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Escape To The Country - Season 26 - Episode 21: Oxfordshire
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00:01today we're seeking a rural escape from rocking all over the world it just gives
00:07you a bit of peace and tranquility to the craziness of rock and roll life
00:10there's performance anxiety to overcome we have got to find somewhere for the
00:15drum kit to go but nothing gets things back on track like a showstopper you
00:22have a garage oh shut the front door best reaction and we might even find a home
00:31that inspires a love song
00:59undulating farmscapes punctuated by thatched cottages
01:04Thameside country towns brim full with boutiques and bars and the oldest university in the English
01:12speaking world as far as all-encompassing escape destinations go the county of Oxfordshire gets
01:20first-class honors rolling hills winding rivers dreaming spires Oxfordshire is the home of
01:28storytellers and scholars although let's face it unless there's a degree in escaping to the country
01:35or maybe 90s pop music I think I'll simply stick to admiring this beautiful wonderful county slap
01:44bang in the heart of southern England Oxfordshire is a rock star when it comes to rural retreats
01:50stadium fillers radio head hail from here although there's no need for fake plastic trees in this
01:57county it is lovely going up in Oxfordshire it feels like you're in nature around here but
02:04you're still pretty connected to like most places where we live there's woods and rivers and canals that we can
02:11walk along lots of lovely pubs and restaurants that welcome dogs north Oxfordshire has farming
02:19communities served by market towns and villages like Burford to the south the Chilterns and
02:26ten side towns such as Abingdon and Henley where resident headliners have ranged from George Harrison to
02:33Liam Gallagher people think it's full of really wealthy people but actually there's normal people here as you can tell
02:49okay it's nearly time for our house hunting to begin here in Oxfordshire but first let's meet my buyers
02:55a couple of rock musicians so stand by everyone because we're going to be turning the volume up all the
03:02way to eleven hello how's it going I'm Sophie I'm Chris and this is Kobe and we would like to
03:10escape to
03:10the country yes we would newlywed Sophie a touring rock guitarist and Chris a drummer have a huge social media
03:21following plus equally supersized and growing needs when it comes to a home with over 30 guitars drums costumes
03:30two cats and canine companion Kobe do you want to escape to the country Kobe yes their rented accommodation
03:42near the large Berkshire town of Reading is no longer cutting it I record all of my music here Chris
03:49obviously has a massive drum kit here so when one of us is working the other person can't just like
03:55sit and relax in the lounge they have to go upstairs or something because it's rented we can't really
03:59do anything with it so it'd just be like a dream of mine just have our own space where we
04:03can do so
04:04whatever we want with the garden and have a nice a nicer space for Kobe as well to be honest
04:09that'd be
04:09great this is our studio space at the moment where we film a lot of our videos very cluttered we've
04:16got
04:17a lot of random stuff but it does take up one of the bedrooms which is unfortunate because means we
04:21don't have a guest bedroom for family and friends to come and stay I am originally from Henley on Thames
04:28which is in Oxfordshire so I know that area quite well it's where a lot of my friends and family
04:33are
04:33based so I don't want to be too far from them but we're hoping to find our own little pocket
04:37in Oxfordshire
04:37that we love these first-time buyers favor modern open-plan homes over period cottages they want three to
04:45four bedrooms parking for their cars and tour van and a garage or outbuilding for a soundproof studio a village
04:53with a pub is their ideal location and they have a budget of up to six hundred thousand pounds
05:08when you hear that these guys are rock musicians and they do really well at it the thought of moving
05:14to the countryside perhaps wouldn't be people's first choice for them but in a way I can understand it
05:19now I haven't toured like Sophie and Chris have but probably the longest I was on the road was with
05:26the
05:26Spice Girls sorry for the name drop and by the end of the tour as much as I loved it
05:31when you're
05:31living out of hotels and suitcases you just want to come home have your creature comforts around you
05:37beautiful surroundings and just chill before we go full volume on the house tours I've got us a scenic
05:47spot in South Oxfordshire for a warm-up Chris and Sophie a very warm welcome to you are you looking
05:54forward to the next few days thank you so much yeah we're really really excited now before we start
