- 6 hours ago
A New Life in the Sun - Season 11 - Episode 09
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00:01From the glistening waters of the Med to the mountainous Alps,
00:05all across Europe, brave Brits are chasing new beginnings.
00:09Let's get this show on the road, huh?
00:11I mean, just look at this backdrop here.
00:13Essex was nothing like this.
00:15The stakes are high.
00:17This is definitely a gamble. I put everything in.
00:19All my life savings.
00:21We've got a lot riding on this.
00:22Our futures, our children's futures.
00:24We have to make some money.
00:25As they launch B&Bs...
00:27Service.
00:28..and pubs in France...
00:30We're very new at this.
00:31Wow.
00:32Good job the wines, Chi.
00:34..to wellness retreats and holiday parks in Bulgaria.
00:38It's not big enough.
00:39We measured it. I don't understand.
00:41Ha!
00:41..it's a journey into the unknown.
00:44Whoa.
00:44That's cool.
00:46Boo!
00:47But we're joining them for the ride.
00:50As they tee off...
00:52Ooh!
00:53..their new lives in the sun.
00:55I just walk around with a smile on my face all the time.
00:58Best life ever!
01:01Today, a family from Hertfordshire have a taste for life in Italy.
01:07It's the best oil ever!
01:09Have they found the recipe for success?
01:12The idea of tonight, obviously, to showcase what we've done.
01:16And it's the first time a lot of people have come to see the glamping site.
01:18A couple in Bulgaria have big plans.
01:22This land is...
01:23We've got some vision for it.
01:25Maybe there will be where the van life has come.
01:27But can they battle bureaucracy to build their dream life?
01:31We'll put her on a flight to the UK and I will come back here.
01:35There are new skills to master for a couple running sheets in France.
01:39Just hammer the wood into the ground, man.
01:42Can they expand their business and make the numbers work?
01:45310.
01:46Oh my God, that's miles out!
01:49And can an antique shop owner from Shropshire...
01:51It's just a literally minute's walk around the back.
01:54...direct his shop and B&B towards profits?
01:58I've almost run out of money, bottoming out in my bank account.
02:02So I could just deal with some money coming back now.
02:13The lush green slopes of central Italy are still a somewhat undiscovered gem, compared to Lombardy or Tuscany.
02:22What have you been doing this morning while we've been up at the farm?
02:26Sleeping!
02:26I slept through my alarm. I was going to wake up and shower.
02:29What do you mean for a change?
02:30In search of adventure in 2019, Rob and Fran from Hertfordshire, along with their children Mabel and Alfred, bought a
02:3922 hectare farm for 390,000 euros.
02:45I wouldn't choose a different country in Europe than Italy.
02:47So I just think, ah, Italy. It's beautiful.
02:51And this village here, Montoni, is one of the most beautiful villages in Italy.
02:56Yeah. I'm all about the romantic notion of what Italy is.
02:59And obviously, being the number one fan of gladiator film, I obviously needed to come to the birthplace.
03:06That's why we built a coliseum, auditorium, mini, mini stone circle, yeah.
03:13And that's not all they've built.
03:15A new family home is currently under construction, and to fund it and generate an income,
03:21they've also established a luxury glamping site, which first opened its canvas flaps to visitors in April.
03:29Connecting to the land is a priority for the couple, and is part of the ethos that drives their business.
03:36In this region, there's an emphasis now on zero kilometres, so eating all the food that is grown really locally
03:42sourced,
03:43people making, you know, artisanal products.
03:46You go to a local shop, and it's not a farm shop that's going to charge you an arm and
03:50a leg.
03:51It's a real treat to be able to go out and just have something cooked beautifully, you know, Umbrian for
03:57us.
03:57Having inherited vineyards and olive groves with their purchase of the farm,
04:03becoming recognised as quality food producers is a big aspiration for the couple.
04:08It's a predominantly farming community.
04:10They're not antagonistic towards foreigners coming in and turning their hand,
04:15trying to maintain, you know, the landscape, yeah.
04:19It was amazing, the old owner. He's still farming it in his late 80s.
04:24He wanted it to go on to people that wanted to keep and preserve the farm.
04:28And so we've tried to do that, and the old vineyard, we've added a vineyard,
04:33and obviously just maintaining the olives is quite substantial.
04:38It's June.
04:40What do you want?
04:41We want a Euro sign and 25.
04:43Euro and a 25? Yeah.
04:45Space as well.
04:46And today at Rob and Fran's event space, yoga mats have made way for organic produce.
04:52So this is a little food cooperative called the Villaggio del Chibo,
04:57which is basically a grouping of local food producers.
05:01The idea of tonight for us is obviously to showcase what we've done, show off the beautiful landscape.
05:09Today we have lots of the food producers here, so people can actually meet them for a change.
05:14Normally they just collect the food, which has already been put together.
05:17And it's the first time a lot of people have come to see the glamping sites.
