A world first on the Isle of Skye, Scottish Highlands

INVERNESS, Scotland - October 31, 2002. Clett.com, owner of Clett Island, Scotland, wish to announce it has a 'world first in the giftware market, and is believed to be unique in the world today.

Clett.com opened its doors for business in May of this year, and has since received favourable publicity from media sources in the U.S.A, Canada and Great Britain, as a result of its 'Become part-owner of a Scottish Island campaign. They were the first to offer for sale a Scottish Island, as 'square foot land plots with rights to the whole island. Intended for general gift buyers, or those with Scottish ancestry, plots (priced at US$35) are claimed to have sold well and will likely continue to do so.

When asked about possible competition, Richard Haigh, Director, commented We are the first company in the world to offer for sale a whole island in this way, and, although we have heard rumours of several companies wishing to copy us, we have not to date had any competitor. This situation will doubtless change, however, as competition eventually becomes the norm in any successful business". When asked whether competition was a current concern, Mr.Haigh replied No. We feel we have a strong product, identity and position in this niche market, and that we are able to compete with any challenger who may come along. In the interest of protecting our business, however, I would also like to suggest that any company wishing to copy us directly, may want to consider the possible negativity attached to being branded a 'copycat, by us, and by the media generally".

Currently, there are other companies selling 'square foot plots, as sentimental gifts, on mainland and even island land. However, they are not direct competitors of ours, as we are selling rights to an entire island and not just a small field that people will be lucky to find let alone enjoy. But, some people will rightly ask 'How can you enjoy a square-foot plot of land, on a practical level?. The answer is 'you cant, its physically impossible. But with our offer each owner can enjoy the whole of Clett Island, and explore, take in the peaceful scenery, or just reflect on the remarkable history and legend associated with the area, for they are truly part-owner of the entire island. So our only real competitors would be companies who have their own island, with its own strong 'identity, and they are selling part-ownership (in the whole island) just as we are doing".

For us, in looking for the perfect Scottish Island, or 'identity, we researched every island in the whole of Scotland (all 790 of them!). We knew though that we could only acquire an island that had all of the qualities we were looking for, and so we eventually narrowed the choices down to 4 possibilities. Three of those islands, however, were, and still are, owned by the British Government and would never be offered for sale. But, in a chance occurrence, our first choice, Clett Island, in the Heart of the Scottish Highlands, became available some months after we did our research and we quickly acquired it. From a commercial point of view, it was essential for us to acquire an island of the right size, topography, and, importantly, it had to be easily accessible and close to the mainland. As very few could, or would want to, visit an island that was far out at sea and involved long boat journeys. It was also desirable for it to be easily seen from the mainland, and provide stunning views and photographic opportunities for those wishing to see, but not physically visit, their island".

In addition, it was important for us to have an island with the right 'identity. By that I mean it had to have a fascinating (and provable) history that people were genuinely interested in. Clett Island, for example, has witnessed many centuries of Scottish history, on the Isle of Skye, from the rampage of the Vikings, to the settlement of the early Celts. In more recent times, in 1578, Clett witnessed a tragic Clan battle involving the MacLeods and the MacDonalds, as well as Bonnie Prince Charlies voyage to Skye, in 1746, where he made an attempt to seize the thrones of England and Scotland (a journey which gave rise to the well-known 'Skye Boat Song). In the last century, Clett was to see the Scottish folk singer Donovan, who had planned to turn the island into a sanctuary in the 1960s".

Even seemingly small concerns like taking suitable aerial photographs of an island were a real consideration for us. As it was necessary for us to have island photography from the air, with each photo showing the island in its entirety and in excellent detail; this would allow us to show our customers what the island looks like close-up, without them having to refer to dozens of photos etc... But we found that a surprising number of Scottish Islands were either too large to do that successfully or else could not offer the kind of outstanding views we were looking for. Finally, but most importantly for us, the island had to be safe for the people and animals visiting it. The issue of existing habitats was also carefully considered, as it would not be our intention to unduly disturb animals on the island. Fortunately, for the most part, we can regulate the number of people visiting Clett, through the boat trips that will shortly be servicing the island".

When asked Why choose Scotland for the venture?" Mr.Haigh continued Scotland is a country rich in culture and history, and its people have an independent spirit that is famous throughout the world. Scotland is also an English speaking country, and so it offered us an immediate large marketplace, and, not least, a location advantage in actually managing the island. For us, Scotland was an obvious choice. Deciding upon an island, for our offer, as opposed to mainland land, was also an easy choice. As an island holds a real fascination for many, and is the only land type that truly has its own unique history and identity. A real emotional 'connection can be made, when visiting an island, in a way that is often difficult to do on mainland land. Furthermore, an island, particularly a Scottish one, is often considered to be romantic and timeless, and we are finding that many of our customers are buying plots as wedding-related gifts".

Visit us at: www.Clett.com

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