THE ART

OF THE DEAL

The pandemic hit the art market hard last year, according to estate agency Knight Frank, which measures the markets for alternative assets. Its index, which measures art auctions, fell 11pc in 2020, after rising 71pc in the past 10 years. Sebastian Duthy of AMR, an art market analysis firm, said: “The volume of all sales that were publicly auctioned at Sotheby’s and Christie’s were down 26pc and 46pc on 2019 respectively.” Knight Frank said the markets for fine wines, cars and watches held up last year. Handbags were the top asset, with Hermès the best investment.

Here are some of the award winners. Go to telegraph. co.uk/ property for the full list

HOME OF THE YEAR

First-time buyers Philip and Elly Handley discovered this Grade II listed forge in Shropshire that had been empty for 15 years. With a budget of just £85,000, they added a timberframed extension clad with dark corrugated metal.

Rach Warley, income was too low for support

Rach Warley, 33, from Newcastle, lives on £650 a month, received via tax credits, which she said had not been enough to buy the basics for her and her daughter. She said: “We sit at home with the heating off.” The single mother was excluded because under half of her income came from her beauty business. Ms Warley had to move to a new town and start afresh; this meant for the months assessed, tax credits outweighed the profit from her new business. She said: “I’ve been tarred with a brush of someone who has been on the dole their whole life but I never have.”

BEST RENOVATION Self-builder George Bannister transformed two agricultural buildings in Somerset to create Otterhead House and a one-bedroom holiday let. He let the annexe to help finance the £310,000 build, doing the work almost entirely on a DIY basis.