Belgravia Residents' Journal October 2012

Belgravia Resident’s Journal

October 2012

BELGRAVIA Resident’s Journal

O C T O B E R 201 2

I S S U E 005

Proudly published by

RUNWILD M

E

D

I

A

G

R

O

U

P

Editor Kate Harrison

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Associate Publisher Sophie Roberts

Deputy Editor Elle Blakeman

Production Hugo Wheatley

Project Manager Alice Tozer

Head of Design Hiren Chandarana

Production Manager Fiona Fenwick

Head of Finance Elton Hopkins

Designer Sophie Blain

Client Relationship Director Kate Oxbrow

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

W W W. R E S I D E N T S J O U R N A L . C O . U K

Dear Resident

,

Belgravia Residents’ Journal is back and embracing autumn. With the BBC Proms last month bowing out on its usual last-night high, what better a distraction than the Eaton Square Concert season to turn to now? I am very excited about month’s line-up, all laid down for you in The Notebook on page 10.

It’s that time of year when one starts to gradually swap the outdoor elements for central heating, as the nip in the air and earlier nights coax us in. Now is a good time to be considering the history of one very cosy type of housing so prominent in our neighbourhood – the Mews house. The mere term has very interesting origins, all credit to Henry VIII, and the edifices have an equally-intriguing equine past (page 6).

The Victoria and Albert Museum has just cut the ribbon on an alluring ballgown exhibition, which we take a look at in our gallery spread (pages 14-15). Maintaining the arts theme, we enjoy getting lost in the poetic world of former Belgravian resident, Tennyson, on page 24 (That was then).

The Belgravia Residents’ Association has never been busier and gives us its autumn round-up on page 22.

As you will read, there is plenty happening in the area this month. I hope you will be able to make the most of it all, with the help of your October Journal. Do let us know!

Alice

Illustration: Mai Osawa

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: editor@residentsjournal.co.uk; or telephone us on 020 7987 4320.

The Calendar Bringing you the status quo of local events this October

Cheers to the autumn This month, Boisdale of Belgravia will open its doors to customers for a session of English sparkling wine tasting.

The event, organised in the name of Nyetimber, a producer of sparkling wines, will take place on Tuesday 9 October at 6pm. Nyetimber has been producing sparkling wine for over twenty years, aiming to offer a high-quality beverage that is on a par with champagne. Those wines on offer at this event, the highlight of Boisdale’s autumn calendar, are: Nyetimber Classic Curve 2008, Nyetimber Blanc de Blancs 2003 and Nyetimber Rose 2008. The session will be hosted by Sophie Eccles of Nyetimber.

Limited tickets available; Members free (+1 guest), nonmembers £15; 020 7259 1262

Hang around at The Caledonian From 10 October until 27 November, the homely Scottish private members’ club, The Caledonian Club, will be allowing non-members inside its doors, to view works of art from Kilmorack Gallery in Inverness-shire via the Northern Exposure exhibition. It is a rare chance for artists working deep in the Scottish Highlands to show London their vibrant ways, and a good excuse to step foot in the beautiful building at 9 Halkin Street. To request an invitation, contact Ruth Tauber (ruth@ kilmorackgallery.co.uk) or telephone 01463 783 0230. www.caledonianclub.com

‘Arcus’ by Kirstie Cohen

Photography: Shoot me studios

Get lost Why not make the most of a crisp autumn day by embarking on a somewhat unconventional walk around Knightsbridge and Belgravia? The Knightsbridge and Belgravia treasure hunt offers a fun and competitive activity for groups aiming to combine recreation with a test of their local knowledge. Wildgoose treasure hunts can be tailored to suit the needs of those participating and is perfect for corporate teambuilding. The tours use GPS and tablets to facilitate maps, live scoreboards and video challenges that heighten the interactive elements.

To organise a tour or for more information, call 01442 836 220 or e-mail: info@huntthegoose.com

Revisiting Zimbabwe Autumn will be a busy time of year for our local Conservative Association. On Tuesday 16 October, The Right Honorable Liam Fox MP, Former Secretary of State for Defence, will be a guest speaker at the annual Autumn Thorneycroft Luncheon, held at Westminster College in Vincent Square at 12.15pm for 12.45pm. The lunch costs £42.50 including a three-course lunch and wine. The month will be rounded off by St James’ Ward reception on Wednesday 31 October. Guest Mark Fullbrook and his business partner Lynton Crosby, directors of the Boris campaign, will discuss the somehwat off-the-mentalradar current political situation in Zimbabwe. Mark was a key player in a movement that helped to force Robert Mugabe from power. With the next elections looming in the coming twelve months, Mark will reveal fascinating stories from his time in the country which will seem ever more pertinent as Zimbabwe reoccupies the headlines. www.cityoflondonconservatives.co.uk

Grapes? Just what the doctor ordered Situated on the Franco-Italian border, the picturesque Piemonte region is surrounded on all sides by the Alps. On Wednesday 24 October, Belgravia’s residents will have the opportunity to discover the region through a tasting session at The Market Quarter at 36 Elizabeth Street. For £25 per person, guests will be able to taste a variety of different grapes. The region is particularly famous for its nebbiolo grape variety, and visitors will have the opportunity to sample the Naschetta wine produced by it. The evening will begin with a selection of regional wines, the likes of Cavallotto and Principiano, accompanied by some delicious charcuterie for customers’ delectation, including Iberico ham and specialist cheeses. On call to offer advice and guidance for those looking to purchase any of the goods on offer will be market quarter’s resident ‘wine doctor’, Arnaud Compas.

The Vincent Rooms

To attend, contact Alistair on 020 7824 8470

Bookshops adds to its decor Belgravia Books at 59 Ebury Street will this month be exhibiting Mary Thomas’s artwork.

Thomas studied fine art at Coventry Art College and the Royal College of Art, where she explored private and public space through a series of sculptures and monuments. The etchings and linoprints in this exhibition are mainly a response to the Victoria and Pimlico area, where Mary works, and she is fascinated by the chaotic, and often not so pretty, urban landscape around Victoria, and its hidden corners of beauty. Mary also works on other printmaking subject matters and on a larger scale, and welcomes enquiries about her work. Pop in for a peruse of books and art. Those interested in purchasing either should enquire at the front desk. Prices are in the range of £80 to £175.

Clockwise from top left/ ‘Victoria Scenes III’, ‘Victoria Station Hotel’, ‘Pimlico II’, ‘Victoria Scenes I’ and ‘Victoria Scenes II’; all by Mary Thomas

Do you have an event that you’d like us to cover? Send us an email: calendar@residentsjournal.co.uk Words/ Bryony Warren and Alice Tozer

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

005

No place for

a gentleman

Adulterous affairs, horse-keeping and cheese production. Bryony Warren explores the unlikely goings on inside the area’s original Mews houses

S

Illustrations: Mai Osawa

‘Mews houses owe their name to Henry VIII who transferred their use from caging hawks to horses ’

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

ince its inception as a residential area, Belgravia has been synonymous with grandeur and wealth.

We are all familiar with the way in which the many-storied houses, with their imposing front doors and elegant bay windows, define the streets. The area’s original homeowners, however, did not open these front doors themselves or clean their own windows. The upkeep of Belgravia’s property was left in the hands of an army of servants and workers, whose lives and jobs were conducted behind the scenes.

Tucked away down cobbled streets, hidden beyond the glory of the mansions, are tiny secret villages: The Mews. The existence of these non-imposing quietlyconfident edifices that usually line two sides of a series of narrow lanes offers an interesting insight into the vibrant working-class lifestyles lived by the men and women whose job it was to preserve and perpetuate the seemingly effortless polish effused by Belgravia at face value. The mews were out of bounds for the upperclasses (excepting the occasions when gentlemen would venture into their drinking establishments in pursuit of betting tips); but for their servants they formed a social and occupational hub; housing stables, coaches, haysuppliers, dairies, pubs and other enterprises necessary for any busy, hard-working community.

Mews houses owe their name to Henry VIII. Originally the word was used to refer to the building where birds used for falconry were kept, notwithstanding Henry VIII’s hawks. King Henry VIII eventually converted the cages in which his hawks were kept in Charing Cross to stables, a move which spread throughout Britain until the term ‘mews’ was used exclusively to describe horse stables. Subsequently, mews sprang up all over central London, constructed as back-ends to the capital’s most upmarket areas. They allowed country-estate owners to travel to London for the social season by horse and, conversely, they permitted London’s richest families to keep their horses close at hand for occasions when they desired to travel to the country. Horses, though, came with several must-have accessories, principally groomsmen and coachmen. With this in mind, mews houses were usually built over two levels; horses occupying the lower levels whilst the staff resided upstairs. Mews retained this primary equine function until roughly a hundred years ago, when the advent of the motor car replaced horse-travel.

Mews houses are almost exclusive to London. A

007

few were constructed in other wealthy areas around the country, such as Bath, but they were much less in demand and very few have survived to be seen today. In the capital, these two-storey cottages were built as the nineteenth-century equivalent of a garage, and became the starting point for mini villages that grew up around them. Other services that the rich required but did not wish to see were constructed alongside the stables, inevitably followed by recreational spaces for the relaxation and entertainment of the staff, hence the back-street location of many of Belgravia’s pubs. The mews developed a character and energy that was far more relaxed than the austere splendour of their richer counterparts.

The pubs remain in mews today, but the dairies and stables have been replaced by chic houses and artisanal shops. Belgravia’s very own Kinnerton Street is no exception. Originally developed in 1824 by builder Seth Smith and named after a village in Cheshire on the Grosvenor country estate, it seems entirely removed from the sometimes overwhelming magnificence of the rest of the area. The street initially acted as a service road for coach houses, artisans’ homes, small businesses and pubs; Belgravia’s landowners were keen to keep hidden the shops and services that supplied them with goods and maintained the area. The two notable exceptions to this condition were The Pantechnicon and Halkin Arcade (now Waitrose) on Motcomb Street. The former was an enormous furniture store, providing all the interior goods that recently settled Belgravian families could wish for.

In general, Belgravia’s residents were so opposed to the idea of the hired help besmirching the elegant residential façade they had created, that they banned any through traffic from passing across the estate, employing ‘barkeepers’ in top hats to guard Pont Street and King’s Road; men who were tasked with turning away commercial vehicles and unauthorised private carriages. Today, Kinnerton Street is home to a varied selection of retailers.

Egg, for example, sells clothing at fashion’s cutting edge and is housed in the old dairy, where customers can still admire the original blue tiling across the walls. Rachel Vosper, a bespoke candle chandler, is situated on the same street; a twenty-first century equivalent of the craftsmen and artisans who would have originally peopled the buildings.

