cover photo © JohnJoe photography
IN THE
March 2025 The Property & Lifestyle Magazine COUNTRY & TOWN
Property Previews INSIDE
Exceptional Properties INSIDE
Editorial Features INSIDE
mccarthyholden.co.uk | 1 | Motoring: Ferrari’s 12 Cilindri Spider | Property For Sale & To Let | Lifestyle & Editorial | Spring is around the corner - house hunting on the up
Within This Issue...
P.32 Hillside, Odiham, Hampshire Guide £1,350,000 - Set in c. 5.5 Acres
P. 136 Greywell, Hampshire Guide £550,000
P.8 Church Crookham, Hampshire Guide £1,000,000
P.14 The Ridges, Finchampstead, Berkshire Guide £3,350,000
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P.96 FOOD Nisha Katona - “I’m teaching people the neural pathways of an Indian grandmother”
P. 126 N. Warnborough Guid9 oieo £325,000
P. 74 First Drive: Ferrari’s 12Cilindri Spider takes drop-top thrills to a new level
P. 54 TV presenter Matt Baker on Channel 4’s National Trust: Our Dream Farm
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A collection of exquisite properties and engaging editorial
P. 18 N. Warnborough, Hampshire Guide £895,000
P. 103 Fleet, Hampshire Guide £575,000
P.12 Guide Offers In Excess of £3.250m.
P. 140 Homes - Why every home needs a posh pantry
P. 122 Gardening:10 things you didn’t know about hoverflies
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P. 108 Gardeing: A guide to the best trees for glorious cherry blossom
P. 71 Eversley, Hampshire / Berkshire Borders To Let - Guide £3,000 pcm
P. 131 Church Crookham, Hampshire Guide £800,000
P. 116 St. Patrick’s Day - More Than Just a Parade
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IN THE COUNTRY &TOWN Welcome to
Creating the inspiration to move
abolishing Section 21 evictions and introducing periodic tenancies. Landlords who are interested in finding out more could start with a read of this news item or better still, telephone our residential letting head office on 01252 622550. The Governments commitment to increasing housing supply is moving forward, including overhauling the National Planning Policy Framework, including new and higher mandatory housebuilding targets for councils and a comprehensive modernisation of the Green Belt. More details of the Bill will evolve, but in the meantime indicators include streamlining decisions on nationally significant infrastructure projects and reducing the burden on developers for consultation requirements and strengthening statutory guidance to ensure they are clear over what is and is not required when submitting planning applications.
The Market
The first quarters trading in 2025 is one of the busiest I have experienced in over 40 years in the property industry, so despite the house market remaining price sensitive the buyer demand to purchase is very high indeed. This shop floor experience of McCarthy Holden is reflected in some interesting statistics from the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), who released their March statistic which included some impressive facts. One in particular is their reveal that the value of new mortgage commitments (lending agreed to be advanced in the coming months) increased by 4.9% from the previous quarter to £69.3 billion, the highest since 2022 Q3, and was 50.7% higher than a year earlier. The market up-tick experienced in 2024 is likely to continue throughout 2025, especially if prices remain relatively stable, thus avoiding the risk of overheating.
Residential Lettings
The residential lettings market remains very active with tenant demand resilient especially in the £3,000pcm to £4,500pcm market sector. At the top end, demand in the £6,000pcm to £12,000 p.c.m. sector is currently robust. As we look ahead to the Spring and quarter two trading in 2025, the housing market shows every indication of a positive trajectory.
We’re Recruiting
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given the market conditions and our plans to expand the business we are currently recruiting for personnel across residential sales and residential lettings specialities. If anyone already working in estate agency or, in a service based career and looking for a change, then take a look at this news item.
Other Market Factors
The Renters’ Rights Bill continues to progress, aimed at reforming the private rental sector and expected to become law after Easter 2025.This is likely to be implemented between July and October 2025, potentially
John Holden - Chairman McCarthy Holden
Published by Kilbricken Publishing and John Joe Photography Limited,Telephone: 07470 707275, email jjtopshot@outlook.com, web johnjoe.co.uk. Publishing 2022 - All rights reserved. Reproduction is forbidden except by express permission of the publishers.The content of this magazine is believed to be correct but its accuracy is not guaranteed and it does not form part of any offer or contract. John Joe Limited cannot accept responsibility for any omissions or errors.
