More speculation this week that the United Synagogue hopes to cash in on a sale of the Chief Rabbi’s residence in Hamilton Terrace.

I am told that the latest valuation has put the St Johns’ Wood premises at £10 million, while that figure could leap if planning permission were obtained for residential development.

Although the US insists that all options remain open as to the eventual residence of Chief Rabbi-elect Ephraim Mirvis, the potentially juicy yield from Hamilton Terrace may be too tempting to resist. The terrace has been dubbed Iceberg Street, owing to the number of applications for basement extensions.

Meanwhile, I hear that the Chief Rabbinate Trust, which was set up to attract new funding for the Chief Rabbi, could be on its way out and the US is looking to take the office back under its wing.