44 Clitheroe Advertiser &Times, Thursday, November 15th, 2007


France high on second home list


FRANCE is the top choice for high-end buyers looking for a second home and for those who have already bought an international property despite competi­ tion from new destinations, according to a survey con­ ducted by Country Life mag­ azine. Research by the weekly


magazine - required read­ ing for those looking to buy high-end property in the UK or overseas - found that 31% of its readers who own a second property have chosen France as the place for a holiday home. Spain and the Balearics remain in second place with the sec­ ond largest group of readers - 26% buying there. The United States has attracted 13% of readers, with Aus­ tralia, New Zealand and South Africa as the choice for 6% of Country Life read­ ers. A further 25% have been


attracted to a mix of destina­ tions, from emerging holiday home markets in United Arab Emirates, Thailand and St Lucia to more tradi­ tional choices such as Cyprus, Greece and Switzerland. For those planning to buy


a property, 34% intend to buy in France, with 14% looking in Spain and the Balearics. Only 2% of Coun­ try Life readers are consid­ ering buying in Eastern Europe. In spite of the growth in


overseas property invest­ ment, only 18% have bought their homes as an investment. The majority - 60% - say the main pur­ pose for buying is to use as a holiday home, while 15% have bought in preparation for their retirement. Only 3% have purchased as a buy- to-let. Penny Churchill, property


editor of Country Life, said: “The great advantage that France and Spain and the Balearics have over emerg­ ing destinations is that they can be reached easily, enjoy stable economies and have been the choice for British buyers abroad for many years. “Most buyers have a sim­


ple desire, to enjoy spend­ ing time in a holiday home in a country which offers an excellent climate and an attractive lifestyle. Other destinations may offer cheaper prices and greater capital growth, but most people want to enjoy their second home without wait­ ing for vital infrastructure to be built.” The average spend for


the majority of Country Life readers on an international property is £449,074, with 69% spending less than £500,000, 26% spending between £500,000 and £1m. and the top 6% spend­ ing between £1m. and £2m.


♦


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Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified) Care village for the elderly to open


A SPECIALIST in developing care villages for older people has announced the opening of a new village in Blackburn. The development by Care


Village UK is located in four acres of mature landscaped grounds on the site of the for­ mer Nazareth House care home, on the Preston New Road, in Beardwood. It offers, say the developers,


a completely new lifestyle alternative where choice is key. There is the option to pur­ chase or rent along with inno­ vative schemes including a “try before you buy” option and a “bespoke alteration service”. Consisting of 39 one and


two bedroom assisted living apartments and a range of facilities, the village boasts its own restaurant, coffee shop, bar and lounge areas, and pri­ vate dining room which can be used for entertaining friends and family. In addition, there is a games room/library, chapel, cinema, hairdressing salon, therapy room/visiting doctor’s surgery, hobbies room and meeting room. Further plans include the provision of a computer room. The village’s own dedicated


domiciliary care service will be able to assist residents with care and support require­ ments and deliver person­ alised care in a resident’s own


apartment through flexible, tai­ lored care packages. In addition, residents will be


able to take advantage of a comprehensive range of sup­ port services including domestic cleaning and laun­ dry, a 24-hour emergency response alarm system, minibus transport, delivery of meals and groceries, and pre­ scription collection. Residents will also have the


option of participating in a wide range of social activities including board games, musi­ cal events and recitals, quizzes, films and video and excursions to local attractions and other places of interest. Gardeners will be employed


to ensure the spacious gar­ dens are maintained for the residents to enjoy and the vil­ lage handyman will be on- hand to assist with household jobs. Purchase prices start from


£101,000 and properties may also be rented. For further information, please call the Care Village UK sales team on 0871 330 7001. • The Victoire Larmenier


Foundation Care Village, Blackburn, is a collaboration between Care Village UK and the Victoire Larmenier Foun­ dation, a registered charity established by The Congrega­ tion of the Sisters of Nazareth. The Sisters charity already


has two similar schemes in South Africa and the Black­ burn Larmenier Care Village will be their first scheme in the UK. The village will provide individual self contained living units, designed with ease of use and mobility in mind, built to create a village environ­ ment. The care village is seen by


the Sisters of Nazareth as a means of continuing the lega­ cy of their founder, Victoire Larmenier whose vision, enterprise and enthusiasm first'led to the establishment of the charity over 150 years ago.


Prices to remain high, despite market slump


THE housing market in East Lancashire has “gone flat”, according to a local property solicitor. Graham Ireland, pictured, conveyancing


partner at Haworth & Nuttall, Solicitors, which has offices in Blackburn, Accrington and Great Harwood, says that, generally, estate agents in East Lancashire are seeing less and less residential properties being put up for sale. Mr Ireland also reports that one local


estate agent said that he had “not seen the market as flat in over 30 years of dealing with property sales”. But the solicitor warned that this trend


could mean property prices in the area keep on increasing for the near future - due to supply and demand. In the Ribble Valley, average house prices


rose by 7.3% in the last quarter, to £244,002. The latest house price figures from the


Land Registry show that between July and September of this year, house prices in most East Lancashire boroughs were steadily increasing, or remaining static. Hyndburn saw the highest rise, at 11.4%, and


Rossendale reported the largest drop, down 4.2%.