Mews are sprinkled across Belgravia. Belgrave Square has the gems on each of its four sides, whilst Eaton Mews West is tucked away just off Elizabeth Street.

Wilton Row (originally known as Wilton Crescent Mews) is home to The Grenadier, a refreshingly traditional London pub. That Grosvenor Crescent Mews is gated, with its own porter, is testament to the shift in class and reputation that mews have undergone in the centuries following their construction.

In 1908, a Mayfair mews house was the first to be

008

converted into a residential home, but the majority were transformed into garages between the 1920s and 60s, as the prevalence of the motor car increased. It was not until the 1950s and 60s that the residential use of mews became commonplace and they gained an increasingly glamorous reputation thanks to several high-profile examples in the media. The most scandalous of these was The Profumo Affair in 1963, which saw the destruction of John Profumo’s reputation, the then Secretary of State for War. His adulterous affair with call girl Christine Keeler, who was allegedly also the mistress of a former Soviet spy, at 17 Wimpole Street, a mews house in Mayfair, forced his resignation after accusations of lying in the House of Commons. As the home of choice for characters such as Charlie Croker in The Italian Job and for artists and celebrities, from Francis Bacon to Michael Caine, mews houses developed high-flying connotations of glitz and aspiration.

A survey conducted several years ago confirmed that the word ‘mews’ in an address is ranked more highly than any other housing type. Today, the fact that mews houses are rarely listed buildings is particularly attractive for buyers keen to renovate, convert and expand.

Properties originally intended as modest quarters for servants are frequently re-invented as grand, open-plan spaces. It is somehow touching to learn that one mews is still used for stabling horses today. Bathurst Mews has kept horses consistently since 1835, apart from a brief two years during World War Two, when they became home to motor vehicles instead. London’s mews clearly possess an enduring charm that is at the core of their continued popularity. They offer a more characterful and relaxed alternative to the sometimes exaggerated ostentation of the capital’s main thoroughfares, and are a reminder of villagelife for city-dwellers.

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 Notebook

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

Global buyers and students keep Belgravia’s blood flowing House prices in Belgravia have followed a similar pattern to those in Knightsbridge in recent months, with sales at an average price of £3.83 million, say estate agents Knight Frank.

This makes Belgravia the highest-performing area in London’s property market, thanks to buyers from France, Italy, Russia and India who have have helped increase the cost of homes by 2.8 percent over the course of the past year. Such booming business for London’s more affluent areas is not reflected across the capital as a whole, however, with prices still at a lower rate than that seen at the beginning of 2012.

Belgravia’s charm has continued to attract homeowners, even when pitted against potential causes of downturn such as the Olympics. Foreign interest in the area is not restricted to adult business people, however, as many residents are in fact overseas students. An unlikely category of resident on the surface of things, their wealthy families can in fact afford to rent luxury ‘student digs’ for them. In the past, parents would have been more inclined to buy rather than rent property for their offspring, but recent government measures have called for tougher action on tax avoidance. For example, there now exists a fifteen percent levy on properties purchased through a company structure costing in excess of £2million. Belgravia, where rent prices average £675 per week, attracts students hailing from China and Kazakhstan, in particular.

Long live Cubitt!

Local drinking establishments and eateries The Thomas Cubitt and The Orange – both owned

by Cubitt House – have been voted in the top ten of a list of best bars and pub food in London via a survey conducted by Harden’s London Restaurants 2013 guide. The survey, compiled using reviews and voting systems from customers throughout the capital, also discovered several key trends amongst restaurants in London; restaurant openings have risen by twentyfive percent over the past year, for example, and the average cost of dinner for one has increased to £46.55. The survey is one of the first to take into account the sustainability of the restaurants judged. All four Cubitt House venues (The Thomas Cubitt, The Pantechnicon, The Orange and The Grazing Goat) have rated amongst the restaurants with the best levels of sustainability in the country. We are spoilt for choice! www.cubitthouse.co.uk

Illustration: Russ Tudor

Awash with autumnal sensual delights

The Songmen

Floris perfumer

The BBC Proms have passed but the much awaited Eaton Square Concerts, organised by Carl Muller, are about to bloom into being. The concerts will host an array of musical delights, firstly in October. St Peter’s Church will continue its tradition, established over the previous twelve seasons, of showcasing professionals of international acclaim alongside up-and-coming British musicians. On Thursday 11 October, The Castalian Quartet will reveal the talent and virtuosity that led them to win the 2012 St Peter’s Eaton Square Prize as well as the Royal Overseas League’s award for outstanding chamber music ensemble. On 18 October, The Songmen will perform their impressively versatile a cappella repertoire, before the season continues into November.

A special entry rate to the concerts is offered to members of the Belgravia Residents’ Association when booking online at their website. Visit www.belgraviaresidents.org.uk and hover over ‘Forthcoming Events’ before clicking ‘Eaton Square Converts’ for the code.

Meanwhile bespoke perfumery Floris, will be hoping to spread its scent, having accounced plans to open a branch in Belgravia’s Ebury Street imminently. The area is housing a few skeletal shop fronts and residents will only be too delighted to see this trusted brand decorating one of them.

It will be the second London store of the high-end luxury brand; the familyrun business’s flagship store is currently based at 89 Jermyn Street, where it was founded a remarkable 282 years ago by Juan and Elizabeth Floris.

The Belgravian boutique will offer a unique and tailor-made approach to the purchase of perfume. The typical Floris experience is perfect as a truly special gift and invites customers to attend a series of consultations with an expert over a six-month period in order to determine which oils and essences gathered from across the globe will suit their individual tastes. Whoever said deliberating over a new perfume was such hard work? www.eatonsquareconcerts.org.uk; www.florislondon.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

011

Brasseries instrumental in the area It’s no strange thing to see a continentally themed bar-cum-restaurant open in London these days. Yet still, to see a renewed flurry of activity in this – the brasserie – sector is certainly very exciting and more so when it’s on our doorsteps at Sloane Square. It is at this location that English billionaire Richard Caring, who is renowned for his success in property, fashion and restaurants, has followed up plans to open a new branch of Côte, the upmarket but affordable purveyor of French cuisine. The restaurant officially opened on 24 September and is expected to draw locals like bees to a honeypot. Meanwhile, over on the other side of the square, Chris Corbin and Jeremy King, owners of such iconic London restaurants as The Wolseley and The Delauney, are planning an October launch of a brasserie named Colbert in place of what was once Oriel restaurant, which was a local landmark in West London for a quarter of a century but closed in early 2010. The vision they have for Colbert is that of a wonderful all-day grand café providing eating and grazing from breakfast until the evening turns to night. They plan to bring to the venue the Wolseley style and format. Is Sloane Square big enough for the both of them?

On a related note, the building due to house the new Colbert restaurant at 50-52 Sloane Square has achieved early acclaim in the 2012 Structural Awards, a competition launched and judged by The Institution of Structural Engineers. The impressive Victorian edifice also houses four floors of residential flats. Engineers were praised for their expertise in renovating the structure, utilising cutting-edge techniques in order to lower the basement, so that restaurant space would meet the demands of the modern restaurantgoer. Impressively, this was achieved without having to evacuate the rest of the building; the flats remained occupied throughout the process. 50-52 Sloane Square is in prestigious company, as other constructions shortlisted by the Awards include the London 2012 Olympic Stadium, the Al Hamra Firdous Tower in Kuwait, Titanic Belfast, Adidas Laces in Germany and The American Express Community Stadium (all across various categories). The winner is due to be announced on 2 November at the Marriott Hotel in Grosvenor Square.

A sketch of Colbert, opening imminently in Sloane Square

The new Côte, Sloane Square

The Belgravia Games is official The Terrace at Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel did its best to stave off post-Olympic comedown in September by hosting its very own Belgravia Games. Whilst the competition on offer did not require quite as much stamina or athleticism as the feats accomplished by the likes of Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis, participants nevertheless had to employ some degree of physical skill. Giant versions of boxing-day favourites such as Connect 4, Kerplunk, Jenga and a mega buzz wire transformed the restaurant. There is of course one major difference: customers were able to build up their strength and energy before unleashing themselves into this gaming battle, by indulging in the special Sloane’s gininfused menu created by head chef Martin Gabler. Dishes included pan-fried sea bass flambéed in gin with herb butter sauce and basil and pesto tomatoes, as well as sautéed spinach followed by a gin and tonic sorbet served with fresh raspberries. Not quite the warm-up of Olympians, but undoubtedly an essential precursor to a hard-fought session of Connect Four.

Words / Bryony Warren and Alice Tozer

012

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 winning school entry in the ‘Spirit of Belgravia’ photography competition by Kate Sharpe of Francis Holland School

Established in 1972 we have 40 years’ experience in matters affecting Belgravia and its residents. Local decisions have to be made every day from how new buildings should look to which way traffic should flow.

We know that residents care deeply about the neighbourhood and their way of life and we aim to support them through our initiatives and activities.

Join us and discover more about life in Belgravia.

For more information or to join, please visit:

www.belgraviaresidents.org.uk

Art Focus

Out and about on the Belgravia art trail, and beyond...

Far from jaded This autumn, the Ciancimono gallery will showcase a range of objects crafted out of Chinese jade. The strikingly unusual pieces are examples of the scope for modern artistry within even the most ancient of materials. The gallery will also feature work by one of Ciancimino’s favourite artists: twentieth-century designer, Felix Agostini. French-born Agostini began his career working with wrought iron, ceramics and bronzes and gradually started to specialise in the production of lamps. Today, his works in bronze, brass, plexiglass and glass remain popular as luxury, high-quality items of furniture for upmarket domestic spaces.

85 Pimlico Road 020 7730 9950/59

Re-upholster for autumnal boost Talisman showcases an eclectic selection of decorative objects and interior design. This month, the store’s key items are part of its bespoke upholstery collection, which has been developed and worked on throughout the past year. Customers can choose from a variety of items that have been produced according to traditional methods of upholstery in Talisman’s West Country workshops, personalising and adapting the furniture so that it meets their individual needs and tastes. A wide range of fabrics is available for clients’ perusal to ensure that the design is exactly what they desire both practically and aesthetically.

Talisman should be your first port of call for high-quality, unique interior design.

