Plans to convert Sir Jimmy Savile’s holiday cottage into a centre for disabled children have been shelved in the wake of the child sex scandal.
The retreat for disadvantaged kids was set to be opened in the Scottish Higlhands by the Jimmy Savile Charitable Trust.
Savile first spotted Alt-na-Reigh in Glencoe while cycling in his teens and finally bought it 54 years later for £125,000.
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He left the charitable trust a £5million legacy in his will and the cottage was set to be opened as a holiday home for disabled children.
But officials at the trust said they feared the hideaway – which was to be named “Jimmy’s at Glencoe” – has been jeopardised by allegations against the presenter.
The former presenter’s reputation is in tatters after a series of public claims that he molested and raped girls as young as 12 at the height of his fame.
Trustee Roger Bodley, who was overseeing the conversion of the building, said the renovation job was now “in limbo”.
He said: “These allegations will do a great deal of harm to the work that the charitable trusts are planning.
“His two charitable trusts have already supported several very effective projects, as well as being about to support the conversion of his cottage in Glencoe for use by the disabled – projects that are overwhelmingly beneficial to the community but which will be gravely curtailed by adverse publicity that we believe cannot be proven.”
Roger said he did not believe the damaging allegations and hoped the cottage plans could be pushed through.
He said: “Neither I nor any of the other trustees have any idea whether the allegations are true or false.
”That said, there is nothing that I have heard that makes me believe that they might be true.
“If they are true, then that activity by anyone cannot be condoned, whatever their position, and it is bitterly disappointing.”
Sir Jimmy, who died aged 84 last year, first set eyes on the house in 1944 during a cycling holiday and instantly fell in love with it.
It was put on the market for offers over #75,000 in 1998 but it is believed Sir Jimmy made a much higher bid to secure his purchase.
He would call into the cottage during his frequent visits to Lochaber and spent thousands of pounds installing a mains water and sewerage system.
He would often invite illustrious guests and dignitaries including Prince Charles, who was always taken out into the garden to take in the stunning view of the glen.
Sir Jimmy developed strong links with the local community and acted as honorary chieftain of the Lochaber Highland Games for more than 30 years, a title which is also engraved on his gravestone.
Lochaber councillor Bren Gormley, who met the DJ several times at public events said: “It’s a concern that these allegations have not been made until he is no longer around to defend himself.
“No one could ever condone the things he’s accused of, but regardless of what he did in his private life he did a lot of fundraising and we shouldn’t lose sight of that.
“If the conversion of his property in Glencoe is put into jeopardy because of this, then that is terribly sad.
“I’m sure the charitable trust must be in a tailspin right now.”
