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00:06I can handle living on a remote island, not having a shower, no power, bad weather, the ferry's not running.
00:14Popping to the pub is an exercise.
00:19Oh, bloody hell, that's what we do.
00:20We can't be doing that every day.
00:21Nah.
00:23You've got to get Rory to take you over, you've got to find someone to pick you up and take
00:26you to the pub,
00:27then you've got to find someone to bring you home from the pub.
00:31Rory said if I flash my head torch heaps, you'd be able to see from the kitchen window.
00:34Coo-ee!
00:36Ah, here he comes.
00:39Not all heroes wear capes.
00:42It's a hassle, it's a fiasco.
00:43It's like, trying to get to point A to point B and then back to point B.
00:48Have you been drinking again?
00:49Maybe.
00:50But you know what I mean?
00:51It is, it's like, it's hard.
00:53Poor Rory, you've dragged him away from his sudoku.
00:57Rory!
00:58Howdy!
00:59Good evening.
01:00I think we should have a pub over here.
01:01That's not a bad idea.
01:16Come on, girls.
01:23The island's newest residents, our slightly worse for wear Antipodeans, are attempting the ambitious task of turning this once grand
01:34home into an even grander island hotel.
01:38But this whirlwind of ambition has taken a considerable toll on the rather timid £150,000 budget.
01:48Real talk.
01:50Well, I've got to start budgeting.
01:54You've been saying that to me for years.
01:59There's about a third left.
02:00And we still don't have a kitchen, radiators aren't in, windows, floors, the house isn't warm.
02:08So now we need to dial down the spec.
02:09I've dialed down the spec to the point where half the house isn't going to be done.
02:13I think the harsh, cold reality is we don't have enough money to finish it.
02:19We're going to be budget conscious, maybe rein in some of the extravagant designs.
02:25Excuse me?
02:26No.
02:29The master bedroom.
02:31We just need to keep it simple.
02:38At the start, I was just washing the walls.
02:41But what was happening is you're just smearing mud about.
02:45If you get all that dust off, it's just so much quicker.
02:51We need to be able to make money soon.
02:53So we just need to get in there, give it a good clean, get the mould out, get the dust
02:57out,
02:58give it a plaster, give it a paint.
03:00Happy day's the end.
03:01We can get some guests in there and we can start making some money.
03:07This will be the highlight, I think, of the hotel.
03:10So we want to get it right.
03:11You get lots of light coming in.
03:13You can see straight out into the fields.
03:15It's going to be special.
03:20We just need to keep it simple, keep the vision simple, and then we'll be fine.
03:29I've invited a folkloria, a storyteller, to the island.
03:37She's going to create a tale for us and I'm going to base the whole room on her.
03:42Why?
03:45I don't think I've ever heard of an interior designer that's like, you know what this room needs?
03:51A storyteller.
03:52Exactly.
03:53And that's what will be our difference.
03:58She's wandering the island and she's making up a folk tale and she's going to perform it to the rest
04:03of us.
04:05Great.
04:10Oh, welcome.
04:12In Norse mythology, the sun and the moon are chased through the sky by two giant wolves named Skål and
04:21Hattie.
04:21But the sagas forget that Skål and Hattie had a sibling, a wolf named Aedes.
04:29When Ro first mentioned it to me, I was like, this sounds an absolute car crash.
04:35You know, let's run around barefoot, hippy-dippy, but actually I was quite pleasantly surprised.
04:42Wherever the radiant Borealis burst into life, Aedes would follow behind, dancing with joy on the trails of light.
04:51Local legend still says that you can spot Aedes, the great sky wolf, dancing in the skies above the tiny
04:59island of Ulva.
05:01Wolf Island.
05:06That's you, Grandpa.
05:09Oh, it's beautiful.
05:10You've given the island a little gift.
05:12We all need a little bit of magic and enchantment in our lives.
05:15I'm pretty sure that's going to make for a spectacular room.
