Lots of improvements

frontend/src/hooks/useLocationSearch.ts

@@ -2,10 +2,12 @@ import { useState, useCallback, useRef, useEffect } from 'react';
 import type { PlaceResult } from '../types';
 import { authHeaders, logNonAbortError } from '../lib/api';
 
-const POSTCODE_RE = /^[A-Z]{1,2}\d[A-Z\d]?\s*\d?[A-Z]{0,2}$/i;
+/** Matches a full UK postcode with complete inward code (e.g. "E14 2DG", "SW1A1AA").
+ *  Outcodes like "E14" or "SW1A" intentionally do NOT match — they go through /api/places instead. */
+const FULL_POSTCODE_RE = /^[A-Z]{1,2}\d[A-Z\d]?\s*\d[A-Z]{2}$/i;
 
 function looksLikePostcode(s: string) {
-  return POSTCODE_RE.test(s.trim());
+  return FULL_POSTCODE_RE.test(s.trim());
 }
 
 /** Normalize a UK postcode: uppercase, strip spaces, insert canonical space before inward code. */
@@ -83,7 +85,7 @@ export function useLocationSearch(mode?: string) {
             place_type: p.place_type,
             lat: p.lat,
             lon: p.lon,
-            city: p.city,
+            city: p.city === 'City of London' ? 'London' : p.city,
           }));
           setResults(placeResults);
           setOpen(placeResults.length > 0);