What’s the most important amenity when buying a new home? The answer might just shock you. I’m kidding, it won’t shock you, it’s the pub.
According to new research by estate agents Jackson Stops, the pub is the most important lifestyle amenity for 75% of the nation, extrapolating from a survey of some 3,000 Jackson-Stops customers conducted earlier this year.
‘In the face of depleting local pubs, the popularity of villages and homes near well-regarded watering holes will continue to grab homebuyers’ attention,’ says Nick Leeming, chairman of Jackson-Stops. ‘Just like our homes, our local pubs can represent more than just a place to eat or drink, acting as a local focal point to make new acquaintances and connect to the community. They say a dog makes a house a home, then perhaps for British homeowners a pub makes the perfect community.’
Also in the top-5 lifestyle amenities desired by aspiring homebuyers were sports facilities (53%), a National Trust home/stately property (26%), a spa or health club (25%) and a wine bar (20%), which is basically a pub with a different name.
When it comes to local services, a local GP was most important for 70% of respondents, with good broadband in second place at 46%.
Buyers are also keen to see the return of the local high street, with shops such as the post office, a corner shop, farm shop, coffee shop and butcher all ranking highly in Jackson-Stops’s poll.
‘In the digital age when everything is at our fingertips, the research shows that physical amenities, thriving communities and neighbours that we know by name are important considerations,’ continues Mr Leeming. ‘Perhaps one of the few positives that came from lockdown, many continue to shift their focus to work-life balance and the close-knit communities on our doorstops as flexible working is here to stay.
‘However, in an economy where many small businesses such as pubs and farms are struggling to survive, those villages and towns with genuinely thriving high-streets and well-regarded eateries will be harder to find, and as a result those left will become the focus for prime homebuyers. Buyers must move quickly to secure their slice of the pie.’
Credit: Hamptons
A cosy cottage in the North Wessex Downs in which to relax, unwind and revive
Eastside Cottage is a beautiful two-bedroom listed home near Marlborough that is perfect for getting away from it all.
Credit: John D Wood & Co
Villa Devereux, home of Ron Hickman and one of Jersey's most famous houses, comes up for sale
From the mind that brought us the Lotus Elan and the Black and Decker Workmate, comes this gorgeous modernist property,
-
Uniquely unique? The Yorkshire grain silos transformed into a home that's a symphony in glass, steel and curvesAmid the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire, on the edge of the Castle Howard Estate, The Silos is a property for which the word 'house' simply doesn't cut it. And that's not the only way in which it's made us throw out the dictionary.
-
Polluting water executives now face up to two years in prison, but will the new laws make much of a difference?The Government has announced that water company executives caught covering up illegal sewage spills could now be imprisoned for two years, under new laws — but many still have their doubts.
-
Uniquely unique? The Yorkshire grain silos transformed into a home that's a symphony in glass, steel and curves
Amid the beautiful countryside of North Yorkshire, on the edge of the Castle Howard Estate, The Silos is a property for which the word 'house' simply doesn't cut it. And that's not the only way in which it's made us throw out the dictionary.
-
Graham Norton's elegant East London home hits the market, and it's just as wonderful as you would expectThe four-bedroom home in Wapping should be studied for how well it uses two separate spaces to create a home of immense character and utility.
-
About time: The fastest and slowest moving housing markets revealedNew research by Zoopla has shown where it's easy to sell and where it will take quite a while to find a buyer.
-
A wisteria clad hall built by one of the founders of the Bank of EnglandCome for the history of Old Hall. Stay for the interesting interiors.
-
A gorgeous Scottish cottage with contemporary interiors on the bonny banks of the River TayCarnliath on the edge of Strathtay is a delightful family home set in sensational scenery.
-
Six rural properties with space, charm and endless views, as seen in Country LifeWe take a look at some of the best houses to come to the market via Country Life in the past week.
-
380 acres and 90 bedrooms on the £25m private island being sold by one of Britain's top music producersStormzy, Rihanna and the Rolling Stones are just a part of the story at Osea Island, a dot on the map in the seas off Essex.
-
A home cinema, tasteful interiors and 65 acres of private parkland hidden in an unassuming lodge in KentNorth Lodge near Tonbridge may seem relatively simple, but there is a lot more than what meets the eye.
