Belgravia Residents' Journal April 2014

Dear Resident

,

Did you know that 20 March is Macaron Day, a charitable celebration of France’s most colourful sweet? Created by the Relais Desserts (the international professional pastry elite) nine years ago in Paris, the day will see a plethora of limited edition flavours made available in over 160 boutiques in support of the Cystic Fibrosis Trust.

In our locale, and for the first time ever, British chef William Curley and French confectioner Pierre Hermé are both set to take part. We sent Henry Hopwood-Phillips down to the culinary heavyweights’ flagships stores to speak to the men themselves and challenge him not to consume his bodyweight in sweet delicacies (p.6).

BELGRAVIA

If you prefer savoury temptations, Tom Hardman also explores some new restaurants in Belgravia and beyond for our foodie feature (p.12).

Resident’s Journal

Last but not least, may I draw your attention to page 17. If you complete the Runwild Media Group reader survey, you’ll be in with a chance of winning the ultimate luxury prize. Treat yourself and four friends to a day in Paris; be whisked there by your own private jet and enjoy a gastronomic feast at Camélia at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which is renowned for its traditional French fare. What are you waiting for? The city of lights awaits.

Managing Editor Katie Randall

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Publishing Director Giles Ellwood

Assistant Editor Lauren Romano

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

Associate Publisher Sophie Roberts

Main Editorial Contributor Henry Hopwood-Phillips

Senior Designer Sophie Blain

Client Relationship Director Felicity Morgan-Harvey

Editorial Assistant Jennifer Mason

General Manager Fiona Fenwick

Communications Director Loren Penney

Editorial Intern Maisy Molloy

Production Hugo Wheatley, Alex Powell Oscar Viney

Head of Finance Elton Hopkins

APRIL 2014 • Issue 23

Above / A selection of beautiful blooms at Catherine Muller. Photography by Henry Hopwood-Phillips

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BELGRAVIA Resident’s Journal APRIL 2014

I SSU E 023

M COW

Where will we find your perfect buyer or tenant?

As the exclusive UK affiliate of Christie’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.

There’s no better way to open your door to the world.

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

66 Sloane Street London SW1X 9SH Tel: +44 (0)20 7235 9959 knightsbridge@struttandparker.com struttandparker.com/christies

Dear Resident

,

With the steady passage of time, the cobbled streets of Belgravia have become somewhat of an impromptu catwalk for the sartorial denizens of this locale. It feels as if new boutiques and brands are springing up every day, swiftly establishing themselves and complementing the plethora of talented designers and respected brands already in existence in SW1.

Ozel Rowland charts this development and explores why it always feels like fashion week in Belgravia (p. 14).

Meanwhile, discovering talent of a different kind popping up in our patch, Henry HopwoodPhillips meets boys who mean business (p. 6). He chats to four shrewd businessmen who each operate in different fields but have managed to shape their industries in new and exciting ways.

What about the girls, I hear you cry?! We will be following up this feature with a female-focused article as well, so do email us with recommendations of entrepreneurial Belgravian businesswomen that we should speak to; we’d love to hear from you at belgravia@residentsjournal.co.uk Finally, if the lighter evenings and fresh spring air is starting to cultivate a strong desire to be racing through the streets, wind in your hair, then we might have found just the vehicle for you. Jennifer Mason pays Rolls-Royce a visit; read more on page 18.

Managing Editor Katie Randall

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Publishing Director Giles Ellwood

Assistant Editor Lauren Romano

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

Associate Publisher Sophie Roberts

Main Editorial Contributor Henry Hopwood-Phillips

Senior Designer Lisa Wade

Client Relationship Director Felicity Morgan-Harvey

Editorial Assistant Jennifer Mason

General Manager Fiona Fenwick

Communications Director Loren Penney

Editorial Intern Ozel Rowland

Production Hugo Wheatley, Alex Powell Oscar Viney

Head of Finance Elton Hopkins

Above / Pigeon Wars From My Jerusalem Studio Window by Sophie Walbeoffe at the Osborne Studio Gallery (osg.uk.com).Read more on page 4

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The Notebook

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

Chinese dreams

19th century Chinese opium dens, known as hua-yan jians or ‘flower-smoke rooms’, aren’t the most obvious inspiration for a jewellery collection, but Tessa Packard isn’t known for being a stickler for convention. Learned courtesans once garnered the world’s best jewels from their lovers and now, in her No Smoke Without Flowers Collection, Tessa relives the riffs on smoke, song, stones, sex and intelligence. If you want something a little more characterful, this collection packs a punch. (tessapackard.com)

There’s another way

In the age of dating app Tinder and the ‘selfie’, youth are privileged to the detriment of the mature candidates in the quest for affection.

Enter Susannah Swann, who hopes to rectify this imbalance. Offering total confidentiality, she offers a more traditional approach to dating for men and women over 40. Specialising in high profile individuals, Susannah was inspired to launch the idea by her own parent’s story involving the first marriage bureau in Britain, set up after the shortage of single men.

508 Kings Road, SW10 0LD, 020 7589 8399 (susannahswann.com)

Looking for love doesn’t have to be a chore

Feast the senses

London lives up to its title as a food capital of the world this June. Foodies of every variety will be congregating at Regent’s Park for a lip-smacking, finger-licking extravaganza, involving the very best of an international class of chefs. Ametsza with Arzak Instruction will be flying Belgravia’s flag showcasing its Basque cuisine. Other big names include Sake No Hana, Dirty Bones, Duck & Waffle and Le Gavroche, as well as chefs Michel Roux Jr, René Redzepi and Monica Galetti. Washing everything down will be Laurent Perrier, who are pleased to announce that it is holding blind tasting sessions throughout the day.

19-22 June, £24 standard ticket, £12 child £40 premium, £60 VIP, £80 Laurent Perrier masterclass, £95 Mahiki ticket. Tickets available on tastefestivals.com/london or 0871 230 7132

Out for 10

Dogs, like humans, can sleep on the floor but neither wants to.

Dull your dog’s senses in style this season by luring your pooch on to this large sea of pink when the stars come out to play.

79 Elizabeth Street, SW1W 9PJ 020 7467 0823 (mungoandmaud.com)

A scent of Belgravia

Having taken two years to perfect, Jo Loves certainly can’t be accused of not taking its two latest bath colognes seriously. Detailing her effort, founder Jo Malone explains: ‘I wanted to create a product that looked and felt the same as pouring cologne into the bath, beautifully fragranced to gently scent the skin but not sticky, heavy or leaving an oily residue.’ A Shot of Fresh Sweet Peas and No. 42 The Flower Shop are the result of her efforts. The latter being inspired by Jo’s time as a florist on Elizabeth Street.

42 Elizabeth Street SW1W 9NZ, 020 7730 8611(joloves.com)

God’s city

To your typical Englishman, Jerusalem conjures images of Blake and Parry, but the impact of the Holy City on Sophie Walbeoffe, a semi-permanent peregrinator, was a little more profound: ‘Jerusalem changed my art,’ she says. Great niece of the founder of the Courtauld Institute of Art and an alumna of Wimbledon School of Art, her latest exhibition on one of the holiest locations on earth, certainly lives up to her heritage. Israeli journalist, Shoshana Sappir hits the nail on its poetic head when she notes that Sophie’s pieces channel a ‘powerful current of life and energy, one that just might redeem the city from its tragic fate’.

From left: Pigeon Wars From My Jerusalem Window, Damascus Gate, oil on canvas, both by Sophie Walbeoffe

9 April, 2 Motcomb Street, SW1X 8JU, 020 7235 9667 (osg.uk.com)

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Business boys

on the block Belgravia is too often viewed as a place to settle once a company has made it; offices here are considered flagship cherries atop of very established cakes. This overlooks an abundance of home-grown talent. Henry Hopwood-Phillips refuses to make that mistake and takes a closer look at some of Belgravia’s finest male entrepreneurs...

Globalista

G

lobalista in stats is pretty impressive.

Its visited 269 countries, created 300 destination reports and has a database regularly updated by 15,000 of the best travellers.

Jonathan Gordon runs a company that makes Jonathan Gordon money from eating and travelling. Trying to suss out how, I ask him to start from the very beginning. ‘I grew up in Belgravia, but before I was a teenager I could call Paris and several places in South East Asia home too.’ So whilst I was studying in a damp room, you were doing what, I ask? ‘Living in Venice, Washington DC and Madrid, but I did get my head down and achieve a degree in finance.’

What did you do with it, I prompt?

‘I went from analysing stocks to trading Forex to raise funds for a natural resources company. When an opportunity presented itself to take over the running of Globalista, I didn’t hesitate!’

So what is Globalista all about? ‘Globalista is an exclusive club that gives you access to the A-Z of insider travel. Featuring 300 guides, we tell you exactly what you need to know, from which tourist traps to avoid to the best under-the-radar restaurants. Our reports are updated constantly using feedback from our members and trusted consultants. Our concierge service can plan, organise or simply advise on pretty much any destination around the world. We also provide regular features to keep our members updated with the latest openings worldwide, as well as a digest

of the best of the international press recommendations.’

Sounds exciting, but you must have a lot of competition?

‘Well, there is no shortage of travel companies; our nearest direct competitor would be an American site called Indagare.

Although it’s fantastic, it’s quite US-centric and can’t match the breadth of our content.’ So how does Globalista distinguish itself from other travel companies? ‘No one pays to be included in our reports, which means we are not scared to be honest. We don’t wax lyrical about everything and have real opinions.’

So with all that travelling, I suppose you’ve forgotten your roots? ‘Not at all!

Belgravia is where I grew up, where most of my family still lives and where I have my fondest childhood memories. Every time I walk down Elizabeth Street or Motcomb Street, I am reminded that Belgravia is one of the few enclaves in London that still retains a wonderful village feel to it. I people-watch outside Baker & Spice, and enjoy the best spaghetti alla bottarga in London at Oliveto. Don’t forget that Globalista was created with our members in mind, a lot of whom live in London and a disproportionate number in Belgravia.’

I grew up in Belgravia, but before I was a teenager I could call Paris and several places in South East Asia home too

For more information, call 020 7225 2764 (globalista.co.uk)

Rhodium

R

hodium’s founder, Dean Main, is in a good mood when I meet him at The Westbury. Rhodium has just picked up the highlyprestigious gong ‘company of the year’ at the Young Norwood Property Awards.

Warming up over lobster bisque, I ask what Rhodium Dean Main does. ‘We are a luxury residence management company,’ Dean answers.

