Build a New Life in The Country (Channel Five)

[Tonester]

Good Evening,

My parents have just been watching an episode of this show featuring a Tin Church on Seil being converted into a bed and breakfast. As ex-pat Scots like myself (albeit Central Lowlanders) they would love to visit your area and ideally stay in this particular B & B.

I never caught the show, and my initial scan through the web has drawn a blank - aside from finding this forum.

If anyone has any contact details or a web address, I'd be much obliged for the help.

Cheers.

Tony.

[Satelliteman]

I watched the programme and it was very good.

This may not be much help as I don't know the area, but the church was also some sort of youth centre for the island.

There are only 500 people living there I think it said so a couple from Sheffied must stick out like a saw thump.

The local postmaster would know who they are or the local pub so maybe if you have no other options just give either of them a call is my guess.

Good luck.

[wasseventhseil]

I watched that program too, although through gritted teeth. I felt utter embarisment as once again the west highlands is plundered by halfwits looking to "live the dream" watched by a crew of shiftless media wanna bees triing to make cheap telly.
Yet more nonsence about wanting a "simpler" way of life......mmm it certainly helps if you are semi retired and are not trying to make ends meet. Maybe i am just jealous, although as always Seil looked amazing its just a shame the program was made in such an inane and "aspirational" fashion.
Oh how I miss the "slower, simpler way of life".......aye right.

[Satelliteman]

So why can the place not be enjoyed by others, surely as free people we have the choice to live where we like, isn't that what our grandfathers fought for, blar blar blar.

Why were they halfwits ?

Surely if it's there dream should they try to live it !!

You sound more stupid than jelous, and judging by your spelling I am prehaps right.

[Pentlandpirate]

They should make a programme about Seil showing the beauty of the place, but investigate and study why such a small population living in many people's dream places, seemingly can't live happily together without moaning and whinging about everything from potholes, traffic lights and power cuts. If they don't like it so much they should move somewhere cheaper, and give others the chance to bring their enthusiasm and investment to live their dream. It could ease the housing problem, and help lower property prices: which is something they also moan and whinge about all the time.

I only join this forum to watch the infighting from afar. With nothing else to do positively you discover the residents are 'revolting'. It's much more entertaining than any day-time TV.

If the Marine Park is coming why not get together and do something positive so that you, the residents, can ensure the Park benefits you and your area?

[elephantseal]

A dream place is an imposition that has been created by urban attitudes that view Seil as beautiful and natural, and through our western, post-modern judgement system, consider anything natural as good. Folk moving here from an urban environment consider themselves 'escaping' from the evils of the city, and from the way that urban places have changed in the last 20 years.

For the folk living here this has, and always will be our home, and our day to day practicalities concern more as to where our children will one day be able to live, and the availability of a reasonably well paid job.

As for the MNP, I don't see there being much input from local folk to the direct running of the park. Both existing Scottish parks have only 5 of 25 of the board members directly elected by the local population, the rest are councillors and other worthies appointed by the Scot.Exec.

As if that didn't bode ill enough, a MNP will likely have no remit on the things that local folk here have been CRYING OUT about for decades, ie. the lack of affordable housing, roads etc. Unwittingly, they will exacerbate existing problems while providing no solutions. That is why the majority of local folk are against a MNP. We are not against new development and forward thinking, only against central belt dictats as to how we should 'develop'.

Oh, and a word to 'Satelliteman' - learn to spell yourself before you start spouting off at anyone!

[Satelliteman]

elephantseal

Shouldn't that start with a capital ?

Also I blasted through your 32 posts of pure sh*t, and find myself laughing at your pointless posts.

Bring on the wind farm, that will give you something else to cry and whinge about.

[wasseventhseil]

Perhaps my spelling is not that hot but I can still type out a post without resorting to expletives.
once again the point is lost on both of you (P.P. & Satman), do you honestly think the residents in your part of the world all live in harmony?that all your neighbors don't gossip and gripe about each other?
As for being stupid at least I can see beyond the trashy "Grand Designs" rip off and understand that the media reprisentation is utter garbage, most of us can try and "live the dream" without taking a film crew with us to document it.
Scotland has allready got 19 possible enviromental designations! why do we need another one! The other national parks are run abissmaly by the SNH, Loch Lomond has a giant shopping centre as its "gateway", very enviromentaly sound. And the CairnGorms, according to recent research will have to biuld a new village every year just to give accomidation to the core occupations.
As for a wind farm, why not its usualy the "living the dream"ers that complain about them any way......

