The City Magazine March 2012 by Runwild Media Group

Welcome to a new chapter in Bentley history. The new Continental GT – a remarkable fusion of breathtaking performance, sensuous luxury and modern technology. This stunningly sculpted coupe’s sharp features are indicative of Bentley’s DNA. It harnesses an incredibly powerful 567bhp (575PS, 423kW) FlexFuel W12 engine

sporting innovative capabilities for everyday driving. This is matched with an exquisitely handcrafted, contemporary interior to ensure you are transported by all-wheel drive across countries and continents in superior comfort and elegance. Supreme motoring that is unmistakably Bentley. Welcome to the new Continental GT

Bentley Kent 92 London Road, Sevenoaks, Kent TN13 1BA. Tel: 01732 453 700 www.bentleykent.co.uk The name ‘Bentley’ and the ‘B’ in wings device are registered trademarks. © January 2012 Bentley Motors Limited. Model shown: Bentley Continental GT, mrrp £135,750. Price correct at time of going to press and includes VAT at 20%. Price excludes road fund licence, registration and delivery charges.

Fuel economy figures for the Continental GT in mpg (l/100km): Urban 11.1 (25.4); Extra Urban 24.9 (11.4); Combined 17.1 (16.5). CO2 Emissions (g/km): 384.

BENTLEY KENT

watches

contents

watch

news hOrOlOgy Meets hIgh fashIOn Long after Breitling entered into a partnership with Bentley, 2011 saw Hublot team up with Ferrari. This year, it is Franck Muller’s turn to announce that it will be collaborating with a brand you wouldn’t normally associate with the watch world. The co-branding contract between the Florentine fashion group Roberto Cavalli and the Swiss watchmaking group has been formed to “respond to the different needs of a clientele that is ever more sophisticated”. Roberto Cavalli by Franck Muller watches will start at just over £1,000.

feature 10

Scott’s Lost Dream

aesthetIcs + MatheMatIcs Vacheron Constantin may be able to trace its roots back to the middle of the 18th century but you certainly can’t accuse the brand of being stuck in the past. The latest editions to its Métiers d’Art collection, Vacheron’s most imaginative line of watches, are inspired by the work of Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis Escher and centre on the concept of tessellation – the process of creating a twodimensional plane using the repetition of a geometric shape with no overlaps or gaps.

To commemorate the centenary of Captain Scott’s death, Nick Smith asks what went

Employing all of the techniques used in modern-day watchmaking – enamelling, gemsetting, engraving and guilloché work – the Métiers d’Art Les Masques timepieces highlight what can happen when art meets mechanics. A mechanical self-winding Calibre 2460 movement, entirely developed and crafted by Vacheron Constantin, sits at the heart of collection’s three timepieces, each of which has been limited to just 20 pieces and is available through Vacheron boutiques only.

One to Watch This month, Lyndon Jarvis, Manager at Watches of Switzerland in The Royal Exchange, selects his watch of the moment

wrong on Scott’s last quest to the South Pole

Exactly 40 years after its launch, the Oyster Perpetual Explorer II has been updated with the most recently patented Rolex technologies. The robust and reliable nature of this watch make it the rational choice for any would-be explorer Oyster PerPetual exPlOrer II £5,530, rOlex avaIlable at Watches Of sWItzerland, 22 rOyal exchange

collection 18

collection

haute hOrOlOgy If you pride yourself on owning accessories that others do not, you may want to acquaint yourself with Swiss brand Cecil Purnell. Manufacturing a maximum of just 75 watches a year, the brands retains its status as one of the most exclusive watch companies in the world. Each timepiece is made to order under full client consultation and takes between three and six months to produce. The brand has recently announced a partnership with Excedo Luxuria, the luxury distributor of bespoke jewellery and luxury brands, who will become the exclusive Cecil Purnell distributor in the UK.

A Truly English Affair

interview

calibre

Annabel Harrison meets Nick English, co-

All images: Doug Allan

founder of British watch brand Bremont

comment 38

For his efforts as a wildlife photographer, Doug Allan has been awarded three Honorary Doctorates, four Emmys and four BAFTAs. Richard Brown meets the man who has helped to bring some of the most successful wildlife documentaries to our screens

From Humble Beginnings Richard Brown meets founder and chief executive of RationalFX, Rajesh Agrawal

calibre 46

Life

“There are two rules I abide by whilst on an expedition. The first is to remember that I can’t be in two places at once. I will go where I think is best. The second is to make the most of where I am. Even if the conditions are bad and you don’t think you will be successful, just get out there and keep trying. You will pick out bits of the environment that could give you a head start the next day. Tenacity and experience with the animal kingdom are the two main skills you need.

Behind the Lens

“The biggest challenges are the ones that require you to get up close to animals. But when you do, there’s so much to be seen. When we get into dolphins and killer whales, we’re talking about the next most intelligent animals on the planet – assuming we’re more intelligent than they are, and I think

Life Behind the Lens motoring

Richard Brown gets a close up with

calibre

celebrated wildlife photographer Doug Allan

The Ultimate North and South

Nick Smith travels to the Polar Regions in both style and comfort

concierge 66

The Height of Sophistication

MUD, MUD, GLORIOUS MUD For some, adventure means doing a bungee jump or climbing a mountain. Matthew Carter prefers to get his thrills sitting down, preferably at the wheel of a Land Rover

loop. There’s no other word for the brown semi-liquid that we’re about to dip into. As the Land Rover inches forward, the stuff, this gloop, starts to make its way over the bonnet of the car, and that means it’ll soon be halfway up the doors. I should be looking ahead, tracking our path towards the exit of this extraordinary mud bath but I cannot stop myself stealing a glance towards the bottom of the doors. I’m half expecting to see the stuff oozing into the cabin like some sort of alien life form creeping in ready to suffocate us all. But there’s nothing there. So it’s back to the job in hand. I maintain a steady walking pace through the muck, creating a small bow wave ahead of me. Pretty soon, we start to climb the bank on the other side and we’re out. At the top of the climb we pause and the Discovery wants to shake itself free of the stuff, like a puppy emerging from a pond. I, meanwhile, marvel at the way this go-anywhere car really is prepared to go anywhere. I marvel at the efficacy of the door seals too; the footwell of the car underfoot remains clean and dry. This trip through a muddy hell was not a navigational error on my part, but a planned one. I’m taking part in a 4x4 driving day at a Land Rover Experience centre and it’s just one of the many obstacles that will be placed in my path today. I’d started by driving the Disco on a sort of wall of death, a large circular lump of concrete designed to show the acute angles the Land Rover can tackle without rolling onto its roof. There then followed a full morning of driving over all manner of obstacles; woodland, boulders, slippery wet grass, soft, unstable terrain, muddy ruts, through water, up hills and down slopes so steep you couldn’t walk down them without breaking into an involuntary run. When the company say the Land Rover is the best 4x4 so far, it really means it. The trouble is, most owners never get anywhere near discovering what their Range Rover, Disco, Defender or even Freelander can do. Only by clambering aboard one of their vehicles (well, you don’t want to get yours properly muddy, do you?) can you really appreciate the engineering that’s gone into the car and the techniques

you need to learn to get the most out of your investment. One of the most important is risk assessment. Sorry if that sounds a bit health and safety, but while a Land Rover can do many things, it cannot defy the laws of physics. You need to work out, for example, if the stretch of water ahead is a shallow pond or something with the depth of Loch Ness. You need to understand what the car can do and what it cannot. You need to learn how to use the controls, when to use power and when to use discretion. You’ll also need to learn about the environment: tearing up nature in a powerful off-roader is not what this is all about. In short, if you’ve never driven off-road before, you need to go back to the classroom (though, in this case, the classroom is quite small and involves a steering wheel, gears and brakes). And this is where the Land Rover Experience comes in handy. Experience Centres have been set up all over the world and there are ten just in the UK. The nearest to London is based at Luton Hoo, just up the M1, and it offers all manner of courses, from professional 4x4 training through to team building and corporate days to fun-in-the-mud sessions. The courses cover everything from simple off-road techniques for beginners to advanced lessons ending up in an officially recognised off-road ability certificate. Usefully, you can even learn how to winch your way out of trouble and how to handle a trailer – for a horsebox or a boat, for example. Prices start at £195 for a half-day course, sharing a Land Rover and instructor with two others, and that’s the best way to do it. Driving one of the Experience courses is full on, so spending some time in the back watching another driver cock things up allows you to relax a little and learn from the mistakes of others. At the end of the course, what are you left with? An appreciation of how capable Land Rovers really are and where they can go. And eternal gratitude to the bloke who designed door seals good enough to keep the creeping gloop where it belongs: outside the car. n For more information, prices or to book your Land Rover Experience course, please visit www.landrover.com and click the ‘Experience’ box

Ensure you’re as smart and stylish as your surroundings in 45 Park Lane with this season’s most sophisticated ensembles

editor’s letter

63 fashion

15 watches & jewellery

77 interiors

37 business & finance

83 travel

Richard Brown tests the theory that New

53 sport

93 food & drink

York never sleeps

56 motoring

97 property

connoisseur 84

regulars

A First Bite of the Big Apple

RUNWILD M

the W-list...

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Editorial Director Kate Harrison

Editor

Why? Lent

During Lent, many of the faithful commit to giving up certain luxuries as a form of penitence. Whether it’s chocolates or Rioja, everyone has at least one vice. So whatever you failed to give up on 1 January, abstain during Lent and count 46 days until pure Easter egg indulgence.

Editor Annabel Harrison highlights the key people, places and events of the month. March sees St. Patrick’s Day closely followed by Mother’s Day, celebrations of two rather different kinds, and Londoners taking on the Sport Relief Mile

Annabel Harrison

Fashion Editor Lucie Dodds

Motoring Editor Matthew Carter

Assistant Editors Richard Brown Gabrielle Lane

Editorial Assistant

Olivia Sharpe, Sharna Heir

When? Sport Relief 23 - 25 March there’s nothing like raising money for comic Relief to put a spring in your step this month. Londoners can help to make a difference, and get fitter, on their very own doorstep by joining the Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile on Sunday 25 March.

Who? St. Patrick Although bruce oldfield said, “when someone says that lime green is the new black for this season, you just want to tell them to get a life”, the streets will be littered with patriotic hues on 17 March. if LFW is anything to go by, green will be a popular colour for attire during spring.

What? Mother’s Day While diamonds will always be a girl’s best friend, most mothers agree it’s the thought that counts, with time the most precious gift of all. Meet for brunch or a sumptuous supper, enjoy Jersey Boys or absorb culinary know-how at a Mychocolate trufflemaking class.

Where? The Head of

the River With more than 3,500 participants each year, and crews from all over the world, the annual thames race from Mortlake to putney is a sporting event not to be missed. this year’s race will start on 17 March at 11am. So on your marks, get set, row.

Head of Design Hiren Chandarana

Brand Consistency Laddawan Juhong

Designer

Ashley Lewis

Production Manager Fiona Fenwick

Production

Hugo Wheatley

Head of Projects Ella Kilgarriff

Senior Property Manager 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.runwildmedia.com

The Height of Sophistication See p. 66

With thanks to 45 park Lane www.45parklane.com

Runwild Media Group Publishers of: canary Wharf, the city Magazine, Vantage, the Kensington & chelsea Magazine & the Mayfair Magazine

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 the city. Visit the subscriptions page on our website. www.subscribe.runwildmedia.com

P L E A S E E N J OY O U R C H A M PA G N E R E S P O N S I B LY DRINKAWARE .CO.UK

www.bachet.fr

from the editor...

March

ad we lived, I should have had a tale to tell of the hardihood, endurance and courage of my companions which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman. These rough notes and our dead bodies must tell the tale.” The narrative of hardihood, courage and endurance has been told, time and time again, decade after decade, but following his ultimately doomed quest, Captain Robert Falcon Scott would never know to what extent his story would survive. In honour of the centenary of his death on 29 March 1912, after the ill-fated Terra Nova expedition to the South Pole, Nick Smith asks what went wrong for “one of the most controversial and iconic heroes of British exploration” (p. 10). Scott is quoted on a wide range of topics regarding exploration, nature and our place in the world and this in particular interested us: “As one looks across the barren stretches of the pack, it is sometimes difficult to realise what teeming life exists immediately beneath its surface.” Someone who has had no such difficulty is Doug Allan (p. 46), one of the world’s top wildlife photographers who has spent the last 35 years braving the depths of both the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans and taken part in more than 50 filming trips. Richard Brown speaks to the acclaimed photographer and

principal cameraman for programmes including Frozen Planet and Life and gains a fascinating insight into Doug’s career behind the lens. If you’ve ever dreamed of doing something a little more adventurous with your precious holiday allowance than lying on a beach with a beer or a cocktail, indulge your inner explorer with the ultimate polar experience; Nick Smith tells us about his trips to the ends of the earth (p. 50). Staying closer to home, Matthew Carter tests out the (muddy) Land Rover Experience (p. 56) and I leapt at the chance to go flying with Nick English, co-founder of British watch brand Bremont (p. 18). Mother’s Day falls this month (18 March) so I’d like to wish the happiest of Mother’s Days to my own wonderful mother. If you want to make a bigger effort than usual, take your mum on a weekend away, whether for retail therapy, sightseeing or utter relaxation; read about the chic, stylish and contemporary 45 Park Lane in London, New York, Jersey and French hotspots Nice, Angers and Quimper to make the decision easier.

Annabel Harrison Editor

Scott’s

Lost Dream

Captain Robert Falcon Scott is one of the most controversial and iconic heroes of British exploration. As we commemorate the centenary of his ultimately doomed quest for the South Pole, Nick Smith asks what went wrong © Royal Geographical Society Picture Library: ‘Grotto in a berg, Terra Nova in distance’ by Herbert Ponting

exploration

feature

t is 29 March in 1912. Captain Robert Falcon Scott, an officer of the Royal Navy, records his last thoughts in his diary: “Had we lived, I should have had a tale to tell of the hardihood, endurance and companions which would have stirred the heart of every Englishman.” Scott was on his way home from the South Pole in a desperate bid to rejoin his ship Terra Nova that had carried his men to the White Continent. Against all odds, his polar assault team had struggled with him 90 degrees south. But a Norwegian expedition led by Roald Amundsen had got there first. Now the Englishmen were stranded in a blizzard and in terrible physical shape. They had suffered frostbite, hunger, gangrene and snowblindness, but most of all, they had laboured under the crushing psychological blow of defeat. As they lay frozen and starving in the most remote, hostile place on earth, they knew the end could not be far away. To help his team’s chance of survival, the weakest of the men performed an act of self-sacrifice, wandering out into the wasteland to die. Captain Lawrence Oates’s last words have passed into legend: “I am just going outside and may be some time.” It made no difference. The men who should have been the first to the South Pole, too weak to move, died one by one, Scott probably last. And yet, in defeat Scott made more impact on history than had he lived. So much of Scott’s tragic final expedition defines the plucky, gentlemanly spirit of what it meant to be British in the Edwardian era: stoicism in the face of adversity, playing by the rules, memorable last words. We use the expression ‘Great Scott’ to register wonder at superhuman achievement, to invoke the qualities of a nation whose Empire had once ruled the world. One of our best contemporary polar explorers, Pen Hadow, says that “Scott’s achievements can’t

be underestimated,” and that “his place as one of the greats in the annals of exploration is assured.” Today, as the commemorations of the centenary of Scott’s death reach a crescendo, we should remember that the Terra Nova expedition was not a great success. However, the British are suckers for heroic failures and a glorious death and, regardless of his merits, Scott had a gift for the noble statement. He could stir the heart of the Englishman. His last words: “For God’s sake, look after our people.” It was named the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration for a reason. A century ago nations were vying with each other to be the first to conquer the greatest of all polar challenges – to set foot on the South Pole. While today countless teams of adventure sportsmen in hi-tech fabrics cross Antarctica, with GPS systems and iPods, in Scott’s day the battle was for territory and it was of international significance. The eyes of the world were looking both north and south and victory would bring honour to nations, while the men responsible for such deeds would achieve a degree of fame that is hard to imagine today. In the first decade of the 20th century Ernest Shackleton just missed out on the South Pole by a mere 97 miles on his Nimrod Expedition, while in the north US naval commander Robert E Peary claimed to have reached 90 degrees north after a lightning dash across the ice with a team of dogs. Peary’s claim is still hotly contested today, but what the two men had achieved was a “farthest north and south.” Whether or not Peary reached the North Pole, there was still the golden apple to be bitten; the Geographic South Pole. Britain had a sense of entitlement. It belonged to the Empire, and as Scott wrote to the Royal Geographical Society: “I don’t hold that anyone but an Englishman should get to the South Pole.” Riding a surge of patriotism, Scott set about raising

feature exploration

finances for an attempt on the pole. 8,000 men applied to join the expedition and the media ran with a story that threatened to blow up out of all proportion. As one paper declared: “We seem to be living in times when men have reverted to the age of the elemental heroes.” Scott’s future wife, Kathleen Bruce, wrote to him saying “You shall go to the S. Pole… it’s got to be done so hurry up.” Scott wasn’t the only person hurrying up. Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen had hastily rearranged plans for travelling to the Arctic and informed Scott by telegram that he was heading instead to the Antarctic in his ship Fram. Scott received the news in Australia and after a moment of disbelief he accepted that he had no response other than to push on. “We may get through. We may lose our lives. It is all a question that lies with providence and luck.” Luck was never on Scott’s side and, while he was the first Englishman to reach the South Pole, it hardly mattered, as a cannier and more strategically cynical explorer had beaten him. Amundsen’s meticulous planning, attention to detail and sheer ruthlessness meant that everything had gone like clockwork. The same could not be said for Scott. So what was it that went wrong? For a century, commentators have tried to analyse where Scott’s march to the pole failed. Although it hurts British national pride, once all the accounts have been read, the simple truth is that Scott was not prepared to challenge the orthodoxy of outmoded methods of long-distance hiking over the ice. Was Scott bogged down by a scientific programme that made too great a demand on his time? Did he make a fatal error in the number and balance of personnel for his main assault team? Both are possible, but the bottom line is that Scott failed to beat Amundsen because, unlike his rival, he refused to use dogs as a method of propulsion. Scott’s refusal was based on the idea that the use of dogs in polar exploration was not “the done thing.” The British way was to ‘manhaul’, a “near perfect” technique that,

as the name suggests, involves men in harnesses dragging sledges or ‘pulks’ across the ice. The two main advantages of putting dogs into the harnesses, as Amundsen well knew, was that they would allow the men to conserve their energy and provide valuable calories at a push. As the sledges got lighter, you could even feed the weaker dogs to the stronger ones, and so reduce the amount of dog food you needed to carry. Scott knew this too but found it unpalatable and senior officials at the Royal Geographical Society backed Scott on this. To his downfall, though, it was an out-dated way of thinking and ideas and ideals that belonged to a previous generation. Every dog has his day, and so did Amundsen. Despite all of this, Scott became a national hero, but only briefly. The Great War was just around the corner and with the colossal loss of life that ensued, the British public lost its taste for self-sacrificial death. Over the following decades Scott’s reputation was to ebb and flow, reaching its lowest point in 1970 when scholars took issue with not just the shortcomings of his methods as an explorer, but with his personality and leadership skills. As Shackleton’s reputation rose – mainly as a result of his extraordinary rescue mission on the Endurance expedition – so Scott’s fell. Shackleton became the embodiment of a great man to have with you in a crisis, while Scott was increasingly depicted as detached and a poor decision taker, symbolic of the disintegration of the once proud Empire. The good news for Scott is that his reputation is on the rise again. Polar explorer Tom Avery, who holds the record for the fastest surface journey to the North Pole, thinks that this is the way it should be: “He was quite simply the greatest explorer who ever set foot on the frozen continent. Scott’s bravery, selfless leadership and quest for knowledge have inspired many from these small islands to push the boundaries of exploration and discovery.” n

Ski boots, said to have belonged to Scott, Canterbury Museum NZ

Northampton â&#x20AC;˘ England

Makers of the finest English shoes since 1879

U.K. 25 Royal Exchange, London EC3 New Shop - 92 Jermyn Street, London SW1 69 Jermyn Street, London SW1 20-21 Burlington Arcade, London W1 25 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3

FRANCE 14, Rue Chauveau-Lagarde, La Madeleine, 75008 Paris U.S.A. 7 West 56th Street, New York, NY 10019 www.crockettandjones.com

C&J Rex.indd 1

14/9/11 16:49:53

interview men’s.trend jewellery

bremontsail in style ..................................................................................... chanel ........................................................................... ..............................................

baselWorlD 2012

The watch industry’s equivalent of the trend-setting fashion weeks, Baselworld showcases the newest creations from the world’s most prestigious brands

f you plan to visit the Swiss town of Basel in spring, make sure you check the dates of the town’s annual watch fair first. Don’t, and you might struggle to find somewhere to stay. For eight days each year, Basel’s population almost doubles in size as more than 100,000 visitors from 100 countries descend on the world’s largest watch and jewellery exposition. Among the 3,000 media representatives in attendance at this year’s event will be The City Magazine. With more than 1,800 companies from the watch, jewellery and precious-stone industry

showcasing their latest collections, choosing favourite innovations won’t be easy. Watches we’re most looking forward to seeing include Omega’s Seamaster Aqua Terra Golf – a refined, sportsmen piece that features distinctive green elements on its dial – and Pequignet’s Paris Royal Red Gold, which boasts an attractive power reserve indicator and moon phase at 6 o’clock. Sure to prove a head-turner will be Christophe Claret’s Casino de Monte-Carlo; not only does the piece comprise 501 components, 40 jewels and seven ceramic double ball bearings but turn it over and you’ll also be greeted by a 3D roulette wheel. n

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

watches

collection

watch

One to Watch This month, Lyndon Jarvis, Manager at Watches of Switzerland in The Royal Exchange, selects his watch of the moment

A truly

English affair

interview

collection

Annabel Harrison meets Nick English, one half of the dynamic English brothers and co-founder of British watch brand Bremont

he engine purrs, revs and roars into action and before I know it, I’m soaring through the air, 1,000 feet above the English countryside (Epping Forest and Chelmsford, to be exact). I’m not in a Boeing 747 or an Airbus 380, though – my preferred, and standard, method of airborne travel but one passenger of a total of two in a tiny, toy plane which is, I am told, an RV4. Initial trepidation at travelling in what, quite frankly, has less interior space than a Mini is swiftly overtaken with the thrill of feeling like a character in Top Gun (although more like Goose than Maverick). The pilot expertly steers us to the optimum cruising height and asks me, casually, over the headset if I’d like to drive for a bit. After a moment’s hesitation, I take over control and experience the sheer joy of feeling the plane dip and tilt exactly as I command, before the pilot resumes control to flip us over into a few, 360º barrel rolls. This is but a glimpse into the life of a Bremont brother – Nick, this time round (although I had met the equally charming Giles at SalonQP in November). I’d like to say that I was composed enough to conduct my interview with Nick whilst airborne but unfortunately the noise was prohibitive and instead we chatted in the cosy Squadron at North Weald Airfield.

