Belgravia Residents' Journal May 2015 by Runwild Media Group

BELGRAVIA Resident’s Journal M A Y 201 5

I SSU E 0 3 6

ABU DH

Where will we find your perfect buyer or tenant? As the exclusive UK affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate network, we can reach quality buyers and tenants in 46 countries via 950 offices and a website visited 135,600 times a month. There’s no better way to open your door to the world. The Belgravia Residents’ Journal is published independently by Runwild Media Group with regular editorial contributions from The Belgravia Residents’ Association. To become a member of the BRA, visit www.belgraviaresidents.org.uk. We would highly value any feedback you wish to email us with: belgravia@residentsjournal.co.uk; or telephone us on 020 7987 4320.

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

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

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05/12/2014 11:11

Dear Resident

Belgravia boasts a wedding-cake coherence when viewed from the outside; on the inside, however, individual personalities tend to shine. To reflect this quality, the Belgravia Residents' Journal has sent Annabel Harrison, Bethan Rees and Jennifer Mason to visit some of the most impressive local interior designers and specialists: Laura Hammett (page six), Rachel Willson (page 10) and Will Cooper (page 22). Elsewhere, Henry Hopwood-Phillips considers whether fusion food is part of the future or the past after visits to Hunan and Mango Tree. The gluttony ends with him chewing over some of the world’s best cigars with local (and international) tip-giving connoisseurs. Turn to page 15 to find out more. For those looking for a lighter offering, Francesca Lee is liberated from her physical form at Earthspa (page 28), but if you’d rather gnaw on something more intellectual, Robert Tombs’ The English and Their History is reviewed on page 20. Please do not hesitate to contact us with all your updates by emailing Belgravia@residentsjournal.co.uk. Alternatively, tweet us @thebelgravian. We hope you enjoy the issue.

Managing Editor Francesca Lee Main Editorial Contributor Henry Hopwood-Phillips Editorial Assistant Jennifer Mason Editorial Intern Elizabeth Sersta Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Managing Director Eren Ellwood Senior Designer Sophie Blain Production Hugo Wheatley Alex Powell Oscar Viney Alice Ford

Publishing Director Giles Ellwood General Manager Fiona Fenwick

Above / The entrance to a truly stunning house on Belgravia’s Wilton Street. Photography by Ray Main, property developed by Residence One with interiors by Laura Hammett. Turn to page six for more information.

Proudly published & printed in the UK by

Executive Director Sophie Roberts RUNWILD MEDIA GROUP

Client Relationship Manager Friday Dalrymple Business Development Manager Nicola Bloomfield

Member of the Professional Publishers Association / ppa.co.uk

The Notebook

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

Nunc est bibendum To celebrate the arrival of its head chef, Peter Robinson, one of the neighbourhood’s best restaurants, Bibendum, is inviting Stephen Fry and its founding chef Simon Hopkinson to a dinner that will see Peter cooking some of his favourites from Simon’s book, The Bibendum Cookbook. With Matthew Jukes curating the wine offering (in which Sancerre Monts Damnes, Gerard Boulay promises to make an appearance) the redesigned Bibendum is sure to impress. £150 (inclusive of wine, coffee and water), 14 May, 7pm, Bibendum, Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, SW3 6RD, 020 7581 5817 (bibendum.co.uk)

Jazz hands

The highly-acclaimed chamber ensemble, Tippett Quartet, will be appearing at the Cadogan Hall alongside Matt Ford (nominated best UK male vocalist at Ronnie Scott’s inaugural Jazz Awards) this May in order to perform a reinvention of one of Sinatra’s greatest recordings, Close to You. Led by Matt Skelton and Ronnie Scott’s artistic director, James Pearson, the original score has been adapted with great facility in what promises to be an exciting evening. From £16, 16 May, 5 Sloane Terrace, SW1X 9DQ, 020 7730 450

Exploiting waste A new local disposal service is becoming popular. Known as The Good Rubbish Company, it is run by ex-forces folk seeking to avoid landfill sites by being as green and innovative as possible. This means reusing, refurbishing, upcycling and recycling almost everything. So next time you want to get rid of stuff without burdening your conscience, contact these guys. (thegoodrubbishcompany.co.uk)

Revision time

Photography: TutorCruncher

As exams approach and parents panic as much as their children about results, Regency Tuition, a local tuition agency, steps on its soapbox. Its chief virtues are that it uses no software to place students with the correct tutors, preferring the human touch; its tutors are fresh out of university and so remember the system perfectly; its pool of tutors is small and rated internally; all are Oxbridge and UCL quality and yet charge cheaper rates than competitors. Its founder, Frank Collings, told the Belgravia Residents’ Journal: ‘Our tutors specialise in getting students through specific sets of exams.’ (regencytuition.com)

A tale of

two teas

Francesca Lee favours The Goring as it whisks her off to a bygone era; Henry Hopwood-Phillips prefers Pont Street cool at Belgraves Thompson – passions run high because an institution is at stake: the afternoon tea...

best for... the service

best for... Unusual offerings

aving served afternoon tea for more than a century, The Goring has certainly refined it into an art form. Tea is served in the bar or lounge, the latter of which overlooks the croquet lawn. During summer months, make like Cecily and Gwendolyn in The Importance of Being Earnest and take tea outside on the terrace. Guests are offered a choice of three afternoon tea menus – Traditional, Bollinger, and Bollinger Rose. The last is the most opulent, starting with a welcoming and refreshing course of strawberries and cream washed down with a glass of Bollinger Rose Champagne and accompanied by an impressive list of loose-leaf teas. The hotel even offers its own The Goring Afternoon Blend: a mix of Darjeeling and Assam leaves, served in an ornate silver teapot; the perfect accompaniment to the delights to come. After a flavoursome amuse-bouche of cheddar and cauliflower mousse, a threetiered china cake stand is brought to the table, displaying some exquisite examples of the afternoon tea staples on its very own Goring-stamped crockery. The lower-tier comprises finger sandwiches, including salt beef and horseradish mayonnaise, ham and mustard, smoked salmon and soft cheese with dill, as well as cucumber with mint and crème fraîche. Plain and fruit scones, together with a very generous helping of clotted cream and homemade strawberry and raspberry jams, makes up the middle-tier, while the top is the finale of this traditional English ceremony. It features five colourful pastries – a mandarin dome with financier base, Battenberg cake, a bergamot meringue tartlet, a white chocolate mousse with strawberry jam on a crumble base and a raspberry and pistachio choux – perfect for those who have a taste for the finer things in life. Although The Goring didn’t invent afternoon tea, it certainly knows how to celebrate this tradition in Earnest.

fternoon tea? Isn’t that what girls and old people do? You have to sit there with a limp wrist pretending you care about whatever the latest gossip is as the tea becomes tepid and the scones as moist as the flour from whence they came. All this and usually in surroundings that could make grown men cry – imagine the offspring of a doily and a velvet curtain and you’re near to the mark. So when I heard Marie Antoinette, the flouncy 18th century Austrian Dauphine, was becoming the theme of Pont Street’s afternoon teas, I struggled to get the thought of Kirsten Dunst mumbling inanely (not to mention pastels on steroids) out of my head for days. As the first of the tea offerings arrive, I am admittedly nonplussed by what looks like a little jar beside them. I like caviar as much as the next man, but salty Champagne is unlikely to rock my world. Having dropped a spoonful in anyway, the little grenades provide explosions of flavour – mine is raspberry. My main problem when the three-tier stand arrives is how to cordon off where my friend’s hands are allowed to stray. Usually scones are the mainstay, but while in a league of their own, they are completely upstaged by the pastry chef’s zeal. Stuffed with everything from opera cake to French fancies, I am not an attractive sight; but I am a happy one... and all this from a chap who claims to despise desserts.

