One of Britain’s biggest model villages has been put up for sale at an asking price of £230,000.
The miniature village, known as Bondville, is located on the coast of Bridlington, East Yorkshire and depicts a traditional seaside setting.
It has around 200 houses, three churches, a war memorial and a working railway, all at one-twelfth their actual size.
The model village in East Yorkshire was built by craftspeople Geoff and Carol Cooper in 1986. Tim and Jan Whitehead have run it as an attraction in Bridlington for the past eight years
The village is nestled among green hills, Derbyshire mills and a working harbour.
But the model, which includes a tearoom and a small gift shop, is as much as a local house.
A four bedroom detached house is listed on the property website Zoopla for an asking price of £234,950 and is in ‘one of the most sought after areas in the resort’.
One of Britain’s biggest model villages has been put up for sale at an asking price of £230,000. Owner Jan Whitehead is pictured above maintaining houses
The miniature village, known as Bondville, is located on the coast of Bridlington, East Yorkshire and depicts a traditional seaside setting. A bus is pictured down a miniature street setting
The model village was built by craftspeople Geoff and Carol Cooper in 1986.
Tim and Jan Whitehead have run it as an attraction in Bridlington for the past eight years.
Mr Whitehead said: ‘I’m creeping up to retirement and I’m looking for young blood to carry it on.
‘Perhaps the new owner might want to give it a mini internet cafe.
‘People want electronic things today… children like to press buttons and see things happen.’
The model, which includes a tearoom and a small gift shop, is as much as a local house. A four bedroom detached house is listed on the property website Zoopla for an asking price of £234,950 and is in ‘one of the most sought after areas in the resort’
Bondville recalls a time when intricate toy villages were a staple of holiday towns across the country.
In the early 1970s there were thought to be more than 60, but only a few from that era remain and none are thought to have been built on the same scale.
Mr Whitehead said: ‘There are Derbyshire mills, bits of Whitby, and random places that Geoff Cooper had seen on his travels and wanted to replicate.
‘But we have a working railway and a working harbour. They had to be specially done because you can’t buy boats or trains at one-twelfth size.’
The place had been ‘a bit tired’ when he took it over, Tim said, and it had taken several years of restoration to bring it back up to scratch.
The attraction, usually open between Easter and September, is currently closed due to the cornavirus crisis.
The model village price includes a tearoom and a gift shop. The land is leased from the council and has 23 years lease left.
The village is nestled among green hills, its own Derbyshire mills and a working harbour. Owner Jan Whitehead is pictured above with maintenance manager Bob Bunce. The model features intricate miniature buildings seen above, with a castle in the background
Tim said: ‘Easter weekend would have been one of our busiest of the season.
‘It’s when everyone has been indoors and they come to Bridlington to open their caravans and holiday homes for the season.’
The current hiatus has seen its sale postponed, but Mr Whitehead is optimistic that the delay will only be temporary.
‘I think people will be interested,’ he said. ‘These things don’t come up all the time.’
The attraction, usually open between Easter and September, is currently closed due to the cornavirus crisis
Bondville recalls a time when intricate toy villages were a staple of holiday towns across the country. In the early 1970s there were thought to be more than 60