Belgravia Residents' Journal January 2015 by Runwild Media Group

BELGRAVIA Resident’s Journal

JANUARY 2015

I SSU E 030

The Belgravia Residents’ Journal is published independently by Runwild Media Group with regular editorial contributions from The Belgravia Residents’ Association. To become a member of the BRA, visit www.belgraviaresidents.org.uk. We would highly value any feedback you wish to email us with: belgravia@residentsjournal.co.uk; or telephone us on 020 7987 4320.

w w w. R e s i d e n t s J o u r n a l . c o . u k (020) 7987 4320

Dear Resident

As New Year toasts are raised, our thoughts naturally turn to the year ahead. Keen to expand his artistic horizons, Henry Hopwood-Phillips brushes up on his avant-garde Russian art knowledge with expert James Butterwick; test your grasp of the genre and marvel over some of the striking works on page 10. This month, Henry also considers the forthcoming General Election with Belgravia’s Member of Parliament Mark Field; they talk politics on page 16. If you are considering a home refurbishment this year, turn to page six. Here, local interior designer Nicola Fontanella shows Anthony Armstrong around her stylish Lennox Gardens apartment. With resolutions running rife, January can be the ultimate test of willpower. Elle Blakeman heads to the Eaton Square studio of David Marshall – aka the Bodydoctor – to see if the renowned celebrity trainer can whip her into shape. Read her honest and uplifting fitness diary from page 20. Please do not hesitate to get in contact with all your news and updates by emailing belgravia@residentsjournal.co.uk. We hope you enjoy the issue.

Managing Editor Francesca Lee

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Publishing Director Giles Ellwood

Assistant Editor Lauren Romano

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

General Manager Fiona Fenwick

Main Editorial Contributor Henry Hopwood-Phillips

Senior Designer Sophie Blain

Executive Director Sophie Roberts

Editorial Assistant Jennifer Mason

Production Hugo Wheatley Alex Powell Oscar Viney & Amy Roberts

Client Relationship Director Felicity Morgan-Harvey

Editorial Interns Tom Hagues & Tamir Davies

Business Development Manager Nicola Bloomfield

Above / An apartment created by interior designer Nicola Fontanella. Photo © Argent Design. Read more from page six.

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The Notebook

Who and what have been moving and shaking in Belgravia recently? We bring you up-to-date

Back to the future

The oldest five-star hotel in London that is owned and run by the family that built it, The Goring, is set to reveal an in-depth refurbishment this March. The last stage of its designer renovation will be completed in time for the hotel’s 105th birthday. Design gurus Nina Campbell, Tim Gosling, Russell Sage and David Linley have all worked their magic and an army of English craftsmen − from cabinet-makers and gilders to painters and carpet-makers − have been assembled to give every nook and cranny the love and attention it requires. 15 Beeston Place, SW1W 0JW, 020 7396 9000 (thegoring.com)

New Year tastings The Mango Tree in Belgravia is hosting four exclusive winetasting evenings throughout January. Not only will guests have wine readily available to indulge in, but each tipple will be paired with a particular dish to enhance the flavours. Work your way through scallops, beef salad and mango crème brulée with a little help from The Mango Tree’s sommelier Leon Wang. £49 for two people including small dishes, 7, 14, 21, 28 January, 46 Grosvenor Place, SW1X 7EQ, 020 7823 1888 (mangotree.org.uk)

Beauty delivery

A new Belgravia start-up, Prettly, is upping the local beauty stakes. Enabling women to find and book highly trained beauty professionals to give treatments at their own home or office, the company has already completed more than 300 procedures during a trial run at the tail end of 2014. Bookings can be made online, prices are affordable and treatments can be rated and reviewed after each booking to ensure standards remain high. So if you want a manicure or pedicure but aren’t sure you can spare the time to head off to the salon, give this new enterprise a whirl. (prettly.com)

First-class service

It’s the season for holiday bookings, reservations at the finest restaurants and nights out at the theatre; a time when we begin to think about the perfect gifts for our loved ones and planning the year ahead. Concierge company Golden Ivory prides itself on offering a personal and highly efficient service, so if you could do with a little helping hand to get 2015 off to the best possible start, drop the team a line. 25 North Row, W1K 6DJ, 020 7030 3813 (goldenivory.com)

Unorthodox classical

St James Theatre has chosen a showstopper to make sure its 2015 season starts with a (tuneful) bang. In fact, violinist Lizzie Ball is so good that the theatre hasn’t picked her just to kick off the year but to star throughout. Beginning in January and ending in November, Lizzie is performing six concerts on Monday evenings every other month with Classical Kicks, a collective of worldclass musicians. This month sees Lizzie explore the influences of baroque, gypsy, folk, Latin and African music on the world of classical. 12 Palace Street, SW1E 5JA, 0844 264 2140 (stjamestheatre.co.uk)

Do you want to be in this gang?

Too often an afterthought, wine is frequently the last item hastily dropped into a trolley, so Berry Bros. & Rudd wants to guide people down a new path. Whether you are considering joining its wine club as a way to build your knowledge, save time, or simply enjoy new tastes, there are four levels of membership: Bourne (everyday drinking wines) at £60 per month, Pickering (a wider variety for those wanting to develop their tastes) at £90 per month, Napoleon (classic styles of wine) at £120 per month, and finally Wellington (remarkable wines for the connoisseur) at £150 per month. 3 St James’s Street, SW1A 1EG, 0800 280 2440 (bbr.com/wineclub)

Founding Percy

Snuffling for...

Truffles! New to the Food Hall, The Truffle Shop at Harrods offers a decadent selection of truffle-inspired dishes-to-go. Using the finest wild funghi from Italy and France, Harrods chefs have created a whole menu around the prized mushrooms – from whole baked black-truffle starters to mains including cannelloni filled with veal ragout and truffle cheese fondue. Even the desserts haven’t escaped the pungent perennial favourite – black macaron with truffle-infused dulce de leche, anyone? 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL (harrods.com)

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

Percy & Founders is the first creation of Open House, the new sister company to Cubitt House, renowned for its awardwinning public houses in Belgravia. The restaurant and bar are scheduled to open in March 2015 within the new Fitzroy Place development. Once the red ribbon is cut, the space looks set to make an impression. Offering a series of contrasting areas designed to suit different needs, it’s tailored to almost every single sort of rendezvous a Londoner could devise. What’s more, the food is guaranteed to uphold the current standards that residents have come to expect from the group, with chef Diego Cardoso from Angela Hartnett’s Murano in charge in the kitchen. Fitzroy Place, Mortimer Street, W1T 3AA (percyandfounders.co.uk)

005

Changing

spaces

Anthony Armstrong interviews one of Belgravia’s premier interior designers, Nicola Fontanella, in her own home

here’s a point in the early evening, around dusk, when the dark hasn’t quite taken sufficient hold for the curtains to be drawn, but the dwindling light is weak enough to switch a few lamps on. For the nosy interiors enthusiast, this is the ideal time of day. A glance through an old sash window can provide inspiration, interest, amusement, repulsion, sorrow (what did they do to that fireplace?). I’m always doing it – I just can’t help myself. But I’m not alone in this habit, as Nicola Fontanella, interior designer extraordinaire, revealed to me at her Belgravia home. Having begun her business, Argent Design, in the front room of her basement flat in Lennox Gardens,

Fontanella swiftly outgrew her makeshift office and set up shop in Marylebone. ‘I always parked my car where Madonna had just bought her house. I used to walk past, and at the time David Collins was doing Madonna’s first refurbishment. I used to look in and see what needed doing, thinking “one day I’m going to get that job” says Nicola. ‘When she needed help later on with more refurbishments, Madonna went to five different designers with the brief: you tell me how you think I live. By chance I suggested a very Art Deco vibe using wonderful paintings – Tamara de Lempicka, Francis Bacon – all the things that she already owned. She was like, “yeah, you’ve got it.” Being nosy clearly pays off. Other notable homes transformed by Fontanella include those of Guy Ritchie (‘very different – very Sherlock Holmes’), former Swedish footballer Freddie Ljungberg and Naomi Campbell, all of whom Nicola charmingly calls her ‘bijou clients’. Bijou, indeed, relative to the colossal projects Argent Design undertakes for major developers around the world. London, in particular Belgravia, is a very busy patch for the company. Recent projects include Chantry House on Eccleston Street, which will be completed by the end of the year, with 22 apartments already sold and planning secured for a roof-top penthouse; a range of properties in Eaton Square; Belgrave Street; a villa that has just sold for £23m, having been on the market for only two weeks; and even the world’s first private-jet shop (in Belgravia, too, where else?). In short, there are few areas of the locale that haven’t felt the smart touch of Fontanella, herself a Belgravian for 20 years. ‘I wouldn’t move anywhere else. I love it,’ she exclaims. Belgravia provides ample inspiration – ‘it has a buzz. You’ve

got everything here.’ She tells me that Pimlico Road is a natural draw. ‘We buy a lot of antiques, especially from Lamberti and Arthur Brett, then of course there’s Linley. I support them all – I love them.’ I ask Nicola about the feeling of community in Belgravia – does such a thing exist? ‘I see everyone in the morning in Starbucks. I bump into the dentist, the lawyer, the estate agent, even the guy who owns Motcombs; at 6.30am or 7am there’s a whole crowd of us and we have a cup of tea. It’s great!’ she enthuses. Nicola draws inspiration from this community, quite literally. Having caught a glimpse of a piece of unusual quilting on the back of a lady’s jacket, she approached her, saying: ‘I really don’t want to sound crazy, but can I take a photo of your jacket?’ she recalls. The design then ended up in her study. ‘All you need to do is open your eyes. Nobody ever opens their eyes – they’re all on their bloody phones!’ Novel, individual touches make Nicola’s house highly original. We hop up from the table and bounce over to the doors of the basement to admire the selfdesigned handles. ‘If you turned this the other way round you’d notice that the design is that of an original Cartier brooch,’ says Nicola. Inspiration is drawn from antiques, fashion, jewellery, pretty much anything but interiors magazines. ‘I find them so uninspiring. I think they’re wrong for anyone who wants to move forward,’ she expounds. I agree. Turn the corner and a bright orange ‘pimped-out WWII bomb’ is sitting upright. ‘Don’t you think it’s fun?’ says Nicola, smiling. A Banksy hangs on the wall behind, with a staircase of onyx below, sweeping round and up to the hallway. An early 19th-century Venetian mirror expands the smaller space, flanked by two antique lights of the same era bought from Denton’s on Kensington Church Street, a favourite of Nicola’s. Contemporary and Art Deco pieces fill the drawing room, the focal point of which is a self-designed onyx fireplace with a

