• 1 - Grosvenor Square, London. Average house price: £20,347,000. Getty Images
    1 - Grosvenor Square, London. Average house price: £20,347,000. Getty Images
  • 2 - Clarendon Road, London. Average house price: £19,963,000. Alamy
    2 - Clarendon Road, London. Average house price: £19,963,000. Alamy
  • 3 - Knightsbridge, London. Average house price: £19,949,000. Getty Images
    3 - Knightsbridge, London. Average house price: £19,949,000. Getty Images
  • 4 - Phillimore Gardens, London. Average house price: £19,949,000. Getty Images
    4 - Phillimore Gardens, London. Average house price: £19,949,000. Getty Images
  • 5 - Ilchester Place, London. Average house price: £17,678,000. Getty Images
    5 - Ilchester Place, London. Average house price: £17,678,000. Getty Images
  • 6 - Grosvenor Crescent, London. Average house price: £16,397,000. Getty Images
    6 - Grosvenor Crescent, London. Average house price: £16,397,000. Getty Images
  • 7 - Ashburton Place in Mayfair, London. Average house price: £15,048,000. Photo: Beauchamp Estates
    7 - Ashburton Place in Mayfair, London. Average house price: £15,048,000. Photo: Beauchamp Estates
  • 8 - The Little Boltons in London. Average house price: £14,925,000. Alamy
    8 - The Little Boltons in London. Average house price: £14,925,000. Alamy
  • 9 - Chepstow Villas in London. Average house price: £14,775,000. Alamy
    9 - Chepstow Villas in London. Average house price: £14,775,000. Alamy
  • 10 - Chelsea Square, London. Average house price: £14,666,000. Getty Images
    10 - Chelsea Square, London. Average house price: £14,666,000. Getty Images

London's Grosvenor Square reigns as Britain's most expensive address


Marwa Hassan
  • English
  • Arabic

Grosvenor Square in London's Mayfair is the UK's most expensive street, with an average home selling at £20.35 million ($25.73 million), figures show.

The square, established in the 18th century, has long been associated with prestige and high social standing.

Its proximity to central London's key cultural and economic areas makes it highly sought after.

The UK’s 10 most expensive streets are all in London, with an average price tag of more than £14.5 million, research from the Halifax bank found.

Close competitors to Grosvenor Square in terms of price include Clarendon Road in Notting Hill and Knightsbridge road.

Both areas have average property prices around the £20 million mark.

The contrast between these high-priced areas and the average UK house price, which stands at £283,615, is stark.

Homes in the most expensive streets are about 72 times more expensive than the average UK home.

London's position as a leader in the luxury property market is clear but there are also high-value properties outside the capital.

East Road in Weybridge, Surrey, for instance – about 30km from central London – has an average home price of more than £9 million, making it the most expensive street outside of the capital.

In Wales, the most expensive streets start at about £1.3 million.

Kim Kinnaird, mortgages director at Halifax said: “Buying any home is expensive and likely to be the biggest single purchase most people will ever make.

“Purchasing a property on one of Britain’s most expensive streets comes with a colossal price tag and it’ll be no surprise that house prices in London continue to dominate, with the top 10 priciest streets to buy a home all in the capital."

According to Beauchamp Estates, a super-prime estate agent, London's luxury property market has undergone a significant increase in activity, with a notable rise in the average value and size of properties sold in Mayfair compared to previous years.

Luxury Mayfair penthouse sold for £30 million

  • This Mayfair penthouse has been bought by a businessman from Abu Dhabi in a deal worth £30.45 million ($38.5 million). All photos: Grant Frazer
    This Mayfair penthouse has been bought by a businessman from Abu Dhabi in a deal worth £30.45 million ($38.5 million). All photos: Grant Frazer
  • The anonymous buyer bought three properties in Greybrook House, a Grade II listed art deco-style building in London
    The anonymous buyer bought three properties in Greybrook House, a Grade II listed art deco-style building in London
  • The principal bedroom suite in the Greybrook House penthouse
    The principal bedroom suite in the Greybrook House penthouse
  • The main bathroom
    The main bathroom
  • The roof garden
    The roof garden
  • The reception room and private terrace
    The reception room and private terrace

A businessman from Abu Dhabi recently acquired a luxurious penthouse in Mayfair, London, for £30.45 million.

The transaction involved three properties within Greybrook House, a Grade II listed building known for its Art Deco style.

This acquisition marks one of the largest apartment transactions in Mayfair for 2023.

Lord Byron's former Mayfair residence on sale

Mayfair town house 139 Piccadilly was once the London home of English Romantic poet Lord Byron. Photo: Casa E Progetti & Tony Murray
Mayfair town house 139 Piccadilly was once the London home of English Romantic poet Lord Byron. Photo: Casa E Progetti & Tony Murray

The former Mayfair home of Lord Byron has been placed on the market.

The property, at 139 Piccadilly, is not only steeped in literary history but also has a rich architectural heritage.

The Grade II town house, spanning 15,339 square feet over six floors, is currently valued at £29.5 million. However, with plans for refurbishment, its worth is projected to exceed £70 million.

