Canary Wharf Magazine July 2011 by Runwild Media Group

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HIRSH

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L O N D O N

J U ly 2011 FEBRUARY 2010

business • current affairs • fashion • health & beauty • finance • food & drink • motoring • uk & international property

HARMONY COLLECTION HANDMADE IN PLATINUM

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THE FINAL

COUNTDOWN One Year to London 2012

SUMMER STYLE Jimmy Choo, Geek Chic RosÉ wine, UK Travel

COLLECTION

Patek Philippe President Thierry Stern on tradition and innovation in the world of luxury watches

shopping finance motoring interiors property JULY 2011 i s s u e 7 2

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feature 12 The Final Countdown… With one year to go, Matt and Martin Rogan offer an insiders’ view of the London 2012 Olympic Games

17 Is the Book Dead? Amy Fletcher pits the traditional form of the book against the 21st century tablet

It’s the final

Countdown… With just one year to go until the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Matt and Martin Rogan offer an insiders’ view

n the surface, the six years since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) voted in Singapore to award Britain the Olympic and Paralympic Games have flown by with minimal controversy and relatively few column inches. Behind the scenes, however, things have been somewhat more challenging. Our domestic security agenda was forever changed on 7 July 2005 by the bombings taking place just a single day after the Singapore vote. The economic model for the Games and delivery of a ‘legacy’ plan has been challenged by staggering levels of public debt on the back of financial meltdown. It is tougher for us all to sign up to expensive tickets when wages are static and inflation is climbing. Similarly, commercial purse strings have been increasingly tightened, and so balancing the books through sponsorship has become a huge challenge. The creation of temporary venues around Britain’s capital to host events is impossible to justify when public budgets are under pressure like never before. The perfect storm, you might say. Incredibly, Britain has seen far worse. When Britain last hosted the Games in 1948, the country was following on from Hitler’s theft of the Olympic ideals in Berlin. The Berlin airlift was beginning as the Games began. Public debt was far higher than today’s levels, running at 200 per cent of GDP. The government did not contribute in any way to the Games and there was no blueprint for commercial funding of any sort. Rationing was far worse than even during the war years and Britain’s working population was malnourished and disillusioned. The challenge was less about erecting new venues than locating and refurbishing those still standing. Given the scale of the challenge, the organisers of the 1948 Games teamed a former athlete with a talented entrepreneur. Lord Burghley worked the corridors of political power, whilst Sir Arthur Elvin used his commercial experience and skills to ensure the Games were delivered using a tattered infrastructure without cost to the public purse. The backgrounds of the London 2012 leaders – Seb Coe and Paul Deighton (who joined the Organising Committee from Goldman Sachs) – are strikingly similar. Elvin was a former Royal Flying Corps observer for whom the context of austerity created permissions for creativity and entrepreneurship. He started out as a tobacco kiosk proprietor at the 1924 Empire Exhibition, and initially made his money from taking down stands and

Olympic Delivery Authority Unveils Olympic Stadium Plans

re-assembling them elsewhere, so they did not become white elephants. He understood that the Games needed to be run on a shoestring, and did exactly that. Britain was too busy rebuilding its critical infrastructure and creating the new NHS to finish the Wembley Stadium refurbishment before the Opening Ceremony, so he borrowed some German prisoners of war to finish the job. The finished article included a running track and broadcasting facilities which would keep it at the vanguard of live sporting television transmissions for years to come. Once the swimming was finished at what was known as the Empire Pool, Elvin hoisted a boxing ring above the still-full pool and hosted the boxing. Now known as the Wembley Arena, the same venue will be hosting the Badminton and

feature

Rhythmic Gymnastics in 2012 – chosen in the height of our recession to replace a temporary venue deemed unjustifiable in the current climate. Not all 1948 venues prospered as well. The Empress Hall in West Kensington was home to Wrestling and Weightlifting and, when the weather defeated the scheduled outdoor facilities, Gymnastics. The 31-storey Empress State Building now occupies the site, offering spectacular views of the city and housing Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police, who will have their own crucial roles to play in 2012. Happily, venues such as The O2 and ExCeL Centre are already far more integrated into the fabric of East London living to risk a similar fate to the Empress Hall.

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olympics

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interview collection

24 Time-Honoured Tradition Annabel Harrison speaks to Thierry Stern about his role as President of Patek Philippe

Time

honoured

Tradition Annabel Harrison speaks to Thierry Stern, President of Patek Philippe, about new complications presented at Baselworld, keeping the business in the family and what he loves most about his multi-faceted role

f the ten core values at the heart of Patek Philippe, I am hard pressed to choose which Thierry Stern exemplifies most strongly. Tradition? “For Patek there is continuity in terms of product. This is what I really have in mind – to maintain continuity through all the lines”. Heritage? “We have a team working with us but it’s the family which is creating. This is the strength of Patek – it is the heart”. Spoken with a serious expression, his commitment to both Tradition and Heritage is immediately evident, and with that, he ticks the box for Emotion. Stern’s genuine passion for the intricate, fascinating, complex and competitive world of luxury watchmaking could not be feigned. Undoubtedly he inherited this from his father Philippe, who handed the presidential reins over to his son just two years ago. Stern’s earliest memory is watch-related: “I was about six years old and I was opening a drawer in my father’s office... I still remember the smell of the drawer, the pocket watches – I was not allowed to touch them, just look at them! That’s when I decided, ‘this is what I would like to do; create watches’ and since then, I have never stopped”. The first Patek he owned, at 20, was a Nautilus, “a simple automatic movement”, and as we speak, surrounded by gleaming Patek Philippe watches in David M. Robinson, Canary Wharf, he fondly points it out. “It’s wrong to start with too complicated a watch; what I see for Patek is to be able to go step by step for every type of movement and design”. Taking such a linear, cumulative approach to advancement, in terms of personally owned watches and the Patek Philippe watches, suggests a long-seated appreciation

concierge 48 Geek Chic Channelling smart girl summer style feature xxxx

calibre

of yet another brand philosophy, that of Value. Indeed, Patek has been in Stern hands since it was purchased in 1932 by Charles and Jean Stern, two brothers who owned a fine dial manufacturing company in Geneva. In 2009 the presidency was officially transmitted from the third to the fourth generation; Thierry Stern became President and his father Philippe, Honorary President. While Thierry embraces the traditional approach to watches, woven into his family line and a fundamental cornerstone of a brand celebrating its 160th anniversary this year, the fifth value, Innovation, is “so important – this is my role; to preserve the line in terms of design but also in innovation”. As such, six new Grand Complications were presented this year at Baselworld, including Patek’s second most complicated wristwatch and its first Grand Complication for ladies. Why? Because his customers were asking for it and Stern listened, demonstrating the value Patek Philippe attaches to Service. “People expect it of Patek. They say, ‘you are Patek Philippe. You’ve had the know-how since 1839 and always evolve’. This is in our blood”. However, Stern is extremely careful to keep the right balance between evolution just for the sake of it and evolution in order to better the products: “a watchmaker is someone who would like to improve the product every day. When I say improve, it has to be useful, not a gimmick. We have seen too many of those elsewhere and in the end, you don’t even know where the time is on your dial; this is not something I’m ready to do”. Improvements include a continual dedication to increasing precision, very important to Stern, and making thinner movements because “this is better for design”.

78 Back On (and off) Track Matthew Carter reports on Jeep’s new Compass

comment 88 Enter the Dragon Richard Brown finds out why James Caan is one of the UK’s shrewdest and most successful businessmen

Enter the 44

connoisseur 102 Palace in Wonderland Bel Trew gets to grips with off-roading and

1,000-metre drops in Oman

113 Dining by the Docks Docklands Bar and Grill provides a calming retreat from life in the city

Before earning a reputation as the mildest-mannered, most level-headed Dragon in the BBC’s Dragon’s Den, James Caan was already recognised as one of the UK’s shrewdest and most successful businessmen. Richard Brown finds out why

Dragon...

regulars 10 editor’s letter

85 technology

47 fashion

101 travel

55 health & beauty

111 food & drink

57 interiors

119 out & about

67 sport

123 property

contributors...

RUNWILD M

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood

Editorial Director Kate Harrison

Editor

Annabel Harrison

Fashion Editor Lucie Dodds

Motoring Editor Matthew Carter

Assistant Editors Richard Brown Gabrielle Lane

1. David Kuo is one of the UK’s leading

commentators on money matters. He is a director at The Motley Fool as well as providing daily insight and financial news for BBC London’s Breakfast Show.

2. Martin Bamford is one of the youngest and most successful financial planners in the UK. He runs his own firm of financial advisers – Informed Choice – and regularly contributes to various financial publications.

3. Matthew Carter is a London-based freelance journalist who’s been writing about cars for most of his working life. A former editor of Autocar magazine, he is a serial car owner. 4. Clare Murray is founder and managing partner of specialist law firm, CM Murray LLP. Clare and her colleagues advise a wide range of companies, professional firms and senior individuals on employment, partnership and business immigration law issues.

Head of Design Hiren Chandarana

Senior Designer Dalton Butler

Designer

Ashley Lewis

Production Manager Fiona Fenwick

Production

Hugo Wheatley

Senior Project Manager Ella Kilgarriff

Head of Finance Elton Hopkins

Managing Director Eren Ellwood

5. Carol Cordrey is an art critic and editor

with popular columns in many magazines. Each year she organises sponsored art competitions offering attractive prize money and judged by distiguished artists.

Time-Honoured Tradition See p. 24 Cover: Patek Philippe Perpetual Calendar Ref. 5159G in white gold Image with thanks to the Patek Philippe Image Library

16 Heron Quay, Canary Wharf London E14 4JB T: 020 7987 4320 F: 020 7005 0045 www.runwildmedia.com

Runwild Media Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Runwild Media Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved. Subscriptions: A free online subscription service is available for Canary Wharf. Visit the subscriptions page on our website. www.subscribe.runwildmedia.com

Runwild Media Group Publishers of: Canary Wharf, The City, Vantage & London Homes & Property

from the editor...

is with our judgements as our watches – none go just alike, yet each believes his own”. So 18th century poet Alexander Pope noted. Watches, inherently personal, say a great deal about the person wearing them. How did they choose that particular watch? What emotional significance do they attach to it? Did they inherit it from a parent and will they pass it on to their children? Would they ever leave the house without it?

July

This issue marks the launch of a brand new section, Collection (p. 21), to accompany Concierge, Calibre, Comment and Connoisseur. Collection will cover the world of watches, the finest jewellery and the most desirable luxury goods – in short, everything and anything you’d long to collect. A watch or piece of jewellery is an investment, a statement, a talking point and an integral part of any outfit so each month in Collection, we will bring you interviews, features and the best of the latest and greatest products to ensure you’re on trend. Who better to speak to about the luxury watch industry than the wonderful Thierry Stern, President of Patek Philippe? Find out how the brand, in his family for four generations, so successfully blends tradition and innovation (p. 24). We take a closer look at what is surely one of the most jaw-dropping watches in the world – Greubel Forsey’s award-winning Double Tourbillon 30° Edition Historique (p. 21) – and the roll-call of big players continues with Cartier, Jaeger-LeCoultre, IWC, Bremont, Breitling, Longines, Hublot and Bell & Ross.

