Iconic Grand Designs B&B that blends into its Lake District surroundings to finally close doors
The house was at one point incomplete after its builder ran out of cash
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Your support makes all the difference.A Grand Designs home said to have some of the best views of Lake Windemere is set to close its doors as a B&B next month.
Dome House, as the Lake District house is better known, first featured on the show in 2010, and the Channel 4 programme documented its transformation from a drab 1980s property to a modern paradise that perfectly blends into its picturesque surroundings.
But the home, which was created with “overreaching ambition”, came at a huge price, threatening “everything” its creator architect Robert Gaukroger “held dear” – including his home and family’s security.
On the show, he explained that he wanted to fulfil his childhood dream of building a home and simultaneously create a property bearing his architectural stamp in the Lake District.
However, the build was fraught with problems and the initial £600,000 mortgage was not enough to cover the grand design – leaving the family at one point with £100,000 left in the bank and an incomplete home.
In the end, the property cost over £1m to build, the money for which was secured by another loan.
The house, which was described as “awe-inspiring” by Kevin McCloud, has seven bedrooms, a swimming pool, a sauna, and perhaps best of all an uninterrupted view of Lake Windemere.
Read more: Best Lake District hotels
While Gaukroger hoped to live in the property and use it as a rentable holiday let business for the foreseeable future with his wife and two children, it was ultimately sold in 2016 to Yvonne Malley.
The price the property sold for at the time is not known, but it was originally listed for sale for £2.3m before the price was dropped to £1.45m.
Malley, who reportedly saw the house on TV and became interested in it as a B&B, ultimately passed the business onto her son Phil McGuire, who has been running it successfully for several years.
But McGuire has now revealed that the time has come for him and his partner Joyce to “move onto pastures new” and the B&B will close its doors in June.
McGuire said: “After seven years at the helm of Dome House, Joyce and I have decided to move on to pastures new.
“That means if you’ve ever wanted to visit, or make your return, there are only a few weeks left to do so.
“It’s been a real privilege serving so many guests over the years, so come and help us celebrate the end in style.”
The B&B is offering a 20 percent discount for anyone who wishes to stay in the property before it closes to the public.
With the discount, this means that two-night stays at the luxury property can be purchased for a minimum of £336.
Ahead of its closure as a B&B, the home has once again hit the market for an asking price of £3m – down from the £3.5m it was listed for last year.
The Independent has reached out to Dome House for further information.
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