Downsizing was the best next move for Barry Warden

Barry Warden moved to Renaissance Wharf Lane after deciding the time was right to downsize from his Buckinghamshire family home. He’d lived in the county for most of his life after relocating from London at 28 years old, where he had attended the London Film School.

“I first moved to Amersham and worked in local Chalfont St. Peter where I made films for the Ministry of Defence: training films and documentaries. I was in the Production Department and I worked my way up to Executive Producer and finally, Acting Head of Production. 

“When my parents died, I inherited their house which was in Wooburn Green. I was happy to move there because financially I was able to sell my bungalow, but it was a family home and it was just me. I lived there for 14 years. It was a nice house and I had lots of memories there, but in the end it was beginning to get too much with the gardening and the cleaning, so I decided I wanted something simpler and was looking to downsize.”

He had explored other developments in the area, but it was the location of our Wharf Lane community that stood out.

“I was particularly interested in moving here for the location. This part of Buckinghamshire is a pleasant place to live. Bourne End is still a village rather than a town but there’s more than enough shops here. I enjoy walking down to the marina on the River Thames and the public transport links are good. Not only buses to High Wycombe and Maidenhead, which we had in Wooburn Green, but there’s also a station which can get me into London, Reading, Oxford or wherever I want to go. The village setting and its facilities, shops, transportation links and  river, all within walking distance, seemed like a good combination to me.

“My first impressions of the community were very good too. I liked the people and admired the layout and design of the building. I wanted to have less maintenance to worry about, which is why I was interested in a one-bedroom apartment on the ground floor that looked out onto the garden. At first I thought it might have been a bit small, but in fact it isn’t, because I had planned to clear a lot out of my parents’ house that I didn’t really need.”

Barry used our complimentary Lifestory Homemoves service to ensure his downsizing journey went smoothly:

“They helped me move over two days. The team came on the Thursday to move the heavier furniture into the flat. They’d asked me before where I wanted things and I stayed home to see them out, and then on the Friday they moved the smaller stuff, and that's when I followed them to the new apartment.”

On what he’s enjoyed most since making the decision to move to Renaissance Wharf Lane, he said:

“I’m more relaxed since moving here. The ease of having downsized and not having to worry about the garden or the window cleaning or any of the other things you have to deal with when living in your own home. It’s the upkeep really! For me that’s been a major consideration.”

Renaissance Wharf Lane is a collection of 21 spacious one and two bedroom homes in the pretty riverside village of Bourne End, in Buckinghamshire. Find your dream home here by contacting our friendly sales team on 01628 918 145 or email us at [email protected].