The City Magazine August 2013 by Runwild Media Group

the city m a g a z i n e

Lives through a Lens

award-winning entries from travel photographer of the year 2012

the

Food& Tr a vel issue

a connoisseurâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s guide to dining in the city; the best corporate entertaining weekends; and luxury travel worldwide

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CONTENTS AUGUST2013

COVER IMAGE: Jan Schlegel, (Germany), runner-up in the ‘People WatchingPortfolio’ category, Travel Photographer of the Year, tpoty.com Feature, p. 26

features 10 KNIGHTS OF THE ROUND TABLE

KERSTIN KÜHN profiles the food power-moguls who have transformed London’s restaurant scene

17 FROM FINANCE TO FOOD

EMMA JOHNSON reports on the ex-bankers now in the food industry

23 THE ITALIAN JOB

Francesco Mazzei, head chef at local favourite L’Anima, talks to KERSTIN KÜHN about escaping the mafia and conquering the City

26 LIVES THROUGH A LENS

An exclusive showcase from Travel Photographer of the Year

work 58 TOUGH MEASURES

RICHARD WILLSHER says a raft of new EU regulation is crippling the City

play 70 POWERHOUSE TO BOATHOUSE

NEIL BRISCOE drives a BMW M5 from Dublin to Galway

Food & DRINK 74 EAT, DRINK & ENTERTAIN

An essential list of the best drinking and dining to be found in the City

80 BARRELS & BREWS

JAMES LAWRENCE profiles his favourite local London breweries

escape 88 A TASTE OF SPAIN

EMMA JOHNSON eats her way around foodie paradise San Sebastian

100 ULTIMATE AWAY DAYS

RICHARD BROWN reports on the world’s best destinations to charm clients or reward employees

regulars 31

FAShion

MOTORing

WATches + Jewellery

food & drink

work

travel

play

107 Property

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AUGUST2013

CONTRIBUTORS

RUNWILD M

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Managing Editor emma johnson

Deputy Editor Richard Brown

Motoring Editor Matthew Carter

NEIL BRISCOE

richard willsher

Kerstin Kühn

Neil Briscoe has been a car critic for 15 years, and still hasn’t lived down the shame of the time he was overtaken by a Daweoo Matiz while driving a new Alfa Romeo. He lives in Ireland but travels all over the world to drive new cars, and sometimes even remembers to drive on the correct side of the road. His favourite car is a Series 1 1948 Land Rover.

Richard Willsher is a finance and business writer with a background in investment banking. He is author of a number of books on international trade and business, as well as articles on corporate finance, small business, financial services, investment, and financial sector regulation post the 2008 financial crisis.

German-born South African Kerstin Kühn has been a journalist for nearly a decade and specialises in restaurants, chefs and food. She was the restaurants editor of hospitality bible Caterer and Hotelkeeper for seven years, has written for the Evening Standard and is the author of the La Goulue restaurant blog, theglutton.net.

Collection Editor annabel harrison

Property Editor Gabrielle Lane

Contributing Editor Josephine O’Donoghue

Editorial Assistant aimee latimer

staff Writer

Amy Louise Roberts

Senior Designer DANIEL POOLE

Brand Consistency Hiren Chandarana Laddawan Juhong

General Manager Fiona Fenwick

Production

Hugo Wheatley ALEX POWELL

james lawrence

lucie dodds

mark bonington

Matthew Carter

A self-confessed wine obsessive, James is passionate about discovering the lesser known wines and wine regions of the world, as well as writing about beer, ale, cocktails, sake and spirits. This month he has been all over the capital investigating the increasing trend for local London breweries.

Fashion editor and stylist, Lucie Dodds previously worked at British Vogue and Associated Newspapers, and now works on luxury publications, TV and with British and US celebrities and musicians and for many brands as stylist art director and creative consultant. She splits her time between London and Los Angeles.

Mark is a Scottish writer who lives in London, covering fashion and the arts. Previously he has worked as an online editor at Bauer Media, and spent several months in Gibraltar working as web editor for an online casino. Mark also writes for FashionBeans.com and is a contributing editor to the website of Savile Row tailor Alexandra Wood.

Former editor of Autocar and Classic & Sports Car, Matthew Carter has been a motoring journalist for longer than he cares to admit. Based in London, he currently owns three cars: a city-friendly VW up!, and two classic Alfas – a glorious 1960 Giulietta Sprint Veloce and a brutal SZ. He has been the motoring editor since the beginning.

Property Director Samantha Ratcliffe

Head of Finance Elton Hopkins

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

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

Also published by

RUNWILD M

Dear Resident

There are more than 40 diplomatic missions in fair Belgravia, a figure I would not quite have imagined being so high, even though I knew embassies favoured this area. With this firmly in mind and feeling that we have been slightly out of touch with these institutions, Henry Hopwood-Phillips dives into neutral territory to speak with some of the representatives from the Norwegian, German and Belgian embassies. He seeks a slice of each country’s culture and enquires why Belgravia makes the perfect home away from home.

BELGRAVIA

Another Belgravian local, the home guru Lucy Cork, also takes the time out of her busy schedule to chat to Henry this month. The pair discuss why the white-stuccoed buildings of this area have always held such attraction for her and the unconventional way she navigated her way up the career ladder – there was no corporate scrabble for this lady. In this July edition we also visit The Palm restaurant and round up the latest planning and local news. We hope you enjoy the read. Please do not hesitate to get in contact with your feedback, email: Belgravia@residentsjournal.co.uk.

Resident’s Journal

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Managing Editor Katie Randall

Senior Designer Sophie Blain

Publishing Director Giles Ellwood

General Manager Fiona Fenwick

Associate Publisher Sophie Roberts

Editorial Assistants Lauren Romano, Lulu Rumsey

Head of Finance Elton Hopkins

Client Relationship Director Felicity Morgan-Harvey

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Production Hugo Wheatley, Alex Powell, Oscar Viney

Communications Director Loren Penney

Main Editorial Contributor Henry Hopwood-Phillips

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

JULY 2013 • IssUe 14

Contributing Editor Josephine O’Donoghue

embRace tHe sOcial seasON iN style

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. Subscriptions: A free online subscription service is available for Canary Wharf Magazine. Visit the subscriptions page on our website. www.rwmg.co.uk/subscribe

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editor’s letter

“Ask not what you can do for your country. Ask what’s for lunch.” - Orson Welles -

That Orson Welles knew what he was talking about. Forget the larger issues of money, family and taxes; no, the issues concerning the modern man today are the kind of complex dilemmas that blindside you on an idle Wednesday when you realise you have absolutely no idea what lunch is going to look like. In these crazy days of long hours and nightmareish overtime, it’s vital you know where your next meal is coming from. And we all know that plastickey-tasting chicken from Pret is not the kind of meal I’m talking about. But that’s OK. All is not lost. The following pages are filled with the essential information you need to keep you, your clients, your colleagues and your boss fed and watered in the manner to which you, and they, are accustomed. And by that I mean – the coolest places to drink Champagne, where to shuck the best oysters, who grills the best steaks, the top spots for finedining par excellence and where to take the pickiest of clients. Read – and then keep – our City Foodie Address Book (p. 76). And if that wasn’t enough to convince you of the gastronomic credentials of our fair City, then turn to our Foodie Power List, a veritable smorgasbord, if you will, of the most important and influential chefs, restaurateurs and critics in the capital, who are single-handedly bringing about a food revolution on our doorstep (p. 10). We also interview Francesco Mazzei – of City favourite L’Anima – about his Italian roots and catering for the needs of the Square Mile (p. 23); I meet some ex–bankers so inspired by their love of gastronomy they left a world of funds and finance for a world of eating and drinking, (p. 17) and James Lawrence looks into the increasing phenomenon of local London breweries (p. 80). But this is not just a foodie issue, it’s a travel issue too – and the team and I have trekked the globe (poor us, it’s been such a trying month), in search of the absolute best in everything from uber-luxe corporate entertaining weekends (p. 100) to extreme stag dos (p. 96); as well as featuring a Spanish special with everything from city breaks in Madrid to 24-hour partying in Ibiza, by way of rural retreats in Menorca and foodie breaks in the Basque Country (p. 88). So, whether you’re eating well or travelling well (or both), this summer, bon appetit and bon voyage…

Emma Johnson Editor

Knights of theround tables London’s dining scene has truly come into its own in the past decade, with the capital now hailed as the one of the top restaurant destinations in the world. KERSTIN KÜHN lines up a veritable arsenal of the foodie power moguls taking over the London restaurant scene

he vibrancy and diversity of the eating-out sector in London is second to none and no matter what kind of cuisine you might fancy – French, Italian, Thai, Korean, Chinese or Peruvian – it’s all here for you to enjoy. But no other area in London has grown as much as the City in recent years. Once little more than a wasteland as far as restaurants and bars were concerned, with only a handful of operators such as St John, Conran Restaurants, 1 Lombard Street or Club Gascon catering for the banks, the past 10 years has seen an explosion of new ventures. From fast casual concepts to top-end fine dining, the

City now has it all. More and more established operators from Mayfair and the West End are choosing the City for their second or third outposts – steakhouse Goodman for instance, Japanese-Brazilian Sushinho or Chinese group Hakkasan – highlighting that right now, the City is where you have to be. And it’s only the beginning: with Crossrail and more residential developments set to be completed in the coming years and top-class operators such as Nobu, Jason Atherton and Ace Hotels coming too, the boom times for eating and drinking in the City are just getting started. But now, let’s take a look at the most powerful hospitality personalities in London today.

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Heston Blumenthal

Fat Duck and Dinner by Heston

PHOTOGRAPHY: courtesy of REX Features

PHOTOGRAPHY: courtesy of Eddie Judd

The self-taught mad scientist of haute cuisine, worldfamous for his molecular gastronomy and dishes such as snail porridge and bacon and egg ice cream. His three-Michelin-starred Fat Duck has been named the best restaurant in the world, while his London outpost Dinner topped Restaurant Magazine’s 2012 list of UK restaurants. Among the public he has garnered cult following thanks to his Channel 4 series Heston’s Fantastical Food and entered the kitchens of households up and down the country through his collaboration with supermarket Waitrose. What sets Blumenthal apart is that he is one of a rare breed of chefs to have managed to balance celebrity without sacrificing culinary standards. And with Dinner set to expand internationally, he will no doubt continue to work his magic around the world.

Chris Corbin and Jeremy King Rex Restaurant Associates

Charm personified, this duo has been the driving force behind some of London’s best-loved restaurants for more than three decades and practically invented the celebrity-haunt diner. After selling Caprice Holdings in 1998, they went on to launch the iconic Wolseley, an allday grand café in Piccadilly, in 2003. Following a few quiet years, the pair secured a £21m investment from private equity firm Graphite Capital in 2012. They returned in style with the launch of three fabulous new restaurants: The Delaunay, a grand European café-restaurant in Covent Garden; Brasserie Zédel, a huge, bustling Parisian brasserie off Piccadilly Circus; and Colbert on Sloane Square, inspired by the boulevard cafés of Paris. More is yet to come next year as Corbin and King are set complete their most ambitious project yet: the Beaumont hotel in Mayfair.

Richard Caring Caprice Holdings

The perma-tanned rag-trade tycoon turned restaurateur, whose collection of trophy hospitality businesses includes some of London’s most iconic restaurants and private clubs such as the Ivy, J Sheekey, Annabel’s and Harry’s Bar. His Caprice Holdings comprises 10 of London’s most celebrity-friendly spots and co-owns Balthazar London with Keith McNally. And if that wasn’t enough, Caring also owns a third of Soho House Group as well as stakes in high street chains Côte and Bill’s Produce Store. There are serial dealmakers and then there is Richard Caring, who’s been involved in some of the most high-profile restaurant sales in recent years. And with plans to expand Caprice and Soho House into 22 countries, world domination seems distinctly doable for this silver fox.

august 2013 THE CITY 11

Pascal Aussignac Gascon Connection

The foie gras evangelist, whose celebration of the food of his homeland in the south-west of France has taken London by storm. Synonymous with the Michelin-starred Club Gascon, which launched in 1998 in London’s Smithfield as a groundbreaking concept introducing Londoners to small plates and foie gras burgers, this charming Frenchman has always been way ahead of his time. In the past few years, his group has grown to eight outlets, including a Provence-inspired bar and restaurant off Fleet Street and a French version of a fish and chip shop (Chip+Fish) at Westfield, with the first out-ofLondon site set to open in Leeds in the autumn. Foie gras might not be for everyone but there’s no stopping this Gascon.

Nick Jones

Soho House Group The man with the Midas touch, responsible for some of London’s trendiest restaurants, bars and hotels, who has also successfully expanded around the globe. Setting the standard for private members’ clubs in the 1990s, Soho House has opened more and more restaurants, always at the forefront of what’s hot. In recent years Jones reinvented the gourmet pizza market with Pizza East and capitalised on the burger and rotisserie chicken craze with Dirty Burger and Chicken Shop in Kentish Town. Last year, he was one of the first to bring dude food to London, with the launch of the US-themed Electric Diner in collaboration with Chicago restaurateur Brendan Sodikoff, a concept so successful it’s just about to hit Soho where Boheme Kitchen & Bar has just made way for the new Soho Diner. There is no keeping up with the Jones.

Tim and Kit Kemp Firmdale Hotels

Husband-and-wife team Tim and Kit Kemp are the co-founders of Firmdale Hotels, a collection of stylish boutique hotels comprising the Soho Hotel, Charlotte Street Hotel, Covent Garden Hotel, Haymarket Hotel and the Dorset Square Hotel as well as chic B&Bs Number 16 in South Kensington and the Knightsbridge hotel. The couple has redefined the luxury boutique hotel genre right from its inception in 1985 and continues to do so, not just in London but the Big Apple too, where their Crosby Street hotel was listed as one of the best new business hotels in the world by Wallpaper and Fortune magazines. Winners of MBEs and numerous other accolades, the Kemps have no plans to slow down either: a new hotel is set to open in London’s Soho next year, and there’s several further planned for New York.

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Mark Hix

Hix Restaurants

Des Gunewardena and David Loewi D&D London

The management team behind D&D London, which has a 30-strong portfolio of restaurants including popular City haunts Paternoster Chop House, Coq d’Argent and the Royal Exchange. The duo relaunched Conran Restaurants as D&D London in 2007 after a management buyout and since then the company has steadily grown, now generating revenues of about £75m a year. Last year, they opened both the South Place Hotel and the restaurants at the Old Bengal Warehouse in the City, while this year came the first out-of-London venture in Leeds. In April, Gunewardena and Loewi sold the majority of the company to LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Bank, for £50m to fund overseas expansion. They already operate in New York, Tokyo, Istanbul, Paris and Copenhagen but much more is sure to come.

The chef-restaurateur and food writer, who has been at the forefront of the British food revolution, both through his restaurants, weekly column in The Independent and numerous cookery books. Rarely behind the stove these days, he is as much known for his restaurants as he is for his social life, with his mates including the likes of hard-partying artists Tracey Emin, Damien Hirst and Keith Allen. Formerly the chef-director of Caprice Holdings, Hix left in 2007 to go at it alone and has since opened six restaurants in London and one in Lyme Regis in his native Dorset. But not everything he touches is a guaranteed success and a co-venture with the luxury Belgraves hotel ended after just 10 months after failing to impress anyone. Not that this little glitch has dented Hix’s standing or popularity – his dedication to British food and produce continue to influence foodies and chefs alike.

Fergus Henderson

PHOTOGRAPHY: courtesy of Patricia Niven

St John

The ultimate chef’s chef, whose circle of fans includes the likes of Anthony Bourdain and Thomas Keller and whose nose-to-tail eating has inspired a whole generation of chefs. With no formal training, Henderson started out at the French House in Soho, which he ran with his wife Margot in the 1990s before launching St John in 1994 at a time when Smithfield was little more than a dead zone for restaurants. Since then he’s published two books, gained a Michelin star and launched St John Bread and Wine in Spitalfields, although the St John hotel off Leicester Square sadly went bust after just two years. British cooking and tucking into offal is about as cool as sporting a beard right now but Henderson has been doing it since day one.

august 2013 THE CITY 13

Chris & Jeff Galvin Galvin Restaurants

These brothers are the nice boys of the industry, whose numerous charity projects – including a celebrity chef boxing tournament – have made them as popular as their brilliant French restaurants. After all, few chefs can say they hosted the wedding of one of the country’s most fierce food critics, The Times’ Giles Coren (at La Chapelle). Since the opening of their Bistrot de Luxe in 2005, their business has gradually grown, now encompassing Michelinstarred restaurants with Galvin at Windows and La Chapelle, top-class bistros in Bistrot de Luxe, Café á Vin and Demoiselle, a concession at Harrods, as well as two restaurants at Edinburgh’s five-star Caledonian hotel. Their unwavering passion for the culinary joie de vivre of France has turned the Galvins into celebrated heroes of French cuisine, who are often imitated but rarely topped.

Mark Sainsbury

Fay Maschler

A trendsetting hotelier and restaurateur, who saw the potential of Clerkenwell way before his competitors and has been at the forefront of environmentalism in the hospitality industry as one of the founding members of the Sustainable Restaurant Association. Co-founder of Moro, with chefs Sam and Sam Clark, he is also co-owner of the Zetter Group, which includes the Zetter Hotel (voted one of the world’s 50 coolest hotels by Condé Nast Traveller) as well as Bistrot Bruno Loubet and the Zetter Townhouse. He has just opened Grain Store with Loubet on Granary Square in up-and-coming King’s Cross, which has already picked up much praise, including The Times’ Giles Coren hailing it “one of the best places of the year”. And never one to rest, Sainsbury and the Zetter Group are currently working on another project: a new boutique hotel opening in Marylebone next year.

London’s most feared and respected food critic, who has been reviewing restaurants for the Evening Standard for more than 40 years. Always the first to write about a restaurant, she is credited with the power to make or break a new place and is probably the only woman in the industry who makes even the biggest Michelin-starred chefs tremble with fear. But she is a passionate industry observer and in 2009 established the now annual London Restaurant Festival, a two-week citywide celebration of eating out. Maschler also runs restaurant consultancy business, A Private View, as well as restaurant review website Page One, listing her recommendations for 100 London restaurants. She has won the Glenfiddich Award for Restaurant Writer of the Year six times and has published several cookery books.

Zetter Group

London Evening Standard food critic

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Michel Roux Jnr

Le Gavroche, Roux at Parliament Square, Roux at The Landau The son of renowned chef Albert Roux, Michel Roux Jnr has successfully continued the legacy of one of the most celebrated culinary dynasties in the world. Not only is he the chef patron of London’s most iconic French restaurant, Le Gavroche, he has also become a household name through his various TV appearances, including the professional version of MasterChef, Michel Roux’s Service, the Food & Drink Show and most recently the Roux Scholarship. He has gone on to launch further restaurants with Roux at Parliament Square and Roux at The Landau, serving a lighter style of classically based French food, and has written seven books and launched his own iPhone app called Michel Roux: Fine Dining with the Masterchef, transporting the Roux family heritage into the 21st century.

Claude Bosi

Hibiscus, The Fox & Grapes and Malt House The French chef-patron of the two-Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant Hibiscus in Mayfair, who famously fell out with a food blogger after calling him a c*** on Twitter. Known for his terrifying temper, Bosi first opened Hibiscus with his ex-wife Claire in Ludlow, Shropshire, before relocating it to London in 2007. He has since branched out into the pub world, with the launch of the Fox & Grapes in Wimbledon and the Malt House in Fulham. Bosi is a chef that other chefs like to keep an eye on, with a direct yet balanced style that combines classical French skills with modern trends and techniques, allowing him to make something special out of the most ordinary ingredients. A strong contender for London’s next three Michelin stars.

Arjun Waney

Zuma, Roka, Oblix, La Petite Maison, Il Baretto, Banca, Aurelia, Arts Club, Coya A media-shy venture capitalist, best known for owning ostentatious celebrity haunts including La Petite Maison and the Arts Club, which he opened together with Mark Ronson and Gwyneth Paltrow and whose members include A-listers such as Jude Law and Emma Thompson. Waney’s first foray into hospitality was through backing Rainer Becker’s Japanese restaurant Zuma in Knightsbridge, which he set up as an investment hobby after constantly struggling to get a table at Nobu. Roka followed before expansion across three continents, while back in London the duo recently opened Oblix at the Shard. Separately he owns bling Italians Aurelia and Banca as well as posh Peruvian restaurant-cum-private club Coya. Although his portfolio is as diverse as David Beckham’s range of hairstyles, all of Waney’s restaurants have one thing in common: they are upmarket, expensive and frequented by the rich and famous.

august 2013 THE CITY 15

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from

Financetofood

As the City continues to go through the changes and challenges brought on by the economic downturn, some ex-bankers are leaving to start their own businesses; and many of them are heading into the world of food. Emma Johnson investigates those foodies who have given up on finance

art of the culture of the City is first the making of the money, and then the spending of it. In the last ten years – despite challenging economic times – the proliferation of restaurants and bars in the City has dramatically increased, proving that many of those in the financial heart of London are not only thriving, but still enjoying themselves while they do it. The very best in food and wine takes centre stage in this enjoyment – oysters, caviar, Champagne, lobster, truffle and first-growth Bordeaux abound on menus across the Square Mile and if there’s one thing for sure, it’s that those in the City know how to enjoy their food.

august 2013 THE CITY 17

“One of the reasons why the food and restaurant – or, in our case drink – industry is so popular for entrepreneurs – is that consumers are far more knowledgeable and interested about the provenance and quality of the food; thus creating an enthusiastic demand for small producers,“ says Ian Hart, who started the now renowned brand Sacred Gin several years ago after over a decade in the City. “Or it might just be that most people who’ve worked in the City have usually been lucky enough to have sampled some very fine food and drink over the years and they want to carry on!” he comments.

IAN HART Business: Sacred Gin Used to work: A headhunter for the financial sector in London Time in the City: 12 years One big lesson learned? To be persistent. We were lucky because some of the first people who supported us were incredibly influential in the drinks and retail industry, such as Gerry’s Wines & Spirits, Dukes London, and Fortnum and Mason. What did the City teach you? My business school background was useful – I’m not so sure about my experience in the City. Friends’ & colleagues’ reaction: Until we actually started to sell bottles, they thought it was a joke. I don’t think anyone really expected it to take off. Plans for the future: To expand – but only to a certain point. I run the business with my partner, Hilary, and we currently do all the distilling in our house. We have no investors, we don’t have to answer to anyone.

So it is perhaps not as surprising as it might first seem that that those people choosing to leave the City for new challenges are finding those challenges in the world of food. Soren Jessen, the owner of City institution 1 Lombard Street, who worked in shipping and then at Merrill Lynch, Goldman Sachs and UBS, before going into restaurants, says it felt like a natural move. “I love food, I love wine, I love hospitality. I love kitchens and I love restaurants. I wanted to open something in the City because there was nothing here. It was dead space for restaurants. And I know that because I spent ten years here ‘researching’ it. I didn’t know it was research at the time, but it was,” he jokes as we sit in the bar at 1 Lombard Street, sipping coffee. Looking around you can see how wellplaced Jessen was to open a restaurant here. As an ex-customer himself he knew exactly what City workers wanted – and 1 Lombard delivers it in spades. The space is grand and impressive, a vast glass dome dominates the room and draws light onto the bar, around it leather banquet seats and white tablecloths create an elegant, classy feel, while the recently opened restaurant at the back is an intimate, exclusive venue for dinner. Food is both simple and classic – pies and casseroles – and impressive and expensive – lobster, oysters and crab. This is the sort of place where you feel delightfully compelled to order Champagne by the magnum, where you can impress clients and colleagues, but also somewhere relaxed enough to feel local too. Around us suited and booted men – and some women – discuss deals and trades, laughing or commiserating

ANDY MOFFAT

Business: Redemption Brewery Used to work: Deutsche Bank In the City for: 12 years One big lesson learned? Running your own business is hard work. While you often get started because of a passion, you also need to recognise the commercial realities. What did the City teach you? An ability to analyse and the understanding of risk. Do you miss the City? Some aspects. Starting a business in the early stages can be quite solitary and you miss the banter. Friends’ & colleagues’ reaction: Surprised, interested and happy to see someone make such a drastic change. Plans for the future: We plan to continue to grow, but not too big. We are a local and personal business – the focus is on making great quality beer. Brew it and they will drink!