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Church Crookham, Hampshire NEW TO THE MARKET - Guide: £1,000,000
• Superb Kitchen / Breakfast Room • Five Bedrooms • Sought After Location •
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A beautifully presented five bedroom detached family home offering in excess of 2,100sq,ft of accommodation and situated in a popular residential area of Church Crookham. The property features a double aspect 24ft living room and an updated kitchen/breakfast room, as well as a refitted family bathroom to the first floor. EPC D (65) - Telephone 01252 620640
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SOLD stc GOING TO PRESS
Anticipated Guide Price: £1,150,000 Telephone 01256 704851 Odiham, Hampshire
• No Onward Chain • Superb Interior •
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See the following pages for more details
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Odiham, Hampshire Anticipated Guide: £1,150,000
• Early Viewing Recommended • Sought After Village Location •
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This beautifully presented detached property is situated in the desirable village of Odiham within close proximity of the village centre.Western House Cottage has been updated and extended to a high standard by the current owners, combining the traditional with a contemporary design. The property provides flexible family living and is offered to the market with no onward chain. EPC E (52) - Telephone 01256 704851
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Anticipated Guide Price: £3,350,000 Telephone 01252 842100 The Ridges, Finchampstead, Berkshire
• Grounds Of Around 4 Acres • Superb Interior •
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DUE TO THE OPEN MARKET SOON magazine exclusive PREVI EW See the following pages for more details
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The Ridges, Finchampstead, Berkshire Anticipated Guide: £3,350,000
• Near Wellington College • Highly Sought After Location •
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A stunning contemporary home with many breathtaking interior features, newly built around 2017 and beautifully maintained, still reflecting a new-build feel.The property is situated in grounds of around 4 acres and located in a most sought after Berkshire location known as The Ridges, nearby to internationally renowned Wellington College.This significant property is built over three floors and was designed with meticulous attention to detail, providing almost 6,000 sq. ft. of stunning space. EPC tbc) - Telephone 01252 842100
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North Warnborough, Hampshire Guide Price: £895,000 Telephone 01256 704851 • Exceptional House • Sought After Location • No Onward Chain •
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See the following pages for more details
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North Warnborough, Hampshire Guide: £895,000
• Superb Kitchen / Breakfast Room • Exquisite Interior •
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This beautifully presented, Grade II listed period property, is situated in the desirable village of North Warnborough. Boasting many character features inside and out, including exposed beams and brickwork, inglenook fireplace and latch doors. The property has been sympathetically extended and updated by the current owners and is offered to the market with no onward chain. EPC N/A - Telephone 01256 704851
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UPTON GREY, Hampshire Guide Price: £2,700,000 Telephone 01256 704851
• Grounds Of Around Two Acres • Sought After Location •
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Situated within the sought after village of Upton Grey, Holborn Grange is a fine six-bedroom detached country house which has been meticulously rebuilt by the current owner, offering over 8,000 square feet of accommodation and set within around 2 acres of beautifully landscaped grounds. Benefits to this property include six reception rooms, a spectacular 32ft vaulted main bedroom with Juliet balcony that provides stunning views over the garden, ample driveway parking, an outdoor heated swimming pool, a separate pool house and a one-bedroom annexe with a double garage.
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UPTON GREY, Hampshire
Ground Floor
The vast light and airy entrance hall sets the scene for exploring superb spaces, with six spacious reception rooms, the accommodation comprises of study with stairs to the first floor, 21ft family room with a beautiful bay window overlooking the garden and a feature open fireplace, dining room, a bespoke kitchen with quartz countertops, a functional island, and built-in bosch appliances which include induction hob, double oven, laundry facilities and plenty of additional appliance space. French doors which give you access into the rear garden.
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The 25ft living room offers a fantastic entertaining space with a raised floor and access to a cloakroom. Next to the living room you have a gym and a wonderful light/airy oak framed snug with vaulted ceiling and views/access over the garden and the Hoddington Estate. Also on the ground floor there is bedroom six / guest room which offers en-suite facilities and there is a second downstairs cloakroom.
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UPTON GREY, Hampshire
First Floor
On the first floor, the property offers five generous bedrooms with built in storage and a dressing room.The stunning vaulted main bedroom offers wonderful accommodation and views over the grounds through the Juliet balcony. Within this room you have a walk in dressing room, additional wardrobes and a beautiful presented en-suite with toilet, sink, bath and shower.The accommodation is finished with the substantial main bathroom with a generous bath, toilet, sink and shower.
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ALL PHOTOGRAPHS ON THESE TWO PAGES ARE OF THE MAIN BEDROOM SUITE
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UPTON GREY, Hampshire
Pool House & Swimming Pool
The detached pool house sits at the rear of the garden overlooking the heated swimming pool.The accommodation within the pool house is excellent, comprising of an entrance area with bi-folding doors opening to the patio beside the swimming pool, separate male and female changing rooms, shower facilities, utility area with a kitchen and plenty of storage. Upstairs a 30ft bedroom/living area gives guests extra spaces to stay over or relax and the accommodation is finished with the pump room and additional storage area.
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The Blue Triangle, Fleet
For many years McCarthy Holden has been privelaged to be the agent of choice for clients wishing to sell or rent a property in The Blue Triangle area of Fleet, so I wanted to flag up to future potential clients that the demand to live in this sought after area continues to grow in 2025. Indeed, as I write this market insight about the property market in and around Fleet, we are already negotiating on some off market potential property sales around £2m., so as an opening comment I believe anyone thinking of selling a significant property can take heart from this anecdote. In 2024 the year kicked off with a sale agreed on a £1.8m. property in The Blue Triangle and this set the scene for consistent levels of property sales in this highly sought after location throughout 2024. There is no doubt that the house market remained remarkably resilient in 2024, despite many adverse global matters and headwinds, and, 2025 already appears to be following the positive trends we experienced last year, and the easy access into London remains a significant factor for many buyers searching for property in The Blue Triangle area of Fleet. Right now we have some very active buyers looking to purchase a home in the £1.5m. to £2.5m. price range in this area, and on the property rental front tenants are looking £3,500 to £4,500 p.c.m on a regular basis. If you are thinking of a house sale or rental in 2025 our invitation is to contact our Fleet branch for a free market valuation.
