Willow Bank Court ticks all the boxes for retirees

When Gordon and Jan Merry decided to downsize they had a number of boxes to tick. Their new home had to be easy to maintain, in a convenient location with good public transport services and close to Gordon’s family in Tyne & Wear.

The couple found it all at McCarthy & Stone’s Willow Bank Court retirement development in East Boldon and bought a one bedroom apartment on their first visit to see what was available.

Jan, 68, said: “We were living in a semi-detached home in Walsall, which is where I’m from, but Gordon was keen to move back up to the North East to be closer to his two daughters and three grandchildren. We came to stay with the family for a week and decided to have a look at our options up here. We both loved the idea of moving into a retirement development as we were keen to enjoy our free time without any worries about DIY or security. We had both heard good things about McCarthy & Stone developments so we went to see what was available at Willow Bank Court.”

As soon as Jan and Gordon, 77, stepped through the doors of Willow Bank Court they knew they’d found where they wanted to live.

“We just loved the atmosphere of the place,” said Jan. “The other thing which attracted us was the excellent location – it’s within 100 metres of a bus stop and the Metro, which only costs us £12 a year to use. In fact Willow Bank Court is so convenient that we sold our car not long after moving in because we weren’t using it! We’re saving a fortune on petrol, tax and insurance and are still able to go wherever we want to. It really is a wonderful place to live.”

The couple enjoy being part of the community at Willow Bank Court and Jan has joined the development’s social committee.

She said: “There are four of us in the committee and we organise all sorts of things from coffee mornings to games evenings to get everyone together. We all have great fun as there is a really good group of people here and we’d love more residents to join us. We love our new life at Willow Bank Court and would recommend moving to a McCarthy & Stone development to anyone.”

Fiona Brooks, Regional Sales and Marketing Manager, said: “We are delighted that Jan and Gordon have settled into Willow Bank Court. The development is ideal for anyone looking for a new retirement apartment in a fantastic location. We believe that with the right advice and support, now is a great time to buy and our latest range of special financial incentives is aimed at giving homebuyers that extra helping hand. Properties at the right price, like those at Willow Bank Court, are attracting a lot of attention from buyers so I’d encourage prospective purchasers to come and see us soon to avoid disappointment.”

Willow Bank Court has been designed for active retired people seeking a secure and manageable home in their retirement without losing their independence. Each self-contained apartment is linked to a 24-hour personal emergency service and a closed-circuit TV system so residents can check who is calling at the main entrance.

The development has an elegantly furnished central lounge for social events, a guest suite where friends and family can stay overnight, and a laundry room. General maintenance is overseen by the House Manager, who is also a good neighbour to all.

See Also: Property News (0), McCarthy and Stone (0), Willow Bank Court (0), East Boldon (0), North East (0)