http://www.sandersonyoung.co.uk/downloads/magazines/SYMAG09 by Sanderson Young

PREMIER PROPERTIES & FABULOUS FEATURES

Autumn | Winter 2009/10 £2.95

collection

CLEAN CARS A LIKELY LAD Ian La Frenais’ Californian dream

YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU The multi-millionaire who’s selling up in aid of charity

Cut your carbon footprint andTHE travelMOST in style HOSTS WITH Get the caterers in - the new way to entertain

VISION ON The latest trends in home entertainment BEAUTIFUL HOMES

Pages and pages of dream homes and interiors

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PERFORMANCE DEFINED Model shown: The 2010 Range Rover Autobiography

Paul Cummings Specialist Cars is one of the UK's most respected and connected specialist car dealers, with an enviable reputation for sourcing the best prestige cars, providing superb VIP vehicle management and discreet personal service.

FURNITURE TO FALL FOR

From contemporary sofas to classic dining, you’ll love the look at Chapmans.Why not drop in? You’ll find us at Siesta House, Market Street, Newcastle. Customer car park available.We’re open Monday to Saturday 9am to 5.30pm. Sunday 11am to 5pm. Call us on 0191 2327628 or visit www.chapmansfurniture.co.uk Also at Siesta House,Victoria Viaduct, Carlisle.

OPEN SUNDAYS 11AM - 5PM

The North East’s largest independent Range Rover dealer, our newly refurbished showroom is also home to a breathtaking range of prestige marques including Bentley, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Rolls Royce, Porsche and Maserati, in addition to semi-specialist cars at affordable prices. Celebrities, sports stars, business leaders and high profile personalities all over the UK and abroad value our discretion, our personal service and our skill in customising cars to clients’ individual specifications. We know that you will value us too, so come and see us, and experience the drive you’ve been waiting for.

3 Mill Hill, North West Industrial Estate, Peterlee, County Durham SR8 2HR t: 0845 241 7177www.paulcummings.co.uk

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SANDERSON YOUNG| SY

inthe

investing northeast

Strong regional leadership and support for one another in business can beat the recession, says Duncan Young, as Sanderson Young’s new landmark offices do their bit to boost the region

recently attended the launch of Baltic Place, one of the region’s finest commercial office buildings, set on the banks of the River Tyne in Gateshead. This fabulous building, by local developer City & Northern with the backing of the Robertson Group, provides a stunning location for offices from 3,000 sq ft up to 90,000 sq ft in size (www.balticplace.com). At the presentation, Jim McIntyre, chief executive of 1NG, explained his vision of the region, combining the skills of Gateshead Council, Newcastle City Council and One North East to establish Newcastle Gateshead’s City Development Company, which has a clear objective of transforming the performance of Newcastle Gateshead’s economy over the next 15 years. After listening to Jim, it was very clear to me that through the skill, direction and commitment of the leaders of the North East our region will flourish. For even in the face of adversity and recession, people here are used to fighting and are committed to hard work, entrepreneurial flair and achieving success through their commitment to the region. At Sanderson Young, we have set out our vision for the future, creating a flagship office in Gosforth, where we have invested £350,000 in regenerating a significant corner of the High Street as a beautiful estate agency and coffee shop with outdoor heated terrace. I am grateful for the many comments of support from locals and neighbours and I know that our regional sales and lettings team look forward to working with many of you at this exciting headquarters. The image below identifies phase two of Sanderson Young’s progress, in the shape of the redevelopment of our rare! headquarters, also on High Street, Gosforth. Planning was gained nearly three years ago for this beautiful building to be refurbished and I sought direction from one of the region’s leading

Below: Indicative image of the new rare! office

specialist architects – Bill Hopper of Hopper Howe Saddler. He will create, with our construction team, another landmark for the High Street. Sanderson Young, in its own small way, supports the region and High Street, Gosforth through quality premises and strong marketing techniques which are proven to ensure your home, be it for sale or let, achieves maximum exposure. We remain committed to local industry and business, from the suppliers of our IT, to the employment of our lawyers, to the creation of further jobs and income with those we work alongside – photographers, property editors and the printer of this magazine – all based in the North East. Over the last six months, the housing market has shown real improvement. The country may have entered recession a year ago, but the housing market has been subdued for more than two years and in many places we are selling at prices similar to those of 2003/04. But for our clients who understand reality, rather than the aspiration of unrealistic prices, we have been successful. Following the sad loss of Sir Bobby Robson comes the chant of ‘we are top of the league’, albeit in the Championship. I hope that all the region’s teams will be back in the Premiership next season and that we will continue our competitive spirit to gain the respect of business leaders throughout the UK. The North East is a proud region, and justifiably so. Our stunning coastline, beautiful countryside and vibrant city centre in Newcastle are supported well by the ambitions of Sunderland and the magnificence of Durham. It is up to the people of this region to support each other and ensure we grow out of recession to be recognised internationally and throughout Europe. We very much look forward to working with you in the future. Please contact me at duncan.young@sandersonyoung.co.uk Below: The stunning new offices of Baltic Place (www.balticplace.com)

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SY | SANDERSON YOUNG

agoodmove

Sanderson Young’s operations director Janet Hopkinson and corporate client director Nicola Osborne offer a regional view of the market

JANET HOPKINSON Our new regional sales and lettings office is now open with its chic new Great Coffee shop at 95 High Street, Gosforth, emphasising our very successful regional focus in both sales and lettings and creating a beautiful new venue for the High Street. The way we buy houses has changed beyond recognition in recent years, and estate agents who continue to serve only their immediate locality through high street offices lack the wider view that means success for Sanderson Young’s clients. Vendors and buyers appreciate our regional focus, which is why our clients know we can successfully market their homes in towns where we have no shop front, such as Hexham, Durham and their surrounding areas. Our clients know that all our offices are networked so that every member of staff in each office has access to all our clients’ properties sales particulars; not just the properties registered with their own offices. Obviously, this increases our marketing reach, exposing all our properties for sale to a significantly larger regional audience of prospective buyers. Our regional lettings’ office move from Newcastle Quayside to 95 High Street also emphasises our fully

regional focus in the rental market and has resulted in a significant increase in rental properties marketed by us across the whole region. We have also seen an increase in our average property rental to £1,400 per month, which goes to show just how vibrant this market can be when properties are marketed by an expert agent. Our website is under constant development and continues to be a highly successful marketing tool. The rapid growth in the use of the internet by people researching the market is fully reflected in the popularity of our site and the growth of our VIP membership. The new coffee shop at 95 High Street offers free Wi-Fi access, which means you can use your own laptop to browse for properties while relaxing over coffee or lunch. Our administration offices, media department, private finance division and other backroom services have all also now moved to number 95, and having our private finance and media departments upstairs means we can check your mortgage or the proofs of your home’s sales brochure while you enjoy a coffee. For more information, please contact Janet Hopkinson at the Sanderson Young rare! office, tel 0191 223 3500, email janet.hopkinson@sandersonyoung.co.uk

NICOLA OSBORNE Now, more than ever, investors and developers need the best independent professional advice, and we are expert in the specialist fields of investment sales and purchase, market appraisal, site acquisition, planning and funding. My function is to get involved in a development as early as possible and advise on everything from land acquisition to internal floor layouts. I work closely with Janet Hopkinson, who is particularly adept at knowing which type of property sells best in which type of market. Together, we can ensure the completed development is appropriate to generate the most interest and the best price for its location. We are now seeing increased activity in land acquisitions and can advise corporate clients on both purchase and the best way to dispose of real estate assets. Investors and developers with capital can seek out good returns on their investments, while we can also assist with raising finance by preparing reports for banks and lenders and sourcing funding through Sanderson Young’s private finance division. Increasingly, we work closely with larger investment clients to assist them with sales, purchases and asset management. We also work with banks and insolvency

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practitioners to bring new potential investments to the attention of our clients’. We have access to many clients who are willing to invest in large property portfolios, development sites and land with planning permission and we are currently advising clients, including an NHS trust and a local authority, on the management and realisation of their property assets. Traditionally strong locations are still good if investors can secure finance and can take a reasonable view on pricing. Developers also need to have a genuine unique selling point. Commercial and mixed-use developments including offices, hotels, residential and student accommodation can also be very successful, even in a slow market. I would advise my corporate clients to look at all the options. It may be that a developer has a site they plan to use for housing, until my research alerts them to the possibility of better margins through commercial or mixed-use development. For more details on Sanderson Young’s Corporate Client Services, contact Nicola Osborne at Sanderson Young’s rare! Office, High Street, Gosforth, tel 0191 223 3500, email nicola.osborne@sandersonyoung.co.uk

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contents Managing Director Duncan Young Operations Director Janet Hopkinson Regional Sales Manager Hazel Ross

P24

Editor Jane Pikett 01434 607 466 Editorial Emma Andrews Bob Arora Neil Gordon Rosie McGlade Brian Nicholls Sales Sue Tomlin Anthea Slater Sanderson Young Media 0191 213 2533

P18

Photography Kevin Gibson David Grebby Adam Lawrenson Nicky Rogerson

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PROPERTY 35

rare! Office

Alnwick Office

Ponteland Office

Regional Gosforth Office

Regional Lettings

107

New Homes

Design Mark Denny Production Damian Wood Print Potts www.potts.co.uk

P45

Cover: Gallowhill Hall P40

ISSN No: 1740-3375 Whilst every care is taken in compiling the contents of this magazine, the publisher accepts no responsibility for the effects arising thereof. All material is copyright. Reproduction of any part of the magazine is forbidden except by written permission of the publisher.

P61

P72

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contents

P118

P26

P120

P10

FEATURES 3

Invest in the North East

Duncan Young backs the region out of recession 8

A Likely Lad

You can’t take it with you

The hosts with the most

Painting by numbers

104

108

A restoration of a 13th Century monks’ refectory

124

Location location location

In with the new

126

Bangers & smash

Lord of the Rings Making family heirlooms the traditional way

129

In style Style advice for you and your home

130

All the way to Barcelona and back in a banger!

Busy bees Bees ... the new city garden accessory

The landmark developments shaping the region 116

Friars’ tuck

Have a coffee ... buy a house

Winter wonderland The magic of the Cairngorms at Christmas

The growth of renting and letting regionwide

Matt Forster’s business of art 22

120

SY’s landmark regional office and coffee shop

The new dinner party vibe - get the caterers in! 18

Playing hooky

Home on the range The new Range Rover put through its paces

Rug artist Heather Ritchie’s African aid mission

Multi-millionaire Brian Burnie’s philanthropy 14

118

How a store called RE brings vintage finds home

Ian La Frenais’ California dreaming 10

Remarkable

Hidden Gems Beautiful places to shop, eat and stay awhile

rare! Office

Gosforth Regional Office

Ponteland Office

Alnwick Office

Regional Lettings

Mayfair Office

0191 223 3500

0191 213 0033

01661 823 951

01665 600 170

0191 255 0808

0870 112 7099

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SY | PROFILE

Ian La Frenais is one half of one of the most significant comedy writing duos of recent times, and his work with Dick Clement is television and movie gold. Now, as Jane Pikett discovers, this very down-to-earth Englishman in LA has been supporting new writers in his native North East

likelylad

t’s hard to imagine anyone better qualified to mentor new and aspiring North East comedy writers than Ian La Frenais, one half of the brilliant team which created TV gems The Likely Lads, Auf Wiedersehen Pet and Porridge. If I were one of the three talented writers to have had that honour over the last few months, I guess I’d be terrified at the mere thought of even meeting such a giant of his genre, let alone showing him my work. But a couple of phone calls to LA reveals a down to earth guy with not a hint of starriness. Indeed, when I dial what I have been told is his work number, expecting to have to negotiate my way through a bevy of assistants and PAs and assuming my chances of speaking to him to be pretty remote, the phone is answered by Dick Clement, La Frenais’ erstwhile writing partner and co-creator of the aforementioned classics and many more. It transpires that ‘work’ is a study in Clement’s home, just a couple of well-heeled streets away from La Frenais’. Sometimes, they play tennis together after a day’s writing and this is one long-standing friendship which continues to prosper. “Oh yes, of course we still get on,” says La Frenais when I call him at home on another occasion, just as he’s heading out the door to Clement’s place. “I’m on my way there now. I go to Dick’s house every day and we work till 4.30pm. Yesterday, we played tennis afterwards for a couple of hours. Yes, we still get on; of course we do. I guess it might have helped that we’ve written a few serious dramas in our time too – it takes away the strain of having to find jokes all the time.” The apparent ‘strain’ of finding jokes day in, day out might, one imagines, be enough to deter someone as in demand as La Frenais spending his

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PROFILE | SY

valuable time mentoring new talent back home, but he enjoyed it, he says, and couldn’t resist the invitation. “I was approached by Northern Film and Media to do this project with three writers, and I thought, ‘oh God I’m so busy, I can’t’, but they were very nice and very persistent and it did seem a good thing to do, so I couldn’t really say no. “The nicest thing was going to London and meeting the three guys. Yes, it was frustrating at times because things kept coming up that were so obvious to me and they couldn’t see it, but they all showed natural talent. I was just trying to get them to understand they had to get a structure into their writing.” The scheme, Northern Laughs, is a partnership between BBC Writersroom, BBC Comedy and the three regional screen agencies of the North – Northern Film & Media, Screen Yorkshire and North West Vision and Media. Each region secured the talents of a leading comedy script writer. Jeremy Dyson (The League of Gentlemen, Funland, Armstrong and Miller) mentored talent from Yorkshire, Craig Cash and Phil Mealey (The Royle Family, Early Doors and Sunshine) mentored the North West talent and La Frenais worked with North East trio Lee Henman, Lee Mattinson and Kevin Murphy - all aspiring comedy writers from the North East. “I enjoyed talking through things with them and, I hope, encouraging them,” he says of the task. “There’s something unique about the North East voice; it comes from the humour and the irony that exists in that humour, and sometimes the stoicism that exists in the people. I guess in a way it’s because it’s still an isolated region; that’s why the voice is still strong.” La Frenais, born in Whitley Bay and a regular visitor to friends and family in the region, has lived in LA for 30 years and enjoys the lifestyle the California sun affords and the opportunities to travel his lifestyle allows.“Oh, I enjoy the variety of my life,” he says. “I like it here in LA and I also love to go off on a plane to England. I like landing in places far from home. Doesn’t everyone? “I go to the North East a lot. I was there three times last year and I’m going to visit soon. I have to be in London and so I thought I’d go up to Hull to see the stage play of Porridge, which will be on then, and then continue on up to the North East. “I saw a fabulous place in Corbridge that I’d have loved to buy, and I still think about it,” he says, of one of the landmark houses in the village. “It was when Porridge was a big hit in the 70s and I was driving my mother around in Northumberland and saw it and thought I would really like it. I still think of it now. Mind, it wouldn’t be cheap.” It wouldn’t, though one supposes he is worth a bob or two, for La Frenais and Clement are without doubt one of the most influential writing teams of recent times. The Likely Lads, Whatever Happened to the Likely Lads?, Porridge and Auf Wiedersehen, Pet are classic TV, and they have also written films including The Commitments (with Roddy Doyle), Still Crazy, Goal!, Flushed Away, Across the Universe and cinema versions of some of their own TV successes. In the 80s, La Frenais also adapted the TV series Lovejoy from the Jonathan Gash books. Since 1984, he has been married to the artist and painter Doris Vartan, the mother of Michael Vartan, the French Candian actor famous for his role in the US TV drama Alias. It sounds starry, as I say, but he doesn’t appear so, and Northern Laughs was a way of giving a bit more back to his home region. The aspiring comedy writers supported by the scheme were mentored through drafts of scripts set to go to the BBC for consideration. One of them, Lee Henman, has already had one of his scripts read out at the prestigious Edinburgh Television Festival, which augurs well, and at the

end of the development process, a script from each writer is being considered by BBC Comedy North and the best ideas put forward to the BBC Comedy Commissioner for the Nations and Regions. In other words, these chaps may well end up on the telly. “They’re all talented,” says La Frenais, “and I think they’ll do well. I talked to them a lot about the structure of humour; the architecture rather than the joke as such. They could all tell a joke, and I didn’t want to get in the way of their spontaneity, but they needed to learn structure too. “Out here [in LA], there is a very orthodox way of making things work that suits this market place. It’s good for these writers to be more anarchic than that, but they also have to know what will work in the market.” Who is his favourite character of all he and Clement created over the years? “Probably Bob and Terry [The Likely Lads], maybe because they were the first and they changed my life,” he says. “I loved Fletcher [Porridge], all of them in Auf Wiedersehen, Pet, and Ray Simms in Still Crazy, played by Bill Nighy.” The stage play of Porridge, starring Shaun Williamson (Extras, EastEnders) as Fletcher, has toured recently, including a stint in Newcastle. “When they came and said they wanted to do a play, we told them, you can’t just cobble a few episodes together off the TV and call it a stage play,” says La Frenais. “I said we would take the time and do it properly. It’s always the same with work; we do it properly, we don’t let anyone down, we’re always reliable. Some things don’t work, but it’s never because we’ve been careless, people could never call us that.” But after all these years, and all the success, why does he bother being so conscientious? Couldn’t he just spend every day reclining by the pool? “Oh, the pool’s not that big!” he laughs. “No, it’ll never happen. I’ve got lots of friends in music, and if you said to them, ‘when are you going to pack in?’ they’d think you were mad. No, we’ll go on and on. That’s how it is. It’s unimaginable not to.” For more information about Northern Laughs, see Northern Film and Media at www.northernmedia.org Talent: Lee Henman, Ian La Frenais, Lee Mattinson, Kevin Murphy

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There’s a

small

hotel that we’re wishing well ...

SY | PROFILE

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... to paraphrase an old song. Not everyone would sell a hotel business just as it’s taking off, but multi-millionaire Brian Burnie has his reasons, as he tells Brian Nicholls

oxford Hall Hotel – its owner’s pride and joy - only got into full stride in January, yet occupancy rates already nudge 65%. And despite having only 31 bedrooms, it could bring in £1.25m this year. In the same brief duration, it has gained four star status and a silver award. So isn’t owner Brian Burnie – a bedsit baby in the wartime years – acting rashly by putting his £17m investment up for sale now? Not so. In fact, anyone assuming such a thing doesn’t know what matters most to

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PROFILE | SY

this multi-millionaire former errand boy. He’s a philanthropist who believes that while property owning and profit-making matter, they are less important than people. He attributes a giving inclination to his parents, who believed in share and share alike, and he is selling to fund his philanthropy. His parents were active socialists, his father often saying that socialism was Christianity in practice. Brian himself says: “I just laugh at millionaires who simply take, take, take. They’ll be disappointed to find the one thing they can’t take with them after life is their fortune.” This explains his objectives as he meticulously added Doxford Hall Hotel and Spa onto his 1818 Grade II mansion home, Doxford Hall in Chathill village, near Alnwick. With the hotel extension to the hall, an early work of John Dobson, Brian was able to create jobs and boost rural Northumberland’s economy , safeguard the Dobson mansion, and make enough money from selling the lot to finance his charity work – in particular, setting up a private care and transport service for cancer patients living in remote areas of the county. He made these goals clear at the outset. Now, at 65 - and a little over a year since the hotel’s new doors first opened - he is looking for a buyer. It’s 50 years since he began full-time work as a tea boy, having earlier delivered groceries part-time on a bike for Law’s Stores for 10 shillings a week (50p) plus 11 shillings in tips. Many of the kind customers on his delivery round had been re-housed from Newcastle’s East End to Longbenton, championed in the 1950s as Tyneside’s Utopia. Some 50 years after pouring the tea for a living, Brian is inclined now to launch his ultimate project, and in so doing, he and his wife Shirley will move to a new home, still in their beloved Northumberland. However modest the new place is compared with Doxford Hall – for 16 years their home and inspiration - it will certainly transcend Brian’s birthplace at First Avenue, Heaton, a Newcastle bedsit where his mother “I JUST LAUGH AT raised the family while his father served with the RAF. MILLIONAIRES Later, while Brian was still young, they all WHO SIMPLY crossed the railway track to a slightly bigger home at Brough Street. But he and his baby TAKE, TAKE, TAKE …” brother still slept in the same bedroom as their parents, his sister occupying the only other bedroom. In 1959, the family bought a new, “state-of-the-art” semi, built at Shiremoor by Sir William Leech, later Brian’s close friend and philanthropic inspiration. The Algernon and Eccles pits were there then, and a brickworks. “They said Leech houses were so cheap because you either had a railway line or a pit heap outside,” he says. “If we went back there now we’d probably cringe. But he got us out of a back-toback house and into one with an inside bathroom and toilet.” Brian went back to Heaton the other day. His old school, North View Infants, is long gone. But he was delighted that nothing - neither so-called progress, nor recession, nor the Luftwaffe bombs that transformed Guildford Place, an extension of First Avenue - had wiped out Clough’s sweet shop - “Cloughies” - on Heaton Road. “The most famous sweet shop on earth to us,” he says. A building apprenticeship with John Laing led to him qualifying as an engineer, then on to management in construction and petrochemicals. In the late 1970s he and an erstwhile partner set up a recruitment agency in Newcastle, placing engineers and surveyors. Brian broadened the business, Kelburn Holdings, into general consultancy and with increased profits gave regularly to charity. The atmosphere there must have been good, for staff stayed on average for 17 years. When Brian sold the business he gave some of his own shares to two of his loyal ‘lieutenants’. >>

BOOK O BOOK ONLINE NLINE AT AT WWW.BLACKFRIARSRESTAURANT.CO.UK WWW.BLACKFRIARSRESTAURAN T.CO.UK BLACKFRIARS RES RESTAURANT, TAURANT, FRIARS STREET, NEWCASTLE. NE1 4XN. T: 0191 261 5945

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SY | PROFILE

Masons, carpenters, plumbers – Brian was on first-name terms with them all as he too rolled up his sleeves. “I’d been in project management on industrial and commercial projects,” he says, “but here there’s style and flair. I still can’t believe what we’ve achieved. But others must judge.” He’s understandably pleased too with the swimming pool and spa with its five treatment rooms. Amid his joke-a-minute Geordie humour, he speaks proudly yet humbly about a valuable contribution to Northumbrian tourism. With only 30 or so rooms, he says, it’s easier to achieve 65% occupancy than in something the size of a Marriott or a Hilton. Maybe, but Doxford Hall nevertheless is one of North Northumberland’s largest venues for business and social functions, as members of Northumberland WIs who recently filled it would affirm. It can take up to 250 visitors, and is licensed for civil << Shirley and Brian have given together since the day they asked their wedding marriage ceremonies and partnerships. guests to give donations to charity rather than wedding gifts. They raised three The repeat business is already “remarkable”, and word-of-mouth recommendachildren and, after 25 years in the Allen Valley of west Northumberland, bought tions are growing. “That’s what I love - people talking about it,” says Brian. Doxford Hall, then languishing under Northumberland County Council, which had Most of the food on the menu is sourced within a 25-mile radius, and most of the bought it in 1953. 55 employees are local, the furthest travelling from Prudhoe in the Tyne Valley. Under the Burnies’ ownership the door has opened wide to good causes. Teenage The local artist and historian Charles Wesencraft has depicted Northumberland’s children recovering from Chernobyl’s traumas have been entertained, and a charity story on a function room frieze and provided paintings and brief histories of the fish and chip supper for a record 4,000 ex-servicemen was endorsed by the Northumbrian castles after which each bedroom is named. Guinness Book of Records. The history of the Doxford estate itself goes back to 1296 and the hall too has Restoring Doxford Hall led to the hotel’s seamless attachment, enabling any colourful stories, like the 1900 version of Drop the Dead purchaser to now retain both home and hotel, convert Donkey when, in a bitter dispute between landed it all to a hotel, or turn it all into separate residencies. gentry, a neighbour poisoned the water supply by The estate’s 10 acres include an Italian-style sunken “THEY TELL ME LORD ARMSTRONG dropping a dead horse down the well. garden, and a yew-tree maze bigger than Hampton USED THE SAME SANDSTONE IN Back to the present, and most of the proceeds from the Court, Chatsworth or Hever which was laid by local hotel’s sale will go to the Burnies’ cancer care schoolchildren. Oh, and a record of five red squirrels BAMBURGH CASTLE AND THE ROOF campaign, firstly to fund an additional Macmillan nurse sighted in one day. IS WESTMORLAND SLATE” for Northumberland. Then there will be a fleet of Besides the hotel’s 25 main bedrooms there is the vehicles to take patients to Newcastle or Ashington for Victorian head gardener’s house (sleeping up to six) chemotherapy or radiotherapy. With them will be and the North Lodge (sleeping up to five). understanding helpers who have been on the same medical route. The hotel is built of pink Northumbrian sandstone, hewn from Brownieside quarry It is hoped the property may attract a benign buyer like Brian, keen for money to three miles away. “They tell me Lord Armstrong used the same sandstone in go to good causes, not just profit. “They think there may be someone out there rebuilding Bamburgh Castle,” Brian says. “The roof is of Westmorland slate from prepared to pay a premium,” Brian says. “Only time will tell.” the famous mine up Honister Pass.” One fine period fireplace came from Denton Hall via Beamish Museum, another from Belgium. The flooring is in solid oak from Russia, the chandeliers from Valencia. The furniture was selected to reflect its grand setting, and the grand staircase is an outstanding feature. “Who is George Runciman?” diners ask amid pillared splendour in the dining room of that name. He is the 80-year-old Jedburgh craftsman who worked for 13 years on the hotel with his son Alistair. The gracious light wood staircase probably reaches to the summit of their achievements as tradesmen. “George is a wonderful gentleman,” Brian says. “He has an incredibly sharp eye for detail and perfection. And he was amazed to see his name on the restaurant door. It was the least we could do.” Another father and son, who are plasterers, applied seven miles of period-style cornice, reputedly quarrelling throughout. No wonder, given their painstaking task.

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showcase your individuality... At Acanthus, we already have a long-established reputation for offering our customers the best interior accessories and classic, contemporary womenswear. But we recognise that sometimes even the best isn’t good enough, and that’s why we’ve launched our new Acanthus Bespoke service. Book a personal, one-to-one appointment with our Founder and Buyer, Gill Rowley, to select the ideal outfits to accentuate your personal style or the perfect accessories to match your home interiors. Why not bring some friends along too? The consultation is free if you purchase a £50 voucher for Acanthus. Call 01434 633700 for more information or to book an appointment.

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Corbridge

01434 633700

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thehosts withthemost

How often have you looked forward to having friends to dinner, then missed all the fun and faded too soon, exhausted? Get someone in, decides Rosie McGlade. She meets three leading North East caterers and finds entertaining at home doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to cost the earth

thecaterers Left to Right: Emily Botham, Kris Blackburn, Virginia Steer 14 | the collection

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Virginia Steer is catering for a 14-strong dinner party tonight, but she’s done it hundreds of times before and is very relaxed. “The only thing is that the hostess’s oven isn’t the best in the world, so I’ve had to fashion the menu around that, but it isn’t a problem,” she says. The guests will be enjoying canapés and a three-course meal, for which Virginia will charge £25 a head. “Because it’s quite a smart affair, I’ll have two waitresses with me, who are an additional £8 an hour each, and we’ll leave after the pudding’s served with the kitchen all tidy.” On the menu tonight are canapés, a fish starter, fillet of beef with béarnaise sauce, ratatouille and selected veg, depending on what’s good at Stobo’s greengroer’s in Corbridge, followed by chocolate truffle cheesecake with caramel sauce and raspberries, then cheese, tea and coffee. “I provide people with good food and service in keeping with the home environment,” says Virginia. “Nothing flash or overly elaborate, but extremely enjoyable and homely. “I visit you beforehand if you’re new to me and get to know your kitchen, and people give me a key and I have it all ready for them when they come in from work, having done all the shopping, organising and cooking. I bring waitresses if required and we leave the kitchen like a new pin.” The Virginia Cordon Bleu Catering company is based in the Tyne Valley and does dinner parties, corporate functions, weddings, parties and the like. Virginia trained at the prestigious Winkfield Cordon Bleu Cookery School and then the Cordon Bleu School in London. After that she travelled – catering being a wonderful passport to ski resorts, yachting marinas and so forth. She worked at Eggleston Hall Finishing School in Teesdale, now famous for turning Ladettes into Ladies on Channel 4. The 14 tonight is about average. “I’m doing a birthday party in a couple of weeks for 26,” she says. “The client is borrowing tables and chairs from the village hall. “I’ve catered for plenty of people who convert the lounge for a table and chairs and I’ve done 21st birthday parties for students in their flats. I can bring a lasagne that you reheat, or I can bring staff, china and linen and you get the works. “It’s not just for the wealthy. It’s just as much for busy people who have neither the time nor the inclination to shop and organise a party. It’s a lot cheaper than taking everyone out to dinner, and you really save on the drinks bill. “A friend once decided to cut corners on a big Christmas meal and buy everything in from M&S, but the shop was heaving, the shopping trip was miserable, and they hopelessly over-catered and wasted masses. Think of the time and money they would have saved by using a caterer.” In the past, Virginia’s clients might get her to drop the food in and pass it off as their own, but times have changed; no-one’s ashamed of it now. So it’s guilt free too, then. Wow. Get these numbers in your diary: Virginia Steer, Virgina Cordon Bleu Catering, Welton Town Farm Cottage, Welton, tel 01661 852 817, or 07774 172 499, email virginiasteer@netscape.net

starters Spinach, cream cheese and smoked salmon roulade Salmon and dill tartlets

mains Duck breasts with plum and ginger sauce Venison in redcurrant and wine sauce

pudding Cherries in red wine with vanilla ice cream Old English trifle

Kris Blackburn Bedou Kitchen Ltd

Kris has been catering for private events for ever, or so it would seem. Her very successful company, Churches, which she set up seven years ago in her native Chester-le-Street, has now merged with Flatbread Cafe to form Bedou Kitchen. “It all happened very quickly,” she says. “I was asked to have a meeting with Flatbread owner Hossein Rezaei, who brought ethnic bread production here through Pride Valley Foods. I thought I was going there to sell pies!” A year later and the merger has proven extremely successful. Private dinner parties remain a favourite task for her, though corporate catering and weddings are also a major part of the business. “I like doing dinner parties because it’s a complete meal from start to finish. You’re in your client’s home and you get a lot of satisfaction providing that whole service,” she says. “In that way, catering suits my personality. You prepare a meal and you have feedback in a very short space of time.” At-home weddings with marquees on the lawn have become more popular in recent years, Kris has found, and people seem to be entertaining more generally from the home too. “This way you can offer a much more intimate party for guests, and you can tailor what you do to your own tastes exactly.” She has several clients who regularly take turns to host a dinner party at home and pay individually, as they would in a restaurant. “It’s all about busy lifestyles; people wanting to have friends round for dinner but who rarely do it because they don’t have time to prepare everything, and making a deliberate choice to entertain in the home rather than a restaurant because it’s preferable for a particular occasion. “One of our clients is a man who gets us in every month to do a three course meal just for him and his wife to give her the night off. We turn up with the food all prepared, and all he has to do is pop it into the oven and reheat it. “We had another client who has now sadly passed away, and who was rather elderly. One way to see his friends was to invite them to his house once a month and get us to do the catering and the serving.” Bedou can provide its own patisserie chefs and other specialists. “A typical dinner party will have six to eight guests, the majority of whom come as couples. We’ll do as full or as minimum a service as required, and leave everything all clean and tidy.” Prices start at £25 a head for a three course meal with waiting staff. So how can you expect your guests to react when you tell them you’ve totally cheated? “Actually, people are usually really quite excited when they find out. More often than not they’ll get us to sit down at the end of a meal and ask us a whole lot of questions about the food and about the company. It brings a whole new aspect to the evening, and people seem to enjoy that.” Kris Blackburn, Bedou, tel 0191 388 7060, email Kris@bedoukitchen.com website www.bedoukitchen.com

Virginia Steer Virginia Cordon Bleu Catering

starters Truckle of woodland mushrooms with a whisky cream sauce Salad of warm black pudding and pancetta with poached free range Northumberland egg

mains Confit of duck with dauphinoise potatoes and roasted shallots Broccoli and silton soufflé with a three cheese sauce

pudding Pear frangipane with a warm Crème Anglaise and pear puree Bedou’s orange and exotic fruit dessert

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SY | FOOD

Emily Botham Emily Botham Ltd

If your memory goes back long enough (14 years), you may recall a young Emily Botham representing the North East in the finals of Junior Masterchef. “I didn’t actually win, but I got to the end and did interviews on Richard and Judy and everything. It was an amazing experience,” she says today, now the proud boss of a Newcastle-based catering company specialising in corporate, wedding and private dinner party events. Going by her prowess as a child, when Prue Leith said her baked Alaska was the best she’d ever tasted and Raymond Blanc gave her a big thumbs up, she must be providing a great service. Emily started her business seven years ago, having completed a degree in child psychology, but getting far more pleasure from cooking for friends and family. “People were always asking me to do bits and bobs for them for dinner parties and things, and I realised it was something I enjoyed and there was a demand for it.” She’s grown her business on word of mouth and says the dinner parties she does in Jesmond, Gosforth, Durham and so forth have become a lot more popular. She offers a flexible service, and as well as food she can bring waitresses, crockery, cutlery, linen and wine and leaves your home like nothing ever happened. “Using a catering service in your home can work out a lot cheaper than taking your guests out to a restaurant,” she says. “For one thing, you don’t have to face the huge mark-up on wine and people love coming into the kitchen at the end of the meal to find the counters clear, the washing up done and the floor sparkling.” On average, Emily will cater for six to 12 dinner party guests and can do a very nice four-course meal plus canapés starting at £30 per head, and as well as catering, she does chocolate brownies, cakes and things for the new Great Coffee shops at Sanderson Young’s new Gosforth office and on Newcastle Quayside. Typically, Emily will turn up about an hour before the guests arrive and look after everything. She’s stayed into the early hours before, but usually she’s off by about 11pm. “They’ll have their karaoke machines on and all sorts by then,” she laughs. Many of her clients use her regularly and first timers are often fascinated. “They will often sit in the kitchen with me as I prepare the dinner and try to pick up tips. “I recently ran a four-day course for students. I taught them how to make spaghetti bolognaise, stir fries, chocolate cake and things, and I did them a booklet. They were really enthusiastic. “I’ve got a set of eight ladies who each host a dinner party once a month and I do the catering for them in their homes. It works very well, and takes all the hassle away for them.” Emily Botham Ltd, tel 0191 209 4325 or 07866 635 298, email info@emilybotham.com website www.emilybotham.com

starters Layered farmhouse terrine with pistachios served with red onion and plum chutney Crispy pancetta, artichoke hearts, buffalo mozzarella salad with warm blueberry dressing

mains Tender loin of lamb served with caramelized shallots, whole grain mustard mash, orange-infused roast carrots, purple sprouting broccoli and red wine jus Roast chicken breast stuffed with wild mushroom and goat’s cheese wrapped in pancetta and spring vegetables

pudding Prune and Pecan sticky toffee pudding with homemade vanilla ice cream Baked New York style vanilla cheese cake with a trio of strawberries

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& … theclient Duncan Young, MD of Sanderson Young, says:

“Initially the idea of caterers and people to help serve drinks seemed too obtrusive and a little pretentious, but the quality of food and the ease of the whole evening makes the hosts enjoy their party much more.” “Guests accept that this form of dining can be a lot more pleasurable than an over-crowded restaurant and too much noise. Your own home is always a place in which you and your guests can relax more and this form of catering is a lot less expensive than taking a group out to a top restaurant. I find it also allows me to drink better quality wines without paying the huge mark up often charged in good restaurants.” “Often because so many of us dine informally we can be sitting in the kitchen and recently when Emily Botham and her partner Martin cooked for eight of us we all agreed it was one of the best dinner parties we had ever had.” “Emily was explaining how she cooked the various dishes and joining in the enjoyment of the evening and by the time our guests were relaxing after dinner the whole kitchen was clean and ready for family breakfast the next day.”