05:21So for us it's like, it's beautiful all around.
05:23Rob and Fran aren't just showing off the farm to the local community.
05:27They're showcasing another potential revenue stream, harvested from their land.
05:32We're also a producer, a local producer from these trees.
05:36So this olive oil is made and pressed last October, November.
05:41So our daughter is going to be giving out these samples and hopefully to, you know, wind people in.
05:48Just polishing them up a little bit so they're not so greasy looking.
05:52Nobody wants to buy a greasy olive oil bottle.
05:54You know, try and pour something.
05:56Yeah, yeah.
05:57Be liberal, don't worry about it.
05:59And then get it on the others.
06:04It's the best oil ever. I mean, come on.
06:07With everything in place, the community comes together.
06:11And all in the name of good food.
06:14We've got lots of different people from all over the region who've come.
06:20So that's gorgeous.
06:21Lots of people who've come originally to collect their produce.
06:24And now they're meeting all the producers.
06:26Some people are meeting for the first time.
06:29People catching up with each other who were neighbours who didn't know each other were coming here.
06:33So yeah, no, it's beautiful.
06:36Making valuable connections and squeezing every resource possible from the farm is vital to the success of their business.
06:44But also their new lives here.
06:46It's been lovely. It's like a crescendo of a day.
06:49Being part of the community, being able to open our space for people to come together like this.
06:55And then some beautiful music playing with the sunset.
07:01I mean...
07:01But it's so magic for me that so many people who live in the village have come.
07:06I mean, our neighbours, all our neighbours, all the people that we see in the village who, you know, we
07:11go to for our haircut or for, you know, a magazine or a coffee or whatever, they're all here.
07:16And that's what's so beautiful about it.
07:17I'm really stoked. I'm really overwhelmed.
07:20Yeah.
07:21For Rob and Fran's business to be as successful as it is beautiful, they'll need to pull together all their
07:27available revenue streams.
07:36For some, living overseas is not just about generating a healthy bottom line.
07:41It's a calling. A mission they must fulfil that can't be ignored.
07:47We've lived in the Balkans for over 26 years, moved to Greece in 1998 and then had a spell in
07:56Albania.
07:57And we've gone back to the UK thinking, that's it, that's our time out there.
08:03But in the end, we just both realised that our heart was still out here and that we really enjoyed
08:09the life out here.
08:13Everything is sort of saying, hey, look at us.
08:17I can come back to life.
08:18It was the small Bulgarian village of Levka, not far from the Turkish and Greek borders, that called to former
08:25missionary David and his wife, pastoral care worker, Lynne.
08:30We don't want to get bored. We don't want the grass growing under our feet.
08:34So we have thought about using what we've got here for the benefit of others and not just for ourselves.
08:43There's lots of space out the back for glamping, tents or vans.
08:48Yeah, so people like that, we envisaged, would be welcome here.
08:53Lynne and David bagged a bargain on the outskirts of the village buying a small farm with over 5,000
08:59square metres of land, a farmhouse and two outbuildings.
09:03We actually were able to buy this property for the same amount of money that we paid for our first
09:10house in the 1980s.
09:12So, yeah, we feel, you know, we've got ourselves quite a good deal here, really.
09:18Bargain it may be, but their own accommodation is in need of extensive renovation.
09:23And in addition, they plan to refurbish an old barn and offer bed and breakfast to guests.
09:29So despite David being a pensioner, there are no plans for retirement.
09:35A close family relative said to me, oh, for goodness sake, isn't it about time you two settled down?
09:41And I think that's been a landmark of, no, we're not going to settle down and wait out our days
09:49for as long as we can.
09:50And while we have the privilege of being healthy, we want to maintain the adventure.
09:56Otherwise, what is the point?
09:59It's now March, and six months into their tenure, David and Lyn have builders on site, tackling work updating their
10:07farmhouse kitchen and bathroom.
10:09But it's outside where their hard work begins.
10:12But this land is, we've got some vision for it.
10:18Maybe there will, this will be where the van life has come.
10:21Maybe we'll get a yurt or something eventually.
10:23As well as plenty of space for guests to pitch up outdoors, the couple plan to offer up the property's
10:30barn as alternative accommodation.
10:32Quite spacious inside.
10:34It's sort of been modernised and changed from a barn into accommodation.
10:40We understand it needs a bit of work to sort it all out.
10:43It's not just the barn in need of attention.
10:46A persistent leak is presenting the pair with problems inside the farmhouse,
10:51which is currently holding with a patch-up job by the builders.
10:54Done a bit of a repair already, but you can see this is where the leak was.
10:59The water was just flowing.
11:01It was pouring down off all these beams from the bathroom.
11:04They'll have to wait for a permanent fix while the source of the water is identified.
11:09But David and Lynn have a more pressing problem.
11:13They've yet to receive permanent residency status here in Bulgaria, something that could seriously derail their plans.