But there’s so much waffle about luxury these days, I protest. ‘Okay, well think of somewhere you’ve been recently where you received above-and-beyond service,’ Dean probes. Probably the Four Seasons in Istanbul where I anticipated ice cream and got a massage, I answer. ‘Yes, we’re like that, we like to say “yes” to everything and then work on it,’ Dean’s eyes light up. That must be hard in Britain, I reply, letting my cynical side get the better of me. ‘Yes, to be honest. We have a culture here where we feel comfortable talking the talk but rarely find ourselves walking the walk when it comes to being can-do. The biggest challenge in building the company up has been to get the staff to be on call to do anything 24/7.’

Are you able to give me some concrete examples of services you’ve provided? ‘We’ll pay the bills when you’re away, make sure the fridge is always full, the cellar sourced with your favourite wines, the car cleaned and serviced, and the swimming pool kept clean. Recently, we had a client complain that his son had fallen ill on a late-night return flight. We paid a doctor to visit him in the small hours.’ That’s pretty incredible. ‘And it’s really just the start.

The biggest challenge in building the company up has been to get the staff to be on call to do anything 24/7 We have collaborations with companies such as Ralph Lauren. If you want its flagship store emptied out for a cocktail party for you and your friends, it’s done.’

I’m whisked around several Rhodium-managed Belgravia properties. ‘The area features heavily in our portfolio. It has for obvious reasons since the very start,’ Dean says, leaning on a banister that looks like it belongs in a Viennese ballroom. Gawping at the levels of opulence on display, I ask how the firm came to be so trusted.

‘Well, almost our entire market is referral-led and we also ensure all our staff wear uniform, so clients never have to feel anxious about people on site.’ If this is just the start for Rhodium, surely monopoly is on the horizon.

For more information, email enquiries@rh-45.com or call 020 7629 5990 (rh-45.com)

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SHY Aviation

I

f every boy dreams of flying an aeroplane, every man dreams of having a fleet of private jets at his disposal. Belgravia’s Scott Sullivan doesn’t need to dream. Having met his business partner, Giles Vickers-Jones, at a playboy Scott Sullivan party in Marbella eight years ago and received a tip-off from a friend in the industry that there was an opportunity in the market to fill, Scott was quick off the mark in creating SHY Aviation.

It’s an unusual name, so I ask whether there’s a reason behind it. ‘Confidentiality sits at the heart of what we do, so our name reflects that,’ Scott explains. I push him on the company’s USP next. ‘Other operators try to turn a quick buck and squeeze the customer for all their worth. At SHY we refuse to view customers as one-timers to be fleeced and instead insist on squeezing our operators, getting the best standards to match the lowest prices.

‘Most of our market is in Belgravia. If 40 per cent of our market is in London, most of that lives in or around here.’ Why do you love it so, I ask? ‘It’s a smashing community that sits at the heart of a huge transport hub.

It’s also a great place to grow our business organically.’

What does the future hold for SHY? ‘We have some really exciting projects lined up that involve making SHY into an umbrella group that looks to cover insurance, fuel and property. We’re also trying to get more of a local presence in different neighbourhoods.’ I query what the point is given we live in an age in which the internet has globalised markets. ‘Well firstly, an overwhelming proportion of our clients come from referral; secondly, directories only really cover local businesses.’ Where’s your glance fixed on the map then? ‘Los Angeles. Fingers crossed we’ll have an office there by the end of the summer.’

91-93 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 0RP 020 8616 8821 (shyaviation.com)

Archie & Doris

M

arcus Warry has always been slightly ahead of the curve.

From Yoonee, his protoFacebook site to a dating site (a protoTinder application), his ideas have tended to bloom prior to the technology that would have precluded its success.

‘I’ve always seen myself as someone who sits near the convergence of the logical and the creative. I have a degree in industrial economics but have worked in marketing and advertising for six years. I’m a Marcus Warry chartered accountant but I’ve also set up some pretty groovy tech firms.

I’ve worked in corporate finance but my heart has always been in the entrepreneurial.’

Is your accountancy firm Archie & Doris really that different to your average accountant? ‘Certainly. We cut through the jargon of the industry, simplifying everything; we apply cloud technology to accounting to save time and money (we’re looking to create an office-less franchise in the future); we provide value for money in a market where big firms seek big clients, giving smaller clients both bad and expensive service.’

How does helping Belgravia’s entrepreneurs fit into all this, I question? ‘I remember getting letters from HMRC when

I was younger and not having a clue what was going on; hopefully A&D plays a part in clearing these mists.

I bring four years’ experience as a Prince’s Trust mentor to the job and I’m also a non-executive director of Startup Direct (a provider of start-up loans for young businesses), but most importantly the firm’s intensely involved in running “the incubator” project.

Sounds ominous? ‘The Theatre Delicatessen has been renting out properties earmarked for development for a while; the incubator is just the latest one. We run it as part of A&D, providing an area for £60 per month in Belgravia that gives entrepreneurs a common space when they can’t afford an office, as well as advice and contacts.’

As our conversation weaves its way somehow on to Henley and hats, Marcus, who’s been a member of several drama and debating societies, reminds me of his creative side: ‘You’re not driving up are you? Come with us! We’re getting a little pirate flotilla together and rampaging up the Thames.’ I chuckle, I think I shall.

25 Eccleston Place, SW1W 9NF, 07879 812 789 (archieanddoris.com)

Look out for Belgravia’s finest female entrepreneurs in an upcoming issue

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

The Calendar Bringing you the lowdown on local events in April

Frozen film

An outsized still of Clint Eastwood chewing a cigar stares through you, his eyes menacing and shaded by the cap of his cowboy hat. This is just one of the most iconic cinematic moments captured and painted

by Trish Wylie, whose vast, abstract paintings preserve some of the most memorable instances in film and TV. Her works, which are distinguished by her signature ‘drip’ technique, will remain on the walls of the Belgravia Gallery until 14 April, along with other recent works, including portraits of Marilyn Monroe and The Godfather as well as scenes from Western classics.

Until 14 April 45 Albemarle Street, W1S 4JL, 020 7495 1010 (belgraviagallery.com)

Chocolate eggs o’clock This Good Friday, luxury pâtissier and chocolatier, William Curley, is hosting an Easter chocolate lesson at his Belgravia boutique. The session will include all sorts of chocolate-crafting, from egg-decorating to trufflemaking. For the more curious, participants will be able to learn about the history and origins of making chocolate too.

Lee Van Cleef, courtesy of Belgravia Gallery

Tongue-twister

A literary translation workshop, led by Rosalind Harvey, is aimed both at practising Spanish translators and literature lovers keen to roll up their sleeves and try their hand at the art of translation. Texts will be provided in advance and a draft English translation will be available on the day. Some knowledge of Spanish is required. Places are limited to 12 participants and will be allocated on a first come first served basis. £40, 10 April, 6.30-8.30pm book on 020 7259 9336 (belgraviabooks.com)

Maximum minimalism

The Basel Orchestra has form when it comes to minimalism but this promises to be one of its best offerings yet. Philip Glass’ Overture, commissioned to provide an American alternative to Tchaikovsky’s 1812 Overture, is full of martial percussion including an anvil. Arvo Pärt’s Lamentate is a trickier sell.

Drifting between ethereal and blaring, it never quite devolves in the atonal but it certainly flirts with the idea. The final piece, Harmonielhre, is John Adams’ rendering of a dream he had about a supertanker taking flight. This is not your typical classical menu but it might be something better.

£50, 18 April, call 020 8538 9650 to book 198 Ebury Street, SW1W 8UN (williamcurley.com) Photography / Andreas Hidber

£18-40, 24 April, Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace, SW1X 9DQ 020 7730 4500 (cadoganhall.com)

Do you have an event that you’d like us to cover? Send us an email: belgravia@residentsjournal.co.uk Words / Tom Hardman

A chip off the

old Renaissance block The Royal Academy plays host to one of Art’s most underrated periods

R

enaissance art has a reputation for being very conventional. It has become a victim of its own success as the Western art form par excellence.

In fact, trying to think of it in any terms other than conformist can be a little mind-boggling.

In the opposite corner, contemporary artist Georg Baselitz is known mostly for his shockingly bleak postwar paintings such as The Big Night Down the Drain and all the upside-down ones. Yet he is currently at the Royal Academy presenting its latest exhibition: Renaissance Impressions: Chiaroscuro woodcuts.

Why? Well, he owns most of the woodcuts for a start. They are part of his collection that is supplemented by loans from the Albertina Museum in Vienna. ‘I began collecting them after studying in Florence in 1965,’ he explains.

It’s tempting to argue that much of the Mannerism movement art (itself a rebellion against Raphaelite Classicism) on display here in the likes of Goltzius’ Hercules Killing Cacus and Parmigianino’s Diogenes may have influenced the German’s Heroes series, but Baselitz is adamant that there is no connection: ‘My art and my collecting are two absolutely distinct pursuits.’

He collects them for art’s sake: ‘They are life-enhancing; this is why I collect them.’

The earliest examples of woodcuts are, perhaps unsurprisingly, given the German facility with wood, located in Germany. Hans Burgkmair and Lucas Cranach developed the earliest tonal examples in the early 16th century. The format, using layers of coloured inks, was at the time quite revolutionary. Cranach even backdated pieces (to 1506) in order to claim precedence.

‘It was considered a great invention because, for the first time in art history, artists were able to produce, in a

mechanical way, coloured images,’ says RA curator Arturo Galansino. ‘It was a really modern achievement, a revolution.’

Nevertheless, Baselitz notes that often these treasures have often lain neglected. ‘They would be there in museums but nobody would look at them.’ It’s hard to see why. Most of these pieces have an intensity that belies the standard assessment of woodcuts as merely prints of statuesque pomp.

Instead, half-caught shapes flounder in the imagination; a proto-tenebrism is very evident. Antonio da Trento’s Virgin and Child has an ethereal quality, a memento mori element that fixes its subjects in the abstract.

My one complaint would be that several pieces, including Ugo da Carpi’s Diogenes, fall into the trap, seemingly set by Michelangelo, of giving protagonists bizarrely overdeveloped musculature.

Even Andrea Andreani’s Rape of the Sabine Woman (otherwise an almost perfect composition) indulges in it.

This exhibition will probably go under the radar.

Too many respect rather than love monochrome print, and old prejudices about the Renaissance will remain; however, it would be a mistake to miss. From a corpulent Bacchus (Goltzius) to the entrancingly opaque expression of Jesus as Vir Dolorum (Beham), these woodcuts are one of the Western canon’s greatest treasures.

