Just spent nearly a million quid on a new garage for the Maserati and it wouldn't fit..............

[Silvercat]

Lived within a minute's walk of that pub and it was my 2nd home for about 5 years in the 90's. Had a great pub sign at the time, as the "Engineer" was depicted as Scotty from Star Trek.............. Wished he could have beamed me up into my bed a few times after one too many!

I

It really is a small world! I used to play football every Sunday afternoon on East Common with my brothers and mates. Such a great place. Ended up in The Engineer and then The Silver Cup afterwards. 40 years ago for me now yet seems like only about 10 years.

 

[Silvercat]

Given several of us have lived or still live in Harpenden, assuming its back on for 2021 we should do a Maserati gathering next year at the event and perhaps stay O/night after a few beers? As I said in an earlier post, I've lived in many places in the UK, and Harpenden remains my favourite. Would be great to visit the old pubs again. Is the big hotel at the north end of town still there on the left going toward Luton? Had a strange name I can't remember, which is poor as I had the reception for my 1st wedding there!

Great idea but sadly I sold my QP in February so currently maserless.
The hotel was called the GlenEagles Manor Hotel which I think are flats now as is the old Moat House Hotel near 'The Harpenden Arms'. Not sure if this still exists? I remember as a kid, the original 1930's Embassy Cinema on Luton Road going north ( seen a few of the early Jame's Bond films there) now a petrol station. And where Waitrose is there used to be a really old fashioned dept store / haberdashery called 'Anscombes'. Really old school 1930's building with a fascinating payment system. Used to have a central cash office so when you bought something, the shop assistant would send the cash in a little vessel mounted to an overhead wire network which would go back and forth to the cash office. As a 8 year old kid I was fascinated by this system. Today a building like this would be grade 2 listed but sadly in the 1960's and 70's so many stunning buildings succumbed to the bulldozer. A real shame because it was such a lovely building from my recollection. I could tell you an awful lot about Harpenden if we do get together at any point.

 

[Davidt99]

I used to go to 'The Engineer' on the common when I was a lad and got married (32 years ago) at St John's church Southdown road. Happy days and a great place to grow up in.

The Engineer is still going strong (well it was before lockdown and hopefully will return), it's my local. St. John's Church is on St. John's Road not Southdown Road if it's the one facing the common that you are referring to, same road as the Engineer.

 

[Scaf]

I have always been amazed about the prices differences when you cross the channel...

That’s what you get in the north of France for £300k... looks like a nice holiday house for the price of a studio flat in London

Maison de maître à vendre à Flavy-le-Martel | 345 000 € | 11 Pièces | 366 m² - Belles Demeures

Découvrez cette maison de maître en vente qui dispose des atouts suivants: Terrasse

www.bellesdemeures.com

And for the price of a 1 bedroom, you can buy yourselves of a Lord estate

Château à vendre à Soissons | 615 000 € | 14 Pièces | 480 m² - Belles Demeures

Découvrez ce Château en vente qui dispose des atouts suivants: Piscine

www.bellesdemeures.com

Château à vendre à Mareuil-sur-Ourcq | 595 000 € | 14 Pièces | 617 m² - Belles Demeures

Découvrez ce Château en vente qui dispose des atouts suivants:

www.bellesdemeures.com

Maison et villa de luxe à vendre à Beauvais | 682 000 € | 12 Pièces | 200 m² - Belles Demeures

Découvrez cette Maison et villa de luxe en vente qui dispose des atouts suivants: Terrasse

www.bellesdemeures.com

and in ten years time they will be worth exactly the same whereas the same money investin the SE of England would have gone considerably.

 

[rockits]

I never look forward to doing jobs in London. Can't wait to get out of the busy, noisy and dirty environment if I'm honest.

Twice the price to live in something a quarter of the size with no space.....I don't get it.

Stick me in a field in the middle of nowhere

 

[rivarama]

and in ten years time they will be worth exactly the same whereas the same money investin the SE of England would have gone considerably.