“We all lead very busy lives now and having the convenience to eat in your home with superb food and good company is made even nicer by somebody else doing all the hard work in buying, preparing, serving and clearing up.”

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Celebration Collection 2009 Richard Sinton proudly unveils nine, limited edition ‘S’-shaped diamond pendants to celebrate 25 successful years of business in Newcastle upon Tyne. The Celebration Collection is set with 25, D colour diamonds, each weighing a quarter of a carat to represent a quarter of a century.

Individually priced from £1,900 to £5,900 Each limited edition pendant in the Celebration Collection will come gift wrapped, complete with a valuation certificate and presented with a bottle of Richard Sinton Jewellers champagne.

47-48 Eldon Garden, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RA | T: 0191 232 0788 | www.richardsintonjewellers.com

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SY | ART

Landscape artist Matt Forster is both highly innovative and unusually entrepreneurial. Jane Pikett meets an artist who is making his mark in the art of business

t’s quite a rare thing to invent a form of painting that is so innovative you actually trademark it, as Matt Forster has recently done. But then this talented young artist has always had a very strong entrepreneurial streak that has, in recent months, attracted backing from well-known investors, impressed with his grasp of brush and business. The monthly board meetings with his investors keep him on his toes, he says, funding what he describes as his ‘habit’; his addiction to painting. “The business has grown so that I can paint,” he says. “I’m just funding my habit, but it’s getting to be an expensive habit, with the marketing, the gallery, staff, trademarking, all of that – all those overheads.” He has the backing, won through a presentation at the Entrepreneurs’ Forum in Newcastle, of investors Chris Thompson, chief executive of Gateshead-based Express Engineering, and Alan Clark, a member of the Business Investors Group. Together, they have invested a significant amount in the Matt Forster brand, matched by the North East Equity Matching Fund run by One North East.

Top Left: Western Isles 09 Bottom Left: Northern Ireland 09 Centre: Silver Birch 09

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The funding supports the business based at the M J Forster Gallery in Hexham, which has now replaced the Art Works Gallery Matt founded and ran until recently in Newcastle. Housed in a rambling Georgian terrace with sloping walls and floors that make you feel a tiny bit seasick, this historic gallery space is nicely juxtaposed with Matt’s highly contemporary latest collection: Uberbritain. This series of works defines the soul of British landscapes via Forster’s now trademarked style, Uberpainting. The technique, which came to him late last summer after ten years exploring many methods of applying paint to canvas and paper, is bold, challenging and very definitely not traditional watercolour. This distinct style is almost graphic in form; in fact, people ask if it is print work or digitised. It is neither, but the colours are so bold and so perfectly executed, it is quite a leap of the imagination to really believe they are watercolour, that most argumentative medium. Watercolour’s image is traditional and not instantly associated with a 34 year old who thrives on pushing the boundaries of technique. But that, Forster says, is where the art lies. “This isn’t just painting, it’s art, and I know it stands up at the highest level,” he says, not immodestly. To prove the point, one of his Uberpainting pieces was recently accepted by the Royal Watercolour Society competition and put on show at the Bankside Gallery in London – an honour that is hard won and much acclaimed. Last year, an Uberpainting preparatory study was in the prestigious A1 Summer Art Competition and won First Prize and Judges Choice. >>

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Top Left: South Coast 09 Top Right: Silver Birch 09

SY | ART

<< “I know the work can stand on an international level now technically,” he says. “It’s got real depth to it now.” Simply put, the technique is in the process of making scores of studies of the same scene, layering paint and washes to open up a broader palette. This then allows Forster to explore the quintessence of a landscape, each study being an advancement on the last. He says it is an intensely restrictive framework, yet out of that limitation a greater creativity emerges. “If painting is literature,” he says, “watercolour is poetry, oil is the novel, and Uberpainting is a sonnet.” Uberbritain is now being sold in galleries UK-wide. “These paintings come out of my head, they aren’t real, not accurate as such, but they are the essence of real places,” says Forster, who has travelled widely over the last decade. Over two years he lived, worked and showed his paintings in South East Asia, Mexico, Northern America, Canada and New Zealand, using the challenge of the landscapes in which he worked, Plein Air, to hone his talent, manifested so strongly in Uberpainting, to expose the soul of the landscape. He and his wife Nicolette have a new baby and a toddler now, so travel is curtailed, but there is much inspiration still to be drawn from previous journeys. “The scope is enormous in terms of inspiration,” he says. “I’m inspired by the whole world, and I can see the inspiration for Uberpainting going on and on.” The style is not always, he says, an instant hit; people appreciate it more when they understand the painstaking process behind it – the fact that one painting may have 300 hours work behind it, but take only three hours to create the final work – the other 297 hours dedicated to scores of studies. “It’s almost like a print. There’s no mixing on the paper. I know exactly what I’m doing when it comes to the last one because of the studies that have gone before. I just keep refining the design. The drawing is massive in this work, you can see the pencil marks on it. There’s no room for manoeuvre once I have set the drawing, I just find out what works and what doesn’t. “I play by a set of rules when I paint, and when you put a restrictive structure on something you are more creative. The skill is in the control of the watercolour. “I think this is what I’ve been working ten years for. It’s as if it was waiting for me. And Uberpainting is unique to me. It’s even trademarked. It’s not just watercolour, it’s art at a high level, and I don’t want that to sound immodest; it’s just what it is.” The Riding Mill based maritime artist Ron Thornton taught him the technical aspect of watercolour when he was a boy. “It actually is the most difficult medium,” he says. “There’s no room for error; once the paint hits the paper, that’s it.

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“IF PAINTING IS LITERATURE,WATERCOLOUR IS POETRY, OIL IS THE NOVEL, AND UBERPAINTING IS A SONNET”

“With Uberpainting, when you get closer to the end the pressure builds. All the time I’m doing the studies, I’m practising in order to remember the 100 or 150 actions that need to go into the final painting. It’s like a rehearsal for a performance.” Uberpainting Ltd is a registered company and the business of marketing the work is vital to funding its progression. And while Forster doubtless has an entrepreneurial streak, it is his wife Nicolette who is honing a business brain. “She has a scientific background and she is very methodical,” he says. “She thinks like a spreadsheet. “Our investors have helped to structure the business. They make me focus on the fact that we’re actually in the business of distributing product, that’s it. There’s a board meeting every month and they scrutinise the figures. It’s tough, and it’s a great motivator “The work is distributed through selected galleries and online. We’re also looking at galleries in Europe, the US and Australia.” He says there’s a part of him that wouldn’t mind just taking off and painting all day in a garret, without the hassle of business, but he is also sufficiently ambitious to know that if he is to make his name in the international art world, which he doubtless has the talent to do, he has to market his work appropriately, and that means business. “The overheads are scary, but we’re building a brand and this is what you have to do to get it taken seriously.” Interest in Forster’s work is growing steadily and one gets the sense that the interest in him will now accelerate. He has found his signature art form now, and he's come far in the 20 years since he joined Hexham art group at 14. In another 20 years, who knows where his work will be? New York? Paris? It’s already in London. His business plan certainly dictates he will be in Europe soon, America shortly after. The talent is in place, ditto the business structure. Watch this space. M J Forster Gallery, St Mary’s Chare, Hexham, tel 01434 609 309

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Dine at The White Room, the North East’s only Michelin starred restaurant and sample the flair that won Kenny Atkinson critical acclaim. Kenny’s modern British style of cookery uses the finest and freshest locally sourced ingredients. A favourite of A-list celebrities, dining at The White Room is an unforgettable experience. To enjoy your five red star experience fully stay over in one of our 19 individually designed bedrooms, and relax in the award-winning Serenity Spa - voted ‘Residential Spa of the Year’ at the recent Professional Beauty Awards. The spa welcomes nonresidents for a range of fantastic day spa packages. To book or for further enquiries please call us on 0191 5161400 or visit www.seaham-hall.co.uk

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friars’tuck

SY | INTERIORS / FOOD

There’s a 750-year-old former monks’ refectory in the heart of Newcastle where fabulous food is still served daily and where recent works have restored it further to its historic glory, as Jane Pikett discovers ou can’t tell the story of the history of Newcastle without including Blackfriars; the historic quarter first established by Dominican monks who founded a Friary there in 1239. They were dubbed ‘Black Friars’ because of their black tunics, indeed some say they inspired the black stripes of Newcastle Utd, which doesn’t explain the team’s white stripes, but is a nice enough story. Another nice story – and one we can more easily prove – is that the refectory where these holy men once took their repast remains a dining room today. I had my lunch there today – two fabulous North Sea fishcakes with a wholegrain mustard and lemon butter sauce from the kitchen of Blackfriars restaurant, in the very same place the monks cooked and ate 750 years ago. I bet they didn’t get fabulous fish cakes, chips and homemade bread washed down with local ale for their lunch. Come to think of it, maybe they did; for the robust dishes and local beers at Blackfriars are traditionally gutsy and perfectly match the history of this place. Dishes here are made from aged beef, old breed pork and lamb, fish from North Shields, traditional Northumberland cheese, heather honey and sometimes even wild garlic, nettles and blackberries gathered from Jesmond Dene and wild country hedgerows. Troy, the head chef, prides his kitchen on originating every dish; their own sausages made to traditional recipes, their own burgers, ice cream, bread, even the snacks – crisps made from Carroll’s Heritage potatoes of Northumberland and rare breed pork scratchings. Yes, pork scratching ... the monks would have liked those. Oh, and special mention to the chips; real, homemade, fat, fabulous chips – delicious.

Blac

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Herbs are still grown in barrels outside the kitchen door and the cooks harvest the walnuts from the trees in the courtyard. And the owner, Andy Hook, has drawn an intricate map of the region which is reproduced on the big tablemats, pointing out the farms and suppliers whose ingredients make Blackfriars’ menu so good. Of course, being based in a place like this brings responsibilities; something of which Andy is acutely aware. “I’m very conscious that we are custodians of a space that doesn’t belong to us and we have to look after it and its history,” he says. Just recently he’s had the builders in, closing the restaurant during late summer while they reclaimed more of the old space and took it back further to its origins. Most people are aware of the restrictions on works in conservation areas and listed buildings, but this building isn’t just listed, it’s a Scheduled Ancient Monument, which basically means you can’t sneeze without a gaggle of experts from planning officers to archaeologists telling you how to do it. Contrary, however, to the popular belief that sometimes these people get in the way, Andy was delighted to have them on board. “There’s a wealth of knowledge to be had and we were delighted to have it,” he says. “The Civic Trust was a great help, and the county archaeologist, David Heslop, was extremely helpful, as was his predecessor, Barbara Harbottle, who had been involved in previous works here. English Heritage was also involved and I was glad to have them all. “We told them we wanted to reinstate some of the space, using reclaimed materials

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as much as possible, and that we would use muted tones throughout, so all the paintwork is Farrow & Ball, for example, and they were fine, very supportive in fact.” I enjoy my lunch sitting in a cosy corner beneath old photos of Blackfriars in the 19th Century. Andy thinks the monks grew veg in the courtyard, where you can eat al fresco in summer, and hopes he might be able to do the same one day. For now, some of the organic veg on the menu comes from his own allotment, which fits in nicely with the focus on local, seasonal food here. When Andy first saw the place the interior design wasn’t, shall we say, strictly in keeping with its heritage. “There was a place here called the Eclectic Cafe, full of terrible paraphernalia. We’ve taken it out slowly, but until recently we were still living with the 60s bar, glass balustrades and linoleum, which was all completely wrong for the place.” Now, after a few weeks work and expert input, the UK’s oldest dining room pays fitting homage to its roots. Interior designer Lee Barter, of Newcastle-based Portland Design, was involved in the project . “I did wonder if that would be difficult because of the restrictions in place, but English Heritage and the like were very helpful,” he says. “It was important to use reclaimed materials as much as possible and to preserve the heritage. It was a fascinating project.” Andy Hook also wanted the place to be comfortable and to increase its environmental credentials. “As a green business we wanted to use as much reclaimed stuff as possible,” he says. “The tables are reclaimed, we’ve used reclaimed oak, and we’ve got an old beam from the High Level Bridge in here now. It all creates the atmosphere of the refectory while still being comfortable. The floor is German solid oak, laid on top of the old floor, which originally came from the Mayfair Ballroom, of all places.” The business has just won an award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme, so no surprise that even the stuff that was removed was given away on www.uk.freecycle.org. If you go, ask Andy to give you a tour of the building. It’s a rabbit warren of strange

old spaces and there are pieces of Newcastle’s history here you never hear of. Knock on the door of The Civic Trust, who are upstairs, and they’ll tell you all about Blackfriars. The quarter has, since the 1500s, been a home for crafts, variously used by bakers, butchers, saddlers, skinners, smiths, tanners, tailors and more, and the Freemen of the craft companies still meet here, upstairs from the restaurant in an historic room which looks not to have changed much in the 400 years they have used it. The Dominicans are still in the city too, on Shields Road, but the craftsmen and women who have always made Blackfriars their home remain there, providing shoes, clothing, fine goods and, in Andy Hook’s case, refreshment. To find out more, see www.blackfriarsrestaurant.co.uk

Left: Andy Hook

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SY | INTERIORS

cycled stored markable

Rare, remarkable and recent finds make up a unique home store where antlers and deckchairs are on sale alongside vintage cake stands and sugar bowls. If heaven were recycled, it would be at RE, discovers Jane Pikett

ome places, like people, just can’t be classified. If your imagination is fired by vintage glass cake stands, old dinner plates re-fired with macabre images of skulls and snake skeletons, mad old chandeliers, rusty metal letters to hang on the wall, vintage printer’s blocks and 1950s jelly moulds, RE is for you. Some folk don’t realise it’s a shop, and when they’re told that’s what it is, they take their bewilderment out of the door with them. For most, however, this is a haven; a nostalgia trip, a design emporium, an Aladdin’s cave of irresistible stuff. On my last visit, I bought four vintage glass cake stands, several rusty metal shapes (hearts, ivy wreaths, and a couple of letters), some handmade cards featuring skeletal figures from Peru and a set of cookie cutters made in the shape of the British Isles. I am currently coveting a notebook bound in a vintage Ordnance Survey map and a set of antlers which I fancy would suit our entrance hall. And me a vegetarian. The word ‘eclectic’ was created for RE, home of vintage, recycled, restored and revamped stuff. There are gorgeous vintage textiles, old printer’s blocks, old furniture including a couple of dentist’s enamelled cabinets, big crystal chandeliers, deckchairs, vintage gardening stuff and fine old cutlery. Vintage glass sugar bowls are selling well just now, as are cookie cutters, old rolling pins, scrummy soaps and candles in various vegetable shapes, including cabbages and onions. You probably have to see them to appreciate the idea. The owners, Simon Young and Jenny Vaughan, are former fashion designers who created this business out of a shared love of flea markets, antiques centres and, well, things. The mail order business is phenomenally successful and people make pilgrimages from all over the country to the shop, which is housed in an old workshop behind the petrol station in Corbridge. “We have people diverting their holidays because they’ve seen us in magazines,”

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ABOVE: RE owners Simon Young and Jenny Vaughan

says Jenny. “We’ve had a young couple from Derby come up twice and stay in a Travel Lodge, just to come here.” Prices range from 10p to £2,000 and there really is something for everyone. “People come on a bit of a nostalgia trip and generally leave with a smile,” says Simon. “We also occasionally get people who say, ‘is this a shop?’ I’m not sure what they think, but very occasionally people don’t get it, and that’s fine; it’s just very different.” Vintage cake stands are massive just now, ditto Victorian celery vases. Babbington House bought a stack to use as flower vases in the bedrooms. Simon and Jenny are creative buyers, sourcing goods at fairs and markets in the UK, Europe and the States, and they also have a network of suppliers scouting around for them. “We just love finding things,” says Jenny, “though to sell online, you need things in numbers, which can be difficult with vintage items. We do ebony and bone dominoes and vintage brass-topped cribbage boards, but we’re running out. We have to have a reality check every now and again.” In New York recently, their imagination was sparked by a green milky glass. “No one else has it,” says Jenny. “The pieces – cups, bowls, cake stands and things -

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RE:

INTERIORS | SY

are made in vintage moulds but they have a clean cut and the colour’s wonderful. There’s a simplicity about it and it looks as good in a contemporary, minimalist setting as it does in an old house.” They also bought thousands of cookie cutters from New York, including a two-piece shape of the British Isles. “We had to commit to 2,000 of them to get the order, but we love it,” says Jenny. “We basically buy things we like, and it seems to work.” Obviously, over the six years they’ve been going, they’ve bought some howlers, and they’ve had some popular lines they just can’t get anymore. Vintage toasting forks ran out, so they got someone locally to reproduce them and now have their own REgd brand bread, crumpet and extending toasting forks. “We must have sold thousands,” says Jenny. “We try to use local craftspeople,” says Simon, “like the sketchbooks bound in vintage maps in Haltwhistle. People hunt through and find maps of places that mean something to them. We’ve had some little notebooks printed here in the village too. “In Washington there’s a place where they shot blast old metal cupboards, and we have a vintage French shelf design that they enamel for us. There’s a laser cutter there too, and they do the rusty shapes and letters for us. They cut them, we rust them!” Finding things, commissioning and designing items all fire Simon and Jenny’s imagination. “We have our own classics now that we do year in, year out, but we’re always working on new things too, and that keeps RE interesting,” says Simon. It took them a year to find their perfectly suited industrial premises. It’s big, but packed to the rafters and they need more space, but who could have foretold it. “We’ve created a monster,” laughs Jenny. The mail order business is now huge, bigger than the shop in fact, and they are increasing their own REgd brand with cushions, sketchbooks, shelving, vegetable seeds and more. They also love their hidden location. “We love the idea of being a bit hidden,” says Simon. “You need to know about us to find us. There’s something nice about that.” They both live near Slaley, about two fields from one another. The home Simon shares with his fashion journalist wife Vicky is stuffed with gorgeous vintage stuff. Jenny’s is also crammed. “I love things en masse,” she says. “It’s a bit peculiar, but I like collecting skulls and bones and displaying them under old glass domes. I think the postman

“… WE WANTED TO CREATE A PLACE FULL OF THINGS THAT WERE VINTAGE, OR NEW, OR RECYCLED OR REDESIGNED, AND FROM ALL THE OVER THE WORLD.” thinks I’m a white witch. I love textiles too; I build up little collections of things. The problem is finding room for it all. “At least with the shop you own things for a little while. Sometimes, I cherish things in the storeroom for a while before I’m ready to put them out in the shop.” They’ve recently been collecting old dinner plates and having them re-fired with designs which are also embroidered on napkins made from old Damask table cloths. There are six macabre images - a lobster, a scorpion beetle, skull, an eye, a lizard and a skeleton snake. “Adapting and designing things is part of the pleasure,” says Jenny. “We didn’t want an antiques shop, we wanted to create a place full of things that were vintage, or new, or recycled or redesigned, and from all over the world. The only logic to it is that it is all stuff we like and a lot is reused or recycled.” The store has been declared one of the top ten homes shops nationally by the Sunday Times Style Magazine, and it has become the subject of many international shopping blogs. “We like to keep things different and our own range of exclusive items made locally like the toasting forks, embroidered linens and crochet blankets are important,” says Simon. “We’ve also got French-made REgd hand washes and we have seeds from a heritage seed merchant which fit in perfectly in our garden department with its vintage hand tools. “There’s no real logic; we just love it all.” RE is at Bishops Yard Corbridge tel 01434 634 567, www.re-foundobjects.com

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SY | ART / HOMES

Not content with her international recognition as a leading traditional hooky mat artist, Heather Ritchie is teaching blind people in Africa to make a living through the sale of their own rugs, as Rosie McGlade discovers hen Heather Ritchie was only six, her father lost his sight. One of her beautifully-crafted hooky rugs depicts the story in coloured strips of cloth; little Heather leading her father along a gas-lit street in Sunderland. “I was like his guide dog,” she says, her Wearside accent strong still after 40 years in the beautiful North Yorkshire valley of Swaledale. On another rug, there’s an old bus leaving the dales, taking her mother home to Sunderland after the war, surrounded by purple heather (after which Heather was named) at the end of summer. Both Heather’s parents were evacuated to the area, and throughout every summer holiday during her childhood the family would work on a farm there, falling further in love with the countryside and the dales people. At 25, Heather settled in Swaledale permanently, learning rug making from a neighbouring farmer’s wife so she could furnish her home. That was 40 years ago, and she is now an internationally renowned rug making artist, while her husband, a retired Naval engineer, makes her beautifully turned hooks himself, with a variety of lovely polished wood handles. “When we first moved here, I was painting my floorboards, trying to make things nicer, and a local farmer’s wife asked me if I wanted some rugs, and she taught

me to make them,” remembers Heather. “In every house up here they made rugs; great huge ones that filled the kitchens.” She mixes her styles - wild and wonderful flowers burst out of some, while many also tell stories, the images creating a charming world full of place and meaning. Now one of the UK’s leading traditional rug-making artists, Heather is in huge demand, particularly in the States, where she regularly teaches and speaks at specialist events. “In the States once, someone said to me, ‘Heather, your voice matches your rugs’. Maybe that’s one of the things that draws people there to me,” she says. Her work embodies the history, charm and feel of the dales in a uniquely direct and tactile way. Women here have always made rugs to keep their homes warm and clean and Heather’s home in Reeth, which looks out onto steep hillsides and sheep, is full of beautiful handmade rugs, quilts and patchwork. Even the mat on the kitchen table is quirky; a big chequered pad with a rescued jeans pocket on one side. You can put your hand inside and use it as an oven glove. The kitchen curtains are a patchwork of pretty blues and yellows with little flowers, made from Heather’s daughters’ childhood dresses. We’re familiar here with proggy or clippy mats and for some, Heather says, they bring back cosy, homely feelings, while for others, they are reminders of poor, hard times. You may have other names for them – clippy seems fairly standard, describing the slightly finer rugs with the loop from each strip of cloth showing on the surface side. The shaggier versions, with the cloth ends on the surface, are the proggy or proddy mats; Heather has so far counted 20 different names for them, depending on where you come from. But there’s another story about Heather, aside from her work, which started three years ago with an article in her local weekly paper. >>

“IN THE STATES ONCE, SOMEONE SAID TO ME, ‘ YOUR VOICE MATCHES YOUR RUGS’. MAYBE THAT’S ONE OF THE THINGS THAT DRAWS PEOPLE OVER THERE TO MY WORK 26 | the collection

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LIFE HAS ITS MOMENTS...

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SY | ART / HOMES

“WHEREVER YOU GO, PEOPLE FIND WAYS OF CREATING WARMTH USING SCRAPS ... I WAS IN GREECE ONCE AND SAW A CLIPPY MAT ON A DONKEY’S BACK, UNDER ITS SADDLE”

<< A school for the blind had opened in Gambia, West Africa. It was the first of its kind in this desperately poor country, which has a grossly disproportionate rate of blindness, much of it relating to poverty, river blindness, conjunctivitis and cataracts. Some people in the dale were fundraising for equipment for the school, the paper said, and Heather wanted to give something back, she says - not seeming to take into account the 100 or so community rug-making programmes she’s run up and down this country without charge. There was a logical link; she’d grown up with a blind father - Victor Robson, at one time the picture house pianist at Sunderland’s silent movies – and one of her own three children, Chrissie, had trained as a rehabilitation officer for the blind. Heather, it should be noted meanwhile, is a force of nature. She looks somewhere around her early fifties, certainly not 65. She doesn’t stop talking, she doesn’t stop working, and the repeated knocks at the door and phone calls during our chat underline the attractiveness of her company. So she’s a one-off - jovial, talented, almost childlike in her determination to steam ahead with plans and help others. She rang the group supporting the blind school and offered help. Three years on, and if you were to visit Serrekunda in Gambia, not too far from its glorious beaches and certainly on the tourist bus route, you may happen upon some of her students who are now able, for the first time, to make a small living, rather than rely on begging for food. “Life is very tough there,” Heather says, “and it’s desperately tough for blind people. The wind from the desert brings dust and sand and poverty levels are unbelievable, but the people are lovely. “As soon as Chrissie and I arrived, they brought in 50 blind beggars off the street, and we held their hands and worked with them until they got the rhythm, and showed them how to hook. They had the joy of creating something, some of them for the first time, and it was amazing to see. They were thrilled.” One woman’s life before the school was built was so basic that she actually made a barking noise rather than speak; she’d been living with animals all her life. Now, Heather says, she’s transformed by a sense of purpose. Heather pays each of her students £5 per rug, and then sells them in the UK. One fetched £50. The money goes back into Rug Aid.

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Heather can hook rugs with her eyes closed, which is how she knew that blind people could cope. She trains the students’ sighted relatives to help and teach them in her absence. “One of the students, Ernest, makes rugs with smiley faces and houses on. I don’t know how he does it. I don’t know if he’s ever been able to see,” Heather says, “but they’re extraordinary.” Chrissie, her daughter, uses all her annual leave volunteering at the school. She supports the teachers and has helped train rehabilitation officers. She’s been able to diagnose partial sight, so students who can see even a tiny amount can be matched with a pair of glasses she and her mother have collected and brought over. They also take story and text books and translate them into Braille. They take white sticks and teach people how to use them - for blind people there are obviously vulnerable when the roads are so full of holes, and broken bones are dangerous when medical care is so sparse. “I’ve almost given up taking clothes over to be cut up, because they’ll wear them instead. I still take them clothes – and they look beautiful whatever they put on – but I spend time while I’m there looking for rags that can be used for rugs.” The world-famous Richmond-based artist Mackenzie Thorpe had her make two rugs based on his fat sheep paintings, and they raised more than £3,500 each in the USA. That persuaded Heather to go to the States in person and a prestigious rug school in Vermont asked her back to teach. Her reputation rocketed and she makes regular teaching trips there now. Her rug workshops are attended by people from all over the world. “I think wherever you go in the globe, people have found ways of creating warmth through scraps of fabric and material,” she says. “I was in Greece once and saw a clippy mat on a donkey’s back, under its saddle. My daughter once came upon a group of people in a little wooden house in the jungles of Thailand, and they were making proddy mats.” In just over two and a half years, Heather has been to Gambia eight times. Because they’re blind, things go missing, hooks get lost, rugs end up on the dusty floor and get dirty, and her dream is to put up a building of their own in the school grounds. She’s been quoted £10,000 for it. “I want a workshop with a lock-up, machines and lots of hessian, where they can keep tabs on where the hooks and scissors are, and hang the rugs up and show the tourists. That’s my dream.” Her eyes sparkle. So much has already been achieved. She must be delighted? “Oh, ecstatic. These people have all got a new lease of life. Because a lot of blind people live on compounds and marry each other – no-one else will have them – you get whole families working on a rug together. I’m chuffed to bits.” For more information or to help raise funds, contact Rug Aid, tel 0174 888 4435 www.rug-aid.org Rug Aid is organising an international ‘Rug Rave’ on Nov 21 2009 when Heather will teach and provide special patterns at Newton Hall Community Centre, Ryelands Way, Durham, DH1 5GR, 10-3pm, tickets £5

x80981_SYM_p1_vw_x80981_SYM_p1_vw 25/09/2009 Friday, 25 September 2009 16:58 Page 29

me me me designer accessories

68 Clayton Park Square (behind Willi s Cafe), Jesmond NE2 4DP, Tel: 0191 281 0303 Open Mon - Sat 26 Eldon Garden, Newcastle NE1 7RA, Tel: 0191 261 0362 Open 7 days Order online www.mememeaccessories.com/trollbeads or mail order Tel: 0845 313 9055

Trollbeads are not available at our Eldon Garden Shop

x80981_SYM_p1_vw_x80981_SYM_p1_vw 25/09/2009 Friday, 25 September 2009 16:58 Page 30

HIGH STREET, GOSFORTH

SY | SANDERSON YOUNG

Sanderson Young’s new landmark regional sales and lettings office combines innovations in estate agency with a chic coffee shop, discovers Neil Gordon

HAVE A COFFEE ... BUY A HOUSE

once read a business book which insisted that a key element of success is to keep emotion out of commercial decisions. In other words, while you may love banana and pickle sandwiches, they may not be a best seller in your sandwich shop. No one can deny that Duncan Young has been successful in business. In 10 years, Sanderson Young estate agency has grown into one of the most respected names in the North East, yet now Duncan is making a crucial business development decision based at least partly on emotion, namely his commitment to High Street, Gosforth. Some £350,000 has been invested in Sanderson Young’s chic new sales, lettings office and coffee shop at 95 High Street, Gosforth, and extensive work to refurbish the rare! office in the old bank building up the road and add a beautiful glazed atrium begins as we go to print. Both developments create new landmarks for High Street and help to boost the area’s economy, and while both represent a sound move for the business and its clients, they are also borne out of Duncan’s emotional links to Gosforth. “I began my career working at Dudley Charlton, which later became part of Your Move, at 95 High Street,” he says, “and it feels right to move back there. “Dudley Charlton was once an old-fashioned estate agency whose philosophy was to provide an exceptional quality of personal service. That same philosophy has always been central to Sanderson Young, and when the lease on number 95 became available it was a fabulous opportunity to re-affirm those roots.” Sanderson Young’s regional sales and lettings office, administration offices, media department, private finance division and other backroom services have all also now moved to 95 High Street, to be on the same site as the newly opened regional sales and lettings office and coffee shop. “People are buying houses differently nowadays,” says Duncan.

“IN 10 YEARS, SANDERSON YOUNG ESTATE AGENCY HAS GROWN INTO ONE OF THE MOST RESPECTED NAMES IN THE NORTH EAST …”

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SANDERSON YOUNG | SY

HAVE A COFFEE ... BUY A HOUSE

“Most people use the internet to look for a new house in the comfort pavement and we will have plenty of large umbrellas and outdoor of their own home. I want to combine the two elements of home heaters to keep the inclement weather at bay.” comfort and computerised searches to make 95 High Street a The coffee shop side of the business is run by Stephen Deakin, former one-stop property shop.” general manager of the Copthorne Hotel on Newcastle’s Quayside, Beside the familiar property displays and brochures, the new coffee and Cath Bellhouse. Their new Great Coffee brand opened its first shop offers free Wi-Fi access, which means people can use their own shop earlier this year in Sanderson Young’s former Quayside office, laptop to browse for properties while relaxing over coffee or lunch. and it was the natural choice for number 95. “The big difference to searching online at The coffee shop is furnished in chic chrome home is that clients here also have instant and steel comfortable chairs upholstered in access to Sanderson Young’s expert sales black. The deep mauve of the American-style and lettings staff,” adds Duncan. “We even countertop provides a splash of colour. “I HOPE NUMBER 95 WILL PLAY have in-house finance experts upstairs who The estate agency is divided from the coffee A MAJOR ROLE IN BRINGING can arrange a mortgage in the time it takes shop by a soothing fish tank, there are soft to have lunch.” carpets on the floor and the rear wall is clad PEOPLE BACK TO GOSFORTH …” Duncan’s commitment to the High Street, in dramatic black slate. “The key difference about Great Coffee is Gosforth is underpinned by the innovative being local,” says Stephen Deakin. “We are re-fit at number 95, which features chic not a multi-national franchise, we are Newcastle-based and we stock interior design by Kiso Interiors. products sourced in the North East.” “Gosforth is very important to me,” he says. “My wife is from Gosforth “The bread for our sandwiches comes from Gateshead, our salad and we live 100 yards from the High Street. I really want to help the from Tanfield and our cakes and biscuits are made in Gosforth by two area thrive. ladies who are both called Emily. “Opening number 95 as a coffee shop and an estate agency gives the “Our coffee is specially blended for us by Ringtons of Newcastle who High Street a unique and beautiful new facility. Apart from creating at also supply our 20 different varieties of tea. Of course, Coca Cola least 12 full-time jobs, I hope number 95 will now play a major role in has to be Coca Cola, but we are very conscious of the need for all bringing people back to Gosforth.” businesses to reduce their supplier miles. Sourcing what we can Number 95 is in a prime location on the corner of the High Street and locally means we can support local companies and create a more Hawthorn Road, opposite a reasonably priced car park, and has an sustainable business.” outdoor seating area which is perfect for al fresco refreshments. The food and drinks may be local, but there is nothing parochial about “I think if you ask most people what Gosforth lacks, or most towns in Great Coffee. The coffee machines are a high-tech Swiss design and England for that matter, it is an element of European cafe culture,” the food menu features Greek salads, paninis, and fabulous New York says Duncan. “It is what we all miss about France, Spain and Italy deli sandwiches. when we come back from holiday and I want to bring this lifestyle to “Being local also means we can be very responsive to what our the High Street. customers want,” says Cath. “We are not tied to any one central >> “We have built permanent seats to separate the outside area from the

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SY | SANDERSON YOUNG

<< supplier, so we can let our menu evolve and we can incorporate our customers’ suggestions. Our mature cheese and red onion sandwiches were suggested by two of our Quayside regulars, which is why we call them Linda & Sandra’s Choice.” Apart from the mouth-watering light bites, delicious coffee and refreshing teas (try the strawberry & cream tea for a real taste sensation) Great Coffee also has two plasma TVs and a ‘snug’ which can be hired as a private meeting room. “We have a similar room at our Quayside shop,” says Cath. “It’s very popular and we have hosted several blue chip companies. Everything is there for small presentations, including laptop/large screen facilities.” The Great Coffee formula is working well and Stephen and Cath’s first venture took just three months to show a profit at a time when the market was under terrific pressure. So a good track record, a prime location, an innovative approach to 21st Century house hunting and Duncan, Stephen and Cath’s sheer enthusiasm all augur well for 95 High Street, so the £350,000 invested in the project should be money well spent. “Sanderson Young has always been about personal service to both house buyers and house sellers,” says Duncan. “At number 95, we can offer our clients the opportunity to come and discuss their property needs at their convenience in very relaxed surroundings. If they only have a short lunch break, we can sit and have a chat or they can browse at their leisure and in comfort. “Moreover, having our other services in the same building, such as Sanderson Young Private Finance and Sanderson Young Media & Design, means we can check your mortgage or the proofs of your home’s sales brochure while you enjoy a coffee or a light lunch. Our clients agree that it’s a great way to buy a home.”