05:59I've got to ask you millions and millions of followers the two of you on social media I mean
06:05that's incredible are you going to be sharing this with the people that follow you oh yeah I think so
06:10definitely I like to share different parts of my lives and stuff so it's it's nice for people to
06:15see that we're normal people trying to find a house as well massive congratulations because you've
06:20just got about how many weeks is it oh it's two months two months five days is it yeah extra
06:26points
06:26remembering the days yeah yeah I'm not as good at that and by your first home together yeah we're very
06:34excited like it's it's kind of the time for us to start thinking about the potential of building a
06:39family as well in the next few years and just kind of yeah just really prioritizing our relationship
06:45what does the countryside look like the two of you what are you after I think we'd like to be
06:49close to a
06:49pub being able to be part of a community as well as really important to us we both know Oxfordshire
06:54relatively well we know parts of it it feels like home to us I'm so looking forward to showing you
06:59around this beautiful county are we going to get any showbiz gossip while we're on the road oh maybe
07:04maybe just for you what happens on the road stays on the road exactly and we're on the road
07:10aren't we say what you like and shall we get started let's do it let's go come on then finally
07:16thank you
07:19the first house we're viewing is in the rurally located village of farmore a couple of miles along
07:27the road towards the town of whitney is the larger village of ancient this has a choice of pubs both
07:34of which are dog friendly as well as places to get a haircut a supermarket and regular buses to the
07:43city of
07:44Oxford the seven minute drive back to farmore involves a quirky five penny toll small change in
07:52the scheme of a house that clicks so here we go our first property I like the pink it's got
08:02a
08:02garage as well it's got a drive strong first impressions then yes I think so yeah just
08:08keeping an open mind yeah okay yeah well let's go in and see what you make the inside great
08:17originally a 1960s brick bungalow the upper story was added by previous owners who also extended to
08:23the rear we're taking the central front door so here we go as you come in good size hallway to
08:33pass
08:34through some of the original footprint and reach a dining room with a window to the left-hand side of
08:39the home and start off the tour properly in here because this is where I think we have amazing
08:46potential yeah yes beautiful it's a really really nice space big window I would do probably more open
08:52plan with my dad I used to do a lot of building when I was younger did you I'm just
08:57visualizing how
08:58I'd sort of knock some walls down got a professional well if I go like this you could actually open
09:05this
09:05out I'll show you next door and make a fantastic areas big space yeah it's a really big space let's
09:11go next door and I'll show you what I mean you see you've got this fabulous room as well oh
09:16this is
09:17beautiful I love the bifold doors yeah can you imagine opening it out yeah that would be really
09:22cool like we like to like sort of have family over and stuff so it'd be nice to have like
09:25a big
09:25entertaining space absolutely let's see what you make of the kitchen Chris if you wouldn't mind
09:31leading the way yeah no problem located at the rear in a single store extension is the kitchen oh this
09:39is cute and nice high ceilings yeah it feels really spacious it does feel spacious it's nice I actually
09:47really like the kind of style it is too I like the colors little utility in there oh this is
09:53utility
09:54oh nice okay I wish everybody was like you too enthusiasm yeah it's just you've just got to be
10:03open-minded and also if you've rented for a long time together haven't you exactly yeah and you should
10:09see in some of the places we've rented oh really you can paint it whatever color you like you can
10:16make
10:16it your own exactly I can imagine cooking here and like looking at the garden how many bedrooms
10:21ideally you after four four so I've got two downstairs that you could possibly have and then let's see
10:28what you think of upstairs okay I'm letting Chris and Sophie explore the two bedrooms at the front of the
10:35original bungalow which are now being put to other uses this would be great for like a this is a
10:43film
10:43in space I was gonna say a filming space so you would sit up there and have the back out
10:47there as
10:48well we have got to find somewhere for the drum kit to go cue comedy drumroll cool this is another
10:56really good size room as well I've seen something is this the secret secret cupboard perfect I don't