11:21I'm a pensioner, but Lynn isn't.
11:23So the way it works is basically I can actually get residency as a pensioner
11:27because I can prove I'm getting my state pension from the government.
11:30And when I get that, Lynn takes that certificate and then Lynn applies for her D visa.
11:36New restrictions brought in since Brexit could result in Lynn having to return to the UK for three months,
11:43leaving David overseeing the renovation solo.
11:46We're wading our way through it, and if I have to go back, I've just got to do it, really.
11:55It's a week later.
11:57So I just want riot of colour and bushes and trees.
12:01And with David's visa still not approved, Lynn has only a few days left before she must return to the
12:08UK.
12:10You've turned to spectating, have you?
12:12Oh, I don't want to get in the way.
12:15Returning will be a big blow for the couple.
12:18I will put her on a flight to the UK and I will come back here.
12:23I'm really hoping that it's going to run really smoothly and everything is going to fall into place for me.
12:29If I can hold out for six weeks, then anything sooner than that is a real bonus.
12:34If they want to open for guests before the season is out, they'll both need to be in situ to
12:40make it happen.
12:45Coming up, business is brisk for Gite owners in France.
12:49We've had 65 bookings so far.
12:52Can they tackle changeover days as a team?
12:56I'll just go make the tea, shall I?
12:58No, learn how to make the beds.
13:00And it's a big moment for a new B&B owner.
13:04It didn't seem long ago that it was completely full of dust and rubble.
13:07Can he polish his hosting skills and impress guests?
13:11Before I forget, I'll give you your key.
13:13Cheers.
13:14All right, lovely.
13:15Bye.
13:27Savignes sits in a patchwork of wooded valleys and fertile vineyards, where age-old villages blend with open countryside.
13:37It's a setting that tempts plenty of tourists.
13:40But it charmed Rachel and Jay from Nottingham so much, they crossed the channel and started a Gite business here,
13:47with their twin girls Georgia and Harriet.
13:50I think a lot of people go on holiday, don't they, and say, oh, I could live here.
13:55And then they look at property and things.
13:57And we went on holiday and thought, oh, we could actually live here.
14:02This is, like, within our limits here.
14:05Well, I hope so, because we've done it, so...
14:08In the UK, Rachel was a support worker in schools and Jay a decorator.
14:15But the dream to do something together drew them to a new life in France.
14:21The way that we would make our living over here would be us working together.
14:26Working together, yeah.
14:26It would be nice, yeah, to be able to build a business and the business that we want, which we
14:32wouldn't be able to afford to do in England, so, yeah.
14:36The couple paid around £82,000 for their property, which comes with its own vineyard.
14:42And they've spent another £35,000 renovating the house and two sheets.
14:47It adds up to a real bargain, but now they need to turn a profit.
14:53Our life here and living here depends on that business making money.
15:00So that business has to make money for us to live off.
15:04It's July, and a long, hot summer in Savigny means the sheets have never been busier.
15:10We've had 65 bookings so far, haven't we, in what?
15:16Four months. Three months.
15:19German people, Belgium.
15:21Belgium.
15:21Lots of French.
15:23A few English.
15:23Yeah, a few English, but not that many.
15:25Not many.
15:25South African, we've had a Brazilian guy, actually.
15:28Yeah, he was nice.
15:29We had a couple flying from the States.
15:31Today, Rachel and Jay are bidding farewell to two families who've been guests at a wedding nearby.
15:39It felt like a home from home, really.
15:41The kids settled in really well.
15:43They had everything in the kitchen that you needed.
15:46It was just, it just felt really comfortable.
15:49Absolutely stay here.
15:50Oh, yeah.
15:50It's a beautiful place and beautiful sheet, beautiful building.
15:54Yeah, lovely.
15:56But as one set of guests head home...
15:59Take care.
16:00Bye, guys.
16:01Safe travels.
16:02..more adieu later.
16:05So there's a quick changeover to do, and it means all hands on deck.
16:11Kitchens need to be cleaned, floors vacuumed and beds made,
16:14and Rachel is a stickler for high standards.
16:19I'll just go make the tea, shall I?
16:21No, learn how to make the beds.
16:25Despite never having worked in hospitality before,
16:29Rachel and Jay are already generating a steady income from their sheets.
16:33Ever the entrepreneurs, though,
16:35the couple have been granted planning permission for two lodges in the grounds,
16:39and a digger is arriving tomorrow to make the plots.
16:43So we've got one going here.
16:45Behind.
16:46And another one going over there.
16:47Just behind the trees.
16:48So we need to roughly measure them out so he knows what to dig.
16:51They have to be finished by April.
16:54The next heat season have to be finished to make the money.
16:59The lodges come in flat pack, and they're also due tomorrow,
17:03so there's not much time to hang around.
17:08Just mark it to there.
17:10Point four.
17:14It's your measurements.
17:15No, because you moved that one.