The Marie Antoinette Afternoon Tea is priced at £35 or £45 with a glass of Champagne included. 20 Chesham Place, SW1X 8HQ, 020 7858 0100 (thompsonhotels.com)

Traditional tea from £42.50 per person, Bollinger from £52.50 per person, Bollinger Rose from £62.50 per person. Beeston Place, SW1W 0JW, 020 7396 9000 (thegoring.com)

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The dream

factory

From the art of designing a space, to the throw perfectly placed on your chaise longue, the Laura Hammett interior design studio helps to create your perfect home from start to finish. Bethan Rees steps inside the creative hub and meets the husband-and-wife team behind the name

egendary American TV chef, author and all-round cultural phenomenon Julia Child once said in an interview with Photography: Gary Morrisroe Esquire: ‘The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they’re right if you love to be with them all the time.’ With this in mind, meet the two creative minds behind Parsons Greenbased interior design studio Laura Hammett: Laura and Aaron Hammett, whose company has come on leaps and bounds since its inception in 2008. Stepping into their studio on Lettice Street, a single but beautiful detail points to its history (which used to be a stained-glass window factory); a sign reading ‘The Glass House Studio’,‘AD 1906’. The lofty, high ceilings, the imposing windows which flood the rooms with light and the shelves brimming with beautiful marble samples give a wow-factor first impression. Greeted immediately by the Hammetts’ delightfully friendly and adorable puggle (a crossbreed of a beagle and a pug) called Bee, Laura stands tall with flowing blonde locks and a gleaming smile, immaculately dressed in a simple but effective combination of white shirt and navy trousers. Aaron is also impeccably garbed in a blazer with jeans, accompanied by perfectly coiffed hair, an

enviable moustache (if you’re a man, of course) and a definite air of Joaquin Phoenix about him; they’re certainly a charming-looking couple. As local residents, they have always admired the building, describing it as ‘a very inspiring space to work from.’ Living in London, Laura finds inspiration easily. ‘It’s everywhere you look,’ she says. ‘From architecture to restaurants to retail. Restaurants are great for lighting-design inspiration, and retail for joinery.’ Laura grew up in a creative environment thanks to her artist parents; her fascination with interiors was already

Coming from a military family, he is passionate about the detail and precision of design noticeable in her childhood years. ‘[I] was always reinventing my bedroom long before I knew that interior design was an industry,’ she says. Having embarked on a foundation course at the Chelsea College of Arts, she specialised in interior and spatial design, which led her to a degree in interior architecture at the University of Brighton. Aaron grew up in Devon, and was likewise a very creative child, but in a different way to Laura. ‘Coming from a military family, he is passionate about the detail and

INTERIORS

precision of design,’ she explains. He moved to London when he was 19 to study product design at Central Saint Martins, where he translated and refined his eye for detail. Having finished university, Laura worked for a number of London-based interior designers, but a family situation meant she needed more career flexibility and the ability to work from home. It was there that she honed her passion for homeware and started an online luxury boutique selling elegantly handcrafted pieces such as Johnstons of Elgin cashmere. Soon people were talking and Laura’s business was growing; so much so that demand saw fit to open a boutique in Brook Green. ‘This created lots of local interest and people asked for interior design consultations,’ she says. ‘As the recession hit and the retail side of the business slowed down, the interior design consultancy seemed to be taking off more and more, as people were choosing not to sell their homes, but to renovate and redecorate to make the most of what they had.’ From here, her eponymous design studio was born. Starting a business in 2008 in the midst of the turbulent economic climate could have been a risky and damaging move for Laura. However, she used the situation to her advantage. ‘It was almost a blessing, because I didn’t know what it was like to run a business before the recession and therefore hadn’t fallen into the terrible trap that so many small businesses did of having expanded beforehand to then be forced to downsize,’ she says. But working on her own did have its limitations in terms of projects she could take on, so Aaron joined the company in 2011, which Laura

All photos on this page courtesy of Ray Main

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INTERIORS

describes as ‘the real start of the business taking off’. Working with your loved one could be the stuff dreams are made of; or for some, nightmares. Luckily for the Hammetts, they’re a match made in enterprise heaven. But how does the dynamic work? ‘Surprisingly well,’ Laura laughs. ‘We have quite different skill-sets and really complement each other. I enjoy the overall vision of the project, whereas Aaron is very much about the detail.’ Laura looks after the FF&E (furniture, fixtures and equipment) side, and Aaron runs the interior architecture, so they regularly work separately. ‘We quite often get home and ask the other how their day was, just like any other married couple,’ she remarks. Laura Hammett’s signature style is hard not to fall in love with. It’s timeless and classic yet contemporary, with special finishes and attention to detail that will make you stare in wonder. Take, for instance, a light installation that hangs in the centre of the spiral staircase like majestic icicles, or the hand-picked artwork hanging above the roaring fireplace. With warming neutral

Laura Hammett’s signature style is hard not to fall in love with palettes, accompanied by splashes of personality through tangerine cushions, dusky lilac lampshades and geometric rugs, Laura Hammett’s designs are not just luxurious and elegant, but also homely with an edge of character. The studio’s projects range from a Knightsbridge apartment to a family villa in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; but their signature style and recognisable aesthetic can be seen throughout. Working alongside luxury residential property developers Residence One, Laura has worked on several properties in Belgravia, including a stunning Grade-II listed, five-storey, six-bedroom townhouse on Wilton Street. The early 1800s dwelling was built by esteemed architect Thomas Cubitt and the redevelopment saw its original period features recreated, while Laura gave an archetypal touch of contemporary luxury to the property. A palette of warm gold and hints of darker grey and navy bring an element of richness and splendour to the rooms and the furnishings and finishes only complement this; think silk wallpaper by Brian Yates, herringbone parquet flooring and artwork by British artist Ben Lowe. What are some of the biggest design trends that clients are requesting? I ask. ‘Luxury bathrooms are a big trend at the moment, moving away from the clean white marble look and introducing more softness and warmth with chandeliers, curtains and furniture,’ Laura replies. ‘Also, making outdoor spaces feel like an extension of the home. There are amazing outdoor rugs and fabrics, including velvets, which you wouldn’t believe would be suitable,’ she adds. 2015 is certainly going to be a busy one for the design duo; from working alongside the Berkeley Group on 39 townhouses in Richmond, to a 6,000-sq ft Grade II-listed Mayfair property. As our chat comes to a close, Laura enthusiastically adds: ‘It’s going to be a very exciting year.’ (laurahammett.com)