11:02think you'll squeeze them in there Chris you could have your whiskey corner in here I'll see now you've
11:08just thrown it all out now that yeah so I'm mixing stuff here I'm a whiskey there yeah you just
11:14need to
11:14be really clever on storage serving the ground floor is a family shower room and on the floor above is
11:22an
11:22additional shower room sitting between two further bedrooms a front-facing double is set into the eaves
11:30do you know what this could probably double up as a guest room and your dressing room dressing room
11:35it is a lot bigger than the dressing room I have at the moment and finally at the back of
11:39the house
11:40the largest bedroom on offer with room enough to swing a chappers I'm gonna call this the main
11:46bedroom it's maybe a little bit smaller than kind of what I'm just thinking with our super king bed in
11:51I like the fitted wardrobes though I think that's a really good user space with the eaves and it's the
11:56same here behind me so there's lots of good storage yeah that's good because we have a lot
12:00of stuff we have a lot of stuff yeah be quite fitting to live in far more with all your
12:05stuff
12:16and there's far more outside to including storage in the form of a detached garage and a large wooden
12:23shed there's space in the garden for some homegrown produce as well as a food for thought behind us
12:31is a pond and that's a little wildlife reserve there so the insect pollinators could all come
12:37along yeah that's really sweet so the garden is bigger than it looks yeah it goes on for a bit
12:42you
12:43could actually without compromising the wildlife area is built a sound studio at the back yeah and
12:47that is enough room that's not overlooked you're not going to be disturbing too many neighbors no
12:51exactly so what do you reckon the first properties on the market this is on the nose I think I
12:56think
12:56it's probably like 600,000 I think it's probably yeah I'd say 600 or more okay well you're not going
13:02to be disappointed because that is the asking price yeah cool yeah that's kind of that's that's pretty
13:06much yeah definitely I was expecting a good price right on the money this detached and extended 1960s
13:14house has a spacious kitchen two further reception rooms and two to four bedrooms depending on how the
13:21space is used there's the addition of a garage and a good-sized garden and it's in a quiet village
13:28location so this is somewhere that I could see us sort of coming home after a long stint on the
13:33road
13:34the downstairs is lovely it's quite modern with like a traditional feel for a 60s style house the only
13:40thing that's letting it down for me it is the upstairs space like the size of rooms but overall I
13:45really
13:45like it I'm feeling very excited I'm feeling really really positive I liked the little pink color as
13:51well I'm a sucker for pink it's a little bit further out I think that then we'd like from a
13:56community Chris
13:57would probably like to have yeah the pub in walking distance the name of Woodstock is more likely to
14:11conjure up images of the famous United States music festival than honey-colored homes and English
14:17countryside but this market town established by 12th century royal charter could well hit the right
14:26notes for Chris and Sophie's would be escape there's a lot of cute little shops combining shops for
14:35both daily staples and quirky curiosities it's served by frequent buses to Oxford and a train station an 18
14:42minute bus ride away Woodstock's a perfect mix of being rural enough and to sort of have excitement but
14:52also countryside it's got such a thriving music and art scene very creative place it's so cute that you
14:59could bring your dog into all of these shops as well like all the shops around here are dog friendly
15:04it's great if you're raising young children there's lots of groups around pretty much for every interest
15:12Woodstock's wooden stocks were once used to hold the legs of seated miscreants
15:17if you do anything wrong can put you in the stocks and curiously feature five holes these days they are
15:26one of the many historic features that attract visitors to the town we have lots of people come
15:32in especially during the summer internationally but the people that we see really regularly are more local
15:37tourists who know Woodstock that's a great place to go to adjacent to Woodstock is the magnificent
15:49estate of Blenheim Palace birthplace of Winston Churchill Blenheim's really looked after there's no litter and
15:57rubbish and it's just refreshing to be out there Wow so beautiful I'll ruin it residents of the town could
16:08apply for a pass to walk the dog friendly grounds for visitors there's a choice of tickets some giving access
16:15to events such as a food festival and flower show the palace also plays host to live music
16:23can you imagine if we play here as well if all that's worked up a thirst there's imbibing a plenty