Richard Ebsworth
Richard Ebsworth
rebsworth@mccarthyholden.co.uk - T. 01252 620640
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DUE TO THE OPEN MARKET SOON magazine exclusive PREVI EW
Anticipated Guide Price: £950,000 Telephone 01256 704851 Hillside, Odiham, Hampshire
• Mature Grounds Circa 5.5 Acres • Superb Interior •
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See the following pages for more details
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Hillside, Odiham, Hampshire Anticipated Guide: £950,000
• Superb Interior • Grounds Of Around 5.5 Acres • Sought After Location •
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Ideally situated on a leafy lane in Hillside, a Hamlet on the outskirts of the desirable village of Odiham, this four- bedroom property with stunning views across open fields, sits in a substantial plot of approximately 5.5 acres including paddocks and stables. The property has been extended and adapted to meet the needs of the current owners offering the opportunity for flexible family living and is offered to the market with no onward chain. EPC D (55) - Telephone 01256 704851
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Guide Price: £1,400,000 Telephone 01252 842100 Riseley, Hampshire
• Mature Grounds • Superb Interior •
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See the following pages for more details
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Riseley, Hampshire Guide: £1,400,000
• High Specification Interior • Grounds Of Around ½ Acre • Sought After Location •
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An attractive thatched cottage having been recently extended and modernised throughout to create a simply stunning four bedroom family home with a masterful blend of character charm and modern style. Now with four bedrooms and three bathrooms, culminating in a master suite with Juliet balcony overlooking the landscaped garden beyond. Approached via a long tree lined gravel driveway with generous parking, nestled on the Hampshire Berkshire border in the village of Riseley, just 25 minutes by car from Reading town centre and 10 minutes from Hartley Wintney. EPC TBC - Telephone 01252 842100
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Fleet (Blue Triangle), Hampshire Guide: £1,400,000
• Good Decorative Order • Four Bedrooms • Grounds c. Half An Acre •
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This four bedroom detached family home, crafted by the esteemed Pool and Son builders, resides within the prestigious Blue Triangle area of Fleet. Set upon a generous plot measuring in excess of 0.5 of an acre, this property presents a rare opportunity for extending, subject to planning permissions.Throughout the home, large bay windows bathe the rooms in natural light, creating a bright and welcoming ambiance. EPC C(70) - Telephone 01252 620640
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Photo: Michael Fass-bender as George Woodhouse and Cate Blanchett as Kathryn Woodhouse.
SHOWBIZ Film Black Bag Stars Michael Fassbender, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela on film Black Bag, work ethic and loyalty
By Yolanthe Fawehinmi, PA
In upcoming thriller Black Bag, the title is a metaphor used to describe where you can keep your secrets, and in this case, where a married couple finds the truth about what their spouse has hidden.
The married couple in question are intelligence agent George Woodhouse, played by German-Irish actor Michael Fassbender, 47, and his wife Kathryn Woodhouse – also a spy – played by Australian actress Cate Blanchett, 55, who is suspected of betraying the country.
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Directed by Steven Soderbergh, whose other films include Ocean’s Eleven and Traffic, it also stars Marisa Abela, who portrayed Amy Winehouse in last year’s film Back to Black and Bridgerton star Regé-Jean Page.
But ask Fassbender, whose previous high-profile roles include portraying a sex addict in Steve McQueen’s drama Shame in 2011, if he were to put something in the black bag, what would it be?
“Rental cars at airports,” says Fassbender.“I just like to go straight to the car after I queue to get on the plane, go through airport security and all that stuff.”
In 2013, Fassbender was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor after his performance as Edwin Epps in 12 Years a Slave – also by British film director McQueen.
Blanchett has also had a decorated career as an actress and won her second Academy Award nomination – the first was in 1998, for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth I in the period drama film Elizabeth – for Best Supporting Actress playing Katharine Hepburn in the biopic The Aviator in 2004.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button star also played Lou in Ocean’s 8, so this film reunites her with Soderbergh, who has worked on the Ocean’s franchise.
Continued on following page >
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“In the travel aspect, I think it’s when you are sitting on a plane when you’re done [with your flight] and they won’t let you take your seat belt off, that is my hell, the five minutes,” says Abela, 28, who stars as junior intelligence agent Clarissa Dubose, and is known for her role in the BBC Two and HBO series Industry. But British star Page, 37, who stars as Colonel James Stokes, says he would treat the black bag “a bit like room 101. “Voice notes. If you have some information to give me, like, what time are we meeting, and you’ve got to send me a five-minute voice note… and you tell a story and then put the thing that you need as your answer, four minutes and 30 seconds into the voice note, that’s going in the black bag. I’m done with [it],” says Page. Naomie Harris, 48, who stars as Zoe Vaughan, a psychiatrist and Colonel James Stokes’s lover, adds:“This is good to know because that is how I operate. “I think any experiences that have haunted me and changed me as a person, I’d like to put in a black bag and throw into the river, never seeing them again,” says Harris, who played Eve Moneypenny in the James Bond films Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time to Die.
is very much about that type of energy in a room.”
