BELGRAVIA Resident’s Journal N O V E M B E R 201 5
I S S U E 04 2
The Belgravia Residents’ Journal is published independently by Runwild Media Group with regular editorial contributions from Belgravian residents. 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
,
Marking the cycle of the seasons, Eaton Square Concerts are filling St Peter’s with some of the greatest works ever produced. Patricia Auchterlonie dissects each performance on page eight. Continuing with the Arts, Amanda Stücklin has an interview with the founders of a local art collections management company on page 14 while our Belgravian of the month is Barbara Schwepcke, founder of local publishing house Haus – and a think-tank, the Gingko Library (page 18). Elsewhere, Henry Hopwood-Phillips weighs up the fussiness of the Five Fields restaurant, while Francesca Lee heads to The Lanesborough to test out Belgravia’s haute-cuisine options (page 16). Last but certainly not least, don’t forget to vote in our inaugural Best of Belgravia awards on page seven where you can put forward nominations for 15 categories celebrating all things local. Please do not hesitate to get in contact with all your news and updates by emailing belgravia@residentsjournal.co.uk. Alternatively, tweet us @thebelgravian. We hope you enjoy the issue.
Managing Editor Francesca Lee Main Editorial Contributor Henry Hopwood-Phillips
Production Hugo Wheatley Oscar Viney Jamie Steele Alice Ford
Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood
Publishing Director Giles Ellwood
Managing Director Eren Ellwood
General Manager Fiona Fenwick
Senior Designer Daniel Poole
Executive Director Sophie Roberts Client Relationship Manager Friday Dalrymple Sales Executives Joseph Rutherford Kate Emmett
Above / Winner by Katie O’ Sullivan – Solo show at The Osborne Studio Gallery, 2 Motcomb Street, SW1X 8JU, osg.uk.com Turn to page 4 for more information.
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The Notebook
Who and what have been moving and shaking in Belgravia recently? We bring you up-to-date
Suit and Thai
Winner by Katie O’ Sullivan Katie O’Sullivan
Equine time
From 10 November until 4 December Katie O’Sullivan’s equestrian and wildlife paintings will be on show at the Osborne Studio Gallery. Famous for painting the winning mounts of the world’s greatest racehorse owners, her collectors include the Duke of Edinburgh, Lord Lloyd Webber, Lord and Lady Bamford and many more. And for good reason too, her paintings – with their gold and silver leaf and collages of old engravings – are never dull. The Osborne Studio Gallery, 2 Motcomb Street, SW1X 8JU, 020 7235 9667, osg.uk.com
Tom and Barbara Superfood café The Good Life Eatery is set to open its third store at 20 Motcomb Street soon. Joining Food Filosophy, a Mediterranean-inspired café, which opened on Kinnerton Street recently, the eatery is leading the charge to convert Belgravia from a place where workers ran on their breaks to a bit of a lunchtime mecca.
Prepare your taste-buds for a tour around Thailand without leaving SW1 as Belgravia’s Mango Tree launches its regional menu. If you think Thai food is just green chicken curry and prawn crackers, think again. This south-west institution is showcasing the four core areas of Thailand on a special menu, but you’ll have to be quick as this offering ends 15 November. The menu is split into quarters: north, south, north-east and the central region, and all offer dishes that characterise each area. With four starters and four mains to choose from, the Belgravia Residents’ Journal recommends trying the deep-fried chicken leg with garlic, coriander, soy sauce and fried shallots (or gai tod had jai) from the south region to start, followed by the baked sea bass with lemongrass, galangal, lime leaf and fresh dill (sea bass moke) from the north-east region. 46 Grosvenor Place, SW1X 7EQ, 020 7823 1888, mangotree.org.uk
Going green
Grosvenor recently installed its second parklet (the first being on Ebury Street), an urban garden on Pimlico Road, just outside Daylesford Organic. It’s been designed by Belgraviabased architects, Map Projects and involved several local school children planting seeds from Daylesford’s market garden in Gloucestershire.
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Here’s to Christmas at the pub. 020 7730 0070 RESERVAT IO NS@ CU BITTH O U SE .CO .U K
Registered Charity No. 1151869
Company No. 08236363
Household Cavalry Foundation
‘Cavalry Carols’
Tuesday 8th December 2015 The Royal Military Chapel (The Guards’ Chapel) Wellington Barracks, Birdcage Walk, London, SW1E 6HQ Please join us for a celebration of Christmas with music supported by the Guards’ Chapel Choir, the Band of the Household Cavalry and the Military Wives Choir; including a special guest performance from Camilla Kerslake. After the Carol Service a Champagne Reception, kindly sponsored by Laurent-Perrier, will take place take place in the Officers’ Mess in Wellington Barracks.
Carol Service Tickets: £25.00 Carol Service & Reception Tickets: £40.00
To purchase tickets or to sponsor the event please go to www.hcavfoundation.org or call 020 7839 4858 proudly sponsored by
Our inaugural Best of Belgravia celebrates the businesses and brands in the area and its outstanding residents and their commitment to excellence With its classical architecture, white stucco Thomas Cubitt residences, stone churches and characterful cobbled streets, there is nowhere in the world quite like Belgravia. From the peace and quiet of Belgrave Square to the most elegant summer parties on Motcomb and Elizabeth Street, Belgravia has it all. But, above all, it is both the local and global businesses that choose to be present here, residents who live here and the people who
work in the area that create a unique sense of community. To that end, welcome to the Best of Belgravia, whereby you the reader and resident can put forward your nominations for 15 specially curated categories. These will highlight the best in class, from fine dining to where to find the best local coffee, with the nominations now announced in the December issue, followed by the winners and runners-up in the January issue.
CATEGORIES Best Neighbourhood Restaurant
Favourite Coffee
Best Afternoon Tea
Best Community Member
Best Resident
Best Speciality Food & Beverage
Favourite Local Pub
Contributor to the Area Award
Best Designer
Best Hotel
Favourite Open Space
Best Specialist Store
Best Concierge Service
Best Hairdresser
Please put forward your nominations by emailing:
bestof@residentsjournal.co.uk
Good luck!
Best Breakfast
Music
(to St Peter’s ears) Patricia Auchterlonie listens to two of Eaton Square’s concerts and shares the results
T
he first evening’s programme on 1 October is well balanced and interesting, linked together by musical influence: the unusual structure of Beethoven’s Op. 26 Sonata inspired the shape of Schumann’s Faschingsschwank Aus Wein. Similarly the Op. 26 was greatly admired by Chopin, who modelled the sonata in B-flat after this work (although he was not always a great fan of Beethoven). Though pianist Janina Fialkowska astonishes at times, her performance isn’t flawless. The evening begins with an underwhelming Beethoven, lacking in musical clarity. However, Fialkowska’s Schumann is lovely and the second half of the programme, exclusively Chopin, excels. Let us go back to the Beethoven. His Sonata No. 12, Op. 26 is a work that’s often lost in his output, overshadowed by the famous sonatas that follow in Op. 27 (including the Moonlight). It features an unconventional movement structure, beginning with theme and variation instead of the conventional Sonata Allegro form.