16:38from pavement cafes to small family-run pubs and Georgian inns
16:43that's got me like the fifth those we've all passed I know there's a lot of pubs it is a
16:48bit of me I like I've got to say this is so nice yeah definitely
16:56our next stop is the south of Oxfordshire village of blueberry located in the national landscape of the
17:02North Wessex downs and presided over by the curves of an iron age hill fort the architecture of the village
17:10spans a
17:11millennium across more than 70 listed buildings despite its name savages offers a very civilized
17:20combination of plants groceries and a tea room there's also a couple of pubs one serving Thai
17:28cuisine all within an easy walk for house I've got to show them
17:35oh I like the bay windows you love a bay window I do like a bay window it feels quite
17:40rural round here
17:41you've probably heard the horses walking by anyway yeah donkeys behind us in the field
17:48oh my god it's so cute so first impressions then it's got a nice big driveway as well which is
17:55really nice
17:55no garage that I can see yeah well let's see what you make of the house shall we yes
18:03dating to the start of the 1920s this semi-detached home has an entrance set at the side which takes
18:09us
18:10across to a central kitchen also with a window to the side I think this house definitely has a contemporary
18:18feel to it yeah yeah definitely it's really nice kitchens in the middle of the house which is quite
18:23unusual it is I usually like the kitchen opening onto the garden you like to live in a open plan
18:29kitchen
18:30dining area living space yeah we like to be in the same room with each other but not with the
18:36drum kit or
18:37the exactly how many guitars lost count after 30 here yeah I think so yes that's better than my shoe
18:45collection
18:4730 guitars I know it's a bit too much I only play like two as well yeah but are they
18:52your babies you can't
18:52get rid of course yeah I'm slightly worrying about storage now but we'll see how we get on come through
18:58here
18:59although not fully open plan the kitchen does flow through to a rear reception oh this is nice I'll
19:08be tempted to open it up would have a really nice like big kitchen diner which would be lovely yeah
19:13it'd be perfect for that looking out onto your garden yeah and I do see a little building at the
19:18back
19:18there which I'm curious about yes you see most of downstairs do you two on your own now want to
19:24nip
19:24upstairs and have a look around there yeah let's do it all right cool completing the ground floor at
19:31the front of the home the smaller of the receptions could perhaps provide their social media studio okay
19:39I immediately I love the bay window it's spacious in here yeah it is a good size to be creative
19:44yeah
19:45yeah let's do it on the floor above the first of three bedrooms the principal takes in the front facing
19:53bay window
19:55oh this is quite a nice size and I love the bay window that's nice to wake up you can
20:00wake up to the
20:01donkeys every morning look at the donkeys it's so cute yeah this is a nice room with the super king
20:05bed
20:05plus a wardrobe we still don't have a massive amount of room we could build a wardrobe there yeah
20:11oh nice big bathroom I love a big bath it's been done really well yeah it's nice I do love
20:17a big bath in a separate shower in one room
20:19yeah creme de la creme the small of the two guest rooms is in use as an office and has
20:26an aspect to the
20:27rear garden as does the larger guest room this could double up as your sort of dressing room as well
20:33I
20:34think I probably need more space for a dressing room Chris and Sophie have so much stuff I mean she
20:40said 30
20:41guitars at least he's got a drum kit plus on stage outfits merchandise leads and then they've got their
20:49own possessions as well I think the flow of the house is maybe slightly it's just doesn't flow right
20:57for us yeah and like the rooms upstairs are quite small for we need there's not much built-in storage
21:01we're not improving on what we have exactly yeah there is room to spill out onto the garden
21:08which has a patio and is well enclosed for their dog this is a nice garden I love this garden
21:16yeah
21:16it's really pretty I like having a patio area and then like the nice long garden there are mature fruit
21:23trees and two large sheds which could perhaps be upgraded to store touring equipment here come the
21:31newlyweds hey that's why I'm not a singer great support so I've given you a little time to look around
21:45the
21:46property and then I thought I'd show you the garden because at the back perhaps this could be our saviour
21:50studio we have a huge shed oh but with the right planning permission you could build a sound studio
21:55there okay what are we thinking then on the price I think it might be five three five