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All photos on this page courtesy of Ray Main

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

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

Act

Sister

Annabel Harrison interviews Rachel McDiarmid and Carly Willson-Pemberton, the founders of Rachel Willson Interiors, in their chic Belgravian office

isters Carly and Rachel seem to be living the dream. Their company headquarters are on Motcomb Street – the epicentre of beautiful Belgravia – and Rachel lives nearby in Knightsbridge, while Carly is based by the river in Putney; these are some of the loveliest areas of London in which to work, live and play. What’s more, the sisters hail from Portugal, so family gatherings take place in the sunny climes of Quinta do Lago and they’re following in the footsteps of their developer-designer parents, keeping the skill-set in the family. It’s a cool spring afternoon when I visit Carly and Rachel at their office; we settle into welcoming monochrome tweed armchairs (which I think give off a touch of Chanel-chic) around a slate-grey, artfully distressed metal meeting table. It’s a neutral, chic and professional space, although Rachel and Carly exude a relaxed vibe in mismatched checked shirts. After a few minutes of conversation, during which they finish a number of each other’s sentences, I’d wager it’s not the first time they’ve turned up to work in similar outfits. We proceed to discuss the sisters’ own style and way of working, their family’s design background and the benefits for clients working with Rachel Willson Interiors. Rachel McDiarmid (above) and Carly Willson-Pemberton (below)

INTERIORS

What’s the best thing about working with your sister? Carly: We get to points much faster than you would with a general partner. We can give each other looks when we’re with clients and know exactly what the other is thinking! Rachel: Clients will throw out a question that in theory you should go back to the office and think about, but because we’re sisters and very much on the same page, we think alike and answer in the moment; we know that the other person is going to be absolutely fine with it. The only downside is that our parents live abroad so we both like to travel home at the same time! When you were children, did you have cool bedrooms or did you go through a stage of too much pink and My Little Pony? C: No, no, none of that! Because our dad is a property developer in Portugal, we moved house a lot and our mum would always let us decorate our own rooms. She’d say, ‘These are your bedrooms; do what you like.’ So we’d sit with the designer and go through our ideas. What are your own houses like? C: I live in Putney with my husband and two kids. My daughter Maysie is nearly nine and she wants to be an architect; she is really interested in design and very arty. We are designing a bedroom for a girl the same age as her so I asked: ‘Maysie, what would you want?’ An eight- or nine-year-old girl wouldn’t necessarily want pink and flowers. Her idea was brilliant: ‘Silver and purple’. Do clients ever ask for a complete surprise? R: Some people don’t want to be involved; they want an initial presentation to get the feel but things change. We did a house recently while the clients were on holiday and we had to change the wallpaper at the last minute; she walked in and said, ‘Oh I’m so happy!’. We have done big

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reveals, especially for houses in Portugal where the clients don’t live there and the house is their second home; they’ll open the door and haven’t seen it at all. Do you use the Design Centre in Chelsea Harbour as a key resource? C: We do indeed. R: We also design our own bespoke fabrics for clients. If they say that they really like a certain fabric but that ‘the colours are just all wrong’, we can change it. C: We have a company that does all our rugs for us; we send designs and they make them. This [Carly points to the smart rug beneath our feet] is hand-knotted by women in Portugal. It’s amazing to watch them. We use a lot of suppliers in Portugal because that’s where we started; we get very good wool, leathers and skins there. What’s coming up for Rachel Willson? C: At the moment, we’re doing a full renovation in a fivebedroom house in Chelsea, something in the countryside and something in Holland Park. We aren’t just interior designers; we’re time-management people too. R: If someone is renovating their house, we’ll oversee the whole project, from liaising with the kitchen company to doing all the bathrooms and bringing our own builders on board if necessary. We enjoy this most, because we’ll be doing the interiors as well, so when we choose, for example, the colours to stain the wood floor, we’re thinking about the sofas, the curtains et cetera. The result is going to have more continuity and it makes sense to do that if the client is at the refurb stage. Apart from Portugal, are there any other countries that you find particularly inspiring? R: I find America quite inspiring. I was in Miami recently and even just structurally, with the Art Deco, it’s got that real mid-century feel. We love mid-century architecture; it’s all coming back. (rachelwillson.co.uk)

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The

Belgravian OPEN ALL HOURS

Henry Hopwood-Phillips talks to the owner of Mayhew Newsagents, Nainesh Shah, the longest resident on Motcomb Street

PROFILE

‘H

as Florence given birth yet?’ Nainesh starts. He must be either showing off or have the memory of a telephone directory. Florence is a colleague whose pregnancy had even slipped my mind. I quickly scour my brain for a random Belgravian he surely wouldn’t know. ‘Oh Patricia,’ he smiles, ‘yes, she lives just behind Motcomb Street doesn’t she?’ Clearly clocking my stunned expression, he goes on the charm offensive. ‘You know we’ve always had a corner specifically for your magazine in our little shop. We go through 200 copies a month.’ Oh Nainesh is smooth, very smooth. His life story, however, seems to be a different matter. After doing well in a Maths degree at University College London against tough competition (30 in his class, 11 of whom achieved first class honours), he failed to obtain the placement in accounting he’d sought. ‘I was very affected by it, but in hindsight, I’m not sure why. But then again, it was the first time I’d been rejected.’ Nainesh decided his heart wasn’t in the academic side of business, after all. ‘I wanted to enjoy running the real thing,’ he explains. But what kind of business? He wasn’t sure. Back then, Mayhew Newsagents stood in the arcade where Waitrose now is. Due to relationships that his father had nurtured back in Mombasa in the 1960s, Nainesh was able to do what nowadays might be called an ‘internship’. That was in 1982 – it was meant to last four weeks. He’s now been there 34 years. His tenure has not been without its hiatuses, though. ‘Even though I loved it and was offered a partnership at the end of my time, I was young and had no idea what other options I was turning down.’ After an 18-month spell at a business near Oxford, however, he returned, much more confident that Mayhew Newsagents was where he was meant to be. Full of optimism, he opened up another shop next to Victoria station but any profits being made were quickly gulped up by ever-increasing business rates. ‘We got into a little difficulty due to high rates and rent,’ Nainesh recalls. This sounds like an understatement as he details how he worked round-the-clock for three years because he was on the verge of losing his house. ‘By this time my son was four and a half and still hadn’t been on a holiday, so I fixed it in my mind that we must go.’ En route there was a head-on collision. The incident killed his son and left both Nainesh and his wife badly injured. After an ambulance ride from Wales to London, he sat in the garden. ‘I will never forget what I saw there.’ It was a sea of cards and flowers – ‘perhaps about 1,000 from