190-192 Ebury Street 020 7730 7800

Words / Bryony Warren

Underwater love

Soane Britain specialises in the manufacture and design of bespoke interior pieces. This autumn, it will launch six new fabrics, designed by Creative Director Lulu Lytle, inspired by antique fabrics and textiles. The design and production of the fabrics is a traditionally British process; they are put together by hand in an old Victorian mill. The green-patterned fabric displayed here is known as ‘seaweed lace’ and it takes its inspiration from a French pattern book from the early nineteenth century. Depth and shading are created in the design through the use of two very similar vegetable dyes. The vintage pink fabric has been called Tulu Rose and the patterning has its origins in a faded carpet woven in central Turkey. The antique, vintage feel of the fabric lends itself perfectly to curtains, blinds and lampshades.

50-52 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6400

Belles of the ball Lauren Romano visits the renovated Fashion Galleries at the V&A to indulge in sixty years of ballgown history

L

urking in the cobwebbed recesses of many a wardrobe, the ballgown remains a timeless embodiment of glamour. From its first appearance on the floors of the debutante dancehall to the glitzy gowns which sashay down the red carpet facing the flash of a thousand cameras, the ballgown has almost always been a beacon of beguiling design.

Ballgowns: British Glamour Since 1950, the inaugural exhibition at the V&A’s renovated Fashion Galleries, traces the evolution of the most glamorous of glad rags. Amid the riot of tumbling silk trains, scattered with scabs of crystals and dotted with delicate embroidery, gowns designed for an arsenal of famous wearers hang from the mannequins behind glass cabinets. In one corner, a Norman Hartnell floaty crinoline frock designed for the late Queen Mother, is the opening gambit to an eye-catching Who’s Who (or Who Wore What?) of high society and the celebrity A-list over the last six decades.

Princess Diana’s Elvis dress, encrusted with some 20,000 pearls, is a crowd pleaser, as is a taffeta roseembellished dress once worn by Joan Collins. Creations from all the famous fashion houses du jour (Bellville Sassoon, Sybil Connolly, Victor Edelstein) are also present and correct in this blast from the ballgown past.

So far, so good. However, the curation of the exhibition does leave something to be desired. Although there appears to be a loosely held chronology at play, which charts the shift from the nipped in waists and bell-shaped skirts of the 1950s, all the way to the 70s-favoured flowing kaftans and the bows and fuss of the 1980s, the crowded gallery is a bit confusing to navigate properly. Snaking around the glass cabinets, which are organised chromatically, it’s a challenge to fully gauge any lasting impression of the history of formal attire, meaning an appreciation of anything other than the aesthetic is difficult.

The sparse captioning doesn’t help either. Whilst exhibitions tend to have a habit of ascribing every single object with a chunk of explanatory bumf so tedious to decipher that you spend more time reading than actually appreciating what’s in front of you, in this instance the lack of context is disappointing. Although touched upon, further details on the designers and stories about the former wearers of the dresses themselves, would have Victor Edelstein Photographer: David Hughes

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

given the exhibition extra edge. Another sticking point is the way in which the apparel on the lower floor of the gallery is displayed; not one frock can be orbited around, which is a shame. As a result it’s hard to truly appreciate the garish sculpturing of Ossie Clark’s 1976 leather and lace show-stopper, which calls to mind a giant purple Quality Street, or Vivien Westward’s romantic reinterpretation of an eighteenth-century Rococo motif design, shoved into a dimly lit corner.

There are some flashes of brilliance though; a newsreel of fashion reports from the 1960s onwards, showing clips of a fashion parade at Highclere Castle (aka Downton Abbey) is a visual tribute to the elegance of yesteryear’s stately home balls and adds a splash of context to an otherwise largely directionless array of togs. The classic commentary alone makes it worth watching: ‘And as for that draft excluder’ (describing a £12,000 mink fur coat) ‘if your wife wants one and won’t take no for an answer, well, take her to the pictures instead’.

Upstairs on the mezzanine level, the focus shifts from the dramatic creations worn at debutante balls to the celebrity-thronged red carpet. However it’s the setting rather than the dresses which initially dazzle up here. Ascending the stairs the first thing that catches the eye is an amazing series of projected images, which flicker into life in the alcoves of the spectacular, domed ceiling. The gowns themselves present a checklist of frocks from the biggest British fashion houses: there’s an autumnal inspired Erdem dress, a futuristic chain mail number by Gareth Pugh and a Swarovski-encrusted, crystal floor-sweeper worn by Beyoncé to perform at the White House (which took no less than fifteen couturiers hundreds of hours to make).

Yet for all the glitz, it’s actually the newly reopened Fashion Galleries circling the exhibition space which provide a much more absorbing insight into the different ages of fashion, one which is thoughtfully displayed and eyecatchingly accessorised. A wander round here and the ballgowns, beautiful as they are alone, suddenly come to life and sit in greater context. www.vam.ac.uk Until 6 January 2013

Above (circle)/ Giles S/S 2011 Photographer: Tim Walker, Model: Coco Rocha © Tim Walker / Art + Commerce Erdem A/W 2008 Photographer: David Hughes

015

The

Belgravian Found in translation

Alice Tozer meets Jane Aitken, the lady who gifted Belgravia with its local bookshop and discusses the reputations of English foreign-language translations and ebooks

B

elgravia Books graced the doors of Belgravians – hitherto starved of a local bookshop – a year ago last month. It was a stepping stone from Jane Aitken’s established publishing company, Gallic Books; an entity dedicated to the translation of French and Spanish titles and one which was born from the translation of French historic crime novels – a vibrant genre across the Channel in France, so I am told, at the time in 2007.

‘It had struck me that in France, people read translations of English books all the time, alongside French literature, so I reasoned that there had to be a shared sense of taste,’ explains Jane. ‘I tried to tap into that with the translation of historical crime at first.’ And so Gallic Publishing began and went on to produce translations of French and Spanish books of various genres. The Gallic fleck was no coincidence in light of the fact that Edinburgh-born owner Jane, had previously raised her four girls for four years in Geneva and France, having married the Frenchman she met whilst studying history at Oxford. She improved her command of the language considerably, building on remnants of her A-level past. Her new business was the vehicle through which Jane (alongside the Spanish influence in the company, former colleague at Random House Publishing, Pílar Webb) translated her love of books to one of French books.

The people behind the publishing business were a consequence of Jane pooling her available resources, a reflection of considerable business nouse; Guy Ramage who works in the shop with Andy Barr had worked with her at Random House and the entourage collectively has a background stretching from Waterstones to Borders. Indeed the neat and highly navigable Belgravia Books website, which triples as an online shop and

location of the fun-sounding book ‘Blogravia’, reflects the business acumen of those on board and is something which smaller, independent trades do not always possess. Belgravia Books – the shop – was phase two of the Aitken literary project (phase three could be a second shop in the not-sodistance future).

Smart blue signage await customers at a section of Ebury Street (number 59) that is not an obvious thoroughfare but which is the retreat of office bods during lunchtimes and locals during the day, many of whom are foreign (German, Dutch and American, notably) but seeking English words. Selling foreign books in their original language remains undiscovered territory for Belgravia Books but one which it strikes me they would do well to touch upon.

However, the shop is a very compact space, something which contributes to its charm as does the fact you can ask for tea and coffee and will sometimes even receive homemade cake (according to the website). It is immaculately laid out with room to breathe but also packed full to capacity and, as Jane says, ‘something would have to go’ in the event of adding to the repertoire.

There is an eye-catching children’s section (complete with rug) stocking Classic series in particularly smart and colourful editions. Much thought evidently goes into the decisions of what Illustrations: Russ Tudor precisely to stock, why and how.

Indeed, as a parallel to this process there is the decision of which books to translate; one which Jane has to take regarding all her Gallic titles which the shop evidently peddles but not exclusively; you will also find other independent publishers’ books and translations of foreign language titles above and beyond Gallic’s Hispano-Franco focus. There is also a large stash of Penguin titles and a table nestled with bestsellers; Fifty Shades of Grey doesn’t escape even these shelves, however fleeting the craze.

‘I read two to three books a week. If I find a book I love I will look into us translating it or part translating it with someone else. Joint translations can be very effective, particularly if there are different, highly distinctive characters in a book. If there is one translator, you risk all the dialogue sounding like the writer.’ Jane does some translating herself, as well as overseeing both her businesses. Whilst not overly confident about her ability in French (like many English speakers of foreign tongues this is probable cautious modesty) she thinks she has a sound passive understanding at very least and that just that might be an advantage over native French translators working into English, who often reveal a strange sense of idiom in English.

Jane cites one example of an effective multi-person approach to literary translation as The President’s Hat by Antoine Laurain (originally ‘Le chapeau de Mitterand’). She is so enthralled by the tale that I immediately catch the bug. ‘It’s about a man who is in a restaurant with his family and another gentleman leaves his hat behind,’ she says. ‘The man picks it up and wears it.

Doing so changes his manner and he experiences all sorts of life-transforming changes. The initials “FM” are labelled inside the hat, because it is François Mitterand’s. The man accidentally leaves the hat on a train and it is picked up by the next unsuspecting person, a lady whose initials are also “FM”.

She thinks it’s her destiny to wear the hat, therefore, and doing so helps her resolve many of her problems.’ It sounds to me like charming French produce; philosophy (in this case something of the “put yourself in someone else’s shoes” ilk) interweaved with the quotidian.

An alternative idea for an off-the-the-high-street readable Christmas present would be the shop’s bestseller The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery (originally L’élégance du hérisson) which follows events in the life of a Parisian concierge, Renée Michel, who deliberately hides his true intelligence until an unstable but intellectually precocious girl, Paloma Josse, reveals it. The book is narrated by both characters. Jane is, interestingly given it is her trade, not a believer in emblazoning the translator’s name across the cover of a book. ‘I’m sorry I just think that if you do that then a whole host of other names should be on the cover too.’

It’s a can of worms; how much is a translated work the fruit of the original author and how much that of the translator whosr work is a skilled and also artistic process?

Jane buys the rights to her chosen books. Unsurprisingly for a bookshop owner, she prefers the real thing (ie a book) to the Kindle even though she is far from against its use. ‘You wouldn’t want to sit a child down on your knee with one, would you? But they are brilliant for

reading manuscripts,’ she says. This autumn, Belgravia Books is in fact hoping to embrace digital downloading. However, Jane is well aware of the pitfalls of the culture. ‘Well, you don’t actually own the book. So it’s not yours.’ She agrees with me that having your tangible book spines in view is a satisfaction which the convenience of the Kindle does not outdo and mentions Bruce Willis’s recent legal bid to try to pass on his iTunes library on to his children when he dies (currently it would revert to Apple ownership). This situation is entirely comparable to the book world. When purchasing an ebook, the buyer obtains not a book but a license to the book as opposed. The limitations of the purchase are highlighted by the fact you can not sell an ebook on, like you can a book.