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about the day’s events, trying to out-do each other in humour and swagger. It is a City venue through and through, something that could perhaps have only been achieved by an ex-banker. So how did Jessen find himself moving from the City to here? “I loved [the City] for five years, liked it for two years and then, in the last two years, I started to think about doing something else. It was a mix of burning out, high stress, sitting on a trading floor looking at screens all day long, and a hostile environment. It was enormously exciting working in that environment among bright people – but it’s very unrelaxing. It was an aggressive environment – I liked that when I was younger, but after a while you get tired of it,” he recalls. And even if the environment is changing, it’s not necessarily getting better. Andy Moffat, who now owns Redemption Brewery, one of London’s most renowned and respected local breweries, says: “I think some people take a calculated approach that the financial incentives are less of an attraction than they once were. New capital adequacy rules probably make it more difficult to achieve the levels of performance that individuals managed to achieve in the good years. I also think entrepreneurship has become fashionable and there have been numerous role models

Soren Jessen Business: 1 Lombard Street Used to work: Goldman Sachs, UBS Time in the City: 10 years One big lesson learned? I’ve learnt that you need to be a little bit careful of jumping on the bandwagon with restaurant trends. If you want to be an institution, it’s a case of focusing on your basics. There was a huge investment here in updating the place, but still offering something people want. And, financially, I budget. Do you miss the City? No. I have the best part of the City now. I see a lot old colleagues, coming in and out and I like the buzz. Any regrets? I could have done some things better, had things happen quicker. Plans for the future: I want to do another allday brasserie like 1 Lombard Street, in Soho. And I’d like to open more City locations.

that have inspired people to start a business.” A change in environment has been the inspiration behind many recent

including the likes of Allens of Mayfair and The Rib Man. Like Jessen, Ford says that so much of his life in the City was made up of searching for and eating good food that going into the business was a natural progression. But it also fulfilled another criteria. “It was a bit of a challenge to try to make a success outside of the comfortable world I had created for myself in the finance industry,” he explains. And it certainly is a challenging move. “I knew what I wanted to do, but I probably spent two years trying to convince myself it was a bad idea,” says Moffat. “My career

I love food, I love wine, I love hospitality. I wanted to open something in the City because there was nothing here entrepreneurs, not least Rob Ford, whose online shopping venture, Tilia, delivers the highest-end food and wine from renowned artisan producers throughout the London –

august 2013 THE CITY 19

I was on the inside when the banking crisis started and I knew I had to get out

in finance taught me that if something sounds too good to be true it probably is. Eventually I reached a stage where I was comfortable that the chances of making a brewing business work were reasonable.” This no-risk approach to a new business is typical of ex-City workers. Jessen explains how he has remained successful because he puts his business head before his passion, every time. “It’s maybe difficult to be a really good chef, for instance, and then hire a

rob ford Business: Tilia Used to work: Deutsche Bank & Standard Chartered In the City for: 11 years One big lesson learned? Building a business from scratch takes time and a lot of ups and downs. I would have prepared myself better for those fluctuations with hindsight. What did the City teach you? It’s a corny corporate phrase but ‘persistence beats resistance’ does ring true in the early days of entrepreneurialism. Do you miss the City? On a bad day I can miss some of the social aspects, but on the whole I love everything about Tilia, both as a service to use and a business to own. Friends’ & colleagues’ reaction: They thought I was absolutely mad; some very strong words were exchanged. Any regrets? No, we are all made up of our experiences and I like where I am right now.

good finance director – I think the reverse is probably easier. To have a good business approach, understand the finances, negotiate a good deal, hire the right people, and then find a good chef to work with. Of course, I don’t think that you can invent a passion for something you don’t have, but equally it’s

got to work as a business, and we’ve got to be able to pay the bills at the end of the month.” Part of Jessen’s inspiration behind moving into restaurants, was because he wanted to, “deal with a more tangible product” and because he saw a need for something in the City world he knew and had loved. Working with something physical that you can produce, and which has a real sense of place, has been the inspiration behind both Moffat’s brewery, as also Ian Hart’s Sacred Gin distillery. “I have always enjoyed a good gin and tonic; so I thought I’d have a go at making my own gin,” explains Hart. “Plus, as a Londoner, I liked the idea of producing what is traditionally a London product, actually in London.” Hart left his head hunting role in the City because the economy was affecting his work and he “knew there must be something more interesting out there for me”. Using his degree in natural sciences and his rather unique childhood hobby of distilling things at home, meant eventually gin presented itself as a realistic business proposition. But having the basic skills didn’t mean there wasn’t a lot to learn. “We had very vague ideas about branding. The name Sacred, for example, comes from the fact that one of our botanicals is frankincense from the Boswellia sacra tree – but we didn’t really have much of a clue. Our very first label was a gold crown which I cut out myself using a scalpel knife,” he recalls. Branding, one of the most important things for any business these days, is something all entrepreneurs have had to consider, and learn the specifics of fast. “I wish I had thought about branding, as it’s absolutely key,” say Rob Ford. “I had no idea about mine, or my company’s image, I just thought that amazing produce would do all the work for me. That has some truth to it, but it’s a competitive market so you need to work a little harder than that.”

feature

In a competitive market, knowing the brand and the customer base is vital; as Jessen was only too aware of. “I was quite clear about branding actually. I knew we needed good food at reasonable prices, but then we had to trade up from there, because our audience want to have more truffles, more lobster. The City is much more than bankers; the City is lawyers, accountants, all the assistants; but everyone has this location in common.”

Jonathan & Joanna Carthew Business: Black Mountains Smokery, Brecon Beacons Used to work: Barclays Bank One big lesson learned? When starting a new business it is very easy to spend money but very hard to earn it. What did the City teach you? Having witnessed many businesses go under through over-spending I knew how to avoid those mistakes happening to my own business. Friends’ & colleagues’ reaction: They were surprised but very supportive.

It’s good to hear that Jessen’s business is thriving, but the challenges of the financial turbulence of the last five years have had their impact too, in more ways than one. As ex-bankers and City workers, entrepreneurs have found themselves but on the outside of the major crash but with a unique insight. What was it like watching from the outside? “I left in 2008, so before Lehman and the UK bank issues but after Bear Stearns and the US sub-prime market collapse. As a small business owner I can appreciate other SMEs’ frustration with the banking system, but having worked in the system I probably have a more balanced view than most,” says Moffat. For others the experience was a little more personal. “I was on the inside when the banking crisis started and I knew I had to get out,” recalls Hart. “Our business was therefore born because of the financial crisis and, slowly but surely, is growing very satisfactorily.” Perhaps the sagest advice comes from Jessen, whose location in the heart of the City has ensured he has always been aware of how closely his business is linked to the country’s finances. “It was terrifying when it happened. And you can’t think you’re out of it, you’ve just got to shape up. I remember saying to my team, we’re not going to talk about ‘when the good times come back’ any more, we need to find out how to make money in the bad times because the bad times are here to stay.” Equally, says Jessen, you can’t rely on banks to help bail you out of some questionable business decisions now. “You need to be able to stand on your own two feet. A lot of restaurants go under because they can’t withstand the bad times. In the old days banks would lend to you, but not now.” As a restaurateur whose business has been running for 15 years, Jessen clearly speaks sense. 1 Lombard Street has become a City institution – its location on the main intersection at Bank of England and the Royal Exchange geographically puts it at the

Graham Shore Business: Domaine Vintur - wine producing in Provence. Time in the City: I still work in the City part time, started in 1984 at Touche Ross, now at Deloitte as a management consultant; I also worked on several of the big Thatcher privatisations of the 1980s. One big lesson learned? French viticultural and wine regulation is worse than I ever dreamt. This is not an easy country in which to set up a business in any field, but agriculture and alcohol are in a special category. What did the City teach you? I’m not sure. I don’t give up easily, but that’s hardly unique to people in finance. I try at all times to have high professional standards. ‘OK’ is just not good enough. Do you miss the City? I have my feet in both camps, so no. But I do miss some of the adrenaline. The compensations of wine in Provence are obvious!

centre of the City, but it has also managed to retain its clientele over the years. “It takes three years to establish a restaurant. It takes five years plus to make a good restaurant. If you’ve been around for ten years, it’s an institution. We’ve been here 15 years now and unless we do something stupid, if we maintain the level of service we provide, aiming a little bit higher all the time, we’ll be here another 15 or 25 years. That’s an institution. A career in the City is often not much more than 15 years. So as far as people in the City are concerned, we’ve always been here.”

august 2013 THE CITY 21

FESTIVAL OF

FOOD & WINE

RACEDAY SATURDAY 7TH SEPTEMBER Be inspired by an array of tantalising local food and wines from around the world as celebrity chef, James Martin, presents a live cookery demonstration between a thrilling seven-race card.

TICKETS FROM ÂŁ18PP. FINE DINING AVAILABLE.

ascot.co.uk

interview

The

ItalianJob Kerstin KĂźhn talks to Francesco Mazzei, head chef at City favourite Lâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Anima, about getting it right in the Square Mile

august 2013 THE CITY 23

irst you have a glass of wine and a plate of pasta and then we do the interview,” orders Francesco Mazzei, instantly epitomising the warmth and welcome of Italian hospitality. The chef, tall and slender with piercing dark eyes, wavy black hair and a-larger-thanlife personality, is like a culinary version of charismatic actor Roberto Benigni. He talks rapidly at about 200 words a minute, embodying nervous excitement, passion and charm, all coupled with an infectious smile that makes it impossible not to like him. His restaurant, L’Anima, located a stone’s throw from Liverpool Street, is arguably the capital’s finest contemporary Italian eatery, making Mazzei one of London’s hottest chefs. Hidden away in a glitzy development in Broadgate West, it has become a firm favourite among the City crowd and London’s wider food community alike. It is sleek and eye-wateringly expensive with an impressive wine cellar and a refined menu celebrating the chef’s native southern Italy. L’Anima’s large rectangular dining room – designed by one of the grand masters of contemporary minimalism, Claudio Silvestrin – is stark, with its glass frontage, marble flooring, white leather seats and tablecloths, dark brick walls and portholes into a vast kitchen. Mazzei’s food on the other hand, like his personality, is soulful, bursting with the vibrancy of rustic Italian cooking. Signature dishes like fritto misto with lemon; octopus a la plancha with cannellini beans, ricotta mustia and paprika oil; or rabbit Siciliana are beautifully simple, colourful, comforting and bold. The pasta dish I’m ordered to eat is a gorgeous plate of fettuccine with wild mushrooms, Grana Padano Riserva and black truffle. Velvety and creamy, it is a riot of dark, earthy flavours that are so delicious that for a moment I forget I’m here to interview the chef. “My food is rustic. I always say my biggest inspiration is my mother; she still to this day complains when something

isn’t seasoned right or has too much sauce,” Mazzei explains. “I don’t use foie gras or make foams; my cooking is the kind of food you can eat every day. I don’t want a quiet 30-seat dining room; I want a full restaurant with the atmosphere of an Italian piazza, with people enjoying an Italian feast.” It’s obvious that being a chef runs deep in

good place at that time,” he recalls. “The Mafia came and were trying to force us to buy from certain people. I was young and stubborn and adamant that I would never get involved with them, but eventually my father and brother, who was a local policeman, told me to go saying: ‘They’re going to kill you.’ I didn’t want to leave but it saved my life.” He joined the Grand Hotel et de Roma and was sent on a sabbatical to London to learn English but while working at the Dorchester hotel under luminaries Willi Elsener and Henry Brosi, he fell in love with London’s lively and cosmopolitan restaurant scene and remained for three years. After a stint back in Italy, Mazzei finally returned to London to open Italian restaurant Anda with Wagamama and Hakkasan founder Alan Yau, a man he describes as a “genius and huge mentor” before joining celebrated

I want a full restaurant with the atmosphere of an Italian piazza, with people enjoying an Italian feast Mazzei’s veins. And it’s no surprise. Born in 1973 in Calabria (Italy’s toe) his immersion in the hospitality industry began very early in life. Aged just eight, dying to buy himself a pair of Levi’s jeans, he got a job in his uncle Giuseppe’s patisserie and ice-cream shop in Cerchiara di Calabria. After studying catering and opening a restaurant with the college president at 18, Mazzei was forced to move to Rome. “South Italy was not a

interview

restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King’s at St Alban in Mayfair. He credits the Wolseley, Delaunay and Brasserie Zédel duo with equipping him with the commerce behind cooking. “Chris and Jeremy taught me everything I needed to know about how to run my own restaurant. In terms of learning about business, it was the best time of my life,” he says. After parting ways with Corbin and King, Mazzei opened L’Anima (meaning ‘soul’ in Italian) in 2008 together with American business backer Peter Morano, one of the key property developers of Canary Wharf in the 1980s, who owns the building the restaurant is housed in. L’Anima was an overnight success and a huge hit with even the fiercest restaurant critics, picking up a string of awards, including Square Meal, Tatler and Harden’s best newcomer. His profile was further boosted through a six-month guestchef collaboration with PizzaExpress in 2010, for which he created a selection of starters, a

pasta dish and three gourmet pizzas, which were available nationwide. But regardless of the awards, rave reviews and increasingly high profile, running a high-end Italian restaurant in a notoriously difficult area for fine dining and during the worst recession in recent history has not always been easy, Mazzei admits.

been one of the City’s biggest success stories, thanks both to Mazzei’s great talent in the kitchen and the business acumen he picked up during his formative years. “The thing is that in the City you have to know what you’re doing, it’s totally different from Mayfair,” he says. “We have 45 minutes to serve our customers lunch but that doesn’t mean we turn tables. We do two sittings and make sure everyone walks out well-fed and happy.” So how has the City’s dining scene changed in recent years? “We were pioneers with L’Anima and since our launch there have opened around ten to twelve new restaurants around us,” he says. “It’s great to have competition, but what the City still needs is a proper Japanese restaurant. Chrysan (a shortlived high-end Japanese restaurant from the owners of Hakkasan) didn’t work – they didn’t listen – but a real Japanese restaurant will do phenomenally well, here they can charge whatever they want.” Indeed Mazzei is convinced that the boom years he’s missed out on so far will return to the City and that there’s much more still to come for the financial district: “I believe the City will boom again in the next two years. There’s so much going on with lots of residential developments meaning there’ll be more and more people moving to the area. It’s going to be great, and that’s why we’ll be doing a new concept soon,” he enthuses, but declining to reveal any more. And then there’s that smile again. “I’m very happy,” he concludes with genuine gusto. “I’ve been doing this job since I was eight years old. But I still get up every morning with a big smile that I’m going to work.” It certainly shows.

In the City you have to know what you’re doing, it’s totally different to Mayfair “When we opened there was a need for a top Italian restaurant in the City,” he insists. “But the business climate has got worse and worse since we opened as budgets are getting smaller and smaller. We launched just at the beginning of the credit crunch and we’ve never had a real boom time like all the other restaurants.” Despite the tough economic backdrop, however, it is undeniable that L’Anima has

august 2013 THE CITY 25

Lives

through a lens

The awe-inspiring images from the annual Travel Photographer of the Year capture both the sweeping majesty and the intimate simplicity of the natural and human world. Here we exclusively showcase some of the most exciting and dramatic images from the exhibition

genre: Journeys category: Best Single Image in a Portfolio Special Mention: David Lazar, Australia

genre: Wild Planet category: Best Single Image in a Portfolio special mention: Chris McLennan, New Zealand

feature genre: Places & Faces category: Young Travel Photographer (14 years old & under) Runner-Up : Rebecca Deckmyn, Belgium (age 13)

An exhibition of the Travel Photographer of the Year 2012 winners is running at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) until 18th August D tpoty.com

genre: Places & Faces category: Young Travel Photographer (14 years old & under) winner: Michael Theodric, Indonesia (age 10) D Michael Theodric has been taking photographs since he was eight years old. Judges felt that his portfolio was exceptionally strong, inviting you into the lives of these fishermen.

genre: Celebration category: Condé Nast Traveller Award Commended: Enrique López-Tapia, Spain

genre: Places & Faces category: Young Travel Photographer (ages 15 to 18) winner: Matthew Gillooley, USA (age 18)

genre: Another World category: New Talent Portfolio winner: Alessandra Meniconzi, Switzerland D Alessandra has captured the main elements of life for Siberia’s Nenets, a nomadic group whose life is based around the reindeer herds, in a portfolio which offers pace, perspective and a personal view into the lives of these people. This portfolio mixes the gritty reality with great beauty.

genre: Places & Faces category: Young Travel Photographer special mention: Nasser Albahrani, Abu Dhabi (age 18)

genre: People Watching category: Portfolio runner-up: Jan Schlegel, Germany

genre: Journeys category: Best Single Image in a Portfolio special mention: Carlos Esteves, Portugal

genre: Wild Planet category: Portfolio winner: Marsel van Oosten, Netherlands D The sky is often overlooked when thinking about the wildness of this planet but what better example is there than the sky at night and the heavens filled with stars?

feature

genre: People Watching category: Best Single Image in a Portfolio winner: Timothy Allen, UK

genre: People Watching category: Portfolio winner: Philip Lee Harvey, UK D Philip has captured the groundnut harvest near Bagan in Myanmar in a set of beautiful, atmospheric images, combining his observational skills with an ability to do much more than simply document what he sees. The images are a celebration of the fruits of a yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s labour and of sharing the day with these people.

genre: Journeys category: Portfolio runner-up: Jason Edwards, Australia

august 2013 THE CITY 29

www.bachet.fr

style

REPORT Bright stars Late summer is the time to pair bold colours and quirky prints with bright whites, for a seasonal trend, says AMY LOUISE ROBERTS

s we approach the final weeks of what, overall, has been an uncharacteristically fine summer, the latter part of these warmer months promises not to disappoint. For men, this means keeping the vibrant colours, printed fabrics, white chinos and navy blazers out of the wardrobe for just that little bit longer than is normally expected. Whether itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s safari-printed suits, bright red blazers and jumpers, or smart printed shorts teamed with a plain white polo shirt, all done so masterfully by the folks at Marc Jacobs, Hackett and Paul Smith (as seen here), one thing is sure, these summer trends arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going away just yet. Expect plenty of white, particularly in trousers, teamed with navy for a smarter, seasonal style, printed shirts and jackets, or slouchy shorts for the casual weekend look. D hackett.com / marcjacobs.com / paulsmith.co.uk

lookbook page turner Massimo Dutti’s A/W 13 collection features a great range of stripped-back men’s basics. As one of those rare collections that can be worn top to toe, try one of its woollen blazers, unbuttoned, under a slim-fitted leather jacket, or over a pair of rust-coloured chinos for a sophisticated weekend look. D A/W 13 collection, Massimo Dutti, massimodutti.com

Pier pressure Orlebar Brown describes its signature swim shorts as ‘bridge items’, meaning its quick-drying and versatile swim shorts can be worn on and off the beach, but deserve to be worn on both. All the shorts, made exclusively in the UK or Portugal, are tailored using French fabrics and Italian zips. Orlebar Brown also retails men’s jackets, polos and sweats. D orlebarbrown.co.uk

style : hIM This season’s most wearable trends for the stylish man about town

the english gentleman On 17 June, the bespoke tailors of Savile Row collaborated with The Woolmark Company and London’s finest shirt-makers and hatters for a presentation of their collected S/S 14 looks as part of London Collections: Men. The colour palette varied between breezy pastels to primary blues. Citrus-yellow and mint-green blazers were worn unbuttoned over white chinos, and double-breasted navy and sea-blue jackets hugged polo shirts, off-white trousers and tieless shirts. D The English Gentleman, londoncollections.co.uk

him | style

invictus On 29 July, Paco Rabanne will launch a fragrance for men called INVICTUS. INVICTUS mixes vibrant and masculine layers of grapefruit, bay leaf, guaiac wood and patchouli. Poured into a trophy-shaped bottle, dreamed up by French interior designer Cedric Ragot, the scent of INVICTUS captures the essential qualities of drive and success.

- travel bag essentials Core items every travel itinerary needs to carry you from check-in to touch-down

D INVICTUS, £57 per 100ml, Paco Rabanne, pacorabanne.com

kindle fire hd

LOOKING GLASS

A time-killing and luggage-lightening way to watch TV shows and read.

Cutler and Gross’s Autumn / Winter 13 collection of glasses and sunglasses is inspired by London gentlemen and British tailoring. For women, the collection features candy-coloured retro-frames and mirrored aviators. For men, lasers were used to create colourful patterns ranging from curved red frames fading into blue, and grey and blue tortoiseshell prints. Playful, wearable and truly unique, Cutler and Gross’s specs are set to stand the test of time.

D Kindle Fire, £129, Amazon, amazon.co.uk

invisible socks

Falke’s invisible cotton socks are the hygienic way to wear summer brogues without clamminess.

D A/W 13 collection, Cutler and Gross, cutlerandgross.com

D Invisible Step Shoe Liners, £8, Falke, sockshop.co.uk

brief solution sKULL CANE, £310

Drop Skull Chain Cufflinks, £230

Alexander McQueen’s pre-A/W 13 campaign’s men’s accessories collection is wonderfully macabre – think skulltopped umbrellas and tasselled skull cufflinks. If that sounds too avant-garde, its Heroic briefcase’s short top-handles, suede interior and angular double zips hint to McQueen’s penchant for drama without any major theatrics of its own.

travel grooming kit

This box of essentials contains portable aftershave lotion and shaving cream.

D Jermyn Street Collection Grooming Box, £165, Taylor of Old Bond Street, tayloroldbondst.co.uk

sKULL HANDLE UMBRELLA, £355

D Pre-A/W 13 collection, Alexander McQueen, alexandermcqueen.com

Skull Umbrella, £330

marshall headphones

On planes people talk, cough and fiddle, which is why these headphones might come in handy. Plus they look great. D Major 50 FX Headphones, £100, Marshall, marshallheadphones.com

cashmere blazer

A crease-resistant cashmere blazer can be slipped on and off to instantly smarten a more casual outfit. Heroic Briefcase, £1,075

D Palma Cashmere Jacket, £1,450, Gucci, matchesfashion.com

august 2013 THE CITY 33

XXXXXX

Nautical chic isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just about Breton stripes; embrace soft blues, pinks and creams in cotton, linen and denim for a classic, relaxed look Fashion editor Lucie Dodds Photographer Glen Burrows

34 THE CITY xxxxxxx 2013

XXXXXX Denim Shirt, £75, Thomas Pink, thomaspink.com; White Shorts, £110, Polo Ralph Lauren, ralphlauren.com, 020 7535 4600

xxxxxxxx 2013 THE CITY 35

this page: White Shirt, £155, James Perse, jamesperse.co.uk; Sunglasses, £POA, from a selection,Tom Ford, tomford.com

opposite page: White Tee, £45, James Perse, as before; Navy Cardigan, £195, and Yellow Jumper, £195, both Thomas Pink, as before; Floral Shorts, £120, Ralph Lauren, as before

Blazer, £POA, Trousers, £POA ,both Ermmano Scervino, as before; The Stole Hero scarf in Shark 100% silk twill, £125, Jane Carr, jane-carr.com; Altiplano skeleton watch, £34,000, Piaget, en.piaget.com

36 THE CITY xxxxxxx 2013

XXXXXX this page: Pink Shirt, £110, and tie, £69, Thomas Pink; Waistcoat, £170, Belt, £40, White Jeans, £110, all Polo Ralph Lauren, as before opposite page: Navy Cardigan, £810, Ralph Lauren Black Label Denim, and Jeans, £110, Polo Ralph Lauren, as before; White Shirt, £155, James Perse, as before; Sunglasses, £POA, from a selection, Tom Ford, as before

Grooming: Danielle Ogilvie. Using Chanel Le Weekend S/S2013 xxxxxxxx 2013 THE CITY 39 xxxxxxxx 2013 THE CITY 39

style | her

Piece Offering White was one of the stand-out colours of the fashion world’s S/S 13 collections and featured heavily on the runways of Roberto Cavalli, Valentino and Chanel. Acne’s take on the trend is a series of relaxed and interchangeable pieces ranging from sporty biker jackets to draping maxi skirts. We love this two-tone, deep-pocketed jacket, which sports black panels and drawstrings to break up its silhouette. D Spring / Summer 13 collection, acnestudios.com

Blue Steel Michael Kors has reinvented its coveted Hamilton tote in a new electric-blue shade for fall. The tote features the Hamilton range’s scratch-resistant leather and has a multi-pocketed interior. With attractive black straps and silver accents, this tote is perfect for the office, the bar and, well, for anywhere. D MICHAEL Michael Kors Hamilton Large Tote, £310, harrods.com

st yle :her This season’s most wearable trends for the chicest woman about town

suits you London-based swimwear brand MOEVA launched in 2012. Just one short year later, MOEVA has already established itself as one of the most exciting new swimwear lines to come out of the UK. MOEVA’s Spring / Summer collection features a variety of cut-out onepieces, intricately strapped bikinis, dramatic necklines and slips of sheer panelling. Each piece is made from a mixture of polyamide and elastin to ensure a snug fit that won’t droop with wear. MOEVA also retails chiffon and silk cover-ups.

