Latest news with #Battersea
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Donatella Versace-designed flat in London's Nine Elms goes on the market for £10.7m
A five-bedroom duplex flat in London designed by Donatella Versace and her business, Versace Home, has gone on sale for £10.7million. The Damac Tower Nine Elms building is the only residential development in London fully designed by Versace Home. The duplex flat being sold by Chestertons spans 3,664 sq ft and has two reception rooms and five bathrooms. Its interiors were designed by Versace Home's former artistic director, Donatella Versace. The sizeable five-bedroom flat, which is located between Battersea and Vauxhall in London, boasts 180-degree skyline views of the capital. The tower has interiors styled by Donatella Versace herself, including an indoor swimming pool, steam room and jacuzzi boasting panoramic views and a state-of-the-art gym. Interested buyers with deep pockets will have to ask Chestertons, the estate agency selling the flat, what the annual service charge is, as this is not disclosed in the listing. The flat's ground rent is £1,200 per year and the length of the lease on the property is 993 years. 'Her unique signature is everywhere, from the mosaic walls of the spa influenced by the icon of Versace, to the intricate 'greek key' inlay on the bedroom doors', the estate agent, Chestertons, said. On the twenty-fourth floor of the building, there is a 2,034 sq ft Donatella Versace-designed colourful children's play area featuring a large slide and equipped with books, games and toys. The tower has ample parking, two car lifts and a slew of optional hospitality services available. A communal residents' lounge overlooks the tower's roof gardens and has panoramic views of the London skyline. Residents in the tower can also enjoy a plush residents-only private cinema exuding Hollywood glamour in its design. Starting prices for a studio in the block start from £712,000. Prices for one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom flats in the tower start from £835,000, £1.2milllion and £2.3million respectively. Take it all in: The communal jacuzzi in the block is simple but chic A spokesperson for Chestertons told This is Money: 'We're seeing strong interest from both domestic and international buyers – particularly those who value statement design, exceptional facilities, and long-term capital growth. 'Damac Tower appeals to discerning professionals, overseas investors, and buyers seeking a stylish pied-à-terre in central London. 'With its prime position in Nine Elms, proximity to Battersea Power Station, and excellent transport links via the Northern Line extension, this development represents an aspirational yet strategic purchase.' The Damac Tower Nine Elms building is a 50-storey, 170-metre high skyscraper. It was originally scheduled to be completed by 2020, but this was delayed to June 2022. The tower sits at the centre of a multi-billion-pound regeneration scheme transforming the area in London between Battersea and Vauxhall. Versace House was founded in 1978. The business is led by Emmanuel Gintzburger as chief executive and the design team is under the leadership of chief creative officer, Dario Vitale. Donatella Versace stepped down from her role as artistic director in April, but remains the company's chief brand ambassador. As well as designing hotels, apartment blocks and cars, Donatella Versace has dressed some of the most famous people in the world. She designed the green jungle dress for Jennifer Lopez in 2000 and Michelle Obama's dress for her 2016 final state dinner. How to find a new mortgage Borrowers who need a mortgage because their current fixed rate deal is ending, or they are buying a home, should explore their options as soon as possible. Buy-to-let landlords should also act as soon as they can. Quick mortgage finder links with This is Money's partner L&C > Mortgage rates calculator > Find the right mortgage for you What if I need to remortgage? Borrowers should compare rates, speak to a mortgage broker and be prepared to act. Homeowners can lock in to a new deal six to nine months in advance, often with no obligation to take it. Most mortgage deals allow fees to be added to the loan and only be charged when it is taken out. This means borrowers can secure a rate without paying expensive arrangement fees. Keep in mind that by doing this and not clearing the fee on completion, interest will be paid on the fee amount over the entire term of the loan, so this may not be the best option for everyone. What if I am buying a home? Those with home purchases agreed should also aim to secure rates as soon as possible, so they know exactly what their monthly payments will be. Buyers should avoid overstretching and be aware that house prices may fall, as higher mortgage rates limit people's borrowing ability and buying power. What about buy-to-let landlords Buy-to-let landlords with interest-only mortgages will see a greater jump in monthly costs than homeowners on residential mortgages. This makes remortgaging in plenty of time essential and our partner L&C can help with buy-to-let mortgages too. How to compare mortgage costs The best way to compare mortgage costs and find the right deal for you is to speak to a broker. This is Money has a long-standing partnership with fee-free broker L&C, to provide you with fee-free expert mortgage advice. Interested in seeing today's best mortgage rates? Use This is Money and L&Cs best mortgage rates calculator to show deals matching your home value, mortgage size, term and fixed rate needs. If you're ready to find your next mortgage, why not use L&C's online Mortgage Finder. It will search 1,000's of deals from more than 90 different lenders to discover the best deal for you. > Find your best mortgage deal with This is Money and L&C Be aware that rates can change quickly, however, and so if you need a mortgage or want to compare rates, speak to L&C as soon as possible, so they can help you find the right mortgage for you.