Ladies, be enticed by glittering gems this summer; the most beautiful jewellery takes inspiration from nature’s wingéd creatures – brilliant butterflies, birds and bees (p. 28). A much-discussed topic of conversation in June was ticket sales for London 2012 and the rush for second round tickets. In 1908, we first hosted the Games at short notice when Rome pulled out following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Authors of Britain and the Olympic Games: Past, Present, Legacy, Matt and Martin Rogan, look back in time to 1948 when Britain hosted the Games for the second time (p. 12). Now there’s just one year to go until the world’s biggest sporting event descends on London for the third time, bringing with it the distinction of hosting the modern Olympic Games more than any other city (p. 68). With the advent of July, summer holidays are on the horizon. When planning what to pack, take inspiration from Jimmy Choo’s Cruise11 collection (p. 45) or invest in a set of luggage from Globe-Trotter (p. 99) to ensure you travel in style. If you yearn for adventure, follow Bel Trew’s 2,500 kilometre odyssey through Oman (p. 103) as she gets to grips with off-roading and 45° climbs before a palatial pitstop. Whether you’re working, holidaying or both, have a wonderful July.

Annabel Harrison Editor

It’s the final

Countdown… With just one year to go until the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, Matt and Martin Rogan offer an insiders’ view

olympics

Olympic Delivery Authority Unveils Olympic Stadium Plans

feature

Rhythmic Gymnastics in 2012 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; chosen in the height of our recession to replace a temporary venue deemed unjustifiable in the current climate. Not all 1948 venues prospered as well. The Empress Hall in West Kensington was home to Wrestling and Weightlifting and, when the weather defeated the scheduled outdoor facilities, Gymnastics. The 31-storey Empress State Building now occupies the site, offering spectacular views of the city and housing Transport for London and the Metropolitan Police, who will have their own crucial roles to play in 2012. Happily, venues such as The O2 and ExCeL Centre are already far more integrated into the fabric of East London living to risk a similar fate to the Empress Hall.

feature olympics

This pragmatic creativity is also seen today in the way that Deighton and Coe have approached the delivery of London 2012. Their energy is infectious and their commercial creativity refreshing. A good example of this is the Lakshmi Mittal funded ‘Orbit’ tower, which will sit above the Olympic Park in the same way the ‘Bird’s Nest’ did in Beijing. It would be easy to write this off as a victory for naked ego over financial common sense. In fact, the £19.1 million costs of the tower have been covered by Mr Mittal (to the tune of £16 million) and the Greater London Authority (the remaining £3.1 million). Additionally, and most critically, the tower is also expected to generate a minimum of £5 million towards the Organising Committee’s budget from sponsors keen to wine and dine clients in a totally unique environment. Coe and Deighton have created a culture where this level of creativity is not just tolerated, but embraced as a way of balancing the books. They are steadfast in their commitment not only to deliver the perfect Games, but also to reinvigorate an area of east London along the way. The Games will regenerate an expanse that would otherwise have taken a minimum of 40 years to redevelop in recessionary Britain without the impetus of the Olympic Games. As Morgan Garfield, a partner at Ellandi affirms, “decades of underinvestment in East London created a practical opportunity for London 2012 as a project – where else in London could you have bought and cleared acres of land to create an Olympic Park only seven minutes by train from the city? The scale of the project has the potential to leave a legacy of infrastructure and seed investment that could yet reunite the east of London with the mainstream property market”.

Of all the nostalgia connected with London 2012, the Paralympic Games coming home must surely be the most emotionally charged. On 29 July 1948, as the Opening Ceremony was taking place at Wembley, 16 paralysed ex-servicemen gathered on the Lawn at Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire, just 30 miles or so from London, to take part in the inaugural Stoke Mandeville Games. These were the brainchild of neurologist Sir Ludwig Guttmann, and Stoke Mandeville has since kept the movement alive on more than one occasion when Olympic hosts have been reluctant to accept the Paralympic events. London will be the very first Olympic Organising Committee to deliver both Olympic and Paralympic Games with the same strategic priority from the very outset. London 1948 had to recover the Olympic ideals from the shadow cast by Berlin 1936, and redefine the movement. Beijing 2008 was a Games of unmatchable infrastructure, prioritising political statement over sporting and infrastructure legacy. London now aspires to bring the Games back to its Olympic and Paralympic roots, despite the very immediate challenges in doing so. In the eye of the financial crisis, Seb Coe said, “We meet today in another time of adversity. But in that adversity lies opportunity. Never let a good crisis go to waste.” This gives a great insight into the mindset of Britain’s Olympic leaders. Instead of shying away from the reality of public debt, financial recession, international instability and a creaking Olympic movement, they have embraced this dire context to drive a culture of innovation and regeneration. It will soon be time for us all to play our part. n

Matt and Martin Rogan are the authors of Britain and the Olympic Games: Past Present Legacy, published by Troubador and available now in hardback from www.troubador.co.uk

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current affairs

feature

Is the

Book Dead? Upon launching the Kindle in 2007, Amazon’s Jeff Bezos posed this question: “Can you improve on something as highly evolved and as well suited to its task as the book? If so, how?” Four years on, this dilemma still plagues book lovers around the globe; Amy Fletcher questions whether books can be bettered by digital innovation

t is a troubling thought: for many, the appeal of a book is a combination of engaging content and a very particular, familiar experience; the feel of crisp paper, the rustle as pages turn and plots thicken, the smell of a bookshop bursting with paperbound treasures. The book as we know it is a tough act to beat. The benefits of the e-reader were obvious from the outset: they have a huge memory, they’re light and discreet, and screens have been honed to reduce glare. But is this enough to compete with the much-loved book? Statistics suggest not. Despite its benefits, the e-reader doesn’t really offer anything new. It replicates the content of the book almost identically and for the book lover, there is not a huge amount to excite. Sales may be growing steadily but the e-reader has not yet replaced the book. However, digital publishing is moving apace. Applications have developed and technological advances have multiplied. E-readers now exist alongside new tablet devices and android models. A new digital language has evolved. The original electronic book has become a rather standard ‘vanilla e-book’ and we now have ‘enhanced electronic editions’ and ‘electronic versions’. These new developments pose the question of whether or not a book is

feature current affairs

the most suitable medium for containing a story, of enticing one to read on, in a whole new light. There has been much discussion recently of Faber and Touch Press’s app version of The Wasteland. TS Eliot’s famously fragmented poem is reassembled with a host of features that only a digital edition could allow: audio options (one being TS Eliot himself reading the poem); a visual recording of Fiona Shaw narrating; images of the original handwritten transcript; explanatory notes. The experience of reading the poem has been transformed, impressively, and by no means is this the first of its kind. These editions are reminiscent of Tolkien’s maps of Middle Earth or the detailed family trees of A Suitable Boy, which reinforce the world of a novel, and the possibilities are endless. While this type of edition is attractive, it is children’s publishing that is likely to benefit the most. Although developments were slowed by the lack of e-reading devices able to show colour, technology is evolving and publishers are responding quickly. On the fiction side, enhanced versions similar to adult books are now available. Others lend themselves naturally to e-versions: Ihero, by Steve Barlow and Steve Skidmore (Hachette Children’s Books), an interactive series in which the reader chooses the fate of the hero, is a prime example. Picture books too, are undergoing an exciting transformation: e-books like Oliver Jeffers’ The Heart in the Bottle (HCUK) or Three Little Pigs

Despite its benefits, the e-reader doesn’t really offer anything new. It replicates the content of the book almost identically and for the book lover, there is not a huge amount to excite. Sales may be growing steadily but the e-reader has not yet replaced the book 18

(Nosy Crow) allow the reader to interact with the stories in numerous and original ways. The text and illustrations are not compromised by the interactive features but the stories feel more alive; they allow the reader to experience the world of story in a whole new way. A particularly exciting aspect of the digital revolution in children’s publishing is the possibility for tie-in material, new avenues which readers can explore to immerse themselves in a story. To celebrate the launch of Malorie Blackman’s novel Boys Don’t Cry, an unflinching account of a teenage father’s life, RHCB launched the My CriBaby app in partnership with software developers, Somethin’ Else. The app is a game in which the ‘player’ has a virtual baby to take care of. A clever marketing tool, yes, but this is also an excellent extension of the themes of the book. Publishers are constantly searching for ways to capitalise on this new platform. HarperCollins, for example, is developing an app of the classic picture book Paddington Bear. For those worried that tie-in material like this could corrupt the heart of a text, fear not. Paddington will still be Paddington, just on a fresh platform. As HarperCollins’ digital publishing manager Tom Conway states that ‘working with the author is absolutely key, but it’s also key that the author understand that it’s not a book: it’s a new storytelling thing”. This is important to remember – we are no longer discussing books as we know them but something completely new. It is equally important that we do not forget that through the ages, the medium through which we feed our hunger for stories has changed: Neolithic man had cave paintings; ancient Egyptians had scrolls of papyrus; the Victorians read Dickens in serialised newspaper instalments; the paperback came into its own in the 1930s. In the 21st century, we should not preoccupy ourselves with the question “Is the book dead?” – we should look forward to its evolution. n

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The moon-phase indication needs to be periodically corrected. About once every four generations.

The SAXONIA ANNUAL CALENDAR provides five different time indications at a glance: the time of day, outsize date, day of week, month, and moon phase. The latter, mathematically speaking, only needs to be adjusted by one day every 122 years. This accuracy of 99.998 % is generated by the bidirectional

self-winding movement. All of the 476 individual parts are finished with the utmost care, even the ones you cannot see through the sapphire-crystal caseback. This micromechanical treasure will still gleam with its original perfection when the moon-phase display needs to be corrected for the first time.

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interview thierry stern jewellery butterflies & bees one to watch Iwc portofino ...........................................

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greubel forsey’s victory

Before Greubel Forsey sets forth to explore new technical territories, the company honours the watch that earned it a position among the élite

hen a watch wins the coveted Grand Prix L’Aiguille d’Or prize at the annual Grand Prix d’Horlogerie de Genève, it enters the history books as one of the greatest watches of its time. When that watch comes courtesy of a company yet to celebrate its eighth birthday, this achievement heralds an illustrious future. Winning last year’s overall prize for the finest watch from all categories – and adding its name to a list that includes Vacheron Constantin’s Tour de l ‘Île and Patek Philippe’s 5102 Ciel Lune

– was Greubel Forsey with its Double Tourbillon 30° Edition Historique. Designed both to conclude and commemorate the watch that launched Greubel Forsey, the timepiece boasts a gold dial with three sapphire crystal plates and is limited to 11 5N red gold pieces (priced at £380,000) and 11 pieces in platinum (priced at £403,000). While the mechanical complexity and aesthetic beauty of the Edition Historique make it the perfect send-off to a range of revolutionary tourbillions, it also whets the appetite for what Greubel Forsey will bring us in the future. n

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watches

collection

Three of the best…

collection

Aviation Watches

news

Heritage Retrograde Longines, £2,300 Goldsmiths Cabot Place, Canary Wharf

Jaeger-LeCoultre Dazzles at Cannes Following the opening of the JaegerLeCoultre Boutique in Cannes last year, 2011 saw the company cement itself as the dominant watch brand on the red carpets of the world’s most famous film festival. As well as the likes of Rob Lowe and Joshua Jackson, a host of other celebrities were spotted sporting a range of Jaeger-LeCoultre’s timepieces. Actress Diane Kruger dazzled at the premiere of Sleeping Beauty with a Jaeger-LeCoultre Joaillerie 101 Art Deco on her wrist, while French star Inès de la Fressange chose to model an exceptional Queen’s Joaillerie 101.