Foreign language translations on the UK market have really come into their own in recent years; just in the last four to five years, Jane thinks that other publishers have followed her lead of embracing the ‘genre’. Is it becoming something of a craze to read foreign translations? ‘It is certainly less high brow than it was and this is thanks to the commercialisation of English translations of foreign titles – Shadows of the Wind

by Spaniard Carlos Ruiz Zafón being a case in point.’ Another factor, she adds, is the increasing number of quality translations of books originally penned in Chinese, for example. Certain TV series have also helped water a thirst for foreign culture, such as The Killing which has really contributed to revitalising Scandinavian crime.’ All these elements have fed into the hotpot of foreign interpretations into which the country increasingly wants to dip.

‘But it’s unfair to think that we were previously insular,’ says Jane. ‘Before this happened, we read lots of Indian fiction for instance.’

Interestingly for an English person who does have a linguistic string to her bow, Jane doesn’t sing to the tune of those who say that the English are generally apathetic with our approach to acquiring foreign languages. ‘It’s not surprising we’re hopeless,’ she says. ‘It’s so hard for us to practise other languages because when we’re abroad people speak to us in English before we’ve had a chance to even open our mouths.’ I think Jane speaks from personal frustration, but the success of her working world shows she has not really been lost for words.

‘You wouldn’t want to sit a child down on your knee with a Kindle, would you?’

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

017

The Classroom Key news and diary dates regarding your local schools

Annual talk set to make an impression at Francis Holland On Wednesday 14 November, the yearly Old Girls’ Lecture will take place at Francis Holland School in Sloane Square. The topic, presented by Melanie Clore, Chairman of Sotheby’s Europe, will be Impressionist & Modern Art: The Ultimate Trophy.

One of the most experienced specialists in the Impressionist and modern art field, Melanie Clore was the first female auctioneer to take an evening sale of Impressionist and modern art in 1990. She has been featured in the Evening Standard’s ‘London’s 1,000 Most Influential People’ listing for the last two years.

The Francis Holland Old Girls’ Society is for all those who have attended the school whether staff or pupils. Its committee meets three times a year and it holds a party at the school each year on the school’s birthday. Its autumn lecture is typically given either by an old girl or a parent.

The Francis Holland School is a leading London independent day school for girls aged four to eighteen years of age.

To reserve tickets please call the school office on 0207 730 2971 or email ab@fhs-sw1.org.uk. Drinks start at 6.30pm and the lecture begins at 7pm.

Eaton House School , 3 Eaton Gate

Charitable diary date with much to gain

Pupils at Francis Holland School

Eaton House will get the academic year off to a meaningful start on 17 October, with its first charity fundraiser. Hoping to better last year’s event which raised an awe-inspiring £150,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital, parents, friends, staff and old boys are invited to attend a live auction of a selection of generous gifts (previously, these have included art, days out, sporting events and even holidays). This will be followed by a silent auction of further prizes and a presentation by the chosen charity. The evening will be rounded off by a rousing sing-along from the school staff. Enough to put us all in a convivial autumnal mood.

Do you have schooling news that you’d like us to cover? Send us an email: education@residentsjournal.co.uk

HALF TERM

END OF TERM

OTHER DATES FOR THE DIARY

Eaton House

22 – 26 October

Thursday 13 December

• Thursday 11 October (8.45am-1.40pm): Individual photos

Francis Holland

22 October – 2 November (inclusive)

Wednesday 19 December

• Friday 30 November: Staff INSET Day Open days: • 1 October: 16+ Open Evening • 2 October, 2pm: Junior School Open Afternoon • 3 October: 11+ Information Meeting and Open Morning for Junior School • 9 October: School closes at 1pm for girls. Senior School girls return 5.30pm, 6-8pm Open Evening

Knightsbridge School

24 October – 2 November

Thursday 13 December

Hill House International Junior School

Friday 19, 1pm (Friday clubs as normal) – Monday 29 October (to return in winter uniform)

Friday 14 December (1pm)

Sussex House School

Week of 22 October

Wednesday 22 December

More House School

School will close at 4.20pm on Thursday 25 October. Half term will run from Friday 26 October until Friday 2 November. School re-opens on Monday 5 November at 8.30am.

Boarders are welcome to return after 6.30pm on Sunday 4 November.

Friday 14th December (half day with carol service at 11.30am, followed

by Friends’ Lunch)

Cameron House School

Friday 19 – Friday 26 October (inclusive)

Wednesday 12 December

GEMS Hampshire School

Monday 22 – Friday 26 October

Friday 14 December

Glendower Preparatory School

Monday 15 – Friday 26 October

Wednesday 12 December

Miss Daisy’s Nursery

Thursday 18 – Friday 26 October

Wednesday 12 December

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

• Monday 1 October: Upper Transitus Netball vs Thomas’s, Fulham, Upper School Alpha, Beta & Gamma Parents’ Social Evening, 6.30-8pm (Founders’ Hall) • Wednesday 3 October: Upper Sixth Football vs St Anthony’s • Thursday 4 – Monday 8 October: Sixth Form Common Entrance Geography Project Course 3 in Glion • T hursday 4 October: Upper School Beta history trip to Museum of London • Monday 8 October: Senior School Football vs St Nicolas • Tuesday 9 October: Transitus Parents’ Social Evening 6.30-8pm (Founders’ Hall) • Wednesday 10 October: Upper Sixth Football vs The Hall • Thursday 11 October: Upper School Gamma history trip to the Museum of London • Friday 12 – Tuesday 16 October: Sixth Form Common Entrance Geography Project Course 4 in Glion • Friday 12 October: Upper Sixth 7 a-side Football vs Eaton Square • Monday 15 October: Upper Transitus Netball vs Thomas’s, Battersea • Wednesday 17 October: Upper Sixth Football vs Fulham Prep

• Friday 5 October: Exeat • Friday 12 October, 4.30pm: New Parents’ Evening • Friday 26 October: INSET (staff training)

Pupils outside More House School

019

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

Planning applications Application received

24 August

Application received

1 August

Address

11-13 Knightsbridge

Address

4 Burton Mews

Proposal

Retention of terraces at rear first to third floor levels for maintenance purposes only. Retention of Juliette balconies and terraces at rear fourth to sixth floor levels for use by hotel guests. Retention of obscure glass within rear windows at first to second floor levels.

Proposal

Application received

23 August

Approval of details pursuant to Conditions 4 and 5 of planning permission dated 9 February 2012 (RN: 11/07564), namely detailed drawings at a scale of 1:20 of the new conservatory and a Construction Management Statement.

Address

38 Belgrave Square Repair to damaged urn at parapet level on the Belgrave Square elevation of building.

Application received

1 August

Proposal

Address

38 Grosvenor Gardens

Application received

20 August

Proposal

Address

8A Motcomb Street

Proposal

Use of the first and second floors to provide a 1x2 bed flat (Class C3). Installation of a satellite dish at roof level.

Display of flag on existing flag post above 38 Grosvenor Gardens measuring 182.9cm x 91.4cm.

Planned Road Works and Closures in AND AROUND OCTOBER STREET

PLANNED WORK

DATES

WORKS OWNER

Buckingham Palace Road, Warwick (ten metres north of Eccleston Street junction)

Replace one jointbox frame and cover(s) (1220mm x 680mm) in carriageway

1 Oct – 3 Oct

British Telecommunications

Lower Sloane Street

Excavation in CW to repair blocked gully

28 Sep – 4 Oct

Kensington & Chelsea

46 St Barnabas Street

Excavation in footpath to expose service cable . Three parking bays outside nos 42-46 to be suspended for walkway.

26 Sep – 2Oct

UKPN East & Lon LTD

Bressenden Place, St James’s ) outside 27-30 and opposite 29 Bressenden Place, Warwick Road junction)

Build one concrete chamber (1690mm x 710mm x 1565mm deep) in footway; build two concrete chambers (2315mm x 737mm x 1565 mm deep)in footway; demolish one existing jointbox or cabinet base(s).

24 Sep – 4 Oct

Transport For London

Connections Highway Services: new individual supply.

7 Oct – 11 Oct

UKPN East & Lon LTD

Conversion-1X63MM MDPE (supply with six internal fit metres to serve six flats).

2 Oct – 8 Oct

Thames Water

Hoarding build

1 June – 2 Nov

Transport For London

Connections projects: disconnection (approximate depth 450mm)

1 Oct – 11 Oct

UKPN East & Lon LTD (formerly EDF Energy Networks)

Paving works - 160m2

16 Oct – 30 Oct

Kensington & Chelsea

Clear two blockages I carriageways. Interim to permanent reinstatement

30 Sep – 2 Oct

Virgin Media (formerly Telewest Communications)

Buckingham Palace Road (cycle Docking Station south of junction with Bressenden Place) 19A Basil Street Brompton Road, Knightsbridge & Belgravia Chapel Street, Regent’s Park (side of no.16 Grosvenor Place) 23-37 Chesham Street Hans Crescent (near no. 33)

r Cr esc

Hyde Park Corner

sve no

Knightsbridge

Gro b

m co

et

re

St

ot

M

Belgrave Square Gardens

Up

pe

Be

lg

ra

ve

Pl

el

gr

av

e

St

ac

e

gs

Ro a

d

et Pont Stre

rB

Eli

zab

Sloane Square

eth

Str

eet

Buc kin gha mP ala ce Roa d

Ch

es

te r

Sq

ua

re

Ki n

The Belgravia Residents’ Association encourages visitirs to its website to read how to make a difference regarding the vote for neighbourhood boundaries.

‘By so doing you will be giving the local community the say on how a neighbourhood area is to provide a geographic area of Westminster. This will give rise to where a potential neighbourhood forum can undertake neighbourhood planning,’ says Sara Oliver of the association.

The concept of neighbourhood planning represents a fundamental change to the planning system. Communities will be able to develop local planning policies that will become part of the planning framework for their area and grant permitted development rights for certain types of new development. Additional information in relation to neighbourhood planning can be viewed on the government’s website: www.communities.gov.uk/planningandbuilding/ planningsystem/neighbourhoodplanningvanguards/.

The Belgravia Residents’ Association is in favour of this concept. If you agree with the application process then please write to them in support of the boundary area.

You can now access Westminster Services and Environmental Planning via a link from the BRA website. ‘We have a number of exciting projects on the go at present and are looking for ways to fund them. Do contact our Communications team to find out how you can help,’ Sara Oliver adds.

ent

Marking Belgrvia’s territory

o Road

Pimlic

www.belgraviaresidents.org.uk

Keeping the streets pristine Ravi Kumar of the Belgravia Residents’ Association is continuing to investigate complaints and monitor environmental issues such as dog fowling and rubbish in Belgravia. Please contact him or email the team at environment@ belgraviaresidents.org.uk if you have any concerns that need to be addressed.