My art and my collecting are two absolutely distinct pursuits

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

Renaissance Impressions: Chiaroscuro woodcuts 15 March - 8 June, Royal Academy of Arts, Burlington House, W1J 0BD, 020 7300 8000 (royalacademy.co.uk) From Left / Hans Burgkmair the Elder, St George and the Dragon, c. 1508-10, collection Georg Baselitz (Photo Albertina, Vienna) All images organised by the Royal Academy of Arts, London and the Albertina, Vienna; Domenico Beccafumi, St Philip, c. 1544-47, Albertina, Vienna (Photo Albertina, Vienna); Hendrick Goltzius, Hercules Killing Cacus, 1588, collection Georg Baselitz (Photo Albertina, Vienna); Hendrick Goltzius, Bacchus, c. 1589-90. collection Georg Baselitz (Photo Albertina, Vienna) Words / Tom Hardman

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Forward to the 80s Galvin at Windows gives Henry Hopwood-Phillips a lesson in retro

‘D

o you think he minded you talking to him afterwards?’ What, Max? ‘Yes.’ Oh he was wearing an apron; definitely a sommelier of the old school, they love feedback. ‘I suppose, I didn’t like the red either, it tasted rusty.’ You tipped them anyway, didn’t you? ‘Yes.’ Good; service was flawless, don’t think I’ve ever quite encountered anything like it.

Rewind a few hours from the cab ride and I’m running from Green Park, making a mockery of the street furniture. Approaching the Hilton is like approaching a comic-book cartoon of what experts thought the future would look like in 1953: a slowly-fading symmetrical mountain of concrete with flash lights, the architectural equivalent of attaching the latest alloys to a 1992 Ford Fiesta.

Everything feels a little dated having just come from the Shard. In the lift I feel they should just go the whole hog, go vintage and get a bell-boy with a trolley or something. Things at the top are very different, however.

It’s what people thought the international age would bring in the 1980s – which sounds like a nightmare. But instead of mobile phones that double as weights and UN-style sterility, there is an air of subdued gentility. Nobody is engaging in a staring contest with their phone or an iPad – they seem to be taking an interest in what one another says.

The waiters aren’t barking orders or turning covers but genially wafting from table to table.

The menu is haute-French, in other words it doesn’t contain items that have been digested by beavers, caramelised by bees, frozen by liquid nitrogen, baptised in Malay and slapped

with a price tag befitting a Velazquez. Instead of sticky wood-veneers, tablecloths vanish when you dribble some jus or compote; in lieu of intimidating wine lists, experts proffer their pairings; admittedly there’s a black and gold roof fixture that verges on the baroque SaudiVatican aesthetic that even Mugabe would find vulgar but it’s crumpled like a carcrash bonnet; it doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Unlike the food, which is the most serious I’ve encountered since food got earnest (roughly around the same time that Jamie Oliver told us the turkey twizzlers our children had been gorging upon were not the reconstituted ambrosia often assumed).

The marinated salmon is a maritime masterpiece; horseradish high notes and Dorset crab textures pull off their moves on an orange and beetroot dance floor. But even this is outshone by Cornish lamb rump shoulder-barging its way through a posse of Yukon potato, aubergine and jus roti; only the broccoli purée disappoints, the peacock of the vegetable world, its taste rarely matches its verdant hue.

The Sancerre (La Côte Blanche, Eric Louis, 2012) is a corker. Grassy with something else going on; Max tells me it’s gooseberry, I’ll have to trust him because I’ve never had one. If you like your Sancerre fresh and light it might be better to go for a flinty Chablis, but I loved how this wine developed in the glass. The red was terrible though. Which brings us back to that taxi...

The marinated salmon is a maritime masterpiece; horseradish high notes and Dorset crab textures pull off their moves on an orange and beetroot dance floor

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22 Park Lane, W1K 1BE 020 7208 4021 (galvinatwindows.com)

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Your neighbourhood pub.

On a different level.

The First Floor AT T H E PA N T E C H N I C O N R O O M S 1 0 Mo t c o m b S t r e et S W 1 r e s e r v a t i o n s @ t h e p a nt e c h n i c o n . c o m

Belgravia: the new fashion mecca?

Jenny Packham Orione earrings

Ozel Rowland skips along the proverbial yellow brick road and finds herself on Belgravia’s sartorial cobbled streets

B

elgravia has come a long way since the days when it was known as Five Fields. Up until the early 19th century, the land was little more than marshy grazing ground for cattle, eschewed by the fashionable set. At least, it was until renowned architect Thomas Cubitt was commissioned to transform the area for the Grosvenor family.

It’s fair to say that the place has undergone quite a makeover over the past two centuries and is now renowned as one of the most stylish districts in London, home to approximately 300 boutiques and stores stippled along its boulevards.

The UK fashion industry is worth £26 billion. Its total contribution via both indirect support for supply chain industries and induced spending of employee’s wage income is estimated to have risen to more than £46 billion, reports the British Fashion Council. As a city, London also sits in the top three in the global fashion capital rankings.

A walk around Belgravia and Knightsbridge will present shoppers with a plethora of fashion masters’ boutiques, and it doesn’t stop there. Local high streets are growing, drawing in and fostering even more creative talent with new brands opening almost every month.

The style elite Jenny Packham, a forerunner in the bridal industry, set up shop in Belgravia’s Elizabeth Street nearly 10 years ago (jennypackham.com). Her designs are renowned for their grace and elegance, and have been worn by the Duchess of Cambridge, Angelina Jolie and Kate Winslet.

‘Belgravia is such a quintessentially English part of town and Elizabeth Street is a destination in itself,’ she tells me, before adding that she had actually not visited the street before she opted to open a store there. ‘The agents contacted us to see if we were interested in opening our first boutique there, so I suppose you could say that Belgravia chose us,’ she smiles.

‘It has become one of my favourite areas in London.’ She cites the array of incredible designers as well as bustling cafés and

restaurants as reasons for the area’s appeal. ‘It will often be the first time our brides visit Belgravia and they are always excited to have made the discovery.’

A stone’s throw from Packham is the eponymous Philip Treacy flagship, the first and only of its kind in the world (philiptreacy.co.uk). Settled opposite the store, on the same street resides its owner, who has been a devoted Belgravian ever since he moved from Ireland in the 1980s. The late Isabella Blow admired his work so much that she let him set up a workshop in the basement of her house on Elizabeth Street, to which he later moved from Sloane Street.

No longer working in someone else’s basement, Philip Treacy’s work is now internationally-celebrated; he was awarded an OBE by the Duchess of Cornwall and Prince Charles for his services to the British fashion industry.

Belgravia will always remain inextricably linked with his success, as his home for many years and the residence of his lauded millinery store.

Another patron of Belgravia is managing director of Hervé Léger (herveleger.com), Patrick Couderc. ‘I enjoy the eccentricities of our close-knit community,’ he asserts.

‘There is an unmistakable Britishness about Belgravia, and this tells me that it will always be très chic.’

Pop over to Ebury Street and you’ll reach the store of one of Britain’s leading couturiers and interior designers, Tomasz Starzewski (starzewski.com). Best known for his catalogue of high-profile clients, he also dressed the late Diana, Princess of Wales, Tomasz commends the area for its ‘top-notch’ selection of cafés and restaurants: ‘You can sit outside and enjoy yourself in Belgravia, not surrounded by traffic.’

It would appear that the relaxed atmosphere away from the hustle and bustle of central London contributes directly to a day’s pleasant shopping. Even though Belgravia is undoubtedly getting busier, both on the road and the pavement, it is always easy to find a modish eatery in which to top up reserves after updating your wardrobe.

boutique ON Motcomb

Jenny Packham Orion ring

Jenny Packham Orion bracelet

Image courtesy of Nevena Couture

I completely fell in love with Belgravia’s white, stately grandness and quiet dignity

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The new guard Belgravia has attracted a flurry of brands in the last five years, with the likes of Hemyca, ON Motcomb and Nevena setting up base within its quarters.

Nevena is the latest couture house to settle in Belgravia, run by Nevena Nikolova, whose artistic skills create elegant bespoke gowns (nevena.co.uk). A word with the lady herself sheds light on why she chose Belgravia: ‘I completely fell in love with its white, stately grandness and quiet dignity… My creative soul needs the air and the freedom only grand objects can give.’

Belgravia and its ‘imperious beauty’ acts as Sun Sand & Honey an artistic muse for Nevena – she notes that for any creator of timeless art, this locale is the ultimate location in which to live and work.

Sitting opposite Rococo Chocolates and a hop, skip and jump down the road from Christian Louboutin is ON Motcomb (on-motcomb.com). The boutique specialises in luxury eveningwear from established international brands, as well as yet-to-be discovered designers, and since opening in August 2013, it’s already making ripples on local and global sartorial stages.

One of the rising stars behind its success is ON Motcomb fashion buyer Annabel Buchanan. At just 25, she certainly punches above her weight when it comes to fashion. I quiz her on the brands the store features: ‘As well as recognised names, we’re always on the lookout for the unknown; we’re very much into fostering brands from the ground up. That’s why most of ours are international and why we chose to settle in Belgravia, it’s the most international neighbourhood in the city.’

‘So why Motcomb Street?’ I ask, eager to ascertain what attracted Zac Posen at them to this particular spot in ON Motcomb Belgravia. ‘We are a very niche company. The larger, more generic streets are not for us.

It’s lovely to have such a strong community of speciality stores around us.

Everything’s locallyconcentrated and everyone knows each other and we love that.’

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Innovation station Over the past few decades, London has transformed itself into a hub – not only for fashion stores, but for the very geniuses who create the garments too. Developing reverence for its harvest of original and pioneering designers, it would appear that Belgravia is no longer just a place to shop; its cobbled streets house inventors too.

Perhaps one of the most notable fashion forces to hit Belgravia is international photographer Nick Knight’s SHOWstudio (showstudio.com).

His unique concept was launched as a website in 2000 and pushes the boundaries of communicating fashion online through a series of collaborative films and projects. Live catwalk broadcasts and fashionshoot filming enable international audiences to get closer to the industry than ever before.

It proved such a success that a shop and exhibition space for the studio was required, first in east London, then Mayfair and, finally, Knight’s SHOWstudio felt it was time to move to Belgravia, which it did in 2013. The store is a groundbreaking independent gallery space for customers to peruse and purchase high fashion, fine art and contemporary design pieces.

Currently (until 9 May), the space on Motcomb Street is showcasing a selection of beautiful portraits of novelist William S Burroughs by Kate Simon to celebrate his centenary.

Prior to this, fashion brand Maison Martin Margiela’s SHOWcabinet exhibition, centred on memory, explored the pivotal role of scent in triggering reminiscence.