Bloomberg
a day ago
- Business
- Bloomberg
UK Housing Developers Downsize Projects as Delays Hit High-Rises
In 2021, Greystar Real Estate Partners bought a £31 million ($41.4 million) plot of land in London's Battersea district with the aim of building a roughly 300-home rental tower overlooking the River Thames. The US private equity firm submitted plans to regulators at the end of last year, keen to break ground. But more than 40 weeks later, it's still awaiting a decision. Greystar, which manages more than $300 billion of real estate globally, is one of several firms focusing on developing low-rise residential projects this year, which are not subject to the same safety checks as what are designated 'higher-risk buildings.' Developers claim that those checks — introduced after the deaths of 72 people in the Grenfell Tower fire — have extended timeframes for building taller structures in the UK by months at a time.
Yahoo
22-07-2025
- Yahoo
Dog thefts: what really happened during the COVID pandemic
Dog theft can be a devastating crime. During the COVID pandemic, newspapers suggested there was an epidemic of 'dognapping' in the UK. If you have a dog, the reports may have alarmed you at a time when there were already many reasons to feel afraid. There are mixed views on whether or not lockdown triggered an increase in dog ownership. Animal welfare charity Battersea attributed a 53% increase in dog adoption to lockdown, and online pet adoption service Pets4Homes said in their 2022 report that demand for puppies rose 104% at the peak of lockdown in May 2020. But animal charity PDSA said its survey data pointed to a gradual increase in dog ownership since 2011 rather than a dramatic surge during lockdown. However, we do know lockdown saw inflated prices for dogs, with some fashionable breeds going for £9,000. In terms of criminal activity, social distancing restrictions seemed to lead to a decline in some forms of crime, including shoplifting and burglary. But many media outlets reported the number of dog thefts had increased up to 250% during the pandemic. Get your news from actual experts, straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily newsletter to receive all The Conversation UK's latest coverage of news and research, from politics and business to the arts and sciences. We wanted to explore if the data supported claims of a dognapping epidemic and whether patterns in dog theft could suggest ways to help reduce it. Our recent study found new insights into dog theft patterns and showed the situation was more complicated than it seemed at first glance. Under the Theft Act 1968, dog theft is not a specific offence. It comes under other theft offences, such as burglary or theft from a person. This means police records on dog theft were not included in crime statistics. The only way to access such information is through Freedom of Information (FOI) requests to individual police forces. There are 45 territorial and three special police forces in the UK, and each has its own reporting and recording practices. Although police FOI data for dog theft must be approached with caution, it is useful. Previous studies exploring police FOI data found an upward trend in recorded dog thefts in England and Wales: rising nearly 20% from 2015 (1,545) to 2018 (1,849) for 41 police forces combined; and up 3.5% year on year from 2019 (1,452) to 2020 (1,504) for 33 police forces. DogLost, a UK online community for reuniting lost and stolen dogs with their owners, reported a 170% increase in stolen dogs (with Crime Reference Numbers) registered on their website in 2020 (465), compared to 2019 (172). This figure was widely quoted as a national increase 'since lockdown started' by the media. The 250% increase figure first quoted in December 2020 was actually a comparison of two seven-month periods (January-July 2019 and 2020) for only one police force. Patterns and trends Our study found the data for the period covering the COVID pandemic is also incomplete. Data was provided by 32 forces (71%) for 2020, by 27 forces (60%) for 2021, and 23 forces (51%) for 2022. Patterns and trends do, however, emerge. Between 2020 and 2022, the available data shows a 3.7% rise in dog thefts in the UK, from 1,573 to 1,631. When making adjustments for the number of police forces providing data (which decreased over the period), the estimated national figures suggest there may have been more significant rise of up to 