The silver lining of passing through an airport is the excuse to buy gorgeous travel accessories. Aspinal of London’s Deluxe Canadian Travel Collection set includes two luggage tags, a silk-lined passport cover, and a travel wallet made from black English leather featuring a contrasting cobalt suede panel.

D Spring / Summer 13 collection,

D Deluxe Canadian Travel Collection set in

MOEVA, moeva.com

black and cobalt blue, £175, Aspinal of London,

plane perk

aspinaloflondon.com

40 THE CITY august 2013

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

REPORT

the code-breakers Bremont’s latest creation takes us back in time and into the UK’s history, writes Richard Brown

hen Bremont transported us to Bletchley Park last month, we were taken back 70 years to the time of wartime code-breaking Britain. The role played by the Park in decrypting German ciphers is widely recognised; what you mightn’t know is that Bremont has just revealed a limited edition watch that incorporates into its design historical Bletchley artefacts. Unveiled before the eyes of four veterans who had worked at the site during WWII, the Codebreaker features parts of an Enigma machine in its rotor and, elsewhere,

wood from the iconic Hut 6 (the centre of operations during WWII) and paper from one of the centre’s few remaining punch cards. The classically-styled watch comes with a 46 hour power reserve, a GMT second time zone and a never-before-seen flyback chronograph GMT automatic movement. Invest in one of the 240 steel (£11,995) or 50 rose gold (£21,950) versions and you’ll help to preserve an important part of British history; a percentage of the proceeds will go towards restoration of the legendary park. D bremont.com

We prefer not to be measured by dimensions. Unless it’s a new dimension of accuracy.

No fewer than four exceptional mechanisms enhance the precision of the RICHARD LANGE TOURBILLON “Pour le Mérite”: the tiny fusée-and-chain transmission, the delicate tourbillon, the ultra-thin Lange balance spring, and – not least – the patented stop-seconds device for the tourbillon which makes it possible to

set the watch with one-second accuracy in the first place. Never before has an A. Lange & Söhne watch been endowed with so many complications that simultaneously enhance its rate accuracy, settability, and readability. And so, this remarkable timepiece truly deserves the honorary attribute “Pour le Mérite”.

Arije 165, Sloane Street London • George Pragnell 5 and 6, Wood Street, Stratford-upon-Avon Hamilton & Inches 87, George Street, Edinburgh • Harrods 87–135 Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London Watches of Switzerland 16, New Bond Street, London • Wempe 43-44, New Bond Street, London Lange Uhren GmbH • Tel. +34 91 454 89 82 • www.lange-soehne.com

Final_JT_UK_N_KensingtonAndChelsea_RLT_PLM_PG_210x297_ATMO-026-12.indd 1

08.02.2012 15:52:48 Uhr

COLLECTION

AN UNCOMPLICATED CHOICE

a charitable initiative

A whistle-stop tour of the world’s latest timepieces, Baselworld can become a blur of bezels, cases, dials and movements. To stand out from the horological crowd, a brand must present something pretty spectacular – which is exactly what MeisterSinger did this year with its Singulator. 43mm in diameter and possessing only the thinnest of bezels, the single-hand watch displays time via three separate hands – the first in the world to do so. The simple, elegant design of the watch certainly struck a chord with us – fitting seeing as though the brand’s logo is the fermata musical note. If you think it looks good on this page, believe us, it’s even prettier in real life. D Singulator, £4,580, MeisterSinger, meistersinger.net

From one German manufacture to another; if you’re looking for a watch of smart simplicity and happen to be in a charitable mood at the same time, then gift yourself a NOMOS Tangente and donate £100 to international health care charity Doctors Without Borders (Médecins Sans Frontières) in doing so. The limited-edition hand-wound watches feature a red twelve, the name Doctors Without Borders on their white silverplated dial and an engraving on the back referring to the humanitarian organisation. Only 1,000 of the 33mm and 35mm models will be produced, with the sale of each helping to support a body that supplies impartial aid to war-torn areas and those suffering from natural disasters. D NOMOS watches are available in Mappin & Webb, Watches of Switzerland and Wempe nomos-glashuette.com

watches

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

ONE TO WATCH Every month, we select our timepiece of the moment from the watch world’s most exciting creations

45mm in size and made of a material harder than ceramic, the PAM 505 is definitely a man’s watch. If further proof were needed, the words Black Seal printed on its dial reference a type of torpedo used by the Italian Navy. Grrr! D PAM505, £6,600, Panerai panerai.com

ALL THINGS BAUME AND BEAUTIFUL When we were introduced to Baume & Mercier’s Capeland Flyback chronograph 18 months ago, we were dazzled by its beauty. By the end of 2012, it remained one of our favourite watches of that year. This year, having just been presented with the brand’s latest creation, we are pretty sure we’ll feel the same about Baume & Mercier at the end of 2013 too, thanks to the Capeland Worldtimer, released in June. From £5,110, it possesses a self-winding mechanical movement, sapphire case back and is available in 18-karat red gold or polished satinbrushed steel. Over and above all that, it is absolutely stunning. D baume-et-mercier.com

AUGUST 2013 THE CITY 45

COLLECTION

2 1 4 3

Getting REDDY

For a touch of true class, rely on golds, elegant burgundies and browns

9 8

D 1 Silk scarf, £165, Budd Shirt Makers, buddshirts.co.uk D 2 Dunhill Club oval glasses, £170, Alfred Dunhill, dunhill.co.uk D 3 Chronofighter 1695 watch, £14,790,

Graham Watches, jurawatches.co.uk D 4 Double face pocket square, £35, Thomas Pink, thomaspink.com D 5 Solid suspenders, £60, Brooks Brothers, brooksbrothers.com D 6 Engraved rose gold-plated tie clip, £100, Lanvin, mrporter.com D 7 Knitted silk tie, £65, Budd Shirt Makers, buddshirts.co.uk D 8 Metropolitan dark brown Victoria

satchel, £1,140, Ettinger, ettinger.co.uk D 9 De Ville Co-Axial Chronograph 42 mm in rose gold with leather strap, £18,270, Omega, omegawatches.com D 10 Black mother of pearl collar stiffeners, £55, Alfred Dunhill, dunhill.co.uk D 11 Hologram skull enamel cufflinks, £95, Alexander McQueen, matchesfashion.com

46 THE CITY AUGUST 2013

Swiss movement, English heart

Made in Switzerland / Sellita SW200-1 self-winding movement / 38 hour power reserve / 42mm marine-grade 316L stainless steel case / Water resistant to 300 metres / 4mm anti-reflective sapphire crystal / Unique engraved serial number / Italian leather deployment strap

218_ChristopherWard_City.indd 1

11/07/2013 09:04

LA VIE EN ROSE

TO PARIS WITH LOVE Paris has been a source of inspiration for Cartier ever since it was founded there in 1847 so what better way for the jewellery house to pay homage to the French capital than with a fine jewellery collection? Its iconic architecture, landmarks and moods have been captured in the Nouvelle Vague which includes jewels named Sparkling, Mischievous, Emancipated and Glamour. So, thanks to the Parisian jeweller’s new collection, we’ll always have Paris. D cartier.com

jewellery

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

CUTTING EDGE Last year, Lalique illustrated its comeback into the jewellery industry with a collection themed around a symbol of the phoenix rising from the ashes. This year sees the mythical bird transform into a butterfly to represent the jewellery house’s second contribution to the world of fine jewellery. Head of design Quentin Obadia comments on his Soulmates collection:

“As an iconic motif of LALIQUE, the butterfly and its movements captivated founder René Lalique’s imagination and has therefore been interpreted in many forms since the House was established. The jewellery from the Soulmates Collection draws upon this sense of heritage, combining sapphires, pearls, aquamarine and other precious materials to honour the fascination of its founder and an insect synonymous with the LALIQUE name”

D Pysche Nighttime Long necklace and ring, both POA, lalique.com

Fifteen new pieces have bloomed from Piaget’s signature Rose collection. Launched in 2012 to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Yves Piaget rose, the latest additions reinterpret the romantic symbol with ultra-feminine models bursting with colour and vitality. Featuring pink tourmalines, exquisite pink opals and diamonds coupled with intricate lacework, each piece accentuates the beauty of the Swiss house’s muse. D piaget.com

LION’S DEN In June, Chanel opened its longanticipated London flagship store on New Bond Street, and with it came a new high jewellery collection. Sous le Signe du Lion is, as you might expect, a paean to the big cat; the feline creature has strong ties to Chanel’s mistress who was not only born under the Leo zodiac sign but also remained fascinated by this powerful beast following her trip to Venice in 1920 where it represents the city’s patron saint. Staying true to the fashion maison, the 58 pieces dare to be different. D chanel.com

collection

1 3

CULTURE CLASH

5 6

This year’s tribal trend has taken a futuristic turn with geometric shapes and striking colours

D 1 Triangle Swarovski earrings, POA, Oscar de la Renta, oscardelarenta.com D 2 Silver-tone, resin, cord and satin necklace, £120, Marc by Marc Jacobs, net-a-porter.com D 3 Arrow Complex necklace, £630, Scho at Kabiri, kabiri.co.uk D 4 Smoky quartz necklace with etched bead, £355, Manguette, manguette.com D 5 Gold-tone multi-stone

necklace, £221, Etro, net-a-porter.com D 6 Blackrok necklace, £600, Manish Arora for Amrapali, amrapalijewels.com D 7 Gold-tone resin clip earrings, £200, Marni, net-a-porter.com D 8 18-karat rose gold, diamond and onyx earrings, £6,710, Gucci, gucci.com D 9 Double open arch gold-plated ring, £310, Maiyet, net-a-porter.com D 10 Thin gold ring, £75, Gina Melosi at Kabiri, kabiri.co.uk D 11 Tribe yellow gold and silver cuff, £550, Amrapali, amrapalijewels.com D 12 Celeste necklace, £1,150,

Manish Arora for Amrapali, amrapalijewels.com

AUGUST 2013 THE CITY 49

Canary Wharf

bars & restaurants • fashion & style • arts & events canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

SHOPPING

British favourites with flair Acclaimed chef Tom Aikens brings his renowned Tom’s Kitchen, Bar & Deli to Canary Wharf’s vibrant dining scene

he newest addition to Tom Aikens’ restaurant list opened in Canary Wharf last month. Open seven days a week, Tom’s Kitchen serves British favourites, using the very best seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients from breakfast to dinner. The a la carte menu will combine modern twists on traditional French fare including steak tartare, chicken liver parfait and milk chocolate profiteroles with British staples such as fish pie, macaroni cheese and sticky toffee pudding. Innovative dishes incorporating seasonal produce will also appear on a daily changing specials board. A defining feature of Tom’s Kitchen Canary Wharf is the outdoor terrace, seating 80; perfect for al fresco dining and after work drinks. The concise, well-chosen wine list offers much to excite the palate

including the Tom’s Kitchen house label biodynamic wine, produced for the brand by the Chateau La Coste estate. Those in the know will head to the restaurant at the weekends for its famed brunch. Made famous at the Chelsea and Somerset House establishments, a cult menu will include classics such as eggs benedict as well as brioche French toast with caramelised apples and cinnamon cream. “We are thrilled to be moving forward with this exciting third location. We are keen to introduce Tom’s Kitchen with its trademark quality British comfort food, featuring the finest seasonal produce, to the thriving Canary Wharf community,” said Tom. D Tom’s Kitchen, 11 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, tomskitchen.co.uk/canary-wharf

www.canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

All That Jazz This summer, lose yourself in the electric variety of live music at Boisdale of Canary Wharf

s one of Canary Wharf’s most diverse venues, Boisdale of Canary Wharf spans a buzzing traditional Scottish restaurant, whisky bar, cigar terrace, caviar and oyster bar, and cigar library. Known locally and nationwide for its live music, this August prepare for an exuberant line-up of soul, blues and the re-imagining of music heroes. Every Thursday pull-up a chair and topup a glass of any one of Boisdale of Canary Wharf’s abundance of 1,000 Scottish single malts, Irish, Japanese, Indian and Welsh whisky, and lose yourself in ‘Lizzie Deane’s Soul Spectacular’ show. Boisdale of Canary Wharf’s fabulous resident soul singer, Lizzie Deane, and her band Soul Source, perform the best of blues, soul and funk. Perfect for lively nights on the Wharf, keep an eye out for the popping-up of a special guest or two. Start August on a high with ‘Summertime Blues: The Best of the Blues Brothers’ from 1 – 10 August. Prepared to be blown away by The Bogus Blues Brothers – the best

Blues Brothers tribute artists in the business. As they play out the classics in front of their sizzling backing band, enjoy some of the liveliest summer nights the city has to offer. On 17 August the following week, be romanced by swing king Iain Mackenzie with ‘Sinatra and Friends: Iain Mackenzie & Swing City’. Backed by an eight-piece band performing iconic songs from the likes of Frank Sinatra, Chet Baker, Nat King Cole & Mel Tormé – Iain Mackenzie channels the golden era’s charm with a contemporary edge. As we enter September, Boisdale of Canary Wharf’s line-up is still going strong with a celebration of the female voice. The ‘Viva La Divas Festival’ is a series of soulful nights that salute some of the greatest singers in jazz history with evenings dedicated to Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, Peggy Lee, Billie Holiday, and Brazilian bossa nova legend, Astrud Gilberto the 19 – 28 of September. D Boisdale of Canary Wharf, Cabot Place 020 7715 5818, boisdale.co.uk

SHOPPING

sun & sangria

This August, Ibérica La Terraza has launched an exciting new summer drinks menu packed with frivolity and flavour

ince opening in Cabot Square, Canary Wharf, in April, Ibérica La Terraza’s spacious terrace has been an instant hit with locals and workers looking to laze away summer evenings with a chilled glass of wine and plate of hot tapas. Now Ibérica La Terraza has launched a new summer drinks menu that features twists on Spanish classics and one particularly exuberant way to drink wine. Try a new house creation, Ibérica’s cava sangria. A delicious take on traditional sangria, Ibérica replaces the red wine with cava. Sprigs of mint and a handful of summer fruits, including blackberries, raspberries, oranges, strawberries and pomegranate seeds, are added to complement the pronounced apple and pear flavours of the cava. Or try something new, with a glass of beer sangria. Ibérica’s cocktail mastermind, Pedro Carvalho, created this unique

cocktail, which combines citrus notes of Estrella Galicia lager with the fresh Valencia oranges of the sangria. As Carvalho explains: “Not only does it offer an exciting alternative for beer lovers, but it’s also a great way for those who wouldn’t usually drink beer to try it.” Embrace Spanish culture by sharing a porrón at Ibérica. The porrón is a traditional glass wine-pitcher that resembles a cross between a wine bottle and a watering can. Passed between friends, the drinker has to hold the porrón’s spout at a distance and drink the wine without spilling a drop. Enjoy all these drinks alongside authentic Spanish tapas, including creamed cheese, sun-blush tomato, rocket and basil, and fried squid bocadillo pinchos. With food, fun and games to be had, Ibérica La Terraza is the perfect place to stop by this summer. D Ibérica La Terraza, Cabot Square / 020 7636 8650 / ibericalondon.co.uk

www.canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

until 30 aug

WINDOW GALLERIES

VISUAL ARTS

The Art & Design Window Galleries along Jubilee Walk and Canada Walk in Canada Place showcase up-and-coming artists, designers and craftspeople.

until 30 aug

Nazan Alhas: For Love

Nazan’s collection is based on the teachings, mysticism, poetry and philosophy of the 12th-century Muslim saint Hz Mevlana. On display are hand symbols representing whirling dervishes and silver, gold and gold-plated hands decorated with gems and engraved texts.

D Free to see / nazan.co.uk

HALIMA CASSELL Catching the Light: Sculpture and Sculptural Ceramics When encountering Cassell’s work, it is clear that she enjoys the play of light on sharply carved geometric incisions or organic patterns. At the heart of her work is her Islamic heritage, and her deep interest in Western, Asian and African art and architecture. Cassell employs a wide range of media, although clay is her main concern. A highlight in this exhibition is Virtues of Unity 2010-13, a collection now reaching 30 pieces made from clays that come from different countries. D Free to see / Lobby, One Canada Square, Canary Wharf

Gary Philips:

Infused with both history and humour, Gary’s art is made of discarded and found objects which can date as far back as 2000 years. The results combine the industrial nature of the process with the beauty of the finished product. Philips can often be found exploring the River Thames looking for treasures. D Free to see / thamesart.co.uk

Community Window Gallery Tower Hamlets – Telling Tales This exhibition explores the lives and stories of women living in Tower Hamlets today. Photographer Sultana Miah and writer Caroline Gilfillan undertook reminiscence work with women from the Golden Time groups who meet in the borough’s libraries and Idea Stores, and the results are a series of photographic portraits reflecting the life of women in the borough. D Free to see / towerhamlets.co.uk / ideastore.co.uk

until 11 sept

arts & events PLAY

ping!

Canary Wharf‘s popular table tennis event Ping! returns with four full size tables in Jubilee Place where everyone is welcome to play, compete, learn from professional coaches or just watch sporting legends in showcase matches. Why not enter a team to be this year’s Canary Wharf’s Ping! Champions? D Free / Friday 2 – Sunday 11 August Mon – Fri: 11am-5.30pm / Sat: 10am-6pm / Sun: 12-6pm

FOOD

SUMMER SESSIONS

Enjoy live acoustic music from emerging artists as you enjoy your lunchtime in the Canada Square Park*. Wednesday 7 August Urban Soul Orchestra - Chill out duo take to the stage performing cool jazz and pop tracks. Wednesday 14 August DJ Philly - An eclectic mix of sun-kissed tunes and chill out melodies.

TRUCK STOP

For a vibrant food festival by the waterfront, head to Wood Wharf. More than 20 of the UK’s best food trucks will be serving a variety of food, from BBQ ribs to sushi, out of converted old fire engines, milk floats and ambulances. Browse the craft beer bar, try a snack from the roadside diner, pull a pint at Camden Town Brewery’s keg party, visit the taco shack, enter the ‘secret’ Gin Bar, and end the day at the Rotary cocktail bar with live music and plenty of seating. D Thursday 1 & Friday 2 August / 5-11pm / Wood Wharf, Canary Wharf. For ticket information visit

D Free to watch / 12.30-2pm

truckstoplondon.com

family film club

picnic

Canary Wharf’s family weekends continues into August with family friendly films screened on the outdoor Summer Screens in Canada Square Park*. Bring a picnic from Waitrose Food, Fashion & Home or Carluccio’s and revel in an enjoyable afternoon watching fun-filled films with your family and friends. Make a day of it and dine in one of Canary Wharf’s child-friendly restaurants like Gourmet Burger Kitchen, Wildwood, Pizza Express or Tom’s Kitchen, who have a fantastic weekend family brunch offer. Visit Ibérica La Terraza for some al fresco style dining where children can take part in free Olé Kids Spanish workshops at the weekends. Saturday 3 August 1pm - Fantastic Mr Fox (PG) 3pm – Dennis (PG) Saturday 10 August 1pm – Big (PG) 3pm – Hotel for Dogs (PG) D Free to watch

* Canada Square Park - space is unreserved and sometimes limited and portable furniture, glass bottles and glasses are not permitted

Courtesy Everett Collection / Rex Features

www.canarywharf.com

@yourcanarywharf

WORK

REPORT

Claridge’s On The Map A new room in one of London’s top hotels looks to revitalise the world-weary business jetsetter

nternationally renowned five-star hotel Claridge’s opened its latest addition this week with the brand new Map Room. Named after the focal point of the room, a wall-sized map of the world, and designed by renowned British designer David Linley, who has collaborated with the hotel on previous occasions, the area is intended to make the contemporary business traveller more at home. This elegant room, which continues the Art Deco aesthetic Claridge’s is famed

for, and is available to all of Claridge’s guests at any time, will also feature the latest and most sought-after technical innovations for clients to utilise, including Ipads and laptops. Speaking of his creation, Linley explained how “creating interiors for this beautiful hotel feels very natural to me, I admire the history and heritage of Claridge’s; so Map Room was an absolute joy to work on”. Welcome to business travel, Claridge’s style. D claridges.co.uk

Tough Measures Since the crisis, waves of industry regulation have been breaking over London’s financial markets. Are these restricting the potential of the world’s leading financial centre, asks Richard Willsher

s early as 2009, Stephen Green, former chairman of HSBC, was warning that over-regulation could damage the sector. Others have echoed this view. Then followed a flood of new directives and rulings largely emanating from Brussels, which have aimed to bring order, transparency, safety and honesty to financial markets. This was likely to play well with the public. Measures included the Capital Requirements Directive (CRD) incorporating Basel III, addressing banking capital adequacy and governance; Solvency II aimed similarly at insurance firms; the latest version of the Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MIFID) to bring greater clarity to consumer financial products; the UK’s Retail Distribution Review to improve the regime of investment advice given to consumers. At present the Alternative Investment Fund Managers Directive (AIFMD) is starting to address the conduct of alternative funds such as hedge funds, private equity, and real estate funds while the European Market Infrastructures Regulation (EMIR) is set to regulate over-thecounter derivatives trading and clearing. That’s an awful lot of regulation for one industry to digest. The costs of implementation run into hundreds of millions of pounds, largely spent on information systems to produce, coordinate and report vast quantities of data for various regulators. Privately, financial services staff are tearing out their hair trying to understand the regulations and implications for their businesses, in public the industry recognises that something has to be done if it is regain credibility and trustworthiness. And an argument runs that as the same regulations will affect financial

services firms throughout the European Union, the result will be a level playing field for all. Except that the playing field was never level and it probably never will be. This is about cutthroat global competition in financial markets, not cricket. London so dominates the European, and in large measure the global, marketplace that it will suffer a much greater effect from regulation. TheCityUK, a lobbying group whose mandate is to “champion the international competitiveness of the [UK] financial services industry,” notes that in terms of its global market shares, in 2011 the UK held 46 per cent of the over-the-counter derivatives market, 37 per cent of the foreign exchange market, 20 per cent of marine insurance, 19 per cent of bank lending and 18 per cent

