TADLEY retirees were beyond delighted to welcome celebrity guest Charlie Dimmock and the Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane to join them in celebrating the grand opening of a new retirement living development.

Charlie, who stars in the BBC’s popular Garden Rescue show, led the celebrations at  McCarthy Stone's Yelland Place, in New Road, where the popular gardening guru gave an exclusive demonstration on creating the perfect potted plant display, before passing over to the mayor of Basingstoke and Deane, David Leeks, who performed a ceremonial ribbon-cutting.

Guests at the event spent time getting to know Charlie as part of a candid Q&A session in the beautiful communal lounge over a glass of fizz and delicious light-bites, followed by live jazz entertainment and a guided tour of the superb facilities within the community.

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Basingstoke Gazette: Nicki Beswarwick, Amanda Letts, homeowners Hilary and Howard Flitter, Paola Small, mayor DavidCommenting on her visit, Charlie said: “I was delighted to be invited to Yelland Place for the grand opening. It was so wonderful to meet with all the new homeowners and their guests, and an absolute joy to be a part of the celebrations here in Tadley.”

Cllr Leeks said: “I was thrilled to be asked to cut the ribbon to mark the official opening of Yelland Place. It was so wonderful to meet with all the new homeowners and their guests, and an absolute joy to be a part of the celebrations here in Tadley."

Nicki Beswarick, divisional marketing manager at McCarthy Stone, said: “The opening was a fantastic occasion and our guests thoroughly enjoyed meeting both Charlie and Cllr David Leeks, and learning more about the Garden Rescue star’s illustrious career. On behalf of the team and our homeowners, we’d like to say a huge thank you to them both for making it such a memorable experience.

“Yelland Place provides a unique brand of retirement living in the local area with independence and community at its heart. With a wealth of social activity on offer and a friendly management team on-hand, homeowners and their families can enjoy peace of mind that everything is taken care of, and help is nearby.”