Richard Jewell

Director: Clint Eastwood

Stars: Paul Walter Hauser, Sam Rockwell, Brandon Stanley

Two-and-a-half out of five stars 

Champions League Last 16

Red Bull Salzburg (AUT) v Bayern Munich (GER) 

Sporting Lisbon (POR) v Manchester City (ENG) 

Benfica (POR) v Ajax (NED) 

Chelsea (ENG) v Lille (FRA) 

Atletico Madrid (ESP) v Manchester United (ENG) 

Villarreal (ESP) v Juventus (ITA) 

Inter Milan (ITA) v Liverpool (ENG) 

Paris Saint-Germain v Real Madrid (ESP)  

About Seez

Company name/date started: Seez, set up in September 2015 and the app was released in August 2017  

Founder/CEO name(s): Tarek Kabrit, co-founder and chief executive, and Andrew Kabrit, co-founder and chief operating officer

Based in: Dubai, with operations also in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon 

Sector:  Search engine for car buying, selling and leasing

Size: (employees/revenue): 11; undisclosed

Stage of funding: $1.8 million in seed funding; followed by another $1.5m bridge round - in the process of closing Series A 

Investors: Wamda Capital, B&Y and Phoenician Funds 

Zimbabwe v UAE, ODI series

All matches at the Harare Sports Club

  • 1st ODI, Wednesday, April 10
  • 2nd ODI, Friday, April 12
  • 3rd ODI, Sunday, April 14
  • 4th ODI, Sunday, April 16

Squads:

  • UAE: Mohammed Naveed (captain), Rohan Mustafa, Ashfaq Ahmed, Shaiman Anwar, Mohammed Usman, CP Rizwan, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Ghulam Shabber, Sultan Ahmed, Imran Haider, Amir Hayat, Zahoor Khan, Qadeer Ahmed
  • Zimbabwe: Peter Moor (captain), Solomon Mire, Brian Chari, Regis Chakabva, Sean Williams, Timycen Maruma, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Brandon Mavuta, Ainsley Ndlovu, Tony Munyonga, Elton Chigumbura
How to avoid crypto fraud
  • Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
  • Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
  • Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
  • Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
  • Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
  • Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
  • Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
Ruwais timeline

1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established

1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants

1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed

1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.  

1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex

2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea

2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd

2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens

2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies

2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export

2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.

2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery 

2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital

2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13

Source: The National

ETFs explained

Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.

ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.

There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.

The specs: 2017 Dodge Viper SRT

Price, base / as tested Dh460,000

Engine 8.4L V10

Transmission Six-speed manual

Power 645hp @ 6,200rpm

Torque 813Nm @ 5,000rpm

Fuel economy, combined 16.8L / 100km

Genesis G80 2020 5.0-litre Royal Specs

Engine: 5-litre V8

Gearbox: eight-speed automatic

Power: 420hp

Torque: 505Nm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.4L/100km

Price: Dh260,500

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
RESULT

West Brom 2 Liverpool 2
West Brom: Livermore (79'), Rondón (88' ) 
Liverpool: Ings (4'), Salah (72') 

GIANT REVIEW

Starring: Amir El-Masry, Pierce Brosnan

Director: Athale

Rating: 4/5

Tightening the screw on rogue recruiters

The UAE overhauled the procedure to recruit housemaids and domestic workers with a law in 2017 to protect low-income labour from being exploited.

 Only recruitment companies authorised by the government are permitted as part of Tadbeer, a network of labour ministry-regulated centres.

A contract must be drawn up for domestic workers, the wages and job offer clearly stating the nature of work.

The contract stating the wages, work entailed and accommodation must be sent to the employee in their home country before they depart for the UAE.

The contract will be signed by the employer and employee when the domestic worker arrives in the UAE.

Only recruitment agencies registered with the ministry can undertake recruitment and employment applications for domestic workers.

Penalties for illegal recruitment in the UAE include fines of up to Dh100,000 and imprisonment

But agents not authorised by the government sidestep the law by illegally getting women into the country on visit visas.

Pearls on a Branch: Oral Tales
​​​​​​​Najlaa Khoury, Archipelago Books

HOSTS

T20 WORLD CUP 

2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland 

ODI WORLD CUP 

2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh 

CHAMPIONS TROPHY 

2025: Pakistan; 2029: India  

Where to buy

Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com

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The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK 

Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Electric scooters: some rules to remember
  • Riders must be 14-years-old or over
  • Wear a protective helmet
  • Park the electric scooter in designated parking lots (if any)
  • Do not leave electric scooter in locations that obstruct traffic or pedestrians
  • Solo riders only, no passengers allowed
  • Do not drive outside designated lanes
The specs

Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo

Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed

Power: 271 and 409 horsepower

Torque: 385 and 650Nm

Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000

Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021

Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.

Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.

Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.

Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.

Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.

Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.

Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”

Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI. 

The specs
  • Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
  • Power: 640hp
  • Torque: 760nm
  • On sale: 2026
  • Price: Not announced yet
The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting 

2. Prayer 

3. Hajj 

4. Shahada 

5. Zakat 

Profile of RentSher

Started: October 2015 in India, November 2016 in UAE

Founders: Harsh Dhand; Vaibhav and Purvashi Doshi

Based: Bangalore, India and Dubai, UAE

Sector: Online rental marketplace

Size: 40 employees

Investment: $2 million

ABU%20DHABI%20CARD
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Updated: December 21, 2023, 11:51 AM