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

René Lalique centrepiece. I then find myself stroking a stingray-clad AC unit. What a place. Nicola’s home reflects who she is and what she does. Touches of her professional projects are dotted around, a celebration of her inimitable approach. Argent Design’s portfolio, which includes large mansions in Miami (150,000 sq ft of property there alone no less), a restaurant with a private club room in St Petersburg and an apartment overlooking Lord’s Cricket Ground, has, I note, a distinct style for bold shapes and new art, all placed in harmony with traditional antiques. Everything has a brush of Deco about it. It’s an exciting and individual concept, and one that works. Nicola brings taste to where it is most needed, and does so with aplomb. ‘I am slightly eccentric, I suppose. I like to think that I appeal in one shape or form to a wider audience. I have clients who are in their twenties and others in their seventies. When you’re 70 you don’t want to feel 70; when you’re 20 you don’t want to feel 20. I get it.’ (argentdesign.co.uk)

007

A new

cadence

After three children and a career in brokerage, Belgravian local Karen Ruimy has fulfilled her dream to become a flamenco dancer, singer and philanthropist. Tiffany Heskia goes to meet her

aren took her studies seriously when she was growing up, graduating from the prestigious business school ESSEC (École Supérieure des Sciences Économiques et Commerciales), and kickstarting a career. Immediately hired into the world of finance, she tells me that she gradually realised that the life of a broker was not all it was cracked up to be and she felt a vague anxiety creep in. After eight years she left. The career trajectory that followed might sound implausible on paper, but related animatedly by Karen, it sounds like nothing out of the ordinary. After a meditative period, Karen published a book on spirituality and ran several workshops in Paris, but something was still lacking. A performance of Carmen in the true style of flamenco provided the eureka moment. ‘It felt like a tornado had erupted inside me and I knew I had to be on stage and would do anything to get there,’ she reminisces. Karen has since starred in, funded, produced, choreographed and created hit shows, including Flamenka with Craig Revell Horwood, which toured such famous venues as the Casino de Paris, Folies Bergère, Sadlers Wells and the Lyric Shaftesbury Avenue. ‘Singing is also a big part of my life,’ she notes, adding that she often writes some of the music for her productions. We listen to a couple of albums together that reflect a lilting blend of Arabic and dance rhythms. It comes as no surprise to find out that DJ Paul Oakenfold loved her track Come With Me so much, he actually remixed it and it reached number two in the 2012 dance charts. Karen’s efforts do not stop at art and performance though. In 2011, the dancer teamed up with journalist Mariella Frostrup to set up an advocacy platform, the Gender Rights Equality Action Trust. At first this may sound like another charity making noises about women’s rights in developing countries, but Karen tells me the trust fought, campaigned and successfully had a Bill voted and

signed by the Queen that insisted international aid should be given to countries that consider the impact on gender equality. Now that the Bill has been passed, the trust is working hard to enforce this law. Back on stage, and Karen’s most recent show ZIK’R was created with Killing Joke bassist Martin Glover. She describes it as, ‘a journey to the mystical heart of Sufism.’ Although the performance certainly flirts with this spiritual brand of Islam, it focuses more on flamenco’s cultural roots, creating a potpourri of Spanish dance with Indian and Arabic influences. It has been performed all over the world, but I go to the show I don’t require a flight to: the Union Chapel, Islington. It’s a packed theatre and, although I’m unsure what to expect, it turns out to be a compelling production. Karen maintains a haughty flamenco expression throughout, but it is at the end when she briefly smiles to her fans and an enthralled audience that you can see the smile is from the heart.

It felt like a tornado had erupted inside me and I knew I had to be on stage

008

The soundtrack to ZIK’R will be released in the spring along with remixes from the likes of Groove Armada. Keep an eye out for more London and UK dates during April 2015 (karenruimy.com)

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Made in Italia

08/12/2014 17:51

From Russia

with love Henry Hopwood-Phillips goes to seek out some crumbs of wisdom from avant-garde Russian art expert James Butterwick

Alexander Bogomazov, Locomotive (1915) James Butterwick

udge, dither, quibble and timid are none of the words I’d use to describe James Butterwick – a man who may sound like he’s been dropped from a great height out of a Dickens novel – but is, in fact, a rumbustious expert on the Russian avant-garde. I’m sitting in his gallery which, handily for him, also doubles as a huge annexe to his house, drinking my way through half of Brazil’s coffee reserves – if Brazil had coffee reserves. Facetiousness aside, he will have to buy more of those little coffee pods you put in the machines. But he can afford it, he’s very successful at what he loves and, as I’ve already mentioned, what he loves is Russian art. I start with the boring questions to which he gives modest replies such as, ‘I come from an enormously talented family of very artistic people’ and ‘my grandfather was a director of Sotheby’s’. Before anybody writes James off, I must note that his voice is dripping with sarcasm. But then, this seems to be his default tone. His register is such that even when he asks me if I want coffee, I assume there is a massive subtext and I’m really irrevocably bracketing myself as something quite loathsome in his eyes. ‘I read History of Art at the University of Easy Access,’ James recalls with a smile, meaning the University of East Anglia. ‘But I got chucked out. I wish it had been for some rock ‘n’ roll reason − the reality being I was just lazy.’ One of the few individuals who managed to secure a better institution than the one he was ejected from, James accepted a place at the University of Bristol to study Russian Art. ‘I chose it only because I was sure it would be the one course I could get in on,’ he candidly recalls. James had a romantic view of Russia as ‘all frosty mornings and stolen kisses’ in his words. ‘All rubbish, of course’ are not his words, but similar. He learnt that Russia was (and is) the most cynical country in the world

Alexander Bogomazov, Back of the Legs (1928-29) study for The Work of Sawers

Alexander Bogomazov, Kreshchatik (1914)

Alexander Bogomazov, Log Rolling (1928-29)

after living there for a time in 1985. It was while visiting a provincial museum and noticing the artworks that James realised they deserved a larger audience. It’s a sentiment that applies to a particular artist he’s pushing as a star at the moment, Alexander Bogomazov (1880-1930). His specialism is Russian avant-garde. It’s a period that broadly covers 1890-1930, but the centre of gravity here is definitely 1913-1915. ‘It’s the cusp; it’s a massive explosion of cultural flowering that began with the abolition of serfdom in 1861. One of the powerful stats of the time was that Russian industrial growth was three times greater than that of the USA. I think the art mirrors that optimism,’ James explains. As this collector outlines how Kazimir Malevich (1875-1935) effectively pressed the restart art button with his famous black square on a white background, I interrupt him to ask why he doesn’t stretch further back to artists whose reigns covered the emancipation of the serfs. ‘I just don’t find them that good,’ he replies, with characteristic honesty. ‘The paintings of that era were done better by Western artists, whereas, later on with industrialisation, dynamism, futurism and a lot of other -isms, the strengths of the Russians came through.’ There’s a strong tension in James’ mind between the genius of Russia (think of Shelley’s Prometheus

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

Unbound) and the equally strong historical tendency for the nation to shoot itself in the foot. He is adamant that he will not play host to communist paintings, especially the 1960s numbers in vogue at the moment. ‘It’s just my pathetic way of drawing a political line,’ he notes, unburdening his voice of cynicism for a moment. The movement of anti-Soviet art, or non-conformism from 1955-1991 is, however, a focus. ‘I believe this period to be very undervalued,’ says James. ‘Some of the art amounts to an extremely brave statement of protest against totalitarianism which could result in exile or, in the case of one, murder.’ It’s noticeable that James’ interest doesn’t stretch forward into the post-1991 era either. This is because he believes Russia has regressed into old models of itself and that contemporary art has failed to fulfil much of its earlier promise. ‘I think there will come a time when people look back and realise most of it has already been done and that much of it was about fads. That’s not to say there’s not breathtaking work around at the moment,’ he says, motioning to a vast canvas on the wall. ‘I just think the whole movement needs to take stock of itself.’ (jamesbutterwick.com)

011

Du haut

en bas

A stellar show

nrico Crippa will be the last to fly il tricolore from the subterranean windows of Harrods’ fine-wine department this January. The five-acre mall has been hosting Michelin-starred chefs from Italy for the past five months. The idea, labelled ‘Stelle di Stelle’ – star of stars to any lucky folk who never had to practise first declensions on the Latin ‘stella’, has been strung together in collaboration with Identità Golose, which aims to promote Italian cuisine and, in return, boost Harrods’ foodie profile. They are not first off the block. Fortnum & Mason partnered itself with the Port Eliot Festival in Cornwall, offering a dinner service, a pop-up bar and hampers last summer. But Harrods’ offering looks much more

The genius on display is simplicity heavyweight, at least on paper; in fact, the chefs have more asterisk to their names than entire scores of Beethoven. My chef – and with the number of diners who seek Harrods for destination dining in these early days, it means he really is my chef – is Gennaro Esposito who has a mere two stars. I suspect he prefers his restaurant in his 1,300-year-old watchtower a few miles south of Naples, to this baroque homage to Baudrillard, however,

THE VERDICT Atmosphere: 6/10 Food: 10/10 Service: 8/10 Value for money: 7/10

TOTAL: 31/40

this is a lesson in exposure, not comfort zones. The interior is more Ledbury than trattoria but then the Italians often fall into this trap on their home turf anyway – I’m not sure why everybody is in thrall to this very 1990s vision of Michelin (plastics and metals in white and grey shades). The food, though, is peasant; dirty, rustic peasant: a lump of Grana Padano e Prosciutto which, like the Lancashire hotpot in the north, is so authentically poor it has become genuinely cool and therefore cripplingly expensive. I have a tasting menu paired with wines (and a red Moretti). The genius on display is simplicity. Instead of building an armchair out of prawn shells, the strongest dish is a fish stew with pasta floating in it. Yes you read that right. The consummate skill is in the little things: getting this quality of pasta, cooking the goods in this sort of way – most notably drowning the firm durum in a buttery sauce that enrobes and smooths out the components while still complementing the salty sea notes. The breaded mullet is as showy-off as Gennaro gets. A mainstay of the Mediterranean basin since Roman times, here he eschews the garum (fermented fish sauce) of the empire and instead sits it on a slick of raisin and pine-nut pesto, sandwiched between two light, thin and crunchy crusts, flirting with a garlic sauce. The result is augmented by the Solosole Vermentino, meaning ‘just sunshine’ which gives the dish a floral body that it might otherwise have lacked. Harrods could be on to something here. There is, admittedly, something not quite right about the operation, but that may just be the fact that nobody yet sees it as a likely venue for destination diners. Therefore it’s ultimately about whether we remain stubborn in our tracks on this or whether we bend the knee to the cuisine that hits the plates, which is undoubtedly some of the best.

