John Portman

Age: 52

Occupation: IT consultant.

We moved down to Gloucester in 1990 because of company relocation. Previously I worked in Stockport and had lived in Derbyshire and Cheshire. I wouldn't say that it was necessarily a better quality of life down here as there are advantages as well as disadvantages in living near a much bigger city than Gloucester. However there are attributes of Gloucester that are very good. I particularly appreciate the unspoilt countryside, being on the edge of the Cotswolds. For me one of the plus points is that it is a relatively unspoilt and less-developed county compared with many other areas. There are a number of stately homes, castles, gardens, and walks. I think that if you like the outdoor life there is quite a lot of interest in this area. We are members of Nature in Art at Twigworth and also the Rococo Gardens in Painswick. We have a son of 14 who goes to Chosen Hill School and seems very happy there.

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