The City Magazine April 2014

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CONTENTS

APRIL 2014

BUSINESS & WEALTH 28 | ISA SPECIAL: INVESTING YOUR ISA

JENNIFER HILL discusses where's best to invest your money

30 | ISA SPECIAL: PEER-TO-PEER

ANDY ROSENBAUM looks at new opportunities in crowdfunding and P2P lending for investors

34 | LEX VAN DAM ON EQUITIES

Most stocks go through life cycles, just as we do

36 | NICK HUNGERFORD ON INVESTMENTS

Customer service comes to the investment sector

38 | KATHLEEN BROOKS ON FX

Keeping calm under pressure is crucial in achieving market success

39 | RICHARD JEFFREY ON MACROECONOMICS

In 2014, enjoy the fastest year of growth since 2007

8 | CONTENTS

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M

Y

CM

MY

CY

MY

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CONTENTS

APRIL 2014

LIFESTYLE 48 | WEAR: CITY ESSENTIALS

This season, we turn our attention to the classic wardrobe staples you’ll revert to time and time again

76 | HOME: DESIGN DREAMS

TIFFANY EASTLAND talks tailoring briefs with one half of cutting-edge interior design duo, Lawson Robb

88 | DRIVE: THE FANTASTIC FOUR

Ferrari surprises NEIL BRISCOE with a car that satisfies for both speed and space

94 | DRINK: THE LONDON CRU

JAMES LAWRENCE visits an intriguing new winery based in the capital

98 | EXPLORE: UNDERSTATED GLAMOUR

GAVIN HAINES says visit Oman before the masses discover this hidden treasure

10 | CONTENTS

MAPPINANDWEBB.COM

REGENT STREET | OLD BOND STREET | FENCHURCH STREET

M&W_Empress_Purple_London Stores.indd 1

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CONTENTS

APRIL 2014

FEATURES 104 | VIVA ITALIA

A new exhibition showcasing the golden age of Italian cinema captures the decadence of the time

109 | SEVEN DEADLY SINS

As we anticipate the release of Paramount’s religous epic Noah, CHRIS ALLSOP questions the hypocrisy of Hollywood

115 | COMMUNITY BUILDING POWER

JACK PHILLIPS traces the history of entrepreneurship with tech icon and the man behind Wikipedia, Jimmy Wales

REGULARS 16 44 57 72 76

12 | CONTENTS

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THE CITY BRIEFING HIS STYLE COLLECTION HER STYLE HOME

78 80 85 96 125

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SPORT PLAY DRIVE ESCAPE PROPERTY

EDITOR'S LETTER

From the

EDITOR

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Lesley Ellwood MANAGING EDITOR Emma Johnson

WITH A BUDGET this March that focused on improving things for savers, and opening doors for investors, it seems there has never been a better time to reconsider where you might put your money. In our ISA Special, we look at some of the key areas for investing this year, while considering how the news that investors will also be able to earn tax-free returns on peer-to-peer lending will affect investment. Our investment ISA special begins on p. 27.

In addition to ISA chat, our experts also talk about empowering yourself to make your own investment decisions (p. 34), ask how you can make the right choice in a tricky FX market with no discernible trends (p. 38) and consider the idea that the UK is likely to be one of the better performing industrial economies this year (p. 39).

As the good times might seem to be finally here again, we take a look at a place where excess and expenditure of the most lavish and epic is all too prevalent: Hollywood (p. 109). A gentle lesson to temper our enthusiasm perhaps? Maybe. For a crash course in how to enjoy the trappings of a luxury life with a bit more class and style, you could do worse than look to the golden age of Italian cinema, a period of time that made the pursuit of la dolce vita an intoxicating world of glamour and beauty; go back in time on p. 104.

Finally, we meet the man behind the biggest resource of free information in the world – tech geek, business mogul, internet deity, Wikipedia’s constitutional monarch Jimmy Wales talks innovation and changing mindsets on p. 115.

DEPUTY EDITOR Richard Brown MOTORING EDITOR Matthew Carter COLLECTION EDITOR Annabel Harrison EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Tiffany Eastland STAFF WRITER Sian Gardiner SENIOR DESIGNER Daniel Poole GENERAL MANAGER Fiona Fenwick PRODUCTION Alexy Powell Hugo Wheatley Oscar Viney PROPERTY DIRECTOR Samantha Ratcliffe COMMUNICATIONS Loren Penney Lucy Jones HEAD OF FINANCE Elton Hopkins MANAGING DIRECTOR Eren Ellwood

PUBLISHED BY

Emma Johnson, managing editor

7 Heron Quay, Canary Wharf London, E14 4JB T: 020 7987 4320 F: 020 7005 0045 W: rwmg.co.uk

MEMBERS OF THE PROFESSIONAL PUBLISHERS ASSOCIATION Runwild Media Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Runwild Media Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

ON THE COVER Invest & Grow

ISA Special, p. 27 Image: Andreu Doz Photography, andreudozphotography.com

14 | FROM THE EDITOR

SUBSCRIPTIONS: A free online subscription service is available for The City Magazine. Visit the subscriptions page on our website: rwmg.co.uk/subscribe

Discover true detail.

Take a closer look at the only future ready* UHD 4K TV. With 4 times the detail of an HDTV and advanced picture quality technology, images come to life with deeper blacks, purer whites and brighter colours. It’s a whole new world of viewing. *Evolution Kit required, which is sold separately. It will enhance your smart features to the levels of the corresponding year of launch of your Evolution Kit. Only the software and processing hardware will be upgraded; other hardware will not be upgraded. Evolution Kit may not support certain apps and functions previously installed or available on your TV. Please check www.samsung.com for more details before installing the Evolution Kit. Based on currently determinable UHD connectivity, broadcasting and Blu-Ray standardisation initiatives. TV panel cannot be upgraded and may differ from future standards.

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THE CITY BRIEFING 

THE FACTS, STATS, MOVERS, MERGERS & MARKET NEWS AFFECTING THE SQUARE MILE THIS MONTH WORDS: RICHARD BROWN

FINANCE from AFAR

Photography: Matt Alexander and CYCLE TO MIPIM

SOUTH AFRICA FAILING TO APPEAL TO INVESTORS

Lacklustre output figures and poor labour market relations are just two of the reasons why investors are being turned off South Africa. Productivity has been affected by widespread strike action, while the central bank has struggled to cope with rising prices.

TheCityUK.com expects government policy to start tightening in Q2 of 2014, which should ensure a gradual decline in inflation in 2015 and 2016. Meanwhile, modest improvements in South Africa’s ‘twin deficits’ should result in less exchange rate volatility.

QATAR INVESTS £250M IN HARRODS IN FOUR YEARS

The CEO of Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), Ahmad Al-Sayed, has revealed that Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund has invested £250 million in Harrods since acquiring it four years ago. The UK remains a “main destination” for the fund, says Al-Sayed, which is a “long-term investor” in the country, The Telegraph reported.

Improvements to Harrods have included a 30,000 square foot ‘Fashion Lab’, the world’s largest collection of luxury shoes and a new glass chandelier. The group has previously voiced plans to launch the Harrods hotel brand in prime cities across the world.

ANGOLA SET TO DIVERSIFY FROM OIL

Angola’s construction and retail sectors are expected to benefit from rising per capita incomes and higher government expenditure as authorities increase spending on infrastructure and attempt to diversify the country’s economy away from oil. GDP growth slowed in 2013, due to drought and lower international oil prices, but sources anticipate an average growth of around seven per cent between 2014 and 2016.

16 | THE CITY BRIEFING

CITY CYCLISTS ARRIVE IN CANNES

T

he Broadgate Estates Cycle to the 2014 MIPIM (Le Marché International des Professionnels de L'immobilier) reached its triumphant finish in Cannes last month. The 98-strong peloton covered 1,452 km from London to Cannes over six days to be met by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson.

After completion of the ride, the cyclists –

all professionals working in development, architecture or planning – changed their lycra for business suits and took part in the MIPIM international property fair. Since its first outing in 2006, Cycle To MIPIM has raised £1.5 million in grants for its supported charities. ✤ cycle-to.org

OSBORNE GETS TIGHT ON TAX AVOIDANCE Following last month’s budget, firms and individuals locked in a legal battle over their involvement with tax avoidance schemes will have to pay the disputed sum to the Government. If they win, those using the schemes will get their money back, with interest, said Chancellor George Osborne, in a change that’s expected to

swell government coffers by £4bn.

Not everyone agrees with the idea of accelerating upfront payments, however: “George Osborne is trying to commemorate the 800th anniversary of the Magna Carta by introducing the principle that the taxpayer is guilty until proven innocent,” says Harwood Hutton accountant Cormac Marum.

NEWS

Source: TheCityUK

FINANCIAL AND RELATED PROFESSIONAL SERVICES EMPLOYMENT IN LONDON at end 2013 (% change from previous year) Fund Management

23,100 (3.6%)

Legal Services

Insurance

70,700

(0.5%)

106,000 (2.8%)

Auxiliary & Other

126,400 (2.1%)

Banking

''

147,100 (2.4%) Total

688,800

Accounting & Management Consultancy

215,500

(1.4%)

(2.0%)

THE WORD ON THE STREET

As general secretary of a union, you’ve got to be larger than life. You don’t want to mooch around in a grey suit and eat a sandwich every lunchtime.

You want someone with a bit of a spark about him.”

– The late Bob Crow talking about leading the RMT days before his death

THE RICH GET RICHER

2013 was a good year for the world’s wealthiest individuals. As US equity markets rose, the nine founders of Apollo, Blackstone, Carlyle and KKR – the four big listed US private equity firms – took home more than £1.5 billion between them, with Apollo Global Management’s Leon Black receiving £329 million alone.

While his basic salary was just £60,170 ($100,000), with an additional £112,521 ($187,000) for other expenses, Mr Black earned £222 million in cash dividends and £106 million in profits on his investments in Apollo funds. Elsewhere, Steve Schwarzman of Blackstone pocketed £225 million, the three founders of Carlyle shared £451 million, and KKR co-founders Henry Kravis and George Roberts enjoyed a combined £197 million.

Away from the private equity world, Mark Zuckerberg, founder of Facebook, earned the biggest sum of 2013, his social network site swelling his personal wealth to an estimated £6.2 billion. Bill Gates regained his title of the world’s richest man with a fortune of £45.7 billion, while the Duke of Westminster, Gerald Grosvenor’s, £7.8 billion made him the wealthiest Brit.

CITY RENTS NOW SOME OF THE CHEAPEST IN LONDON It seems the City has become a victim of its own success, developing too many offices when times are good, to create an abundance of space when the economy takes a dip. According to research from property agents Levy and data company IPD, rents and prices of office buildings in the City have performed worse than in

other parts of London over the past decade.

Whereas the average annual total return for office properties in the West End and the ‘midtown’ area of Bloomsbury, Holborn and St Giles was 11.2 and 9.6 per cent respectively, City work spaces yielded annual returns of a much lower 6.9 per cent.

According to property company Carter

Jonas, the Square Mile has lower rents than the capital’s other business areas, with prime space costing up to £59.50 per square foot compared with up to £70 in midtown and up to £120 in the West End. Data from Carter Jonas shows that some parts of the City’s northern fringe witnessed rent increases of nearly 16 per cent last year.

THE CITY BRIEFING | 17

THE CITY LISTENS The UK public’s decision on staying or leaving the EU will be heavily influenced by economic factors and the views of businesses.

Business leaders will be “instrumental” in informing the EU debate.

IN

OUT

UNSURE

£

LONDON IS SUPERRICH’S FAVOURITE CITY

London was home to more ultra-high net worth individuals – those with £21 million or more in assets away from their main home – than in any other city in 2013.

Of the world’s 167,669 UHNWIs, 4,224 chose to reside in the capital, according to a report by estate agent Knight Frank. In total, that number controls more than £12 trillion in assets – more than the combined national output of Germany and the US.

CITY CORPORATION PART-FUNDS CROSSRAIL ART PROJECT

The City of London Corporation has pledged £500,000 to part-fund a new permanent public artwork display in the Canary Wharf Crossrail station. The art installation will be part of the largest, collaborative public art commissioning programme in a generation. The Culture Line will be a permanent exhibition of large-scale artworks across seven London Crossrail stations, designed in collaboration with London’s leading art galleries.

THE CITY INCREASES JOB VACANCIES

According to recruitment firm Astbury Marsden, 3,220 new jobs were created in the City in February, reported the International Business Times. That figure represents a 25 per cent jump on the same month in 2013, a year in which the economy grew by 1.8 per cent – the fastest pace since 2008. However, a planned wave of £45 billion in IPOs on London’s stock market has yet to spark an increase in equities hiring, says IBT.

18 | THE CITY BRIEFING

82%

33%

39%

said they will give 'a lot' of thought to the potential impact on the UK economy, more so than other factors, such as immigration.

28%

61%

Amongst the “Euro Undecideds”, more say hearing from business leaders than from any other group would be helpful to them in reaching a decision on whether to stay or leave Europe.

57% 48% 42%

Almost six in ten (57%) of all respondents cite the views of employers as being helpful to them, with less than half ‘relying’ on party leaders (48%), and friends and family (42%).

Source: TheCityUK – online survery of 2,032 adults aged 18+, conducted on behalf of TheCityUK by Millward Brown Corporate

APPY DAYS: DODGING POLLUTION

Those of you who walk, run or cycle to work may like to learn of a smartphone app developed between the City of London Corporation and King’s College London.

The CityAir app shows the highest levels of all currently measured types of pollution (nitrogen dioxide, small particles, PM10 and PM2.5 and ozone) at a 20-metre resolution across the capital. Users can sign up for air pollution alerts and find alternative, low air pollution routes when levels of air pollution are high. Search app stores now.

NEWS

DATES for the DIARY 31 March – 11 July

Until 27 April

The Globe Theatre © Padmayogini

CURIOSITIES FROM THE VAULTS: A BANK MISCELLANY

CA MATHEW: PHOTOGRAPHS OF SPITALFIELDS A CENTURY AGO

Discover a variety of trinkets, whatsits and unusual treasures from the Bank of England’s vaults. From archaeological discoveries to mystery objects, this exhibition reveals the surprising stories of many intriguing artefacts. ✤ Mon-Fri 10am-5pm; Free Bank of England Museum, Bartholomew Lane, EC2R

13 April

VIRGIN LONDON MARATHON

Cheer on the runners by securing a vantage spot in the City at this year’s London Marathon. See the participants twice at Tower Bridge and as they approach the final strait at Victoria Embankment. ✤ Race starts at 9.20am in Blackheath

2 – 30 April

SHAKESPEARE IN PRINT

For reasons unknown, on the morning of Saturday 20 April 1912, CA Mathew walked the short distance from Liverpool Street to Spitalfields and photographed the world around him. The streets and people of east London are captured with startling clarity by this enigmatic photographer. On 5 April, you can also join a free curator-led guide through the collection.

22 – 25 April

APRIL SHAKESPEARE WEEK

To celebrate the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth, the Guildhall Library is staging a special week of walks, talks, events and an exhibition. Find out about Shakespeare’s indoor theatre, what it was like to read a newly-published Shakespeare play, and hear some sonnet readings. ✤ Dates, times and prices vary.

For details, visit cityoflondon.gov.uk/ guildhallibrary

Using the Guildhall Library’s Shakespeare collections, this exhibition shows how the Bard gained his legendary status through performance and publishing. Treasures on display include the First Folio, contemporary writers’ quartos and later editions of Shakespeare’s plays and poetry.

Join in the traditional St George’s Day celebrations in true Leadenhall style with Morris dancing and live music.

✤ Mon-Sat 9.30am-5pm; Free Guildhall Library, Aldermanbury, EC2V

✤ Free Leadenhall Market, Gracechurch Street, EC3V

23 – 24 April

ST GEORGE’S DAY AT LEADENHALL MARKET

✤ Mon-Fri by appointment only; Sat-Sun 10am-6pm; Free Eleven Spitalfields Gallery, Princelet Street, E1

Until 27 April

THE CHEAPSIDE HOARD: LONDON’S LOST JEWELS

Discover the secrets and stories behind the Cheapside Hoard, a priceless collection of jewels found buried in the City more than 100 years ago. The exhibition at the Museum of London investigates the mysteries of an extraordinary collection of late 16th and early 17th-century jewels discovered in 1912 buried in a cellar on Cheapside. Who owned the hoard? When was it buried? Why was it never reclaimed? ✤ Open daily from 10am-6pm Admission: £10; concessions: £8 Museum of London, 150 London Wall, EC2Y

Image courtesy of Peter Smith

MONUMENTAL PASTS: LONDON REMEMBERS

A major memorial installation of two original sculptures by acclaimed artist Gerry Judah will be erected as part of St Paul’s Cathedral’s programme to commemorate the 2014 centenary of the beginning of the Great War. The two white cruciform sculptures, each more than six metres high, will be installed on the walls at the head of the nave of the cathedral, meeting visitors upon entry to St Paul’s for an eight-month period from Palm Sunday (13 April). Bearing intricate models of contemporary and historical settlements decimated by conflict on the main shafts, the two crosses encourage reflection on the waste, pity and devastation of war.

THE CITY BRIEFING | 19

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WINE & DINE 

INSIDER INFO, TOP TIPS, HIDDEN GEMS, NEW OPENINGS & EXCLUSIVE CLUBS WORDS: EMMA JOHNSON Roka, Mayfair

ZEITGEIST THIS MONTH EVERYONE IS… Eating…

black cod marinated in yuzu miso and lamb cutlets with Korean spices at the new Roka in Mayfair. Frequented by the bold and the beautiful of London’s high society, bagsie a spot at the Robata Grill and sip sake while you people watch.

✤ 30 North Audley Street, W1K, rokarestaurant.com

Drinking…

whisky at Coq D’Argent.

One of the Top 10 whisky bars in the City, with more than 70 whiskys on offer, its VIP whisky flights are a must for enthusiasts.

✤ 1 Poultry, EC2R, coqdargent.co.uk

Booking… at City Social, the new Jason

Atherton restaurant in Tower 42, hotlytipped as the big opening of the spring.

HIDDEN GEM Hix Oyster & Chop House, Farringdon Squirreled away in a cosy corner of Farringdon, Hix Oyster & Chop House is one of our favourite places to forget about the world. The clean, tiled dining room still manages to be a cosy space to eat and drink, while tables on the pavement feel distinctly continental in the summer. Start with oysters, of course – sourced from across Britain and served with a sharp, fresh shallot vinaigrette. The ‘Game On’ section of the menu features regular specials and salads using ingredients such as pheasant and grouse, while starters offer the likes of snails, smoked salmon and several intriguing vegetable dishes, expertly-seasoned and flavoured. For the main event, save space for signature dishes, such as the beef flank and oyster pie and the Launceston Barnsley lamb chop – both excellent examples of British cooking with well-sourced ingredients. Let the drinks team guide you through the wine list too – there are several surprising entries from lesser-known growers and, if you’re that way inclined, finish up with the Bergamot marmalade bread and butter pudding – a revelation of taste. ✤ 36-37, Greenhill’s Rents, Cowcross Street, EC1M

✤ citysociallondon.com

POWER BREAKFAST Start the day as you mean to go on…

Where: BREAD STREET KITCHEN Why: This very on-trend spot behind St Paul’s is always buzzing, no matter what the

time of day, but it has a special charm at breakfast. The ricotta hot cakes, served with sliced bananas and honeycomb butter are the star turn here – a sweet plateful of butteryrich pancakes, the honeycomb butter offers a sugary kick and a moreish mouthful that is best washed down with a cup of its potent Allpress coffee, based just around the corner in Shoreditch. Bacon rolls, sausage sandwiches, porridge and smoothies are also on offer for the naughty and virtuous, depending on their mood that morning. ✤ 10 Bread Street, EC4M

20 | THE CITY BRIEFING

WINE & DINE

WORKING LUNCH THIS MONTH: Alessandro Piombino, general manager, Galvin La Chapelle THE BEST TIME OF DAY IN THE CITY IS...

3pm... When the only people in the restaurant are the ones who are not going back to their offices and really want to experience great food and wine.

FAVOURITE HIDDEN CITY GEM...

I might sound predictable, but what better hidden gem is there other than Galvin La Chapelle? Name me another restaurant hidden between huge crystal buildings with the look of a chapel – it’s not very easy to find.

THE BEST TABLE IN THE HOUSE...

DEGUSTATION

IF YOU NEED TO SEND SOMETHING BACK…

Really depends on what the occasion is and also the way you present it. I always try (while walking the room) to understand what the customer is here for and, even if the allocation for their table has already been given, I will often offer another table. (My receptionists hate me for this!)

Try to be as honest as you can. It can always happen that a dish is not what you expected.

Don’t be offensive, remember that a lot of hard work has gone into that dish. We are human beings and a mistake can always happen.

IF YOU WANT TO IMPRESS...

A restaurant is very rarely fully booked. You should always have a table for your regulars.

Or an alternative time-slot available.

Order a Hermitage La Chapelle 1961 (available at £19.5k in our restaurant). I have tried it once and I loved it. Otherwise Comtes de Champagne 1995.

BEST FOR BREAKFAST...

Duck & Waffle where I can see the sunrise and have a glass of Champagne after a very hard day – such as after a New Year's Eve shift.

THIS MONTH: CLUB GASCON

The bar at the ME Hotel, which offers a beautiful terrace for pre-dinner drinks; Coya for dinner and then finish off upstairs in the private club.

The five-course Le Marche menu at Club Gascon is the best way to get the most out of this unashamedly French Michelin-starred eatery. While the cured duck, sea bass and frosted rhubarb dessert are divine dishes in their own right, the spring duck tartare and oceanic salad really showcases a mastery of presentation backed up by impeccable flavour, while the lamb rump is also very exciting – lamb sweetbreads are breaded in popcorn and then deep-fried, providing a unique texture combination together with the rich lamb and salty vegetables.

✤ 35 Spital Square, E1

✤ Five courses, £60 / £90 with wine pairing 57 W Smithfield, EC1A

IF THE RESTAURANT IS FULLY BOOKED…

A PERFECT NIGHT OUT...

CINNAMON KITCHEN

A modern take on Indian cooking, this café-style joint has a friendly vibe, rustic décor, several fantastic outdoor spots for the summer, and makes some of the tastiest lamb samosas we’ve ever tried.

Refined and classy, the menu here features some classic curry dishes with a modern twist – the stone bass with masala parsnip, Tandoori halibut with Bengali ‘dopiaza’ sauce and Rajasthani curry of wild rabbit and corn are not to be missed.

✤ 7 Boundary Street, E2

✤ 9 Devonshire Square, EC2M

WHERE TO TRY...

Modern Indian Cuisine in the CITY

DISHOOM

Our pick of the capital’s best tasting menus

THE CITY BRIEFING | 21

WINE & DINE



BON VIVEUR 

OUR MAN-ABOUT-TOWN, NICK SAVAGE, PRESENTS HIS MUST-VISIT FAVOURITES Staying abreast of places worth a visit in the City, let alone London, is often akin to doing battle with a many-headed hydra. The minute you remove one spot from your list, two grow back in its place. For these reasons, I’ve chosen three of my favourite spots on the

HKK

Fifteen courses is sometimes enough to nip a booking in the bud. With a meal of such duration, diners may be concerned with potential deep vein thrombosis or missing their grandchild’s graduation. However, HKK is not a place where longevity will be a consideration.

When experiencing a meal of this sort, health concerns atomise and grandchildren fade into the ether, sublimated beneath the phenomenal gastronomy at play. This experience was engineered by the Hakkasan Group, which enlisted chef Tong Chee Hwee to put his

outskirts of the City that are truly sui generis. One is a fine-dining nosh-up, the other a pintxos joint and the third a members’ club. One is brand new, another a relatively fresh arrival on the scene and the last an established favourite.

BRAVAS TAPAS

St Katharine Docks has always been one of those sites of resounding urban beauty squandered on the likes of Starbucks, Strada and every other indentikit rollout marring its comely quays. However, it appears that the Docks are finally prepared for change, and that catalyst might just be Bravas Tapas, where the Square Mile’s savviest can pitch up for a taste of high-concept España in the heart of the City. There’s an interesting interplay at Bravas Tapas between the wellworn rusticity of the dining room and the

"The evening will commence with a stimulating amuse bouche – I won’t ruin the surprise" finest foot forward, and so he has, as HKK has already earned a Michelin star whilst plumping for a second. The room is seductive and a bit space-age, with luminous curtains descending like science-fiction cilia from the ceiling.

However, the centrepiece of HKK is a bespoke wood-fired oven from which the pièce de résistance of the menu is prepared – a cherryroasted Peking duck served three ways – which was easily the best I’ve tried in London, if not the greater world. For those who are really set on being a star grandparent, HKK also has an eight-course option, but only at the bar. And yes, the duck also features on it.

adroit work of the kitchen. The interior resembles the heavily-wooded bodegas of Spain and Portugal, with a candlelit ambience, upcycled furniture and views of London’s prettiest marina, which will likely become a coveted location with one of the hottest summers on record promised for 2014. Choose from a well-pruned wine list or an expertly-mixed G&T (a popular trend in Madrid these days) and a menu of excellent Iberian cuisine. The evening will commence with a stimulating amuse-bouche – I won’t ruin the surprise – and end with a satisfied stumble out of the Docklands.

✤ hkklondon.com

✤ bravastapas.co.uk

22 | THE CITY BRIEFING

EIGHT CLUB

Since launching in 2006 on Change Alley, things have been on the up-and-up at the Eight Club. No less so after the opening of its highrise outpost in Moorgate, with a clandestine entry on Dysart Street, complete with a glasswalled external lift that whisks members skyward to the rarefied atmosphere of the club. Eight Moorgate comes complete with a fine-dining restaurant, a network of hightech meeting rooms and a lounge bar with an extensive roof terrace that is perennially popular during the warmer seasons – especially with me, which is exactly why I’m writing this article while looking out at the Heron Tower. However, there’s a lot more on the horizon for the Eight Club than local skyscrapers. A new terrace garden is in the works, as well as a studio fitness gym equipped with changing rooms and showers. The Blind Bee recently launched at Eight Bank, a pop-up club with an upbeat music schedule, including both live music and DJs covering every genre from jazz to trap. For private members’ clubs in the City, the Eight Club looks well-situated to remain numero uno. ✤ eightclub.co.uk

Nick Savage is editor of Innerplace, an exclusive London lifestyle concierge, innerplace.co.uk

CALENDAR

THE CITY SKI CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE MOMENTUM SKI FESTIVAL 2014 DATE: 13 – 16 MARCH / VENUE: CRONS MONTANA, SWITZERLAND

T

he good, the bald and the speedy swapped the City for the slopes last month, as the 15th Momentum Ski Festival and City Ski Championships rolled into Crans Montana. A bona fide highlight of the Square Mile calendar, the event invites finance’s top institutions to compete in a series of trap and slalom races during a three day programme that includes après ski festivities, an FT-sponsored business forum and gala dinner.

While Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, HSBC and JP Morgan were all in attendance, it was Lombard Odier’s Quentin Perchat that claimed the JEANRICHARD Giant Slalom trophy, with the lady’s title going to Annabel Fell-Clark of AXA Fine Art – Lloyds of London.

The Super FIS/Instructor Champion and fastest overall skier in the giant slalom event was Juergen Blumberg of BlackRock Asset Management, who obliterated the rest of the field with a time of 46.88.

The wipeout of the weekend went to RK Harrison’s Filippo GuerriniMaraldi, for a spectacular tumble on the last day of racing – an award he collected with reluctant grace. ✤ The Momentum Ski Festival 2015 will take place in Crans Montana between 12 – 15 March. To register a team, visit momentumski.com/festival

From top left: City Ski Championship participants; British Olympic Skier Graham Bell and wife Sarah Bell basking in the sun; Hetty Lowndes – Performance Verbier – Women’s Super FIS/PRO Champion; Group shot; Dual slalom competitor; Après-ski crowd surfing; Quentin Perchat, Laure Maisieres, Audrey Faveeuw and Steven Maillefer – Mixed Team Champions presented with their award by Colin Jackson. Images courtesy of Red Photographic.

THE CITY BRIEFING | 23

THE SOCIETY OF YOUNG PHILANTHROPISTS FUNDRAISER, THE CITY DATE: 5 MARCH / VENUE: STEAM AND RYE

T

he City recently played host to a gathering of The Society of Young Philanthropists, the UK-based initiative of the World Council of Peoples for the UN, which aims to revitalise the nature of charitable giving amongst key young British influencers.

Held at The City’s Steam and Rye restaurant – co-owned by the unconventional duo Nick House and model Kelly Brook – some of the UK’s most promising young leaders in social action came together over drinks and canapés to successfully raise funds for the charity.

From the top: Alex Rose, Jamie Hepburn and James Phillips; Katherine De Rome, Josie Filmer, Emma Russell-Jones, Megan Cooper, Samir Lecheheb; Eamonn Katter, Dave Nelson and Charlotte Breen; Jamie Hepburn; Mona Ebert, Laura Profumo and Larissa Normanton; Alexandra Gillon-Livesy and Alexandra Abrams; Jamie Hepburn and Amelia Badeni; Laura Profumo and Alexandra Abrams; John Pitts

24 | THE CITY BRIEFING

CALENDAR

LONDON FOOTBALL LEGEND AWARDS, THE CITY DATE: 6 MARCH / VENUE: GRANGE TOWER BRIDGE HOTEL

T

he recent London Football Legend Awards saw footballing greats honoured for their achievements at a star-studded charity dinner. Legends of the game past and present including Sir Geoff Hurst, Ledley King and Sir Trevor Brooking congregated to see the likes of Roy Hodgson and Tony Carr recognised for their coaching successes, while current player, Aaron Ramsay picked up the London Player of the Year award. The event raised more than £100,000 of much needed funds for Willow – a national charity founded by Arsenal legend Bob Wilson that provides unique ‘Special Days’ for seriously ill 16 to 40 year olds.