It’s no surprise that Page says working with Soderbergh was such an “immersive and extremely natural process… especially because Soderbergh was often operating the camera himself”, he adds. “Steven [Soderbergh] watches every detail of every scene like a hawk. It allows him to react to anything that he had not planned for and capture unexpected moments very viscerally.” In the film,Arthur Stieglitz, played by Irish actor and Bond star Pierce Brosnan, 71, asks George Woodhouse to investigate what his wife Kathryn Woodhouse has been up to.
This leaves George deciding if he would be loyal to his marriage or the country that he serves.
“There was definitely a puzzle for George to solve, but I don’t know if his loyalty would have ever swayed from his wife. I think it’s what those two characters actually have going for them that the other characters don’t have,” says Fassbender, who also gained mainstream success for playing Erik Lehnsherr, also known as Magneto, in the American superhero film series X-Men. “They have each other in this world, which can be very isolating and essentially very lonely.There’s so much sacrifice in terms of the relationships that you can maintain, and they’ve been very successful in doing it, by the way they operate. “And it’s kind of an interesting analogy on marriage, how much do you take and how much do you keep to yourself. But the loyalty for him, I think, is always going to lie with his wife. He is somebody who’s sort of very uncompromising when it comes to finding out the truth of any scenario, but what he does with the information, I don’t think would sway from where his loyalty lies to his wife.”
Like Fassbender and Blanchett, Page is really intentional about doing what he can with what he has got.
It’s a mantra that has impacted the way he navigates his day-to-day life and challenges his work as an actor.
“It gives you both self-forgiveness and the responsibility to be generous,” says Page, who joined the cast of the Netflix period drama Bridgerton as charismatic duke, Simon Basset. It earned him an NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series. “My favourite thing about this film is finding unexpected moments in the scenes of the actors. It’s such an insanely well-cast film that the level you’re working at is the highest that I think you can achieve at this point.And I think that that demands the generosity of a performer. “Everyone around that table, between Michael [Fassbender], Cate [Blanchett], myself, Naomie [Harris], Marisa [Abela],Tom [Burke], everyone is giving it back on the other side of the camera, everyone is reacting to what you put out and expecting that same level of investment and reaction back, no matter where the camera is pointing. “And that is how I would define doing what you can what you got in that situation, it is giving everyone else access to what you have to bring in service of their performances. And I think how Steven [Soderbergh] worked on this film
Black Bag came to UK cinemas on Friday, March 14
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Photo: Michael Fass-bender as George Woodhouse.
Photo: Michael Fass-bender as George Woodhouse and Marisa Abela as Clarissa Du-bose.
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Guide Price: £1,750,000 Telephone 01252 620640 Fleet, Hampshire
• Mature Grounds • Superb Interior •
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See the following pages for more details
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Fleet, Hampshire Guide: £1,750,000
• Five Bedrooms • Sought After Location •
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This immaculate, substantial family home occupies a delightful plot in one of Fleet’s most sought-after areas. Benefitting from five bedrooms and three reception rooms (one of which is currently used as a living/cinema room), it’s ideally located close to Fleet’s mainline railway station and the town centre, EPC C (78) - Telephone 01252 620640
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Exceptional Interior Guide Price: £1,150,000 Telephone 01256 704851
• Exquisite Interior • Immense Character • Superb Location •
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See the following pages for more details >
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The Firs, Odiham, Hampshire Guide: £1,150,000
• Wonderful Interior • Sought After Location • C. One Third Acre Grounds •
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A charming well-presented four-bedroom detached family home situated on The Firs, a much sought after location on the outskirts of the desirable village of Odiham. Set within approximately 1/3 acres Clump Cottage provides flexible family living and is offered to the market with no onward chain. EPC F (29) - Telephone 01256 704851
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Photo: from National Trust: Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker.
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SHOWBIZ TV Matt Baker TV presenter Matt Baker on Channel 4’s National Trust: Our Dream Farm With Matt Baker, farming misconceptions and what his dream farm would look like
By Yolanthe Fawehinmi, PA
Matt Baker’s dream farm looks like the traditional hill farm he grew up on in the Durham Dales.