It’s a fantastic place to be. But you can’t constantly bash it and tax it and expect it to stay that way of hedge fund assets under management. Consequently say TheCityUK, around two million people work in financial and related professional services nationally, moreover financial services produces roughly 9 per cent of the UK’s gross domestic product and 12 per cent of the nation’s tax receipts. Anything that affects the operation or profitability of the financial services sector matters more greatly to Britain and the City of London, than it does to other countries where the financial sector is proportionately smaller. But there is another form of insidious regulation that could turn out to be damaging to the UK competitiveness in the global business and financial marketplace. “We are seeing some regulatory creep that I would call “unsensible regulation.” We are now seeing taxation being used as a regulatory tool,” says

feature | work

Kevin Cummings, a tax partner specialising in the financial services sector at accountancy and business advisory firm BDO. He goes on to explain that taxation is being used to regulate and control the way in which the financial sector operates. “There are bank levies across Europe. These were meant to be a form of redemption for banks, following the financial crisis. It was a means to regulate systemic risk. We’ve got the possibility of a financial transactions tax, the so-called ‘Tobin tax,’ which is aimed at regulating short-selling and speculators. Another proposal was the financial activities tax that was mooted by the International Monetary Fund and the G20 as a tax on super profits made by financial institutions, to make up for the fact that FIs don’t pay VAT on their activities.” The overall point that Cummings is making is that London is a particular target for these sorts of measures, because of the concentration of financial markets here. But in addition, the burden of such taxation does not fall equally on all financial centres. Countries such Switzerland and Singapore, he says, are less rigorously regulated and/or taxed. The result is that the people and firms that do profitable, financial-sector business in the globalised, 24-hour-a-day financial marketplace are moving their operations to these and other jurisdictions where the operational costs are less. Long-term, the effect on London as a financial sector could be serious. Research by firms such as Nomura Securities and others has already shown that the profitability of banks is being hit by regulation. Moreover, the cost of funds to international borrowers and the returns available to investors who have traditionally come to UK to do their business are likely to suffer from both the cost of implementing regulation and from the cost of tax creep. Regulated to death? Possibly not, because of the scale of London’s infrastructure, its banks, insurance firms, fund managers, hedge funds, professional advisory firms, IT services, lawyers, actuaries and others is pretty unique. Virtually nowhere else in the world can replicate this, with the possible exception of New York and so London still has a highly competitive offer. But London’s lifeblood may be slowly being let by a thousand regulatory cuts and taxation slices. The business that goes away, perhaps to Singapore, Hong Kong or Shanghai may prove very difficult, perhaps impossible to get back, and that shift will cost the City, the UK and the people that work here dearly.

august 2013 THE CITY 59

work | opinion

Market

Leader

Profiling business men and women at the top of their industry

Ian Schrager: Entrepreneur, hotelier and real estate developer WORDS: Mark Bonington

f you’ve ever stepped foot outside your door, chances are Ian Schrager has affected your life in some way. Recently crowned ‘Most Influential Person in Contemporary Travel’ at the first LE Miami Awards in Miami Beach, Schrager has merged a brilliant foresight into modern culture with outstanding entrepreneurial flair, putting him at the cutting edge of luxury travel. Schrager co-created Studio 54 with his late business partner Steve Rubell in the 1970s, recognising a gap in the market for an edgy, modern nightspot which reflected a rapidly shifting cultural landscape. Given that the name itself has become legendary, it should come as no surprise that Studio 54 was innovation incarnate. Built in Gallo Opera House on West 54th Street in New York, the creators used the original theatrical interiors in order to create constantly shifting and metamorphosing spaces. They also utilised the latest in new-age performance art and technology to create an entirely new breed of modern nightclub. However, this was not merely a discothèque spectacular – Schrager brilliantly observed the mass shiftings taking place in the cultural zeitgeist, and used these to inform his entrepreneurial endeavours. Just as Chanel had done with clothing half a century earlier, Schrager could see that a political and sexual revolution was taking place, and that soon people would demand new, uninhibited forms of leisure. The format of Studio 54 was repeated in their next project, Palladium, before Schrager and Rubell made their first foray into hotels. Keeping their skill for spotting the next big thing in mind, the two observed the burgeoning market for luxury travel, forming Morgans Hotel Group. Their first hotel opened in 1984 and garnered large amounts of interest due to the boutique lifestyle it offered – the first of its kind. Further hotels followed

60 THE CITY AUGUST 2013

in cities across America and in London. Schrager’s shrewd insight allowed him to create two entirely new concepts – the notion of ‘lobby socialising’ whereby the hotel lobby a place for guests to meet and interact, and the idea of the ‘urban resort’. His vision was to create a new breed of hotel, one which encompassed a complete lifestyle experience. Schreger was forced to carry on solo after Rubell tragically died of early exposure to AIDS on 25 July 1989. Selling Morgans Hotel Group in 2005, Schrager created his own self-titled company, which has continued to innovate, even in the present day. One of his newer projects, entitled PUBLIC, takes the best aspects of luxury boutique hotels and select service ito create a hotel not defined by price, but rather by the unique experience offered. The first venture from this new endeavour, PUBLIC Chicago, debuted in October 2011 to critical acclaim. The hotelier is also working on a new project, EDITION Hotels, which marks a new collaboration between Schrager and Marriott International. Little information has been released at this stage, but the brand is expected to fuse Schrager’s unique entrepreneurial gifts with the large scale international reach of Marriott. This will create personal, intimate and individualised hotels, encompassing true innovation with unique food, drink and entertainment offerings. “Together Mariott and I have created a new vision and plan to radically rethink and catapult the boutique/lifestyle hotel into the present by capturing the spirit of the times,” says Schrager. And there is no-one better qualified to capture the spirit of the times; something that is precisely what this brilliant businessman has been doing for almost 40 years – bringing consumers precisely what they want...before they even know they want it.

The Anonymous Banker Travelling Types For many people in the City business travel is part of the job. When you’re young and new to the industry, it’s exciting; you feel important and mature, forever competing with your friends about who is going to the more glamorous location (never really telling them you work in IT and you’ve been flown over to New York because some big-wig can’t find the ON switch on his computer). As you get older, however, it becomes more of a chore; unwelcome time away from your partner and children, and long evenings comprising room service and a bad movie while your friends are all out in London. During my time working in the City I have observed the following interesting and amusing traits regarding business travel. Some people expense everything, even the 99-cent coffee paid for by a colleague. An anonymous colleague was once annoyed because he could not claim back the 20 Rand tip he gave to a parking attendant while he ate at one of Johannesburg’s most exclusive restaurants. Serves him right; he should have asked for a receipt. Then there are those who spend their entire daily food allowance on every day of their trip to the last penny. It takes meticulous planning to spend exactly $50 on breakfast, lunch and dinner every single day. Perhaps that why bankers are paid so much: for their precise attention to detail. Finally, I overheard the following line declared by my boss to his PA while she was booking one of his trips. “No no no, do not book me in at the Hilton. I cannot get wi-fi in the bar area. Book me in at the Shangri-La.” An extra $500 per night is a small price to pay for this first-world problem.

New Zinc showroom now open 1 Chelsea Wharf, 15 Lots Road, London SW10 0QJ

0679_Zinc Kensington & Chelsea Ad_Apr12_AW.indd 1

09/03/2012 16:51

PLAY

REPORT

TRACK STAR The world’s racing elite heading east for the Singapore Grand Prix Season will have to do more than win this year to steal the spotlight, writes AIMEE LATIMER

he Singapore Grand Prix’s two-day schedule features performers, parades and parties spilling out of the park circuit into the corners of the island, making the event as much about the festivities as the racing. The headlining acts include Rihanna taking to Singapore’s largest outdoor stage on 22 September as part of her 2013 Diamonds World Tour, and a performance from The Killers preceding the qualifying F1 competition on 21 September. New this year, a Pit Lane Walk will showcase a

motorsports carnival (in collaboration with the Institute of Technical Education) which will include free preview screenings of the movie Rush. Then, with great theatrics, Singapore will host Formula 1’s only night-race through the urban-embedded Marina Bay Street Circuit. It has recently been announced that Singapore will continue to host the F1 Championship until 2017; which begs the question, in five years’ time will spectators be attending for the sport or for the party? D grandprixevents.com

For Extreme Exploring

The ultimate 2 charger

sos 3 The saviour

D SteriPEN Freedom Portable UV Water Purifier,

It took five years of development to create the Powermonkey Extreme, a waterproof and shock-resistant charger. The portable device uses a powerful lithium polymer battery and once charged – by USB or its accompanying solar panel (adapted to work even in low-light conditions)– it can power a GPS or a smartphone up to six times.

The SPOT Messenger is a potentially lifesaving GPS device that can be used to transmit emergency SOS signals. It uses 100 per cent satellite technology which enables it to work even in the places mobile phone signals can’t reach. Multiple buttons allow users to press for emergency services and to confirm check-in locations.

£106.20, alloutdoor.co.uk

D Powermonkey Extreme, £120, powertraveller.com

D SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger, £110, findmespot.eu

The Water Purifier

The SteriPEN Freedom uses UV Light to purify water, and is durable enough to take trekking yet discreet enough to take into a restaurant. Simply immerse the quartzencased UV Lamp into water and stir for 48 seconds until a green light indicates it is safe to drink.

For the beach escape

i-candy

The gadgets you need for the holidays you want

THE LOST BAGGAGE FINDER

Feel a little more reassured when watching your luggage slammed onto a baggage carousel this year with Trakdot. Once the device is placed into your luggage an app allows you to track the route of your bags anywhere in the world with regular updates sent straight to your phone. D Trakdot, £32, trakdot.com

THE REVOLUTIONARY CAMERA

Only 4 cm in diameter and 11 cm long, the Lytro camera never takes blurry photos. This is because it is the first consumer camera that records the entire light field rather than just a flat 2D image when taking a photo. By capturing every ray of light it creates a layered image that can be later manipulated on a computer, or on the Lytro’s own touchscreen, simply by tapping whichever part of the image users want brought into focus. D Red Hot 16GB Lytro, £372, lytro.com

THE WATER PROOFER

The Survivor + Catalyst Waterproof Case stays waterproof up to three metres below the surface while maintaining full functionality. The case also minimises impact from drops of two metres and is completely sealed against dirt. In other words, it’s fully beach - and bar - proof. D Survivor + Catalyst Waterproof Case for iPhone 5, £45.99, griffintechnology.com

gadgets | play

THE POCKET PACKER

This lightweight Fleece 5.0 can slip under ski jackets, despite having 24 hidden pockets ranging from passport slips to an iPad pouch. The breathable mesh lining contains clear touch fabric in the interior pockets to enable the use of smartphones and MP3 players, without first removing them from inside the jacket. With the similar hidden pocket design available in a range of designs for men and women, Scottevest jackets are wearable on and off the slopes. D Fleece 5.0, from £90, scottevest.com

THE AVALANCHE SOS

Serious off-piste skiers need to pay consideration to the dangers of avalanches. The professionalgrade Ortovox S1+ Transceiver is one of the most advanced transmitters on the market and utilises three antennas to transmit SOS to rescue teams. The contraption also can be used to find buried skiers by informing the emergency services their exact location and depth under the snow and debris. An electric compass, thermometer and an inclinometer are built in. D Ortovox S1+ Transceiver, £349, snow-forecast.com

FOR THE SKI ADVENTURE

THE EXTREME TRACKER

The MOD Live HUD is a heads-up display that sits unobtrusively in the bottom right-hand side of any Recon Ready goggles. It records a skier or snowboarder’s speed, vertical descent, jump airtime, navigation and distance using a built-in precision GPS. Then the MOD Live HUD uses innovative prism technology to display to the wearer their stats and data, as if they were looking at a 14-inch screen from a distance of five feet. D The MOD Live HUD, from £193, reconinstruments.com

THE EXPLORER’S PEN

This Alfred Dunhill pen is inspired by the needs of South Pole explorers. The cap glows in the dark and an artificial flint in the barrel creates a spark when struck against the magnesium around the cap. Even if you are more of an adventurer on paper than in practice, the pen’s sleek aluminium fits the explorer aesthetic. D Limited Edition Sentryman Explorer Pen, £4,000, dunhill.co.uk

FOR THAT BUSINESS TRIP

THE DATA PROTECTOR

For work or pleasure, streamline your travel data with the app TripIt. Simply forward any confirmation emails to plans@tripit.com and the app will organise travel details into one master online itinerary even if they’re booked through different websites.

Because wi-fi transports data over radio waves, hackers can use simple software to access private data from anybody using a public wi-fi. To eradicate the risk, Private WiFi software uses a 128-bit encryption (the same technology used by banks) to encrypt all incoming and outgoing data. Seamless to use, the software activates itself as soon as users go online.

D TripIt, free to download at itunes.apple.com

D From £6.35 per month, privatewifi.com

THE MASTER PLANNER

august 2013 THE CITY 65

TheBold TheBeautiful Salon Privé, the UK’s top boutique motoring event at Syon Park, is an essential diary date; admire the best international supercars and luxury brands up close while sipping champagne in the sunshine. ANNABEL HARRISON reports

ow, I cannot profess to be a motoring aficionado but I was immediately enthralled by the gleaming row of automobiles lined up as immaculately as a platoon of soldiers, in a rainbow of colours offset by bright green grass. Of course, browsing potential supercar purchases, or just admiring them, requires a certain level of sustenance so I sipped a glass of Pommery as I wandered, stopping for lobster luncheon and afternoon tea. It was the perfect day, in fact, although I would have dearly loved to win the exquisite Boodles ring on offer last year for the Best Dressed lady. Welcome to Salon Privé, ladies and gentlemen, now entering its eighth consecutive year and taking place 4-6 September in the 200-acre grounds of west London’s beautiful Syon Park. If you’re a petrolhead, you should certainly know of it; its status as the UK’s most prestigious Luxury Supercar Show & Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance places Salon Privé among the leading automotive shows of the world, alongside the worldfamous Pebble Beach in the US and Italy’s Villa d’Este. An exciting new addition to the Salon Privé line-up this year is the Audemars Piguet British Supercar Show – the first of its kind in the UK – incorporating two new exhibitions. The Hypercar Collection showcases the world’s fastest, most expensive vehicles in production, including the Koenigsegg Agera R, Pagani Huayra, Ruf CTR-3 and SSC Aero GT. The Concepts & Prototypes Display will feature a display of spectacular models such

as the Alfa Romeo Zagato TZ3, Ford Evos and Lightning GT as well as the Spyker B6 Venator and Icona Vulcano (pictured above), both of which make their UK debuts at the event. Enjoy being able to boast about having witnessed the first UK outing of models by Clark Abel, Vencer and Zagato. Brand new models from Bentley, Maserati, McLaren, Radical, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars and Startech will also grace the lawns of Syon Park for the first time. Other manufacturers on show include Audi, BMW, Ferrari, Harley-Davidson, Lexus, Rimac, Trident and VUHL. The Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance is set to be even more spectacular than last year, with 100 of the rarest and most valuable motorcars and bikes ever made openly on display. Judging Day takes place on Wednesday 4 September and Classes include: 100 Years of Aston Martin; 50 years of The Legendary Lamborghini; Little Saloons – The Birth of the Berlinetta; The Art of Design – Pininfarina; Sporting Motorcycles from the 1920s to the 1970s; and the eclectic-sounding One-offs and Oddball Motorcycles class. Chief Judge is Grand Prix racing driver Derek Bell MBE and he will be supported by top industry experts including Sandra Button (Chairwoman of Pebble Beach Concours d’Elégance), Vicki Butler-Henderson and Giles Taylor (Design Director at Rolls-Royce). We’re particuarly keen to see the Ferrari 250 California long-wheel-base 1959 and the Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8 1973. However, I can vouch for the fact that even if you can’t tell your SuperVettura from your Superleggera, you’re still exceptionally well catered for. EFG Private Bank’s

promotion

Art & Memorabilia Fayre sees a much larger space dedicated to this exhibit and retail area in 2013, with places already reserved for Andrew Hill, Jarrotts, John Ketchell, Roy Putt, Tim Layzell, Paul Smith, Gary Whinn and Historic Car Art. The Luxury Brands Village on the Concours lawn will certainly demand a healthy portion of my attention, featuring, among others, Audemars Piguet, Boodles, Chubb Insurance, Garia, Gatineau, Hartley’s Safaris, Hornby, Jetfly, Justerini & Brooks, Luzzo Bespoke Ltd., Oak Leaf Gates, Oxford Vaughan, Paradisi, Pocher, Pommery, Riva, Robusto House Cigars, The F1 Shop, The Skincare Sanctuary, Ventura UK and more. From a local perspective, I am very interested in Kensington’s Royal College of Art Concours of the Future design exhibition. Ten of the best young undergraduates from the RCA’s Vehicle Design programme have been tasked with selecting previous Concours cars and redesigning these for the modern world. The winner will be invited to Milan for a behind-the-scenes tour and design masterclass at the Zagato Design Studio. Peter Stevens said: “Our young RCA designers are presenting their continuing fascination with the romance of the motorcar to their prospective future employers... the commitment of this eminent group of designers shows both the strength of this new exhibition and of Salon Privé in the world of automotive shows.” Managing Director Andrew Bagley sums it up: “With our key sponsors, partners and exhibitors, we concluded that 2012 was, without doubt, the best Salon Privé ever. The timing was perfect, as was the weather... so we’ve decided that September is the best way forward, as it provided such a glorious end to the British summer last year and we are committed to delivering even more in 2013.” Quite. Book now or risk missing out.

- fantastic value Full Hospitality Tickets include: Pommery Champagne Reception on arrival Two course BBQ Luncheon with Lobster Complimentary Bar (including Pommery Champagne) Afternoon Tea Souvenir Event Guide and Complimentary Parking Access to all areas: Audemars Piguet British Supercar Show Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance EFG Private Bank Art & Memorabilia Fayre Royal College of Art Concours of the Future Exhibition Luxury Brands Retail Village Hypercar Collection Concepts & Prototypes Display Car Club Displays Tickets range from £195 ex VAT to £225 ex VAT These can be purchased at salonprivelondon.com or by calling the Ticket Hotline on 0808 100 2205 Enter CITY134 for 10% discount off all tickets.

- event schedule Tuesday 3 September Chubb Insurance Tour d’Elégance (Private Event) Wednesday 4 September Chubb Insurance Concours d’Elégance Judging Day (10am to 6pm) Thursday 5 September Boodles Ladies’ Day (11am to 5pm) Salon Privé Ball in aid of Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity (7pm to 1am) Friday 6 September Audemars Piguet Supercar Day (11am to 5pm)

august 2013 THE CITY 67

shooting for the stars Matthew Carter discovers there’s nothing to touch the impressive new Range Rover Sport

s anyone who’s ever nestled an over and under into their shoulder will know, there’s a distinct etiquette to follow when attending a shoot. The right clothing is essential – tweed is almost de rigueur – as is the right gun. And then, of course, there’s the right way to behave. But with the start of the grouse season fast approaching, perhaps the most important thing to consider is how you might arrive. Those behind the wheel of a Mercedes or VW off-roader will get straight in. Drive a BMW X5 or an Audi Q7 and you’ll be tolerated but, surprisingly perhaps, a Porsche Cayenne is fine (well, unless it’s got a body kit). You’ll also be OK if you arrive in a working Land Rover – the older and more battered the better – though you do run the risk of being mistaken for a beater. But if you want to ensure your place in the front line, you need to turn up in a Range Rover – it doesn’t even matter if it’s Solihull’s latest or a classic. But here’s a word of warning: we are talking Range Rover here, not Range Rover Sport or, God forbid, Range Rover Evoque. Actually the likelihood of an Evoque ever getting its bodywork dirty is pretty remote, so the odds of one turning up on a shooting estate are about a million to one. The Sport, however, is a different matter. Launched at the end of 2005, the Sport was mutton dressed as lamb. Underneath the Range-Rover-esque body was a Land Rover Discovery and it was far more likely to be found in the car parks of Premiership football grounds than up to its axles in sludge. Never mind that it was hugely capable off-road, it was seen to be more poseur than mud plugger.

But lumpy Discovery ride aside, its image was about the only thing wrong with the old Sport. Whether the new one suffers from the same problem remains to be seen… but if it does, it’ll be a huge injustice. For the new Range Rover Sport is arguably one of the best cars on the road today. Developed side-by-side with the new Range Rover, the new Sport shares much of its big brother’s hardware. That means lightweight aluminium construction – some 420kg (or four rugby players) lighter than the old one – with more sporting styling than the Range Rover itself. In fact, alongside the rather staid Range Rover, the Sport – sort of big brother to Evoque – has shed years as well as pounds. And it looks especially great with a contrasting roof colour. It feels livelier, too. Although it shares broadly the same chassis and suspension layout as a Range Rover, the Sport’s settings are more dynamic and, well, more sporting. While the ride is a little firmer, the standard air suspension means it is never uncomfortable. A longer wheelbase than before means there’s more space inside, so much so that the Sport can now offer a pair of small seats in the rear, to give 5+2 seating with the back pair for children.

motoring | play

- VEHICLE SPECS -

Car: Range Rover Sport SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic Price: £74,995 Engine: 2,993cc, diesel Power: 292 hp Performance: 130 mph max, 0-60 mph in 6.8 secs Drive: Four-wheel drive, eight-speed automatic

When it comes to engines, the most potent version is a supercharged petrol V8. Although more economical than before, V8 thirst is difficult to justify these days and that means the engine of choice for most UK buyers will be the 3.0-litre SDV6 diesel. For the moment, at least. Two more engines due in the not-too-distant future might change that: a mighty V8 diesel and a diesel hybrid, the latter with a CO2 figure of just 169g/km. All the engines are coupled to a quite superb state-of-the-art eight-speed automatic gearbox. The SDV6 is no hardship, however. Land Rover’s engineers have managed to give this smooth diesel something akin to a V8 soundtrack so it sounds great, and it performs well too. The top speed is 130mph, limited as much by the sheer size of the car as by anything else, but the acceleration is close to supercar territory – 0-60mph in 6.8 seconds is not to be sniffed at, especially in a car that will also climb Mount Everest if you want it to. Despite the sporting look and the equally sporting road manners, this is still a Land Rover product. And that means it will go almost anywhere: the test route included deep muddy bogs, a small river, sheer drops, impossibly steep climbs, tight turns between trees and axle-bending terrain. The Range Rover Sport took it all

in its stride: the same Range Rover Sport on the same 21-inch wheels and tyres that had been eating up the tarmac just moments before. Its off-road ability owes much to the latest iteration of Land Rover’s Terrain Response 2 four-wheel drive system. There’s a small dial in the minimalist cockpit that allows the driver to select the correct setting for the conditions. In truth, though, the system is so sophisticated that it can work it out for itself: it can tell the difference between snow, mud, sand or rocks and will set the most suitable programme itself. In fact, the only time the driver really needs to get involved is to set the controls to Dynamic Mode for sharper on-road responses. Oh, and to lower the air suspension to access mode when arriving at the destination makes it much easier to get out of the car. There’s even better news when it comes to the price. They start at £51,550, but the lavishly equipped and hugely desirable SDV6 Autobiography Dynamic is £74,995… a hefty sum, but one which undercuts the closest Range Rover by a handsome £13k. So only one thing remains. Will the new Range Rover Sport pass muster on the Glorious 12th? Yes… but with one proviso. Inspired by the success of the Evoque, Land Rover has decided that customers need choice, especially when it comes to the interior of their cars. Taste is highly personal of course, but one of the test cars had three-tone leather covered seats with a colour palette that owed more to a Wall’s Ice Cream chart than a car brochure: would you believe biscuit, chocolate and pistachio? Turn up on a shoot with that interior and you’d be laughed off the moor. But that, seriously, is just about the only thing to complain about: the Range Rover Sport is a seriously impressive machine.

august 2013 THE CITY 69

POWERHOUSE to BOATHOUSE Neil Briscoe enjoys the challenge of the Galway roads aboard the BMW M5, before stopping for a much-needed rest

really should have started this driving trip on the west coast, not in Dublin. I should have flown into Shannon. Why? Well quite apart from making the journey much shorter, it would also have wiped out this dull, boring motorway slog, necessary to get from Ireland’s capital to the impossibly scenic environs of Galway. It couldn’t have been helped. The car was in Dublin and had to be collected. It was a colossal mistake, though. Trapped here at a regulated 120kmh (Irish speed limits have been in kilometres per hour for knocking on for a decade now) the BMW M5 feels comfortable, but trapped. Like a Bengal tiger in a well-appointed safari park, you can just sense that it’s

happy to be here, but there really are more exciting things it could be doing. There are more exciting things I could be doing than sitting down and having a cup of tea, but frankly I’m hot, sweaty and tired and I need one. Thankfully, there’s Cupán Tae (Irish for ‘cup of tea’) just by the Spanish Arch in Galway city centre. This dinky little teahouse should be an overload of tacky tourism, but it manages to skirt the edges of self-parody simply by being brilliant. The staff are amazingly attentive and friendly, the teas various and delicious (try the Assam – very refreshing) and the cakes are as deleterious to your waistline as they are to the M5’s power-to-weight ratio. Worth it though. The M5 itself clearly hasn’t been hitting the cakes, not judging from the way

MOTORING | PLAY The Boathouse

Cupán Tae

the bodywork wraps tautly around the mechanical package. Even so, from the outside, the dark grey 20-inch alloys wrapped in Michelin’s 235-40 (front) and 295-35 (rear) Pilot tyres and the four howitzer exhausts, the casual eye could easily mistake this car for a humble 188bhp 520d, if one with a few sport exterior add-ons. Under the familiar 5 Series bonnet lies an initially familiar engine. BMW has been making V8 petrol engines of 4.4-litre capacity for many a year now. But none like this. Breathing compressed air from two massive turbochargers, this bent-eight powerhouse makes 560bhp and an almost comical 680Nm of torque at just 1,500rpm. Turbos are a bit of a new departure for BMW M. The last M5, the E60, had an ultra-high revving 5.0-litre V10, which sounded like a diesel at tickover but yelled like an F1 car at high speeds. This new V8, thanks to its turbos, is at once more accessible and also far, far more devastating. I have never, in my long and sainted life as a motoring writer, driven an engine with such reserves of ferocity. Earlier, having finally reached Limerick, there was a brief but short run north up the M18 to get to Ennis and the start of the drive proper. I could have just driven direct, by motorway, to get from Dublin to Galway, but in a car like this, you need a proper road. Cruise control off, sport mode engaged and the coast road from Ennis via Lahinch to Ballyvaughan lies ahead. It’s an amazing road, that slinks over constantly shifting peat bogs, skirts the very edges of the famed Burren limestone landscape, runs alongside the legendary Cliffs of Moher and sprints along a death-defying corniche with only a shonky stone wall between you

and the Atlantic below. Get there before the hordes of tour coaches do and it’s manna for the M5. Twisting and turning, with constant changes in surface to keep the suspension busy, you won’t be able to let 560bhp completely off the leash, but the distances between the corners seem incredibly short. Cupán Tae can provide more substantial meals but I think it’s time the M5 and I abandoned the (beautiful) centre of Galway for some outer environs for dinner. Oranmore is a sleepy little village that has

The Boathouse

Rabasse and chef Anthony Printer have Michelin-starred backgrounds. Oranmore sits at the end of the M6 motorway that leads back to Dublin, so I could just swing around the corner, set the cruise control and head back again. But just as The Boathouse’s chicken reminded me just how good poultry can be, so too has the BMW M5 reminded me that driving can still be fun, even in this legislative age. Sod the motorway, the coast road beckons anew...