I’m immediately struck by the beauty and passion of the music Fialkowska’s performance features some elegant melody work, coupled with passages of virtuosity. Her performance is very musical but it isn’t brilliant – there are some clumsy moments. Sadly, she’s not helped by the piano. It’s muddy and unclear in the middle register, unfortunately where most of the sonata is written. At times it’s difficult to discern, whether the lack of clarity is due to her use of the pedal or the piano itself. Nevertheless, she navigates the situation with professionalism and experience, delivering a sound rendition. The following work, Schumann’s playful Faschingsschwank Aus Wien, Op. 26 (Carnival of Vienna), shows off Fialkowska’s musicality and skill much more. Her sophisticated gestures come through and she makes use of a wider range of harmony and melody. It’s so much crisper than her Beethoven. After the interval, Fialkowska opens with Chopin’s Polonaise-Fantasie, Op. 61. Instantly it’s obvious why her reputation is founded on this repertoire. She sparkles, weaving the musical gestures delicately and seamlessly together. Her choice of voicing in this piece is flawless. Effortlessly juxtaposing blurs of colour with a fabulous clarity of texture,
St Peter’s Church, Eaton Square
MUSIC
Janina Fialkowska
Sitkovetsky Piano Trio
Sacconi Quartet
Julian Bliss
she is delightfully delicate and virtuosic by turns. During the Impromptu No. 3, I am struck by the way she handles transitions, loading each one with musical anticipation, delicately guiding her audience around the corner. A rendition of Grieg’s Summer’s Eve closes the performance – it’s a heartfelt encore. She plays with wistful delicacy, conjuring all the stillness and magic of a summer’s evening. On my second visit to St Peter’s on 8 October, the programme is also excellent. The selection of two great Nordic composers – Nielsen and Sibelius – is motivated by the 150th birthday of each. The first piece is Schubert’s unfinished Quartettstaz in C minor, D. 703. Schubert wrote this, the first movement, as well as 40 bars of a second before moving on, but he nevertheless left a masterpiece. As soon as the Sacconi quartet begins, it is obvious how connected these musicians are. The opening crackles with energy, before giving way to sweeter, softer music. There are times when I might wish for more fire from first violinist Ben Hancox, but to be fair he was to astonish in the works to follow. Nielsen’s String Quartet No. 1 in G minor is not often performed but I’m immediately struck by the beauty and passion of the music. It’s so romantic: full of vivid colours, contrasting textures and rich instrumental writing. The quartet makes the most of the music, creating sweeping musical gestures throughout. Three of the movements are fiery – an allegro energico, scherzo: allegro molto and the finale, an allegro (inquieto). The second half of the concert contains Sibelius’ masterwork, String Quartet in D minor, Op. 56, ‘Intimate Voices’. This work is special. It’s full of unique harmonies and colours coupled with unforgettable and unusual melodies. It’s an enigmatic piece, but the Sacconi quartet keeps up with its every nuance, bringing forth the essence of the otherworldly music. Particularly stunning is the third movement – the adagio di molto. The hall is hushed as they play this subtly shifting work, bringing in the audience with elongated silences and tight unisons between the players. After Sibelius completed this quartet, he wrote to his wife Aino: “It turned out as something wonderful. The kind of thing that brings a smile to your lips at the hour of death. I will say no more.” I’ll do the same. (eatonsquareconcerts.org.uk)
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Double
vision
Hot on the heels of opening their first standalone store in Belgravia, Olivia Sharpe catches up with the founders of luxury footwear brand Bionda Castana, Natalia Barbieri and Jennifer Portman, about their success to date Why did you choose Belgravia as the location? Natalia: I feel our customer base is more local to this area. We love Elizabeth Street for so many reasons. It’s one of the greatest streets in London. I drive past it on my way into town; it has a real village feel. I think we really stand out on the street, whereas if we were in any other road we’d probably blend in, which is fine, but I think for our first store it is a real stronghold in a way and this makes such a difference. We’re bringing something different to the area and were lucky enough that a shop came up. Why did you decide to extend your customisation service to your clients? Natalia: I think as everybody is focusing so much more on made-for-you, it’s a huge part of anyone’s business; everyone wants their initials on something, their influence on something and, ultimately, the customer base is very big – in the past we didn’t always have a particular colour that the client wanted but now we can offer it. With everything we do we take it slowly just to see how it develops organically, and then that’s when we release it and make it available to customers. We need to test how it works for our production – can we deliver on the times we say we can? We get quite a lot of requests each week; some we can fulfil, some we can’t, purely because some styles don’t allow for such differences in fabrics – but otherwise, 95 per cent of the time we can deliver what the clients want. I think what’s been interesting for us is that it’s more a case of when people come in and are confronted with a whole bunch of choices then they don’t know what to do, or they try something crazy and it just doesn’t work. We present the client with a purely beige shoe so they have a completely blank
canvas to work from. I think it’s a good service; every single brand we look up offers a similar system. We’re quite successful because we have a quick turnaround, but that’s the way luxury is going. How did the two of you meet and how did the concept for Bionda Castana come about? Jennifer: We met a long time ago (Natalia laughs: 18 years ago). It was on the first day of business school in south London. We had always been fascinated by accessories; Nat was really interested in shoes and I was into bags. At the time of doing the business degree together though we didn’t have the funds to start a company, so we went our separate ways. I moved into finance, but we always intented to start up a business but we hadn’t done any formal kind of training at a Cordwainers so we had to look at finding finance, which we raised ourselves as well as doing some on-the-job training. We saved up our bonuses from work, and after a
FASHION
few years we set up the business. At the time, it was literally a case of sketching what we liked, and then our factory team, who have been with us since the beginning, gave us some further education. A lot of designers, like Miuccia Prada, for instance, haven’t had any formal training but it’s been a case of what they’ve learnt on the job. Natalia: In the beginning we were really blind but we always knew we wanted to do this. I think what was also important at the beginning was that our roles were quite defined so I knew that Jennifer was getting on with one side, while I was getting on with another. And it flowed from there. I think the main thing for me was not so much the design element, it was more like we didn’t know anyone or have any friends in the industry, so we couldn’t ask for advice, but I think when you don’t do something yourself, then you don’t learn.
Did you know when you started designing the Lana shoe that it would become your signature? Natalia: Well, we kind of pushed it that way because when we designed the Lana there was a real fashion for pumps. I know they’ve always been in and out but there was a huge craze for the single-soled, pointed pump – and as an emerging brand you can’t get away with just doing a black suede pump. Knowing the fashion was going in that direction, we had to play with it, so we first designed it in two colours – and now we have a full rainbow, in prints and different-coloured mesh, so it’s our go-to pump. I also think what’s important is that the piece is very light and very comfortable, because of the mesh.
In the beginning we were really blind but we always knew we wanted to do this
How are the roles divided between you? Natalia: The main thing we do together is designing. I take on more responsibility for launching our product into the world, as well as branding and getting things together for the shoots. I also meet the buyers and travel, so it kind of works rather harmoniously. The roles are what we’ve nurtured. How would you describe the woman who buys your shoes? Natalia: The main woman who features quite heavily on our mood board is Alexa Chung.