22:03okay five hundred and fifty five thousand pounds okay five fifty you're close okay
22:10the actual asking price is five hundred and sixty thousand pounds okay cool I was well off then
22:17leaving lots of financial wiggle room this semi-detached 1920s house has two reception rooms and three
22:26bedrooms there's an enclosed rear garden and it's in a village location with views to neighbors who don't
22:33mind making a bit of an ass of themselves I was very excited as we approached mainly because of the
22:39donkeys let's be honest the fact that you look over them when you're in the bedroom as well I think
22:46is a really nice touch yeah you've got the pubs in the area it's rural but it feels quite quaint
22:52quite nice as well quite welcoming look at all these bees on the lavender loads of them right sitting down
23:00on the job better get up you caught me happy yes very happy thank you seen enough yes I think
23:07for today yeah good lots to think about but let's go and have a chat shall we yeah
23:16that's today's house tours
23:22but how about this for an exclusive encore
23:45so our own personal gig isn't it thank you and what a beautiful setting to do it absolutely yeah people
23:52wouldn't usually expect like the kind of rock metal guitar culture to also mix so well with the
23:58countryside but it does yeah it does often you'll read interviews with famous musicians and they say
24:04you know when I come off the road that's where I want to be I want to be in my
24:07own home in the
24:08countryside away from it all and you know what you two can relate to that yeah yeah definitely like I
24:13think it just gives you a bit of peace and tranquility to the craziness of rock and roll life yeah
24:18we're
24:18almost ahead of our time really because usually they do that when they're at the end of the road don't
24:22they
24:22in their 60s yeah when they've retired we want to get that we're like no we want to do that
24:26now
24:26yeah I get to get to it enjoy the fruits of our labour now don't we exactly yeah
24:30can you feel the change in yourselves yeah definitely like I think everything kind of
24:34you just feel a bit quieter you do you feel at peace yeah we talk about working from home
24:41but can you explain to us what you mean by that yeah yeah so I do a lot on social
24:46media so that kind
24:46of means we're having we have to kind of have sets almost built which are ready with the big cameras
24:52with proper like softbox lighting and everything my whole guitar rig set up which goes through a pedal
24:57so many wires you wouldn't believe the amount of cables we have it's not just a case of going on
25:01the
25:01laptop and sending an email like what a lot of people do from home and then also Chris does all
25:06of my
25:06merch and I think that's why we have so much stuff yeah yeah we've got to find you a place
25:11that has
25:12the potential for all of that absolutely I think you can add all the pressure yeah do you we've got
25:17quite a good track record I don't mind saying so let's see how we get on tomorrow yes
25:32the latest average sold price for detached properties in Oxfordshire is 675 thousand pounds
25:39considerably above the UK average the four hundred and forty one thousand but there are less expensive
25:48pockets to be found such as in and around the market towns of Banbury in the north of the county
25:54and Whitney in the west to help you do the maths on where your budget might get you in the
26:03county
26:03here's a selection from the area my buyers are looking at this week this grade 2 listed 2 bedroom
26:1018th century cottage in a village location has period interiors and a private rear garden it's offered for a
26:18guide price of 330 thousand pounds for a thatched and detached option this 17th century 2 bedroom home
26:29in a riverside location is full of cottage character and has a generous garden backing onto the river tame
26:36the guide for office is 475 thousand pounds for a short stay that really encourages branching out
26:47this futuristic tree house sleeps too and offers surround sound custom playlists to go with a 360
26:55silver and serenity from 232 to 299 pounds per night for a minimum two night stay
27:07this move to Oxfordshire is all about a lifestyle change for Sophie and Chris putting down some country
27:14roots and when I say country I don't mean the musical genre I mean rolling hills and beautiful landscapes
27:21so we're going to be showing them at mystery house which certainly has a homely appeal and I'm hoping
27:28it's going to work on all levels with a little bit of a compromise
27:32my mystery destination is in the village of Sutton Courtney
27:39this idyllic spot is ironically the final resting place of the author of some of the most dystopian novels
27:47ever written George Orwell close to his grave an aptly named pub has a history of his life