But when the 47-year-old British TV presenter thinks about the 600-acre farm in Eryri, (formerly Snowdonia), North Wales, that tenant farmers (people who rent land from a landlord and work the land) compete for in the second season of Channel 4’s National Trust: Our Dream Farm With Matt Baker, it’s a close second. “I’m very fortunate to have grown up on a very traditional hill farm in Durham Dales.That’s the farm that I love. I love a mixture of landscapes as well.Welsh farms are very similar to the kind of farms that we have in the Durham Dales, but thankfully, my dream farm is the farm I grew up on,” says Baker, a former presenter on children’s television show Blue Peter from 1999 until 2006. “It’s the world I know and love. It’s where I feel comfortable in that kind of landscape with lots of dry stone walls and older buildings, but also more modern buildings that you can drive tractors in and get all of your stock in if needs be. I love a hardy, rugged farm with a good yard and some modern barns.” In the documentary-style series, seven shortlisted candidates are put under the watchful eye of the National Trust as they complete real-life farming tasks in the hope of becoming the new tenants of a unique hill farm in the national park, with a four-bedroom farmhouse at its heart, for the next 15 years.
The National Trust have a lot more applicants for their farms than they have to give.
So in National Trust: Our Dream Farm With Matt Baker, contestants will be judged on how well they maximise the opportunities that the farm has to offer.
This can be anything from tourism, how innovative or business savvy they are to how they prioritise environmental sustainability.
Across eight episodes, prospective tenants will be eliminated one by one until only two hopefuls are left and invited to have a final meeting with the National Trust. But only one person can win and become the proud owner of the farm. “For me, any show that puts our agricultural world front and centre is absolutely vital, as far as I’m concerned. Not a lot of people know of the world of tenant farming, and the fact that a third of British farmers are tenant farmers. I think you only have to go out into the countryside and be so thankful that it looks the way that it does because of our farmers,” says Baker, who shares two teenage children, Luke and Molly, with his wife, physiotherapist Nicola Mooney. Continued on following page >
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“Not only are they producing our food, but they’re looking after our environment. I think we should shed light and can gather as much support as possible for the farming community, and show people what goes on and how challenging it is. “Our farmers have to be jacks of all trades, you got to be so independent, and they’re providing all of the time. People need to be more grateful to our British farmers for producing our food and looking after our environment. In my eyes, it’s our farmers that make Britain what it is.” From 2009, Baker looked into people, places and stories making news in the British countryside, whilst he co- presented BBC One’s Countryfile. The following year, he stood in for English comedian and presenter Jason Manford, 43, as a guest presenter on BBC One’s magazine programme The One Show. But when Manford resigned in November 2010, Baker was promoted to a more permanent position as a co-host with Welsh TV presenter Alex Jones, 47 – the same year he came second place on the eighth series of Strictly Come Dancing with Russian-Kazakh ballroom dancer Aliona Vilani.
In the first episode of the new Channel 4 series, Baker says that if he were the winning tenant of the farm, he would be bursting with ideas and know exactly where to start. “What is unbelievable is that the lake [on the farm] is where the legend of the red dragon from Wales comes from, which is incredible.There’s a legend that’s told actually in the series where the white dragon and the red dragon had a battle, and basically, the white dragon leaves and the red dragon remains.And that’s why the Welsh dragon is on the Welsh flag, it comes from that lake, which is just unbelievable,” he says. “So I would certainly feature that heavily, I would key into that because a farm like this is so hard to come by. It’s one of the most nature-rich farms the National Trust have in Wales. “I’ll certainly keep up with all of the grazings they do up on the mountain pasture, honestly, the nature there is everything. I love that side of things as well. “But I’d be welcoming people from all over to come and immerse themselves in that kind of world. I would certainly lean into all of the heritage that’s there, including the
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Photo: from National Trust: Our Dream Farm with Matt Baker
walling.There are a lot of foundations around the 600 acres that reflect the things that have gone by over the years and the way that the shepherds used to work the land. So I’d look at reinstating some of those.
“I’d also keep on with those heritage animals, the stock that’s there, the Welsh Black cattle and the mountain sheep. I would run it very traditionally, but I’d invite people to come and experience that world.”
So what misconceptions does Baker think people have about countryside life and farming?
“It’s maybe a bit rose-tinted,” Baker admits.“It’s not as bucolic as people imagine. Our countryside goes on in winter.The tougher months are really challenging. People think things only happen in springtime, when the birds are tweeting and the flowers are out, the lambs are bouncing around.
“But let me tell you, it’s very hard work, it’s a tough life, and it’s not a job, it’s a lifestyle. Families are wrapped up in this constantly, and they work together. I think the togetherness and the community are very strong in the rural community.
“I think the biggest misconception is that people don’t understand where our food comes from or how it’s produced and the effort level.You only have to try and grow cress (an edible herb) on the window, think about a bit of food production, and then ask yourself the question, are you still doing it?
“And if you’re not still growing cress on the window, why not? A lot of people can’t be bothered, so be thankful to the people that are producing your food.”
