A NEW addition to the family is as good a reason to move as any. But for 54-year-old PR consultant Keith Hann, it’s all come as a bit of a shock.
He had planned to remain a happy bachelor in his impressive rural retreat at Whittingham, near Alnwick, Northumberland. However, after a whirlwind romance with 37-year-old accountant Maral Danesh, Keith has not only gained a fiancée but the couple are also expecting a baby in July. So the time has come for Keith, who writes a regular column for The Journal, to leave his beloved Grade II Listed home to move closer to Maral’s home town of Chester. The full story of the couple’s romance is told in today’s Journal. Keith explained: “I have lived here for 21 years, some of them with my Border terrier, Craster. I took over the property when it was two derelict cottages. Just before Christmas 1987 there was an advert for the properties. “Even if the cottages turned out to be horrible, I wanted to buy them for the views alone. I rang up the estate agents and offered the full asking price on that day.” The Old Smithy is a south-facing detached period property with accommodation over two floors. It has an entrance conservatory, kitchen, dining room, drawing room, inner corridor and living room conservatory. There are also four bedrooms and two bathrooms. The property dates from 1880 and was originally constructed as a pair of Callaly Castle estate cottages. It is set within gardens and grounds of just under an acre incorporating driveway, outbuildings, gardens and grazing. Keith had to start from scratch with the properties with the help of trusted builders. “It was a wreck – it even had outside water closets,” he explained. “There was no bathroom, just a tap in the kitchen. It was a pretty comprehensive renovation job. It had to be reroofed, replastered and rewired.” Despite a comprehensive overhaul, the property retains period features. Keith explains: “The properties are listed and the original windows are still there, as are the fireplaces.” But Keith reckons the views are the property’s biggest selling point. He said: “I think that the views are some of the best in the country. t is also fantastic walking country. It’s very peaceful and out of the way.” The property is away from the hustle and bustle of the city, but Keith says commuters could reach Newcastle city centre in under an hour. The market towns of Rothbury and Alnwick are also nearby. Although ready for the next stage of his life, leaving the property behind will be a wrench for Keith. He said: “I never wanted to live anywhere else. But because Maral is so much younger, she has many more friends than I have and wants to be nearer them. “We have not actually decided where we are going to live. Work tends to take me away quite a lot and it’s not ideal for her to be here alone with a small baby. I never intended to move as I love living here and never wanted to live anywhere else. “But I have been lucky enough to find someone I love even more than living at Callaly High Houses.” The Old Smithy, Callaly High Houses, is for sale through Smiths Gore at £395,000, tel: (01434) 632404. | 
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