New homes in London's Zone 1 on a Zone 2 budget
Our exclusive research shows a "price wall" formed by the Northern line, with property values to the east less than half those in the west. We reveal the emerging lower-value districts in Zone 1 for buyers on a Zone 2 budget.
Embassy exodus returns acres of central London to its residents
As the embassies exit Mayfair and Marylebone, their former bases will free up stunning family homes. While the move of many embassies to Nine Elms at Vauxhall is creating a new residential quarter including thousands of new apartments.
Oxford spotlight
The small city of Oxford is famous for its university and honeyed stone architecture, but its huge range of property - from affordable new homes to luxurious Victorian houses - and one hour commute to London, are big attractions to home buyers.
Brighton spotlight
The East Sussex city of Brighton and Hove offers its residents the best of both worlds: a relaxed life at one end of the line within an hour's commute of London, and a good mix of Regency terrace houses, seafront apartments and family homes.
Jasper Conran: my design London
Jasper Conran, designer and CEO of The Conran Shop, is a champion of cutting-edge British design. Here he reveals his favourite London-based designers, interiors pieces and fabric shops - and shares his top tips for transforming a room.
Find a rated tradesman
Want to add value to your property, make your house a home, or sell your place fast? With 1,000s of tradesmen nationwide, rated and recommended by previous customers, this is the smart way to find a reputable tradesman.
Buy of the week: Putney Hill, SW15
This glossy new apartment just off Putney Hill has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus a bright open-plan reception space with floor-to-ceiling windows and spectacular skyline views.
Out of town: Wigginton, Oxfordshire
This three-bedroom Grade II-listed thatch in the pretty village of Wigginton, near Banbury, is a tempting package of beams, wood burners and cottage gardens.
Life-changer: Tiverton, Devon
A five-bedroom house set in a valley at Cheriton Fitzpaine, Tiverton, surrounded by farmland and sweeping gardens, with B&B potential and a garage block ripe for conversion.
East Grinstead spotlight
East Grinstead in West Sussex is 30 miles south of the capital in the High Weald. The town's exclusive gated estates attract celebrity home buyers such as Tom Cruise, while London families are drawn to the area's good mix of period homes and modern flats.-
Buy of the week: Putney Hill, SW15
This glossy new apartment just off Putney Hill has two bedrooms and two bathrooms, plus a bright open-plan reception space with floor-to-ceiling windows and spectacular skyline views. -
Out of town: Wigginton, Oxfordshire
This three-bedroom Grade II-listed thatch in the pretty village of Wigginton, near Banbury, is a tempting package of beams, wood burners and cottage gardens. -
Life-changer: Tiverton, Devon
A five-bedroom house set in a valley at Cheriton Fitzpaine, Tiverton, surrounded by farmland and sweeping gardens, with B&B potential and a garage block ripe for conversion.
Property search
Summer cocktails
Recipes from the Midnight Apothecary in Rotherhithe - the hottest pop-up cocktail bar in town - where Lottie Muir picks the garnishes and some of the ingredients from the well-stocked garden
All recipes are for four peopleRASPBERRY AND MINT MARTINI
Serve in cocktail glasses
4 double shots vodka
2 double shots raspberry liqueur
1 double shot lemon juice
28 fresh raspberries
32 mint leaves
Sugar syrup
Fine sugar for glass rim
Wipe glasses with lemon juice and dip in sugar. In cocktail shaker, muddle mint in a few drops of sugar syrup, then muddle raspberries.
Add ice, add vodka, raspberry liqueur and lemon juice. Shake over ice and strain.
Garnish with lemon segment on rim of glass and a single raspberry in the glass.
© Eleanor Salter Thorn
GIN AND LAVENDER FIZZ
Serve in highballs
4 double shots Gordons Dry Gin
2 double shots French white vermouth
2 double shots lavender syrup
8 dashes orange bitters
Soda
In a mixing glass, add gin, vermouth and lavender syrup. Dip the rim of a narrow tumbler in lavender ground in caster sugar. Add ice cubes. Stir gin mixture and pour into glass. Add orange bitters and stir. Top with a splash of soda. Garnish with lavender sprig.
CHOCOLATE MINT JULEP
Serve in rocks glass, ie short tumbler
20 fresh chocolate mint leaves
14 double shots premium whisky
1 double shot sugar syrup
Wipe mint leaves round inside of glass. Pulverise mint leaves and sugar syrup in bottom of glass. Add ice and whisky. Stir.
Garnish with a chocolate mint leaf.
© Eleanor Salter Thorn
BLACKBERRY MARTINI
Serve in cocktail glasses
4 double shots vodka
1 shot triple sec
2 double shots blackberries pureed with Creme de Cassis
1 shot freshly squeezed lemon juice
Splash sugar syrup
Rub lemon round glass and dip rim in icing or caster sugar. Shake ingredients with ice and strain.
Garnish with lemon slice on glass rim and single blackberry in the glass.
BASIL AND HONEY DACQUIRI
Serve in cocktail glasses
4 double shots white rum
8 teaspoons runny honey
12 fresh torn basil leaves
1 double shot freshly squeezed lime juice
Stir honey and rum in base of shaker until honey dissolves. Add other ingredients, shake with ice and strain.
Garnish with basil leaf floating on surface.
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