From the top: Roy Hodgson accepting award; Geoff Hurst presents Roy Hodgson with Lifetime Acheivement Award; Ledley King accepting Club Legend Award from Jimmy Greaves; Roy Hodgson with Lifetime Acheivement Award; Aaron Ramsey with London Player of the Year Award; Ledley King with Club Legend Award; Sir Trevor Brooking presents Aaron Ramsey with London Player of the Year Award; Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Photos courtesy of CPG PHOTOGRAPHY

THE CITY BRIEFING | 25

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06/02/2014 10:10

SPOTLIGHT

ISA SPECIAL

THE ISA-ING ON THE CAKE While many predicted that it would be income-tax payers who benefited most from George Osborne’s budget reforms last month, it was, in fact, savers who saw the greatest gains

FROM JULY 2014, the amount of money people can put into ISAs, which had previously been limited to £11,880, of which only £5,760 could be cash, will be extended to £15,000, either as cash or shares or a mixture of both.

The news was welcomed by the six million or so people who are set to benefit, and means that over the longer term, with a structured approach, a significant amount of tax free savings can be accumulated. “If a couple both decide to invest their full £15,000 allowance each and every year over a 20-year span, and received growth of seven per cent, they would create a sizeable tax-free pot of £1.28 million,” points out Stephen Sutherland, author of How to Make Money in ISAs and SIPPs (£9.95, Matador).

Having worked with the crowdfunding industry for almost a year, smoothing out the obstacles to ISA-peer-to-peer match-ups, the Government also announced that P2P lending would become ISA-able from 2015, with the industry set to benefit from wider regulation on the whole.

The move is one way the Coalition hopes to achieve its goal of increasing investment in business, with peer-topeer lending having become a growing sector of financing for SMEs and start ups over the last few years.

In light of all this good news for ISAs, over the page we take a look at the key investment opportunities for ISAs this year; consider what the impact of the P2P announcement will be and reflect on why getting someone else to manage your investment ISA is the way to go.

BUSINESS & WEALTH | 27

28 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

© Andreu Doz Photography

ISA SPECIAL

INVESTING YOUR ISA

With this year’s individual savings account (ISA) season in full swing, where is best to invest? We asked some leading independent investment experts for their top ISA investment themes for 2014 WORDS: JENNIFER HILL

EUROPEAN RECOVERY

European equities has been the worstselling sector for six of the past 10 years, but is currently the fifth best-selling, according to Chelsea Financial Services, the discount broker.

Managing director Darius McDermott says: “Investors are possibly more confident now that those companies that have so far survived the European sovereign debt crisis should be in a reasonably strong position.”

For investors who believe Europe has reached its nadir and the only way is up, Charles Younes, a fund analyst at FE, likes John Bennett’s Henderson European Selected Opportunities fund. “John takes conviction and often contrarian bets, depending on where he sees industry growth phases appearing,” says Younes. “Given the fund’s top quartile ranking amongst peers, it provides a good way to play a pending European recovery.”

Chase de Vere, the independent financial adviser, recommends the JPM Europe Dynamic and Henderson European Growth funds.

UNDERVALUED JAPAN

Japan has long been a frustrating market for investors, but that changed with the election in late 2012 of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who promised to restore Japan’s fortunes through a combination of monetary and fiscal easing and structural reforms – known collectively as the ‘three arrows’.

Adrian Lowcock, a senior investment manager at Hargreaves Lansdown, says Japanese shares remain cheap. In two years, the yen has fallen 25.4 per cent against sterling with further falls possible. “A weaker yen is good for Japanese exports and has already boosted Japanese company earnings,” says Lowcock. “The result is companies’ profits have grown more quickly than their share prices and, in spite of the [recent] strong rally, Japanese shares still look attractive.”

For Tom Stevenson, investment director at Fidelity Personal Investing, concerns about the impact of the forthcoming hike in Japan’s sales tax in April remain, but he is

confident that the government will “do what is necessary to return the country to growth”.

He says ISA savers looking to invest in Japan should consider Aberdeen Japan Growth or Baillie Gifford Japanese, while Lowcock tips GLG Japan CoreAlpha.

US ASCENT

US equities had a formidable 2013 with the S&P 500 index returning 32 per cent. Experts believe shares should continue their ascent in 2014. “Shares do not usually rise to ‘fair value’ and then stop,” says Stevenson. “Historically, they have tended to carry on rising until they are obviously overvalued, and we are still some way off that position today.”

Chase de Vere holds an overweight position in US equities. Patrick Connolly, a certified financial planner at the advisory

“The US economy is a huge driver of global growth and is home to many excellent and profitable companies” firm, says: “We continue to see positive economic data from the US, with the employment picture improving, the housing market recovering, banks behaving and lending normally, a renaissance in manufacturing and consumers feeling more confident.

“The US economy is a huge driver of global growth and is home to many excellent and profitable companies. This coupled with accommodative fiscal policies and the many potential benefits of accessing shale gas and oil should be positive for risk assets such as equities in the medium-term.”

He likes AXA Framlington American Growth as an active play and HSBC American Index for those who prefer to track the US market. Stevenson also likes the AXA fund as well as Old Mutual North American Equity.

HEARTY HEALTHCARE

Concerns over future earnings due to a lack

of new blockbuster drugs in the pipeline and existing drugs coming off patent have weighed on healthcare shares. Nevertheless, pharmaceutical companies have managed to grow profits. Lowcock says: “The pharmaceuticals industry has an impressive record of consistent earnings growth going back at least 40 years. The ability to generate consistent earnings growth, even in tough markets, has arguably not been fully recognised by the stock market, providing opportunities for investors.”

Rathbone Income, managed by Carl Stick, has exposure to this theme with 14 per cent in pharma and biotech stocks.

BRICKS AND MORTAR

McDermott believes commercial property will benefit from renewed interest this ISA season: “It offers an alternative stream of income with relatively low volatility and the outlook for growth has picked up significantly in recent months as the economic recovery gathers pace.”

Henderson UK Property is currently among Chelsea’s top 10 bestsellers.

SMALL STOCK PICKERS

Funds that have a bias towards small and mid caps are also proving popular, as Chelsea data shows.

The UK smaller companies sector has returned 80.6 per cent compared with 23.8 per cent for the FTSE 100 over the past two years. “This [outperformance] makes it harder to find companies to invest in,” says Lowcock. “However, the UK smaller companies sector has some exceptional fund managers with decades of experience.

They are amongst the best stock pickers.” He likes Standard Life UK Smaller Companies, managed by Harry Nimmo.

Rob Gleeson, head of research at FE, recommends Giles Hargreave, manager of the Marlborough Special Situations fund, for his focus on the UK’s domestic story and expertise in small and micro caps, and Mark Asquith’s Somerset Emerging Markets Small Cap fund for investors who see this as a good entry point into emerging markets.

BUSINESS & WEALTH | 29

A NEW WORLD FOR ISA INVESTORS?

As part of his Budget speech in March, chancellor George Osborne announced that ISA investors will be able to put their funds into peer-to-peer lending or crowdfunding vehicles, opening new opportunities for investors WORDS: ANDY ROSENBAUM

30 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

Source: HMRC

18 Millions of subscriptions

16 14 12 10 8 6 4 2

Stocks & Shares

120,000

2012-13

2011-12

2010-11

2009-10

2008-09

2007-08

2006-07

2005-06

2004-05

2003-04

2002-03

2001-02

2000-01

1999-00

0

Cash

Source: Bank of England

100,000

80,000

60,000

40,000

20,000

0

01/08/2010 01/09/2010 01/10/2010 01/11/2010 01/12/2010 01/01/2011 01/02/2011 01/03/2011 01/04/2011 01/05/2011 01/06/2011 01/07/2011 01/08/2011 01/09/2011 01/10/2011 01/11/2011 01/12/2011 01/01/2012 01/02/2012 01/03/2012 01/04/2012 01/05/2012 01/06/2012 01/07/2012 01/08/2012 01/09/2012 01/10/2012 01/11/2012 01/12/2012 01/01/2013 01/02/2013 01/03/2013 01/04/2013 01/05/2013 01/06/2013

Cumulative Value of loans originated, £000

T

his year's Budget announcement has been a long time coming. A Treasury committee has been at work with the crowdfunding industry for almost a year to smooth out the obstacles to allowing the ISA-P2P match-up to take place.

Investments could be included in a stocks-and-shares ISA wrapper, potentially from 2015.

While exciting for investors, peer‐to‐peer lending poses another, potentially more realistic threat to retail, commercial and investment banks. Unlike its equity-raising cousin, crowdfunding, peer‐to‐peer lending connects lenders directly with borrowers, often offering lenders better returns than traditional bank deposit accounts.

For this year, peer-to-peer lending has accounted for about £1.6 billion in loans, according to Bank of England statistics. That’s only a drop in the bucket for the time being of the trillions lent by banks. But analysts see P2P as quickly growing to take about 10 per cent of the total loan market in the UK, particularly if supply grows as ISA funds become available to it. It is helped by the fact that, from April, the peerto-peer lending market will be regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

“More and more people now recognise the benefits that peerto-peer lending can offer. No wonder the sector is growing so fast,” comments Christine Farnish, chair of the London-based Peer-to-Peer Finance Association.

There are already a number of well-established peer-to-peer lenders in the City. Ratesetter, for example, offers a pre‐tax five year fixed interest rate of 5.7 per cent that is just under double the interest that can be earned on a savings account, while Funding Circle claims average returns of 5.7 per cent after fees and bad debt.

“Compare that with the current maximum savings rates earned

by ISA investors of 2.8 per cent,” sniffs analyst Cormac Leech of the brokerage Liberum. “We think that differential will drive massive growth and that they could take 10 per cent of the ISA market and it could happen over five to 10 years.”

Savers will be allowed to put their full allowance of £11,520 into the new vehicles, which can be diversified into a number of peerto peer platforms, or placed in a single one. Investors should bear in mind that funds are not guaranteed, however, by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (which covers up to £85,000). So the risk is greater than investing with a bank or brokerage.

What is not clear at the time of writing, is whether the Government will permit investments in equity crowdfunding, as opposed to corporate lending. Some peer-to-peer sites simply make loans to companies and they use valid criteria for lending, although, unlike most banks these days, they do make loans – most banks have practically frozen corporate lending except to their favourite clients, and small companies have to find other ways to raise funds. Peer-topeer lending has helped to fill this gap in some respects.

But there is a problem when peer-to-peer raises money by selling

shares in companies. This raises a lot of regulatory issues that the authorities are still trying to deal with. Making sure that P2P share sales respect all the guidelines with regard to transparency, investor information, company accounts, etc. is no small matter; after all, getting listed on the stock market requires three years of very complex accounting. No one wants to have investors buying stock and then having a huge scandal break if the company has been padding the books.

Crowdfunding, which is due to be regulated, as of April, could clearly pose a threat to commercial banks if it becomes an easier path to funds for businesses which then stop using all the other services that commercial banks live by. Eventually, it could also potentially pose a threat to investment banks by giving larger businesses the opportunity to have equity offerings without having to go through investment banks to make a public offering on the bourse.

ISA SPECIAL

“The list of qualifying investments for ISAs will be extended to include peer-topeer loans. The government will continue to explore further, extending the list to include debt securities offered via crowdfunding platforms.”

BUSINESS & WEALTH | 31

THE A TEAM

Stress, fear, anxiety.

Why would you EVER manage your own investment ISA? WORDS: SIAN GARDINER

R

esearch conducted by Opinium in October 2013 asked a cross-section of the UK who they turned to for financial guidance. Less than one in five said they currently look to professional services, such as a bank or independent financial adviser. The rest said they’d seek out friends and family for help (43 per cent) or go it alone (31 per cent).

But going it alone comes at a price. Traditionally, most people who want a stocks and shares ISA will sign-up with one of the do-it-yourself platforms, such as Fidelity or Hargreaves Lansdown, from where they can buy their own stocks and shares, or buy into one of the recommended funds. This is called ‘execution only’.

But the difficulty with managing your own stocks and shares ISA is that it’s a non-stop business. Keeping track of every share price move, every employment statement and every inflation rate announcement the world over can get you in a pickle. Financial markets and global economic data never sleep and certainly don’t take holidays.

32 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

Again, traditionally, if you were fortunate enough to have a lot of money – and I’m talking £250,000 or more – then you’d have access to a far superior service. You could have your own wealth manager, from one of the big private banks like Coutts or Rathbones. They construct a personal portfolio for you.

They look at your assets, your financial goals, how much risk you want to take, and they’d build and manage a professional portfolio on your behalf. This is known as ‘discretionary’.

So, what if you don’t have that kind of money to invest?

Thankfully the investment world is changing. The wealth management experience is becoming more accessible. The likes of Charles Stanley and St James Place now offer bespoke and continuous management of your investments with no minimum lump sum to start with – though the initial charges mean you’re likely to be paying a high percentage in management fees overall, unless you have a substantial amount to invest.

Online wealth management service Nutmeg go even further. They take on customers with as little as £1,000 to

EDITORIAL FEATURE

WHERE DO YOU TURN FOR FINANCIAL GUIDANCE? Thinking about when you make decisions about financial matters, which, if any, of the following would you say you are most likely to turn to for advice/guidance?

14% 21% invest, but also have plenty of customers with half a million or more in their portfolio. Nutmeg have been going for three years and are growing fast. Their medium-risk portfolios delivered returns of 14.5 per cent in 2013, while their highrisk portfolio was up 20.6 per cent – after fees*. But most importantly, it doesn’t cost the earth. Considering they constantly monitor and fully-manage a professional portfolio that’s been tailored to your needs, their single fee (between 0.3 per cent and one per cent incl VAT, depending on how much you invest) stacks up very well against the ‘execution only’ platforms like Fidelity and Hargreaves Lansdown.

So, unless you have an abundance of both time and expertise (and you like to rise early with the yen and go to bed late with the Dow Jones wrap-up every day)… why on earth would you do it all by yourself? ✤ *Nutmeg past performance is simulated, based on real market transactions implemented across all individual customer portfolios to a single portfolio for each risk level

10% 8%

WHERE DO YOU TURN?

5% 31%

5%

3%

2%

1%

My partner

My siblings

My parents

My colleagues

Finance professional

Other person

An IFA

Don't know

My friends

N/A – I don't tend to ask for advice on financial matters

Opinium research October 2013, 2000 online respondents, UK

IN A NUTMEG Vicky Papworth is a learning manager and lives in Beckenham. She invested with Nutmeg in January 2013

“I’d had cash ISAs and stocks and shares ISAs before.

But I was looking for something more tailored to me, a personal portfolio. I wanted to select my own risk level. And I couldn’t find that service anywhere.

I saw a Nutmeg ad on the tube, did my research and quickly realised it was exactly what I needed.

Having an expert investment team looking after my money is so reassuring. I wouldn’t have the complete confidence myself – let alone the time – to know how to rebalance my own portfolio, which they do regularly, or analyse the endless complex data that runs like a river through the investment world. It’s primarily online, which makes it efficient and suits my lifestyle, and the customer service has been excellent. They’ve got me for life – and the several friends I’ve persuaded to sign up too.”

BUSINESS & WEALTH | 33

34 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

OPINION

LEX VAN DAM EQUITIES “If your stocks work for you, then you have to work less yourself – it’s that simple”

T

he key determinant of making money is being able to get your timing right. Not just when it comes to buying but also when it comes to selling – the majority of stocks go through life cycles, just like you and me. There is no shame in replacing an old favourite that has come to the end of its life with a new one full of potential that is able to generate higher returns so that you can get on with your life as opposed to worrying about your stale portfolio. If your stocks work for you, then you have to work less yourself – it’s that simple. This month, I want to talk about three different ways of investing your money in stocks: giving it to a professional fund manager, putting it in an index tracker or picking stocks yourself.

Giving your money to a professional fund manager only makes sense if you believe that he or she can do better than the market overall – through his specialist skills and/or a superior working environment, otherwise you might as well put it in a cheap index tracker (as we see next). Of course, some will indeed be able to do this, but the collective of all professional fund managers generally underperforms the index by the size of the fee they charge – a fee that when added up over many years will eat a lot of your pie. In any case, it comes down to your skill in being able to select a fund manager. Past performance is, unfortunately typically not a good indicator of future performance. In fact, the most logical way to go about this is to look for a fundamental stock picker who understands long-term value as well as short-term market dynamics and is savvy enough to change his style as the market changes – a style that you should ideally understand and agree with – and who does not take excessive risks with your money. To identify someone like that is clearly not easy – the tips here are to be wary of salespeople pushing products and ensure you speak to the manager directly to try and understand yourself what is really going on.

If you are not willing, or able, to find a professional who you trust

CONTACT: lex@lexvandam.com

to outperform the index, you could buy an index tracker. Plenty of diversification at a low cost and you will perform pretty much the same as the wider market – no shame in that. This strategy will work well when the market goes up and more and more money enters the same stocks that are part of the index, probably outperforming most stockpicking strategies. However, the real issue here is that so many people are now passive investors in index trackers, so when money starts leaving the index, these stocks may underperform the wider market significantly on the way down. I think passive investing is a cheap way to invest, but it is a purely mechanical process with zero thoughts about the actual stocks you own – a somewhat cynical way to invest your hard-earned money, as far as I am concerned.

The final way to invest is to do it yourself. The idea behind investing yourself, as opposed to giving your money to others, is that you can build a portfolio of stocks that you like and understand, so that when the market turns down you don’t need to panic because you understand the reasons you own them. As long as these reasons remain valid, you can sit on your position – with conviction in your decisions you will feel less need to follow short-term market overreactions. I have spent a lot of energy trying to empower people to invest themselves, and hopefully proved that this can be the right way forward after I put up a million dollars of my own money to be invested by eight novice traders in my BBC programme Million Dollar Traders. They outperformed the professionals, based on a method of investing through trying to initially focus on analysing those stocks they had some affinity with because of their personal experiences or professions. My view is that if you decide to try and do it yourself – initially small, perhaps even on paper only – you might just find that investing in the stock market is not only the start of making your money work for you, but also one of the most intellectuallystimulating journeys you will ever go on. ✤ Lex van Dam is a hedge fund manager and financial educator, specialising in trading in equities, currencies and financial derivatives

BUSINESS & WEALTH | 35

OPINION

NICK HUNGERFORD INVESTMENTS The investment revolution is here – at last

CONTACT info@nutmeg.com 020 7806 6158

"The dinosaurs of this industry are being given an ultimatum: to shapeup and embrace a very different – customer centric – future, or be left behind"

“W

e’re putting customers at the heart of everything we do.” I see and hear this line rolled out time and again, in corporate sales pitches, regurgitated marketing booklets and formulaic textbook chatter at conference events. But how many companies can honestly stand by such a claim? Think about it. Think about businesses in your industry. Do they really put the customer at the heart of everything they do? What benefits does the customer genuinely get that elevate a particular company head and shoulders above its competitors?

Some companies do. Look at the likes of Amazon and what it did for book and music sales. Look at the likes of Expedia, one of the forerunners in the online migration of travel agencies. It revolutionised the way traditional industries communicated and transacted with customers. It tangibly improved those customers’ lives. It delivered faster, better service, for less cost.

The wealth management industry has been in dire need of such a shake-up for decades. You’re only considered worthy of a managed portfolio if you have pots of money (usually £500,000 or more to invest). Otherwise your only option is to invest for yourself, usually through funds that are named after planets (apt, really, as they charge as though they are out of this world). The personal investment world has been shrouded in complexity and jargon. Customers’ genuine needs have been arrogantly sidelined, while a slew of the big private banks have lined their pockets from inflated service fees and sneaky hidden charges. At last, all that is changing and the dinosaurs of this industry are being given an ultimatum: to shape-up and embrace a very different – customer centric – future, or be left behind.

I started Nutmeg because I was bewildered by how the industry behaved – and I knew I wasn’t the only one. I’d spent time in Silicon Valley in California, where so many innovative digital giants were breaking new ground across different industries. Why, I thought, have these technologies, scalable business models and communication channels not been integrated into the investment industry? It makes perfect sense.

It drives efficiency and transparency. The customer gets the incredible benefits of a sophisticated, tailored service for a fraction of the cost.

The UK investment industry enjoys support from a progressive regulator, the FCA, whose stated aim is to improve consumer outcomes by encouraging innovation and transparency. Yet more innovation in the personal investment space has happened in the US. Companies like Motif, Learnvest and Betterment set the tone.

But in the UK times are-a-changing. Regulation (known by industry insiders as “RDR”) has forced investment managers to become more transparent with their charges. About time too. There’s a long way to go, of course. Incumbents will drag their heels and look for loopholes, which baffles me. Why not be happy to provide transparency and embrace a bright future of opportunity to win new customers? You’ll never win if you’re skulking in the shadows with the rest of the pack.

The digital revolution has finally come to the world of investment and there’s no stopping it. The big boys can no longer hide in their expensive offices, behind an annual lunch and boozy game of golf. A more intelligent, agile, honest future awaits; a future that is built on trust and operates on the terms set by the customer; that is awake and on-line, in-person and responsive; a future that demands these businesses finally ‘put their customers at the heart of everything they do’. ✤ Nick Hungerford is CEO of Nutmeg, the online investment management company that builds and manages portfolios tailored to each customer for a single low fee.

With investment comes risk. The price and value of investments mentioned and income arising from them may fluctuate and you may get back less than you invest. A stocks and shares ISA may not be right for everyone and tax rules may change in the future. If you are unsure if an ISA is the right choice for you, please seek independent financial advice.

36 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

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OPINION

KATHLEEN BROOKS FX What happens when markets stop trending?

T

his time last year it was so easy.

Stock markets had embarked on their latest uptrend that would take them to record highs, EURUSD was sub 1.30 and GBPUSD was below 1.50; both pairs would go on to make hundreds of pips in the coming months. Looking back at 2013 it seemed like one big trend, a giant party for the markets, where assets reliably moved in the direction that you wanted them to. Of course, I am sure things weren’t really that rosy.

I had a few bad days, but nothing could have prepared us for the frustrating conditions of 2014.

Since the start of this year it feels like markets have been playing with us – risk sentiment is strong one minute, and then wracked with nerves the next. There have been no discernible trends in the major FX markets since the start of the year and we are now close to the end of the first quarter. This is frustrating for big and small players alike as trending markets are generally the easiest to navigate.

What can a trader do? Firstly, it is worth getting to the bottom of the problem – why aren’t markets trending? The chief reason is that there are too many themes out there that are half-baked, and the market hasn’t decided which one to run with. From 2009 until late 2013, quantitative easing was the dominant, and highly tradable, theme.

The Fed was pumping vast amounts of liquidity into the markets, the financial world was not going to collapse and investor confidence was high – the perfect conditions, some may say.

But now that the Fed is tapering its QE programme, the reliable largesse of the Fed is not so reliable any more. Add to that Russian and Ukraine tensions, China growth fears and political risk in the emerging

38 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

world and the market does not know what to focus on. At the moment, low-level fears are bubbling just below the surface, which is creating nervousness especially since US stocks are at record highs and the some dollar pairs, like EURUSD and GBPUSD, are at multi-year highs.

Now that we know the reasons why markets are failing to find a trend: there are too many semi-risks out there that could turn into something nasty, what can we do about it? If markets are moving sideways this does not mean that you can’t trade. The first thing you have to do is to determine the range – the highs and the lows – otherwise known as support and resistance in technical parlance. If markets are not trending then they tend to sell off at resistance and make a comeback at support. Even if you aren’t a technical trader, support and resistance can give you reliable buy-and-sell indicators that can be extremely useful during trendless periods on the markets.

Trading a range can be short-term in nature compared to other strategies and it can require more careful management of your trading; it is also worth running tighter stops than you normally would to limit your risk. This is a point worth stressing; if there are multiple risks out there, don’t get caught short, always use a stringent risk-management strategy as you never know when one of those risks could come and bite you.

The good thing about identifying a trading range in your chosen asset class is that it can also help you to identify when the range has been broken and the markets are trending once more. So it pays to do your homework and brush up on technical skills, even if you consider yourself a fundamental or macro trader.

Of course, for some traders, particularly those who like to trade macro themes, the markets are not playing ball right now. If you don’t fancy changing your strategy then you need to exercise patience. The worst thing is to jump on the back of a half-baked theme, only for it to dissolve in front of your eyes. It’s better to stay on the sidelines than risk your capital just because of impatience.

In essence, sometimes you have to be more than just a trader, you need to be your own psychologist and calming influence all at once. Don’t forget the necessity of these skills. Working out why something is happening and thinking rationally are the traits of the most successful fund managers and traders I know. Keeping calm under pressure, knowing when not to trade, and feeling secure with that decision, is another skill set that everyone in financial markets should strive to achieve. ✤ Kathleen Brooks is a research director at FOREX.com. She is the author of Kathleen Brooks on Forex

OPINION

RICHARD JEFFREY MACROECONOMICS The UK is set for a prosperous 2014...

CONTACT info@cazenovecapital.com

I

fastest year of growth since 2007. It should also be a year in which was listening to the radio this workers begin to see some real increases in take-home pay. So far morning, to an apparently surprised if during the recovery, income per person employed has been caught in not bemused commentator who was a vice between low-wage inflation and comparatively high consumer discussing prospects for the UK economy price inflation. The reason for being more positive is that the UK in 2014. Paraphrasing his words: “Who seems poised to enter a new phase of growth. would have thought it?” he said. “The To date, the most worrying feature of the recovery has been UK is expected to top the leaderboard for the failure of capital spending to rebound. As a result, productivity growth in the major industrial economies.” growth has been virtually non-existent (this, by the way, explains why He went on to note that even the a comparatively dull rate of expansion in the wider economy has been Organisation for Economic Co-operation accompanied by surprisingly rapid job creation). But 2013 saw the and Development is forecasting strong growth. I then listened to an first glimmerings of a revival in companies’ capital spending. If this interviewee who asked us to recall that it was as recently as August last continues, then the UK will find itself back on a more sustainable and year that people were fearing a double (or was it triple?) dip recession. broadly-based growth path. There will still be more to do in terms Many years ago, I used to enjoy a comedy programme that, before the advent of some new and even more bizarre turn of events, used It should not be the greatest surprise, after all, that the UK looks set the tagline “Imagine my surprise…”. to be amongst the better-performing industrial economies in 2014 We have had rather too many of these situations in the economic and of rebalancing the economy – the trade deficit, for instance, remains financial world in recent years, but should we be so surprised by the worryingly wide and debt levels in both the private and public sectors UK leading the way in terms of growth? are way too high.

Your starter for ten: which of the G7 nations posted the strongest But good news is still good news. So, should we see it as compound average growth rate during the 16 years prior to the disappointing that growth has yet to reach the rate averaged during recession? You know the answer already; it was the UK. Why 16 years? the 16 years prior to the recession? When listening to other economists Partly because I wanted the right answer, but more because this, for discussing recent developments, I am often left with the impression many countries, encapsulated the period of growth following the early that it will be not be until growth starts with a ‘3’ that we will be able to ’90s recession and before the most recent downturn – so it is not an conclude that we have returned to normal. I beg to differ. The reason entirely arbitrary choice. Over this period, the UK grew by an average that the recession was so deep, was that the economy was encouraged of 3.3 per cent per annum. The US was close behind at 3.2 per cent, to grow irresponsibly fast during the decade prior to the recession. It is and then Canada at a round three per cent. Lagging behind, with quite not a simple coincidence that debt levels rose so fast and excess demand a gap, France averaged growth of two per cent, Germany and Italy 1.5 became so evident during this period. Growth, debt and excess demand per cent, while bringing up the rear was Japan at a mere 1.1 per cent. were causally linked. It might have seemed fun while it lasted, but our So, perhaps it should not be the greatest surprise, after all, that top ranking on the G7 leader-board was bought at a massive price. As the UK looks set to be amongst the better-performing industrial dull as this might seem, I would much prefer to see growth of 2.5 per economies in 2014. In fact, I think it is likely to be the North cent than 3.5 per cent.

American economies that top the rankings, and the normal process of extrapolation may have resulted in some forecasters becoming a little over-optimistic for the UK. Nonetheless, we should enjoy the ✤ Richard Jeffrey is chief investment officer at Cazenove Capital

BUSINESS & WEALTH | 39

ALTERNATIVE INVESTMENTS

THE GREATER GOOD Would you rather make money or make a difference?

What if you could do both?

WORDS: SUSAN MCKENZIE

I

nterest in the SRI market has exploded in recent years, inspired by climate-change anxiety, resource scarcity and the growing realisation that environmental, social and governance risks all impact investment performance. $13.6 trillion worth of managed assets now incorporate environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns, according to a report by the Global Sustainable Investment Alliance (GSIA). This represents 22 per cent of total assets under management, highlighting the scale of ethical investing in the global arena.

Negative perceptions of ethical investment strategies persist, however, despite evidence of their growing popularity, and there remains a notion that maximising returns should trump concerns over investing for the greater good.

“Do not engage in socially-responsible investing,” was the advice of veteran fund manager Terry Smith, founder and CEO of Fundsmith, in a speech to the Institute of Directors. “As a fiduciary… your duty is to maximise returns for investors. It is not to make moral judgements.”

Smith is not alone in questioning ethical funds’ performance. An article in The Telegraph in March 2013 echoed the sentiments of many by suggesting that ethics narrowed the field of potential investments, constraining fund performance. This, however, is a “spectacularly bad” argument, according to John Ditchfield, chair of the Ethical Investment Association and director at Barchester Green Investment. “It assumes that fund managers are some sort of omniscient being. All fund managers narrow their universe in one way or another. There are some very good ethical funds and some bad ones – much like the traditional funds sector.”

Ditchfield’s views are backed by various research studies. Société Générale reported that ESG factors have a positive impact on the financial performance of companies. Moneyfacts, the independent financial comparison site, revealed in October 2013 that average UK ethical funds gained 24 per cent over the last year, compared with 18 per cent from non-ethical funds.

40 | BUSINESS & WEALTH

Cynics also claim that some funds use the 'green' label as a simple marketing ploy, but Martin Bamford of financial planning group Informed Choice is quick to dismiss this assertion. “Any funds that tried that approach but did not follow it up would be shot down in flames very quickly. The market is very well-scrutinised.”