Far from being the only creative venture on the block, I have the pleasure of meeting Rita Roby-Goncalves, the founder of luxury swimwear line Sun, Sand & Honey (sunsandandhoney.com). When I meet the Belgravian-based Rita, I can’t help but notice that she glows with good health.

It’s as if she has just returned from the warm, golden sands of Lisbon, where she was a journalist for 15 years before deciding to give it all up and focus on her passion: form-fitting luxury swimwear.

I learn that Rita’s collection is created using Italian fabrics and is manufactured in Venice. When it comes to her beachwear range, the designs exude a timeless, feminine style with many of her pieces in simple black or neutral tones of terracotta.

As most of her business happens abroad, I ask, what it was that brought her to Belgravia? ‘I love the area. I can walk everywhere, it’s clean and it’s so close to Hyde Park where I can walk my two pups Pablo and Rose. Aside from that, London is more like a country than a city with a huge international market, which works wonders for the future of my brand.’

Belgravia is the home of sartorial visionaries but offers much more than a simple platform for designers to showcase their striking creations. It is a safe, nurturing environment in which to cultivate greatness and to be inspired. London may be a fashion capital, but Belgravia is the home of style.

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

The fine art of carpets

From the design to the manufacture and lastly the fitting of only the highest quality fabrics, Blenheim Carpets specialise in beautiful, bespoke rugs and carpets.

A service like no other.

Visit Blenheim Carpets to see their outstanding collection of 100% wool, hand loomed, wilton woven and flatweave carpets and stair runners, all made to the highest standard with only the best materials.

2/18 Chelsea Harbour Design Centre, London SW10 0XE Telephone: 020 7823 3040 41 Pimlico Road, London SW1W 8NE Telephone: 020 7823 6333

www.blenheim-carpets.com

Ghost story

Rolls-Royce recently introduced its newest model, the Ghost Series II, to the world. Jennifer Mason was there for the grand unveiling….

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he bastion of Rolls-Royce’s production line, the Ghost has been a hit with lovers of automobile luxury since its launch in 2009. Named in honour of the Silver Ghost (first produced by R-R in 1906), the Ghost offers a unique motoring experience, with one foot placed firmly in the luxurious, high standards of the past and the other hovering futuristically over some truly mesmerising modern developments.

As I arrive at the official unveiling (which is taking place simultaneously – timed to the second – at Rolls-Royce’s Goodwood hub and at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show – proof, if you needed it, of the brand’s exacting standards), I am ushered through the main entrance hall. The space is filled with gleaming examples, both past and present, of R-R’s achievements. Although I long to stop and explore, something tells me there’s an even more exciting event waiting just beyond the frosted glass doors. Covered top-to-tyre in a delicate silk cloth, Rolls’ latest model sits unassumingly, waiting for its moment in

the spotlight. At this point, I still have no inkling of what I’m here to see, but the smooth lines and iconic shape of the Ghost, even under its veil of secrecy, give me some clues as to the identity of the brand’s latest achievement.

I discover that the buzz at the astonishing Goodwood factory surrounds the eagerly anticipated Ghost Series II, which preserves and updates the muchadmired design of the original Ghost, while delivering the latest Rolls-Royce technology to its followers. Giles Taylor, director of design for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, tells me: ‘As a design statement, Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II continues to transcend time. I am very pleased with the overall sense of design harmony […] that lends the car a more dynamic, purposeful stance and hint at the cutting edge technology inside.’

As the steel-grey coverlet is whisked away, a deep, rich colour is revealed, annotated by the bright chrome accents of the prerequisite Spirit of Ecstasy and the tapered ‘wake channel’ on the bonnet; designed to evoke ‘the sight of a jet’s

As a design statement, Rolls-Royce Ghost Series II continues to transcend time. I am very pleased with the overall sense of design harmony

surroundings. Optional extras like the new Bespoke Audio (described by R-R as ‘the most exhaustively engineered and finest audio system in automotive history’), combined with Rolls’ famous smooth, quiet ride offer GSII owners one of the most comprehensive and comfortable driving experiences available.

Slightly more compact than the Phantom, the Ghost was always intended to be a car ideal for business and for pleasure, and the GSII is a perfect example of this. Whether you’re driving or being driven, the ride is exceptional and the interior provides a calming and spacious location for business on the move – ideal for successful entrepreneurs with an eye for investment. Indeed, ‘car’ to me seems too colloquial a word to describe the GSII – I think perhaps the Sherman Brothers’ description of the miraculous Chitty Chitty Bang Bang would be more appropriate here – this truly is a fantasmagorical machine.

There is so much more to buying a Rolls-Royce, however, than just selecting the model. Once you’ve set your heart on a Ghost Series II, there are innumerable opportunities to customise your car with the brand’s famous bespoke options. Each Rolls is completely unique; the interior and exterior finishing touches chosen by you with the aid of R-R’s team of bespoke experts to produce something truly spectacular. Prospective GSII owners are in for an incredible experience, before they’ve even been handed the keys to their new vehicle.

What have I learnt then, after a day at RollsRoyce? Investing in one is truly an invitation to let your imagination run wild.

vapour trail or the wake of a fast luxury yacht,’ I’m told, as I stare greedily at the GSII, eager to take in its glossy, sleek exterior (and be the first to spot the new upgrades). The most noticeable external change is to the re-sculpted LED headlights (surrounded by daytime running lights) which ‘lend Ghost Series II a more dynamic visual signature and blend perfectly with revised surface treatments to the front of the car.’ They certainly give the GSII an alert air, as though it is constantly at the ready to give you the drive of your life.

This sense of readiness is clear on the inside, too. The interior of this car certainly delivers above and beyond what’s traditionally expected. On-board Wi-Fi keeps driver and passengers connected to the world from the luxury and comfort of R-R’s plush seats, while Satellite Aided Transmission (which made its debut in the Wraith last year) ensures the car automatically adapts to its

All images courtesy of Rolls-Royce

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

The right note Amouage is steeped in a rich and colourful heritage that’s known for its exotic fragrances. Briana Handte Lesesne sits down with the creative director of Amouage, Christopher Chong, to discover that music notes can be an inspiration when creating notes in a perfume Tell me about your journey to Amouage?

I was raised in America, and from an early age I learnt that nothing was impossible if you set your mind to it. I embrace failure as a learning experience and consider myself to be a spontaneous person. I fell in love with opera and this led me to a career in music. About eight years ago, the fragrance house Amouage needed rebranding as it approached its 25th anniversary. They were looking for someone outside the world of fragrance to lead the creative direction of the brand – and they found me.

You trained in classical opera. How has this helped you in your role as creative director of a fragrance house?

Amouage was not looking for someone from the perfume industry, but a fresh perspective when interpreting fragrances. If you think about it, perfume is related to music. In a sense, opera is most related to perfume. They share a similar language: notation.

You once said, ‘At the heart of all Amouage creations is a signature accord that cultivates the ultimate luxury of being unique and distinctive.’ What did you mean?

All perfumes can be a mixture of singular notes and accords like a credenza. I create a music notation for a fragrance, a mix of different notes in a bid to make something unique. A credenza is personal freedom, it’s bars in music.

Your short films behind each fragrance are truly works of art.

Tell me about the inspiration behind them.

The story comes first, before the name of the fragrance and its construction. It’s my mood board. I imagine what the scent would smell like then I approach our perfumers and ask how they interpret variations on this theme. In the past, I have taken inspiration from the opera Rusalka, literature and memoirs to put

together these short clips.

Is there a fragrance you dream of creating?

I believe in capturing the unknown. The fragrances I have yet to create, that is my swansong. I am always striving to explore the unknown. For the past seven years, my signature accord has been frankincense.

Who is your favourite artiste and which Amouage fragrance would suit him/her?

The renowned soprano Maria Callas, as she challenged convention. I created the fragrance Lyric that’s based on her character. Its top note is rose but we developed a different interpretation of the iconic scent.

What is your first olfactory memory?

Chanel No. 5. I was four years old, and I ended up spraying the entire house with this iconic fragrance.

Amouage will launch Opus VIII in April. What can you share with us about this fragrance?

Opus VIII, which is part of our Library Collection, is a white, floral and woody fragrance that plays upon mythology and urban myths.

And finally, a few words on Belgravia...

Belgravia is heritage – my office and our boutique on Lowndes Street are located in a Georgian house which oozes luxury and individuality. The residents of Belgravia live in Grade I and II-listed buildings but behind closed doors they create their own unique and personal style of home décor and furnishings that are eclectic and reflective of the personalities of the residents.

14 Lowndes Street, SW1X 9EX, 020 3031 9874 (amouage.com)

Hardworking skincare

Designed for the daily care of delicate skin, I cannot recommend Mustela Hydra Bébé’s skincare range enough.

A new patented formula enriched with Avocado Perseose® leaves skin silky-soft and is gentle enough for use by the whole family. The creams actively work to reinforce the skin’s barrier, while preserving cellular turnover too.

Express colour

The Aerin Lauder Essentials Collection is a treasure trove of carefully-edited AERIN colour cosmetics and must-haves for spring 2014. The Kaleidolight Palette consists of light-enhancing shades of bronze, beige, pink and lavender and the delicate yet functional Kabuki Brush applies the perfect amount of colour to cheeks. The collection of Rose Balm Lipsticks in 10 shades feature a balm base to ensure lips stay drenched in moisture, as well as colour. We love the colour Leibling for spring.

£5.95, available at A. Moore & Co Chemist, 25E Lowndes Street, SW1X 9JF 020 7235 5887

Kaleidolight Palette, £40, and Rose Balm Lipstick £25, available at esteelauder.co.uk and Harrods

Spring scents

Life certainly is beautiful in April. We experience warmer weather, longer days and flowers in full bloom. Timed to perfection, Lancôme’s new release, La Vie est Belle L’Eau de Toilette, champions all that is exquisite in nature.

Combining the expertise of two of France’s most noted perfumers, Anne Flipo and Dominique Ropion, the brand has created an elegant and delicate floral fragrance with magnolia essence. £49, available on-counter and online at johnlewis.com

In bloom

As part of Dior’s 2014 spring aesthetic, and in the spirit of designer Raff Simon’s collection for the House of Dior that toyed with the idea of a contemporary courtesan, nothing completes a look more than the lips. Redesigning the curves of femininity, Dior creates Rouge Dior in shades of pop pink (Courtisane), coral (Crinoline), ‘just bitten’ pink (Souveraine) and pure fuchsia (Allégresse), as well as a fabulous collection of glosses in soft pastel hues for a delicate smile akin to a newly-bloomed fleur.

