EXCLUSIVE I ditched London's luxury hotels to camp on my car's roof - and was surprised by the results
It was my husband Marc's idea. He'd read about car roof tents being the next big camping trend and wanted to give it a go.
But what's a roof tent? Visualise a tent that fixes to the top of a car and extends beyond it, providing a more spacious and elevated experience to a ground tent.
They come in all shapes, sizes and levels of grandeur, with prices starting from £800.
My husband's an outdoorsy, sleep-under-the-stars kind of guy.
His wife prefers boutique hotels.
But in every relationship there's give and take, so a few weeks later we arrive at East London 's Abbey Wood Club Campsite, near Greenwich, where James Lewis from the Caravan and Motorhome Club helps attach a roof tent to my Mini.
Even petite cars can carry a roof tent.
What matters more than size is the roof's surface. You don't want it to be too smooth because you'll need rails to fix the tent on to.
As James attaches the boxed up tent onto bars he's screwed to my roof (this is a fiddly, half-hour-or-so process) he explains how roof tents have seen an explosion in popularity over the last five years.
Some manufacturers have reported a 100% increase in sales in 2024, with no sign of interest slowing down.
Why? Because Brits have become a nation of outdoor enthusiasts who want to experience it in style.
A roof tent offers a superior and more robust living space to a ground tent. But what's it actually like to sleep in one?
The one I'm road-testing is made by the Australian company ARB (roof tents are particularly popular down under) and is their new Esperance 2 model which sleeps three (two adults and a child) and retails at £2,469.
Excitement builds once the box is fully fixed and ready to be opened.
I unclip right and left; then tug on the ladder and voila. It's like magic.
The tent erects in a remarkable ten seconds flat.
Jo says: 'There's a comfortable, quilted, in-built mattress. There's also a window, sky roof and lights (powered by the car battery) to help see in the dark. It's like a canvas Crowne Plaza'
Equally remarkable is climbing up that ladder to peek in.
There's a comfortable, quilted, in-built mattress. There's also a window, sky roof and lights (powered by the car battery) to help see in the dark.
It's like a canvas Crowne Plaza!
In go pillows, sheets and duvets (brought with from home) and soon enough the top of my car's been transformed into a cosy boudoir.
Sleeping quarters prepared, it's time for dinner.
Abbey Wood's a great city bolthole.
It feels like the countryside, but is on the Elizabeth Line and only a couple of stops into central London.
So we hop on the tube to Tower Hill where I've booked a table for two at The Dickens Inn in St Katharine's Docks.
It's a historic pub which was opened by the author's grandson in a neighbourhood Dickens frequently depicted in his novels.
It's the perfect spot for a romantic meal and to toast our camping adventure.
Creamy mushrooms on sourdough toast followed by grilled sea bass and fruit crumble are washed down with a bottle of Malbec and enjoyed at a table that overlooks Tower Bridge.
Everything's delicious and sets us up nicely for the return journey.
Contrary to expectations, I'm looking forward to snuggling up in that roof tent.
It's warm and welcoming and even though I'd imagined tossing and turning, within seconds I've nodded off.
It's the sound of rain that wakes me early morning, but even that isn't a dampener because here's where the benefit of being off the ground kicks in – you're more sheltered and insulated with zero risk of getting wet.
And that's because a whole vehicle separates you from the lumpy, uneven, soggy soil below. And the tinkle of rain against the canvass proves strangely soporific.
Within minutes I've been lulled back to sleep.
There's something special about waking up to the trill of birdsong in a wood with nothing but a sliver of material between you and the outdoors.
And being up on the roof means you get the same great view as if you were in a campervan or caravan, but for a fraction of the price.
Over a cup of coffee my husband and I consider scarpering while the tent's still attached to my car - possession is nine-tenths of the law and all that.
For ease of getting away in comfort, at the drop of a hat, a roof tent really does take camping to new heights.
