February 11th 2025.
Over the weekend, a fire broke out at the former home of the infamous Jimmy Savile in Glencoe. This has once again sparked discussions about the future of the property, named Allt-Na-Reigh, which has been empty since Savile's death in 2011. The police and fire department rushed to the scene on Saturday evening to contain the blaze.
Savile had first laid eyes on the two-bedroom bungalow in 1944 during a cycling trip and eventually moved in 1998. He even hosted royalty, with King Charles, then the Prince of Wales, as a dinner guest. However, the property has since become synonymous with Savile's heinous crimes, with police raiding the house after his death and uncovering evidence of his abuse of up to 20 victims.
Since then, the house has been broken into and vandalized multiple times, with words like "beast" and "paedo" scrawled on the exterior. Despite efforts to deter further graffiti by whitewashing the building, it has continued to be a target.
After his death, Savile had left instructions for the cottage to be handed over to the community, but this was put on hold when Scotland Yard launched their investigation. However, after sitting empty for 14 years, the future of Allt-Na-Reigh remains uncertain.
In 2013, the bungalow was put up for auction and purchased for £212,000. The buyer had intended to live in the property, which was described as a "traditional refurbished detached cottage in an attractive location within scenic Highland countryside." The proceeds from the auction were added to Savile's estate and used to compensate his victims. The property was then bought by Harris Aslam, the director of a grocery chain, for a reported £335,000.
In November 2021, the owners applied to demolish the building and replace it with a modern home. However, this plan was met with complaints from neighbors and organizations like the National Trust for Scotland, who argued that it would detract from the natural beauty of the area. The application was later withdrawn and resubmitted, with the new plans approved in June 2024.
The new plans include demolishing the existing house and building a new four-bedroom, one-and-a-half storey home with a two-storey rear section. The two buildings will be connected by a single-storey walkway with a grass roof. Allt-Na-Reigh is one of only six houses along a 10-mile stretch of the A82 through Glencoe. It was previously a croft house and a road workers' cottage and was even home to renowned Scottish inventor and climber, Dr Hamish MacInnes.
The outbuildings of the property, where Dr MacInnes worked on his designs for ice axes and stretchers used by mountain rescue teams, will also be redeveloped and named "Hamish House" in his honor. The council noted the property's negative associations with Savile but also recognized its positive ties to the respected mountaineer.
Despite the planning permission being approved last summer, no construction has yet begun at the site. The owners have until June 25, 2027, to start work before their permission expires, and they have to reapply. This means that in the near future, the graffiti-covered eyesore on the landscape will hopefully be gone, erasing the visual reminder of Savile's disgraceful connection to the area.
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