Ulva Island to Close Sundays Due to Tourist Increase
A small island off Scotland's west coast, Ulva, will effectively close every Sunday following an unexpected rise in visitor numbers.
With a population of only 16 residents, Ulva gained attention after featuring in Banjo and Ro's Grand Island Hotel, a programme documenting interior designer Banjo Beale and his husband Ro Christopher's efforts to redevelop a stately home.
Since the show's airing, tourists have increasingly visited the island, surprising the local community. In response, the Ulva Ferry company, which operates the route between Mull and Ulva, announced it will suspend Sunday services.
Island resident Andy Primrose told BBC Scotland News that the surge in visitors has benefited local businesses.
Ulva is among the smallest inhabited islands in the Hebrides. Historically, it had approximately 800 residents but now only 16 people live there, including TV presenter Banjo Beale, known for hosting shows such as Scotland's Home of the Year, and his husband.
Banjo and Ro's Restoration Project and Tourist Interest
Earlier in 2026, the programme Banjo & Ro's Grand Island Hotel aired on BBC Scotland, focusing on Banjo Beale's attempt to restore the dilapidated Ulva House, a Regency mansion.
The mansion was once home to Lachlan MacQuarrie, the first Governor of Australia, but had fallen into disrepair over several years until the couple endeavored to convert it into a boutique hotel.
Following the show's broadcast, tourist numbers to Ulva have increased significantly. The Ulva ferry operators reported "unprecedented interest" in travel to the island.
On social media, the ferry company stated:
"None of us could have predicted how significant the increase in the numbers of visitors would be, so to give ourselves, the Boathouse [restaurant] and fellow islanders the chance to recharge and prepare for the week ahead, we have made the difficult decision not to open Sundays this summer."
They also assured that visitors with pre-booked trips arriving or departing on Sundays in June, July, or August would still be accommodated.
The ferry crossing between Mull and Ulva takes approximately five minutes and is exclusively for foot passengers.
When Banjo took on the restoration project, he told the BBC:
"Maybe it will have some people come and stay - hopefully."
Locals confirm that this expectation has been realized.
Local Impact and Capacity Challenges
Andy Primrose, who operates a small hostel on Ulva, noted that the exceptional visitor numbers have supported small businesses on the island.
He said:
"Around the Boathouse, where the ferry comes across, it's a lovely location and is always a focal point - there are more people than usual.
But from my personal experience it's not overbearing, it's not too much [people] because a lot of people are benefitting from the increased tourism."
However, on BBC's Lunchtime Live programme, he acknowledged the reasoning behind the Ulva Ferry's decision to close on Sundays.
He explained:
"It all comes down to capacity. All these businesses are based on individuals and there's only 16 folk here, and some of them are children. There is a natural limit to what you can do."
The island lacks roads, so residents and visitors travel on foot or use vehicles such as quad bikes.
Community Ownership and Development Plans
In 2018, the island was purchased by a community group after the previous owner, Jamie Howard, placed the estate on the market.
The North West Mull Community Woodland Company stated that their objective was to "bring about social and economic development" on Ulva for the benefit of current and future generations.
These plans included increasing the island's population. At the time of purchase, only six people lived on Ulva; that number has since grown to 16.
