By Tom Bevan via SWNS
A small island that inspired several Agatha Christie murder mysteries has been pulled from the market after failing to sell – for £15 MILLION ($19.8M).
Burgh Island off the coast of south Devon was used as a retreat by “The Queen Of Crime” in the 1930s.
It was used as the setting for “And Then There Were None” and became the inspiration for the Hercule Poirot mystery Evil Under the Sun.
The 21-acre private island was put up for sale and includes a 25-room hotel, pub and beach house.
The listing also came with a writer’s retreat – called Christie’s beach house – built on the edge of a cliff.
But the owner said although it had “attractive offers” and one buyer almost completed the purchase – the decision had been made to stop the sale.
Owner Giles Fuchs told the BBC that refurbishment of the hotel would now be accelerated thanks to a £5.4m ($7.1M) refinancing and additional funding package.
Fuchs said he was “delighted” to be “continuing as the owner of Burgh Island.”
He said: “We had lots of interest and we settled on a buyer, but when we got to exchange that buyer decide not to buy it.”
He told the BBC the move was a “benefit” as his sister Niki had stepped down from her role at their London business and “would have more time” to manage the hotel with him.
Fuchs said the refinancing package would “accelerate the improvements” and “continue the journey to make it fit for the next 100 years”.
According to estate agents Knight Frank President Eisenhower and Winston Churchill are rumored to have met at the hotel before D-Day.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor are also said to have been visitors, along with The Beatles who stayed in the hotel before playing a concert in Plymouth.
Described as “one of the finest examples of working Art Deco architecture in Europe”, the Grade II listed white art deco hotel was built in 1929.
The hotel’s architectural highlight is the restored circular glass skylight found in the restored palm court.
The property has been under a comprehensive refurbishment program since 2018 and has been completed with a billiards room, sauna, spa and several restaurants.
The idyllic setting also comes fitted with a tennis court, helipad and a seawater mermaid pool.
Only 250 meters from the mainland, the island is not totally cut-off.
Knight Frank’s listing had read: “The private island setting is virtually unique in the UK and the hotel, which has been fully restored, is one of the finest examples of working Art Deco architecture in Europe.
“Burgh Island is a natural micro-environment, with wildlife to observe and cliff walks around the circumference.
“The sandy tidal beach on the eastern (mainland-facing) side is washed by the tide twice daily and so is always clean.”
