Illustration by John Sadler www.johnsadlerillustration.com

• AFTER the Great Plague of 1665 the rich abandoned London for their country estates.

These days anybody owning their own home in our borough could be considered as pretty well off in comparative terms.

Many of these have been able to do their jobs from home – freed of the risk of the contamination that our less than perfect public transport system involves.

Their departure would be good for many of our young people as house prices would slump, freeing them from the tyranny of much of the private rented sector.

The worst of times and the best of times?

CT MARKS
NW1