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Jennifer: Regardless of whether it’s the Lana or any other style, the cuts on our shoes are all about the fit. (biondacastana.com)
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Canary Wharf Ice Rink
31st October - 27th February Canada Square park, Canary Wharf
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PROMOTION
Italian
couture
Why every bride should head to Le Spose di Gio
E
very bride wants to look her best on her wedding day, and finding the dress is a big part of planning the big day. If you’re a bride-to-be who is still looking for the one, then fret not, as Le Spose di Gio has many beautiful creations. Founded in 1975 by Italian sisters Giovanna and Marisa De Capitani, who have a background in haute couture, all of its dresses are made to measure with 100 per cent Italian pure silk. New for 2015 is its customisation range, whereby brides can choose from a palette of colours to complement their style, or indeed their colour scheme. Whether your venue is in the countryside or you’re barefoot on the beach, Le Spose di Gio makes beautiful tailored dresses and occasion wear for every bride. Specialising in understated elegance, the design consultants will be there for you every step of the way to create your perfect bridal ensemble. By appointment only. 81 Ebury Street, SW1W 9QU, 020 7901 9020, le-spose-di-gio.it
Freda Matassa (left) and Julia Toffolo (right) at Purdy Hicks Gallery, London, with paintings by Pierre Bergian. © Justin Piperger
Custodians of beauty Amanda Stücklin discusses the complex issues at the heart of art collections management with Freda Matassa and Julia Toffolo, the faces of Matassa Toffolo
gton DC, UK Ambassador’s residence, Washin ‘Print Hall’ installation project at the British The Architecture of Diplomacy: The by Julia Toffolo © Eric Sander from Collings, 2014 gton DC by Anthony Seldon and Dan Ambassador’s residence in Washin
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meet Freda Matassa and Julia Toffolo, the duo behind the new Art Collections Management partnership Matassa Toffolo in the Café at Sotheby’s on New Bond Street, one of the centres of the London art market. Here, only a few weeks before an evening auction of Impressionist and modern art achieved a total of £178.6 million with the star lot, Gustav Klimt’s breathtaking 1902 Portrait of Gertrud Loew selling for £24.8 million. Given where we are the conversation inevitably turns to art, and who better to discuss the subject with than Freda and Julia. Both have blue-chip art backgrounds. Freda, who has been named one of the top ‘50 Women to Watch in the Arts’, was previously Head of Collections Management at the Tate, and Registrar at the Royal Academy. Julia was formerly Deputy Director and Senior
Registrar of the UK Government Art Collection, managing and displaying its large fine-art collection in British embassies around the world, as well as 10 Downing Street and numerous highprofile government buildings in London. Over coffee, we discuss how the art market has evolved into a billion-dollar global business with artworks being traded like commodities – albeit high-end commodities. I ask if it is right that art should be put into such a category. “To many, ‘Art’, in the broadest use of the word, may appear to be a commodity”, says Freda “but in reality it’s not. Art is quite different. More often than not you are dealing with something that is absolutely unique, that isn’t mass-produced and can’t be replicated. There are so many facets to a work of art. Yes, there is always a value, be it intrinsic or otherwise, and when that value starts to creep up into the millions then sometimes things can get difficult.” Freda notes that quite aside from any cultural associations and connections, there can also be family
ART & ANTIQUES
It’s knowing what you have, where it is and caring for it responsibly considerations, with art often becoming subject to financial and legal processes. And then, finally, what so many people forget – most works of art are produced from sensitive materials. “Essentially, at the end of the day we are all simply custodians of art. It’s our duty and responsibility to ensure that we maintain artworks from previous generations, as well as ensure that the art of our own time is preserved for longevity.” So clearly art isn’t just the glamour, glitz and champagne so many of us now associate it with. Julia explains: “The art market is a very serious business, and as a collector or would-be collector there are lots of things to consider that can be a little daunting. Our combined art backgrounds and experience of working in
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collections management, installation, display, cataloguing and transport has taught us the gold standard in managing cultural objects. It became clear to us that the same quality of care was not always in place in private and corporate collections, so we decided to go into partnership and set up an art collections management business that would provide advice and guidance on all aspects of collections management to museum-quality standard.” At risk of sounding a little dim I ask what art collections management is. “In a nutshell,” answers Freda, “it’s knowing what you have, where it is and caring for it responsibly. That might sound pretty simple, but you would be surprised how many people get it wrong!” It appears that even when large amounts of money have been spent, very few really consider the after-care – the importance of inventories, conservation, rationalisation, display and storage, quite aside from appropriate insurance. I equate it to buying an expensive car and not keeping it in a garage or having it serviced regularly. Julia agrees, observing that “Collectors enjoy the thrill of the chase and the purchase but think the maintenance is boring – luckily that’s the bit we enjoy! And besides, an up-to-date, full inventory is vital for insurance purposes, quite aside from peace of mind.” Both go on to explain how with the vast range of galleries, art fairs and websites available today, anyone can now afford to acquire art – there are so many different entry levels. Added to which, markets all over the world are expanding, but collectors rarely know the right questions to ask before they make a purchase. For example, where the art in question has come from, what it is made of, and, if they are buying a contemporary work, what are the artist’s intentions in terms of maintenance and display? An indication of the duo’s standing in the art world is the fact that they were asked by Parliament to propose a list of artists from which the Speaker’s Advisory Committee on Works of Art could select the 2015 General Election Artist. The artist finally chosen for the commission was Adam Dant. The resulting work, a monumental drawing in ink entitled The Government Stable recording the Election was unveiled to the public for the first time at Portcullis House during London’s annual Open House Weekend in September. Dant’s picture now joins the Parliamentary Art Collection. Finally, before we part company, I ask what is the most important reason for collecting and owning art. Both unanimously agree that it should be quite simply pleasure. But as they have carefully explained, we have to remember we are simply short-term custodians, so it’s our responsibility to respect and care for the things we love. (matassa-toffolo.com)
Forthcoming London Art Fairs Winter Olympia Art & Antiques Fair, Olympia 2-8 November, olympia-antiques.com Asian Art in London 5-14 November, asianartinlondon.com
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In the haute seat The Five Fields Restaurant deconstruction perfection
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t what used to be the Spanish restaurant El Blason, the furnishings are soft, the ceiling low and the acoustics muted. It feels a little like Petrus shrunk in the wash. Which is unsurprising considering The Five Fields Restaurant weighs in at just 40 covers. Named after the marshy, dodgy inn and bandit-ridden area that used to cover most of Sloane and Belgravia – the dishes are, well, the absolute opposite of this evocation. Each comes as a polished-yet-haphazard orb of ingredients: flecks of this, crisps of that; dusted rainbows over here, florets of hippo tears over there; a ballast of dragon-charred unicorn tongue goes down well mixed with a swoosh of indeterminate green stuff. Truly, this is food that leads you up the garden path. There’s so much going on you must have to spend a year in the kitchen to understand how much of each purée or gel makes the perfect mouthful. Each course is deconstructed to the point it looks as though somebody has demolished a plate of sushi with tweezers. The Forest (a medley of quail breast, ceps, girolles, hazelnuts, chestnuts, onion, kale and Jerusalem artichoke), reminds me less of what’s going right in British cuisine, than what’s going wrong. The haute cuisine Britons like to ape: Italian, French and whatnot, is essentially peasant food (at The Five Fields it’s plucked from its gardens in East Sussex) and elevated to the nth degree for bigger wallets and cushier surroundings. Here, on the contrary, it feels as though everything must be crumbed, moussed or pasted in case some whiffy Frenchman gets sniffy; the upshot: it’s a little insecure. The John Dory (fillet, chorizo, octopus, aubergine, chickpea and chicken sauce) comes closest to being robust and unapologetic. The combination doesn’t feel like it should work and yet, on a deep, perplexing level, it does. On a shallower, more understandable level – I’m full. I blame this on the steamy, soft curls of sweet brioche served before the Forest. Its icing-thin crust and sunspot camouflage hides strings of buttery lava that incarcerate the tongue before melting away. The brave sot I am, however, means I plough through to the desserts, which oddly seem to be bedding Sussex’s shrubbery. I wimp out. Poached peaches, meringue, lemon sorbet and almond sablé is the closest I’ll ever get to carrots in my custard. It’s as well-dressed as I
am but I have more substance – which isn’t saying much. That said, the service is the best I’ve encountered in London. All in all, with its location, oldschool interior, cosy atmosphere, firework food and superlative service, The Five Fields will always be a haven for locals and foodies. I just wish it remembered that Britain has some simpler classics that look and taste better when glued together with something a touch pedestrian like gravy or mash – Britain’s genius has rarely lied in its cleverness – in the pejorative sense – ils s’en occuperont eux mêmes. 8-9 Blacklands Terrace, SW3 2SP, 020 7838 1082 (fivefieldsrestaurant.com)
THE VERDICT Atmosphere: 6/10 Food: 8/10 Service: 9/10 Value for money: 9/10
TOTAL: 32/40
DRINKING & DINING
Henry Hopwood-Phillips and Francesca Lee compare two of Belgravia’s fine-dining establishments
Celeste – The Lanesborough A celestial dining experience
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approach my dinner reservation with high expectation – not merely because of the name, but also the stellar reputation that preceded it. Nestled as one of several jewels in the crown of the sumptuous The Lanesborough Hotel (part of the Oetker Collection) on Hyde Park Corner, Céleste is the pride and joy of renowned chef Florian Favario – formerly of Le Bristol Paris, and protégé of multiMichelin-starred chef Eric Frechon. With qualifications such as these, I anticipate a culinary masterclass. I begin the evening in the luxurious surroundings of The Library Bar, which somewhat resembles a Victorian club with its array of leather-bound books, wood-panelled walls and comfortable sofas. Accompanied by a couple of glasses of Champagne, washed down to the sounds of the grand piano playing in the background, it certainly needs something special to tempt me out of my reverie. The restaurant exudes decadence, with spectacular hanging chandeliers competing with fluted columns and classical friezes, and I’m fascinated by the mysterious wine cellars which are masterfully concealed behind opaque glazing either side of the entrance way. After a light amuse-bouche, my partner and I are presented with our starters; the dishes come complete with covers which are both whisked off at precisely the same moment by the artful waiting staff. The result is a piece of high theatre which serves as a prelude to the contents of the very fine chinaware. Delighted with my choice of girolles mushrooms, which are sautéed in garlic and thyme to provide excellent savoury notes, and accompanied by crispy pork belly, the other plate on the table contains langoustine ravioli with a velouté sauce which successfully
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balances the delicate seafood flavours on offer. Both meals are served with a glass of white wine that had been expertly paired to complement the flavours of each dish. As the evening progresses, the main course is served with the same culinary ballet as the first, together with another specially paired glass of red wine each. A definite recommendation is the Angus beef fillet, which plays a sublime leading role and is strongly supported by roasted cep mushrooms, bone marrow and crispy potatoes. However, a notable mention must also go to the home county lamb – a celebratory trio of grilled chop, roasted saddle and braised sweetbread, delightfully complemented by courgette couscous and homemade harissa which provides a sweet spiciness that cuts through the savoury flavours of the lamb. After the performance so far, I eagerly await the final course. Preceded by a pre-dessert of raspberry mojito piped into meringue and with my palate cleansed, I tuck into a deliciously decadent dark chocolate ganache and chocolate crumble, offset with a sharp and refreshing lemongrass sorbet. I let the curtains close on the meal with a smooth flat white coffee, before reluctantly leaving my surroundings to depart for the evening in the hope that, one day, there may be a sequel. Hyde Park Corner, SW1X 7TA, 020 7259 5599 (lanesborough.com)
THE VERDICT Atmosphere: 7/10 Food: 9/10 Service: 10/10 Value for money: 8/10
TOTAL: 34/40
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The
Belgravian EAST MEETS WEST
Henry Hopwood-Phillips talks to Barbara Schwepcke, founder of Haus Publishing and Gingko Library, about establishing a dialogue between the most geopolitically fraught areas of the world...