- need to know The Boathouse Seafood & Grill Main Street, Oranmore, Co. Galway +353 (0) 91 788 525 D theboathouse.ie Cupán Tae Commerce Court, Galway City D cupantae.eu

Getting there

effectively become a commuter suburb for Galway. It’s a friendly little place, but the reason I’m here is for The Boathouse. Oranmore my be unassuming, but this is honestly one of the finest restaurants in which I’ve ever eaten. It’s not expensive (a main course on the a la carte menu is between €15 and €25) but the culinary standards are sky-high. Try the chicken and ham pie, with smoked pancetta, green asparagus, shallot, leek, glazed puff pastry, tarragon & Dijon veloute, to remind yourself what this bird should actually taste like. Almost unspeakably delicious and it’s no surprise to learn that both proprietor Rudi

Fly to Shannon (shannonairport.ie) from London Heathrow, Birmingham, Liverpool, Manchester, Glasgow and Edinburgh with Aer Lingus, Ryanair and FlyBe. Galway City is approximately one hour’s drive from Shannon, or two hours from Dublin.

Staying The G Hotel is Galway’s newest designer five-star hotel, located a ten-minute walk from the city centre. Luxury rooms, junior and speciality suites are available and there’s an in-house spa. D theghotel.ie Also in Galway, but slightly further out of town is the legendary Glenlo Abbey five-star hotel. Set above the shores of Lough Corrib, it’s an old-fashioned, welcoming hotel with truly wonderful staff and a restaurant, The Pullman, built into a carriage from the Orient Express. D glenlo.com

AUGUST 2013 THE CITY 71

LET THE SUN SHINE

The new terrace at The Rib Room Bar & Restaurant in Knightsbridge is the ideal destination for summer. A secluded and sophisticated venue for morning coffee or light meals, the terrace becomes a cigaristâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s paradise in the evening with an extensive choice of whisky, cocktails and wine complementing a new cigar menu. For more information visit theribroom.co.uk or call 020 7858 7250 Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Cadogan Place, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 9PY

12-06-15, City magazine - RR bar ad v3.indd 1

18/06/2012 17:04:52

FOOD&DRINK

REPORT

royal ramsay Renowned chef Gordon Ramsay and tableware icons Royal Doulton join forces once more to create his most modern collection yet

hef extraordinaire Gordon Ramsay has teamed up with iconic brand Royal Doulton for the second time to design an exclusive new collection of tableware. With the success of his original Gordon Ramsay range, made in connection with his Maze restaurant, the team have partnered to establish Bread Street, a modern collection inspired by the urban style and feel surrounding Ramsayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s City restaurant of the same name.

The result is a collection that is both relaxed and stylish, and makes the seamless transition from kitchen to table. Be it the classic breakfast cups and saucers that come in slate or white, or the innovative serving board with ceramic insert which makes any meal look and feel like fine-dining, one thing is sure, these pieces certainly make a foodie statement. D Available from October 2013 / royal-doulton.com

FOOD DRINK the hunger games To celebrate the start of game season, Anise (the cocktail bar of the celebrated Indian restaurant Cinnamon Kitchen) will host a pop-up called Butcher Bar. From 20 August, through into autumn, Anise will be transformed into an old-world butchers complete with hanging hooks, feathered taxidermy and weighing scales. The meat-heavy courses, served up on hunting paraphernalia with a meat cleaver for carving, will include venison and prune kofta balls, and rabbit terrine. Equally carnivorous cocktails will be served with five new blends all featuring meat, such as a bacon-infused cocktail garnished with a pig’s ear, and a grilled venison-infused Johnnie Walker stirred with sweet vermouth.

Launched on 18 June, ‘suckling pig Tuesdays’ and ‘lobster Fridays’ weeknight specials at Le Café Anglais have already been met with great success. Chef patron Rowley Leigh’s specials are served throughout Le Café Anglais’s dining room and bar alongside a full a la carte menu.

D Butcher Bar, open 20 August, 4pm-12am, Anise,

D Suckling pig Tuesdays and lobster Fridays, from

Devonshire Square, EC2

£19.50, lecafeanglais.co.uk

Sugar Fix

Surf & Suckling

Stone Cold

To celebrate national Chocolate Week, the Royal Exchange is hosting a series of masterclasses and interactive chocolate-making tutorials in partnership with British chocolatier, Paul A. Young. Paul A. Young is renowned for his flamboyant and innovative use of flavour, so don’t miss the opportunity to see how the experts create his individual chocolates, and to have a try at truffle-rolling yourself.

Teroforma Whisky Stones are nonporous cubes that chill cask-aged spirits without diluting them or compromising their flavour. The small and odourless cubes are already a culthit in America and can be purchased at a few choice retailers in the UK.

D Paul A. Young Fine Chocolates, Royal Exchange, EC3

D Teroforma Whisky Stones, £25.99, muazo.co.uk

Meatopia With a huge U.S following, and a reputation for being the ‘Woodstock of edible animals’, Meatopia is an event dedicated to smoking, grilling and BBQ and an absolute must for meat-lovers. Keep an eye out for some of the big names from the food world who will be in attendance, including The New York Times’ food editor, Josh Ozersky, and Hawksmoor’s head chef, Richard Turner. D Meatopia, 7 September, Tobacco Dock, E1W seetickets.com

news | food & drink

new openings

review

wiggies Wiggies is a haven for pork-lovers. The semi-permanent pop-up at The Rising Sun pub in St Paul’s has a hit-afterhit menu featuring posh takes on the classics and tasty new house-recipes. D Wiggies, Carter Lane, EC4

Paesan Paesan serves up rustic-Italian fare across a two-floor venue that includes a downstairs bar serving homemade cocktails, liquors and spirits. Head over on the weekends for a sleepy brunch enjoyed al fresco. D Paesan, Exmouth Market, EC1

Catch Champagne Bar & Lounge The five-star boutique Andaz Liverpool Street hotel has unveiled a new Champagne bar. With a menu of more than 70 Champagnes, and a signature bellini, served alongside light bites and sharing plates, the Catch Champagne bar is the perfect place to start, or end, a decadent evening. D Catch Champagne Bar & Lounge at Andaz Liverpool Street hotel, Liverpool Street, EC2

The Verandah at Dishoom Dishoom Shoreditch has opened a new indoor-outdoor space were diners can relax in the heat with vibrant Indian dishes, bottomless Chai (a sweet and spicy drink made from spices steeped in milk and black tea) and a flick through the library filled with vintage books. Wine shop designed by Campaign / image courtesy of Hufton+Crow

D The Verandah at Dishoom, dishoom.com

Wine Shop and Harry Gordon’s 340 sq metres of Selfridges’ lower-ground floor has been transformed into a Wine Shop to offer patrons the chance to buy fine wines, spirits and Champagnes in a relaxed environment. Within the space, Harry Gordon’s (a bar named after the luxury store’s founder) lets tired shoppers enjoy an elegant drink served upon a white marble-topped bar. D Wine Shop and Harry Gordon’s, selfridges.com

An Italian Affair

Newly opened Panino Giusto delivers much more than its name would suggest, writes Richard Brown On a dreary summer’s day, under grey clouds and between even greyer buildings, how did Panino Giusto hope to deliver on its promise of bringing sunny Milan to a rain-sodden Square Mile? The first clue lay in the way it had been designed. Brought to us by the same firm that styled the likes of Leon, Rocket and Le Folly, Panino Giusto is a welcoming mix of dark woods, white walls and green leather benches. Black and white photos create a vintage feel, while geometric decorations and brass lamps and lighting fixtures help lend to the company’s first London outpost a sophistication synonymous with Italy’s fashion-famous second city. The second clue lies in its menu. As its name would suggest, this restaurant is all about the panini, dedicated to serving some of the tastiest artisan breads and freshest deli ingredients ever combined. By sticking to its ‘Number 7 Rule’, which ensures every panini contains 70 grams of sliced meat, 70 grams of cheese and vegetables, and 70 grams of fresh bread, Panino Giusto does just that. I thoroughly recommend the chicken-centric ‘City’, and not just because the name fits. Visit post-work, however, and you’ll probably fancy something a little more substantial than an elaborate sandwich. Luckily, there’s a whole other menu to explore. From specialist tasting platters to start, to lamb and veal chops for mains, the offering is a traditional Italian affair via truffles, cured hams, fresh fish, imported cheeses, a selection of ice creams and a refined wine list. The Vancuver fish selection and Boston grilled chicken breast were our favourite dishes. Less formal and more attentively staffed than elsewhere in the City, Panino Giusto serves genuine food for value-for-money prices, making it as good for a panini at lunch as for a relaxed dinner with friends in the evening. D paninogiusto.it/en

august 2013 THE CITY 75

COME DINE WITH US Never be without the perfect venue for City socialising with our essential guide to dining and drinking in the Square Mile. WORDS: Emma Johnson and Amy- Louise Roberts

Sushisamba

For the best oysters Gow’s

Gow’s is without question, a City institution. The venue, near Liverpool Street, has been open for over 125 years, and is a classic spot, with a buzzing wine bar upstairs and an elegant wood-panelled dining room downstairs. Its oysters, sourced daily from Colchester, are some of the freshest and tastiest we’ve tried in the City. Enjoy them upstairs with a cool glass of Chablis, or downstairs with a bottle of Champagne as the perfect starter to an evening meal. Also try: Wright Brothers Oyster and Porter House for rustic charm in London Bridge, and Hix Oyster & Chop House for some edgy cool in Farringdon. D 81 Old Broad Street, EC2

For Michelin-stars Galvin La Chapelle

Celebrating three years in the City, two with a Michelin star, this award-winning restaurant, in what was once the listed St Botolph’s Hall, remains one of the most exciting places to dine in the Square Mile. The interior is jaw-droppingly impressive, its soaring arched ceiling and spacious dining

room demand a sense of occasion, while the menu gourmand with matched wines reveals dish after dish of show-stopping artistry. This is the very best of French food, service and design, with a City twist. D 35 Spital Square, E1

For occasional hipsters Casa Negra

When Bodega Negra opened in Soho above a sex shop last year, everyone from bloggers to broadsheet reviewers raved about it and it fast became the cool new place to go. No surprises, then, that its newest venture has come East to ‘trendy Shoreditch’. There’s no sex shop to enter through here and the interior is much more open and approachable, but the service is just as friendly, knowledgeable and fun as you’d expect. The menu is small plates of Mexican street food, with tacos being their signature dish, while cocktails are top class. Clientele is the hip and hot from the local surrounds, so if you’re heading there after work, you might want to plan ahead and change out of your suit first. This is the land of the neon vest top and the cut-off jeans. But don’t worry, you can totally pull it off. Also try: Beagle in Hoxton for classic British

cooking with an edge and, if it’s your sort of thing, the formaldehyde-bovine surroundings of Tramshed, also in Shoreditch. D 54-56 Great Eastern St, EC2

For impressing colleagues L’Anima

There is something of status-symbol about L’Anima – all white and chrome and slick, it’s not the rustic Italian restaurant you might be expecting, which is perhaps why it packs such an impressive punch. This literal glass box, round the corner from Liverpool Street, boasts floor-to-ceiling windows along the main street-facing wall, and the bar is a clean, airy space which serves aperitivo (cocktails and small complimentary plates of food) every evening. Book the white sofas near the front of the bar and revel in your infinite superiority as passers-by gaze in at you with enviable wonder. Should the delights of aperitivo and live music not be enough for you, through a glass wall lies the restaurant, where more white leather and chrome abound, serving modern, awardwinning Italian food every evening. D 1 Snowden St, Broadgate West, EC2

feature | food & drink

Madison

For the best steaks Hawksmoor

It’s no accident that the start of the ‘steak revival’ in London happened about six years ago when Hawksmoor opened its first steak restaurant in Spitalfields. With its pareddown approach to serving beef – putting the emphasis on sourcing and cooking it well, rather than wasting time and money on fancy décor, expensive china and a wilted garnish – London’s steak scene was set. As Hawksmoor opened new venues, the danger, of course, was that it would become a watered-down version of itself. Thankfully, all four of its restaurants remain some of the best place in London to enjoy a great steak. Its Guildhall location is one of our favourites, whose vast wood-panelled dining room makes us feel all Harry Potter. Also try: Le Relais de Venise L’Entrecôte, whose ‘no reservations and no choice’ approach to serving l’entrecôte with Café de Paris sauce and a bottle of its branded house wine hasn’t stopped it being packed out night after night; Boisdale of Bishopsgate for some inventive and decadent sauces to match the meat, and Goodman for décor, service and atmosphere. D 10 Basinghall Street, EC2

For location

an oasis of understated cool admist the City chaos. Bar, brasserie, restaurant and private dining space, it is a City institution in more ways than one. D 1 Lombard Street, EC3

For old school cool London Capital Club

Members’ clubs seem these days to sit in two camps – alarmingly exclusive and ’slebhaunted; or classic and resolutely traditional. The London Capital Club is unequivocally the latter, a genteel place for a quiet drink and a laid-back dinner of an evening. That said, in these trying times, everyone has to innovate, and in honour of its centenary the Club has organised a series of special evenings featuring Michelin-starred chefs from outside London who will create a special menu available to both members and non-members in its dining room. In September and October, James Durrant from The Plough at Andover and former head chef of Maze, will be offering his own bespoke menu. Also try: The Mercer, an old bank, on Threadneedle Street for obvious reasons, Simpson’s Tavern, the oldest chophouse in London and a real step back in time; and Bonds for its elegant restaurant, red banquette seating and busy, bustling atmosphere. D 15 Abchurch Lane, EC4

1 Lombard Street

In our interview with Soren Jessen (owner of 1 Lombard Street) this month we talked about how important location was to him when opening a City restaurant, and there can’t be a better located drinking and dining venue than 1 Lombard Street. Where some nine streets merge at Bank, 1 Lombard Street sits proudly, facing off against The Bank of England and the Royal Exchange,

For closing the deal Club Gascon

Club Gascon is smart enough to impress clients, but discreet enough to ensure you have the peace, quiet and privacy to work out the small print. A relatively intimate space on the beautiful West Smithfield crescent opposite Smithfield Market, its Gascony-inspired menu, headed up by renowned City chef Pascal Aussignac, serves up game, foie gras and caviar by the plateful. The wine list, as you would expect, is also something to be marvelled at. D 57 West Smithfield, EC1

For BYO

Planet of the Grapes This isn’t so much ‘Bring Your Own’, as ‘Buy Your Own’. The divinely-named Planet of the Grapes, which has a bar in Leadenhall Market and a restaurant in Bow Lane is essentially a wine shop with tables. Buy a bottle or two from its impressively wide-ranging selection, pay a small corkage charge and then order one of its cheese and meat plates as a perfect accompaniment. Also try: The Wine Library, just a second or two from Tower Hill, this cute little dungeon bar is no frills, just great wine. Corkage is nominal here, its selection of French wines is impressive, and it often hosts private parties or events. D Bow Lane, EC4 & Bulls Head Passage, EC3

For impressing clients Smiths of Smithfield, third floor

Boisdale

The higher up you get in Smiths of Smithfield, the more expensive and imposing the offering gets. A good way, then, to impress your clients by escorting them there, hopping

august 2013 THE CITY 77

Wright Brothers

La Pont de la Tour

in the lift and whizzing them past the substandard floors, all the way to the top. Step out into the smart dining room and terrace, with panoramic views across London, and half your work is done. For out-of-towners it also has the benefit of being opposite one of the most iconic landmark markets of the City. Food is as meat-focused as you’d expect, while service is sharp and efficient, so you can focus on saying all the right things and ordering another bottle of Champagne.

Devonshire Terrace

Overlooked by the Gherkin, the City’s most recognisable landmark, Devonshire Terrace, with its two impressive balconies and picturesque outdoor terrace covered by a glass roof is the destination to beat. Cool views of the City through the glass ceiling, as well as its comfortable, relaxed atmosphere and modern European cuisine make this a restaurant, and setting, to be savoured. Also try: Luc’s Brasserie at Leadenhall Market for a spot of Parisian chic in a cobble stoned market setting, and Sauterelle in the courtyard at the Royal Exchange for dinner amongst luxury brands and sense of space.

D 67-77 Charterhouse Street, EC1

for romantics Bleeding Heart

If you need a location to take that one person in your life for dinner, then the Bleeding Heart in Hatton Garden doesn’t get more intimate and special. More romantic than perhaps its name would suggest, this classically French restaurant’s historical surroundings and quirky interior is both charming and decadent. Order the Roast Chateaubriand to share and a bottle of its excellently priced 2004 Château Kirwan.

D 9 Devonshire Square, EC2

For ultimate discretion

Bonds

Pont de la Tour

If you’re thinking about moving jobs, being headhunted and need some privacy to talk about the finer details, Pont de la Tour is just far enough out of the City to ensure you won’t run into anyone else from the office, unless of course they’re also there jumping ship…

D Greville Street, EC1

For life al fresco Sushisamba

As summer has finally arrived, Sushisamba is the only destination du jour for you. Its outside terrace is reason alone to skyrocket the floors required in a stomachlosing climb. With its beautiful setting and insane views adding to the joy of an al fresco dining experience, once you’re up there the party atmosphere will ensure you’re staying well past midnight.

Hawksmoor

D 36D Shad Thames, SE1

For great views Duck & Waffle

HKK

D 110 Bishopsgate, EC2

For a power lunch HKK

For any fans of the Chinese banqueting tradition, and for all those business decisions and discussions that need to be held over food, HKK near Liverpool Street is the place to head. Whether you opt for the duck, the four-course or even the 15-course tasting menu, this is the model setting for high-powered corporate lunch and dinner. D 88 Worship Street, EC2

For a stunning setting

Bread Street Kitchen

Duck & Waffle

For the opportunity to sit and delight in some of the most glorious views of London you’ll ever experience, the place to visit is Duck & Waffle, at night. Located on the 40th floor of Heron Tower with wraparound windows overlooking the expanse of the City – though not for the unfortunate vertigo sufferers among us – this altitudinal gem with its carefully sourced produce and seasonal, rustic cuisine, provides a superlative setting to relax and enjoy vistas one could only describe as priceless. Also try: Madison in One New Change for a brasserie feel, which is overlooked by some of London’s greatest attractions, including St Paul’s and The Shard. D Heron Tower, EC2

Club Gascon

For exclusivity Eight Members Club

For those who enjoy the VIP lifestyle, Eight Members Club is most definitely one for your address book. With locations in both Bank and Moorgate, this members-only establishment boasts an entirely elite clientele and offers both the fine dining and social events calendar expected from a club of this calibre.

dining for two or 26, receptions of up to 40, this place has you covered for every eventuality. There are also areas of the bar and restaurant which can be rented out at weekends and mid-week.

likes their food rustic and rich. Also try: Paternoster Chop House, on Warwick Court for the whole roast suckling lamb or the bone marrow crostini and veal faggots.

D 85 Fleet Street, EC4Y

D 1 Change Alley, EC3

For the wine list

For the Champagne lifestyle

Cigalon

Searcy’s at The Gherkin

Gordon Ramsay’s Bread Street Kitchen in the heart of the City offers lively, buzzing setting for early morning conferences and meetings. Opening at 7am and boasting a vast breakfast menu, Bread Street provides a happy blend of edgy and fashionable setting with traditional rustic fare.

Cigalon’s Provençal heritage means it couldn’t be better placed to boast one of the most extensive and interesting wine lists in the City. Aside from the obligatory and plentiful Bordeaux and Rhone selection, it also stocks wines exclusive to the Provence and Corsica regions in order to perfectly match its niche Provençal menu. Also try: 28-50 on Fetter Lane for an incredible selection by the glass, and Brawn on Columbia Road, which specialises in organic or bio-dynamically grown wines.

D 10 Bread Street, EC4

D 115 Chancery Lane, WC2

D 30 St Mary Axe, EC4

For private dining

For meat

For a lazy brunch

Lutyens, located in Fleet Street, has some of the best private rooms we’ve found in the City. Its exclusive spaces – Dixter, Viceroy’s House, St John the Evangelist and Reuters – are fully equipped for meetings and presentations, and perfect for interviews or small breakfast gatherings. Be it private

St John’s in Smithfield, famed for its nose-to-tail menu, whereby as little of the animal as possible is wasted, is the ultimate destination for meat fans across the City. Providing a broad range of dishes across all of their menus, this renowned restaurant has is an essential destination for anyone who

D 1 Change Alley, EC3

For breakfast meetings Bread Street Kitchen

Lutyens

St John’s

Nowhere in London says City quite like The Gherkin. Thus Searcy’s restaurant and members’ club that adorns the top three floors of this iconic building, two of which are available for private hire as well as a public dining, affords all its clientele the high-rolling, City lifestyle with which it has become associated. Also try: Copa de Cava in Blackfriars for one of the vastest selection of cavas in the City.

