The British Foreign Office appears to be getting desperate to find a suitable home for their new ambassador since the sale earlier this year of Glencairn, in Sandyford. So keen are the Brits to get a decent house in the city, that they got ambassador Ivor Roberts to view 17 Merrion Square prior to its auction this week. As it turned out, the foreign office officials failed to show up at the Lisney auction and the word is that they baulked at the idea of spending so much on refurbishment and acquiring an all-important rear access. The British interest in moving back to Merrion Square is all the more surprising given their unfortunate history on the square. Older readers will remember that they were burned out of their embassy on Merrion Square following Bloody Sunday. They subsequently moved their offices to Merrion Road, and after selling up there three years ago, built a high security modern block next door beside Thomas Prior House. Clearly they want to stay in the city centre, but budgetary constraints have ruled out the more palatial residences of Shrewsbury Road and Ailesbury Road.