Chronomat 01 Breitling, £6,060 Goldsmiths Cabot Place, Canary Wharf

Available at David m. robinson jubilee place, Canary Wharf

One to Watch: Each month Sandy Madhvani, Showroom Manager at David. M. Robinson in Canary Wharf, selects his favourite watch from the newest models

“Available with a Milanese mesh bracelet, reminiscent of popular 60s fashion, the 2011 Portofino Chronograph brings a sporty touch to the elegant Portofino watch family”

iwc 2011 Portofino, £4,650 Available at David m. robinson, jubilee place, Canary Wharf

U2 Limited Edition Bremont, £3,250 The Wonder Room Selfridges & Co.

interview

collection

Time

honoured

collection interview

Today it’s not because you’re in the family that you deserve to run the business – you need to earn the right to run it

The consideration for the whole process from start to finish embodies the value Patek places on Aesthetics, sure to be protected by Stern, who, with time at the Watchmaking School of Geneva under his belt, has as thorough an understanding of the inner workings of a complicated watch as those making the Patek watches in the workshops. Producing just 45,000 pieces each year, a fraction of some of their closest rivals, Quality and Rarity are assured from Patek; one craftsman can spend a whole year producing a Patek Philippe timepiece. Thierry is emphatic about this point: “you need to know a Patek. Not only the reference or the prices; you need to understand the difficulties of how to realise the case, the bracelet, the components for the movement”.

This takes us back to the critical balancing act of watchmaking traditions and innovation. This is where I see Thierry adding the most value to the Patek brand in his tenure as President because not only does he appreciate this but he also has the vision, requisite knowledge and necessary resources to keep a perfect equilibrium. “You need new technology or new machinery but you have to breed that with the know-how of the past”, he points out. He uses the example of engraving: “The machine will do it even better [than the engraver] but without any life, without any mistakes. This is not what I want. I am ready to keep some mistakes of the artist because that’s his work. I think it’s much more beautiful”. However, despite this whimsical nod to fallible human craftsmanship, his feet are firmly earthed in the practical world: “I’m not ready to do this with the components, because this will affect the precision of the watch”. Stern is already looking to the future, confident about the route Patek will take and why. “Already I see exactly where I will be in ten years – it will be Patek Philippe with new movements, more complicated, definitely. The demand that I can see for men and women is now for complications for Patek”. He ultimately cares about the product more than anything, perhaps more so than his peers: “I often have a hard time in discussions with the CEOs of other brands because they are talking figures... I care about the product”. “Today it’s not because you’re in the family that you deserve to run the business – you need to earn the right to run it.” Stern has certainly earned this right. There is every reason to believe that Thierry and the Stern family will treasure and advance the Patek brand for another 160 years, keeping a firm hold of the tenth and final value: Independence. n Patek Philippe watches available from David M. Robinson, Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf

collection jewellery

1 2

This summer, the most beautiful jewellery takes inspiration from nature’s wingéd creatures brilliant butterflies, birds and bees

float like a butterfly sting like a bee

5 6

1 Yellow Box ‘Flutterby’ Pendant in 18 carat yellow gold, £995, David M. Robinson, Jubilee Place 2 & 3 Butterfly Clip in yellow gold, diamonds and white mother of pearl, £7,050 and Oiseaux de Paradis Earclips in white gold and round diamonds, £41,300, both Van Cleef & Arpels, www.vancleef-arpels.com 4 ‘Attrape Moi’ Pendant in pink gold with diamond head and heart-cut lavender amethyst, £1,660, Chaumet Harrods Limited Edition, www.harrods.com 5 & 6 Tourmaline Bee and Blossom Ring in mint green, £6,950 and Honeycomb Beecuff Bangle, £9,950, both Theo Fennell, www.theofennell.com 7 Dragonfly Necklace in 22 carat gold-plate, £120, Alex Monroe at Charles Fish, Cabot Place 8 ‘Fly By Night’ Bat Moth Earrings in white gold with white diamonds, £4,100, Stephen Webster at Charles Fish, Cabot Place 9 Firebird Cuff, £245,000, Boodles, www.boodles.com

men’s luxury

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The Midas touch

Couple the colour most synonymous with luxury with the sophistication and boldness of black and the result is an array of strikingly stylish accessories

7 8 1 Signature Pure Black and Red Gold Vertu with mixed metal front, £18,500, Vertu at David M. Robinson, Jubilee Place, from 1 July 2011 2 Big Bang Chronograph in rose gold and ceramic, £19,300, Hublot at David M. Robinson, as before 3 Meisterstuck Solitaire Doué Geomtric Dimension Pen, £550, Mont Blanc, Cabot Place 4 RCD 81 Mk.I Mechanical Credit Card Dispenser, Roland Iten at Harrods, www.harrods.com 5 BR0192 in rose gold and PVD, £6,500, Bell & Ross at Charles Fish, Cabot Place 6 Blandon Black 48 Hour Bag, £1,295, Dunhill, www.dunhill.com 7 RT Gears Square Cufflinks, £75, Tateossian, www.gift-library.co.uk 8 R22 Mk.I -22mm Belt Buckle, Bugatti Edition, Roland Iten at Harrods 9 Santos 100 Chronograph, £9,475, Cartier at David M Robinson, as before

Image by Mark Tillie

collection event

A COLLECTOR’S PARADISE

Annabel Harrison heads to the ultra luxurious Salon Privé event at Syon Park for a day of classic car spotting, people watching and champagne drinking. For a car collector, this is heaven on earth. For everyone else, it’s the quintessential English garden party

he weather may have been up and down but excitement levels certainly weren’t. Thousands of guests flocked from London, and further afield, for the sixth annual Salon Privé event, held from Wednesday 23 to Friday 25 June. For the first time in its six year existence, Salon Privé took place in the picturesque, 200-acre grounds of the Syon Estate and a veritable fleet of gleaming supercars graced the manicured green lawns in front of Syon House. Headliners were the Lamborghini Aventador and the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, which both drew gasps of admiration from the crowd. The number of UK debuts totalled an impressive 14 and these included the GTA Motor Spano, the Aston Martin Virage and Vantage V8. Of the British brands, the Range Rover Evoque, the Rolls-Royce 102EX and the new Bentley Continental GT really stood out. I loved the Super and Classic Car Parade which took place in the afternoon; awesome car after awesome car rolled past, showing them off their individual glory and allowing guests to see them in motion. With approximately 200 cars on display, we were spoilt for choice as to favourites and much heated debate took place among our party as to which car was the fastest, sleekest or most desirable. For those like me, who know which cars they like but not necessarily what they’re called, the raft of

Associate Sponsors and their respective displays provided diversionary excitement. I was enthralled by the glittering jewels and gems on display in the Boodles area; particularly pretty were the Iolanthe emerald necklace and the chandelier earrings (as pictured). Vertu had on show its latest and greatest models, including the carbon fibre Constellation Quest and the exquisite Signature Precious, which demonstrated the marriage of ceramic and rose gold. Representing the world of luxury watches was Audemars Piguet, the oldest Swiss watch brand owned by the ancestors of the founding families, and on show was a comprehensive collection from all its ranges. Mention must go to Pommery for supplying the lovely champagne that was sipped in significant quantities as guests relaxed into the surroundings and enjoyed their day to the full. The day after I attended, the Thursday, was Ladies Day and saw RM Auctions – the world’s largest and most prolific auction house for quality automobiles – present a sale of ‘Quintessentially English Cars’ for true car connoisseurs. I fully intend to attend this event next year; never before have I seen as many incredible vehicles in the guest car park as on display for the main event and that’s just counting the Porsches, Ferraris and Lamborghinis that I could see from the lawns. n www.salonprivelondon.com Save the date for the next Salon Privé: 27-29 June 2012

SHOPPING

Recognising Restaurant Some of the world’s top architects and interior designers are descending on Canary Wharf's East Wintergarden to find out if they have what it takes to win at the UK and International Restaurant & Bar Design Awards

D esign

East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf

Totally independent and dedicated to recognising the most original and stimulating ideas from the design world, the UK and International Restaurant & Bar Design Awards are the only concept of their kind. Judging the awards, which feature entries from the world’s top architects, designers and hospitality operators, are a highly influential panel of top design and lifestyle personalities. Following on from Canteen and The Parlour who were included in last year’s award shortlist, Rocket Restaurant & Bar at Churchill Place is flying the flag for Canary Wharf in 2011. Nominated for the Multiple Restaurant award, Rocket will have to fend off competition from London’s Rosa’s, Bicester’s Busaba and Billericay’s Wildwood (soon to open a restaurant in Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf), if it is to take top prize. While the Canary Wharf restaurant may be the newest addition to the family-run Rocket chain, it hasn’t taken long for the venue to earn a reputation as one of the area’s top dining destinations. Already ticking the requisite boxes for great food, great wine, attentive staff and excellent lighting levels, a win at the 2011 Restaurant & Bar Design Awards would see Rocket gain the recognition it deserves for its truly innovative and inspiring decor. The prestigious ceremony and party is being held within Canary Wharf’s East Wintergarden on 7 July from 6.30pm. With the organisers having asked six of this year’s awards shortlisted restaurants (including Rocket) to produce a canapé style catering solution inspired from their own menu, the all-inclusive ‘Cocktails & Canapé’ party promises to be a night of design recognition and gastronomic creation.

2011 nominee Rocket Restaurant & Bar, Canary Wharf

“A series of giant, old-fashioned paintings with gilt gold frames are hung in an arc on the ceilings, clashing in a wonderful way with red lampshades, striped chairs and lime green wallpaper. Brilliantly modern, informal and stylish.” One critic’s view of why Rocket Restaurant & Bar at Canary Wharf stands an excellent chance of being awarded the UK Multiple Restaurant accolade For tickets visit www.restaurantandbardesignawards.com UK and International Restaurant & Bar Design Awards 6.30pm, 7 July 2011 East Wintergarden, Canary Wharf, E14 5NX www.canarywharf.com

Ten Minutes with Founder of the UK and International Restaurant & Bar Design Awards

This year’s nominees are competing in the following categories:

Marco Rebora and Sophie Douglas from Fusion Design & Architecture who was shortlisted with Canary Wharf’s Rocket Restaurant & Bar

For projects located in the UK: • Independent Restaurant • Multiple Restaurant • Independent Bar or Club • Multiple Bar or Club • Restaurant or Bar in a hotel • Restaurant, bar or club in another space

What was the inspiration behind the first Restaurant & Bar Design Awards?

• Café or fast food • Pub • Identity and website design

For projects based both in the UK and elsewhere: • Lighting

For projects located outside of the UK: • International restaurant • International bar

2011 nominee The Chan, Greece

MP: The inspiration came from the realisation that there were no awards dedicated exclusively to design out there, nationally or internationally. The Restaurant & Bar Design Awards is the only awards of its kind that rewards both the designers and operators for design excellence. With restaurants and bars being very challenging yet rewarding spaces to conceive, practically every architect at some time will have designed one. In addition to companies that specialise in hospitality projects, we have had entries from over 60 countries and from big name architects like Foster & Partners and Zaha Hadid.

What made you choose Canary Wharf as home to this year’s awards? MP: The wonderful Anna Watts (owner of Rocket Restaurant & Bar in Canary Wharf) suggested that we hold the Restaurant & Bar Design Awards ceremony there. Canary Wharf is the perfect location for our Awards in that it is easily accessible, is known worldwide and has every type of food service operation imaginable.

How important is design to the success of a restaurant, bar or pub?

2010 nominee The Parlour, Canary Wharf

SD: Design should not be seen as the most important part of a restaurant bar or pub, but it is a critical part of the overall offer and, along with the food, drink and service, should form a coherent and successful package. The design scheme will set the tone and market position, it can relax, challenge, excite, comfort and reassure. Design will attract the customer in the first place, direct the customer through the process and govern how long the customer stays. A good design may not be immediately obvious but well utilised space, finishes, furniture and lighting will greatly enhance the customers’ experience.

What is the most important element to bear in mind when designing a restaurant, bar or pub?

2011 nominee Wildwood, Billericay

SD: The customer! The design has to be carefully considered around who the customer is and what they are looking for. It should aim to exceed their expectations on all levels.