Boundary

For a relaxed Sunday brunch in London, Boundary in Shoreditch is the place to experience. Not only boasting a menu that combines both English and French cuisine, the free-to-enter art show and sale is enough to give you your weekly culture fix. D 2-4 Boundary Street, E2

august 2013 THE CITY 79

Fullers Brewery

Jasper Cuppaidge at Camden Town Brewery

Fullers Towers over London

Ale or bitter was simply the national drink of choice in the UK, it was what the brewers brewed and the drinkers drank

Fullers Brewery

feature | food & drink

Barrels Brews

The proliferation of local brewing houses in London in the past decade means only good things for the capital, writes James Lawrence

ondon has a proud heritage of beer-making that reached its heyday at the beginning of the 20th century. In 1900, there were over 1320 breweries in the UK and many of the most important ones were based in London. Courage, for example, used to brew at the large Shad Thames complex, which has since been converted to luxury flats. Whitbread Brewers used the Barbican as its base of operations, Fuller’s was (and still are) based in Chiswick and Young’s operation was staged in Wandsworth. “Ale or bitter was simply the national drink of choice in the UK, it was what the brewers brewed and the drinkers drank,” says Paddy Johnson of the London Brewers’ Alliance. However, by 1957 this rosy picture was looking more worrying. In the late 1950s there were only 437 breweries in the UK,

- London’s best breweries The Griffin Brewery Fuller’s London Pride, Chiswick Lane Chiswick, W4 D fullers.co.uk Camden Town Brewery 55-59 Wilkin Street Mews, Camden, NW5 D camdentownbrewery.com Hackney Brewery Arch 358, Laburnum Street Hackney, E2 D hackneybrewery.co.uk East London Brewing Company Unit 45, Fairways Business Centre Lammas Road Greenwich, E10 D eastlondonbrewing.com London Fields Brewery 365-366 Warburton Street, Hackney, E8 D londonfieldsbrewery.co.uk

of which 29 were in London. By 2004 the number of breweries had fallen to just eight. A convergence of different factors, both commercial and cultural, are commonly attributed to London’s brewing decline by the industry. “In the 1960s and 1970s lager began to increase in popularity across the country and brands such as Hofmeister, Holsten Pils and Heineken began to appear on bars across the land,” explains Tony Johnson, public relations officer at Fuller’s. “Another factor was the beer orders of the late 1980s, which forced the large British brewers (such as Bass, Watneys, Truman’s and Whitbread) to sell off their tied estates. The breweries were all eventually sold off to foreign (almost exclusively) lager brewers and the business of brewing in London was almost lost.” But the tide is turning. There are currently 48 registered breweries in London and the outlook is bright. Take a trip to Kentish Town West and you’ll discover the fledgling Camden Town Brewery, founded by Jasper Cuppaidge in 2010. In an arch below the railway, Cuppaidge is producing award-winning wheat beers, stouts and a fruity style pale ale that pubs across London can’t get enough of. In Waltham Forest, you’ll find another successful face in micro-brewing – the East London Brewing Company. Started two years ago, the outfit is noted for its Jamboree brand, a rich blend of lager, pale and wheat malt, giving a smooth, creamy taste. Classic styles like pale ale and foundation bitter appear alongside the more experimental styles such as Orchid, a dark, lightly spiced ale with vanilla. Claire Ashbridge-Thomlinson, East London’s co-founder, decided to take the plunge into micro-brewing with her husband Stuart in 2011: “Stuart was increasingly disenchanted after 20 years as an industrial chemist and I was pregnant. There’s nothing like the sleepinduced insanity of a new baby to warp one’s better judgment; and by February 2011, we had made the leap into micro-brewing!” Claire and Stuart founded their project just

as brewing in London was becoming trendy again. But does she think that this renaissance will be short-lived? “The resurgence of brewing in our capital is due to a variety of factors: real ale has become fashionable again; localism is also high on the agenda and small brewers enjoy duty relief,” she says. “If we’re following the US trend, then we’re far from saturation point,” she adds, with understandable confidence. Of course, it’s easy to forget just how quickly the resurgence in local brewing has come about. In 2010, there were just 13 breweries and this rapid transformation has forced everyone involved in the industry to take stock. Fuller’s of Chiswick was founded in 1845 and are one of the few survivors of the decline of the 20th century. “The trend for consumers to want to know more about where their produce has come from has had a big impact on the resurgence of brewing in London,” agrees Fuller’s Johnson, whose recent ‘Made of London’ advertising campaign for its renowned ale London Pride plays strongly on this locally produced badge of honour. However, he is less likely to attribute this expanding market solely to the demand for real ale from consumers: “While real ale is definitely part of the craft beer movement, the resurgence is not exclusive to real ale. Craft lager is also a very strong growth area.” So it seems that brewing in our capital, which was recently consigned to a slow death has made a real comeback and is here to stay. London has always been a trendsetter and it now has the bars, restaurants and pubs to do our brewing industry justice. Or, as Fuller’s Johnson so aptly summarises: “As long as consumers continue to be intrigued and amazed by the variety of styles, flavours and tastes they can find in beers from the capital then there is no reason why the trend for new breweries and beers cannot continue. Fuller’s has been at the heart of brewing in London for over 300 years and we fully expect to be at its heart for another 300.”

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event

Roman House Launch BERKELEY HOMES & RUNWILD MEDIA 18 July Runwild Media teamed up with Berkeley Homes this July to showcase their new Square Mile development, Roman House, on a balmy summer’s evening. The exclusive event saw the cream of the finance world rub shoulders with property investors for a look around the luxurious new development. Guests were treated to mouthwatering canapés from Bubble Foods, Remy Martin XO Champagne Cognac and expert tailoring advice from quintessential British tailor, Crombie. The City Magazine’s managing editor, Emma Johnson, also gave an insightful speech on the importance of the City of London and its great location for investment property purchases. D berkeleygroup.co.uk

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paInT IT, Black, rEd, GrEEn… The expansion of Castle Fine Art at The Royal Exchange is now complete, offering visitors an even bigger and brighter contemporary viewing space in the Courtyard. To celebrate, the gallery has announced a new permanent collection from artist and iconic musician, Ronnie Wood. The new and original work from the Rolling Stones guitarist has been taken from his Raw Instinct collection. The various pieces provide a great insight into the creative mind of one of Britain’s best-loved musical heroes and bring

a new look → Harrys of London, the men’s footwear and accessories maker, has collaborated with optical icon Cutler & Gross to create a run of limited-edition sunglasses. True to Harrys’ reputation for meticulous attention to detail, each pair is handmade in Italy and takes four weeks to complete. Made from top-grade

to life the raw energy of the band. There are, of course, instantly recognisable portraits of Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Keith Richards, as well as a particularly striking self-portrait. Before Wood became a musician, he was in the midst of a burgeoning career as an artist. He has been painting since he was just three years old and even received formal training from Ealing College of Art. Speaking about his work, the rock star said: “When I get inspired, I get almost possessed and

I just have to paint. There is no kind of therapy like the one you get from starting and seeing a picture through to the end.” Speaking about the new exhibition, Castle Fine Art Gallery manager Katrina Aris said: “London offers one of the most thriving art scenes and the arrival of this latest original collection of artwork from Ronnie Wood is testament to that. We are delighted to be one of the first galleries in the UK to offer the chance to view these amazing new pieces.”

black acetate, the Downing collection features hand-drilled riveted hinges and is offered in five lens colours – blue, dark grey, dark brown, green and mirrored ‘infra red’. Speaking about the collaboration, Giuseppe Bonfiglio, CEO of Harrys of London, said: “I’ve long been an admirer – and wearer – of Cutler & Gross and the unrivalled standards of quality, craftsmanship

and design at the core of the brand. We look forward to building on this collaboration and enjoying a successful partnership.” Downing sunglasses, £325

www.theroyalexchange.co.uk

THE CITY ADV AUG 13.indd All Pages

SIX OF THE BEST

Shorting gold ↑

Delicately exotic ↑

Simple Pleasure ↑

Vilebrequin is a leader in luxury swimwear, and now the company has taken beach style a step further by introducing trunks embroidered with 24k gold. Limited to only 40 pieces, these hand-sewn shorts catch the light like nothing else, transforming an ordinary piece of swimwear into an extraordinary accessory that makes a splash. Golden Turtle swim trunks, £6,900

A delicate and floral scent for the summer, this Osmanthus Blossom Cologne by Jo Malone is a limited edition, and only available in select Jo Malone boutiques. The fragrance sees petitgrain, peach and orange flower drifting above the base note of cashmere wood – perfect for layering with Jo Malone’s Blackberry & Bay cologne. Osmanthus blossom cologne, from £38

Handmade in Britain using traditional English bridle hide, this teacher’s folder by leather specialists Sage Brown is elegantly simple in design – using a single tab that slides under a loop to fasten. This type of hide, the choice of discerning leather connoisseurs the world over, has a natural waxy finish, which helps to ‘feed’ it and let it age gracefully over time. Bridle leather teacher’s folder, £265

Just the tonic ↑

old Blue eyes ↑

Drop in the ocean ↑

Penhaligon’s is an iconic London brand, and now it’s paying homage to one of the city’s other famous exports – gin. New Juniper Sling eau de toilette is a delightful, heady cocktail of juniper berry, brandy, black pepper, orris wood, brown sugar and cardamom. The perfect scent for men or women who like a tipple in the summer sun. Juniper Sling, from £78

Lapis lazuli has been mined for thousands of years, and the trading of the intense blue semi-precious stone can be traced back to the Egyptians. Now, Tateossian harnesses its natural beauty to garnish these ‘London Eye’ cufflinks, which have a diamond set at their centre, and the signature Tateossian diamond pattern on the case. London Eye cufflinks, £325

Beautifully hand-crafted in Theo Fennell’s Fulham workshop, these Oceania Drop earrings pay tribute to extraordinary creatures that inhabit our planet’s seas. Formed from delicate white, rose and yellow gold and diamonds, the earrings have detachable aquamarine studs that can be worn on their own, and capture the vibrancy of the ocean. Oceania drop earrings, £21,500

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12/07/2013 12:23

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TRAVEL

REPORT

A RAREFIED WORLD When in Rome… stay in a suite fit for an Emperor

t the highest point of the highest of Rome’s seven hills, sits the Regina Hotel Baglioni. At the top of that, sits the Roman Penthouse. It’s a location that comes with certain perks, namely, views of the city you won’t find anywhere else. Take a 360° stroll of the 290 square metres that make up the penthouse’s outdoor terraces, and from the Colosseum to the Sistine Chapel, behold the monuments that make up picture-postcard Rome. Not that the charms of the city’s newest suite stop there. Inside, the

extravagantly styled penthouse boasts a Jacuzzi, three bedrooms, four bathrooms, two lounges and a private kitchen, bar and dining room. Book a stay and you’ll also enjoy limousine transfers, a dedicated concierge service, as well as your own barman and chef for three hours each day. Should you decide to leave the splendour of the suite and explore the city’s other spoils, then many of Rome’s main attractions are only walking distant away. Just make sure you’re back on the terrace for sunset. D baglionihotels.com

A TASTE OF SPAIN Emma Johnson visits beautiful, intoxicating San Sebastian and finds a foodie heaven par excellence

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SPAIN SPECIAL | ESCAPE

FOODie break

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PHOTOGRAPHY: courtesy of Liudmila Ermolenko

here is something about San Sebastian that, for any foodie, makes it an essential destination for a culinary pilgrimage. This small seaside town’s gastronomic reputation is one of the best in the world – if you mention it to anyone who has been, you will always get the same reaction. “Ah, San Sebastian...” they proclaim wistfully; accompanying this statement with an involuntary hand to the stomach, a dreamy gaze into the distance and a long, satisfied sigh. This is the land of the Basque people, renowned for many things – some less good than others – but without question people who love their food. San Sebastian, or Donostia as the Spanish call it, has retained a very classic Basque food culture and remains one of the most exciting places to dine in Spain. Eating in San Sebastian takes two forms – at one end of the scale a host of stunning Michelin-starred restaurants serve some of the most adventurous food in the country in luxurious surroundings. At the other, much more fun, end, is the tradition of pinchos. Pinchos make traditional tapas seem like unimaginative plates of stew – these beautifully-crafted, bite-size dishes are the sushi of the Basque world, intricately created, boasting a wealth of flavour and unique ingredients. Crostini with anchovies topped with caviar and chilli, grilled asparagus and foie gras, vast plates of Iberico ham, baby eels with red peppers and guindillas (green peppers) – there is so much choice you could never leave San Sebastian having tried everything it had to offer. Pinchos are served, and charged, individually and are piled high on every bar in San Sebastian. Customers take – or ask for – a plate and get busy choosing; they then remember what they’ve had and tell the barman afterwards. You eat standing up, leaning against the bar, while silver or wooden troughs run around the base of the bar to catch wayward food and discarded cocktail sticks. You order one or two dishes, a glass of something to drink, eat it, and then move on to the next place. It’s not glamorous, per se, but it’s great fun. The good thing about San Sebastian is its size; it takes minutes to find your way around, the intricate cobbled streets of the old town are clearly marked and easy to navigate – or get happily lost in. We started off, map in hand, plotting our way to recommended bars and restaurants, but soon decided that happening upon these places (as so often occurred), while discovering several new ones on the way, was much more fun. In this way we discovered Txepetxa – a tiny bar, with Spanish football on a knackered TV in the corner, and a menu of nothing but marinated anchovies in various guises; Conchada san Telmo, packed to the rafters, serving huge slabs of foie gras; La Cepa – who served the best hams and grilled peppers; Martinez – whose endless bar was piled high with intricate pinchos at amazing prices; and Borda Berri – a

friendly place with no on-bar pinchos but one of the most interesting menus we’d come across. At this stage we’d both had enough vino tinto to risk playing a bit of menu roulette – ordering unpronounceable items from the boards behind the bar and hoping for the best. There were some successes – salmorejo (a delicious cold Spanish soup with garlic, tomatoes, ham and chopped eggs) and garbanzos con chorizo (chickpeas and spicy sausage stew), but we also mistakenly ordered gelatinous pigs ears, hake throat and fish cheeks. It’s not for the faint-hearted, but it’s the best way to get to grips with some Spanish delicacies. All this walking, standing and eating is great for variety, but by day three we were ready to sit down and actually eat something with proper utensils and plates. So we headed to Getaria – a pretty seaside village with a small fishing port, a 20-minute drive from San Sebastian. Lunch was booked at Elkano, renowned for its fish cooked on an outside grill or brazier, and a favourite of the locals. As we took our seats the head chef came over – apologising for his track-suited attire. “I am still cleaning and gutting the fish from this morning’s catch,” he explained. There can be no better way to convey just how much this was reflective of the divinely fresh fish we proceeded to devour, which included grilled anchovies, crab and a whole turbot, shared between the two of us. An amazing meal. Eating isn’t the only pastime at which the Spanish excel; drinking comes pretty high on the list too. In San Sebastian, Txakoli, for instance, is the local tipple of choice, a sour, sparkling fizz, served in a pint glass, poured from a great height to encourage the bubbles. At €1.50 it’s the cheapest drinking option in the town – and it cuts through the variety of rich dishes we’re consuming with perfectly matched precision. If you fancy something more decadent, then head for Bideluze, which boasts some of the most amazing Spanish wines, all available by the glass. Order a glass of Belondrade y Lurton, arguably Spain’s best white wine, which will set you back just €10, or splash out and plump for a glass of Vega Sicilia, a dreamy Rioja, available here for €16 a glass. There are plenty of boutique hotels to choose from, which offer a more rustic way to enjoy the town, but San Sebastian also has a grand, regal elegance that is perfectly matched in 100-year-old Hotel Maria Cristina, situated on the harbour front with views across the bay. The recently refurbished Belle Époque interior is lavish and elegant, greys and purples dominate, and rooms are generous in size, with glorious marble bathrooms, chandeliers and vast beds. Our room looked out over the turquoise Cantabrian sea, and boasted a separate dressing room and lobby. Breakfast every morning was an equally lavish affair, which we approached carefully every morning, knowing how much other delicioius food was awaiting us just steps away. D hotel-mariacristina.com

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Indeed, there’s no standing on ceremony at Torralbenc; instead, staff drift around in floaty white kaftans and khaki trousers with a refreshing devil-may-care attitude. While I welcomed this wholeheartedly, it could sometimes be confusing as to who was staff and who were guests. Torralbenc’s restaurant Sa Taula is led by head chef Pepe Corral and assisted by Michelin-starred Paco Morales. Guests are offered a choice of two menus: the simpler of the two includes smaller dishes (better for lunch) and the other caters towards a more formal dining experience. On our first night, my partner and I sat outside for dinner, enjoying the welcome light breeze from the nearby sea. The seven-course menu was filled with the finest seasonal produce, from the Iberian ham in the summer stew to the fresh vegetables in the Russian salad. Highlights included the suckling pig and the Spanish omelette which had been given an upmarket twist with additional truffles. Each course appeared decadent but was surprisingly light and lacking in pretension. The hotel doesn’t have a bar, but more than makes up for this with its own wine cellar. After dinner, a cup of fresh mint tea picked straight from the garden ensured a wonderful night’s sleep. While you could easily remain at the hotel throughout your holiday and enjoy the many facilities including the outdoor pool, fitness area, yoga room and spa, it would be a shame not to explore the rest of Menorca. A good time to visit is at the end of June when the town of Ciutadella really comes into its own with the Festival of St. John. Taking place 23 – 24 June, the religious event commemorates the patron saint and involves an elected member of the town carrying a sacrificial sheep through the streets; a truly remarkable (albeit bizarre) sight which shouldn’t be missed. The festival also serves to highlight Menorca’s agricultural heritage and, if you visit, you must take the opportunity to go to one of the farms where the regional cheese is produced. Torralbenc is situated just a short drive away from the coast, and the island has a wealth of beaches which have thankfully been saved from the beer-slugging tourists who’ve invaded neighbouring Majorca and Ibiza. Admittedly, Menorca wouldn’t be the first port of call if you’re looking for excitement, but it remains a great retreat for those in need of some peace and quiet. The same goes for tranquil Torralbenc, which is perfect for young couples wishing to be left alone on a romantic weekend getaway. Two nights on the farm and I believe that many of my Princess tendencies had been ironed out. My partner politely disagrees.

The laid-back staff are there to promote the hotel’s ethos of easy living, and generally leave guests to their own devices

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D torralbenc.com

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espite its charming rural villages and the fact that it has more beaches than Majorca and Ibiza put together, Menorca has remained relatively under the radar as a holiday hotspot in comparison; which is surprising when you consider how easy it is to get there. Direct BA flights from London City Airport go frequently throughout the summer. Check-in your bags, grab a glass of champagne, courtesy of BA Business Class, and just two hours later you’ll be on the Balearic Island. As travelling goes, it’s pretty painless. Ten-minutes from the airport is Torralbenc Hotel, which opened two months ago as the area’s first luxury boutique hotel. Bought by hotelier Peter Carrington (owner of Majorca’s Cap Rocat), it lies in the heart of the countryside and was chosen for two reasons: the first being to produce wine, (the fruits of his labour are already visible from the vineyard); and the second, to create a hotel which epitomised understated luxury. The former farm, dating back to the 19th century, has provided a perfect setting. Torralbenc represents the newest breed of hotel which goes against oldschool luxury and instead looks to a more simplified, contemporary version, which is most apparent in the bedrooms. The minimalist design reflects a compromise between contemporary living and Menorcan architecture. My guest and I were initially a little dismayed by our room’s modest decor, and yet I found myself almost completely converted to this restrained form of comfort by the end of my stay. Even those Princesses at heart (myself included) will find the room’s saving graces in the spacious bathroom and private garden terrace. If you’re looking to be waited on hand and foot, this isn’t the place for you. While attentive and obliging, the laid-back staff are there to promote the hotel’s ethos of easy living, and generally leave guests to their own devices. A prime example of this is at breakfast time. Guests can choose to take it on the public terrace overlooking the vast Menorcan countryside, or in the privacy of their own garden, an experience not to be missed. Delivered in a hand-woven basket, it is delivered without a word from a member of staff. At first believing there to be some mistake, I soon realise that we’re expected to unpack the picnic hamper ourselves. Like excitable children who’ve discovered a toy box, we proceeded to unearth the delights within. For the rest of our stay, we ordered room service every morning.

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ESCAPE | SPAIN SPECIAL

escape to the country Just a two hour plane ride away and set in the idyllic countryside, Olivia Sharpe explains why Menorcaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s newest hotel, Torralbenc, makes for the perfect rural retreat

sunrise to sunrise When The Ushuaïa Beach Hotel opened in 2011, it revolutionised the way people partied in Ibiza. Two years later, and Ushuaïa’s latest venture, The Tower, hopes to do the same thing with the way people eat and drink on the island. Richard Brown steps into the world of the VIP

- take me there Monarch flies to Ibiza from London Gatwick with fares, including taxes, starting from £47.99 one way (£77.99 return). All customers are allocated a seat at check-in; however seats can be pre-allocated on scheduled Monarch flights for £4.99 per one-way flight. Extra legroom seats are also available offering up to six inches of extra space from only £6.99. monarch.co.uk Rooms at The Ushuaïa Tower start from €194 per room/night (double occupancy) including breakfast. ushuaiabeachhotel.com/en/thetower

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Beach BREAK

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spain special | escape

RECOMMEN

RECOMME N OR

ight, so, get this: one Friday last month, after a sleepless week in which I’d been juggling print deadlines with the horrors of moving house, I left the office at eight in the evening bound for Ibiza. After a flight shared with a young, dumb, StAntonia-set crowd, we arrived at our hotel 3am local time. Drinks appeared, then shots, then sunrise, then, finally, bed. Stay with me… The next 50-something hours were a daisy-chain of midmorning breakfasts, day-time drinks and all-night dancing sessions. Sunrise was witnessed for consecutive mornings and the bottoms of too many beer bottles were seen. We were still on the go 2am Monday morning, 45-minutes before our return flight took off, making the most of Ibiza Airport’s in-situ nightclub. Again, stay with me… After a two-and-a-something hour flight, we landed just after 4am, a taxi getting me home just after 5am. Following a five-hour kip, I was showered and shaved and back at my desk by midday. And here’s the thing, after all of that, after all the drinking, all the dancing, all of the lost hours of missed sleep, I felt absoluuuuuutely........ Amazing. Not tired, not hung-over, not in a suicidal-state of self-loathing, screaming for my bed and wanting the world to end. Nope. Instead, I spent the next two days extolling to anyone who’d listen the rejuvenating benefits of a weekend spent in Ibiza. Granted, by Thursday the tan had faded, the music had grown muted and the lack of sleep had me shouting for the weekend. But, until then, I had returned invigorated, restored, and ready to conquer whatever the working week might throw at me. Absurd, certainly, but even more bizarre when you consider we’d been staying at The Ushuaïa, which, as anyone who’s visited Ibiza since the hotel opened in 2011 will testify, isn’t a place you go for its revitalising abilities. Until now it seems. Since May of this year, The Ushuaïa franchise has been split into two entities (well, three if you count the original beach club from which it grew): party-centric The Ushuaïa Beach Hotel, whose poolside stage has been graced by superstar DJs David Guetta, Avicii, Luciano, Fatboy Slim and Swedish House Mafia; and the newly opened The Ushuaïa Tower, the more intimate and altogether laidback sibling to its head-banging next-door neighbour. Designed, we’re told, to suit the needs of those looking for the Ushuaïa experience but with a slice of added exclusivity, The Tower is less a place to party, more a place to eat, drink and unwind. It boasts, for example, an upmarket oyster and caviar bar slap-bang next to its infinity-edge pool, itself

offering idyllic, unobstructed views of the Mediterranean Sea. Add a nearby cocktail bar, providing bespoke creations to an international clientele, and a cigar lounge serving cigars, rare bourbons and dark spirits, and you begin to see how The Tower is about refinement than all-out revelry. And still, as easy-going in comparison to its sister as the hotel may be, this is – you won’t be allowed to forget – the second outpost from a franchise made famous for pandering to the planet’s most dedicated party-goers: what accounts for laidback in some people’s eyes, won’t necessarily match The Tower’s own vision of tranquillity. And so, outside, poolside parties kick-off not long after lunch, while inside, shiny rooms with enormous flat-screen TVs, Jacuzzis and state-of-the-art sound systems bear names like ‘The Fashion Victim Suite’, ‘The I’m on top of the World Suite’ and ‘The Anything Can Happen Suite’. Stay in the latter and a mirrored ceiling above your circular bed and a suggestive erotic gift-set will remind you that you’re here to have fun. Generating nearly as much excitement as The Tower’s opening itself, has been the news that Richard Turner – of Hawksmoor fame – has branchedout of London to open Ibiza’s first world-class steakhouse within the hotel. Served with the usual array of specialty sides inspired by the American steakhouse culture, Montauk offers diners the chance to indulge in either 35-day dry-aged Spanish Basque, British Longhorn or Nebraskan Black Angus beef. Grilled Dover sole, lobster and baby lamb ‘Nieve’ cater for non-steak lovers, while a takeaway service allows islanders to savour the restaurant’s offering in the privacy of their own homes. If you visit Montauk, and you most certainly should, I can vouch for the freshness of Caesar salad and roasted sea scallops and the tenderness of the smoked pork belly ribs. For mains, both the New York strip and rib eye steaks are meltin-your-mouth good, but whichever you choose be sure to add the candied bacon as a side (I could have eaten several pots of the stuff by themselves). From the dessert menu, opt for either the peanut butter shortbread or the peanut butter chocolate sundae, both are outstanding. You’ll pay upwards of £100 per head at Montauk, but for food that’s as good, if not better, than any of London’s steakhouses, it’s money for which you won’t mourn. And so, after 50-something hours, insomniac levels of sleep, three sunrises, countless cocktails and one mirrored ceiling, I arrived back at my desk positively beaming. The maths don’t make sense, I can’t explain why, but I returned from The Tower feeling every bit the VIP. Well, for a few days at least.