44.2%. While we cannot assume that the forces who supplied data are representative of all 45 regional forces, if this were the case, it would equate to 2,212 recorded dog thefts in 2020, 2,645 in 2021, and 3,191 in 2022. There was a lot of variation between different areas. For example, Cambridgeshire, Gwent and Northumbria police forces experienced increases of 36%, 49% and 80% respectively in the number of recorded dog thefts between 2020 and 2021. Monthly analysis of data from regional police forces and DogLost, show that the number of reports of stolen dogs started to go up when the UK entered its first national lockdown and again during part of the third lockdown. But the average number of police-recorded dog thefts was actually slightly higher outside of lockdown periods than during them between 2020 and 2022. However, in contrast with police trends, DogLost data shows a 65.2% drop in dogs reported stolen on DogLost's website in 2022 compared to 2020. Lower DogLost numbers may reflect limited visibility or presence of their networks, the use of alternative lost and stolen dog services, or reluctance to share personal details online due to scams targeting dog theft victims. Our study found that, overall, there probably was an increase in dog theft from 2020 to 2022, following already identified increases in the preceding years. This rise was probably driven by a combination of opportunity (more dogs, higher value) and situational factors (accessibility, dogs unattended in gardens while owners were inside). Our evidence does not support the notion of a widespread epidemic as portrayed by the media. However, increased media interest probably amplified awareness of the issue, and influenced the creation of the Pet Theft Taskforce, a UK government initiative set up in May 2021 to investigate and tackle dog thefts. New research appears to confirm the idea that dog abduction has significant welfare effects on both dogs and their owners. We also know that few dog thefts are successfully resolved, with under a quarter of stolen dogs likely to be returned and around 1%-5% of reported dog thefts result in someone being charged. However, there is potential good news. Our ongoing research suggests the number of police-recorded dog thefts decreased slightly in 2023, and again in 2024. This is supported by research from pet insurer Direct Line, which has estimated a 21% decrease in the number of stolen dogs from 2,290 in 2023 to 1,808 in 2024 in the UK. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Daniel Allen is founder of Pet Theft Reform and patron of the Stolen and Missing Pets Alliance (Sampa). Melanie Flynn is a member of the Research Advisory Committee of the Vegan Society (UK). John Walliss does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
Yahoo
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Buckingham Palace Just Released a New Portrait of Queen Camilla for Her Birthday
"Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Queen Camilla is turning 78 this week, and Buckingham Palace has released a new image to mark the milestone. The picture was taken earlier this month in the garden of her private Wiltshire home, Raymill, by often-favored photographer Chris Jackson. As is typical for non-milestone royal birthdays, the Queen is not scheduled to make any public appearances on her birthday, which falls on Thursday, July 17. A Palace aide said that she would be spending it privately at home. The Queen's birthday comes after a busy time for her ahead of her summer break. Today, she was in Devon carrying out a string of engagements including a visit to Children's Hospice South West in her role as their patron. On Tuesday, she was made an honorary Freeman and Liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Stationers and Newspaper Makers in the City of London. The honor was in recognition of her interest in literacy which is a big charitable focus of hers. And on Monday, Camilla visited Battersea Dogs and Cats home in her role as their patron. Last week, she played a prominent part in the state visit from France's President Macron and his wife Brigitte. And she also managed to squeeze in a trip to Wimbledon to watch the men's quarterfinals alongside her sister Annabel Elliot. To coincide with the Queen's visit to Battersea, another new image was released of her alongside rescue pup Moley. Also taken by photographer Chris Jackson at Camilla's home in Raymill, the