HOTSPOT – NORTHAMPTON

suburban retail parks, and features a variety of independent shops from antiques to bridal wear. It is also only around a 45-minute drive to the popular Bicester Village Designer Outlet.

DRINKING AND EATING OUT

Despite its best efforts, Northampton is not yet a city. However, its dining options are far more impressive than your average town, with every taste and budget catered for. Whatever the day, or occasion,

Northampton has you covered, and where better to start than with a bottomless brunch. Bread and Pullet, on

Wellingborough Road, is

particularly

popular. Another favourite quirky offering is The Church, on Bridge Street. This converted church, complete with stained glass windows, serves local produce in stunning surroundings and is perfect for a special occasion. Northampton has a plethora of pubs, bars and clubs, with Bridge Street the heart of the party for locals as well as residents of

the county’s smaller towns. The vibrant town is home to well known chains of bars, including Revolution, but also has an

eclectic mix of independent venues to suit all tastes.

Beer drinkers should head to Phipps Albion Brewery Bar which brews its own beer and distills gin, just the other side of a glass partition, and boast the “smallest carbon footprint in the country but the biggest taste”. Cocktail lovers will enjoy the smart surroundings of the likes of Haycock & Tailbar or Sazerac Bar, with karaoke in the Back Room Club. Those looking for something livelier still, should pay a visit to Platform Club, or to the legendary Roadmender for live music.

LEISURE

Northampton’s vast green spaces are one of the town’s biggest appeals, not least Abington Park, the town’s oldest park which is home to a boating lake and its own museum. Salcey Forest, located just seven miles from the town centre, is also hugely popular with its tree-top walkway, cycling trails, play areas and picnic spots.

The Northampton Museum and Art Gallery is currently undergoing a major expansion project and is due to re-open in spring 2020. It reflects the town’s proud standing as Britain’s boot and shoe capital and houses, among other things, over 12,000 pairs of shoes! History buffs will also enjoy exploring the many historic and listed buildings in the town including the Norman Northampton Castle and The Holy Sepulchre church.

The town is rich in culture and, alongside the larger multiplex cinemas, the Northampton Filmhouse stands out as an excellent venue for film fans. In addition to mainstream blockbusters, it shows independent films, foreign releases and classic cult films. The town also has heaps to offer in the way of theatre. The Royal & Derngate Theatre hosts touring musicals, dance, comedy, music and family shows, while The Deco, a smaller family-run theatre, supports up-and-coming talent and local theatre groups.

Northampton lends itself well to an active lifestyle, with countless sports clubs catering for all interests and levels of skill, in addition to the endless walking and cycling opportunities right on the doorstep. Those who would rather sit back and relax watching live sport won’t be disappointed either. The town is home to the Northampton Saints Rugby Union Club and the Northampton Town Football Club, affectionately known as “The Cobblers”. Thrill seekers will also find a trip to Silverstone, the home of British Motor Racing, an exhilarating day out, be it watching Formula 1 or running the famous Silverstone Half Marathon!

yours

SO RESI FORSTER OAKS

Set on the leafy outskirts of Stevenage, Forster Oaks offers a perfect mix of urban convenience and rural fresh air, with parks and woodlands just a short walk away

Stevenage has been ranked by the Woodland Trust as one of the best places in the country to enjoy woodlands within easy reach, and residents of SO Resi Forsters Oak will be spoilt for choice. Just half a mile away is the peaceful mixed woodland of Martins Wood or the 8.7-hectare Pryor’s Wood nature reserve, known for its lovely display of bluebells in the spring; while St Nicholas Park, Serpentine & Thirlmere Woods and Great Ashby District Park are all less than a mile away on foot.

Forsters Oak is a development of one and two bedroom apartments set in four main blocks, with screening from mature trees and open space. The homes have good quality finishes, including Amtico flooring, and either Juliet, full or wraparound balconies to make the most of the fresh air. Allocated parking and cycle storage enables residents to make the most of Stevenage’s exceptional facilities for cyclists. Stevenage was developed with cycling in mind, and nearly 28 miles of safe, segregated cycle track makes getting around on two wheels a breeze.