PROFILE
B
arbara has an ecclesiastical look about her. Her short hair, a pair of glasses perched atop the end of her nose, a dress that could pass for a habit, and a severe German surname – mean I half suspect that I’m about to be put through my paces by a Teutonic matriarch in the making. “I wear many hats,” she starts with no hat in sight. Adding “once upon a time I was even in gainful employment,” throwing her hand out and wistfully looking through the ceiling at the sky. “That has all gone. Now I make the tea.” Here, among the melodrama, suspicions are aroused that Barbara may not be the monastic matron I had fancied. Despite the histrionics, Dr Schwepcke is a very serious person. With a PhD from the LSE in international history, she’s an intellectual heavyweight. Not that she is boastful – writing her thesis off as “one of those that was so huge, brilliant and fascinating that even my doctoral supervisor fell asleep,” she outlines the bones of a career in journalism. It’s a job that seems to have flirted with Scylla and Charybdis at every turn. Working for a German television channel at a studio in London, she found out that the correspondent she was assisting kept pinching her research material and pasting his name on it. A period at Süddeutsche Zeitung was more plain sailing, but an appointment as foreign editor at a new magazine, Focus, was so stressful it soon had her begging for a sabbatical. “Something my editor-in-chief had never heard of – fortunately, he had heard of ‘unpaid leave’ so I took it.” It was a period that may have been unpaid but not unproductive. A book soon followed about female leaders in south Asia before Barbara landed on her feet back in London as the publisher of Prospect magazine. “A brief and unhappy time,” she recalls, mostly due to a fallout “in a massive and spectacular fashion” with the magazine’s chairman. Licking her wounds, she retreated into research for another book, this time on Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi before taking up a post as editor at Harvill Press when it was independent. Later sold to Random House “for a song”, Barbara decided to go solo and set up Haus Publishing in 2003. I question why we’re sat in a bookshop instead of an office. “When we took a lease from Cadogan in 2006, they were insistent that as the ground floor had been a shop for centuries it should remain so,” she answers. So Haus has a bookshop in much the same way that breweries sell beer on the side. “Which brings us on to the birth of Gingko Library and the tale of my beloved,” Barbara’s tone curls at the edges – poignancy creeps in. Her beloved turns out to have
been Mark Linz, director of the American University in Cairo Press, who she’d worked with on various bibliophilic adventures, including an Arab one at the London Book Fair in 2008. Retiring in 2012 “he had a big idea to start a library of thought about the Arab world” and pitched it to Prince Hassan bin Talal, uncle to Abdullah II of Jordan. Apparently the idea was too small for Hassan. He wanted something that covered the whole Middle East. Too many projects, he reckoned, restricted themselves to one linguistic group, ethnicity or religion: the nascent Gingko Library should cover Turkey and Iran, not to mention Christians, Jews and minorities too. And so off the prince went back to Jordan “leaving me and Mark scribbling up plans for his return on Boxing Day (2012).” Gingko Library was to have 10 subject areas, with 10 books per subject area each year and 10 annual conferences on those subject areas. “Sadly on Boxing Day Mark had a stroke, however, passing away six weeks later, leaving me with a huge idea... and two sides of A4 to follow through on.” This means, for Barbara, Gingko Library really is Mark’s legacy project. Touchingly, she only mentions his name once, the rest of the time simply referring to him as “her beloved”. Finally registered in September 2014, by December of the same year it had hosted its first conference. With scholars from both East and West, it managed to attract a ‘grande fromage’ of the academic world. The bookshop itself is littered with eccentric and little-seen titles. When broken down it has an 80 per cent non-fiction, 20 per cent fiction split. Many touch upon the subject matter of the latest Gingko Library conference, Iran’s 1906 Constitutional Revolution. I ask what the consensus was. “What are you thinking?” she replies, outraged. “We are academics – we don’t do consensus!” There do seem to have been some historiographical keystones though, such as the fact World War One is reckoned a “seminal” moment in Middle-Eastern history. Mulling over Iran, we touch upon the fact that high culture is not incompatible with totalitarian societies and that though the 1906 revolution failed it created a parliament that no successor has been able to abolish, before we indulge in the more academic side of things. Which is all very well and good but what’s Gingko’s elevator pitch, I ask. “To encourage the East to understand the West and vice versa,” she answers. And in today’s volatile climate, with body counts climbing, there are few who can argue that it’s not a goal worth fighting for.
Gingko Library really is Mark’s legacy project
(gingkolibrary.com)
Illustration / Russ Tudor
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Residents’ Culture Exploring the minutiae of residents’ concerns and encounters
November roundup by Sue Liberman
In October I mentioned that one of Belgravia’s best-kept secrets is that on the second Sunday of every month there’s a fabulous classic car event in Chesham Place. Thank you for all the tremendous feedback I’ve received about that article and to all the people who came to the event in October. Fantastic turnout of people and classic cars. A huge thank you to Rosie and her son Alex who ensured that everyone was fed. Their bacon baps were in high demand… So if you’re passionate about cars or just like a great bacon buttie and a chat with nice people, it’s a fantastic way, once a month, to spend your Sunday morning. The next event in Chesham Place Gardens is the morning of Sunday 8 November. All are welcome and I look forward to seeing you there. Admission is free. For more information, please visit 96club.co.uk. Since 1843, one of London’s other best-kept secrets in the heart of Belgravia, next to The Berkeley Hotel in Wilton Place, is one of the capital’s most elegant churches – St Paul’s Knightsbridge. It’s a place of stillness in a busy city, loved by all who go there. St Paul’s is an Anglican church, a lively 21st-century church of Anglo-Catholic tradition. It’s a place of welcome and encouragement, a meeting point for all ages and nationalities. It is one of London’s most beautiful churches and annually raises more than £3/4 million for charity in partnership with local and national charities. It has strong links with churches in the USA and Africa. St Paul’s provides a safe environment for ordinary people, a connection with the local community in Belgravia and opportunities for mission and volunteering. It’s a gathering spot for the well-known, too. Whether they’re royalty, well-known personalities, celebrities, or even supermodels!
Date for your diary The St Paul’s Foundation Carol Service With celebrity readers and music from the renowned choir of St Paul’s Knightsbridge, the 2015 Foundation Carol Service is taking place on Tuesday 1 December at 6.30pm. In conjunction with The Berkeley Hotel, this is the perfect way to kick off the festive season in style, with stunning music, festive readings, chilled champagne, canapés and hot mulled wine in one of London’s most beautiful churches in the heart of Belgravia. Organised by a committee headed by Father Alan Gyle, Felicity Cranfield, Joel Cadbury, Xander Armstrong, Louis Buckworth, Sahar Faber, James Wilcox and Helen Ridge, this event is always a sell-out. Past celebrity readers (to name just a few) have included Sir Terry Wogan, Sir Tim Rice, Alexander Armstrong, Allen Leech, Kirstie Allsopp, Geri Halliwell and Sienna Miller. It’s also a lovely event for families. Children, in their excitement, practically mob St Nicholas (better known to them as Father Christmas) when he makes an appearance! It’s a beautiful evening for all, carols by candlelight followed by a champagne reception – life doesn’t get much better than that! For tickets, email tickets@spkb.org, call Felicity on 020 7201 9994 or book online by visiting spkb.org/the-foundation-carol-service/ Seats are not allocated for this event. You will be free to choose your seat location on the night of the event.