From their names to their demeanour, via their watch brand and personal passions, the English brothers are British through and through. Bremont has a story to tell too, and a surprisingly young one at that; its watches are gracing the manly, homegrown wrists of Hugh Laurie, Liam Neeson and Orlando Bloom, just ten years after the company’s journey began, and five years after their watches were actually being sold. Nick explains that from the offset the brothers wanted to make beautifully crafted and engineered pilots’ watches of such a high quality that “you could not find a better made watch [in that £34,000 price range]”. A love of flying, watches and all things mechanical has been in the English blood for generations, inherited by Nick and Giles from their late father Euan, who died in 1995 when the vintage aircraft he was flying crashed. Nick deems this “the tipping point in life, when you have to think about what you really want to do”. This tragic accident was followed by Nick and Giles crash-landing on French land because of a rough-running engine and bad weather. In a

serendipitous turn of events, the farmer who offered them refuge from the authorities and a bed for the night was a retired pilot and gifted engineer, surrounded in his farm by old wall clocks in various states of restoration. The farmer’s name was Antoine Bremont and although the company’s name is French in origin, Bremont retains a proudly British backbone. “There’s this incredible history of British watch making”, Nick says, with characteristic English enthusiasm, “and for people to understand and appreciate what you’re doing is fantastic, so although people like to play it down, it’s always nice to receive awards”. Those in question were from Walpole, the prestigious protector and promoter of the British luxury industry, which saw potential and named Bremont a Brand of Tomorrow in 2007 and, the following year, Best Emerging British Luxury Brand. Their customers since these accolades were bestowed have turned out to be, by and large, people who recognise the effort and passion that goes into watch-making and who have an interest in well-engineered products. Is there a stereotypical Bremont owner? “What’s interesting,” Nick replies, “is that it’s not all about money. A lot of our guys work in the city in high paid jobs and they will save up and buy one of our watches”. With a love of mechanical watches, often Bremont won’t be their first horological purchase; they may have been given a TAG

interview

or Omega when younger but since, “they have done their research and want to wear something that’s different, that separates them from the rest of the pack”. The purchase may well also become an investment; Nick tells me that some of his watches that sold for £6,500 three years ago are now going for as much as £10,000 and that in 2012, the brand will produce only 3,000 timepieces, making them yet more sought after. Importantly, though, “we’re not a flashy brand, not showy. It’s for people who like the understated feeling of having something special on their wrist – I think the car equivalent would be more Maserati than Ferrari”. The English brothers are as serious as they are jovial and Nick replies, straight-faced, when I ask next what the biggest challenge has been to date, “working with my brother”. Cracking into a smile, he adds mischievously, “I won’t go through the list of ideas I’ve come up with because it’ll put him to shame”. He then answers honestly that “we’re very diplomatic and both involved with all the big decisions”. Challenges have come in the form of the technical – “in terms of procuring parts of this industry, especially when you’re doing a lot yourself and you have lots of suppliers” – and the financial; “the competition is spending a huge amount of money on marketing but we are a smaller brand, without a Richemont behind us”. This is where unofficial ambassadors are worth their

collection

weight in gold. On the adventure side of things, Bremont works very closely with world-record climber Jake Meyer, Olympic skier Graham Bell, world-champion free diver Sara Campbell, polar explorer Ben Saunders and adventurer Bear Grylls. “There’s a great synergy and we appeal to those kind of guys, who show that you can use one of our watches in [extreme] conditions and it still works”. Charlie Boorman “batters them around because he’s always falling off a motorbike” but, testament to their endurance, he hasn’t managed to destroy one (yet). For those who aren’t fortunate, or mad, enough to spend most of their waking hours completing death-defying or record-breaking feats, a Bremont watch is still suitable wrist wear; “we wanted to produce watches which you could wear to the boardroom but also go off and do amazing stuff at the weekend – windsurfing, hiking up Everest, skydiving, whatever you want”. Indeed. For Nick and Giles, “whatever you want” seems to be the ethos they live by, revolving around aviation, engineering, time-keeping and family heritage. My afternoon at the airfield ends with a smile and a wave from Nick as he hops into his plane to ‘drive’ back to the office in Henley. What a commute. I have no doubt that Euan English and Antoine Bremont would be immensely proud of the Bremont brand and of the English brothers, and that their part in the legacy is only just beginning. n

Courtesy of IWC

collection men’s luxury

set

sail in style

Indulge your sense of adventure with accessories designed with the explorer in mind

7 6

1 Z6/Z6i 2nd generation rifle scope, £2,300, Swarovski Optik, www.swarovskioptik.us 2 Coin carbon fibre cufflinks, £200, Alfred Dunhill, www.dunhill.com 3 My sailing bag, £1,945, Loro Piana, 2-3 Royal Exchange 4 Navy blue techno fabric gloves, £215, Giorgio Armani, www.giorgioarmani.com 5 Be-well bag, £13,135, Loro Piana, as before 6 Aquaracer Calibre 5 500m £3,150, TAG Heuer, available at Watches of Switzerland, 22 Royal Exchange 7 Woven Linen Belt, £65, Anderson’s, www.mrporter.com 8 Classic Prince of Wales check umbrella, £65, London Undercover, www.mrporter.com 9 Black ceramic Royal Oak Offshore Chronograph 44mm, POA, Audemars Piguet, available at Watches of Switzerland, as before

Swiss movement, English heart

C9 HARRISON JUMPING HOUR Limited Edition ÂŁ1150.00

Swiss made automatic / movement: ETA 2824-2 - 25 jewel modified jumping hour complication JJ001 / 200 piece limited edition / Hand-finished case / Louisiana alligator strap / Diameter: 43mm E XC LU S I V E LY AVA I L A B L E AT

ChristopherWard_DocklandsAndCity.indd 1

christopherward.co.uk

20/02/2012 10:34

jewellery

collection

3 of the Best...

jewellery

mASculine wAtcheS

news

Instead of delicate bracelets, opt for elegant, statement watches as wrist candy

chAnel S/S12

“The shapes of sea life are ultra-modern, beautiful and timeless,” explains Karl Lagerfeld. The 2012 Collection from Chanel is all that you would ever want from a line seeing you into spring and summer; with tropical fish, seaweed and sponges taking on an ethereal, abstract quality, and the main palette comprising porcelain pink, pearly white and sea blue hues, the overall look becomes feminine, light and airy. To enhance the ultra-feminine guise, look to the accessories. The line is dripping with pearls - around the neck, along the spine, used as buttons or taking the place of a chain belt to punctuate the overall ensemble. Golds, corals and blues speckle the collection, enhancing the oceanic theme. Following in the footsteps of other great fashion brands, Chanel has incorporated bold, chunky bangles into its spring repertoire. However, not wishing to lose the elegance for which the French house is renowned, bangles are decorated with delicate pale pink glass stones.

richArd lAnGe tOurBillOn ‘POur le mérite’, POA A. lAnGe & SÖhne

Golden and coral metal earring, £700, Chanel Fine Jewellery www.chanel.com

www.chAnel.cOm

hAmPtOnS QuArtz with crOc StrAP, £1,780 BAume & mercier

Cutting Edge French designer Aurélie Bidermann has always prided herself on incorporating the products of her imagination and experiences into innovative designs. Her S/S12 jewellery collection harkens to the Wild West with chunky gold pieces, bulls and turquoise stone embellishment

The sublime creations of Aurélie Bidermann reinvent themselves constantly. Snakes, feathers, lace, insects, wheat, the leaves of Ginkgo - always dipped in gold - have now become her heritage. They became her keys, timeless classics that she constantly reinterprets Annie OAkley cuff, £755 Aurélie BidermAnn, www.AurelieBidermAnn.cOm

JuleS AudemArS chrOnOGrAPh rOSe GOld £21,500, AudemArS PiGuet

collection jewellery

sea shores 7 Jewellery emulates the colours and shapes of the sea this spring with cerulean crystals, sea blue hues and turquoise stones

1 Silver and turquoise drop earrings, £90, Chan Luu, www.NET-A-PORTER.com 2 Rear window necklace, £854, Erickson Beamon, www.ericksonbeamon.com 3 Gemstone turquoise ring POA, Kara Ross, www.kararossny.com 4 Multi-stone brass ring, £335, Emilio Pucci, www.emiliopucci.com 5 Plexiglass and crystal clip earrings, £220, Miu Miu, www.NET-A-PORTER.com 6 Wichita silver-plated turquoise necklace, £260, Philippe Audibert, www.philippeaudibert.com 7 Rock Candy 18-carat gold turquoise bangle, £2,395, Ippolita, www.ippolita.com 8 Garden ring, £270, Yves Saint Laurent, www.ysl.com 9 Bossa Nova silver-plated Swarovski crystal ring, £235, Erickson Beamon, www.ericksonbeamon.com 10 Rear window necklace - from a selection, £775, Erickson Beamon, as before

Exclusive Modern Furniture Made in Germany

Harrods Heal’s

3rd Floor Knightsbridge | www.hulsta-harrods.co.uk

1st Floor Tottenham Court Road | www.hulsta-heals.co.uk

Hülsta-Westend Hülsta-Bristol

23-25 Baker Street | www.westend.hulsta.co.uk

33 Wine Street, Bristol | www.bristol.hulsta.co.uk

www.hulsta.co.uk | the german furniture brand

Hulsta_C-Wharf_City_Oct11.indd 1

16/09/2011 13:30

WHAT’S ON AT BROADGATE Get involved in the fun of Easter ahead of April with the world’s biggest Easter egg hunt and prepare for the incredible summer sport season by playing in the Broadgate Bowlout

The FabergÉ big egg hunT From 21 February The countdown to the world’s biggest Easter egg hunt has begun. From 21 February, for 40 days and 40 nights, the UK’s capital will become home to 200 giant and uniquely hand-crafted Easter eggs for the Fabergé Big Egg Hunt. The first event of its kind, it aims to raise vital funds for charities Action for Children and Elephant Family, inviting tourists, locals and visitors to join in a truly magical experience. Members of the public will be able to hunt down the strategically placed giant eggs, which have been exclusively designed, bejewelled and decorated by some of the world’s leading artists, architects, jewellers and designers. These include Mulberry, Sir Ridley Scott, Zandra Rhodes, Diane Von Furstenberg, Marc Quinn, Bruce Oldfield, The Chapman Brothers, Theo Fennell, William Curley, Bompas and Parr and Polly Morgan. The event is set to smash the Guinness World Records

for the most participants in an Easter egg hunt and the world’s most expensive chocolate egg, as designed by William Curley. The handcrafted eggs, which are intended to become highly collectible works of art, will be available to buy at auction, with proceeds going towards Action for Children and Elephant Family – the UK’s biggest funder for the endangered Asian elephant.

BROADGATEpromotion

Photograph: Nick Woods

Graham Napier CriCket Day 12 April Accuracy and consistency are key factors in the success of any great sportsman, especially for Essex cricketer Graham Napier. Wilkin & Sons Ltd are pleased to sponsor the Broadgate Bowlout on Thursday 12 April from 11am as part of Graham’s Benefit Year. This is a great opportunity to test your bowling skills by facing a professional batsman – can you beat him? “Surviving and thriving in business by providing consistent quality has been key to the success of the company during the last 125 years,” said Ian Thurgood, joint managing director of Wilkin & Sons. “Watching Graham’s career develop, we appreciated his dedication and determination to succeed, the sign of a true professional.” Wilkin & Sons’ 15 varieties of Tiptree honey will be on show on 12 April, along with the chance to ask the experts questions about the lightest Acacia Blossom or the muchprized New Zealand Manuka Honeys.

Summer oF Sport Are you going to miss England vs France during the Euros? Do you want to see Murray in action and maybe, just maybe, win Wimbledon this year? And of course, there’s no forgetting the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. Broadgate is hosting a Summer of Sport, during which this summer’s biggest sporting battles will be screened in the surrounds of Broadgate’s scenic outdoor areas, right in the heart of the City. Enjoy your lunch with strawberries and cream, come down with a group of friends after work or seize the opportunity to do something with the kids during the summer holidays – all are welcome. More information coming soon.

BeSt oF BritiSh Don’t forget the ever popular London Farmers Market is back, every second and fourth Thursday of the month, serving up the freshest possible groceries, straight from the farm, alongside a wide range of ready-to-eat hot food. Street Kitchen (as featured on BBC’s Hairy Bikers’ Best of British show) is also at Broadgate every Monday to Friday, serving up seasonable and sustainable gourmet grub. This is not to be missed!

the Stroke aSSoCiatioN’S Fire Walk 2 March, 6.30-9pm Can you stand the heat? The sponsored Firewalk, in aid of The Stroke Association, is taking place at Finsbury Avenue Square, Broadgate on Friday 2 March. At this exciting event you’ll receive an hour-long training session from the Guinness World Record holder for the Longest Firewalk and then head outside to walk barefoot across the hot coals. It’s £15 to enter and you need to raise just £100 in sponsorship in order to take part, so why not accept this challenge and raise funds for a great charity along the way? The Stroke Association is the only UK wide charity solely concerned with combating stroke in people of all ages and supporting all those affected by stroke. Each year more than 150,000 people in the UK have strokes and more than a third of these are living with stroke related disabilities. For more information visit www.stroke.org.uk/firewalk

SHOPPING

Magnificent Mothers Spoil your Mum with the finer things in life this Mother’s Day, with our top 5 treats in Canary Wharf The White Company, Cabot Place

1. Retail Therapy

Aspinal of London, Cabot Place

Enjoy an afternoon of retail therapy, and treat your mum to those extra special gestures that let her know you really care. Whether it’s a hand-tied bouquet from Brown’s Florist, an exciting accessory from L.K. Bennett, stylish homeware from The White Company or beautiful jewellery from Canary Wharf’s stores including Charles Fish, David M Robinson, Links of London and Tiffany & Co. Canary Wharf has it all.

Tiffany & Co., Cabot Place

Charles Fish, Cabot Place

L.K.Bennett, Jubilee Place Whistles, Jubilee Place

2. Fancy Food Give your mum a break from cooking and a reward for all her hard work with a delicious meal in Canary Wharf’s finest eateries. Enjoy Plateau’s spectacular views, or a mouthwatering Mother’s Day brunch at Quadrato. For music lovers, Boisdale of Canary Wharf will also provide an afternoon to be remembered, with champagne and a three course lunch all served to live Jazz.

Plateau Restaurant, Bar & Grill, Canada Square

Quadrato at The Four Seasons Hotel, Westferry Circus

Boisdale of Canary Wharf, Cabot Place

SHOPPING Molton Brown, Jubilee Place

Jo Malone, Jubilee Place

4. Champagne & Chocolates

Nicholas Wine, One Canada Square

3. Pamper and Polish Let her hands do nothing at the Jo Malone Tasting Bar, as she enjoys a complimentary hand and arm massage, perhaps to be followed by a 3-week manicure from Nails Inc. Alternatively, Molton Brown have a luxurious gift set designed to nurture and indulge. Space NK and Crabtree & Evelyn are also on hand with a sumptuous array of products perfect for well-earned pampering, whilst Sean Hanna, Gentry Hair & Spa or Toni & Guy can treat her to a marvelous makeover. And for an all out experience, time spent in The Rejuvenation Clinic & MediSpa will restore youthful skin and well-being with a vast array of healing Hotel Chocolat, Canada Place treatments.

When only the best will do, treat your mum to a delicious champagne or wine tasting at Nicolas Wine Bar where the in-store experts can recommend a vintage bottle. Coupled with mouthwatering truffles from Charbonnel et Walker, or Hotel Chocolat she’ll have the perfect indulgent combination. Charbonnel et Walker, Cabot Place

5. Expertly Mixed

Roka Terrace, The Park Pavilion

The Parlour, The Park Pavilion

The perfect way to start any celebratory evening, take your mum for a cocktail in one of Canary Wharf’s numerous bars. Head to The Parlour for exquisite cocktails and lively atmosphere; its Russian Rose Martini, garnished with a rose petal is an elegant choice for a special lady. For a taste of the Orient sample some traditional saké from Roka whilst sitting on the terrace, enjoying a wonderful view of Canada Square Park.

SHOPPING burberry

elie saab

alberta ferretti

All things

Bright

&Beautiful RecReate this seasonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bold high fashion tRends, and

step into a bRight new woRld with the vibRant Range on offeR at canaRy whaRf stoRes

SHOPPING 1

3 4 2

6 7 8

’t

Don

miss

From Friday 30 March to Sunday 1 April Canary Wharf presents the best of Spring/ Summer 2012 collections for men and women at the Spring/Summer Fashion Weekend. Fashion shows will feature a wide selection of Canary Wharf’s leading fashion brands who will be offering exclusive discounts of 20%.

1. Crocus Bag, £245, L.K Bennett, Jubilee Place 2. Cleo Dress, £195, L.K. Bennett, Jubilee Place 3. Soft Draped Jacket, £60, Oasis, Jubilee Place 4. Siri Maxi Dress, £229, Ted Baker, Canada Place 5. Giant Shoe, £120, Kurt Geiger, Cabot Place 6. Red Fringed Moccasin, £69.90, Massimo Dutti, Cabot Place 7. Purple Ceramic Watch, £110, Karen Millen, Jubilee Place 8. Beautiful Cotton Lace Skirt, £140, Karen Millen, Jubilee Place 9. Sloane Zip Around Travel Wallet, £275, Tumi, Cabot Place 10. Carvela Andora, £120, Kurt Geiger, Cabot Place 11. Preppy Canvas Coat, £275, Gant, Canada Place 12. Poppy Belt, £95, L.K. Bennett, Jubilee Place

arts&events

Spring in your step ViSit CanarY WharF to introDuCE YourSELF to aCiD - jazz, ChaLLEngE a SquaSh pro anD SaLSa thE night aWaY

VIVA LA DANCE Salsa the night away to the sounds of the live, Latin band Start your evening with a simple and fun workshop with popular dance duo Doni Fierro and Liz Bayley. Even those new to salsa can master basic steps in no time then take to the floor and dance the night away with confidence. You can also enjoy dazzling demonstrations of salsa perfection from the professionals throughout the evening. Come and soak up the Latin atmosphere, enjoy the music and when you feel like a break from dancing there is full bar and tapas available, although we are willing to bet you won’t sit still for long. Wednesday 14 March 6.30 - 10.15pm East Wintergarden, Bank Street, Canary Wharf, E14 Tickets £8.50 (includes complimentary glass of bubbly)

After Hours with… THE BRAND NEW HEAVIES Apparently Nothing, Never Stop, Dream On Dreamer, Midnight at The Oasis – the hits go on and on one of the most successful acid-jazz/uK funk groups of all time, the Brand new heavies are major players in the soundtrack of the 80’s and 90’s. original band members jan Kincaid, Simon Bartholomew and andrew Levy on drums/keyboards, guitar and bass respectively are joined by the incredibly silky and powerful vocals of Canadian born, american-raised singer honey Larochelle. Book now to hear all your favourite Brand new heavies hits played live in the intimate setting of the East Wintergarden. Thursday 15 March 7.45pm (Doors open at 7pm) East Wintergarden, Bank Street Canary Wharf, E14 Tickets £20* (maximum 6 tickets per order) Visit ticketweb.co.uk or call 0844 847 2268 (booking fee applies). Tickets also available on the door, subject to availability. Standing only. Full bar and cloakroom. Only items purchased on the premises may be consumed.

Tickets also available on the door, subject to availability. Visit ticketweb.co.uk or call 0844 847 2268 (booking fee applies). Only items purchased on the premises may be consumed.

CANARY WHARF SQUASH CLASSIC

Window Galleries The Ar t, Design & Lightbox Window Galleries, located in Canada Place Shopping Mall, showcase up-and-coming ar tists, designers and craftspeople. This month the galleries display:

Koji Shiraya

Koji’s artistic theme is expression in praise of nature. Koji uses porcelain for the main body of his boxes and feldspar (glaze) for the lid. Although similar in substance, feldspar can be melted at particular temperatures so that firing the body and the lid at the same time melts the lid down the body. The end result shows contrasts between solid and fluid, organic and geometric, nature and art. kojishiraya.com

CiSSy CooK

A week of unbelievable action brings the world’s best players to the magnificent East Wintergarden to play on the specially built glass court London’s top squash tournament returns to Canary Wharf for the ninth consecutive year. World champion Nick Matthew will be aiming for a third consecutive title along with James Willstrop, himself a three-time winner at Canary Wharf. Don’t miss your favourite international players battling it out for world ranking points in this PSA International 50 event.

PLAY-A-PRO ONSCREEN CHALLENGE How do you fancy your chances against a professional squash player?

Seven years ago Cissy Cook embarked on a new journey using both her model making skills and love of design to create unique, decorative and sculptural artworks in an ever expanding range that explore texture, light and form. cissycookdesigns.co.uk

Monday 19 – Friday 23 March Doors opening & match times vary East Wintergarden, Bank Street Canary Wharf, E14

Now you can cross rackets with members of the England team or one of the international players here for the main event via an interactive squash game challenge. If you beat the pro you’ll be entered into a daily draw for a Prince racket plus tickets to the Canary Wharf Squash Classic. Just sign up on arrival, no booking required.

Tickets £15-£45. Visit ticketmaster.co.uk or call 0844 847 2419 (booking fee applies). Tickets available on the door subject to availability. Full bar and food available. Only items purchased on the premises may be consumed.

8 – 9 and 19 - 20 March 11am – 2.30pm Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf FREE Donations will be collected in aid of Sport Relief

Wendy allan

Light and colour play a large part in Wendy’s work. She achieves the colour with hand dyed silk, soaked in resin and strengthened with fibreglass. Each of her lights is unique as a result of the processes she has developed.

wendyallandesign.co.uk

arrive and revive

The â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Almâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; we hiked to today was an insider tip from our host. The view from here of sun-kissed mountain peaks reaching for the sky is simply spellbinding. We feel totally free, nearly giddy with joy. We might even spend the night up here. Just like the dairy maid. For information about holidays in Austria, visit www.austria.info/treasures or call 0845 101 1818

interview europe feature

rationalfx britain & eu ........................ winning arguments ............................................................

. ...................................................................

