Boris on a bike 7 miles from home – Is it a sign?

Boris on a bike 7 miles from home - Is it a sign

Though not on a visit to a castle to test his eyesight, as his recent advisor DC was, Boris has been seen with his bicycle clips at the Olympic park some seven miles from home. The questions raised are, did he cycle there, or was he driven, and what constitutes local exercise?

And in a sense that is the problem, interpreting the rules, as the pandemic is changing the normal flow of our daily activities. When there seems no defining rule book, with over eager bobbies now looking to slap £200 fines on ladies two looking to exercise together.

In the context of the estate agent and letting agent world, the never-ending changes in government edicts, and the interpretation of these rules is adding further strain to a very challenging period.

Real estate is ‘business as usual’ but with the opposition in government questioning the logic of strangers waltzing around other stranger’s properties in the pursuit of a new place to live, versus the alarming rate of new infections, I think that tightening of the confusion of rules will ratchet up a pace, and real viewings may soon be off the menu.

Maybe Boris just needed some quiet ‘me time.’ Many schooling from home again would certainly like to get on their bikes and be seven miles from home, for a few quiet minutes, but the reality is we are all very much in the thick of it now.

Another element I now see creeping into the pandemic / real estate vector is a worrying stillness, as if everyone is gently holding their breath, there is a perceptible gravity and lack of fun, and many of my extrovert agency friends are very much in hibernating bear mode.

I try to get their spirits up, but I sense that this time around pandemic fatigue, 24/7 News fatigue about the pandemic and a diminishing of their normal privilege’s is taking its toll. On a positive the roll out of the vaccination programme is moving apace, and the days will start to be full of more daylight.

Returning to where I began, like Boris I like to cycle too; though I got a puncture three days ago and have not sorted it, blaming my hectic work schedule.

Maybe tomorrow will be a bit brighter, and maybe tomorrow I will get back on the bike – once I have re-inflated. The question then will be how far can I travel, should I travel and who knows what the rules really are?

Andrew Stanton

CEO & Founder Proptech-PR. Proptech Real Estate Influencer, Executive Editor of Estate Agent Networking. Leading PR consultancy in Proptech & Real Estate.

You May Also Enjoy

Breaking News

Volume doubles as property market sees strong return of new applicants

Foxtons Lettings Market Index – January 2026 Demand rebounded sharply from December, with registrations up 93% month on month and new renters per instruction up 11% compared to December, reflecting a seasonal uplift in activity at the start of the year. New renters per new instruction fell 12% year on year, indicating that competitive pressure…
Read More
Rightmove logo
Breaking News

Property valuation leads to agents up 50% on last year

The launch of a new valuation product and AI optimisations to the existing product suite led to a significant uplift in valuation leads for agents from Rightmove in January. Valuation leads grew by 50% in January 2026 compared to the same period last year. The launch of Online Agent Valuation towards the end of 2025 helps connect…
Read More
Breaking News

Worst areas for landlord eviction waiting times

The latest research industry insight from LegalforLandlords has highlighted where the longest and shortest wait times are when it comes to court hearing dates for landlords who are trying to repossess their properties, with the most overstretched courts found in the likes of Birmingham, Croydon, and Slough. Having analysed internal data on wait times for…
Read More
Breaking News

726,000 rented homes could remain non-decent by 2035

And that’s without holding them to the updated standard outlined in the recent DHS consultation A new consultation on the Decent Homes Standard (DHS) has suggested that all rented homes, private and social, must meet an updated, more stringent standard by 2035. However, new research from Inventory Base reveals that if the current rate of…
Read More
Breaking News

UK House Price Index for December 2025

The latest UK House Price Index shows that: The average monthly rate of house price growth in December was -0.7%. Average UK house price annual inflation was 2.4% in the 12 months to December 2025. As a result, the average UK house price currently sits at £270,000.   Here are some thoughts from the Industry.…
Read More
Cozy Pet Cat Tree Grey
Breaking News

10 things all tenants need to know when renting now

The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent on 27th October 2025 and will introduce major reforms to private renting in England. The first raft of measures affecting tenants will come into force on 1st May this year. So, whether you currently have a tenancy agreement or are planning to rent this year, here are…
Read More