17:17Just like that.
17:18That's point three.
17:20It's not point three.
17:21Get lost.
17:22Just hammer the wood into the ground, man.
17:25Hang on.
17:25But it looks like it could be a very long night.
17:28Hang on.
17:29I've not even got to five metres yet.
17:31Three ten.
17:34Is it?
17:35Yeah.
17:36Oh, my God.
17:36That's miles out.
17:38What is?
17:39This is clearly out.
17:40That's not in line to start with.
17:42And that one needs to come in as well.
17:46With another revenue stream resting on the lodge's success,
17:50they'll need to make sure they measure up.
17:58When setting up a new life in the sun,
18:00it's important not to put all your eggs in one basket.
18:04That's not bouncing.
18:06Merci beaucoup.
18:08Merci beaucoup.
18:09And that's certainly the case for Ian Davies,
18:11who, with two decades of living in France already under his belt,
18:15is setting up not one, but two businesses.
18:18I enjoy living in France.
18:20There's always something different to do.
18:22If you travel 30 miles in any direction in France,
18:25the architecture changes, the culture changes.
18:28It's a pretty remarkable country to live in,
18:30and there's some wonderful opportunities.
18:32Plus, the property is a lot cheaper compared to Britain.
18:35And I wouldn't say that was the primary reason I moved,
18:38but it certainly helped.
18:39Ian has recently purchased a new property
18:41right in the heart of Aimée,
18:43for a very reasonable €149,000
18:48that he's turning into his own accommodation,
18:50a holiday jeet and an antique shop.
18:55Despite moving around in France,
18:57I've now settled in the Dordogne area.
18:59Aimée's a really pretty town.
19:01It's only 20 minutes south of Bergerac Airport,
19:04so you can fly and get to Aimée very quickly and easily.
19:09Ian's mastery of the language has been a real bonus
19:12for running a retail business.
19:22I'm very, very lucky with Aimée.
19:25Since I've arrived, everybody's been lovely,
19:28particularly the local French,
19:30because they seem surprised that I speak French so well.
19:34But the locals have made a beeline for me
19:36and made me feel very welcome,
19:38because I'll just rabid away to them in their own language
19:40without thinking.
19:44It's July, and while Ian's love of France is undeniable,
19:48his life here needs to be financially viable.
19:51He's divvied up his terrace property to house the shop,
19:55his own accommodation and also a holiday jeet.
19:58And after months of extensive renovations,
20:02Ian is about to welcome his first ever customers
20:04to his brand new jeet.
20:07Well, certainly after six months of hard graft,
20:10today I'm feeling slightly relieved
20:12that I've actually got the jeet ready.
20:15So the gamble paid off.
20:17I could just do with some money going back now.
20:21It's just literally a minute's walk around the back.
20:23Ian's first guests are Terry and Duca,
20:27who have travelled to Aimée from the Netherlands.
20:29So here's your jeet. Come on in.
20:33You guys are the first guests, the first ever guests.
20:37Oh, yeah, that's a nice reaction.
20:39I'm very careful with that.
20:40Oh, not at all, not at all.
20:41But, like, you just treat it like your home, really.
20:44So we've just put a new kitchen in.
20:46Got, of course, a living room here, a dining area.
20:49And, of course, it looks out onto the courtyard.
20:54From renovator and retailer to host,
20:58Ian stepped up seamlessly.
21:00Please come on up.
21:03This is glorious.
21:04Yeah, you like it?
21:05Yeah, but you've opened it all up, haven't you?
21:07Yes, I have.
21:08Yeah, this was the corridor.
21:09But I've made this the en suite.
21:12Oh, this is nice.
21:13Yeah, you like it? Oh, good.
21:15This is lovely.
21:17We've been coming to the area for about 15 years.
21:20Oh, right.
21:21We've never actually stayed in Aimée.
21:23Well, it's nice and central, of course.
21:24You can just...
21:25I think there's over 17 restaurants in Aimée.
21:27Yeah.
21:28Before I forget, I'll give you your key.
21:29Excellent.
21:30Well, give us some of the responses.
21:31There we go.
21:34Lovely to meet you both, and...
21:35Thank you very much.
21:38Hey, cheers, guys.
21:39We'll catch up anyway in the next few days.
21:42Don't hesitate if you need anything anyway.
21:44All right.
21:44Lovely.
21:45Bye.
21:46First impressions suggest that a five-star review could shortly be coming Ian's way.
21:54Ian's welcome was fantastic, you know.
21:57From the minute we walked up to the door, he wasn't expecting us so early, but it didn't
22:01matter.
22:01It was very accommodating.
22:03Just come on in, let's have a look around.
22:04Yeah.
22:05It is a very nice place, and it's very roomy, because you always, in these old towns, you
22:10sometimes think that the place isn't going to be quite, you know, small.
22:13There's none of that.
22:14It's really, really lovely and roomy, and, yeah.