27:55and don't fear the matrix here either it's a center for the arts
28:01there's also a convenience store a pretty green and several more pubs including one serving gourmet meals courtesy of a
28:10French chef
28:12while my buyers are getting a sense of all that I'm going ahead to what I hope will prove to
28:17be mystery property utopia
28:22so this mystery house or should that be a mystery cottage has a bundles of charm and bundles of beams
28:33feast your eyes it is beautiful it has the heritage it has the beams you can see the age but
28:41it also has that contemporary finish
28:46my buyers say they're not keen on cottages so fingers crossed for my period mystery wager
28:52hello
28:54so welcome to Sutton Courtney and welcome to your mystery cottage
28:59oh
29:00okay
29:01that's so pretty
29:02I love the porch
29:04I like the character features on it
29:06shall we start and see what you think
29:08yeah let's do it
29:11built as two attached cottages in the early 1900s
29:15but now a single detached home
29:17this brick stone and tiled property is thought to have been extended at least twice over its lifetime
29:23we enter through a more recently added porch
29:27to reach a characterful dining room in the original footprint
29:31and mind the step as well
29:33oh wow
29:34oh wait for me
29:35sorry
29:38oh wow
29:40this is really really nice
29:42yeah
29:42oh you've definitely stumped us
29:44yeah
29:44and it's sort of semi open plan living
29:48cool
29:48that's exactly what we like
29:50yeah
29:51I am stumped
29:52I will say
29:53and the ceilings are high enough for your head as well
29:55because we always thought cottages had quite low ceilings
29:57yeah
29:57so these are quite
29:58there you go
29:58you can jump around
29:59yeah a little jump there
30:00yeah
30:01it is one of those ones you step in and go
30:03oh wow
30:03yeah
30:04let's see if it continues
30:06yeah
30:06okay
30:07we're all beaming
30:09do you like what I did there
30:12wow
30:13yeah this kitchen is beautiful
30:14it is pristine
30:15lots of side space too
30:17I like a good amount of side space
30:19I need as much room as possible
30:20look at the drawers
30:21there's a lot of storage
30:22storage
30:23and you've got a dining table at the end
30:26that's really cool
30:27that's clever
30:28integrated
30:28is it talking to you Chris?
30:29mm-hmm
30:30I think you've stumped Chris
30:32because you know
30:33Chris thinks practically
30:34so he's very much like
30:35I think he's probably still thinking about the driveway
30:37not being there
30:37you're not wrong
30:38just around the corner
30:39you've got a little utility room
30:41okay
30:42amazing
30:42which is super super handy
30:44and then through here
30:45the sitting room
30:46okay
30:49oh wow
30:50damn
30:52you really don't want to like it because of the driveway
30:54but every room just keeps getting better and better
30:57like this is beautiful
30:58it feels really cosy
31:00but you look like you're in pain
31:01I am
31:02you can see the steam coming out of his ears
31:04and the cogs turning in his head
31:05yeah
31:06because you wouldn't have considered this house
31:08not at all
31:09I want you two to go off and explore upstairs
31:11and then I will meet you outside
31:12okay
31:13cool
31:13you're welcome
31:13thank you
31:14thank you
31:16at the back of the home
31:17the final room of the ground floor
31:19is a bathroom that has a large contemporary bath
31:22stairs in the dining room lead up to the bedrooms
31:25three in total
31:26starting with the principal to the front
31:32this is a really nice sized bedroom
31:35hmm
31:37you don't want to like it so much
31:39I know
31:40that's really spacious
31:41it does
31:42you like a skylight for when it rains
31:44yeah
31:45watch the stars we can stargaze
31:48to give Chris a further headache
31:51this opens into a smaller room in the rear eaves
31:54I do love this space for like a dressing room
31:57like I can match myself with my makeup mirror here
31:59yeah
31:59good wardrobes as well that are built in
32:02this is just such a good extra space to have
32:04this is really cute as well I've noticed
32:06they've been marking the children as they grow
32:09aww
32:09and we could probably do the same thing
32:11this is definitely a house you can make memories in
32:13absolutely
32:13you know
32:15there's more to fuel those fertile imaginations at the back
32:18in the first of the guest rooms
32:21look at the letter books
32:22we can send letters to our guests
32:24could be a filming space and double up as a guest room
32:29also on this floor is a very modern wet room
32:32as well as the third and final bedroom another guest double facing to the front
32:39right
32:40right hear me out
32:41guest room
32:42yeah
32:42and this is a creative space like filming
32:44I just want to peek around here as well
32:46where are you going
32:47there's like a little window
