English families, owners of abandoned Spanish towns in the new COSMO program

Tired of life in the city and determined to embark on a different life in the countryside, a group of British investors set out to fulfill their dream by buying an entire town. The thematic channel COSMO premieres on Monday, March 27 at 9:00 p.m. ‘Our own town’, an original Channel 4 format where several English families become the owners of small abandoned towns and villages in Spain, France, Italy and Portugal.

The program shows how these places have been left empty after the disappearance of their neighbors and the move of the younger generations to the cities, but new owners have decided to give these towns a second chance to make them their home, rehabilitating them, repopulating them and developing their businesses here. However, the task is not easy and most of the obstacles are related to the poor condition of the buildings: from problems with the roofs and facades to the demolition of entire houses due to damage to their structure.

Each chapter of ‘Our Own Town’ tells the story of two buyers and the towns they have acquired. Most flee the high prices of the UK in search of stunning scenery and a quieter lifestyle. This is the case of the British citizen Neil Christie, who bought the town of Arruñada in Asturias in 2005 for 45,000 euros. His property includes eight stone houses, a small forest, a stream and just over three hectares of land.