A touch of genius

Abigail James’ name is widely lauded in the beauty industry for her signature facials and, of course, those truly gifted hands. Her philosophy of treating skin is based around using the finest natural formulations, combining technology with nature. Within the Grace Spa Belgravia (you don’t need to be a member of Grace for an appointment with Abigail), her treatment room is a calming oasis. Each facial is bespoke, and her underlying mantra of hands-on connective tissue massage for the ultimate skin cleansing, hydrating and rejuvenating experience is innovative. I drifted into a peaceful state as she skilfully applied a favourite product of mine, Kerstin Florian Rehydrating Neroli Oil with a scent of bitter orange blossom.

11C West Halkin Street, SW1X 8JL (abigailjames.com)

Rouge Dior, £26, and Dior Addict Gloss, £22, available online at dior.com Words / Briana Handte Lesesne

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Healing

hands

Katie Randall experiences a moment of calm

Candace Cox

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ou put your left arm in, your left arm out. In, out, in, out; shake it all about. This popular children’s nursery rhyme feels very apt right now; I am right in the middle of a free-flow massage experience with Candace Cox, Candy to clients. After an energising raw fruit and vegetable juice (a tangy mix of celery, cucumber and ginger) made by Candace’s skilled hands, I am in massage heaven, my body being manipulated in a variety of innovative new ways to knead out a host of aches and pains.

Since arriving, I have learnt that Candy is a former sculpture artist- turned-holistic therapist and masseuse, as well as being a fully qualified Dr Hauschka esthetician. She began her journey 25 years ago, when the unfortunate circumstance of her husband’s illness led her to massage as a tool to relieve his pain. She has continued to practise and develop her skill set, learning the art of the rejuvanessence firming facial and specific branches of massage ever since, as well as becoming a passionate advocate of the Raw Living Food movement, which favours a biodynamic, natural, balanced diet to ensure optimum health.

Operating from the rural Hampshire countryside, Candy is renowned in London for her home visits to clients in Belgravia, Notting Hill and Kensington and regularly flits around the capital to tend to media personalities, as well as screen and film stars. Highly in demand, Candy has flown across the globe to travel with clients, attending to their every therapeutic whim.

I am fortunate enough to enjoy a truly luxurious three-hour appointment with this expressive therapist, who bases her practice on intuition. Snuggled on her heated bed and swaddled in soft, warm towels to ensure my modesty, Candy sets to work with gentle kneads and circular motions, encouraging my body to relax.

‘I work on a variety of different levels,’ she explains.

‘It is important not to just dive straight into deep tissue work; I prefer to warm up the body first to ensure the muscles are supple before I begin to work with them to avoid bruises the next day.’ The factor that I most adore about Candy, and a rare quality to find in the clockwatching, appointment-driven beauty industry, is that she never rushes through a massage. She takes time to divine what a client requires and desires, before creating a perfectly-tailored therapeutic routine for them.

Although she can also condense her treatments to suit time-poor clients, the luxury of a truly relaxing, long treatment really is something to be prized in today’s society.

Dry body-brushing enlivens my skin before Candy gets to work (probably the point where most therapists would be clocking off). The massage is like nothing I have ever experienced, at times soft and others firm. Candy works on both my front and back, employing moves I did not even know existed to coax stubborn muscles into obedience. At the end of the session, my entire body almost seems to purr like a contented kitten.

The luxury of a truly relaxing, long treatment really is something to be prized in today’s society

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For more information about Candace Cox’s treatments, or to book an appointment, call 01428 722535. Candace’s treatment rooms are located at Weydown, Hewshott Lane Liphook, Hampshire, GU30 7SU, and she makes regular trips to London to see clients in their homes or hotels

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

Win! The ultimate luxury prize.

4 friends 1 exclusive private jet 2 michelin stars As prizes go, they don’t come much better than this.

Treat yourself and your colleagues to a day in Paris, whisked away by your own private jet.

Enjoy a gastronomic feast at CamĂŠlia, the brainchild of Michelin-starred chef Thierry Marx, at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, renowned for its traditional French fare.

To enter simply take part in the Runwild Media Group magazine survey by visiting the website below.

www.rwmg.co.uk/competition Terms & Conditions: (TBC) Entries must be received before midnight on 20th April 2014.

The

Belgravian MR MONOPOLY

Henry Hopwood-Phillips meets James Wright, property mogul and the head of your local residents’ association

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nderneath a tidy fop of snowy hair sits James Wright, property expert and chairman of the Belgravia Residents’ Association. Don’t let the disarming smile fool you, he’s a bonny lad from north of the borders. Native to Tobermory, Isle of Mull, he notes ‘it’s a place now famous with children as Balamory.’

Boarding at Reed’s, Cobham, alma mater to the likes of tennis star Tim Henman and actor Tom Hardy, James explains, ‘I then went on to Dough School in Oban, Argyll, to do some seasonal work and then to Portsmouth to complete my hotel training.

Afterwards, I joined Grand Metropolitan (now Diageo) on a oneyear graduate management programme.’

Working his way up the industry ladder, James was soon seconded to a local government company in Jordan that ran the rest houses and hotels. But the natives were clearly not happy to have an outsider come in and spoil the party. ‘Every request made for assistance was either ignored or deliberately altered. A car was part of the deal and necessary for travel around the country, but I was issued instead with a water tanker. Getting up at 3am to catch local taxis when there was no power in Petra was no picnic – but the job had to get done, as it was in the end. That stuff makes or breaks people, but I revelled in it.’

I ask whether any of his schemes had gone smoothly. ‘Well, the place was crawling with cats. We did well rounding them up and sending them to Wadi Rum (a sandstone valley in Jordan).’ Of T. E. Lawrence fame? I interrupt. ‘Yes, that’s the one,’ he answers.

‘But, do you know how cats return home no matter where they are?’

I now feel my T. E. Lawrence outburst was somewhat precocious and confess I know nothing about feline homing techniques. James starts scribbling large spirals. ‘They just go round and round in ever increasing circles!’

Discussing how he left the industry, James remembers how, ‘one day the wife mentioned I’d come home from work early. I told her I’d quit! Something my father had said about making mistakes on somebody else’s watch and then succeeding on your own had been playing on my mind for a while.’

Succeed at what though, I probe? ‘I bought my first house in Tufnell Park in 1979. It was a bit of a shock to the system not getting free flights, rooms or concierge service, but I played monopoly with it. I never sold, just used the equity to invest in new places.’ So how many do you have now? ‘My portfolio is in excess of 100. They are mainly residential freehold buildings, including a Travelodge hotel and a Sainsbury’s supermarket. All of it is managed from my HQ in Islington, the London Accommodation Centre.’

Before long, James had a presence spread across continents: India, Canada, the Caribbean and the Philippines all feature. ‘By 1989 I’d made good money in property and felt I wanted to give something

back, so I bought a hospital in Leeds. With 125 beds, I ran it as a place for the homeless and drug abusers. It was a shame we had to leave in the end, but it proved impossible running social housing as a private landlord. We got ourselves into a situation where we had to collect poll tax from people with nothing. Also, the council reacted by cutting its own costs and closing its own unit, forcing the area to rely solely on us.’

It was whilst purchasing the decommissioned hospital that James employed a contractor who told him it would cost a set sum and take six months to renovate. ‘But the project doubled in cost and took a year,’ he explains. ‘When I expressed how unhappy I was with it the builder boffed me! So I thought there’s got to be a better way to build houses.’ En route from London to Leeds, James pulled off junction 23 on the M1 and stopped at Loughborough University. ‘It was 1991 when I called into the engineering department and asked if they could build me a house, in a factory like a car, using galvanised steel (the shipyards were in decline and I thought they could perhaps switch to building houses and thus save jobs) and be transported without a police escort on our roads on flatbed trucks. Loughborough went overboard and came up with designs and a prototype was produced by Swan Hunter on the Tyne.’

A 50,000 sq. ft. factory followed in Peterborough to build the homes. Sadly, the factory was closed in the recession and the machinery was shipped to the Philippines where the operation there is now carrying on the trade. ‘The factory has been onward-let to a packaging company,’ James smiles, observing that it’s now another investment in the monopoly pot.

All this feels quite a distance from the chairmanship of the Belgravia Residents’ Association. How did that come about? ‘A colleague at Knight Frank made me aware of a gap at the corner of Cundy Street that had been bombed in WW2. My neighbour had been perfectly cordial when I bought the freehold on the place, but as soon as I applied for planning permission, the top brass got their tail feathers in a twist, worrying about issues of natural sunlight. I gave them a rap around the knuckles, noting that the complaint had nothing to do with matters structural, and joined the committee to prevent this sort of thing happening in the future.’

When not on his yacht (Larinka, named after his wife) James is busy making sure Belgravia does not become simply a mosaic of pied à terres. Stopping road plans ruining the coherence of the area and devoting much of his time to retaining the butchers, bakers and candlestick makers, as well as other shops that enhance the integrity of the community, it’s a task that requires diplomacy and perseverance at all levels. Belgravia should be grateful to have one of the great captains of industry at its helm, arguing its case.

Making sure Belgravia does not become a mosaic of pied à terres

(belgraviaresidents.org.uk)

Words / Henry Hopwood-Phillips Illustration / Russ Tudor

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

believe in a product or an idea or a service that improves the lives of their customers and community. They see a need and have staked their careers on fulfilling it. There should be no illusions about the demands, incredible stress, time spent for sometimes little or occasionally ephemeral gain. Yet, our world would be much poorer without these driven souls.

While living in Paris, Jane noticed that the French read contemporary English fiction that had been translated into French. Upon returning to London and discovering that the English read the same genre as the French, she set up a publishing company to buy the French rights for contemporary fiction books and have them translated into English. She then expanded her business and opened a bookstore, stocked full of classics, children’s books, lifestyle and entertaining, coffee table books, cards and guide books. Her personal attention to detail and highly trained, passionate staff make you envision The Shop Around the Corner rather than Amazon.

A similar story can be found at Semmalina Starbags on Ebury Street. Business partners Sarah Standing and Diana Turner have seven children between them and thus Briana Handte Lesesne talks entrepreneurial spirit are perfectly in tune with what children want and what excites a child’s imagination. The store offers an eclectic mix of toys, clothing, are on, is never easy. f you take a close look at Belgravia, you games and a bespoke As you stroll on to Mozart will realise the area has a rich history of party bag service for Square, you will find a statue of a those who took the initiative to follow children’s parties. They young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. their passions and live a life fulfilled, by cater to local residents, At the age of eight, the child prodigy turning an idea or thought into a voyage, a 80 per cent of whom they lived on Ebury Street, where it is symphony, or a business. know by name, having said his drive and dedication led Although he did not live in Belgravia, watched their there is a statue acknowledging these qualities him to compose and produce his first customer’s children in the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, first two symphonies in 1764. grow up.

