Long-time readers will be aware of Diary’s enthusiasm for Lego, the perfect medium for celebrating real estate in miniature form. Or, indeed, not-that-miniature.
Due to the sad demise of Brick Live International, some of its pretty huge Lego versions of iconic buildings are going under the hammer on 3 June at Robson Kay auctioneers.
At time of writing, online bidding for a 3.65m-high Empire State Building stands at a bargainous £110, a 2.85m Chrysler Building is a snip at £40 and a 2.35m Shard is yours for the same price.
No vacancies
Last week’s UKREiiF was a huge success in the Leeds sunshine, with return dates for 2026 already announced. Might Diary suggest that next year’s event focuses on securing more hotels for the Yorkshire city? Demand definitely outstrips supply.
Team Estates Gazette were far from the only ones commuting in each day from York, while we spoke to others staying in Harrogate.
Meanwhile, one guest at our editor’s dinner had a novel solution. Rather than stay another night when they missed the last train back to London, they opted to get a three-hour Uber ride home – for less than the inflated hotel rate they had been paying.
Meet the team: Shifali Gorka, reporter
Shifali, what’s your origin story?
I was born and raised in the chaos and charm of India. But at 22, I had a moment – I wanted more. Watching movies like Erin Brockovich lit a fire in me. I wanted to be that fiercely independent woman chasing her dreams. So I packed my bags and moved here. It wasn’t easy leaving my family behind but three years in, I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything
It’s almost your first anniversary at Estates Gazette – how would you sum up the last year?
Feels like just yesterday I was nervously prepping for my second-round interview. This year’s been a wild, wonderful roller coaster. I’ve grown so much, professionally and personally. I’ve been lucky to learn from a team that genuinely feels like family. Our newsroom is the perfect mix of chaos and good vibes. I’ve broken stories I never thought I’d get, travelled solo and with the crew and discovered how much relationships matter in this job. It’s been everything I dreamed of – and more.
The news team sure loves “Shifali-isms”…
Every day we have new stories, new laughs, and, yes, a few “Shifali-isms”. I talk. A lot. I joke even more. But that’s what makes it special. We’re not just journos in a deadline race, we’re friends who genuinely enjoy each other. Life’s too short for grumpy offices. If I can bring a laugh or two to the day, I consider that a job well done.
Why is your sector the most exciting to cover?
I cover retail and leisure. Honestly, does anything sound more fun than that? I chase stories about restaurants, shopping trends and experience-led spaces. In return, I get invites to the coolest events. Just last week, I was at a Tyler, The Creator concert at the O2. My sector is fast-paced and it suits me down to the ground.
You are a digital journalist and a specialist in data and multimedia storytelling: what should old-school journos be learning?
We’re in the age of AI and if we don’t adapt, we’re basically fossils with press passes. When I started my journalism course, terms like “digital storytelling” scared me. But I’m so glad I leaned in. Multimedia and data don’t replace good reporting, they amplify it. We’ve got the potential to make stories pop with visuals, interactivity and clever data use. It’s not just useful – it’s fun.
You’ve joined the ranks of horror fans in the team. What’s your favourite scary movie?
Our team’s horror obsession is real. Even poor Akanksha, who we’ve semi-bullied into watching trailers, is part of the chaos. Hands down, my favourite horror movie is Terrifier 3. It’s so gross, it’s genius. I haunted my colleagues with scene-by-scene recaps. It messed me up! I even dreamt Tim ordered me to kill people because our rivals were ahead on body count. True story.
