Living in Altrincham has made me realise that even Manchester has its rather splendid areas. Having moved to the north from Islington, I initially found myself scouting out areas with little idea of what they were like. Having viewed houses that turned out to be in somewhat less than desirable areas, I eventually found myself in the Altrincham environs, and almost immediately knew that this was a well-to-do area that would allow me to settle without worry.

The first things I saw as I pulled into the driveway of the property that I was due to view was not the rather becoming Victorian exterior or the period features, but the neighbour’s car. To be precise, a Bentley. Now I’m not one to try and keep up with the Joneses, but the sight of such a prestigious car is enough to spark a pang of desire in any breast, and I was not spared this fleeting moment of aspiration.

Whilst waiting for completion I mulled things over. Fortunately I didn’t buy the house I saw that day, as I daresay it would have looked rather obvious had I moved in and later acquired a car to match the neighbours! But I did choose Altrincham as my base, and to my delight I discovered that there was a Bentley dealership not far from my new environs.

Obviously buying a house and a car at the same time is a rather pricey venture, and I therefore thought it prudent to opt for a used Bentley model. I am very glad that I did, because the savings that I made on a model only four years old and with one previous owner were quite astounding.