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Telegraph
an hour ago
- Telegraph
Annabel Croft: ‘I don't want to be a professional widow but I'm not ready for another partner'
Annabel Croft, one time girls' Wimbledon winner, tennis commentator, pundit and Strictly semi-finalist, recently found a piece of English homework from when she was eleven in 1978. It was entitled 'What I Would Like to Do'. She had picked up a tennis racket only two years earlier, during a family holiday in Spain. In the ensuing decade, little did she know that she would become Britain's brightest young female tennis star. 'I would like to be able to… win Wimbledon,' she wrote. 'Before I get to [sic] old, I would like to dance on stage… before I am to [sic] old I would like to get married because if you are too [sic] old you cannot have children… Also, your husband protects you.' This afternoon, we are sitting at the kitchen island in Croft's six-bedroom neo-classical home, designed by her late husband Mel Coleman twenty five years ago. The house, part of a gated estate in Kingston, is a short drive away from the grass courts of Wimbledon. When Croft was selected for the main draw there at the age of 15, she was the youngest to play there for 95 years. In 1984, a month before her 18th birthday, she won the girls' junior title. It's hard to square that Croft is now 58-years-old – 59 next month. She doesn't look that different from the press cuttings of thirty-five years ago, which are stacked up in the hallway as she prepares for a 28-date speaking tour about her life this September. She does a lot of walking and yoga these days, as well as playing tennis – and it shows. Wearing a Me+Em brown linen jumpsuit and mules, she has a baked-in tan (she founded her Annabel Croft academy in Portugal, which Coleman oversaw until he died two years ago). Her famous mane of hair, always tied back in a high pony or plait when she was the Raducanu of her day, now cascades around her shoulders. The French Open is on in the background. 'That was incredible,' she says after Aryna Sabalenka catches out Coco Gauff, before the ultimate glory was claimed by Gauff, who Croft is rooting for to win Wimbledon. Croft spent the first ten days of this year's Roland Garros commentating for BBC Radio Five Live. Tomorrow, two of her three children, Amber Rose, 30 (six months pregnant) and Charlie, 29 (about to get married), are coming over for lunch to watch the men's final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner, a game that lasted 5hr 29 mins; the second longest in grand slam history. Her youngest daughter, Lily, 26, lives in Dubai. This week, Croft is getting ready to begin commentating at the HSBC Championships at the Queen's Club, as women's events return there for the first time since 1973. Ten members of the women's top 20 will be playing, including Katie Boulter and Emma Raducanu. When I ask if she has 'special interests', she murmurs about Alcaraz and Raducanu, the former for being so utterly brilliant, thought of as the new Nadal, the latter because her trajectory has been so uneven, yet her promise never diminished. It has been two years since Croft did the splits on Strictly, reaching fourth place, dancing with the energy, stamina and natural skill that must initially have surprised both her partner, Johannes Radebe, now one of her best friends, and the judges. It felt like every step was imbued with the emotion of her personal tragedy. Mel Coleman died at Kingston Hospital in May 2023, just 12 weeks after he was diagnosed with Stage four colon cancer, which had spread throughout his body; 97 per cent of his liver was covered with tumours. Her husband of 30 years, they married in 1993 two days before her 27th birthday but they first met when she was just 21; she was in Sri Lanka making a TV show about learning to sail – Coleman was part of the sailing crew. She shows me an old VCR tape: 'The moment I first met him and shook his hand is captured right here.' Then, Coleman was an America's Cup and Admiral's Cup sailor, before switching to investment banking. Not long after meeting him Croft made the decision to retire from tennis. She was 21, ranked 24th in the world but had become tired of the tennis life, of hanging around in motels trying to scrabble enough for the bus fare to the next tournament: 'I knew I didn't want to live my life as a tennis player until I was 30. I was emotionally intelligent early on to have worked that out.' Sensing the happiness to be found in normal life off the circuit, and given, by then, she was something of a household name, she moved into entertainment: 'There wasn't a Sky TV, or Eurosport so I couldn't move straight into commentary. I had to find other ways to make money.' 'You can't sit back and wait for things to come to you' She began doing pantomime: 'I needed the panto to give me confidence. If you force yourself into uncomfortable places you suddenly realise it's not as terrifying as you thought.' Immediately after her retirement in 1988 she took over from Anneka Rice on Channel 4's Treasure Hunt. 'I was always someone who thought you can't sit back and wait for things to come to you. You have to make things happen. No one gets up in the morning and thinks 'I'm going to help Annabel today.'' 'We grew together,' she says of Coleman. She gestures around the house, and points outside to the tennis court: 'The court was the first thing we put in.' When Coleman died, the couple had been in the process of planning their retirement, selling this house and relocating down the road to a smaller one. Every night, at bedtime Coleman told her he'd miss her until the morning: 'I didn't know I had an incredible marriage, but I did,' she says. She is composed. Her grief is not as raw as it was after Strictly, now it 'comes in rain showers, but they are getting less – and then it's gone.' 'You know he died of sepsis?' she asks me. The cancer had spread – he eschewed the opportunity for chemo for a better quality of life, and it's thought a tumour perforated on a flight back from Portugal. On his return, he was admitted as an emergency. His death was as sudden as his diagnosis (both, she says, badly handled by Kingston Hospital). By July – 'literally within a few weeks [of losing him] I was on the phone to my agent. He said ' I've signed you up to Strictly. You're giving an interview tomorrow because they are announcing it.' I don't know what I would have done without being busy. I would have sunk.' Strictly, she says, saved her – it also gave her Radebe – 'we are bonded for life'. He calls her all the time. Sometimes they talk for two hours. 