22:17Yeah, it's going to be a very nice and very comfortable stay.
22:21Six months since Ian picked up the keys, a lot of time and money has been spent on getting
22:27his business up and running.
22:29I feel really proud because the place is looking amazing, and it didn't seem long ago that
22:34it was completely full of dust and rubble, and here we are.
22:37It's my first rental, and they're extremely pleased with the place, which gives me a really
22:42good feeling.
22:43Since starting the renovations in January, I've almost run out of money, bottoming out in
22:48my bank account, so today is a great day in many ways, because basically I get some money
22:53coming back the other way, and my plans are paying off.
23:02Coming up...
23:03It says no rain today.
23:05It's just going to blow over.
23:06Will a passing storm force Rob and Fran's yoga event to unravel?
23:11It's not supposed to rain in Italy, that's why we moved here.
23:14No.
23:14And it seems the end is in sight for Lynn and David.
23:18How many more days before this is finished?
23:21One day.
23:22Fantastic.
23:23But is the schedule lost in translation?
23:26We thought most of the building work would be completed by now.
23:30We've realistically got another three or four weeks.
23:41At Rob and Fran's glamping site in Umbria...
23:46I realise I'm going to ask our help to arrive earlier.
23:52It's now July, and today the couple are hosting their biggest event yet, months in the planning.
24:00Quite big day.
24:02A tiny teeny bit stress.
24:04We have about an estimated 45 people coming to do yoga.
24:10We've basically got a bit slightly oversubscribed.
24:13But really, in the Bedouin tent with the wooden floor, we have space for 30.
24:18So those that come late are relegated to the grass.
24:23And it's yoga with a difference that's an offer.
24:27Lovely yoga teacher Georgia will do a yoga class, but everyone will have a glass of something in their hands.
24:33And they will literally do a yoga class holding a glass out.
24:36And then that will segue into an aperitivo with some snacks around the bio lake.
24:42But people will have a chance to use all our facilities.
24:44So it's like a wellness evening together, really.
24:48While the first phase of their business concentrated on getting guests under canvas,
24:54expanding into events is a lucrative market.
24:57But the open-air site does bring some challenges.
25:00I'm not worried about the weather.
25:02It's hot as hell.
25:04But actually, it's a bit cloudy, which is perfect.
25:06As Georgia, the yoga instructor, gets set up, Fran is still grafting.
25:12It's perfect.
25:13It's so good that they come in different times, so we have a flow to get there.
25:19The people that will come today, they decide to carve a little space for themselves.
25:24But they have a challenge to hold a glass with something inside, with respect, without that it fall down.
25:33They do with more awareness and consciousness in each movement.
25:39You need just to come and enjoy this connection with the nature.
25:45While non-alcoholic drinks are an option for the class,
25:48it's also an opportunity for Rob and Fran to promote another new venture.
25:52They've produced a sparkling white from their vineyard,
25:56and they're hoping it will prove popular with guests.
26:00Ooh, it's really cold. It's good.
26:02It has to be cold.
26:03No, it's good, it's good.
26:05Wow!
26:06See?
26:08With the guests' glasses charged...
26:10You see the energy, the arms are straight, and they have a big power.
26:16..the yoga begins.
26:17You see the other side, you change the glass to the other side.
26:21You see the other side.
26:23You see the other side.
26:24You see the other side.
26:25You see the glass again.
26:27Up.
26:27And we go.
26:29Up with the glass.
26:31And down.
26:32Up.
26:34Up.
26:40But rumbling skies were definitely not part of today's itinerary.
26:45It says no rain today. It's going to lie. It's just going to blow over.
26:51And we check this beautiful view. We have a kind of sunset.
26:56It's raining.
26:58Despite all their preparations, there are some things you just can't plan for.
27:10I wasn't worried about the weather, was I?
27:12I really didn't go see this.
27:14No, it's not supposed to rain, is it?
27:16See, it's not supposed to rain.
27:17It's not supposed to rain in Italy. That's why we moved here.
27:20No.
27:22Fortunately, it looks to be just a passing shower.
27:25Yes, just suddenly you all were, like, basking in this incredible light, you know?
27:31Allowing the rest of the evening activities to continue unhindered.
27:35So it might just be put loads of little wood in there and then keep building this up.
27:40Tonight's guests are mostly locals, many of whom are delighted at what's on offer so close to home.
27:47I would come again. I will come again all the time.
27:51It has everything you need. It has a pool. It has a sauna.
27:55It has a barbecue place and just an amazing view, right?
28:03Despite the earlier downpour, Rob and Fran have a lot to be pleased about.
28:08With all the locals talking about the space, kind of perfect.
28:12It helps us with local tourism, not just further afield.
28:16Yeah, I mean, really, it's the locals that want to come and stay now.
28:19Yeah.
28:19Which is perfect.