The growth in SRI is borne of the view that companies that plan for the future by managing risks associated with resource depletion, climate change and human rights will have more secure, long-term profitability.

Stephen Hine, head of responsible investment development at EIRIS, a research provider on ESG issues, explains the rationale. “If you are exposed to countries where bribery is a problem, will you have to pay fines? If you pollute the environment, will you be held to account? Will your company lose market share and will you spend too much time doing damage limitation rather than investing in the business? This is all hard business common sense, but it is ultimately a critical factor in investment decisions.”

So critical, in fact, that the 1,200 signatories of the UN’s Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) Initiative control $34 trillion of assets under management. This international network of investors agrees to incorporate ESG issues into investment practices across asset classes.

The growing evidence of the benefits of SRI seems at odds with the lingering negative perception of ethical funds. Ditchfield argues that it is an uphill struggle to change opinion. “Some people will always find it distasteful to talk about a moral component in investing. They see it as somehow removed from ethics, and the focus should be only on making as much money as possible irrespective of what the companies are doing.”

Yet there is undoubtedly a sea change in the SRI market as the appetite of institutional and retail investors grows. “Ethical investing is no longer the sole preserve of faith-based groups or the animal rights lobby,” says Hine. “Major institutions across the City now believe that proper analysis of these issues can better protect the long-term value of their holdings.” Consideration of environmental and social matters is going mainstream.

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SPOTLIGHT

THIS HIGHLY-anticipated exhibition has been designed as a dynamic installation, rather than a conventional retrospective, and is the first major presentation devoted to the legendary French couturier.

Visitors will be able to enjoy access to more than 140 cutting-edge couture and ready-to-wear garments, including the iconic conical bra and corsets worn by Madonna during her 1990 ‘Blond Ambition’ World Tour.

Open from 9 April – 25 August, the exhibition will also be accompanied by a rich programme of events, including an ‘In Conversation’ between Jean Paul Gaultier and Suzy Menkes, fashion editor of the International New York Times. ✤ barbican.org.uk

FASHION

SIDEWALK to CATWALK

This month, the Barbican, will unveil new exhibition The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From the Sidewalk to the Catwalk

LIFESTYLE | 43

TAKE

your

PICK

Three stylish suggestions from the Henri Lloyd S/S14 collection

READY FOR RAIN Kelson Jacket, £125

SMOOTH SAILING Henri Lloyd and Sir Ben Ainslie team up for S/S 14 RICH STITCH

Fairfax Regular Crew Knit, £85

EARN STRIPES RWR Stripe Shirt, £70

✤ Available at henrilloyd.co.uk

N

ow a leading lifestyle and sailing brand, Henri Lloyd was founded in Manchester by Henri Strzelecki MBE, a decorated soldier from the Polish Free Army, who came to Britain looking for a fresh start. Since these humble beginnings in 1963, the brand has established a formidable worldwide reputation, pioneering new technologies including the first ever use of Velcro and Gore-tex in its clothing.

As the winner of four Olympic gold medals, 11 World Championships and nine European Championships, Sir Ben Ainslie boasts a similarly impressive track record.

This year, as the face of Henri Lloyd’s latest campaign, the sailing pro can now add a star turn at modelling to his extensive list of achievements.

Despite having worked together since 1995, the brand’s current Spring/Summer campaign sees the pair collaborating on a

clothing collection for the first time. Fresh from completing his “most successful sporting achievement ever”, sailing to victory in the 2013 America’s Cup in September of last year, Sir Ben returned to the UK to front the campaign shot by esteemed fashion photographer Steve Harries.

Inspired by the brand’s rich marine heritage, the collection modelled by Ben delivers strong nautical looks, designs and fabrics and features everything from stylish crew knits to waterproof jackets, making it a range suitable for sailing and style fans alike.

Craig Prest, creative director at Henri Lloyd, says: “Spring/Summer 14 is all about investing further into strong nautical looks and the very best of British design. From seafaring stripes and colour blocking to indispensable seasonal staples, the collection is easy to wear and easy to style.” ✤ henrilloyd.co.uk

JUST IN: FINLAY & CO. S/S 2014 New kid on the block Finlay & Co. has been quick to make its mark, with handcrafted wooden sunglasses that are leading a new trend in eyewear. Remaining true to its roots, this season Finlay & Co. unveils an expanding collection that features those hardwood frame fronts we can’t get enough of, while also incorporating metal and an offering of new styles. Here at The City Magazine, we’re loving the Beaumont and Thurloe lines which feature strong hardwood frame fronts, fused with intricately-filigreed metal details. ✤ finlayandco.com

44 | LIFESTYLE

HIS STYLE

APRIL SHOWERS For those who like getting caught in the rain

Editor’s Pick

Harris Tweed-8 piece Cap, £35, Dents, dents.co.uk

✤ London Tradition Holdall, £2,350, Alfred Dunhill, dunhill.co.uk

Mid-Length Cotton Gabardine Trench Coat, £1,095, Burberry, uk.burberry.com

S/S 14 Collection, Ermenegildo Zegna Couture, zegna.com

GLOBE TROTTERS

City gents, whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure, allow us to introduce you to a rather clever little invention from innovative fashion brand ITEM m6. At first glance, yes, Intelligent Legwear may seem like fairly standard pairs of socks, but don’t be misled. These rather special socks have super powers. They’re energyenhancing, circulation-increasing, moisture and odour-reducing, and therefore a must-have next time you take to the air. ITEM m6’s luxury legwear has adopted the same advanced polyamide and elastane fibres used in high-performance sports apparel, while using compression technology to stimulate blood circulation.

Clever, right?

Bromfield Waxed-Cotton Messenger Bag, £450, Belstaff, mrporter.com

Original Tour in Black, £85, Hunter, hunter-boot.com Navy City Gent Umbrella, £110, London Undercover, londonundercover.co.uk

✤ item-m6.co.uk

COOL

Grey Leather Bomber Jacket, £625, Paul Smith, paulsmith.co.uk

BOMBER JACKETS

COSY

Green Wool Blouson, £595, Alfred Dunhill, dunhill.co.uk

3OF THE BEST:

CASUAL

Norman Casual Jacket, £285, Daks, daks.com

LIFESTYLE | 45

GROOMING

SHELF-HELP GUIDE Mark Tranter, fragrance and beauty buyer at Selfridges, helps us decide on which grooming products to consider essentials WORDS: SIAN GARDINER

I

f you were to assess the current state of your bathroom shelf, what would the verdict be? With the exponential growth of the male grooming market in recent years, and the UK’s male skincare market alone worth an estimated £600 million, chances are, it’s full of a whole host of lotions and potions that are either never used, or well past their use-by date.

Or perhaps you’re more of a grooming sceptic – eschewing a complicated routine in favour of nothing but simple soap and water.

But even if the thought of fake tan and eyebrow wax remains about as appealing as a trip to Sweeney Todd’s, there are certain grooming essentials that no bathroom shelf should be without. With that in mind, we turned to Mark Tranter, the fragrance and beauty buyer at Selfridges, for a little advice on how to choose between the overwhelming range of available products.

1

FRAGRANCE

2

“This has caffeine in it to give you an extra boost in the morning.”

HAIR

“I just love the fresh scent, it reminds me of the summer summer.”

“Hands down - it's a really malleable paste, paste and completely non-greasy. non-greasy.”

3

For most men, using a toner or moisturiser is still unlikely to feature very regularly, if at all, in their morning routine. But according to Mark, even a skincare cynic would see a notable difference were they to use a good moisturiser. “Especially if said cynic usually just washed their face with a hard soap and water.” In fact, “you'd instantly feel less tightening and any weathered dry patches of skin would disappear with even the lightest of moisturisers.”

Mark also stresses the importance of exfoliation: “Most men – whether they’re into grooming or not – get ingrown hairs, and an exfoliator not only stops them from occurring, but will also encourage new skin growth and enhance the effectiveness of your moisturiser.” He recommends the Clarisonic in particular: “I couldn’t live without it now – it's such a great way to cleanse and exfoliate skin, while staying loyal to your favourite cleansers.”

4

BODY SHAVING

6 7

“This cream creates a really thick foam, and you can apply it with or without a brush.”

5 8

✤ 1. ÉGOÏSTE Eau de Toilette Spray 50ml, £46, Chanel, selfridges.com ✤ 2. Aria Sonic Cleanser, £155, Clarisonic, selfridges.com ✤ 3. Sponge Wax, £14.50, Hanz de Fuko, selfridges.com ✤ 4. Body Wash, £24, Wash With Joe, washwithjoe.com ✤ 5. Ultra Facial Cream, £24, Kiehl’s, selfridges.com ✤ 6. Facial Fuel moisturiser, £29, Kiehl’s, selfridges.com ✤ 7. Old Fashioned Shave Cream Jar, £19.50, Triumph & Disaster, triumphanddisaster.com ✤ 8. Old Fashioned Shave Cream Tube, £18, Triumph & Disaster, as before

46 | LIFESTYLE

OUTPATIENT DIAGNOSTIC AND TREATMENT CENTRES

Medical Centres of Excellence in the City of London…

London Bridge Hospital’s Outpatient Diagnostic and Treatment Centres allow our world-leading Consultants to provide the highest standards of care across a number of easily accessible locations throughout the City of London.

Each centre is equipped with the latest medical technology and state-of-the-art facilities, providing the same high-quality care as London Bridge Hospital.

In addition to this, they each have their own key specialties; allowing patients and GPs to choose a centre either based on the convenience of its location, or the specialist services offered.

Our world-class outpatient diagnostic and treatment centres are: 31 OLD BROAD STREET

120 OLD BROAD STREET

CITY OF LONDON MEDICAL CENTRE

For assistance or appointments call

0844 800 0636

or visit

www.lbhoutpatients.co.uk

DOCKLANDS HEALTHCARE

The Prince of Wales Check A staple classic – trans-seasonal, this is a bold but stylish sartorial statement to impress in any boardroom

CIT Y

Essentials A well-dressed man needs a few key pieces that he can fall back on time and time again. From the brogue to the briefcase, here's how to wear them best FASHION Lucie Dodds PHOTOGRAPHY Glen Burrows

The Oxford Brogue The only footwear option for the working wardrobe, year-after-year

The Classic Watch Nothing beats a Rolex – simple, elegant styling – keep it steel and silver and wear it everyday – avoid yellow gold

1 & 2. Grey POW Check O'Connor Suit, £3,350, White Shirt, £340, Tie, £145, Silk Pocket Square, £105, all Tom Ford, tomford.com; Black Socks, £13, Thomas Pink, thomaspink.com; Black Oxford Brogues, £940, John Lobb, johnlobb.com; Portuguese Watch, £5,900, IWC, thewatchgallery.com 3. Grey Single Breasted Jacket and Trouser Suit, £795, Chester Barrie, chesterbarrie.co.uk; Check Shirt, £115, Grey Tie, £69, both Thomas Pink, as before; Black Brogues, £940, John Lobb, as before; Steel Explorer II Watch £5,530, Rolex, thewatchgallery.com

The Cashmere Cardigan Take a tip from stylish Italians, by layering a fine cashmere cardigan under your jacket; keeps you warm, but also keeps your look fashionable and chic

The Trench Coat Burberry is the only choice for all styles of trench coat – opt for the tan, which goes with all suit colours, and it'll become a permanent item for your daily commute – whatever the weather, and wherever the city

4 & 5. Navy Single Breasted Jacket, £1,490, Trousers, £600, both Thom Sweeney, thomsweeney.co.uk; White Spot Shirt, £195, Camel Kensington Trench Coat, £1,095, both Burberry, uk.burberry.com; Black Knitted Tie, £69, Thomas Pink, as before; Cashmere Hogarth Cardigan, £325, Belstaff, belstaff.co.uk; Tan Sanderson Brogues, £500, Ralph Lauren, ralphlauren. co.uk; Clifton Watch £2,150, Baume & Mercier, baume-et-mercier.co.uk 6. Check Suit, £POA, Tom Ford, as before; White Shirt, £115, Thomas Pink, as before; Black and White Tie, £115, Black Monk Loafers, £500, Black Overnight Case, £POA, all Ralph Lauren, as before; Portuguese Watch, £5,900, IWC, as before

The Overnight Case Travelling to the healthclub before or after work, then catching a flight for a business meeting in Europe?

Keep your luggage supersimple with an extendable trolley case – black and simple styling at its best

7. Linen Double Breasted Jacket and Trouser Suit, £895, White Shirt, £125, Knitted Tie, £85, Cotton Pocket Square, £55, all Gieves & Hawkes, gievesandhawkes.com; Black Leather and Neoprene Messenger Bag, £695, Ralph Lauren, as before; Black Loafers, £POA, Tom Ford, as before 8. Grey Pinstripe Double Breasted Jacket and Trouser Suit, £1,020, Black and White Stripe Shirt, £195, all Ralph Lauren Black Label, as before; Black and White Spot Tie, £POA, Tom Ford, as before; Black and White Spot Pocket Square, £55, Turnbull & Asser, turnbullandasser.co.uk; Black Socks, £13, Thomas Pink, as before; Brown Loafers, £970, John Lobb, as before; Couture Black, Tan and White Leather Briefcase, £1,250, Smythson, smythson.com; Portuguese Watch, £5,900, IWC, as before

The Linen Suit With summer nearly here, a linen suit is now essential for hotter days in London and abroad – a double-breasted tonal multi-weave colour is a great alternative to predictable plain cream

The Leather Briefcase Leather is lightweight and fashionable, and a cool briefcase helps bring your workwear look together

The Loafer Great for the summer months in a neutral tan, with or without socks, choose the most basic shape without too much fuss in a soft, supple leather

9. Cream Silk Single Breasted Blazer, £2,390, Trousers, £970, both Ermenegildo Zegna, as before; Couture White Shirt, £200, Z Zegna, as before; Tan Loafers, £435, JMWeston, jmweston.com 10. Navy Jacket, £1,490, Double Breasted Waistcoat, £570, Trousers, £600, all Thom Sweeney, as before; White Shirt, £195, Burberry, as before; Print Silk Tie, £95, Turnbull & Asser, as before; Black Socks, £13, Thomas Pink, as before; Navy Brogues, £375, Gieves & Hawkes, as before; Leather Folio, £795, Smythson, as before

Grooming

Alice Oliver using MAC Cosmetics and Bumble & bumble

The Three-Piece Suit Fashionable and flattering, a three-piece suit isn’t just for the younger man; make sure the cut of the waistcoat is perfect, so you can dress up with the full look for the boardroom, and dress down in just the waistcoat and trousers at your desk

COLLECTION

TIMEPIECE

STEPPING IT UP A GEAR Long admired as a purveyor of accessible luxury, Baume & Mercier has upped its game and moved into the sphere of serious watchmaking

FEATURING a 45.5mm 18-karat red gold case and sapphire crystal case back, the Clifton 1892 Flying Tourbillon boasts, as you’d expect, a flying tourbillon. Launched alongside other extensions of its hallowed Clifton collection – including a Chronograph version and the stunning Retrograde Date Automatic – the watch propels the brand into a position amongst the industry’s most distinguished of players. Keeping things ticking is a Val Fleurier calibre, produced exclusively for Baume & Mercier, while red gold and blued-steel hands tell the time.

Only 30 of the handsome pieces will be made, each priced at £38,000. ✤ baume-et-mercier.com

LIFESTYLE | 57

RUN WILDbracelet london_UK 13/04/12 09.37 Pagina 2

From the Honeycomb Eternelle Ring Collection

33 Albemarle Street - Mayfair, London WIS 4BP - Tel. 020 7629 5616 MILANO, VENEZIA, FIRENZE, CALA DI VOLPE, CAPRI, PARIS, MONTE CARLO, LONDON, MOSCOW, NEW YORK, CHICAGO,ASPEN, BEVERLY HILLS, TOKYO, OSAKA, HONG KONG, SIDNEY WWW.BUCCELLATI.COM

COLLECTION



TIMEPIECES 

For treasured timepieces, horological heirlooms and modern masterpieces, watch this space...

BY RICHARD BROWN

SIMPLY SUBLIME

Prussian philosopher Immanuel Kant deemed that what was sublime was noble, splendid and terrifying – words you can certainly associate with the Midnight Planétarium by Van Cleef & Arpels. It’s a timepiece we touched on last month but it’s a watch we feel deserves a space of its own. So please behold. Comprising 396 working parts and six semiprecious planets around a pink gold sun, the Midnight Planétarium will position the whereabouts of Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn in real time – the time on earth being readable via a moving comet on the watch’s dial. Mercury and Venus will rotate every 88 and 224 days respectively, while Saturn will return to its start position every 29.5 years.

Impractical, irrational and grandiose?

You bet’cha. Noble, splendid and terrifying? Absolutely. ✤ Midnight Planétarium, POA Van Cleef & Arpels vancleefarpels.com

CUTTING EDGE Each month we select our timepiece of the moment from the watch world’s most exciting creations

At 40mm the new Zenith Pilot is beautifully balanced and offers a classic alternative to the larger 46mm watches in the collection. Featuring an automatic movement and ‘vintage’ leather strap, it works perfectly with jeans or a suit

OCEAN-BOUND

A devilishly-clever invention from Richard Mille: following a centuries-old line of watches designed to navigate the seven seas, the RM60-01 Regatta Flyback Chronograph employs a rotating bezel with cardinal point indications and a graduated 360°; a 24-hour disk allows wearers to locate their position on earth. Simply direct the watch’s UTC (Coordinated Universal Time) indicator towards the sun and turn the bezel so that the UTC hand lines up with the local time (engraved on the bezel’s circumference). Once set, the compass headings North, South, East and West will be correctly aligned with the actual direction on the Earth’s surface. Orientation can be calculated in northern as well as southern hemispheres without additional calculations. John Harrison would be proud. ✤ RM 60-01 Regatta Flyback, £111,500 richardmille.com

THE FEMININE TOUCH

Designed as the ultimate male sports chronograph, the Royal Oak Offshore has become exactly that – the go-to-watch for any boardroom member appreciative of bold dimensions and bolder design. For 2014, Audemars Piguet has shrunk the legendary timepiece to 37mm and added 32 brilliant-cut diamonds. The result is the Royal Oak Offshore 37mm, a slimmer, more sophisticated reinvention of the chronograph for ladies. The octagonal shape remains, as do the prominent pushers, just in a smaller size.

The watch is available in either steel (£12,300) or rose gold (£24,400). ✤ audemarspiguet.com

✤ Tank MC, £4,590, Cartier, cartier.com Pilot 40mm, £4,100, Zenith zenith-watches.com

LIFESTYLE | 59

Precision. Prestige. Bespoke.

Our motive is far beyond a simple hire of our automobiles. We are a team of enthusiasts that go the extra mile in making sure our clients are treated individually for their needs and indulge in each moment of their encounter with Bespoke VIP. Bespoke offer a wide range of exquisite prestige cars for self drive hire. We have a wide range of the latest Lamborghini’s, Ferrari’s and Aston Martins to name but a few. Our cars are available on short or long term hire and our team of dedicated and enthusiastic experts will ensure you have the best possible experience.

For further information contact us at info@bespokevip.co.uk or call 020 3069 9959 Canary Wharf | Knightsbridge | Mayfair

COLLECTION



JEWELLERY BOX 

Jewels, gems, pearls and diamonds; the essential components of any lady’s jewellery collection

BY OLIVIA SHARPE

FOREVER THINE

A WOMAN FOR ALL SEASONS

Having just witnessed one of the worst winters on record, sadly we Britons have not quite experienced each of the four seasons but as luck would have it, Bulgari has remedied this with a new mini couture collection of necklaces dedicated to celebrating the changing of the year. Each piece features a foliage-inspired motif, which draws inspiration from the carved stones typical of the Mughal tradition, and bold colour combinations, a signature style of the jewellery house. The first blossoms of spring have been captured in pink gold with mint tourmalines, peridots, amethyst, round brilliant cut diamonds and pavé-set diamonds. In order to convey the subtle nuances and fluidity of nature, each stone has been crafted slightly differently so no two look the same and the supple pendant elements follow the movements of the body. ✤ Bulgari, 15 The Courtyard, Royal Exchange; bulgari.com

CUTTING EDGE New York jewellery designer Kara Ross has several claims to fame.

As well as having recently been awarded the GEM Award for Design, one of the most sought-after accolades in the industry, Ross’ client roster includes President Obama and the First Lady. This year sees the launch of her first comprehensive fine jewellery collection:

“This collection represents my passion for raw and polished stones in their purest forms. Showcasing the most spectacular precious and semi-precious stones, it is illustrative of my love for merging unique materials, in an unexpected way, with a harmonious yet striking result” - Kara Ross

Two years after designing his first bridal collection in partnership with Forevermark, jeweller Stephen Webster has finally announced the launch of his second with the ethically-sourced diamond company (part of the De Beers Group). For the new line, Webster has once again incorporated contemporary and traditional elements to create a collection which remains in keeping with his trademark style.

The romantic, elegant rings intertwine seamlessly with the traditional wedding band to symbolise eternal love while referencing the designer’s recognisable fine jewellery collections, such as Thorn and Deco.

The collection is available at the Mount Street flagship store and in Harrods. ✤ stephenwebster.com

FOUR SQUARED

Boucheron has released two new editions of its highly sought-after Quatre collection.

The latest development since the release of Black Edition in 2012, Radiant Edition has been created to commemorate the 120th anniversary of the French maison’s boutique at 26 Place Vendome; now the resting place of fine jewellery, Boucheron was the first jeweller to lay claim to this historic Parisian square. The monochrome rings come in white or yellow gold and have been designed like a sculpture with the staple four Quatre bands. ✤ Quatre Radiant Edition Available from Spring 2014 boucheron.com

✤ Clockwise from left: Split ring with raw and smooth amethysts and diamonds in yellow gold; Ring with pyrite and diamonds in yellow gold; Contour drop earrings with black onyx and white diamonds in 18-karat gold All from the Petra collection; kararossny.com

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COLLECTION

Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, The Fly, 2012; 18-karat yellow gold, peridot, diamonds and fire enamel necklace

Giorgio Vigna, Segmenti, 2008, oxidised silver, welding in yellow gold and diamonds brooch

Enrico Castellani, Superficie, 2012 18-karat white gold necklace

JEWELLERY

Artists

Giorgio Vigna, Segmenti, 2012 18- karat yellow gold rocca crystal ring

Following its Selected Jewels from Paris exhibition, this month sees the Elisabetta Cipriani Gallery present Sospeso by Giorgio Vigna. Vigna is well known for blurring the boundaries between the various fields of art and design and the new exhibition comprises five unique pieces by the jewellery artist, in the form of pendants or rings, which have been designed to evoke both day and night. Materials such as oxidised silver and diamonds are used to convey the dark sky lit up by stars, while the gold segments featured in a yellow gold and crystal rock ring, for example, represents the daily passage of time.

Following Sospeso, on 7 April, guests will be invited to view a selection of jewellery made by visual artists in collaboration with the eponymous gallery owner.

Kendell Geers, Stella Maris (Mater Facit), 2011 Silver and red gold plated nipples necklace

Elisabetta Cipriani: Jewellery by Contemporary Artists at Sprovieri, 23 Heddon Street elisabettacipriani.com Jannis Kounellis, Labbra, 2012 18-karat yellow gold ring

Rebecca Horn, Neshapour, 2011 22-karat yellow gold, neshapour turquoise ring

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Giorgio Vigna: Sospeso, until 5 April 2014

Giorgio Vigna, Segmenti, 2012 Silver welding in 18-karat yellow gold bracelet

Enrico Castellani, Superficie, 2013 18-karat yellow satin gold bracelet

Kendell Geers, Within Earshot, 2011 18-karat yellow gold earrings

Swiss movement, English heart

C9 HARRISO N B IG D AY- D AT E A U TOM ATIC Made in Switzerland / Modified ETA 2836-2 automatic movement with Big Day-Date complication by Johannes Jahnke / 38 hour power reserve / 43mm, Hand-polished, 316L stainless steel case / Anti-reflective sapphire crystal / Exhibition case-back / Italian leather strap with Bader deployment

135_ChristopherWard_TheCity.indd 1

07/03/2014 11:26

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COLLECTION

Bright Young

THING

CEO Jean-Marc Jacot speaks about being at the helm of the relatively youthful but flourishing watch brand Parmigiani Fleurier WORDS: ANNABEL HARRISON

ean-Marc Jacot currently sporting the Tonda Metrographe Steel Black Superluminova, which also happens to be his favourite new model from SIHH 2014 (luxury group Richemont’s annual showcase in Geneva). As you’d expect from a well-informed CEO, Jacot has specific reasons for this preference.

He likes the asymmetric case (this “slight imbalance gives it its character”); the black dial’s aesthetics (the numbers are outlined with Superluminova material which “picks them out in the daytime and renders them luminous at night”); and the steel bracelet, which has been made slimmer and more streamlined.

It’s a smart and masculine chronograph from Parmigiani Fleurier, although I’d opt for the black calfskin Hermès strap.

The Parmigiani story is an interesting, and unusual, one. In an industry where companies can boast of centuries of history, Parmigiani has just 18 years under its belt, taking its name from a man who lit the spark of the brand in the little town of Fleurier in 1976. In 1996, Michel Parmigiani joined forces with the Sandoz Family Foundation (SFF) to launch his brand and he is very much still part of its 21st century face, and development. The early years were marked by the completion of several in-house calibres, including two eight-day mechanical and self-winding movements, as well as the creation of the brand’s iconic Kalpa watch. Independence came from the foundation of LMH [Les Manufactures Horlogères de la Fondation de Famille Sandoz, which includes Vaucher Manufacture Fleurier, Habillage et Quadrance,

Affolter, Atokalpa and Elwin] and the fact that each new Parmigiani creation could and would be equipped with an in-house movement. Despite its relative youth, Parmigiani can already lay claim to the fact that it produces every component for its timepieces apart from the sapphire crystals and watch straps, building its reputation as a vertically integrated company.

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Jacot himself, now steering the 21st century course for Parmigiani, was born in Switzerland and although he had aspirations to work in the film or advertising industries, he went to business school and found himself at a watch company in Japan. A four-year stint at Cartier followed and subsequently a career that saw Jacot working for accessories brand Charles Jourdan, Omega, Ebel, Gerald Genta and Tempus Concept (behind Hugo Boss watches). His name became intertwined with Parmigiani’s in 2000, having been impressed by SFF president Pierre Landolt’s entrepreneurial vision and passion for watchmaking. “It was very motivating to have to build a manufacture from scratch and to find the right people to embark on this incredible adventure.”

When asked the (admittedly rather vanilla) question as to what makes Parmigiani stand out in a saturated market, I don’t receive a particularly unique answer. “Parmigiani differentiates itself thanks to the three fundamentals which are crucial to the brand: quality, aesthetic and creativity.” To be frank, any company worth its salt does adhere to these but while Jacot is serious on the subject of his brand, his personality shines through in his light-hearted comments about its name: “When I started at the company a lot of people asked; ‘Why don’t you change it?’ And I said ‘why? It is the name of the family. People may think of cheese but Vacheron sounds like a cheese and they haven’t changed it; it is a nice name. So why change it?!” I am intrigued to learn that Jacot’s interests outside horology include “art and architecture, mostly. Curiosity is fundamental to excel in your job because it allows

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COLLECTION Left: Parmigiani boutique on Mount Street

you to think outside the box. I always push the designers to go and explore because it is essential for their artistic inspiration.”

Equally, Jacot has pushed the company to explore sponsorship opportunities and Parmigiani is of course aligned with suitable events and sports (as is standard in the modern watch industry; woe betide if you don’t have a niche, sport, philanthropic foundation or ambassadors to build a brand world around your products). Rowing is a sport of choice because “we are both dedicated to a unique goal: reaching our personal objectives and breaking the limits with our partners. Precision, coordination and elegance are similar qualities that are needed both in rowing and in the craftsmanship of unique precision timepieces.”

A new partnership for 2014 is with the Musée de l’Elysée in Lausanne – which aims to preserve the legacy of the past while encouraging learning and development among future generations – and it is also the tenth anniversary of Bugatti and Parmigiani’s relationship; Bugatti wanted to align itself with a young brand “with a propensity towards technical excellence, but also artistic flair, a heightened awareness of design and the elegance of forms”. An independent manufacture was essential, too, for “limitless creative potential”. Expect also to see the Parmigiani Fleurier name at the World Cup in Brazil; it is the official watchmaking partner of the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol. More exciting arrangements, in my opinion, are the quirky sponsorship of the Château-d’Oex Balloon Festival – “We are happy to share the marvels of aerostatics with our guests and customers from around the globe” – and the Montreux Jazz Festival. This joint project, in existence since 2007, is a “real love story”, thanks to a 90 m2 VIP area with a view of the lake in which the manufacture can entertain guests and top customers throughout the festival.

These customers are “defined by the following characteristics: successful in his, or her, professional life; entrepreneurial; cultivated; discreet; confident; and independent”. Half of customers come from Europe and the remainder in roughly equal proportion from Asia and the Americas. And in London, why Mount Street for the UK’s only atelier? “It is one of the most fashionable districts in London, attracting connoisseurs looking for a unique elegance and refinement.”

Elegance and refinement are also hallmarks of the ladies collection, released in 2006, and this is when Parmigiani Fleurier launched Women of Exception. This recognises women around the world who have devoted their lives to fields as diverse as science, medicine, business, sport, art and culture and who have “been the architects of their own success; they have excelled in their field of expertise through selflessness, creativity and independence of spirit.” The new woman of exception for 2014 is Fernanda Feitosa. “She’s a matchmaker, in the rather romantic sense of the word. The founder of São Paulo’s contemporary arts fair and its Executive Director ever since, in ten years Fernanda’s event has become the third biggest of the year, after Art Basel and Frieze London. She has established herself as an essential catalyst in this increasingly globalised market.”