But Mr Ireland believes that the lack of


properties on the East Lancashire housing market - due to a number of factors includ­ ing the Northern Rock crisis - could push prices up even more. He said: “I have, over the past few weeks,


been told by a number of local estate agents that very few house owners are putting their homes up for sale at the moment. “This could be for a number of reasons,


including the Northern Rock crisis, interest rate rises, the introduction of Home Informa­ tion Packs and others. While there does seem to be a national slowdown in housing prices - and some areas of the country have seen a fall - the state of the market in East Lancashire could mean that prices will increase before they go down.” According to the Land Registry, the aver­


age cost of a house in Lancashire is now £156,004, an increase of 0.7% over the last quarter, and 6.6% over the year. Rural Ribble Valley has the highest aver­


age house price, at £244,002. In Blackburn- with-Darwen average house prices rose by 0.6% to £121,236; in Pendle by 1.1% to £120,399; but in Burnley they fell by 0.1 % to £96,304.


Don't be


stressed SOME say that moving house is stressful. But it doesn’t have to


be that way. It’s true, moving house can be a tricky business, with all the difficulties of finding a house, selling your own, getting a mortgage (and working out how to pay it), doing all the legal stuff - and now the dreaded HIP (Home Information Pack). But moving day itself


should be the end of your troubles not the start... as long as you choose the right moving company that is. That’s where the British Associ­ ation of Removers (BAR) can help. Make the right choice and your moving day will be a breeze. BAR has some 700


I GRAHAM IRELAND (s) Is your home at risk of floods?


THREE months after some of the worst floods in British histo­ ry, new research by Abbey Home Insurance shows many still do not know if their home is at risk. Thankfully, Ribble Valley


escaped serious flooding this time, with home and businesses in South Yorkshire the worst hit. But many homes in low-lying parts of the Valley, close to the river Ribble which gives it its name, remain at risk of flooding. The new research reveals


that: • 6.2 million people still do


not know if their home is at risk from flooding • 39.9 million would be put off


buying a home located on a flood plain


• One in five people had trou­


ble selling their home because of the flood threat.


• 710,000 homeowners have


seen their home been re-desig- nated into a high flood risk area • HIPs (Home Information


Packs) could provide more sup­ port for home buyers, but not necessarily home sellers Over half of all homeowners


(23.9 million people) made no checks to discover whether or not their current house was situ­ ated in a high-risk flood area before moving in, while 6.2 mil­ lion people still do not know if their home is at risk. The survey highlights a worry­


ing trend that suggests that homeowners are oblivious to the potential threat of flooding facing them and their homes. Indeed, for 253,000 people the first they knew they were living in a high- risk area was when they got flooded. Tony Beckwith, of Abbey


Insurance, said:‘The concern is that so many people are still unaware of the potential risk they might be facing. Six million people assumed they vyould have been told before they moved into the house if it was at risk, but actually the responsibil­ ity lies with the person buying the house to find out. Maybe the introduction of.Home Informa­ tion Packs could have been more helpful by highlighting homes that have a history of flooding. “It is interesting that the UK is


the only country in Europe where the insurance industry is responsible for repairing proper­ ty after major floods. In other countries there is a tax on insur­ ance premiums that covers this type of event.” The research shows that 39.9 million adults say they would be


put off buying a home if it was located on a flood plain or in a high flood risk area. Indeed one in five people (22%) who have previously lived in this kind of area have had trouble when it came to selling their home because of the flood threat. This becomes a bigger prob­


lem for the 710,000 homeown­ ers that have seen their home re-designated into a high-risk area since they moved in, as they now may face problems if they decide to sell. Further research from Abbey


Insurance also shows that each year, an average of 257,000 of all home insurance claims are declined as a result of the poli­ cyholder not having the appro­ priate home insurance cover. Abbey is warning people to ensure they have the appropri­ ate cover for their homes.


member companies spread all over the UK so there will be at least one BAR member close to you. Being a BAR mem­ ber isn’t easy and BAR inspects all its members regularly to make sure they are keeping their standards high. But there is much more. All BAR members


operate to a strict Code of Practice designed to protect you, the cus­ tomer, to make sure you get the kind of service you’d expect from a pro­ fessional organisation. For example, The


Code requires BAR members to be clear and open in their dealings with customers and to treat them with honesty and integrity; it requires them to keep their veni- cles in good condition, have established com­ mercial premises and train their staff to ao tne job safely and profes­ sionally; and it ensures that they use proper materials. The Code also does


something else: it pro­ tects you if something ■ goes wrong.