05:19I think taking the inspiration from the story and then turning that into a room in the house, I think
05:23that's a really nice thing to do.
05:25And there's so many little nuggets in there that we can latch onto and make something beautiful.
05:30As long as it's done tastefully, you know, just the image of a massive wolf's head on that one wall.
05:36So, the pressure's on.
05:38I don't think he'll do that.
05:41The name Ulva originates from the Old Norse for wolf.
05:47So, with inspiration sewn, it's now time for the practical work to begin.
05:53G'day, gentlemen.
05:54How are you?
05:55How are you, Paul?
05:56Oh, thanks for coming out.
05:57Good to meet you.
05:57It's a beast.
05:59Yep.
05:59But we just need to work on one little section of the beast.
06:03These hairline cracks sort of, like, all over the place.
06:07That didn't kind of go to plan, but I can...
06:10We'll get that.
06:10We'll stuff some stuff in there.
06:12There's more.
06:13There is as many in this house as you've got time to do over the next couple of days.
06:16Well, we're here till tomorrow evening, so we'll get cracking on.
06:22If they can get ahead of me with the plastering, I can then follow with the painting.
06:29They've just jumped straight into it.
06:36With the walls perfectly prepared, the stage is set for Banjo's vision of the hotel's first guest bedroom.
06:46Wow.
06:47Oh.
06:48I love it.
06:50Morven, she's thinking northern lights.
06:53Then we bring in a wolf kind of story thread through it.
06:57So, there's some kind of wolf-like figures on the wall.
07:01So, I don't think I can be involved in this.
07:04Inspired by Nordic myth and legend, the walls, ceiling and floor will wrap the guests in a colour palette drawn
07:11from the island itself.
07:13A one-of-a-kind bed will take centre stage, while minimalist decor keeps the room feeling like an extension
07:20of the landscape.
07:21A place for guests to lose themselves.
07:25You've got to have an area, like a comfortable sofa or something, where you can just lay down and put
07:29your feet up.
07:29I'm afraid we're going to have a bath in here, so there's no room for that.
07:34Literally, on the other side of this wall is a bath.
07:38Yes, but it's not a tub.
07:40It's stressing me out for two reasons.
07:42One is, like, the physical plumbing of that situation.
07:46Nothing's a problem.
07:48Yeah, nothing's a problem as long as you've got money to throw at it.
07:53Like, it's the story of bathtubs and northern lights.
07:56Like, we're not in Antarctica.
07:59Banjo may have a plan for the grand suite, but the grim reality is that the house's first guest may
08:05be decidedly unwelcome.
08:07A Scottish West Coast winter whipped up by Thor himself.
08:14We need that heating on.
08:16I just can't handle if that mould came back.
08:18That's just too much.
08:19I'm not mentally equipped to deal with that again.
08:23Fortunately, plumber John is here to judge whether the house's elderly heating system is up to the challenge.
08:30Looking at the boiler at the minute, I don't think you need a new boiler.
08:33The burner is needing some parts changed on it.
08:38OK, that sounds good.
08:42We do need oil.
08:43As soon as you get oil, we can get you heat and hot water.
08:46So, I just need to figure out how to get oil into the tank.
08:52What might be an idea is get a thousand litres delivered to the Pier and Mull.
08:55Yeah.
08:55And get 25 litre drums and say do 10 at a time.
08:59It's good news.
08:59Problem solved.
09:00Going to have hot water.
09:02What?
09:03What a luxury.
09:09Approaching any bedroom with limited funds is tricky because you really want a statement piece.
09:15But a little birdie told me Knock Dairy Castle might just have the thing I need and it won't cost
09:21me a penny.
09:23With Banjo off hunting for that one statement piece, Roe is left to oversee the ongoing work at the house
09:30and keep an eye on that island business.
09:33But trouble has a way of coming from the most unexpected quarters.
09:38So, we took him for his usual check-up and then the vet called and said you need to bring
09:41him in straight away because they've found cancerous cells.
