Scotland: Man on ‘Britain’s Loneliest Road’ has no plans to move

A man living alone in an almost-abandoned property has refused to lift sticks.

Nick Wisniewski, 66, is the last man standing in Stanhope Place in Wishaw, North Lanarkshire.

It is surrounded by empty houses, all of which are to be demolished.

Nick’s council has tried to ransom him, but he’s determined to stay despite his lonely surroundings.

He has no neighbors next to him in 128 apartments after the last of around 200 residents moved out last December.

At a recent planning committee meeting, city councilors gave the go-ahead to authorize the start of the mandatory ordering process for Nick’s apartment.

But he’s shrugged off the pressure of moving – and instead plans to spend £1,000 to repaint his living room, buy new carpet and dress up his hallway.

Council officials offered Nick £35,000 for his flat plus two years’ rent elsewhere if he moved, but the determined 66-year-old still declined.

Retired bank teller Nick said: “I’m not looking for a new house.

“I have decided to paint and paper my hallway and living room and buy a new carpet in the living room which will cost around £1,000.

“I’ve started stripping down the wallpaper in my hallway and ordered wood paneling, which I hope to get done next week.

“I’m not worried about spending the money on it because I’m not going anywhere. I heard the Council has a compulsory order but they haven’t contacted me about it which really shocks me.

“I’m standing still. Even if the Council has a mandatory order, it would still take a while.

“I’m not worried about that.

‘I’m still planning to spend Christmas at home this year.’

Nick said council chiefs left the area and overgrown it with empty lots that were boarded up after the last residents left.

But he said he was shocked to see recently that the grass had been mowed, his finish cleaned and new lights fitted to the lampposts.

“They were staring to clean my proximity, which I found odd.

“Then they replaced the lights in the lampposts and cut some of the tall grass around the parking lot.

“I think it’s a bit crazy when they say they’re still going to demolish the house.

“The whole place was supposed to be demolished last November, it doesn’t make sense to me what’s going on but I’m happy because I’m still here.”

Nick bought his condo in 2017 as part of the Right-to-Buy program, which helped community renters buy their homes at a discounted rate.

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