National Trust: Our Dream Farm With Matt Baker comes to Channel 4 on Saturday, March 15
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Fleet, Hampshire Guide Price: £1,500,000 Telephone 01252 620640 • Exceptional Family House • Sought After Location • Exquisite Interior •
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See the following pages for more details
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Fleet, Hampshire Guide: £1,500,000
• Character Property • Excellent Kitchen / Diner •
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Situated within the popular Pondtail area of Fleet, close to Fleet mainline railway station, town centre and local schools, this four bedroom detached family home is offered to the market in immaculate condition and boasts extensive accommodation over three floors including a bespoke 30ft kitchen/breakfast room to the ground floor and stunning 22ft main bedroom to the second floor with walk in dressing room and en suite. The first floor provides 3 bedrooms, 2 of which boasts en suite facilities. Ample driveway parking to the front of the property gives access to the detached double garage and office. EPC C (75) - Telephone 01252 620640
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COMPLETED MARCH
Hartley Wintney, Hampshire Country House In Prime Location Sold Off Market
• similar property wanted •
Join the UpTick
arrange a free valuation
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What’s rental fraud and what are the signs?
By Camilla Foster, PA Ministers have urged young renters to avoid paying for a rental property before viewing it in person, following new crime data from the Home Office which revealed that individuals aged 18 to 29 represented nearly half (48%) of reported rental fraud cases last year.
The data, sourced from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau (NFIB) for England,Wales, and Northern Ireland, also showed that the 30 to 39 age group accounted for an additional 25% of cases.
Rental fraud can take various forms, such as fake listings or scammers posing as landlords. Identifying the warning signs early on can help prevent both financial losses and frustration.
So, why are more young people falling victim to rental fraud, and what red flags should we be aware of?
What is rental fraud?
“Rental fraud is when scammers pose as landlords or letting agents to trick tenants into handing over money or personal information for properties that don’t exist or aren’t actually available,” says Ben Fleming, financial crime analyst at Ocean Finance.
Renters are easy victims because they are often in a hurry, desperate to find a place to live in a competitive housing market.
“Fraudsters prey on this urgency, and scams are rising because more people are searching online for rentals, where fake listings can easily slip through,” explains Fleming.“With demand outstripping supply, renters feel pressured to act fast – something scammers take full advantage of.”
Here are 7 red flags to look out for…
1. Excuses about deposits not being protected
“By law, deposits must be placed in a government-backed scheme,” notes Fiona Peake, personal finance writer at Ocean Finance, specialising in housing and mortgages.“If a landlord tells you it’s not necessary, they’re either breaking the law or scamming you.”
2. Fake letting agents
“Scammers will set up websites or social media profiles that look professional but aren’t linked to a real agency,” warns Peake.“Check credentials on official registers like The Property Ombudsman or ARLA (Association Of Residential Letting Agents).”
3. No in-person viewings
“Wherever possible tenants should not make any payments until they have seen the property in person and had the opportunity to meet the landlord or letting agent,” says Chris Norris, director of campaigns and policy at the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA).
Peake agrees and adds:“Scammers rely on excuses like being abroad to avoid showing you the property.”
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4. Requests for cash
“When paying the deposit, tenants should do so with a credit card or via a direct debit to gain some protection from the banks – never hand over cash,” advises Norris.
5. High-pressure tactics
“If you’re being pushed to send money immediately because there’s ‘huge interest’, step back,” recommends Peake. “Genuine landlords won’t rush you into transferring cash without proper checks.”
6. The price is too good to be true
“If the rent is much lower than similar properties in the area, that’s a red flag,” highlights Peake.“Scammers use cheap prices to lure victims in quickly.”
7. No paperwork
“If you’re not given a tenancy agreement, or the landlord dodges questions about legal paperwork, walk away,” advises Peake.“A legitimate landlord will provide an official tenancy agreement, deposit protection details, and proof of ownership. If they avoid this, be suspicious.”
How can you check a rental is genuine?
“Look up the property online,” recommends Fleming.“If the same photos appear under different locations or listings, it’s a scam.
“If dealing with an agent, check they’re a member of an official letting body. If renting directly from a landlord, confirm they own the property via the Land Registry.”
“Contact your bank straight away and report it to Action Fraud,” urges Fleming.“You can also report fake listings to the website they appeared on to help shut down fraudulent activity.
We recommend dealing with a reputable and long established estate agent such as McCarthy Holden.
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Established & Reliable Letting Agency Services
Landlords and Tenants alike can rest assured that representatives of McCarthy Holden will treat all our customers with courtesy and a positive service attitude, inexorably intertwined with honesty and professionalism.
Telephone 01252 622550
www.mccarthyholden.co.uk
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Greywell, Hampshire Guide: £785,000
Situated within the sought-after village of Greywell, this Grade II listed four-bedroom cottage is offered to the market with spacious and flexible accommodation throughout. Benefits to this property include driveway parking with a single garage, a refitted kitchen, two refitted bathrooms, two reception rooms, a wonderful rear garden with countryside views and no onward chain. EPC D (56) - Telephone 01256 704851
• Superb Garden • Excellent Kitchen •
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LET AGREED GOING TO PRESS
Hartley Wintney, Hampshire To Let - Guide: £1,600 p.c.m.
A character cottage set in one of Hartley Wintney’s most sought after locations with views over the historic cricket green and being within 0.2 miles of the village centre. The property is available from early January 2025 and is unfurnished
. Energy Efficiency rating - D /Council tax Band - D / Tenancy Length – 12 months ADDITIONAL CHARGES WILL APPLY – CONTACT AGENT FOR DETAILS Telephone 01252 622550
• Garden • Sought After Location •
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Rotherwick, Hampshire To Let - Guide: £2,995 p.c.m.