09:47So, we took him straight back in.
09:49They've removed the lump and then three centimetres around the lump.
09:54And I'm just waiting for the results back from that.
09:57Hoping it's been on.
09:58That's what I'm hoping for.
10:00I'm just trying to be strong because I know Banjo will be quite upset by it.
10:1259.17 miles from Ulver House as the crow flies stands the imposing Knock Dairy Castle.
10:23If you wanted it, we would love you forever.
10:26Really?
10:27Yeah.
10:27Oh, is it like I'd be doing you a favour?
10:29But it's so cool and everybody wants it to be restored and be used.
10:33Okay.
10:39Oh, what?
10:40I love it.
10:42Wow.
10:44Oh, that is some tub.
10:47What's the catch?
10:49I'm just going to get it off.
10:50You have to get it out.
10:50Get it off.
10:51Get it home.
10:52That's the main catch.
10:52You can go in it.
10:54Yeah.
10:54Oh, she's got good size.
10:58How much do you want for her?
11:00I mean, if you can take it, you can have it.
11:02What?
11:03Deal.
11:04Deal.
11:05Nice doing business with you.
11:07This is worth the hassle.
11:09I think so.
11:09Oh, God.
11:10All that remains now is to figure out how to get a 200 kilo antique cast iron tub off the
11:18roof of a castle and back to Ulver.
11:26Back on the island, news arrives concerning Grandpa.
11:32Grandpa is not dying.
11:43He's gone.
11:44No, I know, but he's like, um, he's like such a little, like, big part of our life, isn't he?
11:52Hmm.
11:53Yeah, I just assumed he'd always be a part of it.
11:57But, yeah.
11:58I don't want him to die, then.
12:09The salon show is the event of the season on Mull.
12:13It is so revered that everyday life is politely asked to wait its turn.
12:20Islanders gather to present the fruits of their labour.
12:23Vegetables polished to an improbable sheen.
12:26Heifers handled with military precision.
12:29And dogs groomed to perfection.
12:39We've entered Grandpa and the Dog Show.
12:41We do every year.
12:42He's never won.
12:43It's actually a little bit of a conspiracy because he is the best looking dog on the island.
12:50Right, OK, now we have Class 6, any other large dog.
12:54We've got to get our skates on.
12:57I hope Grandpa has fun and then maybe gets a ribbon.
13:01We'll see what happens.
13:03And the band doesn't carry on like a pork chop and be a stage mum.
13:06They're from out of town.
13:09That's a professional dog shower.
13:11Come on.
13:12Come on.
13:15This is Grandpa.
13:16Grandpa? And how old's Grandpa?
13:18Eight years old.
13:19Come on, boy.
13:20Come on, good boy.
13:22Rose nervous.
13:24God, Grandpa looks nervous, too.
13:26Come on.
13:28I don't know.
13:29There's some stiff competition.
13:42Third.
13:43Yay!
13:46Grandpa, you're my winner.
13:50Good boy.
13:51Good boy.
13:53I'm going to get him a steak for dinner.
14:19Imagine if you turned up here with your bags, but there's still holes in the window, holes in the wall.
14:24Yeah, we're still in September.
14:25We've got time.
14:27It's October.
14:29Not yet, is it?
14:30Is it?
14:30It is October.
14:31October, November, December.
14:33So we just keep one foot in front of the other.
14:37If you can.
14:44The winters here, they are cold and very, very damp, so that's when you get the issues with things like
14:49mould.
14:50I think they've got another three weeks, basically, until it starts to get really, really cold.
14:56There's a race against time, so I think they really need to wake up and get on with it.
15:01On the Isle of Ulver, winter punishes the unprepared.
15:06Fortunately, Ro is taking a delivery.
15:09This is actually going to be my life now.
15:11Filling up cans of oil, getting up to the house.
15:13Yeah, I will get fit, so that's a win.
15:16Yep.
15:25Okay, so we're just going to drain out all the old oil in case it's bad.
