News
Guardian of Grandeur: Meet Karen Wood, Estate Manager at Royal Haslar
3rd December 2025Guardian of Grandeur: Meet Karen Wood, Estate Manager at Royal Haslar
Since she joined in 2023, Karen Wood has balanced the diverse responsibilities that come with being Royal Haslar’s estate manager – from overseeing all the maintenance and repairs of the site’s grand heritage buildings, ensuring all the communal areas are in perfect condition to feeding the parkland’s very friendly foxes that greet her every morning. Initially joining under residential property management firm FirstPort, she has been retained in her role – by popular demand from both the developer and Royal Haslar residents – by the waterfront village’s new management firm, Burren Asset Management, and will soon be supported by a part-time Senior Property Manager.
She tells us about keeping Royal Haslar running:
What’s your background?
I’m a Gosport girl through and through: I was born, bred and educated here, attending Brune Park and Bay House schools. I went on to work in retail management for 35 years, for companies including Circle K, C&A and Bonmarché.
How did you come to be Estate Manager at Royal Haslar?
In 2022, my old area manager at Bonmarché, who worked in property management, called me to say an exciting opportunity had come up at the new waterside village, and was I ready for a new challenge. It didn’t take me long to say yes.
Did you already have any special connections to Royal Haslar?
Yes, very deep ones – it has always had an important role in my own family’s history. My father was in the Royal Navy, my grandfather in the RAF and my ex-husband was a sub-mariner, so we all knew it well when it was a naval hospital. My mother and one of my sisters worked here over the years as porters, and my other sister as a driver, and my first proper full-time job was here: when I left school in the early 1980s, I worked in the hospital laundry, chiefly starching cuffs and collars for the nurses and doctors. This special connection is something I share with many of the Royal Haslar residents, who also have a history with the place.
What exactly does your role as Estate Manager involve?
My main role is to look after the fabric of the buildings and the grounds, which of course means working closely with local heritage teams due to their listed status. Anything classed as communal is my domain, so I maintain all the utilities, ensuring everything is working correctly and being looked after by our team of contractors, and manage on -site staff. I’m the one at the end of the phone (or email) with any issues to do with building maintenance, repairs and cleaning in communal areas. While people’s private homes are their responsibility, I’m always happy to signpost people to help.
Walk us through a typical day on the job
I technically work from 9am to 5pm, but am usually on site by 8am to catch up with the team at the gate, to see if anything has happened overnight I need to be aware of. Then I’ll head to my lovely new office at the rear of the ground floor in Block E of Trinity House, right next to ‘Coffee Quarters’ cafe – though I admit I prefer an instant coffee and tend to bring my own lunch.
I’ll go through any new emails, then do my first block walk, of Canada House, checking all the communal spaces are all in order, and that the lighting and heating are working as they should. I’ll then do the same in Trinity House and Goodrich House.
Have there been any surprises you didn’t expect?
The wildlife! With 62 waterfront acres, we have a lot of visitors, including several very friendly foxes who greet me each morning – one is so tame she will eat out of my hand. There is ever changing birdlife through the seasons too, of course. The jays are very beautiful, and there are woodpeckers, too. But the squirrels are my favourite.
What are the most rewarding and most challenging parts of the role?
As well as working amid such special, historic buildings, I love to hear residents’ stories about their many and varied connections with Royal Haslar. Many served with the armed forces, or were from families that did, while others were patients. I never get tired of the anecdotes. On such a large site, all my jobs mean getting all my ducks in a row well in advance, which can be challenging, but there is a huge sense of accomplishment once I have. Having the right team around you is of course vital.
What are you particularly excited about for Royal Haslar’ future?
The opening of ‘Coffee Quarters’ café this year has been a such a game changer. It’s a huge success, and it’s wonderful to see so many residents getting to know each other and socialising here. I love the idea of a bistro near the entrance gates, which would allow even more people to enjoy the spectacular site. Many of our residents have left behind cherished gardens at their previous homes, but brought treasured gardening tools with them, so I share their hopes that a dedicated residents’ garden will be created soon, where they can grow their own flowers and veggies. Gardening is so rewarding, so important for wellbeing, and such a brilliant way to practise mindfulness.