87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X 7XL, sittings at 12.30pm/1pm, 6pm & 8.30pm, 020 7893 8700 (harrods.com)

Henry Hopwood-Phillips looks into whether Harrods’ multi-Michelin experience, or Kurobuta’s tinkering with a Japanese pub theme, is more in demand right now

Elegantly slumming it

‘K

urobuta.’ No they haven’t just made the word up. It’s the Japanese name for a Berkshire pig breed brought to the Land of the Rising Sun in the 19th century as a diplomatic gift – it’s now reared in Kagoshima province. The term captures the collision of West and East well, the Pacificrim flavours the menu marinates in. The concept – the brainchild of ex-Nobu head chef Scott Hallsworth – is to take Japanese cuisine back to its roots; back to a street-food style that tries to evoke the culture of izakaya, the Japanese drinking dens where titbits are served. This means the menu doesn’t read like a normal one, it’s a little more scatter-brained. Divided between sushi, sashimi, robata barbecue and ‘junk food Japan’ sections, it turns our normal conception of Japanese food (clean, subtle and uncooked) on its head. It does this with a big South American barbecue attitude towards the food. You know the outlook that reckons ‘if you can still taste the meat, you haven’t got a big enough sauce,’ preferably polished off with an ‘oorah’ battle cry. Kurobuta’s combinations of sugar, salt, umami, smoke, garlic, chilli, miso and kimchi (fermented cabbage) are lip-smackingly compelling: a highlight is the crispy skin duck with chunks of watermelon, daikon pickle and spicy peanut soy. Even the dishes that don’t taste how I had anticipated them (or even necessarily how I’d wanted them to), such as the nasu dengaku sticky miso grilled aubergine with candied walnuts are good. The plate arrives with segments of aubergine cooked in so much salty-sweet stuff it reduces their insides to something resembling a dessert. If this all sounds very democratic, don’t be deceived. Perhaps because the head chef first launched a pop-up (it’s still there) on the King’s Road, or conceivably because Connaught village, with Tony Blair round its corner, has always been cool and forever attracted Sloane’s last exiles, the menu makes Le Gavroche seem quite reasonable. Not

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

that expense per se is problematic, it’s just that sometimes the dishes (the sliders spring to mind) barely comprise more than a couple of mouthfuls. And this is matched to an atmosphere that would make a wired-up ocarina concert at

The acoustics were so poor I almost lost my voice among beats that were not saying half as many interesting things as I was your kid’s prep school feel like heaven. The acoustics were so poor I almost lost my voice among beats that were not saying half as many interesting things as I was. Cultures clash as much as they entwine too. So while I enjoyed the bounciness of the Antipodean service, my companion felt their jokes (often centred around rude names for cocktails) missed the mark. All in all, I’d return to Kurobuta at the drop of a very heavy hat, but only if someone else was paying. Kurobuta, 251 King’s Road, SW3 5EL and 17-20 Kendal Street, W2 2AW, 020 3475 4158 (kurobuta-london.com)

THE VERDICT Atmosphere: 5/10 Food: 8/10 Service: 8/10 Value for money: 6/10

TOTAL: 27/40

013

Basqueing in

Glory

Henry Hopwood-Phillips traps one of the world’s best chefs, Juan Mari Arzak, in conversation, to steal some of his best-kept secrets of the cooking world

In the age of the TV personality, what is the best way of doing the whole chef thing? Hone your understanding and your skills as a cook, and then the media will come to you. I don’t think you can do it the other way round. Has Sergio Sanz Blanco done well [the head chef at Ametsa with Arzak Instruction who received a Michelin star in September] by adopting your philosophy? Yes, he is doing really well. It’s hard to transplant that Arzak quality to Ametsa – in service, in food, in everything. Arzak has had three Michelin stars for 25 years. We are expecting to retain them for 26 years too, but you have to keep up the intensity and the love and that’s not easy. Only one other chef in France has kept his three stars for the same amount of time as us: our restaurant is eighth best in the world. Recently people in England seem to have become food experts – is this development a good or bad thing? It is really good. We are at the top, so why would we not want more people becoming increasingly appreciative? We’ve noticed that the food movement is worldwide, not just in the UK. What’s your favourite ingredient? Humility.

Chefs often cook terribly for themselves – do you eat as well as you cook? I’m always eating whatever the staff are eating. Arzak is a real family, not just a commercial soundbite. If you were on a desert island and could only eat one thing for the rest of your life what would it be? Fried eggs with peppers and the best olive oil. When it comes to our attitude towards food how does the Basque territory differ from England? A different concept lies at its heart. Just to give one example, the food in the Basque country is very egalitarian – whether you are rich or poor, we all eat the same things. You will find that poor people will often save up, too, to have a really good experience. So there is a real mix of people in a great variety of restaurants. Over there we have so many gastronomic societies and cooking clubs where the most important thing is not your status but your love of food and your skill with it. We work very closely with the seasons when it comes to fish and vegetables – what we buy today we use today. At Arzak we have a lab as well as kitchen, where the chefs create 50 dishes a year and trial them – some of them are popular and stay on the menu, but others are not and are replaced.

Least favourite? Octopus. I have been put off ever since reading Jules Verne’s Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea.

Do you sit yourself within traditional styles of cooking or do you see yourself as a pioneer of a modern style? Neither. It’s a false dichotomy. Cooking is, and always should be, evolutionary.

Favourite dish on the menu anywhere in the world? Hake with black olives.

Ametsa with Arzak Instruction, The Halkin, Halkin Street, SWIX 7DJ, 020 7333 1234 (comohotels.com)

The

Belgravian Marcus quo vadis

Henry Hopwood-Phillips interviews the only politician in Parliament who can refer to the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Westminster villageâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; without having to apologise about bubbles

he next General Election promises to be an interesting one. Commentators are already debating whether we are soon to witness the dawn of a ‘post-liberal’ age – whether 2015 will be the year the post-war consensus begins to unravel. Looking at the CV of Belgravia’s Member of Parliament Mark Field, one might be forgiven for thinking that he is a dinosaur of the Blairite mould. Having worked for Lord Patten, done time as a corporate lawyer for Freshfields and entered politics when the Labour leader dominated the discourse, I try to divine how far Mark has wafted off into the dark arts of mediatraining, career-worship and mindless Third Wayism. The reality is he’s pleasantly straight-talking, however, and can push a coherent world view on a crowd in a way many at the Palace of Westminster can’t. ‘I think colleagues have lost faith in the fact that people believe in liberalism. This cuts them off, making them dissimulate and seem a little shamefaced I guess,’ Mark ponders. It’s something he refuses to do. I put it to him that his contemporaries may be on to something and that liberalism is, at the very least, changing its spots. ‘Yes, the rules of capitalism do seem to be shifting. Professionals in particular are beginning to feel the pressure; their role in the economy may be changing,’ Mark admits. He also acknowledges the fact that the old sums don’t add up to what they used to and this feeds a sense of injustice that lends UKIP a lease of life. Talking of sums, some of the Conservative Party’s don’t seem to be adding up either. Mark does not deny that the coalition has made only 40 per cent of promised cuts, that the UK government will borrow £100bn this year, or that the structural deficit is still wobbling around the £20-30bn mark, and is frank that the reasons are twofold. First, there is a lack of political will and second, ‘perhaps more importantly, part of the tardiness is in order to keep the music playing – but ultimately we must have something to reveal to the markets to keep the show on the road. ‘The situation reminds me of the 1930s when we featherbedded industry for the sake of social cohesion but ended up hobbling ourselves in the long run,’ Mark continues. His hawkish stance on the deficit and the debt is a passionate one, mainly because he feels anger on this situation is bleeding into the wrong places. A good example is that of immigration, an issue inextricably linked to sovereignty and therefore the EU. The MP pushes the fact that freedom of movement and a needs-

based welfare state are incompatible and that it’s not the former that should be shafted but the latter. He is confident that ‘a contribution-based welfare state would definitely take a lot of heat out of these debates.’ Mark’s enthusiasm for the EU is tempered by a respect for democracy that not all Europhiles share. ‘I was one of the 81 rebels,’ he reminds me, referring to the 2011 vote for a referendum, which was double the size of the largest previous Tory rebellion over Europe (Maastricht) in 1993. Not that he thinks it will all be plain sailing into a supra-national state. In the transitional period he believes a points-based immigration system is a necessity, as well as strong armed forces. This sits awkwardly with government policy which has made cuts steep enough to prompt former US defense secretary Robert Gates to dismiss Britain as ‘no longer a major military partner’. Mark admits he isn’t comfortable: ‘We cannot sleepwalk into being Holland, a country with no effective army, in 20 years’ time. Perhaps it might be fine if that was what people wanted, but at the moment no honest conversation is being had.’ He should know what he is talking about. Mark is a member of the Intelligence and Security Committee, currently chaired by Sir Malcolm Rifkind – even if he is the youngest (beating Hazel Blears by almost 10 years). I suggest things aren’t as bad as implied because the aid budget is ring-fenced and contains ‘soft power’ features. Mark is unconvinced: ‘People might talk of these “soft” alternatives but they are meant to complement hard power, not replace it.’ Closer to home, Belgravia’s MP is happy gadding about his constituency. ‘Some of my colleagues feel a disconnect between the views of their constituents and their own, but I’ve never suffered that,’ he informs me. ‘I think Belgravia is special because it’s full of history but isn’t overwhelmed by it. Venice may look beautiful, but it’s only got around 52,000 people in it and feels a bit like a museum.’ It’s hardly a scales-from-Saul’s-eyes moment but, far from being the autocue monster with all the personality of a small-talk murderer, I had half-expected, cricketloving Mark represents a small crop of MPs with the brains, the vision and personality to operate at the highest order of government. We disagree on many issues but Belgravia is undoubtedly fortunate to count him as its agent in the Commons.