neighbours and Belgravians.’ After having his head drilled, a process he ‘thanks God’ he did at the time, ‘because if I’d left it any later I’d have suffered a loss of hearing and sight,’ he managed to extricate himself from the Victoria lease in 1995. This wasn’t the end of his troubles, however. Part of the agreement meant he had to find storage for a huge showroom’s worth of goods and move them there, in under three days. ‘Fortunately, a few locals gave me entire basements for rent-free storage – the average length of time permitted was three years, but I think at least one gave me seven.’ All this made Nainesh reflect that people in the area really cared. ‘Our business is such that we meet most people every day and they air their views.’ This frequent interaction has slowly evolved into a trust, and this has demonstrated itself in tangible action. Mayhew Newsagents thrives as a bastion of neutrality – quite a difficult thing to achieve in a wealthy area. Having been on Motcomb Street for more than three decades, he’s seen the major changes unfold. He remembers when the area was an antiques haven, ‘though that all changed when Sotheby’s left and the dealers departed for Bath.’ He was around when the Motcomb Street Party was just a tray of sandwiches and a few bottles of wine. We’re talking about an era when the The Pantechnicon Rooms was the Turk’s Head and a task as simple as getting a coffee was impossible (until 1997). I ask when the area changed to something resembling its current guise. ‘The first of the big names to move on to the street was Jimmy Choo. The founder’s parent had been a hairdresser here long before.’ Though he loves what Motcomb Street was and is, he doesn’t spend all his time here. ‘I work long hours and sometimes just need my own space. There’s only so many times you can turn down a drink without just being rude so I prefer not to go out socially these days.’ The last time the rent for Nainesh went up it prompted outrage concerning how many a ‘community convenience’ locals had lost, and the fact they couldn’t countenance losing Mayhew Newsagents too. The shop’s next review comes up in 2016. He’s not overly optimistic, however. Not because he lacks faith in us, but because the industry in general appears to be in decline. Nevertheless, he reminds me that ‘we must remember that we stand or fall as a community in Belgravia; as soon as we cannot call ourselves a community, we stop being Belgravia.’

Mayhew Newsagents thrives as a bastion of neutrality

15 Motcomb Street, 020 7235 5770

Illustration / Russ Tudor

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Motcomb Street Party 2015

it’s coming wednesday 24th june 2015

streetparty@motcombs.co.uk www.motcombstreetparty.co.uk o f f i c i a l m e d i a pa r t n e r s

supporting the household cavalry foundation

and the lullaby trust

If you’d like to become a Sponsor, please contact Sue Liberman – streetparty@motcombs.co.uk who will be delighted to discuss how you can proceed with this fantastic opportunity.

LIFESTYLE

A Band of

Brothers Belgravia boasts more cigar connoisseurs than some countries. To celebrate this, the Belgravia Residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Journal rounds up four of them: Eddie Sahakian, Giuseppe Ruo, Tom Assheton and Pavel Kabina, to divulge all the mysteries of their smoky world

B E L G R AV I A R E S I D E N T S â&#x20AC;&#x2122; J O U R N A L

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Eddie Sahakian of Edward Sahakian, Bulgari Hotel ...on the best cigars I’m often asked what my favourite cigar is – the simple answer is ‘the next cigar I am smoking’ as I genuinely enjoy the majority of those I smoke. If forced into compiling a shortlist, it would include the following: 1. Davidoff No. 2 – light in strength with a creamy, slightly floral bouquet on the palate. The size (38 ring gauge x six inches) lends itself to a 45-minute morning stroll through the park or perhaps a one hour post-lunch digestif. I also find the size to be particularly elegant and somewhat understated. It was the first cigar I ever smoked. 2. Trinidad Fundadores – ideally it will need to be a Fundadores from 1998 or 1999 El Laguito production. A heady combination of lightness and complexity, eventually developing into a nut and coffee climax. There are very few cigars that can match the early production Fundadores from El Laguito for sheer elegance and exquisite flavour. 3. Hoyo De Monterrey Epicure No. 2 – a very well balanced and perennial favourite. This classic robusto rarely disappoints; this is the cigar I have smoked most often in my life.

that in recent years my taste has migrated towards the classics of previous generations. The Laguito No. 2, Panetelas Grandes and even a traditional Corona are a rediscovered joy for me and more manageable than some of the new ‘tree trunks’ being released. …on aged cigars Sometimes I’m asked whether a certain box of cigars should be aged before smoking. This leads to the fascinating subject of vintage cigars – a sector that has experienced explosive growth in interest and prices. In general, Cuban cigars need some box ageing to achieve their most satisfying taste. Non-Cuban production (Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Honduras etc) will typically be ready to smoke by the time it reaches the retailer. However, there is no dogma on which cigars should be aged – all that matters is the individual cigar aficionado’s palate and ensuing pleasure.

…on cigar shapes I enjoy most shapes and sizes in cigars although I confess

Edward Sahakian Cigar shop, Bulgari Hotel, 171 Knightsbridge, SW7 1DW, 020 7151 1010 (bulgarihotels.com)

…on the cigar experience

Tom Assheton of Tom Tom Cigars

My favourite all-rounder has to be the Romeo y Julieta short Churchill, accompanied by an ale or pilsner. Don’t worry too much about bands. You’ll want to take it off when it feels right. They’re stuck on with vegetable gum which softens as the heat of the cigar approaches. If you pick it off too early you’ll damage the leaves. There’s a lot of noise about not being allowed to use lighters at the moment but using them is fine really, as long as it’s not a petrol one. While some people prefer to smoke socially, I particularly enjoy smoking after a long day when I need to put my feet up. When you’re smoking with others, you get through a cigar more quickly; you don’t appreciate it as much. Tom Tom Cigars, 63 Elizabeth Street, SW1W 9PP, 020 7730 1790 (tomtom.co.uk)

LIFESTYLE

Pavel Kabina of the Havana Cigar Exchange

...on the cigar strength The strength of a cigar is usually calibrated as full, medium or light-bodied. A few examples: •

Full Body Cigars: Cohiba, Partagás, Bolívar Medium Body Cigars: Montecristo, Romeo y Julieta, Trinidad • Light Body Cigars: Hoyo de Monterrey, H. Upmann, El Rey del Mundo •

Giuseppe Ruo of The Wellesley

...on the big trends The trend is to smoke big, long cigars if time allows. Some big cigars trending at the moment are Cohiba Behike, Montecristo 520 and Bolivar Libertador. If time is limited, smokers should try a shorter cigar such as Partagas Serie D No. 4, Cohiba Robusto or Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure No. 2. These are all big cigars, but short so they will not take so much time to smoke. …on cigar etiquette

…on cigars to look out for Limited Editions (two years aged), Reservas (three years aged) and Gran Reservas (six years aged) are becoming pretty big news. They use matured and fermented tobacco leaves and tend to have specially selected tobacco blends with the best qualities of aroma, flavours and texture. Expect to pay premium prices, from £25 to £400 per stick. Due to its limited production, the prices for these cigars are going up each year. Havana Cigar Exchange, Park Tower Knightsbridge Hotel, 101 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7RN, 020 7245 6236 (havanacigarexchange.com)