NEWS Community Comes Together for Shavuot Canary Wharf celebrated the annual Jewish festival of Shavuot last month thanks to help from Canary Wharf Group plc and international law firm Clifford Chance LLP. The event at 10 Upper Bank Street featured a school choir and special buffet lunch. Attendees included members of the Holocaust Survivors Centre, Stepney Jewish Community Day Centre, Dennis Centre, Brenner Centre, Nightingale House, Schonfeld Square Care Homes, Sam Beckman Special Day Centre, the East London Synagogues Association and workers from around Canary Wharf. Shavuot marks the giving of the Ten Commandments to the Jewish people at Mount Sinai. Customs include decorating homes and synagogues with fruit and flowers and eating dairy food such as cheesecake.

Thomson Reuters takes honours in Canary Wharf Grand Prix Thomson Reuters won the Canary Wharf Corporate Grand Prix cycling event on 16 June. The pro-am event saw Thomson Reuters head off the likes of Prestige Ticketing, Canary Wharf Group, Saxo Bank, Northern Trust, Clifford Chance, BP and Moodys to earn corporate bragging rights and entry to the IG Markets Hot lap amateur / celebrity time trial, held ahead of the final stage of The Tour of Britain on Sunday 18 September. The race was held on the same evening as the Grand Final of the Halfords Tour Series, which featured the UK’s best riders in city centres around the UK. The Tour Series was won by the Rapha Condor Sharp team.

Thomson Reuters, winners of the Canary Wharf Grand Prix cycle race

Materials being removed from Riverside South by river barge

Riverside Walkway Reopens The walkway next to the Riverside South construction site at Canary Wharf has temporarily reopened. The walkway replaces a diversion put in place while large-scale construction was underway at Riverside South, which is owned by J.P. Morgan and being developed by Canary Wharf Group plc. The two companies have made the walkway safe and accessible for pedestrians and cyclists in advance of another closure, when large-scale construction restarts to bring the site up to ground level. Howard Dawber from Canary Wharf Group said that the walkway will be kept open as long as possible before large scale works require it to be closed again: “While it isn’t ideal to have to close the walkway, there have been benefits to local residents. It has allowed us to move excavated materials and equipment by river barge, saving many thousands of noisy and smelly lorry trips from clogging up local roads.”

SUMMER SCREEN You know that summer has arrived when the big screens go up in Canada Square Park and this year a packed programme includes not only Wimbledon, Formula 1, and golf, but highlights of the Proms and a host of interactive onscreen games to while away your free time. You can also enjoy screenings of classic and contemporary films, live performances from the Royal Opera House, entertainment from all the BBC channels and keep up to date with news and current affairs via BBC News24.

Until Wednesday 31 August Various Times Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf FREE

BP SUMMER BIG SCREENS PRESENTS: Madam Butterfly & Cinderella live from The Royal Opera House, Covent Garden Canada Square Park welcomes the BP Summer Big Screens relay of Puccini’s Madam Butterfly for the first time on 4 July, while 13 July will see Massenet’s Cinderella broadcast live from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden.

Monday 4 July and Wednesday 13 July 7.30pm Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf FREE

TWILIGHT DELIGHTS Canary Wharf’s popular annual Twilight Delights music concert series returns, with a stellar lineup including The Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra, Baroque by Candlelight and Ultimate Motown, amongst others.

Wednesdays 6/20/27 July and 10/17/24/31 August 7pm Canada Square Park , Canary Wharf FREE

events THE LUNCH MARKET Lunch with a difference as The Lunch Market returns with its assortment of stalls inspired by the spirit of outdoor markets throughout the world. Choose the lunchtime treat that most takes your fancy or try a little of everything.

Tuesday 26 July 11am-3pm Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf

THE MAGIC OF MUSICALS The West End comes to the East End as Canary Wharf, in association with The Society of London Theatre, presents excerpts and highlights of some of London’s current top West End shows. Stars from the shows will perform hit songs from Chicago, Zoo Nation’s Some Like It Hip Hop, Mamma Mia!, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Million Dollar Quartet, Rat Pack and more – plus performances from some of London’s best stage schools. These spectacular evenings will be presented by BBC London’s Lisa Vickery. Don’t miss this opportunity to spend a sparkling night out with the stars.

Monday 11 July and Monday 1 August 6.30pm Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf FREE

BARBICAN BLAZE AT CANARY WHARF A new series of events offering world class outdoor performances from international artists. Highlights include Orquestra Contemporânea Da Olinda, Hackney Colliery Band and Soul Rebels Brass Band.

Friday 8 / Tuesday 19 / Thursday 28 July 7pm Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf FREE

PACIFIC SOUNDS City of London Festival celebrates its fourth year at Canary Wharf with a three day celebration of musical influences from Australia and New Zealand.

Friday 15 - Sunday 17 July Friday from 7pm; Saturday from 1pm; Sunday from 12 noon Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf FREE

PING!

After the phenomenal popularity of last year’s event, Ping! returns bigger and better than ever as Jubilee Place finds itself at the centre of the London’s burgeoning table tennis scene. Watch table tennis legend Desmond Douglas in action, pick up some tips from a professional coach or play against former England and European champions. This year sees the launch of the first annual Canary Wharf Table Tennis Championship and if you would like to see your team crowned Canary Wharf Ping! Champion 2011 then enter the inaugural Canary Wharf Ping! tournament with a team of 5 at canarywharf.com

Friday 22 – Sunday 31 July Monday – Friday: 11am-7pm Saturday & Sunday: 12-6pm Jubilee Place FREE Visit canarywharf.com or pinglondon.com for more details

Visit canarywharf.com for regular event updates, pick up a brochure available throughout the Canary Wharf malls or email arts&events@canarywharf.com to be added to our mailing list. Remember, space at outdoor events is unreserved and sometimes limited and portable furniture, glass bottles or glasses are not permitted in Canada Square Park. Details correct at time of print. For more information visit canarywharf.com

CREATE CREATE11 at Canary Wharf

CREATE is an urban summer festival that celebrates the Olympic Host Boroughs, where more than12,000 artists live and work. This year, as a festival sponsor, Canary Wharf Group hosts four headline events Create House: Restaurants in Residence 25 June – 23 July 2-4 Heron Quays

Restaurants in Residence celebrates the new era of ‘pop-up’ dining sweeping through London. Four of the very best restaurants from London’s underground dining scene will take over a floor of Create House, a 1980s office building in Canary Wharf transformed for a collective feast of talent. Kicking off the festivities was The Clove Club, featuring Young Turks. With a sold out opening weekend, James Lowe and Isaac McHale proved why their cutting-edge food is the future of British cuisine. On 5 July, A Bit More Of What You Fancy, the spin-off of acclaimed Dalston café A Little Of What You Fancy, will showcase the best local London produce, from salmon smoked in Stoke Newington to fennel tops grown in Old Street. Week three of this pioneering venture sees Shacklewell Nights spread the joy of seasonal British food from 12 to 16 July. The leading players on the pop-up scene will leave their old Dalston clothing factory for Restaurants in Residence’s retro office set-up for five nights of experimental dining. For the final week, East London institution Bistrotheque unveils its latest venture - Eighty Eight. This celebration of 80s excess and glamour will offer a menu with an amalgamation of dishes from the culinary giants of the decade.

Portavilion 2011: The Floating Cinema 14 and 15 July Wood Wharf

The Floating Cinema is navigating the waterways of the Olympic Host Boroughs this summer. Created by architects Studio Weave and artist duo Somewhere, this customised narrow boat hosts a varied, vibrant programme of free on-board screenings, canal tours, workshops and talks. Portavilion 2011, commissioned by The Olympic Delivery Authority as part of its Arts and Cultural strategy and funded by Arts Council England, is an important part of the cultural participation programme in the lead up to the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Artist Ian Giles, commissioned by the Floating Cinema in collaboration with Canary Wharf Group and the Live Art Development Agency, is producing a site-specific film to be shown on 15 July at Wood Wharf.

For more on The Docklands Bell, go to www.floatingcinema.info

Menus and tickets are available at www.restaurantsinresidence.com

Create House: The Exhibitions Photo credit: Ben Morgan

28 June – 23 July 2-4 Heron Quays

Search Party

23 July Throughout the Estate As part of the London 2012 Open Weekend, supported by BP, there will be a party in East London. But there’s a catch: the location is undisclosed and Londoners have just three hours to find their way. East London will be transformed into an immersive urban playground where participants must collaborate, take risks and interact with strangers. Three trails will lead and mislead participants and one of these routes comes straight through Canary Wharf. Spaces are limited, so register online at createlondon.org/searchparty

Celebrating the wealth of creative and artistic talent in East London, visitors with an appetite for art can enjoy some of the Capital’s most inspiring interactive collaborations at Create House. The Space Between, an exhibition by graduating students from the London College of Communication, offers an intriguing approach to interactive art. In collaboration with award-winning production company and animation studio, Nexus Productions and Interactive Arts, a series of live events will explore the concept of space. PROTOCOL #1 is an intercultural exhibition by Swiss artist Yann Gross and UK artist Bronwen Parker-Rhodes offering a ‘laboratory’ that facilitates exchange between the two creative forces. Brainchild of the Helvetic Centre, the project consists of a series of exhibitions and talks dedicated to photography. Rounding out Create House will be a pop-up shop from the East London Design Show. This offers the best of east London’s independent product, jewellery and interior designers.

For all information on the festival programme please visit www.createlondon.org

Sculpture in the workplace / visual arts

art Five Symbolic Images: Bronze and Plaster Sculptures by Christopher Le Brun Until 2 September Lobby, One Canada Square This exhibition, by Royal Academician Christopher Le Brun, marks the largest number of his sculptures brought together for public display. Known primarily as a painter, Le Brun came to sculpture relatively late in his career. He did not discard painting in favour of sculpture but rather he brought qualities of painting into the sculpture, so it is important when looking at his work to consider colour, surface and touch as much as form and symbol. A small, upright wing, one of the symbolic images that recur time and again in his work, became the start of an incredibly rich journey. The wing, horse, planet or disc, tower and figure that he brings together in different groupings form a type of carefully considered classical repertoire that give feeling and mood to his compositions in both two and three dimensions. The exhibition includes both highly finished works in bronze and the plaster models from which bronzes either have been or will be cast.

window galleries The Art, Design & Lightbox Window Galleries, located in Canada Place Shopping Mall, showcase up-and-coming artists, designers and craftspeople

Alina Jessipovich Until 29 July

Event Tuesday 5 July at 1.15pm FREE

As a child Alina loved to play with ‘Polly Pocket’ toys. This fascination later led her to develop jewellery that creates its own miniature landscapes, inspired by big cities. As a result you can keep your own fairy-tale city right on your finger.