15:32Get it emptied and clean so we can start putting the fresh stuff in.
15:36Got a hundred litres.
15:39I think it holds a thousand, so it's ten more loads to go.
15:43I'm building a pub in the do kit.
15:53Man just obsessed with doing an island pub, which, I get it, it's a pain in the bone to go
15:57all the way over to Mole.
15:58We need to start finding a way to make money.
16:01Yeah, I just think if we focus on the one house that we've got...
16:04It's like the bloke that built the Taj Mahal for his wife.
16:08That felt like an extravagance at the time, I'm sure.
16:11I reckon he just worked on the Taj and got the Taj done.
16:13We don't have the time, we don't have the money, we don't have the resources.
16:17It's just got to stop.
16:19Like, we just focus on the house.
16:23This is going to blow your mind.
16:27Ta-da!
16:28Okay.
16:30It's a pub settle.
16:32Every little community needs a pub.
16:36It's the beating heart of a place.
16:39Are you going to run this pub?
16:41It'll be an honesty pub.
16:43Legally, I don't think you can have an honesty pub.
16:46Oh, should we carry it this way?
16:47Yeah.
16:49BYO pub.
16:51And we're going to make money on a BYO pub?
16:55I've lost a grip.
16:58All right.
17:01To over.
17:02Ooh-la-la.
17:04Ooh-la-la-la-la.
17:08Ooh-la-la.
17:11Ooh-la-la-la-la-la.
17:14Yeah.
17:15We're here for life, this is us, but it's going to be a while until this house starts
17:21making money.
17:22So the pub, that's our chance to start bringing in an income.
17:27But more than money, it's about having a space that the community can come together.
17:31I want everyone to be able to enjoy this place.
17:34It actually is very nice having a space away from the house.
17:38Yeah.
17:38Nice space.
17:39Okay, so what are you calling it?
17:40The Ducat.
17:41The Ducat would be the Ducat.
17:43Yeah, there you go.
17:43That's quite a good one.
17:44Yeah.
17:45All right.
17:45All right.
17:46Welcome to the Ducat.
17:47The Ducat.
17:48To the Ducat.
17:48Yeah.
17:49Hell yeah.
17:50I think you need some heating in the place right enough.
17:53And probably a licence.
17:55You don't have a licence?
17:57I mean, you can't sell beer.
17:59It just means you can give it away for free.
18:04The morning after the night before, attention returns to the bedroom.
18:08And the chosen colour scheme.
18:10Look at that.
18:11Look how rich that colour is.
18:14It's kind of the colour of cow poo when they're sick.
18:17Not even just a cow paddy.
18:19It's when a cow is sick.
18:21I see what you're doing.
18:23Like the inspiration from the wolf and the outside and the wilderness.
18:26And it does feel very earthy and very warm.
18:29Yeah.
18:30What about the wall?
18:32Yeah.
18:32Is that the finished colour?
18:35God, you know just the right thing to say.
18:41The well is running dry.
18:43The money tree has stopped growing.
18:46I really need another statement piece.
18:48And if I'm going to get it, I need a call and a favour.
18:52I've got a surprise.
18:54What?
18:55I'm out in the rain.
18:55We're getting a delivery.
18:57Hear that?
18:58What have you done?
19:26Oh, my God.