Chart toppers

G Retail and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies remain the brands most highly-rated by UK consumers

oogle, Amazon and Marks & Spencer remain the most highly-rated brands, according to the annual YouGov BrandIndex league table. For the second year running, these companies top the index that measures how consumers perceive brands on a daily basis in terms of quality, value, customer satisfaction, corporate reputation, general impression and likelihood of them recommending the brand. Highlighting how long it can take to cultivate a positive image, and the resilience of perception, the most highly-rated brands last year contained just

one new entrant which was Dove. Amazon, Colgate and Cathedral City were the only brands in the top 20 whose ratings improved, while mobile phone manufacturer HTC achieved the highest overall increase. Virgin Atlantic was the most-highly rated airline and the Post Office led the way for highstreet banks. Proving that high public profiles donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily translate into high consumer satisfaction ratings, Apple, Facebook and Twitter took 40th, 182nd and 615th places respectively. The YouGov BrandIndex highlights the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;healthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; of a brand by surveying 2,000 consumers every day of the year. n

From Humble Beginnings Born in India, Rajesh Agrawal’s first job paid him the equivalent of £63 a month. Just twelve years later, Agrawal would be placed at the helm of a foreign exchange firm worth £250 million. Richard Brown meets the founder and chief executive of RationalFX

hen RationalFX announced it was to be shirt sponsors of an English football team last year, it joined a catalogue of conglomerates including Fly Emirates, Samsung, Aon and Investec – impressive company with which to associate yourself, especially when you are a firm yet to celebrate your tenth birthday. Rajesh Agrawal founded RationalFX in 2005, four years after he moved to London, having been headhunted by a foreign exchange broker. Under Agrawal, the company became one of the world’s fastest growing foreign exchange businesses and now boasts more than 20,000 private and corporate clients. The firm launched Xendpay.com last year, a global payment and money remittance platform for individuals, making it the first broker to operate a completely online payments system. Still only 34 years of age, Agrawal has been nominated in the Business and Commerce Excellence category at the coveted Lloyds TSB Jewel Awards, has been elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufacturing and Commerce, and sits as a board member of The Indus Entrepreneurs, the world’s largest not-for-profit organisation facilitating entrepreneurship. Tell us about the start of your career. I was born and brought up in Indore, India. After doing an MBA in IT and Finance, my first job was for a web design company in a small town in the north of the country. I worked there for six months on the equivalent of about £60 a month. It was hard - effectively selling the concept of web design in a country where the internet was a new phenomenon. I had to start at the very beginning, telling people what the internet was and how it was going to benefit them. It was invaluable in the way it taught me the fundamentals of internet-based businesses. How did RationalFX come into being? From my first job I moved to a foreign exchange analysing firm in Bombay, setting up strategic partnerships with companies that included Apple, Yahoo and Orange Mobile. I developed a relationship with an FX broker in the UK who ended up offering me a job. I was 24 and took it immediately, arriving here on a one way ticket and with £200 in my pocket. After three and a half years of networking, I understood the culture behind UK business and wanted to do something on my own. I quit my job and teamed up with a buyer I’d worked with in previous employment. I told my bank I was

interview

comment

How much did the recession affect your business? Before the recession there was so much faith in banks. People thought their money was safe there and that nothing could possibly happen to it. What the recession did was prove that banks aren’t invincible. In that way it helped us and became a positive thing; people wanted to listen to how they could save money. Does the European crisis worry you? Not particularly. If I’m totally unemotional about it, a breakup of the euro would be good for our business, as it would be good for all foreign exchange businesses. More currencies mean more exchanges taking place in the world. In the long run, the foreign exchange sector is one industry that would actually benefit. Of course, in the short term a breakup would cause a lot of mayhem and even more volatility.

buying a car so they’d give me a loan – they had refused when I told them I wanted to start a business – and bought a laptop and printer. Over the next seven years, what started as a two-man team grew and now employs over 60 people in London, has offices in Birmingham and Poland, and sponsors the Birmingham City football team. What inspired the decision to set up Xendpay.com? When I first came to the UK I used to send money home, back to the family in India. It was an expensive process and being in the foreign exchange industry I found it the poor exchange rates that were on offer quite ridiculous. I knew that the industry was worth around $400 billion a year worldwide and that when you make transfers through a bank you end up paying all sorts of charges. With Xendpay. com we wanted to do for the transfer industry what Skype had done for the communication industry; there is nothing like this in the world at the moment.

“For a very long time banks have had a stranglehold on the foreign exchange market; it’s about time someone comes along and destroys that”

How does it work? The idea is very simple; you open an account, enter your details and say, for example, I want to transfer £1,000 pounds to a certain country. We then undercut the banks to provide you with a very good exchange rate for a very small, if any, fee. You are able to send money from anywhere to anywhere. We launched Xendpay.com in September and it has grown ridiculously fast; it’s already operating in eight languages and we are picking up clients from all over the world.

Between which countries do the majority of your transactions take place? There are certain established money corridors. Money normally only flows from developed countries to undeveloped countries; people don’t go from the UK to India and transfer money from there. India is the gross largest receiver of money transfers in the world and China is the second. For us, the number of transfers from the UK to Poland have gone up massively. But you’ve also got Spain to South America, France to North Africa and Germany to Turkey - Turks account for the largest ethnic minority in Germany. What has been your biggest challenge as CEO of RationalFX? Gaining the confidence of customers. In these current volatile times it has been hard to convince them that their money is safe with us. We are not a big bank, but sometimes personal relationships are more important. We have very good relationships with our clients, many of whom have been referred to us by banks. That makes a huge difference. You could be based anywhere in the world. Why London? It’s a great city to do business in. From a regulatory point of view, if you look at somewhere like France, for example, until a few years ago independent companies were not allowed to do money transfer business. You needed a banking license to do it. So while there were 3,000 FX traders in the UK, in France there were only three. There’s a similar thing in India. Almost half of the world’s foreign exchange traders are based in the Square Mile. You are 34 and head up a company worth £250 million. What do you hope to achieve by the time you are 40? Achievement to me doesn’t lie in the valuation of the company. That’s just a figure at the end of the day. For me, achievement is a sense of satisfaction that I derive from company growth. By 40 I want to see RationalFX as a global brand with offices around the world and Xendpay as the world’s number one online money transfer service. n

feature

comment

War of Words Want to learn the secret to winning an argument? Ask a barrister, writes Terri Starr

rguing with a barrister is like arguing with Plato, in Greek – you are not going to win. This is because they have spent years learning how to subtly twist and manipulate situations to their advantage and, be it a cross-examination in court, a discussion about a raise or even a cheeky attempt to get a first-class upgrade, knowing how they do it can be the difference between getting what you want, and going home with nothing. Before I went to the Bar, I spent a decade in the City as a trader for major companies. Now, after more than a decade as both a practicing barrister and training Bar students at the College of Law, I decided that these skills were transferable to the City. The first thing anyone asks me is this: “What is the secret to winning an argument?” The answer, of course, is that there are several. However, the key is always preparation. As the old saying goes, ‘knowledge is power’, and as long as you’re prepared, it is just a case of knowing how to handle the information to your best advantage. The biggest mistake is thinking that it has to be a win or lose situation. Of course you want to win, but if you put your case across in a certain way – control your adversary, using all the facts at your disposal – then you can persuade them that what you want is precisely what he or she wants and needs too. One ‘Golden Rule’ that barristers live by is absolutely never ask a question to which you don’t already know the answer. If you’ve done your research this shouldn’t be a problem. However, there is a skill in carrying this out as you must also be seen to be listening; there is nothing worse than attempting to shout your opposition down, and you will have already lost if you attempt this. If you watch a barrister cross-examining, they will subtly ‘close avenues’ through using yes or no questions so that, unbeknown to the other party, they are being led down a certain path. When you get to your killer question, they then have no exit. So apply this to a working environment; if for example you’re looking for a raise, you could start a discussion about costly recruitment fees, then ask if training and development is an area in which they need to cut budget, if they could cope without your input and client base, and so forth, until you get to a point where you both see that your raise is actually a much better option than all of the other costly solutions. Obviously, this is a very basic example, but it shows how you can close off areas of argument so that the other party cannot come back later with: “We could train your deputy to take over your role.” Each case, of course, is different, and you must properly assess the strengths and weaknesses of your argument. This will enable you to know what you can and should concede – and as to when and how you should make the concession to the best advantage. You need to know the issues from the start – what is the key line of opposition and how can

you overcome this? – and make sure you do listen to the opposition; often the answers to problems are apparent if you accurately hear what the other side is saying. If we go back to the raise discussion, maybe more money is impossible, but perhaps a superior title and flexible benefits can be arranged. When planning your argument, it is important not to start with the obvious. Even the most ill-prepared adversary will expect those questions and be ready with an argument. Think about coming in from the left field, which will diffuse the situation. Derren Brown once escaped a mugger by saying, “the fence in my garden isn’t four foot tall”; the mugger was so confused that he was completely caught off guard, giving Brown time to run away. Obviously ‘arguing’ with muggers isn’t an everyday situation (you would hope) but learning to think laterally will give you a serious advantage over your adversary who will be looking for verbal landmines. Delivery is important, you should avoid clicking pens or shuffling paper while you speak, and try to embrace silence. Silence is something that makes most people uncomfortable and they will often try to fill it with chatter which invariably weakens their case. If you have a really crucial point to make, take a pause for effect; it will make you sound measured and ensure that you have the undivided attention of the other party. Avoid superlatives and clichés because they come across as insincere and unnecessary; you have a point to make, so make it. In order to anticipate responses, it is also important to know your audience. A barrister will adopt his crossexamination to suit the jurisdiction, gender, age and so on of his witness. One style does not fit all, so be aware that your adopted line of questioning should not be the same for the check-in clerk at the airline as for your CEO; respecting where people are coming from will always help your position. When you know your audience, you can predict their response and come up with a solution that they will be happy with before they realise what you’re aiming towards. Again, we go back to the win-win approach. A good advocate is someone who understands that egos are fragile and no one wants to lose face. Don’t be afraid to let it appear to be your adversary’s idea after all; like “spin” selling, if you can create a need and a solution all at once then you are winning, and more importantly, the other side hasn’t ‘lost’. Once the platform is sound then you can move on to more interesting and adapted uses in everyday life. It is never-ending and can be developed as you progress to more advanced levels. Just don’t tell the other half what you’ve learned. n Terri Starr is CEO and founder of City Briefs Ltd which offers a wide variety of performance business coaching and courses. For more information visit www.citybriefs.co.uk or email info@citybriefs.co.uk

comment european affairs

The Great Escape Why Britain needs to leave the EU to save the City, writes Janice Atkinson In November, David Cameron was hailed a hero as he vetoed a new treaty that would result in closer fiscal and political union. Two months later his own MEPs and cabinet colleagues admit that it was a hollow and futile gesture. Cameron’s veto means nothing and it will not protect the City of London. There are two real threats - the Lisbon Treaty with majority voting and Conservative MEPs. The Lisbon Treaty sets in stone Qualified Majority Voting (QMV) which means that our MEPs are easily out-voted by the new super eurozone. The immediate concern must be that the new eurozone will focus on the financial sector and impose a ‘user charge’ on our financial institutions. They can circumvent the Financial Transaction tax, on which Britain has a veto, and employ a user charge instead. This is a real and immediate threat that Cameron can do nothing about. All 26 countries will press ahead anyway with closer fiscal and political union, leaving the UK in the worst of all worlds. We are still members of this union but reside firmly on the outside of influencing events, we are more unpopular than ever and we are in a permanent voting minority. We will pay a heavy price as the very industry Cameron sought to protect will be the subject of retribution. The next time the bond markets twitch, a snarling Sarkozy will condemn the Anglo-Saxons and demand more legislation. We will be utterly powerless to stop this. Already City businesses are cutting back as they have to cope with misguided parts of the Alternative Investment Fund Management Directive and the Capital Requirements Directive. With the establishment earlier this year of the European Banking Authority and the Paris-based European Securities and Markets Authority, regulation of our financial service industries has passed to foreign lands. In this area of

our national life, as in so many others, we are no longer in control of our own destiny. Even more unbelievable is that the assault on the City’s industries has been rubber-stamped by Conservative MEPs. In the European Parliament they voted for the offending Directives with hardly a murmur of dissent. I was at an investment industry party recently where attendees were telling me they were furious with the EU interfering in their businesses and that their industry representative bodies were slow to react. The City is shocked to hear that many of the members of the EU Commission were former Communist party members and that the majority of European Parliament MEPs were from the leftgreen-liberal federalist alliance – and certainly no fans of the City of London. Business cards were thrust at me, their owners asking for a presentation to their boards on what can be done to stave off the onslaught of regulation. The simple answer is nothing, other than to leave the EU. What should happen next for Britain is that we should start to plan for The Great Escape, to leave the EU. We can then: plan for real growth with a low tax and regulation economy; release our businesses from Brussels’ red tape and bureaucracy; free our financial services industry from euro regulatory controls; take back control of what remains of our fishing industry; and trade with the rest of the world, and with Europe too, because they will still want to trade with us and we will still buy their Mercedes, BMWs and excellent food and wine. Big business and the Government peddle the lie that our future prosperity, jobs and peace rest with our continued EU membership. As Goebbels himself said, “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it”. n

Janice Atkinson heads up UKIP’s Save the City campaign at www.ukip.org, is a director of a centre-right think tank www.womenon.org and is a columnist on the Daily Mail’s Rightminds.

market analysis

comment

emerging nations, London and the Home Counties are seen as an attractive safe haven. There is an opportunity to revel in history and culture, superb schools and universities and world renowned shopping centres. The area also offers top business and financial centres, access to Europe, and close proximity to airports. High-net-worth buyers are increasingly using acquisition agents to keep up with the pace of the changing times and altering market conditions. If you wish to sell up in London, you are likely to leave with a substantial premium. However, to buy super-prime, the competition is so intense that the modern buyer will need a professional expert to get to the front of the queue.

The Inside View

The remarkable growth in certain sections of the global economy is creating millionaires and billionaires on an unprecedented scale. The new super rich’s urge to invest has been a strong driver in the property market throughout London and the Home Counties. While this is nothing out of the ordinary, the scale has dramatically increased.

Tommy de Mallet Morgan FRICS gives us an acquisition agents’ perspective on the prime residential property market

The desire to invest in property in London continues at a strong pace. Unlike the domestic market, releasing stock by moving up and down the ladder, many of these international buyers take a very long-term view on their purchases, while some from specific cultures rarely sell on in the future. The effect is to contribute to a shortage of property which is causing the domestic market to drift out of some super-prime regions in town. Overseas clients’ decision to invest in property in London is particularly biased towards Belgravia, Mayfair, Knightsbridge and Kensington. These are hot spots for their proximity to Hyde Park, Oxford Street, Bond Street and Harrods. Knightsbridge has luxury blocks of flats, built to international standards with porterage, air conditioning, spa and pool, parking and top security. The French Lycée, for example, makes South Kensington popular with the Europeans while Chelsea remains a British bastion, at least for the time being. With the apparent growing economic and political turmoil in the world and the new wealth from the

In the country, the competition is still predominately British, moving up or down to accommodate changes in lifestyle. There seems to be a perception that we have seen the worst and weathered the storm over the last few years and it’s now time to ‘make the move’. In addition, there has been a build up over the past two or three years of cash buyers in rented accommodation, many of whom will have sold in London and are now settled in the areas favoured for schools, accessibility to London and the countryside. This enables them to respond quickly when fresh property becomes available. In the Home Counties the shortage of stock has been relieved by the construction of very good, sustainable modern country houses. Nonetheless, there is always a shortage of the very best and if a purchase is missed in spring or early autumn, traditionally the main selling seasons, it is often another six months before a reasonable selection of prime stock becomes available. On the surface, the prime property market seems straightforward but it has its own particular characteristics, being redefined by two key requirements; confidentiality and privacy. These are becoming increasingly highly valued and for some sellers, there may be a perceived premium for the privilege of such exclusive access to their property. Buyers can gain an entrée to the 50 per cent of prime residential properties that do not formally come into the market (not published online and often without sale particulars). These ‘off market’ properties are sourced and purchased by acquisition agents on behalf of savvy, motivated, financially qualified buyers. Due to these agents’ contacts and experience, buyers can receive advance warning of new houses and those coming onto the market in the future that may not have reached the estate agents. n

Tommy de Mallet Morgan FRICS is Managing Director of de Mallet Morgan Ltd Please email tommy@demalletmorgan.com or visit www.demalletmorgan.com

Friday 8TH JUNE 2012

City Friday & Polo Party at MINT Polo In The Park THE HURLINGHAM CLUB & PARK, FULHAM, LONDON SW6 FRIDAY 8TH JUNE 2012 CITY FRIDAY & ‘VEUVE CLICQUOT AT HURLINGHAM’ PARTY

‘The Best Corporate Day Out’ - as voted by CITY AM Winner of ‘Best Sports Attraction’ - London Lifestyle Awards 2010 & 2011 This sensational three day event kicks off the weekend with a fabulous corporate day offering world class polo from six international teams, with fully inclusive hospitality plus the new ‘Veuve Clicquot at Hurlingham’ evening launch party. Enjoy a classic British summer day out; three polo matches, Veuve Clicquot Champagne, lunch at the iconic Hurlingham Club - the historic home of polo - a quintessential afternoon cream tea and to finish the day off, a rocking party with live music and guest DJ’s.

Prices start from just £185 plus VAT per person. For more details or to book, telephone 0207 936 5284 or email: rachel@ cityevents.uk.com.

www.mintpolointhepark.com

interview motoring travel

doug AllAn lAnd rover ....................................... polAr Adventure ........................................................... .........................................................

Achieving the impossible

A Extreme World Races, the pioneer of ultra-endurance, multi-disciplinary adventure sports, promises to reveal the real you

fter serving as a Royal Engineer, Army Commando and bomb disposal expert Tony Martin trained Commandos how to survive in the Arctic. Next, his career went corporate, albeit into an environment based on the Siberian black ice rather than in the boardroom. As CEO of Extreme World Races, Tony now spends his time designing competitions that take teams to the most hostile habitats on the planet; Top Gear’s successful attempt to be the first team to drive to the Magnetic North Pole was overseen by his company.

Last month, to mark the centenary of Scott and Amundsen’s epic duel, Extreme World Races’ race to the South Pole saw 51 competitors cross 704 kilometres of the coldest, driest, and highest deserts on the planet. This month, the Siberian Black Ice Race is the first multi-discipline contest along the length of the world’s oldest and deepest frozen lake. “Imagine a white world where there is nothing but you and your thoughts for three weeks,” says Tony. “No suit to hide behind, no trappings of society, no distractions to get lost in – simply the real you.” Apply now to take part in Extreme World Races’ Polar Challenge 2013. n

Life

Behind the Lens

calibre

All images: Doug Allan

interview

ir David Attenborough describes Doug Allan as a man “immune to most of the limitations that govern other human beings.” For the poster-boy of natural history programmes, it’s an immunity to which he owes a lot; without Doug, Sir David’s discernible voice would have floated over far fewer natural on-screen wonders over the last three decades. When a television producer is struggling with the mechanics of translating a programme like Frozen Planet from paper to film, it’s Doug to whom they turn. Awarded the Polar Medal in 1984, having spent ten years working with the British Antarctic Survey, Doug has carved out a career dedicated to capturing the most elusive of animals in the most inhabitable of habitats. Having spent the last 35 years braving the depths of both the Arctic and Antarctic Oceans, Doug has taken part in more than 50 filming trips – many of which have resulted in on-screen firsts – and worked as principal cameraman for Life in the Freezer, The Blue Planet, Planet Earth and Life. I met the award-winning wildlife photographer in the wood-panelled confines of The Royal Geographical Society in Kensington Gore to talk about his astounding career. “There are two rules I abide by whilst on an expedition. The first is to remember that I can’t be in two places at once. I will go where I think is best. The second is to make the most of where I am. Even if the conditions are bad and you don’t think you will be successful, just get out there and keep trying. You will pick out bits of the environment that could give you a head start the next day. Tenacity and experience with the animal kingdom are the two main skills you need. “The biggest challenges are the ones that require you to get up close to animals. But when you do, there’s so much to be seen. When we get into dolphins and killer whales, we’re talking about the next most intelligent animals on the planet – assuming we’re more intelligent than they are, and I think

TenaciTy is where you waiT for days on end in The howling wind and blowing snow. wildlife phoTography is where you siT in The howling wind and blowing snow and geT paid To do so in some respects we’re not. Who knows what goes on in their heads? They communicate in complicated noises and exert their behaviours in cultures which could be as complicated as anything we talk about. We spend millions of pounds trying to find life on other planets when we’ve got alien species right beside us whose habitats we’re busy destroying. “It was a great buzz to capture leopard seals properly for Life in the Freezer back in 1982. Alistair Fothergill, who is now a big series producer, wanted to shoot a series in the Antarctic. We talked about what we’d aim to film and I said we’d have to get the leopard seals because nobody had found them before. I had a feeling that if we were at the right place and gave it time, one would allow us to get close to it and that was exactly what happened. We got a really nice eight minute sequence, one of the nicest of leopard seals ever caught. “I have feared for my life on one occasion. I was treading water whilst filming in the Arctic and suddenly something grabbed me. I looked down and there was a walrus. Normally walruses feed on plants, but sometimes they change their diet and go for seals, which is what I obviously looked like. A walrus will either crush a seal with its flippers or take it under water and suffocate it. Luckily, this was a young one and I was able to whack it on the head and

interview

calibre

struggle free. If it had held on any tighter and sank to the bottom, I might not be here today. “The most dangerous place I’ve been is Madagascar. The Poles can be dangerous; if you’re in extreme temperatures, and drop your guard, you could get frostbite in five minutes. But in Madagascar we were working in the Tsingy [National Park], a labyrinth of limestone pinnacles 20 to 30 feet high. We had to carry all the gear across the ridges on tiptoe. You knew that if you slipped, at best you would badly lacerate your arms. “We’ve lost something somewhere in the last 200 years. As we’ve moved towards industrialisation, away from the land, we’re losing the connection that we had with it. We can see that the connection still exists by the interest people show in programmes like Frozen Planet, but the basic human desire [to discover the world around them] has been consumed by a layer of technology so that people don’t realise they are linked to the natural world anymore. It’s why the planet is struggling to cope with us.” “We almost need to change our human nature. The same things that took us off the plains and into caves because it was a bit more comfortable, then had us defend that cave against other people; that’s part of the same continuum that now lets us change our environment to fit what best suits us. We can do things like taking fossil fuels from the earth very successfully for a while but we’ve reached numbers on the planet that are unsustainable. You either have to severely cut away numbers or learn to live in a different way. “Climate change is happening. Fact. Scientists rarely work on 100 per cent of something, so when you get climate change scientists saying they are 95 per cent sure, I would believe them. The elements are building every year; that suggests the climate is changing and one of the causes is the amount of carbon dioxide. We are responsible [for that]. If we don’t change our lifestyles, climate change will eventually force us to do so. If America, for example, keeps increasing in numbers, they are going to get hit by more and more Katrinas. Those are not theoretical impacts; these are real impacts on real people. In actual terms, America has no money, so who’s going to be on hand when they get a $10 billion catastrophe? We should be learning that so much of what we do on earth, such as energy consumption, is creating unlivable circumstances. “Patience is where you sit and wait for days on end. Tenacity is where you sit and wait for days on end in the howling wind and blowing snow. Wildlife photography is where you sit in the howling wind and blowing snow and get paid to do so. “I would love to spend a bit more time in the Pacific Islands. I know I’m supposed to be a polar person but I’ve done enough shooting in the Pacific to know that there are some great people there and some lovely tropical wildernesses. It would certainly be a change from the Poles.” n For full details of Doug Allan’s speaking tour (19 February 29 March) as well as his debut book, Freeze Frame, please visit www.dougallan.com

The Ultimate

All images: Nick Smith

North & South

travel

calibre

Enjoy the ultimate polar experience… the easy way. Anyone who thinks that travelling to the Polar Regions can’t be done in style and comfort should think again. Nick Smith sailed to both ends of the earth to prove this theory

hey’re the last great wildernesses on earth: the Polar Regions. A century ago only a handful of the greatest explorers had been anywhere near them and their names are the stuff of legend; Shackleton, Amundsen and, of course, Scott. Today, as we celebrate the centenaries of the Heroic Age of Polar Exploration, it’s easy to forget that these intrepid men were going where no man had set foot before. It’s extraordinary to think that if you have the time, the money and the spirit of adventure, you can now follow in their footsteps as a tourist. On the one hand, you can, literally, blast your way to the Geographic North Pole in a nuclear icebreaker, while on the other, there are ships that – while they can’t take you to the South Pole – will at least transport you alongside mainland Antarctica, where you can marvel at the same frozen scenery that Scott and his men did before their epic marches to the interior. I was lucky. I did both in the space of a year.