The maths don’t make sense, I can’t explain why, but I returned from The Tower feeling every bit the VIP

AUGUST 2013 THE CITY 93

Destination | ESCAPE

Destination...

MADRID AIMEE LATIMER travels to Madrid to experience a city steeped in culture and character WHERE TO STAY… Villa Magna Dramatic and romantic, the Villa Magna was used in the 1970s as apartments for aristocrats. Now a 150-room and 30-suite luxury hotel, Villa Magna layers sophistication with glamour and exclusivity in the heart of Madrid. All of its elegant rooms, and its truly decadent royal suite, follow a clean and restful colour palette of dove greys and creams. Beyond the quality of the accommodation, the on-site dining is also enticing. The main restaurant’s specialty is decadent shellfish, while its other Asian offering, Tse Yang, boasts some of Spain’s finest Cantonese food. For something lighter, cocktails and canapés at its Magnum Bar’s terrace will see you mingling with a queue of locals keen to experience the atmosphere of this famous hotel. D villamagna.es

WHERE TO EAT… La Capilla de la Bolsa

IMAGE: Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, couresty of rubiphoto

If you like your holidays memorable, then a night at La Capilla de la Bolsa is a must. Diners sit under a baroque vaulted ceiling that is illuminated with an ever-changing light display. Underneath, prominent frescoed walls encircle a centre of pure white tables and chairs. For the food, expect modern Mediterranean dishes that are both wonderfully executed and, of course, beautifully presented. D lacapilladelabolsa.com

WHAT TO DO… Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art Madrid’s Golden Triangle of Art is made up of three of the city’s most important art museums: Museo Nacional del Prado, Museo ThyssenBornemisza and Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía. The museums are located in the centre of the city within walking distance of one another. All three share dramatic architecture and a collection of priceless art and artefacts that shed an in-depth light into Spain’s history. D esmadrid.com

DON’T MISS… A final stroll In a city filled with gardens, Parque de Buen Retiro is a rare flower. As one of the largest public parks in Spain, the sprawling grounds are framed within a modern-day city. A stop by its Grecian-inspired fountains, or a closer look at some of its sculptures, or perhaps simply a walk through a tree-lined avenue, will take you back to a more romantic era.

From top to bottom: Plaza de la Cibeles; La Capilla de la Bolsa restaurant; Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía; Monument to Alonso XII; The Puerta de Alcala.

British Airways and partners Iberia operate flights to Madrid from both London City Airport and Heathrow. Passengers travelling from London City have up to 3 daily flights to choose from and benefit from a fast track check-in to aircraft experience.

D madridtourist.info

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the definitive stag do They’re his final days of freedom so usher your stag towards wedlock with something more original than a tequila-fuelled trip to Tallinn. Here’s how… writes Richard Brown

feature | escape Château Pichon-Longueville

1: PARTY LAS VEGAS STYLE Pack your pool party essentials and your most credible poker face; you’re off to Vegas, the peerless circus of excess in the middle of nowhere and the one city on earth designed specifically to blow a man’s mind and, most likely, the money in his pocket. An unequalled expanse of casinos and clubs, slot machines and showgirls, restaurants and roof-top rides, Vegas is the place you go to leave the real world behind. Which, with an impending wedding on the horizon, is probably exactly what you’ll want to do. First, it was known for its gambling and gangsters, then as being the conference capital of the world, now, it seems, the city has become action-adventure epicentre of America. Whether it’s zip-wiring over the Grand Canyon or roaring around the desert in high-performance dune buggies and motorcross bikes, there’s plenty to do away from the roulette wheel. So, when the sound of quarters hitting slot machine trays grows monotonous, why not swap it for the clatter of hot brass bullet casings hitting the floor at the selfexplanatorily named Machine Guns Vegas? Forget your Bellinis and Buck’s Fizzes, the only things on this cocktail menu are Uzis, Berettas, Glocks, M60s and AK-47s. The first luxury gun range in the world, Machine Gun Vegas offers the chance to shoot anything from fully automatic machine guns and historical firearms to one-of-a-kind SEAL weapons. WHERE TO STAY: The MGM Grand, where the Wet Republic pool party brings Ibiza to the American West Coast. D mgmgrand.com / machinegunsvegas.com

Grand Hôtel de Bordeaux

2: go vintage A wine tour in Bordeaux might not sound like the most rock and roll of manly weekends, but when you throw supercars into the mix, and the golden keys to some of the most notoriously exclusive châteaux, it starts to get rather more interesting. The impressively grand, and appropriately named, Grand Hôtel de Bordeaux in the centre of the city, offers the absolute best in luxurious and bespoke wine tours. Its incredibly well-connected team can get you into some of the most renowned and exclusive châteaux in the region, including the famous first growths Château Margaux and Château Haut-Brion, as well as Château Palmer, Château Pichon-Longueville and Château Pontet-Canet.

Grand Hôtel de Bordeaux

The hotel’s Classic Car Wine Journey involves a whole day of touring Margaux, St Julien, St Estèphe, Pauillac and St Emilion all from the comfort of being chauffeured in something very fast and very shiny. The stag can choose the transport du jour from a garage of row-after-row of beautiful, vintage cars, including a Camaro, a Porsche, a Mustang, a Morgan, a Jaguar or a Rolls. Nobody wants a stag who can’t commit to a decision, so hopefully yours will pick quickly and you can start your tour through the famous terroir of Bordeaux. Lunch can be served in the form of a tranquil picnic prepared by executive chef Pascal Nibaudeau, served in the beautiful surroundings of a vineyard. It’s not a bad way to spend the day, especially for any stag wanting to

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experience a packed itinerary but who is lacking in time. And if driving an iconic car isn’t a boys toys indulgence enough, you can always fly into the chateaux by helicopter. Where to pick up the keys: The ‘Classic Car Wine Journey’ starts at £960 pp including one night in a deluxe room, with a supplementary charge of £76 per person if you’ve picked the picnic.

Grand Hôtel de Bordeaux

D hotel-bordeaux-bergerac.com

3: break a world record How about honouring yours or your friend’s final days of freedom by breaking a world record? And no, we’re not talking about seeing how many Tequila Suicides you can sink in the space of ten minutes; we’re talking about a grown-up, adrenaline-inducing adventure laden with danger, obstacle and the possible loss of limbs. N.B. you may not want to tell the bride about this one. Go where no stag has ever gone before and become the first pre-wedding party to trek to the North Pole. Round up the lads, grow a beard for a week and put everything you’ve seen Bear Grylls do, into practice (poo-eating aside). The trip gives you the chance to follow in the footsteps of the original Arctic explorers, just with more vodka and less frostbite. Fly into Longyearbyen, Norway, and arrive to a welcome dinner at your hotel, where you’ll be met by your guide for the trip, Eric Philips: man who knows more than most about conquering the poles: a man who’s been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for achievements in polar exploration, no less. Journey the last stretch on foot and when you arrive at where Santa Claus abides, celebrate your title as the most adventurous stags in the world with some champagne and caviar, before making a smug call home on a satellite phone. how to get there: A five-day ‘Trek to the Pole’ costs from £24,999 per person, which includes flights, airport transfers, equipment, food and training. D lastnightoffreedom.co.uk

The annual mean temperature at the North Pole can fall as low as -40°C

4: experience extreme cuisine Iceland is a land of treasures, where fire meets ice with sapphire blue glaciers, volcanic geysers, invigorating waterfalls, hot pools, and gardens of lava flows. It might not sound the most ‘stag’-like of weekends, but when you tell the groomto-be he’ll be dining on top of glaciers and barbecuing on boiling magma pools of lava, he might feel a little different. The team from Momentum Adventure can organise an entirely bespoke weekend of

everything from snowmobiling Europe’s largest glacier, to crossing rivers, black sand beaches and the glacier itself in an Icelandic Super-Jeep. You can even take a helicopter flight to the Westman Islands, a par-70 championship course set in an old volcano, and a unique test of your stag’s golfing skills. Teeing off against a backdrop of volcanic walls, changing wind directions on the same hole and playing across and over the sea should make for some interesting ball action. All trips are organised with the height of

feature | escape

San Fermin Festival, Pamplona

5: Get Bullsy in Spain

Bull running in the calle Estafeta, Pamplona

Black sand dunes in Iceland

Snow-mobiling in Iceland

Golfing on a volcano in Iceland

luxury in mind, so the best lodges, cabins or hotels will be laid on for when you need some downtime, while a spell at the famed Blue Lagoon geothermal spa set in the heart of the Icelandic landscape is a dead cert for soothing aching muscles. how to book your adventure: Bespoke trips start from £7,000 per person, based on 6 guests, (international flights, evening meals or drinks are not included), Momentum Adventure. D momentumadventure.com

It’s approaching eight o’clock in the morning. The sun-lit streets of Pamplona have been getting increasingly busy for the last two hours. Thousands now line the town’s cobbled lanes, hands sweaty, voices animated. As the clock strikes eight, a rocket explodes: a cheer goes up; the bulls are released. That last round of sambucas doesn’t seem like such a good idea now. Time to run. Slowly at first; the bulls are still some distance behind you. But they’re getting closer; you can hear their thundering hooves. Screams start to fill the air. The most intrepid of daredevils will be aiming to feel the breath of the bulls on the back of their necks; but we’ll wager a bet the soles of your shoes will be pounding the street faster than they’ve ever pounded them before. Welcome to Pamplona’s Running of the Bulls, the perfect jaunt for a group of madcap stag doers. Each day for a week, six bulls, six steers and two herds are shepherded at breakneck speed 825 metres down crowd-filled streets from the top of the town to Pamplona’s bull ring. Despite regular fatalities and hundreds being injured every year, the event attracts thrill-seeking adrenaline-junkies, if not your conventional stag dos, from all around the world. Run with the bulls, survive to tell the tale and you’ll certainly have a memory to share once the wedding rolls round. If you’ve not got the bulls: For the more timidly natured, there’s always the world’s largest tomato fight at La Tomatina in Buñol later in the year.

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Ultimate away days Whether you’re showing your appreciation to a team that’s just earned you millions, or bolstering relationships with critical clients, nothing works quite as well as treating them to a weekend away. So, with time of the essence, where’s best to impress in 50-something hours? Richard Brown makes some suggestions

feature | escape

2: SPOIL THEM STATESIDE

D For more on the White Isle, see our special Spanish travel feature, p. 92.

D British Airways tickets are available through ba.com

3: GOLF IN THE ALGARVE It boasts more than 200 km of beautiful coastline and experiences more sunshine per year than California. Yet it’s not the Algarve’s climate or beaches that account for it appearing on this page: it’s the area’s golf courses. Numbering nearly 40, they cater for all proficiencies, making the south of Portugal one of the best places to match a course to the capabilities of your corporate clients. Head for Vilamoura (the Puerto Banús of the Algarve) and away from the Victoria Golf Club, which hosts the Portuguese Masters every year, you’ve got the Oceanico Old, the original and oldest course in the region. Designed by Frank Pennink, beautifullykept trees, pine-lined fairways and small, manicured greens make this par 73 course one of the finest in Europe. Other gems in this golfing Utopia include the world-class San Lorenzo, located alongside the Atlantic on sandy undulating terrain, and Monte Rei, which, set amongst mountains, is one of Europe’s few Jack Nicklaus ‘Signature’ courses. Whichever course you choose, expect stunning scenery, superb service and some of the best bunkering you’ll find outside of St Andrews. D oceanicogolf.com / sanlorenzogolfcourse.com / monte-rei.com

1: PARTY IN IBIZA It’s the obvious choice and probably a jaunt best suited to strengthening relationships with people you know rather than prospective clients you don’t; unless, of course, you’re aware of a group of wouldbe associates with a penchant for poolside partying and dancing until dawn (which, in the City, shouldn’t be too hard to find). Conveniently, the hedonistic hotspot of the world is just a two-and-a-half hour flight away, meaning you can leave the office at 5pm on a Friday and be popping champagne in Pacha by midnight. Nurse the inevitable hangover on Saturday with a visit to the island’s famous Blue Marlin beach club: the place where the rich, famous and beautiful go to watch the late afternoon become early evening in front of serene, picture-postcard waters. Revived, make for another of Ibiza’s VIPfriendly venues on Sunday: Ushuaïa. Get involved at the clubbers’ hotel and open air party destination from 3pm until midnight before the flight home beckons. Dance until boarding time courtesy of Pacha’s very own in-airport enterprise, before landing in the early hours and being back at your desk, in body if not in mind, by 9am.

When you’re considering mixing work and play across the pond, Las Vegas may be the choice that first springs to mind; brilliant if, thanks to the flights, you can be spared from the office for four days or more; not so, if you can’t. Handily, there’s a city on the east coast that doesn’t make for a bad work-related jolly-up either; one that can be reached four hours quicker than its Nevada counterpart and one that, even more conveniently for a weekend away, famously doesn’t sleep. To get there, fly business class via BA’s Club World service from London City Airport. After a 15 minute check-in-to-departure process, you’ll be aboard a plane that, with only 32 fully-reclining seats, feels more private jet than commercial aeroplane. Shop, sightsee, catch some American sport courtesy of the New York Yankees, before exploring the city’s most-exclusive speakeasies. We recommend the ultraexclusive PDT [Please Don’t Tell], the nearimpossible-to-find The Back Room, and the uber-glamorous Beauty & Essex. For a decadently fitting end to what’s sure to be a thoroughly indulgent trip, make for Wall and Water on Wall Street, where you’ll be able to enjoy foie gras and lobster while looking out at the place your New York counterparts spend their working weeks. Fly back through the night to London City Airport and be back in the City within 40 minutes of landing.

feature | escape

4: SKI COURCHEVEL Just as the countless courses of the Algarve make it the ideal golfing location to take business associates, the limitless range of runs in the Three Valleys promise to cater to the downhill needs of any established or would-be client. While Meribel and Val Thorens offer their own party scenes, if you’re looking to impress, it’s Courchevel you’re after. The glamorous heart of the world’s largest ski area, Courchevel is the ultimate skiers’ playground, a magnet for the wealthy and a Mecca for those appreciative of slopeside sophistication; which is where Chalet Bergerie comes into its own. Opened at the start of this year, the residence offers a prime ski-in, ski-out location and comes with two master suites and five large en-suite double bedrooms, each with a bathtub, rainforest shower and separate Japanese style restrooms. Upstairs, a stunning living area incorporates a magnificent fireplace and offers staggering views of the surrounding mountains. Downstairs, you’ll find a spa and wellness area, 20m by 5m swimming pool, jacuzzi, sauna and state-of-the-art fitness room. Naturally, a masseur and beautician are on-hand at all times. If that doesn’t appeal, there’s always the private screening room that comes with HD projector, a movie database, PS3 and Xbox. In peak season, a one week stay will set you back around a cool £200k. D labergerie1850.com

5: COMPETE IN MARBELLA

Courchevel is the ultimate skiers’ playground...a Mecca for those appreciative of slope-side sophistication

They say that without the Marbella Club, there would be no Marbella. Indeed, almost 60 years after the hotel began transforming Andalusia from an obscure stretch of Spanish coastline into a favourite destination among the international jet-set, the Marbella Club continues to provide a haven for the A-list and a superb setting for a client-based excursion. Here’s why… Inspired by the notion that few places in the world allow its visitors to experience both alpine skiing and swimming in the sea on the same day, the Marbella Club gives its guests the chance to compete across a range of adrenaline-generating sports in two or three day packages. After tactically losing to your most treasured clients at downhill skiing, pigeon shooting, polo, paddle tennis, golf, motorsport, archery and water skiing, we’re sure that contract will re-sign itself. So assured is Franck Sibille, Marbella Club’s resort’s general manager, of the resort’s appeal, that he considers his closest rivals to be a handful of hotels located in Miami and Monte Carlo; in the south of Spain, there’s simply no competition. To organise a ‘Spring Games Experience’, including transfers, accommodation, and sports, email reservas@marbellaclub.com or call 0034 95 282 2211. D marbellaclub.com

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THE Directory Whether you want to dine or to drink, to purchase gorgeous gifts and stylish outfits, to keep fit or to be pampered, the City is home to a wealth of services and amenities

Collection

Health & Beauty

Bachet

Ajala Spa

12 The Courtyard

10 Godliman Street

020 3405 1437

020 7074 1010

bachet.fr

www.ajalaspa.com

Boodles

Chequers Beauty

Virgin Active 5 Old Broad Street, 0845 270 4080 virginactive.co.uk Barber Express Ltd 14 Devonshire Row 020 7377 5485

2 & 3 The Courtyard

Salon

Royal Exchange

53-54 Leadenhall Market

020 7283 7284

020 7283 3047

City Health & Fitness

boodles.com

chequersbeauty.co.uk

Club London

Bulgari 15 The Courtyard Royal Exchange 020 7283 4580 bulgari.com Ernest Jones Unit 3, Plantation Place 020 7929 4491 ernestjones.co.uk Goldsmiths 186-190 Bishopsgate 020 7283 6622 goldsmiths.co.uk

Elysium Spa 21 Old Broad Street 020 7256 8624 elysiumfortytwo.co.uk Essential Therapy 39 Whitefriars Street 020 7353 1895 essential-therapie.co.uk Optix 175 Bishopsgate 020 7628 0330 optixuk.com

barberexpress.co.uk

020 7929 5656 artisangalleries.com Kiehls Unit 14/15, Royal Exchange 020 7283 6661 kiehls.co.uk Jo Malone 24 Royal Exchange

8-10 Cooper’s Row

08701 925131

cityhealthclub.co.uk

jomalone.co.uk

Fet ter Barbers Ltd

Ligne rosset

144 Fetter Lane

7-39 Commercial Road

020 7702 3553

020 7426 9670

fetterbarbers.com

ligne-roset-city.co.uk

F Flit tner

Paul A Young Fine

86 Moorgate

Chocolates

020 7606 4750

20 Royal Exchange

fflittner.com

020 7929 7007 paulayoung.co.uk

London City Runner 10 Ludgate Broadway

Smilepod bank studio

9 Royal Exchange

Leadenhall Market

020 7623 3626

off Fenchurch Street

gucci.com

18-20 Cullum Street

Nicholson & Griffin

020 7836 6866

74 Cannon Street, EC4N 6AE

smilepod.co.uk

020 7489 8551

Hermes

Artisan Fine Art 35 Royal Exchange

Grange City Hotel,

Gucci

12-13 Royal Exchange

Retail

020 7329 1955 londoncityrunner.com

nicholsonandgriffin.com

Penhaligon’s 4 Royal Exchange 020 7623 3131 penhaligons.com Smoker’s Paradise 33 Royal Exchange 020 7626 6078 smokersparadise.8m.com

020 7626 7794

The Harley

hermes.com

Medical Group

Ted’s Grooming Room

Links of London

Marc House

120 Cheapside

27 Royal Exchange

Great Street

020 7367 9932

020 7621 0021

0800 022 3385

tedsgroomingroom.com

moltonbrown.com

27 Broadgate Circle 020 7628 9668

Molton Brown

linksoflondon.com

harleymedical.co.uk

Tower Bridge Health &

Paul Smith

Montblanc

The Private Clinic

Fitness Club

Unit 7, The Courtyard

10-11 Royal Exchange

107 Cheapside

47 Prescot Street

Royal Exchange

020 7929 4200

0800 599 9911

020 7959 5050

020 7626 4778

theprivateclinic.co.uk

grangehealthclubs.com

paulsmith.co.uk

montblanc.com

Boodles

SushiSamba

High Timber Restaurant

Fashion

Bars and Pubs

Restaurants

Agent Provocateur

1 Lombard Street

1901 at andaz hotel

5 Royal Exchange

1 Lombard Street

40 Liverpool Street

020 7623 0229

020 7929 6611

020 7618 7000

agentprovocateur.com

1lombardstreet.com

andazdining.com

Bulgari

Anise Bar

Anohka Indian

15 The Courtyard, Royal Exchange

9 Devonshire Square

Restaurant St. Pauls

020 7283 4580

020 3642 8679

4 Burgon Street

bulgari.com

Anthologist

020 7929 7015

Brasserie Blanc

theanthologistbar.co.uk

60 Threadneedle Street

25 Royal Exchange 0207 929 2111 crockettandjones.com Harrys of London 18 Royal Exchange 020 7283 4643 harrysoflondon.com Loro Piana 2-3 Royal Exchange

020 7588 4643 Bar Bat tu 48 Gresham Street 020 7036 6100

Grand Café The Courtyard, Royal Exchange 020 7618 2480 royalexchange-grandcafe.co.uk

anokha-indian.com

0845 468 0101

Balls Brothers

grappololondon.com

Haz Restaurant

28 Royal Exchange

11 Blomfield Street

020 7842 0510

Plantation Place

58 Gresham Street

Crockett & Jones

Grappolo 1 Plough Place

020 7236 3999

Church’s

church-footwear.com

Madison Restaurant

020 7710 9440 brasserieblanc.com Caffé Concerto One New Change 020 7494 6857 caffeconcerto.co.uk

barbattu.com

Camino San Pablo

Prism

33 Blackfriars Lane

147 Leadenhall Street

020 7125 0930

020 7256 3888

camino.uk.com

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 7398 0000

Vertigo 42

Chez Gerard

020 7600 0992

loropiana.com

Tower 42, Old Broad Street

14 Trinity Square

mintleaflounge.com

020 7877 7842

020 7213 0540

vertigo42.co.uk

chezgerard.co.uk

020 7332 0573

Hawksmoor Guildhall

Cinnamon Kitchen

020 7375 2568

hugoboss.com

10-12 Basinghall Street

9 Devonshire Square

individualrestaurantcompanyplc.co.uk

020 7397 8120

020 7626 5000

thehawksmoor.com

cinnamon-kitchen.com

020 7236 3635

Copa de Cava

Fora Restaurant

Royal Exchange

1-2 Royal Exchange Buildings

33 Blackfriars Lane

34-36 Houndsditch

020 7618 2483

020 7626 2782

020 7125 0930

020 7626 2222

sauterelle-restaurant.co.uk

karenmillen.com

cava.co.uk

forarestaurants.co.uk

L.K. Bennett

Searcys Champagne Bar

Gat tis Restaurant

Floors 38 and 39

One New Change

1 Finsbury Avenue

Heron Tower

020 7236 4711

020 7871 1213

020 7247 1051

020 3640 7330

lkbennett.com

searcyschampagnebars.co.uk

gattisrestaurant.co.uk

sushisamba.com

Hugo Boss One New Change

Karen Millen One New Change

Piccolino Restaurant 11 Exchange Square

Restaurant Sauterelle The Courtyard

Sushisamba

august 2013 THE CITY 105

www.vgnewtrend.it

ph. Andrea Pancino C

VG Studio at

inspirations vision

style

design

www.idesign-int.com info@inspirationsoftickhill.co.uk Tel: 01302 760040

LONDON Homes&

PROPERTY Showcasing the finest homes in your area

C o v e r i n g Wa p p i n g , S h a d T h a m e s , S h o r e d i t c h , Is l i n g t o n & T h e C i t y

Time for a Change LONDONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S FINEST HOMES

Image courtesy of Maurizio Pellizzoni Design Ltd www.mpdlondon.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk

Calabria Road, Highbury N5

A lovely period family home with attractive west facing garden There is a beautiful entrance hall retaining many period feature including ceiling mouldings, period fireplace and exposed floorboards. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, guest WC, cellar, garden. Approximately 177.67 sq m (1,910 sq ft) Awaiting EPC. Freehold Guide price: ÂŁ1,650,000 (ISL130268)