£1,000 for pink appeal GRAND raffle at a


two weeks and the grand total raised was added to by a donation from the Trinity Brownies. Staff members would like to thank all those


n r v u u n


Important notice for people who live in East Lancashire


Pointing you in the right direction for emergency care from November 1st Urgent Care Centre


The Emergency Department at the Royal Blackburn Hospital is for emergency cases involving severe injury/illness. Call 999 for an ambulance or go to the Emergency Department if you or your family have emergencies such as:


<


• Suspected heart attack/severe chest pains • Severe head injuries • Heavy bleeding • Severe burns and all facial burns • Breathing problems/loss of consciousness • Overdose/poisoning • Severe fractures and broken bones • Serious illness/severe illness


The Emergency Department is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year


Emergen Royal Bla


rgen cy Department Blackburn Hospital


GP services continue unchanged & can treat most minor illnesses.


Please use them. Anything you can't wait to see a GP for, contact the GP Out of Hours service first.


Burnley General Hospital and


Royal Blackburn Hospital >


The Urgent Care Centres at Royal Blackburn Hospital and Burnley General Hospital are for urgent but less serious injuries or illnesses. Experienced and highly trained doctors and nurses can treat a wide range of illnesses and injuries in adults and children such as:


• Cuts and grazes • Sprains and strains • Simple broken bones (fractures) • Bites and stings (including human and animal bites) • Infected wounds • Scalds and minor burns • Minor head injuries • Eye problems, minor eye infections, scratches or something in the eye


The Urgent Care Centres are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year The Minor Injuries Unit at Accrington Victoria Hospital remains unchanged


For general enquiries about the changes contact 0845 6099866 or WWW.eastlancS.nhs.uk For medical advice contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647 orwww.nhsdirect.nhs.uk or through your digital TV interactive pages


Putting Healthcare l^Jl Pendle Ribble Valley Rossendale in East Lancashire


> Please note - the Putting Healthcare 1st advice line and NHS Direct are not designed to tell you what's wrong with you or diagnose medical conditions


was supported by local traders across the town who donated generous prizes. Tickets were sold for


Clitheroe store raised £1,028 for Breast Can­ cer’s pink ribbon appeal. The event at M&Co


:|itheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified) www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, Thursday, November 15th, 2007 45


Beer boss wins 11-year Euro war


by Vivien Meath_______


THE Whalley founder of a beer import company has won his latest battle against European bureaocra- cy.


which was crucial to the UK beer mar­ ket. Now a court has ruled that lobbyists


pean Commission for refusing to dis­ close the names of those attending a meeting 11 years ago, the outcome of


can not hide behind privacy laws. The Commission has been criticised


who helped sell tickets, including the store’s Sat­ urday worker Kirsty Child, as well as all the customers who gave gen­ erously by either buying tickets or making a donation. Pictured with their


giant cheque are staff members Kaz Chadwick, with Nicola Hothersall, Gill Grundy and Chris Tomlinson. (A131107/2)


that the lucrative business of lobbying is set to become more transparent in Brussels.


by the European Court of First Instance for not revealing the identities. Mr Ronnan’s persistance now means


High Court the Whalley business was eventually paid £260,000 compensation by the DTI. Back in 1996 though Mr Ronnan’s


law, the door for the Bavarian Lager Company to sell its product in public houses and bars which previously had been tied to products from certain breweries still remained closed. But in 2003 after litigation in the UK


take part in the October 1996 meeting, following which the UK amended legis­ lation surrounding the beer industry’s exclusive purchasing contracts. However despite the change to the


His company had initially asked to Andrew Ronnan criticised the Euro­


company was refused admission to a meeting in Brussels. The company later using access to information legislation asked for full minutes of the meeting, in a bid to discover the names of five peo­ ple attending whose names had been erased from one discovered document. This was refused. The Commission


claimed that identifying the attendees would have been a breach of their pri­ vacy. Bavarian Lager then successfully


applied to the Court of First Instance for the annulment of that decision. The court last week (November 8th)


stated that the presence of the name of a person taking part in a meeting who may be representing a particular body did not give that person an automatic right to privacy. Mr Ronnan who had powerful sup­


port from the European Ombudsman, European Parliament and European Data Protection Supervisor, said he was delighted with the decision and believes that the Commission will now have to identify the five people. He added that if, as he suspects, the


people not named were representatives of businesses that profited from the investigation being dropped, he would be asking his lawyers to investigate fur­ ther. New York international solicitors Shearman and Sterling, Bavarian Lager’s lawyers, said the ruling would have wider implications for the lobby­ ing industry.


CUTTS-BLAND - HOLGATE


also races motorcycles, is the son of Mr and Mrs F. Cutts-Bland, of Chester­ field, Derbyshire. His bride, a former


medical sales rep, is the daughter of Mr and Mrs T. Farnworth, of the Wirrall. She wore an ivory full-


HEATING engineer Lee Cutts-Bland married driving instructor Jayne Holgate at the Inn at Whitewell. The bridegroom, who


length gown encrusted with pearls and diamante and carried a hand-tied bouquet of cream roses. The two witnesses were


Jill Bell and Else Lee. Following the ceremo­


ny, a reception was held at the Inn at Whitewell. The newlyweds, who enjoyed a honeymoon in Tenerife, will have their marriage blessed at St Michael’s Church, Whitewell, next month.


For Hibble Valley news online go to... www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk


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