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Tourists going batty

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Source: Catherine Deshayes

Neil and Nicola Worthington own one of the most easily recognisable houses in Britain - Nora Batty's Cottage as featured in the longest-running sitcom in the world, Last of the Summer Wine...

The Worthingtons bought the house in Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, four years ago and converted the property into a holiday cottage for let to the public.

After spending months trawling around local furniture auctions and car boot sales, the Worthingtons managed to transform the cottage into what is now known as The Nora Batty Experience.

Guests staying at the cottage enjoy accommodation packed full of original props and memorabilia from the series as well as more than 800 photographs of cast and crew taken over the 36 years that the series has been running.

As the cottage remains a live film set, guest can also watch filming taking place outside of the cottage and around Holmfirth, as well as being able to meet members of the cast and crew.

Neil Worthington (40) and his wife Nicola (38) bought the row of cottages in Holmfirth in 2005 as they were keen to move into the holiday accommodation market and were big fans of the series. 

Neil said: "Last of the Summer Wine has been running for 30 series with another commissioned for 2010. Fans all over the world love the opportunity to visit Holmfirth, stay at the cottage and become part of the whole Last of the Summer Wine experience.

"When we first bought the cottage, choosing the right furnishings was vital and the BBC has been really helpful in donating lots of props used over the years on the show to help us achieve an authentic look.

"At the end of the day, we are accommodating the show's most enthusiastic and eager fans, so it's important that they feel they are getting the most realistic experience we can provide, in surroundings that we think Nora herself would have approved of."

Kathy Staff, who played the character of Nora Batty until shortly before her death in 2008, joined the show during its first series in 1973, leaving for a short time in 2001, but then rejoining the cast in 2002.

 In the new series, being filmed at the moment and set to be aired next year, the character of Nora's sister Stella played by Barbara Young lives in the cottage which is still a central focal point of the show.

The Nora Batty Experience is the only location in England where you are can stay in an active film set, and Neil and Nicola still get a real buzz from owning such a unique property.

Neil continues: "It's not unusual for us to have more than 100 tourists a day taking photos of the house from the main street, especially during our peak season in summer. 

"We're very proud to own what is such a unique property celebrating the longest-running comedy programme in Britain, in such a beautiful location too."

 The Nora Batty Experience is listed on tourism and accommodation website www.iknow-yorkshire.co.uk, offering UK holidaymakers a wide choice of accommodation options across this popular tourist region. 

Marcus Simmons, managing director at www.iknow-yorkshire.co.uk, says that the Nora Batty Experience is one of the most popular properties listed on the site.

 He said: "What Neil and Nicola have achieved with the cottage is fantastic and their hard work and attention to detail has clearly paid off, as they attract visitors from all over the world.

"Yorkshire as a region is one of our best performing sites and traffic to www.iknow-yorkshire.co.uk has increased by 12.5 per cent this summer compared to last year."

For holiday home owners looking to list on one of iknow's website, which cover popular tourist regions across the UK, a month's free trial is currently available.

For more information, visit www.iknow-uk.com.

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