Historic Shannochie post office up for sale
The old post office in Shannochie has been put on the open market by Arran Estate Agents with offers over £100,000 being sought for the historic property.
Housing the former post office, the three bedroom home is in a very poor state of repair and will require substantial upgrading, however, it is in an idyllic location and has stunning views over the ocean.
In 2021 a planning application was made to demolish the building.
This was later withdrawn, and a further application to build an earth sheltered house was made, and approved in late 2021.
According to the second planning application the building required either complete demolition or total rebuilding to bring the structure to a standard conducive to modern living standards.
In addition to the post office, the building also used to house the local shop and telephone box which served the rural community and which was the hub of the community and surrounding areas for generations.
The attached three-bedroom home belonged to James and Mary Hamilton who ran the business for many years. Sandra Macmillan (Hamilton) of Brodick has many personal memories of the building as it was her father’s family home and it was her grandparents’, James and Mary, who are synonymous with the building. Aunty Mary, as she was known to locals and visitors, used to invite guests into the family home for tea and cakes.
The post office closed in 1976 and is frequently reported to be one of the last post offices in Scotland to have a thatched roof.
There are many photographs and postcards of the building owing to its previous 19th century appearance. Sadly, this was lost after the thatched roof was removed in 1986.
The surviving red post box at the front of the building holds historic significance as it bears the royal cypher of King Edward VIII, who reigned for less than a year in 1936, and is most likely to be the only one on Arran.
Further information about the property can be found on the Arran Estate Agents website at www.arranestateagents.co.uk and details about the planning permissions for the site can be found by searching for application 21/01010/ PP on the North Ayrshire Council planning portal.