City prices glow in the gloom

New evidence that London is bucking the generally gloomy housing trend comes from the Winkworth chain of estate agents. The group's business last month was up 60 per cent on June 1993, the month the market started to slow down last year. While agents across Britain say this June has been a patchy and disappointing, Winkworth reports business in the capital is still brisk. It says prices in some parts of central London - Notting Hill in particular - have risen by up to 20 per cent in the past six months. However, like many other agents, it expects prices to level out in the autumn as buyers turn to less expensive areas.