THE world-famous facade of Cringley House in Main Street, Askrigg, is known to James Herriot fans as Skeldale House, home to the vets in the BBC television series, All Creatures Great and Small.

Now, Keith and Lisa Wright, owners of the village shop down the road, and themselves fans of the popular comedy-drama, are about to realise the dream of a lifetime and open for business as a bed and breakfast behind the familiar black railings.

They are renaming it Skeldale House, because that is how it is known to fans at home and abroad.

First, however, there is the small matter of completing the refurbishment of the six guest rooms, each with its own entrance lobby and en suite bathroom, the living area for themselves (large sitting-room, bedroom, bathroom and kitchen), imposing dining-room for guests, and spacious entrance hall. And all in time for the official opening at Easter, which falls at the end of March. Already they are booked for that first week, without any advertising or publicity.

Although all the plumbing, electrics and building work are being done by experts, Lisa, 43, is designing and decorating the entire place herself, working eight hours a day stripping the walls, painting, varnishing and wallpapering. She and Keith, 49, have sought out period furniture at local auction houses, still piled in the dining-room while the rooms are being prepared. All will be Herriot-themed and they are still busy collecting memorabilia.

“It’s something we have always wanted to do,but until now we couldn’t find the right building,” says Lisa.

Cringley House was vacated nearly two years ago by Broadacres Housing Association, who ran it as a home for vulnerable adults. Previously it had been an Abbeyfield care home.

Keith and Lisa believe the business will not only be good for them, but for Askrigg.

“People already come from all over the world because of the James Herriot connection, and we think they’ll love the chance to stay in the ‘vet’s house’,” says Keith.

Keith will continue to keep the shop running seven days a week throughout the year, and in his role as local newsagent, while Lisa concentrates on the bed and breakfast business.

They came to Askrigg from a village near Barnsley six-and-a-half years ago, with son Ayrton and daughter Orianne, now 20 and 18, buying the shop and adjacent tea-room. Keith was a sales rep for an engineering company and Lisa had been a family support worker, specialising in child protection.

“We loved village life but decided we wanted to run our own business. The village we lived in was destroyed by a big supermarket chain opening a store nearby. Everything went. The post office, the butcher’s, the local shop and pub, all just died. Askrigg is still a vibrant village and we want to help keep it that way,” says Lisa.

They are working with Ian Ashton, director of the World of James Herriot in Thirsk, where real-life vet Alf Wight, who wrote as James Herriot and whose books formed the basis for the television series, had his practice.