PHILIPPA Bell was only a toddler when she first came to the North East from Glasgow to convalesce from TB, but it was the start of a lifelong passion for the area. Said Philippa, 54: "Lord Armstrong heard about my plight and put us up in a flat within Bamburgh Castle for a nominal rent." Her family loved Northumberland so much they returned for holidays and Philippa eventually moved to the area after marrying husband Andrew.
She now runs a five-star B&B at their spectacular home in Greensfield Moor, near Alnwick, while Andrew, 57, is a chartered surveyor. They have four children Andrew, 33, Victoria, 30, Julia, 27 and Thomas, 24, as well as a grandchild, Poppy, who’s almost two. The couple lived on the farm steading as tenants and their brother-in-law farmed the land, so they were offered the chance to buy a barn within the courtyard which they were converted five years ago. "We didn’t plan to do a B&B as it was a home first and foremost," says Philippa. "It certainly has that wow factor. Wherever you are in the house the light filters through to every room. It’s south-facing and gets lots of sun. I didn’t want corridors so each room leads through to another. It’s a great party house." The well-appointed house, Redfoot Lea, is named after the red clover fields nearby. It has a stunning dining hall measuring 26ft 6in by 25ft 8in with oak flooring, full height ceiling and spiral staircase. From here double doors lead to a sitting room with stone inglenook, cast iron stove and doors to the garden. There is also a spacious kitchen/dining/family room with granite worktops, an island and Aga. A utility room, shower room and two en suite double bedrooms complete the ground floor layout. The first floor has two more double bedrooms served by an en suite shower room and Jack ’n’ Jill bathroom. Within the lawned gardens is a modern wooden office building, greenhouse and log store. In addition there is further grazing land available by separate negotiation if needed. "It has a great location," says Philippa. "Our family has lived here for more than 30 years and it’s close to all amenities and schools." Philippa says the B&B gets lots of repeat business and bookings through word of mouth. "From April to October we could fill it twice over," she says. "We’re just three minutes from the coast and we get lots of people stopping off when they’re travelling north or south." Although the property has bags of appeal as a going concern, it would appeal equally to someone looking for a large rural family home. Now the Bells want to move nearer to their daughters who live on the west side of Alnwick. Says Philippa: "If I could pick this house up and move it I would." Redfoot Lea, Greensfield Moor, Alnwick, is for sale through Rook Matthews Sayer at a guide price of £625,000, tel 01665 510044. | 
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