I think Belgravia is special because it’s full of history but isn’t overwhelmed by it

(markfieldmp.com)

Illustration / Russ Tudor

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Beauty &Grooming Beauty from the outside in and TLC on our doorstep

With good

grace

Briana Handte Lesesne meets clinic manager of the Grace Wellbeing and Medical Centre Jane Hocking

What is unique about Grace Wellbeing and Medical compared with similar clinics in London? I was a critical care nurse in both Australia and London. After many years I thought, why can’t we treat healthy people better to keep them well? Our approach at Grace Wellbeing and Medical is to meet the patient’s needs at the time. We have a team of highly-qualified experts in various disciplines of medicine, health and wellbeing to help patients reach the pinnacle of wellness. What makes your staff stand out and how can members benefit from their expertise? The best practitioners from around the world work here, under one roof. As well as doctors, men and women can seek the advice of nutritionists, an acupuncturist, a podiatrist, dermatologists, physiotherapists, a fitness team and a spa team. Our patients are fully assessed, and a series of recommendations are made that complement each other to promote all-round health and wellbeing. Grace Wellbeing and Medical also advocates a collaborative approach between patient and doctor. What brought you to Grace Wellbeing and Medical? Grace has an innovative attitude to health; it is at the forefront when it comes to medical care and the services offered here are not gimmicky; the care the team provides is based on sound principles and researched medicine. All these traits are important to me. Everyone knows you need to eat well and exercise to maintain good health and stay in shape; you won’t find condescension here or experience anyone telling you what to do. The team doesn’t just look after the sick, it also looks after those who are the best possible versions of themselves, so that they don’t become ill. We advocate a

preventative approach. Most often the people who come to see us are the lowest on their list of priorities. People need to feel empowered to make their own decisions, so Grace gives them the opportunity to take some time for themselves and seek advice from experts to meet their needs. What does Grace Wellbeing and Medical’s 2015 The Year of the Gut Initiative entail? The gut is a 32sq m interface between us and the outside world. The initiative aims to educate people about the importance of this area in the body and how they can make lifestyle changes by listening to what their gut is telling them. The team has recently launched the Grace Intensive Cleanse, a three or five-day programme designed to be the ultimate tailor-made, energy-boosting detox that focuses on gut issues. Each programme is fined-tuned to the individual, starting with a blood screen that will help determine nutritional deficiencies. With a combination of relaxing spa treatments, cleansing meals and snacks, personal training or Pilates sessions, the well-considered plan aids the lymphatic system and helps people to get the New Year off to the best possible start. Grace Wellbeing and Medical, 11a West Halkin Street, SW1X 8JL, 020 7235 8900, extension 2 (gracebelgravia.com)

New Year glam

Dazzle among the glitter of the New Year’s fireworks with a dusting of Caron Loose Powder. A lightweight texture, sweetly scented with the fragrance of Bulgarian rose, the powder compact comes in two ranges: Les Transparents, for a sheer natural finish, and Les Classiques for a more matte look. Caron Loose Powder Compact, £38.50, Goose Down Puff, £50, available at Fortnum & Mason

Pampering on your doorstep

If the weather outside is so miserable that you want to cancel your salon appointment, treat yourself to a Gazelli at Home experience instead. Professionally trained in massage therapies and skincare treatments, Gazelli therapists work with clients in their homes to create a bespoke and targeted pampering package. The Journal recommends the powerful volcanic mud complex found in the Revitalising Mineral Mask. The formula draws out toxins and enriches the skin with minerals and nutrients, while hydrolysed collagen and hawthorn fruit extract stimulate the skin’s elastin and support cell renewal. To make an appointment, call 020 7581 4355 or email bookings@gazelli.co.uk. Revitalising Mineral Mask, £40 for 75ml

Botanical beauty

New Year,

new you

Aveda Botanical Kinetics skincare has launched three new formulas to help replenish and protect the skin: Intense Hydrating Soft Crème, Intense Hydrating Rich Crème and Energizing Eye Crème – all packed with naturally derived ingredients to help deliver intense moisture. After a holiday season full of parties and entertaining, the lightweight and soft-textured eye cream − which helps diminish the appearance of dark circles and puffiness − is our pick of the new collection. Botanical Kinetics Energising Eye Crème, £35, available at Peter Jones, Sloane Square, and aveda.co.uk

Divine intervention

Touted as nature’s healing balm, your New Year resolution should be to stock this beauty lifesaver in your medicine Refresh your beauty cabinet. Pommade Divine has been ritual this January relieving, soothing and treating dry skin, burns, insect bites, scars, stretch marks, rough heels, chapped lips, bruises and rashes since 1880. Its combination of essential oils, spices and a skin-softening base of shea butter, jojoba and lanolin have gained it a loyal fan base, from make-up artist Jemma Kidd to actress Sienna Miller. £20, available at Liberty, Regent Street, W1B 5AH, 020 7734 1234 (liberty.co.uk)

Paint the town red ‘The red sole was born from red nail polish. I am giving back to nails what the shoe took from nails many years ago,’ Christian Louboutin has said of the vivid, limited-edition nail polish. Beautifully presented in a moulded glass bottle embedded with intricate crystals, the lacquer will add a pop of bright pigment to any look.

Limited-Edition Rouge Louboutin Starlight Edition, £495, available at Christian Louboutin, 23 Motcomb Street, SW1X 8LB, 0843 227 4322 (eu.christinlouboutin.com)

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Survival of

the fittest

His programme has transformed Sophie Dahl, Lily Allen and some of the best football players this country has ever seen, but can the Bodydoctor whip Elle Blakeman into shape? She heads to the Eaton Square studio to find out David Marshall

avid Marshall is worried that he might come across as arrogant. He’s right, but having seen the results first hand, I would be worried if he wasn’t. ‘I’m not arrogant, I’m confident, and I can change your life,’ he says. This is a serious statement. However, think of pretty much any newsworthy body overhaul from the past two decades and you will find this man behind it, holding kettlebells. This is the trainer responsible for taking Sophie Dahl from a point-proving size 18 model to a beautifully svelte – and healthy – size 8 one; he sent Lily Allen away three dress sizes smaller in just six weeks and turned Rachel Weisz into an über-lean Russian sniper for her role in Enemy at the Gates (Weisz was so impressed with her size 12 to 8 transformation that she later convinced producers of The Mummy Returns to hire Marshall for the entire film). There is also a roll call as long as a Birkin waiting list of others: Ant and Dec, Claudia Winkleman, the ‘Golden Generation’ of England players – Rio Ferdinand, Frank Lampard, Joe Cole, Jermain Defoe. It would be too boring for me to list them all and Marshall certainly isn’t shouting about it, it’s quite simply just what he does. So how is this relevant to me and other ‘normal’ people? After all, I don’t have a film or catwalk to slim down for, I drink wine like it’s been blessed by the Vatican and I think there is a special place in hell for people who vocally enjoy the gym. ‘It works for everyone,’ says Marshall. ‘If you do the work, you will get results, that’s it. I’ve devised a programme that works through a combination of specific resistance training, cardiovascular work, Pilates and yoga, doing everything over a full range of movement, which, combined with the right food at the right time, works effectively within a short timescale’. Before I detail my own experience with the Bodydoctor I need to make a few things clear: I am a definite size 14 and,

like most people in London and all people in my industry, I drink too much and often eat the wrong food, usually delivered on a silver tray at a party by someone much thinner than me. I exercise in heartfelt but short-lived phases – spinning, running, Zumba – but rapidly fall off the wagon when I don’t get results; three weeks is about my limit. And all the manic Latin American-inspired thrusting in the world will not make you thin in three weeks. This is not my first personal trainer either. It’s not even my first celebrity trainer. I have run around a park at 6am, I have done ‘supermans’ while a model-like woman in impossibly tiny shorts tells me to do them faster, and I have been highly impressed by the celebrities tripping in and out of certain other high-end PT gyms (read the broadsheets for their names), and each time I have lost nothing but my time and money. In short, I am running out of patience with this whole fitness thing and starting to think I’m just not meant to be slim. So when I heard that Marshall, aka the Bodydoctor, was operating out of a studio in Belgravia, I was interested but not overly hopeful. However, on mentioning his name to a few beauty insiders, each and every one of them told me to go and see him immediately. So, I put aside my jaded, ‘life’s too short to be thin anyway’ chat and thought I’d do a few sessions. ‘No,’ says Marshall. ‘If you’re doing this, then you’re doing this – six weeks.’ The man doesn’t mess around. ‘I will get you down at least a dress size or two in that time.’ Given that I have been trying to achieve this for my entire adult life, this is quite a claim. And again, I’ve been told this before and my J Brands are the same as ever. ‘Most people don’t have a clue what they’re doing,’ he counters. ‘They go to the gym or go running and, while that is good, it’s not enough to change your body shape: for that you need to build muscle, which is the only thing that burns fat. You build muscle, you raise your metabolism, you lose weight – simple.’ Ah yes, the beauty world’s eternal ‘simple’. Frankly, if it was simple we would all be thin. Or so I thought, because over the next six weeks, Marshall’s programme actually – shock – lived up to the hype. Based mainly on weight and resistance training, I did a combination of exercises designed to fatigue each muscle group in turn: bench presses, lateral pull-downs and other fancy-

sounding names for pushing and pulling gave my arms a tone I have never had before, while my legs were treated to lunges, squats and all manner of techniques on Marshall’s Gravity machine. This machine is something I have not seen at any gym and, after allowing me to wear shorts again, is my new favourite gadget. Marshall’s trainers are fantastic – each having signed up to the Bodydoctor cult themselves – they make sure that you don’t slack off even for a single rep, meaning that the hour I spend in the gym is actually an hour of working out. There is also only ever one or two other people training at any one time, so waiting for equipment is not a concept you have to worry about. From a time-efficiency perspective, it’s fantastic. Just three weeks in, I’ve lost 6lbs and a whole dress size. I’m both thrilled and shocked. Marshall isn’t. ‘Well of course it worked. It works,’ he says with a look of exasperation. He is, however, keen to tell me that this programme is about getting people healthy, not weight loss. If you need to lose weight you will; similarly if you need to put it on, then you will. This explains why, 12 years on, his plan is still the only fitness programme that has been approved and recommended by a major healthcare company, which in the days of a looming national health crisis is something we should all pay attention to – prevention being better than cure and all that. Much has been made of Marshall’s larger-than-life personality. His booming voice echoes round the gym: ‘Bless you my child for you have thinned’ is a phrase that can often be heard. Given that we are currently in the basement of St Peter’s Church I often wonder what they would make of this above. This must be that arrogance he was worried about. But, honestly, I find it refreshing; I’ve had enough hours of making small talk with dull trainers – the robotic types that you just know spend their lives proclaiming the virtues of protein supplements and staring at their housemate’s cheese just for a bit of excitement – to appreciate some personality in a trainer. There is – god forbid – humour here. Marshall’s personality takes the drudgery out of

