As the first residents move into Television Centre, a new era is beginning for the BBC’s former home in west London November 28, 2017 When BBC Television Centre in White City, west London, was opened by the Queen in 1961, it was described by then director general Gerald Butler as “the largest, best equipped and most carefully planned factory of its kind.” Rather than goods, this building would manufacture culture and, at the time, it was the most ambitious [...]
Focus On Forest Hill: Meet the up-and-coming part of south east London that’s been dubbed the “new nappy valley” November 16, 2017 Like a lot of south east London, Forest Hill likes to keep a low profile – lest anyone find out just how good it is. But as the affordability crisis forces more and more Londoners to search the nooks and crannies of the capital for decent housing, many of them have alighted upon this useful [...]
A life off-grid with no energy bills is closer than you think. Here’s what the future has in store for sustainable homes September 26, 2017 "Right," says eco-developer Sam Budhdeo, rubbing his hands together. “We think we have the solution to climate change.” As openers go, it’s a bold one, but not quite as outlandish as it sounds. The housebuilder who successfully cracks the code to building sustainably – and affordably – would be solving a large part of the [...]
Follies review: Five stars for this masterful production of Stephen Sondheim’s love letter to the Broadway revue September 7, 2017 “I’m just a Broadway Baby/Walking off my tired feet/Pounding 42nd street/To be in a show…” sings Hattie in Follies, Stephen Sondheim’s love letter to the Broadway revue. Yet this show isn’t about starstruck youths dreaming of their name in lights, but the far more fascinating lives of ageing stars and what happens to them when [...]
Focus On Streatham: Where house price growth is nearly 9 per cent year-on-year, twice the London average September 4, 2017 If you have an SW postcode, think of yourself as one of the lucky ones. The average home in south west London now costs over £1m and it’s long been home to some of the most expensive streets in the country. But there is a way to live in an SW postcode without being a [...]
Focus On Brixton: David Bowie, buzzing nightlife and honest burgers keep average house prices at around £550,000 July 27, 2017 In many ways, Brixton is the capital of south London. With its excellent transport links into central London and exhaustive range of shopping, dining and nightlife options, if you didn’t have to work, you probably wouldn’t need to leave. It even has its own currency. Over 250 businesses accept the Brixton Pound and around £50,000 [...]
Property of the Week: This four-storey penthouse next door to Tower Bridge is on sale for the first time in 35 years July 27, 2017 There are penthouses with views and then there’s the High Command. This highly unusual Grade II Listed property in Shad Thames is so close to Tower Bridge that it’s practically within touching distance when you’re having a cup of tea on one of its many terraces. High Command, Shad Thames, £9.5m This is the first [...]
Allelujah! review: Alan Bennett’s NHS play at the Bridge Theatre is cosy and cautionary all at once July 27, 2017 It’s often said that the NHS and the BBC are the twin religions of Britain. If there’s a triplet, it’s probably Alan Bennett, who’s decided to make the health service the subject of his first new play in five years. Allelujah! isn’t quite as sprightly as it sounds, being set on a geriatric ward, but [...]
Focus On Woolwich: Crossrail, a huge regeneration project, cultural quarter and affordable housing in SE18 July 14, 2017 The West End, the Southbank, Shoreditch and now… Woolwich? Could this south east London suburb be the new place you head to on a Saturday night to soak up some culture? If it’s astronomical house price rises over the past five years are anything to go by, it could well be. In March, planning permission [...]
Focus On New Cross: With year-on-year house price growth at nearly 15 per cent, SE14 is a safe bet in Zone Two July 3, 2017 Like many areas tipped for great growth in years to come, New Cross is a place that’s sandwiched in between two much trendier neighbours. The meteoric rise of Peckham and Deptford has left poor SE14 trailing in its wake, but there’s no reason why it shouldn’t be just as popular in just a few years. [...]
