100 and still counting!

The Dunford family from Africa have more reasons to celebrate this festive season ... as Riffa Views this week welcomes its 100th resident to the development.

They have moved into their own five bedroom villa on Riffa Views' Lagoons estate and are planning to enjoy the holiday settling into their new home.

Captain Philip Durnford, 46, a pilot with Gulf Air and a golf enthusiast, said: "We bought a house in Amwaj and lived there for two years before moving to Riffa Views.

"My wife was spending almost six hours every day on the road doing the school runs and other chores and living at Amwaj did not make sense for us."

The Durnfords and their two children, Megan, 14, and Robyn, 13, were the very first family to move into the community where, at the time, only staff members of Riffa Views International School resided.

Lucinda Durnford, 46, said: "We rented a house as our villa was delayed for a year. We have seen construction work gathering pace after a lull in activity and have really seen the community develop as more and more people have moved in.

"I love my house as it is much bigger than the one in Amwaj. Riffa is accessible and the estate is very green due to the beautiful golf course. We have been living in Bahrain for 15 years and it makes sense to buy your own home and I can say that I am living my Bahrain dream at Riffa Views."

The Durnford's move into their own home comes as Riffa Views Signature Estates celebrates the milestone of delivering more than a 100 villas to its home-owners.

Alfredo Laffitte, CEO of Riffa Views, said: "Despite the challenging environment of 2009 we have persisted in achieving positive construction progress. The infrastructure is now 85 per cent complete and key elements are operational.

"As the new year begins, we reassure our stakeholders that we have been taking all possible steps to alleviate the effect of the challenges the project has been facing and are committed to moving forward."

Derek Dorman, CEO of Gulf Connexions, and his wife Lorraine, were the 100th villa owners to move in. Mr Dorman said: "My mother always told me that good things come to those who wait and this is exactly how my wife and I feel now. The house is finished to perfection and the development already feels like a real community."