HEADING NORTH

GOING SOUTH With a neat symmetry, my trip to Antarctica started at the world’s southernmost city. At Ushuaia at the tip of Argentina’s Tierra de Fuego, I board Plancius, a refitted navy vessel commissioned by World Expeditions. As we depart the lonely quayside, we sail for the fearsome Drake Passage, past the weather-beaten Cape Horn and straight for the Antarctic Peninsular. The Drake has a reputation for a reason; for three days Plancius is relentlessly tossed about on the Southern Atlantic swells. As we watch the horizon soar and plummet, we can only guess at how Scott and Shackleton survived the elements in their tiny wooden tubs. After passing through the Convergence, where the Atlantic and Southern oceans meet, finally we find calmer seas and with them our first icebergs, cobalt blue skies and, best of all, penguins. It never gets truly dark during the austral summer and you’ll spend a lot of time on deck at night, camera in hand, watching the changing colours of the sky, gazing at the incredible mountain ranges and glaciers, and being hypnotised by the albatrosses, skuas and ever-present pintada petrels. As we approach continental Antarctica, calm seas become glassy lagoons and we board Zodiac inflatable boats to tour among the Weddell seals and penguin rookeries. Finally at our destination, we cruise at leisure, making a couple of landfalls a day, hiking, bird watching and visiting deserted research stations. There’s also the much hoped-for, but never guaranteed, continental landing at the Almirante Brown Argentine base where, among ever-inquisitive penguins, we pose for our ‘hero’ snaps. Those used to the more frivolous luxury of Caribbean cruises will find Plancius Spartan. But it’s warm and comfortable and this is what you’re paying for after hours spent outside on the observation deck in the biting polar chill. In the evening, the ship’s lounge transforms into a lively bar, where there are plenty of experts on hand to tell tales of Antarctic heroism over a glass of Argentine wine. Our final landing is at Port Lockroy, an old British science base that’s now one of the world’s southernmost museums. It’s a ghostly experience to wander around the restored sleeping quarters, radio room and laboratories where the scientists worked for months on end with only Gentoo penguins for company. There’s even a shop where you can buy polar souvenirs, get your passport stamped and send a postcard home, although you’ll arrive weeks before it. n

Victory carves Through The pack ice wiTh rumbles, creaks and deafening explosions

My epic journey to the ultimate North started in Murmansk in Russia, the world’s most northerly city. This is where I joined the 50 Years of Victory, a nuclear-powered icebreaker that for a few brief summer months is taken over by travel company Exodus for specialist polar cruising. Powered by two nuclear reactors, Victory makes the round-trip using only 200 grams of heavy isotopes, making it one of the most environmentally friendly ways to travel. As the engines purr into action, the captain points the ship’s prow north and we’re off to the top of the world. We’re navigating using natural sea-lanes in the multiyear ice, although often there’s no option but to call on the full force of the 75,000-horsepower vessel. With its steel-reinforced prow and submerged ‘ice-tooth’, Victory carves through the pack ice with rumbles, creaks and deafening explosions. At dinner, wine bottles take a tumble and walking around the ship is a hazardous undertaking. But it’s worth it, because before long you’re watching polar bears and walruses in the wild. In just one short week Victory reaches the Pole. It’s hard to believe we’ve made it but the GPS says 90-00-000 N, so there’s no further to go. Standing on a thin membrane of moving ice, with 13,000 feet of sea beneath me, is a strange feeling, but it’s not as odd as taking a short hike around the Pole itself, crossing every time zone. “I’ve just walked around the world in five minutes!” shouts one excited passenger, and that’s nowhere near as bizarre as knowing that whichever way you look, you’re facing south.

On his trips, Nick Smith travelled to the North Pole with www.exodus.co.uk and to the Antarctic Peninsular with www.worldexpeditions.co.uk

NEW STORE NOW OPEN ON UPPER THAMES STREET! Find everything that runners need, including a great range of shoes, clothing & accessories NIKE+ RUN CLUB STARTING SOON video gait analysis | expert running advice | knowledgeable staff RUNNERS NEED, 72 UPPER THAMES STREET (CORNER OF SOUTHWARK BRIDGE), EC4R 3TA

www.runnersneed.com

E NOW OPEN R TO S T EE TR S ES M A TH ER P P U NEW CYCLE SURGERY OFFERS A WIDE RANGE OF BIKES, CYCLING ACCESSORIES AND FRIENDLY EXPERT ADVICE TO ALL CYCLISTS DON’T MISS OUR GREAT IN-STORE OPENING OFFERS!* *Available for a limited time only. Ask in-store for details.

NEWS: CYCLE SURGERY FULHAM NOW OPEN & CYCLE SURGERY WANDSWORTH OPENING MID-MARCH

CYCLE SURGERY, 72 UPPER THAMES STREET (CORNER OF SOUTHWARK BRIDGE), EC4R 3TA

2929_CityMag_UTSAd.indd 1

15/2/12 17:14:17

news

calibre

news

The MoToring Man’s Mobile

Q3 aT DocklanDs auDi Docklands Audi welcomes the Q3 to its Marsh Wall forecourt this spring. The latest edition to the Q range, following the Q7 and Q5, comes with a start-stop engine system for energy recuperation, a Driver’s Information System (DIS) that provides the driver with fuel saving tips and a gear change indicator, and automated, electromechanical parking brakes. In-car entertainment comes in the form of eight speakers, an iPod and iPhone interface and a 32GB USB storage device.

Just 50 yards from South Quay on the DLR, Docklands Audi provides new and used vehicles, full financing packages (including contract hire lease and lease purchase) and repair services by qualified Audi technicians. The showroom sells Audi’s full range of merchandising and offers a collection and delivery service within a five mile radius. 24 hour test drives are available subject to terms and conditions. DocklanDs auDi, 64 Marsh Wall souTh Quay, e14 9sl, 020 7536 0555

golfing aT gooDWooD Dawn to Dusk days out return to Goodwood this summer, offering guests the chance to experience the full range of diverse facilities available on the estate. Each day starts with breakfast in Goodwood’s private members’ club followed by nine holes of golf on the estate’s members-only Downs Course. After a lunch of local produce from Goodwood’s organic farm, guests move to the famous racecourse for an evening of racing, music and dance. DJing at last year’s event were Mark Ronson and Chris Evans.

The design of Vertu’s Constellation Quest Ferrari takes inspiration from the Ferrari 458 Italia. Crafted from polished sapphire crystal, Ferrari calf leather and polished black ceramic, each handset is built by just one craftsman who signs the handset personally. Owners will enjoy access to exclusive Ferrari experiences and the opportunity to take part in unique Ferrari events around the world. They’ll also have a new set of ringtones at their fingertips, obtained from live recordings of a Ferrari 458 Italia on a test circuit and available exclusively for this handset.

MonsTer Marvel Inspired by the awesome visual effects of Disney’s TRON: Legacy, Monster’s Tron Light Disc dock is certainly a thing to behold. Luckily, featuring a 3D motion screen and the world’s first 3D motion swipe menu, it’s more than just impressive to look at. The 2.1 music dock system employs four 1.5 inch drivers and a one 3.5 inch long-throw woofer to deliver special audio effects. The dock is compatible with an iPhone, an iPod Nano and an iPod Touch. Tron lighT Disk auDio Dock £200 rrp, MonsTer WWW.MonsTercable.coM

race Days are Taking place on 8, 15 anD 22 June. DaWn To Dusk ouTings cosT £119 per person, WiTh The beD anD breakfasT raTe in The gooDWooD hoTel aT £155 per rooM

calibre news

SunSeeker girlS’ mountain miSSion

deSert adventure Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula is once again playing host to The Dahab International Festival of Watersports, Culture and Desert Adventure this April. Giving visitors the opportunity to experience South Sinai’s watersports culture in full, the festival offers free diving lessons with experts and professional windsurf and kite surfing displays. For adventure seekers there will be an underwater treasure hunt, camel races and a raft race across the Sinai Peninsula bay; for art lovers the festival features street art, exhibitions and special movie screenings. As day turns to night, the Dahab lights up when DJs and bands from all over Europe descend upon the city. the dahaB international FeStival oF waterSportS, Culture and deSert adventure 14 – 20 april 2012

Employees of Sunseeker London, Linda Kallas, Laura Harrison and Rebecca Coxshall, are set to embark on a voyage of discovery to Peru to raise funds for clinical trials into breast cancer research. The trio will be walking the Inca Trail in July with the collective aim of raising £12,000. For nearly ten years, Sunseeker London has been supporting the charity, raising more than £1.3 million to fund clinical trials. To help the fundraising efforts of Linda, Laura and Rebecca, please visit their fundraising page, www.justgiving.com/ sunseekergirls. Donators have been promised many embarrassing and hideous photographs of Linda, Laura and Rebecca in physical and mental pain as they complete the ancient route.

Fun on two wheelS

Float your Boat If you’re planning a cruise anytime soon, you’ll probably want to keep the 24th and 25th of this month free. Those are the dates that London’s Olympia welcomes The Telegraph CRUISE Show to its confines. Giving visitors the chance to meet more than 100 major cruise lines as well as the industry’s leading cruise experts, the event promises to be the one stop shop for anyone planning on holidaying at sea. With organisers promising savings running into thousands of pounds with exclusive show-only offers, sailing the South Pacific or islandhopping around the Caribbean never looked so easy. the telegraph CruiSe Show, olympia, london 24 – 25 marCh 2012 tiCketS CoSt £6 in advanCe and £10 on the door

Excel London opened its doors to The Carole Nash MCN Motorcycle Show 2012 last month. BMW Motorrad, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Triumph, and Yamaha were all in attendance, along with thousands of motorcycle enthusiasts keen on getting up close and personal with the world’s newest bikes. The biggest show in the event’s history saw the MCNLive Stage present a range of star-studded events, while Honda introduced My First Licence riding area so that 5-11-year-olds could have a supervised go on a Honda CRF minibike. Across the hall, the Revolution team wowed the crowds with live stunts and special performances. For tiCketS to next year’S Show viSit www.mCnmotorCyCleShow.Com.

IDEAS & INSPIRATION ON A GRAND SCALE

BOOK TICKETS NOW

5-13 MAY 2012 • Ex C e L • LON D O N 2 TICKETS FOR £20* QUOTE ‘GDL20’ +KIDS GO FREE

CALL OR BOOK ONLINE

0844 854 1348

www.granddesignslive.com

*Terms and conditions apply, saving quoted if off the weekend door rate, offer applies to standard admission tickets only, must be booked before 30th April 2012, £1.60 transaction fee applies. Organised by Media 10 Ltd. Grand Designs is a trademark of FremantleMedia Limited. Licensed by FremantleMedia Enterprises. www.fremantlemedia.com.

GDL12_city&canarywharf_FP.indd 1

20/02/2012 16:03

MUD, MUD, GLORIOUS MUD For some, adventure means doing a bungee jump or climbing a mountain. Matthew Carter prefers to get his thrills sitting down, preferably at the wheel of a Land Rover

motoring

calibre

CITYpromotion

Indoor InternatIonal Polo moves indoors this month as the sport’s biggest stars descend on the o2 arena for the HPa Gaucho Polo 2012, reports Martin Boshell

f you attended the inaugural Gaucho International Polo last year, then well done, you helped to make history. along with more than 7,000 other spectators, you made the o2 event the highest attended indoor international the sport has ever known. Following the success of 2011’s tournament, you won’t be surprised to learn that the event is back for a second year. returning to the iconic arena on 21 March, the HPa Gaucho International Polo 2012 will merge music with polo as Grammy-award-winning South american band Bajofondo takes to the stage between two international arena matches. Played on smaller sized pitches than the grass version, and with three players per team rather than four, arena polo has fast become a sport popular with thrill-seeking fans. Games are faster, slicker and more highly-charged than their traditional counterparts, intensifying the match atmosphere and enhancing the spectator experience. Guests attending March’s HPa Gaucho International Polo 2012 will see Scotland take on Ireland before the evening culminates in the titanic clash between IG Index’s england and argentina – a match that will pit Britain’s finest player Jamie Morrison against the sport’s biggest star nacho Figueras. as a restaurant dedicated to promoting the best in argentine food and wine, Gaucho has promised to enthuse

Nacho Figueras Age: 34 Who: Argentina Captain Handicap: 6 outdoor 7 indoor Career Highlight: Winning the Copa Republica in Palermo What are the biggest misconceptions about polo as a sport? That polo is out of reach for most people. Polo is a great sport to watch and enjoy with friends and family and, if you’re at the right

proceedings with a South american vibe. not only has it organized for Bajofondo to introduce the crowds to their unique blend of ‘electrotango’ but the restaurant has also arranged for Wines of argentina to give guests a taste of the country’s 30 finest wineries in their complimentary tasting lounge. although Gaucho is keen to stress that anything goes when it comes to dress code, polo has also become synonymous with a particular article of dress: white jeans. It is from this association that Gaucho International Polo 2012 takes its ‘White Jeans Party’ theme, so if you own a pair, wear them; Gaucho has promised to donate £1 to charity for every person that does so. the White Jeans campaign has been a huge success so far, with celebrities such as tara Palmertompkinson, aldo Zilli, Made in Chelsea’s Millie Mackintosh, rosie Fortescue and Jamie laing, plus rugby stars Simon Shaw and Kenny logan supporting this wonderful cause. as the evening draws to a close, entertainment continues argentinean-style at the nearby Indigo2 with royston Prisk presenting the Gaucho International Polo Players afterParty. Hugo Heathcote, James Park and Sacha Bahlsen will be joining dJ Sam Young to ensure the party flows with a seamless mix of music, dancing, champagne and cocktails.n Gaucho International Polo 2012, The O2 Arena, Wednesday 21st March, www.gauchopolo.com. Follow @GauchoPolo or visit www.facebook.com/Gauchointernationalpolo

place, even a great sport to play. You just need to be passionate about it. How does the HPA Gaucho International Polo 2012 help promote the sport? It puts polo in a much more familiarized venue and makes the sport much more accessible. It teaches people that polo is easy to become involved with. Why has arena polo proved such a successful?

It allows you to put polo on in front of more people while still giving you a great idea of what polo is all about. It is a lot of fun and very engaging for new spectators. As a player, how does The O2 rate against other sporting venues you’ve played at? I have played in many spectacular places but The O 2 arena is a very special place. It is the most successful entertainment venue in the world and an extraordinary place to play.

ecurie25.co.uk

écurie25 Supercar Club

écurie25 provides members with immediate access to a collection of the World’s best supercars and the associated lifestyle. Much more than a supercar club, écurie25 is for people who make the most of every day... Exciting parties, drive days, track days, weekends away, champagne tastings, trips to Grand Prix’s, and a host of luxury experiences combine to provide members with the ultimate lifestyle. With five clubhouses in the UK, new clubs in New York and Brisbane, and plenty of stories to share, we would love for you to join us for an exciting adventure. After all, life is what you make of it.

Special Reader Offer from City Magazine Join écurie25 before the end of March 2012 and receive a free 3-night stay at any Small Luxury Hotel of the World * - anywhere in the World! To join the club and claim your free gift, please call City Magazine directly on 0207 987 4320, quoting reference é25 City. *Terms and Conditions Apply

London

Surrey

Leeds

Silverstone

Northern Ireland

New York

Brisbane

fashion trend interiors

45 park lane elegant & eccentrIc ........................................................... paper chase

. ............................................................

. ..........................

Do It Your WaY

If your dream wedding comprises a luxurious venue, royal reception and romantic ceremony, then Claridge’s hotel is the venue for you

icensed for wedding receptions and civil partnerships, the famous hotel on Brook Street offers an array of elegant private rooms and interior spaces to match any wedding style. The marble and mirror décor of the 1930’s themed Ballroom Reception make it ideal for pre-dinner wedding receptions, while the more conservative French Salon provides a contemporary setting perfect for cocktail receptions and evening entertainment. Claridge’s has a variety of wedding menus, designed by its award-winning, executive chef, Martyn Nail or, alternatively, you can create

your own carte du jour. From banquets and canapés to wine and champagne, couples can tailor their menu to individual requirements. From the moment you book your wedding, you will be allocated an events coordinator to plan your entire day, including chauffeur driven cars and entertainment options. In addition to exquisite bridal bouquets and floral displays, McQueens at Claridge’s – its inhouse team – is able to provide photographers, wedding cakes and event design. To ensure you marry in tip-top shape, the hotel offers a nine week Cloud 9 beauty and fitness programme. n

Experience

exclusive fashion

at the Battery Club ...and you’re invited.

IT’S THE HEIGHT OF FASHION at

The Battery Club, the only exclusive members’ club in Canary Wharf. On Thursday 29th March, this ultra stylish venue will be raising the fashion stakes higher still when it hosts a private viewing of some of the hottest looks for the season. Make sure you have front row seats as top names such as LK Bennett and Reiss to name but a few unveil their city sleek spring and summer collections.

The Battery Club is a unique riverside destination venue offering fabulous views, classic cocktails, relaxed dining and social members’ events.

Doors open at 6.30pm and guests are invited to enjoy one of Battery’s classic champagne cocktails and a selection of delicious canapés whilst savouring breathtaking views over the Thames and the City. The catwalk show itself starts promptly at 8pm.

The relaxed members’ lounge on the 4th floor is furnished with colourful, contemporary and vintage design classics. Think wing back chairs, comfy retro sofas and desirable art deco pieces - hand-picked and w by Alphabet Group. As well as using glass, chestnut, leather and granite to dramatic effect, other eye-catching features include a collection of mesmerising, orb-like Anthony Stern pendant lights.

To make the evening even more enjoyable, you are invited to bring along a friend, partner or colleague.

There are only 50 pairs of tickets available for this unmissable event and as demand is sure to be great, please RSVP as soon as possible to guarantee admission to ruthe@marshmallowmedia.co.uk

On the floor below, Battery Club’s atmospheric late night drinking and social club boasts a chic long bar and a New York-style tin plate ceiling.

To apply for membership, prospective members need to download and complete an application form at www.thebatteryclub.co.uk

34 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf, London, E14 8RR Telephone 0208 305 3099

www.thebatteryclub.co.uk

fashion

concierge

CleaR Cut For the A/W12 collections, the Swarovski Collective sponsorship will once again be supporting an assortment of leading designers and emerging talent. The list of designers to be sponsored includes London’s Mary Katrantzou, Giles and Erdem, plus Jason Wu, Rodarte and Vivienne Tam, and all will incorporate Swarovski Elements into their creations. Swarovski’s main aim is to encourage and challenge designers to push the boundaries of crystal through their Womenswear and Menswear collections, and therefore those who are eventually chosen are done so on the basis of their creativity.

women’s fashion

news

www.londonfashionweek.Co.uk

shimmeR and sheen Lurex yarn, brocade and silk have given the S/ S12 collections a beautiful lustre but the real, overarching triumph is the sense of power which emanates from the clothes this season. Cool aluminium tones and dresses sliced across the torso were unveiled at the preview show of Christopher Kane who cited as his inspiration the intimidating schoolgirl, while Todd Lynn was widely praised for his knife-pleats and high collars, worked in glistening silver bouclé. Sporty flats and platform boots enforced the looks respectively. This look was seen at Chanel, Giles, Priestly and Marios Schwab, as well as at fashion

favourite Marc Jacobs who championed lamé and mesh as his materials of choice. left to Right: metalliC lamé and mesh stRiped dRess £2,365, maRC JaCobs, www.netapoRteR.Com alba mini dRess £350, diane Von fuRstenbeRg www.matChesfashion.Com eugenie blue and silVeR bRoCade dRess £221, pRiestly, www.Coggles.Com

MUST-HAVE ITEM: jUlIAn HAkE HEElS The story has all the makings of a modern legend; a playful sketch by a city architect, a blog and viral campaign which saw more than 100,000 enquiries. This spring, the glossy, curvaceous reality of the Mojito heel is launching in a variety of colours and materials. Hake says: “The form of the shoe is highly sculptural and can be read in a number of ways. To some customers, it is a piece of art or sculpture for the foot, almost like walk-able jewellery. For others, it’s a cool, comfortable and fashion-forward modern form.” www.haRVeyniChols.Com

nEwSflASH Designer Alice Temperley has launched a new initiative to support emerging talent. Each season, ALICE by Temperley Talent will offer a performer, artist or illustrator the opportunity to represent the collection and produce a personal, artistic interpretation of it, which will then be promoted through a social media campaign. Temperley boutiques in London and Los Angeles will serve as dedicated exhibition spaces.

Quote of the month

You don’t have to go far to find inspiration, wherever you are in London matthew williamson

TREnD: flAMBOYAnT HEADwEAR Couture Fashion Week landed in February in a flurry of tulle, feathers and glitter. Sheer layers and black florals were on show at Christian Dior, while Versace adhered to its red carpet reputation with a series of slinky gowns created from Lycra and lace. However flashbulbs popped the most as Alexis Mabille unleashed a riot of colour and dramatic headpieces which signified the fun side of fashion at its best.

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

fashion

news The CuTaway Collar Unfortunately, even the most expensive, welltailored suit can look average with an ill-fitting shirt or misjudged tie. While button-down collars are great for dress-down Fridays, cutaway collars are the smartest choice for the rest of the week. With acute-angled, pull-back tips, cutaway collars allow a full view of the necktie knot – which should be wide and prominent. Arguably the most spread collar on the market comes courtesy of Udeshi London. Sweeping back to just before the yoke, the company’s Extreme Cutaway Collar shirt, £195, has been tested extensively to obtain optimal shape and a hard-wearing stiffness. Each collection of shirts, produced in a small run of exclusive colour-ways and fabrics, is available for one season only. Complete the look with an Udeshi seven fold tie: an 100 per cent silk, hand-stitched piece without lining or tipping.

london FirsT: Fashion week For Men It has been announced that London will have its own Men’s Fashion Week for the first time this summer. The week, or more accurately weekend (the event will run from Friday 15 June to Sunday 17 June), will be organised by a team, headed by GQ Editor Dylan Jones, that includes Tom Ford, Christopher Bailey, David Furnish and, maybe more surprisingly, Tinie Tempah. Designers already confirmed as attending the three day show are Aquascutum, Christopher Raeburn, E.Tautz, Fashion East, Gieves & Hawkes, J.W. Anderson, Richard James and Topman. For More inForMaTion, visiT www.Fashion2012.Co.uk.