Until next month...
If there’s anything you would like me to know about, I can be contacted on 07957 420 911 or on sue@sueliberman.com
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Beauty &Grooming We round up the latest in personalised beauty on your doorstep
Create your own
Perfume house Ex Nihilo has created a demi-bespoke offering. Modifying existing fragrances, the experience starts at Vase de Senteurs, a row of lit-up scent-emitting vases, where you can pick and choose the perfumes you like best. Once a core fragrance is selected, each one has three variations. The brand’s clever Osmologue machine is then programmed to create the desired formula, and from the waiting glass, is decanted into a glass flacon. Personalised fragrances from £240 for 100ml, Salon de Parfums at Harrods harrods.com
A unique formulation
Make it mine Francesca Lee tries out a tailored facial from Cadogan Cosmetics An exclusive non-invasive facial for ladies (don’t fear, gentlemen, there’s also a lord option), The Lady Sloane starts with a Visia Skin scan assessment, which measures everything from blocked pores to hydration levels and gives an average for age assessment. Luckily, I am above average for most, apart from pigmentation (repeat to self: I must stay out of the sun). The results then formed the basis of my treatment plan, which included a cleanse, steam and exfoliation, followed by a light peel and two masks. The first was an Epionce firming mask, which is designed to intensely hydrate and rapidly repair and increase elasticity and firmness. It also cooled my skin following the peel. The second, a Skinceuticals clay mask, targeted my congestion areas (which pre-treatment somewhat resembled Oxford Circus on the last Saturday before Christmas),
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followed by a serum with an SPF 30. Post-facial, my skin looked a little red but the following day, it was clearer and softer than it has been in years. £150, Cadogan Clinic, 120 Sloane Street, SW1X 9BW cadogancosmetics.com
Celebrating its fifth birthday this year, IOMA has launched Ma Crème, taking skin diagnosis to the next level. A high-tech assessment of your skin is carried out and, impressively, just one formulation is picked out of a possible 40,257. The consultation assesses what your skin needs, and then a bespoke blend of eight serums targets the areas such as fine lines and wrinkles for improvement. After you’ve used the products, you can go back and have another appointment to see the results of your new regime. IOMA Ma Crème, £149, from Beauty Apothecary at Harrods harrods.com
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BEAUTY & GROOMING
Belgravia s flexi foodie Meet healthy living expert, yoga instructor, author and reality-TV star Julie Montagu
ulie Montagu is a force of nature. If you don’t see her cycling around the neighbourhood on her way to teach classes at Grace Belgravia or Triyoga, you can catch her in any number of avenues in the coming months – from her new book Superfoods or through her stint on the hit US television show Ladies of London. We caught up with Julie at Grace Belgravia to talk yoga, her classes, health, food and keeping yourself motivated for success. For those of us new to yoga, what would be your threesentence pitch to inspire someone to start? What I say to people is that you walk out of a yoga class feeling like 100 bucks – it doesn’t even matter what type of yoga you do. You have no choice but to clear your mind. When you’re running you’re constantly thinking; in yoga the second you think, you fall out of the poses. I walk out of a class every time and think, “I’m so glad I did that.” What can people expect from your classes? The classes are dynamic, fast-paced and high energy. I naturally have high energy, so they can’t be anything but that. You’ll find that your body really wants to move and the more you come to the classes, the more you’ll get to know the poses. You’ll sweat, move and breathe a lot. How do you suggest women motivate themselves? Motivation needs to start with the person, rather than an exercise class. That class or that thing is never going to be what motivates you. I am a big evangelist on self-love – when we don’t like ourselves or pick ourselves apart, we’re not going to motivate ourselves to do anything. Come clean with yourself. How you would want people to treat you is how you should treat yourself. And every time you do something healthy for yourself, your body will rejoice on the inside, saying “thank you, thank you, thank you!” A lot of health and nutrition goals feel unattainable. How do you suggest goal-setting? I’m a to-do list girl, but I wouldn’t say necessarily I’m a goal-ist. I think goals can put a lot of pressure on your body – for example, if your goal is to lose 10lbs – all you are doing is stressing out your body, which in turn wreaks more havoc physically than having those few glasses of wine or eating that big bowl of chips. How do you balance work, public life and family life, and how does it affect your health and beauty regimes? Balance is not about putting so much pressure on yourself.
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If I over-plan and over-schedule, I get stressed. This is what yoga has really taught me – to live in the present moment. You recently launched the Flexi Food Academy. Can you tell us about it... When I was studying nutrition, people would come up to me and ask about it. There were books but they got tedious, so we created a course. My husband had founded his own e-learning company so he had the technology. The course is very affordable, with top-notch technology and e-learning modules. We broke it down into green leafy vegetables, wholegrains, natural sweeteners, oils and superfoods; all topics that people want to know about. What are your favourite beauty products? I love The Facial Oil by Caroline Forbes. I also like Pai’s travel kit with its anywhere essentials and eye serum, and the Green People’s age-defying beauty pills and tinted moisturiser. What inspired you to publish your book Superfoods? I’ve been shocked by the overwhelming, super-positive response to the book. People are realising that you don’t have to use a lot of maple syrup in “healthy” cakes – coconut oil and chia seeds can go a long way. My book is not about expensive ingredients either – for example, the book touches on how radishes and lemons can be superfoods. The recipes are simple, too. People are so busy they don’t want anything complicated. You’re American. Have you noticed anything about the health habits of Londoners compared to Americans? I have been here for 17 years and I’ve noticed how we’re getting on the health wagon here in comparison to LA and NYC. It has definitely taken London a good five to 10 years to get healthy. My biggest message to my kids is stay away from processed and packaged foods, which is still big in many parts of America. What are your favourite spots in Belgravia? I like getting my hair blow-dried at Neville Hair and Beauty. I also love eating at L’Eto, next door to Grace Belgravia. There’s some massively healthy food there. Julie Montagu teaches at Grace Belgravia, as well as Triyoga. Her book Superfoods is available on Amazon, and Ladies of London will premiere on Bravo TV in the US in September, and on ITVBe in the UK later this year. (Quadrille, £13)
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13/10/2015 12:27
BOOK REVIEW
An odyssey best avoided
Harry Mount Photo by Stuart Conway
Henry Hopwood-Phillips reckons Harry Mount’s journey around the Mediterranean fails to fulfil its promise
H
arry Mount studied Ancient and Modern History and Classics at Magdalen College, Oxford, where he got a First. This information is provided not only on the jacket of his book Harry Mount’s Odyssey but, for the benefit of those who may have overlooked those 20 words, it’s repeated twice in each chapter. The son of The Speccie’s Ferdinand, and a “second cousin to David Cameron”, the journo-cum-scholar was also at “Westminster in the late-1980s” and name drops – or should that be name bombs – every other sentence with “old Etonian friends”, Greek ministers, descendants of Byron and the like. Normally the tongue-in-cheek show-off antics would be par for the course in the well-trodden Boris-esque nosetweaking manner. And Mount almost gets away with it. Almost. The theme is, as the title would suggest, Mount re-treading the footsteps of Greece’s most cunning son, Odysseus. A strong subject, and yet one that manages to feel overstretched when pulled over this unstable miscellany of facts, stories and tangents – a fact the author seems aware of and seeks to offset by falling back on an overly schmaltzy tone. A tone matched by a peculiarly tin-ear for jokes: “Just like Tony Blair ancient Greece was the future once”, one sentence runs. Another refers to “Cleopatra – no, not that one” in a style that seeks to imitate the Horrible Histories franchise. And it gets worse; Nereids are referred to as forming part of “the first wet T-shirt competition”. This is the sort of thing Mary Beard might feel obliged to chortle at because it’s updating the spirit of dusty, fusty, patricianpadded Classics, but it’s just not that funny. That’s not to say the content isn’t compelling. Any student with a love for antiquity will find himself or herself nodding along to the observation that the period is “just far enough ago that you can make stuff up. And near enough that you know certain things did happen.” Or, gasping at the fact that Caesar never said “Et tu, Brute?” But rather “Kai su, teknon”, which translates as
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“You, too, my child?” And Constantine didn’t see “In hoc signo vinces” burning above the sun, no, it was “En toutoi nika”. Or, perhaps, humming with approval when the author notes that the “Greek” appellation was a Roman coinage after a tribe from Epirus, and that the Mycenaean name for themselves was actually “Achaeans”. But even these erudite trills cannot make good the fact that sometimes Mount just gets it plain wrong or patronises the reader by treating the complex and ambiguous as simple and settled. So he takes the crude Tacitean school of thought on literature (that the masterpieces burgeon when the state is small) as given; he incorrectly describes the soldier who accidentally sent a mortar into the bowels of the Parthenon as ‘Venetian’ when he was simply in Venetian pay; apparently there’s “very little anti-Greek feeling in Latin literature… apart from the Aeneid, Book 2, which will come as news to anybody familiar with Cato the Elder’s views or Juvenal’s Satires; and Tertullian too is allegedly “the most read classical author in 16th-century Europe” – above Virgil? Above Cicero? Above Quintilian? Above Augustine? And says who? The result is a book that, like a mechanism, fails to become more than the sum of its (admittedly sparkly) parts. It’s a frustratingly thin gruel of etymological musings and literary digressions splashed all over the broken back of semi-ironic boasts and discombobulated gobbets. In short, it’s a good read – but that’s not quite the same thing as a great book.