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exercise and also means that owning up to the fact that I had a glass of wine last night is not the usual Catholicstyle confession it is in most gyms. Marshall laughs and tells me not to do it again tonight, but he understands that I have a life outside this place. After a few weeks I get chatting to a slim mother of two on the treadmill, who has also followed Marshall’s six-week plan. Four years later and the stone-and-a-half (!) she lost on it is still very much gone, and she has maintained this simply by attending just twice a week: ‘I don’t even need to think about it. I just come here, do my sessions and then live my life,’ she says. It’s the same with everyone I chat to – people come to shape up and end up staying for years. Another mother is in her tenth year of Bodydoctor training. ‘It’s the only thing that works,’ she says, detailing a similar list to my own of other trainers and exercises she has tried in the past. ‘My husband lost 15kg with David, and working out here has given me a shape better than before I had children,’ she says. Looking at her enviable size 8 frame, I believe her. In an industry stuffed to breaking point with bold claims, it’s hard to make one that stands out (I was tempted to just write THIS WORKS!!! 500 times in a row because it is so rare that anything does). I also know what it’s like to read about yet another fitness craze and wonder if this is the one that might actually be effective. So, I will leave you with the facts: I lost more than a stone and went down two dress sizes in six weeks (while still having the odd glass of wine). I have quit my expensive health club and signed up with Marshall for as long as he will have me and have vowed never to go spinning again. It almost pains me to say it because it sounds too big a claim, but that man has genuinely changed my life – I am fitter, healthier and thinner, and I understand how to exercise effectively. Of course I might not tell him that, I don’t want him to get arrogant. For personal training or to sign up to the six-week fitness programme, contact David Marshall at the Bodydoctor, Eaton Square, SWIW 9AL, 020 7235 2211 (bodydoctor.com)

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Great British Escape

To the

Tower Henry Hopwood-Phillips goes to mix with the Welsh... in a tall tower with stone walls

ales is not familiar territory. I’ve had a pint with many of the merry folk on this dour isle of ours, but I can’t recall the last occasion I partied with our Brythonic brethren. Yet as the taxi rumbles up the long drive of Bryn Pydew hill’s western slope I feel at home. The wrought-iron fences give one clue, the tasteful hues of paint perhaps another, and then further up comes the unmissable symbol, the oak leaf – the symbol of Britain that predates the English; the icon of a tree so sacred that St Boniface felt the need to chop it down just to make a point – a leaf that points to the ownership of this great tower, sulkily looming in the shadow of the clouds, a part of the national inheritance. This rocky outcrop was originally the fifth century stronghold of Cadwallon Lawhir, King of Gwynedd, when the Romans were retreating and Britain was up for grabs. You don’t have to have the imagination of a Coca-Cola enhanced eight-year-old to picture the scene: the tower has such an intense atmosphere it almost looks painted. It was given to the National Trust seven years ago after a restoration in the 1980s. Just entering Bodysgallen Hall can be very disorientating for the unprepared metropolitan. There is no shabby-chic chandelier, no exposed filaments and no semi-ironic nods to the past. Instead it has fireplaces that you could roast entire hogs on, dark oak panelling, leaden frames with heavy-set men who once patrolled the Marches and furniture that could be mistaken for fortifications. Out of the window one can see the tower’s older brother, Conwy Castle, which had the site restored so it could be used as a watchtower in the 13th century, no doubt by Edward I – not just a malleus to Scots but Welshmen too. I don’t think later Welsh generations liked Edward, or the Englishmen he settled. I can mostly guess this from the coat of arms above the fireplace (that of the Wynn’s) which contains the severed heads of three Englishmen. Thankfully, the drama isn’t taken into the bedroom where blankets, tea, sewing kits, bowls of fruit, pleated lampshades, floral patterns, heavy drapes and a sense that if your grandmother (God bless her) could bring herself back as a room, she’d immediately materialise in this form. There is an overwhelming sense of not just keeping the elements (which are lashing the arrow-sized windows) at bay but a world that isn’t necessarily better than this. Down below there’s not that much sign of this other world, however. Instead an ocean of greens fight for supremacy as Boreas blows a sad song through the apple, pear and fig trees that are scattered around a 200-acre estate that includes woodland, a rose garden, a knot garden, follies, ponds and rockeries. It’s the only thing here that looks like it might stand a chance of outlasting the tower. In the kitchen, Michael Cheetham is concocting seasonal spells. Having played the deputy to both his predecessors (John Williams and Gareth Jones) he stands perfectly placed to keep hold of the three rosettes the dining room has been awarded by the AA. I’m most

impressed by not only the simplicity and execution of the fillet of hake but also by the price of the three courses, which barely scrapes over the £41 allowance that constitutes part of the bill for the room. The carrot and vanilla purée could have easily tipped over into a saccharine hell but it pulled in its reins, ultimately respecting its sparring partner. It was no match, however, for the poached fillet of Finnan haddock bench-pressing an egg I have for breakfast. This provides me with an energy I have to use quickly before it’s converted into flesh that is surplus to requirements, so I toddle around the stone farmyards, trying to find the spa. It’s disguised as a cottage – very clever. I bet they used that trick on the Romans when they didn’t want to let them use their baths. The locker rooms are practical, not luxurious, and it’s a similar story in the gym. In fact, the whole area feels like a bit of an afterthought to be honest – it’s nice but in a leisure-centre sort of way. Which is a shame because overall Bodysgallen Hall has all the ingredients to blow the competition out of the water.

There is no shabby-chic chandelier, no exposed filaments and no semi-ironic nods to the past

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Need to know A night’s stay costs from £90pp (two sharing) including breakfast. Contact Pride of Britain Hotels (0808 163 9208; prideofbritainhotels.com) to book. BodysgallenHall, The Royal Welsh Way, Llandudno, North Wales LL30 1RS, 01492 584466 (bodysgallen.com)

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Residents’ Culture Exploring the minutiae of residents’ concerns and encounters

Belgravian

Moments Briana Handte Lesesne considers the New Year

n ancient Roman times, Janus was the god of beginnings, transitions and endings and was depicted with two faces, one for looking into the future, and the other into the past. Conventional wisdom tells us that the month of January is named after Janus. Today, January is seen as the month for New Year resolutions, and goals are set for the next 12 months ahead. But who hasn’t made a resolution to lose 10 pounds by spring, start a new exercise programme, revamp their wardrobe, change careers, start an art collection, renovate their home, or create a bucket list filled with exotic destinations and outlandish experiences? And how often by the time late February’s first daffodils have bloomed in Belgravia Square Garden have those New Year resolutions fallen by the wayside and disappeared altogether? Perhaps we should approach 2015 differently. In lieu of a list of things that make you wince every time you look at it, why not put together a set of resolutions that bring a smile to your face and a spring in your step and, if they add a few inches to your waistline, well done − that new exercise regime can always be postponed until 2016. If you want to make a resolution with a difference this year, you might want to consider the Louis Vuitton travel book and city guides for inspiration. An aesthetically pleasing way to satiate your wanderlust, the guides are written by esteemed journalists and experts from the worlds of art and literature and are a mixture of insider tips and top recommendations, so you can plan an indulgent weekend escape away from Belgravia. Those looking to expand their knowledge and

appreciation of the arts in 2015 might also like to pay a visit to the recently opened Louis Vuitton Foundation in the Bois de Boulogne in Paris too. Anyone searching high and low for that perfect cup of coffee to kick-start a gloomy, dreary January morning doesn’t have to go far in Belgravia. After all, we have our fair share of coffee houses that serve a delicious brew (Baker & Spice and Tomtom Coffee House on Elizabeth Street are two of my favourites). But if you’d rather enjoy a cup from the comfort of your own home, take note of Cru Kafe, which delivers barista-tasting coffee direct to your kitchen when you arrange a subscription online. As January’s light cascades onto the buildings and streets of Belgravia with its hues of mauve and shades of pink, residents can rest assured that they can get their resolutions off to a great start here – whether popping into our fabulous boutiques to check out the amazing sales, or catching up with friends and family at the restaurants on Motcomb and Ebury Streets. The gamut of interior design stores along the Pimlico Road also makes our locale a perfect destination for those looking to the year ahead and planning their next home-renovation project. Whatever you are doing this month, one thing’s for sure – January is a great time to be in Belgravia.

The views expressed on this page are not held by the Residents’ Journal. The page offers a platform for the voices of our local residents to discuss topics they feel relevant and important.

The Residents’ Association’s

January roundup by Head of Social & Communications Sue Liberman

t’s hard to believe we are now entering a New Year. Belgravia hosted numerous fabulous events in 2014 and, year upon year, each one surpasses those past. December was a magical month – Santa made appearances in Belgrave Square Garden and at the Belgravia Christmas Sunday where he was joined by his reindeer. Other highlights included the Holland Park Opera Singers visiting stores during the late-night shopping evening, carol singing, handmade craft stalls and boutique markets. Last month, I also attended three very special carol services. The service at St Paul’s in Wilton Place on Tuesday 2 December was conducted by Reverend Alan Gyle. The carols were performed by St Paul’s Choir and there were readings by Alexander Armstrong, Kirstie Allsopp, Sir Tim Rice, Mel Giedroyc and Tom Hollander. The Prince’s Foundation for Children and The Arts presented the carols at Holy Trinity in Sloane Street. Following Reverend Graham Rainford’s welcome, the evening was hosted by Margherita Taylor and consisted of a performance by Katherine Jenkins and music by violinist Jennifer Pike, Freshfields Choir & CMS Chorale. Away in a Manger was sung by Colvestone Primary School Choir, followed by readings from Robert Lindsay, James Norton and Sally Phillips. The service will be broadcast on Sky TV on 21 December and Classic FM radio on 24 December. Duncan Lawrie hosted a Night of Wonder, Night of Light, carols by candlelight at St Mary’s in Bourne Street on Wednesday 10 December. The evening commenced with mulled wine and mince pies followed by the service, which was led by Father David Cherry and included readings from Duncan Lawrie staff and carol singing by the congregation and the choir. The concert was followed by canapés and Champagne kindly provided by Billecart-Salmon.

Before giving you one final update, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you all a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.