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QUALITY MORTGAGE & INSURANCE ADVICE AND …

“G

! ” e e f f o C t a re

SANDERSON YOUNG PRIVATE FINANCE IS OFFERING NEW CLIENTS COMPLETING A MORTGAGE OR INSURANCE TRANSACTION THE OPPORTUNITY TO RECEIVE: - Our usual level of professional advice and service

“and” - £50 worth of “Great Coffee” vouchers for clients taking a new mortgage or re-mortgage. - £25 worth of “Great Coffee” vouchers for clients taking a new life insurance policy. - £10 worth of “Great Coffee” vouchers for clients taking a new buildings and contents policy.

Please contact us to take advantage of this offer:

0191 284 3723 paul.hardingham@sandersonyoung.co.uk

“Great Coffee” offer available at their Quayside and Gosforth locations on production of Sanderson Young Private Finance loyalty card which will be issued following completion of the mortgage or insurance transaction. Innovation Financial Management Limited trading as Sanderson Young Private Finance is an appointed representative of Personal Touch Financial Services Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. We do not normally charge a fee for mortgage advice; however this will be dependent on your circumstances. If a fee is charged our typical fee is £250. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.

x80981_SYM_p2_vw_x80981_SYM_p2_vw 29/09/2009 Tuesday, 29 September 2009 10:01 Page 34

SY | PROPERTY

How many of us dream of a spectacular beachfront home enveloped by dramatic land and seascapes, rare birds and wildlife?

castaway

BEACHFRONT RETREAT AT COLDINGHAM BAY

Now, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to create a magnificent retreat at the heart of Northumberland’s outstanding natural coastline is attracting interest both at home and abroad

Above: The unique development site

or those who love and revere it, the Berwickshire coast’s handsome, rugged beauty is so beguiling that few other natural havens can hope to compare. The area’s outstanding natural beauty is, of course, protected; all the more extraordinary then, that permission is now granted for the development of a large beachfront retreat on a dramatic cliff-side spot in beautiful Coldingham Bay. Not so extraordinary, or unexpected, is the huge amount of interest the site is attracting both in the UK and internationally, for it is the rarest of opportunities, and one of which dreams are made. It’s easy to imagine how deeply you can relax here, enveloped by the sounds of the sea and its abundant birdlife, encircled by the drama of coastal land and sea and the deeply compelling sense of freedom only casting away to the coast can bring. Then, you are beginning to discover the essence of the aptly named St Abbs Haven and can breathe easy with the ebb and flow of slow-moving time and tide to slip away and relish the sense of escape only the most exceptional natural landscapes can afford. The opportunity to create your own very private retreat in this extraordinarily beautiful spot comes along only once in a lifetime, and this site, entitled The Pavilion after the ruins of the old timber retreat that occupy it, covers more than 1.2 distinctive acres with planning permission granted and plans drawn for a spectacular contemporary property. Imagine taking life easy in this dramatic glazed home, its airy, open-plan living spaces and big, outdoor terraces bathed in the pure, almost luminous light and fresh sea air for which the area is famed. Here, anyone can unwind and enjoy a uniquely weightless sense of seclusion, lost in endless views over the sandy bay and the crystalline waters beyond, encircled by the birdsong and aerobatic athleticism of kittiwake, guillemot, razorbill, fulmar, shag, puffin, heron, turnstone, oystercatcher, sandpiper and curlew.

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In addition to its abundant wildlife, bird and marine life, its status as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and European Marine Site, the magnificent scenery of the Berwickshire coast boasts sandstone cliffs almost 500 feet high, secluded coves and natural harbours. The area is internationally renowned for its plant and butterfly species, and for its magical seascape teaming with marine life. Coldingham Bay is also just 12 miles from the historic border garrison town of Berwick-upon-Tweed and 48 miles from Edinburgh, and is known all over the world for its excellent surfing and water sports. Planning permission has been granted for the derelict timber pavilion on the site to be rebuilt as a luxury detached property of just under 1,400 sq ft. New plans for a dramatic contemporary design reveal a large sitting room and breakfasting kitchen, four bedrooms and two bathrooms, entrance lobby and boot room, stunning outdoor terrace and deck. It may even be possible to create two storeys, including mezzanine levels, with further approval. There is pedestrian access and the option for a lift from the parking bays at the cliff top may be considered. All this, and the dramatic impact of the sea as it charges into the shore, the bay’s dazzling white sands and the Edwardian bathing huts scattered along the bay create a uniquely charming location at the heart of an area that is also renowned for country sports, partridge and pheasant shoots and magnificent fishing on the River Tweed. There are also many fine golf courses in the area, including Gullane and Muirfield, and horse racing at Kelso. The plot for sale covers 1.207 acres, and includes pedestrian access from St Abbs Haven, where two parking bays will be made available. The Scottish Borders Council will need to approve any plans beyond those that have already had planning permission granted. If you’ve reached that special moment when it’s time to follow your dreams, this might just be the place you’ve been looking for. The Pavilion, St Abbs Haven, Coldingham Bay, Berwickshire is on the market at £375,000. Contact Duncan Young or Hazel Ross at Sanderson Young’s rare! Office, tel 0191 223 3500, or see www.sandersonyoung.co.uk for further details and a short film

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rare! OFFICE

rare! Office The regional office of our exclusive rare! division has noticed dramatically increasing demand for luxury homes throughout the region over the last six months. The Spring/Summer of 2009 saw two property sales in the region over £3 million in value; one near Morpeth and one in the city, and demand in the popular suburbs of Gosforth and Jesmond has also been extremely high, with seven substantial semis and detached houses on Graham Park Road completing or agreeing their sale in that time period. Many of these houses were being offered for sale for the first time in nearly 30 years. The rare! brand represents houses in excess of £700,000 in the city, its suburbs and Ponteland and over £1 million in value throughout the region. The experience of regional sales manager Hazel Ross and the full-time support of Ashleigh Sundin, Elaine Newbigin, Muriel Chapman and Duncan Young create more than 100 years of estate agency experience. The rare! brand is known regionally and nationally as an extremely high profile and quality service, with state-of-the-art marketing packages, photography and brochures to represent the finest properties in the north of England. For a comprehensive marketing plan or a confidential sale, please contact Hazel Ross or Ashleigh Sundin, tel 0191 223 3500, email hazel.ross@sandersonyoung.co.uk or ashleigh.sundin@sandersonyoung.co.uk

The Old Bank, 30 High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1LX | Tel: 0191 223 3500

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rare! OFFICE

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25/9/09

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Newfield House Hepscott, nr Morpeth

newly constructed between 2007 and 2008, provides one of the most impressive and beautiful homes in the region. It has a great deal of privacy and seclusion from its electronic wooden panelled double gates, with high hedge boundaries leading through to the driveway and courtyard, connecting around a circular fountain and leading in turn to the triple car garage. The pillared entrance connects through to the fabulous marble entrance hall with cloakroom/wc. The stunning gull wing marble staircase leads to a galleried landing above with natural lighting and stunning mood lighting. Connecting from the ground floor is a dining room, a state of the art home cinema room, a formal drawing room, a study and a magnificent games room with a cocktail bar linking through glazed double doors to the amazing swimming pool, with beautiful lighting and glazed doors leading out onto the gardens. The swimming pool has its own Jacuzzi and access onto a shower room, steam room and separate sauna. The focal point of the house is the principal kitchen which has been bespoke fitted by the Kitchen Centre with beautiful contrasting woodwork and stunning granite work surfaces. The sub zero American fridge freezer and the state of the art Miele appliances provide some of the best kitchen facilities available. The room opens up to provide a day to day family dining area and breakfast room, as well as a lounge with fitted 65â&#x20AC;? plasma screen and surround sound system. The kitchen leads on to a utility/laundry room, as well as a rear entrance hall. The home cinema connects on to a separate side entrance hall and passageway, linking to a first floor flat with a beautiful open plan lounge, dining room and magnificent fitted kitchen with high quality cabinets, granite worktops and built-in appliances. The flat also has its own luxury bathroom/wc with Jacuzzi bath. Returning to the principal house, the first floor landing connects on to the master bedroom suite; the bedroom having its own balcony and terrace overlooking the front approach to the house, as well as a state of the art bathroom with mood lighting and fabulous bespoke furniture including his and hers stone washing bowls and a tremendous shower. The master bedroom has its own en-suite dressing room with hand made furniture and cabinets, open storage space and a central sitting area. There are four further double bedrooms to the first floor, all with stunning en-suite bathrooms or shower rooms. The staircase then connects to the second floor where there is a sixth bedroom and bathroom. This property is truly a one off within Hepscott and represents one of the finest newly constructed houses we have seen throughout the area of Northumberland. The house has top of the range, state of the art facilities and appliances, as well as a sound system, security, closed circuit TV surveillance and highly impressive internal doors, ceilings and mood lighting. The gardens and grounds that surround this property extend to just over 1.2 acres and are very discreet. There is a feature stone fountain with illuminated circulating water, large open lawned areas, a large courtyard and terrace finished in stone and with uplighting, attractive well stocked flower and shrub borders, a childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recreation area to the side of the property, and a timber summer house. This is a beautiful home in a very attractive village close to the market town of Morpeth and very accessible to Newcastle and the Northumbrian coastline as well as to the superb golfing and sporting facilities nearby. Newcastleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Airport is within close driving distance and the train stations at Morpeth and Newcastle link in to Edinburgh and London Kings Cross. The luxury and quality of this most impressive house is to be appreciated and valued.

Price on Application

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rare! OFFICE

Occupying a stunning site of 1.2 acres is this exclusive and highly luxurious modern mansion. The property,

rare! OFFICE

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The Linnels Hexham

finest, small Northumbrian estates available for sale at this present time. The property was purchased by the current owners in 2002 and an extensive refurbishment project was undertaken to create a magnificent country house set within 12 acres of beautiful grounds and gardens. This house has been admired by many for its beauty, quality, prestige and unique setting. The grounds were once admired, as was the house, by Wainwright on one of his walks when he described the view from the bridge in ‘A Pennine Journey’ (1938). The Linnels is located two miles south of Hexham on the eastern edge of Hexhamshire and has a fascinating history. It is understood to be one of the first private houses in the world to benefit from electricity after it was first proven by the Armstrong family at Cragside, the original turbine and workings are still visible in the Linnels Mill which is now a Grade II* listed property. The fabulous grounds that surround the property are noted by Pevsner as being of historical importance and include beautiful woodland, riverside gardens, pasture land, a lawned tennis court, formal recreation areas and rhododendron walkways and former outdoor swimming pool. Two large open paddocks lie within the grounds. The Linnels itself is a highly imposing Victorian detached house, which has been refurbished and modernised by the current owners with considerable taste, flair and style. The original house has a beautiful entrance vestibule leading through to the reception hall, with oak/pine wood flooring, stunning carved oak fireplace and splendid oak ceiling. The drawing room has a fabulous bay window and a highly impressive fireplace. It leads on to the conservatory, which is understood to be of the original build. The dining room is a very elegant room overlooking the bridge and river. It is decorated in colours by Farrow & Ball and The Paint Library, as is much of the house, in keeping with the style and taste of the high quality of interior design. The morning room has a lovely bay window overlooking the approach to the property and the bridge. Connecting from the rear hall is a butler’s pantry, a cloakroom/wc and a utility room which leads onto a large sheltered cedar deck. The kitchen/breakfasting room has been refurbished and refitted by Smallbone, with hand painted and oak cabinets, black granite worktops and a six oven Aga set into a recess with multi coloured Fired Earth tiling. The limestone flooring which has under-floor heating is a feature throughout the kitchen and orangery, the limestone flooring also continues into the northern entrance lobby. The north hall leads on to the gravelled entrance with ample parking, with a rear staircase and two large walk-in pantries. The orangery is part of an addition to the property and has been very tastefully constructed with two sets of glazed doors onto the southern terrace, beautiful limestone tiles with under-floor heating and tremendous natural light from the conservation roof lights. To the first floor the master bedroom has its own suite and wing, with a private hall, dressing room, bathroom and separate wash room with wet room and wc. The main bedroom is delightful and has a beautiful oriel window overlooking the gardens and a fireplace set into the chimney breast. There are three further double bedrooms, all well proportioned in size and with beautiful views. One has its own en-suite bathroom and the other two share a Jack and Jill bathroom/wc with separate shower. The fifth bedroom is ideal for a teenager’s own wing and is currently used as an office. It has extensive cupboards and leads on to its own living room. also at present used as an office. The property has oil fired central heating, part secondary glazing, a comprehensive ADT alarm system and its own modern private drainage system set within the grounds. The Linnels is a very special house and rarely do houses of this nature come to the market for sale. Its combination of modern day luxury, elegance and quality, contrasting with the period charm and original features it enjoys, is very rare indeed. The grounds adjacent to the river, the historic Linnels Bridge, the race and the magnificent mature trees are equally special. The Coach House, with its own independent 3 bedroomed living accommodation, extensive garaging, stable, stores, as well as further modern large workshop and store which has been built on the footprint of previous stables and also two old timber stables within the rear paddocks, provide a superb support for equestrian facilities. The Linnels represents the very best of a fine Northumberland country property and viewing is strongly recommended at an early opportunity. For further photography of The Linnels go to www.sandersonyoung.co.uk.

Price Guide: £2.25 Million

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The Linnels as it stands now is understood to have been originally constructed circa 1897 and represents one of the

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Gallowhill Hall Whalton Park, nr Morpeth

to 38 acres. In 1999/2000 the property was purchased by a number of niche builders who are known for quality conversions. The estate now provides a fabulous country home for twelve houses and six apartments. The principal Hall has continued its refurbishment over recent years and is now nearing its final completion. It creates an exquisite and unique country residence, with the whole structure extensively refurbished and remodelled over recent years. It is an outstanding country house, situated only a short distance away from the village of Whalton and close by to Bolam and its nature reserve and walks. It has good accessibility into Morpeth, as well as Ponteland and Newcastle. It enjoys outstanding views, principally to the south and west overlooking the rolling countryside and has its own gardens and grounds. A tree lined avenue leading into the estate, branches off to its own private drive into the hall with electrically operated gates connecting to a circular parking courtyard with water feature and fountain. There is a separate detached triple garage with electrically operated doors and good storage. The gardens are set out with mature trees and shrubs and beautiful rhododendrons and azaleas. There is a large west facing terrace enjoying fabulous sunshine in the early evenings during the summer. The house itself offers a standard of opulence and architecture rarely available within the region and has been restored to its former glory by specialists, capable of working on a building of such high standards. The ceiling heights, the elaborate exquisite plasterwork and the outstanding mahogany internal panelled doors with brass furniture, are some examples of the outstanding fittings. The panelled double doors lead to a portico and then to the dining hall, 34’7 x 25’5 in size, with reclaimed oak wood flooring, beautiful fireplace and superb tall sash windows to all ground floor reception rooms. The drawing room is 31ft 5” x 16ft 4” in size and connects to the family sitting room, 30’8 x 23’6 in size. Both main reception rooms have lovely rectangular bay windows, and the sitting room an outstanding marble fireplace. It leads on to an orangery and conservatory with a huge glazed and domed ceiling and lovely views to the west. The kitchen breakfast room is 31’3 x 24’11and is luxuriously appointed with a traditional cream hand painted kitchen with wood and marble contrasting worktops, as well as a four oven Aga and built in white goods and microwave. It has limestone flooring with under-floor heating and a lovely bay window with window bench seating. An internal passageway connects to the cellars, of which there are three rooms for good storage and wine and a plant room to the house. The stair hall has a fabulous staircase with mahogany detailing and a delightful cloakroom with mosaic tiling. The galleried landing above, with its mahogany rails, leads onto a balustraded terrace overlooking the courtyard and entrance. The landing leads to its own library which retains the original mahogany antique bookcase from the hall and which fits very well into the recess of this room. The master bedroom enjoys outstanding views over the countryside, woodland and gardens, and has an en suite dressing room and shower room. There are three further double bedrooms, all with en suite shower rooms or bathrooms. There is also a family bathroom/wc and a fifth bedroom set into the Tower, which is three storeys in height, having its own reading room at second floor level and an observatory and study at third floor level. The property has been fully refurbished with new roof, rain water goods, windows which are double glazed set in sash timber frames and high quality alarm systems, as well as wiring and plumbing circuits. The Hall at Whalton Park is a most impressive building and will provide a lovely setting for a family home. The large open grounds and the benefits of its own private estate shared with its neighbours, is a remarkable opportunity to acquire a prominent home in Northumberland. All viewings strictly by appointment through Hazel Ross and Duncan Young

Price Guide: £1.8 Million

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The Hall at Whalton Park was originally constructed in 1888 and was part of an outstanding country estate, extending

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CARLTON TERRACE, JESMOND

• One of Newcastle’s finest listed townhouses, designed by John Dobson. • Extensively rebuilt and remodelled.

£1.1 Million

• Master bedroom with double shower/steam/sauna cabinet and magnificent spa bath.

• Contemporary interior successfully blended with period features.

• Four further bedrooms, three with en-suite facilities.

• Outstanding levels of luxury and impressive internal fittings.

• Family bathroom with walk-in wet room and illuminated spa bath.

• Magnificent entrance reception hall with beautiful marble tiled floor.

• All bathroom fittings by Ben de Lisi and Villeroy and Boch.

• Three reception rooms with fabulous fireplaces and beautiful tall ceilings.

• Underfloor heating, mood lighting and wiring for Bang and Olufsen.

• Stunning kitchen with state of the art appliances and separate utility room.

• Separate mews house accommodating a double plus garage, private

• Substantial dining area through to a beautiful orangery leading onto a landscaped courtyard.

studio and en-suite. • 10 year Zurich guarantee.

For further details contact Hazel Ross on 0191 2233500

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Birney Grange Stamfordham Road, Newcastle upon Tyne Set back on the top of a hill with a beautiful view over the Tyne Valley to the south and west, is this magnificent modern mansion. The property was built in 2008 and extends to circa 10,000 sq ft, with luxurious accommodation on three floors. The grounds of 1.7 acres are open with lawned areas, tall trees and screening, an orchard and electrically operated gates leading into a tarmac courtyard and parking area. The house itself is a magnificent property with superb views and tall ceilings, as well as highly impressive reception areas. The pillared stone portico leads to a vestibule and cloakroom/wc. The entrance is stunning, with a floor to ceiling height of 28’9 (8.77m). The bespoke gull wing staircase and galleries above are stunning. Solid oak panelled doors lead off to accommodation, with beautiful porcelain tiled floors. The dining room is at the front of the property and the drawing room to the rear with a stone fireplace and double doors onto the garden. The garden room and family room has a fabulous large picture window to the south and west, as well as a contemporary fireplace. The kitchen/breakfasting room has maple wood cabinets, black granite worktops and Miele appliances. The leisure wing provides an open plan room which could easily divide into three reception rooms. The far side of the room has a swimming pool under a vaulted ceiling. The leisure wing leads off to two separate shower rooms and a plant room. To the first floor there are five double bedroom suites, the master having a Juliet balcony, a stunning en-suite bathroom/wc and a walkin dressing room. The guest room enjoys the same proportions and facilities. There are three further double bedrooms with en-suite shower rooms. To the second floor there are two double bedrooms with living areas and en-suite shower rooms, giving a total of seven bedroom suites to the house. There is also a study and working office. The property has gas under-floor heating, double glazing, a comprehensive alarm system and simple tasteful décor, with bespoke light oak panelled doors, limed oak architraves and skirtings and a magnificent staircase. The house has excellent access to Ponteland and Darras Hall, as well as the International Airport, Newcastle and the Tyne Valley. This is a highly impressive property in a great location. Viewing is strongly recommended.

Price Guide: £2.5 Million

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Osborne Villas Jesmond This is an outstanding opportunity to acquire an individual and highly impressive home. The house was purchased by the owners in 2005 and has undergone extensive remodelling and refurbishment works which can only really be appreciated from an internal viewing. This is indeed a very unique and special home within the heart of Newcastle. A beautiful marble pillared entrance leads to the vestibule and connects through to the reception hall and transforms the Victorian architecture into the modern 21st century, with its tall limed oak wood panelled doors leading off to the extension at the rear, which provides 121 sq m of living, kitchen and dining space and 14 folding concertina doors onto the gardens, providing tremendous natural light. The kitchen has walnut cabinets, solid limestone work surfaces, top of the range Sub Zero refrigeration and a Wolf double oven. The living area has a contemporary fireplace and double doors connecting through to the music room, which also returns onto the hall. From the hall is a cloakroom, separate wc and utility room. The Victorian rooms at the front of the house include a drawing room with a Chesney fireplace and a study with fitted limed oak bookcase. The handmade limed oak staircase curves up to the first floor landing where a rear offshoot leads to a master bedroom suite with its own passageway connecting to a stunning bathroom wet room and separate wc. The dressing room is well equipped and fitted and the bedroom is set into its own loft. There are three further double bedroom suites to the first floor. To the second floor there are two further full house length bedrooms with dormers to the front and rear, as well as a shower room/wc and excellent storage space. The property has gas central heating, double glazing, an alarm, a large courtyard garden at the front with open parking for many vehicles and a separate double length garage with workshop, utility and store rooms. The rear landscaped gardens are stunning, with open lawned areas, trees and sandstone pebbled pathways. 4 Osborne Villas is a very special home, created with fantastic vision and highly unique to the housing market. Properties designed and created to this standard are extremely rare.

Price Guide: ÂŁ1.75 Million

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Abbotswood Coldcoats Burn, Ponteland A very exciting opportunity to acquire a magnificent stone built country house in a very special setting of just under 6.8 acres, on the northern outskirts of Ponteland. The property has fabulous grounds which are divided between private residential, agricultural and equestrian use. The impressive electronic gates, set in stone pillars lead to a beautiful tarmacadam tree lined driveway dissecting two grazing paddocks leading to a professional ménage which is illuminated as well as a flood lit stable block with five loose boxes and a tack room as well as a general timber store. The agricultural area of the grounds includes a large professional workshop and barn and a commercial greenhouse (36’ x 27’). The private house is beautiful and was purchased in 2003 whereafter it was extensively renovated, modernised and improved to provide a luxurious home. The accommodation includes a beautiful knave shaped oak panelled door leading to the reception hall with oak internal doors to the principal accommodation, including a cloakroom and separate wc. At ground floor there is a study and working office, and three large bedroom suites, all with lounge areas and two with en-suite facilities. The master bedroom suite, on the first floor, includes gentlemen’s and ladies dressing rooms, a study and private sitting area and a stunning en-suite bathroom/wc. The formal reception rooms include a beautiful drawing room, and a principal lounge and dining area with doors leading to the terrace. The kitchen was fitted by Herrington Gate Furniture, and there is also a beautiful utility/laundry room. The grounds include a west facing patio terrace, external outbuildings, a meandering stream, summer house, lovely lawned areas, mature trees and a third paddock to the western boundary. There is also a timber constructed double height lodge, ideal as a studio/office, with a bedroom, lounge, kitchen, shower/wc and a games/playroom. Abbotswood is a very impressive property in a great location just to the north of Ponteland village and is ideal for its access to Newcastle, the airport and the beautiful village nearby. This is a very special property in a great location.

Price Guide: £1.8 Million

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South Lodge Belle Vue Lane, East Boldon Occupying a site of just under 5.5 acres on the southern boundaries of Boldon is this very grand detached Grade II listed country home, built in 1907. The gardens and grounds that surround South Lodge are very impressive, with four grazing paddocks, five stables, a haystore and a large disused tennis court, as well as greenhouses and kitchen garden. The beautiful pillared and gated entrance leads to a large courtyard and a two bedroomed detached lodge which was refurbished 10 years ago to a high standard and which has its own garden areas. The principal house is a fine example of the early ‘Arts & Crafts’ style of architecture, with a stunning roof, stone mullion windows, tall ceilings and well proportioned rooms. The house has recently benefited from the installation of new wiring throughout, including networking, and a full central heating system, with new septic tank and sewerage system. The accommodation briefly comprises of a hall, butler’s pantry, drawing room with fabulous fireplace and access to the terrace, connecting to the dining room with lovely fireplace and views, family lounge, kitchen/breakfasting room with built-in appliances, utility/laundry room, boot room, cloakroom/wc and store rooms. Planning has been granted for the extension of the kitchen, which has been started. To the first floor there are six double bedrooms, one with an en-suite bathroom/wc, a large store room, a second bathroom and a separate linen room. To the second floor there is a roof store room and access into the roof for further conversion potential. The outbuildings include a double garage and workshop, with a billiard room above accessed from the main house, a second workshop, a fuel store and a boiler room. The principal rear gardens are impressive, with lawned areas, rhododendrons, a beautiful water garden, stone walkways and terraces, towering trees and mature woodland giving good screening and privacy. South Lodge is a very special house, with great accessibility to Sunderland, Whitburn and Cleadon and via good road links into Newcastle and Durham. This is a very impressive property in a great location. Viewing is strongly recommended.

Price Guide: £1.6 Million

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DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

Penny Lea Birney Hill, Stamfordham Road, Newcastle upon Tyne Set back from the Darras Hall Estate and overlooking Western Way is this fantastic detached family home. The property, built in the 1950s and purchased by the owners in 1986, provides an opportunity for a prospective buyer to create their own luxury stone built traditional Northumbrian farmhouse. The house in its current condition offers four bedrooms, one with an en-suite shower room and a family bathroom/wc. To the ground floor there is a study/music room, a dining room and a drawing room. The kitchen/breakfast room has wood fitted cabinets, built-in appliances and leads to a large utility room. There is a separate detached double length garage with workshop and gardener’s wc. There is a detached chalet within the gardens, ideal as a workshop and hobbies room. The gardens extend to just less than 2.5 acres and include a copse with small trees and a grazing paddock. This lovely home has gas central heating, double glazing, an alarm system and lovely views over the surrounding farmland. Viewing is strongly recommended. PLANNING PERMISSION HAS BEEN SUBMITTED FOR THIS PROPERTY TO BE DEMOLISHED AND A NEW LUXURY HOME CREATED WITH A FLOOR PLATE OF 208 SQ M AND TWO STOREYS OF ACCOMMODATION, CREATING 416 SQ M IN TOTAL. THIS WILL BE A TRADITIONAL STONE BUILT FARMHOUSE, OCCUPYING A FABULOUS SITE AND WITH EXCELLENT ACCESSIBILITY TO ALL AMENITIES IN PONTELAND, AS WELL AS NEWCASTLE TO THE EAST.

Price Guide: £1.5 Million

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Eastcliffe Mews Gosforth No 6 Eastcliffe Mews is the most impressive detached luxury three storey house within the exclusive Eastcliffe Mews development. The property, purchased by the developer himself, enjoys the best location within the site, having a fabulous garden at the rear, predominantly west facing and adjacent to the gardens of The Grove and the vibrant cricket pitch at South Northumberland Cricket Club. The property, built by Grange Developments, represents one of only three detached houses within this highly successful scheme. This house is at the head of its cul de sac and has a separate detached double plus garage with electrically operated door. The entrance into the cul de sac is also secure and private, with electrically operated entrance gates. No 6 Eastcliffe Mews is a highly impressive home with a very high standard of fittings and provides approximately 4,350 sq ft of accommodation It represents the largest style of newly built houses within central Gosforth. The accommodation is magnificent and well suited to larger families who will appreciate the height of the ceilings, the quality of the fireplaces and the well proportioned rooms which are light and bright. At ground floor level there is a reception hall, cloakroom/wc, TV lounge, dining room, kitchen/breakfasting/family room with state of the art appliances and double doors to the gardens, and a utility room. To the first floor the formal drawing room and reception room extends to 24’6 x 20’1 in size and is stunning with views over the gardens towards the adjacent cricket pitch. It has a Juliet balcony leading from double doors and the room will easily divide between the formal lounge and a library/music room.The first floor also accommodates two large double bedrooms with en suite bathroom and shower rooms and a cloakroom/w.c. To the second flooor there are four further bedrooms, two with en suite bathrooms and shower rooms. The remaining two have access to a stunning family bathroom/wc which incorporates a double wet room shower area and state of the art luxury fittings. The property has an alarm system, CCTV, double glazing in wood frames and beautiful panelled doors, and a 10 year premier guarantee. This house enjoys the best location within the Mews and is convenient for access to local private schools, sports facilities and the High Street. Eastcliffe Mews is a very impressive development of rare, high quality luxury houses and this is its finest example.

Price Guide: £1.25 Million

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Rowantree House Montagu Avenue, Gosforth Occupying a fabulous corner site within this prime residential address is this very impressive three storey detached family home. Rowantree House is a beautiful property which is very well presented. The gardens are superb, with a corner frontage between Montagu Avenue and Wilson Gardens and a number of beautiful surrounding trees. At the front of the house a block paved drive and courtyard leads to the integral single garage, as well as good outside car parking. To the rear garden there is a separate electrically operated set of double gates leading through a courtyard and secure parking area and connecting to a detached double plus garage. The house itself has double glazing, some of the windows being cross leaded and in period style in keeping with the character of the house. There is gas central heating, a comprehensive alarm system and very tasteful dĂŠcor. The entrance reception hall leads to a cloakroom/wc. The hall has beautiful oak flooring, a feature that continues through many rooms at ground floor level. Both the drawing room and family room have magnificent marble fireplaces, as well as double doors onto the conservatory, a very large room which is ideal for entertaining and suitable for all year round use. It leads onto the terrace and gardens. The dining room has a lovely bay window and connects to the kitchen/breakfasting room at the side of the property. The kitchen is well equipped and fitted with cream cabinets and built-in appliances and gives access to the utility & laundry room, as well as the integral garage, which is currently used as a store room. To the first floor the master bedroom has fitted wardrobes and store cupboards and a luxury en-suite bathroom. There are three further double bedrooms to the first floor, all with en-suite bathrooms and shower rooms. To the second floor there are two further double bedrooms, one with an en-suite dressing room and a shower room/wc. Rowantree House is a delightful property in a very convenient area of Gosforth, with excellent access to the High Street. Viewing is strongly recommended.

Price Guide: ÂŁ1.1 Million

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Westfield Drive Gosforth A very rare opportunity to acquire one of only six semi detached, three storey family villas. The houses are set back from Westfield Drive and have magnificent, very large west facing rear gardens. This property has its own private woodland as well as beautiful lawned areas and rose borders and a stone flagged terrace. The house was built we understand in 1908 with fine stone work to the ground floor as well as the beautiful details of the windows and the dormers at second floor level giving it style and character. There is a beautiful rose garden at the front, with mature rhododendrons and a driveway leading to the attached single garage. The house requires modernising and updating works, which has been reflected in the asking price. The rear lawned gardens are fabulous. The house internally has many beautiful features with a stone clad porch, entrance vestibule and a large welcoming reception hall. The hall, with its parquet flooring, leads on to the cloakroom/wc and principal reception rooms including the morning/family room, positioned to the front of the property, with a lovely fireplace, dining room at the rear with oak wood panelling believed to have originated from the Mauritania ship, with a glazed door into the rear garden. The drawing room is a lovely reception room with tiled fireplace and a glazed door leading to the gardens. The kitchen breakfasting room is at the side of the property and requires updating. The kitchen leads on to a laundry room, store room and a pantry as well as a fuel store and access to the garage. To the first floor there are four double bedrooms, the master bedroom to the rear, the second bedroom to the front, the third bedroom is also a lovely room with fabulous garden views. The fourth bedroom has a lovely Auriel bay window and there is also a dressing room/study, which is connected to the main bathroom at the side of the property. There is also a separate wc. To the second floor there are also two further large double bedrooms with sitting areas, ideal for teenagers and, dormer windows with beautiful views. There is also a box room and second bathroom/wc. The house has partial gas central heating and was re-roofed in more recent years. This is a beautiful home which was purchased by the owner nearly fifty years ago. Examples of these houses rarely come to the market. This is a delightful property in such a great area of Gosforth with convenient access to the shops, banks and offices as well as the Town Moor. This is an excellent opportunity to acquire such a beautiful home.

Price Guide: ÂŁ1.1 Million

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Highford Cottage Highford Lane, Hexham Highford Cottage is an attractive stone built detached house, enjoying a stunning elevated position at the top of Highford Lane with superb uninterrupted views over Hexham town centre and the Tyne Valley, and occupying a mature garden site of approximately 7 acres. Originally a smaller cottage under a slate roof, the five bedroom family home has been substantially extended over the last fifty years, to create a fabulous home offering well proportioned accommodation, predominantly to the ground floor, with two bedrooms to the first floor. The property accommodation, most of which enjoys fabulous open aspect views over the gardens and countryside, comprises: vestibule, entrance hallway which runs the length of the entire cottage, a versatile study, 27ft living room with an open fire with stone hearth and surround, and French doors leading to the paved patio and garden, generous dining room with superb views, excellent family kitchen/breakfast room with oil fired AGA and a range of fitted units, sauna/shower room/wc, master bedroom with fitted wardrobes and an en-suite bathroom/wc, two further bedrooms and utility/laundry room/wc. To the first floor there are two excellent sized bedrooms, one with patio doors leading to a terrace overlooking the adjoining paddocks, and a family bathroom/wc. Externally, the property is approached via a lovely tree lined driveway leading to extensive lawns surrounding the house â&#x20AC;&#x201C; there are excellent woodland walks down the adjacent dene and old quarry through mature trees, rhododendrons and azaleas. The house has a large double garage/workshop, as well as a newly fitted oil tank and spacious parking area to the front. Separate from the property is a detached stone stable and to the south and east of the house are two grazing paddocks, whilst to the south and west of the property the picturesque dene runs up into the nearby quarry.

