Homes & Gardens

New coffee lounge, restaurant and show apartment unveiled at luxury retirement community in Exeter

Adlington Retirement Living has opened the doors to a welcoming coffee lounge, a stylish homeowners’ lounge, an on-site restaurant and a beautifully designed show apartment at Radford House, its new retirement community on Weirfield Road.

Alexandra Johnson, Sales and Marketing Director for Adlington Retirement Living, said: “We create communities where our homeowners can enjoy life on their terms, combining independence with friendship, comfort and support in a safe and secure environment.

“While our beautiful apartments and shared spaces set the stage, it’s the sense of...

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Be extra careful if your home is thatched…

As the days start to get warmer, but the nights can still be cold, Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service remind you to make sure your chimneys are safe and secure as possible, especially when lighting up fires that haven't been used for a while.

Be extra careful if your home is a thatched property as 80% of thatched properties in the UK are within Devon & Somerset.

Marc House, Community Safety Prevention Manager explains: “Fire in a thatched roof is difficult to detect and once started is difficult to control. Once a fire has taken hold within a roof it will...

Learn basic DIY at Trill Farm

Trill Farm, the 300 acre organic farm and education centre in Axminster has just added Basic Home DIY classes to its educational programme of sustainable living workshops.

Held on Friday 24th April and again on Friday 24th May 2015, this enjoyable hands on 1-day workshop will cover many of the common aspects of basic DIY, and is perfect for beginners who are not very confident about tackling small but important tasks in the home.

Participants will learn how to:

Hang curtains, blinds and simple shelves on any wall.
Drill into wood, brick or hollow

Snapshot of UK’s property investment concerns

A new poll reveals the negative perception that Brits have of becoming a landlord, with 36% of UK adults saying it's extremely risky being a buy-to-let landlord.

Despite the negative perception, millions of buy-to-let landlords are reaping the benefits with data from HM Revenue & Customs showing that the number of buy-to-let investors in the UK is around 1.6 million, after an increase of 120,000 in 2014.

The research asked 2,000 people what their biggest concerns would be with investing in buy-to-let property. Making repairs to toilets (63%), and risking tenants...

SW firms must fight for more homes

As more powers shift from Whitehall to town halls, the South West Housing Initiative (SWHI) is rallying businesses to call for politicians to shape UK devolution in a way which will solve the region’s housing crisis. This crisis is having a detrimental impact on businesses. SWHI, a partnership of housing professionals committed to combating the region’s housing crisis, said that employees will increasingly struggle to find affordable homes near where they work.

Businesses are already struggling to retain staff and recruitment is becoming more challenging. The average house price in...

Most dangerous time to be at home

Blundering adults in the South West have over 6 million home accidents each year, each one causing physical injury or property damage, with Saturday at 6.30pm the most dangerous time to be at home in the region.

A study by Electrical Safety First has identified that our risky behaviours are leading to a huge number of accidents, with the most common accident in the South West calculated to be cooking burns. With support from property expert Phil Spencer, the Charity is launching ‘Home Safe’, a campaign to remind residents in the South West that even the smallest mishap can lead to...

How climate scientist reduced his home’s CO2 while increasing its heating

When your you’re as passionate about climate change as Met Office scientist Jeff Ridley, reducing your carbon emissions is extremely important. So, how has the global-warming specialist taken measures to reduce his own CO2?

After having solar PV and solar thermal systems installed at his home in Exeter, Jeff’s next step was to ensure that all of his winter heating and hot water came from renewable energy sources.

Jeff had been involved with the Met Office Energy Centre’s solar PV system, which was carried out by Devon experts SunGift Energy, and was so impressed with the...

Renting ‘lifers’ £600,000 worse off

New research identifies emerging social tribes –‘first time flyers’, ‘first time triers’ and ‘renting lifers’

Families in the South West who are never able to get on the property ladder will be more than £603,800 worse off over their lifetime than those who can buy a home in their twenties, new research from Shelter shows.

The unique study by the housing charity paints a picture of the huge financial, social and psychological implications of England’s housing shortage on people left locked out of a home of their own.

By analysing the income and assets of ‘first time...

Exeter's Chandni Chowk is on the move

After three years trading at the Custom House on Exeter Quay Chandni Chowk is to return to the heart of Exeter.

The store, which is known for its hand made textiles and clothing ranges, has found a new location in the Medieval Hall at 8 Cathedral Close, just off the Green.

Described by one historian as "one of the most remarkable medieval sights in the southwest of England" the building, also known as The Law Library, dates from the 15th century and is noted for its unusual hammer beam roof.

The company, which began in Barnstaple Pannier Market, has been...

New report calls for more homes

More than 2,000 homes need to be built each year in the Exeter ‘Housing Market Area’, a new report says.

The latest Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) recognises that between 2,172 and 2,601 dwellings need to be built to meet housing need. The Area covers Exeter, East Devon, Mid Devon, Teignbridge and part of Dartmoor National Park.

The Strategic Housing Market Assessment (SHMA) addresses housing issues in the area.

The report has been produced by David Couttie Associates, on behalf of the local authorities.

The Area has a combined population of 452,...

New home – new baby for ‘Help to Buy’ couple at C G Fry & Son Duchy of Cornwall development

Husband and wife, Warren and Gemma Wilkins, are expecting a new arrival at their C G Fry & Son home, purchased under the ‘Help to Buy’ (HTB) scheme at Tregunnel Hill in Newquay, Cornwall. The couple who already have two children, Sebastian aged eight, and Oscar four, are expecting their third child imminently.

Warren Wilkins said: “When Gemma and I first moved into our new C G Fry home last summer, my father jokingly said ‘new home, new baby’, and a few weeks later we found out she was pregnant!”

Tregunnel Hill, built on Duchy of Cornwall land, boasts traditional-styled...

Homes & Gardens

New coffee lounge, restaurant and show apartment unveiled at luxury retirement community in Exeter

Be extra careful if your home is thatched…

Learn basic DIY at Trill Farm

Snapshot of UK’s property investment concerns

SW firms must fight for more homes

Most dangerous time to be at home

How climate scientist reduced his home’s CO2 while increasing its heating

Renting ‘lifers’ £600,000 worse off

Exeter's Chandni Chowk is on the move

New report calls for more homes

New home – new baby for ‘Help to Buy’ couple at C G Fry & Son Duchy of Cornwall development

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