I for one hope that Parmigiani can maintain its independence and craft its own path in the increasingly globalised industry too. ✤ L’Atelier Parmigiani, 97 Mount Street, Mayfair parmigiani.ch

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L U X U RY S H O P P I N G & D I N I N G

THE ART OF ROCK This month, The Royal Exchange will house an art collection by rock legend, Ronnie Wood, giving visitors a unique insight into the world of The Rolling Stones. Raw Instinct traces Wood’s quest for creative expression and is comprised of original works of art, handwritten song lyrics and his very own hand painted guitars.

Castle Fine Art gallery manager Katrina Aris said: “Raw Instinct is a stunning and exciting collection that any of the band’s fans will love.

However, Ronnie Wood’s art background shines throughout his work, so there is something for everyone to enjoy.”

Born into a musical and artistic family in 1947, Ronnie Wood has been painting and drawing for over 35 years and received formal art training at Ealing College of Art. Even when Wood’s musical career took off, he continued to paint and draw; among his subjects were band members, musicians, family, close friends and the self-portrait.

THE INTIMATE DETAILS Luxury lingerie retailer and The Royal Exchange resident, Agent Provocateur has unveiled its Spring/Summer 2014 Collection, inspired by the pristine and glossy 1950s suburban woman. Think sugar-sweet hues, peekaboo lace and girly gingham. This season’s bridal line keeps things ultrafeminine, combining crisp cream silks with

accents of delicate French lace and beautiful floral embroidery. The Abbey line is smooth and glamorous, ticking all the right boxes when it comes to every day luxury. Ambrose on the other hand adds delicate bows to create yet a further flourish of girly glamour. agentprovocateur.com

T H E R O YA L E X C H A N G E . C O . U K

It is therefore as natural to find Ronnie Wood with a pencil as it is with a guitar.

Commenting about his work, Ronnie Wood says: “There is no kind of therapy like the one you have from starting and seeing a picture through to the end.” He adds: “Unlike music, it’s a solo effort. There’s no one else to blame.”

Raw Instinct will be on display in The Royal Exchange until 30 April. castlegalleries.com

SIX OF THE BEST

Mixed Bag

Off The Cuff

Spring Ring

This season, The Eliot Collection from Smythson has been completely reinvented, with a soft, new, flat shopper tote taking centrestage. Finished with subtle perforated panels, the large and mini calf leather totes feature detachable shoulder straps and five pockets, making them the perfect everyday bag.

Add a touch of flair to your work wardrobe with a pair of Montblanc’s Creative cufflinks.

Made from stainless steel and featuring a striped pattern of mother-of-pearl and onyx, these cufflinks are timeless and versatile, allowing you to dress-up any outfit, be it for work or dinner.

Theo Fennell has unveiled four one-of-a-kind rings inspired by the flora, fauna and colours symbolic of our four seasons. Crafted in the Fulham Road workshop, using 18ct gold, each ring showcases a vibrantly coloured stone surrounded by diamonds. The spring masterpiece features a sunny Yellow Beryl.

Smythson, The Eliot Collection Mini Tote, £995

Montblanc, Creative Cuff Links, £270

Theo Fennell, The Spring Ring, £POA

A Case In Point

Deco Drops

Prima Ballerina

We’ve come to know Church’s as our reliable go-to for sleek and sturdy leather brogues.

However, the City Laptop Case makes a point; perhaps there’s more to our footwear favourite. This practical yet stylish design features a useful partitioned interior, that will allow you to keep those all important documents in order at all times.

Step back in time with these stunning drop earrings from The Royal Exchange’s treasure trove, Kojis Fine & Antique Jewellery. These stunning Art Deco drops, circa 1925, are fit for a Gatsby-esque occasion, featuring onyx and diamonds, which simply dazzle amidst their platinum setting.

Kojis, Art Deco Onyx and Diamond Drop

Whoever said you have to compromise comfort for style had obviously never come across Pretty Ballerinas. The brand's Spring/ Summer 2014 collection offers an array of feminine flats in all sorts of colour, patterns and textures, so you’re guaranteed to find a pair that will look a treat with your favourite sun dress this season.

Church’s, City Laptop Case, £645

Earrings, £19,500

Pretty Ballerinas, Marilyn, £179

AGENT PROVOCATEUR • ARTISAN FINE ART GALLERY • BOODLES • BREmONT • BVLGARI • CHURCH’S • CROCKETT & JONES • GRAND CAFÉ • GUCCI • HARR HARRYS OF LONDON HERmÈS • ImPERIAL CITY • JO mALONE LONDON • JONES LANG LASALLE• KIEHL’S SINCE 1851 • KOJIS • LINKS OF LONDON • LORO PIANA • L’OCCITANE • LULU GUINNESS mEZZANINE LOUNGE • mOLTON BROWN • mONTBLANC • OmEGA • PAUL A. YOUNG FINE CHOCOLATES • PAUL SmITH • PENHALIGON’S • PRETTY BALLERINAS ROYAL EXCHANGE JEWELLERS • SAGE BROWN FINE LEATHER • SAUTERELLE RESTAURANT • SEARLE & CO JEWELLERS • SmOKER’S PARADISE SmYTHSON • TATEOSSIAN • THEO FENNELL • TIFFANY & CO. • WATCHES OF SWITZERLAND • WATCHFINDER & CO.

THE ROYAL EXCHANGE, BANK, CITY OF LONDON, EC3V 3LR. STORE TRADING HOURS 10AM - 6PM. RESTAURANTS & BARS 8AM - 11PM

WIN! THE ULTIMATE LUXURY PRIZE.

4 FRIENDS 1 EXCLUSIVE PRIVATE JET 2 MICHELIN STARS As prizes go, they don’t come much better than this.

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

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

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

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



HER STYLE 

THE TRIBE VIBE – Walk on the wild side WE CAN’T GET enough of the tropical edge that’s on offer this season. Inspired by wild trees, exotic flowers and lush vegetation, fashion frontrunners of Valentino, Gucci, Alexander McQueen and Givenchy sent their models

down the runway in African-inspired textiles, bold prints and beaded accessories. To embrace the hottest trend this season, incorporate a touch of tribal – be it those daring patterns, animal prints or raffia detailing.

HERMÈS GUCCI DONNA KARAN VALENTINO CALVIN KLEIN ROBERTO CAVALLI ALEXANDER MCQUEEN GIVENCHY by Riccardo Tisci

THE BEST: Tribal Trends 3OF

ETRO

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IN FINE FEATHER

Feather Print Boxy Silk Jumper, £675, Alexander McQueen, alexandermcqueen.com

CROWN JEWEL

Aden Embellished Necklace, £159, Nocturne, london-boutique.com

TREAD CAREFULLY

Lottie Sandals, £475, Jimmy Choo, net-a-porter.com

HER STYLE

MAKING SENSE Top note, base note, eau de this and eau de that, here’s our buyer's guide to fragrance WORDS: TIFFANY EASTLAND

N

avigating your way around a fragrance department is much like a maze where overlapping scents can muddle the senses as much as exciting them. You’ve finally decided it’s time for a new scent, but how do you know where to start? You probably didn’t get more than a metre through the door before you were spritzed and sprayed, and then left again with nothing but a headache. Use these simple steps to ensure that next time you face the high gloss and bright lights, you leave with the perfect new scent.

The first step is determining which notes you’re most attracted to. In 1983, Michael Edwards developed the Fragrance Wheel, a classification system that holds the key to your fragrance likes and dislikes. At a glance, the Fragrance Wheel allows you to see the relationship between the 14 different families, grouping them according to the way they smell. If you can pinpoint where you sit on the wheel, it will better guide your fragrance consultant and rule out thousands of scents that are simply not for you.

Now that you know you’re looking for a floral, fresh, woody or spicy scent, you’re ready to be spritzed. Initially it’s fine to sample your fragrances from a card, but before you make that final decision,

you’ll want to smell your shortlist on your skin, as a scent can vary from wearer to wearer.

When you do spray or dab, avoid rubbing the area that you’ve applied. It’s tempting to really stretch that fragrance you love, but by rubbing you’re heating the fragrance, meaning it will evaporate before its time.

You’ll also want to give the fragrance some time to settle. When it first hits the skin it releases the top notes, before giving way to reveal the heart notes. These form the core perfume and define the ultimate dry-down as the perfume settles on your skin. It takes 30 minutes before the base notes are released – these determine how long the fragrance will last and provide a background on which the heart notes can then be appreciated.

You should generally try only three fragrances, as any more and it will confuse your sense of smell, especially when the fragrances are similar, as your sense of smell will tire more quickly.

We know it seems like quite a process, but we promise when you find that perfect scent you’ll be so glad you invested the time. After all, Coco Chanel went as far as saying: “A woman who doesn’t wear perfume has no future.”

JUST IN: CARVEN L’EAU DE TOILETTE Concocted under the guidance of Francis Kurkdjian and his expert nose, Carven’s newest fragrance is a fresh, floral perfume, similar to the Parisian brand’s ‘Le Parfum’, released last year. Its latest offering has swapped jasmine for freesia and white hyacinth, however, as well as gaining citrus notes of Italian lemon and orange, and spring-friendly elements of peony and sweet pea. Fittingly, Kurkdjian has described how he initially imagined the fragrance to be “like a lightweight piece of clothing, with an elegant cut and a decidedly ‘city’ look.” ✤ Carven L’Eau de Toilette Spray 100ml, £68, Selfridges.com

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SHOPPING

Barbour

SHOP

This month, Canary Wharf’s Jubilee Place will welcome a royal presence with the arrival of a new Barbour International store

S

ince its launch in 1894 by founder and namesake, John Barbour, J. Barbour & Sons has established itself as an icon of quintessential British style, with three royal endorsements to prove it. Yet, for a clothes line initially formed in South Shields to provide waterproof clothing for naval personnel, the internationally-renowned brand has proven it certainly does not limit itself to country-dwellers alone.

As a family business that traverses five generations, it’s no surprise that Barbour’s style has naturally evolved since its somewhat meagre beginnings, and it can now lay claim to countless famous collaborations. Each member of the Barbour family has added their stamp to the company’s ever-expanding range and it is third generation’s, Duncan, alongside a widely-celebrated collaboration with fellow motorcycle enthusiast, Steve McQueen, that are the inspiration for the new branch.

Barbour in fact has a long and rich motorcycle heritage, which will be alluded to throughout the Canary Wharf store, from its design to the collection available within. Between 1936 and 1977, Barbour International motorcycle suits were worn by almost every British motorcycle team, and have been worn elsewhere in several other areas of motorcycle sport too, from army motorcycle display teams to the police forces. This classic jacket, with a distinctive diagonal left chest pocket, originally intended for holding maps, still provides the basis for today’s collection.

As well as housing this modern International collection of the iconic biker style jackets, Canary Wharf’s new store promises to complement this with a range of knitwear, trousers, footwear and accessories for men and women. The Jubilee Place opening in early April will mark Barbour International’s second London branch and will coincide with the company’s 120 year anniversary.

✤ Barbour International, Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf

www.canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

The Designer:

ALIX LAWSON, LAWSON ROBB This cutting-edge design duo gives an entirely new meaning to the concept of bespoke design and luxury living WORDS: TIFFANY EASTLAND

A

lix Lawson and Charlotte Robb are the creative masterminds behind London-based interior design and architecture practice Lawson Robb. The pair are responsible for creating some of the most exquisite homes found at the finest addresses in the capital, not to mention the world. We caught up with one half of the design duo, Alix Lawson, to find out how they’ve achieved international acclaim in just over ten years.

When we asked Lawson how her practice distinguishes itself from other firms, she explains that there are two key factors: “Firstly, we do not have a practice style; we tailor each interior to suit our client.

Secondly, our dedicated projects director controls programmes, budgets and resources, enabling designers to do what they do best, and to ensure we deliver on time and within budget.”

Lawson says the calibre of the projects they’re working on enables her designers to create interiors unlike any other. Think home cigar rooms and personal wellness spas – in fact, one of their recent projects called for a cigar room inspired by “Le Fumoir” at Claridge’s.

Beyond this, Lawson Robb boasts a multi-disciplinary offering and understanding which allows architecture, interior architecture and interior design to be thought about collectively right from the offset.

“This is beneficial to both private clients and developers, as it reduces costs and time,” she explains.

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Priding themselves on being able to tailor a brief to any taste and lifestyle specifications, we asked Lawson how they approach a new project: “The first step is to meet the client and understand their lifestyle and brief. From there we develop the initial concept and meet with the client to show them drawings, inspirational images and sample boards.”

With many of their clients leading very busy lives, the team is quite accustomed to working digitally and over the phone beyond this stage.

“Our objective is to listen to our clients to understand and create spaces which are truly individual. We like to understand how our clients live, work and entertain, as this allows us to model our interiors to the best effect,” she explains. For example, Lawson Robb recently completed a residence in Holland Park where the brief was to design the interior around the client’s contemporary art collection.

Feeling somewhat inspired, we asked Lawson which major design trends to keep an eye on in 2014: “Instead of there being one trend at the moment, there is an eclectic range of directions. Lively colours in bold, definitive strokes that dominated the 1960s era are making a comeback and being applied to texture and furniture.” Lawson says mixing metals is also very big right now with a resurgence of bronze and brass on hardware. ✤ lawsonrobb.com

HOME

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IN NEUTRAL 

A natural palette and clean canvas leaves room for reinvention

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✤ 1. Louis Poulsen Aeros Suspension Light, £1,552, Louis Poulsen, nest.co.uk ✤ 2. The Ovington Table, £POA, Davidson London, davidsonlondon.com ✤ 3. Bond Carbon Fiber 5 in 1 Game Set, £4,995, Ralph Lauren Home, ralphlaurenhome.com ✤ 4. Masque de Femme Contemporary Armchair, £5,300, Lalique, lalique.com ✤ 5. Milly Vase Lamp, £996, Porta Romana, portaromana.co.uk ✤ 6. London Round Decanter, £195, Jo Sampson at Waterford, waterford.co.uk ✤ 7. Soher White Gloss Mirror, £799, Soher, luxdeco.com ✤ 8. Regina Punch Bowl, £995, Ralph Lauren Home, ralphlaurenhome.com

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Running shoes ROUND-UP

LONDON MARATHON TRAINING

Inspired by this month’s marathon, three experts offer their advice on how to get up-and-running with marathon training

ULTRA-LIGHT

© Padmayogini

Nike Flyknit Lunar 2, £135, nike.com

JO SCOTT-DALGLEISH Nutritional Therapist: Q. Do marathon runners need a EXTRA CUSHION Adidas Energy Boost, £77, adidas.co.uk

Marathon runners need to eat enough calories to fuel their training. Specifically they need more carbohydrate foods to provide energy, especially on the days that they are doing long runs.

mainly from vegetables, unrefined whole grains and fruit. But protein is also important to help muscles recover. Choose lean meats, fish, eggs, low-fat dairy, legumes and nuts.

Lastly, remember to include healthy fats every day, such as oily fish, avocados, olive oil, nuts and seeds.

Q. Could you explain the concept of

Q. What would you eat on the

‘Hitting the wall’ is when your muscles have used up their store of glucose which is burned to provide energy. This is likely to happen after 18-20 miles of running. To avoid this, take on more glucose while running.

I’d recommend white toast and honey or instant porridge and banana.

specific nutritional plan?

‘hitting the wall’ when running?

ADDED BOUNCE Mizuno Wave Rider 17, £109.99, mizuno.eu

Q. What should your daily meal plan look like?

GYM BAG GEMS

Carbs should be 50-60 per cent of calories,

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THE CHARLIE NOBLE BAG

£300, Charlie Noble, charlienoble.co.uk

NAVY TORSADE TOWEL

£79, Ralph Lauren, amara.co.uk

morning of race day?

Q. How should you fuel your body during the run?

Use an energy drink or gel, providing 3060g of glucose per hour, if you’re running for more than an hour. ✤ endurancesportsnutritionist.co.uk

VERDON FRESH DEODORANT

£14, L’Occitane, uk.loccitane.com

SPORT

LIZ YELLING Two-time Olympian and Commonwealth Games medallist in the marathon and ambassador for Adidas running: Q. What motivates you to keep running, even throughout the winter months?

As an athlete, I was hugely motivated by having clear goals. For me, that could have been a packed racing calendar with some major targets. Now, I push my twin boys in their baby stroller, and we love to get out in the fresh air.

Q. How do you best prepare for a marathon – both mentally and physically?

It takes courage to sign up for a marathon and then plenty of hard work, consistency and patience to train for one. A good marathon plan takes about 12-16 weeks of focused training. A key feature of this is a long run. I used to run up to 22 miles in training, making me strong in the heart, lungs, legs and mind.

Q. Do you follow a specific diet plan?

It’s important to be well-fuelled and hydrated, and for me this used to come from a varied and non-processed selection of foods. I certainly wouldn’t eat lots of junk food, but I did enjoy a big slice of cake on my days off!

Q. Do you carry out any superstitious rituals on race day?

No, I’d say the lead-up to a marathon is all about relaxing, trusting your training, being confident and prepared.

Q. What are your tips for postmarathon recovery?

A huge bag of chips loaded with salt and vinegar, a big glass of red wine and a big pat on the back! ✤ marathontalk.com

BUD BUDARO Olympic marathon coach: Q. Could anybody attempt to run a marathon?

Anyone can attempt a marathon, but obviously the fitter you are, the more you can maximise pleasure from the event.

Q. What advice do you have for

anyone training for their first marathon?

First, marathoners should try to do several long runs. The key is learning to spend time on your feet to cope with the physical, psychological and emotional demands. Do this in a patient, gradual and structured manner. However, there is no need to cover

YOGA AT HOME AND AWAY

It can be difficult to find the time for keeping fit alongside the demands of a busy schedule, and harder still to squeeze in any relaxation. ‘Yoga flux’ is the ideal solution for the two; this ‘boutique’ yoga class can be arranged to take place in the comfort of your own home, office, or even – weather-permitting – outside.

Within zone one, sessions from as short as 20 to 40 minutes are available between 7am and 8pm, and cater to any ability. ✤ yogaflux.com

the full distance before race day; emotion and excitement will get you round.

Q. How much time should you allow

to train properly for a marathon?

The amount of time you spend training is determined by just how fast you would like to go; you can do a reasonable time with a regular three-times-a-week training plan.

Q. What are some of the common mistakes that new runners make?

Probably trying to train too hard too soon; do lots of steady running before you attempt faster types of training.

THE TWO-WHEEL PORSCHE

There may be two less wheels, but it’s still a genuine Porsche. The Germanbased sports car supremo is expanding its Driver’s Selection range to include three new bikes, available from March.

The Porsche Bike, Porsche Bike RX and Porsche Bike RS will feature a 20-speed gear and conveniently light weight frames. The stylish design is sure to attract attention, but each bike also comes equipped with an anti-theft label engraved on the frame, acting as a registration number to deter any sticky fingers. ✤ porsche.com

COOLTEC SHAVER

£199.99, Braun, braun.co.uk

4-IN-1 SPORT WASH

£16, Molton Brown, moltonbrown.co.uk

LIFESTYLE | 79

HIGH TIME for AUDIO HIGH-RESOLUTION AUDIO looks set to be the next big tech trend for 2014, with the likes of vinyl and CDs now more or less a thing of the past. Digital downloads have certainly made the acquisition and storage of music considerably easier; however, with the shift to a smaller format comes compromised sound quality. This is where high-res audio steps in – converting analogue music to digital at a higher rate, delivering a far superior sound than the likes of either MP3s or CDs.

SONY NY H N HAP AP S-1 £799, sony.co.uk

DENON DA300-USB

£329, denonaudio.com

NOVAPRE PREAMPLIFIER

TECH for the TOP CHEF

£799, peachtreeaudio.co.uk

POLYSCIENCE SMOKING GUN

Smoke your food like a pro. £64.99, sousvidetools.com

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THROUGH THE GOOGLE GLASS Google targets the consumer market with its wearable tech – but its real talents could lie elsewhere

D

eveloped by Google, Glass is an Android-powered, voice-controlled computer, designed with the intention of reducing the amount of time we spend with our eyes pointed southwards and our hands clamped firmly around a smartphone.

Until recently, this innovative gadget took the form of a space-age-looking headset – one that wouldn’t have looked out of place on the set of Star Trek. But a design overhaul means that Glass can now be used with prescription lenses, and in an attempt to make the glasses a little more inconspicuous, it comes with new, stylish titanium frames, not dissimilar to an everyday pair of glasses.

While so far only ‘Glass Explorers’ – or those lucky to have made it to the front of the US waiting list – have been able to put this new technology to the test, the latest design upgrade suggests that a 2014 launch date for general sale could be imminent. Users can expect to be able to take pictures or get directions and answers to questions right in

AT910 PASTA MAKER Serve up some tasty fresh pasta, authentic Italian style. £122.46, pixmania.com

front of their eyes, simply with the use of voice commands and the heads-up display. There’s no need for headphones either, with sound transmitted to your ear via the futuristic Bone Conduction technology.

Yet for all of these impressive credentials, Glass is not without its critics. Use of the tech in everyday life clearly throws up issues of privacy and safety; once available for public sale, it seems likely that restrictions will be put in place anywhere from cinemas to casinos.

And despite its latest design upgrade, it seems Google has some way to go before this gadget will be quite wearable enough for the general public.

But while a question mark no doubt remains over Glass’s consumer appeal, it’s worth considering the extraordinary benefits the gadget could have on a more niche market.

Already, the NYPD, surgeons and the visually impaired have identified the considerable benefits that this hands-free, voice-controlled computer could hold for countless lives. ✤ google.co.uk/glass

HESTON BLUMENTHAL PRECISION SCALE Gain unparalleled food prep precision. £44.99, salterhousewares.com

PLAY

Ferrari California T

FERRARI GETS PERSONAL

Ferrari has revealed for the first time in its history that every car to come off its Maranello production line in the past year did so with a bespoke feature. In addition to the growing demand for personalisation, the official figures show that the supercars were most popular with American buyers, with 2,035 sold in the US in 2013. Brits showed a similarly large appetite, with almost as many Ferraris sold over here as in Greater China. Luxury and supercar customisation looks likely to be one of the biggest automotive trends of 2014, with several other big names also revealing their figures for the first time. ✤ ferrari.com

WIRELESS POWER

It’s difficult to predict how exactly the technology of the future will look, but one thing that’s becoming increasingly clear is that it’s likely to involve far fewer tangled wires.

At present, the technology remains in its infancy, but plenty of bigname electronics companies have set their sights on making wireless power the norm for consumers, and new products from phone chargers to hi-fis are going wire-free.

RUSSELL HOBBS ILLUMINA JUG BLENDER

Make perfect purées, smoothies or soups. £69.99, uk.russellhobbs.com

MR1 Wireless Speakers, £300, Ruark Audio, ruarkaudio.com

Audio Pillar, £299, Stellé Audio, selfridges.com

NEW LOOK ASTON Classic British car maker Aston Martin unveils contemporary models with a classic twist The recent 84th Geneva International Motor Show saw Aston Martin launch two brand-new special edition sports cars. The British motoring giant debuted a bold addition to the iconic V8 Vantage range, as well as several sleek new upgrades to the classic DB9.

The V8 Vantage N430 is the eye-catching latest edition to the Aston Martin N family, and comes available in either Coupé or Roadster form. Styled to evoke thoughts of the track, the N430 celebrates Aston Martin’s sporting heritage and motorsport success and will certainly satisfy your need for speed as it's capable of 190 mph, with a 0-60 mph time that drops to 4.6 seconds.

Meanwhile, the carbon black and carbon white special editions are the latest monochrome upgrades to Aston Martin’s DB9 range. Exterior additions mean improved aerodynamic stability and the black window surrounds give a sleek finish. However, if you’re more concerned with performance than aesthetics, you’ll be pleased to hear that both models retain the touring capabilities that made the DB9 one of the world’s most popular GTs. ✤ astonmartin.com

PHILIPS AVANCE TASTE INFUSION GRILL

Enrich your food easily with natural flavours. £120, philips.co.uk

QUOOKER BOILING WATER TAP

Boiled water on tap for food prep. £980, quooker.co.uk

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BACK TO THE FUTURE 2 2014 will be a year of old ideas taking new and exciting shape WORDS: CHRIS ALLSOP

A

lot of sensational tech began to bubble up into our lives in 2013, but it was the drone that cast the longest shadow, droning its way out of the theatre of war and into our hearts (and Currys). The DJI Phantom was smuggled into Egypt for protestors to record their own demonstrations; drones assisted news outlets in expressing the full aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan; while Amazon gave us a glimpse of how children of the future might pass a slow afternoon: trying to down drone deliveries with rocks.

And while drone development will no doubt continue apace in 2014, this will happen in our collective periphery, while other tech seizes centre-stage. What’ll it be? Read on.

WEARABLE TECH

This is the year of wearable tech (besides 1976, the annus mirabilis of the calculator watch).

Meanwhile, last year was the year that we prepared for wearable tech: waiting to see if Google Glass “chosen testers” wandered more frequently than the average into muggings and car bumpers, for example. Besides some concern over driving while “glassing”, no Glass-related tragedies occurred and the product is anticipated to be hitting the US market this month (rumoured to cost anywhere from $600 to $1,500). Of course, the search-engine colossus isn’t the entire market for this tech, and expect other manufacturers to exploit niches as the year progresses (see ReconJet’s products for cycling and snow).

The battle for smartwatch dominance began in earnest last year with the release of Samsung’s overcomplicated Galaxy Gear Smartwatch and its Kickstarter-funded antithesis, the Pebble. While Pebble’s followed up with the retro Pebble Steel, a lot of wrists will accept no alternative to Apple’s eagerlyawaited iWatch. As with everything Apple does, rumours abound, with the most credible being that the iWatch will be laden with health-related features (Samsung is also pursuing this line of development for its Galaxy Gear successor). In this vein, healthoriented bracelet and jewellery devices are now available to whittle away at your bad habits: monitor anything from your sun

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exposure (the Netatmo June Bracelet) to your slouch (the Lumo Lift).

GAMING

Good news: virtual reality is a ... reality. The stylish Crystal Cove headset from Oculus Rift took the 2014 CES tech show by storm – nobody threw up – and a summer release date is rumoured for the gaming device. The film industry is also taking an interest: on a recent visit to Oculus HQ in Irvine, California, director Alfonso Cuarón reportedly noted how well Gravity’s POV shots would have gelled with the virtual reality experience – watch this space.

EEG (electroencephalography) headsets read the brain’s electrical signals off the scalp and allow a kind of assisted telekinesis.

Unfortunately, toys that employ the technology – such as the Kickstarter-funded Puzzlebox Orbit Brain-Controlled Helicopter – still seem limited, while EEG headset-directed games can’t compete with the lush immersion of something like the Crystal Cove. However, EEG headsets are key in the emerging field of neurotraining; with concentration essential in the successful operation of a headset, the tech is being paired with games to help treat ADHD in children.

3D PRINTERS

While still at an emergent phase in our homes, 3D printing is hard at work producing light and robust products for a variety of industries: airplane component; prosthetic limbs and even swimwear: the 3D-printed N12 bikini (named after the Nylon 12 material it’s made out of) is available from Continuum.

TECH

Clockwise from left: Makerbot Replicator 2; the EEG Epoch headset from Emotiv; LG's 105-inch curved 4K LCD TV

Fortunately for the home consumer, this year sees the expiration of a number of key patents covering this technology; expect to see larger, higher-quality printers – such as the MakerBot Replicator 2 – become more affordable and allow you to make something other than small toys, phone cases, or prosthetics for ducks.

CURVED SCREENS

It’s up for debate whether curved-screen TVs offer more benefits (an immersive, cinemalike experience if you’re sitting close enough to the right size screen) than drawbacks: a compromised view for those not sitting directly in front; tricky to wall-mount; cost (£7k and up). Curved smartphones like the Galaxy Round emerged last year, and the benefits to tablets and phones seem more tangible: durability, improved call quality as the phone curves from ear to mouth and slight magnification of the screen. Essentially, however, these curved screens are the calculator watch of their time – the precursor to something much more useful: flexible screens that will unfold to create a much larger viewing area for our devices.

BRAZUCA

For all of the electronic wizardry descending on us, it’ll be the Brazuca technology that’ll have our hearts beating fastest. The Brazuca is the ball for the World Cup 2014, apparently boasting a “revolutionary” six-panel design.

It’s been tested for two-and-a-half years by more than 600 of the world’s top players, but expect those same players to start whingeing about how it’s “too light” as they inexplicably fail to sink the Brazuca into an open goal.

LIFESTYLE | 83

Drive it, Wear it, Live it.

Live the Ginetta lifestyle with our Ginetta Racing Drivers Club and quintessentially British menswear collection.

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Photography by Chris Wallbank

DRIVE

GLIDE INTO THE FUTURE This – according to Nissan – is the sports car of the future (and yes, it does have four wheels) WORDS: MATTHEW CARTER

I

f Nissan has its way, this is the sports car of the future. Gaining its inspiration from the racetrack, the Nissan BladeGlider concept has ‘the potential to be the best handling sports car in the world’, according to its British inventor Ben Bowlby.

Like his radical DeltaWing Le Mans racecar, BladeGlider has a narrow front/wide rear track. Although it looks like a threewheeler at first glance, it actually has two skinny front wheels for stability and a low drag coefficient. The wide rear track and tyres meanwhile contribute to the BladeGlider’s exceptional handling.

“By providing a stable and rigid foundation for the car, they allow the car’s front tyres to effectively point the nose of the vehicle in the right direction. Think of a sledgehammer and its handle. Put the hammer on the ground and move the handle in the desired direction. It can be done with relatively little effort because the head of the hammer is providing a stable foundation,” explains Bowlby.

The layout also ensures good traction for rapid acceleration, low tyre wear and powerful brakes.

BladeGlider is mid-engined – the concept shown at the recent Geneva Motor Show had two electric motors powered by lithiumion batteries – and is rear-wheel drive. Two passengers sit well back

in the car, almost over the rear axle with the driver sitting solo in the middle of the car.

Will it make it into production? Possibly. Nissan is racing another narrow front/wide rear racer at Le Mans in 2015. Called ZEOD (standing for Zero Emission on Demand) if the hybrid electric racer works as well as its maker thinks it will, it won’t be long before those technologies are transferred to the road.