Price Guide: ÂŁ995,000

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Heddon House Heddon-On-The-Wall Located a short distance out of Heddon on the Wall and with fabulous views to the south overlooking the Tyne Valley, is this impressive stone built country home. The property has been extensively refurbished and modernised by the owners since their purchase in 2001. It formed one of four dwellings which were modernised and updated from the previous small estate. Heddon House is a fabulous country property which forms the dominant wing of this large detached building. To the front elevation the electrically operated gates lead through stone curved walls into lovely landscaped gardens, with buff coloured drive and turning circle, as well as a triple detached stone garage. The Japanese influenced gardens have running water and lovely hedging, as well as evergreen colour and tremendous lighting. The house itself has been updated in a tasteful contemporary manner which complements the fabulous art and beautiful interiors. The reception hall has a limestone floor with under floor heating, a feature which continues throughout all of the ground floor. Tall double doors lead through to the drawing room, enjoying beautiful views over the south facing gardens and a lovely fireplace. A hidden door connects from the drawing room to the dining room at the rear overlooking the gardens. The kitchen/breakfasting room is at the side of the property and is stunning. The kitchen is supplied by Newcastle Furniture Company, with wenge wood, beautiful granite and extensive built-in appliances. Bespoke curved doors lead to the boiler room and the rear entrance and utility room. The last reception area is a contemporary conservatory/garden room which was custom designed for the house and is constructed entirely of glass. It has a southern and westerly aspect overlooking the grounds and its own bespoke art. To the first floor the large master bedroom has fitted wardrobes and an en-suite luxury bathroom and wc. There are three further double bedrooms to the first floor, two of which share a Jack and Jill en-suite bathroom/wc and the fourth double having access to the main family bathroom/wc. All of the bathrooms are in travertine marble. The house has oil fired central heating, super interior design and tremendous natural light. Heddon House has good accessibility into the Tyne Valley, as well as Newcastle and the Team Valley at Gateshead. It is also convenient for access to the International Airport and the stunning country walks and golf courses nearby. This is a beautiful home in a fabulous area of Northumberland. Viewing is strongly recommended.

Price on Application

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Lindisfarne Close Jesmond A very rare opportunity to acquire a stunning detached luxury city house which has been extensively remodelled, refurbished and improved by the current owner in recent times. This highly unique house has a beautiful contemporary interior contrasting with the fabulous impressive landscaped gardens with its ease of maintenance and beautiful block paved terraces and stone balustrades. The courtyard parking lies adjacent to the double garage with electric doors. There is parking available for four cars. The terraces have lovely sitting areas and al fresco dining as a feature of the property throughout the summer months. The entrance vestibule with its glazed double height void is delightful; it leads onto the reception hall as well as a cloakroom/wc. The hall leads to an open library and music room, the formal lounge is to the side of the property with a beautiful marble fireplace and in turn leads onto a study/office. The drawing room is to the rear and side of the property with solid oak flooring. The kitchen/breakfast room is well fitted with a range of painted cabinets and free standing appliances as well as a cooking range and an American fridge freezer. Both the drawing room and the kitchen lead onto one of the most impressive features of the house which is a double height conservatory providing a dining, breakfasting and family sitting area. It has electronically operated Velux windows. It is Amdega styled and is magnificent. The utility room leads from the kitchen and connects to the garage. To the first floor there are four double bedrooms, the master bedroom has fitted wardrobes and en-suite luxury bathroom/wc with corner Jacuzzi bath and double shower. The second guest double bedroom also has an en-suite shower room/wc. All bedrooms have fitted wardrobes and one of the rear bedrooms has delightful views over the Dene adjacent. The family bathroom/wc is a super feature with super bath and double shower. The house has wiring for Bang & Olufsen audio equipment and a superb interior design and tasteful decoration. There is comprehensive gas radiator central heating, double glazing and a good alarm system. Lindisfarne Close is very well located for its ease of access to the central amenities of Jesmond including Osborne Road with its shops, banks and offices and superb restaurants. This is a highly impressive home in a tremendous area. Viewing is strongly recommended.

Price Guide: ÂŁ950,000

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rare! OFFICE

Holmwood House King Johns Court, Darras Hall Originally constructed in the 1960s, this magnificent detached family home was completely renovated, extended and refurbished in 2006. The property now provides a luxurious home which is deceptively larger than its initial ground floor appearance, due to the magnificent extension at the rear. King John’s Court is a very pleasant cul de sac with a small number of houses and this property enjoys one of the best locations, giving an open panorama of the adjacent fields and woodland at the rear. At the front of the house electrically operated gates lead to the block paved courtyard and parking area, and attached garage. The house was purchased by the current owners in 2008 and since that time has been very tastefully redecorated with beautiful light fittings and attractive furnishings, some of which may be available subject to separate negotiation. The accommodation includes an entrance reception hall with oak wood flooring, a cloakroom and a separate wc. The formal sitting room is at the front of the house with a beautiful fireplace and double doors connecting to a games room at the rear, which has its own double doors onto the garden and terrace. The family playroom is at the front of the property and also has access to the kitchen. The kitchen is a stunning room with bespoke cream cabinets, solid wood worktops and a four oven Aga. The kitchen opens up to the extension, providing a very large breakfasting room for day to day use. It has two sets of double doors onto the gardens and links to the games room and the formal dining room, as well as to a passageway and study. To the first floor there are five double bedrooms, the master with a luxury en-suite bathroom/wc. The remaining bedrooms all have fitted wardrobes or cupboards and one has its own en-suite shower room/wc. There is also a well appointed family bathroom/wc. The property has its own built-in sound system, with speakers to many rooms, the décor is light and bright and complements the room sizes. The gardens to the house are private with mature boundaries and tall trees. This is a lovely home in a great location of Darras Hall, close to nearby shopping facilities and restaurants, as well as the nearby village of Ponteland. The International Airport serving the North East of England is close by at Woolsington, as well as excellent rail links to London and Edinburgh.

Price Guide: £899,950

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rare! OFFICE

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Bemersyde Drive Jesmond Believed to have been originally constructed circa 1939 and occupying a prime location towards the head of a cul de sac within Bemersyde Drive is this beautiful detached family home. The property was purchased by the current owners in 1993 and since that time has benefited from a number of improvements, which will be evident upon inspection. To the front of the property there is a paved drive and courtyard with good parking, both on and off street, as well as an electric door leading to the integral garage. The entrance hall and vestibule from the front of the property leads and connects to a kitchen/breakfast room at the front of the house which is fitted with a range of cream fronted cabinets. The sitting room is at the rear and has a magnificent mahogany fireplace with carved detailing and a bay window which also has a glazed door leading onto the gardens. There is also a dining room, which is a third reception to the house, and which overlooks the delightful gardens to the rear of the house. There is a useful under-stairs store cupboard from the hall and a separate cloakroom/wc. To the first floor the house has the original two double bedrooms at the rear of the property, which have super views over the gardens. Both rooms are very well equipped and fitted with wardrobes. There are two single bedrooms at the front of the house, also with wardrobes and at the side of the property there is a large fifth double bedroom, ideal as an upstairs lounge or study. There is a family bathroom/wc to the first floor and one of the double bedrooms has its own open plan shower and wash basin. The property has gas central heating, an alarm system and lovely gardens at the rear with a lovely open lawned area, a stone flagged terrace and patio, and lovely flower borders. A lovely property in a good area, sensibly priced to reflect a quick sale.

Price Guide: ÂŁ695,000

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Willowbrook Villa Ashbrooke Road, Sunderland

rare! OFFICE

Occupying a fabulous corner site within Sunderlandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest residential area is this very substantial detached three storey family

home.

The

property

has

self

contained

accommodation to the lower ground floor, where a fabulous fully renovated three bedroomed apartment is available. The apartment has its own external entrance and overlooks the beautiful terraced gardens beneath. The principal house has an entrance reception hall with cloakroom/wc and connects on in turn to a living room with super views and a well fitted kitchen with integrated appliances. The lounge also has super views and the dining room is to the side. To the first floor there is a family bathroom/wc and a fourth bedroom accessed from the rear mezzanine landing.

From the

principal landing there are three bedrooms, the master with a walk-in wardrobe and en-suite shower room. The upper floor has access to a fifth bedroom, with wood stripped flooring. The property has double glazing, gas central heating, a double garage and fabulous gardens. Willowbrook Villa is a very impressive property, surrounded by other good quality homes. The availability of its self contained 2/3 bedroom garden apartment provides a super mix for independent relatives, possible rental income, or as a studio to work from. Also available is the ground rent and restrictive covenants relating to the other properties on this part of Ashbrooke Road.

Price Guide: ÂŁ749,000

Willowbank Cottage Ashbrooke Road, Sunderland An outstanding opportunity to acquire a most unusual and highly impressive detached cottage. Architect designed and built in 2008, this stunning home has a beautiful garden with electrically operated gated entrance into a courtyard and drive, with closed circuit TV surveillance monitors. The grounds are beautiful with lawned areas, patio terrace, walkways and gazebo. There are two large outside living areas and terraces, both with lighting and one with its own external fireplace. The cottage itself provides luxurious contemporary accommodation in a period setting and is extremely tasteful. The entrance reception hall leads on to a cloakroom/wc and a storage cupboard. The main sitting room has lovely views to the gardens and contemporary fireplace. The kitchen, family and dining room is open plan with superb lighting, beautiful high gloss cabinets, granite worktops and two sets of double doors to the terrace and gardens. To the lower ground floor there are two double bedrooms; the master with an en-suite dressing room and shower room/wc. The guest bedroom has lovely views from its bay window overlooking the garden and the third bedroom is also impressive. The main family bathroom/wc has a free standing oval tub bath. The house has a substantial double plus garage and workshop. The external lighting and landscaping is also highly impressive. This is a beautiful cottage in a superb area of Ashbrooke, with great accessibility into the city centre and Wearside. This is a stunning property. Viewing strongly recommended.

Price Guide: ÂŁ655,000

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A Matter Of Taste â&#x20AC;Ś Authentic Indian cuisine and a unique venue creates a truly memorable dining experience

THE VUJON RESTAURANT Private & Corporate Dining | Lunchtimes & Evenings 29 Queens Street Newcastle upon Tyne | t: 0191 221 0601 | f: 0191 221 0602 www.vujon.com

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ALNWICK OFFICE

Alnwick Office Our north Northumberland branch in Alnwick has grown significantly since it opened its doors five years ago. The team is led by Gillian Greaves, a fine manager within the Sanderson Young Group who knows the mid and north Northumberland area extremely well. Many people look to both the Northumberland coastline and its countryside for second homes, holiday cottages and investment opportunities, for which Gillian and her team have a great number of exciting projects. In fact, the Alnwick office had its best sales quarter in the summer period, selling holiday homes and investment properties and portfolios on the coast from Bamburgh to Warkworth. Heather Richardson, Ros Johnstone, Penny Wright and Jane King all provide quality support to this branch, which is located in a beautiful showroom in the town centre with a portfolio boasting a diverse range of properties to let, for sale and of course new homes. The staff who live locally in the area are passionate about the joys of living in Alnwick and the surrounding area. Duncan Young, who went to school in the town, is looking forward to celebrating the Grammar Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 200th anniversary in 2010 and, as one of the last pupils within the Grammar school system, has very fond memories of living in Warkworth and playing rugby at Alnwick. The staff at Alnwick are keen to provide the very best levels of service in a region that is regarded by many as being one of the finest in the country. For further information about buying and selling properties in Alnwick and north Northumberland, please contact Gillian Greaves, tel 01665 600 170, email gillian.greaves@sandersonyoung.co.uk

31-33 Bondgate Within, Alnwick, Northumberland NE66 1SX | Tel: 01665 600 170

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ALNWICK OFFICE

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Stunning coastal position amidst sandy dunes

Link House Farm Cottage Newton-By-The-Sea A most unique and rare opportunity to purchase this converted cottage, as a whole to form one outstanding detached property, or alternatively as two separate units providing semidetached self contained accommodation. We are of the opinion that this most unique opportunity may well be of interest to a family purchaser wishing to secure either one outstanding detached house or alternatively 2 semi-detached properties, to be retained for family/investment use. Currently the properties are connected via an internal doorway, which could easily be blocked up to provide full sub-division of the properties. Currently No.7 comprises: entrance hallway, living room, conservatory, kitchen, two bedrooms, master with en-suite and family bathroom/wc. Currently No.8 comprises: hallway, living room, kitchen (currently being enlarged), family bathroom, two bedrooms, one with en-suite to be completed. The properties are situated adjacent to the sandy dunes of Northumberland’s outstanding Heritage coastline. There is a short walk from the private gardens to the property, through the dunes to beautiful sandy beaches. Newton-by-the-Sea is one of the most sought after locations where Low Newton-by-the-Sea lies on a sandy bay with a beautiful beach and superb views to Dunstanburgh Castle in the distance. This small hamlet of cottages and houses is centred around a traditional square overlooking the bay. The National Trust owns much of the coastline, popular for windsurfing, sailing and bird watching, and ideal for coastal walks to nearby Embleton with its links golf course. The village forms part of the Northumberland Heritage coastline with miles of unspoilt beaches and dunes, harbour villages and castles of historic interest. Access to the remainder of the region is available via the coastal route and the A1 trunk road leading south to Alnwick where centralised amenities are available and north to Berwick and the Borders. We would strongly recommend early viewing in order to fully appreciate the potential offered by this most unique of opportunities.

Price Guide: Lot 1 - As a detached property – Offers Over £600,000 Lot 2 - Cottage 7 Link House Farm – Offers Over £325,000 Lot 3 - Cottage 8 Link House Farm – Offers Over £300,000

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ALNWICK OFFICE

Coach House

The Old Rectory Ingram, Northumberland A highly successful and award winning holiday let investment portfolio in this stunning Northumberland National Park setting. The Old Rectory, a most impressive 18th Century Grade II Listed Country House, combines with two converted wings and Coach House to provide 5* Gold Award winning self catering accommodation. The properties combine to provide a profitable and highly successful portfolio which has been family owned and run since 1996. The properties are currently marketed via the owners website: www.cheviotholidaycottages.co.uk. There is great potential for development of further income via The Old Rectory, which is in its first year of income generation, having more recently been utilised as the family home. There is detailed planning consent for the construction of a detached single storey lodge within the grounds. The site in total extends to circa 3 acres incorporating a timber built stable block, mature gardens and gravelled driveway providing ample parking. The owners may consider the sale of a further five highly successful holiday properties on an adjacent site, details of which can be disclosed subject to a confidential application. THE OLD RECTORY: Comprising living room, drawing room, study, dining kitchen, pantry, four bedrooms, Victorian bathroom, new wet jet room and two attic rooms. THE OLD RECTORY - COACH HOUSE: A converted Coach House comprising entrance hall, bathroom/wc, open plan living/dining kitchen, and a mezzanine king sized bed sleeping area. THE OLD RECTORY - HILLSIDE VIEW: Converted self-contained first floor apartment comprising hallway, living room, breakfasting kitchen, bathroom/wc and two bedrooms. RECTORY COTTAGE: A detached cottage comprising entrance porch, entrance hallway, living room, shower room/wc, breakfasting kitchen, three bedrooms and a bathroom/wc DEVELOPMENT PLOT: With detailed planning consent for a single storey detached cottage of circa 101 sq metres approx

Price Guide: ÂŁ2.1 Million

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View from garden

The Viking Seahouses Occupying a truly unique location above the harbour, we have four stunning first floor and second floor apartments within this stylish exclusive coastal development. The properties would be an ideal holiday let or coastal retreat for family and friends on North Northumberland’s stunning Heritage coastline. All of the apartments have been constructed to a high Scandinavian standard of specification and benefit from external balconies, secure covered parking and entry systems. The internal accommodation is presented to a high standard with professional interior design by Bernhart interiors of Newcastle. All contents including soft furnishings, furniture etc are available by separate negotiation, making these properties a true ready to use investment or holiday home. The properties are currently being promoted by Coastal Retreats as holiday let properties and have received highly encouraging levels of bookings in 2009, their first year of marketing. Please view www.coastalretreats.co.uk to consider the quality of marketing and promotion for these holiday let properties. The bustling coastal village of Seahouses forms the gateway to the Farne Islands Nature Reserve and is ideally positioned on Northumberland’s Heritage coastline, from which walks can be enjoyed along the miles of unspoilt beaches and dunes. The village has a variety of amenities including local shops, restaurants, hotels, public houses and leisure facilities such as the Links Golf Course as well as the excellent Seafield Ocean Leisure Club offering the very latest leisure facilities including a 20 metre swimming pool and separate children’s pool. Further afield, more centralised amenities are available to the north in the border town of Berwick upon Tweed or to the south in the market town of Alnwick.

No 15 Seagrass – First floor two bedroom apartment Price Guide: £239,950 No 16 Pampas – First floor one bedroom apartment Price Guide: £179,950 No 20 Bamboo – Second floor one bedroom apartment Price Guide: £185,000 No 21 Feathergrass – Second floor two bedroom apartment Price Guide: £219,950

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Well Close Rothbury

ALNWICK OFFICE

Well Close is a significant period country house occupying a generous relatively level site of some 1.862 acres approximately, within the heart of this picturesque Coquetdale Valley village. Well Close is an imposing stone built rural property, offering generous and versatile accommodation arranged over two floors, with the added benefit of an adjacent holiday cottage. Having been in the same family ownership since the 1960’s the property, whilst retaining many period features, does offer the opportunity to create a stunning rural family home. The accommodation briefly comprises: reception hall, drawing room 24ft in length, formal dining room, kitchen, adjacent utility, cloakroom/wc and study. On the first floor: reception landing, 6 bedrooms, bathroom/wc, and box room with potential to convert to a further bathroom/wc. There is also a self contained holiday cottage with living room, kitchen, and two connecting bedrooms and bathroom/wc. Rothbury is a bustling village at the gateway to the Northumberland National Park and offers a good range of amenities including a range of village shops, pubs, restaurants and hotels, cafes, as well as professional services such as a chiropodist, doctor and veterinary surgery. The village is also serviced by primary and secondary schools, with there being a refurbished village swimming pool, recently constructed leisure facility, 18 hole golf course, tennis and bowls club. Many residents make the regular commute to further amenities within Alnwick - 11.6 miles to the north east or Morpeth – 15.2 miles to the south east, and Newcastle – 31.2 miles to the south.

Price Guide: £795,000

West Longstone House Church Hill, Chatton West Longstone House is a handsome stone built house, part of the former Vicarage to Holy Cross Church and redesigned by the acclaimed architect John Dobson in the mid 19th Century. This excellent family home occupies an impressive garden and woodland site of approximately 0.75 acre. The semi detached house offers well proportioned family accommodation with four reception rooms and five/six bedrooms set over three floors, with superb rural views from the house and garden to the open countryside, the River Till and Chillingham in the distance. The house has retained many of its period features including twelve pane sash windows with shutters, moulded coving to the high ceilings, open fireplaces and the original stone cellar. The accommodation comprises: Lower ground floor – stone cellar/store. Ground floor - reception hallway, cloakroom/wc, living room, dining/family room, large kitchen/breakfast room with French doors to the terrace, laundry, versatile games room/snug, and conservatory. First floor – three good sized bedrooms and a family bathroom/wc. Second floor – two double bedrooms, a box room/study, and a bathroom/wc. Externally, West Longstone House is approached from the rear, via a stone pillared driveway leading to a parking and gravelled courtyard area. The formal garden has been designed to incorporate attractive lawned terraces, with stone steps leading down to the larger lawned garden with fruit trees, pond and vegetable bed. To the western boundary is a mature woodland garden giving both privacy and shelter.

Price Guide: £595,000

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ALNWICK OFFICE

La Libellule East Fenrother, Morpeth A most impressive luxury west facing barn conversion forming one of only three within this high specification luxury development set in picturesque rural Northumberland, approximately 4 miles north of the bustling market town of Morpeth. Great attention to detail has clearly been used in the sympathetic restoration and conversion of this barn with characterful exposed beams, timber double glazed sliding sash windows, underfloor heating to the ground floor, high specification kitchen and bathrooms. The accommodation briefly comprises: generous reception hallway with a stunning natural stone flagged floor, cloakroom/wc, a beautiful and spacious living room with rural views and feature multi-fuel stove, a most impressive and spacious dining kitchen with high specification hand painted Shaker style floor and wall cabinets, and a useful utility room. To the first floor are three double bedrooms, the master with an en-suite shower room/wc, and a further stunning luxury family bathroom/wc with a traditional roll top bath with claw and ball feet. External: lawned and landscaped gardens to the front and side elevations from which views over the surrounding countryside can be enjoyed, and a private shared driveway leading to a two car private parking area. An excellent range of centralised amenities are available within the bustling market town of Morpeth, including schooling for all ages, shops, restaurants, bars and hotels, and leisure facilities. There are good commuting possibilities via the A1 trunk road south to Newcastle upon Tyne or via the East Coast Main Line rail station at Morpeth.

Price Guide: ÂŁ415,000

Swift House Low Town, Longframlington A stunning, luxury barn conversion, within this small and exclusive development of only three properties, benefiting from outstanding southerly views across the Coquet Valley. The property offers beautifully presented accommodation arranged over two floors, which briefly comprises: entrance hallway, cloakroom/wc, spacious dining kitchen with stylish, painted cabinets and hardwood and granite work surfaces, dining room or family room with garden access, and an impressive living room. On the first floor: four good bedrooms, with the master having a walk-in closet and shower room/wc, and a family bathroom/wc. Open plan gardens to the front courtyard area, generous parking on the gravelled driveway, well proportioned lawned rear garden, single garage, shared garden store/outbuilding. The property is provided with double glazing, oil fired central heating, with under floor heating to the ground floor and radiators to the first floor, private drainage and water. The well proportioned living accommodation extends to some 1,810 sq ft approx gross internal area. Swallow Barns is located just beyond the southern periphery of the village of Longframlington, with a village shop, local pubs, restaurant and hotel. Longframlington is 10.4 miles from Morpeth to the south via the A697 where an excellent range of market town amenities are to be found including schooling for all ages and an East Coast Main Line rail station connecting to London Kings Cross. Newcastle upon Tyne is 26.4 miles further to the south.

Price Guide: ÂŁ395,000

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Beal Croft Warkworth

ALNWICK OFFICE

A stunning detached family home within this exclusive development close to the village centre. The current owners have completed extensive refurbishment of this modern bungalow to now produce high specification contemporary family living accommodation. The property benefits from double glazing, gas central heating, off street parking for several cars and enjoys a manageable landscaped garden, as well as a high specification kitchen and luxury bathroom. The accommodation briefly comprises: reception hallway, living room with stunning contemporary style fireplace with attractive ceramic tiled surround and living flame wall mounted gas fire, conservatory with double doors opening out to a decked area, open plan kitchen/dining area, utility, cloakroom/wc, single garage, three double bedrooms, an excellent master with en-suite shower room/wc and walk-in closet, luxury family bathroom/wc with spa bath and recessed double shower cubicle. Externally, there is extensive off street parking to the front of the property, and to the rear an attractive landscaped garden with timber decked area and lawn. The property is situated conveniently for access to village amenities within this most picturesque coastal village, which is dominated by its historic Castle. Warkworth offers a range of shops, cafes, restaurants, local pubs and leisure facilities such as the golf course and cricket ground, as well as enjoyable walks along the riverside and sandy beaches. Further more centralised amenities are available within the larger coastal fishing village of Amble to the south, or within the bustling market town of Alnwick to the north west.

Price Guide: £375,000

Fald House Station Road, Warkworth An excellent opportunity to acquire this well proportioned four bedroom, detached family house, in one of North Northumberland’s most sought after addresses, conveniently situated for access to local village amenities within this most picturesque coastal village. Constructed circa 1975 and occupying a delightful private site off Station Road, of circa 0.215 acres approx, the property benefits from stunning southerly aspect views over the surrounding countryside. The property also benefits from double glazing, gas central heating and extensive off street parking on the private driveway. Accommodation briefly comprises: entrance porch, entrance hallway, and study, excellent L shaped lounge/dining room, conservatory with rural views, breakfasting kitchen with stylish contemporary kitchen installed in March 2007, and utility room. On the first floor: landing area, four good bedrooms, family bathroom/wc, and master ensuite shower room. Externally: extensive private driveway, double garage, beautifully maintained grounds, and outbuildings. Warkworth forms part of the spectacular North Northumberland Heritage Coastline, with miles of unspoilt sandy beaches and dunes. The village of Warkworth offers a range of excellent amenities including a popular Links Golf Course. The harbour town of Amble, with its well established Marina, offers a wider range of amenities and leisure facilities, with further amenities available within the bustling market town of Alnwick to the North West. Warkworth is on a regular bus route between Alnwick and Newcastle and there are regular direct services to London, Edinburgh and Newcastle via the East Coast Main Line rail station at the nearby village of Alnmouth.

Price Guide: £475,000

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ALNWICK OFFICE

Bridge View Warkworth A stunning three storey village house, with dressed stone facing, and designed in a traditional style to compliment the surrounding period properties within this beautiful coastal village. The property offers highly versatile living accommodation arranged over three floors which extends to: entrance lobby, reception hall with attractive wood grain effect Karndean flooring, cloakroom and wc, living room with a period style wooden fire surround and marble hearth with living flame gas fire, breakfasting kitchen with a comprehensive range of fitted floor and wall cabinets with contrasting dark grey roll top surfaces, dining room with double doors to the living room and garden room. On the first floor: bedroom one/lounge, family bathroom/wc, bedroom two (master) with en-suite shower room/wc, bedroom three/dressing room, study and on the second floor an attic double bedroom. First and second floor rooms to the rear elevation have views towards Warkworth Castle. Warkworth forms part of the spectacular Northumberland Heritage coastline, with miles of unspoilt sandy beaches. The village offers a range of excellent local shops, a post office, public houses, restaurants and hotels with a popular links Golf Course – there are lovely walks along the Mill Walk and River Coquet to the unique, historic Hermitage and Warkworth Castle. The harbour town of Amble, with its well established Marina, offers a wider range of amenities and leisure facilities. Warkworth is on a regular bus route between Alnwick and Newcastle and there are regular direct services to London, Edinburgh and Newcastle via the main East Coast railway station at nearby Alnmouth.

Price Guide: £399,000

Beaconsfield Terrace Alnwick An excellent opportunity to acquire this beautifully restored three storey, Victorian period townhouse, within this attractive and popular part of Alnwick’s central Conservation Area. The property has been thoughtfully restored over recent years to retain many original features such as the stunning ornately patterned ceramic tiled flooring in the hallway, stripped pine four panelled doors including the coloured leaded glazed inner vestibule. The property also benefits from modern additions such as a combination of secondary glazing to the original period timber sashes and UPVC double glazed windows, and many stripped and varnished tongue and grooved floors. The accommodation briefly comprises: entrance vestibule, reception hallway, living room with bay window, dining room, attractive modern fitted kitchen. First floor half landing with contemporary high specification bathroom/wc with wet room shower. First floor: two double bedrooms, single bedroom. Second floor attic double bedroom or study with connecting en-suite wet room. Externally there is a small town garden to the front elevation, and to the rear there is an attractive landscaped paved patio garden. The property benefits from gas fired central heating, and we would strongly recommend early internal viewing in order to fully appreciate the quality and proportion of this charming period family home. Alnwick offers a wide range of amenities with local shops, cafes, restaurants bar/hotels, and public houses. There is a theatre/cinema, doctor’s surgery, dentists, hospital and newly built leisure centre with swimming pool and health spa.

Price Guide: £297,500

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The Hemmel Budle Sands, nr Bamburgh

ALNWICK OFFICE

This superb two bedroom stone conversion, ideal as a holiday home, is situated in a small courtyard of similar properties on the stunning Northumbrian coastline. The cottage has been designed to incorporate many traditional features including arched byre windows, exposed stone walls, vaulted beamed ceilings, heritage windows to the roof and cast iron wood burner. The property benefits from oil central heating, a security alarm system, attractive stone terrace and allocated parking. The accommodation comprises: impressive living room with beamed ceiling and stone chimney breast, well appointed kitchen/breakfast room with integrated appliances, two bedrooms and a family bathroom/wc. To the front of the cottage, there is a good sized stone terrace and lawned area, with rural views. Allocated parking.

Price Guide: £305,000

Hutch Farmhouse Waren Mill, Belford A stunning stone built coastal property. Situated within the small hamlet of Waren Mill a few miles north of Bamburgh, Hutch Farmhouse has been comprehensively restored to now produce beautifully presented living accommodation over two floors. The accommodation briefly comprises: entrance lobby, reception hallway, living room with attractive period fireplace, attractive dining kitchen with stunning stone Inglenook and wood burning stove, utility room. First floor landing area, two double bedrooms, bathroom, separate wc. Externally there is driveway parking, substantial private lawned garden, and outbuildings. Waren Mill sits at the head of the inlet of Budle Bay, which is a site of Special Scientific Interest and Nature Reserve. There are miles of sandy beaches and dunes along this section of the coastline.

Price Guide: £299,000

Fishermans Retreat Craster Square, Seahouses A stunning luxury coastal holiday home within the historic heart of the bustling fishing village of Seahouses. Currently marketed as a holiday let property by Coastal Retreats, this outstanding conversion has been completed to a high standard offering well presented living accommodation arranged over two floors extending to some 1,009 sq ft approx gross internal area. The accommodation briefly comprises: open plan dining kitchen area forming an ideal entertaining space, useful utility/cloakroom/wc, and a living room with multi fuel stove. On the first floor there is a landing passageway, three good bedrooms, and a family bathroom/wc with shower. Seahouses is centrally positioned in Northumberland’s heritage coastline and the village is a small and bustling centre with a variety of amenities.

Price Guide: £295,000

Farne Retreat Sunnieside Square, Seahouses Farne Retreat is a charming three bedroom cottage close to Seahouses Harbour and the Smokery, within an historic cobbled courtyard setting. The cottage has been successfully let in recent years as a holiday home, and is ideal in both its location and in the space and quality of accommodation it offers. The cottage has double glazing, oil central heating, parking within the square and a small seating area. The well presented accommodation comprises: good sized living/dining room with cast iron multi fuel burner, fitted kitchen with breakfast bar, two generous double bedrooms, a single bedroom and a bathroom/wc. To the rear of the cottage is a small seating area, coal shed/store and parking within the cobbled courtyard.

Price Guide: £215,000

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ALNWICK OFFICE

Hillside Lesbury This splendid four bedroom link detached house has an excellent corner site position in this small exclusive development, with impressive open aspect views. An ideal family home, with the benefit of being within minutes walk of Alnmouth Railway Station and with a lovely rear garden with views. The property has gas central heating, double glazing and the remainder of a 10 year NHBC guarantee. The well proportioned accommodation comprises: entrance hall, cloakroom/wc, living room, study/family room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, and a utility room. To the first floor there is the generous master bedroom with ensuite shower room, three further bedrooms and a family bathroom/wc. Externally, the property is approached via a block paved driveway, leading to the double garage.

Price Guide: £275,000

Farriers Rise Shilbottle This is a well presented and spacious two storey detached house situated in one of the most generous and well situated plots within this modern development. This double fronted detached house was originally constructed as four bedrooms but has been thoughtfully altered combining two of the original bedrooms into one stunning master suite. This could easily be reinstated to four bedrooms if required. The property benefits from a double garage, generous driveway parking and attractive landscaped gardens. The accommodation briefly comprises; entrance hallway, cloakroom/wc, living room, dining kitchen, study, utility, side porch and on the first floor three bedrooms, master with en-suite and family bathroom/wc. Externally there is a double garage, driveway and attractive gardens.

Price Guide: £259,500

Fairfields Alnwick This excellent four bedroom detached family home is located in Fairfields, a modern development towards the edge of Alnwick. The ‘Ashdale’ style house benefits from gas central heating, double glazing, external security lighting and has a 10 year NHBC guarantee. The accommodation comprises: entrance hall, living room with arch to adjoining dining room, superb conservatory, fitted kitchen, utility room and cloakroom/wc. To the first floor the master bedroom has an ensuite shower room/wc, with three further bedrooms and a family bathroom/wc. To the front of the property there is a block paved driveway leading to a single integral garage and lawned garden. The attractive rear garden has been landscaped to incorporate a large decked terrace, raised planted beds, trees and shrubs surrounding the lawn.

Price Guide: £235,000

Allerburn Lea Alnwick A well presented and much improved four bedroom detached family house, in a pleasant cul de sac location. The property enjoys commanding views over neighbouring rooftops to the surrounding countryside and has undergone renovation and improvement since 2007, including a replacement condensing boiler, new kitchen, bathroom, en-suite and cloakroom, replacement UPVC double glazed windows, as well as improvements to insulation, new flooring and redecoration. The accommodation briefly comprises: entrance hallway, cloaks/wc, attractive fitted kitchen, living room, dining room, and integral single garage. On the first floor, four good bedrooms, master en-suite shower room, family bathroom/wc. External front garden and driveway parking, side access, attractive landscaped terraced rear garden. Allerburn Lea is a popular and attractive modern development.

Price Guide: £229,500

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Garden Terrace Edlingham

ALNWICK OFFICE

A rare opportunity to purchase a beautifully presented stone built four bedroom family home that has been substantially extended, with great care taken to reflect the period character of this most imposing property. The accommodation briefly comprises: living room, day room, garden room, dining room, kitchen and utility. On the first floor, a stunning master bedroom with walk-in closet and luxury ensuite bathroom with shower, two further double bedrooms, a good single bedroom or study, and a family bathroom/wc. Externally there is a patio and lawned garden to the front with stunning rural views. To the rear there is a gravelled parking area/garden with store shed. The property benefits from double glazing and central heating to radiators.

Price Guide: £289,950

Dove Cottage The Terrace, Eglingham An excellent opportunity to acquire this charming period stone built detached village cottage, occupying an attractive garden site of just under a quarter of an acre approx. The property occupies a commanding position within the village with views over open countryside. The property itself, although having undergone some improvements and has been maintained over recent years, refurbishment and modernisation will be required. Accommodation briefly comprises: entrance hallway, cloaks cupboard, utility store, kitchen, living room, two double bedrooms, bathroom/wc, ensuite shower room. External: two storey single garage with garaging at roadside level and a useful garden store below, mature gardens.