These qualities still exist in that can be found in the southern corner of This is why I love a more modern form (and with Belgrave Square Garden. Ironically, nearby these stores. They fulfil a perhaps slightly more modestly) is the statute of Simón Bolívar, the South curiosity that a chain is not with the founder of Gallic American freedom fighter who railed against intended to address and publishing and Belgravia Books, the same crown and the results of Columbus’ Approaching Belgravia Books on Eb they make Belgravia all the Jane Aitken, as well as countless success some 200 years later. Fighting for an ury Street richer for it. other small store owners who intangible idea, regardless of which side you

Belgravian

Moments

I

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

April round-up

by the head of social and communications – Sue Liberman

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ow Spring is here, we’re busy organising the B.R.A. Summer Garden Party. Our 2013 Garden Party was a fabulous evening, hugely supported by all residents, businesses and traders. This year’s Garden Party will be held in Wilton Crescent Gardens on Wednesday 4 June. If you’d like to be involved with our Garden Party, please do email me.

Other 2014 dates for your diaries:

Elizabeth Street Party – Wednesday 11 June Always a great event, this year’s party will be fund-raising for the charity Fight for Sight. Fight for Sight has been funding research into blindness and eye disease for more than 40 years. There has been major progress during this time, but there is still much more work to do.

Belgrave Square Barbecue Dinner – Thursday 19 June A wonderful social event held in Belgravia’s green and leafy centrepiece, a four-and-a-half-acre private garden that was designed by George Basevi and first planted by Thomas Cubitt in 1826.

Motcomb Street Party – Wednesday 25 June Always a fantastic event and this year fund-raising for three local charities: Intermission Youth Theatre – St Saviour’s in Knightsbridge is home to IYT, which has a long history of working with young people at risk of offending and youths who lack the opportunity or support to fulfill their dreams. It gives them something to look forward to and aims to show young people that there is more to life than crime and violence.

Chelsea Community Hospital Schools – Working across four sites in London, its aim is to ensure children and young people, aged between four and 18, have their right to education preserved while in hospital and unable to attend school because of medical and mental health conditions.

The Household Cavalry Foundation – A charity set up to help wounded soldiers, their families and also the horses that serve, the organisation not only offers care while soldiers are actively serving in The Cavalry, but also once they retire from their duties. Every Household Cavalry man is a fighting solder first and the troops participating in ceremonial parades are fully trained and operational troops who may have only recently been in armoured vehicles in the harsh terrain of Afghanistan. No soldier or horse is ever

forgotten by The Household Cavalry.

To update you with current issues…

In August 2012, we submitted an application to Westminster Council for permission to form a Neighbourhood Forum. The purpose of a Neighbourhood Area is to provide a geographic area of Westminster where a potential Neighbourhood Forum can undertake ‘neighbourhood planning’.

The concept of neighbourhood planning represents a fundamental change to the planning system. Communities will not only be able to develop local planning policies that will become part of the planning framework for their area, but also grant ‘permitted development’ rights for certain types of new development. The decision on whether to formally adopt an area as a Neighbourhood Area is made by the City Council.

No decision has been made yet by Robert Davis, deputy leader of Westminster Council, on the geographical boundary for the proposed Belgravia Neighbourhood Forum. This is very frustrating for local businesses, traders and local schools, as well as landlords who have expressed an interest to be involved – all of whom are situated within Belgravia. Add to that ourselves, the B.R.A., your nominated residents association, who simply want to move on and get the Neighbourhood Forum established finally. However, productive meetings internally between all of the nominated interested parties are ongoing, and as soon as a decision has been made then the starting pistol can be fired and the Belgravia Forum formally formed.

Another news item concerns Orange Square. No sooner have we received the good news about the zebra crossing for Pimlico Road – which has been approved to be placed by Starbucks – and we have now been asked by local members and traders to remove the public convenience. Regular drug use is constant in the area and this has led to several arrests by the police.

Please let us know your views on the removal of this pay toilet. Every day used syringes are found within its quarters, and in removing this modern facility – which was opposed by residents when first sited here several years ago – it is felt that the drug users congregating in the area will disband. There are also recorded incidents of drug users mugging residents. If you have a view on this matter, then please do get in touch with us via the website link below.

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. If there’s anything you would like to let us know about, I can be contacted on sue@belgraviaresidents.org.uk

Until next month... belgraviaresidents.org.uk

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

027

Future for dummies Henry Hopwood-Phillips looks through the glass darkly to see if Mark Stevenson, author of An Optimist’s Tour of the Future, is the Nostradamus of Science

M

ark Stevenson displays the same wit and than optimistic. myth-busting swagger, served with a large slice Stevenson also tries to claim credit of counterintuitive thinking, that Malcolm for entertaining the negative possibilities of the progress Gladwell, author of Outliers, is famous for. extolled. But when these are summoned for their His sheer range of knowledge is impressive. Very few peremptory court appearances, they are dismissed with books talk about cell senescence in one chapter and robotic scanty assurances. An example of this is when Stevenson self-knowledge in the next. Highlights include references accepts Steven Pinker’s theory on the decline of violence to bacteria excreting diesel, medicine personalised to your at face value. He fails to consider that this aggression may genome sequence and the rise of manufacturing as an simply be displaced, inflating other forms of crime that are information technology. equally evil. Again, in the chapter on the internet being If all this information is worn lightly, the downside is a force for good, the Arab Spring is not mentioned once, that the tone, though elevated above the jargon of research a great example of technology neither improving nor papers, can occasionally worsening conditions but descend into an off-key amplifying them. blokey idiom. Allusions The book has all the to going ‘way beyond virtues of a science text the capacity to switch on book and its limitations that fleeting two pints in: too. Philosophy is clearly brilliant at pool ability at surplus to requirements. will’ come across less as When ‘augmented reality’ colloquial chumminess is mentioned, Stevenson than the awkward gives short shrift to impression of a ‘jaunty’ father impersonating his son. opponents of ‘entanglement,’ simply protesting that it’s The humour can irk too. Sometimes it’s so bad you ‘part of us’. But is becoming more and more detached wonder what the motivation is. Case from external reality the same in point: ‘But as Franklin Roosevelt as becoming more and more and Spiderman both knew, with great independent of it? Rupturing power comes great responsibility.’ external reality and reconfiguring You feel like you have to laugh in the it to become almost entirely same way you laughed at the clever dependent on our internal reality kid at school’s jokes: so you could get seems to be a very symbolic wish his homework. for a civilisation that Spengler The basic structure of the book described as “Faustian”. A play in is simple. First, the failure of past which Goethe gave the doctor the hopes is acknowledged, haloing immortal line: Stevenson in humility; then criticisms “He calls it Reason, using light of current progress are demolished celestial / Just to outdo the beasts in too; small contemporary gains are being bestial.” then recognised, before completely disproportionate hopes are invested.

An Optimist’s Tour of the Future by Mark Stevenson by Yves de Contades (allaboutyves.com) The result can feel more panglossian Mark Stevenson, Profile Books £9.99

The book has all the virtues of a science text book and its limitations too. Philosophy is clearly surplus to requirements

Free for

All

Henry Hopwood-Phillips interviews The Spectator’s associate editor, Toby Young, who has made a name for himself founding the West London Free School (WLFS) What do you feel the problem is with the current English education system?

Too many state schools aren’t fit for purpose.

117,000 children are still at inadequate schools. In 2009, Sheffield University carried out a survey which discovered that over a fifth of school-leavers are functionally illiterate and functionally innumerate. That’s a scandal.

You’re known for starting the West London Free School, a school Tristram Hunt described as ‘a vanity project for yummy mummies in West London’. What’s the raison d’etre of the “free school” and why has it been greeted with such vitriol?

Its mission is to provide children with a classical liberal education, regardless of income, ability or faith. That sort of education is widely available in the independent sector, but in the state sector it’s confined to a handful of schools, most of which are virtually impossible to get in to.

Opponents of free schools believe that more choice will inevitably lead to greater social segregation because only wealthy, middle class parents will choose to send their children to them. Setting up free schools is just a way of giving more to the “haves”, not help the “have nots”. Alternatively – and without being aware that they’re contradicting themselves – they argue that because free schools are less subject to state control they will inevitably provide a sub-standard education.

So far neither of those things has proved to be true of the West London Free School. About 25 per cent of the children are on free school meals and the school was ranked Good by Ofsted last year.

Free schools have been accused of leaving education under regulated?

Free schools and academies have to comply with marginally fewer rules than local authority-run schools, but they’re no less regulated. They’re directly accountable to the Secretary of State and are inspected by Ofsted. Of the first wave of free schools to be inspected by Ofsted, 75 per cent were ranked Good or Outstanding, which is higher than the national average.

Much of the controversy that surrounds free schools seems to revolve around methodologies used to compute intellectual excellence. Is this kulturkampf in disguise?

Yes, mainly. The left-wing politicians, bureaucrats, education “experts” and trade union officials who control England’s public education system will stop at nothing to preserve the status quo, including massaging the statistics.

What have been the WLFS’ greatest successes?

The most heartening thing about the whole project is seeing how well children respond to the model we’ve put in place: small class sizes, strong discipline, house system, mandatory Latin, extra-curricular activities etc. We call it a “comprehensive grammar” and the children seem really happy.

Their biggest achievements are in music and sport.

Our boys under-14 hockey team recently beat the boys under-14s at Dulwich College and 66 per cent of the children at the school are studying a musical instrument. Oh, and last summer’s production of Oliver! It was incredible.

Toby Young is the author of an e-book called How to Set Up a Free School, £1.99. West London Free School, Cambridge Grove W6 0LB (westlondonfreeschool.co.uk) Toby Young (Image / Featureflash / Shutterstock.com)

In response Sebastian Hepher, headmaster of Eaton Square School, considers the debate The West London Free School has a curriculum and environment which is similar to that found in many independent senior establishments and yet is open to pupils who would perhaps not be able to follow the independent route on financial grounds. This has to be a positive thing.

It is reassuring that the independent model is being used, and that it is open to children from all walks of life. The notion that it is only pushy middle class parents who would want to send their children to such establishments is wrong and also questions the rights and aspirations of all, regardless of background.

79 Eccleston Square, SW1V 1PP, 020 7931 9469 (eatonsquareschool.com) Words / Henry Hopwood-Phillips B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S ’ J O U R N A L

029

Planning &Development Keeping you in the know about important street plans affecting Belgravia

PLANNING APPLICATIONS

DATE RECEIVED ADDRESS

PROPOSAL

27 February

Eaton Place

Installation of air conditiong in equipment.