In with the new A building erected in the 1970s has undergone extensive refurbishment in order to convert itself into forty-seven one, two and three-bedroom pied-à-terre apartments. The address, at 55 Ebury Street, was bought jointly in November last year

by Boultbee (the privately owned property, investment and development company) and Epsilon Real Estate Partners. There has been interest from both investment buys and owner occupiers for the purchse of the leasehold apartments, up for sale at between £850,000 and £2,850,000. Once home to such varied and accomplished luminaries as Mozart, Tennyson, Vita Sackville West and Harold Nicolson, Ian Fleming and Dame Edith Evans, Ebury Street remains a quiet residential area, thanks in part to the one-way traffic system which flows from west to east.

Do you wish to comment on any local planning stories? Send us an email: planning@residentsjournal.co.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

021

Residents’ Culture We interact with readers about life in the community

The Residents’ Association’s

Autumn Round-up

by Sara Oliver

It has been a busy summer for London and Belgravians alike: Diamond Jubilee, countless garden parties, carnivals, Olympics and Paralympics have united in a cornucopia of extravaganza. The BRA have had a busy time too: historic tours and photography competitions have come to the fore in the summer and this autumn. Welcome ‘home’ to those of you who have been abroad.

Residents with children have now safely seen them back to school.

There are new neighbours in the vicinity and they are not your average residents either; the Bees of Belgravia have arrived and seem to be settling in well. There are fifty thousand of them living the high life in neighbouring Victoria and being looked after by Grosvenor Landscape Gardner and now, Beekeeper, Nick Butler who completed a bee-keeping course.

Provided they all survive the winter, Belgravians can look forward next year to enjoying special Belgravia honey, made locally.

To donate, volunteer or to make your garden bee-friendly, visit: www.bee-collective.co.uk or email: caroline@bee-collective.co.uk.

We are delighted to invite businesses in Belgravia to apply for space in our annual Black Book Directory. Please contact Communications for further details on how you can participate in our exciting new edition due out in late autumn. Join in the community spirit with access to our companion Perfectly Belgravia (featured on the Grosvenor website) and your products and services will be seen by those who appreciate simply the best.

The electoral services at Westminster City Council are looking to recruit canvassers to work for six weeks between September and November as part of their annual canvass. Due to the nature of the job, preference will be for those who live or work locally and Westminster Electoral Services would be grateful to any local groups or residents who may be interested in the role. Please visit the BRA website for further information.

Please spare a few moments to complete the Belgravia Life Survey developed by Grosvenor in conjunction with Elizabeth & Pimlico Traders and the BRA, in order to explore ways of continuing to enhance Belgravia. Have your say by visiting the website and giving your feedback. This survey can be found on our website: www.belgraviaresidents.org.uk.

We are inviting all young people up to the age of eighteen to share ideas and views on what you think would help you enjoy life even more in Belgravia.

Contact us (with parental permission) or ask your school or parents to do so; the ‘Have Your Say’ wing of the communications team would love to hear for you. Email: communications@belgraviaresidents.org.uk. Also look out for upcoming volunteer opportunities designed with the younger residents of Belgravia entirely in mind.

The BRA is focusing on supporting young people to find local volunteering and fundraising opportunities. Young people living in the area are often looking for ways to fundraise in line with initiatives such as The Duke of Edinburgh Awards or The Princes Trust. The Belgravia Residents’ Association is teaming up with local schools to support and encourage these. Email Communications and we will keep you informed on developments as they happen.

There are still tickets available to attend Spencer House on 1 October. Please go to our online booking office to reserve your place. We have added two extra tours to our events site. The tour of the House without champagne costs £20 and without champagne followed by lunch at Dukes Hotel, a short stroll from the venue, costs £45.

Local resident and BRA member, Geoffrey Ellis is on a mission to have a blue plaque made in honour of past famed resident and close childhood friend Brian Epstein, who discovered and managed The Beatles. Geoffrey was recently interviewed by a leading German newspaper on the fiftieth anniversary of the band’s first single. There is also a glossy coffee table book available featuring famous photographer Harry Benson titled The Beatles on the Road 1964-66 edited by Reuel Golden, and featuring pictures of Brian with The Beatles whilst on tour. If anyone can help Geoffrey with his campaign then please contact Communications.

We are always on the look out for residents with innovation and foresight to help bring about the many aspects that need attention every day. We work in conjunction with Westminster and Grosvenor and the more we make ourselves heard collectively the louder our voice will be heard when tackling the many challenges and decisions that have to be made. Please join us and remember we are here for those who love Belgravia.

Until next month...

Image above/ Neftali / Shutterstock.com

What is concerning you about life in Belgravia? Write to us at: letters@residentsjournal.co.uk 022

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

A French

feast

French cuisine has come a very long way since bite-size portions and escargots of the 1970s.

Bryony Warren steps just outside of the Belgravia boundary to chase her rabbit

T

om Aikens was the youngest British chef to be awarded two Michelin stars, aged twenty-six, in the late 90s. Today, his eponymous restaurant established in 2003 (a ten minute stroll from Sloane Square) has undergone thorough refurbishment and relaunched this year. Born in Norwich, as a child Aikens used his many France-based family holidays to full effect, going on to carve out a career in elegant, French-inspired restaurant cuisine.

At Tom Aikens, the restaurant’s interiors are an understated but classy affair.

Simple wooden tables stand throughout expansive floor space, sparing the diner a tête-à-tête with neighbours that they did not order. There is none of the garish brashness that is sometimes a result of artificial lighting; instead, grey walls manage to avoid the somewhat grim air of industrialisation that such colours could feasibly create, broken up by a row of enormous mirrors and quotations. ‘Worthless people love only to eat and drink; people of worth eat and drink only to live’ would be one; a philosophy my guest and I were able to attribute to Socrates after a quick Google with our third guest, the iPhone.

Diners can choose between a six or eight coursetasting menu for the table (£60 and £80, respectively), or you can à-la-carte it. My guest and I opted for the latter and I began with scallops (£15.50), a dish that I have sampled many times before, but still had something to learn from this marinated, hand-dived version which was presented with vibrant panache. I spent a few moments admiring the scallops’ colourful busyness before daring to tuck in.

They were wonderfully fleshy, without being chewy or tough, and came perfectly complimented by generous lashings of dill dressing, crème fraîche and dill juice. My guest similarly decided to taste a novel version of an old favourite, and ordered what was rather vaguely described on the menu as ‘Cauliflower’ (£13).

This turned out to be a plate of the vegetable in various different forms, granted a meatier texture by supplements of beef tendons and crispy brisket. Neither of us was aware of the gastronomic potential cauliflower had been hiding all this time.

Having begun the meal with a light and fruity Italian white wine, we were recommended a bottle of Blaufrankisch. The rich liquorice infusions of this Austrian red, comparable to Pinot Noir, were well-suited to our choices for the main. It

was refreshing to be presented with wine from a region whose viticulture was not well-known. Back to the substance and my guest was impressed by the delicately tender consistency of her John Dory (£26) and equally taken with what she described as the ‘ultimate prawn crackers’ with which it was served. These were in fact the shells of prawns, deep-fried so that they became edible. My poached and roast rabbit loin (£26) came with sprinkles of black pudding crumbs, glazed carrots and carrot-dressing. The orange root vegetable was perhaps a little too sweet for my liking, but the quality of the meat more than compensated. Rabbit, when cooked badly, has a tendency to be bony and dry, but there was absolutely no cause for concern here; the meat was presented in bundles bursting with juicy flavour and no bone in sight.

My guest rounded off the meal with a cheeseboard (£12.50), strictly adhering to the order of consumption advocated by the waiter. Of the five on offer, she was particularly enamoured with the goat’s cheese and Roquefort, the strength of the latter rendering it not one for the faint-hearted. Possessing a sweeter tooth, I tucked into the Caramelised Délice D’or Apple (£10.50). The pain perdu on the side was buttery but not too rich, whilst the accompanying elderflower, ginger and butterscotch - served in a multitude of arrangements from jellies to jus - provided zesty variety.

A brief perusal of the restaurant’s website prior to dining had made us worried that we might have to stop for a bag of chips on the way home. The images featured, whilst undeniably beautiful, did indicate the kind of minimal nouvelle-cuisine that sends dread into the heart of famished diners desperate for a good meal. Thankfully, our fears were entirely unfounded.

We left fully satisfied, unable even to polish off the indulgent petit-four that followed dessert. That the waiter offered to box up them up is a mark of the establishment’s impressive hospitality. The service was friendly and helpful without being overbearing or condescending, an echo of the food which was delicious and varied without being pretentious or overwhelming.

43 Elystan Street 020 7584 2003 www.tomaikens.co.uk

READER OFFER AT TOM AI

KENS RESTAURANT

belgravia Residents’ Journal readers can re ceive a complimentary glas s of wine at Tom Aike ns when dining off the two or three set lunch menu.

A complimentary glas s of champagne is offe red on arrival for those trialing the seven-co ur se tasting menu at lunc h or dinner. Valid fo r up to four people per table du ring October and Nove mber.

Telephone the restaura nt beforehand and qu ot e ‘The belgravia Resident s’ Journal Reader Offe r’.

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

023

That was

Then

Alfred Lord Tennyson was born in Lincolnshire in 1809. Educated at Cambridge University and famed for timeless poetry such as ‘The Charge of the Light Brigade’ and ‘Tears, Idle Tears’, Tennyson battled with depression and melancholia throughout his life, a temperament that informed the subject matter of his work to a great extent. He resided at 9, Upper Belgrave Street between 1880 and 1881

Illustrations: Mai Osawa

W

illiam Wordsworth, Poet Laureate, died on 23 April 1850. Shortly afterward, Tennyson wrote to his friend John Forster, ‘I see that the Spectator mentions two candidates for the Laureateship basking in the sunshine of royal favour. Does he mean already enjoying pensions? If so, does he mean L.Hunt and myself? I sincerely hope Hunt will get it rather than myself’… …In September, the Prime Minister wrote to the Queen, suggesting that ‘there are three or four authors of nearly equal merit, such as Henry Taylor, Sheridan Knowles, Professor Wilson, and Mr Tennyson, who are qualified for the office.’… By October, the Queen was expressing a preference for Tennyson, and enquiring into his character as well as his literary merits. Assured as to both, she offered him the post in November. Tennyson was later to tell his friend James Knowles, ‘The night before I was asked to take the Laureateship, which was offered to ne through Prince Albert’s liking for my In Memoriam, I dreamed that he came to me and kissed me on the cheek.