32:49there's a little window to the stairs so I can shout down
32:52that's amazing
32:53Chris can I have a cup of coffee please
32:55morning
32:56morning
32:58hello
32:58it's like Romeo and Juliet
33:00Romeo Romeo
33:02what art thou Romeo
33:04that's amazing
33:05does it have a driveway no
33:08does it have loads of storage
33:10but does it feel like home yes yes yes
33:15okay well I've had enough so bye-bye
33:17yeah
33:18no
33:20bye-bye
33:24there is serious merriment is that a word going on upstairs
33:28wait you can do like this again
33:31turn down to the basement
33:32oh my god no it should be more like a lift
33:35more like a lift yeah
33:42well done that's brilliant
33:44like puppet shows for the years
33:46yeah what Punch and Judy
33:47yeah
33:53if that sort of laughter means they love it
33:55I'm definitely going to take it is soul
33:57because they seem to be really enjoying themselves
33:59whether the upstairs works on all the levels that they want it to
34:04it's another thing
34:05we can make it work it's just what we're willing to make work if you know what I mean
34:09and I think this one is finished to such a high standard
34:11yeah this is such like a oh this is a spanner
34:15and when it comes to somewhere to store that giant spanner Chris
34:19my marvelous mystery might just have the thing
34:22because I've got something to reveal outside in the small but well stocked enclosed rear garden
34:30you have a garage
34:31oh shut the front door
34:36really
34:36best reaction for the garage ever
34:40and that's a big garage as well that goes really far back
34:43it does
34:43what price are we going to put
34:45oh
34:46I think it's going to be
34:47five nine five maybe even six hundred
34:49I have a gut feeling that it's going to be a lot less
34:53are you hoping
34:53I think he's manifesting
34:55I reckon it's five seven five
34:58okay offers over six hundred thousand pounds
35:01okay yeah
35:01I can see why because everything is finished to such a high standard
35:05yeah
35:06we are right on the top of your budget
35:07but you don't really need to spend any money inside the property
35:11you could in theory move in tomorrow
35:13yeah definitely
35:14I wouldn't need to do anything
35:15so
35:17okay so they would need to buy the place first
35:20but what a home this early 19th century mystery could give them
35:25with period features meeting modern sensibilities in the kitchen diner
35:29three bedrooms two bathrooms and a detached garage
35:34plus it's in a great village with several pubs a short walk away
35:38these mystery houses are definitely
35:41they really do make you think because we had a list of things we wanted
35:45and this house you know it misses I guess quite a few things
35:49because I think from the off we said we weren't keen on the cottages
35:53and then when you just see the charm
35:55everything kind of goes out the window
35:57I still don't want to like it but I can't not
36:00you can't not it's so beautiful
36:02it is a beautiful home
36:13there are so many places in the UK to escape to but if you think about it
36:19there are even more places to escape from
36:22and we've met so many people living in the countryside from all around the world
36:27like Tona who's come all the way from Mexico and brought with her her passion for food
36:34and 15 years of intercontinental experience in Michelin starred fine dining
36:49but baking bread in an oxfordshire village stoke row is where she's now totally at home
36:57is there anything better than the smell of fresh bread from a bakery and I think I've hit the spot
37:04and I'm not the only one seeking this place out
37:07awards and accolades from Britain's best loaf to a nomination for baker of the year
37:13mean a steady stream of repeat customers precede me
37:17I can see you've got your hands full and just standing here it smells gorgeous
37:21what have you bought?
37:22I bought two of their loaves in here
37:24I'm going to freeze one and then the other one might not last longer than the day
37:29good idea
37:30so are you a regular here at the bakery?
37:33yes
37:33yeah yeah it's very famous in the local area so always come here when I can
37:36I come all the way from Reading
37:37do you?
37:38to get it yeah
37:40I make that a 20 mile round trip
37:43but the journey here for the baker herself has been even longer
37:47Tona so lovely to meet you
37:50standing here I'm in seventh heaven really
37:52surrounded by all this goodness and gorgeousness
37:55Oxfordshire wasn't originally your home was it?
37:58yours is an unusual story
38:00so yeah I was born in Mexico
38:02I went to Argentina
38:03and I thought I was going to stay there
38:05then I met my partner who is from around here
38:09but we didn't come here straight away
38:11we went to Mexico
38:12we set up a restaurant
38:13we sold that restaurant right before the pandemic
38:16and we relocated here
38:18so the dream was always to have a bakery or not?