'He's part of the family now,' she says, and shows me a picture of him lined up with her children: 'Look! He's wearing Mel's sliders there.' Her 1978 A4 homework is on the table in front of us. 'Nice ideas,' her English teacher wrote. It's as though Croft foretold her life, minus the tragedy. 'But there is so much to be positive about,' she says. By September, she will be a grandmother and she has properly rediscovered dance. During the tour, she will dance on stage: 'I don't want to be a professional widow. I understand that a lot of people can identify with what I've been through, but I don't want grief to define me. 'I've wondered whether I went down the wrong path' 'People say I have been so generous with my emotions, but I have always been like that. Strictly was so helpful to me. I realised how much I loved dancing and I've wondered whether I went down the wrong path [with tennis] when I might have been a dancer instead.' Two years on from Strictly, she is in the process of downsizing: 'I mean, it's too big!' she says, 'it's ridiculous. I'm rattling around here. The house has served its purpose.' She is clearing three decades of family life, including Coleman's possessions, his clothes and shoes. The family baby grand which sat in the hallway for twenty-five years has already gone. She's gravitating towards her eldest daughter (and her imminent grandchild) in Battersea, near enough to her friends and to Wimbledon. 'Mel had always wanted a water view [because of his sailing] and I do too because it will connect me to him.' Croft grew up in Farnborough, Kent, in a comfortable home with two siblings, an older brother and a younger sister. Her parents, James, a chartered surveyor, and Susan, a housewife, were 'keen tennis players' but neither of them coaches or professionals. They had a tennis court in the garden but it was at a Spanish hotel tennis tournament that she caught the bug. Her mother then started driving her 20 minutes to Park Langley tennis club in Beckenham, dropping her off 'with 50p in my pocket for the cost of my lesson, a packet of crisps and a drink of squash, and I'd stay there all day. It was forehands on a Monday, backhands on a Tuesday, Wednesday was volleys, Thursdays serves and then playing points.' She shows me a collection of childhood log books with scores: lists and lists of tennis partners – mostly boys – whom she organised into being her opponents. But she'd play anybody, often 'wily old dogs'. What is telling about this is the extent of her drive. 'I'd have charts up on the fridge. It totally came from me. It should always come from the child. I met one of those boys recently and he said 'I used to love coming to you because you always bossed us around and set all the drills. You organised everything.'' As she started to hit a different league, she missed more and more school: 'My dad was always writing requests to the head mistress to ask for time off: 'Annabel won't be there on Friday, Annabel will miss this week for a tournament'. Slowly I dropped subjects until I was just down to maths, English and sport. I once sat a geography test, turned over the page and realised I didn't know a single thing.' At fifteen, she moved to Houston, Texas for five years to train with a coach, who was the mixed doubles partner to Billie Jean King.'I travelled around the world six or seven times – that was my education. But it's so gladiatorial. It's like a boxing match.' She plays me an audio clip of a match with 'an American girl' at the Albert Hall, with Des Lynam commentating: 'I'd had hypnotherapy before that'. She suffered badly from nerves. Would a sports psychologist have helped her? Made a difference to your longevity? I ask: 'I don't think so. I knew myself.' She is adamant that she made the right decision to retire. Today, there is an added pressure: Raducanu has recently had to deal with a creepy superfan who was evicted the Dubai Tennis Championships, 'but [sadly] that comes with the territory,' says Croft. 'There's way more security now, but what has changed is the birth of social media. Tennis players today, if they lose matches, get abuse from betting people who are going to lose a lot of money on somebody's match, and then they start attacking the player. That is a lot of stress and pressure. I wouldn't have been able to take that.' Her life in retirement was about pushing on, pushing through the pain barrier in a different way: 'Sometimes I'd be on the floor with a panic attack [with speaking engagements] but it was Bear Grylls who gave me the best advice. Mel is godfather to his first son. He said 'Annabel, don't try to be somebody you are not.' Perhaps it is because she is, as she says, 'a naturally sunny person' that she has fared so well on mainstream television. She shows me a tabloid from 1988 where she's on the front page wearing a bikini, publicising her role in the Channel 4 reality show Survivor, which involved a group of people attempting to survive on a deserted island. There are photographs in Hello – it's easy to forget how famous she was back then. 'I want to simplify my life' I can see why she invites such love and loyalty: 'My oldest friend from when I was seven often comes to stay with her husband.' Her children have gathered around her. Her son Charlie phones her every day during his coffee break: 'They are always asking 'what are your plans, who are you having dinner with? Come and join us!'' But she's a very long way from thinking of another partner, 'I can't think about it at the moment. I just really can't.' 