19:40i'm just flabbergasted i don't even know i actually don't know what to say you didn't
19:44have to do anything that's what everyone wants when they come to a fancy guest house where are
19:49you going to put this to the bedroom right in front of the french doors have you got plumbing
19:54and everything in place for that yeah none of this makes sense to me usually i can kind of
19:58rationalize your mind you've lost me that's from the top of the castle doesn't even have feats
20:04where's the taps where's the waste that's all to come you didn't get this from the top of a castle
20:10this has been in a field for cows to eat out of i'm having nothing to do with this bar
20:15fine i'll be the
20:17first to admit my ideas aren't always right but i still maintain that is a beautiful piece so mark
20:23my words i will find a use for that bath just right now my creativity's been stifled a bit
20:31banjo may have lost the battle of the bath in the bedroom but its energy is far from spent
20:39it's merely redirected so i have changed my mind shocking revelation i'm going to take that pub
20:47settle and turn it into a headboard i really need another statement piece i want to add a drink in
20:53the pub and now it's going to make a headboard what a beautiful journey i know we're just trying to
20:58save on time and money exactly what i've done the settles there and it'll cost nothing okay fine
21:10you know all these pubs shutting around the country you found a good home for it exactly
21:15with banjo's statement piece underway roe is turning his attention to window panes
21:21that have gone missing in action when we had the storm the other week the doors blew open and smashed
21:26it
21:28i've never cut glass before but um should be all right i guess
21:39yeah brilliant
21:45there's a tiny gap across there that's the difference between four and five stars i'm gonna
21:52hear that whistling in the night when we're sleeping in here no we're not sleeping are you
21:56joking are you joking no i've come too far and spent too much money not to check into my own
22:02hotel
22:02if you can't do not if you can't keep our bedroom clean you're dreaming if you think you're going to
22:07stay in here are you for real yeah
22:17after months of tinkering and a few late nights the antiquated boiler may be about to breathe warmth
22:25into the house for the first time in nearly seven years oh my gosh could it be do we have
22:34hot water
22:35water that's hot water to the whole house hey yes we've got hot water to go over
22:42yes yes yes wow oh oh poor man i could have a shower without having to go across the ocean
22:57oh i thought this day would never come me too oh the radiator up well the towel rail's hot oh
23:05we've
23:06got a hot towel rail as well what a day to be alive oh do you have a bath snacks
23:12menu no a bath snacks
23:20with heat and hot water restored and banjo's antique bath finding a temporary home it's now time to apply
23:30the final charming touches to the hotel's very first guest room
23:50for the grand suite banjo wrapped the walls ceiling and floor in an autumnal color scheme drawn from
23:58the island's own palette at its heart sits a one-of-a-kind bed that started life
24:05as a pub settle all conjured from an enchanting island folktale
24:20adis the sky wolf the inspiration for this room it's sitting here at night watching the aurora
24:28through the sky can you imagine do you know what my favorite thing about this room is why we're not
24:34in a bath right now i would say that's the one shortcoming it feels very calm super calm
24:40this is probably the first time i felt relaxed during this home project
24:49i've invited awen and his partner becky they're my test guests i want to make sure that room is just
24:55humming perfectly i hope you're right welcome wow oh it looks so good the bed made by a master craftsman
25:12mm-hmm awen made this little special daddy must be special oh nice basically you're giving it a test
25:22drive we'll let you freshen up if you need anything just give us a buzz okay yeah ring the bell
25:27okay
25:28thank you thank you
25:37what do they think it's nice it's comfy makes some warm feeling in here doesn't it yeah it is it's
25:44lovely
25:52that bedroom feels like it's sprung out of the island hasn't it i think i would quite like a mirror
26:00so somewhere like maybe like a dressing table when you look at that view and you and you see
26:05the forest and the trees and the fields and the nature it just feels like you've managed to capture
26:11that and bring that inside and it feels so peaceful and so calm yeah love the bar
26:18and the atmosphere is very very peaceful yeah i like that i was on struggle street a couple of
26:31weeks ago like i just ran out of juice i just feel like there's so much more to go and
26:38there is
26:38it's just um and i'm trying not to get overwhelmed by it but it's tricky isn't it you know
26:43i think i can see i can see the finish line we have hot water we have electricity we've got
26:57finish
26:57rooms i think it's been really hard and it's tested us way more than i think we could have realized
27:08you helped me up when i was down and i won't forget do you think this is gonna work i
27:14think something's
27:16gonna work i don't know what it is i think we've got the beginning of something very special
27:23i hope you're right
27:34oh this will be our year took a long time to
27:44so
27:51you
27:57you
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