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A fantastic prize to win a two course meal for two at the Michelin Bib awarded Gastro pub, The Bay Horse in Hurworth!

All you need to do is like our page on Facebook page and share the post regarding this competition.

 Competition closes on the 31st March - good luck to everyone!

Although The Bay Horse building dates back to the 1400's, an extensive refurbishment was completed in October 2008, with emphasis on the finer details of a real old English pub - dimpled pint glasses, side dishes served in copper pans, the open fire in the main bar and hand pulled local ales. All furnishings were carefully sourced from antique fayres around the country, including a late Victorian dining table which measures over 20ft in the private dining room.

As you would expect with the previous experience of its owners, the food served in The Bay Horse’s restaurant is exceptional. The restaurant menu is made up of classic English dishes with quality as its focus, with a variety of daily specials also available. Locally sourced produce is used wherever possible by the chefs to make the most of seasonal produce, and all bread is baked on site with a different selection every day. Click here to view their website.

Find out a little about 2 members of our team each month!


Jenna - Sales Advisor

What is your favourite food? I feel like my answer to this should be salad!! She says whilst having

a cup of tea and a chocolate brownie!! :) Ohh favourite I would have to say pasta, it's Italian therefore MUST

be accompanied by prosecco!

What is your favourite holiday destination? Anywhere that's too hot! Pretty much sums it up :)

Who would you most like to meet? Beethoven!! The dog not the musician!

Favourite band or artist? Panic at the Disco

Favourite drink? Prosecco / Mojito

Favourite film star? Ryan Gosling for obvious reasons but probably Sandra Bullock to answer the question

Hobbies/sport? A long walk at the beach with my dogs, weekends don't get much better!

Favourite quote? 'Love like you've never been hurt and dance like no ones watching'


Julie - Financial Advisor

What is your favourite food? Homemade fish pie

What is your ideal holiday destination? Safari in Botswana

Who would you most like to meet? Kate Winslet

Favourite band or artist? Adele

Favourite drink? Has to be champagne!

Favourite film star? I love Meryl Streep

Hobbies/sport? Running, skiing, cycling

Favourite quote? 'I’ve learned that people will forget what you said,

people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel' (Maya Angelou)

Want to take a peek inside the glamorous homes of your favourite actors, musicians and athletes?
Click here to read Celebrity Homes, A Look Inside.

Congratulations to Emma and her husband Dave who welcomed baby Harry into the world on the 21st January.

Emma Joined us in 2010 and has been a great asset to the company ever since. Emma who is very strong in sales has always had a passion for marketing, having previously worked at the Northern Echo it was her idea to begin this newsletter, which she successfully launched in May 2014. However, since starting her maternity leave she has very kindly handed over the responsibility to me (Rachel Carver ) so I must apologise if it's not up to speed!

Emma is an avid fan of Phil Spencer and Kevin McCloud so will most likely be catching up on Secret Agent and Grand Designs whenever she gets a free minute. She is also a bit of a DIY queen but hopefully she is taking a break from that for now!

I'm sure you will join us in wishing both Emma and Dave a wonderful future with baby Harry.

Darlington's economy was the strongest-performing in the North-East in the final quarter of last year, according to an independent report
Click here to read Darlington Top Of The North-East Pile For Economic Growth!.

Housebuyers often decide on the biggest purchase of their lives within moments of getting through the front door, and more often than not it is the trivial that sends them scurrying away – instead of concentrating on numbers of bedrooms or structural stability they are put off by pictures, plants and pouffes.

Despite the fact personal effects tend to leave the home with the seller, our own sense of taste can easily make or break a sale. But if we love our home we often cannot see how offputting our children’s artwork or cat’s scratching post can be to a potential buyer. This is where home staging comes in. First made famous in the UK at the turn of the century by Channel 5’s House Doctor, Anne Maurice, the concept has caught on and not only can sell your home quickly but can even add thousands of pounds to the price.

Today the Home Stager Network can put sellers in touch with a professional quickly and easily – and it boasts more than 250,000 unique visitors a year. The trick is not to undertake major alterations but to make the best of what you have – albeit maybe with a few accessories or tweaks to make your home seem more appealing for the majority.

What would you do to prepare each room so it looks its very best for the photographer? Perhaps you would move furniture around to accentuate a feature, or have a grubby wall repainted – it is really about looking at your house with a critical and objective eye. For those of us too close to our homes – or just short of time or a creative eye – spending some money on a home stager can see the investment returned multiple times.

A typical home stager may cost &300 for a first visit and recommendations with time charged by the hour after that. This could include shopping for you or just making a shopping list that you take to Ikea. It is rare someone should have to spend more than &1,000 on a successful homestaging and often much less. And if you choose the shopping well – those beautiful new cushions, rugs, lamps ad pictures that look so good in your old house, well, they get to go with you to your new one.

Source; Sam Ashdown, www.home-truths.co.uk

A large welcoming entrance hall with travertine tiled floor, galleried landing and access to cloakroom, reception rooms and living kitchen. The dining room faces the front with windows on two elevations. The living room, which overlooks the rear gardens, features an attractive stone fire surround with contemporary style gas fire. The large living kitchen comfortably incorporates living, dining and kitchen areas supported by a travertine tiled floor with underfloor heating. Glazed double doors overlook and provide access to the excellent rear gardens. The kitchen features an excellent range of units with black granite work surfaces and a large centre island. Integrated appliances include an induction hob with a stainless steel and glass extractor canopy, electric oven and microwave oven.

The first floor offers characterful rooms with sloping beamed ceilings. The largest bedroom overlooks the rear garden and is naturally lit from three windows. It includes a walk-in fitted wardrobe and separate en-suite shower room with double sized cubicle, tiled floor and walls. The family bathroom includes a large Jacuzzi bath with retractable shower head and a wide contemporary style wash hand basin, tiled floor and walls.

The site extends to 0.486 acres in total. Cast iron entrance gates set within brick pillars provide vehicular access to a private gravelled parking area. The rear garden, which overlooks adjoining countryside, includes three sitting areas designed to capture the sun at different times of the day, including a first floor timber decked area. The large detached garage has been converted into a ground floor games room and store with stepped access to an attic gymnasium. Planning permission has been granted on 14 January 2013 (Ref: 12/00778/FUL) to convert the building and link to the main house providing additional living space if required. Click here for the full brochure.