Basements and building works update…

End of mega-basements in Kensington and Chelsea On 2 December, Kensington and Chelsea Council won its historic battle to limit the scale of basement development in the Royal Borough. In its report, the government’s planning inspector declared the council’s proposals for tougher policies were sound. Basements will still be permitted, but strict guidelines will now set limits on their scale. Highlights include a reduction in the maximum amount basements can extend under the garden (from 85 per cent to 50 per cent, with that 50 per cent being a single area of space); a restriction to a single storey in most cases (with exceptions for large sites); an outright ban on basement developments under listed buildings and a requirement for construction traffic management plans to be submitted alongside planning applications to help protect residents from the disturbance caused by these developments. Commenting on the planning inspector’s announcement, Cabinet Member for Planning Policy Cllr Tim Coleridge said: ‘Basements have been the single greatest planning concern that our residents have expressed to us in living memory. Many have experienced years of misery from noise, vibration, dust and construction traffic. This ruling is a victory not only for the council but also our residents who have been overwhelmingly supportive.’ The new guidelines will be formally adopted on 21 January at the next full council meeting. This good news comes after exhaustive work and input from James Wright (B.R.A. chairman) together with Dr James Thompson (chairman of Save Sloane Square) who started the lobbying process some five years ago by holding a public meeting in Kensington Town Hall. We hope Westminster Council will now mimic this policy from the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

Until next month... belgraviaresidents.org.uk

If you would like to help protect and/or shape the future of Belgravia, please join us by becoming a member. Simply go online and click on the appropriate membership box. In addition, if there’s anything you would like to let us know about, I can be contacted on sue@belgraviaresidents.org.uk

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PROMOTION

Recipe for success Poggenpohl and Electrolux Grand Cuisine introduce a pioneering concept that redefines the kitchen

‘W

e transformed the domestic market in 2012,’ Electrolux’s head of design Lars Erikson starts. He’s talking about Grand Cuisine, a cooking system that, in Lars’ words, ‘brought 90 years of experience working with Michelin-starred chefs’ to bear on the brand, creating a technologically advanced system that enables home cooks to recreate the tricks and techniques used in professional kitchens. Now, the brand has teamed up with Poggenpohl to devise an innovative concept that they have labelled The Fourth Wall. It may sound deliciously abstract, but the idea is really quite a simple one: to empower the home cook with the tools of the professionals. The name was inspired by the imagined boundary that often separates the audience from the actors in the world of theatre. Poggenpohl, one of the oldest and best-known kitchen brands in the world, brings more than a century of experience to the offering, having been involved in redefining the hub of the home since 1892 when its founder Friedemir Poggenpohl, set out to ‘improve the kitchen.’ Martin Gill, Global Commercial Director of Poggenpohl, notes that ‘for decades, trends in kitchen design have been moving towards visually concealing every element to the point where its function as a food and preparation space is not its primary focus.’ The Fourth Wall, however, places the emphasis back on the true purpose of kitchens. ‘It combines Poggenpohl’s design innovation and superior

craftsmanship with Grand Cuisine’s advanced technological and design merit,’ he continues. Celebrating food and the cooking process, The Fourth Wall introduces a new take on the six traditional spaces of a kitchen: the Butler’s Pantry, Larder, Wine Store, The Pastry Counter and Preparation Bench and The Fire, which are each put on full display and given the attention they deserve. Incorporating special design touches, the temperature and humidity controls enable all ingredients − from fresh produce to wine − to be kept at optimum conditions. The open-plan design is taken to its full conclusion, reaching a potential that seamlessly blends the experiences for every person in the room, no matter what the occasion. The technology that enables all of this is staggering. Intelligent surfaces shift from solid lacquer to complete transparency at the touch of a switch; kitchen spaces, such as the pantry and wine cellar, can be hidden and revealed at will, making the area not just visually arresting but a work of art too. Ensuring the Electrolux Grand Cuisine system has an environment that reflects its brilliance has not been easy, but Poggenpohl has surely achieved it with The Fourth Wall. It’s sleek design and high-tech formula mean a professional kitchen is available to home cooks of every level.

Kitchen spaces, such as the pantry and wine cellar, can be hidden and revealed at will

026

More details on The Fourth Wall concept kitchen are available on request. For further information, visit grandcuisine.com or poggenpohl.com

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

Suppliers of quality bespoke doors and ironmongery to some of the UKâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s finest homes. Showrooms: Esher, Surrey & Chelsea Harbour 01932 851 081 or 0207 376 7000 info@solidwoodendoors.com www.solidwoodendoors.com

The Belgravia

Directory

A compendium of the area’s key establishments

Estate Agents Ayrton Wylie 16 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 4628

Harrods Estates 82 Brompton Road 020 7225 6506

Knight Frank Sales 47 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7881 7722

Strutt & Parker 66 Sloane Street 020 7235 9959

Best Gapp & Cassells 81 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 9253

Henry & James 1 Motcomb Street 020 7235 8861

Marler & Marler 6 Sloane Street 020 7235 9641

W A Ellis 174 Brompton Road 020 7306 1600

Cluttons 84 Bourne Street 020 7730 0303

John D Wood 48 Elizabeth Street 020 7824 7900

Rokstone 5 Dorset Street 020 7580 2030

Wellbelove Quested 160 Ebury Street

Douglas Lyons & Lyons 33 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 7933

Knight Frank Lettings 82-83 Chester Square 020 7881 7730

Savills 139 Sloane Street 020 7730 0822

020 7881 0880

Food & Drink BARS Amaya Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street 020 7823 1166 The Garden Room (cigar) The Lanesborough Hyde Park Corner 020 7259 5599 The Library Bar (wine) The Lanesborough Hyde Park Corner 020 7259 5599 Tiles Restaurant and Wine Bar 36 Buckingham Palace Road 020 7834 7761

CAFÉS Bella Maria 4 Lower Grosvenor Place 020 7976 6280 Caffe Reale 23 Grosvenor Gardens 020 7592 9322

The Green Café 16 Eccleston Street 020 7730 5304 ll Corriere 6 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 2087 The Old English Coffee House 1 Montrose Place 020 7235 3643 Patisserie Valerie 17 Motcomb Street 020 7245 6161 Tomtom Coffee House 114 Ebury Street 020 7730 1771 Valerie Victoria 38 Buckingham Palace Road 020 7630 9781

PUBLIC HOUSES/ DINING ROOMS The Antelope 22-24 Eaton Terrace 020 7824 8512

The Orange 37 Pimlico Road 020 7881 9844 theorange.co.uk

The Pantechnicon 10 Motcomb Street 020 7730 6074 thepantechnicon.com

The Thomas Cubitt 44 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 6060 thethomascubitt.co.uk

RESTAURANTS Como Lario 18-22 Holbein Place 020 7730 9046 Il Convivio 143 Ebury Street 020 7730 4099

Olivo (Italian & Sardinian) 21 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2505 Zafferano (Italian) 15 Lowndes Street 020 7235 5800

Motcombs 26 Motcomb Street 020 7235 6382 motcombs.co.uk

Mango Tree 46 Grosvenor Place 020 7823 1888 Pétrus 1 Kinnerton Street 020 7592 1609

Uni 18a Ebury Street 020 7730 9267 restaurantuni.com

Health & Beauty BARBER

DOCTORS

Giuseppe D’Amico 20 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2968

The Belgrave Medical Centre 13 Pimlico Road 020 7730 5171

DENTISTS

The Belgravia Surgery 26 Eccleston Street 020 7590 8000

The Beresford Clinic 2 Lower Grosvenor Place 020 7821 9411 Motcomb Street Dentist 3 Motcomb Street 020 7235 6531 The Wilton Place Practice 31 Wilton Place 020 7235 3824

Dr Kalina 109 Ebury Street 020 7730 4805

GYM/ FITNESS

Yogoji (Yoga) 54a Ebury Street 020 7730 7473

Stephen Casali 161 Ebury Street 020 7730 2196

HAIR SALONS

MEDISPA

Colin & Karen Hair Design 39 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 7440

Bijoux Medi-Spa 149 Ebury Street 020 7730 0765

The Daniel Galvin Jr. Salon 4a West Halkin Street 020 3416 3116

The Light Centre Belgravia 9 Eccleston Street 020 7881 0728

Motcomb Green 61 Ebury Street 020 7235 2228

CLEANING

FURNITURE

SPA Grace Belgravia 11c West Halkin Street 020 7235 8900 gracebelgravia.com

Home ANTIQUES Bennison 16 Holbein Place 020 7730 8076 Turkmen Gallery 8 Eccleston Street 020 7730 8848 Patrick Jefferson 69 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6161

ARCHITECTS/ DESIGN Marston & Langinger 194 Ebury Street 020 7881 5700 Paul Davis + Partners 178 Ebury Street 020 7730 1178

Weldon Walshe 20 Grosvenor Place 020 7235 4100

ARTEFACTS Odyssey Fine Arts 24 Holbein Place 020 7730 9942

Kudu Services Discreet, confidential cleaning services for offices and homes of distinction 27 Mortimer Street 020 8704 5988 kuduservices.co.uk

FINISHING TOUCHES Paint Services Company 19 Eccleston Street 020 7730 6408 Rachel Vosper (candles) 69 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 9666 Ramsay (prints) 69 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6776 Sebastian D’Orsai (framer) 77 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 8366 Zuber 42 Pimlico Road 020 7824 8265

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

Ciancimino 85 Pimlico Place 020 7730 9959 The Dining Chair Company 4 St Barnabas Street 020 7259 0422 Hemisphere 97 Lower Sloane Street 020 7730 9810 Humphrey-Carrasco 43 Pimlico Road 020 7730 9911 Jamb 107a Pimlico Road 020 7730 2122 Lamberty 46 Pimlico Road 020 7823 5115 Linley 60 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7300 Mark Wilkinson Kitchens 10 West Halkin Street 020 7235 1845 Ossowski 83 Pimlico Road 020 7730 3256

Promemoria UK 99 Pimlico Road 020 7730 2514 Soane 50-52 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6400 Talisman 190-192 Ebury Street 020 7730 7800 Westenholz 80-82 Pimlico Road 020 7824 8090

GALLERIES 88 Gallery 86-88 Pimlico Road 020 7730 2728 Ahuan Gallery 17 Eccleston Street 020 7730 9382 Gallery 25 26 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7516 Gauntlett Gallery 90-92 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7516 Gordon Watson 28 Pimlico Road 020 7259 0555

029

The Belgravia

Directory Fashion BOUTIQUES Philip Treacy 69 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 3992

Christian Louboutin 23 Motcomb Street 020 7245 6510

Herve Leger 29 Lowndes Street 020 7201 2590

Patricia Roberts 60 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 474

Nevena Couture (clients by appointment only)