K2 images / Shutterstock.com

men’s fashion

concierge

udeshi london, 8 davies sTreeT, w1

sTep inTo spring Austin Reed’s collections have always nodded to the traditional aesthetics on which the tailor has built its reputation. While the 110th Anniversary Collection continues to do that, this season’s other offerings are somewhat edgier. The S/S12 Brighton Rocks collection, for example, is a celebration of the 1930s Mod. Clean, crisp fabrics are distinguished by subtle Prince of Wales checks, as the range moves away from designs towards semi plains. Elsewhere, the Natural Simplicity collection draws inspiration from Scandinavian and Nordic effortlessness, in pieces that draw from a predominantly grey, blue and stone colour palette, and Austin Reed’s Sunset Sophistication collection returns to England in a modern take on the Henley Regatta dress code. The playful attitude continues into casualwear with Rugged Elegance featuring a collection of rugby shirts in Olympic colours ahead of the summer’s biggest sporting event. ausTin reed, 130 FenChurCh sTreeT, eC3

poinTs For originaliTy Following the success of its A/W11 collection – a campaign spearheaded by Formula One’s Bruno Senna – this month sees Lotus Originals branch out from its previously online-only retail outlet into its first store. The 4,800 square foot Regent Street address will house high-quality apparel, sporting items and accessories. Our pick of the best from the brand’s S/S12 range is this heritage-inspired racing leather jacket. Priced at £897, the jacket is limited to just 48 pieces. loTus originals, 22 regenT sTreeT

Cream chiffon shirt, £240, Elizabeth & James at Harvey Nichols, 109-125 Knightsbridge, SW1 www.harveynichols.com Gold and pearl Victorian bracelet, £24,000 Bentley & Skinner, 55 Piccadilly, W1

The heighT

Sophistication OF

Mayfair’s 45 Park Lane, the newest offering from Dorchester Collection, is the epitome of contemporary luxury. Ensure you’re as smart, chic and stylish as your surroundings with our selection of this season’s most sophisticated ensembles Photographer:

Neil Marriott

Fashion Editor:

Lucie Dodds

Blue linen blazer, £1,250, white shirt, £95, blue silk tie, £85, all Dunhill, 0845 4580779, www.dunhill.com White trousers, £135, Hackett, 137/138 Sloane Street, SW1, www.hackett.com, tan ‘Christie’ brogues, £275, Oliver Sweeney, www.oliversweeney.com Silver button cufflinks, £110, Links of London www.linksoflondon.com, blue aviators, £231, Tom Ford www.tomford.com, Cape Cod watch, £1,950, Hermes 020 7499 8856

Black and white linen toile peasant blouse, £2,428, black and white constructed bustier dress, £3,333 both Tom Ford, www.tomford.com Gold sphere earrings, £6,000 Bentley & Skinner, as before Gold ball necklace, £6,600 www.nudejewellery.co.uk

Lavender linen wool silk suit, £2,705, purple and white cotton shirt, £560, knitted dark orchid tie, £104, lilac and pink silk pocket square, £87, blue aviators, £231 all Tom Ford, as before Pink zip back dress, £1,275, Antonio Berardi at Harvey Nichols, www.harveynichols.com, gold wire earrings £2,400, www.nudejewellery.co.uk, cream leather ‘Justine’ bag, £1,195, Jimmy Choo, 32 Sloane Street, SW1, flesh python ‘Cassidy’ slingbacks, £590, Gina 9 Old Bond Street, W1, www.gina.com

Biscuit Corby suede trenchcoat, £1,850, biscuit linen Buckingham jacket, £450, matching Cameron trousers £175, white Barton shirt, £75, stripe silk tie, £75, all Aquascutum, www.aquascutum.co.uk

Pink and silver dress, £3,600 Hervé Léger, 020 7201 2590

Art Direction: Melissa Watson, www.melissawatson.com

Hair: Paula Mann @ Models1Creative, using Paul Mitchell

Make-up: Haleigh Maskall @ Models1Creative, using Clinique Shot on location at 45 Park Lane, Mayfair, London, W1K 1PN (www.45parklane.com). 45 Park Lane includes 45 guest rooms and suites and a Penthouse Suite, all with fantastic views overlooking Hyde Park. The hotel’s design was undertaken by world-renowned architect and designer Thierry Despont and Wolfgang Puck’s first European venture comes in the form of American steak restaurant, CUT at 45 Park Lane, the new Mayfair hot spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner. For more information, please call 020 7493 4545 or email info.45parklane@dorchestercollection.com. For reservations, please call 020 7317 6550 or email reservations.45L@dorchestercollection.com 45 Park Lane is the ninth property to join Dorchester Collection’s portfolio of luxury hotels which also includes The Dorchester (London), The Beverly Hills Hotel (Beverly Hills), Le Meurice and Hotel Plaza Athénée (Paris), Hotel Principe di Savoia (Milan), Hotel Bel-Air (Los Angeles), Coworth Park (Ascot) and Le Richemond (Geneva).

Navy linen jacket, £395, and matching trousers, £175, extreme cutaway coffee striped cotton shirt, £85, bronze puppytooth tie, £65, silk pocket square £45, all Chester Barrie, 020 7734 6420 www.chesterbarrie.co.uk Watch, £6,750, Breitling www.breitling.com

Winter Sunset

Eve of Temptation

Founded more than 200 years ago in 1798, Boodles has been creating distinctive and visionary jewellery over six generations of the Wainwright family. This bracelet is made of diamond-encrusted ginkgo leaves with icy tones of tanzanite, aquamarine, tsavorite and mint green tourmaline set in platinum. This makes for a stunning addition to any jewellery collection and is a fabulous gift for Mother’s Day.

You can be the apple of your mother’s eye with these perfectly crafted sterling silver Theo Fennell earrings. With a striking red apple design and gorgeous, rich colour, these studs are the epitome of temptation and make truly charming gifts that can be bought just as a pair of earrings or with a matching necklace as part of a beautiful, distinctive set.

Sunset Platinum, Diamond and Multigem Bracelet, £56,750 Boodles 2 & 3 The Courtyard Royal Exchange 020 7283 7284

ALIAS Sterling Silver and Enamel Bite ‘Art Stud Earrings, £150 Theo Fennell 4 The Courtyard Royal Exchange 020 7623 4380

Mother s Day Mothering Sunday falls on 18 March this year and it offers the perfect opportunity to show your mother just how much you care about her with a carefully chosen, beautifully wrapped gift from the Royal Exchange

A Cut Above The Rest

Come Rain or Shine

Your mother is priceless, one of a kind, and what better way to show your appreciation than with the gift of a precious gemstone? This yellow gold ring showcases a perfectly cut pink quartz; simple and elegant, this classic ring from Bulgari is the perfect present to show you care this Mother’s Day.

Tiffany & Co. is renowned worldwide for its unparalleled quality and design, and these gorgeous, oversized sunglasses keep up with the expected standards. Give Audrey Hepburn a run for her money in sophisticated black frames with exceptional diamond and crystal arm detail. Radiating style and elegance, these are an ideal gift for all those fashion conscious mothers out there.

Sassi Ring in Yellow Gold with Pink Quartz, £1,250 Bulgari 15 The Courtyard Royal Exchange 020 7283 4580

Tiffany Garden Sunglasses, £306 Tiffany & Co. 9 The Courtyard Royal Exchange 00 800 2000 1122

Wallflower

Spice of Life

Why buy flowers that will eventually wilt when you can give your mother a beautiful bouquet that will blossom forever? An original mixed media painting presented in a frame, this vibrant and colourful piece is by Welsh artist, Kerry Darlington, recognised as one of the UK’s leading artists and named runner up in the Art Guilds Best Selling Published artist award.

Malabah was originally inspired by an imaginary journey along the East Indian spice route, but while the excursion was simply fantastical, the scents of the perfume are delightfully real. A mix of bitter citrus with the sweet musk of rose and amber and warm undertones of ginger and nutmeg, India’s most aromatic spices are captured in this beautifully designed bottle.

Floral Fizz Range 35” x 35”, £1,500

Malabah Eau de Parfum 100ml, £95

35 Royal Court Entrance Royal Exchange 020 7929 5656

Penhaligon’s 4 Royal Exchange 020 7623 3131

Kiss from a Rose There’s no smell sweeter than that of the rose and with this gorgeous bath and body collection from L’Occitane you can bask in the scent of four different varieties. This luxurious set contains lotions and creams all enriched with oils from the Provençal, Moroccan, Bulgarian and Turkish roses, delving into the core of femininity, full of the essence of indulgence and sensuality. Elegant Rose Collection - Limited Edition, £39 L’Occitane 29 Royal Exchange Threadneedle Street 020 7929 7722

Take the Stage If you’re looking to really spoil your mother this year, there can be no greater gift than that of elegance and pure class. This Tateossian necklace, taken from the exquisite Opera Collection, is created from flawlessly cut amethysts, delicately embraced by a simple gold chain. This refined piece is guaranteed to be the talking point of any outfit. 14-carat Gold Opera Necklace with Amethyst, £1,395 Tateossian 1 / 4 Royal Exchange 020 7283 3434

Agent ProvocAteur || ArtisAn Fine Art || BAchet || Boodles || BulgAri || church’s || crockett & Jones || de Beers gucci || herMes || Jo MAlone || kiehls || koJis || l’occitAne || loeWe || loro PiAnA || lulu guinness || MillePerle Molton BroWn || MontBlAnc || oMegA || PAul A. Young Fine chocolAtes || PAul sMith || PenhAligon’s PrettY BAllerinAs || roYAl exchAnge JeWellers || seArle & co || sMoker’s PArAdise || sMYthson || tAteossiAn theo Fennell || tiFFAnY & co. || vileBrequin || WAtches oF sWitzerlAnd grAnd cAFe & BAr || iMPeriAl citY || MezzAnine lounge || nAPket || sAuterelle || PAvArotti’s

Royal Exchange, Bank, City of London, EC3V 3LR

www.theroyalexchange.co.uk

www.boconcept.co.uk

SAVE 20% off exclusive leather sofas

Mezzo sofa save 20% in Santos leather NOW £9427, normal price £11784 · Mata Rug save 25% NOW £396, Normal price £529

Save 20% off your new leather sofa Right now, you can save 20% off Santos leather which is an extra thick leather suitable for big, smooth surfaces and will therefore give your sofa a very exclusive look and feel. Choose between three colours - white, brown or black.

BoConcept TCR · 158 Tottenham Court Road · London W1T 7NH · 0207 388 2447 · tcrlondon@boconcept.co.uk

400_UK_TCR_1-1EffectSofa_CanaryWharf.indd 1

19/2/12 21:54:15

interiors

concierge

interiors

news kARim RASHiD Karim Rashid’s designs are lifechanging, or at least that’s his intention. The award-winning creative believes we should be living in a world full of inspiring objects, a passion which has led him to reject conventional forms in favour of bold shapes and diverse mediums. Following collaborations with luxury brands including Veuve Clicquot, Rashid has partnered Bo Concept to produce an exclusive range of dining ware for Harrods. www.HARRoDS.Com

RAiSE youR HAT

PAPER CHASE Ahead of springtime, create a vibrant and seasonal feature wall with this Arampali paper from Designers Guild, stocked at its showrooms in Marylebone, on the Kings Road or in Selfridges. Adorned with floral bouquets in a

peony, orange and peacock blue colour way, the pattern is also digitally-printed onto luxurious non-woven ground for easy hanging. Matching fabric is also available. AmRAPAli wAllPAPER in PEony, £173 PER Roll DESignERS guilD, www.DESignERSguilD.Com

These quirky yet stylish Jeeves and Wooster pendant lights are based on the iconic British bowler and top hats, perfect for adding a little touch of fun to a sophisticated reception room. Slightly comical and highly original, these lights will prove the perfect conversation starter. They are made from 100 per cent wool and an anodised aluminium lining. JEEvES & wooSTER’S PEnDAnT ligHTS,

SPARE Room: THE Snug

JEEvES (bowlER), £155, AnD wooSTER (ToP HAT), £175. SolD SEPARATEly. www.gRAHAmAnDgREEn.Co.uk

Russell Sage was the man enlisted with creating elegant spaces at the York & Albany hotel and restaurant, working with the original features of the Grade I listed building and adding touches of glamour and modernity as he saw fit. Current and recent clients also include The Goring, The Zetter Townhouse, The Savoy, Royal Automobile Club and The Hospital Club. Sage shows that rooms don’t have to be flamboyant to be interesting; the design of this snug is attractive yet achievable and its real charm and distinction lies in the fact that everything used is made in the UK. www.RuSSEllSAgESTuDio.Co.uk

the trend Create opulent and exotic spaces using British brands and styles in the heart of your home to elegant, eclectic effect

Jasper Conran Baroque Platinum Collection Platter £110, Wedgewood, www.harrods.com

My Fan, £8,000 Charles Burnand www.charlesburnand.com

Mica Linden Fabric (armchairs) £86 per metre Akita Leaf fabric (large cushions) £79 per metre Zoffany, www.zoffany.com

Pagoda Screen, POA Linley, www.davidlinley.com Soap in Limehouse, £6.95, Soapsmith, www.harrods.com

interiors

concierge comment

The Owl Lantern, £8,125 Soane, www.soane.com

Military Brocade Rug by Alexander McQueen £8,900, The Rug Company www.therugcompany.com

Riviera Crystal Glasses, from £65 Linley, www.davidlinley.com

Maison Guedin Or Du Temps Scented Candle Box Set, £58, Occa Home www.occa-home.co.uk

Belvedere Chair in Bone, £2,500 Fleming & Howland www.chesterfields1780.com

Dorset 88/7027 Wallpaper, £70 per roll Cole & Son, www.cole-and-son.com

Duravit brings the bathroom to life.

Sanitaryware, bathroom furniture, bathtubs, shower trays, wellness products and accessories: Duravit has everything you need to make life in the bathroom a little more beautiful. More info at Duravit UK, Milton Keynes, Phone 0845 500 7787, Fax 0845 500 7786, info@uk.duravit.com, www.duravit.co.uk

travel destination food.&.drink

NeW YoRK fReNCh LuxuRY ................. Roux AT LANDAu

................................................................................... ................................

The Rise of The ‘‘LuxpLoReR’ ’

I Adventure Temples has set the trend this year for inspirational holiday experiences, combining adventure and luxury

n a survey conducted by Adventure Temples, when it came to the type of holiday they prefer, 82 per cent of respondents answered: “I love a challenge by day but at night, give me luxury”. In answer to this, Adventure Temples has managed to blend two elements for a holiday which, up until now, seemed oxymoronic: luxury and exploration. The company offers weekenders, short breaks and long breaks, as well as trips designed to challenge your body, inspire your mind or rejuvenate your spirit. One of the latest trips is to the remote Indonesian island of Sumbia where,

for one week at £2,295 per person, holiday makers can live out their own adventure story from the comfort of a luxury villa set in a 400acre tropical estate. Founder Rob Pendleton says we should no longer settle for run-of-the-mill holidays: “Five star plus spa is becoming ubiquitous. The best hotels are therefore seeking to differentiate themselves by showcasing unique local features; the natural environment, community, culture and history… the sort of cultural immersion Luxplorers love.” n www.adventuretemples.com

Connecting you with a world of inspiration... PA Day, 8 March 2012 provides a dedicated educational programme and networking opportunities just for PAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. The exhibition is the perfect place to do business with an exciting range of venues, destinations and event support service suppliers.

06-08 March 2012 ExCeL London #Confex2012

Confex12_Ad2_297x210+3mm_v2.indd 1

13/01/2012 15:05

travel

connoisseur

travel

news

SHop and Fly London City Airport recently unveiled its new Aelia Duty Free multi-store and luxury fashion shop, both of which have been refurbished to better meet the needs of City Airport passengers, especially the frequent business travellers. Richard Gooding OBE, Chief Executive of London City Airport, commented: “LS Travel Retail’s investment in refurbishing the Aelia Duty Free and luxury fashion stores reflects our shared commitment to providing our sophisticated travellers with a unique and enjoyable shopping experience.” www.londoncItyaIrport.com

adventUre In SoUtH aFrIca A paradise for lovers of nature and luxury alike, the Grootbos Nature Reserve’s five star lodges and exclusive private villa overlook the green wilderness and tumbling forest-covered hills of Walker Bay on the Western Cape’s southern coast. A site of unrivalled biodiversity, Grootbos’ charm is sustained by its natural surroundings; guests can spot whales and Great White sharks, set off on jeep safaris, horse-ride on the beach

and enjoy local wines and reserve-grown produce, while taking in the indescribable panorama. The palatial, six suite villa is the epitome of blissful escapism; enjoy the attentiveness of a private butler, chef and guide and the luxury of a private pool and your own wine cellar, while waking up to 180 degree views of the unspoilt coastline and the Indian Ocean beyond. www.grootBoS.com

HeatHrow By InvItatIon If you want to ensure your holiday starts in style, there’s a new VIP option at Heathrow, previously available only to royalty or heads of state. The Heathrow by Invitation (HBI) service offers exclusive VIP suites, completely separate from the hustle and bustle of the airport. Benefits include a secluded kerbside drop-off/pick-up point; exclusive terminal entrance; a luxurious private suite for private check-in, luggage drop-off, customs and passport control; a dedicated private security search area; and onward travel by limousine or helicopter on request. VIP Services Manager Tom Lomax explained the reasoning behind the service: “We want to offer something unique to passengers and HBI provides the ultimate in luxury, convenience and privacy”. If you do value privacy and convenience highly, this is an ideal service.

KIng oF tHe caStle Whether for a romantic break or a weekend getaway, Lough Eske Castle is the ideal choice for escaping into a luxurious world of elegance and outof-the-ordinary opulence. The only five-star hotel in Donegal, and nestled at the water’s edge of Lough Eske, the surrounding views of unspoiled woodlands and the Blue Stack Mountains are as magnificent as the castle itself. Seek solace in the castle’s spa, set in the tranquil gardens and indulge in a luxury express facial, followed by afternoon tea. You’ll return to the city utterly refreshed. www.SolISHotelS.com

www.HeatHrowByInvItatIon.com

Brought to you in association with Small Luxury Hotels of the World, an unsurpassable collection of more than 500 hotels spanning 70 countries, which offer an infinite variety of experiences

A First Bite of

the Big Apple

connoisseur

Jorg Hackemann / Shutterstock.com

travel

Three nights, four restaurants, 11 bars and more iconic attractions than you can shake a Manhattan hot dog at: Richard Brown puts New York’s reputation as the city that never sleeps to the test

uspended two storeys above Manhattan’s Meatpacking District, New York’s High Line feels a bit like walking around Venice with the water drained out, except the surrounding buildings aren’t 15th century tributes to European Gothicism; they’re redbrick warehouses and whitewashed storage depots, 19th and 20th century monuments to the type of industry that built this city. Originally erected in the 1930s as an elevated freight railway, the High Line is New York’s newest and most environmentally-minded attraction, an urban regeneration project turned fashionable honey pot site, enjoyed as much by tourists as by locals on their lunch breaks. For anyone looking to soothe the repercussions of a night spent tearing around Midtown Manhattan, I can attest that the manicured gardens and freshly mowed lawns of the High Line provide exactly that, as well as welcome moments of respite in a city where it seems not a single person stands still. This was my first visit to New York and, having been inaugurated into a world of pancakes for breakfast and eggs served sunny side up just an hour before, the list of attractions I needed to explore ran the length of my arm. With the jetlag diminishing and the hangover now subsided (well, almost), I set forth to discover the nearest and most recognisable of the must-sees. Approaching the Empire State Building from the end of the High Line on West 34th Street, I realised how lucky I was. The afternoon before, when we had arrived, New York had been a city lost among the clouds; although it was October, the city had steamed in 80 per cent humidity as, level by level, its buildings disappeared into an eerie mist. This morning, however, the clouds had dispersed to leave a sky that was a picture-postcard kind of blue. As a Londoner used to wide roads and open spaces, New York was at first hard to come to terms with: down on street level, everything seemed too close up to appreciate. On the Empire State Building’s 86th floor observatory, however, things open up. Not only are you able to comprehend the sheer number and enormity of the skyscrapers that line Manhattan’s streets (you could lose even the biggest of London’s buildings down a New York side alley) but you also start to understand the distances that dictate the city: the stretch to the north, between Harlem and Upper Manhattan; between Central Park and Midtown; and

between Midtown and the collection of skyscrapers that represent the Financial District at the southernmost tip of Manhattan. It’s a good reason to make a trip to the top of the Empire State Building, or indeed the Rockefeller Centre, one of the first things you should do when you arrive. Three hours later, after a lesson in ‘fashion maths’ at Macy’s (New York has the power to persuade you that $135 for a pair of boots you don’t need is a “no-brainer”), I arrived back at Hyatt 48 Lex, a hotel that manages to radiate both the air of an exclusive members’ club and the warmth of a private house. With spacious, pied à terre-style guest rooms, which feature comprehensive mini-bars stocked with local produce and beds positioned for floor-to-ceiling views of Lexington Avenue, Hyatt 48 Lex is a hotel that initiates you straight into the heart of the neighbourhood in which you find yourself. Fail, for whatever reason, to feel part of the Midtown Manhattan fabric and a trip to the hotel’s unapologetically allAmerican restaurant, the Lexington Brass, will set things right. Highlights from the breakfast menu include jelly doughnut pancakes and brass ale beer waffles, while at night guests can enjoy buttermilk-fried chicken and dryaged NY strip steak. For something a little closer to home, try the beer-battered fish and smashed chips, which, I can attest, are fantastic. What followed dinner was a whirlwind of a night that could have been lifted straight from the pages of Bret Easton Ellis’ American Psycho; a daisy chain of bright lights, yellow cabs, clandestine clubs and whiskies on the rocks. After an extensive investigation of the explosive cocktails on offer at Midtown’s relaxed The Bar Downstairs, we progressed to East Village’s ultra-exclusive PDT [Please Don’t Tell] via a secret door inside a vintage phone box within a nondescript hot dog joint – an entrance that proved nothing out of the ordinary in a city obsessed with its history of speakeasies. From there it was on to the Lower East Side’s The Back Room, an ex-homeless shelter where mixers are served in teacups and beer bottles come in brown paper bags, before we entered our final haunt of the night, through a secluded door at the back of a guitar and jewellery pawn shop; naturally, the über-trendy and ultra-glamorous Beauty & Essex. While many of the street entrances to New York’s most fashionable bars are little more than graffiti-covered shop fronts, don’t

connoisseur travel

be fooled. The establishments hidden behind such lacklustre exteriors are as stylish and trendy as any you’ll find in London and most will require you to make reservations. While this may seem like a pain at the start of an evening, make the right ones and you’re in for one helluva night. Emerging from bed the next morning, in my second hotel of the trip, was a predictably difficult task, made harder by the sumptuous luxury in which I awoke. Andaz Fifth Avenue prides itself on making you feel like you are staying at a friend’s home rather than at a hotel. All I can say is that I wish more of my friends owned homes like this. Featuring a 42-inch HD TV, a king-size platform bed and an iPod Geneva Sound System docking station – in addition to an oversized travertine marble bathroom with walk-in rain shower, double sink and black porcelain footbath – my room was a place that, ordinarily, I would happily have never left. But as the hotel boasts an across-the-street view of the majestic New York Public Library, and Times Square’s New Year Ball gleaming behind that, it’s not hard to be enticed from Andaz Fifth Avenue once you’ve opened your curtains. With two hours to spare before a brunch date with Wall Street (brunch in New York seems to occur any time between 10am and 3pm), there was time to squeeze in two more attractions. Times Square: Piccadilly Circus times a thousand. While oversized versions of Daniel Radcliffe and Simon Cowell smirking from giant billboards proved somewhat unsettling to my mid-morning, blurry-eyed senses, the multicoloured wall of American brands moving above my head was anything but an anti-climax. Ten o’clock on a Sunday morning proved a good time to visit; while much of the city slept off its Saturday night, the pedestrianised street was free from the hordes of snappers you’d usually expect to meet. Traversing the 14 blocks that separate Times Square from Central Park, 25 minutes later I entered a place that, having featured so prevalently in photos and on film, felt oddly familiar. Like revisiting somewhere I had already been, I recognised the red and yellow of branches arching over the Mall, was familiar with the rollerbladers crisscrossing Literary Walk and smiled knowingly at couples within the horse-drawn carriages patrolling the south of the park. After a coffee in the idyllic Loeb Boathouse and a stroll around one half of the Lake, I left the park refreshed from my mini-break from the neighbouring madness of Manhattan. When a brunch menu includes dishes like braised duck leg with duck salami and seared Hudson Valley foie gras in a red wine sauce, you can place your bets that you’re in for a treat. Then again, when you enter the restaurant via a sweeping pearlescent steel and stone staircase, past an ornate marble bar spilling over with lobster, you don’t need to wait for a menu to tell you that. Situated in Andaz Wall Street – the only hotel in the world to boast that suffix – Wall and Water is a restaurant more than at home in its surroundings. While style-conscious and decadent – just in case you missed the striking views of Wall Street and the East River, the restaurant’s dollar-bill-watermark patterned walls provide a subtle reminder of exactly where you are – Wall and Water is anything but pretentious. Choose to enjoy the reserved atmosphere of the Financial District on a weekend, as I did, and a pre-flight meal at the restaurant will provide a decadently fitting end to what’s sure to be a thoroughly indulgent trip. n

hoW to get there British Airways operates ten flights a day to New York, from Heathrow to either JFK or Newark. Fares start from £378 return, including taxes/fees and charges To book visit www.ba.com or call 0844 4930 787

