Grainger’s Abbeville Apartments in Barking opened to much fanfare in 2015 as the landlord’s first purpose-built rental block.
Diary visited it last week, and you can imagine our surprise when we were led into the entrance of an Asda. Then inside, we met with a reception where there should have been vegetables, and we realised this wasn’t an Asda at all.
Turns out that when Grainger picked up the scheme, it had already been agreed that the supermarket next door would perch its logo out front.
Diary thought this would be a great opportunity for a name change – Asda-ville Apartments rolls off the tongue quite nicely – but so far Grainger hasn’t got back to us.
A graveyard smash
Worried residents in Ware, East Hertfordshire were relieved last week when a wine bar was refused planning permission.
The council said the proposals hadn’t eased locals’ fears that the new watering hole would be a nuisance, encouraging more drunkenness, more alcoholics peeing on doorways and, of course, more revellers getting frisky in a nearby cemetery. But it wasn’t just the rabble-rousers that made Ware’s residents wary.
The wine bar would have been so large, one councillor said, that it would have attracted people from Enfield.
Diary would like to stress that while we do not condone irresponsible, behaviour – either inside or outside graveyards – we stand with all Enfielders and would like to extend a warm welcome to any who have felt the chill of Ware’s cold shoulder and need a friend.
Sign of the times
The changing face of London property is a favourite topic here, one Diary likes to shout about to anyone who will listen.
But for those who still doubt us about things like the private rented sector, look no further than MIPIM itself.
A little birdie has told Diary that this year will see Quintain, the brains behind more than 5,000 PRS homes in Wembley, replace Capital & Counties on the London stand.
When Covent Garden moves aside to make space for rental developments, it might just be a sign of the times.
Exemplary misunderstanding
You’ll remember the news last year that developer Exemplar was calling a halt to new projects while it let the chill winds of Brexit blow over. Co-founder Dan Van Gelder said the firm was taking a “siesta”.
The day after EG broke the news, at the Exemplar Christmas lunch, Van Gelder’s colleagues presented him with a sombrero and serape to help him enjoy his rest.
This week others, perhaps unintentionally, ran with the theme. Among the list of gifts and hospitality accepted by Westminster councillor Robert Davis was lunch at the Colony Grill Room with “Spanish property developer” Van Gelder.
“Now @thetimes are reporting I’m Spanish!” tweeted Van Gelder. “Off now to have a croissant and put on my Lederhosen if only to further confuse the press.”
Hide and Sadiq
When Diary was but a wee child, blissful winter days were spent poring over Where’s Wally? And Wally never got past Diary’s watchful eyes – nor did the wizard or his friends.
A wave of nostalgia hit last week when we passed a poster on the Tube inviting Londoners to an evening with the London Assembly and mayor Sadiq Khan to talk “safety, housing, transport and more”. Our friends from the Assembly were there – but someone was missing.
For a moment Diary thought this was a fun London spin-off of our favourite hide-and-seek champion, but we were soon disappointed.
Khan was nowhere on the poster – something we’re certain about after all these years of Wally-spotting practice.
Mayors are a busy bunch and Diary gets it – it’s not easy being a public figure, having to answer to constant scrutiny and being expected to show your face on every possible occasion. We’ve been there.
But if you’re hiding on a poster for your own event, at least peak out behind someone’s shoulder to give us something nostalgic to do while we wait for the Tube.