Commuters will love how easy it is to get further afield as well. The station is around seven minutes by car or 13 minutes by bike away, and has services reaching King’s Cross in 23 minutes. The A1(M) motorway is five minutes’ away, while Luton Airport is less than half an hour away by road. For leisure, Stevenage has a considerable amount to offer, from comedy, music, drama, opera and dance at the Gordon Craig Theatre to blockbusters in the IMAX cinema, with more facilities to come as part of the town’s ongoing regeneration scheme, which will make Forsters Oak even more desirable. FROM £64,400 (For a one bedroom apartment, based on a 35% share) Full Market Value £184,000 SO Resi monthly payment from £274 Monthly service charge from £84

soresi.co.uk/find-a-property/forster-oaks

IN THE AREA

• Seven minutes’ from Stevenage Railway station for trains to King’s Cross • Good selection of local world food r estaurants including Thai, tapas and meze • A lively indoor market dating back to 1281, now with 130 stalls • The 120-acr e Fairlands Valley Park for walks and watersports • Explore the town on the expansive segregated cycleway network

Stevenage, Hertfordshire

real

REAL LIFE AFTER SAVING HARD FOR MANY YEARS VUYO MAGWAZA WAS ABLE TO BUY 50% OF A RESALE PROPERTY THROUGH SHARED OWNERSHIP. SHE CARRIED ON SAVING AND NOW OWNS 100% OF HER TWO BEDROOM MAISONETTE IN WOKING

Vuyo Magwaza, 47, had always dreamed of buying her own home and had been saving hard for many years. As a social worker on a modest salary, she thought homeownership was far out of her reach until she discovered shared ownership and found that she could afford a 50% share of a resale property through SO Resi. After buying her two bedroom maisonette near Woking, Surrey, in 2012, she continued saving hard for the next five years to buy additional shares in her property and now owns 100% of her home. She explains, “I’d been living in a one bedroom key worker flat in the centre of Woking, but I wanted to adopt a child so needed more space and the security of owning my own home. Shared ownership has transformed my life – I could never afford to buy a house outright and it’s a brilliant way to buy in stages.”

When Vuyo purchased her home in 2012 she paid £87,500 for a 50% (full market value £175,000); she put down a 5% deposit and raised a mortgage for the balance. In addition to her mortgage repayments, she paid a nominal rent to SO Resi on the 50% share it owned. Through determined saving, Vuyo bought a further 35% of her home in 2016, increasing her holding to 85%, and in 2017 she bought the final 15% share and was delighted to become the sole owner of her property.

“I was worried that it might be difficult buying extra shares in my home, but it was very straightforward – the SO Resi team guided me every step of the way and couldn’t have been more helpful. I felt in control because the decision of when to buy further shares, and how much, was completely down to me.”

Vuyo’s mortgage repayments on her maisonette are £930 per month and in the short term she has rented her second bedroom to a student to help offset the cost. This means that she can put more savings aside for when she adopts a child.

She was pleased to find that there was no compromise in quality or location with

her home. She said, “I was already living in Woking and staying in the area was very

convenient; I didn’t have to change my lifestyle or move away from my friends. The

location is great, it’s about a half-hour

walk from my home

to the town centre and I’m a keen walker! I also travel around a lot in my job and the road and rail links from Woking are excellent, which makes life very easy.

“I’ve never been happier. I have my own home, more space and I’m well on the way to building the life I’ve always wanted. It feels bigger than many new properties and has a lovely garden too, which will be perfect for children.”

SO Resi exists to make it easier and simpler for people to understand shared ownership and the options open to them. It is unique in also offering the innovative SO Resi Plus scheme, which allows purchasers to buy an extra 1% share in their home each year for up to 15 years, with minimal costs involved. To find out how shared ownership with SO Resi can work for you go to: sharedownership. co.uk or call 020 8607 0550 “I’VE NEVER BEEN HAPPIER. I HAVE MY OWN HOME, MORE SPACE AND I’M WELL ON THE WAY TO BUILDING THE LIFE I’VE ALWAYS WANTED”

HOW THE FIGURES STACK UP • Full market value – two bedroom maisonette – £175,000 • Initial share (50%) – £87,500 • Deposit – £4,375 • Current mortgage repayment – £930 a month