LIFESTYLE | 85

THE NEXT BIG THING A new car loses money the moment it’s driven out of the showroom, but a modern classic could turn out to be an appreciating asset WORDS: MATTHEW CARTER

P

aul Michaels isn’t one for toeing the company line. For years, his company, Hexagon of Highgate, was one of London’s top BMW dealers, but his personal car was a Porsche Turbo. “Even though it was my company, BMW top brass didn't take kindly to that and suggested I really ought to be driving one of their cars,” said Michaels.

So he reluctantly parked the Porsche and started driving BMWs… nothing much wrong with that, as they are, by and large, fine cars. But you can tell Michaels doesn’t like being told what to do.

It won’t happen again. After decades as a BMW main dealer, Michaels has sold the business – to BMW itself – and has now established a new company. He’s still selling BMWs, but this time he’s also selling Astons, Ferraris, Mercs and Bentleys... and the main focus is on Porsche 911s. And he’s back with a Porsche Turbo as his everyday car.

The difference is that his new venture, Hexagon Modern Classics, specialises in low mileage, immaculate, used cars with that vital ingredient – they are all future classics. “The beauty of buying, say, a BMW M3 that’s three or four years old is that it is still as quick as it ever was but someone else has taken the depreciation hit. You’re getting a fantastic car at a great price that has the added bonus of being likely to go up in value in the years ahead,” said Michaels.

Michaels knows what he’s talking about. He’s been buying and selling cars in London since 1963 and was a Porsche dealer 40 years ago, before teaming up with BMW. In that time, he’s also run historic racing teams and even had a season in Formula 1 as an entrant, with John Watson driving his privately-run Brabham, and scoring points in three races.

“That was back in 1974, when it was possible to buy an F1 car ‘off-the-shelf ’ and be competitive against the works cars,” recalls

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Michaels. “In fact, I was far too naïve as we were often quicker than the works Brabhams. The team owner didn't like that so we didn’t always get the latest upgrades needed to stay competitive.

But then the owner was a chap called Bernie Eccelstone…”

Michaels is no stranger to classic cars, either, and has been dealing in rare and seriously expensive machinery from showrooms in Reece Mews in South Kensington (where virtually every car has a POA tag) for some years.

But it’s Hexagon Modern Classics based at Fortis Green in Haringey – not far from the old Hexagon of Highgate showroom – that is making all the waves at the moment.

“Mention the Hexagon name to anyone in the business and they’ll all say our cars are expensive. And they are… but there’s a good reason for that.

“Every car we sell has to meet our exacting standards and that means they are as close to perfection as we can manage.

We believe they are the best examples of their type on the open market and, well, quality doesn’t come cheap,” says Michaels, unapologetically.

With a few notable exceptions, all cars have fewer than 60,000 miles on the clock and are sold with a comprehensive RAC warranty. The Hexagon philosophy is that buyers have got used to the turnkey reliability of modern cars and demand the same from a modern classic.

What is a modern classic? Essentially it’s a performance car that’s out of production but which still has undeniable appeal in terms of looks, performance and rarity… and preferably all three together. The trick is to identify them as future classics before they reach that status and prices go up.

Take the Porsche 911 Speedster for instance. Just over 2,100 examples were built in 1989, and of those only 139 had right-hand drive. It was a low roof/low windscreen version

DRIVE

From left: Porsche 911 Turbo; Showroom; BMW CSL; BMW M6

to give away, now £150k is the globallyof the contemporary 911 Cabrio designed as Modern Classics, Hexagon snapped up recognised going price. an evocation of the iconic 356 Speedster of virtually every decent 911 Turbo around, Rubbing shoulders with the BMWs and the 1950s. from the original ‘930’ model, through the Porsches, Hexagon also has a few Merc SLs When new, the Speedster sold to Porsche ‘964’ to the ‘993’ along with as many ‘ordinary’ of varying ages, a couple of recent Aston and fanatics, but it was far from practical and Carrera coupés and cabrios as they could find.

Ferrari models and even a left-hooker Bentley quickly lost value on the second-hand market.

But it’s not all 911s. Hexagon has a couple Continental R from 1996, once the most A couple of years ago you could pick one up of V8-powered Porsche 928s, including an expensive production car in the world. for £25,000. Today they’ve hit the £100,000 immaculate S4 from 1993. It might have If you're looking for the next big thing at mark and more: Hexagon has a low mileage 75,000 miles on the clock, but at less than a bargain price, Hexagon also stocks the ‘996’ right-hand-drive example in classic Guards £15k it represents a real bargain that can only Porsche 911. Prices are low as they look too Red for £120k. They are just as impractical as gain in value. much like a lowly Boxster, but ever, so why the change? bearing in mind what happened “The difference is simple.

"You buy a car like a Speedster, not because to the Speedster, it would be a When it was new, people were it’s going to do a job, but because it’ll become foolish man who turned his back buying it to use on a regular a much-loved member of the family" on a 12,000 miler at less than basis. That was when they – Paul Michaels £30k. Who knows what it might discovered it was not a great go for the day after tomorrow? everyday car so values tumbled.

If you’ve a little cash to splash, Michaels Today, however, people are buying them for Naturally, given Hexagon’s recent history, reckons now is the time to buy a Ferrari occasional use, a car to bring out on special there’s a strong BMW showing at Fortis Berlinetta Boxer. But if you are looking for occasions… and it fits that bill perfectly,” says Green with examples of virtually every ‘M’ a car you can also use everyday he will point Michaels. “You buy a car like a Speedster not car produced in recent years, as well as a rare you in the direction of a three-year old BMW because it’s going to do a job, but because it’ll 1974 3.0 CSL and a more recent Z8.

M6 coupé: with a potent V10 engine, a huge become a much loved member of the family.”

Condemned at launch for doing nothing specification and still benefiting from the Of course there’s nothing wrong with a particularly well, some minor modifications manufacturer’s maintenance pack, it’s a snip modern classic also being practical and that’s – ‘proper’ tyres rather than run-flats, a at less than £45k. where Michaels’s first love, the Porsche Turbo, strengthening bar under the bonnet and short “That’s the key to a good modern classic: comes in. The Turbo combines performance shifter for the gearbox – has transformed the buy when the price is right and watch its value with unfailing reliability and usability.

Z8 into a highly desirable GT car with a price rise as you enjoy driving it about,” says Michaels.

In building up stock for the launch of to match. A few years ago they were difficult

LIFESTYLE | 87

THE FANTASTIC FOUR Performance, style or space?

Finally, it is possible to have it all WORDS: NEIL BRISCOE

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DRIVE

VEHICLE SPEC 0-62MPH: 3.7 seconds TOP SPEED: 208 mph ENGINE: 6.3-litre V12 POWER: 660 hp @ 8,000 rpm TORQUE: 683 nm @ 6,000 rpm TRANSMISSION: 7-speed dual clutch paddle shift, four-wheel drive ECONOMY: 18.3 mpg CO2: 360 g/km PRICE: £227,142 (£292,297 as tested with options)

H

aving your cake and eating it is a dangerous tactic, as anyone who’s had a go at Weight Watchers will tell you. All that crumbly, buttery, sweet loveliness is just so tempting, sitting there on the plate, but touch it and you’re in for a world of expanding waistlines, creaking belts and weighing scales cowering in fear of their lives.

So it is with cars, or at least so goes the conventional wisdom.

If you want to have a car with dramatic styling, an exhaust note to rival Aretha Franklin and straight-line performance to shame Usain Bolt, that’s all possible. You can have that. If, though, you want to mix those qualities with other, more practical concerns, such as boot space, useable rear seats or an ability to shrug off lousy weather conditions then you’re on to a loser. Like losing weight while eating cake, it simply can’t be done.

Except now, it can. Ferrari is not a car maker you think of when you think of practicality. You think of Ferrari when you think of low, red wedges of purest Italian theatre. You think of Ferrari when you think of screaming V12 and V8 engines, of Formula One domination, of old man Enzo chuckling from behind his ever present dark glasses at the thought of mere mortals trying to tame one of his creations.

The magic of Ferrari, the essence, has always been drama and who cares if there’s room for your bags or not?

Acres of buttery soft leather, that massive rev-counter dominating the dashboard from behind a squared-off steering wheel festooned with F1-style buttons Well, actually, Ferrari does, and for the past few years, under the direction of the painfully stylish Ferrari president Luca Di Montezemolo, has been getting more (whisper it) practical. More reliable, less highly-strung. You can actually think, seriously, about owning and using a Ferrari as your every day transport.

Especially if your Ferrari happens to be this one, the FF. Now that perhaps is not the most evocative badge in Ferrari’s history. 312 Superamerica? Sure. 365 GTB Daytona? Certainly. FF. Ummm... It is though Ferrari’s way of being, shall we say, intellectually honest about the car. FF stands for Ferrari Four and that refers to both the number of seats in the cabin and the driven wheels – yes, for the first time ever, here is a Ferrari with four-wheel drive.

Four-seat Ferraris tend not to get a lot of love. Indeed, the mideighties 412 model (kind of square looking, not very pretty) is generally derided as the single worst thing ever to wear the prancing horse badge. Four-seat Ferraris have generally been better than the zeitgeist would have you believe though. The 456 of the early nineties was one of the nicest-looking Ferraris of all time and if the more recent 612 Scaglietti wasn’t, then it was at least bloomin’ brilliant to drive.

The FF is somewhere between the two. That chiselled nose is far prettier than the 612’s unsightly conk, but the chopped-off rear end

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DRIVE

is an acquired taste. At least you can claim it references the sixties ‘breadvan’ 250 GTO Le Mans racer, with its wind-tunnel honed body.

The beauty of the FF is on the inside though. Acres of buttery soft leather, that massive rev-counter dominating the dashboard from behind a squared-off steering wheel festooned with F1-style buttons.

And behind, actual, real seats. Unlike other so-called 2+2 grand tourers, real humans (even adult ones) can fit in the back of an FF and still be able to feel their extremities when they alight. It’s actually pretty comfy in there, even on broken tarmac when you have the ‘bumpy road’ setting dialled in to the electronically-controlled suspension.

That four-wheel drive system is pretty clever too. The FF eschews the traditional transfer-box-and-second-prop-shaft arrangement of most 4WD systems (too tall and too heavy) and instead plonks an extra two-speed gearbox in front of the engine which, until you select fifth on the main twin-clutch seven speed gearbox, distributes up to 30 per cent of the engine’s power to the front wheels. The upshot of this is that the FF is able to simply shrug-off the kind of weather that would normally confound a low-slung, V12 engined sports car. The gales and rain of January were simply not an issue and we’ve heard

reports that it can climb snowy Alpine ski runs in the manner of a Range Rover.

No Range Rover ever went like this though. While it may be practical (4WD, those seats, the generous 450-litre boot) the FF is still a Ferrari and a V12 one at that. The 6.3-litre engine is just staggeringly powerful, with 660 hp at your disposal. While the 4WD tames that grunt at lower speeds, and makes the FF an effortless doddle when you just want to cruise, when you start getting serious, it responds in kind. Mash the throttle to the carpet and the FF simply explodes forward, that V12 ripping and shredding the air around it into sheets of pure music. No symphony orchestra ever sounded as good as the FF on its way to a 3.7 sec 0-62 mph run and the way the fast-shifting gearbox throws fresh cogs into the mix has you thinking that it’s made

by Gatling. The FF excites like a proper Ferrari should.

And then you settle down, slow down and calm down and so does the FF. It will glide you home in the comfort of an executive saloon, it qualifies for Ferrari’s new seven-year maintenance and servicing warranty and you can genuinely fit a week’s shopping in the boot.

It’s cake, delicious creamy cake, that you can have, eat and savour.

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ENVIRONMENT

EAT



RESTAURANT REVIEW 

BEST OF BRITISH

Situated in what was previously the East Banking Hall of Pearl Assurance, the hotly-anticipated new City eatery, Holborn Dining Room, is the perfect complement to its space and location WORDS: EMMA JOHNSON

C

reated in the image of many of the new London openings of the last 18 months or so, Holborn Dining Room is reassuringly on-trend – red leather banquet seating, plenty of brass fixtures and fittings, bold marble detailing and a proudly British menu. So far, so safe. Described as ‘a grand brasserie’, this vast space is certainly impressive to look at, and will be a major hit with locals looking for somewhere smart for a leisurely work lunch or a buzzing evening dinner. Staff mill around in a combination of outfits that I’m sure have a very specific hierarchy to them (we have different staff to welcome us, to take our drinks order, to bring our drinks, to bring our menus, to bring water and to take our order), before meeting our main waitress for the evening who brings most of our food and clears our table. But everyone is friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, suggesting alternatives when they’ve run out of something and guiding us specifically when we want to order every single thing from the hot and cold counter selection.

The menu is more exciting than the failsafe décor would have you expect too, which makes for a nice surprise – a crustacean selection, hot and cold counters, a charcuterie section, a wealth of old-school style meat and fish mains, and some intriguing-sounding desserts. Finally, we narrow it down to an ‘ancient loaf ’ with Abernethy butter and fennel salami to pick at while we drink cocktails, followed by roasted langoustine, fried squid and the pressed ham hock. The squid is pretty standard fare, not life-changing, but not bad, but the langoustine are juicy and tasty, the garlic butter drizzled over them adding a sweet, pungent kick, while the ham hock is excellent, paired with some expertly-made piccalilli.

For mains, the ‘hock and coq pudding’ should have been pork overkill but was actually one of the best things on the menu, a proper suet pudding with a rich pork and chicken filling. My 'HDR burger' with house sauce was just what you’d expect – well-sourced, tasty beef, cooked nice and rare with a tangy sauce and a huge tin of rusticlooking chips. We surprised ourselves by fitting in dessert too – and the St. Clements posset and boozy sherry trifle didn’t disappoint.

The Holborn Dining Room isn’t going to win any awards for ground-breaking food, revolutionary new concepts or its unique design – in fact, it has almost aggressively stayed away from doing this – but, perhaps, therein lies its charm. It knows what the area needs, and wants, and it delivers in spades. ✤ 252 High Holborn, WC1V, holborndiningroom.com

THREE of a KIND... Subterranean Speakeasies

5CC, CITY OF LONDON

THE DISCOUNT SUIT COMPANY

As with 5CC’s other two locations, you’ll find this low-lit cocktail den underneath a pub full of unsuspecting punters. Below, via a secret staircase, is an intimate space where rare whiskys and American-inspired sliders form the order of the day. The customary prohibition-era cocktails are all accounted for, as is the cloakand-dagger atmosphere. Enjoy the clandestine vibe until 3am on Fridays and Saturdays.

You'll find, or more accurately, struggle to find, the Discount Suit Company on Petticoat Lane Market. Doing exactly not what it says on the tin, there’s not a suit in sight – save for the City folk who've made the five-minute walk from Bishopsate. Instead, DSC serves very good cocktails at very reasonable prices in a cosy subterranean world that’s perfect for after-work drinks or a date with a difference.

✤ 26 Farringdon Street, EC4A

✤ 29a Wentworth Street, E1

PROHIBITION

Held at secret locations that remain unannounced until days before the events, Prohibition is a monthly night of live bands, DJs, silent cinema, dancing troupes and gambling tables. Tickets are a snip at £25 – just don’t mistake plastic, polyester or novelty items for good taste, otherwise entry may be refused. ✤ Secret locations across London, prohibition1920s.com LIFESTYLE | 93

DRINK

THE LONDON CRU Is a recently-opened winery based in London a brave experiment or a foolhardy enterprise?

WORDS: JAMES LAWRENCE

A

t first glance, trucking in chilled grapes from France and Italy and processing them in London may not sound like the best way to make wine. But then London Cru's head winemaker, Gavin Monery, points out that the concept has already been trialled successfully in the US, with several urban wineries operating in New York and San Francisco to a healthy profit. “London has always been way ahead of the rest of Europe in setting food and drink trends,” the Australian-turned-Londoner points out with a wry smile.

Indeed, London now leads the way in urban micro-breweries, so why not wine production as well? The project, although still in its infancy, has already started to make a name for itself as a centre of wine education, with monthly 'Be a winemaker for the day' events designed to demystify wine in the most relaxed way possible. The intellectual property rights belong to Adam Green, business development director at Roberson Wine, a Kensington-based merchant. “We felt that London's very mature wine scene needed shaking up a bit,” explains Green. “London has, of course, plenty of wine bars and opportunities to taste and learn about wine, but we wanted to offer people a more tactile experience and get them directly involved.” Roberson's founder, Cliff Roberson, bought into the concept and together with his friend Bill Tomlinson invested over £700,000 to renovate a dusty old warehouse in February 2013. Fast-forward to August 2013, and the first French grapes arrived for fermentation.

The winery, although small, has all the prerequisite bells and whistles: stainless-steel tanks, oak barrels and a conveyor belt for sorting grapes are all present and correct. Monery had collaborated with different vineyards via his job at Roberson for several years (in addition to honing his craft in Western Australia), so was ideally placed to select the fruit for their first wines. Working with growers in the French Languedoc, Roussillon and Piedmont in Italy, Monery produced four different wines; a Chardonnay, a Shiraz, a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Barbera. Around 13,000 bottles were made, with plans to double production this year and a release later in the spring.

So the vital question now remains – are the wines any good?

Encouragingly, the first batches are surprisingly good; fresh, balanced wines with real style and poise. They offer plenty of fruit, if not exactly loads of complexity, but then it is too soon to make a definitive judgment anyway.

Still, Monery has high ambitions for his wines, expecting them to sell for around £15 a bottle. I would have thought £8-£10 is closer to the mark, and certainly in these early stages, with no previous brand reputation to draw on, how does he expect to succeed in an already saturated wine market? “We knew from the start that you cannot survive based purely on a gimmicky idea,” he insists. “We are going into this to produce premium wines, and the price, while being affordable, should reflect that.”

Despite his assertions to the contrary, though, isn't this all just a catchy gimmick? Winemakers constantly extol the virtues of grapes reaching the winery as quickly as possible to ensure high quality.

Moreover, is it sustainable to make good – as opposed to acceptable

94 | LIFESTYLE

– wine in a former disused warehouse in West London? There is also the issue of labelling: due to the unusual nature of the enterprise, the wines will have to be simply labelled as 'European Community Wine' with no vintage year or grape variety shown. And of course, eventually the investors will want to see a good return on their capital, something Monery admits could take a while.

At least the investors seem to understand that their business model cannot be based around selling the novelty of a 'London wine'. “We plan to encourage locals to participate in our winemaker events as much as possible and hopefully see some volume sold via the cellar door,” Monery says. “We will obviously use Roberson to encourage direct sales on our website and there is the tentative idea of opening a London Cru wine bar to help strengthen our brand,” he finishes with a strong note of optimism.

London Cru, like all new ventures, has already had one or two setbacks – plans to make a Merlot and Sauvignon Blanc last year were shelved due to poor fruit quality. But while the outcome of this risky venture remains to be seen, the passion and knowledge of Monery, combined with the astute marketing experience of the investors, might ensure that London Cru is trading for many years to come. ✤ londoncru.co.uk

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ESCAPE 

From city breaks to weekend escapes, welcome to some of the world’s most exclusive hideaways

L

ured to distant shores by the promise of a fairer clime, we sun-starved Brits often overlook the countless fantastic holiday destinations that this small island has to offer. With this in mind, we’ve discovered a few of Britain’s best potential getaways, all of which come with the added bonus of absolutely no need for navigating labyrinthine airports or enduring uncomfortable long-haul flights.

CLOSE to HOME

WATER MEADOW COTTAGE, Oxfordshire

This spring, relax and unwind with a stay at Water Meadow Cottage, a picture-perfect 18th-century hunting lodge in Woodstock.

Located on the legendary Blenheim Palace Estate, this gorgeous cottage boasts stunning rural views and access to quaint Cotswolds towns. This two-storey cottage retains all the charm of its past, while offering the creature comforts of today, not to mention exceptional detail. Downstairs you’ll find cosy and intimate rooms, ideal for reading by the fire, while upstairs offers an inviting master bedroom, which combines rustic furnishings with lavish decoration.

BEACH Readers

✤ watermeadowcottage.co.uk

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PRS-T3 Reader, £99, Sony, sony.co.uk

SUMMER LODGE COUNTRY HOUSE HOTEL, Dorset

CHEWTON GLEN, Hampshire

Nestled in the heart of picturesque Hardy country is this 18th-century country manor, expanded by Hardy himself for his friend the 6th Earl of Ilchester in 1893. The local village of Evershot is, in fact, rife with literary association, featuring at one stage in Tess of the d’Urbervilles as a rest point for the novel’s unfortunate heroine. Guests at the presentday Summer Lodge can be considerably more optimistic of their fate, however, Summer Lodge is now an opulent country-house hotel, characterised by the elaborate detailing of its sumptuous décor.

This sprawling red-brick country house, set amongst acres of manicured lawns in the heart of the New Forest, is an idyllic setting for a weekend escape from the hustle and bustle of the City. Once fully ensconced in the comfort of this updated 18th-century retreat, visitors can take advantage of luxuries including fine-dining at the traditional restaurant and relaxation at the top-class spa facilities. With a choice between a range of plush rooms and a selection of secluded luxury Treehouse suites, this award-winning hotel will no doubt satisfy classic and modern sensibilities alike.

✤ summerlodgehotel.co.uk

✤ chewtonglen.com

Aura, £109.99, Kobo, whsmith.co.uk

Paperwhite, £109, Kindle, amazon.co.uk

ESCAPE

WHAT to PACK

NEW OPENINGS VINES RESORT AND SPA, UCO VALLEY Argentina

This lush South American resort is the ideal destination for any budding wine aficionados.

With the help of the in-house wine consultant, guests at one of the 22 luxurious villas are invited to develop their own vintage, right down to the planting of vines and fermenting of grapes. Visitors can expect to find themselves truly immersed in the Argentine culture, sampling local cuisine and making the most of its incredible setting, complete with astounding views of the Andes. Hiking, horseback riding and fly-fishing are just some of the activities on offer.

THE NIGHTWEAR

Sky Poplin Pyjamas, £175, Budd Shirts, buddshirts.co.uk

✤ vinesresortandspa.com

THE LUGGAGE

DOMAINE DE LA BAUME, PROVENCE France

Once home to the acclaimed Expressionist painter Bernard Buffet, the 99-acre Domaine de la Baume estate has now reopened as an intimate holiday retreat. Neighbours include the likes of Tina Turner and the Beckhams, and it’s easy to see how these famous faces were seduced by the region’s considerable charms.

Lying beneath sprawling hills and forests, the winsome vine-covered 18th-century house, painted in a warm Provençal orange, is a family-run affair boasting picturesque manicured gardens and an orangery.

Gladstone Tourer Holdall in Bullrush Kudu Suede, £760, Tusting, tusting.co.uk

THE LAYER

Supima V Neck Sweater, £85, Brooks Brothers, brooksbrothers.co.uk

✤ en.domaine-delabaume.com

AMAN CANAL GRANDE, VENICE Italy

The rumble of suitcase wheels will be nothing but a distant memory as guests at this palatial Venetian palazzo arrive the way its 16thcentury designers would have intended, gliding smoothly in by gondola. Elaborate historic details including original frescoes and Murano chandeliers combine with plush contemporary furnishings in an unimposing environment. There is no reception desk, instead, members of staff materialise when needed, before leaving you to enjoy one of the sumptuous suites overlooking the Grand Canal, or the hotel’s lush private gardens. ✤ amanresorts.com

THE ENTERTAINMENT iPad Air, £399, Apple, apple.com/uk

THE SHADES

Bert Cola Tort Sunglasses, £190, Oliver Spencer, eyerespect.com

LIFESTYLE | 97

EXPLORE

UNDERSTATED

GLAMOUR

It is the jewel of Arabia, but Oman struggles to be heard over its noisy neighbours. Which is a good thing.

Go now, before it finds its voice WORDS & IMAGES: GAVIN HAINES

M

oney talks but wealth whispers, or so the saying goes. And if you happen to be looking for an example to support this adage, look no further than Muscat.

For unlike its braggart neighbour Dubai, the Omani capital does not display its riches in phallic skyscrapers or gaudy malls on every block. Instead, its oil wealth is woven modestly into the fabric of Omani society – it is healthcare, education and culture. It is the lovingly-preserved heritage sites and ubiquitous mosques. Only occasionally is it a gaudy mall.

But has Muscat been whispering too quietly? While Dubai lures 10 million visitors annually, the whole of Oman pulls in just three million. The country still feels off-piste, undiscovered almost.

That’s something Sultan Qaboos wants to address. Hoping to wean Oman off its depleting oil reserves, he is investing in tourism with the aim of attracting 12 million visitors annually by 2020. That’s ambitious, but it won’t be a tough sell; his country has much to offer.

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CIT Y NOTES

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Gavin stayed at the Chedi Muscat (ghmhotels.com), where a sumptuous Serai Room costs 222 OMR (£346) per night. He slept in the desert in style with Hud Hud Travels (hudhudtravels.com), which organises private luxury camps and tours throughout Oman.

Oman Air flies direct from Heathrow to Muscat (approx time: seven hours).

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I stroll to the Al Alam Palace, the official residence of Sultan Qaboos, MAGICAL MUSCAT where I find life, albeit in the form of gun-toting guards. They remind My Oman odyssey begins, as it does for most visitors, in Muscat. me that it’s Thursday, the start of the Omani weekend, which is why it’s Specifically, at the Chedi Muscat, a five-star beach resort regarded as so quiet. For something livelier, they say, I should head to Muttrah Souk. one of the finest in Arabia. It’s easy to see why; the place is magnificent.

I take their advice, exiting the Old Town through the medieval Conforming to Muscat’s strict building regulations – properties city gates. Until 1970, these gates were locked at sunset and anyone must be white and can’t be above a certain height – the Chedi wandering inside them without a lantern was arrested for marauding. fuses traditional Islamic architecture with contemporary Asian These draconian laws were relaxed when Sultan Qaboos deposed design; mosque-inspired courtyards and ornamental archways are his father, Sultan bin Taimur, whose complemented by the minimalist décor feudal reign was characterised by and Zen-style gardens.

THE CHEDI IS A DIFFICULT isolation and suppression.

The Chedi is a difficult place to leave.

PLACE TO LEAVE. MY Although an absolute monarchy, My sightseeing intentions are dealt an SIGHTSEEING INTENTIONS Oman has progressed significantly under early blow by the 100-metre infinity pool ARE DEALT AN EARLY BLOW Sultan Qaboos who has embarked on – the longest in the Gulf – which lures me BY THE 100 METRE INFINITY radical reforms, investing heavily in in for a quick dip. Somehow this turns POOL – THE LONGEST IN healthcare, welfare and education. In into a blissful Balinese massage in the 1997, he gave women the right to vote for nearby spa, which rolls into a late lunch at THE GULF – WHICH LURES members of the Consultative Assembly, The Restaurant, the least imaginativelyME IN FOR A QUICK DIP which wields little power but is the named eatery of the six on-site. For all I closest thing to democracy in Omani politics. care, though, they could have named it after a sexually-transmitted After a brief walk, I arrive at Muttrah Souk and, sure enough, disease; the food is a gastronomic triumph. it’s buzzing. Local families, young couples and the odd Western Tearing myself away from the Chedi, I take a taxi to medieval holidaymaker walk around the bazaar, eyeing up the wares. The sweet Muscat. Strategically located in the Strait of Hormuz, this ancient scent of burning frankincense hangs deliciously in the air. port was the epicentre of the Oman Empire and is dominated by the “We also chew it, like gum,” explains one of the hawkers, offering twin forts of Al Mirani and Al Jilali. me a small piece of frankincense. I put it in my mouth, start chewing My arrival is timed perfectly and I watch the sun setting over the and immediately request a bin. Not for me.

16th-century citadels that guard the entrance to Muscat Harbour. I’m Oman has strong maritime connections with India, and the alone. The streets are empty, although it’s hardly quiet; birds squawk Indian influence is particularly noticeable in Muttrah Souk; many in the twilight, while the call to prayer echoes evocatively around the of the traders are from Kerala and, amongst the Omani antiques deserted Old Town.

100 | LIFESTYLE

EXPLORE Previous page: View from mountains Clockwise from far left: Chedi pool; Beehive tombs; Grand Mosque; the desert

and handicrafts, are vivid carpets and beautiful pashminas from the subcontinent.

The food has a strong Indian influence too and, in a small restaurant overlooking the souk, I quaff a deliciously simple meal of tandoori chicken, hummus, olives and flatbread.

Full and laden with souvenirs – vibrant scarves, local pottery and bags of frankincense (yes, I still bought some) – I take a cab back to the Chedi and slip into a deep sleep in my sumptuous suite.

BEDOUIN EXPERIENCE

Morning rolls around quickly and before I know it I’m reluctantly checking out of the Chedi. But new adventures beckon. Today I’m going to the desert with jovial tour guide Vicky Sotriffer, who works for Hud Hud Travels.

She is taking me to one of their luxed-up Bedouin-style camps in the desert, but not before we drop by the Royal Opera House, one of the most extraordinary attractions in Muscat. Made exclusively of marble, it was the first opera house in the Gulf and has set something of a trend – Dubai, typically, is building something flashier.

The Royal Opera House was the brainchild of Sultan Qaboos, who gained a taste for the arts while studying in Britain. However, it was the subject of much controversy when it opened in 2011.

“The Omani people didn’t want it – they weren’t interested in the arts,” explains our tour guide Iman. “But, little by little, people have become interested and changed their minds.” Subsidised tickets for shows have helped curry favour and the critics, says Vicky, have been silenced by promises of jobs and more mosques.

Indeed, there are plenty of mosques under construction in Muscat, although none quite like the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque.

Completed in 2001, this epic structure accommodates 20,000 worshippers and is home to the world’s second largest hand-woven carpet, which boasts a staggering 170 million knots. There’s also a 14-metre Swarovski chandelier hanging in the prayer hall – okay, so Oman is capable of some showboating.

Yet it is the country’s natural beauty that truly impresses me.

