Dancing on Ice star Mark Hanretty and his holiday let in Robin Hood's Bay

They say don’t mix business with pleasure but “they” are not always right as Dancing on Ice star and skating supremo Mark Hanretty discovered when he and his wife, Kathy, bought a holiday let in Robin Hood’s Bay.

Little Pearl Cottage

“We bought it three years ago to help our pension pot because I am self-employed. We thought a holiday home that brought in an extra income was a smart investment and we are so grateful we took the plunge,” says Mark.“It’s not just a financial investment, it’s an emotional one that has already created a lot of happy memories for us.”

Mark and Kathy have completely refurbished the one-bedroom cottage, named Little Pearl, and have added a new kitchen. The property, which they also use, is now for let with Gorgeous Cottages.“It is in the most wondrous location. It is 30 seconds from the doorstep to the beach,” adds Mark. “The village provides a glorious hideaway from our hectic lives, though I have to limit myself to a week at a time as the chips and ice-cream are too tempting and I need to be mindful of my figure for skating.”

Mark, 34, now lives in Nottinghamshire but regularly works from iceSheffield, which has two Olympic ice pads and a prestigious Ice Academy, which supports elite skaters and is a National Centre of Excellence for figure skating, ice dance and ice hockey.He was born in Erskine, Scotland, and first pulled on his skating boots at the age of nine at the Paisley Ice Dancing and Figure Skating Club.He later worked at Braehead Ice Rink in Renfrew while training for biggerthings, including winning two bronze medals at the British Figure Skating championship with skating partner Christina Chitwood in 2008 and 2010.He is now a professional skater, coach and choreographer and is best known for starring on ITV’s Dancing on Ice, which he has helped to choreograph. His celebrity partners have included Nadia Sawalha, Angela Rippon, Rosemary Conley, Donna Air and Saira Khan.One of Mark’s biggest roles this year was working on an ice show tribute to John Curry, the Olympic and World Champion figure skater who died in 1994, aged 44.The Creative Spirit of John Curry was a mix of modern dance and figure skating staged at Billingham Forum Ice Arena and iceSheffield earlier this month and starred Mark, Vanessa Bauer, Nina Ulanova and John Kerr among other luminaries.“It was exciting to have a show that celebrated a beautiful movement in the style of John Curry. John’s style is very revered but rarely explored and this was an amazing chance to pay homage to a stylisation that shaped the future of skating,” says Mark.

Mark and Kathy

Along with remarkable career opportunities, Mark met Kathy through skating.She is also a skating coach and has a keen interest in interiors. She has taken a career break to be a full-time mother to their children, Lukasz, six, and two-year-old Liola, and has enjoyed the challenge of refurbishing the cottage at Robin Hood’s Bay.

“I finished my coaching work to look after our children because the job took me away from home for such a large part of the year. So the cottage has given me the opportunity to express my creative side,” says Kathy.The property needed updating and one of the first jobs was to replace the blue kitchen with a smart new white one from Howdens.The couple redecorated throughout in soft greys and lilac and added mod cons and new furniture and furnishings, along with coastal-themed accessories.

The cottage has an open-plan living space with sitting and dining areas and a kitchen. A wood-burning stove adds extra cosiness to the room, particularly in winter.“That was a prerequisite and, luckily, the cottage already had one. We love log burners. There is nothing like them for adding a cosy feel,” adds Mark.

The comfy sofa was also a must as was the glamorous chaise longue that Mark and Kathy found in a boutique in Paris.Keen to support local businesses, the couple also sourced items from a popular village store, Berties of Bay, which sells everything from rugs and candles to lighting and furniture.

The first-floor bedroom has a king-size bed from Next and wallpaper from Laura Ashley and the adjoining bathroom has a seaside theme.Outside is a private terrace, which is a rarity in Robin Hood’s Bay, and Mark and Kathy are contemplating putting a hot tub there.“Kathy had the foresight to see what the cottage could be with some updating and she has done a great job in making Little Pearl feel cosy and more luxurious,” says Mark.

Spurred on by the success, the couple have bought a second holiday let in Bakewell, Derbyshire, which is closer to their main home.“We have started renovating that property but Little Pearl and ‘The Bay’ will always hold a very dear spot in our hearts,” says Mark.“We love it. The property is probably too small for us now that we are a family of four but we still try to squeeze in little getaways to Little Pearl when we can and we are looking at buying somewhere bigger there.“Every passing year makes us feel more and more like locals. We go to Robin Hood’s Bay in all seasons and am sure we will want to retire there.”For details on staying at Little Pearl visit www.gorgeouscottages.com. You can also see it on Mark and Kathy’s Instagram @littlepearlcottage