An iconic green house dubbed a piece of ‘television history’ has gone up for sale on the Isle of Mull.
The property from hit children’s TV series Balamory – Miss Hoolie’s cheerful seaside home – is on the market with Oban Estate Agents, Bell Ingram for offers over £225,000.
Officially known as Beul An Atna – Gaelic for “mouth of the sea” – the Tobermory property will be familiar to fans of the programme as the home of Miss Hoolie. The property has been home to local resident Matthew Spence, now in his 80s, for nearly four decades.
It is a three-bedroom cottage with two living spaces and one bathroom.
The show Balamory was a hit for children all across Scotland when it first aired in 2002 and a brand new season has begun filming recently.
The TV series follows the story around the fictional island community of Balamory where each character wears a distinctive colour of clothing that matches the house they live in.
Make sure you keep up to date with news from across Scotland by signing up to our free newsletter here.
Mr Spence, the current resident of the home, said: “About 21 years ago, someone came to the door and asked if I’d like the house to feature in a children’s TV show. My wife at the time said ‘yes’ straight away – anything to do with children, we had none ourselves – and we just fell for it.
“When the kids started coming, she took on the job of replying to all the letters. In summer, two busloads of children would park across the road every day. She loved it.
“Even my wee dog loved it – the kids used to post sweets through the door. He turned from a Jack Russell into a wee barrel.”
The house quickly became a pilgrimage site for families, and Mr Spence remembers the joy it brought.
“[It’s] great to see the actors back this year filming the latest series,” he said.
“They came to the door and I had a big cuddle with PC Plum. It was a great experience – children came to the island just because of Balamory.”
But the house holds even more personal memories for Mr Spence.
“The garden was always busy with children,” he said. “They’d ask to pick flowers for their granny – and you’d see the flowers lying at the end of the road, never making it there.
“Sometimes there’d be half a dozen kids in the house with their carers – it was a full house.
“I’ll be sad to leave. Looking back, I get emotional. You never realise how much you collect until you start packing.”
Bell Ingram estate agent Andrew Fuller said: “It’s a real pleasure to bring such a well-loved home to the market. As a resident of Mull, I know just how iconic the green house is – it’s part of the island’s story.
“While it’s bittersweet to see it change hands, this sale marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for a property that holds so many happy memories.”
More information on the sale of Beul An Atna is available by contacting Bell Ingram Oban on 01631 566 122, or emailing [email protected].
. Julie Wilson Nimmo made her long awaited return to Balamory with husband Greg Hemphill
Julie Wilson Nimmo made her long awaited return to Balamory with husband Greg Hemphill | Contributed
1. Miss Hoolie's house
“I’ve lived here for 38 years,” said Mr Spence, the current resident of the home. “I came to Mull from Glasgow when I was just 15. At the time I thought it was the end of the world – all my aunties and uncles had left the city, my father was from Mull, and everything was changing. “But the island changed me. I found hobbies like badminton, I learned to shoot, and although I went back to Glasgow sometimes and they looked at me as if I was daft, after a couple of years I fell in love with the place.” | Bell Ingram
2. Cosy living room
Mr Spence trained as a butcher before joining the army. When he returned, even though his parents had moved to Oban, he knew his heart belonged on Mull. And in 2002, his family home was given a new lease of life – becoming one of the most famous front doors in Britain. | Bell Ingram
3. A well-equipped kitchen
It is a three-bedroom cottage with two living spaces and one bathroom. | Bell Ingram
4. The master bedroom
The show follows the story around the fictional island community of Balamory where each character wears a distinctive colour of clothing that matches the house they live in. | Bell Ingram