I’m always very careful around children, as anyone should be. The difference with cigarette smoke and cigar smoke is that cigarettes are an addiction. Cigars are not, so people can wait to have one until they are in the right conditions. Ideally, a smoker wants to relax and feel pleasure from the tobacco. Cigar etiquette is very personal. There are some rules to note; first, cut the cigar with a cutter, do not bite them or use your nails. Second, do not tap the ash but just let it fell down by itself. Third, always take the cigar band off, because you don’t want to show off what you are smoking. The Wellesley, 11 Knightsbridge, SW1X 7LY, 020 7235 3535 (thewellesley.co.uk)

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017

To fuse

or refuse

HUNAN

‘W

hat is your problem?’ shrugs Mr Peng, Hunan’s chef, before turning to my companion. ‘Is he alright?’ Thankfully this isn’t the start of a badly scripted fight scene but rather a response to me punching the air either side of her nose. She’d asked about the heat intensity of the first dish, a delicate broth bordered by a small bamboo mug with something resembling tumours floating about in it, but my mouth was full and I thought it best to express its heat decibels via the medium of karate. I’m not the most eccentric thing in this restaurant though. Mr Peng is. He doesn’t give us a menu, for starters. In fact, he hasn’t given anybody a choice of food since

The wines are modestly priced, the service unpretentious 1982. Instead, we are whisked through the delights of his pantry. It’s the gastronomic equivalent of William Tell. No real attention is paid to either the presentation of the food or the restaurant, so the wines are modestly priced, the service unpretentious, the walls adorned with little else other than oriental prints and the food looks very similar to the stuff school used to pretend

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

TOTAL: 33/40

was edible. The taste, however, is another matter. Despite its name, Hunan is full of Taiwanese cuisine, which is where Peng hails from. The reference to the central province of China is a respectful nod and a wink to the chef’s mentor who was born there. The result is munch that scoffs at the glutinous and saccharine Chinatown. Favourites include chunks of chilli-spanked cucumbers, mussels that have flirted with blackbean sauce and a steamed bun with a pearl of pork that has been marinating since the Ming dynasty. But the biggest surprise is a dish that looks like a second-rate Turner Prize involving some lettuce and a lump of mince. Between the chops, however, the meat is juicy and spicy; it’s fresh with spring onions and the vegetable wrapped round it acts like a cracker to cheese. It is inspired. The river of food seems to flow until either you collapse or Mr Peng gets bored. We count 24 dishes in the end. This is Monty Python Mr Creosote territory. Even so, it’s quite easy to forget one’s discomfort in the happy madness. With all the tables full, the atmosphere is a jolly cacophony as the space is compact and a small army of waiters is required to keep up with the plate replacement rate. Hunan is odd, it is undeniable. It’s one of those rare creatures; a restaurant that gets rave reviews but somehow manages to stay under the radar. Those that do know of it are hugely divided, mainly between those who claim it as the best restaurant in the world and those who are bemused by a chef who refuses to play the games the rest of the foodie world indulges in. I don’t think Mr Peng is too fussed by this; he’s his own man and invites you to take Hunan or leave it, on that basis.

51 Pimlico Road, SW1W 8NE, 020 7730 5712 (hunanlondon.com)

Tokyo has attracted attention as the city with the most restaurants per capita in the world. The sheer amount of competition has resulted in businesses pursuing a path of specialisation; many now serve only one dish. Here in Belgravia, fusion is still the order of the day. Henry Hopwood-Phillips discovers if two of our most successful local restaurants are part of the future or the past...

MANGO TREE

he Mango Tree is a vast Asian hotel-style dining hall on Belgravia’s Victoria frontier, of the sort that out in the Orient hosts Dubai-style buffets and brunches. High ceilings? Tick. Long banquettes? Tick. Asian tableware? Tick. Bamboo blinds? Tick. Contemporary design in a very noughties sense? Tick. Huge plants... you get the point. The international stamp is unlikely to be accidental. Founded in 2001, it’s part of an Asian company, Coca, which owns several international outlets. It even has a popular sister restaurant, Pan Chai, down the road in Harrods. The location of its Belgravia restaurant on the corner of Grosvenor Place leaves it cleverly placed to access both the tourist and the office trade of Victoria. The result is that the Mango Tree can feel a lot more ‘in’ rather than ‘of’ London than many of its neighbours. One can certainly sense that few of its customers live within a five-mile radius. The (wipedown) menu was devised by renowned pan-Asian chef Ian Pengelley. Only two years after launching he won the Thai Chef of the Year Award in the Fusion category. It’s a cuisine that blends the four main traditions of Thailand’s regions: the north (creamy and mild), the south (pungent and hot), the east (spicy), and the Centre (highly influenced by Chinese). Sadly none of these are reflected in my seafood starter, a tepid pub platter of a dish: it’s flavourless, dull, full of indeterminate protein. I attempt to wash down the cocktail (a ‘signature’) but it tastes of fruit pastilles; the supermarket own-brand variety. Fortunately, things improve with the main – a Massaman Gai. Imagine lamb shank with a curry edge to the gravy; this is it. Flavoured with cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves – these are flavours more usually associated with Persia or India but here, slow roasted into the flesh, they reach their apotheosis.

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 service is a tad erratic, both personality and punctuality-wise, but perhaps this can be put down to the sheer size of the place. I need a map and compass and willing navigator in order to find the loo. It’s

The location of its Belgravia restaurant on the corner of Grosvenor Place leaves it cleverly placed to access both the tourist and the office trade of Victoria impossible to have a favourite table here, because you’ll never get to sit at them all to find one you prefer, such is their abundance. Overall, however, Mango Tree is more miss than hit. It feels more of a pre-theatre, somethingto-tide-you-over place to eat, rather than a destination for dining in its own right. Unfortunately, the most annoying fact about it is that it sits nearer the price brackets of a place you’d choose to go to. 46 Grosvenor Place, SW1X 7EQ, 020 7823 1888 (mangotree.org.uk)

THE VERDICT Atmosphere: 9/10 Food: 5/10 Service: 7/10 Value for money: 6/10

TOTAL: 27/40

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The English

and their history

Robert Tombs’s latest book restores meaning to an identity which refuses to be abolished, says Henry Hopwood-Phillips

