Locals on 8sq-mile Scottish island with a population of just 252 and owned by grandson of aristocrat ‘who was the model for James Bond’ launch hostile takeover bid
- Great Bernera has been owned since 2012 by the grandson of Bond’s inspiration
- Count Robin de la Lanne-Mirrlees bought the island in 1962, without seeing it
- The island was then passed down to his grandson Cyran de la Lanne Mirlees
Residents on a Scottish island owned by the grandson of an aristocrat who is said to be the model for James Bond are at the centre of a bitter buyout row.
Great Bernera has been owned since 2012 by the 27-year-old grandson of the late Count Robin de la Lanne-Mirrlees – the ‘dashing figure’ who inspired Ian Fleming’s fictional spy.
The count had purchased the island in 1962 without even seeing it, before passing it down to his grandson Cyran de la Lanne Mirlees upon his death.
The local community have been trying to buy the island since 2015, and in a TV documentary set to air on BBC Alba tonight, it is revealed that they are planning a hostile buyout – which if successful would be the first of its kind in Scotland.
The islanders’ trust says the current landlord is refusing to get involved with decision-making about the future amid historic population decline, which has left only 252 people on the island, and the recent closure of the school and post office.
In a statement to Eòrpa, Cyran de la Lanne Mirlees, 27, said that his idea for the future is ‘to find an avenue helping us both the community and the estate’
Great Bernera was owned by an aristocrat said to have been the inspiration for James Bond
Count Robin de la Lanne-Mirrlees, who was the owner of Great Bernera Island, purchased the island in 1962, without even seeing it before passing it down to his grandson
While living as an adopted islander, the late Count is said to have refused to raise rents, and donated land for community use.
When in a care home on Great Bernera, he and the only other resident faced being made to move by Western Isles Council, but the pair managed to keep their residency through becoming ‘tenants’.
Count Robin de la Lanne-Mirrlees: The man who inspired 007
Robin Ian Evelyn Milne Stuart de la Lanne-Mirrlees was born Robin Grinnell-Milne, in Cairo. He was the son of Captain Duncan Gribbell-Milne, a Great War pilot, and the Countess Frances de la Lanne.
He initially changed his name when his mother later married another Great War hero, Major-General William Mirrlees. He changed his name again, a second time.
He attended the English School of Cairo, in Paris and continued his education at Merton College, Oxford before being commissioned in the Royal Artillery to serve in India.
He maintained close correspondence with James Bond creator, Ian Fleming, who at the time was researching for his novel ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’.
The Count was known have oozed with charm as a ‘dashing figure’ and ‘witty host’, who ‘enormously enjoying good company and stimulating conversation’.
In Flemings’ novel ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service’, villain Stavro Blofeld bears the ‘deformity’ of having no ear lobes. The Count was also lobeless – a trait that is said to run in the family.
His friendship with Fleming resulted in a jointly written book, Sable Basilisk (1965), centering on Bond’s ‘genealogy’, with 007’s coat-of-arms on the cover and motto: ‘The World Is Not Enough’.
The Count was said to love his titles’. His claim to his princedom emanated in 1967 from the exiled King Peter II of Yugoslavia, his ‘Prince of Coronata’ covering islands off Dalmatia.
Further titles followed: in 1975, he was recognised as Baron of Inchdrewer and Laird of Bernera. He was also a Knight of Honour and Devotion of the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St John of Jerusalem of Rhodes and of Malta.
Eòrpa, explored the Bernera community’s efforts to buy their island from Germany-based landlord Cyran de la Lanne Mirlees.
As a result, the Trust have begun to explore Part 3 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act of 2003, which could mean the land becomes theirs, against the wishes of the landlord.
Part 3 of the Act allows for the pursuing of a hostile crofting buyout rather than a community buyout and is a complex process involving the mapping out of all crofting land on the estate.
If this were to happen, it would be the first time it has worked successfully in Scotland.
Historic population decline and the recent closure of the school and post office have been seen as detrimental to the future prospects of the community and many in Bernera say community ownership is the best way forward.
