A mum who spent £250,000 on a derelict baronial castle is to star in a TV show on its transformation into a top wedding venue. Nicole Rudder bought her dream project – dilapidated Garrion Tower, in Lanarkshire – in secret and is now working on £5million plans to restore the relic.
As revealed by the Sunday Mail, the 32-year-old, who owns non-fault car accident firm G4 Claims, was sent the listing for the tower as a joke by a friend but fell in love with it. A film crew will track Nicole’s renovation project, which will see the building transformed into a luxury five-star wedding venue.
She said: “I’m sworn to secrecy at the moment but I’m so excited everyone will be able to watch on TV as we work to restore this grand building. “Viewers will see us really get to work restoring the place and go through all the challenges we will no doubt face along the way.
“It’s going to be a mammoth task but I’m ready for it and can’t wait for people to see the finished product. It’s an amazing building with so much character and history, and deserves a chance to be turned into something great again.
“I knew the minute I saw it that it was something special.”
Set within the Clyde Valley, the 19-room B-listed building was boarded up in 2008, then acquired by a London-based firm who planned to knock it down and use the land for housing. By 2018, it had fallen into such disrepair it was added to Scotland’s Buildings at Risk Register.
But after planning applications to pull down the castle, which is set in 4.5 acres, were rejected, it was put up for sale in 2020 – for about £600,000, then reduced to offers over £450,000. Nicole, from Chapelhall near Airdrie, put in a £250,000 offer without telling husband Grant and it was accepted.
She said: “He wasn’t too pleased at first but has come round. He knows what I’m like and is always very supportive of everything I do.”
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