28:20If I was to have put a wish list together at the beginning of the year on how the events
28:24and how it was going to go,
28:25I couldn't have wished for it better.
28:27I'm really proud of what we've done.
28:29Yeah.
28:29Yeah, it's really cool. That's really... I'm chuffed. Really chuffed.
28:32It was great.
28:33With the family finances firmly invested in Italy,
28:37can they stay focused on expanding all that their site can offer?
28:46Back in Bulgaria, work is yet to begin on Lin and David's guest accommodation.
28:52And with Lin stuck in the UK waiting for news of David's visa,
28:56he's been keeping busy with work on their farmhouse.
29:01The massive change in here.
29:04This is where the bathroom will be.
29:05This door has got to move in a little bit.
29:08The tiles will be taken away from down here.
29:13And the whole thing will be replumbed and there will be a new bathroom going here.
29:18Having identified the bathroom as the source of their downstairs leak,
29:23drastic action has been taken.
29:25And they're moving it entirely.
29:27And that's not all.
29:28We opened up the floor here to bring the staircase up from downstairs,
29:32because otherwise you had to go outside to get into the two rooms that are downstairs.
29:40And it's all actually very exciting,
29:43despite the fact it looks a bit of a mess still at the moment.
29:48Unfortunately for David, their builders have been pulled on to another job nearby,
29:53leaving the staircase and bathroom unfinished for now.
29:57But despite their absence, considerable progress has been made both inside and out.
30:03The plan was always that we were going to get a nice big terrace outside for outdoor living.
30:10The builders came in and they put this nice terrace down, which eventually will be covered in like crazy paving.
30:17Then they built this frame and we will put a sort of cover.
30:21But our plan is to grow wisteria slowly, slowly, slowly, that's all coming together.
30:26And we're really happy with the work the guys have done.
30:30With the new terrace taking shape, David's been tackling the garden, which is usually Lin's territory.
30:38So this is my experiment.
30:39I've bought these olive trees.
30:42I don't know why there aren't more olive trees in Bulgaria.
30:45I haven't sussed that out.
30:46And I've planted them here and they seem to be doing all right at the moment.
30:51And then I've just put a few other plants along the back here.
30:54You know, all with Lin's permission.
30:57I have to show her on the video where I'm going to put them.
31:00Although David may be flying solo today,
31:02he's hopeful it'll only be a matter of time before the site is in a flurry of activity once again.
31:09The builders will be back here a week tomorrow, which is Monday 1st of May.
31:17And then they will be here till they've finished everything.
31:20So I would expect that by the time we get into the middle of May,
31:25they will be packing up their bags.
31:28It's an optimistic schedule.
31:30And eight weeks later, work at David and Lin's house is still ongoing.
31:36How many more days before this is finished, do you think?
31:40One day.
31:41Oh, OK. Fantastic.
31:43Many jobs are close to completion.
31:46And after a stint in the UK, Lin has finally been able to return.
31:51Later on this afternoon, we're going to go to...
31:54Immigration.
31:55With David's visa now granted, the couple are heading to pick up the vital piece of paperwork
32:01that will bring Lin one step closer to permanent residency.
32:05I'm going to pick up my family reunification paper, finally, after so many months.
32:10It will be in my hot little hand.
32:11And then next week, I'm going to have to go back to the UK because I have to go to
32:16the embassy
32:17and submit it to then receive my visa.
32:21While they're making progress with the paperwork, delays on-site have impacted their plans
32:28to have their business up and running for the summer season.
32:31We thought most of the building work would be completed by now.
32:37And having spoken to the builder this week, we've realistically got another three or four weeks.
32:42I think there's a possibility we could have some guests in the autumn.
32:48But I think, realistically, we need to use this time to get as much stuff prepared
32:55so that when we hit next year, we're ready for people to come and visit us.
33:06Coming up, grape expectations at Rachel and Jay's vineyard.
33:12No, no, don't put close to the grapes now, because then look, now it's drooping.
33:17All right.
33:19Has Jay got the bottle to keep going?
33:21I don't know what I'm doing.
33:24And Ian knows how to bag a bargain.
33:26He said they're marked at 12, but you can have them for 10 if you like them.
33:30But can he make the money work?
33:32I opened the sheet, but I pretty much emptied my back account.
33:47Back in France, Rachel and Jay's garden has become a building site.
33:52The ground is being prepared for the arrival of two cabins,
33:55which, alongside the existing sheets, should double their capacity for guests.
34:01Our original plan was to do another sheet in the barn this summer,
34:06and then we were going to spend all of next year doing the cabins in the outside space.
34:11But the planning permission came through really quickly for the cabins.
34:14It got passed, so we thought we'd jump on that.
34:15And there is an election coming up, isn't there, for a new mare,
34:18so we need to get the cabins done before a new mare comes in,
34:20because they might take the planning permission away.
34:22In charge of the digger is Dave,
34:25an expat who moved to France over 20 years ago.
