[imagesource: Telegraph]

Richard Branson is in the news at present, following his request for a government loan to keep Virgin Atlantic afloat.

As collateral, he has offered up Necker Island, his famous island hideaway in the British Virgin Islands.

Bit of a catch-22 that, because if you have a private island to put up as collateral, the public outcry regarding your request is always going to be swift and sizeable.

Putting that aside, you may recall that Necker Island took a horrible battering at the hands of Hurricane Irma in 2017, before reopening in November 2018.

The list of past guests reads like a who’s who of the rich and famous, reports the Telegraph, and there’s a good reason for that:

Necker is generally let exclusively, costing £83,550 per night for up to 40 guests. It’s a hefty price tag, but one that doesn’t seem to put people off. When Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston wanted to honeymoon here, they were reportedly turned away as the island was so booked up.

So what’s the appeal? There’s reputation, of course. Former guests include everyone from Diana, Princess of Wales – famously pictured there in 1990 with little Prince William and Harry [above] – to Mick Jagger, David Hasselhof, Robert de Niro and Kelly Brook.

There are all sorts of stories: we’ve heard about Branson sheltering in his wine cellar during Hurricane Irma, and about Kate Winslet rescuing his mother Eve from a fire in 2012. There has been gossip, some intrigue, and, yes, a great deal of partying

It was certainly a shrewd investment, having cost £180 000 to buy in the late 1970s. That’s around £640 000 in today’s money, and estimates of the island’s worth vary greatly, ranging between £60 million and £150 million

According to John Christie, an agent at HG Christie, an affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate, if it was sold on auction, it would fetch far more than that.

Guests forking out to stay on the island do get quite a bit of bang for their buck, with the 74-acre island featuring spacious rooms with uninterrupted sea views, tennis courts, zip wires, games and watersports, and 175 staff members at your beck and call.

When it comes to the asking price in a sale, the island’s past would play a factor, says Christie:

“It’s probably the most famous island in the world, and because it’s Richard Branson’s island, it’s a trophy for any number of billionaires. For the sort of people who buy private islands, if the stock market goes up or down, they will have enough to get by.”

Without Sir Richard’s cachet, the island would still likely be worth up to $125 million. But who might want to buy it? According to Edward de Mallet Morgan, of property consultancy Knight Frank, “islands always attract an interesting mixture of people – entrepreneurial types, business owners, celebrities. In the Caribbean, they come mainly from Europe and the United States.”

De Mallet Morgan added that there are very few islands like Necker in the world, and demand for them spikes during times like these.

His company has seen private island inquiries quadruple in the past six weeks, which is just further proof that the current pandemic is anything but the great leveller some think it is.

Must be nice.

[source:telegraph]