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Great British Escape
& screes
Tarns
Henry Hopwood-Phillips heads out into Wordsworth country...
“I
t seems almost unEnglish”, my metropolitan friend exhales as we absorb the view from my bedroom window at Armathwaite Hall. It’s nonsense of course: over there are the nation’s lawnmowers, the sheep; on the lawn is the most English game in the world, croquet; we are standing inside a manor with 11th-century origins that may as well have been carved of crumpet – it’s that English – and not to mention probably built near a spot where Wordsworth scribbled with a lump of cheese in one hand and a notebook in the other. That said, I know what he means. The lighter, chalky limestones of southern England have turned into the
dark slate of the Lake District. The trees are decidedly more deciduous. There’s moss where there wouldn’t normally be. The angles that loom over Bassenthwaite Lake seem to ape Scotland’s lochs rather than English valleys. And Celtic creeps into the local vocabulary with ‘pen-’ (meaning ‘head’) prefixing several places’ names, which is unsurprising considering Cumbria has the same etymological roots as Cymru (Wales). Don’t be hasty in thinking that this is some sort of backdoor Eden though. “I’m afraid the farmers are a bit nasty that way,” I’m told as I point to the surrounding countryside on a map. “How nasty?” I ask. The answer
TRAVEL
The mastery of time doesn’t extend throughout Armathwaite, however. So while the lakeside restaurant is everything you’d expect from a place with two AA rosettes, the Brasserie feels a little like a leisure centre add-on. This needn’t be the case when there’s this sort of food on offer. I order bread, olives, garlic and dried-tomato tapas to start with and fish and chips to follow, thinking the dishes are those the hotel might try to get away with scrimping on. Instead, the starter may as well have been catapulted from the Med, and, afterwards, a crusty, caramel batter acts as jailer to a pearly boat of fresh haddock cutting through a sea of fantastically irregular hand-cut chips. There’s a great atmosphere too. Kids giggle, families chat, grandmothers cackle and a wedding party in the corner gives the place an ambience London’s top haunts would die for. All too often the hotels that aim for the premier league feel they must impose airs and graces that are hostile not only to children but often even the guests who don’t meet the ideas of formality imagined to be required. Thankfully, Armathwaite appears confident enough to eschew these insecurities. Not that such bonhomie comes cheap for Londoners. Just the cost of getting here was more than £300 for two for an all-round trip. But that’s why this feature, the Great British Escape, was established. The belief that a £300 trip to Croatia is worth it but the Lake District isn’t, is outdated. It has fuelled an exodus of tourists to places around the world that in turn have been ruined by an excess of tourism. Perhaps, more importantly, it has resulted in a number of Belgravians who no longer know their own country or at least the country they’ve settled in. The wheel is turning: one day it’ll be a city-break to Prague that’ll be naff, and a trip up north will represent the height of snobbery – and Armathwaite, no doubt, will have played no small part in that revolution.
Perhaps it’s all a conspiracy to keep you in the rooms here has ‘shotgun’ in it. I sink into a gargantuan gloom as I realise the only legitimate corridor out of here is a five-mile A-road. The glamour of the huge animal heads charging out of the walls tarnishes a little as I realise each beast met its grisly end at the hands of men who may have had to toddle along the A591 for a few hours beforehand. Perhaps it’s all a conspiracy to keep you in the rooms here, which are superb – and frankly more than one might expect from the Lake District – which in many parts is a region that has fallen victim to its own success. Guaranteed trade for so long, it’s been guilty not of slipping standards but stalled ones, with many hotels trapped in a Fawlty Towers-esque time warp. Not here, however. Seventeenth-century charms of tartan wallpaper, wood-panelled walls, cavernous fireplaces, tall casement windows and qing vases shade nicely into bathrooms with television sets and all the other mod cons in a jolly Belle Epoque ensemble. And the spa is everything you’d expect from something built in 2009, with an infinity pool and frothy hot tub overlooking 400 acres of park and woodland.
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Armathwaite Hall, Bassenthwaite Lake, Keswick, Cumbria, CA12 4RE, 01768 776 551, armathwaite-hall.com
MORE INFORMATION Henry Hopwood-Phillips was hosted by the Armathwaite Hall Hotel and Spa in Cumbria, a former stately home set in 400 acres of deer park and woodland and framed by the dramatic Skiddaw mountains and Lake District fells. The hotel has 46 individually designed bedrooms and offers informal, contemporary dining in the Courtyard Bar and Brasserie as well as fine dining in the Lake View Restaurant, which is renowned for showcasing local seasonal produce. The spa – complete with a thermal suite, 10 treatment rooms, infinity pool and outdoor hot tub – offers a range of holistic and wellness treatments, including the 60-minute Deep Tissue Massage (£75). An overnight stay costs from £200 per room (two sharing), including full Cumbrian breakfast and use of the spa. To book, call Pride of Britain Hotels 0800 089 3929, prideofbritainhotels.com.
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Planning &Development Keeping you in the know about important street plans affecting Belgravia
Looking ahead Patricia Sykes, a Partner at Hunters Solicitors, incorporating May, May & Merrimans, explains an issue close to few of our hearts but many of our heads: landed estate succession planning Deciding who to leave your house to is one of the biggest decisions anyone has to make when succession planning. In the majority of cases the answer is very simple – but a greater degree of caution needs to be exercised when landed estates are involved. Put simply, landed estates include anything from a family home with an inhand farm, to larger estates with historic houses and landholdings divided between tenanted units with commercial enterprises and diverse interests. Over the years there have been numerous changes to the UK tax system, which means we are now benefiting from a tax regime which, at last, acknowledges the benefit of preserving this country’s heritage and supports the owners who are prepared to take responsibility for that preservation. However, problems arise when there is a lack of planning over the succession of such estates, as it can result in substantial sales of assets and sometimes the loss of an estate entirely. You can never start too early when planning succession to family-owned heritage property. There are two very important factors that you have to consider when deciding who will take on the asset: 1. The person must be fully aware of the level of responsibility involved and what is entailed in inheriting such an asset; 2. The person must be passionate about the asset and its preservation and enhancement. Therefore you need to be very careful when selecting who will inherit the asset. It is not always easy at a young age to visualise a future life with that burden, but later attitudes can change. It can happen that the wrong decisions are made within a family because of a natural concern about taking on such responsibility. Timing is also crucial: for example, there have been many instances where parents have held on to assets until death and left their heirs to pick up the pieces, having never been involved in the day-to-day running of the estate. This has led to estate workers turning their backs on the estate and refusing to work with or even talk to the heir. When difficulties arise between two generations working together, there is a number of routes that can be taken. One such route is where an estate is big enough; the business can be split so that the younger generation can take a role in one part of
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the business. However, when taking this route, caution should be exercised. For example, one family had worked very hard to preserve the family estate and the son came in to run a wedding venue business, which had been set up by his father. In this instance, the son’s income was less than he felt he needed and he enhanced his personal cash flow by ‘borrowing’ the deposits paid by potential clients and using that money for his own needs, rather than running the business. The subsequent fallout created a rift within the family, which jeopardised the future of the business. Communication is perhaps the most important single factor – no successful succession can be achieved without full and frank discussions within the family.