Lowndes Street 020 3539 8738 nevena.co.uk

Hotels B&Bs B+B Belgravia & Studios@82 64-66 Ebury Street 020 7259 8570 Belgravia Hotel 118 Ebury Street 020 7259 0050 Cartref House 129 Ebury Street 020 7730 6176 Lord Milner Hotel 111 Ebury Street 020 7881 9880

Lynton Hotel 113 Ebury Street 020 7730 4032

The Belgravia Mews Hotel 50 Ebury Street 020 7730 5434

The Sloane Club 52 Lower Sloane Street 020 7730 9131

Morgan Guest House 120 Ebury Street 020 7730 2384

The Diplomat Hotel 2 Chesham Street 020 7235 1544

Tophams Hotel 24-32 Ebury Street 020 7730 3313

Westminster House Hotel 96 Ebury Street 020 7730 4302

Lime Tree Hotel 135-137 Ebury Street 020 7730 8191

LUXURY

BOUTIQUE Astors Hotel 110-112 Ebury Street 020 7730 0158

The Rubens at the Palace 39 Buckingham Palace Road 020 7834 6600

BOOKMAKERS

SOLICITORS

The Berkeley Wilton Place 020 7235 6000 The Goring 15 Beeston Place 020 7396 9000

Services BANKS Duncan Lawrie Private Banking 1 Hobart Place 020 7245 1234 duncanlawrie.com Royal Bank of Scotland 24 Grosvenor Place 020 7235 1882

Coral Racing 67 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6516 William Hill 12 Buckingham Palace Road 08705 181 715

Child & Child 14 Grosvenor Crescent 020 7235 8000 childandchild.co.uk

Eaton Square School 79 Eccleston Square 020 7931 9469 Francis Holland School 39 Graham Terrace 020 7730 2971

CHARITIES

EDUCATION

British Red Cross 22-24 Buckingham Palace Road 020 7630 5076

Cameron House School 4 The Vale 020 7352 4040

Garden House School Turks Row 020 7730 1652

Eaton House School 3-5 Eaton Gate 020 7924 6000

GEMS Hampshire School 15 Manresa Road 020 7352 7077

Glendower Preparatory School 86-87 Queen’s Gate 020 7370 1927

Sussex House School 68 Cadogan Square 020 7584 1741

Hill House International Junior School Hans Place 020 7584 1331

Thomas’s Kindergarten 14 Ranelagh Grove 020 7730 3596

Knightsbridge School 67 Pont Street 020 7590 9000 Miss Daisy’s Nursery Ebury Square 020 7730 5797 More House School 22-24 Pont Street 020 7235 2855 Queen’s Gate School 133 Queen’s Gate 020 7589 3587

EXCLUSIVE The Caledonian Club 9 Halkin Street 020 7235 5162 caledonianclub.com

FLORISTS Catherine Muller 53 Elizabeth Street 020 7259 0196 catherinemuller.com

Neill Strain Floral Couture 11 West Halkin Street 020 7235 6469 Judith Blacklock Flower School 4-5 Kinnerton Place South 020 7235 6235

IT SUPPORT Dashwood Solutions Contact Jonny Hyam for all your IT needs 07787 507 407

POST OFFICE

Psychotherapy Suzanne Thomas DHC MRes, Hypnotherapist / Psychotherapist 07770 378791 suzannethomas@ suzannethomas.co.uk suzannethomas.co.uk

TRAVEL Passepartout Homes Ltd 020 7513 2876 passepartout-homes.com info@passepartout-homes.com

Post Office 6 Eccleston Street 0845 722 3344

Speciality Shops BAKERIES Baker & Spice 54-56 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 3033

Rococo Chocolates 5 Motcomb Street 020 7245 0993

DELI

Elizabeth Gage 5 West Halkin Street 020 7823 0100 eg@elizabeth-gage.com elizabeth-gage.com

Ottolenghi 13 Motcomb Street 020 7823 2707

La Bottega 25 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2730

CIGAR SPECIALIST

GREENGROCERS

Polisher

Charles of Belgravia 27 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 5210

F Bennett and Son 9 Chester Square Mews 020 7730 6546

JEWELLERS

NEWSAGENT

Carolina Bucci 4 Motcomb Street 020 7838 9977

Mayhew Newsagents 15 Motcomb Street 020 7235 5770

Tomtom Cigars 63 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 1790

BOOKS Belgravia Books 59 Ebury Street 020 7259 9336 belgraviabooks.com

CONFECTIONERS Peggy Porschen 116 Ebury Street 020 7730 1316 Pierre Hermé Paris 13 Lowndes Street 020 7245 0317

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

David Thomas Master Goldsmith 65 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7710 De Vroomen 59 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 1901

Floris 147 Ebury Street 020 7730 0304 florislondon.com

Pet accessories Mungo & Maud 79 Elizabeth Street 020 7022 1207

PERFUMERIES Annick Goutal 20 Motcomb Street 020 7245 0248 Les Senteurs 71 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 2322

VICKISARGE 38 Elizabeth Street 020 7259 0202

031

savills.co.uk

1 PERIOD HOUSE REFURBISHED TO A VERY HIGH SPECIFICATION south eaton place, sw1 Drawing room ø study ø family room/dining room ø kitchen ø 2 bedroom suites ø 4 further bedrooms ø 4 further bathrooms ø cloakroom ø 33 ft south-west facing garden ø 313 sq m (3,370 sq ft) ø EPC=D Guide £9.45 million Freehold

Chestertons

Savills Sloane Street

Debra Stroud debra.stroud@chestertons.com

Noel De Keyzer ndekeyzer@savills.com

020 7235 8090

020 7730 0822

savills.co.uk

1 AN IMMACULATE DOUBLE FRONTED HOUSE WITH A LIFT chesham mews, sw1 Drawing room ø study ø media room ø 37 ft kitchen/ breakfast/family room ø 4 bedroom suites ø utility room ø gym with steam room ø lift ø wine store ø separate staff accommodation ø garage ø 430 sq m (4,628 sq ft) ø EPC=C Price on application Freehold

Savills Knightsbridge

Savills Sloane Street

Barbara Allen baallen@savills.com

Richard Gutteridge rgutteridge@savills.com

020 7581 5234

020 7730 0822

savills.co.uk

BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED RAISED GROUND FLOOR FLAT WITH IMPRESSIVE CEILING HEIGHTS eaton square, sw1 Entrance hall ø reception room ø dining room ø kitchen ø master bedroom suite ø further bedroom ø bathroom ø Grade II* listed ø 162 sq m (1,746 sq ft)

Guide £3.35 million Leasehold

Savills Sloane Street Richard Dalton rdalton@savills.com

020 7730 0822

NEWLY REFURBISHED LATERAL FLAT IN PRESTIGIOUS GARDEN SQUARE chester square, sw1 Entrance hall ø reception room ø dining room ø kitchen ø master bedroom suite ø 2 further bedroom suites ø guest cloakroom ø secure parking ø lift ø porter ø 150 sq m (1,618 sq ft) ø EPC=B

Guide £4.95 million Leasehold

Savills Sloane Street Christian Warman cgwarman@savills.com

020 7730 0822

savills.co.uk

LETTINGS LAYOUT ONLY

NEWLY REFURBISHED APARTMENT IN THE HEART OF EBURY VILLAGE ebury street, sw1 3 bedrooms ø reception room ø dining room ø kitchen ø 3 bathrooms ø garden ø 122 sq m (1,321 sq ft) ø Council Tax=H ø EPC=B

Savills Sloane Street Stevie Walmesley swalmesley@savills.com

020 7824 9005 Furnished £1,750 per week + £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply* *£36 inc VAT for each additional tenant/occupant/guarantor reference where required. Inventory check out fee – charged at the end of or early termination of the tenancy and the amount is dependent on the property size and whether furnished/unfurnished. For more details, visit www.savills.co.uk/fees.

KnightFrank.co.uk

South Eaton Place, Belgravia SW1 Recently refurbished 5 bedroom house

A 5 bedroom house to rent in Belgravia. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 3 further bedrooms ﴾1 en suite﴿, bathroom, reception room, drawing room, dining room, kitchen, media room, staff accommodation with en suite bathroom, guest cloakroom, garden, terrace. EPC rating C. Approximately 3,232 sq ft ﴾300 sq m﴿. Available unfurnished Guide price £5,500 per week ﴾BEQ154092﴿

Belgravia Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings belgravialettings@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6006

All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/tenantcharges

36 South Eaton Place - Belgravia Residents Journal Dec 2014

15/12/2014 11:17:11

KnightFrank.co.uk

Ebury Street, Belgravia SW1

Classic five bedroom white stucco fronted town house The house benefits from an impressive south facing first floor drawing room with terrace. Master bedroom with en suite, 4 further bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, reception room, dining room, breakfast room, study, sitting room, 2 kitchens, storage room, W.C, 3 terraces, patio. Approximately 285 sq m ﴾3,067 sq ft﴿ including under 1.5m and vault Freehold Guide price: £6,250,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/belgravia belgravia@knightfrank.com 020 3641 5910

﴾BGV140149﴿

BRJ January - 46 Ebury Street - crops

08/12/2014 13:36:50

EATON PLACE, BELGRAVIA, SW1X This fantastic one bedroom apartment is ideally located in Belgravia, offers excellent storage and finished to a very high standard. The accommodation of approx. 800 sq. ft. comprises a reception room, double bedroom, large shower room, and a kitchen. This furnished apartment is available immediately for long term lets.

