This is a Happy House?

Believe it or not, someone has just rented a flat in this house in Merrywalks, down by the bus station, with the Slad Brook running directly underneath. In its present condition, I would not sleep there alone for a night even for £500. On the other hand, £1000 would do nicely if I were allowed to bring my iPad and kindle!

I rented part of a house in this style in Slad road once. It was divided into four, with flying freeholds and plenty of noises off. I had the front part, without spectacular views of the valley, but lots of the road. There were no ghosts, but only recently divorced or separated women ever lived in the back part of the house, and while I lived there I was stalked by a wealthy but disturbed individual. It was one of the most terrifying experiences of my life, and I lived on tenterhooks. The landlord found out I had changed the phone number and asked me why. I told him about the stalking, and he said that while he lived there he had been stalked too, by a woman who sat in her car outside the house, knitting, knitting...

I wish the new occupant of flat 12 every happiness, and a stiff drink. And I wonder who the hell let a large house in town fall into such a state...

Further musings: I would love to see this house brought into some sort of use, but it is now situated right on the A46, with a brook that is prone to flooding underneath it; on a busy traffic interchange that is one of the gateways to town; and next to the cinema complex that replaced the bus station; and adjacent to the part of the A46 which the buses now use as a (ahem!) temporary bus station. It only has a tiny frontage, with that grim wall in front which is not typical; mostly walls here are Cotswold stone or red brick.

However, there are a number of other properties or plots in very high-traffic areas of our town that have recently been put forward as suitable locations for care homes!