An opportunity to hear curator Ann Elliott in conversation with the artist about the exhibition

Create11

www.christopherlebrun.co.uk

Please call 020 7418 2257 to reserve a place.

alinajessipovich.com Until 29 July

CREATE11, the summer festival celebrating east London returns to Canary Wharf, featuring ‘The Space Between’ – a group exhibition from London College of Communication, Design for Interaction and Moving Image.

createlondon.org

Maureen Anne Holley

COMMUNITY GALLERY Situated within Jubilee Walk, the link from Canada Place retail mall to the Jubilee line station, the Community Gallery is devoted to exhibiting work by local arts projects

Hi8us Until 30 August Hi8us South is an award-winning media and arts organisation and one of the UK’s leading practitioners in engaging disadvantaged young people, through participatory media production for TV, cinema and online, in education and in their communities. www.hi8us.co.uk

Until 26 August

Maureen’s ‘Perspectives’ is a new work, composed of three steel illuminated lightbox towers, evocative of Canary Wharf’s skyline. Many images were taken during the ‘Magic Hour of Twilight’ and capture the vibrancy of the sunset colours and clouds reflecting on the steel and glass of the towers.

londonphotoarts.co.uk

DIAMOND COLLECTION

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fashion interiors health & beauty

GEEK CHIC safari STYLE . ..................... four seasons

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THE GIRL FROM IPANEMA

W Jimmy Choo’s ‘Cruise 11’ Collection offers the perfect shoes and accessories to ensure you’re hot to trot for your summer escape

hen it comes to essential shoe shopping, Jimmy Choo’s ‘Cruise 11’ is Eden for anyone wanting to be on trend this summer. The collection, fittingly named and themed for the S/S season, takes its inspiration from the sunny, sexy atmosphere of Brazil and its eclectic, bold style. The colourful side of the collection features neon yellow mesh heels, coral ‘Caitlin’ platform sandals and the glossy ‘Elaphe Snake’ day shoe in fuschia pink. Pictured above is the ‘Curve’ – a modern clog in crushed black patent (£465), perfect for

transitioning from day to night. Equally multifunctional is the black leather ‘Scarlet’ bag (£1,095), with star details; use on the beach, take to supper and dance the night away under the stars. The vibe of the S/S collection is equally sundrenched and glamour-infused, taking inspiration from the epicentre of the tropical Brazilian culture: Rio. Expect a colourful, wild and luxurious array of items, injected with the DNA of the Jimmy Choo we know and love – animal print, exotic python and sparkling jewels. n www.jimmychoo.com

The Gentlemanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tailor

19 Savile Row; Austin Reed, Regent Street; House of Fraser, City

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fashion

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fashion

news Give Through Gucci In an extension of its seven year partnership with UNICEF, Gucci has updated the design of its Surkey bag to raise funds for the charity’s ‘Schools for Africa’ initiative. The new edition features the brand’s signature diamanté motif, embossed on chocolate brown calfskin which has been hand-waxed for a vintage feel. 25 per cent of the retail price for each bag will go towards ensuring that children receive access to high quality education. It will be on sale until February 20 2012 in more than 20 countries, as well as being available online. www.gucci.com

Isabel Marant S/S11 Slouchy separates, vintage sportswear and denim cut-offs feature heavily in Isabel Marant’s current line, which is inspired by the laid-back vibe of California. While there are definite references to all things surf chic, girly details can be found in the addition of soft pink tones, floral prints and floaty hemlines, which are equally wearable.

At the preview, models took to the Paris catwalk in a combination of the two styles, channelling the Marant signature cool which has made the designer so ubiquitously popular. Looks were teamed with pointy boots, beaded anklets and simple belts which are ideal for festival season. www.isabelmarant.tm.fr

Quote of the month:

You put on high heels and you change. manolo blahnik

Website:

TREND:

Pour La Victoire Court Shoes

Intended to provide a full lifestyle portal for professional women, Go City Girl brings together an online shopping service and fashion blog with other useful features such as job listings and time-whiling celebrity gossip. All of the content is London-centric and the functions can be utilised while in discussion with other website visitors.

Biker Chic

In keeping with the fashion for accessorising bright clothes with nude heels, these pale patent stilettos are highly covetable. The concealed platform design in the Sand Irna Hidden Platform Court Shoe ensures comfort while the overall effect is chic, sharp and utterly leglengthening. Team with that hot pink cocktail dress or candy-coloured jeans. £185, Pour La Victoire, www.my-wardrobe.com

www.gocitygirl.com

MUST-HAVE ITEM:

Balmain led the way this season with a punk-inspired S/S 2011 collection, featuring crystal-encrusted jackets, t-shirts strewn with safety pins and some seriously distressed denim. Incorporating leather pieces into your look is a great way to achieve the same edginess. These Zadig & Voltaire black skinnies are a great staple. £515, www.net-a-porter.com

Le geek, c’est chic. It may be July but the British weather is unpredictable enough to break out waistcoats and wool, ties and tailoring, and channel smart girl summer style Photography: Anthony Edwin Fashion Editor: Lucie Dodds

Cotton orange shirt, £270, silk spot tie £99, wool waistcoat playsuit, £550 All Paul Smith, www.paulsmith.co.uk Cream ‘Astrid’ sunglasses, £230 Tom Ford, www.tomford.com

Silk nude crop shirt, £208 cotton printed shorts, £175 Both Cacharel at Matches www.matchesfashion.com Mustard ‘Louisa’ stilettos £750, Jimmy Choo 24/7 Collection www.jimmychoo.com

Cream, double-breasted linen jacket £550, white silk shirt, £210, both Carven at Matches, as before Biscuit wide leg trousers, £125 Whistles, Jubilee Place, Canary Wharf 020 7519 6132, www.whistles.co.uk Mustard ‘Louisa’ stilettos Jimmy Choo 24/7, as before

Silk orange spot playsuit, £150, Whistles as before. Mustard ‘Louisa’ stilettos, £750 Jimmy Choo 24/7, as before

Lace collared shirt, £1,100, Erdem at Harvey Nichols, brown lace skirt, £125, Whistles, as before. Brown and gold Antwerp platform slingbacks, £595 Rupert Sanderson 020 7491 2427 www.rupertsanderson.co.uk

Make-Up: Lauren Griffin, using MAC Face and Body Makeup

Hair: Tim Bateman at Phamous Artists

A BEAUTIFUL NEW HAIR CUT

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health & beauty

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health & beauty

news

Must Have:

stella mccartney for adidas Gym Attire The importance of staying cool and comfortable when working out justifies investment in some new fitness attire from Stella McCartney for Adidas. The designer’s latest collection features practical yet stylish pieces for various different sports and activities: there are vibrant racer back vests for when running or cross-training, ClimaLite cottom harem pants for yoga and tennis dresses fitted with elastic for added ease of movement. Sweaty Betty, Cabot Place

Breakthrough Tandem Skydive On 28 August, seven ladies from the worlds of retail, finance, beauty and media – nicknamed the Breakthrough Booby Birds – are taking part in a tandem sky dive to raise money for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. This group of high-achieving, high profile businesswomen will face their fears about the actual jump and have also pledged to raise an astonishing £20,000 each in doing so. Ellie Patsalos, Partner and Vice Chair at Deloitte, is among the ladies jumping and at the time of going to print, she has raised an incredible £35,000. The disease has touched Ellie’s family and friends in a number of ways

and inspired by her niece’s fight with the disease, she has pledged to help fund Breakthrough Breast Cancer’s crucial research, campaigning and education work. This initiative began last year when 14 brave women took to the skies and raised more than £300,000 for Breakthrough. Here’s to Ellie, Linda Taylor (Managing Director, Kenneth Green Associates), Annalise Quest (Head of Beauty, Harrods) and the other four ladies smashing through this target and raising even more money for a very worthy cause.

Clear Your Head

This treatment takes place in a generously sized suite, which has multiple benefits: it offers more privacy and a more indulgent atmosphere than standard treatment rooms, it can accommodate pairs for treatments and you can enjoy views of the River Thames during your pampering session. This signature treatment (£105 for 80 minutes) begins with a nourishing foot scrub and a deep acupressure foot massage followed by a full body massage. While the sensation of heated river stones being applied to my back was at first a slight shock to the system, it’s easy to relax into enjoying the pressure and the warmth. The unique oil used by the therapist contains extracts of willow, lemon balm and marigold to promote skin regeneration. The treatment finishes with a head and face massage and I am left feeling deeply energized.

Space to reflect on and manage the great challenge of life is essential. If you’re feeling overwhelmed and believe it’s time to address unhelpful patterns you’ve been repeating, making it hard to achieve goals, enjoy relationships or even manage chronic pain and illness, Counselling Psychologist Dr. Shoma Khan provides a confidential space offering brief and long term cognitive behavioural therapy and integrative psychotherapy. Shoma explains that “life’s challenges can trigger ways of coping that may have become unhelpful over time. Identifying these and considering more adaptive ways of coping can build on self-development”. To discuss your needs or to arrange an appointment, email Shoma on shoma.k@gmail.com.

Four Seasons Hotel London, 46 Westferry Circus, Canary Wharf

40 Bank Street

020 7510 1999

www.shomakhan.com

For more information about Breakthrough Breast Cancer, visit www.breakthrough.org.uk

Treatment of the Month: River View Signature Ritual

C E L E B R A T I N G

T H I R T Y

120 Wigmore Street, London, W1U 3LS 509 Uxbridge Road, Hatch End, Pinner, Middlesex HA5 4JS Telephone: 020 7486 3080 email: info@halcyon-interiors.co.uk | www.halcyon-interiors.co.uk

Y E A R S

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Let There Be Light These table lamps, from the A/W Gemma Murano collection, are perfect for almost any room in the house; available in Amber, Amethyst, Fume and Clear glass (at £425, excluding lampshades), they will fit in with a variety of colour schemes. Villaverde offers a wealth of original and eclectic lighting options, like these lamps, as well as lighting design consultancy; explore a wide range of chandeliers, table and floor lamps, lanterns, wall lights and lamp shades which can all be adapted, changed and customized to suit the individual client’s taste and décor.

interiors

news J’Adore l’Armoire Classical French furniture is known for its attractiveness and statement appeal and this armoire is no exception. With hand-carved details and striking cabriole legs, it would make an ideal addition to dressing rooms across the city, while satisfying the trend for all things gothic. Inside there are three shelves and adequate hanging space, while the bevelled mirror front is both practical and a smart, contemporary feature. The French Bedroom Company, a mail order and online boutique, stocks a range of beautiful and affordable designs that are chic and elegant in an utterly French fashion. Choose madeto-measure headboards, classic chaise longues (opt for Barbarella, Versailles Gold or Very Velvet) and full-length mirrors to update your boudoir. If you have little ones, delight them with the princess-ready Paris Toile Bed or, for boys, the Petit Prince White Bed.

www.villaverdeltd.com

Tom Dixon Designer Tom Dixon’s scoop chair with high copper legs is the perfect combination of high design and comfort. His contemporary furniture pieces are both conceptualized and manufactured in Britain and Dixon has a real passion for injecting innovation into the industry by using interesting shapes and materials. This chair would work as a casual, dining or office seat and is available in a lower height.