34:28And under the watchful eye of his dog, appropriately named Digger,
34:33he's got a lot to do before the cabins arrive later today.
34:38So they should be done, level by the end of the day.
34:41That's what it says.
34:42And he's taking...
34:44He's not getting his bacon somewhere, just kidding.
34:45No, we're not giving him bacon and sausages until he's done.
34:49While Dave presses on,
34:52Rachel and Jay have some much-needed maintenance to do on their vineyard.
34:56All the vines need cutting down to the level of the wires
35:01and pushing in between the wires so that they don't droop over,
35:05because if you droop over, the grapes will hit the floor
35:07and then the grapes will perish.
35:10With the right care,
35:12the six modest rows of vines could produce up to 2,000 bottles of Pinot.
35:17So they're a valuable asset.
35:19And though she's new to this,
35:21Rachel seems to know what she's doing.
35:24Just need to shove the vines in between the two wires
35:29and chop the tops off.
35:31That's it.
35:33Jay, on the other hand...
35:35No, no, don't cut close to the grapes now,
35:37because then, look...
35:39Look, now it's drooping.
35:42All right.
35:44Here you go.
35:45I don't know what I'm doing.
35:50Making better progress is Dave.
35:53The first plot is dug
35:54and a supportive weed membrane is being laid out.
35:58Back at the vines,
36:00Jay's getting to grips with the pruning,
36:02even if his pace is a little lacking.
36:05This is how me and Jay work.
36:07I just like to get everything done
36:10and Jay likes to do everything really perfectly.
36:14But they're soon working in tandem,
36:17making short work of the 180 vines.
36:22Four runs down, two to go,
36:24and only one casualty so far.
36:26Just got a bit over the top.
36:27That's not true.
36:28Not true?
36:29No.
36:30Has there been more casualties?
36:31I've had a couple.
36:31You've had three casualties so far.
36:34I just didn't say anything.
36:36Oh, well.
36:37If three bunches of grapes are all that dies
36:39in the process of pruning, that's fine.
36:44While the vines are plentiful,
36:46the cabin delivery is nowhere to be seen.
36:49They said they were coming today.
36:51We've never had anything not be delivered before,
36:53so I think it'll be fine.
36:56Hopefully.
36:58But there is reason to raise a glass.
37:01The vineyard's been neatly trimmed
37:03and stands ready to reward the care it's been given.
37:07We're gonna have some wine.
37:10Dave's finished, too,
37:12and is full of admiration
37:13for Rachel and Jay's ambitious plans.
37:16It's gonna be fantastic.
37:18They've got the lovely sheets over there
37:20and then two separate cabins
37:21with a bit of room in between them,
37:23swimming pool in the middle.
37:25What could be nicer for a short break?
37:27As Rachel and Jay wait for the cabins,
37:30they get busy with the last job of the day,
37:33preventing guests from parking where they shouldn't.
37:38We're basically putting these posts in
37:40just to separate each area from the car parking area
37:44to stop people from driving up to that area
37:47and then driving up there.
37:49A task which is much more up Jay's street.
37:56OK.
38:01But every passing vehicle is a distraction.
38:06That's not a delivery.
38:07No, that's not a delivery.
38:09Where are my cabins?
38:11The cabins are a no-show.
38:14But the day has still been a productive one.
38:17Come on, go.
38:18That's good.
38:19You're in.
38:20That's in.
38:21Job's done.
38:25Nobody's gonna accidentally drive on there and get stuck.
38:27Everybody's gonna know there's parking here.
38:29We can put a sign up.
38:30At some point, Diggadave will come back
38:32and put some hardcore down just there.
38:34Yeah.
38:35Good.
38:36Happy days.
38:38It's been a day of mixed success.
38:41Let's start with the positives.
38:43The vines have all been cut back
38:44and look amazing and are full of grapes.
38:48Plen de raisin.
38:50Bases are done.
38:52I'm tired.
38:52We've got half a fence for the car park,
38:55which will be...
38:55A full fence tomorrow.
38:57Completed tomorrow.
38:59And just need some cabins now.
39:08Back in the south-western town of Aimee...
39:10And it faces south as well.
39:13Plenty of some.
39:13Plenty of some.
39:14As well as running his antique shop,
39:17Ian is now fully in the swing of changeover days
39:19at his new jeep business.
39:22Well, it's beautiful, yes.
39:23Oh, my God.
39:24It's gorgeous.
39:25You've got a dishwasher there.
39:27Oh, brilliant.
39:27Lovely.
39:28But everything's brand new.
39:30With the jeep now ticking over...
39:32I might be coming to see your antique shop
39:34to get yourself things through the house.
39:35Excellent.
39:36Ian is now able to focus much more of his time
39:39on his beloved antiques.
39:41That's a classic 1930s English piece of pottery.
39:47And Suti Cooper was a really prolific pottery designer and maker.
