Reach for the stars!
Move in with the rich and famous and it won’t set you back millions
IT often takes an investment of at least seven figures to gain passage to the millionaire’s enclave of Thorntonhall, just south of Glasgow. Well-heeled residents have included the businesswoman Michelle Mone, Celtic star Chris Sutton and Angela Quinn, who scooped £35 million on the National Lottery in 2007.
Now, however, a property costing less than half the normal entry ‘fee’ has come on the market on Thorntonhall’s hallowed streets.
East Birkwood on Waterfoot Road is a conversion of a traditional detached sandstone property, enjoying wonderful views over the Lanarkshire countryside.
You still have many of the advantages of a sizeable home – its accommodation runs to fully 2,547 square feet – without the burden of a crippling mortgage.
Thorntonhall is a rather unusual village. Its facilities are almost non-existent. It doesn’t even have a shop. But that’s just how the locals like it.
A station on the Glasgow to East Kilbride railway line affords the possibility of a 20-minute commute into Glasgow city centre. But its access to the roads network is also second to none.
You can be in the city centre in 20 minutes as well, East Kilbride town centre is only five minutes’ drive and, heading south, you can be on the beaches or golf courses of Ayrshire in no time at all.
The stand-out apartment on the ground floor is the drawing room, with feature fireplace, wood panelling and lovely oriel window looking out onto the gardens. Look closely and you can see Ben Lomond on a clear day.
The property opens from an entrance vestibule to a welcoming hallway, with staircase to the upper floor. There’s a small home office and well-appointed kitchen with dining area, utility room and cosy sitting room, offering access to the rear garden and terrace.
The master bedroom is spacious, located above the drawing room and with an imposing three-panelled window surrounded by decorative dark wood. It also boasts its own walk-in wardrobe.
The second bedroom is well lit, with windows on three sides. The third bedroom makes a dramatic feature out of a bare wall in blonde sandstone. The family bathroom has a separate shower enclosure.
A particular feature of East Birkwood is the extensive landscaped garden grounds, backing onto the surrounding countryside.
There is a deck terrace, which is ideal for entertaining. Bearing in mind the property has other occupants, the driveway is shared with your neighbours, though there is a private driveway that provides parking for several cars and a detached garage and garden store.
Some years ago, Thorntonhall hit the headlines after it was identified as the richest postcode in Scotland, with 80 millionaires among its 500 residents. It also had the highest income per head of population, with average earnings exceeding £100,000 per year.
One famous son of the village – comedian Andy Cameron – must have been laughing all the way to the bank. Yet for all its perceived exclusivity, there appears to be a thriving community at work in the village, mainly based around the local tennis club.
At Christmas, the Thorntonhall Lawn Tennis Club organised a number of Covid compliant activities, including a festive family treasure hunt. There was no entry fee but participants were asked to bring a food bank donation. Locals responded magnificently.