BRINGING HOME THE BEACON
DEPARTURE John and Helen sold up their home in Norfolk business for about £ 450,000 after first visiting the area eight years ago.
Ex-IT project manager John, who also ran a photography gallery before moving to Scotland last year, said: “Most English people holidaying in Scotland just head up the M74 and miss Dumfries out on their way to the Highlands.
“But when we came here on hol iday, we couldn’t bel ieve how beautiful it was.
“Last year we saw the lighthouse hotel was up for sale and just said, ‘ Why not?’
“We’re closed just now and doing a fair amount of DIY to the hotel but we hope we can open soon.”
The hotel was built in the lighthouse keeper’s old accommodation and linked to the main lighthouse, designed by celebrated engineer Robert Stevenson in 1815 – grandfather of famed author Robert Louis Stevenson.
The couple don’t own the working lighthouse, which is operated automatically by the Northern Lighthouse Board.
Film producers have used the isolated backdrop for a host of TV shows and films including Hollywood star Gerard Butler’s 2018 blockbuster The Vanishing.
The hotel boasts six rooms and four self- catering lodges for rent. It is set within 20 acres of sur rounding land and incorporates some of Scotland’s most spectacular coastline.
Helen, a former head of music service for Redbridge Borough Council in London, said: “We came up to Dumfries and stayedsta in a friend’s bothy aboutabo eight years ago, saw the area and fell in love with it. We almostalm forgot about it but last sumsummer we decided that the time was right for us to make a change.cha
“WWhen we saw the hotel was for salesale, we rearealised it could be the ideal opportunity.
“One of the main issues was getting lender support. Not a lot of people are prepared to lend to a hotel business just now.
“But we got a deal through a lender called Together.”
Steven Clark, of the finance firm, said: “The lighthouse hotel is a Grade A-listed building with a fascinating history in a beautiful, remote area of coastal Scotland.
“After hearing Helen and John’s plans for its future, we were delighted that we were able to provide the finance they
TIDES OF CHANGE John and Helen at the Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel near Stranraer needed, helping them fol low their ambitions and complete their dream move.”
Mike Bullock, chief executive of the Northern Lighthouse Board, said he was keen to work with the couple on their tourism ideas.
He added: “The Northern Lighthouse Board is delighted to welcome our new neighbours at the Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel.
“We pride ourselves on working with communities to boost the local economy through tourism initiatives and we are currently exploring the possibility of the hotel undertaking tours of the lighthouse.
“As plans develop, we look forward to working with Helen and John to be able to offer this unique visitor experience.”
In 1998, North Foreland Lighthouse in Kent was the last manned lighthouse in the UK to close operations in favour of automation.
We stayed in a friend’s bothy and fell in love with the area