Some islanders also believe the landlord has failed to engage with them about discussing a valuation for the island and some have also complained the landlord has frustrated or delayed individual attempts to de-croft land for it to benefit their families.
Local crofter Neil James Macaulay has three daughters and several grandchildren. He’s been trying to de-croft for the last three years so his family can have the land to return to if they want to but says the landlord has refused to engage with them.
He told Eòrpa: ‘I’ve been trying to buy the croft here, it’s your right to buy the croft for 15 times the rent and I’ve been trying to buy it for three years now.’
Neil James also talks about the possibility of attracting young families such as his daughters.
He added: ‘The first priority is to get them back here, if you can, and this is the only way of doing that.’
Calum Macaulay, of The Great Bernera Community Development Trust, told Eòrpa: ‘I think it would help us establish more opportunities for people so that they could come to the island and live here.
‘It’s being able to promote the island, being able to promote places for industry, for any form of development.
‘That is going to help. At the moment our hands are tied which makes it very difficult to try and attract anybody here.’
In a statement to Eòrpa, Cyran de la Lanne Mirlees said: ‘I don’t know of any cases of communication difficulties.
‘However, if anyone wants to reach me, I will surely communicate with them. ‘There has been recent success regarding croft development with the community.
‘My interest is always to have fair terms and conditions for both sides. I have no intention of blocking any developments.
‘I indeed intend to visit the island in the very near future. My idea for the future is to find an avenue helping us both the community and the estate.
Count Robin de la Lanne-Mirrlees – the ‘dashing figure’ who inspired Ian Fleming’s fictional spy James Bond (Pictured: George Lazenby as 007 in the film ‘On Her Majesty’s Secret Service)
While living as an adopted islander, the Count is said to have refused to raise rents, and donated land for community use
Historic population decline and the recent closure of the school and post office have been seen as detrimental to the future prospects of the community
‘This could be in the field of renewables creating tangible benefits for the community.
‘If a sale were to take place, discussions over the valuations would be done with official representatives of the community.’
Cyran de la Lanne previously said: ‘It has been in the interest of our family since my grandfather’s days to develop Bernera.
‘We welcome any idea for the mutual interest of our family and for benefit of the people of Bernera.
‘We are most happy to sit together and discuss proposals.’
The late colourful count’s son, Patrick de la Lanne is a lawyer and the former mayor of the German city of Delmenhorst.
But the count’s estate was bequeathed to his grandson – Mr de la Lanne’s son Cyran. Great Bernera – which is connected to Lewis by a bridge over the Atlantic – and Little Bernera belonged to Count Robin for 50 years.
The count’s estate was bequeathed to his grandson – Mr de la Lanne’s son Cyran. Great Bernera – which is connected to Lewis by a bridge over the Atlantic
The count, a former Queen’s herald, died in 2012, aged 87. Also known as Prince of Coronata, Count Robin was the godson of the late 11th Duke of Argyll, and was said to be the inspiration for James Bond and that of a Royal servant in the James Bond film The World Is Not Enough.
Author Ian Fleming, a friend of the count, dedicated On His Majesty’s Secret Service to him. In 1996, Count Robin sold £2 million of property, including a home in Holland Park, London, a flat in Switzerland and one of his Scottish islands, Kearstay to help pay his Lloyds’ debts.
His family have since his death sold other property he owned, including a flat in Paris and run-down Inchdrewer Castle in Banff, which was bought – together with the title of Baron of Inchdrewer – by a Russian princess and former supermodel.
Ex-Versace model Olga Roh and her husband paid a reported £400,000 for the ruin and title.
The count’s estate also included a villa at Le Touquet in France and a Sicilian property and vineyard – as well as Great Bernera.
Despite his vast property empire, the count, who lived in a run-down croft house on Bernera, died with less than £6000 in the bank – including £75 in premium bonds. But after his death legal papers put the count’s wealth at £1,301,478 – mainly property. ends
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