'I want to simplify my life, maybe go on walking holidays and be close to family to help. I don't have a driving ambition anymore [but] I am probably kidding myself when I think I would be happy if I just did nothing. If there is one message I have in my tour, it is do something that makes you happy because you never know what is round the corner.' Coleman was an investment banker for about 18 years, commuting on the tube and sitting behind a desk, but he was 'a free-spirited yachtsman' whom Croft says should never have had an office job: 'I used to call him Crocodile Dundee.' The white van they converted into 'Vannabel' for camping holidays sits on the drive: 'It's a difficult one. I don't know what to do with it.' Coleman's treatment during his illness has left its mark. The delivery of his diagnosis was blunt, but it was his end-of-life care that was truly horrific. The news of his imminent death was broken to Croft and the family callously by a nurse, as Coleman lay within earshot. This time, it was Croft who wanted to protect him, the 6ft 4in towering man she nicknamed 'Mr Incredible', who only three months earlier had been entertaining everyone, able to fix everything in the house. The lack of kindness in this worst moment was incomprehensible to her. She says 'I have had several meetings since and I've received an apology from the hospital.' She still finds it hard to discuss: 'It's such an awful subject. We don't need to talk about it now. Maybe sometime over a glass of wine.' Mercifully, she says, in the 12 weeks leading up to Coleman's death, both of them had been supported by Dr Isabella Cooper, a biochemist specialising in mitochondria, leading a team of cancer researchers at Westminster Hospital. Through a strict ketogenic diet (based on eliminating sugar, low carb, meat heavy) Dr Isabella Cooper reduced the tumour coverage on Coleman's liver from 97 per cent to 70 percent. It appeared that his new diet was holding the disease back, before the sepsis set in: 'I'm at peace with the fact that Mel died with hope, rather than no hope.' Croft says. 'Isabella gave us so much hope. She was the only person who gave Mel hope. And if one positive thing can come out of losing Mel, I would love to give a platform to her work.' She still talks to Cooper every day and now follows a mostly sugar-free diet. She opens her fridge to show me streaky bacon without sugar additives and smoked salmon with no hidden sugars: 'I have a huge appetite,' she says. You've got to be kidding? 'Oh yes! I ate the same amount as Mel.' 'But I have a very high metabolism and my children say to me 'slow down'.' There is something very old school about Annabel Croft, much like Wimbledon itself. This month Croft will again be part of the BBC's commentary lineup at the tournament. Shortly after Strictly, she appeared at the Princess of Wales' trophy presentation, interviewing the Wimbledon winners. 'The standards at Wimbledon are incredibly high,' she says. 'Everything is immaculate, from the manicured plants to the seating to not a cable being out of place.' However, this year will be the first tournament without human line judges, replaced by AI-powered cameras: 'I'm torn. I'd rather have the correct line call if somebody's Grand Slam is riding on a bad call [from a judge]. People do have less attention span and it will speed tennis up, but the line judges are full of personality and it makes tennis entertaining.' I can't draw her to express a view on the thorny issue of trans women competing in female categories. 'I'm not in a place where I want to attract unwanted aggression towards me.' But I can tell she does have views, 'Maybe if I'd retired I'd express a view. I do think there isn't enough debate anymore – or humour. Certain subjects have been shut down, we have not been allowed to debate them.' Croft is a big fan of TCW (formerly called The Conservative Woman) the online magazine and podcast created by her friend Kathy Gyngell to defend freedom of speech and challenge Left-liberal thinking: 'I adore her. She is a woman who will stand up for what she believes in. She is the brightest woman I have ever met. I admire her courage.' Courage is a good word for Croft too – and resilience: 'Ooh I should use that word more.' In the space of two years, she has gone from not knowing how online banking works – 'Mel did all of that' – to being able to take the back of the tumble dryer to fix it: 'I remember seeing him do it. When it broke down, I went and got his tool box.' Water streamed through the roof shortly after he died – she dealt with that. She can pump up a car tyre as well. 'Mel's watching over me and teaching me a lot. I probably would have gone my whole life never doing these things had Mel been around. But I can do it all now. I've learned I can do things on my own, things I didn't ever think I could.'
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Is this what your dad drove? Ten family car favourites from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s to celebrate Father's Day
Everyone remembers the cars their parents had when they were kids. Many still recall the numberplate characters, so ingrained in the memory are the motors from their childhood. So, as men around the country celebrate Father's Day today, what better way to mark the occasion than to celebrate what dads in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s commonly drove. Even some of the most mundane models from these eras felt like something special and the appearance of a new one on the driveway – or even better, a trip out to the local dealership for a poke around – was something to be savoured. This is Money has teamed up with classic car insurer Hagerty to cover some of the archetypal 'dad's cars' spanning three decades that anyone roughly between the ages of 30 and 50 will recall riding in the back of as toddlers and teens. Of course, not all dads are the same and some cooler parents drove something a little different from the norm, be it a sports car, hot hatch or a hulking MPV. Be sure to let us know in the comments if you have memories of any of these 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s motors – and let us know what your own dad drove back in the day if it wasn't one of these family wagons. Austin Allegro (1973-1982) Value in 2025: £1,200 (Allegro 1.0 saloon) to £7,600 (Allegro Equipe, concours condition) The Allegro's contemporary maladies are today well-known, but back in the day this was a popular choice among family car buyers and those benefitting from a company vehicle through employers - though anyone lumbered with an Allegro as the latter had likely upset their boss at one time or another to end up with this on the drive. Survivors are now being cherished by nostalgic types desperate to keep its infamous name among the ranks of the classic car world. But there's plenty to argue that they're worthwhile collector's items, not least to celebrate the Austin brand, the car's oddball styling and its unique Hydragas suspension. Of course, it's not a proper Allegro unless it was finished in a typically seventies shades of Russet Brown and Applejack Green. John Mayhead, editor of the Hagerty Price Guide in the UK, who painstaking monitors the value of classic cars via policyholder values and auction prices, says time has been kind to this model and values of all variants have been steadily rising over the past ten years. 