Where to stay Taking inspiration from the streets in which they are located, each Hyatt or Andaz hotel boasts its own unique and distinctive style, providing the perfect bases from which to discover the diverse districts of Manhattan

hyatt 48 Lex Rates from around £315 a night 517 Lexington Ave New York, New York, 10017 Tel: +1 212 838 1234 www.48lex.hyatt.com

andaz 5th avenue Rates from around £269 a night 485 5th Avenue at 41st Street New York, New York, 10017 Tel: +1 212 601 1234 www.newyork.5thavenue. andaz.hyatt.com

andaz Wall street Rates from around £285 a night 75 Wall Street New York, New York, 10005 Tel: +1 212 590 1234 www.newyork.wallstreet. andaz.hyatt.com

Where Time Stands Still Annabel Harrison takes a whistle-stop tour of Jersey, finding it quirkily appealing in a rather unusual way; the Channel Island may be closer to France but there is something about it that feels like home from home

t turns out that 24 hours is long enough to fall in love with Jersey. It is a little gem of an island, 100 miles south of the UK mainland and 14 miles from the coast of France, keeping close to island-mates Guernsey, Sark and Alderney. It is important to note from the offset, if you intend to make friends in Jersey, that the isle is not part of Great Britain or the EU but it is part of the British Isles. Deemed ‘a separate possession of the crown’, Jersey owes allegiance to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth (or the Duke of Normandy, to Jersey residents), but not to the UK parliament, and it makes its own laws. This split personality is one of the things I find most charming, and most peculiar about Jersey, as well as hard to explain. I suppose, if Jersey was a person, it would be that friend of yours who has an unusual background, an eclectic set of interests drawn from parents of different nationalities and who has their guard up at the same time as wanting everyone to be enchanted by them. It is while shuttling around Jersey, from airport to hotel to lunch to

attraction, that I come to this conclusion, learning a great deal about the history of this highly desirable, 45-squaremile expanse of land from our expert Blue Badge Guide Arthur; it seems there is nothing he can’t answer. For example, I ask why cars drive on the left and the islanders don’t speak French, given that we’re just a hop, skip and a jump from the Normandy coast. Arthur beams in response: “We say ‘closer to home, nearer to France!’”, adding to my theory about Jersey’s ‘split personality’. The island welcomes tourists with open arms but there are, quite literally, lots of defences, offering a permanent reminder of its chequered history. As it only takes me an hour to start to adore the island, the natural question arises; can I move here? Arthur launches into a code-laden explanation, peppered with 11As, 11Gs and 11Ks. In a nutshell? It’s like a members’ club – you can’t just up sticks and move. Your best bets are to marry a local, do a job no one else there can do or be ‘socially or economically valuable’. This basically means having assets of £12 million and an income of £750,000.

travel

Given that more than 50 per cent of Jersey’s GDP comes from finance, and 25 per cent of the islanders work in that industry, this becomes less surprising. Next, Arthur wins me over again with this little fact; Jersey is the warmest place in British Isles with an average temperature of 12 degrees and an average of 5.2 hours of sunshine a day. The population is, appealingly, estimated at just 92,400, half of whom were born in Jersey and 40 per cent of whom are Irish, English or Scottish, and this goes some way to explaining why everything feels so spacious compared to London. I saw the prettiness of the island for myself as we flew in, a quick, easy, hour-long flight from City Airport, which offered just enough time for a croissant and reading the paper. Immaculate fields stretched beneath me, bordered by roads hiding beneath canopies of trees and rivers winding their way to the coast. I didn’t see any ugly concrete or overly tall buildings as we came in to land, just beautiful houses dotted around and, of course, the ubiquitous Jersey cows. Driving to the hotel, my impression of a rural idyll was confirmed by narrow B roads, and Arthur explained that there were also ‘Green Lanes’ with a speed limit of 15 mph in all but two parishes, as well as a 96-mile cycling network criss-crossing the island. The Atlantic Hotel is our overnight hideaway in St Brelade, five miles from capital St Helier and three from Jersey airport, offering views of the Atlantic Ocean and St Ouen’s Bay. Although I spent very little time in the hotel, I liked the coast-appropriate neutral colour palette and floorto-ceiling windows, giving me an amazing view of the sea, as well as the fact there are only 50 guest rooms. A very enjoyable evening was spent in the Michelin-starred Ocean Restaurant, which showcases modern British cooking with an emphasis on fresh Jersey produce. ‘Genuine Jersey’ is the label for local services and produce made, raised or grown in Jersey; this seems to cover everything from photography to Shitake mushrooms and vineyards to fudge. I particularly enjoyed the Jersey royals at Castle Green with local sea bass, followed by Jersey Lillie jelly and Jersey ice cream. Close to the hotel are La Moye Championship Golf Course, beaches for brilliant surfing and, best of all, Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust. I must admit, I had rather underestimated this place, imagining a simple animalspeckled farm park, but it is so much more than that, and volunteer guide John Heys (there on Thursdays) played a large part in how much I enjoyed our morning here. Durrell was founded in 1959 and named after Gerald Durrell, author of My Family and Other Animals, who is buried there. John introduced us to the star turns: Mad Pete, a red-tailed laughing thrush who is, I am told, the closest living relation to a duck; endangered bears Wolfgang and Barbara, who would be worth 14 times their weight in gold in China; George the white handed gibbon from Sumatra, who follows us for a good ten minutes; and the howler monkeys, the second loudest animals on the planet after the blue whale (audible ten and 100 miles away respectively). Visit the gorillas and orangutangs, marvel at the meerkats and apparently ferocious mongeese, and keep a safe distance from the komodo dragons. Durrell is a wonderful way to while away a day (whether you have children or not) and should definitely be part of what I can assure you will be a blissful mini-break in Jersey. n

connoisseur

USEFUL wEbSitES and contactS

arthUr’S top 5 JErSEy activitiES

www.jerseyadventures.com www.durrell.org www.jersey.com www.theatlantichotel.com www.londoncityairport.co.uk www.blueislands.com blue badge Guide: Arthur (07797 717830) arthur@thebluebadgeguide.com transport: Signature Executive Transport

Eat at seafood restaurant by the sea Visit the Jersey War Tunnels Do watersports at St. Albans Visit Durrell Wildlife Trust Do the North Coastwalk Events coming up: 5-7 May: Jersey Boat Show 9 May: Liberation Day 19-27 May: Jersey Food Festival

connoisseur travel

Destination...

FRANCe With historic sites, stunning countryside and delectable cuisine, France remains a travel hotspot for anyone interested in living luxuriously NICE, COTE D’’AZUR What to see... -Promenade des Anglais Running several miles along the city, bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and lined by the Bay of Angels, this promenade offers miles of beach, landmark hotels, dozens of cafés and the bustle of city life. Alternatively, relax, take a seat on the promenade and watch the world go by.

Where to stay...- Le Palais de la Mediterranée Situated on the Promende des Anglais and overlooking the sea, this luxurious hotel is just a short distance from the French Alps, ideal for those wishing to explore the city. As well as an in-house casino, business and fitness centre, the hotel has an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, restaurant, lounge and sun terrace.

QUIMPER, BRITTANY What to see... Cathédrale St-Corentin In the middle of Quimper, the Roman-Catholic Cathedral is the second largest in Brittany. It is the city’s most prominent architectural landmark, with an intricate gothic design, stained-glass windows and fresco paintings. Known for its art, culture, museums and picturesque cobbled streets, Quimper is best explored on foot.

Where to stay... Hotel Best Western Kregenn

From top to bottom: Nice, Côte d’Azur; aerial view of Nice; oldest house in Angers; Quimper, Brittany; towers of castle of Angers, western France; aerial view of Angers and its cathedral

If you wish to stay in a hotel that is stylish, modern and in the heart of Quimper, then look no further. Unwind in the Japanese-style garden or contemporary lounge whilst sipping on a glass of champagne from the Treizh bar. Within the complex lies a fully equipped meeting room for seminars, including complimentary internet access.

ANGERS, LOIRE VALLEY What to see... Musée des Beaux-arts This museum offers two must see exhibitions: Beaux-arts du XIVe au XXIe siècle, encompassing fine art since the 14th century, and Histoire d’Angers, which portrays the history of Angers, its archaeology and art objects from the Neolithic period. With the option of guided tours and writing workshops, a trip to this museum is a must for art lovers.

Where to stay... Château de Noirieux This elegant hotel is found in the centre of nine-hectres of parkland, just 15 kilometres north of Angers. The Château has 19 individually styled bedrooms which meet modern necessities, including satellite television and internet access. To further meet your entertainment needs the hotel has an outdoor swimming pool and tennis court. Dining is available at the on-site restaurant or balcony where bistro-cuisine is served. n

British Airways currently flies to Nice up to 7 times a week from London City Airport and will fly to Angers 3 times a week and Quimper twice a week (from May). All flights include a generous free baggage allowance, complimentary onboard drinks and snacks and your choice of seating. For more information visit www.ba.com/londoncitysummer

FORGET YOUR COCKLES AND JELLIED EELS, IT’S JUST A SHORT HOP TO FROG’S LEGS AND SNAILS. Take a break from London City Nice from £79 one way Angers (Loire Valley) NEW Quimper (Britanny) NEW from £65 one way* Plus 7 day car hire and flight packages from £219pp** Book at ba.com/londoncitysummer To Fly. To Serve.

*Fares are for one-way economy (EuroTraveller) flights from London City Airport. All fares include all applicable taxes, fees and charges correct at 14/02/12. Fares are only available on selected flights, limited seats available. Fares are based on debit card payment, credit card charges apply. Advertised fares are available only on ba.com. Additional charges may apply if purchased through other BA outlets or travel agents. Bookings cannot be refunded but changes are permitted before the day of departure for £60 per person per transaction, in addition to any difference in fare. Services operated by BA CityFlyer. **Limited availability. Prices are in GBP per person based on two adults sharing. Flights + car hire price includes return economy flights from London City to Quimper, 7 days Avis car rental in an Economy car with insurance and all pre-payable taxes and charges correct as at 10/02/12, but may vary. Hotel price is per person per night based on two adults sharing a minimum 2 star hotel on room only basis in Nice. All prices are based on selected travel between 01/03/12-30/09/12. Some payment methods attract a handling fee. Holidays are ATOL protected (number ATOL5985). For selected destinations and full terms and conditions visit ba.com/londoncitysummer

0821713 297x210 Chalkboard_Mayfair.indd 1

20/02/2012 12:27

Mayfair

the heart of

c o c kta i l b a r | lo u n g e | r e s ta u r a n t | c h e f â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s d i n i n g r o o m | a r t g a l l e r y | l a c a v e 1 0 l a n c a s h i r e c o u r t n e w b o n d s t r e e t lo n d o n w 1 s 1 e y + 4 4 ( 0 ) 2 0 7 5 1 8 9 3 8 8 w w w. m e w s o f m ay fa i r . c o m

food & drink

connoisseur

Three of the Best...

food & drink

news

for MoTHEr’S DAY And I’ll Be Mother… Indulge in afternoon tea at Boisdale Canary Wharf while you take in the impressive view of the capital’s skyline. The Scottish themed, Art Deco style restaurant, a favourite among local residents, is well known for playing host to some of the best jazz, soul and blues nights, as well as boasting the largest selection of whiskey in the city.

The Oyster Shed

iT’S A MAn’S worlD Even from the outside, Eight Club EC3 exudes an atmosphere of exclusivity. Concealed on a historic cobbled street, it is only by knowing the precise address that you would ever locate the hidden members’ club which has become a popular haunt for City boys wanting to relax and catch up with colleagues after work. The den-like environment has leather sofas, lowlit lamps and lines of pool tables, creating the cosy

and masculine overtone. With two bars, a private cinema, six private rooms and, our favourite, a hidden room containing a punching bag for those needing to let off steam, Eight Club EC3 has something to offer man’s every desire. Eight Moorgate EC2 is set over two floors, including more than 150 metres of terracing, which make it the perfect summer venue.

What better place to indulge in seafood and fish delicacies than beside the River Thames? Despite the name, The Oyster Shed is not all about seafood, although we recommend the Jersey Rock oysters for which the restaurant is renowned. Classic British dishes feature heavily on the menu, including hearty pies and schoolboy desserts. Providing stunning views of the river and the Shard, The Oyster Shed is a great place to take your mother for lunch this 18 March.

www.EigHTclub.co.uk

Clos Maggiore

ArcHEr STrEET cockTAilS This gem of a bar is very worthy of a post theatre drink (Les Misérables is on at Queens Theatre, just round the corner, until October this year). This gorgeous bar provides a haven from the bright lights and colours of Soho, bedecked in white wood panelling and kitted out with neutral, plush furnishings in purple grape, duckegg blue and pale plum. Don’t think this is a bar without soul though;

expect spur-of-the-moment songs courtesy of the young waiters, who would give the Glee kids a run for their money, and an exceptional set list from the DJ downstairs, segueing across the decades with ease. The highlight, though? The deliciously more-ish, fruity cocktails; the perfect antidote to a long day. 3-4 ArcHEr STrEET, SoHo, w1D 7AP www.ArcHErSTrEET.co.uk

With exquisite food and top wines, take your wife here for supper to say thank you for being a terrific mum. The pre-theatre menu features French inspired cuisine including duck leg and European artisan cheeses. With décor influenced by country inns of Provence and Tuscany, an intimate ambience is created, making for a memorably romantic meal before you hit the town.

Inspire your senses

www.88connect.co.uk

info@88connect.co.uk

08456 19 00 88

food & drink

connoisseur

A Family Affair Emma Mills experiences food envy (and some seriously good wine) at Roux at The Landau

e’re a big fan of casual, gastro eateries and as there are plenty of them to go around, it’s a big bonus when we find somewhere as chic and sure of itself as Roux at The Landau. It’s an even bigger bonus when the restaurant itself brings together the powerhouse team of a father and son from one of the most renowned culinary families in the world. Michel Roux and his father Albert opened Roux at the Landau in November 2010 and the restaurant fast became a popular place for diners across London. Designed by the inimitable David Collins (let’s face it, what hasn’t been designed by him these days?), the restaurant forms the signature eatery at The Langham hotel on Portland Place and it’s in good company. Flanked by the stunning Artesian Bar - one of my favourite places for a pre-dinner cocktail - the restaurant is housed in an imposing, high-ceilinged room, complete with a series of cosy leather booths and Collins’ signature industrial-style lighting. Although Roux and his father created the restaurant, it has been left to chef de cuisine Chris King to bring the food here to life. Boasting experience from Le Gavroche, Thomas Keller’s Per Se in the US and Roux at Parliament Square, King is the perfect choice to unveil a classic menu of traditional English dishes with a modern, gastronomic twist – very much the trend du jour too, if Heston Blumenthal and Marcus Wareing’s latest offerings are anything to go by. Franco Becci, restaurant manager, and Zach Saghir, head sommelier, complete the talented team; the combined experience is evident in every aspect of this place. Franco takes us through the interesting menu, pointing out his favourite dishes and suggesting the best seasonal plates to try. We start with the Landes foie gras – sweet and rich with an inspired green almond, radish and sherry accompaniment, while the summer salad of lobster is fresh, simple and enticing. Main courses provide a seriously tough choice, with a selection of vegetarian dishes vying equally well for my attention. Risotto with fresh girolles and peas and cavatelli pasta with broad beans both have a wonderfully ‘country classic’ ring to them, and sound like a good idea after our decadent starters. Guided by Franco, though, we decide on chorizo stuffed rabbit leg - very good, if a little overpowering - and roast rack of Cumbrian lamb with cracked wheat and Nocellara del Belice olives expertly cooked and humming with flavour and intriguing textures. Throughout the meal, sommelier Zach attends to us with expert precision, offering a sweet MR Moscatel with the foie gras and a divinely crisp Pinot Blanc with the lobster. Red wine helps to soak up the rich main courses so we quaff large glasses of Le Soula, a delightful biodynamic wine from the south of France. For dessert we head for the port – a wonderful LBV Quinta De la Rosa to accompany my impressive cheeseboard – while a well-rounded, nutty Château de Cérons from France brings out the sugary sweetness of the Madagascan bourbon vanilla crème brûlee with fresh palmiers. The restaurant is fairly quiet on the night we’re there but we’re cosy and content in our spacious booth and well-looked after by the professional, discreet staff. Roux at The Landau is special enough for a celebratory occasion, impressive enough for a business lunch and even classic enough for a mid-week treat. n

The Langham 1C Portland Place W1B 1JA 020 7965 0165 www.thelandau.com

Between sky and snow in

promotion

SWITZERLAND

Photography: Philip Volkers

Set next to the main ski piste, the exclusive chalets at Le Hameau du Ciel, in Veysonnaz, enjoy miles of fabulous skiing and enchanting mountain views in the famous Four Valleys

e Hameau du Ciel means the Sky’s Hamlet and never was a name more apt to describe a property development. This cluster of only five delightful chalets perches on Les Mayens ski slope, near the village of Veysonnaz, and overlooks the wide Rhone Valley, the soaring peaks beyond it, and seemingly endless swathes of deep blue sky. These luxurious chalets, which have large balconies to make the most of the views, are the third phase of an exclusive development designed by architect Louis Fournier. They are situated next to the main piste, close to a forest and only a few minutes’ walk from Veysonnaz’s village shops. Skiing in and out could not be easier, but families who hanker for slope variety can choose from more than 256 miles of runs, as Veysonnaz is linked to Verbier and is part of the

Four Valleys, Switzerland’s largest ski area. ‘Veysonnaz epitomises unspoilt Switzerland, with the advantage of having access to other resorts in the Four Valleys area,’ says Rachel Hayward, who owns a chalet at Le Hameau du Ciel that was completed last year. Buyers can choose between two chalet sizes—a manageable 130 square metres or a spacious 160 square metres. The developers employ the finest tradesmen to ensure the chalets are finished to exacting standards. ‘We have ended up with exactly what we wanted and are thrilled with the final result,’ enthuses Mrs Hayward. Chalets at Le Hameau du Ciel can all be purchased by non-Swiss residents and selling agents Alpine Homes, Savills’ exclusive associate in Switzerland, are at hand to help buyers obtain their authorisation permit—as well as assisting with

any other aspect of the buying process and the settling in. ‘Alpine Homes always go the extra mile,’ says Mrs Hayward. Prices start from CHF 1.3m (about £897,700). Alpine Homes, in association with Savills, Office: +44 (0) 20 7016 3740, Switzerland: +41 (0) 27 323 77 77, switzerland@alpinehomesintl.com www.alpinehomesintl.com

LONDON HOmes&

PROPERTY ShowcaSing the fineSt homeS in your area

c o v e r i n g c a n a ry w h a r f, D o c K L a n D S , wa P P i n g & t h e c i t y

All you need our experts’ lAtest updAtes

PROUD TO CALL HOME Black & White Collection, £POA JAB Anstoetz, www.jab-uk.co.uk

AmAzing new developments

Knight Frank Pan Peninsula, Isle of Dogs E14

Premier development An apartment situated on the 29th floor of this modern contemporary development benefitting from far reaching views. Master bedroom with dressing room and en suite shower room, second bedroom, second bathroom, reception room, kitchen, balcony, concierge, private parking and extensive leisure facilities. Approximately 73 sq.m (832 sq.ft).

Leasehold Guide Price: ÂŁ650,000

Canary Wharf Sales KnightFrank.co.uk/Canary-Wharf cwharf@knightfrank.com 020 7512 9966 (CNW070185)

Hanover House, Canary Wharf E14 Spacious apartment

An immaculately presented apartment situated on the Canary Wharf banking estate within close proximity to the Jubilee Line and the DLR. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, second bedroom, family bathroom, fully fitted kitchen, dining room, balcony, communal gardens, concierge and secure parking. Approximately 103 sq.m (1,177 sq.ft). Leasehold Guide Price: ÂŁ795,000

Canary Wharf Sales KnightFrank.co.uk/Canary-Wharf cwharf@knightfrank.com 020 7512 9966 (CNW120011)

Knight Frank Port East, Canary Wharf E14 Warehouse conversion

A wonderfully refurbished penthouse apartment situated in one of Canary Wharf’s most sought after developments. Master bedroom with en suite shower room, second bedroom, family bathroom, reception room, semi open-plan kitchen, utility room, second reception room, mezzanine level, roof terrace, concierge and private parking. Approximately 165 sq m (1,776 sq ft). Share of Freehold Guide Price: £1,100,000

Canary Wharf Sales KnightFrank.co.uk/Canary-Wharf cwharf@knightfrank.com 020 7512 9966 (CNW110168)

New Prov. Wharf, Isle of Dogs E14 Breath taking views

A three bedroom penthouse on the 16th floor offering a wealth of internal and external space. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom and private balcony, second and third bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and balconies, reception room, kitchen, guest cloakroom, utility room, roof terrace, hot tub, sauna, 24 hour concierge, leisure facilities and private parking. Approximately 247 m.sq (2,664 sq.ft). Leasehold Guide Price: £2,000,000

Canary Wharf Sales KnightFrank.co.uk/Canary-Wharf cwharf@knightfrank.com 020 7512 9966 (CNW110054)

Naxos Building, Canary Wharf E14

Pierpoint Building, Canary Wharf E14

A contemporary two bedroom penthouse offered fully furnished, including a balcony and terrace with river views. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, fully equipped kitchen with separate utility room and reception with floor to ceiling windows. The development includes 24hr concierge and a gym.

A luxury two bedroom apartment on the first floor of the Pierpoint building, located in the much sought after Millennium Harbour Development. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (one of which is en suite), reception room, separate kitchen, river views, porterage and use of the on site leisure facilities.

£950 per week

£495 per week

Canary Wharf Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/Lettings

020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Victoria Wharf, Limehouse E14

020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Boardwalk Place, Canary Wharf E14

A newly refurbished apartment directly on the river. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, separate fully fitted kitchen, new wooden floors, two balconies, porterage and an underground car parking space. The apartment is conveniently located for easy access into Canary Wharf.

An immaculately presented apartment on the third floor. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception/dining room, separate kitchen, an abundance of storage space, concierge and an underground car parking space. Boardwalk Place is conveniently located in close proximity to Canary Wharf.

£495 per week

£450 per week

Canary Wharf Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/Lettings

020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Lettings CITY/CW MARCH 2012 - 1 - 09 February 2012 - 17800

020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

13/02/2012 17:29:40

Neutron Tower, Canary Wharf E14

Point Hill, Greenwich SE10

Located by East India DLR offering easy access to Canary Wharf, a well presented apartment available for short let from July to September 2012. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, open plan living/dining area, fully fitted kitchen, balcony, 24 hour concierge and use of the free residents' only gym.

A well presented house, conveniently located near Greenwich Park, to let on a short term basis from July to September 2012. 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, kitchen/diner and a three tiered garden offering views of Canary Wharf from its highest point.

£1,500 per week

£15,000 per week

Canary Wharf Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/Lettings

020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Ferry Street, Canary Wharf E14

020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Roland Mews, Stepney E1

A superb house with character and charm in abundance. This property is available to let on a short term basis from July to September 2012. 7 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, kitchen/diner, study, balcony with views over the River Thames and Greenwich and a garden.

A spacious, well presented house within close proximity of transport links including Stepney Green underground, to rent on a short term basis from July to September 2012. 2 bedrooms with fitted wardrobes, 1 bathroom, reception room offering plenty of space, small garden and a garage.

