One light is set to the fore at the harbour, and the higher light is set a distance behind. The alignment of the two giving the skipper the bearing he or she needs to navigate their vessel safely into the port. Often known as “Harbour Lights”, occasionally as “Leading Lights”, this modest building at a similarly reflective price is one such example.

Not sure what change of use permission might be allowed. Also, for now the building has a tenant and is providing a reasonable income. Very useful, as if any change of use is to be sought, this can often mean several months sorting out architect drawings, planning permissions and building warrants. Even longer if, as in this case, the building is “Listed”

This particular building is at 18 East Parade, Hastings, East Sussex, TN34 3AL, and is Grade II Listed.

The property is situated in Hastings Old Town. Arranged over two floors. Currently let as storage space.

Tenancy: Let under the terms of a five year lease from 1st April 2009 at a current rental of £1,750 per annum. A copy of the lease is available for inspection at the Auctioneer’s Office.

Guide: £15,000 – £25,000.

Lot 027 – Auction: 16 April 2012 unless sold prior

Contact Clive Emson Auctioneers: 0845 6036614

Online Brochure …

http://www.cliveemson.co.uk/listing_view.asp?Lot=27&Auc=153

 

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Glaisdale Golden Age Returns

Former Railway Station – Unique Home & Business (c) 2012. Tees Surveyors.

The Glaisdale Railway Station illustrates an example of a unique home, unique business, and unique lifestyle. Former railway stations have been popular ever since Beeching’s axe fell on 27 March 1963 and recommended the closure of 2,363 such buildings. The point when they started to be sold off. Many with very interesting and unintended results.

Former Railway Station – Unique Home & Business (c) 2012. Tees Surveyors.

This particular example has been converted, primarily to a private residence. For good measure it has a useful income with a seasonal tearoom. Brief encounters with steam engine travellers that still ply the route. As one who has lived in lighthouse buildings, a unique property does, sometimes become overly quiet. By adding a tea room to this railway station there is a nice level of social interaction, which should not be underestimated.

The golden nugget however, is the occasional special train to pass on this unusual railway.

Real Steam Visitor -The Sir Nigel Gresley (c) 2012 Mick Garratt.

This is a community owned rail service, more detail of which can be found at…

http://www.eskvalleyrailway.co.uk/

Well worth reading what a community can do with main gauge and narrow gauge railway lines, when the will to breathe life back into a community – indeed several linked communities – comes about. There is also a nearby narrow gauge railway with special treats for those with a love of steam engines.

Back to the mainline and Glaisdale Railway Station, the estate agency detail is summarised ..

TeesSurveyors are delighted to present for sale this 1865 George Edmund Street designed property, originally used as the Station House to Glaisdale station. This property offers not only an idyllic place to live but also the opportunity to take advantage of the thriving established Seasonal Tea-Rooms business located on site.

This property is located on the scenic Esk Valley line approximately 10 minutes form Whitby. The property itself has undergone refurbishment and modernisation over the past twenty years to bring it up to the modern standards with regards Central Heating and new Sash window installations. However the property still firmly maintains its traditional feel throughout with many preserved original features.

To the rear of the property the land extends to approximately 1/3 of an acre and is laid out with a paved area and two modern Conservatory`s attached to the main building. The first Conservatory leads to Kitchen/ Dining area, this was used for the Tea-Rooms and can be accessed via the Station car park if you wished to utilise this business opportunity.

The Second Conservatory leads into the Living Room and is perfect for enjoying the Magnificent Views of the grounds, which include; Three Garden Ponds, Lawn, Large Vegetable Garden, Double Greenhouse, Coal Bunker and Two Sheds (one with electricity!)

This property briefly comprises; Entrance, 2 Reception rooms, 2 Conservatory`s, Library (Can be used as Further Reception, Office, or additional Bedroom) Extended Kitchen/ Diner, Landing, Two Bedrooms, Bathroom, Railway Line to Front, Large plot and Gardens to Rear.