Although my point was not about capital appreciation but highlighted the difference in value, I don’t disagree with you.
I would still hate living in a studio flat for over 10years, even if the price goes up... and who knows what will happen post covid/Brexit etc...

 

[Silvercat]

I never look forward to doing jobs in London. Can't wait to get out of the busy, noisy and dirty environment if I'm honest.

Twice the price to live in something a quarter of the size with no space.....I don't get it.

Stick me in a field in the middle of nowhere

You would like it where I live then...just outside Kirkby Stephen ( Upper Eden Valley) , Cumbria, surrounded by the Howgill fells on one side, the Yorkshire Dale's on the other, Lakeland fells on the other and the Western Pennines (AONB) on the other. It's a stunning area and in the middle if no where. Nearest biggish town is 21 mile's away.
I used to work for 5 years in Putney Bridge and commuted very day by car, train and 17 tube stops each way every day. It took me 2 hrs door to door each way, every day. Nearly killed me even in my late 20's then. I vowed when I left that I would never again work in London again and I never have since.

 

[Simon1963]

No where your coming from.
When my kids were little and involved in their things son doing football and cub scouts my daughter doing ballet I got involved and it was always the same few people a sad reflection on society.
They were going to close the scout group down in our village as read in the local rag just like in Ricky Gervais Afterlife.
A meeting was called with free wine and cheese so I thought why not nothing to lose.
So embarrassing as the committee out numbered the public so I joined as a helper feeling that uniforms don't suit me.
I was duly Police checked and next thing I know I'm on the football club.
Did both for 10 years taking up Monday night for football training and Sunday for games.
Scouts took my Friday nights and many other days with camps etc.
Never even met some parents as they never ever got out of their cars.
Anyone who has kids at some stage should give some time back in my opinion.

Had the same experience Phil. My son played for the local and school food teams. Always the same Mums and Dads doing the ferrying about to away games and helping out. I ended up being part of it for 10 years looking after the kids, organising fund raisers etc. Parents used it as a free Sunday baby sitting service. But the thing was I loved it, met some great people along the way.

 

[Ebenezer]

I got roped into being a "Level 1" footbal coach for about 4-5 years. I was taking my son to football practice run by Reading football club at £4 a pop at one of the local parks. Next door was a similar activity going on which I didn't pay much attention to. Over time the RFC coaches bacame unreliable and there would be a bunch of us kicking around waiting in vain for them to turn up. One day one the coaches from the community outfit wondered over and asked if my son want to join in with them. He was off in flash and had a great time and for a quid to cover the pitch rental. I used to wonder off, get a coffee and scurrilous tabloid.

One day, while I was watching them, I was thinking to myself how good it was that these Dads were giving up their Saturday mornings to provide this opportunity for the local kids. One of the organisers then got talking to me and said that he had secured some funding for coaching and did I want to get involved.....
Couldn't say no as what else was I reasonably doing on a Saturday morning?

To be honest I found it quite stressful, and I was a lousy coach. Any one of any talent I recommended they move on and find an outfilt that was putting forward teams into a league. However, giving them a semi organised runaround which they loved, made up for it. Most of the kids were great, but there was always one or two that were a pain and began to spoil it for everyone as they grew older. I ended up sending one lad off, only for his father to jump in and start giving it to me, so I sent him off too (and asked them not to return).

I knew my days were numbered so I called it a day at the end of the season. My son tells me that he fondly remembers these Saturday mornings. "Good times".

Reward enough
Eb

 

[Doctor Houx]

and in ten years time they will be worth exactly the same whereas the same money investin the SE of England would have gone considerably.

Don’t disagree, but it’s a quality of life choice vs an investment opportunity. The Provence house and rental Gites is worth about €2m now which is what I paid for it in 2004 plus work carried out to convert the farm outbuildings to holiday lets.

However, the letting side over the last 15 years has now paid off the capital purchase and refurb costs so I’m now in profit and have a “free” historic home in Provence where I live half the year. Happy days!