£25,000 per week

£1,500 per week

Canary Wharf Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/Lettings

020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Lettings CW and City MARCH 2012 - 2 - 09 February 2012 - 17803

020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

13/02/2012 17:55:30

Newell Street, Limehouse E14

Three bedroom house Set in an utterly charming canal side setting, within an established garden, a rare opportunity to acquire this three bedroom house. Master bedroom with ensure bathroom and dressing area, 2 further bedrooms, shower with dual access, part double height reception room with fireplace, kitchen, conservatory, garden and off-street parking. Approximately 186 sq m (2,002 sq ft). Freehold Guide Price: £945,000

Wapping Sales KnightFrank.co.uk/Wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 7480 6848 (WAP110140)

Roding Mews, Wapping E1W Charming house

A lovely house in west Wapping which has been finished to exacting standards. 2/3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, new fully fitted kitchen, west facing part timber decked garden and private parking to the front of the house. Approximately 81 sq m (881 sq ft). Freehold £550,000

Wapping Sales KnightFrank.co.uk/Wapping wapping@knightfrank.com 020 7480 6848 (WAP120017)

Wapping Sales CITY March 2012 - 09 February 2012 - 17789

16/02/2012 09:04:06

Cormorant Lodge, St Katharine Docks E1W Impressive three bedroom penthouse

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

With breath taking views over St Katharine Docks, Tower Bridge and the River Thames, this is an exceptional property. 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, large terrace, air conditioning, 24 hour concierge and an underground car parking space. Approximately 263 sq m (2,832 sq ft). £2,500 per week

(ASP157229)

Cormorant Lodge FP Advert March 2012 - 07 February 2012 - 17670

13/02/2012 16:37:57

Pie

Wapping Pier Head, Wapping E1W An elegant Georgian terraced house

This beautiful home has been recently refurbished to an excellent standard. 2/3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 1/2 reception rooms, guest cloakroom, new fully fitted kitchen, separate dining room, study and conservatory. The Pier Head residents also benefit from exclusive use of the fabulous private gardens over-looking the River Thames. Approximately 210 sq m (2,261 sq ft).

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

£1,650 per week

(ASP158285)

Pier Head 9 FP Advert March 2012 - 07 February 2012 - 17673

13/02/2012 16:42:25

Bezier Apartments, City EC1Y

Capital Wharf, Wapping E1W

Amazing 10th floor apartment located in this outstanding new development. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, reception room, fully fitted kitchen, underfloor heating, comfort cooling, private balcony, good storage and 24 hour concierge.

A lovely riverside apartment available on a furnished or unfurnished basis. 2 bedrooms (both en suite), reception room, kitchen, balcony on the River, 24 hour porterage, residents' gym and an underground car parking space.

£625 per week

£650 per week

City Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/Lettings

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/Lettings

020 7606 1560 gary.hall@knightfrank.com

Ivory House, St Katharine Docks E1W

020 7480 6848 wapping@knightfrank.com

Free Trade Wharf, Wapping E1W

Stunning and spacious one bedroom apartment located in a popular warehouse conversion. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, reception room, fully fitted kitchen, stone flooring, two roof terraces, dock views and an underground car parking space.

Bright one bedroom flat set in this popular block moments from Limehouse DLR. 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom, reception room, fully fited kitchen, balcony, fantastic river views, 24 hour porterage, leisure facilities and a car parking space.

£615 per week

£375 per week

Wapping Lettings KnightFrank.co.uk/Lettings

020 7480 6848 wapping@knightfrank.com

CW and City Mags March 2012 QUARTER - 07 February 2012 - 17689

020 7480 6848 wapping@knightfrank.com

13/02/2012 16:36:30

home to st. Pauls, big ben and now... knight frank

It gives us great pleasure to announce the arrival of another world famous name to the Thames when Knight Frank Riverside relocates to Albion Riverside, Battersea, in early 2012. Our reputation for global reach and unparalleled local knowledge is second to none on the river, so if you are planning on buying, selling or letting, we are the number one agent for riverside property. Make sure you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss the boat... contact Matthew Smith on 0203 597 7670 or visit us online at knightfrank.co.uk/riverside

Knight KnightFrank Frank

Drake House, Vauxhall SW8 Spacious, Modern Apartment

A spacious and modern 2 double bedroom apartment for sale in the ever popular St George Wharf. The apartment has a large reception room which leads to a private balcony with views of the River Thames. Approximately 100 sq.m (1,076 sq.ft). Leasehold Guide price: ÂŁ850,000 (RVR110194)

KnightFrank.co.uk/Riverside riverside@knightfrank.com 020 3597 7670

Knight Frank

Pavilion Apartments, St John’s Wood NW8 8 Bedroom Apartment

Duplex apartment in one of the finest modern portered buildings in St John’s Wood with exceptional outside space. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom/jacuzzi and dressing room, 7 further bedrooms (6 with en suites), large double reception room, family room, kitchen/breakfast room, staff kitchen, dining room, underground parking for 4 cars. Approximately 433.5 sq.m (4,666 sq.ft) plus 2 roof terraces of 2,160 sq.ft. Leasehold 988 years 4 months £8,950,000 (SJW100089)

KnightFrank.co.uk/St-Johns-Wood stjohnswood@knightfrank.com 020 7586 2777

Knight Frank

St Katharine’s Orchard, Regent’s Park NW1 Newly Built Villa In Regents Park

This detached house extends to over 3,711sq ft on three floors only and benefits from a garden and double garage. Master bedroom with en suite dressing room and bathroom, 2 further bedrooms (both with en suite bathroom), drawing room, media room, dining room, study, kitchen, guest WC, self contained area comprising of bedroom, bathroom and kitchenette, garden, double garage. Leasehold 123 years 10 months Guide price: £7,950,000 (SJW110189)

KnightFrank.co.uk/St-Johns-Wood stjohnswood@knightfrank.com 020 7586 2777

1 2

savills.co.uk

SHEARWATER COURT, e1w

THE TAPERSTRY, ec2m

2 reception rooms ø kitchen ø 4 bedrooms ø 4 bathrooms ø 7 terraces ø 3 balconies ø 2 parking spaces ø concierge ø 368 sq m (3,960 sq ft)

Reception room ø Gaggenau kitchen ø 3 bedrooms ø high specification bathroom ø shower room ø 267 sq m (2,870 sq ft)

Price On Application Share of Freehold

Guide £3.4 million Leasehold

3 4

Savills Docklands zjames@savills.com 020 7456 6800

STEPNEY GREEN, e1

OLIVER'S WHARF, e1w

3 reception rooms ø kitchen ø 5 bedrooms ø 3 bathrooms ø garden ø 2 parking spaces ø 255 sq m (2,740 sq ft)

Reception room ø open plan kitchen ø 2 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø parking space ø porterage ø 110 sq m (1,185 sq ft)

Guide £1.75 million Freehold

Guide £1.1 million Leasehold

Savills Docklands juprowse@savills.com 020 7456 6800

1 2

savills.co.uk

HANOVER HOUSE, e14

DISCOVERY DOCK, e14

2 reception rooms ø kitchen ø 4 bedrooms ø 4 bathrooms ø terrace ø parking space ø concierge ø 226 sq m (2,430 sq ft)

Reception room ø kitchen ø 3 bedrooms ø 3 en suite bathrooms ø balcony ø parking space ø concierge ø 153 sq m (1,650 sq ft)

Guide £2.25 million Leasehold

Guide £1.1 million Leasehold

3 4

Savills Canary Wharf bpage@savills.com 020 7531 2500

DISCOVERY DOCK, e14

CITY TOWER, e14

Reception room ø kitchen ø 3 double bedrooms ø 3 bathrooms ø balcony ø parking space ø concierge ø 142 sq m (1,530 sq ft)

Reception room ø kitchen ø 2 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø terrace ø parking space ø concierge ø 99 sq m (1,070 sq ft)

Guide £875,000 Leasehold

Guide £499,000 Leasehold

Savills Canary Wharf bpage@savills.com 020 7531 2500

LEFT-HAND

Hamptons City Office Sales. 020 7717 5435 city@hamptons-int.com

Folgate Street, E1 £380,000 Leasehold

Queen Street, EC4

A well presented one bedroom flat in a popular Spitafields location.

This larger than average one bedroom apartment is set on the 4th floor of a modern lift-serviced building in the Square Mile, and has 3 balconies.

Willoughby House, EC2

Brick Lane, E1

£525,950 Leasehold

£450,000 Leasehold

£650,000 Freehold

This extremely smart 1 bedroom apartment is set over 3 floors, with west-facing views from the reception towards the Barbican Centre.

A well presented and bright 3 bedroom apartment is set over the top 2 floors of a period house in Brick Lane. It has a stunning roof terrace with panoramic views.

Deal Street, E1

Princelet Street, E1 £2,250,000 Freehold

£775,000 Leasehold

This stunningly presented 2 bedroom apartment is set over the top 2 floors of a former warehouse in the popular Spitalfields area, with a study which accesses a roof terrace.

The well-presented 4 to 5 bedroom family house is set over 5 floors in the everpopular Spitalfields area, and has a delightful south-facing garden leading onto a studio.

From their first steps to the first visit to the grandchildren, Hamptons International know what makes a family home. The comfort it will provide. The memories it will hold. We see beyond the brick s and mortar to help you find somewhere that’s, well, home.

RIGHT-HAND

Hamptons Tower Br idge Office Sales. 020 7717 5489 towerbridge@hamptons-int.com

Gallery Lofts, Hopton Street, SE1 £765,000 Leasehold

Providence Square, SE1 £699,000 Leasehold

A superbly presented 3rd floor apartment with master bedroom and mezzanine 2nd bed area, with partial views towards St.Pauls, the Thames and Tate Modern.

A stunning two bedroom apartment overlooking the Japanese style water garden and with partial views of the River Thames, concierge and communal gym.

Falconet Court, Wapping, E1W £425,000 Share of Freehold

Axis Court, 2 East Lane, SE16 £1,250,000 Leasehold

An 807 sq/ft two bedroom, two bathroom apartment on the second floor of this purpose built block opposite Wapping Station. Secure Parking.

A 1539 sq ft 3 bedroom duplex penthouse built by Berkley Homes, with 2 terraces, balcony and underground parking. Jubilee Line at Bermondsey or London Bridge

Butlers & Colonial Wharf, SE1 £1,050,000 Leasehold

Tea Trade Wharf, SE1 £1,650,000

A 1206 sq ft, third floor, two bedroom apartment in Butlers and Colonial Wharf overlooking the courtyard with private parking and concierge.

A stunning two bedroom duplex penthouse apartment within a popular river front development which benefits from partial City views, parking and 24hr concierge.

Leasehold

It’s important to make time for the things you love. At Hamptons International we take all the strain out of managing your move. Leaving you free to enjoy the finer things in life, safe in the knowledge that everything’s being taken care of.

LEFT-HAND

Hamptons City Office Lettings. 020 7717 5437 citylettings@hamptons-int.com

Wheler Street, E1 £395 per week

Cloth Fair, EC1 £1,250 per week

A fantastic one bedroom flat on the second floor presented in excellent condition. Close to both Shoreditch and Spitalfields. Available furnished.

A very unique house presented in immaculate condition in this historic street overlooking the Priory Church of St Bartholomew the Great.

Middlesex Street, E1 £425 per week

Bishopsgate, EC2 £415 per week

Well presented one bedroom, first floor apartment of this converted period building benefiting from wooden floors and high ceilings. Available furnished.

Refurbished, modern and quiet one bedroom apartment ideally located in Spitalfields, on the edge of the City of London. Available furnished.

Commercial Street, E1 £425 per week

Leyden Street, E1 £575 per week

Spacious one bedroom apartment by the vibrant Spitalfields Market benefitting from natural light and modern furniture. Available furnished.

High specification two double bedroom apartment in the heart of Spitalfields. Benefits from daytime concierge and a private terrace. Available furnished.

The Hamptons International team always go further to meet your personal property needs, whatever they may be. Over 97% of our clients say they would use us again or recommend us to others. Let us show you why.

RIGHT-HAND

Hamptons Tower Br idge Office Lettings. 020 7717 5491 towerbridgelettings@hamptons-int.com

Cinnabar Wharf Central, E1W £950 per week

The Flag Store, E1W £595 per week

A superb two bedroom apartment situated in a popular development in the heart of Wapping with a stunning river view.

A stunning warehouse conversion in Shad Thames with vaulted ceiling, exposed brick, original wood floors and modern kitchen.

Bulters Wharf, SE1 £575 per week

Java Wharf, SE1 £425 per week

Beautifully presented one bedroom apartment on Shad Thames with an attractive reception room and river views.

A beautiful one bedroom apartment offered in immaculate order arranged on the top floor of a portered warehouse conversion.

Tea Trade, SE1 £1,790 per week

Tempus Wharf, SE16 £550 per week

Large two bedroom apartment with views of the dock and river, climate control and contemporary furnishings.

Beautifully presented double bedroom apartment, two bathrooms, two balconies with river views.

Renting a property is no reason to accept anything less than the perfect home. It’s still your personal oasis. Albeit for a shorter timeframe. That said nearly all our tenants renew their contracts. Proof that we know how to make people feel right at home.

Harrods Estates specialises in prime residential properties to buy or to rent in central London. Established in 1897, Harrods Estates has become one of the UK’s leading luxury residential estate agents. As part of the Harrods group, clients have unprecedented access to virtually anything they require, from specialised interior design to private jets. Our dedicated team also provides a multilingual service, with specialist Russian and Middle Eastern desks, as well as having access to speakers of a further 30 languages. With offices in Knightsbridge and Mayfair, Harrods Estates is perfectly located to manage a portfolio of some of London’s most prestigious luxury properties. For further information or to request a complimentary copy of the latest Harrods Estates magazine, simply visit our website or contact us directly.

LONDON RESIDENTIAL SALE • LONDON RESIDENTAIL LETTINGS • ACQUISITIONS • NEW DEVELOPMENTS • ASSET MANAGEMENT • PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

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

HARRODSESTATES.COM

homes & property

HOT PROPERTY: City Style with Village Charm

Located on Logs Hill in the charming yet sophisticated village of Chislehurst, Kent, this striking property, built in the mid 1800â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in a Gothic style, has been transformed into a superb five bedroom home of around 6,000 sq ft. From the oversized porcelain floor tiles and glass internal doors, to the central staircase with brushed steel balustrades, this house has a host of attractive

features. High ceilings and large windows enhance the receptions, while the Mark Wilkinson kitchen is very stylish. There is also an open-plan dining/family room; a fabulous entertaining space crowned by a beautiful domed glass roof. The master bedroom is grand and comfortable and features a spa bath on the mezzanine level as well as a spacious dressing room and en-suite.

The house also benefits from a cinema/games room with surround sound and a state-of-the-art gym. There is also a heated swimming pool and hot tub set within landscaped gardens. The range of recreational areas ensures this home will be popular with families as well as commuters, owing to its closeness to Elmstead Woods station wihich offers a 17 minute service to London Bridge.

Logs HiLL, BR7 ÂŁ2.25M FREEHOLD Unique at Langford Russell 020 8378 1222

www.langfordrussell.co.uk 121

homes & property

DEVELOPMENT SHOWCASE A New Way of Life Situated in the redeveloped docklandS area, theSe popular apartmentS provide the contemporary Style and functional Space ideal for modern day living, SayS Lauren romano

pacious, light and sleek, this 138 unit new-build development on Trundleys Road, SE8, offers affordable rental accommodation in prime property territory, owing to its location on the doorstep of Surrey Quays and a stoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s throw away from Canary Wharf. Joining other smart apartment buildings springing up in the area, these one and two bedrooms homes adhere to an attractive and winning formula of neutral dĂŠcor, easy to maintain interiors, panoramic rooftop views and secure underground parking, and therefore tick all the required boxes in terms of curb appeal, practicality and space, with the largest apartment spread across a comfortable 95 sq m. The first new residential venture from the team behind Criterion Capital, whose successful commercial property portfolio includes the London Trocadero and the Burberry building in Knightsbridge, Vida represents

a new and exciting opportunity to live in a luxurious, exclusive lettings complex long term. While the finish is to a high and attractive standard, the interiors have been left deliberately minimalistic to allow future owners to put their own unique stamp on individual rooms. The result is an unpretentious and simple amalgamation of white walls, wooden flooring and well-proportioned open plan living arrangements, which are easy to envisage moving into straight away. Immaculate kitchens, with gleaming, high gloss units, recessed under-cupboard spotlighting and sleek stainless steel fronted appliances, are both aesthetically appealing and practical and open out onto combined living and dining spaces which facilitate entertaining and generate a greater feeling of space. Light and airy bedrooms feature large windows and, in selected apartments, space-saving wardrobe storage and dressing areas; two bedroom properties

also boast en-suite facilities to the master bedrooms for additional convenience. Selected apartments benefit from show-stopping spacious terraces, with large double doors which lead out onto a paved rooftop platform, to form a dramatic living room focal point with a spectacular outlook across the towering skyline of Canada Water and Canary Wharf. A high level of security is also maintained with monitored underground parking available for residents. Situated in a largely residential area, the Trundleys Road apartments benefit from an increasingly sought-after Zone 2 location and SE8 postcode. And for good reason; the continuing redevelopment and regeneration of this former Docklands area has made it an attractive destination for those looking to benefit from easy transport links and nearby amenities, including shopping and entertainment outlets, clustered together in one place. The Surrey Quays Shopping Centre and the Odeon and Hollywood Bowl leisure complex provide a good range of high street retailers and entertainment facilities and make a time-saving and handy alternative to more central locations, like the crowded pavements of Oxford Street and Covent Garden. The Surrey Docks Watersports Centre with a state-of-the-art gym and exercise studios overlooking Greenland Dock also offers a year round extensive water sports programme of sailing, windsurfing, kayaking and power-boating for residents keen to make the most of the proximity to the Dockside location. However, excellent transport links to the overground and Jubilee lines are found nearby and make the area accessible both to Canary Wharf and other key London locations, including the Olympic Park stadium in Stratford which will form the focal point of the 2012 Games. n

Star PrOPErtY While all of the apartments within the development offer smart, bright accommodation, there are a selection of two bedroom, two bathroom properties which are attracting a great deal of attention. The focal point of these apartments is the living area with unusual double-height ceilings and enormous windows which flood the properties with light. Here, the architects have played with the room shapes to create inclusive and homely areas with an elegant curved wall. Yet this exceptional lounge and dining area doesn’t detract from the two bedrooms, both of which are a comfortable size. One also benefits from a very large en-suite bathroom. Décor throughout is sleek and pristine, with a high-gloss kitchen adhering to a theme of stylish white fittings and chrome accents which will remain attractive over time. Prices start from £1,000 per month for a one bedroom apartment. Telephone 020 7771 6777 www.acorn.ltd.uk

123

homes & property

ProPerty ShowcaSe Luxury on the Water

An impressive apartment has become available within a prestigious development in Canary Wharf. The property is split over two levels, with the upper floor designed for entertaining, and commands attractive river views from its large terrace. The spacious open-plan kitchen/reception room comfortably accommodates a baby grand piano and benefits from a striking curved ceiling and large feature windows. The well-equipped kitchen features high-tech appliances, a frameless induction hob, stunning granite work surfaces and a custom-made cherry wood breakfast bar. The lower floor includes two bedrooms, an office, two ensuites, a Maurea jacuzzi bath for two and a dressing room. All the principle rooms benefit additionally from balconies. The apartment is being sold with a parking space, and residents have access to a concierge service and full leisure facilities, including a swimming pool.

anchorage Point, e14 ÂŁ1.7M share of freehold Knight Frank www.knightfrank.co.uk/canary-wharf

020 7512 9966 124

homes &property

expert comment LETTINGS:

SALES:

Awaiting the rush

Demand is high

RAHNA STROUD, ASSOCIATE AT KNIGHT FRANK IN

JOANNA BEALE, ASSOCIATE AT KNIGHT FRANK

WAPPING, COMMENTS ON THE TRENDS IN THE RESIDENTIAL

IN WAPPING, COMMENTS ON THE TRENDS IN THE

LETTINGS MARKET

RESIDENTIAL SALES MARKET

The Central London Rental Index shows that rents fell again by 0.2 per cent in January, but it’s not all doom and gloom. We must remember that it is still seven per cent higher than a year ago. However, the rental market seems to have weakened slightly recently, reflected by a drop in the Retail Price Index from 4.8 per cent to 3.9 per cent in February. This might be caused by rising unemployment and lower bonus pay outs in The City, nevertheless we remain positive. Average rents across the UK are still up four per cent year-on-year and the Knight Frank research department also expect between a four per cent to five per cent rental growth for both 2012 and 2013. As with the sales market, it is clear to us that more rental property stock is needed to meet the level of demand. The Olympics are another factor contributing to the low levels of long term rental property coming to the market at the moment. Potential landlords are delaying bringing their properties to the market so they can cash in on the Games by short-letting their property over the summer. Although our Corporate Services department has seen much interest in letting whole blocks of apartments to international companies during this period; the demand from individuals with healthy budgets has so far been much lower than expected. It will be interesting to see what happens over the next few months; will all the hype about the effect of the Games, become a reality?

A busy start to the year has led to a frustrating lack of prime riverside property and huge pent up demand from prospective buyers. While we could cite the usual chatter at this time of year about City bonuses, we are also seeing interest from hoards of Eurozone buyers, to whom we have agreed a sale every day of the month so far. In many instances, these sales are at asking price and setting some exciting new price precedents. ‘Long may it continue’ we chant, but the lack of new instructions might be a stumbling block. Wapping riverside is a market with few full-time owner occupiers, many of whom are choosing to keep hold of their flats until the 2012 Games are over. Houses are ever popular, and the continued lack of them maintains some extraordinary prices per sq ft. 2012 in East London looks to be the most exciting yet and the Games are certainly putting us on the map. With prices still so reasonable compared to the rest of London, it is little wonder that widespread desire to buy has returned. To the north west of Wapping, a recent Knight Frank publication* reported an increase in property prices of 122 per cent since 2001 and the applicant interest in the areas around Leman Street is stronger than ever. Development on the east side of Leman Street is also bridging the residential gap between Shoreditch and Wapping and the fabulous new One Tower Bridge development for sale via Knight Frank is raising the quality stakes. The area is alive and full of new faces and enthusiasm!

Knight Frank Wapping 020 7480 6848 www.knightfrank.co.uk

Knight Frank Wapping 020 7480 6848 www.knightfrank.co.uk * http://my.knightfrank.com/research-reports/city-of-london-and-city-fringe.aspx

125

homes & property

development FoCUS A Stunning Piece Of History

The Grade I listed Gothic architecture of St Pancras, as romantic as it is extravagant, owes its origins to the grand designs of 1865 by Sir Gilbert Scott. And it is thanks to a recent renovation project that the beautiful original features of the building, including stencilling, mosaics and ornamental ceilings, can be enjoyed by visitors to the St Pancras Renaissance hotel which occupies the site, as well as residents of the 67 private apartments and penthouses on its top floors. The apartments, termed St Pancras Chambers, have been immensely sought-after since they first launched in 2009. While some consist of the charming former state rooms, the fourth, fifth and sixth floors play host to a variety of duplex and triplex properties with a contemporary feel and luxurious finish. Features such as double-height ceilings and mezzanine levels give each apartment a sense of space and character, which is enhanced by handsome, hardwood flooring, stylish furniture and the warm colour palette which has been used throughout. In many of the apartments there are two reception rooms as well as double bedrooms and en-suites, which ensures that they are not only perfectly situated for those seeking excellent 126

transport links (including overground and underground train links and the Eurostar), but are also well-suited to those looking for an interesting and impressive home for entertaining. In addition to a dedicated porterage, on a day-to-day basis residents will also have access to the impressive facilities of the five star hotel. These include a health and leisure club with heated indoor pool, a distinguished restaurant offering British cuisine and a cosy bar, perfect for the occasional night cap. n

St panCraS ChamberS, nW1 ÂŁ950 per week Knight Frank City www.knightfrank.co.uk/lettings

020 7606 1560

homes &property

State of the market andrew gillon, associate director at HaMPtoNs iNterNatioNaL iN tower bridge, sHares a FasciNatiNg iNsigHt iNto tHe PriMe LoNdoN ProPertY MarKet

THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET IN DEPTH

hile we have heard during the course of the past few months that the buoyant prime central London property market is being fuelled by buyers from overseas, a recent report from Hamptons International has shed more light on the phenomenon. The number of buyers of prime central London property who were from the UK or Russia grew during the past 12 months, while the number of buyers from China and the European Union decreased. The report*, which tracks the nationality of prime central London buyers, highlights the proportion of buyers from the UK, Middle East, European Union, China, Far East, USA, Russia, India, South Africa and the rest of the world. It shows that UK buyers were responsible for 44 per cent of all prime central London purchases in the third quarter of 2011 and the number of Middle Eastern buyers increased quarter on quarter throughout 2011. Towards the end of the year, the number of purchases made by Russian buyers increased by 11 per cent.