I said, in my dream, ‘Very kind, but very German’. In the morning the letter about the Laureateship was brought to me and laid upon my bed. I thought about it through the day, but could not make up my mind whether to take it or refuse it, and at the last I wrote two letters, one accepting and one declining, and threw them on the table, and settled to decide which I would send after my dinner and bottle of port.’ He was appointed on 19 November… ... As to the Laureate’s duties, Tennyson underrated the extent to which they would prove natural to his talent.

‘The taskwork ode has ever failed’, he was to observe… he wrote ‘As for writing court odes except upon express command from Headquarters, that I shall not do. Pretty things they are likely to be.’ But he was to find a great deal that was very congenial (not taskwork at all) in the Queen’s hopes for him…The Queen herself he was to thank him with dignity – ‘Revered, beloved’ – in his first publication as Poet Laureate, ‘To the Queen’, which he dated ‘March 1851’ and published as the dedication of the seventh edition of his poems in 1851. ... Two observers catch the strange combination of the smouldering and the craggy in the Alfred Tennyson who now had years and honour. The first observer is

Nathaniel Hawthorne in 1857: ‘Tennyson is the most picturesque figure, without affectation, that I ever saw; of middle-size, rather slouching, dressed entirely in black, and with nothing white about him except the collar of his shirt, which methought might have been clean the day before. He had on a black wide-awake hat, with round crown and wide, irregular brim, beneath which came down his long black hair, looking terribly tangled; he had a long, pointed beard, too, a little browner than the hair, and not so abundant as to incumber any of the expression of his face… He is exceedingly nervous, and altogether as un-English as possible; indeed, an Englishman of genius usually lacks the national characteristics, and is great abnormally, and through disease.’

Wrote Tennyson:... ‘In my youth I knew much greater unhappiness than I have known in later life.

When I was about twenty, I used to feel moods of misery unutterable! I remember once in London the realization coming over me, of the whole of its inhabitants lying horizontal a hundred years hence. The smallness and emptiness of life sometimes overwhelmed me.’

Cambridge in 1827 had not struck Tennyson as vivid or warm. He wrote to his aunt, Mrs Russell: ‘I am sitting Owl-like and solitary in my rooms (nothing between me and the stars but a stratum of tiles), the hoof of the steed, the roll of the wheel the shouts of drunken Gown and drunken Town come up from below with a sea-like murmur… I know not how it is but I feel isolated here in the midst of society. The country is so disgustingly level the revelry of the place so monotonous, the studies of the University so uninteresting, so much matter-of-fact; none but dryheaded, calculating, angular little gentlemen can take much delight in [logarithms].’…

As prophesied, the 1842 volumes established Tennyson as the foremost poet of his generation. But to Tennyson in 1842 the publication was mostly an occasion for glumness; he wrote to Fitzgerald (another poet and friend from Cambridge), ‘Don’t abuse my book: you can’t hate it more than I do, but it does me no good to hear it abused; if it is bad, you and others are to blame who continually urged to publish. Not for my sake but yours did I consent to submit my papers to the herd –d-n’em! And all reproach comes too late.’

Compiled by Bryony Warren

Extracts from ‘Tennyson’ by Christopher Ricks; pp 28; 61; 163; 219-221 and 223-224; published by Palgrave Macmillan

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

025

The Belgravia

Directory A compendium of the area’s key establishments

Estate Agents Ayrton Wylie 16 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 4628

Henry & James 1 Motcomb Street 020 7235 8861

Savills 139 Sloane Street 020 7730 0822

Best Gapp & Cassells 81 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 9253

John D Wood 48 Elizabeth Street 020 7824 7900

Strutt & Parker 66 Sloane Street 020 7235 9959

Harrods Estates 82 Brompton Road 020 7225 6506

Knight Frank 82-83 Chester Square 020 7881 7722

W A Ellis 174 Brompton Road 020 7306 1600

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

CAFÉS Belgravia Coffee Bar 4 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 3738 Bella Maria 4 Lower Grosvenor Place 020 7976 6280 Caffe Reale 23 Grosvenor Gardens 020 7592 9322

The Green Café 16 Eccleston Street 020 7730 5304

The Belgravia (classic) 152 Ebury Street 020 7730 6040

Olivo (pizzeria) 21 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2505

ll Corriere 6 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 2087

The Duke of Wellington (classic) 63 Eaton Terrace 020 7730 1782

Zafferano (Italian) 15 Lowndes Street 020 7235 5800

The Old English Coffee House 1 Montrose Place 020 7235 3643

The Nag’s Head (classic) 53 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 1135

Patisserie Valerie 17 Motcomb Street 020 7245 6161

The Wilton Arms (classic) 71 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 4854

Tomtom Coffee House 114 Ebury Street 020 7730 1771

BRITISH FARE

Valerie Victoria 38 Buckingham Palace Road 020 7630 9781

RESTAURANTS

Bumbles Restaurant 16 Buckingham Palace Road 020 7828 2903

PUBS

Como Lario (Italian) 18-22 Holbein Place 020 7730 9046

The Antelope (classic) 22-24 Eaton Terrace 020 7824 8512

Il Convivio (Italian) 143 Ebury Street 020 7730 4099

Ken Lo’s Memories of China Manager: Ardjan Kelmendi Cuisine: Chinese; Capacity: 120 65-69 Ebury Street 020 7730 7734 Mango Tree Manager: Chai Cuisine: Thai; Capacity: 150 46 Grosvenor Place 020 7823 1888 Motcombs 26 Motcomb Street 020 7235 6382 Nahm Manager: Tarama Archer Cuisine: Thai; Capacity: 100 The Halkin Hotel Halkin Street 020 7333 1234

Salloos Manager: S. Quershi Cuisine: Pakistani; Capacity: 55 62-64 Kinnerton Street 020 7235 4444

The Sekara Manager: Kantsi Gunasekera Cuisine: Sri Lankan; Capacity: 50 3 Lower Grosvenor Place 020 7834 0722

Petrus Manager: Paulina Trocha Cuisine: French; Capacity: 86 1 Kinnerton Street 020 7592 1609

La Poule au Pot Manager: Lionel Banda Cuisine: French; Capacity: 70 231 Ebury Street 020 7730 7763

Michael Garry Personal Training 54b Ebury Street 020 7730 6255

Motcomb Green 11-12 Motcomb Street 020 7235 2228

Yogoji (Yoga) 54a Ebury Street 020 7730 7473

Stephen Casali 161 Ebury Street 020 7730 2196

HAIR SALONS

MEDISPA

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

Bijoux Medi-Spa 149 Ebury Street 020 7730 0765

The Light Centre Belgravia 9 Eccleston Street 020 7881 0728

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

earthspa 4 Eccleston Street 020 7823 6226

ANTIQUES

ARTEFACTS

Bennison 16 Holbein Place 020 7730 8076

Odyssey Fine Arts 24 Holbein Place 020 7730 9942

Zuber 42 Pimlico Road 020 7824 8265

Linley 60 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7300

FINISHING TOUCHES

FURNITURE

Turkmen Gallery 8 Eccleston Street 020 7730 8848

Ciancimino 85 Pimlico Place 020 7730 9959

Mark Wilkinson Kitchens 10 West Halkin Street 020 7235 1845

The Dining Chair Company 4 St Barnabas Street 020 7259 0422

Ossowski 83 Pimlico Road 020 7730 3256

Hemisphere 97 Lower Sloane Street 020 7730 9810

Promemoria UK 99 Pimlico Road 020 7730 2514

Jamb 107a Pimlico Road 020 7730 2122

Soane 50-52 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6400

Lamberty 46 Pimlico Road 020 7823 5115

Talisman 190-192 Ebury Street 020 7730 7800

Health & Beauty BARBER

DOCTORS

Giuseppe D’Amico 20 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2968

The Belgrave Medical Centre 13 Pimlico Road 020 7730 5171

DENTISTS

The Belgravia Surgery 26 Eccleston Street 020 7590 8000

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

Dr Kalina 109 Ebury Street 020 7730 4805

GYM/ FITNESS

SPA

Home

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

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

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

027

The Belgravia

Directory Westenholz 80-82 Pimlico Road 020 7824 8090

Gauntlett Gallery 90-92 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7516

GALLERIES

Gordon Watson 28 Pimlico Road 020 7259 0555

88 Gallery 86-88 Pimlico Road 020 7730 2728 Ahuan Gallery 17 Eccleston Street 020 7730 9382

John Adams Fine Art 200 Ebury Street 020 7730 8999

INTERIOR DESIGN

RESTORATION

Chester Designs 9 Chester Sqare Mews 020 7730 4333

Humphrey-Carrasco 43 Pimlico Road 020 7730 9911

Coote & Bernardi 59 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6064

Paul Hahn 5 Lower Grosvenor Place 020 7592 0224

Joanna Wood 48a Pimlico Road 020 7730 5064

The Osborne Studio Gallery 2 Motcomb Street 020 7235 9667

Living Interiors 57 Ebury Street 020 7730 0545

Lynton Hotel 113 Ebury Street 020 7730 4032

Belgravia Rooms 104 Ebury Street 020 7730 1011

Tophams Hotel 24-32 Ebury Street 020 7730 3313

Morgan Guest House 120 Ebury Street 020 7730 2384

The Diplomat Hotel 2 Chesham Street 020 7235 1544

LUXURY

Westminster House Hotel 96 Ebury Street 020 7730 4302

Lime Tree Hotel 135-137 Ebury Street 020 7730 8191

BOUTIQUE Astors Hotel 110-112 Ebury Street 020 7730 0158

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

The Grosvenor 101 Buckingham Palace Road 0845 305 8337

The Belgravia Mews Hotel 50 Ebury Street 020 7730 5434

The Sloane Club Lower Sloane Street 020 7730 9131

The Halkin Halkin Street 020 7333 1000

Barclays Bank 8 West Halkin Street 08457 555 555

Royal Bank of Scotland 24 Grosvenor Place 020 7235 1882

William Hill 12 Buckingham Palace Road 08705 181 715

C Hoare & Co 32 Lowndes Street 020 7245 6033

BOOKMAKERS

British Red Cross 85 Ebury Street 020 7730 2235

Gallery 25 26 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7516

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

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

Services BANKS

SOLICITORS

Coral Racing 67 Pimlico Road 020 7730 6516

CHARITIES

Child & Child 14 Grosvenor Crescent 020 7235 8000

EDUCATION Cameron House School 4 The Vale 020 7352 4040 Eaton House School 3-5 Eaton Gate 020 7924 6000 Eaton Square School 79 Eccleston Square 020 7931 9469 Francis Holland School 39 Graham Terrace 020 7730 2971 Garden House School Turks Row 020 7730 1652 GEMS Hampshire School 15 Manresa Road 020 7352 7077

