Personality profile
Born in Canterbury in 1964, Dom was educated at The Convent of the Sacred Heart in Sturry, then Wellesley House in Broadstairs, before completing his education at Downside School - one of England's oldest and most distinguished Catholic schools, near Bath. He began working on Lord Montagu's
estate in Beaulieu, where he was drawn to do an apprenticeship as a wheelwright. A friendly challenge then led him into property management and, still only in his 20s, he set up a
up in a Georgian Manor House in Westbere, near Canterbury with an ornamental garden, but knew little of its everyday management – they could see the potential in both the house and the garden when they decided to take on the challenge that was The Salutation. The mammoth task they had
committed to soon became apparent, together with the demands of a young family. However, the addition of a sumptuous luxury tea room and
Dom and Steph put The Salutation on the market but the surge in interest following their new-found fame means they have now decided to stay.
holiday cottage company in the New Forest. He returned to Canterbury to join the family steel business in 1991, where he remained until 2006. Having met and married his wife
Stephanie in 1998, an extremely successful and high-flying career woman in her own right, the couple were once again on the hunt for a new challenge when they stumbled across The Salutation when it was on the market in 2004. “We really came to see the property
out of interest, to have a nose around, but fell in love with it,” recalls Dominic. “It was like Miss Havisham’s house in Great Expectations – crying out to be loved.” The duo were well-versed in carrying out fix ups in most of their previous properties, enjoying the thrills and spills that renovation and restoration entail.
Although neither knew a great deal about gardening – Dominic had grown
exquisite gift shop, with unusual eclectic gifts sourced personally by Stephanie from all corners of Europe, have made The Salutation an award- winning jewel among Kent’s tourist attractions. Dom is a former chair of the
Sandwich and District Chamber of Commerce and is heavily involved in the local community. He is also actively involved in raising
awareness for epilepsy, as his 16-year old son Max suffers from the illness. Both Dom and Steph take every opportunity both privately and professionally to raise money for this charity that is so close to their hearts. When he does have any precious free time, Dom delights in a game of golf or a bit of shooting and spending time with son Max and daughter Honor. He says: “We consider ourselves very
fortunate to have such a wonderful home and garden, with the fantastic support staff who enable us to be able
Speculation was rife that Dom and Steph would go into the Big Brother house – but instead Dom opted for the white-knuckle experience of taking part in C4 series The Jump. Dom is a keen skier and, as viewers
have observed, generally up for a good laugh. Despite being voted off after the first episode, the couple still enjoyed two weeks in the Austrian Alps – and plenty of après-ski – “much better than the BB house…” The couple also hosted their own half hour chat show with prospective UKIP MP Nigel Farage – another ratings success. With the possibility of similar chat shows in the future, life is definitely not going to be dull for the Parkers – or for the viewing public, who have taken them to their hearts.
to share it with the public. “I think our visitors enjoy the family
atmosphere and the fact we are often around to chat – and it’s a pleasure for us to be able to give so much back and to share our passion for The Salutation and all its treasures".
Who would have thought the idea of viewers watching other viewers watching TV would ever have caught on?
Incredibly, now in its fifth series, Gogglebox has been screened on C4 since March 2013, with its idiosyncratic selection of English couples, sitting in their living rooms doing just that! While some couples share their
sofa with their teenagers, in Dom and Steph’s case it is their adorable dachshund Gigi. The show won a Bafta award in 2014 and a National Television Award in 2015.
Mid Kent Living 5
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