'That's quite a feat,' John tells us. 'Last year, only 7 per cent of all models in the Hagerty Price Guide rose in value.' Ford Escort Mk2 - Mk4 (1974 - 1990) Most people motoring into their 40s now will likely have ridden in the rear bench of the - away from convention - front-wheel-drive Mk3 Escort that debuted in 1980 The Escort was the default British family car throughout its 1968 to 2002 run, and more than a few MailOnline and This is Money readers likely rode in the back of Ford's best-seller over those years and beyond. For children born in the 1980s, your dad most likely had one of three generations: an old Mk2 hanging on from the previous decade, the fresh new front-driver Mk3 of 1980, or the tidily-styled fourth-generation Escort launched in 1986. The Mk2 would've still been riding high on rallying kudos even in its lower trim levels, while generations three and four maximised passenger space and utility, thanks to the transverse engine layout, and the hatchback rather than saloon design. That, and Ford really expanded the Mk3 and Mk4's model variants, from three and five-door hatches and estates, to a cabrio – plus the sporty XR3, later XR3i, and RS1600i versions. If your dad didn't drive one, your best friend's dad probably did. Fast forward to 2025 and there's a huge amount of affection for the Escort – though predominantly the Fast Ford racing/performance versions are highly collectable. Later, base model cars are still extremely cheap and even XR3 models are available from around £3,000, plus there's a thriving club scene. Reliant Scimitar (1975 - 1986) Value in 2025: £3,300 (fair) to £9,000 (concours), GTE SE5a Not everyone's dad drove a regular saloon or estate; some managed to wangle their way into something a lot more exciting to spice up his commute. With practicality a necessary factor, a Reliant Scimitar GTE was a tempting option. Think of it as the motivation for Aston Martin to produce the Rapide and Porsche its Panamera - performance motors offering four-seat layouts so that wives around the country could be tricked into thinking they are genuine family cars. The GTE's actually a model of the late 1960s, but spiritually it resides in the 1970s. As sports cars go, it's admirably practical, from that 2+2 layout to its glass hatchback and proper boot, well-proven Ford mechanicals, and a fibreglass body that you'd not be treating for rust in two or three years. At around £2,300 in 1973, it was a viable alternative, price-wise, to an upscale saloon like an Audi 100 or 3.0-litre Granada GXL, too. Today, Scimitar GTE values have taken something of a slight dip, but until 12 months ago had remained relative flat since 2016, John tells us. Despite this, some have been restored to a very high standard and have been advertised for prices above Hagerty's top value. 'Lots of very cheap restoration cases available, but not for the faint hearted,' he says. Austin Montego (1984 - 1995) Value in 2025: £800 (Montego 1.3 saloon) to £11,000 (MG Montego Turbo, concours) When you think of bland, boring family motors of a forgotten era, the Montego should top the list of anyone who is reminded of its existance. Hagerty recently claimed it to be the 'most ordinary' vehicle of all time – specifically, a saloon, in blue, built in 1989 which, if you can think back to your youth, would have been parked on your driveway or a neighbour's. This is because Montegos were seemingly everywhere in the '80s, albeit just about extinct by the 1990s. They weren't fast, fun, exciting, or pretty (though the MG version were genuine 'warm' performance cars) but they were the kind of solid family choice that Austin had built its reputation on for decades - and it sold well as a result. 'The Montego is another model that has increased in value in 2025 following a period when prices remained flat,' John says. That said, £800 will buy you a half-decent base-spec car today. Citroen BX (1982 - 1994) Value in 2025: £900 (S1 1.4 hatchback) to £10,100 (BX Sport, concours) Plenty of kids of the 1980s and '90s would have ridden in the back of a dad's Citroen BX. And that means they were blessed/traumatised by its floaty hydropneumatic ride. Let us know if this is you and whether your recall it as enjoyable or vomit-inducing on long journeys. But that's not the only highlights of the French saloon that spanned 1982 to 1994. Marcello Gandini's fantastic geometric styling was a major success, with the kudos by association that comes with his name's association with the Lamborghini Countach, among other far more exciting models. And if your dad was particularly light footed, then there weren't many frugal diesels in the eighties better than the BX's lineup of XUD four-cylinders. UK demand for exceptional quality examples of the Citroen BX today haven't quite reached the heights seen in France, where a well-preserved 1992 BX 16S sold for over €47,000 in 2021. That said, good-quality, later cars, especially Sport models, have been rising in value here, too, Hagerty's valuations guru explains. Renault Espace Mk1 (1984 - 1991) Value in 2025: £1,100 to £12,400 (Turbo D) If you were a sprog of the 1990s then you may very well have spent some of your formative years in one of the (several) back seats of Renault's seminal people-mover. The Espace famously flopped in its first year on sale in 1984, but Europe's parents quickly realised its value, making it easier than almost any car that had come before to load kids into the back. It also gave those kids a nearly unmatched view out through the enormous glasshouse rather than forcing them to peer at the sky. The early Espace has become a bit of a cult classic and is a design classic thanks to its bold box-shaped styling. It's still more car-like to drive than you'd credit too – MPVs might have gained a reputation for being beasts of burden, a vehicle for those with overactive loins, but the average Espace driver wasn't losing out much to their counterparts in a more conventional Renault 21 of the era. 'Early versions of this groundbreaking vehicle are beginning to become very collectable,' John told us. 