The results also show a change in the buying habits of both European Union and Chinese buyers throughout 2011, with the number of European buyers falling by 19 per cent throughout the year and the proportion of transactions undertaken by Chinese buyers decreasing by 11 per cent during the second and last quarter of the year. Adam Challis, head of research at Hamptons International, comments: “The results of our nationality tracker are a fascinating insight into the confidence levels of international buyers. As different regions around the world experience times of economic or political uncertainty, prime London residential property has offered more than just a safe bet. For example, political uncertainty in the lead up to Russian elections in March 2012 has led to a jump in the number of Russians buying prime property stock in Central London.” n Hamptons International, Tower Bridge 020 7717 5321 www.hamptons.co.uk *Data is based on all deals taken from Hamptons International’s Prime Central London offices

127

homes & property

In your best Interest

ProPerty consultant Simon BarneS talks to tHe cIty magazIne about offerIng a servIce defIned by dIscretIon and dedIcatIon Property consultancy can be a mixed bag, how do you ensure someone is working exclusively for you, sourcing the best and most exclusive properties and utilising a wealth of extensive and farreaching contacts to offer you the best properties available on the market – and also those that aren’t? If you’re selling, then are they the best person to find you the right buyers and ensure you are getting a great price; do they protect your interests and your reputation, over their own? If you’re using them for property management, are they looking after your tenants, and are they looking after you? Is their discretion assured, and can you turn to them for any queries or concerns however complex or sensitive? And, ultimately, how can you be sure of this? “It’s really down to reputation,” explains Simon Barnes, a property consultant working in Mayfair and Belgravia for over 20 years. “Ninety per cent of my business comes from recommendations and word of mouth, it’s important to use someone whose reputation you can trust.” And Simon has worked hard to ensure this reputation remains immaculate. “I moved from working with larger companies to becoming independent because I wanted to be able to offer the clients I’d worked with a more comprehensive service. Now the people I deal with have been my clients, often for many years, and I’ve worked with them on selling and buying several houses. I can even be there when they want to diversify and start renting out their property, or even buying businesses – a restaurant, a shop etc. In the same way that you can visit your lawyer for all your legal needs my clients work with me for all their property needs over a long period of time.” Working with someone who specialises in what they do and can take a lot of the hassle out of buying and selling a property 128

can be a godsend. Simon’s clients benefit from not only his considerable expertise, but his extensive contacts built up over years of working with and specialising in high end luxury properties bought and sold off-market. “I’ve built up a solid rapport with buyers, sellers, agents, lawyers and surveyors. My relationship with the key agents, for instance, is so good that when I ring an agent about a property they’ll take it seriously. That’s the kind of credibility that gets me – and therefore my clients - to the front of the queue, and they’re often the first to hear about an exciting property.” In addition, one of the keys to Simon’s success is that he only ever works for three or four clients at a time, ensuring there is no conflict, and he can divide his time as they need it. “This is not a mass market thing, three or four active clients is as much as I can, and want to, deal with, because then I can offer them the level of service they expect, and deserve. And I tailor it accordingly, depending on what they want. It’s a hands-on process, I deal with all my clients personally, and I can adapt to what suits them.” In today’s economic climate, buying and selling property can be a delicate and complex process. Often those people who are spending large amounts of money on a property are understandably keen to ensure the purchase is as discreet as possible. “People don’t want to be seen to be splashing cash,” explains Simon. “They want their names kept out of it, to ensure a level playing field - discretion is vital. This is happening more and more in the last five years, so my approach, more so than ever now, is very low key. Acting for my clients, I can get straight to the source buyer or seller, acting as an intermediary, and this is vital. I ensure a minimum of fuss and exposure.” At the end of the day, this is expertise you can’t match, and it’s invaluable. “Achieving the best possible outcome in anything is all about finding someone who can do the job better than you,” finishes Simon. “Working smarter, not harder.” n Simon Barnes Property Consultants 020 7499 3434 078 3146 5414

LawrenceWard_CityMag_Jan2012 21/12/2011 14:44 Page 1

London's Finest Properties

LETTINGS

Nebraska Building, Deals Gateway, SE13 • One Bedroom • Fully Furnished • 4th floor • Balcony • Allocated Parking • Nr. Deptford Bridge DLR

£220.00 per week

SALES

Michigan Building, Canary Wharf, E14 • One Bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • 3rd floor • Balcony • 24hr Concierge Service • Nr. Blackwall DLR

£360.00 per week

Westgate Apartment, Excel, E16 • Two Bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • 10th floor • On-Site Gymnasium • Concierge Service • Nr. Royal Victoria DLR

£385.00 per week

• Two Bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • 6th floor • Balcony • 24hr Concierge Service • Nr. South Quay DLR

£450.00 per week

The Landmark, West Tower, E14

• One Bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • 26th floor • Allocated Parking • 24hr Concierge Service • 5 Minutes Walk to Canary Wharf

• Two Bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • 2nd floor • Balcony • Secure Underground Parking • Nr. Limehouse DLR

Denison House, Lanterns Court, Canary Wharf, E14 • Attractive Investment opportunity • 1 bed / 1 bath • 2nd floor • Concierge and gym • Moments from South Quay DLR and Canada Square

£289,999

Denison House, Lanterns Court, Canary Wharf, E14

• Attractive Investment opportunity -5.9% rental yield • 1 bed / 1 bath, 3rd floor • Concierge and gym • Moments from South Quay DLR and Canada Square

£299,999

Marina Heights, Basin Approach, E14

£575.00 per week

• 1 bed /1bath apartment • 10th floor • Balcony • Views to Olympic park • Moments from DLR • Concierge and gym

£229,950

£425.00 per week

Gainsborough House, Canary Wharf, E14

Westgate Apartments, Royal Docks, E16

Sugar House, Leman Street, City, E1

• 3rd floor • 1 bedroom / 1 bathroom apartment • Stunning warehouse restoration • Elegant period features fused with contemporary design • Moments from DLR and underground

£435,000

Aquarius House, St George Wharf, SW8

• Stunning 2 bed / 2 bath apartment • Prestigious riverside development • 9th floor • Spectacular city / Canary Wharf views • Exceptional transport links

£569,950

Sugar House, Leman Street, City, E1

• Immaculate 1st floor ex-show apt. • Two bedroom/two bathroom • Interior designed • Exceptional specification • Secure underground parking • Moments from the City and tube

£1,080,000

Sales | Lettings | Corporate Services | Property Management www.liferesidential.co.uk

Central London 020 7582 7989

West London 020 8896 9990

Finchley 020 8446 9524

Docklands 020 7476 0125

Deptford & Greenwich 020 8692 2244

UNIQUE HOMES, UNIQUE SERVICE, UNIQUE PEOPLE A t a i l o r e d s e r v i c e f r o m L a n g f o rd R u s s e l l f o r d i s t i n c t i ve a n d e x c l u s i ve h o m e s

CAMdEN PARK ROAd, CHISLEHURST, KENT BR7 A magnificent new home on an exclusive private road overlooking Chislehurst golf course which offers approximately 7800 sq ft of sumptuous accommodation including seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms and a range of leisure and reception rooms with a premium specification. This opulent property which provides a gym and home cinema occupies a south westerly plot of almost half an acre and has an outdoor pool and summerhouse.

£3,450,000

WILdERNESS ROAd, CHISLEHURST, KENT BR7 Wilderness Road is considered one of the most sought after locations in the Bromley Borough and Beechwood is a truly impressive property which enjoys an enviable position occupying a ¾ acre plot. To compliment the extensive accommodation which includes five bedrooms and three principle reception rooms is a 2000 sq ft basement floor prepared for a gym and home cinema with large entertainment areas in addition to a superb indoor heated pool complex.

£4,500,000

UNIQUE is a Specialist Division of Langford Russell

Unique at Langford Russell Chislehurst Office 13 High Street, Chislehurst, Kent BR7 5AB Tel 020 8378 1222 Email enquiries@uniquepropertiesuk.com

Offices Also At: Beckenham & Bromley

www.uniqueproper tiesuk.com www.langfordr ussell.co.uk

Kennet Street, Wapping E1W 2JJ 2 Bedroom top floor apartment within this popular modern development. Fitted kitchen. Bathroom. Garage plus parking space. Views over communal gardens. Situated close to Tower Hill and the City. Within easy access to Canary Wharf. ‘Waitrose’ supermarket is nearby. Close to the historic St Katharine’s Dock.

Price: £379,990

Norway Place, Limehouse E14 7HT Situated within easy access to Canary Wharf & the City. This 2 double bedroom 1st floor apartment has been refurbished to a good standard. Fitted kitchen. Reception. bathroom. Allocated parking. Limehouse Docklands Light Railway is nearby. Must be viewed promptly to avoid disappointment.

Price: £299,995

Hermitage Waterside, Wapping E1W 1YD Newly refurbished three double bedroom two bathroom townhouse arranged over three floors set in this conveniently located, modern style development situated in west Wapping. The property is offered furnished and further benefits use of a large garage. Hermitage Waterside benefits is a short walk from the local amenities including Waitrose super store, Fitness First gym and St Katharine’s Dock It also allows easy access to both The City and Canary Wharf with Tower Gateway and Tower Hill station within just a short walk. Price: £895 pw

Three Colts Lane, Limehouse E14 8AP Modern built 3 storey house. 3 Bedroom plus mezzanine study. Terrace with river views. Close to the Docklands Light Railway & within easy access to Canary Wharf.

Price: £895 pw

IEstatE

agEnts stranger things have happened

DOCKLANDS OFFICE NOW OPEN

New Docklands Office Opening Soon We need properties NOW! Record levels of buyers and tenants registering

We won’t be beaten on service or value! ; ; ; ; ; ;

Fantastic Commission Rates for all new clients! All Properties Listed on EVERY major portal & website Mobile website, text and email alerts Members of ARLA, NAEA, NALS and SAFEagent State of the art software linking offices with ‘client log in’ Bespoke, Independent Mortgage Service to get you moving!

For more information: docklands@bushells.com Call us NOW on Twitter 020 3515 0011 Or follow us on @bushells docklands@bushells.com In association with:

Bushells.com Dedicated Mortgage Line: 020 7933 9744 or email: bushells@johncharcol.co.uk YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON A MORTGAGE OR ANY DEBT SECURED ON IT

Bushells.com DOCKLANDS – DULWICH – FULHAM – CLAPHAM – HAMMERSMITH –BATTERSEA – ACTON

Franklyn James

St George’s Sq., Limehouse, E14

£310,000

Park Heights, Limehouse, E14

Sales

£339,888

Chart House, Canary Wharf, E14

£359,995

Offered chain free, is this very spacious split level one bedroom apartment, located along Narrow Street, incorporating two Juliet balconies overlooking the well maintained grounds of the Square itself, along with a private garage car parking space.

Located very close to Narrow Street is this wonderfully presented apartment with two double bedrooms & two bathrooms within a recently built development with secure underground car parking space.

New to the market is this very spacious fifth floor, two double bedroom apartment within the much sought after Burrell’s Wharf Square development, incorporating pleasant courtyard views and two balconies with the addition of a secure allocated underground parking space.

Island Row, Limehouse, E14

£394,995

£475,000

New Prov. Wharf, Canary Wharf, E14 £459,950

Ocean Wharf, Isle of Dogs, E14

New to the market is this very spacious Top floor, three bedroom, apartment overlooking the Limehouse Cut Canal, within the much sought after Island Row development, incorporating far reaching views and two balconies with a secure, allocated underground parking space.

With views of the River Thames towards the Millennium/02 Dome, this wonderfully presented apartment on the 11th floor, with private balcony, valet parking, access to swimming pool & gym facilities, is available with no onward chain.

A very spacious 2nd floor, two double bedroom apartment, alongside the River Thames, within the much sought after Ocean Wharf development, incorporating far reaching west facing views across the river Thames and a large corner aspect balcony with a secure allocated parking space.

City Harbour, Canary Wharf, E14

The Listed Building, Wapping, E1W

Venus House, Isle of Dogs, E14

£574,900

Located moments away from Crossharbour DLR station with views overlooking the Millwall Outer Dock Harbour, is this very well presented 2nd floor, three double-bedroom apartment with three bathrooms, two west facing balconies & underground parking space.

Canary Wharf 020 7005 6080

£639,999

£6,500,000

Situated alongside the River Thames and positioned within a Grade II listed warehouse conversion with concierge & garage parking space is this wonderfully presented two double bedroom apartment with a large south facing private terrace & direct views across the River Thames.

A fantastic investment opportunity comprising of 18 (1, 2 & 3 bedroom) apartments and 9 car parking spaces with a going concern. This amazing high-yielding investment has the potential to return even more.

Bow 020 8983 2930

Limehouse 020 7791 1777

enquiries@franklynjames.co.uk

Sales • New Homes • Lettings • Property Management • Valuations

Franklyn James

Ontario Tower, Blackwall, E14

£310 pw

Orion Point, Isle of Dogs, E14

Lettings

£350 pw

Adriatic Building, Limehouse, E14

£385 pw

Studio suite on the 10th floor in the Landmark Ontario Tower development. The property is offered fully furnished and benefits from impressive views, 24 hour concierge and access to gym and spa facilities.

A great size one bedroom apartment with superb views overlooking the River Thames and within walking distance of Canary Wharf. The closest station is Mudchute DLR, offering easy access to both Canary Wharf & the City.

A bright two bedroom apartment located in the popular Mosaic development on the sought after Narrow Street. The property has a private balcony, secure parking space, 24 hour concierge and is close to Limehouse DLR station.

Royal Gate Apts., South Hackney, E9 £495 pw

Pump House, Rotherhithe, SE16

Drake House, Limehouse, E14

Situated in a popular Victorian school conversion in the heart of Victoria Park, is this spacious loft-style apartment. Finished to a high standard throughout, it boasts double-height ceilings and large sash windows, mezzanine area and secure off-street parking.

Extremely spacious three double bedroom apartment offered for rent in one of the most prestigious and sought after developments in Canada Water. Available furnished or unfurnished.

A unique three bed penthouse set within a gated development, situated in the heart of Limehouse just behind the vibrant Narrow Street. The apartment is split level with stunning river and marina views and secure parking.

Ability Place, Canary Wharf, E14

Bridge House, Canary Wharf, E14

41 Millharbour, Canary Wharf,

£900 pw

Stunning two bedroom/two bathroom apartment situated on the 18th floor of this modern development. The property has excellent panoramic views, secure parking, gym and 24 hour concierge.

Canary Wharf 020 7005 6080

£650 pw

£900 pw

A beautiful two double bedroom, first floor flat in a quiet apartment complex. The property boasts fantastic ‘Old World Style’ features throughout, high ceilings own private garden and parking.

Bow 020 8983 2930

£755 pw

£1,600 pw

A truly stunning two bedroom apartment situated alongside the River Thames boasting over 2000sq/ft of living space, built-in plasma TVs, panoramic views and a secure parking space.

Limehouse 020 7791 1777

enquiries@franklynjames.co.uk

Sales • New Homes • Lettings • Property Management • Valuations

REFINED REFINEDPENTHOUSE PENTHOUSELIVING LIVING

INSIDE INSIDE & & OUT OUT

An Anextremely extremelyrare rareopportunity opportunitytotoacquire acquirea anew newpenthouse penthouseatatthe the prestigious prestigiousGrosvenor GrosvenorWaterside, Waterside,which whichis issituated situatedbetween betweenChelsea Chelsea Bridge Bridgeand andSloane SloaneSquare. Square. The Thetwo twoand andthree-bedroom three-bedroomduplex duplexapartments apartmentsare areavailable availableimmediately. immediately. Each Eachprovides provideslateral lateralliving livingspace spacetogether togetherwith witha abalcony balconyand andanan extensive extensiveprivate privateroof roofgarden gardenthat thatoffers offersstunning stunningelevated elevatedviews views ofofLondonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Londonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;sskyline. skyline. The Thepenthouses penthouseshave havebeen beendesigned designedand andbuilt builttotoananexceptional exceptionalstandard standard and andfeature featurekeycode-controlled keycode-controlledliftliftaccess accesstotothe thepenthouse penthouselevel, level,24/7 24/7 concierge conciergeservice serviceand andsecurity securityand andsecure secureunderground undergroundparking. parking.

www.BramahPenthouses.com www.BramahPenthouses.com For Forfurther furtherinformation informationplease pleasevisit visitthe thewebsite website ororcontact contactthe themarketing marketingsuite: suite: Marketing MarketingSuite Suite 8 8Gatliff GatliffRoad Road London LondonSW1W SW1W8DP 8DP T T+44 +44(0)20 (0)20300 30060 60300 300 E Einfo@BramahChelsea.com info@BramahChelsea.com

the smart way to BUY or SELL your property

A service defined by discretion and dedication that will save you time and money. His extensive experience in property consultancy takes the pain and effort out of the buying and selling process, and any problems that you would usually encounter, become his problems and not yours. After all, achieving the best possible outcome in anything is all about finding someone who can do the job better than you.

work smarter, not harder. T: 020 7499 3434 M: 078 3146 5414 simon@simonbarnes.com www.simonbarnes.com

FAMILY HOMES OF GRAND STYLE

Nestling amidst the perfectly preserved architecture of Camberwell’s conservation area, at Camberwell Grove, the Georgian townhouse has been recreated for the 21st century. • Easy walking distance to Denmark Hill and Peckham Rye railway stations with direct links to central London in just 12 minutes*** • Will benefit from London Underground’s extension of the East London line to Denmark Hill, due for completion in 2012 • Enviable location: bars, restaurants cafés and high street stores within easy walking distance • State of the art open plan kitchen and conservatory to selected plots • Spectacular reception and family rooms on first floor • Level 3 devoted to a luxurious master suite • Underground car parking** • Adjacent to two tennis courts available through membership of the Butterfly Tennis Club****

Four bedroom townhouses from £849,950 - £1,725,000* Denmark Hill

Peckham Rye

Queens Road Peckham

South Bermondsey

2 mins

6 mins

7 mins

London Bridge

12 mins total duration **

020 7708 5829

Please contact us on Or email camberwellgrovesales@stgeorgesl.com www.camberwell-grove.com

Show Home open daily 10am – 6pm Camberwell Grove, Camberwell, London SE5 8RD

Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

*Price correct at time of going to press. **Available at an additional cost ***Times approximate only. See tfl.gov.uk ****Visit butterflytennis.com. Interior photography of Camberwell Grove.

STG075_CG_City&SquareMagazine_297x210_Jan12.indd 1

19/12/2011 09:29

For more information please visit

www.gillingham-marina.co.uk/residential

2, 3 & 4 bedroom apartments and penthouses

highest specification - gated security - lifts to all floors

underground secure parking - river & marina views

for reservations and viewing call 01634 280088

Your ready-made

GRAND DESIGN WELCOME TO LATITUDE

A UNIQUE DESIGN FOCUSED DEVELOPMENT

PART EXCHANGE AVAILABLE**

These wonderful new homes in Ipswich encompass cutting-edge design, aspirational detail and magnificent vistas. Embracing modern living, a seamless ease is created, providing the perfect backdrop for busy family life, entertaining, quiet evenings in and lazy summer days in the garden. Charles Church brings you these fantastic 5 bedroom detached houses, built with design in mind. 5 bedroom designs from £392,000

LATITUDE, ALNESBOURN CRESCENT, IPSWICH, IP3 9UX Marketing Suite and Showhome open: Thursday to Sunday 10.30am-5.30 pm, Monday 11.30am-5.30pm To find out more, visit: www.charleschurch.com Please call 01473 272449

Quote: GRAND DESIGN to receive £20,000 discount and a free gift* Imagery shows showhome at Latitude, Ipswich. * When you reserve, not available in conjunction with any other offer. ** Subject to terms and conditions, please see sales executive for more information.

20/1/12

22:41

L S AU P R N IN C H G I 2 NG 0 12

CP_ADS_A4_Fullpage V3:Layout 1

Page 1

Well connected...

CANARY WHARF

I 17 M

Connectingyou TO theCITY Lewisham Station

London Bridge 8 Mins

Canary Wharf 17 Mins

London City Airport 29 Mins

Train times source: TFL website

With only a short walk to Lewisham Station and a 17 minutes DLR journey to Canary Wharf, Central Park is ideally located for getting into the city. The development offers a range of high spec 1, 2 & 3 bedroom apartments, within a modern urban park with secure parking and concierge facilities available.

Prices start from £179,950* Estimated rental yield 6%. cgi artists impression

*Price based on 1 bed apartment.

cgi artists impression

centralparkliving.co.uk Call Our Sales Line

020 7089 3917 live london › live central park Shared ownership available on selected plots. Prices correct at time of going to print – Jan 2012

Text

CENTRAL2 to 60123

Exclusive homes. Exclusive lifestyle. Both available from Berkeley.

Request your copy now! Visit our website now to download the latest copy of The Collection, which has full details of Berkeleyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outstanding homes in forty locations across London and the South East. You can also find out more about the exclusive Berkeley lifestyle in the first edition of the new Berkeley Magazine. Alternatively you can request a printed copy by email: collection@berkeleygroup.co.uk

www.berkeleyhomes.co.uk/request10 Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

Our vision for your future

GREENWICHCREEKSIDE

EXCLUSIVE SHOW APARTMENT

NOW ON SALE

With unique and distinguished architecture from renowned architects’ Squires & Partners, The Atrium allows natural light to flood into the striking apartment building through a fully glazed roof: bringing the outdoors, indoors!

• NHBC Supreme Award Winner in the ‘Multistorey’ category • Bright, open, airy ‘Atrium’ to the core of the building with extensive natural light and fresh air circulating • 1, 2 & 3 bedroom homes with a high internal specification and optional parking* • Close to the heart of maritime Greenwich • Cutty Sark DLR station 10 minutes walk away, access to Canary Wharf just 9 minutes

Prices from £247,500†

RESERVE BY THE 5TH FEBRUARY: RECEIVE A YEAR’S FREE GYM MEMBERSHIP AT MERIDIAN FITNESS LOCATED AT GREENWICH CREEKSIDE**

greenwichcreekside.com creekside.sales@telfordhomes.plc.uk

0800 883 8983 or (out-of-hours) 0800 032 0077

Selling Agents:

020 8104 1111

*Terms and conditions apply. **Subject to legal completion by 30 March 2012. Meridian Fitness is due to open in March 2012 and is not the responsibility of Telford Homes Plc. †Price correct at time of going to press. Photographs of the Atrium interior and showhome interiors. th

A development by: