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Removals to Fakenham with Hamiltons Removals
Fakenham is often described as ‘the gateway to North Norfolk’ and it’s easy to see why – it’s ideally located between Norwich and the coast, with the resorts of Hunstanton, Burnham Market and Blakeney all within easy reach. But there’s plenty of other reasons to consider moving house to Fakenham. Here East Anglia removals firm Hamiltons Removals look at the town’s past and present – and how we can help you relocate there.
Fakenham’s History and Heritage
One theory says that the name Fakenham comes from the Anglo-Saxon translation, which means ‘Place on a Fair River’; the river that runs through the town is the Wensum, which is a tributary of the River Yare and also flows into Norwich. However, it is thought there were settlements in the Fakenham area before that, with Bronze Age artefacts having been found on the site of the current town.
Fakenham has been a market town since the year 1250, and the market still flourishes; it’s held every Thursday in the town’s Market Place (pictured above). In its early years agricultural products and cattle accounted for much of the business; more recently the breadth of stalls has increased to include bric-a-brac, plants and hot food outlets, although the primary focus is still on fresh meat, fish and groceries. There’s also a flea market and auction held nearby (also on Thursday) in the town’s Corn Hall.
In the 19th century, the town became a major printing centre, and the Fakenham Prepress Solutions, a contemporary printing and illustrating company, continues this legacy today.
Its Other Facilities
As well as the market, Fakenham also has a racecourse to the south of the town. The first races at this National Hunt course were held in 1905, and it is also the venue of the West Norfolk Hunt’s point-to-point races. The course is a major contributor to the local economy, as it can be hired for private events, including weddings and business seminars, and it has a caravan and campsite as well.
The tower of the St Peter and St Paul’s Parish Church, parts of which date back to the 14th and 15th centuries, dominates the skyline of the town. For history buffs, the town also has a Museum of Gas and Local History, which reflects local life and how gas was manufactured from coal before the advent of North Sea gas.
Fakenham can also cater for your children’s education from a young age – it has an Infant and Nursery School, a Junior School and an Academy – a secondary school which also incorporates a sixth form college.
The Transport Links
It’s not just Norwich and the resorts which are within easy reach, but King’s Lynn as well – it’s just over 20 miles to the east via the A148. Cromer is also a little over 20 miles away, also via the A148, but in the opposite direction. The route of the A148 was altered in the mid-1980s to create the Fakenham bypass. There are two other major routes – the A1067, which runs to Norwich, and the A1065 (to Swaffham).
The town no longer has a railway station, but it is served by several bus routes – the Sanders Coaches and Lynx companies take passengers towards to coast, while the Network Norwich service helps commuters who want to travel to Norfolk’s county capital.
House Prices in Fakenham
Rightmove reports that the average price for a Fakenham home is £280,000 – with detached properties selling for almost £100,000 more. Post-pandemic, the demand has increased significantly, helped by the town’s proximity to both the coast and the city of Norwich.
The population of the town is around 8,300, according to the latest Census figures, although this could be swelled dramatically if the latest proposed housing development comes to fruition. Outline planning permission already exists for a 950-home estate off the A148 and includes a shopping centre, a hotel and a new primary school.
Moving House to Fakenham with Hamiltons Removals
If you are interested in moving house to Fakenham – or commercial removals to the town – then Hamiltons Removals are the people to contact. As a leading East Anglia removals company, we can offer plenty of local expertise as well as a commitment to high standards of customer service.
We appreciate that it can sometimes be difficult to get the whole moving process under way, so we offer the flexibility of video surveys and online quotations. You can also call us on 01379 855203 if you have any questions.
Photograph: Philip Halling/Wikimedia Commons
Key Advantages of Using a Dedicated Caravan Storage Site
Over the past few weeks, many of the UK’s caravans have disappeared from our roads thanks to the summer holidays coming to an end. But where is the best place to put them during the off-season? Here Hamiltons Removals, who offer a variety of storage facilities in the heart of East Anglia, look at the advantages of using a dedicated site.
Better Security
This is probably the biggest advantage of using a dedicated storage site. You can be sure that it will be kept safe and secure, and, in the very unlikely event of anyone breaking in and stealing it. Most sites have CCTV so the perpetrators should be caught.
This is in contrast with leaving it outside your home as you won’t be able to keep an eye on it around the clock (for instance at night and when you go to work). And, even if you have got your own alarm system it probably won’t be as speedy or efficient as that offered by a specialist site.
In short, you’ll have much greater peace of mind. In addition, you can leave your caravan there whenever it’s not in use, and not necessarily just during the winter months.
The Legal Situation
Some properties have covenants on their deeds which explicitly rule out keeping a mobile home outside. Also, some residents’ parking schemes, admittedly in more built-up areas, may also rule out keeping caravans in designated spaces. You should therefore check your deeds and potential parking scheme rules carefully. With a dedicated site no such problems arise.
Keeping in With the Neighbours
Some neighbours may not be happy with such a large vehicle being kept close to their own property. This is because it may attract criminals who see it as an easy target (and they may look round neighbouring properties at the same time). Many properties have limited parking space outside too, meaning a caravan can easily take up a neighbour’s space potentially causing issues. Keeping your caravan on a specialist site means it won’t be the source of any neighbourly arguments.
A Proper Surface
It may be tempting, if you don’t have enough room on your driveway or on the road outside, to put it on the lawn or another grassed (or uneven) area. This should be avoided because heavy rain can mean the caravan can be hard to move and it could get stuck in the resulting mud.
A hard surface is always better (although you should always move it every few weeks to prevent long-term damage to the tyres). There’s also the health of the grass to consider as well. As a result, quality storage sites should always offer a hard surface to park your caravan on.
The Financial Benefits
Your insurance policy premium for the caravan should be lower if your vehicle is stored at a dedicated site because of the better security. This should offset at least some of the storage costs. However, most importantly, you will avoid any of the stress and sorrow of losing either your caravan or some of the items within it.
Easy Access
Good storage sites should always combine high-quality security with ease of access for owners. This means you can visit as often as you want to check on your vehicle, and to move it in or out as required. It’s also particularly useful if you have a trusted storage area close by.
Storage Facilities in East Anglia from Hamiltons Removals
At our Aldeby site, we offer self storage rental which is ideal for caravanners in Diss, Harleston, and neighbouring areas of south Norfolk and Suffolk who are looking for somewhere to store their vehicle. It’s also possible to store a boat or motorhome as well as a caravan.
The site has a secure keypad entry system, as well as 24-hour CCTV. All the vehicles are stored on hard surfaces and you can leave it with us for a day, a week, a month or a whole season.
We are also members of the Caravan Storage Site Owners’ Association (CaSSOA), who only give this accreditation to sites that meet their high standards, particularly in the area of security.
Remember, we also offer other storage facilities too. Our Harleston Safe N Stored site has a range of units that are ideal for keeping smaller items safe and secure. It’s also the home of our packing materials business, where we offer a range of high-quality materials which can be used for storage or in house moves.
For more information about any of our storage facilities, you can also call us directly on 01379 855203.