Skeldale House from the original series of All Creatures Great and Small is up for sale

Cringley House in Askrigg, near Leyburn, was used as the location for the Skeldale House veterinary practice during filming in the 1970s and 80s, and was officially renamed Skeldale House when Keith and Lisa Wright bought the Grade II-listed building in 2013.

Built from Wensleydale stone, it is recognisable all over the world as the frontage of the Skeldale surgery thanks to its appearances in the long-running BBC drama based on the life of country vet Alf Wight, who wrote under the pen name James Herriot.

The real Skeldale House where Wight worked, on Kirkgate in Thirsk, is now a James Herriot museum.

The former Cringley House was a care home and a hostel for vulnerable adults until its conversion into a traditional Dales B&B by the Wrights, who previously ran the village shop and also own The Kings Arms, the pub that appeared as The Drover's Arms in the original series.

The Wrights, who relocated to the village from Barnsley around 15 years ago, are now hoping to sell the four-storey period property, which has six apartment bedrooms with their own bathrooms, for £500,000.

Its Herriot connection means it attracts guests from all over the globe and they are hoping the new owners will continue to run it as a boutique hotel, especially in light of the success of the recent Channel Five remake of All Creatures Great and Small, which was filmed further south in the Dales.

According to Brian Carlisle from estate agents J R Hopper, who are marketing the house, the business has the potential to expand further thanks to the resurgence of interest in Askrigg from All Creatures fans.

"The number of people who have been stopping to photograph the building, even though it hasn't appeared in the current series, over the last month has been amazing. The original episodes are still very popular and this area is still very much 'Herriotville'.

"Skeldale House is a very special property, and the Wrights are Herriot through and through."

The couple are selling up as they look towards retirement, although they will still help their son to manage The Kings Arms.

Despite a challenging lockdown spring for the Dales tourism industry, the staycation boom that followed has convinced Mr Carlisle that the guesthouse is a sound investment for buyers looking for a lifestyle business to take on.

"The demand for holidays in the Dales has increased and I think because of Covid-19, it will stay that way. Every hotel and guesthouse has been solidly booked this summer. People are not going to be rushing back to cruises for a while yet.

"It's not really being marketed for residential use as it's not got a garden or parking, it's very much set up as a business. It could be pushed a lot harder - you could have a tearoom in one of the front rooms, or a museum. It's perfectly set up and in great condition.

"They run it as a decent business for eight months of the year, charging £100 per room and staying under the VAT threshold, but you could quite easily charge £150 and build it up."

Mr Carlisle is expecting considerable interest, having seen enquiries from buyers looking to escape to the Dales rocket since lockdown.

"Askrigg and the rest of the Dales have been flying. Houses are selling for more than 10 per cent over the guide price. Around 70 per cent of our buyers don't have a local postcode - they come from Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle and further afield.

"We have always had people fleeing the city or retiring here, but now there is massive interest from couples in their 30s and 40s with young children and good jobs in the city, who can now work from home in Askrigg - we have great broadband now!"

Little is known about the former Cringley House's earlier history, though Mr Carlisle suggests it may have been built for a wealthy merchant.

"A chap called Billy Banks, whose family ran the grocer's shop and the animal feed store in Askrigg, grew up there in the 1920s."

The Wrights have not opened the hotel this year as Lisa has been shielding due to a health condition, so decided the time was right to move on.

"It's a very popular building - we get between 30 and 50 people every day coming to take a picture of it. We knew when we opened it that there would be a market for a James Herriot-themed business," said Keith, who gave up his job as a sales rep to move to the Dales.

"Around 75 per cent of the guests come for the Herriot connection. We opened for eight months of the year then spent the rest travelling. It's a good work-life balance and there's a really nice mix of people in the village.

"Back when we first moved up here, we just fancied a change and the chance to live our dream. It's challenging, as it's full-on for eight months - turning five rooms around per day, doing all the cooking and laundry; we never outsourced anything. But it's a great life and there aren't many jobs that give you four months of the year off! It's been really enjoyable and we've met people from all over the world. It's an interesting business to run."