38:22no originally I was thinking maybe I could make another restaurant
38:27but through the years I worked in fine dining
38:29one of the things that bothered me the most was that
38:32those amazing meals that really touch your soul
38:38are not affordable for everybody
38:40all I wanted was to make that kind of experience affordable
38:43or in a way that could reach most of the people
38:47and if I can translate what I wanted to do into bread
38:51there's so many people I can like reach
38:54I can share the experience
38:56you've got something here which is first class
38:59in a village community
39:00this year we are doing gingerbread house decorating competition
39:03where we are trying to make a model village of a stoke row
39:07what a lovely idea but it doesn't stop there does it?
39:10recent thing we're doing we just took over the pub
39:12the local pub
39:14the pub may not be open quite yet
39:16but the garden is a good spot to sample a taste of things to come
39:22I have been with the most lovely couple
39:25and one of the things that they ask for near any property is a pub
39:31they want to be part of that community
39:33a great place to meet people, make friends
39:35it's lovely that you've got that passion
39:37to get it reopened with the backing of the village and beyond
39:40but also give them great food
39:43you want a space where you can sit and feel that you belong
39:47to me it takes a village to raise a person
39:50but to me it takes a baker to feed a village
39:53yes, so right, absolutely
39:57and on that note what have we got here?
39:59what we've been doing for the last 10,000 years
40:02breaking bread together
40:03come on then
40:03this is a steak
40:06it's got a nice crust, it's got a nice inside
40:09how lovely
40:11you've got plenty of butter on this
40:14ready?
40:18mmm
40:21truly delicious
40:24I think Tonner must have found a way to the heart of this village through its stomachs
40:29now back to the property and pub that could have my buyers calling Oxfordshire home
40:38we have had a great few days hanging out in Oxfordshire with two rock musicians
40:43and Sophie and Chris have been positive about all the houses we've shown them
40:47but did we get close with our mystery house?
40:50shall we go and find out?
40:56well it's certainly been an entertaining few days
40:59it's been fabulous
41:00we've had so much fun like honestly
41:02and we've learnt so much as well about what we need
41:05yeah
41:05it was interesting to see how our lives would work in each one
41:08we're both awful decision makers and it feels like such a big decision
41:11we're both Libras, it doesn't help
41:12we both sit on the fence on everything
41:14but you know what, you haven't been bad in actual fact
41:17because I know lifestyle lifestyle has been in the back of our heads the whole time
41:20you were very open minded and mindful of what it is that you need
41:24yeah
41:26did we get close?
41:28yeah for sure
41:29definitely
41:29I think you did get really close with a couple of the properties
41:32particularly the mystery house
41:34yeah I think it goes without saying we did love the feel of the mystery house
41:37we both absolutely loved it
41:39like
41:39that was a spanner
41:40our hearts were really in that one
41:42but we do also have to think practically
41:44yeah
41:44I don't think we could compromise on not having a driveway
41:46so I'm taking from this conversation then that you're going to continue the search
41:51I think what we may need to consider because obviously we wanted to stay local for our families and everything
41:56but there is no harm in going further afield
41:59squeeze in some more time to look at properties
42:02we will do
42:03because I know you're keen
42:04don't lose that momentum
42:05but all the very best
42:07thank you both so much
42:08thank you
42:09it's been amazing
42:10it's been an amazing few days
42:17it does seem that the search is going to continue for that home with lots of storage space and studio
42:24as well
42:25not just here in Oxfordshire but in the surrounding counties too
42:29and in my opinion that is a sensible move
42:32we wish them all the very best with their exciting careers and also for their next move to the countryside
42:38so that's it from me and I'll see you again soon
42:44Sophie and Chris did indeed continue to tour a property further north
42:48and we're delighted to announce they found just what they were looking for in the Oxfordshire market town of Banbury
42:55we hope to hear they've moved in very soon
42:59if you would like to escape to the country in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales and need our help
43:05why not apply online at bbc.co.uk forward slash take part
43:14let's see you again next season
43:15to the end of the day
43:15we'll be right back
43:18we'll be right back
43:29we'll be right back
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