Local retiree, Margaret Beard, talks about how she’s living her retirement years to the full at McCarthy Stone’s Harvard Place in Stratford-upon-Avon.

When Margaret Beard decided she wanted to downsize her home and relocate from Leicestershire to enable her to make the most of her retirement years, she looked all over the UK for the perfect location and lifestyle. Fortunately, McCarthy Stone’s Harvard Place in Stratford-upon-Avon popped up at just the right time.

Margaret, a former civil service employee and advertising executive, explains: “We lived in a lovely village in Leicestershire, but decided we wanted a lower maintenance lifestyle, both in terms of the upkeep of our home and proximity to amenities. I’d been keeping my eye out on retirement properties for over 10 years and had been looking all over the UK. We were regular visitors to Stratford and loved the town, so when my daughter mentioned Harvard Place, we got in touch with the sales team right away. As soon as I spoke with the McCarthy Stone team, I knew it was the place for me and signed up to buy a property off-plan.

“My apartment is lovely, and I have fantastic views over the local woodland.  Harvard Place also has a rooftop terrace and the views from there are even better, perfect for enjoying with a nice coffee. The gardens are fantastic too and it’s great to be able to enjoy them without having to bother with the gardening myself. The best thing though, is that we have a Waitrose next door and a bus service into town, perfect for a shopaholic like me! I’ve made some great friends here, one of which is my kindred spirit when it comes to shopping, so we love to hit the shops together.

“There’s a wonderful community here too. We have film nights, a choir, keep fit classes, coffee morning and afternoon teas. There’s always something going on and it’s brilliant to be able to pick and choose when you want to socialise or when you simply want to relax in the privacy of your own apartment. Plus, we have an on-site restaurant and options for domestic support, so I really don’t have to lift a finger if I don’t want to.

“I can’t speak highly enough of the team here either. They’re always here to help and are very accommodating of our ideas. It’s like having a second family. Moving to Harvard Place was one of the best decisions I have ever made and I can’t recommend it highly enough to retirees who are looking for a relaxed lifestyle that will enable them to live life to the full.”

Harvard Place features a selection of 56 one and two-bedroom Retirement Living Plus apartments, exclusively designed for people aged 70 and over. Prices at Harvard Place currently start from £272,950 for a one bedroom apartment and from £384,950 for a two bedroom apartment. There is the option to purchase an apartment outright or to take advantage of flexible rental and part rent part buy solutions.

More than nine out of 10 customers would recommend McCarthy Stone to a friend, ensuring it has received the full Five Star award for customer satisfaction from the Home Builders Federation for 16 years’ running.  McCarthy Stone is the only UK housebuilder of any size or type to achieve this accolade for 16 consecutive years, which is every year the awards have been run. 

For more information about retirement living in Stratford-upon-Avon, please contact McCarthy Stone on 0800 201 4741 or visit www.mccarthyandstone.co.uk/.