Karen can be contacted on T: 07909 836773, E: Karen.Wood@fexcopropertyservices.co.uk
She tells us about keeping Royal Haslar running:
What’s your background?
I’m a Gosport girl through and through: I was born, bred and educated here, attending Brune Park and Bay House schools. I went on to work in retail management for 35 years, for companies including Circle K, C&A and Bonmarché.
How did you come to be Estate Manager at Royal Haslar?
In 2022, my old area manager at Bonmarché, who worked in property management, called me to say an exciting opportunity had come up at the new waterside village, and was I ready for a new challenge. It didn’t take me long to say yes.
Did you already have any special connections to Royal Haslar?
Yes, very deep ones – it has always had an important role in my own family’s history. My father was in the Royal Navy, my grandfather in the RAF and my ex-husband was a sub-mariner, so we all knew it well when it was a naval hospital. My mother and one of my sisters worked here over the years as porters, and my other sister as a driver, and my first proper full-time job was here: when I left school in the early 1980s, I worked in the hospital laundry, chiefly starching cuffs and collars for the nurses and doctors. This special connection is something I share with many of the Royal Haslar residents, who also have a history with the place.
What exactly does your role as Estate Manager involve?
My main role is to look after the fabric of the buildings and the grounds, which of course means working closely with local heritage teams due to their listed status. Anything classed as communal is my domain, so I maintain all the utilities, ensuring everything is working correctly and being looked after by our team of contractors, and manage on -site staff. I’m the one at the end of the phone (or email) with any issues to do with building maintenance, repairs and cleaning in communal areas. While people’s private homes are their responsibility, I’m always happy to signpost people to help.
Walk us through a typical day on the job
I technically work from 9am to 5pm, but am usually on site by 8am to catch up with the team at the gate, to see if anything has happened overnight I need to be aware of. Then I’ll head to my lovely new office at the rear of the ground floor in Block E of Trinity House, right next to ‘Coffee Quarters’ cafe – though I admit I prefer an instant coffee and tend to bring my own lunch.
I’ll go through any new emails, then do my first block walk, of Canada House, checking all the communal spaces are all in order, and that the lighting and heating are working as they should. I’ll then do the same in Trinity House and Goodrich House.
Have there been any surprises you didn’t expect?
The wildlife! With 62 waterfront acres, we have a lot of visitors, including several very friendly foxes who greet me each morning – one is so tame she will eat out of my hand. There is ever changing birdlife through the seasons too, of course. The jays are very beautiful, and there are woodpeckers, too. But the squirrels are my favourite.
What are the most rewarding and most challenging parts of the role?
As well as working amid such special, historic buildings, I love to hear residents’ stories about their many and varied connections with Royal Haslar. Many served with the armed forces, or were from families that did, while others were patients. I never get tired of the anecdotes. On such a large site, all my jobs mean getting all my ducks in a row well in advance, which can be challenging, but there is a huge sense of accomplishment once I have. Having the right team around you is of course vital.
What are you particularly excited about for Royal Haslar’ future?
The opening of ‘Coffee Quarters’ café this year has been a such a game changer. It’s a huge success, and it’s wonderful to see so many residents getting to know each other and socialising here. I love the idea of a bistro near the entrance gates, which would allow even more people to enjoy the spectacular site. Many of our residents have left behind cherished gardens at their previous homes, but brought treasured gardening tools with them, so I share their hopes that a dedicated residents’ garden will be created soon, where they can grow their own flowers and veggies. Gardening is so rewarding, so important for wellbeing, and such a brilliant way to practise mindfulness.
Karen can be contacted on T: 07909 836773, E: Karen.Wood@fexcopropertyservices.co.uk