Dove Cottage - The house and immediate gardens Guide Price: £220,000 Garden Plot - Triangular plot, just under quarter of an acre approx Guide Price: £10,000

South View Glanton A beautifully presented, and extensively refurbished mid terraced village cottage, benefiting from stunning southerly aspect views across Whittingham Vale. This property would make an excellent weekend base or holiday let investment property, and is situated within this most pretty North Northumbrian village with village shop, and local pub. Accommodation briefly comprises: ground floor which has been carefully designed in an open plan arrangement with a dining kitchen area, living area adjacent to the folding patio doors from which the excellent rural views can be enjoyed, hallway area. First floor landing, double bedroom, single bedroom, stylish bathroom/wc. Externally there is an attractive and private lawned garden with patio decked area, wood store, outbuilding. We would strongly recommend early internal viewing in order to fully appreciate the quality and location.

Price Guide: £179,950

Hawthorne Terrace Shilbottle This attractive end terraced stone cottage is located towards the edge of Shilbottle, with superb gardens, off street parking and views. The cottage offers deceptively spacious accommodation and has been sympathetically refurbished in recent years to retain much of the cottage’s traditional character. The property benefits from electric storage heating and double glazing, with accommodation comprising: hallway, living room, dining room, traditional fitted kitchen, study/3rd bedroom and rear porch. To the first floor, there are two bedrooms and a family bathroom/wc. The cottage has gardens to three sides, with an additional good sized garden beyond the lane. The generous block paved driveway provides off street parking for up to four cars. The additional garden is lawned with parking for two further cars.

Price Guide: £175,000

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DINE IN STYLE AT OUR FAMILY RUN INDIAN RESTAURANTS IN PONTELAND & JESMOND

PRIVATE FUNCTION ROOM AVAILABLE FOR DINNER PARTIES BOOKINGS FOR CHRISTMAS & NEW YEAR NOW BEING TAKEN

Ponteland Tandoori Restaurant Fine Indian Cuisine 11a Main Street, Ponteland, Newcastle upon Tyne 01661 860 292 | enquiries@pontelandtandoori.com | www.pontelandtandoori.com The Daraz Fine Indian Cuisine 4 Holly Avenue West, Jesmond, Newcastle upon Tyne 0191 281 8431 | enquiries@thedaraz.com | www.daraz.co.uk

The Rialto Traditional Italian Dishes 1 Main Street, Ponteland, Newcastle upon Tyne 01661 820 600 | enquiries@therialto.com | www.rialtos.co.uk

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PONTELAND OFFICE

Ponteland Office The Coates Institute provides the base for Sanderson Young in the heart of the beautiful village of Ponteland. It is a fabulous Grade II listed building, previously a school and adjacent to the stunning church and village green. Elaine Newbigin, our office manager, is well supported by James Middleton, who returns to his native North East from his career in estate agency in London. Elaine is a well known individual throughout the Ponteland area and very supportive of local community and neighbourhood facilities, as well as being a strong supporter of the rugby and local charities through her family. Ponteland has traded well during the first half of this year up to a price ceiling of around a million, with attractive barn conversions, affordable semis and good quality apartments providing high levels of interest. Ponteland supports our rare office with properties over £1 million. The Darras Hall market is readjusting to the market conditions and the previous premiums that it enjoyed for these beautiful exclusive mansions. Demand has been high for luxury houses to be let and many of these properties have rented easily to good quality tenants through Sanderson Young. As the market improves and confidence returns there are some fabulous properties to be bought in the surrounding area and Elaine and James would be very pleased to advise our clients on the best way to maximise their return. There is no doubt that Elaine sets her standards very high and always goes ‘that extra mile’ to achieve a sale.

For further information about buying and selling properties in Ponteland, south Northumberland and the Tyne Valley, please contact Elaine Newbigin, tel 01661 823 951, email elaine.newbigin@sandersonyoung.co.uk

Coates Institute, Main Street, Ponteland NE20 9NH | Tel: 01661 823 951

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PONTELAND OFFICE

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Hillfurze Meadowfield Road, Stocksfield This substantial detached family home, built in the 1950s, occupies a generous corner site of circa 1 acre (1.04 acres). It is located on the exclusive residential address of Meadowfield Road which in turn is located in the mature and leafy part of Stocksfield. This Tyne Valley village has good amenities including local sporting facilities, schooling, shops and good commuting possibilities as well as its own railway station connecting into Newcastle upon Tyne to the east, Carlisle to the west and of course it has dual carriageway access for further commuting possibilities. Electronically controlled security gates allow access onto a block paved driveway which leads up to the front elevation and provides ample off street parking, a turning space and access to the integral double garage which also has electronically controlled up and over door. The gardens are mainly laid to lawn and are to all four sides; there is a vegetable garden, greenhouse and potting shed. There are a range of decked areas and patio areas all affording a good deal of privacy due to mature hedging and trees and shrubberies especially through the summer months. Internally this imposing two storey family residence has gas central heating, double glazing and a security alarm. The property has undergone recent extensive refurbishment including complete new electric wiring, re-plumbing with new heating system and boiler, full redecoration of the whole house, including new carpets. It has versatile accommodation which will have to be viewed to be appreciated. On the ground floor there is an entrance porch, entrance hallway and study, a 20ft lounge and 26ft dining room, the third reception room is a more informal sitting room which is 27ft and with a bay window towards the front and there is also a sun room. Making up the ground floor there is a stunning breakfasting kitchen which has been refitted by the present owners, a rear lobby and downstairs wc. On the first floor the master suite is split level with a large bay window to the front and there is a modern luxurious en-suite bathroom. The second bedroom also has a spacious en-suite whilst there are two further double bedrooms and family bathroom.

Price Guide: ÂŁ895,000

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PONTELAND OFFICE

Rothley Hall Rothley, Morpeth Living at Rothley Hall is more than just “living somewhere” – it’s a truly fantastic lifestyle; away from the hustle & bustle of the city but still within easy commutable reach, Rothley Hall has to be seen to be believed. This converted country house is set within spectacular Northumbrian countryside in a tranquil and secure setting but is only 40 minutes away from Newcastle City Centre and only twenty five minutes from Newcastle International Airport. Entry to the hall and its forty three acres of land is through a stone entrance with sweeping driveways which provide access to the properties. This exclusive wing extends over three floors and has been substantially improved by the present owners presenting a contemporary interior within this truly tranquil setting. The property, which is spacious, and very light and airy has five double bedrooms with two en suites, dressing rooms and family bathroom. There is a spacious living/dining room and very contemporary designed modern kitchen and cloakroom, making this property ideal for family life as well as entertaining. The extensive garden with terrace as well as a private roof terrace is ideal for outside living, fantastic for enjoying a glass of wine whilst enjoying the abundance of flora, fauna and wildlife on your doorstep. The Hall is very safe and secure making it an ideal place for children and equally secure for those who may travel frequently. There is under floor heating, additional ceiling heating and air recirculation system and double glazed windows, along with a double garage and workshop. After a hard day at the office why not come home to exclusive use of the communal gymnasium and swimming pool - saving on those gym fees and with direct access from the property no excuses for not keeping fit! The property offers manicured grounds, tennis court, paddock, woodlands and lake to enjoy and with an abundance of wildlife including red squirrels, deer and numerous species of birds, there is always something to do and of interest going on around you. A full time grounds person means you can relax and enjoy and not even mow a lawn! The ancient market town of Morpeth is just 10 miles away, which provides excellent amenities and with broadband access all major retailers deliver direct to your door, leaving you more time to enjoy the idyllic lifestyle. We recommend an inspection to appreciate the quality of home for sale.

Price Guide: £595,000

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PONTELAND OFFICE

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Rothley Hall Rothley, Morpeth 1, Rothley Hall is a substantial three storey wing of this impressive rural period property occupying the corner front elevation of the building and enjoying stunning views. Rothley Hall is a premier property in the heart of mid Northumberland set in approximately 43 acres, shared by all nine properties within Rothley Hall, and including a tennis court, paddock, wooded area and lake. Rothley Hall represents the best of both worlds, a tranquil rural setting located within 40 minutes drive of Newcastle city centre, 25 minutes to Newcastle International Airport and within 10 miles of Morpeth and Rothbury. Access to Rothley Hall is through a stone entrance onto a sweeping driveway allowing access to all properties and to three parking areas where there is a double garage for each property. From here there are paths and steps leading to the individual units of which number 1 has its own garden, mainly laid to lawn, enjoying a southerly aspect and country views. The remaining grounds and communal areas are maintained by a full time groundsman. This substantial home will suit a wide range of prospective purchasers and benefits from under floor heating, additional ceiling heating and double glazing. The accommodation comprises an entrance hallway, impressive open plan living space with European oak flooring throughout and comprising a lounge, dining room and contemporary kitchen. The windows and French doors enjoy beautiful garden views. There is also a utility room and cloakroom/W.C. The first floor landing leads to the inner landing which connects to the communal fitness suite, games room and via a spiral staircase, the indoor heated swimming pool. On the other side of the landing there is a stunning master bedroom with en-suite dressing room with fitted furniture, en-suite bathroom and three windows with access to the south facing balcony. On the second floor there are three further bedrooms, one currently used as an office, and a family shower room. There is a further inner landing which leads out to the roof terrace, shared with neighbouring properties. Very rarely do such substantial homes come to the market and we would highly recommend an internal inspection.

Price Guide: ÂŁ495,000

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ANOTHER EXCLUSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF 3 PRESTIGIOUS PROPERTIES FROM FIELD HOMES

Pigdon Grange | Morpeth Pigdon Grange is a development of three delightful stone family homes with lovely rural views. Located in the heart of the picturesque hamlet of Pigdon and developed by Field Homes, these three individual properties have been finished to a high standard incorporating luxury modern living. Each of the properties is unique with its own particular character and charm and has been skillfully constructed to complement the space available. Pigdon Grange has excellent accessibility to Morpeth, Ponteland, Newcastle Upon Tyne and the Tyne Valley. Local amenities in Morpeth, which lies 3 miles to the East, offer excellent facilities including banks, public houses and restaurants as well as excellent schooling for all ages and a wide range of sporting facilities. The properties are accessed through a lovely courtyard entrance and offer unique layouts and will interest a wide range of prospective purchasers – from those looking for a family residence right through to a potential second home or downsizing. These properties will have to be viewed to be appreciated, both for the location and their specification.

The Granary £285,000 | The Stables £330,000 | The Hayloft £315,000 All enquiries: Elaine Newbigin - Ponteland Office on 01661 823951 or elaine.newbigin@sandersonyoung.co.uk

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PONTELAND OFFICE

Fintry Fairmoor, Morpeth This substantial detached family home is located in a popular hamlet only a short distance from the highly sought after market town of Morpeth. It has excellent commuting possibilities into Newcastle upon Tyne by road and rail and is well situated for easy access to the Northumbrian countryside and coastal areas. Morpeth also offers excellent schooling, leisure and shopping facilities. The house, which is centrally located in its own mature grounds, benefits from gas central heating, double glazing and an audio and television video distribution system. The reception hallway opens out to the majority of the living accommodation. This comprises a 29’0 lounge with doors to the rear garden and patio, a conservatory, also with doors opening onto the garden, dining room with a light and airy feel, and breakfasting kitchen with a range of solid oak cabinets and integrated appliances. There is a study, ideal for those looking to work from home, a versatile 27’0 games room which could become a cinema room, additional sleeping space or an excellent recreational room; utility room, cloakroom and wc. There are four double bedrooms, the master with an en-suite, walk in wardrobes and patio doors. There is also a spacious family bathroom with furniture fitted by Newcastle Furniture Company and a sunken Air-bath. The grounds allow for ample parking to the front elevation and there is a detached double garage with storage facilities. Fintry will have to be viewed to be appreciated.

Price Guide: £649,950

Western Way Darras Hall This is an outstanding opportunity to purchase a plot which extends to 0.33 acres within Darras Hall where there is planning permission to demolish the existing property and construct a five bedroomed detached family home. It is located at the head of a cul-de-sac in a corner site which affords a good deal of privacy and is situated on the edge of the exclusive Darras Hall estate with a south facing open aspect. This generous site has good access to all of the amenities that can be found within Ponteland and Darras Hall. These include a wide range of shops, public houses and restaurants, excellent schooling for all ages and a wide variety of sporting facilities, supermarkets and of course offers excellent commuting possibilities into Newcastle upon Tyne and Newcastle International Airport which is within two miles. Ponteland and Darras Hall is also on the doorstep of some of Northumberland’s most picturesque countryside, National Parks, coastline and stunning scenery. Rarely do such good locations become available and we do expect a high level of interest to be shown and therefore we would highly recommend an early site visit to save disappointment.

Price Guide: £550,000

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Bracken Hill Gunnerton, Hexham

PONTELAND OFFICE

This delightful detached family home was beautifully designed by the present owners and completed in 2008, located in an exclusive cul-de-sac, within the village of Gunnerton. The property enjoys all the benefits of rural living whilst remaining accessible to a good range of amenities locally and within commutable access to Newcastle City Centre, Hexham and Carlisle. The Tyne Valley is one of the most sought after locations within the North East with its stunning picturesque countryside all around and areas of outstanding beauty as well as history and interest. The accommodation over three floors comprises: spacious entrance hallway, wc, study, breakfasting kitchen with integrated appliances and Tri Fold doors opening to the rear patio and garden, utility room, lounge with solid fuel open fireplace with inglenook surround, conservatory with French doors to the rear patio and garden, five double bedrooms, the master with an en-suite bathroom, family bathroom with Jacuzzi bath and a guest bathroom. The use of natural light gives way to stunning views from every aspect of the property. Externally there is driveway access to a double integral garage and additional guest parking. The gardens to the rear are beautifully landscaped and manicured and offer good private screening.

Price Guide: ÂŁ499,950

Old Stocks High Mickley, Stocksfield An excellent, four bedroom detached house, well positioned in this small development of farm building conversions, enjoying an elevated position with far reaching views across the Tyne Valley. The property is located within High Mickley and is a short distance from the local amenities of Stocksfield and Prudhoe and within easy commuting distance of Tyneside and the Tyne Valley. The generous living space and versatile accommodation is finished to a high standard with high quality fittings throughout, yet also offers charm and character.

The

accommodation comprises an entrance hallway with stone flagged flooring, a well proportioned living room with oak flooring, a feature corner stone fireplace and patio doors leading to the terrace, conservatory again with oak flooring and direct access to the terrace and enjoying unique views to the north and west, additional sitting room currently being

used

study,

generous,

delightful

dining/living/kitchen with an extensive range of cabinets and integrated appliances, downstairs cloakroom, four spacious bedrooms with one en-suite shower room and family bathroom. The property has oil central heating and additional night storage heaters, double glazing throughout, an integral double garage and an attractive rear garden with additional terrace overlooking the superb rural views. An internal inspection is essential in order to fully appreciate the high standard of accommodation on offer and the location of this property.

Price Guide: ÂŁ445,000

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PONTELAND OFFICE

Garden House Kirkheaton This modern stone built detached family home is located in the heart of the hamlet of Kirkheaton with lovely views to the front elevation over the village green. There is good access into Newcastle upon Tyne, Ponteland and all the amenities it has to offer. The property is surrounded by some of Northumberland’s most picturesque countryside and was built by the current owners. It has oil central heating and accommodation which comprises; spacious reception hallway with a porcelain tiled floor, a lounge with feature open fireplace and double doors opening to the very impressive 28ft dining kitchen which has a range of contemporary cabinets, integrated appliances and French doors opening out to the rear garden. There is also a utility room, a versatile snug/study and cloakroom/wc. To the first floor there is a master suite including a double bedroom and an en-suite with a double shower cubicle with a drench shower and Travertine tiling to the walls and floor, three further bedrooms and a family bathroom with Travertine tiling to the walls and floor, a free standing double ended bath and a double shower cubicle with a drench shower. Externally there is a gravelled driveway which provides off street parking, lawned gardens and paved patio areas with walled surround to the rear elevation and there is an option to rent up to 10 acres of grazing land.

Price Guide: £445,000

Callerton Court Darras Hall Located on the edge of Darras Hall is this detached dormer bungalow which is set within its own grounds and occupies a sought after site.

There is good access to all of the

amenities that can be found within Darras Hall and Ponteland which range from excellent schooling for all ages, a wide range of shops, public houses and restaurants, banks and post office. There are also good sporting facilities and a leisure centre. Darras Hall also offers good commuting possibilities into Newcastle upon Tyne and Newcastle International Airport as well as the Northumberland countryside.

Internally

the

accommodation

briefly

comprises; entrance hall, cloakroom/wc, spacious L shaped lounge/dining room which has a gas living flame fire with wood surround and door access to the conservatory which has ceramic floor tiles and a door leading to the rear garden and paved patio There is a modern fitted bespoke kitchen with a range of solid American White Maple cabinets and integrated appliances, and four bedrooms on the ground floor with a family bathroom. To the first floor there is the master bedroom with en-suite shower room and additional study. The detached property, which has been extended and renovated by the present owners, benefits from double glazing throughout.

The property is set within its own

grounds with lawns to all sides. There is a paved driveway providing ample off street parking and access to the double attached garage. Viewing is highly recommended.

Price Guide: £425,000

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Errington Road Darras Hall

PONTELAND OFFICE

An excellent opportunity to acquire this well proportioned detached bungalow occupying a site of just under quarter of an acre at 0.23 acres approx (0.09 hectares). The property offers

considerable

potential

for

renovation

and

modernisation and, although having been maintained over the years, is somewhat dated in presentation. We would strongly recommend early internal viewing in order to fully appreciate the considerable potential offered by this property. The accommodation briefly comprises: entrance lobby, a spacious and welcoming reception hallway, a well proportioned living room (21’11 in length) to the front elevation of the property with a picture window, a feature fireplace and a sliding glazed door to the dining room which has views across the mature gardens to the rear, kitchen with a range of units, bathroom/wc with a remodelled modern suite comprising a spa bath and a separate shower cubicle with a stainless steel pivot door, and three bedrooms, one with an ensuite shower room. Externally there is a block paved driveway providing off street parking, a double garage, a lawned garden to the front of the property with planting beds, a further lawned area to the side, and a mature, predominantly lawned garden to the rear with trees, mature shrubs and pathways as well as a surfaced patio and steps leading down to the main lawned area.

Price Guide: £330,000

Freewheel Cottage Ingoe A well appointed three bedroom stone built detached house, located in the quiet and attractive hamlet of Ingoe. Originally constructed circa in the early 1900’s, the property offers generous accommodation throughout and an internal inspection is essential to fully appreciate the high standard of accommodation and the location which this property has to offer. The accommodation comprises: a well proportioned living room which is attractively presented and decorated with a neutral colour scheme, oak stripped flooring and a feature log burner with a stone built surround, conservatory with a door leading to the rear garden, generous kitchen/breakfasting room with oak stripped flooring, doors to the conservatory, and an additional larder. To the first floor there are three bedrooms and a family bathroom.

The

property has oil central heating, double glazing, an additional stone and slate double garage and an enclosed walled garden which is attractively presented and is mainly laid to lawn, complemented by an array of plants and shrubs and which also enjoys good screening and privacy from surrounding trees. To the front of the property there is additional parking for one car. Ingoe lies approximately two miles from the village of Matfen, ten miles from the market town of Hexham and twelve miles from Ponteland village and the International airport.

Price Guide: £335,000

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Jesmond has a new Italian vibe thanks to Franco’s – a glamorous take on a great Italian night out

buongusto! Franco’s is one of those special restaurants that you can’t resist returning to again and again, a glamorous haven with beautiful chandeliers, candle-lit tables, sumptuous décor, Italian baroque furniture and even Swarovski crystal-studded seating. This is decadent, funky and very special – and that’s before you even try the fantastic food. But then everything about this gorgeous restaurant is sumptuous, including its location, tucked away behind Jesmond’s funky Brentwood Avenue, home to some of the smartest shops in the city and loved by people with discerning taste. Whether you’re here for a business lunch or a romantic dinner, the Franco’s experience is all about a special experience which even includes the option of dining under a lavish sail canopy with hundreds of fairy lights – warmed by hot lamps of course. The owners, Franco and Judith Graziani, are already known for their hospitality at their Newcastle city centre restaurant Paris Texas and Hexham’s La Famiglia, and Franco draws on his Roman heritage in creating his traditional menus of pizza, pasta, meat and seafood dishes. Gamberoni tempura, antipasto, char-grilled prime rib eye beef on the bone, frittura di pesce, and even local cod and chips – this is a varied and robust menu accompanied by excellent, good-value wines. Parties and functions are also on the menu, plus a fantastic location next to the Metro and car parking that means, should the fancy take you, you can leave the car and pick it up next morning – which all adds to the happy vibe!

Franco’s Terrace Bar and Restaurant, 1 Brentwood Mews, Jesmond, NE2 3DH, tel 0191 281 3434 | www.francosjesmond.com

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GOSFORTH REGIONAL OFFICE

Gosforth Regional Office The relocation of our regional office in Gosforth from 55 to 95 High Street has been a huge success. The association of the branch with Great Coffee creates a unique idea within the region for clients to relax and enjoy the process of buying or letting a home in fabulous surroundings, with great service, beautiful coffee and an outside heated terrace. Our office manager, Julie Summerbell, has an extremely dedicated and committed team, supported on a full-time basis by Emma Shinfield and Gill Cockburn and the teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s valuation manager Penny Wright, who first moved into Gosforth more than 20 years ago. Penny knows the area well and is already recognised by her clients for the quality of her service, expertise, direction and support. Julie has a team of nearly 10 to support her on the sales side. Her new air-conditioned office, with its larger display areas, comfortable seating and calming environment is admired by many clients. The team has a wealth of experience which is greater than any other agent in the area and seeks to exceed the expectations of our clients in everything they do. Our Gosforth office represents some of the finest terraced, semi-detached and family homes within the suburb and has achieved increasing levels of sales over the last six months. Its performance in the first half of 2009 exceeded all other offices against target and last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s figures. It leads by example and is a flagship branch to be truly proud of. If you want to join the winning team at Gosforth and are thinking about buying or selling, please contact Julie Summerbell, tel 0191 213 0033, email julie.summberbell@sandersonyoung.co.uk

95 High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4AA | Tel: 0191 213 0033

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Apple Tree Barn Mosswood, Northumberland Apple Tree Barn is a superb, four bedroom and four reception room detached stone dwelling, sympathetically converted from original farm buildings in 2006. The generous family home, enjoying splendid, uninterrupted rural views, is fitted to a high specification throughout, and offers fabulous versatile accommodation over two floors, along with approximately 1.8 acres of grounds , with a mix of formal gardens, a vegetable garden and an adjoining paddock. The barn has retained many of its original character and charm, alongside added traditional features ; inglenook open fireplaces, original hay vents, beamed and vaulted ceilings, wood and slate flooring with under floor heating, integrated QED sound system, impressive farmhouse style kitchen with oak fitted cabinets, granite worktops and a large black Aga, and there is a utility/boot room with walk in pantry. In addition to this, the barn has a hard wired local area network and an amplified and integrated TV aerial system to all principal rooms. The well proportioned accommodation comprises: reception hallway with lovely oak staircase, versatile study, living room with cast iron multi fuel stove, formal dining room, cinema/music room, fabulous 28 ft kitchen/breakfast room with Aga and integrated appliances, boot room/utility with walk in pantry and cloakroom/wc, ground floor double bedroom and family bathroom/wc. To the first floor there is a 29ft master bedroom suite with an en-suite shower room/wc, a guest double bedroom with a dressing area and en-suite bathroom/wc, a single bedroom and additional first floor bathroom/wc. Externally, the property has an extensive gravelled parking area, and to the front an attractive lawned garden enclosed with a stone boundary wall. The large, formal rear garden is lawned, with a charming timber Summer House and large timber storage shed, with the vegetable garden to the side, and views to the adjoining paddock and surrounding open countryside. Apple Tree Barn is situated at the end of a farm drive, within the hamlet of Mosswood, and has impressive rural views to Muggleswick Moor and the North Pennines, an area of outstanding natural beauty. The property is located approximately 12 miles south of Corbridge in the Tyne Valley, on the Northumberland border with County Durham â&#x20AC;&#x201C; well placed for many schools in Northumberland, various leisure activities including golf at nearby Slaley Hall and sailing at Derwent Water.

Price Guide: ÂŁ650,000

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Elmfield Road Gosforth A super opportunity to acquire a unique and very impressive stone built detached house. The property, which is discreetly set back from Elmfield Road, is very convenient for access to the High Street and its amenities. Built circa 2005, this lovely house is constructed in stone under a slate roof and has luxury amenities and facilities. The cobbled drive has a gated access to an open courtyard and parking area. There is a first floor balcony and terrace, which is ideal for enjoying summer afternoons and evenings. The lovely lighting and the cobbled path and terraces are impressive. The entrance vestibule leads to a wide and welcoming reception hall with beautiful wood flooring, contemporary wall mounted radiator and spotlighting. The hall connects in turn to a cloakroom and separate wc with beautiful stone flooring. The sitting and dining room has a contemporary fireplace with a glass fronted wall mounted fireplace with living flame gas fire, and two sets of double doors leading out onto the west facing cobbled courtyard and terrace. The kitchen/breakfasting room is extensively equipped with light oak base, wall and drawer cabinets with granite worktop surfaces incorporating a stainless steel double sink unit with mono bloc tap. Built-in appliances include a Siemens dishwasher, a Siemens microwave oven and separate electric single oven and a refrigerator/freezer. To the central island unit there is a Siemens electric four ring ceramic hob with a Beaumatic extractor hood above. The kitchen has lovely wood flooring and enjoys good natural light from the double doors and window overlooking the front courtyard and drive. The kitchen leads onto an integral single garage, which is plastered and boarded and is an excellent store room. To the first floor, the master bedroom has its own sitting area and a luxury en-suite shower room/wc, as well as two sets of double doors leading out onto the terrace and balcony. There are two further double bedrooms, both with doors onto the balcony. There is also a family bathroom/wc with wet room. The property has gas central heating, burglar alarm system and double glazing. A superb quality home in a lovely location, very discreet and private with easy maintained gardens.

Price Guide: ÂŁ595,000

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Oaklands Gosforth It is with great pleasure that we welcome to the market this elegant, five bedroom, three storey mid terraced property which offers spacious, well presented living accommodation. Oaklands is situated in one of Gosforthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most prestigious and sought after areas which is convenient for Gosforth High Street and all the shops and amenities as well as public transport access into the city centre. The property boasts a wealth of charm and character and has magnificent period fireplaces in several rooms, wood flooring, ceiling coving and lovely pine doors. On the ground floor there is a vestibule, entrance hallway, cloakroom/wc, an impressive lounge with bay window and original marble fireplace, dining room of excellent proportions and a superb family kitchen/breakfast room to the rear which is fitted with an extensive range of base and wall units with black granite worktops with inset double sink, an integrated dishwasher, refrigerator, freezer and black Rangemaster gas cooker with hood over. There are twin sash windows to the side, a window to the rear, and ample space for a breakfast table. On the first floor there are three bedrooms, the largest of which is an outstanding master bedroom with period fireplace and sash bay window. Also on this floor is a family bathroom with a contemporary white suite. On the second floor there are two further double bedrooms and a bathroom which again boasts a white contemporary suite and has a storage cupboard. There is a very pleasant town garden to the front of the property, with wrought iron railings, which is lawned and pebbled with a mature tree. To the rear of the property there is a paved patio courtyard with timber doors providing vehicle access for off road parking if required.

Price Guide: ÂŁ469,000

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Broomhaugh Riding Mill, Northumberland Set back from a country lane in the small hamlet of Broomhaugh, is this fabulous newly constructed family home. The detached property has been built to a high standard, with beautiful stone work under a slate roof and with double glazing set in wood frames – the property has been constructed to ‘shell stage’, with full internal completion due in January 2010, giving the opportunity for any potential purchaser to enjoy working with the designers and the builders to finish this lovely home to their personal design. The owner would be willing to sell at any stage up to completion and would reflect the outstanding work in an acceptable offer. The original planning permission was for a five bedroom detached house, but the owner believes a future purchaser may prefer the house to be set out as a four bedroom property, with four substantial detached rooms the master bedroom with en-suite dressing room and wet room, the second guest room with an en-suite bathroom and dormer window and two further large double bedrooms having access to a family bathroom/wc. At ground floor level the house has a great deal of style and character; hallway with superb staircase, cloakroom/wc, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, formal drawing room divided from the dining area with an open plan kitchen, impressive contemporary garden room with doors leading onto the decked terrace and overlooking the lovely private gardens and access to the double garage. Externally, to the front there is a gravel parking area and access road, and at the rear there is a private, lawned garden with timber decking and attractive walkways close by to the banks of the adjacent river.

Price Guide: £550,000

Lodore Road High West Jesmond A most impressive five bedroom family home, situated in this much sought after residential road, close to Gosforth High Street. Rarely coming to the open market, this fabulous mid terraced house has accommodation set over three floors, with a small town garden to the front, and to the rear, an enclosed rear yard. The property has retained many of its traditional features including decorative coving to the ceilings, sash windows, and cast iron open fireplaces with original marble surrounds. The generous, well proportioned accommodation comprises: Ground floor - vestibule, reception hallway with traditional balustrade staircase with carved newel post, generous living room positioned to the front of the property with a bay sash window, splendid formal dining room with two sash windows overlooking the rear enclosed courtyard, and attractive cast iron open fireplace with original marble surround and tiled hearth, superb kitchen/breakfast room with integrated appliances, and utility room with a cloakroom/wc. First floor – splendid drawing room which could be used as the master bedroom, guest double bedroom with a stylish en suite shower room/wc and a family bathroom/wc. Second floor – two double bedrooms, a single bedroom/nursery, and a small shower room. Externally, there is a planted town garden to the front, and to the rear an enclosed rear yard. An internal viewing

essential

appreciate

the

quality

accommodation and space this family home offers.

Price Guide: £475,000

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Greystoke Park Gosforth A fabulous opportunity to acquire a very well appointed luxury ground floor apartment within this beautiful development. The property enjoys an elevation to the south and west and has lovely views over its communal gardens and water feature. The flat was refurbished by the owners to a very high standard after they purchased in 1999. The entrance reception hall has a cloakroom and a door leading off to the living room, a beautiful light room with bay window overlooking the gardens. The living room leads through an open double doorway to the dining room, which also has a lovely south facing bay window. The kitchen/breakfasting room has an Amtico floor, as well as contemporary maple wood cabinets and built-in appliances. The master bedroom is fitted with wardrobes and has its own luxurious shower room, which has been refurbished to a very high standard. There are two further bedrooms, one with its own en-suite shower room/wc and one with fitted wardrobes and store cupboards which is currently used as a study. The property has gas radiator central heating, an alarm system and the security of its own intercom linking to the main communal entrance hall. This is a fabulous property in a beautiful area of Gosforth. Viewing is strongly recommended.

Price Guide: £445,000

Grove Park Avenue Gosforth A superb, four bedroom end terraced townhouse, well positioned in a cul de sac location on Grove Park Avenue, with a double width driveway, single integral garage and lovely rear garden. The property, with well proportioned accommodation over three floors, benefits from gas central heating, double glazing, a security alarm and CCTV system and attractive wood flooring to the ground floor and oak doors throughout. The versatile, generous accommodation comprises; ground floor - hallway, cloakroom/wc, excellent 18 ft fitted kitchen/breakfast room with integrated appliances, and garden room with French doors to the patio and garden. First floor – impressive L shaped living room with two sets of French doors leading to the balcony to the front, master bedroom with built in wardrobes and en suite shower room/wc. Second floor – a guest double bedroom with en suite shower room/wc, two further bedrooms and a bathroom/wc. Externally, the property has a double width block paved driveway leading to the single integral garage. There is gated side access leading to the rear garden. The lovely south facing rear garden, has a patio leading from the garden room, lawned area and a raised decked seating area to the corner. The garden has a range of mature plants and shrubs with a timber fence boundary Vacant possession.

Price Guide: £410,000

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Oaklands Gosforth This is a super opportunity to acquire a mid terraced, well presented, two storey house, in a great area of Gosforth. The house has superb character and features with street parking facilities, and a small border garden at the front, with attractive stone paving. At the rear, there is a lovely west facing courtyard terrace, with slate covering and white washed walls. The entrance hall is a lovely focal point of the house with stained leaded glass doors. The sitting room to the front of the property, has a bay window and lovely fireplace, the dining room, at the rear, has a lovely fireplace and glazed door leading to the rear courtyard, both reception rooms have stripped wood floorboards. The kitchen breakfast room has good natural light, with cream painted cabinets and built-in appliances. The breakfasting area leads onto a utility/laundry room. To the first floor of the house there are two good double bedrooms, one at the front with a bay window and lovely fireplace, and two further single bedrooms. From the rear landing there is a large family bathroom/wc with oval shape bath and attractive tiling. The loft shows potential for conversion, subject to planning and building consent. The property has gas central heating, burglar alarm system, tasteful Farrow and Ball paintwork, and lovely light and well presented rooms. Viewing is strongly recommended of this delightful home in a good area of Gosforth.

Price Guide: £405,000

Learmouth Way Greenside A well designed, and versatile four bedroom detached family home with landscaped gardens and a double detached garage with home office/annexe over. Constructed in 2008 by Taylor Wimpey, in the first phase of the Greenside development, the property is believed to be the only ‘Slaley’ design available, with possible further builds in future phases. The attractive family home, a mix of brick and render, has three reception rooms, and four bedrooms, two with en suite facilities – the house has gas central heating, double glazing, a security alarm system, an upgraded kitchen/breakfast room and Karndean flooring. The well proportioned accommodation comprises; reception hallway, cloakroom/wc, study, 25ft living room, dining room with French doors onto the terrace and garden, kitchen/breakfast room with granite worktops and integrated appliances, and utility room. To the first floor, there is a lovely galleried landing, a master bedroom with built in wardrobes and a fabulous ensuite bathroom with a separate shower, a guest double bedroom with fitted wardrobes and an ensuite shower/wc, two further bedrooms and family bathroom/wc. Externally, there is a landscaped garden to the front of the house and to the side, there are double timber gates giving access to the block paved driveway, garage and garden. The driveway provides parking for several cars, and leads to the detached double garage. An excellent feature of this house, is the 17ft room above the garage, accessed via a pull down ladder and ideal as a home office, annexe or studio. The rear garden is lawned with a paved terrace.