Replacement of external doors

27 February

Eaton Terrace

New stone canopy and restoration work to a shop front

3 March

Chester Square

Erection of a glass roof over links between main house and mews at rear

3 March

Bourne Street

Replacement and extension of rear bay window

planned road works

STREET

PLANNED WORK

DATES

WORKS OWNER

South Eaton Place

New water connection in footway

1-2 April

Thames Water (0845 920 0800)

Ebury Street

Installation of telecoms chamber and ducts

1-10 April

City of London Telecoms (0808 129 6000)

Eaton Gate

Modernisation of TFL traffic signal equipment

1-12 April

TFL (0845 305 1234)

Pimlico Road

Lay a new domestic service in carriageway

8-14 April

National Grid Gas Plc (0845 605 6677)

14-24 April

UKPN (0800 028 4587)

Lower Grosvenor Place Cundy Street

Install LV cables

Build one precast chamber in footway

29 April – 1 May BT (0800 800 150)

Business rates overhaul Leader of Westminster City Council, Cllr Philippa Roe, puts business rates under the microscope and finds them wanting ‘Companies in the Cllr Phillippa Roe West End alone pay £1.2 billion in business rates each year to fund services in other parts of the country. Under the current business rate retention scheme, areas like Westminster are not rewarded for the investment it makes to ensure a high quality commercial environment for its businesses, including infrastructure and transport links, public space and clean and safe streets. We would back a system which enabled us to capture and reinvest more of the business rate growth for the benefit of Westminster’s enterprises. In the longer term, we are interested to explore working with business to shape a radical overhaul of the whole business rates system, which as the CBI said before the Autumn Statement is “uncompetitive, distortive and complex.” Westminster will generate approximately £1.8 billion in business rates in 2013/14 – around eight per cent of total receipts for England – of which the West End area produces £1.2 billion per year. Of this, the authority will retain only approximately £73 million under the Business Rates Retention scheme. Alongside this we would be open to exploring ways of ensuring that businesses feel they have adequate representation in return for their taxation.’

The Belgravia

Directory

A compendium of the area’s key establishments

Estate Agents Andrew Reeves 77-79 Ebury Street 020 7881 1366

Douglas Lyons & Lyons 33 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 933

Ayrton Wylie 16 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 4628

Harrods Estates 82 Brompton Road 020 7225 6506

Best Gapp & Cassells 81 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 9253

Henry & James 1 Motcomb Street 020 7235 8861

Cluttons 84 Bourne Street 030 3773 0020

John D Wood 48 Elizabeth Street 020 7824 7900

Knight Frank 82-83 Chester Square 020 7881 7722 Savills 139 Sloane Street 020 7730 0822

Wellbelove Quested 160 Ebury Street 020 7881 0880

Strutt & Parker 66 Sloane Street 020 7235 9959 W A Ellis 174 Brompton Road 020 7306 1600

Food & Drink BARS

CAFÉS

Amaya Halkin Arcade, Motcomb Street 020 7823 1166

Bella Maria 4 Lower Grosvenor Place 020 7976 6280

The Garden Room (cigar) The Lanesborough Hyde Park Corner 020 7259 5599

Caffe Reale 23 Grosvenor Gardens 020 7592 9322

The Library Bar (wine) The Lanesborough Hyde Park Corner 020 7259 5599

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

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

Uni Sushi Restaurant 18a Ebury Street 020 7730 9267 restaurantuni.com

Health & Beauty BARBER

DOCTORS

GYM/ FITNESS

Giuseppe D’Amico 20 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2968

The Belgrave Medical Centre 13 Pimlico Road 020 7730 5171

The Light Centre Belgravia 9 Eccleston Street 020 7881 0728

The Belgravia Surgery 26 Eccleston Street 020 7590 8000

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

DENTIST The Beresford Clinic 2 Lower Grosvenor Place 020 7821 9411

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

HAIR SALONS

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

MEDISPA

Bijoux Medi-Spa 149 Ebury Street 020 7730 0765

031

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

ARTEFACTS Odyssey Fine Arts 24 Holbein Place 020 7730 9942

cleaning 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

FURNITURE Ciancimino 85 Pimlico Place 020 7730 9959 Humphrey-Carrasco 43 Pimlico Road 020 7730 9911

Soane 50-52 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6400 Westenholz 80-82 Pimlico Road 020 7824 8090

GALLERIES

Jamb 107a Pimlico Road 020 7730 2122

88 Gallery 86-88 Pimlico Road 020 7730 2728

Lamberty 46 Pimlico Road 020 7823 5115

Gauntlett Gallery 90-92 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7516

Linley 60 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7300

The Osborne Studio Gallery 2 Motcomb Street 020 7235 9667

Ossowski 83 Pimlico Road 020 7730 3256

INTERIOR DESIGN

Zuber 42 Pimlico Road 020 7824 8265

Chester Designs 9 Chester Square Mews 020 7730 4333

Fashion BOUTIQUES Le Spose Di Giò (wedding dresses) 81 Ebury Street 020 7901 9020 le-spose-di-gio.it

Christian Louboutin 23 Motcomb Street 020 7245 6510

Philip Treacy 69 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 3992

Nevena Couture (clients by appointment only)

Lowndes Street 020 3539 8738 nevena.co.uk

Patricia Roberts 60 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 474

Herve Leger 29 Lowndes Street 020 7201 2590

Lord Milner Hotel 111 Ebury Street 020 7881 9880

Westminster House Hotel 96 Ebury Street 020 7730 4302

The Diplomat Hotel 2 Chesham Street 020 7235 1544

Lynton Hotel 113 Ebury Street 020 7730 4032

BOUTIQUE

Lime Tree Hotel 135-137 Ebury Street 020 7730 8191

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

Morgan Guest House 120 Ebury Street 020 7730 2384

Astors Hotel 110-112 Ebury Street 020 7730 0158 The Belgravia Mews Hotel 50 Ebury Street 020 7730 5434

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

Services BANKS

EDUCATION Cameron House School 4 The Vale 020 7352 4040

Miss Daisy’s Nursery Ebury Square 020 7730 5797

Eaton House School 3-5 Eaton Gate 020 7924 6000

More House School 22-24 Pont Street 020 7235 2855

Francis Holland School 39 Graham Terrace 020 7730 2971

Queen’s Gate School 133 Queen’s Gate 020 7589 3587

Coral Racing 67 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6516

Garden House School Turks Row 020 7730 1652

Sussex House School 68 Cadogan Square 020 7584 1741

William Hill 12 Buckingham Palace Road 08705 181 715

GEMS Hampshire School 15 Manresa Road 020 7352 7077

EXCLUSIVE

CHARITIES

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

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

BOOKMAKERS

British Red Cross 85 Ebury Street 020 7730 2235

SOLICITORS Child & Child 4 Grosvenor Place 020 7235 8000 childandchild.co.uk

Hill House International Junior School Hans Place 020 7584 1331 Knightsbridge School 67 Pont Street 020 7590 9000

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

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

Judith Blacklock Flower School 4-5 Kinnerton Place South 020 7235 6235

IT SUPPORT Dashwood Solutions Contact Jonny Hyam for all your IT needs 07818 592 880

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 BAKERIES

CONFECTIONERS

Baker & Spice 54-56 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 3033

Peggy Porschen 116 Ebury Street 020 7730 1316

Ottolenghi 13 Motcomb Street 020 7823 2707

Rococo Chocolates 5 Motcomb Street 020 7245 0993

CIGAR SPECIALIST

DELI

Tomtom Cigars 63 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 1790

BOOKS Belgravia Books 59 Ebury Street 020 7259 9336 belgraviabooks.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

La Bottega 25 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2730

GREENGROCERS Charles of Belgravia 27 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 5210 The Market Quarter 36 Elizabeth Street 020 7824 8470

JEWELLERS Elizabeth Gage 5 West Halkin Street 020 7823 0100 eg@elizabeth-gage.com elizabeth-gage.com David Thomas Master Goldsmith 65 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7710 De Vroomen 59 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 1901

PERFUMERIES Annick Goutal 20 Motcomb Street 020 7245 0248

Floris 147 Ebury Street 020 7730 0304 florislondon.com

Pet accessories Mungo & Maud 79 Elizabeth Street 020 7022 1207

NEWSAGENT Mayhew Newsagents 15 Motcomb Street 020 7235 5770

033

savills.co.uk

1 SUPERB GRADE II LISTED PERIOD TOWNHOUSE CLOSE TO SLOANE SQUARE eaton terrace, sw1 Entrance hall ø first floor drawing room ø sitting room ø dining room ø kitchen ø study ø conservatory ø master bedroom suite ø 3 further bedrooms (2 en suite) ø 2 guest cloakrooms ø patio garden ø 256 sq m (2,756 sq ft) ø EPC=E

Savills Sloane Street

Savills Knightsbridge

Richard Gutteridge rgutteridge@savills.com

Barbara Allen baallen@savills.com

020 7730 0822

020 7581 5234

Guide £6.65 million Freehold

SA7

Savills.

Flying the flag for London properties all over the world.

62% of Prime Central London properties are sold or let to people outside the UK. So with over 500 offices and associates globally, we are perfectly placed to find you the perfect buyer or tenant.* More than you’re looking for.

Savills Sloane Street 139 Sloane Street SW1X 9AY 020 7730 0822 sloanestreet@savills.com

Savills Knightsbridge 188 Brompton Road SW3 1HQ 020 7581 5234 knightsbridge@savills.com

savills.co.uk *Source: Savills Research

SA74555 Belgravia Residents Journal WPB.indd 1

17/03/2014 11:22

savills.co.uk

1 IMMACULATELY REFURBISHED 1ST AND 2ND FLOOR DUPLEX APARTMENT eaton square, sw1 Entrance hall ø reception room ø dining room ø study ø kitchen/breakfast room ø 2 bedroom suites ø utility room ø guest cloakroom ø balcony ø Grade II* listed ø 266 sq m (2,864 sq ft) Guide £14.5 million Leasehold, approximately 69 years remaining

Ayrton Wylie

Savills Sloane Street

Simon Ayrton sayrton@ayrtonwylie.com

Richard Dalton rdalton@savills.com

020 7730 4628

020 7730 0822

savills.co.uk

LETTINGS LAYOUT ONLY

1

SECOND FLOOR FLAT IN A WELL MAINTAINED MANSION BLOCK wilbraham place, sw1 2 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø reception room ø kitchen ø porter ø 141 sq m (1,522 sq ft) ø Council Tax=H ø EPC=C

Savills Sloane Street Murdi Van Hien mvanhien@savills.com

020 7824 9005 Furnished £1,550 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.

