Comment: Would you pay £1m-plus for a house like this?

Oh, to have a desk of one’s own.

This is the topic of Richard Burton’s feature this week, and speaking as a new desk-owner, it’s perfectly timed.

When the Herts Ad office closed its doors ahead of the first lockdown, I - like so many others - found myself working from home.

But while many were blessed with whole rooms kitted out with shelves, desks and ergonomically-designed chairs, I was perched on the edge of the bed with my laptop.

We’re now well into the second lockdown, and Richard’s quest for a desk has mirrored my own – and I’m disproportionately excited to report that I now have a place to park my laptop that isn’t my knee.

The luxury of working in a non-hunched, non-propped up by pillows fashion is not to be underestimated.

Another highlight of this week’s section is the property spotlight, AKA the project to end all projects.

As the striking pictures confirm, it requires more than just a lick of paint. By which I mean a total renovation, inside and out.

But while some may scoff at the guide price - £1,050,000 seems a lot given the level of work that’s required - I’d be surprised if it didn’t sell for about this amount.

It’s in a popular spot on the corner of Park Avenue and Jennings Road, close to Clarence Park and the station, and a buyer with a bit of vision (and lot of cash...) could transform it into something really special.

A nearby property in a similar state of disrepair changed hands for £1m earlier this year, proving that this sort of price bracket is realistic, and, several spruced up homes on neighbouring streets have sold for £1.5m-plus in recent years. What’s on offer here is the plot’s potential.

Yes, you could buy half a dozen immaculate mansions or a couple of castles in the wilds of Scotland for the same amount, but this is St Albans, where absolutely nothing comes cheap (apart from my desk - an import from Ikea.)