Huddle Up This Winter

Hangout During

Winter is Here. So Where to Hangout During the Cold, Darker Months?

Cosy London Igloos

The only place to be seen during the winter months is in an igloo. The domed structures pop up over terraces and rooftop bars in the capital and elsewhere.

If there’s one life lesson we learned from Pingu, it’s that igloos are brilliant hangout spots. Sometime around 2016, London took this advice to heart, and since then, a glorious wave of igloos routinely pop up every winter, offering festive revels within your cosy private sanctuary.

From cosy glass domes overlooking the Thames to heated rooftop food markets, whoever said you couldn’t enjoy London in the winter has never managed to get a booking at one of these epic winter warmers.

The trend for dining in igloos is here to stay, so here’s where to find igloos in London this year! Enjoy!

Coppa Club Tower Bridge

Offering some of the best views over the Thames and Tower Bridge, these gorgeous igloo dining areas are a must-visit in winter. The beautiful perspex capsules provide crystal clear views of Tower Bridge and The Shard while keeping your squad satisfyingly snug with sparking lights, fluffy blankets and festive decorations. You can enjoy the likes of pizza, pasta and burgers from the dinner menu.

Where: Three Quays Walk, EC3R 6AH

They usually sell out in a hot minute, though, so you’ll need to be quick! Find out more at https://coppaclub.co.uk/towerbridge/.

Skylight

Skylight’s true ace in the hole is their rooftop ice skating rink, but with the return of that still a couple of weeks away, their rooftop igloos are taking centre stage for the moment. Spread across two levels, the igloos are bookable for groups of up to six. Blankets and heaters keep the winter chill away too! This winter, a gorgeous Tobacco Dock spot fronting skyline views, cocktails, and igloo booths, join them for a must-try cosy experience.

Where: Pennington Street, St Katharine’s & Wapping, E1W 2SF.

Find out more at https://www.skylightbars.com/.

Aviary

Aviary is back with beautiful views over London for both dining and drinks on the terrace or their famous igloos perfectly suited for groups of up to six.

They can’t wait to welcome you back inside with a fantastic seasonal menu available every day. Enjoy the view of our beautiful City once more from their rooftop restaurant, terrace and igloos whilst sipping cocktails or enjoying their dishes.

Where: 10th Floor, The Montcalm, 22-25 Finsbury Square, EC2A 1DX.

Don’t miss another moment; book your table at https://aviarylondon.com/.

Bar Elba

Bar Elba’s party pods are back for another Winter, and they’re bigger, boozier and packed with more parties than ever before. Housed atop Elba’s highest point, they are serving up killer views of London and a sky full of fairy lights.

Fulfil your Scandi dreams as you eat, drink and get very merry in your heated igloo. Cosy as hell, Party Pods house up to 12 guests, making them the ultimate destination for a night on the town. And with a cocktail list as long as your arm, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Where: 109-117 Waterloo Road, SE1 8UL.

Book now at https://bar-elba.co.uk/.

Jimmy’s Lodge

This fan favourite Alpine pop-up overlooks the Thames, as Jimmy’s Lodge boasts four beautiful snow globes made for private dining experiences, each seating up to six people in line with social distancing rules. It’s the perfect spot for Christmas get-togethers and festive parties, with guests invited to tuck into gourmet food.

Where: Queens Walk, Waterloo Bridge, SE1 9PX.

Find more information at https://www.jimmyspopup.com/.

Winterland

Escape to London’s magical Alpine paradise. Enjoy hot mulled wine around the fire pit or sip a glass of Prosecco with friends.

Play on the arcade games, groove to our DJ tunes or chill on a sofa at an alpine club.

Alpine forest theme means forest igloos, forest cabins, a Bavarian beer tent, Alpine lodge tables, ski-lift bubbles, and fur-covered sofas. Their bottomless prosecco and Alpine brunch is also a powerful option.

Where: Wandsworth Bridge Road, SW6 2TY.

Book your spot at https://www.neverlandlondon.com/.

The Sipping Room

With the vista of Canary Wharf rising in front of you, this winter pop up is an excellent spot for an igloo dinner in London. Large bubbles can host up to sixteen seated guests.

Where: 16 Hertsmere Road, Canary Wharf, E14 4AX.

Find more information about The Sipping Room at https://www.drakeandmorgan.co.uk/the-sipping-room/.

The Secret Garden

London Secret Garden operates five domes spread across a one-acre Garden. The domes are laid out beside the summer beach. Each dome is fully air-conditioned and exclusive to you, so rest assured only you and your friends will have complete privacy in your dome.

Enjoy an Afternoon Tea served with freshly prepared classical sandwiches. As tradition suggests, you cannot have an afternoon tea without English scones. Each sitting is for one and a half-hour period. They also serve brunch/dinner where we offer set tasting menus, so you have a wide variety of dishes in tasting size portions.

Where: 100 Cromwell Road, Kensington, SW7 4ER.

Book your dome at https://www.londonsecretgarden.co.uk/.

Has your house down valued?

Down Valuing

What is Down Valuing?

Mortgage brokers have warned that “down valuing” is on the rise. Which, if true, could mean buyer’s paying thousands of pounds more to secure their dream home.Down valuing is where a surveyor acting on behalf of a lender assesses a property and says that it’s worth significantly less than the price agreed by the seller and buyer.

In other words, the lender won’t provide a loan to cover the seller’s full asking price, because their valuation has revealed the property is worth a lot less than what the seller is asking for – and what the buyer has agreed to pay.

Why does down valuing happen?

There are a number of reasons why a devaluation may occur. Here are the main three:

  • Some owners will have an unrealistic idea of the value of their home. Or they may be over-optimistic about the amount of value their renovations have added to their property.
  • Estate agents desperate to get sellers onto their books may provide inflated valuations, which may later be rejected by professional surveyors providing their own valuation to lenders.
  • Lenders concerned about over-inflated prices may be telling valuers to be cautious.

But there are steps you can take to prevent your home from being down valued.

Do your research

Surveyors will compare similar homes that sold in the same area in the past six months to value a property for a lender. This can easily shave tens of thousands of pounds from an agreed price – particularly if the property has had building work, such as an extension, which makes it bigger than comparable nearby homes.

Renegotiate

A down valuation does not always spell the end for a sale. As a buyer, you can use this as an opportunity to renegotiate the purchase price with the seller.

Prospective buyers can also renegotiate with their bank or building society to secure a loan that fits with the surveyor’s valuation. Borrowers may be able to save the sale if they have enough cash to either cover the difference or offer a bigger deposit to the lender.

Push back

Borrowers are not obliged to settle for the first valuation and often an application can be resubmitted to another lender, with a different valuation agreed. But this can also delay the transaction.

It is also possible to appeal a valuation with the original surveyor and lender, although this is usually a waste of time. Most lenders will ask for three comparable properties which have sold at the price you believe the home is worth in the last six months. It is unlikely a professional surveyor is going to overturn their decision unless there is something they have missed, like a hidden extension, for example.