image showed her smiling and holding the puppy up for the camera. It is Moley's second time appearing in an official photograph, as the Palace also released one in May this year ahead of the Queen's visit to a dog garden at the Chelsea Flower Show. At 78 years old, Camilla has now been Queen for almost three years and polling shows that around half of the British public currently have a positive view of her. This is a far cry from polling of the noughties, which suggested that people would struggle to ever accept her as their Queen. For many years as Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla's outings often stayed more under the radar as she carried out somewhere between 200 and 300 engagements annually. But her profile as the consort to the head of state has meant that as she approaches 80, she is now very much center stage. In February this year, the couple's 20th wedding anniversary coincided with their state visit to Italy. The King and Queen are soon expected to pause official engagements for their summer break. The King, 76, is continuing to receive treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer and Camilla has repeatedly made comments about the challenge of getting him to slow down. You Might Also Like 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game
North Wales Chronicle
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Camilla smitten with Battersea puppy as she opens dog-friendly garden
Camilla declared 'I'd have taken him' when told the once homeless tiny Jack Russell cross had found an owner during a visit to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home. The Queen officially launched the garden, co-designed for dogs by TV gardener and author Monty Don, at the charity in south London after it was first unveiled at the Chelsea Flower Show before moving to its new site. She told guests who included celebrity supporters Amanda Holden, Sue Perkins, David Gandy and Dame Jacqueline Wilson she had followed the garden's progress. She said: 'I feel like I've watched it grow up. 'I saw it at the planning stage, I saw it at Chelsea, and I've seen it here, where it's going to be so wonderful for all the dogs to roam around.' Camilla has taken in three rescue dogs from the famous animal sanctuary over the years, with her latest pet called Moley, but she said the animal was left at home because of the hot weather. An image of the Queen cuddling Moley was later released with some tips from Battersea, the charity she supports as patron, on keeping dogs cool in hot weather. The photograph on the official royal family X account had the words: 'Whilst Moley was keeping cool at home, he wishes he could have been reunited with some of his old friends!' When the Queen first arrived, she was greeted by some of Battersea's more cuddly resident dogs, including seven-week-old Dipsy who she tickled behind the ear. It was a fantastic afternoon at @Battersea – we are so grateful for all that you do! 🐾 Whilst Moley was keeping cool at home, she wishes she could have been reunited with some of her old friends! Check out some of Battersea's top tips for keeping pets cool in the heat… 👉… — The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) July 14, 2025 When told by Nake Florin, the charity's behaviour manager responsible for animal wellbeing who held the diminutive puppy in one hand, the dog had been adopted by one of the charity's staff she made the group laugh with her comment about missing out on the dog. Broadcaster Holden later said she made Camilla laugh when she told her about her husband's response to their rescue dog Mini rolling onto its back for its stomach to be tickled whenever he sees the pet. The TV presenter, a Battersea ambassador for 12 years, said of her partner: 'My husband said why can't you be more like that.' She said about the Queen: 'She's just one of those people that's genuinely nuts about dogs.' During the visit Camilla toured the dog-friendly garden, which features a lawn, trees and shrubs, and saw one of the pets jump into a small pond and run about the borders. Don said later: 'It wasn't about relocating a Chelsea garden, Chelsea was a stage of the journey to here and I quite like the fact it's changed. 'We haven't just plonked down a Chelsea garden, we've changed the site and made it work for the dogs. 'We wanted the dogs to run and leap and jump and roll and sniff, whereas at the Chelsea garden it was too precious.'
