Author: James Anderson, FRSA, CMgr MCMI

Colin Revell was nominated for the British Art Prize 2025 earlier this year, securing a spot in the final 50 out of nearly 3,000 entrants across the country.  Last week, the watercolour enthusiast from Norwich won the award for People’s Choice and was “chuffed” with this achievement. Colin Revell earned the most public votes for his painting (Image: Marcus Holdsworth) Mr Revell said: “I was blown away to receive the prize for people’s choice. “I just wanted to say a massive thank you to everyone who voted for my painting of New York, I really appreciate you all taking the…

Show Fullscreen The City of London has approved plans by Studio Moren to add a metal roof extension to the top of a grade II-listed building as part of the Square Mile’s newest office-to-hotel conversion. The scheme for family-run developer Chart Forte Monument Ltd will transform the mid-19th century St Clement’s House, located just north of Monument, into a luxury 180-key hotel. The planning application, approved using delegated powers, has added to a growing number of office-to-hotel conversions in the City including Orms’ and Richard Griffiths Architects’ plans for the grade I-listed Custom House, which were approved in September. Other…

Adur and Worthing Councils have launched a draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy which sets out a five-year plan focused on prevention, early intervention and reducing the need for temporary accommodation. Cllr Lee Cowen, Adur’s cabinet member for housing and citizen services, said: “This strategy aims to shift our approach from crisis management to early intervention. “By acting proactively we will help people break the cycle of homelessness, move forward and sustain independence as well as substantially decrease our expenditure.” The councils are inviting residents, organisations and stakeholders to share their views on the draft strategy through a public consultation.…

Top tips from experts… Home renovations promise transformation, but for many homeowners they also bring spiralling costs, delays and stress. New research suggests 78% of renovation projects go over budget, turning dream upgrades into logistical and financial headaches. According to contractors, one of the simplest ways to reduce risk is building a 10–20% safety net into your renovation budget to cover unexpected costs. But money isn’t the only pitfall. Interior expert Lisa O’Hanlon from The Shutter Store UK reveals the most common mistakes homeowners make when renovating — and how a few smarter decisions early on can save time, money…

Charlie Manby has gone back to work as a bricklayer just days after winning a huge amount of money at the World Darts Championship. The youngster from Huddersfield was one of the surprise packages of the tournament, reaching the fourth round. He defeated Cameron Menzies in his opening match, a result which was overshadowed by the Scot repeatedly punching his table after the winning dart.Manby also earned victories over Adam Sevada and Ricky Evans before he was finally beaten by eventual runner-up Gian van Veen. He scooped a whopping £60,000 for winning three matches at Alexandra Palace, helping him climb…

Walk along the seafront or through the Lanes after a busy weekend and the evidence is hard to miss. Takeaway cartons wedged behind benches, coffee cups abandoned and the familiar tangle of plastic bottles, food wrappers and cigarette ends that accumulate wherever crowds gather. Even in quieter neighbourhoods, windblown litter gathers in gutters and hedgerows, creating a sense that the city is constantly fighting a tide of waste. I live near a very popular local burger chain. Outside the shop is a bin, but occasionally we get the odd wrapper or paper cup blown into our driveway. Last week was different. A…

Problem jobs meant losses at the UK business of Italian cladding firm Permasteelisa widened last year, the contractor’s latest accounts have revealed. The firm, whose current jobs include 50 Fenchurch Street for Multiplex and 60 Gracechurch Street for Bovis, said pre-tax losses jumped from £6.8m to £10.3m in the year to March 2025. Turnover, which is all from the UK, was up a quarter to £182m. The loss meant the firm stayed in the red for the third successive year in a row, having racked up an £11.2m loss in 2023. It said the losses reflected “the ongoing close out…

On Thursday, Turkish Trade Minister Omer Bolat stated that Türkiye and the UK are working to strengthen their economic partnership as bilateral trade continues to rise. Speaking ahead of the 8th meeting of the UK-Türkiye Joint Economic and Trade Committee (JETCO), Bolat said trade between Türkiye and the EU reached $233 billion last year, highlighting what he described as “strong and inseparable” economic ties between Türkiye and Europe, News.Az reports, citing Turkish media. While the EU is Türkiye’s fifth-largest trade partner globally, Türkiye is the EU’s largest trading partner, he said. Bolat said the JETCO meeting would include the signing…

As freezing temperatures grip Wales, one homeowner has been showing how this eco-home stays warm during winter.Abigail and Marcus Beck built their home under Wales’ unique One Planet Development, external (OPD) policy, which places strict limits on energy use and lifestyle choices.The home, which featured on Channel 4’s series Grand Designs, was designed to rely on insulation and low-energy systems rather than traditional heating.During Storm Goretti, this offers a look at how eco-housing can cope. Read more here: Click Here

Company Logo Urbanization and Home Renovation Boom Propel Global Kitchen Sink Market with Demand for Modern, Space-Efficient Designs Driving Manufacturer Innovation Household Kitchen Sink Market Household Kitchen Sink Market Dublin, Jan. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The “Household Kitchen Sink Market Opportunity, Growth Drivers, Industry Trend Analysis, and Forecast 2025-2034” has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com’s offering. The Global Household Kitchen Sink Market was valued at USD 7.1 billion in 2024 and is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 5.9% to reach USD 12.5 billion by 2034. Growth is heavily influenced by the rising adoption of home renovation projects, driven…