Robert Tombs

eferring to ‘the English’ has for many years been considered a shibboleth on a par with mentioning ‘the poor’ (rather than ‘the disadvantaged’). These phrases signal a reluctance to melt into a world of cosy euphemisms and narcissistic language control, due to ignorance or insolence on the part of the transgressor. Treating Englishness as a valid topic for investigation is, in many quarters, still considered a provocation and few people have dared to chart the identity that has historically possessed the hardest currency in the British Isles. No doubt they have been scared away by either the cartoonish popular histories that dominated the early 20thcentury classroom or, more likely, the politics of the far-right in recent times. The wheel has turned full circle, however, with the entry of Robert Tombs (a professor of 19th-century French history at St John’s, Cambridge) into the fray. The title of Tomb’s book, The English and Their History (published by Allen Lane in November 2014), includes the collective plural ‘their’ and gives a clue as to the project embarked on. Tombs seeks to do nothing less than to restore agency to an identity long dismissed as an anachronism. It is an account that is emphatically conscious

of its own voice, its prejudices, its exclusions and inclusions. Refusing to aspire to a Rankean ideal of objective history, it instead channels and exudes humanity: “Much memory, individual or collective, is fiction, and [is] no less powerful for that,” he begins. Restoring weight to the historiography of passing incidents and issues, it is a history of histories as well as a deftly weaved narrative. In doing so, Tombs strays into controversial territories, but with an absent-mindedness that works, dispatching pre-eminent attitudes in a few pithy sentences without lengthy digressions. Two examples will suffice. Refusing to abandon talk of exceptionalism, Tombs notes that “one could describe a house by saying it has walls, a roof, doors and windows; but generally more useful is to specify its distinctive style, situation, materials and colour.” Later he observes that England is far from a dead unit undeserving of a history; in fact, the reason such a project hits so many buffers today is precisely because “a history of England seems to unsettle people: the past, it seems, is not dead; it is not even past.” As the sources multiply, the prose bulges and the result is a slightly slim start. The foundations are well-laid, however, with only a few mistakes – the most remarkable being the fact that Tombs seems to believe no other nationstate boasts England’s antiquity – when Bulgaria’s birth is usually dated to the late seventh century. A gallimaufry of interesting incidents across 1,500 years are documented. Tombs’ greatest skill is perhaps knowing what to pick up and what to abandon in a cluttered landscape that might overwhelm a lesser scholar. He is also careful to pause at certain junctions that he believes have forced England to take stock, reinvent and re-imagine its own identity. The most obvious examples are the reactions to the Norman Conquest, the Civil War, the Empire, and today, an attitude of ‘Declinism’. Each serves as a wind-breaker to the text, encouraging a mood of introspection. A complaint that may be fairly levelled at these forays into historiography, this juggling act of multiple histories, is that they can disorientate the general reader who is not already familiar with the entire corpus of English history. Citing the “Good Old Cause” in the Restoration period and the prerogative claims of the Tudors early on, in reference to later reactions to “the Norman Yoke,” may bewilder any a reader. That said, many of the most interesting parts are embedded in these reflections. In them we learn that Tudor as a label for a revolutionary epoch was invented by David Hume; that Whig history (usually considered a very British product) was in fact pioneered by a Frenchman, Paul de

BOOK REVIEW

Rapin de Thoyras; that the English gentleman is a fusion of Cavalier and Roundhead ideals, and so on. Of particular delight is the weight that Tombs attaches to the fact that England was not submerged by almost three centuries of foreign rule (from the Viking age onwards), despite only existing as a tentative state for around the same amount of time. After describing how Old English died in the 12th century, he laments that the English were disinherited of their language, their lands, the offices of the Church and even their own names. And yet, by the High Middle Ages, the King and his parliament were speaking a rejuvenated ‘Middle’ English (in which the hundred most frequently used words were derived from the old language), the French lords had become ‘Engleis’ and a centralised culture was being cemented that relied much less on a foreign ‘other’ for cohesion than ‘relationships [built] within a political community. Tombs is not afraid to deliver firm judgments where required. He defends Burke against Paine, the empire against its critics, Thatcher against her detractors, and interestingly (given what appears to be his conservative leanings), optimism against ‘declinism’ (which he suggests gave birth to Europhilia). Scorning ‘juniors’ from public schools and Oxbridge who routinely mock ‘England’ and ‘Englishness’ – symptoms of a malaise that John Maynard Keynes described as a nation ‘sticky with self-pity’, Tombs views change as part of a nation in which, as Orwell acknowledged, “Nothing ever stands still. We must add to our heritage or lose it.” That is not to say the author ignores risks and threats. The last chapter contains a particularly trenchant critique of a country that seems to have abandoned its borders, its sovereignty and even its attachment to meritocracy. In a particularly damning passage, Tombs points out that collective amnesia will be particularly dangerous to a nation that has “long relied on conventions and traditions as safeguards for its rights and liberties, and even for a sense of its own identity, its civic morality and solidarity.”

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

Even so, Tombs implores the reader not to lose perspective. For centuries, “when judged by the standards of humanity as a whole” the country has been a place of unrivalled prosperity, security and good governance. The springs of the hope he celebrates, however, seem to sprout less from the facts of the final chapters than from his own temperament. The result is a conclusion that feels less like a place of measured summary and prophecy than a therapeutic shower of literary feel-good quotes from Orwell, Chesterton et al about having faith in the place. Perhaps, however, this is what contemporary England needs. Instead of the current division separating depressive historians from ignorant optimists, we need more optimistic historians, as well as optimists who see the allure of an England that has enriched the Englishman’s understanding, expanded his sympathies and achieved so much in historical terms. At the very least Tombs has reminded readers that the country refuses to be abolished by naysayers, no matter how fashionable. The English and Their History, £22.75, by Robert Tombs

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All images from the ACHICA ‘Inspired Garden’ Collection for Spring/Summer 2015. Available to buy from May - September

INTERIORS

Design

online

Jennifer Mason quizzes Will Cooper, founder of lifestyle brand ACHICA, about the business, how it’s grown over the past five years and what it will be doing to support British designers in the months ahead

ive years ago, Will Cooper and his business partner Quentin Griffiths came up with an idea that has launched one of the most successful luxury lifestyle brands of recent times, ACHICA; a members-only site where customers can purchase designer brands at discounted prices during time-sensitive sales. As a huge fan of the site myself (although my credit card is less fond of my ACHICA addiction) I was interested to see whether everything has always been driftwood hearts and silk flowers or whether the brand and the team behind it have faced more than the usual challenges... What was your inspiration behind founding the brand? Initially when Quentin and I had the idea for ACHICA, we were told it would never work. There was very little confidence within the industry that people would purchase furniture online without having physically inspected it first. The business aims to offer customers access to beautiful furniture and home accessories within an inspiring online experience at exceptional prices, by offering time-limited promotions that enable us to hold no stock and thus pass on these logistical and operational savings to our customers. ACHICA runs promotions that last from 72 hours to five days; over the course of a year we can sell up to 200,000 product lines. What did the start-up process involve? Quentin and I funded ACHICA ourselves initially. We got some good early traction and this attracted venture capital investment. We thought at the time that we were setting up a very similar model to fashion sites – i.e. to sell overstock – but within a month of getting buyers together, we realised we could actually buy predominantly current-line stock. To this day, ACHICA sells mainly live lines from famous brands.

