UK Kate spot...again.

[Garrick Twinney <G.Twinney@plymouth.ac.uk>]

Hi all.

Sorry this is so long after the event, a photocopy of the article only
recently landed on my doorstep and it took me a while to get around to
typing it up.  This combined with a weeks worth of Kate partys all around
this land :)


-----

'The Reading Standard' July 20 1995


POP STAR FINDS HER 3/4m ukp DREAM HOME
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Singer Kate Bush has splashed out 750,000 ukp on a secret dream home near
Reading, it was revealed in the Reading Evening Post.

The star has brought up a 14-bedroom mansion, which has been empty for the
last 15 years, on the leafy outskirts of the town.

Sources told the Post the 37-year-old performer, who leapt to fame with the
chart hit Wuthering Heights in 1978, planned to spend another 2m ukp on
doing up the property.

The house is believed to have previously been owned by an Arab sheik who
used the property to store his collection of carpets, worth thousands of
pounds.

Kate has visited the house several times in the last few months, to see how
builders are getting on with converting the 160-year-old listed building.

One source said at one point workmen had slung a 60,000 ukp Persian carpet
into a builder's skip, thinking it was worthless rubbish.

He said: "The property has been left empty for some time and needs a lot of
work on it.  The building is listed so they are waiting for planning
permission before they can carry out a lot of the work.  It will be another
six months before anyone can move in."

He said the house also contained a rare English oak-panelled floor, worth
more than 20,000 ukp.

The star is not the first pop talent to have lived in the area.

One neighbour confided: "I am not surprised really.  I'm not sure why but
we've had quite a few famous musicians living around here.  Lyn Paul from
the New Seekers used to live next door for several years - her parents were
very nice and always passed the time of day."

Members of other sixties bands have also been former residents.

Another neighbour said: "It is a lovely house.  My family have lived here
for years and my mother used to work for some of the previous owners.  We
have heard rumours for months but I am not that bothered really - although I
admit I am a fan of her music I don't think we will be seeing much of her."

Reclusive Kate's present home is a farm in North Kent where she lives with
members of her family.


-----

I hope that this is of some interest to someone.  The neighbour who admits
to being a fan of her music makes it sound like some kind of crime to be a
fan.  Be proud to be a fan and shout it from the roof-tops, well, at least
wear your r.m.g t-shirt with pride!

--
Garrick Twinney         "There is no pain you are receding,
gtwinney@plymouth.ac.uk  A distant ship smoke on the horizon."
g7lfw@gb7pab.#44.gbr.eu  Pink Floyd - Comfortably Numb