When Patricia Flack and her partner, Michael Pearson, decided to downsize from their terraced house in the centre of Colchester, they took one look at McCarthy Stone’s Lancer House retirement development nearby and were instantly won over by the lifestyle on offer.
Patricia, 84, explains: “Whilst we loved our former home, the upkeep of it was becoming too tiresome for us. We’d both much prefer to spend our energy and time on doing the things we enjoy, rather than on home maintenance, so we decided to think about our options.
“We have friends who live in other McCarthy Stone developments and were aware of Lancer House being built so we thought we’d start there. We were very impressed with the set up and attention to detail. Everything was very well appointed and it didn’t take long for us to make the decision to move.
“Our new apartment felt like home straight away and despite the pandemic, we’ve settled in and been so busy.
“During lockdown we spent lots of time keeping in touch with our friends over zoom and since restrictions have eased, we’ve been enjoying getting out and about and back to our hobbies. We’re both members of an art society, are part of a church community, and friends of Castle Park.
“We like to stay social and Lancer House gives us the freedom to do that without worrying about all the ‘jobs’ that need to be done. Plus, if we want a relaxing day at home on our own, we can do that too.
“We’re both looking forward to getting to know the other homeowners at Lancer House better and attending some of the social events on offer.
“It’s a shame that Covid meant we couldn’t start taking advantage of the social aspect of the development right away, but now that restrictions have eased we have been able to socialise with our fellow homeowners.
“In the meantime, we’ve been enjoying having the choice of going to the bistro for lunch.
“It’s great to be able to just nip downstairs for a meal when we want and not have to worry about cooking all the time and cleaning up.
“We also like to sit in the garden and watch the shrubs develop. I loved our garden at our previous home and really thought I would miss it, but it’s been lovely to watch the plants bloom here and see the garden take shape.
They also like having the reassurance that the McCarthy Stone team is there if they need them.
“My son lives in America, and I know he appreciates that there is support available if we ever need it.”
Lancer House is a collection of 53 one and two-bedroom Retirement Living Plus apartments, exclusively for people aged 70 and over.
The retirement development features a communal lounge and landscaped gardens and a hotel-style guest suite for family and friends.
Lancer House
There is an Estate Manager on hand, along with a security entrance system and 24-hour emergency call points.
A bistro-style restaurant serves fresh meals daily for those who do not wish to cook in their apartments, and domestic and care packages can be tailored to suit individuals.
Prices at Lancer House, Colchester, Essex, currently start from £349,500 for a two bedroom retirement apartment. Rental and Part Buy Part Rent are also available.
McCarthy Stone creates award-winning, high quality, low maintenance, retirement properties for sale or for rent in lovely locations — but one of the greatest benefits of being a McCarthy Stone homeowner is becoming part of a community of remarkable individuals. Explore McCarthy Stone developments.
For more information, please visit McCarthy Stone or call 0800 201 4743
