Election cry off message
The London mayoral election is widely regarded to be a two-horse race between the Tories’ Zac Goldsmith and Labour’s Sadiq Khan, so it’s no surprise that the candidates bringing up the rear are trying to get noticed. But LibDem Caroline Pidgeon’s efforts at this week’s LandAid Debate were a little wide of the mark at times, particularly when she expressed her view that City towers such as the Walkie Talkie and Cheesegrater were a “blight” on London’s skyline. No surprise that, in a room full of property folk, the subsequent collective gasp sucked the air, and love, out of the room.
Another win for Brum
Birmingham has had constant headline exposure over the past few years – being named second city, the home of Crossrail 2 and Grand Central station. Now it can add being officially recognised as the Caravan Capital of the UK to its plethora of talents. Research from the Caravan Club shows that the West Midlands has more caravans and motorhomes per head of population than anywhere else in Britain. In 2015, almost one in every three UK holidays involved a caravan, and some 32% of British holiday nights were spent caravanning or camping last year.
Salty protest in Shoreditch
Property developers get given a hard time occasionally. They get picketed at MIPIM UK, shamed in the national press and (sometimes) ridiculed by Diary. Last week in Shoreditch, E1, a group of homosexual shamans decided to voice their thoughts about property developers bulldozing Chariots Roman Spa – London’s most famous gay sauna – which is set to be redeveloped as a hotel. A group of activists gathered in the car park, cursing the property developers and chanting while scattering a “magic potion” on the site. We won’t repeat in a family magazine what had allegedly been mixed with glitter to create the magical elixir.
Angered by North South divide
Clear communication and understanding between internal departments and regional offices is key to success for any property agent. Diary heard a tale about one of the largest firms this week that suggests things aren’t running quite as smoothly as they should. A substantial Yorkshire investment sale being run jointly by a local Leeds office and London headquarters is understood to have infuriated one investor. He was quoted one price given to him from Leeds for the opportunity and worked up a bid only to be told that he was way off the mark. The actual price, conjured up in London, was set at a much higher figure and the work done on the bid had been for nought. It is fair to say said agent won’t be getting any instructions from the bidder any time soon.
Developers, not historians
Developer Bmor is candid about history not being its strong point, but Diary is not sure that advertising is either, judging by this hoarding in Vauxhall. We only assume it does indeed live up to its warehouse conversion claims.