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

Has the business changed from your original vision? No, I’ve always been adamant that furniture and home accessories remain at the core of what ACHICA offers. As the business has grown we’ve added some lifestyle items – fashion accessories and beauty products – which we believe our customers buy from us in addition to their furniture and homeware purchases. Describe the most challenging part of the business. ACHICA has grown phenomenally over the last five years, so keeping pace with this growth has its own challenges. We’ve had to scale quickly in terms of the workforce and physical space as well as continue to find new brands to keep our customers excited. What’s the biggest mistake that you’ve made? Believing that you can get everything right. In a new business that’s growing at a rapid pace, it’s important to make sure you get the big things right and recover from the smaller hiccups as quickly as possible. What’s been the most rewarding part? Delighting our customers and reading the many emails we get every day from customers who truly love what we do. Have you learnt any important lessons? The importance of resilience, balance and inquisitiveness, as well as ensuring you have the right team in place that can scale with the business. You founded the company in the years following the financial crisis of 2007-8. Did that put any restrictions on your plans? Not really – if anything, customers were more receptive to our business model which makes high-quality top brands more accessible. They’re extremely savvy. It’s very interesting when we speak to them to find that they love us because they enjoy the thrill of a bargain – they revel in getting a quality brand at an exceptional price. The majority of our customers are extremley affluent and

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INTERIORS

have the ability to shop anywhere, but they choose ACHICA as they have confidence in their own tastes and enjoy using us as a resource to create a beautiful home. Can you pinpoint the business’s most defining moments? Reaching four million members was a pretty amazing milestone, as is our fifth birthday which we are celebrating this year. What can we expect from the brand in the future? We’re supporting home-grown British design. As part of our fifth birthday celebrations we’re sponsoring the May Design Series and New Design Britain accessories category. Later this year we’ll launch a pop-up shop on the website, highlighting the five finalists of the category and their wonderful homeware products. Have you been inspired by anyone particularly in the business world? Chris Gent, CEO of Vodafone. As a financial PR and consultant in my early career I worked with Chris and rated him highly as he took Vodafone from a small telecoms company in Newbury to one of the largest telecoms companies in the world. Are there any particular luxury brands that you admire? I love Heals, The Conran Shop and Scandinavian design – simple, classic, elegant lines. What advice would you give to someone who is considering starting their own business? Have patience and make sure you have the right people around you. (achica.com)

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

BESPOKE HANDMADE FURNITURE www.oficinainglesa.com London Showroom

info@oficinainglesa.com +44 (0) 207 2264 569

Beauty &Grooming Beauty on your doorstep from Rhea Papanicolaou-Frangista & Farrah Hamid, the experts at Prettly

From boardroom

to bikram

We’ve discovered one of the most stylish ways in London to get you from the office to the gym without breaking a sweat

usy Belgravian women know far too well the challenge of finding time to go to the gym, particularly with commutes to areas such as Canary Wharf and the City. We drag our everyday gear along with us to save time and so, laden with the work bag, the gym bag, the laptop bag and so on, we resort to a look that’s often more akin to the wandering gap-year backpacker than the polished professional. So you can imagine our delight when we discovered GymTote – a truly beautiful and sleek bag that has a look that’s perfect for the boardroom, plus all the features and compartments to discreetly stow your gym gear. After seeing and trying one out ourselves, we decided to give the founders Helena Searcaigh and Nicola Kearney a ring to find out more about the company.

HS: There’s some exciting additions coming to the GymTote range. We will be updating our bestselling styles with new colour options, as well as adding new designs later in the year.

What inspired you to start this business? HS: I used to work in quite a corporate environment and was sick to death of carrying two bags to the gym every day on the Tube. Like many professional women in London, ugly rucksacks just weren’t my thing and a sports bag didn’t cut it in the boardroom with my boss. I realised there might just be a market for a stylish, compartmentalised sports bag that looked like a handbag.

What beauty products do you love? HS: I use natural beauty brands and am particularly addicted to Dr. Hauschka’s make-up products. NK: Being a mother of two young boys and running GymTote and my consultancy, my most precious thing is time, so I love multitasking products. One of my favourites is Shu Uemura facial cleansing oil which is the most amazing I’ve ever found.

Tell us a bit more about the design behind GymTote, and what makes the bags so unique. NK: There is nothing like GymTote on the market; we are totally bespoke. There are other great brands that do sports bags well, but they still look like sports bags.

What are some of the best features of the bag? NK: The totes have separate water-resistant pouches for trainers or heels, gym kit, water bottles and a top compartment for your day-to-day handbag essentials, as well as having pockets for mobiles and tablets; plus our new Sophia Tote has a yoga mat sleeve on the base. We worked hard on the design and used lightweight performance materials so that the bags weigh no more than a standard handbag and will withstand everything you can throw at them – especially sweaty kit!

What’s the best part about living in London and Belgravia? HS: My incredible friends and the business and networking opportunities. NK: I got married in The Goring Hotel in 2008 – it was an amazing day and an absolutely magical place. I always drop in for afternoon tea when I can. (gymtote.co.uk)

Akari Gold Facial Massager

Though not available in the UK yet, this is an amazing product that can be ordered online. It’s a facial massager that stimulates muscles and gives a really beautiful glow almost instantly, plus it’s enrobed in 24-carat gold for ultimate luxury.

Stelle Audio Clutch

This one isn’t really beauty but we find it so fun so wanted to include it in our roundup. The Mini-Clutch Speaker has a wireless speaker, speakerphone and room for make-up. A great gift for your most gadget-obsessed, fashionista friends. £169, available at stelleaudio.com

£135, available at tatcha.com

Gadgets

galore SkinPep Auto Make-up

This is the one that really makes us feel like advanced makeup pros! It’s a high-tech multifunctional foundation applicator that leaves your skin with a smooth finish unlike any other. It’s great for weddings and other life moments when you’ll be in the spotlight.

Rhea and Farrah, the experts at Prettly, love the latest beauty gadgets and gizmos, especially those that leave their skin looking and feeling good. This month, they share their favourites...

From £29.99, available at skinpep.com

Luna by Foreo

Call us skincare crazy but we also really like the Luna facial cleansing device by Foreo. This sleek little gadget brings deep-cleansing and anti-ageing through lowfrequency pulsations. Plus it comes in fun colours. £145, available at Harvey Nichols, SW1X 7RJ

Clarisonic Aria

If you’re averse to ordering online and would rather keep it local, the Clarisonic Aria is another lovely facial cleanser that we’ve tried and like. User-friendly and easy, it leaves your skin feeling fresh and clean. £155, available at Harrods, SW1X 7XS

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

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HEALTH AND WELLBEING

Beauty by prescription L

ocated just a stone’s throw away from Victoria on Eccleston Street, Earthspa provides a welcome sanctuary away from the hustle and bustle of Buckingham Palace Road. The cosy Moroccan-inspired relaxation area – complete with comfy armchairs – provides the perfect spot to unwind before and after any treatment. The candlelit treatment room, relaxing music and heated blanket are all conducive to a little nap, I find. The therapist applies a liberal amount of Aromatherapy Associates De-Stress Body Oil and the heady scent of arnica and lavender combined with rosemary and ginger quickly fills the room. She starts on my shoulders, which quite frankly, have recently left me resembling The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and as she does, her hands and forearms start to unravel knots and deep-rooted tension. Maybe I’m a glutton for punishment, but the harder the pressure, the more I feel my aches disappear and my back relaxes more every second. Next up is the Dermalogica facial. After suffering from acne as a teenager, I presume I have oily skin as I still suffer from the odd breakout, even though I’m approaching my 30s. However, after having my face analysed using a Face Mapping scanner (which allows the therapist to see the condition of skin when exposed to UV lights), I discover that I have in fact been using the wrong Dermalogica products – shock, horror: my skin is dry and sensitive. After the therapist applies a gentle exfoliator,