'Now rare in any configuration, they are not expensive cars and if you can find one, a fair runner could be under £2,000.' Volkswagen Golf GTI Mk2 (1983 - 1992) Value in 2025: £900 (Driver) to £23,800 (GTI 16v) If dad was a bit of a petrolhead then the Golf GTI would've been high up on his shopping list (or, if he was lucky, the company car list). For kids of the 1980s and '90s, this was most likely the second-generation VW hot hatch. Unlike its Mk1 Golf GTI predecessor, the Mk2 was available as a five door, making it a much more viable practical car, while Volkswagen's reliability reputation made it an easy sell too to mums asking if the family really needed a motor capable of more than 130mph. While it might have lost some of the original's hooligan edge, there was no question that the Mk2 was a more grown-up car with improved comfort, better fuel economy and more space – yet still quick enough to embarrass a few sports cars on the school run. If you were thinking one might make a good investment today, you might have already missed the boat. 'For a long time, Mk 2 Golf values lagged far behind their Mk 1 predecessors, especially in the iconic GTI configuration, but in the last couple of years, they have gained ground,' John says. 'There's a lot of love for this model, and although prices are down a little from their 2023 high, the general trend has been growth for the past 12 years.' Ford Mondeo Mk1 (1993 - 2000) Value in 2025: £800 (first-generation 1.6) to £8,500 (ST220) After debuting in 1993, Mondeos were absolutely everywhere. It became such a common sight on mid-nineties roads with owners so characteristic of a certain demographic that appealing to 'Mondeo Man' became a key tenet of Labour's 1997 election strategy. Mondeos served as private motors, company vehicles, police cars, trade workhorses, and even traded blows in the British Touring Car Championship. What made it such a success both on and off the track was the humble Mondeo's composed ride and handling, fuzzy velour seating, and the fitment of a standard driver's airbag. Their road-furniture status in the '90s and 2000s means that Mondeo nostalgia will surely hit hard in the near future. 'Excluding motorsport variants, the Mondeo is a very affordable classic with even performance versions being available for under £5,000,' says John. 'First generation cars are becoming very rare, especially in base spec, and will undoubtedly become increasingly collectable.' Rover 75 (1999 - 2005) Value in 2025: £900 (2.0 CDTi) to £16,100 (MG ZT, concours) Debuted in 1999, the Rover 75 had retro design inside and out, and majored on class and comfort rather than a flash image and sporty suspension. Dads who didn't want a Mondeo or Vectra were tempted in the late 1990s and early 2000s If your dad wanted something different to the default choice Vectra and Mondeo in the late '90s, and a flash European BMW 3 Series or Alfa 156 was considered too exotic, then Rover had just the car to tick the 'best of British' checkbox he was looking for. Debuted in 1999, the 75 had retro design inside and out, and majored on class and comfort rather than a thrusting image or rock-hard suspension. The styling managed to attract more granddads than dads, and it didn't see a dramatic footfall of customers desperate to put down a deposit. In fact, BMW sold more E46 3 Series cabriolets than Rover did 75s in total. Rover's tie-up with MG to produce the 'hot' ZT did bring some life to the party, but it was still rather niche. Fat forwards to today and Britain's pothole-riddled roads, and the 75 is a car that makes sense with its cushiony ride that won't rattle a single Werther's Original out of place in its packet. John says trying to find a good one today is very tough, though, with examples a rarity. However, those that have survived are holding their value at a time when many other classics are dropping in price. Vauxhall Zafira A (1999 - 2005) Value in 2025: £550 (1.6 Base) to £7000 (1.8 Elegance, concours) Vauxhall wasn't first to the party with a shrunken MPV, nor was the Zafira the most interesting mini-MPV of the late 1990s - step forward the oddball Fiat Multipla to take that crown. But despite being about as exciting as a crossword puzzle on a Friday night, it sold like hot cakes - and you'd have struggled to walk down a single residential street at the turn of the millennium without spotting one. Fitting seven seats (even if the rear pair were very small) into a hatchback footprint was very clever, and being based on the Astra G platform was also smart given the Vauxhall hatch's fine driving characteristics. Many fathers, sons and daughters will still fondly remember the Zafira from its 'Little Dads' advert, and that seems to be helping maintain values, John reckons. However, he warns they're very rare to find in good condition today.
The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
Scared of shorts? Here are 53 perfect pairs for every occasion
Happy shorts season. Not happy for everyone, though, is it? It's probably not a stretch to say that for many of us, wearing shorts is up there with getting into a swimsuit or showing your feet for the first time that year. A watershed moment of dread that, unlike most scary things – eating out alone, caring what other people think – only gets worse as you get older. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. Learn more. But it's also summer, and sometimes only shorts will do. Plus, this year, there really is something for every leg. Culottes are back, except they're structured and called bermuda shorts – and you can even wear them to work. So are 1970s sports shorts, if your summer reference is more Ridgemont High. It's not unseemly to wear boxer shorts, especially if you're on the beach, just try them in seersucker – or if you prefer the freedom of a skirt, how about a skort? Hate all shorts? Try jean-shorts or 'jorts' – they're better than they sound. Here is a foolproof guide to getting over shorts fear. Apologies to those with a strict work dress code. For everyone else: yes, says Chioma Nnadi, head of editorial content at Vogue. 'Several of the younger editors have been rocking jorts with tailored blazers, loafers and socks. It's such a compelling look,' she says. 