TV property guru Phil Spencer not such a Secret Agent in Colchester (From Gazette)

TV property guru Phil Spencer not such a Secret Agent in Colchester

1:21pm Friday 7th September 2012 in News By Caroline Tilley

PROPERTY guru Phil Spencer turned out to be the not-so Secret Agent.

The host of of Location, Location, Location was spotted filming in New Town , Colchester, for his new series.

Cameras and crew filmed Phil’s every step in New Park Street as he gave a property owner tips on securing a sale.

He was later spotted in the town centre.

Secret Agent fan Lauren Kirby, manager of Shakeaway, said she did a double take when she saw him walking outside the shop in St Isaac’s Walk.

Lauren, 25, said: “I was a bit shocked and got a picture of him.

“I watch his programmes, so I will definitely be watching the new series. I hope the shop is in the camera shot. We might be on the show.

“Everyone looked a bit like ‘what’s going on’.

“They were mostly teenagers outside the shop, so they were more surprised to see a video camera than him.”

In Secret Agent, residents contact Channel 4 for help to sell their homes. Phil gives honest, and sometimes scathing, advice to owners.

Several adverts have been posted around Colchester advertising for people to feature on the show.

Graham Buxton, partner at Fenn Wright in Colchester, said properties in New Town were selling well at the moment.

He said: “The benefit is they are within walking distance of the town and Hythe and Colchester town train stations.

“Most of the homes are constructed around the turn of the 20th century and people tend to like those houses. There’s always going to be an amount of competition, regarding prices in New Town.”

Homes in Colchester have suffered a dip over the past two months with the Olympics and bad weather being blamed.

Mr Buxton said interest was beginning to pick up again because the summer holidays were over.