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

KnightFrank.co.uk

St John's Wharf, Wapping E1W Riverside flat in listed warehouse conversion

On the second floor of one of the earliest warehouse conversions in Wapping, this flat is full of character with exposed brick walls and original cast iron columns. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1 reception room and kitchen, and further boasting a balcony with excellent river views, private parking, lift and a porter. Approximately 187 sq m ﴾2013 sq ft﴿ Share of freehold

KnightFrank.co.uk/Wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 7480 6848

Guide price: £1,350,000 ﴾WAP120032﴿

The City Magazine Aug 2013 Sales - 18 July 2013 - 39762

18/07/2013 15:04:44

KnightFrank.co.uk NEO Bankside, Southbank SE1

Fantastic central location A contemporary apartment to rent in the award winning NEO Bankside development. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, open plan kitchen and reception room, with floor to ceiling windows. The apartment further benefits from a comfort cooling system throughout and underfloor heating. NEO Bankside benefits from an excellent 24 hour concierge service, on site bike club, business centre. EPC rating C. Approximately 49 sq m ﴾527 sq ft﴿ Available furnished Guide price: £550 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 7480 6848 ﴾RIQ165065﴿

Hermitage Waterside, Wapping E1W Newly refurbished

Newly refurbished bright one bedroom apartment location in this purpose built development in west Wapping, moments from St Katharine's Dock, Tower Hill and a short walk in to The City. This smart apartment has been refurbished to a good standard offering a nice size reception room, fully fitted separate kitchen, shower room, double bedroom, parking and wooden floors. EPC rating B. Guide price: £370 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 7480 6848 ﴾WAQ135436﴿

City August 2013 NEO Hermitage - 15 July 2013 - 39546

18/07/2013 12:25:23

KnightFrank.co.uk Capital Wharf, Wapping E1W

Private riverside terrace Smart riverside apartment located in a 24 hour portered development on Wapping High Street. 2 bedrooms, 2 en suite bathrooms and guest WC, reception room, separate kitchen, and private terrace with excellent south facing views of the river. Close to St Katharine Docks and a short walk to Wapping and Tower Hill underground stations. EPC rating B. Approximately 92 sq m ﴾994 sq ft﴿ Guide price: £625 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 7480 6848 ﴾WAQ132283﴿

Bezier Apartments, Old Street EC1Y Premium apartment

Outstanding 12th floor apartment to rent in the stylish Bezier development on the corner of Old Street and City Road. 2 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms ﴾2 en‐suite﴿, dressing area to master bedroom, large open plan kitchen reception room, stone flooring, comfort cooling, a long wrap around balcony with amazing views. Also offering a 24 hour concierge, communal gym, steam room and sauna. EPC rating C. Approximately 129 sq m ﴾1389 sq ft﴿ Guide price: £1,800 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 7480 6848 ﴾WAQ181823﴿

City mag Aug 2013 Capital Bezier - 15 July 2013 - 39558

19/07/2013 09:55:40

KnightFrank.co.uk

Port East Apartments, Hertsmere Road E14

Two bedroom penthouse apartment

A wonderfully refurbished penthouse apartment situated in one of Canary Wharf's most sought after developments. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, open plan kitchen, concierge, parking, lift. EPC rating D. Approximately 160 sq m ﴾1,726 sq ft﴿

KnightFrank.co.uk/Canary‐Wharf cwharf@knightfrank.com 020 7512 9966

Share of Freehold Guide price: £1,250,000 ﴾CWQ130128﴿

City mag sales August 2013 - 11 July 2013 - 39417

11/07/2013 13:20:05

homes & property

expert comment LETTINGS:

SALES:

Prime rents fall but activity levels rise

Sealed bids in the sun

VANESSA EVETT-BEESLEY, HEAD OF LETTINGS AT

ANDREW GROOCOCK, HEAD OF SALES AT KNIGHT

KNIGHT FRANK IN CANARY WHARF, COMMENTS ON THE

FRANK IN CANARY WHARF, COMMENTS ON TRENDS IN

TRENDS IN THE RESIDENTIAL LETTINGS MARKET

THE RESIDENTIAL SALES MARKET

Rents in prime central London fell by 0.1 per cent in June and are 0.4 per cent lower than they were at the start of the year. The fall means rents for luxury homes in the city have been declining or static for the past 14 months. In June, average rents fell in five of the eleven markets covered by the index, including in Belgravia, Kensington, Knightsbridge, Mayfair and Marylebone. Rents were unchanged in five other markets over the course of the month. St John’s Wood was the only area where rents rose in June. Here, rents increased by 0.3 per cent, marking the second consecutive month that rents in the area have increased. Despite this general recent decline, prime rents are still 21.8 per cent higher than the trough of the market in the second quarter of 2009. There have also been pockets of outperformance over this time. In Kensington, for example, rents have increased by 2.4 per cent in 2013, as a result of an increased demand for large family houses and a shortage of stock. Marylebone and Belgravia have also reported rising rents so far this year, up by 1.7 per cent and 0.1 per cent respectively. Activity levels also suggest that a healthier picture is emerging across the market. The number of viewings conducted in prime central London in the first six months of the year is up by 15.5 per cent compared to the same period in 2012. Additionally, the number of new applicants is up so far this year, by eight per cent. Despite this rising amount of interest, the prime rental market in London is closely tied to conditions in the business and financial services employment market and weakening job prospects here have played their part in creating the conditions for a fall in rents. This is most noticeable in the sub-£1,500 per week price bracket, as this sector has traditionally been supported by City workers. Sub-£1,500 per week rents have fallen by one per cent in the first six months of 2013 and are 3.7 per cent lower than they were a year ago. Above £1,500 per week, rents have been more resilient and have remained unchanged so far this year. n

The sun is shining and the sales market in Canary Wharf is in full swing. To say the Canary Wharf sales market is buoyant at the moment would be an understatement. The market is operating on all levels, from overseas and domestic rental investors to owner-occupiers looking to secure a home in the financial district of London. While all of this is, of course, music to the ears of potential vendors, there is also a word of warning to be heeded. Properties that are marketed at unrealistic levels are simply not going to attract the necessary interest from potential buyers. Buyers have at their disposal a wealth of information from the internet, be it completed sale prices from land registry, to websites reporting how long individual properties have been marketed for. The keys to maximising the price for your property are presentation and pricing. Firstly, make sure that your apartment is presented in its best possible light. It is worth spending a weekend de-cluttering, cleaning your windows and ensuing that any potential buyer will be ‘wowed’ as soon as they set foot in your property. First impressions last and if an applicant walks into an apartment that is untidy and badly presented, the chances are that they will use that as an excuse to negotiate down on the price. A clean, tidy and fresh smelling apartment is far more likely to encourage a buyer to offer the asking price quickly in order to avoid missing out. While the presentation is key, the pricing is also essential. Being on the market for too much money can be incredibly damaging to a property and can mean that buyers simply won’t set foot through the door. A good agent in the area should be able to provide you with at least three comparable properties that they have successfully marketed within the last six months, which will give you a very good indication of what price your property should be on at. An agent’s job is to maximise the sale price for their clients when selling, but at the same time they need to manage expectations. Get the presentation and pricing correct and in the current climate sellers will be inundated with viewings from quality buyers. n

Knight Frank Canary Wharf 020 7512 9966 www.knightfrank.co.uk/canary-wharf

113

savills.co.uk

1 EXCEPTIONAL APARTMENT OVERLOOKING HIGHBURY FIELDS highbury crescent, n5 Reception room ø eat-in kitchen ø 4/5 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø utility room ø separate w.c. ø private patio garden ø shared garden ø 198 sq m (2,136 sq ft) ø EPC=E

Guide £1,999,999 Share of Freehold

Savills Islington Jo-Anne Neighbour jneighbour@savills.com

020 7226 1313

savills.co.uk

1 EXCEPTIONALLY STYLISH APARTMENT IN THE HEART OF BARNSBURY hemingford road, n1 3 double bedrooms ø 1 reception room ø 2 bathrooms (1 en suite) ø master bedroom with dressing room ø 111 sq m (1,195 sq ft) ø administration charges apply ø Council Tax=E ø EPC=D

£895 per week Flexible furnishings

Savills Islington Fitore Vula fvula@savills.com

020 7226 1313

1 2

savills.co.uk

CINNABAR WHARF, e1w

PRUSOMS ISLAND, e1w

Reception room ø semi-open plan kitchen ø 3 double bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø private terrace ø 110 sq m (1,186 sq ft) ø EPC=D

2 reception rooms ø open plan kitchen ø 2 bedrooms ø 3 bathrooms ø roof terrace ø protected parking ø 179 sq m (1,933 sq ft) ø EPC=C

Guide £1.285 million Leasehold

Guide £1.2 million Share of Freehold

3 4

Savills Docklands nefthymiou@savills.com 020 7456 6800

Savills Docklands zjames@savills.com 020 7456 6800

OSPREY COURT, e1w

WATERMAN WAY, e1w

Reception room ø kitchen ø 2 double bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø terrace ø off-street parking ø concierge ø 100 sq m (1,086 sq ft) ø EPC=D

Reception room ø kitchen ø 3 double bedrooms ø bathroom ø off street parking ø 89 sq m (958 sq ft) ø EPC=E

Guide £1.15 million Share of Freehold

Guide £775,000 Freehold

Savills Docklands zjames@savills.com 020 7456 6800

Savills Docklands nefthymiou@savills.com 020 7456 6800

1 2

savills.co.uk

CANARY RIVERSIDE, e14

NEO BANKSIDE, se1

2 bedrooms (1 en suite) ø further bathroom ø balcony with river views ø allocated parking ø 24hr porterage ø administration charges apply ø Council Tax=G ø EPC = C

Bedroom ø bathroom ø Juliet balcony ø views of London Eye ø 24hr porterage ø administration charges apply ø Council Tax=F ø EPC=B

£765 per week Furnished

£630 per week Furnished

3 4

Savills Canary Wharf ssaul@savills.com 020 7531 2500

Savills Docklands brodgers@savills.com 020 7456 6800

PIERHEAD BUILDING, e14

FREE TRADE WHARF, e1w

2 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms (1 en suite) ø balcony ø allocated parking ø 24hr porterage ø leisure facilities ø administration charges apply ø Council Tax=F ø EPC=B

Bedroom ø bathroom ø balcony with rivier views ø allocated parking ø gymnasium and swimming pool ø administration charges apply ø Council Tax=G ø EPC=C

£485 per week Furnished

£430 per week Furnished

Savills Canary Wharf ssaul@savills.com 020 7531 2500

Savills Canary Wharf brodgers@savills.com 020 7456 6800

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

Colour House, SE1 £875 per week Fantastic three bedroom apartment off Bermondsey Street boasting a large reception room with open plan kitchen. EPC: D

Ontario Point, SE16 £620 per week Amazing two bedroom apartment on the 23rd floor with spectacular river views to London Bridge and Canary Wharf. EPC: C

Spice Quay, SE1 £525 per week A stylish one bedroom apartment boasting modern furnishings and use of communal gym and pool. EPC: C

Old Theatre Court, SE1 £480 A spacious one bedroom apartment in popular location moments from the South Bank and the famous Borough Market. EPC: C

Vanilla & Sesame, SE1 £460per week A one bedroom apartment set within a popular warehouse conversion in the heart of Shad Thames. EPC: C

Sirius House, SE16 £325 per week Fabulous brand new one bedroom apartment in desirable Marine Wharf with 24 hour concierge, leisure facilities and balcony. EPC: B

Hamptons City Office Lettings. 020 7717 5437 | Sales. 020 7717 5435

Barbican, EC2 £750 per week A superb three bedroom flat on the 8th floor of this Barbican tower with a balcony running the length of the flat. EPC: D

Banner Street, EC1 £995 per week A stunning 1,740 sq ft two bedroom apartment in this converted tea warehouse, finished to an impeccable standard. EPC: C

Upper Thames Street, EC4 £365 per week A refurbished one bedroom apartment in this City development on the north Bank of the Thames. EPC: D

Deal Street, E1 £430 per week A well presented two bedroom duplex apartment in this former warehouse with communal roof terrace. EPC: B

Ludgate Square, EC4 £375 per week A well positioned one bedroom apartment in the west of the City, moments to St Pauls and the Thames. EPC: E

West Smithfield, EC1 £450 per week A fantastic one bedroom apartment in the historic Smithfield area conveniently located close to Farringdon and St Pauls. EPC: F

Hamptons Tower Bridge Office Lettings. 020 7717 5491 | Sales. 020 7717 5489

Sales

St Dunstan’s Court, London, EC4 - Please contact to book for our UK launch in September – from £790,000 St Dunstan’s Court, by Taylor Wimpey, is a beautifully designed Central London development set within stunning private gardens and bordered by the famous Grade II listed Maughan Library. St Dunstan’s Court comprises 52 one bedroom and 24 two bedroom apartments, all carefully considered to ensure you benefit from the very pinnacle of luxury, modern living. Perfectly situated close to London’s West end, it is also within an area surrounded by some of London’s top universities and walking distance to the financial district. St Dunstan’s Court will offer fantastic opportunities for those working in the City/West end or looking for an investment. Estimated completion Q4 2014.

16-17 Royal Exchange, London, EC3V 3LL

royalsales@eu.jll.com

Lettings

020 7087 5282 joneslanglasalle.co.uk

Sterling Mansions, E1 - £750 Per Week

The Heron, EC2 - From £485 Per Week

A brand new two bedroom apartment offering approximately 1,000 sq. ft. of living space. This luxury apartment is fully furnished and comprises two double bedrooms, with large en-suite to master, a spacious reception, balcony with stunning courtyard views and solid wooden flooring. The apartment benefits from large arched windows, high ceilings and 24 hour concierge.

A stunning selection of suites, one, two & three bedroomed apartments in this sought after development, in the heart of The City. The Heron boasts an outstanding specification complete with smart home technology, comfort cooling, on-site gym, concierge and exclusive resident’s club. Available from end of July / August.

Lothbury, EC2 - £650 Per Week

NEO Bankside, SE1 - £625 Per Week

Situated next to the Bank of England, this unique one bedroom apartment is set within a Grade II* listed Venetian Gothic style conversion and offers an abundance of space and character. Located on the third floor, the property is offered fully furnished, has a high specification with comfort cooling, BOSE TV and surround sound system, and is inclusive of hot water and internet charges.

A brand new one bedroom apartment a short walk from the Millennium Bridge. The property is situated on the fourth floor, fully furnished and boasts a bright reception, contemporary fitted kitchen, double bedroom with fitted wardrobes and luxury bathroom. Other benefits include comfort cooling, 24 hour concierge, leisure facilities and resident’s use of the onsite wine cellar.

royallettings@eu.jll.com

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Tea Trade Wharf, Shad Thames, SE1 £515 per week

Luna House, Bermondsey Wall West, SE16 £400 per week

A large one bedroom apartment measuring 678 sq ft within an impressive modern development located on Shad Thames. Underground parking and access to a private gym included.

A 551 sq ft, one bedroom, top floor apartment with high specification finish and a magnificent view down river to Canary Wharf.

Butlers Wharf, Shad Thames, SE1 £899,950 Leasehold

Recently refurbished to an exacting standard, a beautifully presented one bedroom apartment with views over the Thames and Tower Bridge.

1 Prescot Street, E1 £445 per week A superb apartment which covers over 900 sq ft of space A lovely modern apartment located just a stroll with high ceilings and good quality fittings. The block from Canary provides 24 hourWharf. security and one parking space.

Victoria House, Canada Water, SE16 £370 Norfolk House, EC4V £2,400,000 S/Fper week

A brand new apartment with brand new furniture and a fantastic westerly One of the finest apartments in the City of view towards Tower Bridge and the City skyline just a few paces from the London. Jubilee Line.

Cayenne Court, Shad Thames, SE1 £595,000 leasehold Located on the 4th floor with the all-important balcony and view over the courtyard this apartment represents one of the most sought after 1 beds in Shad Thames.

Butlers Wharf, Shad Thames, SE1 £899,950 Leasehold

Recently refurbished to an exacting standard, a beautifully presented one bedroom apartment with views over the Thames and Tower Bridge.

The Boathouse, Shad share of freehold Curlew Street,SE16 ShadThames, Thames,SE1 SE1£2,000,000 £2,200,000 Freehold Leeside Court, £419,950 Leasehold Norfolk House, EC4V £2,400,000 S/F This loft apartment provides fantastic entertaining space; it covers over 2,200 sq the ft style and boasts an enormous 42City ft of A two superb freehold property of great quality which combines the edgy, urban of apartments a warehouse bedroom apartment measuring 785 sq ft, located One of finest inconversion the living area which opens onto a large terrace. with the practicality of a five bedroom house. within a popular riverside development. London.

WE HAVE THE

EXPERIENCE, DETERMINATION & KNOWLEDGE TO JOIN THE DOTS... connecting the right buyer or tenant to your property. We ﬁrst opened our doors in Kensington Church Street in 1856. Just a few doors down from where we are today.

Local know-how. Better results.

Our ‘LONDON PRIME MARKET MONITOR‘ tracks sales values and evaluates ‘supply and demand’ statistics during the quarter.

LANDLORDS IN LONDON CHOOSE TO RENT THEIR PROPERTIES WITH US

Professional property management makes your life as a landlord easier and gets you better results.

OF OUR MANAGED TENANTS RENEW THEIR TENANCY

‘PROFESSIONAL’ was the word most frequently used to describe our service in recent feedback. ‘Friendly’, ‘knowledgeable’ and ‘helpful’ were other words that came up time and time again.

CurrellResidential

£825,000 Share of Freehold Cross Street, N1 • Converted Victorian factory • Spacious two bedroom apartment • Separate fitted kitchen, patio • Central location

£299,950 Leasehold Upper Street, N1 • Light and airy studio flat • Truly central location • Lateral width taking in 4 windows • Situated at rear of building

www.currell.com

£1,695,000 Freehold Halton Road, N1 • Grade II listed Georgian house • Four storey, three/four beds • Excellent decorative order with period features • Wonderful mature rear garden

020 7226 4200

islington@currell.com

Effortless living in the heart of the City A collection of inspired City apartments providing the ultimate residential experience. Prices from ÂŁ485pw and ÂŁ625,000.

A development by The Heron Residences LLP

020 7519 5900 info@alanselby.co.uk www.alanselby.co.uk

homes & property

INSIDER KNOWLEDGE AUGUST 2013 Richard Pine-Coffin, DIRECTOR OF RESIDENTIAL AT JONES LANG LASALLE, SHARES HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE RESIDENTIAL PROPERTY MARKET

Which properties, available through Jones Lang LaSalle at the moment, stand out for you as particularly special? Located opposite the Bank of England, our lettings team has a unique Grade II-listed, one bedroom apartment on the market for £675 per week. Dating back to 1868 and constructed by the architect George Somers-Clarke, the property is typical of the graceful Portland stone buildings of the area. Offering direct views of the Bank of England, this historical apartment provides state of art features including TV and Bose surround-sound systems, comfort cooling and a contemporary kitchen with the period features of high ceilings and large sash windows. On the sales side, designed by internationally respected architects UNStudio, Canaletto is located on the City Road and is architecturally one of the most exciting developments London has ever seen. Due to come to the market this autumn, the project comprises a 31 storey landmark structure in the City Road Basin, with190 private apartments located at the heart of the creative and technical districts of Hoxton, Clerkenwell, Shoreditch and Old Street. In addition to some outstanding views, the scheme will offer residents top of the range facilities including a restaurant, health club, swimming pool, private cinema and residents’ club on the 24th floor, with an expansive terrace which will make Canaletto a social hub at the centre of an exciting neighbourhood. Richard Pine-Coffin Jones Lang LaSalle 020 7087 5282 www.joneslanglasalle.co.uk

134

Canaletto’s innovative design defines a new aesthetic for residential high-rises in London and will make the building a landmark in its own right. The architects have created a multifaceted façade giving a pleasing appearance from all aspects. The building is broken into multiple ‘neighbourhoods in the sky’, accentuated through organic shapes conveying a sense of scale and intimacy unprecedented for a building of this height. What measures can a potential buyer take to speed up the purchasing process? The purchasing process can be a lengthy affair and can be attributed to some key elements that must be taken into consideration. Funding is the key issue in the current climate. Assuming finance is sort early, discussions with the lenders are essential — whether directly through the bank or through a broker. This should provide outline budgets and information on the necessary documentation a purchaser will need to produce for the mortgage. In many cases bonuses and commissions are considered separately from a fixed salary and this may have an effect on the availability of funds. If mortgage funding is not required, access to funds is something to consider. In regard to new property, the legal process should prove less timely than dealing with older stock. Often developers will suggest solicitors who have a prior knowledge of the building and the lease, which can prove useful. A specialist property lawyer will, on the whole, provide a swifter transaction. Initial research into which solicitors are familiar with the local borough and ideally the building will also prove invaluable. n

uniQue homes, uniQue serVice, uniQue people A tailored service from Langford Russell, John Payne & Acorn for distinctive and exclusive homes

By Langford Russell

camden park road, chislehurst br7 an exciting contemporary home in an exclusive, private and gated location with views over the golf course. 7000 sq ft of stunning accommodation with spectacular double height spaces and an outstanding amount of natural light. six bedrooms, six bathrooms and four reception rooms plus study, gymnasium and sauna. beautiful south westerly facing gardens. Energy Efficiency Rating C.

ÂŁ3,250,000 F/h Please contact our Chislehurst office for more information: Tel: 020 8295 4900 Email: chislehurst@langfordrussell.co.uk

hazel groVe, Farnborough park br6 located on a quiet cul-de-sac within a private estate, boasting a grand entrance hall, kitchen/breakfast room with impressive vaulted ceiling, two further receptions, study and four en-suite bedrooms. the top floor provides a fantastic 27 ft cinema/games room which has plumbing for the addition of a bar/kitchenette. Featuring pre-wiring for multimedia system, CCTV and under floor heating. Energy Efficiency Rating B.

ÂŁ1,999,995 F/H Please contact our Locksbottom office for more information: Tel: 01689 882 988 Email: locksbottom@langfordrussell.co.uk

Offices Across South East London & Kent www.uniquepropertiesuk.com www.acorn.ltd.uk www.langfordrussell.co.uk www.johnpayne.com

UNIQUE is a Specialist Division of Langford Russell, John Payne & Acorn

The spoils of the hardy workplace warrior.

ZOO1205 PL DPS_Runwild_420x297.indd 5-6

02/07/2013 12:24

homes & property

AREA FOCUS High-flying Highbury DANIEL OMELL, OFFICE HEAD AT KNIGHT FRANK IN ISLINGTON, GIVES AN OVERVIEW OF THE AREA OF HIGHBURY

Highbury’s history can be traced as far back as the Doomsday Book when the area was part of the large manor known as Tolentone. After the manor decayed a new manor as built in 1721 and, because it was on a hill, it was named Highbury. The area is now a major residential area with a cosmopolitan demographic. People choose the area for its leafy streets, close proximity to central London, excellent transport links and first class schools. The shopping precinct of Highbury Barn offers a village feel and is a community hub, containing excellent independent shops and a popular pub, the Highbury Barn Tavern. Residents of Highbury

Knight Frank Islington 020 3641 6138 www.knightfrank.co.uk/islington

138

can also enjoy the green open spaces of Highbury Fields and the recreational activities that it offers, such as tennis, football, basketball and swimming. Of course, Highbury has also gained international recognition through its football team – Arsenal – which in 2005 moved to the new 60,000 capacity Emirates stadium and successfully converted its old stadium into residential apartment blocks: The old pitch was converted into a communal garden with a gym and swimming pool below. Property prices in Highbury have remained stable and bounced back relatively quickly from the 2008 crisis. On a price per sqft basis the area is catching up with its traditionally more expensive neighbour of Angel. The forecast for Highbury is positive. There is a number of new developments on the horizon that will be perfect for both first time buyers and investors which will complement the period properties perfect for the family market. n

THE LOCATIONS. THE STYLE. THE QUALITY.

Premium London living from Telford Homes Parliament House SE1

Cityscape E1

For more information please contact

0203 538 5649 or click telfordhomes.plc.uk Computer generated images of Telford Homes developments.

Avant-garde E1