PLANNING APPLICATIONS DATE RECEIVED
ADDRESS
PROPOSAL
28 September
Motcomb Street
Display on nonilluminated awning
28 September
South Eaton Place
Erection of barrelvaulted roof extension
29 September
Chester Square
Repair and re-clad external front light well and staircase
2 October
2 October
Reduce cherry plum tree crown
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Does size matter? Reducing the size of Belgravia Residents’ Journal means a more friendly magazine for letterboxes, handbags and the environment. But what do you think...?
Current style
Future style?
Let’s put it to a vote Text ‘BIG’ or ‘SMALL’ to 07783 909 979* or email: contacts@residentsjournal.co.uk Voting closes on 30 November, 2015 The Journal team look forward to hearing from you. *Texts will be charged at the normal network rate; this is not a premium number
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The Belgravia
Directory
A compendium of the area’s key establishments
Estate Agents Ayrton Wylie 16 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 4628
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
Best Gapp & Cassells 81 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 9253
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
Chesterton Belgravia 31 Lowndes Street 020 7235 3530
Henry & James 1 Motcomb Street 020 7235 8861
Marler & Marler 6 Sloane Street 020 7235 9641
Food & Drink BARS
CAFÉS
Amaya Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street 020 7823 1166
Tomtom Coffee House 114 Ebury Street 020 7730 1771
The Garden Room (cigar) The Lanesborough Hyde Park Corner 020 7259 5599
PUBLIC HOUSES/ DINING ROOMS
RESTAURANTS The Alfred Tennyson 10 Motcomb Street 020 7730 6074 thealfredtennyson.co.uk
Motcombs 26 Motcomb Street 020 7235 6382 motcombs.co.uk
The Orange 37 Pimlico Road 020 7881 9844 theorange.co.uk
The Thomas Cubitt 44 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 6060 thethomascubitt.co.uk
Uni 18a Ebury Street 020 7730 9267 restaurantuni.com
DENTIST
DOCTOR
HAIR SALONS
WELLBEING CLUB
The Beresford Clinic 2 Lower Grosvenor Place 020 7821 9411
The Belgrave Medical Centre 13 Pimlico Road 020 7730 5171
The Daniel Galvin Jr. Salon 4a West Halkin Street 020 7245 1050
ARCHITECTS/ DESIGN
CLEANING
GALLERIES
Kudu Services
88 Gallery 86-88 Pimlico Road 020 7730 2728
The Library Bar (wine) The Lanesborough Hyde Park Corner 020 7259 5599
Health & Wellbeing
Grace Belgravia 11c West Halkin Street 020 7235 8900 gracebelgravia.com
Home ANTIQUES Bennison 16 Holbein Place 020 7730 8076 Patrick Jefferson 69 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6161
Weldon Walshe 20 Grosvenor Place 020 7235 4100
Discreet, confidential cleaning services for offices and homes of distinction
27 Mortimer Street 020 8704 5988 kuduservices.co.uk
Gallery 25 26 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7516
Fashion BOUTIQUES Philip Treacy 69 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 3992
BRIDAL Herve Leger 29 Lowndes Street 020 7201 2590
Nevena Couture (clients by appointment only)
Lowndes Street 020 3539 8738 nevena.co.uk
Le Spose di Gio 81 Ebury Street 020 7901 9020 le-spose-di-gio.it
Services BANKS Duncan Lawrie Private Banking 1 Hobart Place 020 7245 1234 duncanlawrie.com
SOLICITORS Child & Child 14 Grosvenor Crescent 020 7235 8000 childandchild.co.uk
EXCLUSIVE The Caledonian Club 9 Halkin Street 020 7235 5162 caledonianclub.com
MOVING SERVICES Abels Moving Services UK, EU & International 020 3773 5796 info@abels.co.uk abels.co.uk
IT SUPPORT Dashwood Solutions Contact Jonny Hyam for all your IT needs 07787 507 407
POST OFFICE Post Office 6 Eccleston Street 0845 722 3344
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
Speciality Shops CIGAR SPECIALIST Tomtom Cigars 63 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 1790
CONFECTIONERS Peggy Porschen 116 Ebury Street 020 7730 1316 Pierre Hermé Paris 13 Lowndes Street 020 7245 0317 Rococo Chocolates 5 Motcomb Street 020 7245 0993
DELI La Bottega 25 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2730
JEWELLERS De Vroomen 59 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 1901
B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L
VICKISARGE 38 Elizabeth Street 020 7259 0202
Elizabeth Gage 5 West Halkin Street 020 7823 0100 eg@elizabeth-gage.com elizabeth-gage.com
PERFUMERIES Floris 147 Ebury Street 020 7730 0304 florislondon.com
NEWSAGENT
Mayhew Newsagents 15 Motcomb Street 020 7235 5770 Mayhew Newsagents is a local Belgravian institution. As well as supplying the area with national and international newspapers and magazines, it provides an extensive range of stationery, computer supplies and postal services. Opening times: Monday to Friday 7am-6pm, Saturday 8am-2pm, Sunday 8am-1pm
Local delivery service available
BOOTMAKERS Stivaleria Cavallin 57 Elizabeth Street 020 3198 3269 stivaleriacavallin.com
033
savills.co.uk
1 IMMACULATE FOUR BEDROOM APARTMENT OVERLOOKING GARDEN SQUARE lowndes square, sw1x Master bedroom suite with dressing room ø 3 double bedroom suites ø reception room ø dining room ø kitchen ø air conditioning ø crestron home entertainment system ø lift ø 24 hour porter ø private parking space ø 286.7 sq m (3,086 sq ft) ø EPC=C Guide £12.5 million Leasehold, approximately 133 years remaining
Savills Knightsbridge Ben Morris bmorris@savills.com
020 7581 5234
savills.co.uk
1 IMMACULATELY PRESENTED LATERAL FLAT WITH BEAUTIFUL GARDEN VIEWS eaton square, sw1 Entrance hall ø reception room ø kitchen ø master bedroom suite ø 2 further bedroom suites ø utility room ø lift ø porter ø Grade II* listed ø 263 sq m (2,832 sq ft) Guide £15.5 million Leasehold, approximately 68 years remaining
Savills Sloane Street Richard Dalton rdalton@savills.com
020 7730 0822
savills.co.uk
1 BEAUTIFULLY DEVELOPED GRADE II LISTED BELGRAVIA MEWS HOUSE lyall mews west, sw1 Reception room ø kitchen/dining room ø master bedroom suite ø guest bedroom suite ø further bedroom/study ø cloakroom ø steam room ø 216 sq m (2,646 sq ft) Guide £6.05 million Freehold
Knight Frank
Savills Knightsbridge
Matthew Armstrong matthew.armstrong@knightfrank.com
William Duckworth-Chad wdchad@savills.com
0203 430 6861
020 7581 5234
savills.co.uk
LETTINGS LAYOUT ONLY
1
A BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED MAISONETTE IN NORTH BELGRAVIA motcomb street, sw1 2 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø 2 reception rooms ø kitchen ø 130 sq m (1,406 sq ft) ø Council Tax=G ø EPC=C
Savills Sloane Street Izzy Birch-Reynardson ibreynardson@savills.com
020 7824 9005 Furnished £1,795 per week + £276 inc VAT tenancy paperwork fee and other charges may apply* *£36inc incVAT VATfor foreach each additional tenant/occupant/guarantor whereInventory required. Inventory out fee end – charged at termination the end of or early termination *£36 additional tenant/occupant/guarantor referencereference where required. check out fee -check charged at the of or early 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. of the tenancy and the amount is dependent on the property size and whether furnished/unfurnished. For more details including example inventory fee, visit www.savills.co.uk/fees.