Price Guide: £399,950

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Denewood Forest Hall A superb four bedroom, four reception room, detached family home, pleasantly situated with a westerly facing garden in this highly sought after residential area.

The well presented

property benefits from gas central heating, double glazing and a double garage which has remote control electric doors. The accommodation comprises: vestibule, entrance hallway, cloakroom/wc, study/family room with two double glazed windows to the front elevation, good sized living room with attractive gas living flame fire, with tiled hearth and marble surround, a generous formal dining room with French doors giving access to the orangery, attractive orangery with French doors leading to the rear garden and paved patio terrace, fitted kitchen positioned to the rear of the property with a range of wall and base units with integrated appliances, including gas hob with hood over, electric double oven and fridge/freezer and utility room. To the first floor, there is a generous master bedroom with fitted wardrobes and an ensuite shower room/wc, with three further bedrooms, all with fitted wardrobes, and a family bathroom/wc. Externally, the open front garden is lawned, with a large driveway providing off street parking for several cars and leading to the double garage. The lovely rear garden has a paved terrace leading from the orangery, and is predominantly laid to lawn and with a south/westerly aspect. The garden enjoys a good degree of privacy from the mature trees and shrubs to the boundary. No upward chain.

Price Guide: ÂŁ389,000

Holly Avenue Jesmond This is a well proportioned three storey mid terraced house within this popular and central address in Jesmond benefiting from a mature and a very useable front lawned garden as well as a rear patio garden and garage. We would strongly recommend an early internal viewing in order to fully appreciate the proportion and versatility of the living accommodation which is arranged over three floors. It could be

converted

internally

provide

four

bedroom

accommodation subject to requirements and all required consents. The accommodation briefly comprises: an entrance lobby, entrance hallway, attractive light and spacious lounge with walk-in three window bay which has original sliding sash windows and internal secondary glazing, spacious dining room to the rear of the property and attractive and well planned fitted kitchen with floor and wall cabinets with contrasting roll top work surfaces and splash back tiling. On the first floor there is a double fronted master bedroom with two windows overlooking the garden below, modern en-suite shower room, double bedroom two and family bathroom. On the second floor there is a large attic bedroom which could be sub-divided if required. Externally there is a private lawned garden to the front elevation, rear patio garden and a single garage. The property benefits from period features such as full panelled doors, ceiling cornicing as well as modern additions such as gas fired central heating.

Price Guide: ÂŁ339,950

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Otterburn Avenue Gosforth A substantial, four bedroom terraced house, well positioned on this popular, pedestrian road in Gosforth. The excellent family home, with accommodation set over three floors, has retained much character and charm, with stripped pine doors and windows, wood flooring, decorative ceiling coving and a traditional open fire to the dining room. The property benefits from gas central heating, an attractive, red AGA to the kitchen/breakfast room, a front garden and an enclosed rear yard. The versatile accommodation comprises: Ground floor - vestibule, entrance hallway, excellent sized formal dining room with strip pine windows overlooking the front garden, wood flooring, open fire with tiled hearth inset and decorative wood surround, spacious living room with open plan staircase to the first floor, gas fire with decorative surround, pine sash window to the rear and door leading to the superb family kitchen/breakfast room with Aga set within a range of cream fronted wall and base units with contrasting wood worktops incorporating a sink and drainer.. First floor - impressive 16ft master bedroom, guest double bedroom with en-suite shower room/wc, a single bedroom and a bathroom/wc.

Second floor - excellent L-shaped loft

bedroom with built in study area. Externally, the house has an attractive garden to the front, and to the rear an enclosed yard with roller door access to the rear lane.

An early

viewing is recommended as we anticipate good interest.

Price Guide: ÂŁ325,000

Kenton Lane Kenton A well proportioned, four bedroom, detached house, circa 1930, refurbished throughout over the last two years to provide excellent family accommodation in this sought after residential location. The generous family home benefits from double glazing, gas central heating, gardens, large block paved driveway and single integral garage.

The

accommodation, well presented with neutral dĂŠcor, comprises: entrance hallway with a feature double glazed arched window to the front elevation, attractive living room with two feature arched windows to the side elevation, lovely 20ft dining room with French doors leading to the decked terrace

overlooking

the

garden,

large

shaped

contemporary fitted kitchen with an extensive range of wood effect wall and base cabinets with contrasting roll top work surfaces and splash back tiling, integrated appliances including oven, dishwasher and fridge/freezer, utility area in the garage, three double bedrooms, a single bedroom/study and modern well appointed family bathroom comprising a curved shower bath with shower off mains with a glass door, basin and wc in vanity unit with storage under, two double glazed windows to the rear, ladder radiator, tiled floor and halogen spotlights. Externally, there is a large block paved driveway providing off street parking for several cars, leading to the single garage with roller door. There is gated side access to the excellent rear garden, that has been lawned with a raised timber terrace leading from the dining room.

Price Guide: ÂŁ315,000

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Claremont Avenue Newcastle A most impressive, four bedroom, four reception room, detached family home, well positioned on a large corner site on this sought after residential road. The property has been extended, and extensively refurbished in recent months, to provide a fabulous family home, with off street parking and a generous side and rear garden. The house benefits from gas central heating, and double glazing with accommodation comprising: entrance lobby, charming dining hall, good sized living room overlooking the garden, newly added modern garden room with French doors opening onto the decked terrace and garden, study/4th reception, stylish fitted kitchen with integrated appliances, small utility area, and separate wc. To the first floor, the master bedroom has a contemporary ensuite shower room/wc, with three further bedrooms and a bathroom with separate wc. Externally, the property has a driveway to the front, providing off street parking for one car, and gated side access to the garden. The large rear and side garden is lawned and gravelled, with a timber decked terrace leading from the garden room, mature trees and shrubs and a garden store room incorporated into the house. An internal viewing is essential to appreciate the quality of accommodation and versatile space this family home offers, along with its lovely gardens.

Price Guide: £249,950

Warkworth Woods Great Park A well presented modern townhouse, with versatile accommodation over three floors, attractive rear garden, double driveway and single integral garage. The end terraced house, well positioned in Warkworth Woods overlooking the square, benefits from gas central heating, double glazed windows, and a security alarm system. The family accommodation comprises: ground floor – hallway with wood flooring, cloakroom/wc, and family room/study. First floor – lovely living/dining room with a double glazed bay window and an additional window to the front elevation overlooking the square, fitted kitchen/breakfast room with a range of wood effect wall and base units with black granite worktops, inset stainless steel sink drainer with mixer tap, a Bosch 4 ring gas hob with extractor over and integrated Bosch double oven and study/4th bedroom with double glazed sash window overlooking the rear garden. Second floor – master bedroom with en suite shower room/wc, second double bedroom, single bedroom and bathroom/wc. Externally, to the front of the property there is a small town garden with wrought iron railings and gated side access. To the rear, there is an attractive lawned garden with paved patio area, planted borders and long block paved driveway providing off street parking for two to three cars. There is a fence and brick wall boundary and double timber gates leading from the rear lane giving access to the driveway. Leading from the block paved driveway there is a single integral garage with up and over doors, power points and lighting. There is an external water tap within the garden. Vacant possession.

Price Guide: £249,950

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St. Peters Wharf St. Peters Basin A superb two bedroom, third floor apartment with fabulous views from the balcony over St Peters Basin Marina and the River Tyne. The apartment benefits from a security entry phone system, an allocated secure gated garage as well as ample residents’ parking and gas central heating. Offered with vacant possession and no upward chain, the apartment is ideal for those buyers looking for accommodation that is ready to move into, as the current owners have refurbished with a modern fitted kitchen with Bosch integrated appliances and renewed the bathroom and en-suite shower room – the apartment is extremely well presented with neutral décor and floor covering throughout. The generous accommodation comprises: communal entrance with stairs leading to the third floor, private lobby, entrance hall, impressive 24 ft living/dining room with stunning views over the Marina and river and patio doors to the balcony, good sized kitchen/breakfast room with integrated appliances and space for a table and chairs, master bedroom with river views and an ensuite shower room/wc, second double bedroom and a bathroom/wc. Externally there is an allocated gated garage, and further residents’parking. Access to the Quayside and City Centre is available via the regular Quaylink bus service running from St Peters Basin.

Price Guide: £189,950

Arlington Court Kenton Avenue, Gosforth Located in the best corner of Arlington Court with views to the South and West, this lovely house has a double garage and super west facing gardens to the front. The accommodation comprises; impressive entrance hall, drawing room with a lovely fireplace, dining room with French doors leading to the private courtyard, breakfasting kitchen with a range of fitted cupboards and built in appliances, cloakroom/wc. The master bedroom has extensive fitted wardrobes, en suite dressing room and a superb en suite shower room/wc. There are two further double bedrooms with fitted wardrobes and a family shower room/wc. The property shows obvious potential for conversion into the roof space, which would create further bedrooms, if required. Viewing is strongly recommended.

Price Guide: £475,000

The West Rig Kenton This deceptively spacious and much improved and refurbished family home will have to be viewed to be appreciated. It is set within a corner site with gardens, ample off street parking and an integral garage. There is double glazing and gas central heating, oak flooring throughout the majority of the rooms on the ground floor, and oak panelled doors. Comprising; entrance hallway, lounge with limestone fireplace, conservatory, dining room with a bay window and modern contemporary breakfasting kitchen with a central island and integral appliances. There is also a rear lobby and cloakroom/wc on the ground floor. On the first floor the master suite has a double bedroom, walk in wardrobe and en-suite shower room. There are four further bedrooms and a family bathroom.

Price Guide: £330,000

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Lyndhurst Avenue Jesmond A stylish, well presented three bedroom semi detached home, situated on this highly desirable and popular road in the heart of Jesmond, with excellent access to the many shops and amenities Jesmond offers. The property has an attractive and large rear garden. The accommodation comprises: porch, entrance hall, superb open living space incorporating the living room to the front and direct access to the rear garden from the dining area. The living/dining room benefits from a substantial hatch space leading to the fitted kitchen, which also has access to the rear garden. To the first floor, there are three bedrooms, family bathroom and additional wc. An internal viewing is recommended to appreciate the versatile space and excellent central location.

Price Guide: £320,000

Haversham Close South Gosforth A well presented, four bedroom detached family home, with gardens and a single garage. The property is well positioned in this small cul de sac development, and well placed for the nearby Metro Stations at South Gosforth and Longbenton, the Freeman Hospital, Government offices and local schools. The property has been recently refurbished, with newly fitted kitchen, neutral carpets and décor – comprising: entrance hallway, living room, dining room, conservatory, fitted kitchen and a utility room. To the first floor the master bedroom has an en suite shower room/wc, with three further bedrooms and a bathroom/wc. Externally, the house has lawned gardens to the front and rear, and to the front a driveway for off road parking, leading to the single integral garage. Vacant possession.

Price Guide: £275,000

Osborne Lodge Promenade, Whitley Bay Osborne Lodge is a spacious upper maisonette, with a fabulous coastal location enjoying open aspect views to the sea and promenade. The maisonette is set over the first and second floors, and offers generous, versatile accommodation with the main reception room currently equipped as a self contained studio with kitchenette. The property benefits from gas central heating, double glazing and a communal yard. Comprising: private entrance porch, stairs lead to the landing with access to the rear external staircase, and to the bathroom/wc, To the first floor is the studio/living room and impressive 14ft kitchen/breakfast room. To the second floor there are two great bedrooms, one with a useful mezzanine, ideal as extra bedroom space or as a home office/study, and a further bathroom/wc.

Price Guide: £249,950

St Ann’s Quay Newcastle Quayside This is a superb one bedroom apartment with fantastic views from the balcony over the River to the Millennium Bridge, the Baltic and the Sage. Well positioned on the ground floor of the popular, and much sought after St Ann’s Quay development, this river fronted apartment has a balcony leading from the living room area and bedroom, ideal for enjoying the buzz of Newcastle’s Quayside. The apartment benefits from secure entry, electric heating and an allocated parking space nearby. The accommodation comprises: entrance hall, open plan living space with fitted kitchen and integrated appliances, double bedroom with door leading to the balcony, and a bathroom/wc. An early viewing is essential to appreciate the excellent position and views this apartment enjoys.

Price Guide: £155,000

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St Ann’s Quay Newcastle Quayside We are delighted to welcome to the market this well presented, fifth floor apartment, located in the prestigious development of St Ann’s Quay. The apartment benefits from a security intercom system, balcony with river views and car parking space located in the adjacent car park. The apartment has been finished to a high specification including wood flooring, Travertine marble bathroom, recessed lights throughout and video entry system providing added security and concierge service. The accommodation briefly comprises; reception hallway, open plan lounge/kitchen, bedroom with doors leading to balcony, and bathroom. This apartment would appeal to young professionals looking to experience Quayside living, or simply requiring an apartment in a luxury development. Viewings come highly recommended to appreciate the standard of accommodation on offer.

Price Guide: £154,950

Development Land Wallace Street, Spital Tongues A rare development opportunity in a prime residential area of Spital Tongues, a building plot with lapsed planning for a three storey, three bedroom, detached house with an integral garage. To the front of the land is a disused garden site, occupied on a lease with a peppercorn ground rent, and passing rent of £10/per annum which has great potential as a landscaped garden for the house. Planning approval was given in June 1997, for a property with accommodation comprising: ground floor - entrance hall, cloakroom/wc. First floor – good sized lounge, kitchen, and a master bedroom with an ensuite bathroom. Second floor – two further double bedrooms and a bathroom/wc. Plans are available to view in our Gosforth branch.

Price Guide: £150,000

Nelson Avenue Coxlodge An immaculate, fully refurbished two bedroom semi detached house, occupying an attractive corner site. The property, ideal for a first time buyer or investor, has been fully modernised, to provide exceptional quality of accommodation – a high specification fitted kitchen and bathroom/wc, attractive neutral décor, halogen spotlighting, and double glazed windows with stylish wooden blinds. The vendors have plans drawn up for the addition of a sun room and bathroom (subject to normal planning consents). Briefly comprising: hallway, living room, kitchen/dining room with high gloss fitted units, Miele integral appliances and French doors to the rear garden, generous double bedroom with built in wardrobes, second bedroom and a well appointed bathroom/wc. Externally, there is a lawned front garden, and to the rear a large garden with a patio.

Price Guide: £149,950

Baltic Quay Mill Street, Gateshead This apartment is located on the 2nd floor and is in a prime location offering easy access across the Millennium Bridge to Newcastle’s vibrant quayside, local amenities and transport links. The accommodation briefly comprises: entrance hall/lobby leading through to an open plan bedroom/living area with oak wood laminate flooring. There is a fully fitted kitchen with integrated Smeg appliances including washer/dryer oven and hob, fridge freezer and extractor hood. The bedroom has a neutral carpet with picture window. In the bathroom there is a white three piece suite comprising w/c, wash hand basin and bath with shower over. Access is gained via the Mill road entrance and the apartment benefits from one private car parking space. Viewing comes highly recommended.

Price Guide: £124,950

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REGIONAL LETTINGS

Regional Lettings Now relocated from the city centre into Gosforth with the opening of the new regional sales and lettings office, our lettings division is extremely busy. Our former office on Newcastle Quayside specialised in city and riverside apartments, but our move heralds a truly regional focus and our regional residential lettings team has had increasing success in letting country mansions, fabulous detached country homes in Ponteland and beautiful suburban semis and larger detached houses in Gosforth and Jesmond, giving a complete diversification of property to our prospective tenants. Many of the tenants are represented by blue chip companies, giving peace of mind to our landlords that we can introduce not only good rental figures, but excellent tenants to occupy their homes. Gail McLean leads the team and is supported by Sarah Johnstone, Joyce Walton and Duncan Ross, guiding landlords and tenants in properties let from ÂŁ500 per calendar month to ÂŁ10,000 per calendar month. The lettings division also targets the rare! brand for higher rental values and has specialised in producing luxury brochures, photography and floor plans for high quality rental values, where detail and marketing is extremely important in achieving a quality tenant as soon as possible. If you want a letting agent who will achieve success for you in a proven manner, please contact Gail McLean at the Regional Lettings Office, tel 0191 255 0808, email gail.mclean@sandersonyoung.co.uk

95 High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 4AA | Tel: 0191 255 0808

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REGIONAL LETTINGS

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Mede House Runnymede Road, Darras Hall Sanderson Young residential lettings are delighted to bring to the lettings market this superior substantial detached family home which is offered unfurnished. This magnificent property is very impressive indeed and is finished to a very high specification with quality kitchen and bathroom fixtures and fittings throughout. There is a private gated entrance and gardens to the front, side & rear, a double garage and plenty car parking spaces to the driveway. The location is ideal and is situated on the number one postcode within the north east. There is also the benefit of the local village within Ponteland and good quality schooling. The airport is easily accessible as well as the A1 north & south. The property briefly comprises of â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Private gated entrance leading to the large open driveway in front of this spectacular house. On entering the property you are greeted by an outer hallway then an inner hallway, five principal good sized reception rooms as well as a lovely spacious kitchen and separate utility room. There is also a shower room leading from the utility, and a cloakroom/wc. Leading to the middle floor there are four bedrooms with en suite facilities and walk in wardrobes as well as a lovely balcony from the main hallway overlooking the rear garden. There is a lovely family bathroom to this floor also. To the 2nd floor there are a further two bedrooms and a separate shower room as well as storage cupboards. Externally there is a double garage and plenty of extra car parking spaces on the driveway, as well as gardens to the front, side & rear. Early viewing is highly recommended to appreciate the quality and sheer standard of this accommodation which is available immediately.

Price Guide: ÂŁ5,500 pcm

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Dotland Grange Hexham

REGIONAL LETTINGS

Sanderson Young Lettings are delighted to bring to the lettings market this wonderful detached family home. Dotland Grange is set to the south of Hexham in the shires and enjoys beautiful views from its principal reception rooms to the south and the west of the house, overlooking surrounding countryside and farmland. The entrance vestibule leads to a study and main hall with its oak flooring. The living room connects on to a sun lounge and conservatory with fabulous aspect over the gardens and adjacent paddock. The kitchen has a range of white laminate units and an Aga, as well as being open to a breakfasting and family area, with patio doors overlooking the gardens and tennis court. To the ground floor there are three bedrooms, the master with an en-suite bathroom/wc and separate shower. Two further ground floor bedrooms have access to the family bathroom/wc. The fourth bedroom is set into the first floor of the house and is currently used as a study. Leading from the kitchen is a separate wing of the house, providing a very substantial laundry and utility room, as well as a second wc and access to a billiard room. The property has oil fired central heating. Dotland Grange is a very impressive property and has a fabulous setting. The property has ample parking and has a triple garage.

Price Guide: £2,250 pcm

The Larches Larches Road, Durham We are delighted to offer for rental what must be one of Durham’s finest detached family homes and one of the most impressive ‘intelligent/SMART’ houses within the region. The accommodation includes electrically operated gates connecting to a block paved drive with parking for many cars as well as an integral double garage. There is an entrance porch leading through to the reception hall, kitchen/breakfasting room with a hand made Herrington Gate kitchen. There is a four oven Aga in pewter, a Maytag American refrigerator/freezer, GE wine fridge, Seimens combi microwave and oven and Kenwood integrated dishwasher. The dining room is a very elegant room. The drawing room has a beautiful period fireplace. There is a cloakroom/wc, music room and a gymnasium with lovely full height glazed windows overlooking the gardens. The principal staircase leads to the first floor, with a landing connecting onto the highly impressive master bedroom which has en-suite gentlemen and ladies’ dressing rooms. The en-suite bathroom has a solid limestone bath, double wet room and limestone bowls. There are two further double bedrooms and a family bathroom with shower room and Jacuzzi bath. To the second floor there are two further bedrooms which share a Jack & Jill shower room. A roof conversion also provides a sixth bedroom with ensuite shower room. In addition, there is a very large studio room capable of being self contained. The property overlooks the Flass Vale Dene towards Durham Cathedral and enjoys beautiful gardens and grounds of just under a third of an acre.

Price Guide: £3000 pcm

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REGIONAL LETTINGS

Oakdale Holywood, Wolsingham Oakdale is a stunning luxurious modern mansion within Holywood, an exclusive area of detached properties set on the hillside overlooking the valley within Wolsingham and enjoying magnificent views. Lawned gardens lead from the side elevation around to the front southerly aspect, where there are stunning views. A raised patio runs the length of the house, ideal for al fresco dining during the summer months. The house has security alarm, gas central heating and double glazing. It sits on a site of just under half an acre. Access to the property is via the entrance vestibule which leads into the large reception hallway with oak flooring, feature fireplace and stairs leading up to the first floor. From the hallway access is gained to the stunning drawing room with a recessed inglenook fireplace, a study with bay window overlooking the front elevation, a games room enjoying southerly valley views and a dining room which is accessed from the breakfasting kitchen which has maple base and wall units and integral appliances. There is also a sitting room, utility room, inner lobby and cloakroom/wc. To the first floor a generous galleried landing gives access to the master bedroom suite with walk-in wardrobe and ensuite shower room.

Bedrooms two and three are also

spacious doubles with walk-in wardrobes and en-suite shower rooms and bedrooms four and five share the luxurious family bathroom. There is a sweeping block paved driveway, providing ample off street parking, as well as access to the triple detached garage.

Price Guide: £1,900 pcm

Ruthven Court Adderstone Crescent, Jesmond Sanderson Young residential lettings are delighted to bring to the lettings market this wonderful period property situated on prestigious Adderstone Crescent within Jesmond. The property has been refurbished throughout to a very high standard with high specification fixtures and fittings, as well as being very spacious and with the benefit of a private summer entertaining garden at the rear of the property. The location is perfect for the café culture lifestyle offered in Jesmond as well as easy access into Newcastle city centre. The property briefly comprises of – Private gated entrance into the courtyard shared by other owners within this exclusive address. There is a garage and plenty car parking space in front of the garage. On entering the property there is a lovely staircase leading to the upper floors. The ground floor has access into the open plan breakfasting kitchen which then leads into the lounge and dining room at the rear of the property which opens out into the lovely garden. Continuing up to the 1st floor there are two bedrooms both with en suite facilities with a lovely Juliet balcony overlooking the garden from one of the bedrooms. Carrying on up to the 2nd floor there is a wonderful master bedroom with sloping roof and exposed beams. There is is also a beautiful en suite bathroom from this room with a Jacuzzi bath. Early viewing is highly recommended to appreciate the quality of the accommodation on offer. The property is also available unfurnished.

Price Guide: £2,500 pcm

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Osborne Lodge Promenade, Whitley Bay

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ALSO FOR SALE

REGIONAL LETTINGS

Sanderson Young residential lettings are delighted to bring to the lettings market this spacious upper maisonette, with a fabulous coastal location enjoying open aspect views to the sea and promenade, and with excellent access into Whitley Bay town centre. This two/three bedroom maisonette is set over the first and second floors, and offers generous, versatile accommodation with the main reception room currently equipped as a self contained studio with kitchenette. The property benefits from gas central heating, double

glazing

and

communal

yard

with

the

accommodation comprising: private entrance porch, stairs lead to the landing with access to the rear external staircase and yard, and to the bathroom/wc, To the first floor is the studio/living room positioned to the front of the property with two double glazed windows enjoying open aspect views to the sea, an impressive 14ft kitchen/breakfast room with an extensive range of wood fronted wall and base units with contrasting work surfaces incorporating a gas hob with hood over, integrated dishwasher, fridge/freezer and oven. To the second floor there are two great bedrooms, one with a useful mezzanine, ideal as extra bedroom space or as a home office/study, and a further bathroom/wc. Externally, Osborne Lodge has a communal rear yard, shared with the ground floor flat. On street parking is available on the adjacent roads. An internal viewing is essential to appreciate the superb location, and the space and versatility this property offers.

Price Guide: £795 pcm

South Low House Whalton An outstanding opportunity to rent a beautiful country home in a perfect setting close to the highly sought after village of Whalton. The use of natural light and double height ceiling voids is particularly impressive. The entrance vestibule leads through a dining reception hall with cloakroom/wc and access on to the kitchen and breakfast room, which has views to the front and rear. The kitchen is extremely well equipped and fitted with modern quality units, granite worktops and built-in appliances. It leads on to a utility and laundry room which connects to the double garage. The dining room overlooks the gardens and is open through to the drawing room. The ground floor accommodation continues to the western wing with a master bedroom suite, which is a duplex room with ground floor double bedroom, fitted wardrobes and a luxury en-suite bathroom. Above this is a lady’s dressing room which is very well equipped. There are two further double bedrooms to the ground floor, one used as a study and a lovely bathroom/wc. To the second floor the landing opens to provide a reception room and games area. It leads on to a cinema room/bedroom six with audio speakers and a projector screen, as well as two further double bedrooms, one with an en-suite shower room/wc. There is also a second family bathroom/wc. The property has gas central heating, double glazing, an alarm system, a fourzoned SONOS sound system and beautiful gardens. This is a delightful home in a beautiful setting.

Price Guide: £2,000 pcm

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REGIONAL LETTINGS

The Arcade Belsay • 3 Bedrooms • Open plan living area • Unfurnished • Dining Room • Garden, on street parking • Available immediately

Price Guide: £890 pcm

Rothley Hall Rothley, Morpeth • 3 Bedrooms • Available immediately • Communal area • En suite shower room • Extensive grounds • Swimming pool

Price Guide: £1,100 pcm

Hindley Hall Stocksfield • 4 Bedrooms • Furnished/Unfurnished • Kitchen/Breakfast room • En suite shower room • Reception room • Garden, Garage

Price Guide: £1,500 pcm

Wood Green Medburn • 4 bedrooms • En suite bathroom and shower room • Garage and Garden • Kitchen with breakfast room • Pleasant views • Unfurnished

Price Guide: £1,500 pcm

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The Lodge South Drive, Woolsington

REGIONAL LETTINGS

We are delighted to bring to the lettings market this super detached period property, which has been extensively renovated, refurbished and improved over recent years. It is a deceptively large property with a substantial orangery to the

rear,

beautiful

interior

design

and

magnificent

landscaped gardens. The stone and brick wall boundary is highly impressive, as are the mature trees and shrubs which surround the beautiful lawned gardens at the rear. There are stone flagged terraces and patio areas, a gazebo, a summerhouse and superb lighting. The approach to the property is very deceptive, providing parking for many cars. The entrance hall leads onto a drawing room with lovely windows and fireplace. The main sitting and dining room is at the centre of the house and enjoys lovely views. The orangery is built to a very high standard and is suitable for all year round use. The kitchen breakfasting room is well fitted with painted wood cabinets and built-in Bosch appliances. A corridor connects to the family shower room/wc and a utility & laundry room. The master bedroom is extensively equipped and fitted with wardrobes and has its own sitting area and en-suite shower room/wc. The second bedroom is also fitted with wardrobes. The house has gas central heating, double glazing an alarm system and very tasteful interior design. South Drive is a prime residential area of Woolsington, known for its fine housing. This is a beautiful home.

Price Guide: £1,500 pcm

Mariners Wharf Quayside • 2 Bedroom apartment • Open plan lounge/dining room • 2 parking spaces • River views • En suite facilities • Furnished • Available immediately

Price Guide: £850 pcm

The Stamp Exchange Westgate Road, Newcastle • 2 Bedrooms, en suite • Juliet style balcony • Available immediately • Open plan living area • Pleasant views over city • Allocated parking

Price Guide: £995 pcm

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REGIONAL LETTINGS

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Manor Chare

Lime Square

Mariners Wharf

Quayside

City Road, Newcastle

Quayside

• 1 Bedroom apartment

• 1 Bedroom apartments

• 2 Bedroom apartments

• 2 Bedroom apartment

• 2 Bedroom apartments

• Penthouses

• Furnished

• Concierge

• Available immediately

• Communal areas

• Gymnasium

• Open plan living areas

• Parking

• Furnished

• En suite shower rooms

• Communal areas

• Furnished/unfurnished

• Open plan living

• River Views

Price Guide: £575 - £800 pcm

Price Guide: £550 - £800 pcm

Price Guide: £850 - £1,200 pcm

Northside

High Quay

Queen Street

Stamfordham

Quayside

Newcastle

• 2 Bedrooms

• 1 Bedroom

• Communal areas

• Open plan living area

• Furnished

• Available immediately

• River views

• Reception room

• Pleasant Views

• Furnished

• Kitchen

• Unfurnished

• Lift

• Central heating

• Village location

• Allocated parking

• Lift

Price Guide: £500 pcm

Price Guide: £700 pcm

Price Guide: £625 pcm

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Queen Street Quayside

successfully

letting homes continuing to do what we do best We now have clients looking for similar properties to rent. If you are thinking of letting your property please contact us today on 0191 255 0808

Eastcliffe Mews Gosforth

T LE

T LE Darras Road Darras Hall

T LE

LE Elmfield Gardens Gosforth

Princess Mary Court Jesmond

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REGIONAL LETTINGS

Baltic Quays Gateshead

T LE

Knightsbridge Court Gosforth

Manor Chare Quayside

T LE

Mariners Wharf Quayside

Grove Park Gosforth

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SY | LETTINGS

locationlocation

location he region’s lettings market remains strong across the board, from city centre crash pads to country mansions. Not surprisingly, location is key, and the right properties in the right locations are attracting excellent rents. While city centre locations remain strong, the market is now buoyant across the region, and executive properties in the suburbs are in demand, as are large rural homes. “There is still a growing demand for premier properties commanding more than £3,000 or £4,000 per month,” says Sanderson Young lettings manager Gail McLean. “We have become the first choice for high net worth indivduals who

COUNTRY

COAST

CITY

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Renting and letting are proving increasingly popular across the region and at all levels of the property market, reports Neil Gordon

are looking for a home in the region and we have a strong corporate client base. We are currently arranging rental properties for a company in Sweden which is establishing offices in the North East and needs substantial family homes for its executives.” Darras Hall and Ponteland remain extremely popular, and Sanderson Young can also offer breathtaking properties in rural Northumberland and County Durham. Sanderson Young has relocated its busy lettings division to chic new premises on Gosforth High Street and increased its regional focus. “We have always had, and still have, a superb reputation for letting and managing the best properties in the city centre, but in the last 12 months we have expanded our horizons hugely to offer both landlords and tenants a regional service,” explains Gail McLean. “Moving to Gosforth has helped to underpin the message that we are not just a city centre lettings service.” Another rental hot spot is the coast, with properties in Whitley Bay proving popular, while the city centre market remains robust. “We still manage a wide variety of fabulous rental property in prime city locations and across the price spectrum,” says Gail. “We will always pride ourselves in offering the very best city and waterfront apartments.” Sanderson Young’s lettings division is now trialling an expanded online presence on www.rightmove.co.uk. “Joining Right Move has produced excellent results,” says Gail. “It brings the Sanderson Young name to clients from outside the region and outside the UK. We have already helped a Dutch lady find the executive rental property she was looking for.” The move to 95 High Street, Gosforth has also helped Gail to expand her lettings office into a truly regional rental property service. “The new office enjoys a central location in the region as a whole and has really helped us to attract the best rural and urban property from across the area. We have never been busier,” she says. If you are looking for a property to rent or you have a property to let, please contact Gail McLean at 95 High Street, Gosforth, tel 0191 255 0808, email gail.mclean@sandersonyoung.co.uk and see www.sandersonyoung.co.uk

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STAR PROPERTIES TO LET

LETTINGS | SY

THE ARCADE

ROTHLEY HALL

OAKDALE

DOTLAND GRANGE

OSBORNE LODGE

QUEEN STREET

MARINERS WHARF

ELMFIELD MEWS

STAMP EXCHANGE

Rothley Hall, Rothley, Morpeth, Northumberland £1,100 pcm One of nine self-contained homes within a stunning period country hall in 42 acres of stunning private grounds, this three-bedroom period home could provide permanent accommodation, a weekend retreat or a UK base for someone based abroad. The managed grounds include a trout lake, all-weather tennis court, mature woodland, grazing paddock and landscaped gardens. The property to let has a private garden, private terrace with westerly views and private access to the indoor heated swimming pool and leisure suite. Oakdale, Holywood, Wolsingham, Co Durham £1,900 pcm An imposing and luxurious stone-built mansion built in 1999 within Holywood, an exclusive area of detached properties on a hillside with magnificent views, this five-bedroom property features generous gardens with a large terrace for al fresco dining, beautiful feature fireplaces and a superb staircase, walk-in wardrobes in the large bedrooms and a games room. Dotland Grange, Hexham, Northumberland £2,250 pcm Set in a beautiful woodland location, Dotland Grange is in the shires south of Hexham and enjoys beautiful views and some 22 acres of private gardens and grounds, including a vegetable and soft fruit garden, outbuildings and a triple garage and workshop. This stylish 1950s residence features solid oak flooring, a sun lounge and a conservatory, breakfast kitchen with an Aga and patio doors overlooking the gardens and tennis court. There are four bedrooms and a billiard room and mature fir woodland surrounds the gardens and grounds. Osborne Lodge, Promenade, Whitley Bay £895 pcm A spacious upper maisonette in a fabulous coastal location with sea views and excellent access into Whitley Bay town centre, this two-bedroom property offers generous, versatile accommodation with the main reception room currently equipped as a self-contained studio with kitchenette. There is a private entrance porch, an impressive 14ft kitchen/breakfast room with sea views and one of the bedrooms has a mezzanine.

The Arcade, Belsay £890 pcm This charming three-bedroom mid-terraced property within a Grade II listed row in Belsay village has a spacious breakfasting kitchen, lounge, dining and family rooms, three bedrooms and a garden. It is just 10 minutes from Ponteland and Belsay has its own village shop. 3b Queen St, Quayside, Newcastle £625 pcm Located in the heart of Newcastle's Quayside, this is a one-bedroom apartment within a Grade I listed Georgian building. Offered on a furnished basis, this newly decorated apartment is situated on the second floor and has one double bedroom, a delightful lounge on the curve of the building, fully fitted kitchen and family bathroom with shower. A Quayside parking permit can be purchased by residents. 65 Mariners Wharf, Quayside, Newcastle £850 pcm This ground floor, two-bedroom Quayside apartment has stunning views of the River Tyne and features an open-plan lounge/diner, kitchen and three bedrooms, one with en-suite. The property also has two parking spaces and a garage. 5a Elmfield Mews, Gosfoth, Newcastle £1,500 pcm This family mews house is in the heart of Gosforth. It is part furnished and the fitted kitchen features a breakfasting area. There is a gravelled courtyard and garage, a balcony which runs around the upper floor of the property with access from the three bedrooms and a spacious lounge with patio doors to the courtyard. 10 Stamp Exchange, Westgate Road, Newcastle £995 pcm In a fantastic city centre location, this stylish second floor, two-bedroom luxury apartment is fitted with the only satellite feed within its development, it has a Juliet balcony overlooking a pleasant courtyard, and it features an open-plan lounge/ dining and kitchen area. There are two double bedrooms, one en-suite, and there is also a separate family shower room. There is also an allocated car parking space underneath the development.