LOWNDES STREET, BELGRAVIA, SW1X ONE BEDROOM LEASEHOLD GROSS INTERNAL AREA: 420 SQ FT/ 39 SQ M

ÂŁ1,100,000 stc Entrance hall, Reception room, Kitchen, One double bedroom, En-suite bathroom An exceptionally bright one double bedroom west-facing apartment situated on the third floor of this imposing period building. Located in prime Belgravia this attractive conversion has been well-maintained and includes entrance hall, reception room, kitchen, double bedroom and en-suite bathroom.

Decorated neutrally throughout, the property is currently used as an investment and could continue to do so, or alternatively would make an ideal pied-a-terre. Lowndes Street is ideally situatedwithinafewminuteswalkofMotcombStreetandSloane Street and their wealth of shopping and restaurants. EPC D.

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

henryandjames.co.uk

EATON PLACE, BELGRAVIA, SW1X TWO BEDROOMS LEASEHOLD GROSS INTERNAL AREA 1109 SQ FT / 103 SQ M

ÂŁ3,500,000

Impressive reception room, Two en-suite bedrooms, Walk-in wardbrobe, Kitchen, Balcony An excellent two double bedroom apartment on the raised ground floor of this impressive Grade Two stuccofronted house. Accommodation includes a beautiful south facing reception room with high ceilings, intricate cornicing, striking fireplace, two large picture windows with shutters and wooden floors. In addition the flat offers

entrance hall, guest cloakroom, well appointed kitchen, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom and seperate walk-in wardrobe and second double bedroom with en-suite shower room. Another feature of the property is an ornate balcony which is accessed from the master bedroom. EPC C.

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

henryandjames.co.uk

UPPER BELGRAVE, BELGRAVIA, SW1 TWO BEDROOMS FURNISHED

£1,800 PER WEEK stc Large south-west aspect reception room, Two bedrooms, Two bathrooms, High ceilings, Wood floors, Communal gardens An impressive two bedroom flat in this striking white stucco period building. Situated on the 2nd floor (with lift), this property benefits from solid wood floors, excellent built-in storage and plenty of natural light throughout.

Accommodation comprises of a stunning reception room with three large windows facing south-west, kitchen with

integrated appliances, master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, second double bedroom with en-suite shower room and a guest cloakroom. The flat is offered furnished for long-term let. We will make an initial oneoff tenancy agreement charge of £240 per tenancy plus £60 referencing charge per tenant. EPC C.

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

henryandjames.co.uk

EATON SQUARE, BELGRAVIA, SW1 FIVE BEDROOMS PART FURNISHED

£6,000 PER WEEK stc Three reception rooms, Five bedrooms, Four bathrooms, Large private patio, Wood floors, Communal and private gardens A rare split-level lateral apartment located on one of London’s finest garden squares.This remarkable property benefits from it’s own private entrance, entertaining space and a large patio garden. The accommodation comprises of a master bedroom with high ceilings, walkin wardrobe and en - suite bathroom, two further double

bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms and a single bedroom or study in addition to separate self-contained staff quarters with it’s own private staff entrance, bedroom, bathroom and utility room. We will make an initial one-off tenancy agreement charge of £240 per tenancy plus £60 referencing charge per tenant. EPC D.

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

henryandjames.co.uk

Branching out in

Belgravia Our reputation, track record and success has enabled us to grow into a second ofďŹ ce in Belgravia, giving you local expertise with a global reach.

Sales 020 7881 7722 Lettings 020 7881 7730

Belgravia Sales 47 Lower Belgrave Street, Belgravia, London SW1W 0LS Belgravia Lettings 82-83 Chester Square, Belgravia, London SW1W 9HJ

2984 Belgravia_A4_AD_V1.indd 1

KnightFrank.co.uk/belgravia @Belgravia_SW1

03/03/2014 17:40

KnightFrank.co.uk

Lowndes Close, Belgravia SW1X Luxury two bedroom mews house

An immaculate newly refurbished two bedroom house located in this charming mews.

The property comprises of master bedroom with en suite bathroom, a further double bedroom, separate shower room, guest cloakroom, reception room, open plan kitchen/ dining area, patio garden, parking. EPC rating G. Approximately 148 sq m ﴾1,593 sq ft﴿ Available furnished Guide price: £3,000 per week (BEQ150774)

17:40

KnightFrank.co.uk/belgravia belgravialettings@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6006

We believe that every building is one-of-akind. Every design is created to a unique, specific and personal vision. And every project requires individual understanding, research and planning.

Blending architectural flair with building surveying professionalism. Collaborating with clients, suppliers, engineers and builders.

Together we create original and beautiful bespoke houses. We are experienced and pragmatic, fresh thinking and innovative; we are Pennington Phillips.

Pennington Phillips 16 Spectrum House 32–34 Gordon House Road London NW5 1LP t: 020 7267 1414 f: 020 7267 7878 design@penningtonphillips.co.uk

ESTATEAGENTS, AGENTS, SURVEYORS SURVEYORS AND AND PROPERTY PROPERTY CONSULTANTS CONSULTANTS ESTATE

81Elizabeth ElizabethStreet, Street,Eaton Eaton Square, Square, London London SW1W SW1W 9PG 9PG 81 Tel: 020 020 7730 7730 9253 9253 Fax: Fax: 020 020 7730 7730 8212 8212 Tel: Email: reception@bestgapp.co.uk Email: reception@bestgapp.co.uk

www.bestgapp.co.uk www.bestgapp.co.uk

Over 100 years experience in Belgravia

Eaton Square, SW1 A beautifully presented Ground and Lower Ground floor flat with a EATON TERRACE, SW1

• Reception Room • Dining Room * Drawing Room: • Kitchen south facing terrace and garden situated in London’s primary square * Dining Room: A well appointed family house situated close to Sloane Square, arranged over five floors • Master Bedroom Suite close to Sloane Square, Victoria and Hyde Park with access to the * 2 Further Reception Rooms: to provide spacious accommodation extending to 272 sq m (2,936 sq ft) with excellent • 2nd Bedroom Square Gardens (by separate arrangement). * Master Bedroom Suite: entertaining space and a 14.6 m (47’) rear garden.

• Shower Room * 3/4 Further Bedrooms: • Laundry * 3 Bathrooms: • Garden £2,300 per week Furnished * Garden Freehold £5,750,000 • Terrace • Porter

77-79 Ebury Street, Belgravia, SW1W 0NZ www.andrewreeves.co.uk

Pimlico Apartments, Westminster SW1 £975,000 Leasehold A three bedroom apartment situated on the second floor within this purposebuilt development. Comprising a master bedroom with ensuite, two further bedrooms and a separate bathroom, large reception room with balcony and a separate fully-fitted kitchen. The development benefits from a concierge and is convenient for the transport connections of Pimlico & Victoria Stations.

• Three bedrooms • Large reception with balcony • Underground parking • Leasehold – Approx. 986 years remaining • Gross internal area 949 sq.ft/88 sq.m

Artillery Mansions, Westminster SW1 £795 per week Furnished A fantastic two bedroom apartment on the sixth floor of this purpose-built development, with underground parking included. The accommodation comprises a reception room, fully-fitted kitchen, two double bedrooms, one with ensuite, plus a separate bathroom. This prestigious property is convenient for shopping in Victoria Street and transport connections of St James’s Park, Westminster & Victoria Stations.

• Two bedrooms, two bathrooms • Luxury kitchen • Balcony • Underground parking • 24-hour concierge

Lettings Office: lettings@andrewreeves.co.uk +44 (0)20 7881 1366

Sales Office: sales@andrewreeves.co.uk +44 (0)20 7881 1333

GRAHAM TERRACE, SW1 A superbly presented property completely reconfigured and refurbished behind a period façade. Energy Rating: C. 3 bedrooms, 2 en suite bathrooms, shower room, drawing room, kitchen/dining/family room, patio garden.

Freehold Guide Price £5,350,000

BOURNE STREET, SW1 A charming mid-terrace house, arranged over 3 floors, with an integral garage and a pretty cobbled patio. Energy Rating: C. 2 bedrooms, bathroom, en suite shower room, reception/dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, patio garden, integral garage.

Freehold Guide Price £2,795,000 SOLD

Eaton Terrace, SW1

SOLD

Guide £5,995,000 Burton Mews, SW1

SOLD

Guide £4,495,000 Eaton Place, SW1

BELGRAVIA 020 3151 6214 belgravia@johndwood.co.uk

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SOLD

Guide £4,850,000 Eaton Square, SW1

Guide £1,650,000

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St Michael’s Mews, Belgravia SW1

An immaculately presented four double bedroom house in this very well-run gated development with the rare benefit of underground parking and a resident estate manager.

ÂŁ4,895,000, Share of freehold

2,511 sq ft (233.3 sq m) Entrance hall | Reception room | Kitchen | Guest cloakroom | Master bedroom with en suite| Second bedroom with en suite | 2 further bedrooms | Bathroom | Double garage | Terrace | Utility room | EPC rating C

Knightsbridge 020 7235 9959 Knightsbridge@struttandparker.com

Belgrave Place, Belgravia SW1

A magnificent first floor three bedroom apartment, laterally converted across two period buildings in prime Belgravia.

2,605 sq (242 sq m) Entrance hall | Drawing room | Dining room | Kitchen | Master bedroom with en suite | Two further bedroom suites | Guest cloakroom | Balcony | Porter | Lift | EPC rating C

Knightsbridge 020 7235 9959 james.forbes@struttandparker.com

ÂŁ12,000,000 Leasehold

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South Eaton Place, Belgravia SW1

A truly exceptional Belgravia townhouse located off Eaton Square and close to the boutique shops and restaurants of Elizabeth Street.

3,404 sq ft (316.2 sq m) Reception room | Drawing room | Dining/ family room | Kitchen | Master bedroom suite | 4 further bedrooms | 4 further bathrooms | Study | Guest cloakroom | South-west facing garden (33ft) | EPC rating D

Knightsbridge 020 7235 9959 knightsbridge@struttandparker.com JSA: Knight Frank 020 7881 7722

ÂŁ10,500,000, Freehold

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Where will we find your perfect buyer or tenant?

As the exclusive UK affiliate of Christie’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.

There’s no better way to open your door to the world.

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

66 Sloane Street London SW1X 9SH Tel: +44 (0)20 7235 9959 knightsbridge@struttandparker.com struttandparker.com/christies

Residents

JOURNAL www. Re si dentsJ ouRnal . co. uk 020 7987 4320