'It's a matter of getting the proportions right.' Look for tailored shorts that are structured and have pleats. Length-wise, this is up to you, but aim for something that sits on or above the knee. Avoid anything too tight (you'll be in them for eight hours) or pure linen (it'll crease). Your office dress code may differ from Vogue's, so knee-length denim shorts may not pass muster. And if your job is sedentary, or you travel by public transport, try sitting down in them – think about skin-on-bus-seat contact. Formal shorts tend to be more structured for men, which makes things simpler. James Hawkes, head of menswear design at John Lewis, even makes a case for the long, dark denim short 'with a single or double pleat', which can be dressed up for semi-formal occasions 'with a button-down shirt'. Men's beige shorts £100 at Asket Women's brown pleat shorts £59.95 at Massimo Dutti Women's multi-stripe shorts £165 at Me+Em£165 at Selfridges Men's cream belted shorts £35.99 at Zara Women's burgundy belted wrap-front shorts £85 at Cos£85 at H&M Women's red shorts £35.99 at Mango Broadly speaking, when in the city, 'a closed toe is a must', says styling editor Melanie Wilkinson. Otherwise, think of shorts and shoes as you would a twinset – matchy matchy is good. For men and women, sporty shorts require sporty trainers (any colour, and I like a tennis sock), while semi-formal require a loafer or a boat shoe (men) – or a heel or low sandal (women; any higher than 3cm looks a bit off). If you're on holiday, flip-flops or sliders are acceptable on the beach, but try a chunky sandal elsewhere (men: you can't go wrong with a Birkenstock, while women: Veja's new Etna style is chic, fun and made from traceable materials). A few words on socks: to be encouraged. 'Just make sure they are pulled up and worn with trainers, loafers and clog-style shoes only,' says Wilkinson. Otherwise, unless you're on the beach or are Harrison Ford at Cannes, a bare ankle leaves you in danger of looking a bit Duran Duran. Short ones. Long-distance runner Becky Briggs wears hers a meagre 7.5cm long for proper movement. In terms of shape, when she's training, comfort is more important than you'd anticipate, as are multiple back pockets, she says, because chances are you're out with earphones and keys. Race day is a different thing entirely. You need something tighter, she says, of the Puma shorts she recently won the Hackney Half marathon in. They have to be 'super light', she says, 'and you want to feel you're not restricted in any way', hence the 2.5cm slit up the side, which allows for movement. Women's Tempo run colour block shorts £65 at Sweaty Betty£65 at John Lewis Women's TruePace recycled-shell shorts £80 at Stella McCartney£86 at Net-a-Porter Women's Raceday Ultraweave shorts £54.99 at SportsShoes£55 at Puma It used to be simple: in or out. Neat and tidy, or an act of slobbish dissent. Nowadays for men, tucking is all about 'vibes', says Hawkes. A tucked top can 'elevate your outfit for semi-formal occasions', while untucked creates 'a relaxed vibe'. The latter sounds obvious, but ensure the top length is right so the look is balanced. Something reasonably smart, a boxy T-shirt that ends 2.5cm below the waistband is a good compromise, as is a blazer/Harrington that sits 5cm above the hem. For women, 'oversized silhouettes can benefit from a tuck to add shape', says Lisa Ferrie, head of women's design at John Lewis. 'And I would recommend you tuck in a vest to avoid strange bumps in the line of the outfit.' For something more casual, choose a top (probably a T-shirt) that sits just above the hemline, or is cropped. If you're still on the fence, Ferrie 'tucks in one side of a linen shirt, so it feels more effortless'. Off the bat, it would be prudent to check the dress code, or with the bride and groom first, even though dress codes have loosened up a bit. That said, for women, Uniqlo's summer collection, designed almost entirely by Clare Waight Keller (who made Meghan Markle's wedding dress), has a great spotty suit that 'is giving Pretty Woman', says Uniqlo's Lottie Howard. This pair by Reiss looks like a skirt from the side, is linen-mix, and has little zips so you can open up the legs if you're feeling brave. Try with a button-down shirt or blazer. 'If you pick the right wash [darker],' adds Ferrie, 'you can certainly wear them paired with a smart shirt and kitten heels.' Wilkinson is a fan, too, provided the rest of the outfit is above-average formal. She says: 'I would wear them with a silk camisole top, a matching blazer and light-coloured heels, or a short suit.' Men: no. Women's botanical print shorts £135 at Mytheresa£160 at Farm Rio Women's easy-silk shorts £125 at Rise & Fall Women's side-zip tailored shorts £195 at Reiss£195 at Next More than you'd hope. 'Generally, living your life always moves your underwear around, but, in shorts, that feeling of bunched-up pants can be amplified,' says Wilkinson. She suggests seam-free underwear 'if your shorts are close-fitting' and a fuller fit to avoid a VPL. Stripe & Stare does a pretty ample brief, while Modibodi and M&S have fuller cuts in sweat-wicking fabrics, which is handy if it's warm – and, let's face it, if you're wearing shorts, it probably is. A must, says Wilkinson: 'Crochet, denim cutoffs, a silky print, even a silky print suit with matching top, which is very White Lotus 1, 2 and 3.' The point is, she says, 'have fun, embrace colour, embrace prints'. Nnadi thinks the beach is a good place to flex something a bit more elevated. 'I'm not a particularly adventurous shorts-wearer. I tend to wear them on holiday mostly – a retro gym short with a gathered waist is my go-to, styled with a string vest, a camp shirt and a utility sandal,' says Nnadi, who has a few of Wales Bonner's Adidas collaborations that she wears 'on rotation'. Practically speaking, you're going to be somewhere hot, in which case, go natural. Unless you're going for something with a pleat (then cotton will be a base), linen (or linen mix) is light and breathable, although seersucker is the 2025 way to wear the women's boxers trend. In fact, for me, a pair of billowing boxers has usurped the beach dress. Women's yellow and black bandana shorts £120 at Essentiel Antwerp Women's palm shorts £18 at Next Women's seersucker boxer £60 at With Nothing Underneath Women's stripe linen shorts £80 at Boden£80 at John Lewis Men's khaki linen shorts £120 at Gant£120 at Fenwick Women's sunset print linen shorts £75 at Selfridges Unisex pink boxers £55 at Tekla Women's wavy stripe boxers £155 at Yaitte Women's pale blue stripe boxers £29 at John Lewis Sign up to The Filter Get the best shopping advice from the Filter team straight to your inbox. The Guardian's journalism is independent. We will earn a commission if you buy something through an affiliate link. after newsletter promotion Obviously, that depends on where you are wearing them (knee-length for work; anything goes on the beach). But Ferrie likes to start with a simpler rule: 'Go for those a little bit longer, to distinguish them from the styles you'd wear on holiday.' It's also worth considering body proportions, says Hawkes. 