I’m awed by the scenery as we leave Muscat and climb into the Al Hajar Mountains. “Geologists love it here,” explains Vicky, pointing out otherworldly rock formations. “So do birdwatchers.” She pulls over and we watch Egyptian vultures riding thermals, scouring the landscape below for prey.

Our journey is punctuated by more distractions; mountaindwelling shepherds, curious camels and UNESCO-listed “beehive” tombs from 3500BC. By the time we reach our desert camp, dusk is approaching. With little time to waste, Vicky and I scramble up a sand dune and watch the desert change colour in the setting sun. We sit in silent appreciation as the light fades and the stars, more than I have ever seen, begin to shine. If Oman wants to be heard, it should let nature do the talking.

LIFESTYLE | 101

SMOKE & MIRRORS If you want to dip a toe in real Moroccan culture, while improving your handicap, then visit the less-travelled, but intoxicating, world of El Jadida WORDS: GAVIN HAINES

A

few weeks ago, a butcher in Suffolk received hatemail from angry residents, who were offended by his shop’s extravagant window display. Evidently, the arrangement of dead birds and pigs’ heads were too much for the delicate sensibilities of Sudbury citizens, so they started a vitriolic campaign until the butcher removed them. Now, if that sounds like reasonable behaviour to you, I would strongly advise against visiting El Jadida market – you’d be writing alot of letters.

Located on the west coast of Morocco, this bazaar is not the kind of place where you can walk around in blissful ignorance of provenance; when you buy a chicken here it doesn’t come wrapped in cellophane, it comes clucking – albeit not for long.

I stop to watch a local butcher at work. With one eye on the Champions League – playing on a rickety television in the corner of his shop – he removes a bird from the coop, quickly dispatches it and gets to work plucking. The other chickens peck at corn, seemingly oblivious to their fate.

102 | LIFESTYLE

Suffice to say, El Jadida market is a stimulating sight.

It stirs the other senses too; as I walk through the bustling bazaar, my nostrils are filled with the aromas of perfume, incense and roast meat, which hang deliciously in the air.

Meanwhile the call to prayer echoes from a nearby mosque.

The vibrant stalls of El Jadida sell all kinds of wares; from dried fruits and spices to Moroccan slippers and DVDs. These colourful little kiosks jostle for space with tiny restaurants and mobile kitchens (they’d probably call it a 'pop-up' in London), where characterful vendors sell homemade bread, crepes and cooked meats.

Although not exactly vegetarian-friendly, the market offers an authentic taste of Moroccan life, unlike the ersatz, touristy souks of Marrakesh. Many of the locals wear traditional hooded cloaks, which are known as djellabas here, but could easily pass as onesies back home. On the whole they are a jovial bunch and most are happy for me to take their photograph, which certainly hasn’t been my experience in other parts of the country.

WEEKEND

Clockwise from left: The souks; El Jadida at sunset; Mazagan; El Jadida spice stall; Azemmour street art

Sensing my interest in his food stall, a man invites me to take pictures of his signature dish; a steamed cow’s head. He then offers me a taster, peeling off a strip of spiced meat from the skull. It’s tender and surprisingly tasty.

For me, the market is the jewel in El Jadida’s crown. However, there is much more to this port city than its bustling bazaar. A former Portuguese settlement, the city is dominated by a large Portuguese fort, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2004.

I climb the ancient ramparts and watch a beautiful sunset over the city below.

Meanwhile, a group of lads play football on a nearby beach, using the last light of the day to wind up their game.

SUMPTUOUS SECLUSION

After a stimulating afternoon in El Jadida and, prior to that, Azemmour (where I had been admiring the local street art) I return to my hotel, the Mazagan Beach Resort.

This five-star property sits in a secluded spot north of El Jadida and has become a destination in its own right since it opened in 2009. The resort certainly launched in style; the owner, South African hotel magnate, Sol Kerzner, spent a reported £15 million on the opening soiree, which was attended by the likes of Naomi Campbell and Lindsay Lohan. Apparently some 5,000 bottles of champagne were quaffed that night and I’m told monkeys were specially-trained to hand roses to guests.

Like that lavish launch, the Mazagan Beach Resort manages to be both crass and class at the same time. The hotel approach is more shopping centre than lux resort, thanks to its sprawling car park – a giant expanse of tarmac that seems both unnecessarily large and ill thought out. Yet the hotel itself is stunning. Based on a traditional riad design, the resort looks like an Islamic palace, with its Moorish archways, ornamental pillars and colourful tiles. Boasting 500 rooms, it is hardly an intimate hotel. In fact the sheer scale of the place is hard to comprehend and geographically-challenged guests have been

known to get lost. I certainly did.

The rooms are well-appointed and comfortable, albeit somewhat forgettable; the décor feels generic and slightly dated, which is probably a symptom of there being so many rooms to look after.

However, this isn’t the kind of hotel you come to for a bijous break; essentially, the Mazagan is a hedonistic holiday resort. It has a go-kart track, a gaudy nightclub and a big-money casino, which I tackle one after another with James Hunt enthusiasm.

The resort also has an exceptional 72-par golf course, which was designed by golfing legend, Gary Player. If you’re hopeless at the sport, as I am, you can get tutelage from the resident experts, who are armed with video analysis software which helps identify where you’re going wrong. There’s a lot to discuss with my game.

Happily, horse trekking through the woods proves to be an altogether easier experience. My steed, Wadouda, is wellversed with the local trails so I have little to do, which is just as well because I’m about as useful on horseback as John Prescott is in the 100 metres.

Feeling saddle sore – and aching from

an excursion I had into the barriers while go-karting – I pass the rest of my time pandering to Mazagan’s many pleasures.

That’s what this place is all about, after all. I have an exceptional massage in the spa, swim lazy laps in the pool and sample the cuisine in its various restaurants.

The food here is divine across the board, but my favourite restaurant, by quite some way, is Sel de Mer, which serves locallycaught seafood in intimate surroundings.

Morjana is also brilliant. The Berber style restaurant specialises in authentic Moroccan cuisine, albeit without the severed heads.

Suffolk would approve.

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CIT Y NOTES

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Royal Air Maroc fly direct from Heathrow to Casablanca, which is about an hour north of El Jadida. Rates at the Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort (tel: +212 5 2338 8000; mazaganbeachresort.com) start from €170 per night, on a bed and breakfast basis.

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 LIFESTYLE | 103

104 | FEATURES

Richard Burton and Liz Taylor kissing in Ischia, June 1962. Courtesy of Marcello Geppetti (1933-1998). MGMC & Solares Fondazione delle Arti

PHOTOGRAPHY

Viva

ITALIA As a new exhibition opens celebrating the golden age of Italian cinema, we look back at an era that epitomised a world of glamour, decadence and the inimitable Euro chic WORDS: JACK WATKINS

FEATURES | 105

ou’d need to be a major league film junkie to be able to reel off the names of many successful Italian actors and directors today, but in the 1950s and 1960s, Rome was a genuine rival to Hollywood. The Via Veneto was the city’s equivalent of the Sunset Strip. Celebrity culture walked hand-in-hand with quality commercial cinema. Not only was the place chock full of home-grown talent, but they were joined by many one-time stars with a washed-up reputation in California, who had decided to see if they could get lucky, one more time, in Europe.

And as Hollywood realised that audiences were developing a taste for glamour European-style, more international-themed films became the rage – as did costume epics of the sword and sandal variety – often shot in Italy and featuring such big names as Audrey Hepburn, Charlton Heston, Elizabeth Taylor and Kirk Douglas, and native “exotics” like Sophia Loren and Gina Lollobrigida. It effectively transformed the streets of the Eternal City into an open-air film set.

If there is one film synonymous with this golden period it is La Dolce Vita, directed by the enigmatic Federico Fellini and released in 1960. Even if you have never seen the film – the title literally means “sweet life” – you will surely be familiar with stills and scenes from it, most of them featuring the voluptuous blonde Anita Ekberg, playing a Hollywood starlet, and catching the eye with her wild dancing and her nocturnal wade into the Trevi Fountain.

In fact, the real star of La Dolce Vita is that archetype of the suave Italian man-about-town Marcello Mastroianni.

He plays a gossip columnist with unrealised aspirations to be a serious writer, undermined by his hollow pursuit of the high life. He becomes obsessed with Ekberg from the moment he sees her arrival at the local airport, and they embark on a tour of all the high-profile Roman tourist spots, from St Peter’s to the Caracalla Baths.

Mastroianni is undergoing a “meaning of life” crisis, however, and after an orgiastic scene in a ruined villa, the film ends with a morning-after-the-night-before beach scene of poignant ambiguity.

La Dolce Vita was like an early glimpse of the jetset lifestyle as the '60s kicked off, and it certainly evokes an epoch in Italian cinema history, even down to the characterisation of Ekberg’s husband in the film, an alcoholic Hollywood actor on the way down (played by ex-Tarzan Lex Barker, who was married to Ekberg in real life). It’s also the film that gave us the now alltoo-common word paparazzi, derived from a character in the film named Paparazzo, a photographer buzzing round the streets on his little Vespa, eager to grab an off-guard shot of a young starlet, or prowling round the society haunts to catch a sneak shot of brawling, drunk or disorderly celebrities.

106 | FEATURES

PHOTOGRAPHY Far Left: Raquel Welch and Marcello Mastroianni at Cinecitta on the set of the movie “Shoot Loud, Louder, I do not understand ...”, 1966; Brigitte Bardot in Spoleto, June 1961; Below, left to right: Audrey Hepburn, Rome, 1961; Franco Nero assaulting Rino Barillari at the Trevi Fountain, 1965; Anita Ekberg driving a Mercedes, Rome, May 1962; Set of 'La Dolce Vita'. Assistant cameraman Ennio Guarnieri, Nico Otzak and Federico Fellini, 1960; Set of ‘La Dolce Vita’, Marcello Mastroianni. All courtesy of Marcello Geppetti (1933-1998). MGMC & Solares Fondazione delle Arti

He got pictures of Sophia Loren in the car with her movie-producer husband Carlo Ponti and the great Italian neo-realist director Vittorio De Sica, and one of two immaculately-attired Hollywood greats, Cary Grant and Rock Hudson. There was one of Brigitte Bardot at the height of her press adulation, surrounded by snappers, and later in the decade, one of Raquel Welch dancing on a table, watched by Marcello Mastroianni.

One of Geppetti’s most famous shots was of Richard Burton kissing Elizabeth Taylor while they were holidaying in Ischia. This caused a sensation at the time, as the pair were still married to other partners. The photograph has been listed as being among the 30 most famous images in history.

Presented alongside Geppetti’s work in the Estorick exhibition is that of Arturo Zavattini, who actually was a cinematographer and assistant director on many films, including for The Estorick Collection’s new exhibition focuses on the rich Vittorio De Sica. His father was screenwriter Cesare Zavattini, one pickings to be had by photographers operating on the scene in of the early theorists of Italian neo-realist cinema, who worked with Rome at that time. On one side are the kosher snaps of stars at De Sica on such classics as Bicycle Thieves and Umberto D. As such, work on the film sets of international productions such as Ben Hur Arturo was well-placed to gain the consent of the likes of Fellini to (1959) and Cleopatra (1963), and on the prestige domestic films of take pictures of the cast and crew during the making of La Dolce talents like Fellini, Michelangelo Antonioni and Pier Paolo Pasolini.

Vita, the very film that reflected back on Then there are the more disreputable, these new notions of celebrity, and the “intrusive” offerings of the real paparazzi La Dolce Vita was like an early emptiness behind the glamorous facades.

– Ekberg angrily confronting freelance glimpse of the jet-set lifestyle Included is a particularly fine portrait photographers with a bow and arrow in shot of Mastroianni pausing for a reflective 1961, or Italian leading man Franco Nero as the '60S kicked off, and it puff on a cigarette. It’s easy to draw aiming a swipe at the paparazzo Rino certainly evokes an epoch in parallels with the present-day obsession Barillari at the Trevi Fountain in 1965.

Italian cinema history with celebrity from some of these images.

The photographer of the real dolce The manner in which Geppetti’s, and vita whose work features in the show those of other paparazzi, were obtained certainly changed the face of was Marcello Geppetti. Along with the likes of Barillari, he would photojournalism forever, breaking down notions of privacy. have served as one of the models for the character of Paparazzo in The sleazy pursuit of easy lira may have lain at the heart of it, the Fellini film. He died in 1998 but left an archive of more than a but it’s easy to feel nostalgia for these scenes from Hollywood-onmillion images, and it is from these that most of the photos on display the-Tiber. At the heart of it was a still-thriving commercial industry are drawn. making intelligent, mass-market films for grown-ups, with truly Geppetti didn’t start out as a camera-toting vulture, however; his charismatic stars – a far cry from the infantilized, gimmick-obsessed early reputation was built on the high technical quality of his images movie world of today. and his eye for capturing the dramatic moment. But after making a name for himself with some harrowing images of a fire at the Hotel Ambasciatori on the Via Veneto, he soon joined the opportunists on ✤ The Years of La Dolce Vita is at the Estorick Collection from 30 April to their scooters, in hot pursuit of snaps of the stars.

29 June, estorickcollection.com

FEATURES | 107

FILM

A culture of ego and excess means that, if anything’s going to bring divine retribution upon the Earth, it’ll be Hollywood

DEADLY WORDS: CHRIS ALLSOP

FEATURES | 109

FILM

Tent-pole fever means that fewer films with mid-range budgets – such as 2012’s Flight ($31 million) – are being made. But excess is in Hollywood’s blood – it’s the big screen, after all, not the middling.

The US film industry is all about outsized pay cheques, personalities and egos; the ramifications of this taints the mindset of the lowliest extra through to the most powerful studio exec. So if anyone should be awestruck by the concept of divine retribution, it’s Hollywood, as the following list seeks to demonstrate.

GLUTTONY

f Paramount’s Noah – Black Swan director Darren Aronofsky’s reimagining of the Bible story – flops in this country following its 4 April release, the studio might chalk it up to an act of God; following our wet winter, who wants to shell out to watch further flooding?

Alternatively, if the film flops worldwide (and isn’t simply terrible), Hollywood may have to confront the idea that the hypocrisy of it serving up Bible stories for profit might be sticking in its audience’s collective craw (cynicism and credulity having come some way since Charlton Heston girded-up his oily loins for Ben Hur in ’59). And Noah is just the beginning: look out, this year and next, for Ben Kingsley as Herod in Mary, Mother of Christ; Ripley Scott’s Exodus with Christian Bale as Moses; and a Will Smith-produced Cain and Abel… involving vampires.

Why the trend? It’s just Hollywood doing what it does, surely?

Recycling works with established followings and dodging unnecessary costs (gambling that no six-armed angels will turn up demanding copyright and licensing fees for ‘The Bible’). But now is a particularly hypocritical time for the US film industry to be mining this spiritual seam: despite the carnage of 2013 – über-flops such as The Lone Ranger, R.I.P.D and the Smith family’s shamelessly nepotistic After Earth – the trend for all or nothing tent-pole blockbusters is primed to continue, with the Robocop reboot ($140 million), Transcendence ($100 million) and Noah ($125 million) leading the charge this year towards the summer free-for-all.

110 | FEATURES

A glance at IMDB reveals that Nicolas Cage (creator of the “Nouveau Shamanic” school of acting (school of one)) has had a varied career, bouncing between sophisticated films such as Raising Arizona (1987), Leaving Las Vegas (1995) and Adaptation (2002), to fronting movies with names like Anchorman cologne: Bangkok Dangerous (2008), Drive Angry (2011), and Season of the Witch (2011). Some of the most pungent of his oeuvre emerged in 2011, when no fewer than five Nicolas Cage-starring subpar spectaculars traipsed and gibbered through the multiplexes. The hardest-working actor in Hollywood? A single glance at his sweating eyeballs would inform otherwise: he was desperate.

In 2009, it emerged that the out-of-control Nicolas Cage persona was, in fact, a person called Nicolas Cage with a death grip on his platinum card. That year, the IRS alleged that Cage had failed to pay income tax of some $6.2 million in 2007, among numerous other alleged oversights. Cage blamed his business manager, while his business manager blamed Cage’s “living beyond his means” which, when your income is $40 million (2009), takes some imagination.

Subsequently, details of Cage’s spending and lifestyle emerged and suggested an erratic genius reminiscent of his most torrid on-screen freak-outs: the actor had his 1940 Bel Air mansion, formerly owned by one Dean Martin, decorated like a “Gothic mausoleum”; he owned another 14 homes throughout the US; Midford Castle near Bath; an 11th-century estate in Germany and a 45-acre Bahamian island; two yachts and a Gulfstream jet helped transfer him between these assets, along with a further 50 motorcycles and cars – including the Shah of Iran’s old Lamborghini Miura SVJ ($500,000).

Further tales emerged: of a hotly-contested auction of a dinosaur skull in 2007, in which Cage bested Leonardo DiCaprio with a winning bid of $276,000; of a pyramid tomb in New Orleans awaiting his remains; of an extensive collection of comic books that included Action Comics #1, the comic that debuted Superman (which he bought for $110,000 in ‘97 and cannily sold 14 years later for $2.16m); of other less savoury collections involving shrunken pygmy heads, stuffed birds and exotic beasts (such as sharks, a crocodile and a pair of albino king cobras). But his outsized earnings weren’t entirely frittered away on whimsy: in 2005 and 2006, records showed that he donated a total of $3 million to the Red Cross and Amnesty International.



HOLLYWOOD

BY NUMBERS



 MOST SUCCESSFUL

FRANCHISE: Harry Potter Worldwide gross: $7,723,431,572

 BIGGEST HIT: Avatar (2009) Worldwide gross: $2,782,275,172  LARGEST DIVORCE

SETTLEMENT: Mel Gibson’s divorce from Robyn Moore Gibson in 2011: $425 million

 MOST EXPENSIVE FILM EVER MADE: Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (2007): $300 million

 BIGGEST FLOP: Mars Needs Moms (2011) Box office: $39 million.

Budget: $150m. Loss: $111 million  MOST EVER PAID TO AN

ACTOR FOR A SINGLE ROLE: Johnny Depp, $53 million, Captain Jack Sparrow, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)

 MOST EXPENSIVE

HOLLYWOOD BABY PHOTOS: $15 million for images of Vivienne and Knox Jolie-Pitt born in 2008, jointly paid for by Hello! and People magazines.

 LARGEST ATTEMPTED

PERSONAL EXPENSES WRITEOFF: Nicolas Cage: $3.3 million (2002 – 2004)

 COST OF A TWO-BEDROOM PENTHOUSE SUITE (3,300 sq ft) AT CHATEAU MARMONT: $4,500 per day  AVERAGE COST OF VALET PARKING FOR A SUNSET BOULEVARD CLUB: $20

 COST OF VIPER MULE

COCKTAIL AT VIPER CLUB, WEST HOLLYWOOD: $11

 HOURLY WAGE FOR A NONUNION EXTRA: $8 per hour





FILM

First page: Bruce Willis in Red 2 Previous page: Nicolas Cage in Leaving Last Vegas and Russell Crowe in Noah Clockwise from top left: Blade; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows; Noah; Mission Impossible III; Avatar; The Birds; Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

“understanding Hitler” at Cannes in 2011, Winding Refn showed his support by framing a poster of 1978’s The Boys from Brazil (a film about Nazi plotters holed up in Paraguay) and mailing it to Von Trier.

WRATH

Ari Emanuel – super agent, co-CEO of the William Morris Endeavour agency, and the inspiration for Entourage’s Ari Gold – has a reputation for wrathfulness. In his brother’s memoir, a story is recounted about Ari’s early onset aggression, when, as a dummy-toting toddler, he greeted a visitor to their house with the words: “Onna fight?” He’s most recently reinforced this fiery reputation with a high-profile feud with former friend and music mogul Irving Azoff. Accusing Azoff and Azoff ’s son of poaching his clients, Emanuel, in a series of email exchanges with Azoff that were published online in 2013, offered this insight into his own character: “I keep grudges for a lifetime, and you’re one of them now.”

SLOTH

LUST

According to the biographer Donald Spoto, the make-over scene in Vertigo (1958) – in which Jimmy Stewart domineeringly overhauls Kim Novak’s identity – is symbolic of how Alfred Hitchcock obsessed over his “Hitchcock blondes”. No one felt the stifling presence of Hitchcock’s lust more than Tippi Hedren, one of the few actresses who Hitchcock placed under exclusive contract ($600 per week) in 1961. The director’s obsession with Hedren apparently extended as far as having her handwriting analysed (“Hmm, she writes: “Get away from me,” but what does her handwriting say?”) and having her followed. After the actress spurned his advances, Hedren claims that Hitchcock took his revenge by having live birds thrown at her for five days while filming the attic scene in The Birds (1963).

PRIDE

In August of last year, Bruce Willis allegedly demanded $4 million for four day’s work on Sylvester Stallone’s The Expendables 3 (2014), rather than the $3 million offered. Outrageous. Refusing to pay, Stallone replaced Willis with Harrison Ford. Stallone later tweeted about Willis: “GREEDY AND LAZY …… A SURE FORMULA FOR CAREER FAILURE”. Career failure apparently not, as previously believed, signalled by an appearance in an Expendables movie.

ENVY

Danish directors Nicolas Winding Refn (Drive) and Lars Von Trier (Nymphomania) both have a foot in European art house and the other planted in Hollywood; Winding Refn more so, to the extent that he’s now domiciled in the US. There’s an intensely-felt rivalry between the pair, and after Von Trier made a deeply-misjudged quip about

In 2008, Wesley Snipes was convicted of failing to file tax returns for nearly a decade, with prosecutors citing that the Blade star had earned more than $38 million since 1999, but that the government had received no paid taxes over that period. Snipes apparently tried to employ the tax protestor theory known as the “861 argument” which claims that the US government cannot lawfully collect income tax. The argument was unsuccessful, and in 2010 the actor was jailed for federal tax evasion, and went on to be released in April of last year, three months early.

GREED

While “Thou Shalt Not Collect Too Many Cars” didn’t make the final draft of Moses’ stone tablets, some of the car collections in Hollywood might fall within the auspices of “greed” and certainly could be accused of generating envy.

Tom Cruise is rumoured to have a selection of bomb-proof SUVs, and regularly arrives at openings and awards dos in vehicles including a Bugatti Veyron, Porsche 911, Chevy Chevelle SS, Mercedes CLK and a Ducati Desmosedici RR motorcycle. Mercedes-Benz-fancying Charlie Sheen is another collector who has marked himself out as one of the world’s most generous car gifters: media reports confirmed that Sheen, in early 2011, spent a total of $790,000 on gift cars for an adult film star and various other porny amours, while also not forgetting his estranged wife Brooke Mueller. The vehicles in question were a convertible Bentley Continental, Porsche 911 Turbo, Mercedes-Benz S63 and a Mercedes-Benz CL 600.

But it’s Jerry Seinfeld who is the greediest. Obsessive about Porsches, he owns 47 models including a rare 959 – one of 337 manufactured that cost only $90,000 less to purchase than all of Sheen’s combined Valentines. Other jewels in his collection include the 1955 550 Spyder, the first 911 ever produced and a Porsche Carrera GT. His collection is housed in a hangar at Santa Monica Airport.

Other collections in adjacent hangars include Cruise’s, Sheen’s and what remains of Cage’s.

FEATURES | 113

INTERVIEW

COMMUNITY BUILDING POWER

In a world full of tech icons, Jimmy Wales stands alone. One-part geek, one-part business mogul, the Wikipedia founder talks about his history of entrepreneurship, his love of cheap phones and the value of enriching the mind WORDS: JACK PHILLIPS © Terry Foote

immy Wales, co-founder and self-confessed “Constitutional Monarch” of Wikipedia is a hard man to pin down. If he is not in his office on a conference call, chairing meetings on the future of global communications or hosting brainstorming sessions with young entrepreneurs, he is on a plane to meet potential investors and expand his increasingly growing Wiki empire. Between 2010 and 2013 he racked up an admirable number of passport stamps, visiting 30 different countries in 18 months.

Having founded Wikipedia, the world’s fifth most-visited website, he has become a global icon for digital start-ups and aspiring entrepreneurs. Since it was founded in 2001, Wikipedia has grown to become “the largest and most extensive online encyclopaedia on the internet” (says Wikipedia) and is for many the go-to source of information available anywhere at the tap of a button. From entries on the 1966 World Cup England squad to articles on ‘Phantom Rings’, ‘Socialist Hair’ and ‘Post-Ejaculatory Guilt Syndrome’ – it can all be investigated through Wikipedia. The name has even become a verb in itself – believe me, Wikipedia it.

Having built one of the world’s most well-known websites, the question of net worth is always on the table, but Wales is well-rehearsed in deflecting questions about his income. The New York Times remarked on the fact that, surprisingly, “Jimmy Wales is not an internet billionaire” ,something Jimmy openly laughs about and cares little for. When asked by a journalist from another publication how much money he did, in fact have, he replied: “I have seven dollars in my pocket for lunch.” Even if he did have the wealth associated with, say, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg or Google founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, he explains he wouldn’t have the time nor the interest to spend it. “I own a Huawei IDEOS smartphone,” he told a crowd earlier this year. “I believe you can pick them up for under $50 – they have sold hundreds of thousands of these in Kenya. Really smart phones for a really low price.”

So there are no fast cars in his garage, no private yachts tethered to Monaco docks, no hot-air balloon expeditions in his diary.

Neither does he sleep on a mattress in Silicon Valley, eat cold pizza and give press conferences in hooded sweatshirts, as some of his tech contemporaries have been known to do. To know Jimmy Wales you

FEATURES | 115

Š William Brawley Photography - williambrawley.com

116 | FEATURES

INTERVIEW

my phone', but 'who can I communicate with? Who is tracking me? have to know Wikipedia. Built on his non-profit idea of “a world Who is watching me?' These issues impact on everybody.” in which every single person on the planet is given free access to the Recently launched in the UK, TPO is up-and-running and is soon sum of all human knowledge” Wikipedia has, to date, over 300 million to be available in the US, but Jimmy sees a change happening in African articles, in 285 languages and more than 532 million visitors to the site markets too – indicated by both his choice of phone and no doubt a every month. He has since founded the for-profit Wikia, a web hosting top-up of air miles from flying to the region. “As the developing world service that derives most of its income from advertising, from which he comes to the market more and more, they will be seeing the world draws a wage. For Jimmy, his work is about “community”, “free-flowing through a mobile device,” he says. “African farmers are text messaging information” and the democratisation of technology”. This is what drives across town to find out the best prices for crops.” the man and is something that is inherent in every aspect of his life.

In 2009, internet usage in Nigeria alone was available to 16 per cent As a young boy he was educated in part by his mother, who ran a of the population, but that number is expected to be around the 40 per two-room schoolhouse in Huntsville, Alabama, giving Jimmy ample cent mark by 2016 – proof for Jimmy that “the next two years are going opportunity for reading and intendant study. “That impacted on my later to be very interesting! It’s a force for potentially giving massive sums of work and the way I think about things today,” he says. “Also, my uncle money to good causes, it works and I can see how to scale it.” owned a computer store, so I learned to program reasonably early on.

The DLD (Digital Life Design network) for Jimmy is a “family We had a TRS-80 from RadioShack at home. We got a Commodore later reunion of sorts”, something of a tech institution where he meets up with on.” His father, too, was an entrepreneur – owning his own grocery shop. friends and business acquaintances – not surprising since he has made “In our family, it was ‘normal’ to do your own thing,” he says. Indeed, his name on building communities. “It's one of Jimmy’s first businesses was an online been very busy,” he told me as his assistant food-ordering service in downtown Chicago.

Jimmy spends most of his handed him a bottle of water. Between quick Unfortunately it didn’t work. time between the UK and sips and an animated shuffle of the feet it His interest in technology grew and in was clear that he was wired with excitement.

1996 he created his own search-engine tool the US and applauds the “I chose to tell the press here because DLD called Bomis. “The main difference was that entrepreneurial spirit this has become industry-renowned for its focus users could make web rings, connecting sites side of the Atlantic on the future and a great place to discuss that had similar topics. So the connection to new ideas.” my later work is that we allowed people to Jimmy spends most of his time between the UK and the US and categorise websites on their own, under any kind of topic.” Similar to applauds the entrepreneurial spirit of this side of the Atlantic – he is, of Yahoo, it sowed the seed for the encyclopaedic tool for which he would course, a resident of the UK and married to a Tony Blair’s former diary later go on to become world-famous. secretary Kate Garvey. His home and office are in London and there are Time magazine named him in its list of “The 100 Most Influential many potential projects dotted around the capital too.

People in the World” in 2006 due to the popularity of Wikipedia.

He champions the bright sparks that have elevated sites like the Old Its reach has skyrocketed ever since and made headlines across the Street Roundabout, dubbed Silicon Roundabout, for pioneering the globe for a variety of reasons. The site was banned in China in 2006 UK tech startup scene. “It’s great that the UK government is taking an for containing anti-government material, which goes against much of interest in its young tech industry.” In December 2012, David Cameron Jimmy’s thirst for open information. It has also been the butt of the announced that the Government would put £50 million towards a odd joke too – having been ‘punked’ several times by prankster users. project to regenerate Old Street Roundabout through the creation “There was a great parody article called 'European Toilet Paper Holder' of a large indoor “civic space” dedicated to startups, while foreign he says. “It’s still online in somebody’s blog. It’s quite funny, right down investment is trickling in too. to parodying our style and pictures.”

But Jimmy has become worried that the UK is dabbling in 2014 has been an important year for Jimmy. He attended the information censorship. “Just when you think this is great – the Digital Life Design conference in Munich earlier this year to unveil his government really know what they are doing,” he explains. “Then strategic stake in a new project 'The People’s Operator' (TPO), a mobile you open the paper and see the latest bone-headed idea.” Never being communications company that donates 10 per cent of the user’s bill to one to over-politicise what he says, Jimmy refrains from Bono-esque charitable foundations, plus a proportion of the company’s profits, and stances on world affairs but manages to bridge a social agenda with hopes to raise “$1 billion” for good causes. “Wouldn’t that be amazing,” a cheeky charisma. “I come from the free software movement, which he says, hoping to capitalise initially on the UK and US markets. has always been political,” he explains “It comes from openness and He sees that mobile technology impacts on everybody, through freedom and making rational decisions and the deeper geek culture – communication, education, politics and leisure and believes that the culture of Star Trek.” investment in companies such as TPO represents more than just a Beam me up, Jimmy. mobile network. “It’s not just about 'oh, I can look up a restaurant on

FEATURES | 117

CATCH THE

London Marathon

at CANARY WHARF

Canary Wharf offers one of the best marathon viewing spots in the capital. Here’s where to watch from...