A 3/4 bedroom property situated in the delightful village of Rotherwick, within easy access of both Hook and Hartley Wintney. Landlord provides a weekly gardening service in the growing season and also broadband for the property. Unfurnished. Available 5th May, Energy Efficiency rating - E /Council tax Band - F / Tenancy Length – 12 months. ADDITIONAL CHARGES WILL APPLY – CONTACT AGENT FOR DETAILS Telephone 01252 622550
• Four / Three Bedrooms • Garden • Garage •
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Finchampstead, Hampshire / Berkshire Borders To Let - Guide: £3,000 p.c.m.
A three bedroom barn conversion located in a rural setting of Finchampstead, with contemporary vast interior spaces, situated behind a gated entrance with a tree lined drive. Unfurnished. Available 5th April. Efficiency Energy Rating – B / Council tax band – D / Tenancy length 12 months ADDITIONAL CHARGES WILL APPLY – CONTACT AGENT FOR DETAILS Telephone 01252 622550
• Garden • Excellent Kitchen •
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Fleet, Hampshire Guide: £1,100,000
• Excellent Decorative Order • Four Bedrooms • Sought After Location •
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Nestled in a prime position within the highly sought-after Edenbrook development, close to local schools, this stunning home, built by Berkeley Homes to their Greene design offers versatile living space across three floors.The property boasts numerous enhancements and upgrades, including a Tesla EV charger, remote-controlled garage doors, 400kw solar panels, built-in ceiling speakers, and a water softener.The property further benefits from under-floor heating throughout via an air source heat pump. EPC tbc - Telephone 01252 620640
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Photo: Ferrari 12Cilin-dri Spider.
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MOTORING Road Test First Drive: Ferrari’s 12Cilindri Spider takes drop-top thrills to a new level
By Jack Evans, PA Motoring Reporter
What is it?
Ferrari has a far-reaching history for convertibles.This car – the 12Cilindri Spider – is the latest drop-top to join the Italian firm’s ranks, taking its already-potent flagship V12 model and whipping off the roof to create a more open-air experience. But the transition from coupe to convertible can often be a tricky one, so does this latest Spider deliver the kind of driving style that you’d expect from a V12-powered Ferrari? We’ve been driving it in Portugal to find out.
What’s new?
While it might seem pretty simple to transform an existing coupe into a convertible, there’s a lot that goes on to ensure that the latter delivers the same sharp drive that you get from the former.With the 12Cilindri, that means a little extra reinforcement here and there, while the clever metal folding roof has been designed to ensure that luggage space is still usable. Remarkably, the Spider is hit with only a 60kg weight increase over the Coupe. Ferrari never wanted to go down the route of a fabric soft top – as it has done with cars like the Roma Spider – to help ensure that when the roof is closed, the 12Cilindri is just as refined and comfortable as the hard top.
What’s under the bonnet?
Mid-front mounted sits one of the last great V12 engines – a 6.2-litre, naturally-aspirated behemoth that provides a direct lineage through some of Ferrari’s greatest supercars. In the 12Cilindri Spider, you’re getting a heady 807bhp and 678Nm of torque delivered to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Zero to 60mph comes in at just under three seconds and flat-out, the 12Cilindri Spider will manage a hair-blasting 211mph top speed.
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It’s probably not much of a surprise that the 12Cilindri Spider isn’t the best bet if you’re looking for an ultra-efficient new car. Ferrari claims a combined fuel consumption of just under 15mpg and this could easily be pushed into single figures if you drive more keenly. CO2 emissions of 360g/km are very high, too.
What’s it like to drive?
The 12Cilindri Spider is a big car – it’s just over 4.7 metres long and 2.1 metres wide – so you do take the first few miles behind the wheel of it with a little extra caution. However, with its smooth-shifting automatic gearbox and predictable throttle response, it’s not all that tricky to drive. Over-the-shoulder visibility isn’t the best, but it’s not quite as intimidating as you might think. It’s quite happy to play the cruiser role, too, and at motorway speeds the 12Cilindri Spider remains quiet and comfortable, while buffeting with the roof down is kept to an impressively low level thanks to clever aerodynamics and an integrated wind diffuser. But switch the steering-wheel-mounted Manettino dial into a sportier setting and the 12Cilindri Spider slides into a completely different character.The V12 engine provides a deep, near-unending reserve of performance and thanks to new revised gear ratios the whole experience feels urgent.The 12Cilindri meets the latest emissions regulations, too, but still manages to sound terrific. It remains one of the best exhaust notes in the business – to our ears at least.
How does it look?
Ferrari says that it also went for a folding hard top design to help preserve the sleek lines of the coupe 12Cilindri and you’d have to say that it has been successful. It’s a car with classic GT proportions, from its long, sweeping bonnet to the compact passenger compartment placed close to the engine.The Italian firm took inspiration from its drop-tops of the Sixties and Seventies and, in many areas, the Spider does have some classic touches. However, there are plenty of aerodynamic sections – including the active rear flaps which raise and lower depending on the driving situation – which help to bring this car right up to date.As with any Ferrari, there are plenty of colours, trim pieces and extras to add as a way of tweaking the look of your 12Cilindri.
What’s it like inside?
The low-slung cabin of the 12Cilindri Spider offers up a high level of fit-and-finish, though you’d expect that for a car costing well over £300,000.There aren’t too many storage options, mind you, and given that drivers are likely to take this drop-top car to hotter climates, there aren’t many areas to keep water bottles.That said, there’s a good amount of width to help increase a feeling of space and even with the roof closed, the cabin of the 12Cilindri doesn’t feel claustrophobic. As with all other modern Ferrari models, the bulk of the 12Cilindri’s controls – including those for volume, lights and windscreen wipers – are located on the steering wheel. It’s odd to begin with, but these physical controls soon become quite natural to use.
The folding roof has had a knock on luggage space, with the Spider’s 200-litre boot a fair bit smaller than the 270-litre area that you’ll find in the standard Coupe.That said, it’s still large enough for a few soft weekend bags.
What’s the spec like?
As with any other Ferrari model, it isn’t hard to seriously bump up the price of the 12Cilindri Spider with optional extras, but what is there as standard? Well, unlike other cars in the Ferrari range the 12Cilindri does benefit from a 10.2- inch central screen and this gives you quick access to key media functions – though Apple CarPlay and Android Auto don’t mirror on the 16-inch instrument binnacle ahead of the driver, which is a shame. All cars get full LED headlights, carbon ceramic brakes and 21-inch alloy wheels included while a speed bump-beating suspension lifter is a handy standard feature. However, if you want to go crazy with the options list it’s not tricky to do so – opt for the Daytona racing seats and you’ll add £9,517, while a matt special exterior colour will set you back an incredible £27,396. Fancy carbon fibre wheelcaps? That’ll be £1,004. Go overboard with the options and it wouldn’t be hard to push the 12Clindre Spider’s price very close to half a million pounds.
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Verdict
The Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider brings all of the theatre that you’d expect from an Italian V12-powered supercar. It’s easy enough to drive at slow speeds but unlocks a huge level of performance as and when you need it. It’s refined with the roof in place, too and isn’t too blowy when it’s down, either.
In fact, the overall package is so accomplished that there appear to be no downsides in choosing this Spider over the regular Coupe. It’s the one we’d be picking.
Facts at a glance
Model as tested: Ferrari 12Cilindri
Price: £366,500
Engine: 6.5-litre naturally-aspirated V12
Power: 807bhp
Torque: 678Nm
Max speed: 211mph
0-60mph: 2.75 seconds (est)
MPG: 14.79
Emissions: 360g/km
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Photo: Ferrari 12Cilin-dri Spider.
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Hartley Wintney, Hampshire Guide: £1,150,000
• Wonderful Interior • Superb Kitchen / Breakfast Room • Excellent Location •
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A superb, high specification four bedroom family home built to exacting standards in 2020.The property is in a gated development of just 7 houses, all less than five minutes drive from Hartley Wintney High Street and Winchfield Train Station. The spacious entrance hall provides access to four ground floor reception rooms, including a spacious open plan kitchen/family room with large island.The second floor provides four double bedrooms, complemented by a luxury en suite bathroom to the main bedroom and high specification family bathroom. EPC B (84) - Telephone 01252 842100
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Hartley Wintney, Hampshire Guide Price: Offers In Excess Of £2,000,000 Telephone 01252 842100
Country home, with seven bedrooms, four bathrooms set in grounds of around one acre with beautiful gardens, a heated swimming pool, breeze hut and views over countryside. This property also incorporates a fully independent detached one bedroom annexe.
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Hartley Wintney, Hampshire Guide: £775,000
• Good Decorative Order • Superb Kitchen / Breakfast Room •
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Situated just 1 mile from the centre of Hartley Wintney village, this superbly presented four double bedroom family home is located at the top of the ever popular St Marys Park Development. The property has been upgraded with the addition of underfloor heating throughout, recently updated en suite shower room to the main bedroom, EV car charging and provides parking for 2 vehicles in addition to space for guests. EPC C (80) - Telephone 01252 842100
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Guide Price: £2,750,000 Telephone 01252 842100 Bramley, Hampshire
• Mature Grounds Of Around 12 Acres • Stables • Barns • Extensive Outbuildings •
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Bramley, Hampshire Guide: £2,750,000
• Five Bedrooms • Exquisite Interior •
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Set in wonderful countryside on the Hampshire / Berkshire borders, this exceptional property provides an extraordinary mix of property assets, including a superb residential farmhouse, a significant old barn in a courtyard setting flanked by further brick / timber buildings, a brick stable building with 7 loose boxes, a long timber building for perhaps gym or home office use and a range of workshop buildings in a secondary yard. Originally dating back some 200 years this character farmhouse is set in around 12 acres, with the potential to purchase a second lot with a separate entrance and land amounting to about one acre. EPC F (28) - Telephone 01252 842100
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