Author: Blake Foster

Within a stone’s throw from top independent schools and backing onto a verdant golf course, this elegant residence has much to boast about. The home is listed on Zoopla by estate agents EXP Luxury (Trafalgar Square Branch), who highlight the house’s seclusion and accessibility as key selling points. Reception room with twin sofas and French doors to garden (Image: EXP Luxury) With five bedrooms, three bathrooms and four receptions, this freehold property, which is offered with no onward chain, provides an elegant starting point for a swift and smooth purchase process. Its prime location offers an ideal setting for families…

Images from Panoramas of Lost London by heritage expert Phillip Davies OBE highlight just how dramatically London, including suburban riverside areas like Woolwich, has changed. The book features over 300 black-and-white photographs documenting London’s past, capturing its people, buildings and neighbourhoods between 1870 and 1945. Many of the images come from the former Greater London Council Historic Buildings Division, alongside material from Historic England and the Metropolitan Archives. One striking photograph in the book shows 6–7 Nile Street, Woolwich, in the year 1900, back when the street was still called Hog Lane. The cottages at 6–7 Nile Street were former picturesque timber-framed buildings…

Christmas is fast approaching and if you are still stuck for present ideas, a trip to Romford Market is the perfect way to tick a few more gifts off your list. The Recorder has done the hard work for you, braving the freezing temperatures one frosty market day to find the best bargains. Whether you are buying for a West Ham super fan, fashionista or Christmas lover, there is something for everyone at the market. Fashion Flower cardigans for £12.99 (Image: Charlotte Anderson) There are a huge variety of clothing options at the market, but some fun cardigans and cosy…

Officers were called at 8.11am today (December 7) to a multi-storey car park at Terminal 3 following reports of multiple people being assaulted. A group of men sprayed several individuals with what is believed to be a form of pepper spray before fleeing the scene, according to the police. Armed response officers attended and arrested one man on suspicion of assault. He remains in custody as the police continue their inquiry to track down further suspects. The London Ambulance Service was present, and the victims were taken to hospital. Their injuries are not deemed to be life-changing or life-threatening. Commander…

Sit down, sip a glass of a wine, and be transported to sunny southern Spain, lifting your mood and encouraging you to head for the high street with a smile on your face. I’m talking sherry, one of the biggest of wine bargains. There will be specific suggestions shortly (and other easily accessible recommendations for seasonal entertaining), but first some reasons why sherry needs to be high on your to-buy list. Flor yeast developing in a manzanilla sherry cask (Image: Barbadillo) There are so many styles, from light, fresh, sea-scented manzanilla to sticky, indulgent PX (Pedro Ximenez). So much care…

North End Tavern in Worcester Park, a fixture of the local community since 1929, is welcoming back customers after a six-figure investment transformed the venue. Completed just in time for the festive season, the revamp saw the first 50 guests on reopening night treated to free drinks in celebration. Main entrance decked in balloons as pub celebrates grand reopening (Image: Stonegate Group) Mark Borrie, general manager of the North End Tavern, said: “We’re delighted to welcome everyone back to our pub following its brief closure. “We’ve kept everything our guests know and love, while making thoughtful improvements where it was…

Think cobbled lanes, twinkling lights, ancient colleges dusted with fairy-light sparkle, and a river that looks great in every photo. And right in the middle of it all is The Varsity Hotel, our home for a very wholesome one-night escape. Rooftop domes at The Varsity (Image: The Varsity) I’d done my research: The Varsity sits right on the River Cam, moments from St John’s, Trinity, Jesus and Magdalene College. A rainy Cambridge street (Image: Newsquest) With just 48 uniquely designed rooms, a rooftop bar, a dreamy spa, and bikes you can borrow to live out your “carefree academic” fantasy, it’s…

Emergency services were called to Terminal 3 at the major airport at 8.11am this morning (December 7) with reports of people being assaulted. Armed officers were also in attendance. At the scene, a number of patients were located suffering injuries police believe are linked to substance like a form of pepper spray. These injuries are not thought to be life threatening or changing. A man was arrested on suspicion of assault, with police making enquiries to locate further suspects. READ MORE: People in hospital after ‘substance sprayed in assault’ at Heathrow Airport Cmndr Peter Stevens said: “At this stage, we…

Sutton is one of the greenest boroughs in London, so it’s no surprise that several of them won Green Flag awards in 2025. The Green Flag Awards recognise parks for their high standards of maintenance, safety, and community involvement. All of Sutton’s previously-awarded parks and open spaces have kept their Green Flag status and have now been joined by Seears Park and Perretts Field in East Cheam.  Here’s a list of the borough’s Green Flag parks of 2025: Beddington Park & The Grange Manor Gardens Guy Road Rec Riverside Walk The Grange Lakeside Elm Grove Bowmans Meadow Oaks Park Carshalton…

Several people were attacked with “a form of pepper spray” by a group of men at a car park, police have said. Officers were called at 8.11am on Sunday to reports that multiple people had been assaulted at the multi-storey car park at Terminal 3. Armed police attended and found several people who had been sprayed with what the Metropolitan Police said was believed to be a form of pepper spray by a group of men who then fled the scene. London Ambulance Service also attended and the victims were taken to hospital. Their injuries are not believed to be…