Family move into fictional 'Good Life' home to live organic lifestyle

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Mark and Wendy Jordan: who own the house where the trials of going organic were filmed, are using the programme as a template for their own lives

It was the fictional home of the nation's favourite ecowarriors but it has inspired the real-life owners to go in search of The Good Life.

Almost 30 years ago BBC sitcom characters Tom and Barbara Good quit the rat-race in favour of green-living and vegetable gardens.

Now the Jordan family, who own the house where the trials of going organic were filmed, are using the programme as a template for their own lives.

Like the show's stars, Mark and Wendy Jordan have ripped up the lawn, built a chicken shed and recycle all their waste.

They plan to put a well in the front garden to provide water for the house and cover their roof with solar panels.

The Edwardian detached house was made famous as the Surbiton home of the eccentric couple played by Richard Briars and Felicity Kendall over 30 episodes from 1975 -1978.

In real life, the home is actually in Northwood, Middlesex, but the Jordans, who have twins, William and Ben, five, and Oliver, seven, along with two terrier dogs, say they want to recreate every other aspect of the show.

Mark, 38, who runs a film prop company said: "I want us to be as self-sufficient as we can. Tom and Barbara were quite eccentric but they set a good example.

'I'm going to install solar panels to heat the water and I want a wind turbine on the roof for electricity.

I eventually want to have a big well in the garden to save all the rain water, so we could use it to flush the toilets or filter it for drinking.'

The Jordan's have been able to take advantage of scientific advances in generating electricity. In 1975 the Good's made electricity from the methane created by animal waste.

Wendy, 32, said: 'We've had the vegetable patch for a few years. Mark rotated the soil and dug it all up and I planted the vegetables. We grow potatoes, rhubarb, cabbage, lettuce, broccoli, carrots, beans, onions and beetroot.

'We also grow fruit. We've got gooseberries, pears, apples, damson and sloe for sloe gin.

'We got the chickens about a year ago. I'm a vegetarian so we only keep them for their eggs.

The children are very green. William is the chicken boy. He loves letting them out in a morning and collecting the eggs. And Oliver and Ben always make a fuss if we leave any lights on.'

Mark explained: 'We want our lifestyle to be as sustainable as possible. We've got an aga range oven to reduce the amount of gas we use. It also stops us needing a tumble dryer.

'Anything we can't grow we buy from a local organic company called Abel and Cole. They deliver a box of organic veg each week. It's all local produce so it has low food miles and there's no packaging.'

The house still attracts visiting fans of the old sitcom.

Mark added: 'When we first moved here I googled the address and found a photo of the house, with me in the background, on an American website.

'We also get letters from fans of the show, and Wendy has had people come and ask her if they can get photos of their children in the front garden.

'The Good Life was a great comedy. I remember the first ever episode when Tom stands with his new rotivator on the front garden after he swaps his car for it.

'Now I've got a rotivator. I always tell people I live in the Good Life house. It's a great talking point. That's not why we bought the house but it is apt that we are quite similar to them.'

The family moved to the area because it is where Mark grew up - he can recall the transformation of the typical suburban house into a country retreat for filming.

The family bought the house five years ago for £475,000 but only embraced The Good Life values of living in the last year.

Now almost thirty years since the ground was last turned by Tom and Barbara, The Good Life has returned home.

 

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