Glendower Preparatory School 86-87 Queen’s Gate 020 7370 1927 Hill House International Junior School Hans Place 020 7584 1331 Knightsbridge School 67 Pont Street 020 7590 9000 Miss Daisy’s Nursery Ebury Square 020 7730 5797 More House School 22-24 Pont Street 020 7235 2855

Sussex House School 68 Cadogan Square 020 7584 1741 Thomas’s Kindergarten 14 Ranelagh Grove 020 7730 3596

EXCLUSIVE

LIBRARY Victoria Library 160 Buckingham Palace Road 020 7641 1300

MOTORING Belgravia Garage 1 Eaton Mews West 020 7235 9900

POST OFFICE

The Caledonian Club 9 Halkin Street 020 7235 5162

Post Office 6 Eccleston Street 08457 223344

FLORISTS

PRINTING & COPYING

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

Printus 115a Ebury Street 020 7730 7799

Neill Strain Floral Couture 11 West Halkin Street 020 7235 6469

TRAVEL

David Thomas Master Goldsmith 65 Pimlico Road 020 7730 7710

Les Senteurs 71 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 2322

De Vroomen 59 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 1901

Mungo & Maud 79 Elizabeth Street 020 7022 1207

Erickson Beamon 38 Elizabeth Street 020 7259 0202

PharmacIES

Charles of Belgravia 27 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 5210

Kim Poor 53 Elizabeth Street 020 7259 9063

Walden Chemist 65 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 0080

The Market Quarter 36 Elizabeth Street 020 7824 8470

NEWSAGENT

Polishers

Mayhew Newsagents 15 Motcomb Street 020 7235 5770

F Bennett and Son 9 Chester Square Mews 020 7730 6546

JEWELLERS

PERFUMERY

Stationer

Carolina Bucci 4 Motcomb Street 020 7838 9977

Annick Goutal 20 Motcomb Street 020 7245 0248

Grosvenor Stationery Company 47 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 4515

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

Bravo Travel 6 Lower Grosvenor Place 0870 121 3411

Specialty Shops BAKERIES Baker & Spice 54-56 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 3033 Ottolenghi 13 Motcomb Street 020 7823 2707

CIGAR SPECIALIST Tomtom Cigars 63 Elizabeth Street 020 7730 1790

BOOKS Belgravia Books 59 Ebury Street 020 7259 9336

CONFECTIONERY Peggy Porschen 116 Ebury Street 020 7730 1316

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

Pierre Hermé Paris 13 Lowndes Street 020 7245 0317 Rococo Chocolates 5 Motcomb Street 020 7245 0993

DELI La Bottega 25 Eccleston Street 020 7730 2730

GREENGROCERS

Pet accessories

Keencare Chemist 6 Lower Belgrave Street 020 7730 8747

029

savills.co.uk

1 AN OPPORTUNITY TO DEVELOP TWO GRADE II* LISTED BUILDINGS eaton square, sw1 Investment and development opportunity ø pair of Grade II* listed buildings with potential subject to consents ø currently arranged over 6 floors as 3 maisonettes ø double mews house ø caretaker's flat ø 1,594 sq m (17,161 sq ft) Price on application Freehold

Savills Sloane Street

Michael Berman & Co

Noel De Keyzer ndekeyzer@savills.com

Martin Berg martin.berg@michaelberman.co.uk

020 7730 0822

020 8346 5100

k

savills.co.uk

1 NEWLY REFURBISHED MEWS HOUSE IN THE HEART OF BELGRAVIA eaton mews north, sw1 Entrance hall ø 3 reception rooms ø study ø kitchen/breakfast room ø master bedroom suite ø 2 further bedroom suites ø guest cloakroom ø 198 sq m (2,133 sq ft) Guide £4.65 million Leasehold, approximately 91 years remaining

Savills Sloane Street

Savills Knightsbridge

Charles Holbrook cholbrook@savills.com

Matthew Morton-Smith mmsmith@savills.com

020 7730 0822

020 7581 5234

savills.co.uk

1 A RARE DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY belgrave square, sw1 Grade I listed building ø prime location ø accommodation arranged over 6 floors (lift) ø terrace and balcony ø current planning as B1 use ø potential to convert to a single family dwelling (consents required) ø 1,309 sq m (14,088 sq ft)

Savills Sloane Street

Savills Knightsbridge

Noel De Keyzer ndekeyzer@savills.com

Barbara Allen baallen@savills.com

020 7730 0822

020 7581 5234

Price on application Leasehold, approximately 125 years remaining (unenfranchiseable)

savills.co.uk

1 A WELL PRESENTED APARTMENT WITH PORTER AND PARKING lowndes court, sw1 Entrance hall ø drawing room ø kitchen ø master bedroom with en suite bathroom ø 2nd bedroom ø bathroom ø lift ø 24 hr porter ø underground parking space ø 113 sq m (1,212 sq ft) Guide £3.25 million Leasehold, approximately 997 years remaining

Savills Sloane Street

Savills Knightsbridge

Christian Warman cgwarman@savills.com

Alex Christian achristian@savills.com

020 7730 0822

020 7581 5234

CHESHAM MEWS, LONDON. SW1X FREEHOLD TWO BEDROOMS GROSS INTERNAL AREA: 1,419 SQ FT/ 132 SQ M

ÂŁ4,450,000 stc Two reception rooms, Cloakroom, Two bedrooms, Two bathrooms, Intergrated sound system, Garage.

A picturesque home that has been thoughtfully designed and beautifully presented laid out over three floors. Quietly situated in this highly sought after cobbled Belgravia Mews, the property has attractive entertaining space with a first floor reception and separate dining room on the ground floor next to the kitchen. There are two double bedrooms, the master

occupying the whole of the second floor, which has a large en suite bedroom/dressing room and a small terrace. The second bedroom also has its own en suite bathroom and is situated on the first floor. In addition there is a guest cloakroom and large integral garage/utility room. The property is west facing and there are numerous features throughout.

BELGRAVIA OFFICE 1 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JX +44 (0)20 7235 8861

belgraviaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk

henryandjames.co.uk

GRAHAM TERRACE, LONDON. SW1X FREEHOLD TWO BEDROOMS GROSS INTERNAL AREA: 1,722 SQ FT/ 160 SQ M

ÂŁ3,250,000 stc Double reception room, Dining room, Two bedrooms, Study, Garden, Roof terrace.

A charming and attractively presented mid terrace period and garden. The property, which has been wonderfully maintained, offers well-planned accommodation, including double reception room with doors leading to the terrace, study, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, two double

bedrooms, an en suite bathroom and shower room. In addition there is a utility room and vault storage. Graham Terrace, which lies within a conservation area, is a charming street that runs between Holbein Place and Eaton Terrace and therefore it is extremely convenient for shopping, restaurant and transport facilities on Sloane Square.

BELGRAVIA OFFICE 1 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JX

henryandjames.co.uk

CADOGAN SQUARE, LONDON. SW1X TWO BEDROOMS FURNISHED

ÂŁ1,175

PER WEEK stc Reception room, Eat in kitchen, Two double bedrooms, Two bathrooms, Communal gardens, Porter, Maid A contemporary first and second floor two bedroom maisonette located on this prestigious garden square in a desirable period building with porterage. The property has been neutrally decorated throughout with solid wood flooring and high ceilings in the reception room. Accommodation comprises of two double bedrooms, two en suite bathrooms,

reception room, kitchen, porter, weekly maid service and access to communal gardens (by separate negotiation).

Situated within a short walking distance to Knightsbridge and Sloane Square tube stations and moments from the boutiques and restaurants on the Brompton Road. The property is available from October, furnished for a long let.

BELGRAVIA OFFICE 1 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JX +44 (0)20 7235 8861

belgraviaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk

henryandjames.co.uk

EBURY STREET, LONDON. SW1W FOUR BEDROOMS FURNISHED

ÂŁ2,300

PER WEEK stc Three reception rooms, Four double bedrooms, Four bathrooms, Study, Roof terrace, Private garden.

An extremely spacious and well presented Victorian house in a highly sought after Belgravia location. Boasting in excess of 3,000 square feet, the property offers formal and informal reception areas, a large modern eat-in kitchen, study, bar and four double bedrooms. The property further benefits from excellent outside space including a large patio garden and a

first floor roof terrace. Ebury Street is a superb location within walking distance of local schools and the shops, restaurants, cafes and bars of Elizabeth Street. Victoria station and Sloane Square provide excellent transport links and are both within a ten minute walk of the property.

BELGRAVIA OFFICE 1 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8JX +44 (0)20 7235 8861

belgraviaoffice@henryandjames.co.uk

henryandjames.co.uk

A23385 WAE BELGRAVIA MAGAZINE_03M.indd 1

17/09/2012 09:50

A2

09:50

A23385 WAE BELGRAVIA MAGAZINE_03M.indd 2

17/09/2012 09:50

Chester Street, Belgravia SW1 • 6 Bedrooms

• Kitchen/breakfast room

• 6 Bathrooms

• 2 Balconies and a terrace

• 3 Reception rooms

• Approx. 3,592 sq ft (333 sq m)

£5,250 per week Furnished or unfurnished For more information call Lucy Morton on 020 7306 1630 or email lmorton@waellis.co.uk

“ A wonderfully spacious Georgian townhouse in the heart of Belgravia”

W.A.Ellis LLP 174 Brompton Road London SW3 1HP

waellis.co.uk

A233445_WAE_SAL_DPS.indd 2

19/06/2012 16:51

EBURY STREET, SW1

GRAHAM TERRACE, SW1

A well presented Victorian family house with a good range of flexible accommodation, in this convenient location between Victoria, Elizabeth Street and Sloane Square.

A mid-terraced Victorian house recently refurbished to a very good standard, and with its own pretty paved garden.

4 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms (2 en suite), 3 reception rooms.

2 bedrooms, bathroom, shower room, 2 reception rooms.

Furnished £2,300 per week

Unfurnished £1,200 per week

EBURY MEWS, SW1

EBURY STREET, SW1

A charming and sensibly arranged two storey house in a cobbled mews just to the south of Chester Square and around the corner from the amenities of Elizabeth Street.

A recently refurbished 2nd floor flat in a purpose-built block, with lift, conveniently located close to all the facilities of Sloane Square and Elizabeth Street.

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), reception room.

Bedroom, bathroom, reception room.