[Pentlandpirate]

As for the MNP, I don't see there being much input from local folk to the direct running of the park. Both existing Scottish parks have only 5 of 25 of the board members directly elected by the local population, the rest are councillors and other worthies appointed by the Scot.Exec

Do something about it if it's going to affect you that much.

All moaners and whingers rightly get ignored

[elephantseal]

Have already, but is there any point when you know there is little chance of a referendum on the issue? The MNP is a 'done deal' politically and will be upon us in 2008 whatever us locals think about it.

P.S. I wasn't moaning, just stating facts as they stand, and roll on the wind park!

[NickB]

Everyone is getting very tetchy.

As a fairly recent incomer I would just like to say that not all of us come looking for the simple life - we came from 30 years in rural Aberdeenshire, so we were already pretty simple . . .

It's easy to blame the current inhabitants for house prices and the fact that young locals find it hard to stay in the area - but blame the politicians and the lack of any sensible rural housing or planning policies, not the people who have chosen and can afford to make Seil their home - it really isn't their fault.

I haven't seen the tin church documentary, but if they are doing b&b then they are contributing to the local economy as it now is. It is hardly realistic to expect Seil to support 500+ people in 'traditional' industries in 2007 is it?

We are beginning to look like a bunch of whingers to those who have this as their little cyber-window on our community.



Nick

[Satelliteman]

Well said....

[seil clubber]

Strangely enough the programme did not mention the paradox of living on Seil - that remote Hebridean island only 20 minutes from Tesco.

[novus ordo seclorum]

Ah; but we are a good sixteen hours from Tresco and at least 24 from Tulsa.
A Merry Christmas to the grumpy few amongst you; I'll buy you a pint at Miranda's over the holiday to help take away the depression brought on by potholes, intermittent water supplies, incomers, central belters, the clearances or whatever else takes your mind away from the privelege of living on such a beautiful island.
NOS
ps
apologies for my appaling gaelic last week; must have had my mind elsewhere.

[NickB]

apologies for my appaling gaelic last week; must have had my mind elsewhere.

Perhaps too much time in the land of the ever young?

Merry Christmas NOS, thanks for the pint, please give it to Holiday John and wish him a VMC from me and Kathy.

Cheers,

Nick & Kathy

Yacht 'Fairwinds'
San Sebastian, La Gomera, Canary Islands
http://www.znoy8.co.uk

[Joomac]

Dear oh dear!!! there was me thinking what a great place Seil looked on the BANLITC prog and it seems like there's nowt but bickering about!!!!

Anyway, all I came on to say was, I'm really looking forward to visiting your area in 2008 (yes, I plan well in advance!) and hoped to find a few friendly comments but hey ho, maybe it's Cornwall again for me!!!!

[Pentlandpirate]

Joomac,

Don't change your plans! If you've never been to Seil, you'll love it. It is a real gem. If you find it bathed in sunshine you'll be comvinced this is paradise. Find it smothered in rain and cloud and you'll still say you must come back and take a chance of discovering it in sunshine! It is beautiful, and as a holiday base as so much to offer for such a range of tastes. The bickering is purely brought about by the tensions caused by so many wanting their own bit of it........

Don't worry about the locals. When you are there you will find they are such a mixed bunch you will struggle to identify them amongst the tourists and others in the area.

Go, enjoy, spend your money................they want it! Just be cautious that you don't end up in the same situation as so many of them. Don't fall in love with the place to the degree that you want to give up everything and move there. Or you may become one of the whingeing locals, who has discovered beauty is only skin deep.

[Minimum]

I wouldn't leave it much later than 2008 otherwise you'll miss out on the romantic ferry trip to Easdale Island. Apparently the Easdalites may be getting a fixed link soon to help stop the chaos caused by storms. The ferry could soon be history.

[NickB]

That old chestnut again . . .

Have they decided they want one? Last I heard all the Luingers wanted a fixed link and were told by ra cooncil no way, while all the Easdalites were fervently against one and had been told they were getting it anyway whether they wanted it or not.

- NickB

[Minimum]

I hear they're getting their own STAG appraisal, and from what I've read in the Oban Times there are quite a few who are sick of being cut off and have been pleading with the Council for help. Perhaps times are a-changing. Bit ironic when you think how hard the Luingites have been trying for one!