A former Shropshire couple who bought three Scottish islands for £250,000 19 years ago, now plan to sell them for more than £3 million after their decision to separate.Dick and Meg Gannon were antiques dealers in Bishop’s Castle and Mr Gannon was also a councillor there before they bought the remote island of Sanda and its neighbouring islands of Glunimore and Sheep in 1989.
Now the couple have decided to put the islands up for sale after deciding to separate “amicably”.
Mrs Gannon said: “We’d met on Lundy Island and decided as students that we’d like to own an island.
“We just thought that we had to go for it. Our four children were still young enough that they could move schools.”
Mr Gannon became the Laird of Sanda which used to be owned by musician Jack Bruce of the supergroup Cream.
The couple inherited 300 sheep, rebuilt sea-walls and restored the five bedroom farmhouse on the 350-acre island of Sanda, which also has six cottages and its own tavern which Mr Gannon built himself.
Mr Gannon now prepares up to 100 services of food a day for The Byron Darnton pub, named after an old wreck on the island.
He also worked as farmer and handyman while his wife, 61, stayed mainly in Campbeltown in Argyll where she ran a bed and breakfast and took on five shops, one of which she intends to keep.
Mr Gannon, 58, said: “It’s been 19 years and a big chunk of our lives to solidly work at it.
“They say that moving house is the second most stressful thing to getting divorced.
“Well we are getting divorced, moving house and selling the islands so we feel quite blue.”
The couple’s four children are grown up but do not want to take on the islands.
Mr and Mrs Gannon are still unsure where they plan to live although Mrs Gannon has been looking at the Channel Islands and her husband at buying a farm in Devon.
He said: “We have just gown apart. I still love Shropshire and have a lot of friends in Bishop’s Castle but I have to live by the sea now.
“I have had a lot of invites from friends and have bought a camper van which is an old ambulance which used to work in Shropshire.
“I may soon be a millionaire but I’ll be driving about in ‘Big Bertha’.”
John Coleman, of Edinburgh estate agents, Knight Frank, said: “Sanda is a trophy property.
“You don’t have to share it with anyone unless you want to.”
By Catherine Roche
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