In Europe there are hundreds of abandoned populations waiting for the arrival of new residents. Tired of city life and determined to start a different life in the countryside, a group of British investors set out to make their dream come true by buying a town. On Mondays, at 9pm, COSMO premieres Our Own Town, the original Channel 4 format in which several British families became owners of small towns and villages in Spain, France, Italy and Portugal.
Each of these parts of southern Europe has its own specialty, but they all share a common past. Over time, this community has emptied following the death of their neighbors and the movement of the younger generation to the city. But the protagonists of Our Own Town will give these places a second chance to make them their homes, rehabilitate them, repopulate them, and grow their businesses here.
Private property, animal rehabilitation center or tourist accommodation are just some of the limitless possibilities offered by the municipality to its new owners, in this program turning what many see as ruins into dream destinations. The task was not easy and most of the obstacles were related to the poor condition of the buildings: from problems with the roof and facades to the demolition of the entire house due to structural damage.
Each episode of Our Own Town tells the story of two buyers and the town they have acquired. Most flee England’s high prices in search of stunning landscapes and a quieter lifestyle. Many spend months or even years repairing these villages, hoping to attract future residents or simply enjoying the process as part of their new life plans.
Our own city takes home improvement and DIY programs to another level, demonstrating the difficulty, but also the advantages, of buying a villa. With tenacity, effort and passion, this charming family transforms these abandoned places so they can tell new stories. And they show viewers that there is nothing utopian about this project: most of the buyers buy these towns and villages for the same amount as a house in a big city or even a down payment on a flat. For example, Paul Mappley and Yip Ward bought La Busliere, in Normandy, for 25,000 euros.
The space, which opened on Monday, offers tours of Europe to rediscover rural places forgotten in the hands of those hoping to bring them back to life. Early shows will see the owner salvage a hilltop Italian villa, map out a walled medieval French village, and complete the purchase of a beautiful Galician village.

South, Asturias and Galicia

The areas chosen by this brave couple in Spain are Andalusia, Asturias and Galicia.
Marcial Doporto was the first buyer to visit Spain in our own city. The Londoner looks up at O’Penso, a village in the province of Lugo whose last residents, Benita and Senín, point out their old home. The intermediary was Mark Adkinson, another Englishman who, after living in Galicia for 40 years, with his wife Rosi founded a real estate agency specializing in pazos and abandoned villages: Galician Country Houses. Doporto bought O’Penso for 225,000 euros, a figure that, in his own words, “wasn’t even enough to buy a one-bedroom apartment in the British capital.”
Steve and Julie Ward are the new owners of Cuevas de la Paz, a former shepherd’s cave converted into country accommodation. Located in the province of Granada, this attractive complex has the infrastructure for a wonderful country holiday, except for the swimming pool, the couple’s main project in the programme.
The biggest construction challenge was faced by Neil Christie in Arruñada, Asturias. In 2005, the Englishman acquired the Taramundi council district for 45,000 euros and since then he has rehabilitated it with his own hands. The property includes eight stone houses, a grove, a river and more than three acres of land. He revealed that at first the locals looked at him suspiciously, certain that he would surrender soon. Nearly two decades later, Christie’s is making it clear she has no intention of leaving and the transformation of the venue has been impressive.