Fish farmer Bakkafrost nets praise for help for TV series island Ulva
Salmon producer has provided free freight transport for efforts to convert house to hotel, and to island for many years, says charity behind project
Salmon farmer Bakkafrost Scotland has been lauded for its help in restoring a Hebridean house that is the subject of a BBC series starring interior designer Banjo Beale and his husband Rohan Christopher.
Banjo and Ro’s Grand Island Hotel charts the Australian couple’s efforts to restore the run-down Ulva House on Ulva, a community-owned island off the west coast of Mull.
The six-part first series makes a star of ferry operator Rhuri Munro, who regularly shoehorns some of Banjo’s unfeasibly large pieces of furniture on to his small boat for the crossing from Mull.
Some other key contributors are mentioned in the series, but there are many more that aren’t, including local fish farmer Bakkafrost Scotland which shipped larger freight to Ulva for free. These contributors have now been acknowledged in an article by the North West Mull Community Woodland Company Limited (NWMCWC), a charity which bought Ulva for the community in 2018.
It explains that a hospitality-based use for Ulva House – such as a B&B or small hotel – had always been an option under consideration, and that rather than the charity operating the building itself, a long-term lease model was chosen, with Ro and Banjo selected.
Offering the house for lease would not have been possible without the financial support of several organisations whose funding enabled the charity to address essential works, meet regulatory requirements, and move Ulva House from long-term uninhabited, deteriorating building towards its active use, writes NWMCWC.
Ongoing support
“The charity would also like to acknowledge the ongoing support of Bakkafrost, who have provided free freight transport throughout the project – and to Ulva for many years. This support has been – and continues to be – of real value to the Ulva community, helping to make projects like this possible in a remote island setting,” it adds.
Zane Pretorius, area manager for Bakkafrost Scotland, said: “At Bakkafrost Scotland, we take pride in being at the heart of the communities where we live and work. Our support for Ulva reflects a broader commitment to fostering strong community relationships and creating shared value across the rural areas in which we operate.
“We believe that by working together, we can help sustain vibrant, resilient communities for generations to come.”
