"Escape to the Country" (TV programme)

[janelikesjam]

Annoying.

Need I say more?

I'm loving this thread!

I love all the property shows but I too wonder where they get their ginormous budgets from. Also when a house is slightly overbudget they seem able to just magic up an extra 20k or so out of a hat.

DH and I have a theory that people just go on these shows to 'be on tv' and that they really have no intention to buy.....

I know plenty of folk with very deep pockets. Not me though!

I love Escape to the Country, especially when it's on straight after the wonder that is Doctors

I too want to punch people when they say the kitchen is 'a bit cozy' or there is not 6 bedrooms only 5 or some such crap. It's very how-the-other-half-lives. These budgets are incredible, surely people make them up just to get on telly and look round some lovely houses?

I remember the Feng shui beam over the bed one! aaaagh. (was that LLL?)

I remember the feng shui beam too madhairday and yes I think it was LLL.

Love seeing different parts of the countryside and some of the houses too. Some of most chocolate box cottages are right broom cupboards inside, however. ETTC is good mindless viewing.

I love when a couple confidently assert that they 'want a project' and 'are not afraid of hard work' and then Kirstie shows them some shabby old place and starts talking about 'vision' and knocking down walls and moving the kitchen to the other side of the house; at which point they back off nervously muttering something about the garden being too small and run off to the nearest 'walk in condition' town house.

I like the nosing around the houses bit I do get absolutely sick of the 'we want land and we are going to keep chickens/pigs/goats' - just unimaginative twatishness. Also annoying the relatively young people with mega budgets in cash, what I really want to to know is where the fucking fuck did you get that amount of money??? Nosey bugger that I am.........

There was once a young couple on Relocation Relocation who 'fancied buying a wedding business' and had a whopping budget of £1.2million. Where on earth do people get that amount of money from?

YADNBU Awful programme!
Ties in beautifully with the two 4x4 threads currently on the go

I once met some people at a party who were real 'Escape to the Country' types. They told me at incredible length about how much they loved rural life, how they had a wonderful historic farmhouse, how they loved their historic cider orchard, and finally how they'd had to buy a 4x4 when they moved to the country, because of the mud and the deep snow.

I then found out they lived two doors down from me, and this terrible commute was along a road that both DH and I had been able to cycle every day without particular difficulty. I then realised that they were the people who were unable to do anything with their cider apples, and who had let the old gardener go, because they planned to look after the 'land' themselves, before giving up entirely and just leaving the garden to itself. As for the historic farmhouse...

I live in deeply rural Herefordshire, fighting a constant battle with the rabbits over my veg/lawn/bulbs and anything vaguely edible. I nearly died laughing when on one programme one of them looked out of the window and said "oh, rabbits, how sweet" - Jules whatisname could barely control his laughter and said "not so sweet when you are growing things" and she replied "oh, but they're lovely". I bet they didn't escape to the country.

ooh another Herefordian! Hello Frosty (from Ross on Wye). Never mind the rabbits, I've got squirrels intent on tunnelling to Australia all over my front garden. Pesky blighters!

LOL Grendel. You should have a read of the 4x4 threads. They would give you a good laugh.

I think a lot of people, when they imagine moving to the country, only really picture it in Summer or at Christmas. They don't think about what it will be like during a cold, wet, dreary week in November when the roads are nearly impassable, the kids keep bringing muck in on their shoes, you're looking out at bleak rain sodden fields all day and you're cottage full of character is also full of draughts.

The couple on todays programme have won the lottery! So we know where their big budget has come from!

Oh bless, they want a big house for their kids and her 3 disabled sisters/brother. They want to convert some of it into a bedroom and wet room for the sister who is in a wheelchair. What lovely people.

Ah Vodka, was just coming on here to see if anyone else was watching! They seem a lovely couple, don't they? I love how she is wearing a kilt for the occasion

Very about what you can get for your money there as opposed to my corner of scummy SE London.

The houses are utterly wonderful but I can't help thinking what a bugger they will be to heat...

Yes Aero, such deserving selfless people. Did chuckle at the kilt also!

Alistair seems really happy to have nice people to show round rather than some of the dipshits he normally has!

I knew he would show them a project when a project would be totally unsuitable for them

Mrs I thought that as well, I would definitely want to be in at least a village if I was her. Rural living is beautiful but really has some challenges as well, for anyone, let alone if there a difficulties getting out and about.

If they were to take this one surely they would just have to pay someone to come in and completely rennovate it for them and then they move in afterwards..

I love Escape to the Country. It's my 5 minutes with a cup of tea before the school run viewing choice.

I remember one, ages ago, with a WAG wannabe who wanted a house with character, so she was shown this beautiful old house that I'd sell my soul for and she wanted to rip out all the original features and cover the place with wood panelling. Moaned the massive ensuite bathroom, complete with roll top bath and free standing shower cubicle was too small - I mean what the heck did she plan on doing in there?

Wildfig - what do you know about Leominster that you need to escape from....? It's almost my local town and I'm curious as to your knowledge of it!