For further details of all these properties and more, contact Gail McLean, tel 0191 255 0808, email gail.mclean@sandersonyoung.co.uk and see www.sandersonyoung.co.uk

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SY | NEW HOMES

Live now, invest for the future at The Esplanade Buyers looking for a fantastic mix of carefully restored architecture blended with a modern internal specification, all in a prime location, look no further than Gentoo’s Esplanade development

his elegant Victorian terrace in the heart of Sunderland’s Ashbrooke Conservation Area, one of Sunderland’s most exclusive postcodes, has been transformed into 25 luxurious apartments and four magnificent five bedroom townhouses. With no two homes the same, a high specification and retention of original features, the restoration and conversion of the Esplanade creates a unique and exciting new vision of city life. Stewart Allen, Managing Director of Gentoo Ventures, said: “The Esplanade truly is one of a kind, not only do buyers have the chance to own a little piece of history but it also offers a fantastic investment opportunity. “Now is the perfect time to invest in property or to help your children to stand on their own two feet and buy their first home. We offer an excellent range of first-time buyer options and with savings interest rates so low, it makes sound financial sense.” The carefully restored architecture and original features blend harmoniously with the modern fixtures and fittings. The rooms are light, airy and spacious, the cornicing ornate, and the balustrades beautifully carved. Each individual home

boasts generous floor space and internal specifications are high quality – Gentoo offer the option for buyers to specify any requirements and have their new home tailored to suit their needs wherever possible. Viewing is a must to fully appreciate this spectacular development, a stunning show apartment is open for viewings Mondays, Thursdays and Fridays – 10am to 5pm and Saturdays and Sundays - 11am – 5pm. For more information about The Esplanade or to arrange a viewing, please get intouch with the Gentoo Homes sales team, tel 0191 525 5000 or see our website at www.gentoohomes.com

Youtoo could enjoy a modern lifestyle in a traditional setting.

SHOW

The Esplanade, Sunderland SR2 7BQ Prices from £225,000

HOME

NOW O PEN

The Esplanade is a premier address in the heart of Sunderland’s Ashbrooke Conservation Area. Set within the grounds is an elegant Victorian terrace which has been gloriously transformed into a range of luxurious duplex apartments, and four magnificent five bedroom townhouses. These once again proud buildings, of traditional, light red brick, with classic stone dressing and beautifully detailed entrances, radiate a time-honoured charm. The carefully restored architecture and original features blend harmoniously with modern fixtures and fittings for a truly contemporary lifestyle. Enclosed tree-lined communal gardens and the private driveway add a sense of security and a safe and sedate environment for families to relax and play. You’ll forget you’re so close to the city. Call 0191 525 5000* to book a viewing or visit gentoohomes.com for further information. Youtoo could own a unique part of Sunderland’s heritage.

...living for a new generation *This number is chargeable. Mobile costs may vary. Please note on a weekend calls may be diverted through to a mobile phone in which case calls will cost considerably more. The information contained in this advert is intended for guidance only. Please contact Gentoo for full details.

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NEW HOMES

New Homes Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s at times of uncertainty in the market that expertise really makes a difference, and Sanderson Young has had tremendous success marketing a range of prestigious developments in recent months, successfully selling all the properties released for sale. These include Fencer Hill Square by Cussins and Elmfield Square by Dunelm Homes, both superb developments in Gosforth which were successfully sold by expert marketing targeted at selected buyers. Our new homes team, led by Janet Hopkinson and Nicola Osborne at the rare! office in Gosforth and Gillian Greaves at the Alnwick office, have also used their exceptional skill to successfully market Hartburn Mews in Chapel Park, Hawthorn Grange in Gosforth, Mart Field in Rothbury and more. New phases at some of the above mentioned developments have also just been released, and our team will again be using their skill to market them proactively to their target audience. There is much interest in these and the other landmark developments detailed in the following pages, which is why property developers appreciate the work of our highly motivated sales team and expert media departmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brochure design, branding, advertising and editorial press coverage in marketing their properties. Sanderson Young continues to support a number of exciting projects and we also provide a comprehensive property consultancy to developers and builders large and small, appraising the feasibility of developments, acquiring sites and acting on behalf of owners in the sale of development sites. For advice on your potential development site and new developments coming to market, please contact Janet Hopkinson at the rare! office, tel 0191 223 3500, email janet.hopkinson@sandersonyoung.co.uk

The Old Bank, 30 High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne NE3 1LX | Tel: 0191 223 3500

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SY | NEW HOMES

in with the

new Neil Gordon discovers an upturn in the new homes market and some excellent new homes to buy through Sanderson Young

learly, recent times have presented a considerable challenge to the property industry, but the new homes market has weathered the storm and is now moving into an upturn that will boost the rest of the housing market. Sanderson Young has played a key role in helping developers successfully market a wide range of developments across the North East in the last two years and the new homes team - headed by Janet Hopkinson and Nicola Osborne at the rare! office in Gosforth and Gillian Greaves at the Alnwick office - has sold almost every property on its books in that time. “Two things have been crucial to weathering the storm,” Janet Hopkinson says. “The first is the quality of the new homes team at Sanderson Young and the second is the quality of the developments we offer for sale.” New homes have always underpinned the housing market as a whole and a steady supply of new developments at all levels creates essential movement in the system. “A healthy new homes sector is a very important contributor to a buoyant housing market. That fact creates competition for buyers, so developments have to be promoted now with exceptional skill. “We are one of the few estate agencies in the North East to have a specialist new homes team that understands the market from both buyers’ and developers’ perspectives. We have spent most of our careers dealing with new property and together we have an unrivalled expertise in this field.” In addition, Sanderson Young offers a range of unique support services to help developers maximise the impact of any development’s launch and their subsequent sales campaigns.

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Sanderson Young Media & Design can create everything from sales brochures to a complete corporate or brand identity guaranteed to catch a buyer’s eye. It can also arrange extensive PR coverage and co-ordinate advertising in local, regional and national press. Sanderson Young also has its own in-house interior design team led by Sarah Jobling, who prepares superb show houses for developers. Support for developers also begins before a project is even begun. “Even before plans are submitted, we can suggest what types of property are best suited to a development’s location,” adds Janet. “During the construction phase we can begin to market the properties to attract off-plan buyers, and when the project nears completion we can target buyers who we know will be interested in what a particular development has to offer.” The new homes sector is now entering an upswing and Sanderson Young is working with several noted developers on prestigious schemes. These include a superb development at historic Axwell Hall, Gateshead, which includes Axwell Gardens and Axwell Courtyard on the same site, where extensive regeneration work by local developer DARE includes fabulous apartments within the Grade II listed hall, mews properties in the old stables and townhouses in the restored walled garden. Sanderson Young is also working with developers to prepare plans for new schemes, with work scheduled to begin on the first of these in early 2010. “It is too soon to give any details,” adds Janet, “but I can assure any house hunter looking for a superb new home that Sanderson Young is the window to watch.” To find out more, please contact Janet Hopkinson at Sanderson Young’s rare! office, tel 0191 223 3500, email janet.hopkinson@sandersonyoung.co.uk

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NEW HOMES | SY

NORTHUMBERLAND

For more information on Mart Field contact Gillian Greaves at Sanderson Young’s Alnwick Office, 31-33 Bondgate Within, Alnwick, tel 0166 560 0170, email gillian.greaves@sandersonyoung.co.uk

MART FIELD

Mart Field, Rothbury, by Horizon Homes North Northumberland has always been the place to find superb smaller developments that combine the best of traditional period property with modern design. Mart Field in Rothbury, a small market town in the beautiful Simonside Hills, is a perfect example of this successful formula and is within easy walking distance of the town centre’s thriving shops, 18-hole golf course and a swimming pool, and the lovely River Coquet. Sanderson Young has already sold the first phase of five two-bedroom apartments, and there is keen interest in the next phase of three-storey townhouses. Reservations are being taken off-plan for these three-bedroom properties at a guide price of £250,000. There is also the two-storey Willow available now – a maisonette with three bedrooms, the master with en-suite. It has a spacious living/dining room with fabulous views over the river and French doors which open to the garden, a well-appointed kitchen/breakfast room with integrated appliances, private garden, off-street parking and integral single garage and is offered leasehold (£199,950 for 999 years). The surrounding hill country offers a wealth of opportunities for riding, fishing and walking, the coast is only 16 miles away and there is good road access to both Alnwick and Morpeth. Newcastle is approximately 45 minutes drive to the south via the A1.

SALES SUCCESS

Sanderson Young has sold all of the properties released for sale at the following developments, and is now taking off-plan reservations at selected sites: Fencer Hill Square by Cussins Ltd and Elmfield Square by Dunelm Homes, both Gosforth These are prestigious developments in a premium location in Gosforth, but they were released for sale in a declining market. By expert marketing targeted at selected buyers, the Sanderson Young team sold all the apartments and duplexes at both developments. Construction at Fencer Hill Square has finished, but there is a second phase at Elmfield Square of four semi-detached properties with a show home prepared by the Sanderson Young team. “These four family homes at Elmfield Square are an excellent example of how good design makes the most of a development’s special qualities and can help guarantee sales,” Janet Hopkinson says. “The unique selling point is that access to these properties is via a closed street which creates a safe play environment for children.” Hartburn Mews, Chapel Park, by Regent Homes Sanderson Young was extremely successful in selling all the properties at Hartburn Mews, a mid-price development where the attractive features were its location at the popular Newcastle suburb Chapel Park, the variety of property on offer, the quality of the homes and competitive prices.

SALES SUCCESS

FENCER HILL SQUARE

Two-bedroom apartments, three-bedroom townhouses and four-bedroom family homes were designed by Regent Homes, a sister company of noted local developer Cussins Ltd, to ensure the finished development was a complete community. This formula proved especially attractive with a wide variety of buyers and the development sold out quickly. Hawthorn Grange, Gosforth, Newcastle, by Field Luxury Homes This is an exceptional development surrounded by green fields close to Newcastle’s northern city limits. Sanderson Young sold all the properties completed for Phase I, and the sales office has already taken a reservation on one of the six properties of Phase II, which is due for completion in March 2010. “The quality of the homes and their attractive pricing have been key factors,” Janet Hopkinson says. “The architecture is an attractive modern interpretation of the three-storey townhouse designed to blend in with the rural landscape. The exteriors are finished in stone and cedar wood, while inside the properties have four to five bedrooms and three bathrooms over three storeys. “Each kitchen features superb NEFF appliances and the kitchen design is by Kiso Interiors. Buyers who reserve a property during construction can work with Kiso’s designers to create their ideal bespoke kitchen.” For more information on the above and forthcoming new developments, please contact Janet Hopkinson at Sanderson Young’s rare! office, High St, Gosforth, tel 0191 223 3500, email janet.hopkinson@sandersonyoung.co.uk

ELMFIELD SQUARE

HARTBURN MEWS

HAWTHORN GRANGE

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NEW HOMES - REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

PRUDHOE HOSPITAL BURN HOUSE

This property represents a fantastic opportunity for a purchaser seeking to acquire a detached residence with substantial grounds. The property is located to the south eastern boundary of the existing Prudhoe Hospital site and will be of interest to private individuals or small scale developers, who are seeking a major renovation project to provide a substantial house. The property is in a poor state of repair, however once renovated will provide a private detached residence in excellent grounds. Asking Price: ÂŁ250,000

REDEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

Please note that this property is not suitable for viewing due to health and safety risks within the building and interested parties should contact Sanderson Young regarding viewing arrangements.

CONTACT: NicolaOsborne Osborne | attel: Sanderson Young 0191 nicola.osborne@sandersonyoung.co.uk 223 3500 | email: nicola.osborne@sandersonyoung.co.uk CONTACT: Nicola 0191 223 3500||tel: email: Richard Shield at DTZ | tel: 0191 223 5770 | email: richard.shield@dtz.com On the instructions of:

0191 223 5700 www.dtz.com

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TODAY, WE SHALL GO THROUGH THE SQUARE WINDOW...

THE

TOWNHOUSES & WALLED GARDEN ARE NOW COMPLETE. COME AND VIEW OUR STUNNING NEW SHOWHOUSE

...AWARD WINNING The townhouses at Axwell Park are now complete, a developement of stunning contemprary designs from the Dare Group. Axwell Park is just a short drive from the city centre, yet set in 35 acres of private parkland with magnificient views over the beautiful Derwent Valley. Designed and built to the most exacting standards, Axwell Gardens offers a quality of life that really is second to none.

WE CONTINUE

TOWN HOUSES.

Our showhome is open 6 days a week, Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 5:00 pm, and Bank Holiday Mondays. One of our representatives will be delighted to show you around the houses and the estate.

Tel 0191 414 4412 www.axwellpark.co.uk Prices from ÂŁ369,500 A development by DARE Northern Limited

BUILD

ON OUR

REPUTATION

THE GARDENS - AXWELL PARK

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SY | NEW HOMES

It’s my party

Or how party walls can cause a hitch in your grand designs, by Adrian Marston, of chartered building surveyors Smith Marston LLP

n our last two editions, we’ve looked at new planning guidance and advice on the right to light. But there is an abundance of statutory matters that require careful consideration when building a new home or extending or adapting an existing property. And, while most people are aware of the potential need for planning permission, many still don’t know that Party Wall notices may also need to be served on neighbours for certain works. Many householders, and even commercial property owners, have been stopped in their tracks because they haven’t been aware of the need to serve Party Wall notices on ‘adjoining owners’ in respect of various works. These predominantly fall into three main categories under The Party Wall etc Act 1996. First, if you intend to build a new wall at the boundary line of your land, where it was previously unbuilt, then you must serve a Line of Junction notice on your neighbour. Or, if you wish to undertake certain building works to a party structure (essentially a wall or floor separating two buildings or land), a Party Structure notice is required.

Thirdly, if you need to excavate within certain distances from any structures belonging to your neighbour, to a depth lower than the neighbour’s structure(s), you must serve a 3m or 6m Excavation notice. These issues can be quite complex, and failure to serve notice can result in an injunction being served to halt your works, and you becoming liable for a whole host of costs, never mind the costs of the delay to your project while matters are resolved. Simply gaining planning permission is not enough, and as the legislation is now more than 10 years old, ignorance cannot be an excuse. The professionals who prepare your designs should be well aware of this legislation and you should check with them to find out if your works are notifiable or not. You may even be able to design out party wall matters, eradicating the need for serving notice(s), and potentially saving you a lot of money in professional fees. For an informal discussion about whether you need to serve notice, contact Adrian Marston at Smith Marston LLP, tel 01434 607 802

MAIN OFFICE Peterel Field Business Village Dipton Mill Road Hexham Northumberland NE46 2JT Tel: 01434 607802 Fax: 01434 607272

• HOMEBUYER AND BUILDING SURVEYS • DESIGN DRAWINGS FOR PLANNING PERMISSION & BUILDING REGULATIONS • NEW BUILD AND EXTENSIONS • LOFT CONVERSIONS AND REFURBISHMENT • PARTY WALL ISSUES • DEFECT DIAGNOSIS • BOUNDARY DISPUTES • RIGHTS OF LIGHT • DAYLIGHT & SUNLIGHT TESTS For further information please call Philip Smith or Adrian Marston email: info@smithmarston.co.uk www.smithmarston.co.uk

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NEWCASTLE OFFICE Rotterdam House 116 Quayside Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 3DY Tel: 0191 260 3123

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NEW HOMES - DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY

PRUDHOE HOSPITAL

RESIDENTIAL AND CARE HOME DEVELOPMENT POTENTIAL

SURPLUS LAND

We are delighted to offer to the market land with an outline planning consent for a care village, together with 56 residential units, 40 percent of which are to be made available as affordable housing. This represents an exciting development opportunity on a prime site. The site has the ability to be sold as a whole or in three lots: the housing, the affordable housing and the care village. A full information pack which includes planning information, ecological and site investigation reports can be made available on request.

Price on Application

DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY CONTACT:

Nicola Osborne at Sanderson Young | tel: 0191 223 3500 | email: nicola.osborne@sandersonyoung.co.uk Richard Shield at DTZ | tel: 0191 223 5770 | email: richard.shield@dtz.com On the instructions of:

0191 223 5700 www.dtz.com

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SOLD OUT NOW RELEASED Hawthorn Grange is an outstanding and very special development, situated in a sought after location on the outskirts of Gosforth & Newcastle upon Tyne. It is set back from Brunton Lane and offers 14 luxury houses situated in a rural backwater enjoying superb accessibility to the city centre via the Western Bypass and is part of the regeneration of the Great North Park. Indeed, Hawthorn Grange has been described as "the gem of the Great North Park" since it retains country views to the north and east and has access to its own grazing paddock. Phase 1 comprised of 8 properties which are now fully occupied. The buyers took advantage of personalising their own homes internally giving their kitchens the wow factor and working with Kiso Interiors who were commissioned as kitchen designers. Adjacent are some of the individual kitchens that were created. As well as the usual electrical appliances to be expected, an American fridge/freezer, wine cooler and combination microwave oven are standard. Phase 2 comprises 6 properties where one is now reserved. 3 of the properties are a new town house style offering over 2800 sq ft, of spacious living with all properties enjoying; • Entrance Hall with Cloakroom • Open plan contemporary living • Kitchen and Utility • First floor lounge • 4 Bedrooms, 2 ensuites, family bathroom • Extremely high specification

New showhouse available Jan 2010 Prices from £450,000

For further information please contact Julie Summerbell on 0191 2130033 or julie.summerbell@sandersonyoung.co.uk

t h e

c i t y

o n

y o u r

d o o r s t e p ,

t h e

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c o u n t r y

i n

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b a c k

g a r d e n

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SY | MOTORING

bangers smash Sanderson Young backed team raises charity cash with Barcelona rally …

thecar thedestination

£200 G-Reg BMW 730

Barcelona - España

thecrew Left to Right: Kevin Gibson, Andrew Saunders, Matt Powers & Pill Surtees

ur own Kev Gibson, a photographer for this magazine, is always up for a challenge, and when he heard about the chance to take a banger all the way to Barcelona and back for charity he couldn’t pass it up. Having secured sponsorship, Kev and three pals completed a dash to Barcelona and back in a £200 G-Reg BMW 730 to raise cash for The Stroke Association and Newcastle-based charity No Strings, which uses puppet films to educate people in the developing world about manmade and natural threats to life like HIV/Aids, landmines, earthquakes and tsunamis. But Kev and friends Phil Surtees, Matt Powers and Andrew Saunders only just made it back. “We limped back with the fuel tank hanging by a thread,” said Kev, owner of Tyneside-based KG Photography. “But the car, which we called Monique, did fantastically well. “The other teams all scrapped their cars at Barcelona and flew back, but we were so attached to Monique that we drove her home.” The team members, who donned comedy wigs for the trip in honour of 80s icon and star of TV’s Knightrider David Hasselhof, completed the Barcelona Banger run from Calais to Barcelona in three days along with 60 other teams. The teams were set challenges on each day with points to collect en route and, fittingly with experienced photographer Kev aboard, the boys won the first day’s big photographic challenge.

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“We had to photograph cars following the colours on a snooker table,” said Kev, “which was harder work than you might imagine. We were racing round Nantes trying to find a pink car at one point, just for the dubious glory of winning 100 euros and a trophy.” The annual Barcelona Banger run starts in Calais and follows a route through Brittany and on to Nantes, heading down through western France, past Bordeaux and on to Toulouse, before a final day’s drive through Andorra, over the Pyrenees and on to Barcelona. Teams were only allowed to enter cars worth £200 or less. “It’s a good job it was a comfortable car, because it was a mammoth trip,” said Kev. “We drove for a solid 25 hours on the way back and it never faltered, despite the fuel tank looking like it was hanging by a thread. We did 2,500 miles in five

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MOTORING | SY

thejourney Calais to Barcelona - España (and back - just!)

days, 1,200 of them in a 25-hour straight run back. That car was a legend. It had 244,000 miles on the clock.” North East sponsors for the team included Sanderson Young Estate Agents, MD Creative design agency, Creation PR and marketing, Room 501 Publishing and LFUK Printers. “They were really generous sponsors for two great causes,” said Kev. “If it weren’t for the sponsors we couldn’t have done it. As it was, we had the most amazing trip, starting in Calais on a Friday morning, arriving in Barcelona on the Sunday, and then heading back home on the Monday.”

Kev, 35, Phil, a 31-year-old engineering manager, Matt, 35, a land surveyor, and Andrew, 35, a sales executive, are now keen to complete another charity rally, even thinking of staging their own. “There were a few panics along the way, and a lot of laughs,” said Kev. “Now we want to do more and we’re even thinking of organising our own event over to Norway. Andrew is an experienced rally car driver, but for the rest of us it was a completely new experience. We can’t wait to enter another rally, or organise our own, so watch this space.” Johnie McGlade, founder of Newcastle-based aid organisation No Strings, who was in New York making a puppet film to educate children in sub-Saharan Africa about HIV/Aids when the team completed the trip, expressed his thanks. “They did a fantastic job,” said Johnie, “and the money raised will help us to run our projects in Africa, Afghanistan, Indonesia, the Philipines and other countries in the developing world. We’re incredibly grateful for the lads’ support.”

‘I need just one local IT company to support my network’ Unrivalled local service from our team of IT experts One number to call for all of your IT requirements Clear Service Level Agreement so you know what to expect Unique support service designed to fix problems before they affect your business Impartial advice that is right for your business and budget Offices in Gosforth, Team Valley and Stockton

Call 0845 15 50 180 or visit www.tsg.com

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The 2010 Range Rover Autobiography is making a statement at the top end of the luxury 4x4 market, as Bob Arora discovers

SY | MOTORS

homeonthe

range

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MOTORS| SY

IT’S A MAGNIFICENT LOOKING CAR, AS IT NEEDS TO BE TO MAKE ITS OWN STATEMENT ALONGSIDE ROLLS ROYCES, BENTLEYS, FERRARIS

couple of things surprised me about the Range Rover; one being that it was originally introduced in 1970, the other that in nearly 40 years there have only been three generations of this car, and in all this time its classic shape has not altered in any major way. But that fact belies the enormous changes made in terms of comfort and luxury. Even though it was the first 4x4 which was at home both on the road and on farm tracks, and also the first to incorporate some comfort, it was certainly not designed with motorway luxury in mind. The early Range Rovers were utilitarian, with vinyl seats and plastic dashboards that were designed to be washed down with a hose. Features like power steering, carpeted floors, air conditioning, leather seats and luxury wood interior trim all came later, and in spades. The original Range Rover, however, did pioneer advanced features like coil spring suspension and disc brakes, while its competitors stuck to leaf springs and drum brakes for years. The Range Rover has come a long way in 40 years, and the new 2010 model is making a real statement at the top end of the 4x4 market, so I was delighted to be asked by Paul Cummings, a specialist car dealer of international repute, to drive the new Autobiography 3.6 litre diesel. It’s a magnificent looking car, as it needs to be to make its own statement alongside Rolls Royces, Bentleys, Ferraris and the like at Paul’s fabulous and newly refurbished showroom alongside the A19 at Peterlee. Specialist car dealer Paul, who is also the region’s biggest independent Land Rover dealer, has a breathtaking A-list celebrity client list and works with premiership predicted road conditions. The focus is on a smooth rather than sporty ride and footballers throughout the UK and Europe, as the photos and signed shirts lining with the dampers’ help the car flows through sweeping bends. As well as being a the showroom walls testify. brilliant performer on tarmac, the newcomer is as capable as Land Rover’s more He’s also an extremely affable man with a genuine love of cars, and he’s rightly rugged models when the going gets tough. excited about this Range Rover, his personal car of choice, which is distinguished An improved five stage All Terrain Response system adjusts the set up according by the updated grill, side air vents, new bumpers and LED tail lights. to the surface. This gives the Range Rover outstanding abilities on landscapes that The interior has also received a makeover, with some key pieces of switchgear would be no-go areas for all but a handful of other vehicles. repositioned and all its predecessor’s BMW-sourced items removed. There are two engines, the petrol option a 5.0-litre supercharged model producing In fact, Land Rover has managed to take the excellent previous model and improve 503bhp, which is a 29 per cent increase on the outgoing model. C02 has also been almost everything about it. dropped by seven per cent. The car is now more lavish, better equipped, more powerful and more economical. It accelerates from 0-60 mph in an amazing 5.9 seconds, and credit for the excellent As mentioned, it is Paul Cummings’ vehicle of choice engine goes to the boffins at Jaguar. and it is causing a stir among his discerning clients, The big seller will be the excellent diesel model, with a who are impressed by its style and performance. 3.6 litre engine producing 375bhp. This propels the car A Range Rover is one of the finest places on earth to to 60mph in 8.6 seconds and it will return an amazing A RANGE ROVER IS ONE OF THE spend long periods of time. Most of the interior is 30mpg. When you consider the size and weight of the FINEST PLACES ON EARTH TO swathed in sumptuous leather, which is even employed car (2.7 tonnes), that figure is an achievement. SPEND LONG PERIODS OF TIME in the side pillars and the roof lining, and a quality The Range Rover should also achieve a maximum five wood trim adds to the quality feel, making the veneer star NCAP safety rating for occupant protection. in its competitors look cheap. As you would expect from a like this, the standard Wind and tyre noise has been kept to a minimum and specification is excellent. The seats are both heated even at motorway speeds it’s almost silent; testament to the excellent work the and ventilated, the steering wheel is heated, and there is Harman Kardon and iPod engineers have put into the soundproofing. connectivity. The cabin oozes quality and the clock has the look of a Panerai watch. The driver has a brilliant 12-inch TFT screen with slick graphics instead of the Anyone looking for the best 4X4 on the market should look no further. It has the traditional instrument cluster behind the steering wheel. The dials can be moved luxury feel of a Bentley or Rolls Royce, but with the practicality and space that also aside to make way for detailed off-road information and there is a world-first dual make it a great everyday workhorse. information touch screen display. This uses separate columns to display a DVD or Bob Arora owns Sachins Restaurant, Forth Street, Newcastle, and is available built-in TV for the passenger while the driver views the Sat Nav. for independent car tests, tel 0191 232 4660 email kulmeeta@hotmail.com Another innovation is the new surround camera system to help with parking, towing and off-road manoeuvring. It features five digital cameras sending a 360-degree view to the touch screen The Range Rover Autobiography 3.6 litre diesel we display. The cameras have options for selecting and zooming in to assist with close tested was provided by Paul Cummings Specialist Cars, parking and towing. Peterlee; the North East’s biggest independent The steering is much sharper than the outgoing model and a set of adaptive Land Rover dealership. For more information about Range dynamic dampers takes care of ride comfort, monitoring what’s happening at each Rover at Paul Cummings, plus a host of other luxury wheel an amazing 500 times per second, firming up or softening depending on the marques, see www.paulcummingspecialistcars.co.uk

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SY | TRAVEL

Have a truly magical winter with fresh air, forests, reindeer, sled dogs, polar bears and skiing. Rosie McGlade visits not Lapland, but the far more affordable Cairngorms in Scotland

t seems terribly mean spirited, but the more the years go by, the tougher it seems to dredge up the remotest feeling of Christmas spirit. The very mention of Christmas before mid November, by which time, of course, it’s everywhere, can occasionally prompt tears. Or violent outbursts. There’s always the option of booking a day trip to Lapland, (around £1,500 for a family of four – and it really is a day trip) but it seems awfully extravagant. You’re not even guaranteed it’ll be all that good; we’ve heard worrying accounts of huge grottos you get dragged through that are, in fact, just big shops full of tat. To suggest that Scotland has everything Lapland does at a snip of the price seems slightly ridiculous. What, Father Christmas? Well, as good as. We all know the real one lives at the North Pole anyhow. Plus, Scotland doesn’t close after Christmas, so you can enjoy it all winter long.

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And reindeers? There’s a whole herd; antlers and everything, and you can stroke them. Polar bears? Yes, there is one, a newcomer; the only one in the country. Imagine that – a polar bear in Scotland. Sled dogs? Yes, it sure has – lots of them, racing through the snow with you, if you’re lucky, on a sled behind them. Snow? Ah, well, you can’t have it all. Maybe. If you’re lucky. What’s even better is you get all this and more – beautiful scenery, ancient pine forests, gorgeous fresh air, in one location – the Cairngorms. Which means you can go for longer. Get away from the relatives! Certainly, Aviemore and the Cairngorms is beautiful, and there’s plenty to do, from taking a funicular up Cairngorm to visiting the Dalwhinnie distillery. On Christmas Eve, Santa and his reindeer visit local villages with a torch-lit procession, carols and mulled wine, and there are fantastic Hogmanay celebrations.

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TRAVEL | SY

What else? All this: REINDEER In winter, the Cairngorms reindeer are taken from their summer grazing pastures on the Cairngorm range. The vegetation here reminded Swedish Laplander Mikel Utsi of his Arctic homeland, from where he brought his herd in 1952. By this time of year, their antlers are huge; bigger than you’d even imagine. The reindeer themselves are smaller than you probably imagine, but friendlier. They can be stroked and fed and petted in the winter paddocks at the Reindeer Centre at Glenmore, six miles from Aviemore on the ski road. Funnily enough, if you don’t get to Scotland, you can see four of the reindeer during the Frost Fair at Gateshead on November 28 and 29, after their annual trip to Harrods in London. “It’s a busy schedule that takes us all over the country,” says centre manager Tilly Smith. “They work hard, but then they’re free on the mountains for the rest of the year.” There are 130 in the herd, plus all the calves born this year. To say they were introduced from Sweden is rather misleading. Better to say they were reintroduced, for reindeer are native to this region, but were killed off by hunting centuries ago. “It’s a beautiful sight to see them in their natural environment,” Tilly says. “And the Reindeer Centre experience is much cheaper than Lapland. We charge about £3 per child. “Unfortunately, we very rarely get snow until after Christmas, but we do have visits from Father Christmas every weekend in December. Kids can dress up as elves or Santa himself, or they can decorate a real sleigh or make Christmas cards, and we have storytelling sessions too. “The reindeer bring out the very best in people. They are such lovely animals. They’re friendly and confident, and put their trust in you. You couldn’t ask for anything more Christmassy.” Watch out for the antlers, though. They could have your eye out. Otherwise, guaranteed to charm everyone, regardless of age or humbug ranking. Reindeer House, Glenmore, Aviemore, tel 01479861228 www.reindeer-company.demon.co.uk

POLAR BEARS AND OTHER WILDLIFE The Highland Wildlife Centre at Kingussie, about eight miles from Aviemore heading back towards Perth, is now home to Britain’s only polar bear, Mercedes, these days quite an old girl who’s spent most of her life at Edinburgh Zoo since being rescued in 1984 from her native Canada, where she was due to be shot after roaming into a town in search of food. Her luxurious new home is a four-acre enclosure (four football pitches), the largest of its kind in Europe, and recreates the tundra environment of Canada and has a large natural pool. When Mercedes arrived at Edinburgh Zoo, she was paired with a male called Barney. They produced two cubs, To-Nuik and Ohoto. Barney died 13 years ago, and Mercedes has been alone since, so it’s about time her fortunes changed for the better. The Highland Wildlife Centre is a drive-round safari park, a bit like the old Lambton Lion Park, without the constant fear of being attacked. Which isn’t to say there aren’t good animals there - there are. Very rare ones too, and often very odd. There are Przewalski’s horses, strange looking Bactrian camels, yaks, kiangs, bharals, bison, elk and Chinese gorals, all wandering in packs, so while it’s incredibly scenic, there’s a wild Jurassic Park feel to it. There are other animals in huge enclosures you visit on foot: Red pandas, Arctic foxes, wolves and baby Amur tigers born in May this year, some funny looking snow monkeys, beavers, that sort of thing. In some ways, it’s the native wildcats and the pine martens that are the most exciting attraction, because they actually live up there, watching from the woods as you wander round. They’re very shy, and increasingly rare, which is why it’s so wonderful to get close to them here. Red squirrels are ten a penny of course. You can hardly move for them in some woods. An exaggeration, of course, but you’d be very unlucky not to see a family or two. The Highland Wildlife Centre, Kingussie, tel 01540 651 270 www.highlandwildlifepark.org

STRATHSPEY SANTA STEAM TRAIN One of the prettiest steam train trips to be had in the UK, the Strathspey Steam Railway takes you past the Cairngorm range between Aviemore and Broomhill, calling at the lovely Boat of Garten. You can hire bikes, take them on board, and then cycle back for an easy eight or so miles. During the run-up to Christmas, the train is frequented by Father Christmas with gifts for children. Mums and dads get mulled wine and a mince pie. The jolly Santa Express trains, with all the carriages and picturesque stations on the way decorated, run during December and Christmas, and there are Mince Pie Specials over the New Year period and lots more throughout the winter. Strathspey Santa Steam Tain, src.insch.info

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SY | TRAVEL

SNOW DOGS If, on the way up to the ski area on the road from Aviemore, you hear howling, don’t worry. The forest is full of huskies. Fiona and Alan Stewart have been running the Sleddog Centre on the beautiful Rothiemurchus Estate for eight years now. Because they can’t guarantee snow, or enough snow, all their snow dog trips are run on wheeled sleddog buggies. They hook up 12 dogs – Alaskan or Siberian huskies, plus a couple of pointer crosses (which look like pointers with bright blue eyes) – and off they go through forest and open moorland tracks at speeds of up to 24mph, surrounded by spectacular views of the Cairngorm Mountains. Occasional night trips are flood lit and offer the chance of seeing red deer roaming wild. It’s exhilarating stuff. “Or you can just come and visit the dogs on one of our tours,” says Fiona. “They’re beautiful animals, and very friendly. It’s a great family trip out.” Alan and their son John support the business by working as divers for the oil industry, but it’s clear where their passion lies. John, for example, now 24, has spent the last two years qualifying for the Iditarod Race in Alaska; a 1,159 trek which takes mushers and their 16-dog teams through temperatures as low as minus 50C, tremendous climbs, precipitous drops, over 10 incredible days. He’ll be in the starting line in March next year, hoping to make the top 10 out of 70 or 80 other teams. Fiona and Alan are keen racers themselves, taking teams of dogs off to North and South America for big international events. Her favourite dog? “They’re all wonderful,” she says. Of the 30 dogs, plus pups, from around the world, you can meet Nugget, a Siberian husky who’s a wheel dog, Sky, a pointer / Alaskan husky cross, who’s a lead dog, Buster, a German pointer who’s the main lead dog, or Aladin, a Siberian husky who’s the lead or swing. Cairngorm Sleddog Centre, tel 07767 270 526, www.sled-dogs.co.uk (booking essential)

MAGICAL MARKETS AND ROMANTIC RIVER CRUISES

FOOD AND ACCOMMODATION

If the Cairngorms doesn’t do it for you, you could sail away on a New Year cruise or explore the Christmas markets just across the North Sea. DFDS have some great offers, including an all-inclusive New Year gala mini cruise to Amsterdam, breaks to the magical Christmas markets of Northern Europe and a festive river cruise through Belgium. You can sail from Newcastle to Amsterdam or Esbjerg in Denmark on ferries that are well equipped with restaurants, bars, a nightclub, great live entertainment, cinemas and shops. There’s also a Kids’ Club and play area. Amsterdam New Year Gala Mini Cruise – all inclusive from £239pp Departing Newcastle on December 30, you arrive in Amsterdam on New Year’s Eve for a day of exploring before sailing back that evening with champagne, a lavish meal and live entertainment. The package includes two nights on ship, free bar and buffet, breakfast, champagne and almond cake at midnight on the return journey and entertainment, plus five hours in Amsterdam. The Deluxe Package (from £329pp) includes accommodation in a two-berth Commodore cabin, a champagne reception and a four course New Year’s Eve gala dinner.