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A deep tissue massage and a tailored facial is exactly the treatment to help some long-standing ailments, writes Francesca Lee

she then performs some extractions before using a combination of masks in different areas of my face. I particularly like the soft and gentle feel that the oatmeal mask has on my skin, while the hydrating mask feels like it’s giving it a much-needed water boost. Following this, toner, moisturiser and a SPF is applied and it feels as though I have a whole new layer of skin. After leaving with an UltraCalming kit, my new skincare regime continues at home. A week later, my skin is still glowing: it turns out that beauty by prescription is the most rewarding of all. Chantrey House, 4 Eccleston Street, SW1W 9LN, 020 7823 6226 (earthspa.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

“the fitness guru viewed by the entertainment industry as the 4th emergency service” The S und ay Tim e s , St y le M a g a zin e

“ When I n e e d e d to get in sh a p e f o r a f ilm, h e t o o k me s a f e ly d o wn f ro m a s i z e 1 2 to size 8 in just six weeks.. . Da v id ’s p ro g ra mme h a s ma d e me a ma z in g l y f i t a n d mu c h s ma lle r. ” Rach e l We isz, Actre ss

“The rewa rds are h u g e , y o u will d ro p t h re e d re s s s iz e s . ” H e llo Mag azin e

“H i s ro u ti n e s a re fun, I never get bored and they w ork. H e ’s al w ays the person I turn to.” L ily Alle n , Re cord in g Ar tist

“ Lose we ight and g a in f it n e s s in re c o rd t ime - wit h t h e B o d y d o c t o r ’s work o u t , a n y t h in g is p o s s ib le . ” The S u n d ay Time s, Sty le Mag azin e

T he be st t r ai n i ng i n t h e wo r l d - a n d i t ’ s o n yo u r do o r st e p

b e s p o k e p e r s o n a l t r a i n i n g • p i l at e s • n u t rit io n c lin ic • h o lis t ic t h e rap ie s • inj ury r e h a b i l i tat i o n • p ow e r p l at e • s mall gro u p t rain in g • c o rp o rat e f it n e s s p rogra mmes

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

The Residents’ Association’s

May roundup

here are exciting times ahead for Belgravia. 2015 will see the redevelopment of The Pantechnicon Building (directly opposite to Waitrose) on Motcomb Street – these works are anticipated to last for 18 months with the new tenant in situ by December 2016. The Grade-II Listed Pantechnicon Building has been the jewel in the crown of Motcomb Street since its construction in 1830. Originally designed as a bazaar, it has since been occupied by a combination of retail and office occupiers. The size and proportions of the building, combined with its dramatic listed façade, will provide the opportunity of a department store with the intimacy of a beautiful private house, creating a unique space where a retailer could house their entire collection under one roof. The redeveloped building will feature a basement suitable for a café or bar. The groundfloor, double-height mezzanine level and interconnected spaces on the second and third floors will offer exceptional open-plan retail space and the creation of a glass terrace on the roof will provide a place to gather to enjoy drinks or dinner. The grand neo-classical façade was the only part of the building not to be destroyed in a fire in 1874 so the rooms behind the elevation are therefore modern and can be easily redeveloped, while the façade will be restored to its former glory. Grosvenor hasn’t yet confirmed who the new tenant will be, but I will have a full update for you shortly.

Other news…

Chestertons’ CEO takes part in ‘Toughest Footrace on Earth’ For most people, running a marathon is a huge challenge, but Robert Bartlett, the 49 year old CEO of Chestertons, has set a new standard by running the equivalent of six marathons (284 km) in Morocco’s Sahara Desert in the notorious Marathon des Sables. The race took place from 3-13 April. Robert is hoping to raise £20,000 for

by Sue Liberman of Motcomb Street Traders Association

Walking with the Wounded, a charity that supports the re-education and re-training of wounded servicemen and women. The race started on Robert’s 50th birthday! More updates to follow. (marathondessables.co.uk)

Spring into summer on The Terrace at Jumeirah Lowndes Hotel The Terrace reopened for the season in April, bringing both guests and Londoners an early taste of summer. Award-winning executive chef Martin Gabler will host a range of exclusive barbecue masterclasses throughout May and June. In intimate groups of up to eight people, the classes run 10.30am-12noon on Saturday 30 May and Saturday 6 June; as well as an exclusive ladies-only class on Wednesday 10 June, priced at £38 per person. Tel: 020 7858 7223 or email JLH.LBK@jumeirah.com. For more information visit (lowndesdining.co.uk). All classes are subject to availability.

Enjoy two drinks for the price of one at Motcombs, Motcomb Street Bubbles, wine and spirits by the glass are two for the price of one when ordering at the bar from Monday to Friday 5.30pm-7pm. This two-for-one is a limited period offer only. Half-price offers (whole lobster thermidor or fillet steak) on Friday nights in the restaurant only. For reservations call 020 7235 6382 or email info@motcombs.co.uk In addition, if there’s anything you would like to let me know about, I can be contacted on 07957 420 911 or at sue@sueliberman.com

Until next month...

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

Planning &Development Keeping you in the know about important street plans affecting Belgravia Belgrave Square Photography: Mary Regnier-Leigh

PLANNING APPLICATIONS DATE RECEIVED

ADDRESS

PROPOSAL

30 March

Chapel Street

Installation of two CCTV cameras

31 March

Ebury Street

New internal partition and entrance

31 March

Lower Belgrave Street

Thermal retrofit improvements

2 April

Belgrave Square

Reduction of the crowns St Peter’s Eaton Square Photography: Mary Regnier-Leigh

road works STREET

PLANNED WORK

DATES

WORKS OWNER

Wilton Road

Connection project

1-7 May

UKPN (0800 028 4587)

Hyde Park Corner to Saville Street junction

Replacement of existing lighting

1-15 May

TfL (0845 305 1234)

Buckingham Palace Road

Replacement of cracked/broken cover

1-20 May

City of Westminster (020 7641 2000)

Knightsbridge (near Wilton Place)

Erection of scaffold

1-26 May

TfL

Eaton Square

Repair of damaged railing hit by car

1-28 May

City of Westminster

1-5 -

DROP-IN EXHIBITION: Wednesday 13th May Saturday 16th May Monday 18th May

Proposals for the redevelopment of 1-5 Grosvenor Place are being developed and we would like to invite you to the second public exhibition to review and discuss the scheme. info@1-5grosvenorplace.co.uk 020 7729 1705 www.1-5grosvenorplace.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

4pm – 8pm 12pm – 4pm 12pm – 4pm

At The Caledonian Club (in the Johnnie Walker room) 9A Halkin Street* SW1X 7DR *Please note this is not the main entrance, the exhibition will be clearly signposted on the day.

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The Belgravia