In principle the 300/2.8 has been the basic telephoto lens in everybody's lens bag for over 4 decades. Everybody either has it, or is about to buy one, or at least needs one.
The particular lens in your post is a bit oldish, it is of the first generation AF-S and it was manufactured between 1996-2001 if I remember correctly. Optically it is excellent, even outstanding, but it has the silent wave autofocus motor that is certain to break some day sooner than later. Since it is about 20 years old, I'd be cautious.
It is uncertain whether there are spare parts for the lens (especially the AF-S motor, £400), so you'd take a huge risk of owning a manual focus lens once the silent wave motor croacks. And if you happen to ding and bang the lens just a little bit, there might not be new barrel parts or mount parts or aperture parts, so in the worst case scenario you'll end up with a useless and unrepairable boat anchor.
I highly recommend getting a AF-S 300 f/2.8 VR II version, the latest. You can buy that one from the second hand market too and there will be at least 10 years of care free shooting after the production of that lens ceases.
Even the AF-S VR I -version is questionable now, it went out of production back in 2009. I still have that lens but will upgrade to the VR II version once the new 300/2.8 E FL becomes available (maybe this year, since it is Nikon's 100th anniversary).
If the AF-S VR II is hard to find, the most future proof (and cost effective) solution might be either the AF 300/2.8 (screw drive focus, requires in-body AF motor) from the late 1980's or a manual focus AI-S version. But because the optics of the lens are so great, even the 3+ decades old manual focus lenses come with a hefty price tag.
