A new era on Necker Island
It's just over a year since those dramatic front-page pictures of Richard Branson, his elderly mother and Kate Winslet escaping from a devastating fire at Necker Island. But boy, what a difference a year can make.
The Virgin millionaire's island that he fell in love with in 1978 has always had a special place in his heart, and not just because he only paid £180,000 for it. The Branson family have grown up taking holidays on Necker, and while it is very much part of his business, it holds more than thirty years of family memories for Branson, including most recently the wedding of his daughter late last year.
One year on since the fire and the most significant change to the island has been unveiled: the beautiful new Beach House, which replaces the former Tennis Pavilion on the same spot.
The main building destroyed in the fire, The Great House, is being rebuilt with an expected opening time of summer 2013. In the meantime, kick off your shoes and take a sand-between-the-toes tour of the island's latest show-stopper...As the name suggests, The Beach House is on one of Necker Island's soft white sand beaches. The ground floor common area, that extends out to the sea, has a sofa that seats 26 people in front of a huge wide-screen TV - perfect for chilling out when the sun is hot or you want to catch up on a movie.The Beach House does of course have something the Tennis Pavilion also had - tennis courts. The brand new courts can be watched in the shade of the Beach House or from court-side sofas! The Beach House's downstairs bar is handily placed for refreshments.For those who enjoy less strenuous pursuits than tennis, the bar offers a pool table, plus plenty of seating no matter how big the party. Necker Island can still be hired out in its entirety, with its six Bali Houses and Temple House - usually the Bransons' family home, but available to stay in due to the missing Great House that burnt down in the fire.The Beach House isn't just for lounging and drinking, the upstairs has a table that seats 40 guests for your pre-beach party dining. As The Great House construction takes place over the coming months, it's clear that the fire has done nothing to dampen Branson's vision of Necker Island as a place for family and friends to have fun in luxury. When it does open next year, with memories of the terrible fire well behind them, it looks set to begin a new era of luxury holidays on one of the most famous small islands in the world.
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