39:52So this would have been made in the Stoke area,
39:55as was a lot of pottery from that time.
39:57I love it because you've got this really sort of
40:00restrained deco design going on.
40:03These Canadian customers are no normal brocante browsers.
40:08Ken and Lees are antique dealers on a buying trip.
40:12What would you charge for this game?
40:14Well, I've got 65 on it.
40:16I'll let you have it for 50 if you love it that much.
40:19There's 20.
40:20Lovely.
40:2140 and...
40:23Wonderful.
40:2450.
40:24Thank you very much indeed.
40:26They've engaged Ian's services to help them find
40:29the best local bargains from brocants or flea markets.
40:33I'm helping them to take a look
40:36and identifying anything that they really like.
40:39There is a very nice brocant just over the bridge
40:42just outside of M.A.
40:43And there's always some amazing stuff in there,
40:46so it's going to be a good day.
40:49Acting as their guide for the day,
40:51it's not long before Lees calls on Ian's expertise.
40:55Do you know anything about these?
40:58Are they quite chintzy, aren't they?
41:00They're almost certainly from French,
41:01but I would say they're probably 1930s.
41:06It's a nice condition, though.
41:07It's no damage.
41:09Some of your clients said they'd be perfect, actually.
41:11Yeah, yeah.
41:12And, uh...
41:13Quite sweet.
41:14It's...
41:15Combien pour le pas?
41:16Sorry.
41:17C'est 12 euros.
41:1712 euros pour le pas.
41:19This, oh, merci beaucoup.
41:22So, he said they're marked at 12,
41:24but you can have them for 10 if you like them.
41:27Ian's insight, not to mention language skills,
41:30have been worth their weight in antique China for Lees.
41:34Being able to work with somebody like Ian
41:37and talk with him and glean his knowledge,
41:41which he has learned over the years,
41:43it's been invaluable.
41:44It's part of the beauty of working in this industry, I think,
41:50you know, is the stories,
41:51and others have been able to share them.
41:53With Ajit, the shop, and now an antiques guide,
41:57Ian is certainly cramming a lot into his new life,
42:00and it's finally paying dividends.
42:04This is like a realisation of a dream, really,
42:06because here we are towards the end of the year in mid-October.
42:09I bought the property in January.
42:11It was really cold.
42:12I was smashing down walls,
42:14and I never dreamt that I'd have the Jit up and running.
42:18It couldn't have gone better.
42:19It's been a huge success and a big surprise, actually.
42:22I never realised particularly the antiques would be so successful.
42:28Although Ian had never run an antique shop before,
42:31as a collector, he had both the knowledge
42:33and enough stock to kick things off.
42:36Any antiques I collected over my lifetime,
42:39I put immediately into the shop.
42:41Initially, it was a bit of a wrench
42:43to start selling all these wonderful things I'd collected,
42:46but I got quite used to it,
42:48particularly when I was being offered good money for it.
42:51All this new income, both from the shop and the Jit...
42:57Couldn't have come at a better time for Ian.
43:02Well, I had a scary moment at the beginning of July.
43:06I opened the Jit, but I pretty much emptied my bank account.
43:10I got 70% occupancy in July, August,
43:1460% occupancy roughly in September,
43:17and even now in October, out of season,
43:20I've had folks in for a couple of weeks.
43:22So, financially, it's paid for itself very quickly.
43:28The beauty of Aimee as a location for Jit owners like Ian
43:33is that it doesn't ever fully go out of season.
43:36Aimee bucks a trend in the winter
43:38actually doesn't close down.
43:40A lot of the bars and restaurants stay open,
43:41and I feel that that is...
43:43Well, it's actually why I bought the property in the first place,
43:46to have the shop on the main shopping drag
43:48and the Jit behind.
43:50It's turned out to be much more successful than I anticipated.
43:54Having set up two successful businesses,
43:58Ian looks set to thrive for many years to come,
44:01and he might not stop there.
44:03For the future, I could perhaps run a coffee house,
44:06perhaps even do food,
44:08so people could stay in the building and enjoy it,
44:11and also they can take a look at what's for sale at the same time.
44:14I quite like the idea of that.
44:20Next time...
44:21He'll just push himself and keep up with these guys.
44:24Two, one!
44:25Rob and Fran are turning their passions into profits in Italy.
44:29The point of us coming to Italy
44:31was to enjoy doing the things that we love,
44:33and if we make some money from it, I don't know what's better.
44:37Can Rachel and Jay generate extra revenue?
44:40You having fun, babe?
44:43Living the dream.
44:45And Lynne and David are hoping their budget doesn't go bust.
44:49The builders, one day, they said,
44:51oh, we just need to say to you
44:53that we think the roof needs replacing.
44:55So then you think, oh, dear me, what are we going to do?
45:02Bye.
45:02Bye.
45:05Bye.
45:09Bye.
45:18Bye.
45:19Bye.
45:20Bye.
45:22Bye.
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