The Tribune

An 80-acre north Eleuthera property once owned by a former British Cabinet minister and media mogul has been put on the market with a $23m price tag.

Gun Point, located at the far northern tip of North Eleuthera, was deeded by King George VI to Lord Beaverbrook as Crown land in gratitude for his service during World War II, when both the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy used The Bahamas as a base for allied operations.

Lord Beaverbrook once owned much of the UK newspaper industry, including The Daily Express, Sunday Express and Evening Standard titles, even controlling the media in Scotland. He and Sir Winston Churchill were the only two persons to hold full Cabinet positions in both World Wars I and II and, in his role in Churchill’s War Cabinet, he helped guide the development of Britain’s aircraft industry.

Gun Point, which features a boat, dock, tennis court and 3,000 coconut trees, is today owned by a Bahamian family with a strong stake in the suds and spirits industry.

“The patriarch who loved to boat and fish from Gun Point, and enjoy the peacefulness of the place knowing it was only a 10-minute ride from the North Eleuthera Airport, passed away last March. Putting it on the market was not an easy decision and if you visited you would understand why,” said Timothy Smith, the listing agent from Better Homes & Gardens MCR Bahamas Group. “You would be hard-pressed to find a more stunning or even comparable property anywhere in the world.”

At nearly 80 acres, Gun Point boasts more than 3,000 coconut palms. There is a 4,000-square foot, 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath main house, caretaker’s cottage, dock and dock house, gazebos, tennis court, 210,000-gallon rain water catchment system, generator and housing. Miles of sandy beaches ring the peninsular where on one side a 45-foot high elevated rocky u-shaped border creates a dramatic and breathtaking viewpoint.

“In this age where we are all looking for ways to be more self-sufficient, what’s interesting is that Gun Point also has its own native farm that produces seasonal local vegetables and fruit. The property is ideal for development, lending itself to a boutique fishing, diving, snorkeling water sports resort with luxurious spa and great food; a marina; or, for some lucky family, maybe maintaining it for personal use with great short-term rental potential.”

Private islands or boutique Family Island properties such as Gun Point can rent for as much as $100,000 a week with full staff, on-site dining,and boating with crew and amenities.

“When Lord Beaverbrook was offered any piece of property he wanted after the war as a gift of appreciation, he personally selected Gun Point, North Eleuthera, and while he also cut quite a figure in Nassau, he and his family spent many a happy time here enjoying the fishing, the tranquility and the beauty,” said Mr Smith.

He added that interest in the listing has been “extraordinary". There are single family residences, he said, in a few gated communities with similar price points “and this is nearly 80 acres with all the privacy you could ever dream of, and the potential for an amazing development – as well as the fascinating royal historic connection and the artifacts left in the main house to show it".

CAPTIONS

When this nearly 80-acre property at the tip of North Eleuthera was listed for sale recently at $23m, it was another reminder of royalty’s role in The Bahamas. Once deeded to Lord Beaverbrook, the property known as Gun Point is currently owned by a Bahamian family

Gun Point, North Eleuthera, features resort-like amenities including its own dock, tennis court, water and power supply and a 4,000 square foot manor house

Timothy Smith of Better Homes & Gardens MCR Bahamas Group