O

n Sunday 13 April, tens of thousands of people will be running the streets of London to raise money for their charities of choice. As ever, the annual Virgin London Marathon will also see the capital filled with the friends and families of competitors, as well as enthusiastic onlookers keen to get in on the sporting action. For spectators and sportytypes alike, Canary Wharf provides one of the best spots in the city to soak up the festival atmosphere of the famous race.

Restaurants and bars will open their doors to onlookers who travel from far and wide to watch the marathon at this fantastic location.

Settle down to some fine Scottish cuisine on the terrace of Boisdale of Canary Wharf. Here you’ll have two chances to spot the runners as they make the loop around Cabot Square. Post-race, enjoy Boisdale’s famous Sunday lunch as the restaurant hosts the gypsy

jazz of The Hot Club Of Boisdale band.

Overlooking Cabot Square, you can also find Ibérica’s La Terraza. Enjoy alfresco dining with tapas and sangria, while hopefully catching some sun. Next door, get so close you can smell the barbecue at Corney & Barrow, where hot dogs and burgers will be served all day.

At The Park Pavilion, find all your other eating desires fulfilled in the surrounds of Canada Square Park. The Parlour will similarly provide you will a view from both sides while you enjoy a tipple or two.

Roka serves Japanese sushi and outstanding grill options, while Wahaca’s outdoor terrace provides the ideal spot to savour some Mexican spice and the stunning views.

For firm family favourites, head over to Jamie’s Italian in Churchill Place, Carluccio’s in Reuters Plaza, or keep the little ones happy with burgers from Byron and GBK. ✤ The Virgin London Marathon takes place Sunday 13 April

FEELING INSPIRED? SPIRED? Find all your running essentials at Canary Wharf

Gel-Lyte33 3, £100, Asics, Jubilee Place

Nike Men’s Dri-Fit Knit Short Sleeve Tee, £41.99, Runner’s Need, Churchill Place Beats by Dre Tour 2.0 Earphones, £120, JD Sports, Canada Place

Garmin Forerunner 10 GPS Running Watch, £99, Waitrose Food, Fashion and Home, Canada Place

SHOPPING

Asics

Canary Wharf HOTSPOTS: FOR THE BEST VIEWS:

The terrace at Boisdale of Canary Wharf

FOR AL FRESCO DINING:

Take your place at The Parlour

FOR A TASTE OF SPAIN:

Sample tapas at Ibérica’s La Terraza

FOR A BARBECUE BURGER:

Get yourself down to Corney & Barrow

FOR FAMILY FUN:

Make for Jamie’s Italian

Urdhva Reversible Yoga Leggings, £80, Sweaty Betty, Cabot Place and Jubilee Place

Nike Free TR Fit 3 Cross Trainers, £85, Waitrose Food, Fashion and Home, Canada Place Running Backpack, £45, Asics, Jubilee Place Hydrate Water Bottle, £15, Sweaty Betty, Cabot Place and Jubilee Place

Upbeat Padded Bra, £37, Sweaty Betty, Cabot Place and Jubilee Place

www.canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

ART WINDOW GALLERIES

JUBILEE WALK

The Art & Design window galleries in Canada Place Mall at Canary Wharf are free, open daily and showcase up-andcoming artists, designers and craftspeople.

Until 26 April the galleries exhibit:

SCALE APPROPRIATE: SCULPTURE BY MICHAEL LYONS CINDY ZHANG

Cindy’s innovative REBORN collection is made in a combination of soft and firm materials. It reflects her 10 years’ experience of studying in the UK after facing many challenges, difficulties and problems, to become strong, mature and confident.

Inspired by the fascinating Armour at the Wallace Collection London, REBORN reflects the contradictions of power and fragility, female and male, rationality and sensitivity.

CANADA WALK

✤ cindyzhang.co.uk

UNTIL 23 MAY LOBBY, ONE CANADA SQUARE AND JUBILEE PARK, CANARY WHARF A sculptor who works predominantly in metals, Michael Lyons reveals an essential sense of place in his sculpture, which comes through his travels and his visual and emotional response to his surroundings.

His subject matter includes mythological themes, influenced by works of art from ancient cultures, landscape and the forces of nature. The sculptures are largely abstract renditions of these themes, developed

through drawing, which he considers essential in advancing concepts in his work.

Some pieces are painted or patinated, while others show steel or bronze in its natural form. Interestingly, Lyons also writes poetry that may be seen as a creative entity, but which like photography, also contributes to developing his sculpture. ✤ michaellyonssculptor.com

29 APRIL 6.30–7.30PM

FREE The artist tours the exhibition with curator Ann Elliott and Dr Judith LeGrove, author of The Sculpture of Michael Lyons (2013).

Meeting place: One Canada Square. Please email visualart@canarywharf.com to reserve a place.

COMMUNITY WINDOW GALLERY: Newham Sixth Form College

LOOK AGAIN… Until 14 May DALIT LEON

Dalit is concerned with space and universal rhythms, with creating a spiritual and physical relationship to landscape and nature. Developed through a meditational and material exploration of the mediums of painting, drawing and printmaking, a crucial concern in this artist’s work is the depth of observation as a meaningful engagement with life. Paintings exude light and shadow, rhythm, melody and colour. ✤ dalitleon.com

This inspiring art exhibition showcases 15 Newham Sixth Form College (NewVIc) students' exploration of image and identity, through re-imagining the Courtauld Gallery's world-renowned portrait collection. It follows a four-week exhibition at The Hub in Newham in 2013, funded by the Oak Foundation, as part of the Courtauld Institute of Art's widening participation programme for young people. The project is also part of an on-going partnership between the Courtauld Institute, The Hub Community Centre and NewVic. ✤ newvic.ac.uk/news/events/LookAgain2013

EVENTS VINTAGE DANCE CLUB: Simply Ballroom Glide around the floor to your heart’s content on Friday 4 April as this ballroom dance adds a little glamour and ritual and maybe even just a little rivalry to your Friday evening!

Join vintage dance experts The Ragroof Players as they take you on a rollercoaster ride of classic and not-so-classic partner dances, in a strictly ballroom dance special at the East Wintergarden. With an equal measure of charm and fun, and just a touch of cabaret-camp, Vintage Dance Club returns with a convivial celebration of ballroom dancing and London’s thriving vintage scene.

The night begins with a free ‘instant dance class’ so absolute beginners and experienced dancers alike can learn new steps or refresh techniques. Live music follows with the 11-piece Piccadilly Dance Orchestra who will give you ample opportunity to practice, practice, practice until you make perfect your routines.

Less experienced dancers can team up with the more practised, so you may find yourself waltzing and hot-footing your way to ballroom aficionado in no time. Dance partners are welcome or if you don’t have one, you can select someone for a dance by marking their ‘dance card’ during the evening.

There will be plenty of opportunity to twirl and twinkle on the dance floor with The Ragroof Players, and the Piccadilly Dance Orchestra. It’s time to break out the sequins and dust off the suits.

New for Canary Wharf’s April Comedy Club, the format is simple: Four comedians improvise a full show of comedy based on audience suggestions.

It’s mad, but that’s what comedy improv is all about and it’s what the Whose Line Is It Anyway? gang – Stephen Frost, Andy Smart, Steve Steen and Ian Coppinger - do so well. As regulars at the Edinburgh and having just returned from a sell-out run in New York, these boys are not to be missed.

TUESDAY 15 APRIL 7.30pm (doors 6.45pm) East Wintergarden 43 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, E14

FRIDAY 4 APRIL Workshop from 6pm Dance 7.30–10.30pm East Wintergarden 43 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, E14 TICKETS: £12 BOOKING*: visit seetickets.com or call 0871 220 0260 Tickets available on the door, subject to availability.

Full bar, vintage tea and cloakroom. Only items purchased on the premises may be consumed.

* Booking fee applies. If you do not require TicketPlan Refund Protection please untick the box when booking

Canary Wharf CHARITY ABSEIL

CANARY WHARF COMEDY CLUB: Stephen Frost’s Allstars

TICKETS: £15 BOOKING*: visit seetickets.com or call 0871 220 0260 Tickets available on the door subject to availability.

Unreserved style seating. Full bar and cloakroom.

Food available from Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Nando’s, Wagamama and Wildwood. Only items purchased on the premises may be consumed. * Booking fee applies. If you do not require TicketPlan Refund Protection please untick the box when booking

Canary Wharf JOG

TAKE PART

In aid of English Federation of Disability Sport, join over 150 other thrill seekers by taking on this fundraising challenge and revel in a once in a lifetime experience! Fearlessly descend 230 ft down 50 Bank Street while raising essential funds for EFDS. No previous experience is required as training is provided by fully qualified instructors, but you must be over 18.

In aid of Need to find a less thrill seeking charity activity to take part in this summer? Then look no further! The Canary Wharf Jog is the perfect opportunity to get fit, have fun with friends or even make new ones as you jog round the circuit. Last year 1,500 people took part and raised over £56,000 for the British Heart Foundation – the nation’s leading heart charity!

✤ edfs.org.uk SATURDAY 10 & SUNDAY 11 MAY 8am–5pm 50 Bank Street, Canary Wharf, E14

✤ bhf.org.uk/canarywharfjog BOOKING: Registration required. To register email Becky Lee at events@ efds.co.uk or call 0161 228 2868. £30 registration fee. £150 minimum target.

WEDNESDAY 21 MAY From 6pm Throughout Canary Wharf, starting from Canada Square Park.

BOOKING: Visit bhf.org.uk/ canarywharfjog or call 0845 130 8663. FREE but advance registration required. £2 for timing chip (optional).

www.canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf



DIRECTORY 

Wining and dining, shopping and splurging, the City is home to a wealth of amenities

COLLECTION BACHET 12 The Courtyard 020 3405 1437 bachet.fr BOODLES 2 & 3 The Courtyard Royal Exchange 020 7283 7284 boodles.com BULGARI 15 The Courtyard Royal Exchange 020 7283 4580 bulgari.com

HEALTH & GROOMING AJALA SPA 10 Godliman Street 020 7074 1010 www.ajalaspa.com BARBER EXPRESS LTD 14 Devonshire Row 020 7377 5485 barberexpress.co.uk CHEQUERS BEAUTY SALON 53-54 Leadenhall Market 020 7283 3047 chequersbeauty.co.uk

NICHOLSON & GRIFFIN 74 Cannon Street, 020 7489 8551 nicholsonandgriffin.com OPTIX 175 Bishopsgate 020 7628 0330 optixuk.com SMILEPOD BANK STUDIO Leadenhall Market off Fenchurch Street 18-20 Cullum Street 020 7836 6866 smilepod.co.uk

ERNEST JONES Unit 3, Plantation Place 020 7929 4491 ernestjones.co.uk

CITY HEALTH & FITNESS CLUB LONDON Grange City Hotel, 8-10 Cooper’s Row cityhealthclub.co.uk

GOLDSMITHS 186-190 Bishopsgate 020 7283 6622 goldsmiths.co.uk

ELYSIUM SPA 21 Old Broad Street 020 7256 8624 elysiumfortytwo.co.uk

GUCCI 9 Royal Exchange 020 7623 3626 gucci.com

ESSENTIAL THERAPY 39 Whitefriars Street 020 7353 1895 essential-therapie.co.uk

HERMÈS 12-13 Royal Exchange 020 7626 7794 hermes.com

FETTER BARBERS LTD 144 Fetter Lane 020 7702 3553 fetterbarbers.com

LINKS OF LONDON 27 Broadgate Circle 020 7628 9668 linksoflondon.com

F FLITTNER 86 Moorgate 020 7606 4750 fflittner.com

TOWER BRIDGE HEALTH & FITNESS CLUB 47 Prescot Street 020 7959 5050 grangehealthclubs.com

LONDON CITY RUNNER 10 Ludgate Broadway 020 7329 1955 londoncityrunner.com

VIRGIN ACTIVE 5 Old Broad Street, 0845 270 4080 virginactive.co.uk

MONTBLANC 10-11 Royal Exchange 020 7929 4200 montblanc.com

122 | LISTINGS

TED’S GROOMING ROOM 120 Cheapside 020 7367 9932 tedsgroomingroom.com THE HARLEY MEDICAL GROUP Marc House Great Street 0800 022 3385 harleymedical.co.uk THE PRIVATE CLINIC 107 Cheapside 0800 599 9911 theprivateclinic.co.uk

HOME & BEAUTY ARTISAN FINE ART 35 Royal Exchange 020 7929 5656 artisangalleries.com DERMALOGICA One New Change 013 7222 5537 dermalogica.com JO MALONE 24 Royal Exchange 08701 925131 jomalone.co.uk KIEHLS Unit 14/15, Royal Exchange 020 7283 6661 kiehls.co.uk LIGNE ROSET 7-39 Commercial Road 020 7426 9670 ligne-roset-city.co.uk MOLTON BROWN 27 Royal Exchange 020 7621 0021 moltonbrown.com OLIVER BONAS One New Change 020 7248 3152 oliverbonas.com PAUL A YOUNG FINE CHOCOLATES 20 Royal Exchange 020 7929 7007 paulayoung.co.uk PENHALIGON’S 4 Royal Exchange 020 7623 3131 penhaligons.com

DIRECTORY

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FASHION AGENT PROVOCATEUR 5 Royal Exchange 020 7623 0229 agentprovocateur.com CHURCH’S 28 Royal Exchange 020 7929 7015 church-footwear.com CROCKETT & JONES 25 Royal Exchange 0207 929 2111 crockettandjones.com HARRYS OF LONDON 18 Royal Exchange 020 7283 4643 harrysoflondon.com HUGO BOSS One New Change 020 7332 0573 hugoboss.com KAREN MILLEN One New Change 020 7236 3635 1-2 Royal Exchange Buildings 020 7626 2782 karenmillen.com

DIRECTORY 

BARS & RESTAURANTS 1 LOMBARD STREET 1 Lombard Street 020 7929 6611 1lombardstreet.com 1901 AT ANDAZ HOTEL 40 Liverpool Street 020 7618 7000 andazdining.com ANISE BAR 9 Devonshire Square 020 3642 8679 cinnamon-kitchen.com ANTHOLOGIST 58 Gresham Street 0845 468 0101 theanthologistbar.co.uk BALLS BROTHERS 11 Blomfield Street 020 7588 4643 ballsbrothers.co.uk BAR BATTU 48 Gresham Street 020 7036 6100 barbattu.com

CHEZ GERARD 14 Trinity Square 020 7213 0540 chezgerard.co.uk CINNAMON KITCHEN 9 Devonshire Square 020 7626 5000 cinnamon-kitchen.com COPA DE CAVA 33 Blackfriars Lane 020 7125 0930 cava.co.uk COQ D'ARGENT 1 Poultry 020 7395 5000 coqdargent.co.uk FORA RESTAURANT 34-36 Houndsditch 020 7626 2222 forarestaurants.co.uk GRAND CAFÉ The Courtyard, Royal Exchange 020 7618 2480 royalexchange-grandcafe.co.uk GRAPPOLO 1 Plough Place 020 7842 0510 grappololondon.com

L.K. BENNETT One New Change 020 7236 4711 lkbennett.com

BRASSERIE BLANC 60 Threadneedle Street 020 7710 9440 brasserieblanc.com

LORO PIANA 2-3 Royal Exchange 020 7398 0000 loropiana.com

CAFFÉ CONCERTO One New Change 020 7494 6857 caffeconcerto.co.uk

HAWKSMOOR GUILDHALL 10-12 Basinghall Street 020 7397 8120 thehawksmoor.com

PAUL SMITH Unit 7, The Courtyard Royal Exchange 020 7626 4778 paulsmith.co.uk

CAMINO SAN PABLO 33 Blackfriars Lane 020 7125 0930 camino.uk.com

HAZ RESTAURANT Plantation Place 6 Mincing Lane 020 7929 3173 hazrestaurant.co.uk

HIGH TIMBER RESTAURANT 8 High Timber Street 020 7248 1777 hightimber.com MADISON RESTAURANT 2 New Change 020 8305 3088 madisonlondon.net MINT LEAF LOUNGE 12 Angel Court 020 7600 0992 mintleaflounge.com PICCOLINO RESTAURANT 11 Exchange Square 020 7375 2568 individualrestaurantcompanyplc.co.uk RESTAURANT SAUTERELLE The Courtyard, Royal Exchange 020 7618 2483 sauterelle-restaurant.co.uk SEARCYS CHAMPAGNE BAR One New Change 020 7871 1213 searcyschampagnebars.co.uk SMITHS OF SMITHFIELD 67-77 Charterhouse Street 020 7251 7950 smithsofsmithfield.co.uk SUSHISAMBA Heron Tower 020 3640 7330 sushisamba.com VERTIGO 42 Tower 42, Old Broad Street 020 7877 7842 vertigo42.co.uk

LISTINGS | 123

Just a couple of hours from home.

And yet a world away.

w w w. a u s t r i a . i n f o

Yo u r p e r s o n a l H o l i d a y I n f o r m a t i o n L i n e : 0845 101 1818 (calls charged at local rates)

LONDON HOMES&

PROPERTY COVERING THE CITY, WAPPING, SHAD THAMES, SHOREDITCH & ISLINGTON

Positive THINKING

The experts reveal how it's buyers, not the market, making the rules

Image courtesy of Cole & Son cole-and-son.com

KnightFrank.co.uk City Wall House, City EC2M Central location

Top floor flat located moments from Liverpool Street Station. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, reception room and separate fitted contemporary kitchen. EPC rating E. Approximately 52 sq m ﴾561 sq ft﴿

Available furnished Guide price: £440 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/Wapping wappinglettings@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5366 ﴾WAQ190085﴿

Tower Bridge Wharf, Wapping E1W Impressive river views

Duplex riverside apartment in west Wapping close to Tower Hill and St Katharine Docks. 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and a separate shower room, open plan kitchen and reception room, balcony, 24 hour porter and parking space. EPC rating C.

Available furnished Guide price: £650 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/Wapping wappinglettings@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5366 ﴾WAQ85796﴿

All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 will apply when renting a property.

Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/tenantcharges

City Magazine April 2014

20/03/2014 15:27:25

C

25

KnightFrank.co.uk Osprey Court, St Katharine Docks E1W South facing dock views

Beautiful apartment to rent in the ever popular City Quay development. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room with balcony, kitchen, 24 hour porter and parking space. EPC rating C.

Available furnished Guide price: £775 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/Wapping wappinglettings@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5366 ﴾WAQ152266﴿

NEO Bankside, Southbank SE1 Lifestyle development

Stylish and contemporary apartment to rent on the Southbank. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, open plan kitchen and reception room, winter garden and 24 hour concierge. EPC rating C. Approximately 92 sq m ﴾1058 sq ft﴿

Available furnished Guide price: £975 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/Wapping wappinglettings@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5366 ﴾RIQ193662﴿

All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 will apply when renting a property.

Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/tenantcharges

City Magazine RHP April 2014

20/03/2014 15:23:27

KnightFrank.co.uk KnightFrank.co.uk Olivers Wharf, Wapping E1W

Olivers Wharf, Wapping E1W

Olivers Wharf is a listed Victorian warehouse in the Venetian Gothic style. The two bedroom, two bathroom flat benefits from many original features such as exposed brickwork and beams, porterage and private parking. Approximately 182 sq m ﴾1962 sq ft﴿

Share of freehold

Olivers Wharf is a listed Victorian warehouse in the Venetian Gothic style. The two bedroom, two bathroom flat benefits from many original features such as exposed brickwork and beams, porterage and private parking. Approximately 182 sq m ﴾1962 sq ft﴿

Share of freehold

Guide price £1,400,000

Guide price £1,400,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5372

KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5372

﴾WAP140051﴿

﴾WAP140051﴿

Cinnabar Wharf, Wapping E1W

Cinnabar Wharf, Wapping E1W

With outstanding views of the river towards Tower Bridge and the City skyline, this charming apartment has a good sized reception room opening onto one of the largest roof terraces in the area. 24 hour porterage, garage parking space. EPC rating C. Approximately 130 sq m ﴾1399 sq ft﴿.

Leasehold 984 years

With outstanding views of the river towards Tower Bridge and the City skyline, this charming apartment has a good sized reception room opening onto one of the largest roof terraces in the area. 24 hour porterage, garage parking space. EPC rating C. Approximately 130 sq m ﴾1399 sq ft﴿.

Leasehold 984 years

Guide price £2,000,000

Guide price £2,000,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5372

KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5372

﴾WAP130200﴿

﴾WAP130200﴿

Listed Victorian Warehouse

Tower Bridge Views

City Mag April 14 20 Cinnnabar 20/03/2014 2d Olivers13:20:13 Sales - 18 March 2014 - 49079

Listed Victorian Warehouse

Tower Bridge Views

20/03/2014 13:20:13

0

KnightFrank.co.uk KnightFrank.co.uk Olivers Wharf, Wapping E1W Listed Victorian Warehouse

Olivers Wharf is a listed Victorian warehouse in the Venetian Gothic style. The two bedroom, two bathroom flat benefits from many original features such as exposed brickwork and beams, porterage and private parking. Approximately 182 sq m ﴾1962 sq ft﴿

Share of freehold Guide price £1,400,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5372 ﴾WAP140051﴿

Apollo Building, Isle of Dogs E14

Two bedroom apartment This superb duplex penthouse apartment offers a plethora of natural light and a stunning view towards the iconic skyline of Canary Wharf.

2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, open plan kitchen, underground parking, concierge. EPC rating C. Approximately 127 sq m ﴾1,367 sq ft﴿ Leasehold Guide price: £800,000

Canary Wharf Sales KnightFrank.co.uk/canarywharf cwharf@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6112 ﴾CNW140049﴿

Capital Wharf, Wapping E1W

Coldharbour, Isle of Dogs E14

With outstanding views of the river towards Tower Bridge and the City skyline, this charming apartment has a good sized reception room opening onto one of the largest roof terraces in the area. 24 hour porterage, garage parking space. EPC rating C. Approximately 130 sq m ﴾1399 sq ft﴿.

Leasehold 984 years

A charming five storey Georgian house offering spacious internal accommodation and a garden with views onto the River Thames.

4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, garden. Approximately 210 sq m ﴾2,260 sq ft﴿

Tower Bridge Views

Guide price £2,000,000

Grade II listed house

Freehold Guide price: £1,350,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 8166 5372

Canary Wharf Sales KnightFrank.co.uk/canarywharf cwharf@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6112

﴾WAP130200﴿

﴾CNW130203﴿

KnightFrank.co.uk KnightFrank.co.uk

York Way, King's Cross N1

A stunning three bedroom upper maisonette An attractive period building adjacent to King's Cross station. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, kitchen/reception room, dining room, utility room/guest WC. EPC rating D. Approximately 106 sq m ﴾ 1,146 sq ft﴿ Leasehold Guide price: £1,200,000 ﴾ISL140067﴿

KnightFrank.co.uk/islington islington@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6138

KnightFrank.co.uk Nicosia Road, Wandsworth SW18 Prime location

A handsome semi-detached family home of substantial proportions located on the much sought after “Toast Rack”. 6 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), 2 reception rooms, kitchen/dining room, downstairs cloakroom, utility room, large rear garden, off street parking. EPC rating E. Approximately 260 sq m (2,799 sq ft) Freehold Asking price: £2,750,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/wandsworth wandsworth@knightfrank.com 020 7768 0993 (WND140007)

Warriner Gardens, Battersea Park SW11 Beautiful family home

A stylish three bedroom house located on one of North Battersea’s finest streets, Warriner Gardens.

The property is finished to a high standard with attention to detail throughout, and offers multiple family living spaces. 3 bedrooms, 2 reception rooms, 3 bathrooms, kitchen and dinng room, 2 additional WC’s, utility room, garden. EPC rating F in 2009 (new EPC currently on order.)

Approximately 201 sq m (2,163 sq ft) Freehold Guide price: £2,200,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/battersea battersea@knightfrank.com 020 3597 7670 (RVR130274)

No 1 most influential agent in the UK*

Since the launch of the Zoopla Property Power 100*, a leader board for the most influential estate agents in social media, we have consistently been ranked number one.

To keep up with the latest property news and events follow us @KnightFrank

KnightFrank.co.uk * The Zoopla Property Power 100 is a live leaderboard of the top 100 most influential residential property agents on Twitter. Ranking correct from 13 May 2013 – 28 February 2014

COLUMN

EXPERT COMMENT LETTINGS

SALES

PRIVATE RENTED SECTOR GROWS

GLOBAL WEALTH CREATION KICKS IT UP A NOTCH

VANESSA EVETT-BEESLEY, partner & head of department at Knight Frank in Canary Wharf, comments on the trends in the residential lettings market THE UK’S PRIVATE rented sector (PRS) has more than doubled in size in the last 14 years, and it is set to keep expanding, according to the findings of Knight Frank’s Private Rented Sector Report.

The report features the Knight Frank PRS investment index which shows the performance of rental units in residential blocks in key rental markets in the UK; Leeds, Bristol, Birmingham, Glasgow,

Manchester and London.

The index shows that average rents paid rose by an average of 2.9 per cent last year – ranging from 0.4 per cent in London zone one to 5.27 per cent in Manchester. Capital values for residential blocks rose by an average of 6.4 per cent last year, taking the average gross yield to 6.6 per cent in Q4 2013. Initial yields have not only been squeezed by rising capital values, but also the erosion of the discount on offer for the purchase of residential blocks.

At the start of 2012, investors could obtain a discount of more than 30 per cent on the full capital value of some residential blocks reflecting the minimal activity in the market – especially the regions.

Today, the discounts on offer are between 7 per cent and 16 per cent, a reflection of increased activity. If the discount is factored into the capital growth of the rental blocks, it rises to 13.8 per cent for 2013.

The total return on investment private rented sector blocks in our index was 11.3 per cent in Q4 2013.

More than ten million people – around a sixth of the UK population – are living in privately rented accommodation. The sector accounts for around four million households, some 17 per cent of the total number of households in the UK. We forecast that the number of households in the private rented sector will continue to rise over the next ten years.

The report examines the supply and demand factors in the private rented sector, and considers how these might move in the future. We also track how demand in the PRS is robust in urban centers, and that targeting workers looking for flexible tenure may at this stage offer the biggest benefit to investors. *Taken from the Knight Frank Private Rented Sector Report 2014

LIAM BAILEY, global head of research, comments on the recently launched wealth report 2014 THE GLOBAL RESPONSE to the financial crisis continues to boost property markets in many parts of the world. The latest results from our Prime International Residential Index (PIRI) confirm that Asian markets, led by Jakarta, still lead in terms of price growth. Locations that were hardest hit by the downturn, like Dubai, Dublin and now Madrid, are also bouncing back strongly.

Continued global wealth creation, particularly in emerging markets, has been a key driver for prime property markets. This trend looks set to continue with a forecast increase of 28 per cent in the total number of UHNWIs around the world by 2023.

Shifts in wealth distribution contribute to changing fortunes in our Global Cities Survey, which measures the most important cities to the world’s UHNWI community. While London retains its top spot in 2014, New York looks set to overtake by 2024.

As we note throughout this year’s report, investors’ appetite for risk is growing. The withdrawal of stimulus measures such as quantitative easing may be one catalyst, but so too is rising economic confidence, especially in North America and Europe. Investment decisions are destined to take on an increasingly adventurous flavour; and recovering European property markets, which were firmly off the radar two years ago, are seen by many as a key opportunity for this year and next.

This new-found desire for risk does not presage a wholesale flight from prime to secondary property. As we note in our analysis of UHNWI attitudes, the enduring appeal of luxury property ensures that it will remain a central part of the wealth portfolio.

While Asia’s growing domination of our rankings and league tables continues, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America are increasingly taking the lead in terms of demand for overseas education, luxury spending and property investment.

With the introduction of a new Luxury Opportunity Index, our Skyscraper Index, the comprehensive benchmarking of the world’s most important cities and analysis of 90 prime residential markets, together with new data on luxury investment performance, wealth trends and global property investment forecasts, The Wealth Report has the world covered.

To read more, pick up your copy of The Wealth Report 2014 at the Knight Frank Canary Wharf office.

KNIGHT FRANK CANARY WHARF

020 7512 9966 knightfrank.co.uk/canary-wharf

PROPERTY | 133

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savills.co.uk

LETTINGS LAYOUT ONLY

THE HERON, ec2y

DUNBAR WHARF, e14

2 bedrooms (1 en suite) ø further bathroom ø reception room ø balcony with City views ø 24hr security & concierge ø residents gym, bar & club ø Council Tax=G ø EPC=TBC

3 bedrooms (2 en suite) ø further bathroom ø reception room ø balcony with river views ø allocated parking ø residents gym ø porterage ø Council Tax=G ø EPC=B

Furnished £1,100 per week

Unfurnished £975 per week

+ £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply* Savills Wapping ostaylor@savills.com 020 7456 6810

+ £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply* Savills Wapping lbrunning@savills.com 0207 531 2523

OSPREY COURT, e1w

HELIER COURT, se16

2 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø reception room ø balcony with marina views ø allocated parking ø 24hr porterage ø Council Tax=H ø EPC=C

3 bedrooms (1 en suite) ø 2 further bathrooms ø reception room ø 2 private balconies ø gated parking ø Council Tax=E ø EPC=D

Part Furnished £750 per week

Furnished £550 per week

+ £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply* Savills Wapping brodgers@savills.com 020 7456 6800

+ £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply* Savills Canary Wharf ibates@savills.com 020 7531 2522

3 4

*£36 inc VAT for each additional tenant/occupant/guarantor reference where required. Inventory check out fee – charged at the end of or early termination of the tenancy and the amount is dependent on the property size and whether furnished/unfurnished. For more details, visit www.savills.co.uk/fees.