Sassy Boo Mirror Fronted Armoire, £995 www.frenchbedroomcompany.co.uk

Featuring Fornasetti

www.tomdixon.net

Fornasetti subscribed to the Italian artistic tradition of sketching before re-drawing and this infuses his work with a unique and humorous quality. One of his ultra-fine depictions, Tema e Variazoni, has been transformed into an eccentric wallpaper by Cole and Son, in close partnership with the artist’s son. United Perfumes are also filling exquisite ceramic pots decorated with original Fornasetti designs with fabulously scented wax. www.cole-and-son.com www.united-perfumes.com

the trend Go wild! Use natural materials, earthy tones and animal prints to create an eye-catching and stylish living space that channels luxury safari chic

Bespoke Gothic Gazebo Four Poster Bed £POA, And So To Bed www.andsotobed.co.uk

Channel Gold Tall Vase, £58 Heal’s, www.heals.co.uk

Special Blanket, £17.99, Zara Home www.zarahome.co.uk

interiors

concierge

Sculpture Table Lamp in Horn and Chromed Brass, £POA, Arca Horn at Harrods, www.harrods.com

New Safari Camp Chair, £4,525, Ralph Lauren, www.ralphlaurenhome.com

Celeste Box, £19.99, Zara Home www.zarahome.co.uk

Abstract Painting, £POA, Christopher Guy www.christopherguy.com

Rachna Beige Leaf Cushion, £538 CoutureLab, www.couturelab.com

Ethiopian Rosewood Chair, £409 CoutureLab Africa, www.couturelab.com

Kilim Chest of Drawers, £2,995 Andrew Martin, www.andrewmartin.co.uk

concierge interiors

Lamella Rug, £POA, Somerville Scott & Company, www.somervillescott.com

Spencer Chair, £3,525, Ralph Lauren www.ralphlaurenhome.com

Island Ivory Frame, from £175 Katharine Pooley Design www.katharinepooley.com

Bronze Stalking Panther, £POA, Christopher Guy www.christopherguy.com

Golden Brass Bowl, £60, Katharine Pooley Design, www.katharinepooley.com Large Zebra Ottoman, £4,200, Patrick Mavros www.patrickmavros.com

A gentleman’s stainless steel automatic Breitling Hercules bracelet watch. Estimate £900 - £1,200

A gentleman’s 18k gold manual wind Zenith Elite HW Chronometer wrist watch. With box and papers. Estimate £1,500 - £2,000

A lady’s bi-metal rose gold and stainless steel automatic Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust. With box and papers. Estimate £2,600 - £3,000

A gentleman’s 18k gold automatic Patek Philippe Annual Calendar wrist watch, circa 2002. With box and papers. Estimate £8,000 - £12,000

Auction of Vintage & Modern Wrist Watches Monday 18th July 2011

www.watchauctions.co.uk/canarywharf Augusta House | 19 Augusta Street | Birmingham B18 6JA | Tel 0121 212 2131

The Silver F

Photo by Carolyne Locher

concierge silverware

Lining

Annabel Harrison explores the history and modern incarnation of the precious metal, second only to gold in its value and just as interesting or thousands of years, silver has been treasured for its beautiful appearance and its multi-purpose functionality; made into ornaments, jewellery and utensils, it can also be used for trade, medicinal uses and even as a means by which to keep wine potable on long ocean voyages. Britain has long been renowned for the quality of its silver craftsmanship and maintains a reputation for having the finest silverware in the world, largely thanks to our practice of quality testing and hallmarks. These tiny marks or symbols can be read as proof of quality, year of manufacture and maker; London’s symbol is the leopard but was originally a king’s face and it has changed a few times over the centuries. This quality control for silver goods has been in place since the end of the 12th century and the organisation that regulates the craft is Goldsmiths Hall. Every piece of silver made must be sent to the Assay Office for testing to ensure that it is of the required standard and it is then hallmarked. If you’re interested in finding out more about a particular item, it is well worth making a trip to the London Silver Vaults, a discreet gem of the City, where the expert dealers can help unravel an item’s history and any personal relevance it might hold for the owner. The dealers, who own more than 30 shops in the Vaults, have a lifetime of experience in the silver industry; many are from the same families who have been dealing in silver in the Vaults since the early 20th century. Opened in 1876, the Vaults bring together the largest collection of silver for sale in the world, including silver pieces dating from the 17th century, jewellery, watches and the finest modern contemporary work. The Vaults were rebuilt and established in their present building in

1953 on the site of the Victorian Chancery Lane Deposit and affluent Londoners would store their valuables here. Choosing to invest in pieces from the Vaults is an increasingly popular option for modern customers. For example, great ideas for summer entertaining can be found at the Just Desserts selling exhibition, opened for four months from June; choose from sugar sifting spoons for your strawberries and silver coupes for sorbets, designed by one of the most famous post-war silversmiths, Stuart Devlin. Devlin has designed the coinage for several countries, including his native Australia. He is also known for the hammered texture as seen on the sorbet coupes. The value of silver by weight is up nearly 100 per cent on the year and this has risen steadily over the last three years so buying pieces now is an investment for the future; experts suggest that people opt for precious metals as a safe haven for their money. Vintage silver has always held a special appeal for collectors of precious metals. Steven Linden, Chair of the London Silver Vaults Dealers’ Association, notes the trend for collecting small objects or the works of particular designers, adding that larger objects like teapots are popular. The idea of matching sets of goblets for drinking wine and champagne is a modern trend, as these were formerly crafted with uniquely individual chased or engraved designs. Whether you wish to buy silver jewellery as a present for a loved one, tableware or ornaments to furnish your home or you’d like to invest in a collection of objects of particular personal relevance, the Vaults are certain to provide you with whatever you’re searching for. n www.thesilvervaults.com

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Best of Both Worlds

The new Aston Martin Virage, occupying a position between the DB9 and DBS, is able to offer the best both in terms of performance and refinement

he Aston Martin Virage is back. After a 15 year absence, the new luxury sports GT wowed the crowds at the Geneva Motor Show when it was unveiled there earlier this year. Displaying a more angular front end, a new aluminium front grill, sharper shoulder lines and more distinguished front wings, the new Virage is every bit as good looking as its celebrated stable mates. This is not to say the new Virage will have to rely solely on its looks; complete with an all-alloy mid-mounted 5.9-litre V12 engine, the car offers a level of performance that more than

matches its aesthetics. Delivering 490Â bhp and 570Â nm of torque, the engine can propel the Aston from 0 to 62 mph in 4.6 seconds, reaching a top speed of 186 mph. Benefitting from a chassis that has spent seven years in ongoing development, the new Virage promises to exhibit the sort of agility and handling that typifies all great Aston Martins. n Stratstone of Mayfair was proud to unveil the new Virage last Month at the Hilton Park Lane To register interest and arrange a test drive please email or call 020 7235 8888, quoting CWCity

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sports

calibre

sports

news

Renowned Around the World With around 1,000 keelboats and 8,500 sailors taking part, it’s no surprise that Cowes Week has become not just an iconic British sporting event but one of the longest running and best-known sailing regattas in the world. More than 100,000 people will flock to the eight day sailing festival, which is staging up to 40 races a day this year. Cowes Week sees everyone from amateur sailors to Olympic and World Champions competing against one another and if the sailing doesn’t appeal to you, maybe the Yacht Club Balls and an excellent line-up of live bands will. Cowes Week, 6-13 August www.aamCowesweek.co.uk

Sail in Style Ready, Steady, Raft Opened in April, the Lee Valley White Water Centre offers the chance to experience adrenalin-pumping white water rafting in a location just 40 minutes from central London. The Centre, specially built for the London 2012 Olympics, will host five days of intense Canoe Slalom competition during the Games. Before then, experience the thrills and spills of hurtling down the 300 metre competition course by

scheduling a session at the only brand new Olympic venue to open to the public ahead of 2012. With prices starting from just £49, the centre provides a great opportunity for birthday get-togethers, fun days out and corporate teambuilding sessions. Lee Valley White Water Centre, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, EN9 1AB, 08456 770 606 www.leevalleypark.org.uk

Tour de France The greatest cycle race on earth takes place once again this month. Running from Saturday 2 July to Sunday 24 July, the 98th Tour de France comprises 21 stages and riders will cover a total distance of 3,471 kilometres. Paying tribute to the centenary anniversary of the first time the Col du Galibier was climbed, the finish of the 18th stage will be judged at the mountain’s summit. This will be the highest finish in the Tour’s history, at an altitude of 2,645 metres. With 2010 winner Alberto Contador suspended from cycling during a doping investigation, the current favourites hoping to claim the crown are Andy Schleck, Samuel Sánchez and Cadel Evans. le Tour de France, 2-24 July

Summer’s here and for many of us that means sailing. To make sure you hit the waves – and the clubhouse – looking cool, try out Musto’s new line of nautically themed clothing. With more than 40 years’ experience in outdoor wear, Musto has become the leading performancerelated sailing clothing brand. The company’s technical skill and intimate understanding of sport ensure that Musto products keep wearers warm, dry and comfortable, essential for sailing. Smart sailing gilets cost £80 while classic polo shirts start at £40. www.musto.com

Sporting Sound Bite

We want this to get to within roughly an hour’s travel time of 90 per cent of the population. Lord Coe talks about the route of the London 2012 Olympic torch

www.letour.fr

the london 2012 Games With the London 2012 Olympic Games just a year away, Lee Brooks takes a look at how we’re shaping up to host the world’s greatest sporting spectacle

t’s 6 July 2005 and London has just won the contest to host the 2012 Olympic Games, beating Paris by 54 votes to 50 at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in Singapore. Cue scenes of jubilation across the country with project leader and former Olympic champion Seb Coe given the envious

task of preparing Great Britain to host the greatest show on earth in just seven years’ time. London is no stranger to hosting the Games though; our capital staged the event at short notice in 1908 when Rome pulled out following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 1906. Then in 1948, London hosted what became known as the Austerity Games

following World War Two. But with Beijing pulling out all the stops to deliver a spectacular show, the pressure was on Coe and his team to deliver something special. Fast forward to today, with one year left on the clock, and the organisers are clearly doing something right. Weymouth, home to the sailing event,

sports

calibre

Beth Tweddle, left and overleaf: Alan Edwards

was the first purpose-built venue to be completed in November 2008, a staggering three and a half years before the Games. The Velodrome, which will see the likes of Bradley Wiggins and Chris Hoy look to replicate their enormous success in Beijing, was the first purpose-built venue in the Olympic Park to be completed in February this year, giving our cyclists plenty of time to adjust to the unique cambers and atmosphere of the venue ahead of the Games. The Lee Valley White Water Centre, home to the Olympic canoe slalom events, opened its doors to the public in April, giving people the chance to test out the same waves our Olympians will be tackling next summer. Unsurprisingly, there was unprecedented demand for tickets when they went on sale in March, with 1.8 million people applying through a ballot system. The organisers received some 20 million tickets requests, with only 6.6 million tickets available, meaning hundreds of thousands of sporting fans missed out. A staggering one million people applied for tickets to the much anticipated 100 metre final, despite the fact that there are just 20,000 seats available in the stadium. But if you missed out on a ticket, all is not lost. There will be further rounds of sales to offload the remaining tickets and these will be sold on a first-come first-served basis. If you had your heart set on seeing Tom Daley going for gold in the Aquatics Centre or watching Victoria Pendleton peddle to a win in the Velodrome, thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a chance you still can. Every venue will hold an official test competition over the course of the next 12 months to ensure all runs

calibre sports

GOING FOR GOLD

smoothly in 2012. The world’s best athletes are expected to compete as they seek to adjust to venues ahead of the big event and you can buy tickets to see them all in action. After Britain’s record-breaking performance (47 medals) in Beijing saw Team GB finish fourth in the medal table, their highest finish since the 1912 Games in Stockholm, the British Olympic Association has upped the ante and targeted a third place finish. With the USA, China and Russia, the only nations to finish ahead of Britain in 2008, sure to be a force once more, and major countries such as Germany, Australia and France desperate to beat GB on home soil, that target is certainly ambitious. But then you just have to look at our strong squad, across a range of sports, to see why it’s possible. The men’s cycling pursuit team have

continued their Beijing domination in the last three years and currently top the world rankings while heptathlete Jessica Ennis has been in a different class to her rivals since winning world gold in 2009. Swimmer Rebecca Adlington is coming into form at just right the time as she bids to defend her two gold medals and diver Tom Daley came of age when he won double gold at the Commonwealth Games last October with a new, much tougher routine. And that’s just a fraction of the gold medal prospects which Britain boasts. If the athletes can withstand the pressure of being the host nation and deliver on their talent, and the organisers continue to deliver breath-taking venues on schedule, London could mark the beginning of a new era for British sport and confirm the country’s place in the premier league of Olympic nations. n

After narrowly missing out on a medal in Beijing, Britain’s most successful gymnast Beth Tweddle is gunning for the podium in 2012. When Beth reached the final of the uneven bars at the 2008 Beijing Games, she became the first British gymnast to do so. That she achieved the feat having recently overcome a troublesome rib injury makes it all the more impressive. Tweddle went on to finish fourth, just outside the medals, and though she showed the world that she could compete with the best, her disappointment was clear. “It was tough to take,” said Tweddle. “Had it been a different day, the results may have gone a different way but that’s just the way it goes. I still think I have every chance of challenging for a medal in London.” If her results since Beijing are anything to go by, it’s hard to disagree. Victory in the uneven bars at this year’s European Championships, her third successive gold at the event, adds to her three World Championship golds and firmly puts her in the frame to deliver on the British gymnastics target of one to three medals in London. As a result of her success, Tweddle carries the hopes of a nation but she appears unfazed by the pressure. “The pressure is always there wherever you’re competing,” she said. “And I have no doubt it will ramp up in London in front of the home fans. But when it comes to competing, you just have to put it to one side. It is getting a lot easier now because it’s not just me that is capable of winning medals but a whole a crop of us, on both the girls and the boys side. “We’ve also had the experience of competing at European and World Championships on home soil. It can be quite a shock when you suddenly have 15,000 people shouting your name out, especially when we can go to major championships and have just a handful of people in the stands. You can’t buy that kind of experience.” At 26, London is likely to be Tweddle’s last shot at an Olympic medal. However, she’s not putting herself under any pressure to win gold. “I’m not fussy on a colour,” she said. “Any Olympic medal would do. But I’ve got a lot to look back on over my career and am very proud of what I have achieved so if it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. I just want to give it my best shot.”

