17 February 2023 , 03:05
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Locals are planning a hostile buyout of their Scottish island from the grandson of an aristocrat, who is thought to have been the inspiration for James Bond.
Cyran de la Lanne Mirlees, 27, has been the owner of Great Bernera since 2012 following the death of Count Robin de la Lanne-Mirrlees.
The count originally purchased the island in 1962, without even seeing it and the local community has been working to try and buy the island since 2015.
Now residents of the island are looking at the possibility of a hostile buyout.
The BBC Alba programme Eorpa, explored the Bernera community's efforts to buy their island from Germany-based landlord Cyran de la Lanne Mirlees.
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Count Robin de la Lanne-Mirrlees died in 2012 (Alamy Stock Photo)
Australian actor George Lazenby as James Bond in the film 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service (Getty Images)The islander's Trust said the current landlord is refusing to get involved with decision-making about the island's future.
As a result, the Trust has started 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.
There has been a population decline, along with the recent closure of the school and post office, and many in Bernera think 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 complained he has frustrated or delayed individual attempts to de-croft land to benefit their families.
Cyran de la Lanne Mirlees, 27, is the owner of Great BerneraLocal 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 wanted but said the landlord has refused to engage with them.
He told Eorpa: "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."
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Calum Macaulay, of The Great Bernera Community Development Trust, said: "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."
Residents of Great Bernera want to make a hostile takeover (Getty Images)In a statement to Eorpa, 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. 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.
The count lived in a run-down croft house on Great Bernera (Alamy Stock Photo)Great Bernera - which is connected to Lewis by a bridge - and Little Bernera belonged to Count Robin for 50 years.
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 £2million 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 has since 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 £6,000 in the bank - including £75 in premium bonds.
But after his death, legal papers put the count's wealth at £1,301,478, which was mainly from property.