Yesterday I travelled up from Bromley South to City Thameslink on my way to the 2013 Decanter World Wine Awards dinner passing through Elephant & Castle station. The Heygate development, which was built in the early 1970s is due to be demolished and the site redeveloped. Like the nearby Aylesbury Estate, the Heygate proved to be disastrous – a development that has lasted barely 30 years. In contrast the remaining rows of terraced houses similar to those replaced by these huge schemes are still habitable.
Apparently Southwark Council sold the Heygate site to a developer for £50 million and it would seem that there will be few units in the redevelopment that could be classed as 'affordable'. The advertising banner – 'change is here transformation' has been put up by the developer on the Claydon block.
The Heygate and the banner from the Elephant & Castle station
The Shard from the Elephant Station
10th anniversary Decanter World Wine Awards@The Royal Opera House
Although sadly neither of the Loire regional trophy wines – 2012 Vin Noble Quincy from Jean Tatin and the 2010 Coteaux du Layon Chaume from Château Soucherie won an international trophy – both of the producers, I sat next to, did. Angel Sequeiros, Albariño Foudre, Rias Biaxas, Spain 2010 won the white single varietal over £15, while Barone di Valforte, Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2011 won the Red Italian Varietal under £15.
