The monster’s lair: Inside Jimmy Savile’s abandoned Scottish cottage where he ‘abused up to 20 victims’
- Savile is believed to have assaulted up to 20 victims in the Glencoe property
- The bungalow, Allt-na-Reigh, is yet to be demolished or lived in since his death
Graffiti daubs the crumbling walls of a condemned cottage on a remote Scottish hillside. Its mouldy carpets torn up, its ceilings shredded.
Since Jimmy Savile’s death on October 29, 2011, his Glencoe retreat, Allt-na-Reigh, has been uninhabited despite multiple owners – but trophy hunters and vandals have left their mark.
The late presenter is believed to have assaulted up to 20 of his estimated 500 victims – women and children – at the bungalow, which has been in line for demolition for almost two years – but still stands today.
A new BBC documentary drama The Reckoning documents how the depraved star abused power and manipulated his vulnerable victims throughout his life, with Steve Coogan playing the paedophile who was hidden in plain sight.
The broadcaster has denied that the series was a ‘face-saving exercise’ with many of their former presenter’s crimes committed with the help of the status he cultivated as a public figure on TV and radio.
The building – pictured in 2013 – has been unoccupied since Savile died
Jimmy Savile’s Scottish bungalow in which he is believed to have assaulted up to 20 of his roughly 500 victims is still standing
The Glencoe property shows no sign of having been the paedophile’s former home besides the graffiti directed at the former TV presenter
Savile owned Allt-na-Reigh for the 13 years before his death, but it is now owned by businessman Harris Aslam
The most recent photos – from April 2023 – show Savile’s former cottage is now a dilapidated mess with the roof in pieces and graffiti lining both interior and exterior walls.
Nothing remains to indicate that Savile owned the house for 13 years, besides bright red graffiti reading ‘paedo’ and ‘Jimmy the beast’ plastered across its white walls.
Another notable former owner is Scottish climber and mountain rescue leader Hamish MacInnes, leading some to say the property should be given to a climbing group.
These include Fort William and Ardnamurchan councillor Angus MacDonald, who said according to The Press and Journal: ‘This would result in a satisfactory result for most.’
However, the land’s current owner, retail tycoon Harris Aslam, plans to replace the eyesore with a futuristic new-build family home.
Following Savile’s death in 2011, the two-bedroom bungalow was purchased for £212,000 with the buyer intending to live there.
But the family of the businessman then bought it for a reported £335,000.
The new plan has drawn criticism, including from The National Trust for Scotland and Mountaineering Scotland.
New BBC documentary drama The Reckoning has faced criticism in the run up to its release
New plans have faced a backlash for drawing attention away from the natural landscape
The former said the contemporary design ‘does not reflect Glencoe’s long-established, distinct built heritage and would insensitively dominate the landscape in this highly visible location at the heart of the Pass of Glencoe.’
Mr Aslam, who is in his 20s, is director of Fife-based Scottish convenience store operator Eros Retail, which is part of the family’s Glenshire group of companies.
He said they wanted to turn it into a family home with its ‘beautiful location’.
During a question-and-answer session with around 20 people, it was made clear that while Mr Aslam and his business partner Raza Rehman had looked at renovating the main existing building, which would be the easiest and cheapest option, it was concluded this was not viable if they wanted to rid the site of its association with Savile.