As the football star takes over as manager at Plymouth Argyle, Wayne and Coleen Rooney are rumoured to be moving to Salcombe in Devon where they will pay £7 a pint and £22 for fish and chips.
The couple are believed to be uprooting their young family from their £20million Cheshire mansion and moving to the town dubbed ‘Chelsea-on-Sea’.
Salcombe is known for its golden beaches and picturesque estuary as well as its high living costs.
It is the most expensive coastal town in the UK – with house prices averaging at almost £1 million and local pints costing an eye-watering £7.
A source told The Sun that although Salcombe is a ‘magnet for posh public school types in red chinos’, the Rooneys would be ‘made welcome’.
Salcombe is home to one of the country’s best beer gardens – The Ferry Inn.
It was ranked as the tenth best beer garden in the UK in a list compiled by travel website, Big 7 Travel, in 2023.
The Ferry Inn offers its customers a stunning view of the estuary.
But a pint costs £7.20, putting it above the average price of a pint in London which sits at £6.75, according to comparison website Finder.
And the eye-watering prices do not stop there.
If the Rooneys are craving some traditional seaside fare, they might visit Dick and Wills – a waterside restaurant ‘famous’ for its fish and chips.
A single portion would set the former Manchester United striker back £22.95.
The average price of fish and chips in the UK is £9, according to the Office for National Statistics figures from 2023.
A classic burger at the restaurant costs £19.95.
Dick and Wills describe their restaurant as a ‘magical food and drink experience overlooking the water’ – so this might be a spot the Rooneys choose to kick back after a long week.
The family might decide to indulge in some high street shopping – boutiques in the town centre including Henri Lloyd and Musto offer high-quality men’s apparel fit for a football manager.
With prices at the former peaking at around £350 for a ‘consort jacket’, and the latter selling ‘hybrid vest’ gilets for £112, Rooney is sure to be the most stylish manager in the Championship.
And – of course – the Rooneys will need to splash out on some decorations and furnishings for their new home.
Interior shop Susie Watson Design might catch their eye – where a metre of curtains can cost £285.
The family currently lives in a £20 million mansion in Cheshire reported to have six bedrooms, a home cinema, grand stables and an underground spa.
But they may be leaving the perks of the Cheshire abode behind after the ex-England striker landed the managerial post in Plymouth after being sacked by Championship club Birmingham City in January.
Speaking of his new role, Rooney said: ‘This is an opportunity to be part of an exciting project. I look forward to helping to build a squad of players to play expansive football – and to entertain the Green Army.
‘I have experienced first-hand how talented the existing group of players is here – and also the incredible atmosphere at Home Park.
‘The club is on an exciting long-term journey, with a progressive plan in place. I am grateful for the opportunity to be part of it. I can’t wait for the Championship season to start in August.’
Salcombe is the most expensive place in the country to own a coastal home, with an average house price of more than £970,000, according to analysis of Land Registry data by Lloyds.
The priciest home in the area is a £5.95 million six-bedroom detached house called Thalassa.
The stunning property has more than 3,000 square feet of accommodation, according to estate agents Strutt and Parker.
It has has uninterrupted views across the estuary as well as direct access to the beach and its own private boathouse.
The six bedrooms would be perfect for the Rooney couple, who have four children – Kai, 14, Klay, 11, Kit, 8, and Cass, 6.
The second most expensive in Salcombe is a £3.5million five-bedroom property in the Moult Hill area.
This property will no doubt be appealing due to its ‘privacy and tranquillity’.
The description from estate agents Knight Frank said it has ‘five en-suite bedrooms, with a standout principal suite featuring a vast bathroom and walk-in wardrobe’, calling it ‘an ideal haven for the whole family and ideal for entertaining guests’.
If this property does not take their fancy, the Rooneys could opt for Bridleway House, which is on the market for £3.5 million.
Estate agents Knight Frank describe it as ‘an exceptional contemporary family home’. It was built in 2017 and is only a 10-minute stroll from the popular North Sands beach.
A source told The Sun: ‘Salcombe and its surrounding area are beautiful. It’s easy to see why Wayne and Coleen would look there.
‘It’s a magnet for posh public school types in red chinos and deck shoes so Wayne might stick out a bit but I’m sure he would be made welcome.’
Another added: ‘Coleen’s given her blessing to this possible move. She wants somewhere suitable for the family and they all love a beach holiday so Salcombe would be ideal.’