SA

I want to get my property seen by the right audience.

Who’s most likely to rent my home in Wapping?

meet Dawn

Properties in Wapping appeal to both a local and an international audience. With our network of 28 offices across London and over 500 offices and associates across the globe means we can offer a whole world of tenants – wherever they are.

To find your perfect tenant, call Dawn on 020 7456 6800 or email her on dshepperson@savills.com

Source: Land Registry – average sale price from 2008-2012

SA74452 Meet Dawn Advert.indd 1

13/03/2014 16:35

1 2

savills.co.uk

BUTLERS & COLONIAL, se1

BUTLERS WHARF, se1

Reception room ø kitchen ø 2 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø balcony ø protected parking ø 117 sq m (1,259 sq ft) ø EPC=B

Reception room ø kitchen ø bedroom ø bathroom ø parking space ø river views ø 67 sq m (726 sq ft) ø EPC=B

Guide £1.1 million Leasehold

Guide £949,999 Leasehold

3 4

Savills Wapping nefthymiou@savills.com 020 7456 6800

Savills Wapping mmacfarlane@savills.com 0207 456 6800

ST JOHNS COURT, e1w

FREE TRADE WHARF, e1w

Reception room ø kitchen ø 2 bedrooms ø bathroom ø shower room ø parking space ø 119 sq m (1,278 sq ft) ø EPC=C

Reception room ø kitchen ø bedroom ø bathroom ø private balcony ø river and Canary Wharf view ø 24hr concierge ø protected parking ø 52 sq m (562 sq ft) ø EPC=C

Guide £875,000 Leasehold

Guide £475,000 Leasehold

Savills Wapping mmacfarlane@savills.com 0207 456 6800

Savills Wapping nefthymiou@savills.com 020 7456 6800

1 2

savills.co.uk

CINNABAR WHARF, e1w

KEW BRIDGE ROAD, tw8

Reception room ø kitchen ø 3 bedrooms (2 en suite) ø terrace ø air conditioning ø 24hr concierge ø secure underground parking space ø 153 sq m (1,651 sq ft) ø EPC=C

Open plan reception room/kitchen ø 3 bedrooms (2 en suite) ø family bathroom ø 2 balconies with river views ø 24hr concierge ø underground parking available ø communal gardens ø 107 sq m (1,148 sq ft) ø EPC=B

Guide £2 million Leasehold

Guide £899,950 Leasehold

3 4

Savills Wapping sgretton@savills.com 020 8877 4823

Savills Chiswick sgretton@savills.com 020 8877 4823

SMUGGLERS WAY, sw18

FREE TRADE WHARF, e1w

Open plan kitchen/reception room ø 2 double bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø river views ø 24hr concierge ø secure parking available ø 82 sq m (880 sq ft) ø EPC=B

Reception room ø kitchen ø 2 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø guest w.c ø balcony ø 24hr concierge ø underground parking ø 98 sq m (1,058 sq ft) ø EPC=D

Guide £750,000 Leasehold

Guide £650,000 Leasehold

Savills Wandsworth fmoynihan@savills.com 020 8877 4823

Savills Wapping fmoynihan@savills.com 020 8877 4823

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Heneage Street, E1 £2,300,000 Freehold A stunning 4 bed double-fronted west-facing Spitalfields house, Dating back to the 1800’s. EPC: E

Hodgeson House, E1 £550,000 Leasehold A beautifully presented 3 bedroom duplex apartment with a patio, study and plenty of storage. EPC: B

Bowmans Mews, E1 £700,000 Leasehold A 2 bed City duplex with 2 parking facilities, a patio garden and a concierge service. EPC: F

Golden Lane, EC1Y £1,999,950 Freehold A spectacular and award-winning fully integrated modern house, with a lift servicing each floor. EPC: D

Sporting Life Building, E2 £599,950 Share of Freehold An extremely spacious 2 bedroom duplex apartment with residents parking, moments from the station. EPC: C

Commercial Street, E1 £599,950 Leasehold A brand new one bedroom City flat with superb views of Canary Wharf.

Hamptons City Office Sales. 020 7717 5435 | Lettings. 020 7717 5437

EPC: B

Butlers Wharf £950,000 Leasehold A one bedroom, river front apartment in SE1, views of Tower Bridge, 24hr concierge, parking and warehouse features. EPC: B

Butlers Wharf £2,500,000 Leasehold A two bedroom penthouse apartment with a 38ft terrace. Views of Tower Bridge & the Shard. Parking space & 24hr concierge. EPC: C

Spice Quay Heights £1,595,000 Leasehold A two bed, 6th floor apartment, two terraces. Views of the City. Refurbished building. Parking, communal swimming pool & gym. EPC: B

Cardamom Building £850,000 Leasehold A large one bedroom apartment with a south facing balcony. Excellent storage, concierge and Parking. EPC: C

Scotts Sufferance, SE1 £850,000 Leasehold A two bedroom apartment benefits from a balcony facing the dock towards the Shard and Tower Bridge. Porter and Parking. EPC: D

Providence Square, SE1 £650,000 Leasehold A two double bedroom, apartment with a South facing reception room & balcony. Parking, 24hr concierge and communal gym. EPC: B

Hamptons Tower Bridge Office Sales. 020 7717 5489 | Lettings. 020 7717 5491

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Upper Thames Street, EC4 £650 per week (charges apply*) A two bedroom river facing apartment with a communal roof terrace.

EPC: F

Queen Street, EC4 £520 per week (charges apply*) Fantastic one bedroom fourth floor apartment in the heart of the City of London. EPC: B

Lamb Street, E1 £525 per week (charges apply*) A modern and well presented two bedroom top floor apartment in the heart of Spitalfields. EPC: D

Commercial St, E1 £695 per week (charges apply*) Superb two bedroom top floor warehouse conversion in Spitalfields with 24 hour concierge and balcony. EPC: C

High Timber Street, EC4 £450 per week (charges apply*) Modern one bedroom apartment on the second floor of the popular development. EPC: B

Old Street, EC1 £695 per week (charges apply*) Fantastic two bedroom apartment offering spacious and stylish City living.

Hamptons City Office Lettings. 020 7717 5437 | Sales. 020 7717 5435

EPC: B

*Tenant Charges Tenants should note that as well as rent, an administration charge of £216 (Inc. VAT) per property and a referencing charge of £54 (Inc. VAT) per person will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit www.hamptons.co.uk/rent/tenant-charges

Hermitage Waterside, E1W £775 per week (charges apply*) Beautifully presented three bed mid-terrace house situated just off of St Katherine’s Dock and affords views of Hermitage Basin. EPC: C

Wheat Wharf, SE1 £795 per week (charges apply*) Stunning larger than average two bedroom warehouse apartment with refurbished bathrooms and re designed open plan kitchen. EPC: C

Thrale Street, SE1 £750 per week (charges apply*) Fabulous three bedroom end of terrace, three storey home, with original features and contemporary brand new kitchen. EPC: E

Butlers Wharf, SE1 £595 per week (charges apply*) Beautifully presented one bedroom apartment on Shad Thames boasting exposed brick, wood floors river views. EPC: C

Tower Bridge Wharf, E1W £450 per week (charges apply*) Fabulous double bedroom waterside warehouse conversion in sought after development with river views. EPC: C

Monza Building, E1W £550 per week (charges apply*) Fabulous two bedroom apartment offering approximately 990 sq ft of accommodation and balcony with views over Shadwell Basin. EPC: C

Hamptons Tower Bridge Office Lettings. 020 7717 5491 | Sales. 020 7717 5489

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Compton Terrace, N1 Launching Saturday 22nd March - Rarely available to the market is this wonderful apartment positioned over the upper floors of a handsome period terrace. The property has been lovingly cared for throughout with many character features still exposed.

Accommodation comprises three double bedrooms, two bathrooms (one shower room), living room, dining room, eat-in modern kitchen and separate study area. Grade II Listed

£1,450,000 Leasehold • • • • • •

Hamptons Islington Office Sales. 020 7717 5453 | Lettings. 020 7717 5335

Period conversion Two reception rooms Eat-in kitchen Study area Three double bedrooms Two bathrooms

Kelross Road, N5 A rare opportunity to purchase a double fronted family home in need of modernisation with many of its period features intact on a residential road. This impressive property is 2792 sq ft and offers vast potential with its six bedrooms and three reception rooms.

There is also a large amount of loft space in addition to a utility area in the basement. The property further benefits from its own secure garage. EPC: E

£2,250,000 Freehold

•

• • • •

Avantgarde, E1

Price on Application

A beautifully presented 2 bedroom duplex penthouse in the brand new Avantgarde development in the heart of Shoreditch. Offering 1,158 sq. ft. of living space, this spacious apartment is spread across the 23rd and 24th floors and comprises an open plan living/dining area with contemporary fully fitted kitchen to include Siemens appliances, master bedroom with en suite bathroom and second bedroom with bathroom. This unit also benefits from a 355 sq. ft. south east facing private terrace and is finished to an exceptionally high standard, to include wood veneer flooring and excellent storage. Avantgarde boasts a 24 hour concierge service, residents lounge and entrance foyer, secured bicycle storage, landscaped gardens, private roof terrace and state of the art basement gym. Based in the stylish hub of Shoreditch, Avantgarde is conveniently located only 200m from Shoreditch High Street Station in Zone 1, and within walking distance of Liverpool Street, Hoxton and Old Street.

Tenant agency fees: £240 inc VAT administration fee per property, £48 inc VAT referencing fee per Tenant/Guarantor

Avantgarde, E1 - £650 Per Week

The Heron, EC2 - £515 Per Week

A brand new 2 bedroom apartment in the sought after Avantgarde development, located in the heart of Shoreditch. This luxury apartment is on the 4th floor and offers 2 double bedrooms, 2 contemporary oca bathrooms with en-suite to master bedroom, reception with balcony facing towards the courtyard, fully fitted kitchen and wood flooring.

Available immediately.

A beautifully presented luxury Island suite on the 19th floor of the Heron development, located in the heart of the City. This brand new luxury apartment offers a well sized reception area, partitioned sleeping area behind the sland which houses an open plan kitchen, alnut flooring throughout and luxury shower room. Available immediately.

Arthouse, N1 - £695 Per Week

One Commercial Street, E1 - £485 Per Week

A brand new luxury 2 bedroom apartment located in the Arthouse development. This stunning apartment offers approximately 1,000 sq ft. of living space, is situated on the 4th floor and boasts 2 double bedrooms, 2 contemporary bathrooms, spacious open plan reception/dining area with a est facing balcony, fully fitted kitchen wood flooring.

A brand new 1 bedroom apartment situated in the luxury new development One Commercial Street. This 1 bedroom apartment is on the 17th floor, boasting stunning views of the ity skyline, comprising 1 double bedroom, fitted kitchen, contemporary bathroom and wood flooring throughout. The apartment is offered fully furnished and is available immediately.

www.currell.com

£2,995,000 Leasehold Britton Street, EC1M • Three bedrooms • Three bathrooms • Two reception rooms • Terrace • EPC Rating D

O.I.E.O £800,000 Brewhouse Yard, EC1V • Two bedrooms • Balcony • Underground parking • Concierge service • EPC Rating C

Currell

£675 Per Week* Brewhouse Yard, EC1V • Newly refurbished • Two bedrooms • Two bathrooms • 24 Hour concierge • Central Clerkenwell

£595 Per Week* Clerkenwell Road, EC1M • Two bedrooms • Two bathrooms • Open plan living area • Popular development • Short walk into the city *tenancy fees will apply. For more details on our fees please visit our website www.currell.com/knowledge-base/our-letting-fees

020 7253 2533

clerkenwell@currell.com

OPINION

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE RICHARD PINE-COFFIN Director, Residential at JLL

How can a seller boost the price of their home before putting it on the market?

There are some basic ground rules when seeking to achieve the best price for your property and these are generally the basic actions of keeping the property tidy, decluttering and ensuring the property demonstrates the best use of space and light. In respect to renovations and physical improvements, much depends on the type of property, location and value. A leasehold apartment is likely to have alteration restrictions imposed from the freeholder and care should be exercised in order to avoid any breaches of the lease. General ‘kerb’ appeal can be created via simple decoration and with appropriate flowers and planting. A freehold property may benefit from a loft room or single storey kitchen extension, however such work is often not financially viable purely for the purpose of selling as the cost verses risk/ return are often not relative. If carefully considered, improvements will enhance the value of a property and larger projects are best devoted to holistic redevelopment of a whole building where care is needed not to over develop within the confines of the original property. In summary, the cost of an identical extension in Westminster or Newham is likely to be similar, however the value in square foot terms of the finished product can be very different. The bottom line is not to over extend for the property or the location.

How can sellers avoid the trap of having their home left unsold on the market for too long?

In the current market it is rare for a property to remain on the market for a long period of time although there are regional variants to consider. Competition between agents is fierce and the temptation to win business through over valuation is evident. Despite the strength of the market, purchasers will undertake their research and an overpriced property is likely to take longer to sell. In an upward market such as this the market will eventually catch up. A number of vendors are now seeking to go to market with a competitive or an even slightly below market price in order to generate interest and possibly a competitive bidding scenario will ensue that will inflate the original asking price.

From a seller’s perspective, research the market prior to speaking with the agents in order to have a clear understanding of the property value. Listen to the agent’s advice, comparative sales information is widely available on the internet, however this is often slightly behind the market so choose an agent who knows the local market. Do not be flattered by the highest quote and equally be wary of any that are too low. If for some reason the property does not appear to be selling, discuss the issue with your agent and ensure they have every tool necessary in order to fully market and sell the property. If all else fails consider instructing a second agent to assist or as a final resort seek a new agency altogether - keeping in mind the terms of the agency agreement in order to avoid unforeseen default or agency fees.

JLL

020 7337 4002 jll.co.uk/residential

148 | PROPERTY

Inc

UNIQUE HOMES, UNIQUE SERVICE, UNIQUE PEOPLE A tailored service from Langford Russell, John Payne & Acorn for distinctive and exclusive homes

By Langford Russell

Woodlands Road, BRomlEy BR1

£1,795,000 F/H

This stunning five bedroom home, on arguably the premier road in Bickley, was beautifully remodelled in 2005 by the current owners to feature the most impressive specification, providing 4,200 sq ft gross accommodation. Internal viewing is highly recommended to fully appreciate all that this property has to offer. Energy Efficiency Rating C. Please contact our Bromley office for more information: Tel: 020 8315 5544 Email: bromley@langfordrussell.co.uk

ShortlandS road, ShortlandS Br2

£1,200,000 F/h

An attractive and uniquely designed detached family home that occupies a secluded plot of just over 1/3 acre. Believed to date back to the late 1920’s, the house offers five bedrooms with two en-suites and family bathroom, plus two elegant reception rooms, conservatory, kitchen/breakfast room and cellar. Gardens offer lawn, heated pool and car port. Energy Efficiency Rating D. Please contact our Beckenham office for more information: Tel: 020 8663 4433 Email: beckenham@langfordrussell.co.uk

Offices Across South East London & Kent www.uniquepropertiesuk.com www.langfordrussell.co.uk

www.acorn.ltd.uk www.johnpayne.com

UNIQUE is a Specialist Division of Langford Russell, John Payne & Acorn

NORTH KENSINGTON NORTH KENSINGTON NORTH KENSINGTON NORTH KENSINGTON NOT NO NOT NOTT

HOLLAND PARK HOLLAND PARK HOLLAND HOLLAND PARK PARK

BROOK GREEN BROOK GREEN BROOK GREEN BROOK GREEN

HEAD OFFICE HEAD OFFICE HEAD OFFICE HEAD OFFICE

BISHOPS PARK BISHOPS PARK BISHOPS PARK BISHOPS PARK

BARNES BARNES BARNES BARNES

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LITTLE VENICE LITTLE VENICE LITTLE VENICE LITTLE VENICE

MARYLEBONE MARYLEBONE MARYLEBONE MARYLEBONE

NGTON TON ON GTON NOTTING HILL NOTTING HILL NOTTING HILL NOTTING HILL MAYFAIR MAYFAIR MAYFAIR MAYFAIR

AND PARK ND PARK D NDPARK PARK KENSINGTON KENSINGTON KENSINGTON KENSINGTON SOUTH SOUTH SOUTH SOUTH CHELSEA CHELSEA CHELSEA KENSINGTON KENSINGTON CHELSEA KENSINGTON KENSINGTON

PIMLICO PIMLICO PIMLICO PIMLICO && && WESTMINSTER WESTMINSTER WESTMINSTER WESTMINSTER

FICE ICE ICE CE EARLS COURT EARLS COURT EARLS COURT EARLS COURT

SARK PARK PARK PARK FULHAM FULHAM FULHAM FULHAM

CLAPHAM CLAPHAM CLAPHAM CLAPHAM

BATTERSEA BATTERSEA BATTERSEA BATTERSEA

BALHAM SOUTH BALHAM &CLAPHAM CLAPHAM SOUTH BALHAM &CLAPHAM CLAPHAM SOUTH BALHAM && SOUTH

Chesterton Humberts property experts

Old Street Clerkenwell EC1V

£1,300 per week

EPC rating D

LETTINGS

A duplex penthouse apartment with unrivalled views of the City of London. Refurbished to an elegant & modern standard the top level comprises a private entry lift, 2 private terraces, open plan reception room & modern kitchen with an exposed brick feature wall, study & storage room. The lower level benefits from 3 double bedrooms a further terrace leading off the master bedroom, 2 en-suites & a family bathroom. Ideally located for Clerkenwell, Shoreditch & Hoxton.

020 7226 4221

lettings.islington@chestertonhumberts.com

chestertonhumberts.com

Additional charges apply. Administration: £222 (VAT included).

References per tenant: £42 (VAT included)

Danbury Street Angel N1

A substantial Georgian mid terraced house set within the Duncan Terrace/Colebrooke Row conservation area. The house requires complete refurbishment & is currently arranged as 2 properties.

Danbury Street is situated within the heart of Angel, moments from the canal, Upper Street & Islington Green.

EPC pending

ÂŁ1,995,000 guide price

feehold

SALES

020 7359 9777

sales.islington@chestertonhumberts.com

chestertonhumberts.com

CITY MAG MARCH 14.qxp_Layout 1 12/03/2014 11:57 Page 1

Martin Lane EC4

Boundary Street EC2

Split level apartment I Two to three bedrooms Georgian listed building Furnished I EPC F

Two bedrooms I Two bathrooms Two terraces I Superbly finished apartment Furnished I EPC C

Avant Garde Place E1

St John Street EC1

Selection of studios, one, two bedroom apartments Landmark new development I Concierge I Gym Furnished or Unfurnished

Two double bedroom apartment I Two terraces Interior designed warehouse Furnished I EPC C

£750 per week

from £385 per week

Sales 020 7250 1012

Lettings 020 7490 1122

£850 per week

£1,850 per week

HURFORD

SALVI

CARR

Pear Tree Street EC1

The Ziggurat, Saffron Hill EC1

Penthouse I Two double bedrooms I Two bathrooms Two terraces I Parking 820sqft/76m2 I EPC C

Authentic loft apartment I Sought after building Day porter I Secure parking space 1,030sqft/96m2 I EPC D

Britton Street EC1

Sekforde Street EC1

Outstanding penthouse I Three bedrooms Stunning roof terrace I Secure underground parking 2,884sqft/268m2 I EPC C

Three double bedrooms I Two bathrooms Four storey house I Pretty west facing garden 1,519sqft/141m2 I EPC F

£975,000

£4,250,000

£815,000

£1,800,000

hurford-salvi-carr.co.uk

Swan Court, City Quay, St Katharine’s Dock, Wapping E1W

Ea2 are pleased to offer to rent this unique 6th & 7th floor penthouse apartment within the most prestigious location of the historic St Katherine’s Dock, West Wapping. The apartment consists of 3 Bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, reception, fitted kitchen. Terrace and balcony. Superb views over St Katharine’s Dock. 24 hour security/concierge. Secure underground parking space. Close to Tower Hill Stations and the City.

£1,725 Per Week

ea2 Estate Agency Heritage Court | 8-10 Sampson Street | Wapping | London E1W 1NA t: 020 7702 3456 | f: 020 7702 9168 www.ea2.co.uk | property@ea2group.com

Pier Head, West Wapping E1W

ea2 are pleased to offer for sale this grade II listed apartment built in the 1800’s within one of Wapping’s most prestigious developments. Originally the dock offices of the River merchants, this prominent development is one of Wapping’s longest standing legacies of history. This first floor characterful two bedroom, 2 bathroom apartment extends to 1249 sq ft and benefits from views of the River Thames and has access to a private residents garden. With the development is residents parking and is located in close proximity to St Katharine’s Dock and Tower Hill stations.

ea2 Estate Agency Heritage Court | 8-10 Sampson Street | Wapping | London E1W 1NA t: 020 7702 3456 | f: 020 7702 9168 www.ea2.co.uk | property@ea2group.com

£1,495,000

Berkeley Square, Mayfair W1 • 2 Bedrooms

• Reception room

• 1 Bathroom (en suite)

•

• 1 Shower room (en suite)

• Approx. 953 sq ft (88 sq m)

• Guest cloakroom

• EPC rating: current (C) potential (B)

tted itc en

“ A stunning apartment in Berkeley Square’s only residential building”

£1,600 per week Furnished

For more information call Lucy Morton on 020 7306 1630 or email lmorton@waellis.com

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

waellis.com

W.A.Ellis will make an initial one-off tenancy agreement charge of £240 per tenancy plus £60 referencing charge per tenant. A minimum of six weeks’ rent will be required for all properties. For further details of our services and charges please visit waellis.com

Cadogan Square, Knightsbridge SW1 • 3 Bedrooms

• Lift to second floor

• 2 Bathrooms

• Access to Cadogan Square gardens

• Reception room

and use of the tennis court

• Kitchen

(by separate negotiation)

• Roof terrace (not demised)

• Approx. 1,472 sq ft (136.9 sq m)

“ An outstanding fourth and fifth floor maisonette in this substantial Grade II listed building”

Guide price £3,950,000 Share of freehold

For more information call Simon Godson on 020 7306 1610 or email sgodson@waellis.com

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

waellis.com

Who is LIFE Residential?

LIFE have dealt with over 18,000

tenancies.

LIFE have sold over

ÂŁ1.6 Billion worth of property.

LIFE currently manage over 3,000 properties in over 75% of London’s postcodes.

Residential

LIFE deal with Landlords from over 85 countries , over all 5 continents.

LIFE collected over

ÂŁ14 Million

worth of rent in 2013 alone.

LIFE let on average 1 property every

120 minutes.

Galliard_City&Wharf_FPC_Mar14 24/02/2014 11:01 Page 1

LY N O

0%INI

2 MA

RE

Royal Gateway

!

G N

GALLIARD LEAD THE WAY!

!

E S A E L E R S E L A S Y A D 3 N I 68 SOLD

2

PRICES FROM

£299,000

3 MINUTES VIA DLR FROM CUSTOM HOUSE CROSSRAIL HUB An all private development central to the much anticipated £3.7 billion regeneration zone planned alongside London’s third business district and new Asian Business Port.

• Studios, apartments and duplex penthouses.

• Many with panoramic views across the Royal Docks and Canary Wharf.

• Potential for outperforming property values from close Crossrail proximity.

• Concierge, communal rooftop gardens, podium courtyards and secure parking.* • Within 5 minutes walk of Jubilee line and DLR. • Completions from Q3 2016.

DEVELOPMENT PARTNER

PRIORITY DETAILS ON

020 7620 1500 sales@galliardhomes.com

galliardhomes.com

LONDON’S

CENTRAL PARK Island Gardens, E14 3DQ

ISLAND GARDENS DLR

STYLISH PARKSIDE APARTMENTS CENTRAL TO CANARY WHARF & GREENWICH, JUST MINUTES TO THE THAMES AND BEYOND

A stylish collection of studio, 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments in a tranquil location adjacent to Mudchute Park & just minutes from Canary Wharf.

Prices from £360,000* Sales & Marketing Suite now open Stebondale Street, London E14 3DQ Monday - Wednesday 10am - 6pm Thursday 10am - 7.30pm Friday - Saturday 10am - 6pm Sunday 11am - 5pm

For more information, call us:

020 3538 6931

*Prices correct at time of going to press. Aerial photograph of the River Thames, Canary Wharf and The City of London with Parkside Quarter illustrated.

www.telfordhomes.plc.uk

SHOWCASE

DEVELOPMENT SHOWCASE A REGAL RESIDENT

T

he town centre of Greenwich has a long and rather regal history. Today it sits within the Royal Borough of Greenwich and since 1997 has formed part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site (WHS).

The Maritime Greenwich WHS inscription is a symbolic display of the architectural excellence of the area, with the Old Royal Naval College at the centre.

A confident expression of English Baroque style, the Old Royal Navy College was designed in 1694 by Sir Christopher Wren, under the Royal Charter of William and Mary, which established the Royal Hospital for Seamen (latterly known as Greenwich Hospital) as a refuge for men of the Royal Navy. In 1873 the site became the Royal Naval

College and is now home to the University of Greenwich and Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance.

In 1831 the Greenwich Hospital commissioned their architect, Joseph Kay to build a market with formal routes to the grand buildings.

Now a Crown Charity, Greenwich Hospital remains the custodian and JLL, with offices in Canary Wharf and Greenwich, is the letting agent for the WHS residential estate. Forming part of the Regency development is Nelson Road where there are currently a range of apartments available to let.

NELSON ROAD, SE10 ÂŁ2,200 PCM, TO LET

JLL

020 8858 9944 jll.co.uk/residential

166 | PROPERTY

TE0143_CityMagazine_02.qxp_TE0094 13/03/2014 10:56 Page 1

90% now sold, register your interest to avoid disappointment

Beginning eight floors above street level, Woolwich Central is a tranquil haven in our bustling capital.

- A balcony, winter garden or decked area for every apartment - 300 metres to Woolwich Arsenal DLR and National Rail - Secure access via landscaped skyline walkways - 24 hour security - CCTV - Car Club

Best things come to those... who don’t wait!

- Parking* - 24 hour flagship Tesco store - Woolwich Crossrail station due to open 2018

Prices start at ÂŁ255,000 for a 1 bedroom apartment.

Marketing Suite opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10am - 5pm

020 8855 7290

www.woolwichcentral.com The illustrations are computer-generated artist impressions. EPC Rating = B. *Terms and conditions apply **timings may vary

Vantage – a new release of contemporary apartments, ideally located for the forthcoming Crossrail station Launching 29 - 30 March 2014 Vantage, Cannon Square offers an outstanding collection of apartments within the renowned Royal Arsenal Riverside, many offering exceptional, far-reaching views. These stunning, contemporary homes will be ideally positioned for the forthcoming on-site Crossrail station at Royal Arsenal Woolwich. With a riverside setting and a buzzing retail hub on your doorstep, Cannon Square represents the ultimate in exciting modern living.

Manhattan Suites, 1, 2 and 3 Bedroom Apartments from £292,500

Call 020 3581 3559 www.royalarsenalriverside.co.uk In the last five years, the Berkeley Group has committed to invest £28 million in transport infrastructure This includes a new Crossrail station at Royal Arsenal Riverside Our Vision. Your Future.

Sales & Marketing Suite and Show Apartments open daily 10am to 6pm (Thursdays until 8pm).

No.1 Street, Royal Arsenal Riverside, Woolwich, London SE18 6FB Details correct at time of going to press and subject to availability. Computer generated image of Cannon Square is indicative only.

Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

Photography for illustrative purposes only.

DISCOVER | EXPLORE|CONNECT

CELEBRATING A RICH PAST CREATING A NEW FUTURE COMING SOON. Located moments from Tower Bridge, The Tower of London, St Katharine Docks and the City, in an area rich with history, London Dock is the capital’s most vibrant new place to live. Stylish apartments and penthouses, hotel-style residents’ facilities, beautifully landscaped squares, water gardens and boulevards lined with shops, bars and restaurants. Discover London Dock – a hidden treasure at the heart of the capital.

DISCOVER MORE | LONDONDOCK.CO.UK | 020 7971 7880 LONDON DOCK INFORMATION CENTRE, VAUGHAN WAY, LONDON E1W 1YY

www.stgeorgeplc.com Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

SGC_LD_CityMagazine_297x210_Apr14.indd 1

12/03/2014 17:47

SHOWCASE

DEVELOPMENT SHOWCASE LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION

L

ivE2 is a development on Whiston Road that capitalises on East London’s on-going regeneration by combining luxury urban living with an unbeatable location in the midst of high-end restaurants, quirky boutiques, world-famous universities and legendary nightlife. LivE2's is a stone’s throw from Hackney and Hoxton, walking distance to some of London’s atmospheric parks and surrounded by efficient transport routes. Its exciting location is reflected in the structure and aesthetic of the beautifully appointed one to three bedroom apartments. A calming and contemporary space

within the hustle and bustle of the capital, the spaces are built to the highest standards with high-tech fittings and floor-to-ceiling windows that pool light onto the open-plan oak flooring. A German-built Nobilia designed kitchen invites entertaining and thick Saxony carpets are plush underfoot for comfortable and practical homes perfect for those looking to experience the beat of the capital in luxury.

LIVE2, WHISTON ROAD, E2 From £425,000 LEASEHOLD

Internal shots are merely a guideline to the finished product

CURRELL ESTATE AGENTS LONDON

020 7226 6611 currell.com

PROPERTY | 170

On 1st May 2014 you have the chance to be part of an historic chapter, as the 254 apartments above and within the British icon, Battersea Power Station, go on sale in London. It’s been worth the thirty year wait.

Find your place in the fabric of Battersea Power Station and Live Original.

Apartments from ÂŁ800k.

For more information, register now at batterseapowerstation.co.uk

BPS Ad City FP 210x297 AW V1.indd 1

19/03/2014 15:30

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