I’m struggling to see evidence of soaring demand as a driver here. This represents 7% over 6 years. That is standard and completely foreseeable demographic growth. Am I misreading or missing something?

I’ve just verified my age by dialling in my date of birth on my phone

I think it might be city winter they is giving you grief. Sunrise from a couple of weeks ago.

and the dark evenings

The trouble with the Highlands is these dark winter mornings

Here is Beverley’s North Bar. It gets very cross at being called a gate. “Gate” is from the Norse word "gata" for a road or way, hence Layergate or Eastgate or York’s Stonegate. The thing that stops you leaving or entering the town along the gate is a bar.

A reasonable summary of my day so far