“We couldn’t afford to buy – but now I’m living my dream”
ELLEN PORRITT, 37, IS MARRIED TO RICHARD AND, FIVE YEARS AGO THEY MOVED FROM LONDON TO SHINGLE STREET SUFFOLK, A REMOTE HAMLET OF ABOUT 12 HOUSES ON THE BEACH. THEY HAVE THREE CHILDREN AGED ONE, SEVEN AND NINE.
RICHARD AND I WERE RENTING A GREAT FLAT BUT IT DIDN’T HAVE A GARDEN AND BY THE TIME WE HAD OUR SECOND BABY, WE NEEDED MORE SPACE. WE WANTED TO
BUY BUT PRICES WERE SO EXTORTIONATE. OUR CHOICES WERE EITHER TO MOVE A BIT FURTHER OUT OR GO THE WHOLE HOG AND MOVE TO WHERE WE REALLY WANTED TO
BE, WHICH WAS SUFFOLK.
MY PARENTS HAVE A HOLIDAY HOME THERE AND WE NOT ONLY LOVED THE AREA BUT PROPERTY PRICES WERE MUCH LOWER. WE RENTED A HOUSE IN MELTON, BUT
HAD TO WORK OUT HOW WE COULD STILL EARN A LIVING. I WAS SELF-EMPLOYED
AS A COPYWRITER (PROMINENTPR.CO.UK) BUT IT WASN’T SO STRAIGHTFORWARD FOR RICHARD, WHO’S A JOURNALIST. HE ENDED UP TRYING VARIOUS SOLUTIONS, INCLUDING COMMUTING TO WORK AS A PUBLIC AFFAIRS ADVISOR TO A LONDON LAW FIRM, BUT THE DAWN STARTS AND LATE NIGHTS WEREN’T COMPATIBLE WITH FAMILY LIFE. NOW HE HAS TAKEN A LOCAL JOB AT A MEDIA BUSINESS, WHICH INVOLVES COMMUTING TO WESTMINSTER JUST ONCE A WEEK,
AND THAT SUITS US WELL.
WHILE WE WERE HOUSE-HUNTING MY PARENTS DECIDED TO SELL UP AND MOVE TO SUFFOLK TO BE CLOSER TO US AND THE GRANDCHILDREN. MY SIBLINGS DON’T HAVE CHILDREN AND AT THAT POINT WE HAD TWO – AND HAVE SINCE HAD A THIRD.
TO MAKE THE FINANCES WORK THEY NEEDED TO RENT OUT THEIR HOLIDAY COTTAGE BUT RATHER THAN RENT IT TO STRANGERS I SUGGESTED THEY RENT IT TO US INSTEAD. THAT WAS FOUR YEARS AGO AND IT’S WORKED VERY WELL FOR EVERYONE BECAUSE MY BROTHER AND SISTER ARE
VERY HAPPY THEY COULD STILL COME AND STAY, WHICH THEY OFTEN DO.
THERE ARE SOME DOWNSIDES. WE
LOSE POWER QUITE A LOT. WE ARE QUITE REMOTE SO HAVE TO DRIVE EVERYWHERE, WHICH MEANS WE SPEND MUCH MORE ON PETROL, AND A NIGHT OUT IS A REAL MISSION. ALSO, NOT ONE TAKEAWAY PLACE WILL DELIVER TO WHERE WE LIVE!
BUT THERE ARE SO MANY POSITIVES TO OUR NEW LIFE. THE KIDS HAVE A LOT OF FREEDOM; THEY ARE RATHER FERAL IN FACT! WE HAVE AN OUTSTANDING SCHOOL ON THE DOORSTEP. AND THERE’S ANOTHER HUGE BONUS: MY SON HAD CHILDHOOD ASTHMA. IN LONDON WE WERE AT THE HOSPITAL ONCE OR TWICE A WEEK AND THE CONSULTANT SAID THAT POLLUTION MIGHT BE A CAUSE. SINCE WE’VE MOVED TO SUFFOLK HE’S
ONLY HAD ONE ASTHMA ATTACK, WHICH I THINK IS PARTLY TO DO WITH THE SEA AIR.