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Burning through

the Skies

Forget yacht charters and track days: for a truly exhilarating corporate day out, take to the skies. Richard Brown finds out why

f an aeroplane is flying through the sky, showing no signs of imminent malfunction, I’ve never quite understood the decision to hurl oneself voluntarily out of it. I’d like to be able to say this is why I’ve never done a sky dive. But it’s not. The real reason is that I’m scared of heights. Really scared. Even short-haul flights to Europe are enough to send my stomach into somersaults, so when I was invited to spend a day with The Blades aerobatic display team, based on the outskirts of Northampton, it wasn’t as much with excitement that I headed up the M1 as palpable apprehension. Following the 70-mile trip from central London – easily achievable in an hour and a half by road or rail – I was greeted at Sywell Aerodrome by ex-Red Arrow Wing Commander and current Blades Director Andy Offer OBE.

Over a cup of tea in the company’s stylish boardroom, Andy – who with more than 4,500 hours of flying is one of the UK’s most experienced formation display pilot – explained how The Blades are not only the UK’s only full-time civilian aerobatic team but also the world’s only globally accredited aerobatic airline. As the latter, the company has a responsibility to satisfy the same health and safety requirements that global airlines are obliged to fulfil, meaning that every aircraft The Blades use is engineered to airline standards, and that each pilot is a qualified airline captain. “When you book an experience with The Blades,” Andy explains, “you get the same security and insurance guarantees that you would if you bought a ticket for BA.”

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Founded in 2006 by Andy and fellow ex-RAF Harrier pilot Chris Norton OBE DFC, The Blades have flown more than 300 displays since their debut public exhibit at the Beckhams’ pre-World Cup party in the same year, performing at events ranging from the Bahrain F1 Grand Prix to Cowes Week. Coupling ex-military commanders and former Red Arrows pilots with dynamic business entrepreneurs, The Blades were established to provide outstanding corporate events for companies looking to achieve tangible business results. In what may or may not have been an attempt to delay my increasingly imminent flight, I asked Andy what a company can expect from such an event. “Because we involve our clients at every stage of the planning process, each corporate experience is individually designed to achieve specific objectives. We are lucky to be able to boast a unique set of assets, ranging from helicopters to hovercraft, which we employ to provide not just unforgettable experiential activities but also competitive team-building exercises.” And with that, it was time for my flight. After slipping into a jumpsuit, it was with a sense of journalistic duty rather than intrepid excitement that I climbed, via the display plane’s wing, into the cockpit. A strong wind meant that our climb was far from bump-free. Once up, however, the turbulence disappeared and as we entered a swathe of blue sky, the ride turned from bumpy to serene. Offering an unimpaired view of 270-degrees worth of the Northamptonshire countryside, the Extra 300 LP aircraft – specifically designed for the most adventurous of aerobatic manoeuvres – provided the sort of panoramas you can only glimpse out of the window of a Boeing 747. After ten minutes of admiring a patchwork quilt of England’s green and pleasant land, it was time to see what the plane could do. First was the loop-the-loop. As the plane’s nose began to rise I braced myself for what would be a unwelcome lurching sensation. Instead, while the manoeuvre did prove completely disorientating, the feeling of losing my senses was more thrilling than unpleasant. Only after confirming that I was happy to continue and not a whimpering wreck did my affable pilot Mark ‘Cutty’ Cutmore take us in to a ‘barrel roll’ and then a ‘stall turn.’ Again, though my brain struggled to make sense of my body’s position in relation to the earth during both moves, the rest of me was embracing a truly awesome rush of adrenaline. Thirty minutes after taking off, we were back on the ground, and while I still harboured no desires to jump out of one, I would have gladly climbed back in the EA-300 LP aircraft to relive the exhilarating last half hour. Once I was out of my jumpsuit, Andy explained how The Blades are impressively capable of providing flying experiences for as many as 250 people in just two and a half hours. With a purpose-built venue that can host up to 1,000 people and a variety of on-site accommodation, The Blades are fully equipped to provide you with an unforgettable experience. They certainly did for me. n The Blades, Sywell Aerodrome, Northampton, NN6 0BN 01604 671309 www.theblades.biz

A pair of Open Hospitality tickets to The 2011 Open Championship at Royal St George’s on Saturday 17 July

how to win For your chance of winning please answer the following question. Who will be defending The Open Championship title at Royal St George’s this year? a) Tiger Woods b) Luke Donald c) Louis Oosthuizen

To enter, email your name, number and answer to competitions@runwildgroup.co.uk with OP in the subject bar. The closing date for entries is 11 July 2011. Winners will be informed on 12 July 2011. Terms and Conditions: This prize, of a pair of Open Guest Hospitality tickets to the 2011 Open Championship on Saturday 16 July and the runner up prize of a pair of general admission tickets for the same day, is non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. The competition is open to UK residents aged 18 or over, and closes at 23:59 on 11 July 2011. Entries received thereafter will be discarded. The promoter reserves the right to withdraw or amend this promotion. Employees and directors of Runwild Media Group and their subsidiaries and affiliates, agents, dealers and their immediate family or household members are not eligible to enter. By entering this competition you agree to your details being used by Runwild Media Group for promotional purposes. Please see www.runwildmediagroup.com/ subscriptions for full terms and conditions.

Following his stunning eight-shot victory at the US Open last month, Rory McIlroy heads to Royal St George’s as firm favourite to capture an Open double. European competition comes in the form of Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer, while from the other side of the pond, Steve Stricker, as the top seeded American player in the Official World Golf Ranking, is hoping to capitalise on his current form. Just 16 Open Championships have been held in the south of England since the event’s inception at Prestwick in 1860 with 2011 marking the 14th Open Championship to be held at Royal St George’s in Sandwich, Kent. On 14 July the world’s best players are converging on the historic course – which this year has been extended by 100 yards and reduced in par from 71 to 70 – to compete for the coveted Claret Jug in one of golf’s most definitive settings. Giving you the chance to witness all the action, Canary Wharf Magazine has teamed up with The Open Championship Official Hospitality to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to win a pair of Open Guest Hospitality tickets to the Championship on Saturday 16 July. The winner and their guest will be hosted by a professional events team in the dedicated Hospitality Village. The package is designed to provide guests with full flexibility around the golfing nirvana just a stone’s throw away and includes full day hospitality; enjoy a classic golfer’s breakfast and a magnificent three course lunch, followed by a traditional English afternoon tea. A full service bar is also available throughout the day. One runner up prize of two general tickets for Saturday 16 July is also available. If you are not the lucky winner, please visit www.opengolfofficialhospitality.com or call 0844 371 0883 for further details on hospitality packages.

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of the best In the wake of Rory McIlroy’s stunning performance at the US Open last month, we present some of the best courses in Europe on which to improve your own game RIVIERA TEE OFF

for

Golfing

20 minutes from Nice-Cote D’Azur International Airport and ten minutes from Cannes, The Golf Country Club de Cannes-Mougins offers everything you would expect from a modern golf course in a historical environment. Originally founded in 1923, the current 18 hole, par 72 course was redesigned in 1977 by golf architects Peter Allis and Dave Thomas. Between 1980 and 1994, the 6,906-yard course was home to the Cannes Open, the highlight of the European Tour and won by a host of legendary names including Jean Garaialde, Greg Norman, Severiano Ballesteros and Ian Woosnam. Nestled in the heart of the Valmasque Forest and intersected by the

Bouillide River, The Club boasts a truly spectacular setting. With a reception in the clubhouse featuring a wooden press from 1836 and a restaurant with stunning views of The Alps, it is the perfect place to escape city life. The Golf Country Club de CannesMougins 175 Avenue du Golf, 06250 Mougins, France, + 33 04 93 75 79 13 www.golf-cote-azur.com

IRISH GEM Overlooking Dublin Bay, Howth Golf Club is the perfect blend of old and new. Traditional and modern trends have helped maintain the character of the golf course originally envisaged by James Braid – a celebrated five-time winner of The Open Championship turned course architect. Known for including dog leg designs in his holes, Braid exemplified his love of challenging courses by incorporating two right-angled holes at Howth. Situated in one of the most idyllic settings amidst the Hill of Howth, Howth Golf Club offers spectacular views over Dublin Bay. Clubhouse facilities include a lounge

bar, function rooms, and a fully stocked Pro Shop, while a full size practice putting area, chipping green and short game area, complete with shallow and deep practice bunkers, make Howth Golf Club the ideal course to improve your game. Howth Golf Club, Carrickbrack Road Sutton, Dublin 13, Ireland, +353 1 832 3055 www.howthgolfclub.ie

CWpromotion

PURSUING PERFECTION Designed by Jack Nicklaus and home to the European Open, London Golf Club is a venue of distinction. As the first golf club to become a joint venture partner of the European Tour and part of the European Tour Properties network, you and your guests will receive the finest care and attention both on and off the course. The club invites you to come and explore a destination that is constantly innovating and improving in the pursuit of perfection. Conveniently located just off the M25 and M20, the London Golf Club is easily accessible from London and only 12 miles from Canary Wharf. The International Course is pure downland. Long grasses sway in an ever-changing breeze. The course is naturally firmer and the quick undulating fairways force a links-style approach, while short holes over water provide dramatic respite. Having hosted both Open Qualifying and European Tour Qualifying School in 2010, this course proves a tough test for the most talented of golfers whilst providing some great opportunities on its risk-reward holes to shoot some great scores. London Golf Club, Stansted Lane, Ash, Kent, TN15 7EH 01474 879899 www.londongolf.co.uk

A GOLFER’S PARADISE The Kildare Hotel & Country Club, affectionately known as The K Club, drew international acclaim when it hosted the 36th Ryder Cup in September 2006. The extraordinary success of this memorable event has confirmed The K Club’s Palmer Ryder Cup Course as one of the world’s top courses and a ‘must’ for any golfer keen to enjoy the exhilarating golf experience of The K Club. Nestled in the heart of Kildare countryside, the Arnold Palmer designed courses charm, entice and invariably bring out the very best in any golfer’s game. There are a number of exciting packages and golf events coming up at The K Club over the coming months including The Ryder Cup Experience (accommodation and golf package), The Ryder Cup Experience Competition and The Titleist Summer Series. With two championship courses, offering 36 of the most exciting and dramatic holes in Europe, golf at The K Club is a truly unique experience. The K Club also includes a luxurious resort spa, fishing on the River Liffey and a selection of dining experiences. The Kildare Hotel, Spa and Country Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, Ireland +353 1 601 7200, www.kclub.ie

MEDITERRANEAN RETREAT It may have only just celebrated its second birthday, but Finca Cortesin is fast earning a reputation as one of Spain, and Europe’s, finest golf courses. Set in the rolling hills of southern Spain between Marbella and Sotogrande and flanked by the arid Casares Mountains, the par 72, 18 hole course offers sweeping views of the Mediterranean. Designed by one of the world’s leading golf course architects, Cabell Robinson, Finca Cortesin has been styled to incorporate the area’s original flora and fauna and is widely reputed as having the best greens in Southern Spain. At nearly 7,000 metres, it is also one of the longest golf courses in Europe.