Furnished £995 per week

Furnished £600 per week

BELGRAVIA 020 7824 7900 belgravia@johndwood.co.uk

Belgravia Residents Journal Oct.indd 1

www.johndwood.co.uk

11/09/2012 08:37

Be

An exceptionally attractive flat with a separate artists’ studio/study close to Sloane Square.

2 bedrooms, bathroom, drawing room, balcony, cloakroom/utility room, cloakroom, artists’ studio/study.

Freehold Share Guide Price £1,550,000

An extremely elegant flat, situated on the 1st floor of a popular modern building, beautifully presented with well proportioned rooms, a well maintained bathroom and a modern kitchen.

2 bedrooms, bathroom, drawing room, lift, porter.

Lease to 2101 Guide Price £1,250,000

BELGRAVIA 020 7824 7900 belgravia@johndwood.co.uk

Belgravia Residents Journal Oct.indd 2

TRUSTE

LOWER SLOANE STREET, SW1 D

R GEN E FO

IONS AT R

08:37

D’OYLEY STREET, SW1

140 Years of Property

18

72 - 2 012

www.johndwood.co.uk

11/09/2012 08:38

Knight Frank

Eaton Square, Belgravia SW1

An immaculate two bedroom penthouse A newly refurbished two bedroom fourth floor apartment located on one of London’s most prestigious garden squares. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and dressing room, a further double bedroom with en suite bathroom, reception room, kitchen, dining room, guest cloakroom, lift and porter services. Approximately 167.5 sq m (1,802 sq ft) Unfurnished Guide price: £3,650 per week

(BEQ165770)

Belgravia Lettings Belgravialettings@knightfrank.com 020 7881 7730

Knight Frank

Eaton Mews South, Belgravia SW1 Spacious three bedroom mews house

A recently refurbished mews house with a good balance of living and entertaining space.

Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 2 further bedrooms with en suite bath/shower rooms, reception room, kitchen, media room, study, utility room, guest cloakroom, private parking.

Approximately 181 sq m (1,943sq ft) Freehold Guide price: ÂŁ4,350,000 (BGV120078)

Belgravia Sales belgravia@knightfrank.com 020 7881 7722

81 Elizabeth Street, Eaton Square, London SW1W 9PG T: 020 7730 9253 F: 020 7730 8212 E: reception@bestgapp.co.uk www.bestgapp.co.uk Over 100 years experience in Belgravia

RANELAGH GROVE, SW1 A superb family house extending to 215 sq m (2,315 sq ft) arranged over four floors to provide 4 excellent double bedrooms.The reception areas have been opened out on the ground and lower ground floors to create light and bright entertaining space. Pimlico Green with its many boutique shops and restaurants is a short walk away.

Freehold

ÂŁ3,800,000

* * * * * *

Double Reception Room Kitchen / Dining / Family Room Master Bedroom Suite 3 Further Bedrooms 2 Bathrooms Garden

ESTATE AGENTS, SURVEYORS AND PROPERTY CONSULTANTS 81 Elizabeth Street, Eaton Square, London SW1W 9PG Tel: 020 7730 9253 Fax: 020 7730 8212 Email: reception@bestgapp.co.uk

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

BURTON MEWS, SW1 A rare opportunity to acquire a small mews house with parking that would benefit from some modernisation, situated in this quiet cul de sac close to the boutique shops and restaurants of Elizabeth Street. Sloane Square and Victoria underground and main line stations are a five minute walk away.

Freehold

ÂŁ1,300,000

* * * * *

Reception Room Kitchen 2 Bedrooms Bathroom Parking

Montpelier Square, Knightsbridge, SW7 An absolutely stunning family house over 6 floors (with lift) all finished to the highest of standards with beautiful paint colours and fabrics throughout.

The accommodation of approx 4250 sq ft comprises ground floor reception room leading to dining area and large kitchen, formal first floor reception room leading to conservatory, bar and out to the terrace, cinema room, five double bedrooms and five bathrooms.The house is on the favoured north side of this quiet Knightsbridge square, yet moments from Harrods. Available immediately for long term let on a furnished or unfurnished basis. ÂŁ7,000 pw 020 7225 6602 Karen.boland@harrodsestates.com

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE: 82 BROMPTON ROAD LONDON SW3 1ER T: +44 020 7225 6506 MAYFAIR OFFICE: 61 PARK LANE LONDON W1K 1QF T: +44 020 7409 9001

HARRODSESTATES.COM

Montpelier Square, Knightsbridge, SW7 Overlooking the gardens of one of Knightsbridge’s premier squares, this elegant period townhouse of approximately 4,247sq ft (395sq m) is arranged over six floors with a lift. The property has been refurbished and furnished to the highest specifications, and incorporates the latest technology. The lower ground, ground and first floors are dedicated to three spacious reception/entertaining areas, with access to either the double height glazed atrium or the roof terrace.

Freehold £14,500,000 subject to contract 020 7225 6508 shaun.drummond@harrodsestates.com

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE: 82 BROMPTON ROAD LONDON SW3 1ER T: +44 020 7225 6506 MAYFAIR OFFICE: 61 PARK LANE LONDON W1K 1QF T: +44 020 7409 9001

HARRODSESTATES.COM

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

Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Chelsea

CHESHAM STREET, SW1

A substantial period house ( not listed) at the western end of Belgravia.

The property has many spacious rooms with high ceilings and appealing period features, including a fine stone staircase and cornice work.

Further notable assets are roof terraces and a lift to all floors.

6,178 sq ft / 573.9 sq m

ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES

Master Bedroom with Ensuite Bathroom • 5 Further Bedrooms • 3 Further bathrooms/Showerooms • 4 Reception Rooms • Kitchen/Breakfast room • Study • Media Room • Music/Playroom/Games Area • Staff Bedroom/Gym with Ensuite bathroom • Laundry Room: Guest WC • 2 Vaults • Lift to all floors Patio • 3 Terraces • Access to Belgrave Square Gardens (subject to annual fee)

FREEHOLD £14,000,000 16 Lower Belgrave Street, Belgravia, London SW1W 0LN

sales@ayrtonwylie.com

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

Belgravia, Knightsbridge, Chelsea

CHESTER SQUARE, SWI

A fine white stucco fronted house of in one of Belgravia’s premier squares. The house has recently been refurbished in an appealing modern style, making the most of the lovely light rooms.

4490 sq ft / 408 sq m

FREEHOLD £14,950,000

ACCOMMODATION AND AMENITIES

Master Bedroom with en-suite bathroom • 4 Further Bedrooms with en-suite shower rooms and bathrooms • Bedroom 6/Staff room with en-suite bathroom Drawing room • Dining room • Library • Kitchen/Breakfast room Study • Media room • 2 Guest WC’s • Utility room • Wine cellar • Vault • Roof terrace Off street parking space in the mews behind the property (subject to licence) Use of Square gardens

sales@ayrtonwylie.com

Chelsea Fulham & Parsons Green Kensington & Holland Park Knightsbridge, Belgravia & Mayfair Notting Hill & Bayswater West Chelsea & South Kensington

Sales 020 7225 3866 Sales 020 7731 7100 Sales 020 7938 3666 Sales 020 7235 9959 Sales 020 7221 1111 Sales 020 7373 1010

Lettings 020 7589 9966 Lettings 020 7731 7100 Lettings 020 7938 3866 Lettings 020 7235 9959 Lettings 020 7221 1111 Lettings 020 7373 1010

City Office Professional Valuations UK Commercial & Residential Residential Investment Property Management

020 7600 3456 020 7318 5039 020 7629 7282 020 7318 5196 020 7052 9417

struttandparker.com

Parkside | Knightsbridge | SW1 2,315 sq ft (215.1 sq m)

A large apartment on the 7th floor of a very well-run portered building in Knightsbridge, with wonderful views of Hyde Park.

Reception hall | Drawing room | Kitchen/breakfast room | Four bedrooms | Three bath/ shower rooms | Guest cloakroom | Utility room | Lift | 24hr porter Asking price ÂŁ6,350,000 Share of Freehold

Knightsbridge 020 7235 9959

Scan this QR code with your camera phone to read more about this property.

Free QR code readers are available for download from our website at struttandparker.com/qrcode

Collette Court | Knightsbridge | SW1 3,959 sq ft (368 sq m)

This exceptionally large triplex offers lots of reception space as well as excellent bedroom accommodation.

Drawing room | Kitchen | Master bedroom with en suite bathroom | Five further bedrooms | Three further bathrooms | Cloakroom | Utility room | Study | Conservatory | Patio Asking price ÂŁ3,950 per week Furnished

Knightsbridge Lettings 020 7235 9959

Scan this QR code with your camera phone to read more about this property.

Free QR code readers are available to download from our website at struttandparker.com/qrcode

Chelsea Fulham & Parsons Green Kensington & Holland Park Knightsbridge, Belgravia & Mayfair Notting Hill & Bayswater West Chelsea & South Kensington

Sales 020 7225 3866 Sales 020 7731 7100 Sales 020 7938 3666 Sales 020 7235 9959 Sales 020 7221 1111 Sales 020 7373 1010

Lettings 020 7589 9966 Lettings 020 7731 7100 Lettings 020 7938 3866 Lettings 020 7235 9959 Lettings 020 7221 1111 Lettings 020 7373 1010

City Office Professional Valuations UK Commercial & Residential Residential Investment Property Management

020 7600 3456 020 7318 5039 020 7629 7282 020 7318 5196 020 7052 9417

struttandparker.com

Whittaker Street | Belgravia | SW1 2,738 sq ft (254 sq m)

Forming part of the prestigious Belgravia Place development this property benefits from a resident estate manager and secure parking.

Reception room | Kitchen | Drawing room | Master bedroom suite | Three bath/shower rooms | Utility room | Garage | Garden | Resident estate manager Asking price ÂŁ6,250,000 Share of Freehold ÂŁ4,500 per week Unfurnished

Knightsbridge 020 7235 9959

Scan this QR code with your camera phone to read more about this property.

Free QR code readers are available for download from our website at struttandparker.com/qrcode

CD

Where will we find your perfect buyer?

At Strutt & Parker, we’ve always gone to great lengths to bring the right buyer to your door, using our knowledge, contacts and total commitment to achieve the sale you want. But now we go further than ever. As partners in the Christie’s International Real Estate network, we can reach quality buyers in 42 countries via 1,049 offices and a website visited 135,600 a month.

There’s no better way to open your door to the world. struttandparker.com/christies 66 Sloane Street, London SW1X 9SH 020 7235 9959 knightsbridge@struttandparker.com

CD2615_S&P_Christies_advert.indd 1

04/09/2012 14:10