Upper Belgrave Street, Belgravia SW1 Elegant two bedroom apartment with balcony Located on the first floor of this well maintained period building with an impressive, bright double reception room which provides an abundance of light via the glass doors opening onto a private balcony. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, a further double bedroom with en suite shower room, a large reception room with dining area, kitchen, utility room and balcony EPC: F. Approximately 127 sq m (1,377 sq ft). Available furnished
KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings belgravialettings@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6005
Guide price: £2,100 per week KnightFrank.co.uk/BEQ225774
@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk
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
Belgravia Residents Journal - Nov edition
14/10/2015 12:50:31
59
31
Warwick Square, Pimlico SW1 A spectacular five bedroom penthouse with roof terrace Refurbished to a very high standard, this penthouse apartment is arranged laterally across two stucco fronted buildings, positioned in the middle of the South terrace overlooking the communal gardens. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing room, 2 further bedrooms with en suite shower room, 2 additional bedrooms, kitchen with terrace, dining room, reception room with terrace. Grade II listed. Approximately 276 sq m (2,972 sq ft)
KnightFrank.co.uk/belgravia belgravia@knightfrank.com 020 3641 5910
Share of Freehold
@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk Guide price: £6,350,000
59-60 Flat B Warwick Square
13/10/2015 10:30:07
WILTON CRESCENT, BELGRAVIA, SW1X
GUIDE PRICE £12,000,000 LEASEHOLD
• TWO BEDROOMS • THREE EN-SUITES • RECEPTION ROOM • DINING ROOM • LARGE KITCHEN • ROOF TERRACE • LIFT • ACCESS TO COMMUNAL GARDENS • EPC D
BELGRAVIA OFFICE 1 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JX +44 (0)20 7235 8861 belgraviaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk
henryandjames.co.uk
WILTON CRESCENT, BELGRAVIA, SW1X
£3,950 PER WEEK • FOUR BEDROOMS • THREE BATHROOMS • KITCHEN WITH BALCONY ACCESS • • FIREPLACE AND PERIOD FEATURES THROUGHOUT • LIFT • PRIVATE ROOF TERRACE • EPC F 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
Kinnerton Street
Knightsbridge SW1X
ÂŁ3,750,000 freehold
An extremely bright & superb freehold house on the ever popular Kinnerton Street, just off Motcomb Street, therefore within easy reach of Waitrose & the local restaurants. Sloane Street & Brompton Road are also within close proximity. EPC rating C
Knightsbridge & Belgravia
020 7235 8090
sales.knightsbridge@chestertons.com
chestertons.com
Cadogan Place
Knightsbridge SW1X
ÂŁ1,985,000 share of freehold
An immaculate 2 bedroom apartment (with lift) set on the 3rd floor of this fine Edwardian period building with an elegant communal staircase. The apartment has a fantastic west facing aspect overlooking one of the finest Grade II listed gardens. EPC rating C
Knightsbridge & Belgravia
020 7235 8090
sales.knightsbridge@chestertons.com
Your property can help you get away with Chestertons To find out more talk to us today or visit chestertons.com/avios
Applies to sellers and landlords. Terms and conditions apply see www.chestertons.com/avios for details. Avios are issued and redeemed in accordance with Avios terms and conditions.
BASiL STREET SW3 B immaculately A S I L presented S T R Ethree E bedroom T, S flat Win3this beautifully maintained mansion building in the heart of Knightsbridge. An The buildingpresented is ideally lateral located for Harrods and shops and restaurants of the area, andclose moments from Knightsbridge A beautifully family apartment setthe within this popular portered mansion building to Harrods. underground station. ■
Three Bedrooms
• 3 bedrooms Two Bathrooms • 2 bathrooms (one ensuite)
■
• 2 reception rooms • Study
Reception Room Kitchen/Breakfast Room Lease 982 years £6,250,000 STC
■ ■
£3,300,000 Subject to Contract
Entrance Hall/Dining Area • Kitchen/breakfast room Loft Storage Area • Cloakroom ■ Porter ■ Lift ■ ■
• Porter • Lift
■
1397 sq ft
• Air conditioning ■ EE rating E • EE Rating – C
JSA Hamptons
Share of Freehold
33 Kinnerton Street, London, SW1X 8ED
Eccleston StreeT
£1.55M Leasehold SOLE AGENT - A splendid one bedroom apartment, newly refurbished to an excellent modern standard throughout and in an enviable location. Chantrey House, a Grade II listed Edwardian building, has recently undergone extensive refurbishment. This fantastic apartment, an ideal pied-a-terre, is within close proximity to Victoria Station, Coach Station and the Gatwick Express. The property benefits from a 24 hour porter and Crestron control system for heating, cooling, audio-visual system and window blinds via touch panel or iPad. Bedroom – Bathroom – Reception Room – Kitchen – Hallway – Lift – 24 Hour Porter
EBURY SQUARE
£8.95M Leasehold SOLE AGENT - This is a luxury 5th floor apartment which features master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and walk-in closet, 2 further bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms, a cloakroom. Separate ultra-modern kitchen and is fully equipped with top-of-the-range appliances. A large and spacious south facing open plan reception, living and dining area. It also has a south facing terrace. this development brings to the market a new level of distinction and luxurious living, which includes a residents-only gym and a 24-hour porter and security service. 3 Bedrooms – 3 Bathrooms – Reception – Kitchen – 24 Hour Porter – Underground Parking Specialists in Block and Building Management, over 50 year's experience. We manage a large portfolio of Buildings in Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Chelsea and Mayfair, amongst others *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
Lyall Mews, SW1 A recently renovated end-of-terrace mews house offering a bright and airy ambiance throughout. Only a short walk away from Sloane Square and the much sought after shops and restaurants of Elizabeth Street. 3 double bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, reception with separate kitchen and separate dining room. The master suite comprises the entire top floor with en-suite and terrace. Available immediately, fees apply.
* * * * *
End of Terrace Mews House Large Reception Dining Room Master Suite Private Terrace
UNFURNISHED
ÂŁ1,950pw
UK RESIDENTIAL, EUROPEAN & INTERNATIONAL REMOVALS Import, Export & Storage by Air, Road & Sea
Abels.
Masters of the art of moving.
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Grosvenor Crescent Mews, Belgravia SW1
An immaculately presented two/ three bedroom house in this secure and private Belgravia Mews. Over just three floors, this wide and low built property has a rear courtyard garden, a garage and further mews parking.
2,069 sq ft (192.2 sq m) Entrance hall | Drawing room | Dining room | Sitting room | Kitchen/breakfast room | Master bedroom with dressing room/study and en suite bathroom | Second bedroom suite | Guest cloakroom | Courtyard garden | Garage | Secure private mews | EPC D
Knightsbridge 020 7235 9959 knightsbridge@struttandparker.com
ÂŁ4,950,000 Freehold
Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge SW1
A rarely available three/four bedroom lateral apartment on the second floor of this 24 hour ported purpose built block with views over the communal gardens.
2,260 sq ft (210 sq m) Entrance hall | Reception room | Sitting room | Three double bedroom suites | Guest cloakroom | Air conditioning | Central AV system | Underfloor heating | 24 hour porterage | Lift | Access to communal gardens by separate arrangement
Knightsbridge 020 7235 9959 james.forbes@struttandparker.com
ÂŁ9,350,000 Leasehold
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struttandparker.com
One Hyde Park, Knightsbridge SW1
This exquisitely designed three bedroom apartment provides extensive lateral accommodation and excellent views down Sloane Street and Brompton Road, towards Harrods.
2890 sq ft (268.5 sq m) Reception room | Dining room | Kitchen | Three bedroom suites | Utility room | Guest cloakroom | Parking | Wine cellar | Concierge | Swimming pool
Knightsbridge 020 7235 9959 james.gilbert-green@struttandparker.com
ÂŁ17,500,000 Leasehold
If this is your village high street, we’re your number one estate agent. As market leaders in Knightsbridge and Belgravia for three years running, we’ve come to know a thing or two about the area, and we hold the record for sales in many local streets. So if you’re looking to buy or sell your property, talk to our team of experts.
66 Sloane St, London SW1X 9SH 020 7235 9959 | struttandparker.com 52 Strutt & Parker offices nationwide | 1,350 Christie’s offices worldwide
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BELGRAVIA Resident’s Journal w w w. R e s i d en t s J o u rn a l . c o . u k 020 7987 4320
NOVEMBER 2015 • Issue 42