Rear Gardens; Large Plot, Large Patio area, Has been used for seating area for Tea-Rooms, 3 Ponds, Raised Flower Boarders with Variety of Trees and Shrubs, Vegetable Gardens.

Tenure: Freehold.

Guide: £415,000

Contact Tees Surveyors: 01642 309093.

Online Brochure ….

http://www.teessurveyors.co.uk/properties-details.php?id=86

 

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Castlehill Lodge

Castlehill Lodge (c) 2012 Drever & Heddle.

For this issue of the Bulletin we thought it might be an idea contrast a before and after style of building. The before illustrated above is an unlisted lodge with a lot of character, and probably a lot of headaches. It is also fairly far north. If you check out the location on a map, next stop is Iceland. Castlehill Lodge is situated at Castletown, Thurso, Caithness.

The agents have a fixed price of £50,000 indicated. We would consider visiting the building first, then looking to put a cheeky offer in at say £30,000 and see what happens. But that is just from the perspective of a Bulletin writer. Though one who has owned a building on the north coast before, fairly close to this one, and been delighted how that turned out. Anyways, this particular project gives an idea, in property renovation terms, of what it is like to live at base camp, as opposed to the listing of Manor Lodge below, which is finished and ready to move into and is the top of Everest, once the DIY mountain has been climbed. Also a pretty penny more in price. So as the old adage goes, “you pays your money and takes your choice”.

The estate agency detail for Castlehill Lodge is about as Spartan as the building itself ….

“Derelict Gate Lodge, situated in the grounds of the former Castlehill House. Opportunity to renovate the lodge which is set within approx. 0.2 acres of ground. Electricity, water and drainage are on site.”

Tenure: Feuhold (Scottish freehold Equivalent)

Fixed Price: £50,000 (consider trying a lower offer to test the water)

Contact Drever & Heddle: 01847 894 379.

Online Brochure ….

Castlehill House Lodge – Click For Details

Please let us know if you buy this. In the next week or so, we have a page dedicated to a national television production company who have contacted us looking for folk who are taking on challenges such as this to take part in a television series.

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Manor Lodge

Lovely Lodge (c) 2012 Greenslade Taylor Hunt.

Here is a finished version of our two lodge theme – a detached 3 bedroom Grade II listed property understood to have been built in the early 1800’s of local Lias stone, rendered and colour washed, beneath a slate roof. Located in Kingsdon, Somerton, Somerset, TA11 7JZ.

The property has been extended, and there are many attractive features to include pretty diamond leaded pained windows. The accommodation briefly comprises a reception hall with tiled floor, doors opening to the sitting room with an open fireplace, bay window, opening to the kitchen/breakfast room with fireplace recess for oven, stainless steel 1 1/2 bowl single drainer sink unit with cupboard under, space and plumbing for washing machine and dishwasher, two pine dresser units, ceramic tiled floor, stable door to the rear, door to the separate dining room with continuation of the ceramic tiled floor, wood panelling to one wall with concealed door opening to the ground floor bedroom three, separate study with tiled floor, range of built in shelving, ground floor bathroom with cast iron bath with claw feet and shower units over, wash hand basin, high level W.C, heated towel rail, wall mounted heater, understair cupboard with factory lagged hot water cylinder. On the first floor there are two bedrooms.

The property does have storage heaters but currently they are not connected. Outside the property is approached along a private drive which leads to Kingsdon Manor. To the front of the property abutting the road there is a natural stone retaining wall. There is a good sized gravelled parking area approximately 31′ x 30′.

There is a further elevated garden with a range of mature trees, plants and shrubs. To the other side of the lodge there is a further area of lawn with gate giving access to a gravelled patio area.

Tenure: Freehold.

Guide: £239,950.

Contact Greenslade Taylor Hunt: 01935 415300.

Online Brochure ….

http://www.gth.net/residential/property-search-results.aspx?display=details&pg=1&pid=YEO100223