There is a range of award-winning restaurants in the area, using fresh local produce. These include: Anderson's Restaurant, Boat of Garten, tel 01479 831 466 Ord Barn, Rothiemurchus Estate, Aviemore, tel 01479 810 005 The Cross, Kingussie, tel 01540 661 166 The Glasshouse, Grantown on Spey, tel 01479 872 980

Amsterdam Christmas Shopping Break – from £92pp for 3 nights Departing every day throughout November and December, this three-night break gives you the opportunity to soak up the festive atmosphere of Amsterdam and shop till you drop in its department stores, boutiques, antiques quarter and contemporary Dutch design emporia. This seasonal trip includes two nights aboard ship with live entertainment, and one in a hotel. DFDS are also offering a two-night mini cruise.

There are a number of hotels in the area, including the Hilton Coylumbridge Hotel, tel 01479 810 661, surrounded by lovely ancient forest and with a children’s play area, an outdoor adventure area for older children and adults, a swimming pool and spa. They have very reasonably priced swim suppers, where you get to enjoy the pool and eat afterwards.

Christmas Markets and river cruise You can also opt for four-night Christmas market cruises over to Hamelin, Cologne, Bruges, Brussels, Copenhagen and Esbjerg or take a five night Brussels and Antwerp river cruise with the opportunity to enjoy both cities and their beautiful Christmas markets.

There is a huge range of self-catering cottages and chalets. A spectacular example is the new Mountain Bear Lodge, a top-of-the-range Canadian pine building complete with sauna, Jacuzzi, outdoor hot tub and roaring fires. Bookings can be made through Great North Lodges, who have a range of other high quality chalets in the area. Great North Lodges, tel 01479 812 266

To find out more, tel 0871 882 0885, www.dfds.co.uk/festive

Tourist Information, Aviemore, tel 01479 812 266, www.visitaviemore.com

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x80981_SYM_p1_vw_x80981_SYM_p1_vw 25/09/2009 Friday, 25 September 2009 17:23 Page 123

TRAVEL | SY

SKIING When conditions are right, skiing in Scotland has everything and more than you’ll get in the Alps. With magnificent mountains rising from sea level, the views from the slopes really are equally breathtaking, and the lift systems here and the run lengths are surprisingly good. The trouble of course is that conditions are rarely right. In other words, there is

rarely enough snow. Basically, if you’re thinking of skiing in Scotland, you’ll need to invest in some appropriate clothing – and you need to be thinking waterproofs, as opposed to Tara Palmer Tomkinson furry hat splendour. You’ll also need a fair bit of cash, as it’s not cheap, and a sense of humour. That said, if you do get snow, UK skiing is a special experience that no serious winter sports enthusiast should go without. Even without snow, the very fancy new funicular railway takes visitors to the top of the mountain at speeds most Alpine resorts would seriously envy, and there are great views and a café at the top. The ski season in the Cairngorms usually runs from December to April, though occasionally it’s possible to ski before December and into May. Skiing, snowboarding and sledging are all available subject to conditions and there are more than 30km of ski runs and a fully maintained snow board fun park, suitable for all levels from beginner to expert. Cross country skiing, telemark skiing, ski touring and ski mountaineering are all available from specialist operators. There is a recognised ski school that operates on site, and Disability Snowsports UK also offer lessons for those with special needs. You can hire everything for skiing, snowboarding and sledging on the mountain including outer clothing. Contact the Ski School, tel 01479 861 319 (ski season only) or 07881 988 480 at other times

NEWCASTLE - EUROPE

FESTIVE CRUISE BREAKS HOLLAND, GERMANY & BELGIUM

GET A BREAK LIKE NO OTHER Take a DFDS Seaways cruise break this winter and it’s sure to get you into the festive spirit. Departing from Newcastle, take your pick from the extensive range of tailored festive breaks across Europe. Soak up the sights, sounds and festive, atmosphere of the most magical Christmas markets in Europe; shop til you drop on a Christmas shopping trip; sail away on an IVE BREAK ultimate all inclusive New Year experience; or relax on a ST S FE fantastic festive river cruise. Whether it’s for a spot of Christmas shopping, a celebratory trip away, or a gift for someone special, there’s a perfect yuletide break for you.

FROM

2 SHARING

WWW.DFDS.CO.UKÊÊUÊ WWW W.DFDS.CO.UK .DFD ÊÊUÊ 0871 882 0885 Prices are subject to availability & inclusive of fuel surcharge. Credit card & telephone booking fees apply. Calls cost up to 10p per minute plus network extras. Terms and Conditions apply, for details visit www.dfds.co.uk/terms.

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SY | OUTDOORS

Amid doom-laden tales of the fate of the world’s bee populations, urbanites are being encouraged to get into keeping hives in their gardens. Rosie McGlade is tempted

an Wallace, the man who brought bee keeping to the roofs of Newcastle city centre - to Fenwick’s roof in particular - is, you might say, buzzing with excitement about the growing popularity of bee-keeping among North East urbanites. “I’m getting a call a week from people wanting to find out about it. I know people who keep them in Gosforth, some just off the High Street, and a number in Jesmond, in their gardens or allotments; individuals and families with children there’s been a surge in interest.” And you thought it was chickens that sorted nature-loving city sheep from the goats. “It was a chap who kept three hives and had three young children who inspired me to get a hive in my garden in Whitley Bay 15 years ago,” Ian reflects. “It’s the descendents of the first colony he gave me that are on Fenwick’s roof now; bees with a black and white coat, in keeping with the city.” Anaphylactic shock is rare, though most people react to a sting. “When I first got stung, my hand swelled up so far you couldn’t see the creases,” says Ian, “but sometimes nothing happens. It depends how much venom goes in. But a bee won’t sting unless it feels threatened.” Never pull the sting out as you will squeeze the venom sack and only make it worse. Better to scrape it out with a credit card. Once you know what you’re doing and can stave off disease, wasp banditry and the like, bees are quite an easy hobby. Indeed, over complicating things by checking your hive too often can be detrimental. “In the city, you should check them once a week at the height of the season, but in the country, just once a month,” advises Ian. “Every time you go in, you lose 1lb of honey as they work to repair the damage you’ve caused.” People keep bees because they love honey, for environmental reasons, for a connection with the natural world, or for scientific research. In the USA, enormous stocks of bees are migrated by lorry all over the country to assist pollination for the fruit industry. Bees are vital to food production, particularly to a large percentage of non-grain crops. At one time, varroa mites were easily controlled, but they have grown

busy bees

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OUTDOORS | SY

“YOU CAN LOOK AT A COMB OF HONEY AND SEE EIGHT TO 10 DIFFERENT COLOURS OF POLLEN”

resistant to treatment and are causing bees, wild ones in particular, to die out in some areas. “We’re actually paying a price for a rapid rise in bee keeping,” says Ian. “People need training to deal with disease.” For advice he recommends The British Beekeepers’ Association, with branches in Newcastle, Hexham, Alnwick and Durham. Thanks in no small part to the Women’s Institute’s campaign, the Government has increased funding for research into resistant mites, though the common belief that the human race would survive only seven years without bees is a myth, Ian concedes. There would be a huge reduction in crops like apples and pears without bees, but hover flies, butterflies and moths also pollinate crops, though they’re not as reliable. Wasps rob weaker bee hives, killing them by taking all their food, so Ian sets traps; jam jars of water with tin foil over the top tied with an elastic band and punctured with little holes. Bees have an incredibly positive relationship with human life, pollinatng plants and producing a delicious food – the only food crop we get from insects. Ian has kept them for 15 years and knew Fortnum & Mason had bees on its roof in London. He went in search of a site in Newcastle and Fenwick’s roof proved ideal. He wishes he’d recorded his original chat with the store’s receptionist. “She was incredulous. The Food Hall, on the other hand, was very interested.” He started in May 2009 with a single colony. They prospered, and in mid June he took the combs down into the Fenwick kitchen and spun them. The result was 57 jars of beautiful pale honey, which sold out in the store instantly. In June, Ian added another two colonies, which he harvested at the end of August to produce 88 jars of a darker, almost mahogany-coloured honey; the change in colour due to the different flowers the bees were visiting then. The bees are a near native northern black variety which was largely believed to have been wiped out in 1914 by disease, but colonies were then found in this region and their numbers are now much healthier. Heather honey is one of Ian’s favourites, though for obvious reasons not something the Fenwick bees will bring in. “It has an amazing pouring capacity,” he says. “A good heather honey will allow you to tip it upside down and not fall from the jar at all, yet you can pour it.” He also likes oil seed rape honey, which hasn’t done too well this year because of the damage to crops from last year’s floods. This year has been great for flowering trees and a key aspect of city honey is the varied range of pollen available. The countryside often offers mono cultures through its oil seed rape, borage or other flowering crop fields, and when they are finished, country bees are reliant on flowering hedgerows and wild flowers. In the city, there’s a constant supply, from hanging baskets to council planting, gardens and parks and weeds on abandoned land. You can buy a pollen card to check different colours and identify the flowers your bees have been visiting, from the bright yellows of early crocuses and snowdrops to later, whiter pollens, to reds, browns and more. “The Fenwick’s bees were bringing in dark browns at one point,” Ian says. “The rosebay willow has a greyish pollen, as does fireweed - the purple flower you see in late summer on railway embankments and road sides. “You can look at a comb of honey and see eight to 10 different colours of pollen, which indicates the range of flowers they’re visiting.” A bee will get up with the sun and start flying soon after dawn. They know which

way to go thanks to the scout bee and its famous waggle dance through the night. This repeated figure of eight movement at angles between the sun, the hive and the source gives precise directions to the source of the nectar. If they’re away to Gateshead, they’ll fly over a bridge, very often the Tyne Bridge, as bees won’t cross water directly. They fly at about 15 feet and they’re away all day, every day. They store the nectar in cells within the hive, where they increase the surface area so that it evaporates. When it gets to below 15 per cent water content and will not ferment, that’s honey. The cell is then capped with a seal of pure wax. “That’s why honey found in 4,000-year-old pharaohs’ tombs is still edible,” Ian says. In winter, 99 per cent of the bees in a hive are female because the first thing they do when the temperature drops is push all the males out to freeze to death. They then go into what looks like hibernation and form a rugby ball-shaped clump inside the hive, heads in, tails out, consuming some of the remaining honey in their sleep. Numbers drop from a peak of 60,000-80,000 to around 4,000, plus the queen, then the numbers are quickly rebuilt when spring comes. The queen lives for three to five years, and is capable of laying 1,000-1,500 eggs a day between March and September, so the phrase ‘busy as a bee’ wasn’t created without sound basis. The great thing, however, is that you don’t have to be nearly so busy in tending your own low-maintenance hive, or so they say. Tempted? I am, though I’m not sure what my city chickens will make of it. For further information on keeping bees, see The British Beekeepers’ Association website at www.britishbee.org.uk

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SY | SHOPPING

It’s more than 100 years since Davidsons the Jewellers first opened its doors in Newcastle’s Georgian Grey Street. Today, it is still a family business, with a reputation for beautiful bespoke designs created in the same workshop where heirlooms have been made for generations, discovers Emma Andrews

ohn Douglas was 15 when he wrote the letter that would change his life. Painstakingly crafted in his very best handwriting, the letter was sent to goldsmith Stanley Davidson pleading for a job. It worked, and John became Stanley’s apprentice. It was only later that Stanley confessed that John’s letter was not only the first he opened in a large pile, but the only one. “He said he didn’t need to go through the rest of the applicants,” said John. “He liked the look of me so I got the job. Looking back, I was very lucky to be the first on that pile.” Now 58, a combination of raw talent and invaluable experience has helped John become one of the most respected craftsmen in the business. Stanley is sadly long gone, but John’s loyalty to the Davidson family is as strong

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as ever. He now works for Stanley’s grandchildren Tony and Helen at their jewellery store on Grey Street, next to the Theatre Royal. Walk into Davidsons and you are immediately struck by an atmosphere of opulence and elegance. Pale blue and grey walls are set off beautifully by a royal blue ceiling and sparkling chandeliers, bathing the shop in a clear, golden light - all the better to display the glittering jewellery beneath. Climb the stairs to John’s little workshop above the shop and you enter another world where time, it seems, has stood still. Here, the tools used by Stanley all those years ago are still in use. Saws, clamps and metal rollers jostle for space with John’s collection of classical CDs, from Schubert and Debussy to Vivaldi and Haydn.

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SHOPPING | SY

Above: John Douglas at work

Above: Tony and Helen Davidson “I love to listen to music while I work,” says John. “It helps me to concentrate.” He’s been here for more than 40 years now, and it can take him almost a week to create one intricate piece, carved from a block of platinum or gold, and he’s as passionate today about his craft as he was the day he started. “When I’m working on a beautiful design, it’s all I can think about,” he says. “I wake up thinking about it and can’t wait to get to work. for her diploma in gemmology. “Davidsons means so much to so many people,” “A lot of other jewellers work, effectively, on an assembly line, making up says Emma. “My teacher at St Mary’s in Longbenton was delighted to hear I was numerous pieces imported in to create one finished product. But I make everything working here because she bought her engagement ring here. It’s a similar story from scratch. It’s a rare skill in this day and age.” for many people who have shopped at Davidsons over the years.” A modest man, John plays down his expertise, but Helen ranks his skill extremely Helen and Emma love to hear stories of couples who have just got engaged - many highly. “John is one of the best in the country,” she says, “it’s as simple as that. of whom return time and again over the years, for wedding anniversary presents, Grandfather was good, but John is even better. He is extremely talented at what eternity rings and the like. he does and we are very lucky to have him.” One couple, who bought their engagement and wedding rings in the 1970s and The one ‘modern’ tool in John’s cluttered workshop is an electric polishing motor. then moved to Canada, flew back to Newcastle to visit Davidsons to buy gifts to “Stan decided long ago it was time to get rid of the old gas treadle motor and buy celebrate their Ruby Wedding anniversary. a brand new electric one,” said John. “It was his idea of modernisation. Now, all “Everyone has their own special story and we love to hear them,” says Helen. “A these years later, it’s still going strong.” ring is such a personal and important purchase. It is something you want to wear The Davidson family has been making, restoring and selling jewellery in Newcastle for the rest of your life so it’s vital to find one you since 1898. absolutely love.” Stanley Davidson’s uncle Robert began the family One of Helen’s favourite personal pieces is a beautiful business, opening a shop at 66 Grey Street. Then the “A RING IS SUCH A PERSONAL AND gold brooch, crafted into a small branch and set with demand wasn’t just for engagement and wedding opals. It was made by her grandfather Stanley, who rings, necklaces, bracelets and brooches, but also for IMPORTANT PURCHASE. IT IS died when she was 17. silver tableware, which was much in vogue. SOMETHING YOU WANT TO WEAR “It is so lovely and it reminds me of my grandfather, “There was a real tradition of the family silver back FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE …” who was a gentle, sweet man,” says Helen. “And that’s then,” says Helen. “People prided themselves on their what’s so wonderful about jewellery - it can remind us collections of candelabras, tureens and cutlery. People of people we love and who love us. didn’t go out to restaurants like they do nowadays “Grandad was a skilled craftsman who could turn his hand to anything - even instead they entertained at home where they wanted to show off their beautiful embroidery. He was also a passionate lay preacher and a very religious man with tableware and impress their guests. strong values. “It’s a very different story today with a focus on beautiful bespoke designs, created “He lived long enough to see the shop well established at number 94 Grey Street. here, for that personal touch.” We lost Dad too four years ago, but it’s a great comfort to Tony and I that we are Davidsons, which moved to 94 Grey Street in the 1950s, is now home to an keeping their legacy alive.” exquisite collection of classic and contemporary pieces including Lapponia Tony and Helen have a file full of letters thanking them for their help over the years. jewellery from Helsinki and Baccarat crystal from Paris. “One customer emailed us to say that he had been to Tiffany’s, Cartier’s and De Tony and Helen have followed in their grandfather and father Alan’s footsteps, Beers but none of them were a patch on us,” said Helen. keeping the family business alive and flourishing. Both are qualified gemmologists “It’s lovely to hear that we have made an impact in people’s lives - but we count with an expert knowledge built up over years of experience in the trade. ourselves as the fortunate ones because we get to do this. How many other people “Every single gemstone is different,” says Helen. “The quality of the stone can be are lucky enough to work like we do, surrounded by beautiful things, day in, day seen in the colour. A pure, clear stone and deep, rich, colour is wonderful.” out? It’s the perfect job.” Working on the shop floor alongside Helen is Emma McIntosh, who has a degree To find out more, see www.davidsonsthejewellers.co.uk in jewellery design. She has worked at Davidsons for two years and is studying

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SECRET GARDEN florist

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19 Clayton Road Jesmond Newcastle upon Tyne Tel: 0191 281 7753 Fax: 0191 281 0534 www.secretgardenflowers.co.uk

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FASHION / HOMES | SY

Sometimes we all need a little help in the styling department, but where to find it?

Jane Pikett goes to Corbridge, where personal styling for you – and for your home - is now on offer, courtesy of one very chic shop owner

merging from Acanthus boutique in Corbridge equipped with a tissue paper package containing a statement winter white shirt by Oui Moments and fine weave black tank top by Hobbs, I congratulated myself on a job well done; two winter staples secured – clever me! Credit also to boutique owner Gill Rowley, whose innate sense of style also extends to the home, prompting her to launch a new private styling service at both her ladieswear shop and her gifts and homes emporium of the same name just round the corner. In both arenas - home and personal style - she has a talent for teaming clever combinations with the eye of one born with natural style. She is also adept at interpreting her clients’ needs and making them feel at ease, and the launch of Acanthus Bespoke private styling service at both shops is a natural extension of the personal service she offers. At the ladieswear shop, Acanthus Bespoke provides the essential one-to-one guidance that can make the difference between wardrobe malfunction and winning combination. Gill’s private appointments with individuals and small groups are a relaxing way to find a new outfit for a special occasion, an entire winter wardrobe or simple advice on what suits. “I get a real kick out of working with people and seeing how clothes reflect their personality,” explains Gill. “Often, it’s just about trying something different. It’s lovely to see someone leave at the end of the session feeling wonderful.”

Gill has an easy way about her and a fine eye for what will suit, scurrying off to the store room to find the aforementioned white shirt for me after I’d mentioned a yearning for something business like, well cut and stylish. The fit, the look, everything was perfect. Easy! Interestingly, Gill is a qualified counsellor and has an MA in psychology. One wonders if it helps – for certainly she is adept at understanding her clients and helping them feel at ease. For the boutique attracts a wide age range, from 20s to 90s; women who are attracted by quality and style from labels that now include Hobbs, the Danish label Sandwich, known for its casual, unstructured designs, the Irish label Avoca for its fine weaves and, new in, the Scottish label Ness, which does fabulous contemporary checks and tartans. Meanwhile, at Gill’s gifts and homewares store just round the corner, the Acanthus Bespoke service brings together looks for clients’ homes. “It’s a nice way of teaming gorgeous soft furnishings and accessories in an eclectic, interesting mix for every room in the house,” she says, a fact illustrated by the mix of gifts and homewares on display. “Like the boutique, this allows me to be creative and work closely with customers.” For Gill, the creative side of running both businesses fuels her enthusiasm. She does all the buying and is away on trips to London and Europe at least every fortnight sourcing the imaginative mix of styles that make both stores stand out. The gift shop is a haven of beautiful things, with ranges by Sia, L’Occitane, Cath Kidston and more, but isn’t this an unusual place to find a psychologist? “It all seems perfectly natural to me,” says Gill. “I love being with people – we’re all multi-faceted and this was right for me. The business is so much part of me and I love doing what I do.” To find out more about Acanthus Bespoke at Acanthus ladieswear shop, Watling Street, Corbridge, and Acanthus gifts and interiors, Middle Street, Corbridge, tel 01434 633 700

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SY | OUT & ABOUT

hiddengems

We all need a treat now and again. Jane Pikett finds some special places to shop, eat and stay awhile

Coastal Retreats and Country Retreats Just as I wouldn’t order something in a restaurant that I’m expert at cooking at home, when I go on holiday, I do like an upgrade on my own house. Hence, when we book a holiday cottage, we do like something a bit special, which is exactly what you get at Country Retreats, which offers a genuinely distinctive and stylish collection of self catering holiday cottages in North Yorkshire, Northumberland and the Durham area. It’s the sister company of Coastal Retreats, which specialises in chic coastal cottages in Northumberland, and its properties have all the style of a good boutique hotel with the freedom of self catering. They are also in gorgeous locations and extremely well equipped. Fiona McKeith at Coastal Retreats and Country Retreats is a designer by profession and selects her cottages for their individuality, character and stylish interiors. Her portfolios are growing slowly, as all are hand-picked and properties are only selected for the collection if they take Fiona’s eye. As she says, they are all different, distinctive and possess a certain je ne sais quoi. They are also all five star rated by Visit Britain and score highly in family friendly terms. Couples and groups are also very well catered for and there are special extras thrown in. All the cottages are privately owned, are carefully managed and, as mentioned, are very stylish. Look out for the company’s new showroom just off the High Street, Gosforth, which opens late 2009. Like the cottages, it will be stylish, welcoming and relaxing and Fiona will also be offering interior design services and home accessories. Coastal Retreats and Country Retreats, tel 0191 284 0134 www.countryretreatsuk.com and www.coastalretreats.co.uk

Couture Collection It’s always nice to know that your dog is just as well dressed as you are - after all he/she is your ultimate accessory and Couture Collection is a new online company specialising in cute bespoke collars for best-dressed pooches of all shapes and sizes. Set up by sisters Elaine Hall and Susan Coggin in Guisborough, North Yorkshire, the company has just unveiled its autumn/winter 09 collection. The range, which starts at around £36, includes La Belle, a collection made from soft fabrics and bright colours, and Oriental Silk, a collection featuring silk collars with oriental flower designs. There’s even a bespoke wedding service so your four-legged friend can look just as good as you when he or she is acting as ring bearer. Please bear in mind that these collars are made from fine quality silk, cashmere, pure wool and linen and should be used only as, ahem, formal wear. I have a big boy Dalmatian who I suspect would rather eat these than wear them, but the business is doing a roaring trade with more discerning pets and Elaine and Susan are planning to expand into independent stores in addition to the online business. Couture Collection, tel 01287 631968, www.couture-collection.com

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OUT & ABOUT | SY

Jesmond Cupcake Company Everyone should be allowed to eat lots of cakes, particularly really pretty fairy cakes, or cupcakes as they seem to be more widely known these days. I think that’s an Americanism and I don’t much like it, but when cakes are this good, even I can forget my linguistic prejudices. The Jesmond Cupcake Company specialises in celebration cupcakes, handmade with free-range eggs, organic milk and butter, all from local farms. Of course, delicious as the cakes are, it’s the exquisite buttercream decoration they tower on the top which makes them really special, and these are extravagant treats indeed. There are bespoke cupcakes for extra special celebrations, which are supplied with a fabulous cake stand (a refundable deposit of £40 is required) and the price of which includes delivery and set-up at your venue (within a 25 mile radius of Jesmond). I also particularly love Jesmond Cupcakes for being thoughtful and doing gluten-free cakes (which are no easy task to make this delicious) and dairy-free cakes. Clever stuff – and pretty too. Tasty! Jesmond Cupcake Company, tel 0191 281 9960 www.jesmondcupcake.com

Moorland Rugs The Moorland Rug Company in Stanhope basically has everything you can imagine putting on your floor and more, including designer versions and hand-knotted and hand-tufted in sumptuous wool and silk. They have a rich collection of rugs sourced from all over the world, plus partner Brian Sales is an experienced designer who can translate your ideas into a fabulous floor covering. The company also has its own luxury hand-tufted collection designed by Brian and made from New Zealand wool and silk. The collection is available in any colourway and each one features the signautre Moorland Rug Black Grouse positioned differently each time within the design. The Moorland Rug Company Ltd, Front St, Stanhope, Co Durham, tel 01388 526 454 www.moorland-rugs.co.uk

Italyabroad.com Italian-born Andrea D’Ercole has made a real name for himself in the last couple of years, since launching his online Italian food store at the same time as he was studying for an MBA at Sunderland University. It was an instant hit and the online store has continued to grow, supplying fabulous Italian wines and speciality foods for which Andrea and his team search the whole of Italy. Andrea and his expert team travel Italy to find their goods, selecting only handcrafted products made by small producers. The site, in addition to supplying a host of ingredients, is also home to traditional recipes. Go shopping at italyabroad.com

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SY | OUT & ABOUT

Wensleydale Creamery Hawes, North Yorkshire If you like cheese and you like Wallace and Gromit, you’ll love the Wensleydale Creamery. Did I just say that? Sorry ... it’s true though. I love both the above, and you can’t get more cheesy (in a good way) than this place. It’s in Hawes, which is a lovely market town in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales, and it reckons to be the only maker of ‘Real’ Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese in the world, so it actually attracts global acclaim for its award-winning products. Phew! They use traditional methods here, which you can witness on certain days of the week (ring first to check they’re making cheese that day) and their generations-old talent and locally sourced milk make this cheese worthy of Wallace and people like me, who need lots of good cheese in their lives. Over the past five years, Wensleydale Creamery has won more than 250 awards for its cheeses and the range is recognised all over the world. The Visitor Centre has a museum, viewing gallery, specialist cheese shop and licensed restaurant and you can buy lots of cheese, obviously, in the gift shop, which is also a proud stockist of Wallace and Gromit merchandise. And - I can barely contain myself - you can buy online and it’s fantastic value. Oh happy days! Wensleydale Creamery, tel 01969 667664, www.wensleydale.co.uk

yourmissinglink Quality properties deserve the quality marketing campaigns Sanderson Young is famous for. So what about your business? Imagine how much more successful you could be with the proven expertise of SY Media & Design behind you. Our creative work is so highly regarded that our skills are now being sought by a diverse range of businesses outside the property industry. Marketing and PR expertise, brochures, adverts and branding campaigns from concept to delivery are all available to you now, plus a wealth of experience in design, print, media planning and buying.

With proven expertise in marketing, design, print, media planning and buying, SY Media & Design offers a complete service from concept to delivery. To discuss how we can help you to increase your company’s profile, call Sue Tomlin or Anthea Slater, tel 0191 213 2533

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SHOPPING | SY

So many clothes … and nothing to wear! As winter takes hold, personal stylist Fran Joynson is busier than ever. On hand to help women who are tired of their existing outfits, Fran looks at their wardrobe with a fresh eye, transforming the way they wear their clothes and revitalising their look in the process. ran, 36, says: “It’s about creating individual style based on personality, body shape, lifestyle and budget; helping my clients look fabulous and feel confident. “I understand which styles, colours and shapes suit women, how to mix designer and high street, and how to buy the right size and cut to flatter. That means costly shopping mistakes become a thing of the past. “I love clothes, but I also love people, and the huge change I can make to peoples’ lives is a fabulous feeling.” It’s a busy time of year for Fran, who encourages her clients to use the contents of their wardrobes more imaginatively. “Clothes can be used year upon year in different ways,” she says. “Look at the new season trends – shoulder pads, tweed, dogtooth checks, sequins and leather - most of us have them already and it’s exciting to re-discover them and bring them up to date.” “My motto is that I’m cheaper than the most expensive mistake in your wardrobe, and I’ll dig out things you forgot you had, bring them up to date and help maintain them for years to come. I can even alter them to suit your body shape better.” Fran’s service is about building on your wardrobe, rather than replacing it every season. “I go shopping with my clients and I have great relationships with the local designer and high street stores. I’m also a prolific internet shopper, so I can offer an unbiased service. Alternatively, I can simply provide a ‘shopping

list’, suggesting missing key items, where to buy them, prices etc.” Other services include ‘wardrobe maintenance’ - when Fran re-organises your wardrobe using the correct hangers, boxing your footwear and archiving important pieces - plus gift buying and wrapping, holiday preparation and packing. To find out more visit www.franjoynson.co.uk

• Wardrobe consultation • Personal shopping – women and men • Special occasions-weddings, maternity, birthdays • Gift buying and wrapping • Wardrobe re-organising and maintenance • Holiday planning and packing

“…because looking good doesn’t just happen.”

Personal Stylist • Personal Shopper

m: 07770 630345 e: fran@franjoynson.co.uk w: www.franjoynson.co.uk

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BRIAN THOMPSON INSURANCE CONSULTANTS

thecollectiondirectory GET WET! IN STYLE

SHAPE UP FOR WINTER

Quality brands….Value prices….

SPECIALISTS IN PROVIDING INSURANCE POLICIES: • Home • Car • Landlords Insurance • Very Competitive Premiums FIRST-CLASS SERVICE

t: 0191 284 8545 e: enquiries@btic.co.uk www.btic.co.uk

SPECIALIST DRY CLEANERS

NEWCASTLE PLUMBING & BATH CENTRE RETAIL UNIT 2, 271-291 TWO BALL LONNEN, FENHAM, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE NE4 9RX (behind Shop N Save)

T: 0191 275 3080 • F: 0191 274 5022

Design Services, Drawings for Planning Permission and other Statutory Consents. Building Surveys Loft Conversions & Refurbishments

ETHOS HEALTH & FITNESS Offices in Newcastle (0191 2603123) and Hexham (01434 607802) www.smithmarston.co.uk

PERSONAL TRAINING t: 0191 266 4649 www.ethoshealthandfitness.com

Ponteland Lock Services Gordon T Slater Master Locksmith

FABRIC COLLECTION

COLLECTION & DELIVERY SERVICE FROM ALL AREAS

Dulais Dry Cleaners 27 Broadway, Darras Hall, Newcastle upon Tyne

Tel/Fax: 01661 820700 info@dulais.com | www.dulais.com

t. 01661 820 168 m. 07778 416 506 gordon.t.slater@btopenworld.com

In the beginning was the word ... and our words are among the most compelling in all creation IDENTITY DESIGN BRANDING DESIGN FOR PRINT WEBSITE DESIGN START UP PACKAGES

These essential accessories are covered in your own fabrics. Everything we make is a one off, individually hand made to the highest standard and beautifully finished to meet all your requirements Our products are elegant, stylish and are the finishing touch for any interior.

T: 01434 604 181 | M: 07876 745 399 E: emma@cubbins.co.uk | W: www.cubbins.co.uk

Commercial Photography, Advertising, PR, Property, Food, Fashion, Landscape and much more … PAINTED COLLECTION

public relations ... promotional marketing advertising ... website creation media relations ... crisis management journalism & editing

0191 230 8046 info@mdcreative.co.uk www.mdcreative.co.uk

www.thecreationgroup.co.uk email:info@thecreationgroup.co.uk tel: 01434 607 466

To Advertise Please Contact Anthea Slater on 0191 2132533

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Our established bespoke contract & Hotel collection enables us to work closely with Hotels and designers worldwide, consulting and supplying many projects both large and small. Our products are useful and versatile which can be finished with your own unique effect or corporate branding.

T: 01434 604 181 | M: 07876 745 399 E: emma@cubbins.co.uk | W: www.cubbins.co.uk

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PERFORMANCE DEFINED Model shown: The 2010 Range Rover Autobiography

FURNITURE TO FALL FOR

OPEN SUNDAYS 11AM - 5PM

3 Mill Hill, North West Industrial Estate, Peterlee, County Durham SR8 2HR t: 0845 241 7177www.paulcummings.co.uk

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SANDERSON YOUNG

FINE CONTEMPORARY BRITISH FOOD

PREMIER PROPERTIES & FABULOUS FEATURES

Autumn | Winter 2009/10 £2.95

collection

Make this festive season a very special one Book now for your Christmas party and New Year's Eve celebrations at The Cherry Tree. We can arrange parties in our private dining room or in the restaurant for a few people or for larger parties up to fifty people. Just let us know your requirements and we will do the rest.

9 Osborne Road, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 2AE T: 0191 23 999 24 | www.thecherrytreejesmond.co.uk

AUTUMN |WINTER COLLECTION 2009/10

Breakfast Menu | Lunch Menu | Evening Menu Cafe & Bar Area | Live Music

CLEAN CARS A LIKELY LAD Ian La Frenais’ Californian dream

YOU CAN’T TAKE IT WITH YOU The multi-millionaire who’s selling up in aid of charity

Cut your carbon footprint and THE travelMOST in style HOSTS WITH Get the caterers in - the new way to entertain

VISION ON The latest trends in home entertainment BEAUTIFUL HOMES

Pages and pages of dream homes and interiors