A tiny island at the edge of Scotland’s west coast will be closed to tourists on Sundays following “unprecedented interest” from visitors.
Ulva, an island with no paved roads in the Inner Hebrides, has seen a surge in visitors after starring in an interior design programme.
Banjo and Ro’s Grand Island Hotel aired on BBC Scotland earlier this year, focused on the efforts of interior designer and resident Banjo Beale and his husband Ro Christopher to restore the dilapidated stately home Ulva House.
Now, the island with just 16 residents has moved to control rising footfall after “unprecedented interest in the island”.
The Ulva Ferry said in a Facebook post: “If you’ve visited us already this year, you’ll have noticed how much busier things have been. The unprecedented interest in the island has been wonderful, and we are delighted that more people are finding out what makes Ulva so special.
“None of us could have predicted how significant the increase in the numbers of visitors would be, so to give ourselves, the Boathouse and fellow islanders the chance to recharge and prepare for the week ahead, we have made the difficult decision not to open Sundays this summer.”
The on-demand foot passenger ferry connecting Ulva to Mull started seasonal operations on 31 March.
Ferry operators apologised to travellers for the disappointment, and added that those with pre-booked accommodation on Ulva on a Sunday in June, July or August will be assisted across from Mull.
Ulva has been community-owned since 2018 following a historic buyout, and is managed by the North West Mull Community Woodland Company.
Andy Primrose, who runs a small hostel on Ulva, told the BBC’s Lunchtime Live programme: “It all comes down to capacity. All these businesses are based on individuals, and there’s only 16 folk here, and some of them are children. There is a natural limit to what you can do.”
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