A CHEF has finally found a home he can afford in Tetbury after nine months of searching.

Michael Bell, 37, also a chef at the Snooty Fox Hotel, moved into his new house in Hampton Street, Tetbury, towards the end of May.

He and his 24-year-old girlfriend had been staying in staff accommodation at the Snooty Fox while looking for a place to live in the town but were unable to find an affordable place for months.

He said that, on average, the rent in Tetbury was about £600 a month, excluding council tax and bills. Taking into account council tax and bills, it would cost about £800 to live somewhere in the town.

Agency fees, he said, could be as much as £2000 which added to the price of renting a place in Tetbury.

After nine months of searching, he was fortunate enough to find a place through a private landlord without paying agency fees.

Michael lives in a house which costs £500 a month to rent, with council tax and utility bills all included.

According to online property website Zoopla, the average price paid for a house in Tetbury is £308,400, 10 percent more than the national average, and the average value of properties is £395,744, almost 30 per cent more than the national average.

In the last five years, the value of the town’s properties have increased 17.2 per cent (£58,176) on average. And in the past year, the value has increased 2.4 per cent (£9,154) on average.

Michael, who grew up in Tetbury, said: “It’s an expensive area to live in, whether it’s because of the royal connection or because we have people working in London who find it easy to commute from here, I don’t know.

“I was looking for a place constantly in the nine months but they go so quickly. I’m 37 and in full-time work, and if I’m struggling, it must be harder for anyone younger.

“We are building houses all the time in this area but not making them financially viable for young people. We’re going to get people who have lived in the city and are retiring here, they’re the people who are earning decent amounts.”

“A lot of young people are looking to move out to places like Bristol where there is a better chance of getting a better paid job, somewhere more reasonable, and where there is more value for money.

“It is sad. It’s never going to change for Tetbury, we are paying for higher house prices because of the royal connection.”