'Those with a slimmer build might prefer slightly shorter lengths, while those with a broader frame could opt for more length.' Ferrie agrees, adding that length also depends on the fabric. 'Linen or lightweight options look better mid-thigh length, while jersey or sportier styles can be worn shorter,' she says. Personally, I just swap 'short' for 'skirt' and there's the answer. Otherwise, there's no practical difference between the two, except that one of them rides up. Otherwise, it's a matter of preference. I like to test pairs out by sitting down (to gauge how much thigh you'll see) and bending over in front of the mirror, and looking through my legs (sorry). Hawkes thinks the safest length is above the knee, with an 18-22cm inseam, 'which works for most people and situations'. The bermuda length, which is a 25-30cm inseam, is better for semi-formal settings. A 'mid-thigh length, 12-17cm inseam', is more contemporary (read: brave). Men's green chino stretch bermuda shorts From £33 at Crew Clothing Men's burgundy track shorts £160 at Adidas£160 at End Men's ecru embroidered shorts £89.25 at Jules B£105 at Wax London Beauty writer Anita Bhagwandas has a straightforward if labour-intensive process: 'Start with a good scrub using an exfoliating mitt; a product that contains a gentle acid-like glycolic will give added exfoliation. Follow with a ceramide-based moisturiser and add any finishing touches, such as a gradual tanning lotion or shimmering balm. Don't forget SPF.' And don't forget your feet, either. Flexitol is my go-to for cracked heels. For more SPFs, check out our guide to the best sunscreens for every need Yes. But change is afoot, says Tim Kaeding, co-founder of cult US denim brand Mother. 'Last year, our bestselling shorts had 7-10cm inseams, but our current bestsellers have a 46.5cm inseam,' so you do the maths. The key to a good denim pair – long or short – is to only wear 'variations of existing full-length fits', says Kaeding, who suggests trimming existing shorts yourself, as you would a hem. 'You already love how they sit on your waist, but cutting them off at the knee turns them into something new.' By all means. For men and women, the retro sports shorts – colourful ones with slightly curved hems, occasionally a stripe, but often pretty short – have made the leap from catwalk trend (Prada's 28cm short) to high-street staple (Free People, Adidas and Varley are best, but Whistles and Ganni usually have something in stock come summer). Wear with pulled-up Adanola socks and trainers. Women's side stripe sports shorts £69 at John Lewis£69 at Immaculate Vegan Women's red jersey jogger shorts £16 at M&S Women's white running shorts £62 at Varley Don't think for a minute we're treating these like ordinary shorts. They are not. Cycling shorts are basically underwear – yoga wear at a push. Personally, I prefer the 'Princess Di leaving the gym' approach: they are shorts to be seen in when you don't want to be seen. Cycling shorts, or compression shorts if you want a bit of holding in, are great under a shorter skirt or dress – they buy you a bit of coverage (think about the wind, if you're sitting cross-legged, or if you're out late and it gets chilly), or on their own under a bum-covering T-shirt or sweatshirt. Skims do a great style that sucks you in without any bulging. And they're not just for women. Some brands, like Vuori, come with built-in cycling shorts. A male friend of mine wears them to help with thigh chafing when he runs. Wilkinson adds: 'Frankly, I like a longer cycling short on men in summer, even if they're not running, because it's incredibly flattering. I wish they made them for women, too.' Women's black high-waisted shorts £25 at End£48 at Skims Men's green shorts with built-in cycling shorts £75 at Vuori Women's blue seamless scrunch shorts £40 at Tala Bhagwandas suggests shorts under shorts – Runderwear has some designed for sport – or an anti-friction stick. Megababe's is a snip at £8, though if you don't like the idea of cream, Lush does a powder made (intriguingly) from clay. Bit of a minefield this, but a good rule of thumb is thinking about your preferred trouser style and working from there. Jorts, for example, are merely 'a step-change from barrel jeans', according to John Lewis. Think about whether you're a high-waister or prefer low-slung. Or do you always wear loose clothing? In which case, boxer shorts (Tekla's are comfy and fairly opaque) might be the thing. For men, try cutting existing trousers to see how they sit, says Kaeding. 'Hacking off workwear trousers at the knee creates a novelty workwear utility short, which you don't usually see.' For both men and women, they need to be big enough on the thighs – you want to avoid them riding up in the middle, so size up if you need to. Or go for a culotte or boxer shape. If you're happy getting your legs out, a skort is a good start. Essentially, a short skirt with built-in shorts, skorts used to be a little bit naff – something I blame entirely on the name – but have since become both hip (Uniqlo predicts its skorts will be a big hit this summer, while Zara's denim skort suit is all over TikTok) and a lightning rod for feminism, after some camogie players in Ireland were banned for wearing skorts instead of skirts. Women's blue paisley print wrap skort £69 at Mint Velvet£69 at Next Women's butter yellow linen-blend skort £50 at Gap£50 at Next Women's wrap denim skort £25.99 at Zara This spring, sales of the John Lewis women's long denim shorts – AKA jorts – were up 300% week on week, something they put down to office casualisation, weather changes and people who don't like shorts. Long, loose-ish and sitting on or below the knee, the trick is to treat them as a halfway house between shorts and jeans. Vogue's Nnadi is a fan: 'I like the idea of an oversized skater-style short or jort that's to the knee, worn with a shrunken cardigan or a classic Chanel jacket and low-heeled slingbacks or ballet flats.' Women's pleated denim shorts £57 at Arket£57 at H&M Women's denim shorts £45 at John Lewis Unisex black baggy denim shorts £44 at Weekday£44 at Asos Men's carrier cargo shorts £55 at Levi's Men's Carhartt camo shorts £130 at Size? Men's navy cargo shorts £88 at End Morwenna Ferrier is the Guardian's fashion and lifestyle editor