£795 per week Property Fees: £180 Admin & £189 Checkout. References: £42 per person *http://www.harrodsestates.com/tenants

020 7225 6602 Karen.boland@harrodsestates.com

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE: 82 BROMPTON ROAD LONDON SW3 1ER T: +44 020 7225 6506 MAYFAIR OFFICE: 61 PARK LANE LONDON W1K 1QF T: +44 020 7409 9001 CHELSEA OFFICE: 58 FULHAM ROAD LONDON SW3 6HH T: +44 (0) 20 7225 6700 HARRODSESTATES.COM

EBURY STREET, BELGRAVIA, SW1W A fabulous three bedroom apartment on the raised ground floor of this portered building in Belgravia. The property has been refurbished to a very high standards and offers approximately 1,636 sq. ft. of elegant accommodation with wooden flooring throughout. There is a spacious reception room / dining area, kitchen, master bedroom with ensuite and dressing room, further two bedrooms and bathroom. Ebury Street is located within walking distance of all amenities of Hyde Park Corner and Victoria. Available now for long term let on a furnished basis. £1,750 per week Property Fees: £180 Admin & £189 Checkout. References: £42 per person *http://www.harrodsestates.com/tenants

020 7225 6602 Karen.boland@harrodsestates.com

SLOANE STREET, KNIGHTSBRIDGE, SW1X

£3,999,999 LEASEHOLD • LARGE RECEPTION ROOM • TWO DOUBLE BEDROOMS • EN-SUITE SHOWER ROOMS • • KITCHEN WITH BREAKFAST BAR • THIRD BEDROOM/STUDY • LIFT • PORTER • EPC G •

BELGRAVIA OFFICE 1 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JX +44 (0)20 7235 8861 belgraviaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk

henryandjames.co.uk

CADOGAN SQUARE, KNIGHTSBRIDGE, SW1X

£1,750 PER WEEK • TWO DOUBLE BEDROOMS • RECEPTION ROOM • MODERN KITCHEN • • ACCESS TO COMMUNAL GARDENS • PROFESSIONALLY MANAGED • EPC D •

PLUS £240 ADMINISTRATION FEE AND £60 REFERENCING FEE PER PERSON BELGRAVIA OFFICE 1 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JX +44 (0)20 7235 8861 belgraviaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk

henryandjames.co.uk

www.ayrtonwylie.com +44 (0) 20 7730 4628 (sales)

EBURY MEWS, SW1

Situated in the heart of Belgravia just off Elizabeth Street, behind the south western section of Chester Square, this delightful and immaculately presented mews house has the benefit of an integral garage, mews parking and a garden. 2,023 sq ft / 187.94 sq m

LEASEHOLD £4,250,000

16 Lower Belgrave Street, Belgravia, London SW1W 0LN

ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES

Drawing Room • Kitchen/Dining Room • Master Bedroom with En Suite Bathroom • 2 Further Double Bedrooms • En Suite Bathroom • En Suite Shower Room • Study • Utility Room • Guest WC • Garden • Garage • Mews Parking (subject to Grosvenor licence)

sales@ayrtonwylie.com

www.ayrtonwylie.com +44 (0) 20 7730 4555 (lettings)

EATON MEWS NORTH, SW1

An attractive mews house in one of Belgravia’s premier mews. The property has been refurbished throughout to an impressive standard with huge attention to detail and emphasis on quality and style. 2,061 sq ft / 191.5 sq m

FURNISHED £2,750 PER WEEK

16 Lower Belgrave Street, Belgravia, London SW1W 0LN

ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES

Drawing Room • Dining Room/Potential Bedroom 4 • Kitchen/ Reception Room • Master Bedroom with En Suite Shower Room • Guest Bedroom with En Suite Shower Room • Bedroom 3/Study • Shower Room • Dressing Room • Utility Room • Guest WC • Off Street Parking for 2 Cars (Subject to Grosvenor’s Licence) • Use of Belgrave Square Gardens (subject to annual fee)

lettings@ayrtonwylie.com

The Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings

Drawing of St Dunstan-in-the-West by SPAB Scholar Ptolomy Dean

Founded by William Morris, the SPAB protects the historic environment from decay, damage and demolition. It responds to threats to old buildings, trains building professionals, craftspeople, homeowners and volunteers and gives advice about maintenance and repairs. Since 1877 countless buildings have been saved for future generations.

Information about maintaining your home is available through events, courses, lectures, publications and telephone advice. To support our work why not join the SPAB? Members receive a quarterly magazine, our list of historic properties for sale and access to our regional activities.

www.spab.org.uk 020 7377 1644 A charitable company limited by guarantee registered in England & Wales. Company no: 5743962 Charity no: 1113753 37 Spital Square, London E1 6DY

33 Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8ED

Montpelier Mews

£9,500,000

Freehold

One of the most exclusive and impressive Mews Houses currently available. Situated in an secluded setting directly opposite Harrods, with Hyde Park virtually at its doorstep and some of London’s finest boutique shops and restaurants are all a short walk away. This grand property will offer the new owner the finest of luxury accommodation currently available in a location which arguably could not be more centrally located. 4 Bedrooms - 2 Dressing rooms - 3 Bathrooms with rainshowers - 3 Reception rooms - Entrance hall - Poggenpohl kitchen - Bang and olufsen sound system throughout - Spa/steam room - Lutron lighting throughout - Air conditioning throughout - Cctv security system Cinema room - Gas fireplace - Roof terrace - Off street parking (2 spaces) - Underfloor heating

PIER HOUSE

£1,000 per week Furnished/unfurnished*

Kinnerton Yard

Long Let

£595 per week Furnished/unfurnished *

Long Let

This bright and spacious two bedroom apartment, which has been refurbished to a high standard throughout, enjoys far reaching views over the River Thames and beyond. Accommodation consists of a large reception room, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a fully integrated modern kitchen, with parking available by separate negotiation and access is available to the communal garden.

A newly refurbished bright and modern flat located in a particularly quiet courtyard development. Kinnerton Yard is situated in a village area of Knightsbridge, by the fashionable shops and restaurants of Motcomb Street, Sloane Street and Brompton Road, 5 minutes’ walk from Knightsbridge and Hyde Park tube stations.

2 Bedroom - 2 Bathroom - 1 Reception room

1 Bedroom - 1 Bathroom - 1 Reception room

*We will make an initial one-off tenancy agreement charge of £250 inc Vat per tenancy plus £35 inc Vat reference charger per tenant. Inventory check out fee charged dependant on size of the property.

Tel 020 7235 7933 Email enquiries@dll.uk.com Web www.dll.uk.com

BASiL STREET SW3 L iimmaculately n c opresented l n Hthreeobedroom u s eflat inSthisWbeautifully 3 maintained mansion building in the heart of Knightsbridge. An The building is ideally located forthe Harrods andofthe restaurants the area, and moments An immaculately refurbished flat on fourth floor thisshops popularand mansion building of moments from Harrods in the from centreKnightsbridge of Knightsbridge. underground station. Three Bedrooms • Two Double Bedrooms Two Bathrooms aspect reception room

■

■• Double ■ ■

• Open plan kitchen • En suite bathroom

Reception Room Kitchen/Breakfast Room

£2,250,000 Subject to Contract £3,300,000 Subject to Contract

Entrance• Shower Hall/Dining Room Area Loft Storage • Lift Area ■ Porter ■ Lift ■ ■

• Resident porter ■ 1397 sq ft • Share of freehold ■ EE rating E • EER - D

Share of Freehold

estate agents, surveyors and property consultants 81 Elizabeth Street, Eaton Square, London SW1W 9PG tel: 020 7730 9253 Fax: 020 7730 8212 email: reception@bestgapp.co.uk

www.bestgapp.co.uk Over 100 years experience in Belgravia

EATON PLACE,south, SW1 eaton mews sw1e Rebuilt exacting standards threeapartment years ago,with this double is an exceptional south A uniquetoand unparalleled first floor heighted ceiling setfacing in the mews houseofarranged four floors, withSloane spacious andand wellKnightsbridge. laid out accommodation, roof heart Belgravia,over moments from both Square Property consists terrace garage and off with streetenparking. two double bedrooms suites, one with mezzanine level; large open reception area, separate kitchen and guest cloak room. Property also boasts two large balconies, marble tiles and carpet flooring. Property is well within walking distance of all local amenities in Belgravia and Elizabeth Street. Offered furnished/unfurnished; fees apply.

Freehold Furnished/Unfurnished

ÂŁ5,950,000 ÂŁ2,100pw

* Reception Hall * Reception Room with Balcony ** Reception room Room Kitchen/Breakfast ** Two double bedrooms Master Bedroom Suite ** Two Two private Furtherbalconies Bedroom Suites ** Double Integral heighted Garage ceilings ** Mezzanine level Roof Terrace

facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Great Sales of 2014 Wilton Place, Belgravia SOLD

South Eaton Place, Belgravia SOLD

A stunning town house designed for formal entertaining and family life. Asking price £7,950,000 Freehold

An outstanding, grand and imposing townhouse with garage. Asking price £18,500,000 Freehold

Cadogan Place, Knightsbridge

Palace View Penthouse, St James’s

SOLD

A stunning four bedroom home with its own front door and roof terrace. Asking price £11,250,000 Share of Freehold

SP_Belgravia RJ_DPS_LHP.indd 1

SOLD

An amazing, newly refurbished penthouse apartment. Asking price £12,000,000 Leasehold

15/12/2014 17:40

17:40

Sloane Street Office 020 7235 9959 Lowndes Square, Belgravia SOLD

Belgrave Mews North, Belgravia SOLD

A large unmodernised ground floor maisonette. Asking price £5,950,000 Leasehold

A newly developed, quietly located freehold mews house. Asking price £6,900,000 Freehold

Lyall Mews, Belgravia

Upper Belgrave Street, Belgravia

SOLD

A recently completed bright house with ample parking space. Asking price £7,950,000 Freehold

SP_Belgravia RJ_DPS_RHP.indd 2

SOLD

A bright, three bedroom, top floor maisonette. Asking price £6,250,000 Leasehold

15/12/2014 17:40

facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Sloane Street Office 020 7235 9959

Great Sales of 2014 Chester Square, Belgravia SOLD

Eaton Place, Belgravia SOLD

A sensational freehold family home with terrace and garage. Asking price £16,500,000 Freehold

An exceptional two bedroom first floor flat with balcony. Asking price £3,750,000 Leasehold

Lowndes Court, Belgravia

Bourne Street, Belgravia

SOLD

Two adjacent flats with potential to create a large lateral home. Asking price £6,950,000 Freehold

SP_Belgravia RJ_Single.indd 1

SOLD

A secure family home close to Sloane Square. Asking price £10,950,000 Freehold

15/12/2014 17:41

R873_Moscow Door Ad_Belgravia Residents Journal:Layout 1

5/12/13

09:20

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Where will we find your perfect buyer or tenant? As the exclusive UK affiliate of Christieâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Real Estate network, we can reach quality buyers and tenants in 45 countries via 939 offices and a website visited 135,600 times a month. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no better way to open your door to the world. 66 Sloane Street London SW1X 9SH Tel: +44 (0)20 7235 9959 knightsbridge@struttandparker.com struttandparker.com/christies

BELGRAVIA Resident’s Journal w w w. R e s i d e n t s J o u r n a l . c o . u k 020 7987 4320

may 2014 • Issue 24