(84 kilometres) from Málaga airport and one hour from

Facilities and services include golf club valet and cleaning,

Jerez (90 kilometres).

a buggy bar for ice cold drinks on the course and a large

Finca Cortesin, Carretera de Casares, 29690 Casares

interior designed Clubhouse with golf shop, bar, restaurant,

Malaga, Spain

and terrace. Part of the Finca Cortesin Hotel, the course is

+ 34 952 93 78 84

just 25 minutes (40 kilometres) from Gibraltar, 50 minutes

www.fincacortesin.com

BACK ON(and off) TRACK Jeep had lost its way but the iconic company hopes the new Compass will get it pointing in the right direction again. Matthew Carter reports

n 1941 necessity created a legend: American soldiers fighting in Europe needed a General Purpose (GP, or Jeep) vehicle to keep them mobile, and the iconic 4x4 was born. Swallow the company’s propaganda, though, and you’ll believe the Jeep won the Second World War all by itself. What is beyond doubt is that the Jeep was the original four-wheel drive; indeed, after the war the first Land Rover was created using the Jeep as a template. And this year, Jeep is celebrating its 70th birthday. It’s lucky it’s survived this long. In recent years Jeep has lost its way, producing some seriously poor vehicles that battered the iconic brand. In the UK, the company all but disappeared as quality dropped and sales slumped. But now Jeep is back,

under new ownership (yet again) and determined to right recent wrongs. The new owner is Fiat, which took over Jeep and its parent company, Chrysler, last year. The first new Jeep to hit our shores is the Compass, and at first glance this doesn’t bode well for the company. You see, the Compass is not a new name and was last seen on a ‘soft-roader’ that encompassed (sorry) all that was wrong about yesterday’s Jeep. It was introduced back in 2007 and in two years the company struggled to sell more than 550 examples. It was not a great car. Strangely muted looks, terrible quality control, a weedy diesel and roly-poly handling left it at the bottom of the pile. Thankfully, the new Compass is a much better prospect.

motoring

Although still based on the old unloved model, the new one has been vastly improved in the three areas that matter most: looks, quality and performance. The visual makeover means a set of clothes inspired by the range-topping Grand Cherokee. The tougher lines, complete with bold flared wheel arches and the traditional seven bar grille at least means it now looks like a Jeep. It drives like one, too. Although petrol versions are available, the biggest selling version will be a diesel, powered by a 2.2-litre common rail turbo diesel provided by Mercedes-Benz. Available in 134 or 161hp versions, it’s a far better unit than the 2.0-litre VW unit used before. As well as having more power, it’s more refined and more economical. On the road the big diesel might be a little gruff, but it has ample power and torque to move the Compass along. This improved performance is matched by a revised chassis that gives a better ride and tauter handling, while the Jeep’s legendary go-anywhere ability is delivered by the quaintly named Freedom Drive 1 four-wheel drive system. A fully electronic system, most of the power is channelled to the front wheel in everyday use, but if wheel slip is detected, power is automatically shifted to the rear as needed. Or not. Jeep, like Land Rover, has finally realised that not everyone who likes the commanding driving position of a typical 4x4 wants or needs four-wheel drive, so Compass is also available as a two-wheel drive version. Granted, it’s cheaper than the 4x4, is more economical and perfectly capable most of the time, but if we have another winter like the one we did last year, I know I’d be cursing if I decided to save a few pounds by going 2WD. Still, two-wheel drive with 4x4 looks hasn’t held back sales of Nissan’s Qashqai for example, so maybe Jeep’s marketing men do know what they’re talking about. Whether you opt for two or four driven wheels in the Compass, you will get a vastly improved interior with a much greater quality feel. In Europe, we demand higher levels of luxury than they do in America, and to compete over here Jeep has had to up the ante considerably. Higher quality materials with soft touch plastics are now used where it matters, such as along the top of the doors and the centre armrest, where the old Compass had brittle unyielding surfaces. There’s more standard equipment, too, and dozens of little quality touches such as backlit switches, discreet chrome inserts and a new steering wheel with integrated controls for the audio system, phone and cruise control. There are four trim levels – Sport, Sport + at the bottom and 70th Anniversary at the top, but the likely biggest seller is the Limited, which sits just below the Anniversary and has most of the goodies expected, including leather upholstery, heated front seats, 18-inch wheels, automatic air conditioning, six-way power driver’s seat and a six-disc CD system. Optionally available is a media centre with an inbuilt 30GB hard drive that can store thousands of tunes. It is operated via a 6.5-inch touch screen and incorporates satellite navigation with real-time traffic information. Compass is well priced, too. The entry-level 2.0-litre petrol 2WD model starts at £16,995, but the more substantial 2.2 CRD Limited 4x4 is £23,595. The Anniversary model is another £400, but aside from a couple of badges, different alloy wheels and better quality floor

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mats adds nothing in exchange. So the new Compass is a vast improvement on the old and marks a return to form for the inventor of the 4x4. But whether it’s enough remains to be seen. While Jeep was ‘away’ a whole host of rivals have rushed in to take its place; some are damn good. The impressive Hyundai i35, for example, has moved the goalposts further even than Jeep was expecting. Getting back on track is just the start of Jeep’s rehabilitation. n

IN BRIEF Car: Jeep Compass 2.2 CRD Limited Price: £23,595 Engine: 2.2-litre four-cylinder diesel Power: 161hp Drive: Four-wheel drive Performance: 0–62mph in 9.8 seconds; 125 mph max

ABARTH’S tribute act It’s expensive but does just what it says on the tin: the 695 Tributo Ferrari adds the spirit of the prancing horse to the humble Fiat 500, says Matthew Carter

K, let’s get straight to the point. Given that the range starts at a little over £9,000, to ask £30,000 for a Fiat 500 might suggest that someone at the Italian firm is having a laugh. Except that the Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari is no laughing matter. Indeed, there are those who think £30K for something that’s certain to become a collector’s classic represents something of a bargain. The key lies in the two names: Abarth and Ferrari. Both Enzo Ferrari and Carlo Abarth were legends in the automotive world. Ferrari we all know about, Abarth perhaps less so. The

latter’s name was inextricably linked to go-faster Fiats, especially the original 695, a hot version of the rear-engined 500 of the 1960s. Abarth enlarged the engine from 499cc to 689cc, which in top 695 SS spec boasted 38 hp. He died in 1979, but his company carried on and is now wholly owned by Fiat (a bit like Ferrari, in fact). While the new Tributo Ferrari might be based on a Fiat 500, once Abarth has finished tinkering it has as much in common with Fiat’s shopping trolley as the Aston Martin Cygnet has in common with a Toyota iQ. The comparison is apt. Aston has reworked the diminutive Toyota, giving it a wood and leather interior

and a price tag that’s a fiver short of £31,000. The idea is that by buying a Cygnet, Aston owners can have a city car that supplies the luxury touches they have come to expect from their regular car, if not the performance. Aston has done nothing to boost the heady 97bhp produced by the standard iQ. Abarth, on the other hand, has done more than enough to the 500 to make it appeal to the Ferrari owner who doesn’t fancy taking his 458 Italia to the supermarket. To create the Abarth 500, the 100hp of the ordinary 1.4 500 is boosted to 135hp, just as Carlo Abarth himself would have done when he started the company more than 60

motoring

years ago. A hotter Abarth 500, called Esseesse, lowers the suspension, beefs up the brakes and boosts power to 160hp, and that’s just the starting point for the Tributo Ferrari. Power from the turbocharged 1.4-litre, 16-valve engine is boosted to a heady 180hp, giving it a sub-seven second 0–60mph time and a top speed of 140mph – enough to leave Aston’s Cygnet bobbing around in its wake. The Ferrari link is accentuated via the exterior appearance with four body colours straight out of the Ferrari brochures – Rosso Corsa, Giallo Modena, Blu Abu Dhabi and Grigio Titanio (that’s red, yellow, blue or grey to you and me) – offset by Corsa Grey wheels and body stripes. The visual package is completed by carbon door mirrors, while the aural experience is underscored by the ‘Record Monza’ dual-mode exhaust. Naturally, it has deep front spoilers, lower side skirts and an extended roof spoiler to take advantage of the extra power. It also has Brembo ventilated disc brakes to slow it down more effectively, while the suspension has been stiffened and the alloys have 17-inch rims. Inside, there are excellent sports seats by Sabelt, a thick-rimmed flat-bottomed Abarth steering wheel and a Sport button that quickens throttle responses, weights up the electric power steering and sharpens handling. Well, that’s the theory. The steering is perhaps the only weak spot in the Abarth’s make-up, being slightly

over-light in its feel, whether the Sport button is pressed or not. Among the standard gizmos are the Electronic Stability Programme (ESP), which starts braking individual wheels if control is threatened and Torque Transfer Control (TTC), which acts like a limited slip differential to kill understeer when cornering and so deliver more fun. In true F1 fashion, the manual gearbox has steering wheelmounted paddles for super-fast changes, which means that early owners like Ferrari F1 drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa will feel at home when they pop out for an espresso. Other standard equipment includes Xenon headlights, automatic climate control and Fiat’s advanced ‘Blue&Me’ infotainment system, while the attention to detail extends to pedals bearing the Abarth scorpion logo and a plate showing the car’s serial number mounted on the dashboard. Perhaps the best news about the Tributo Ferrari, at least as far as UK buyers are concerned, is that it is available in right-hand drive, though no more than 152 examples will be available to special order only through the 17-strong Abarth dealer network. The price? €35,500. Which is where we came in. Yes, that’s a great deal of money to pay for a humble shopping trolley, but the engineering that’s gone into the car has turned it into a genuinely sporting machine. Carlo – and Enzo – would have been impressed. n

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IN BRIEF Car: Abarth 695 Tributo Ferrari Price: £31,246 (approx.) Engine: 1.4-litre four-cylinder, turbo Power: 180 hp Drive: Front-wheel drive Performance: 0-62mph in 7.0 seconds; 140 mph max

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The Power of 4 Take the Challenge

Pitch your driving capabilities against a state-of-the-art Porsche track on a team driving day like no other

o you think you can drive? Here’s your chance to prove it. The Porsche Centre in Canary Wharf is offering Canary Wharf readers the chance to compete in The Power of 4 Challenge – a day that promises to test driving ability and push mental agility to its limit. Faced with a range of competitive challenges and on-road obstacles, 12 teams of four will do battle in an attempt to win the ultimate Porsche driving experience: a trip to Camp4 at Porsche’s Arctic Driving Centre – a snow-based driving facility based in Finland – in the early part of next year. Taking place on 23 September 2011 at the Porsche Experience Centre, Silverstone, the day will comprise numerous driving challenges that incorporate both circuitbased and off-road activities. Spending the day with three of your colleagues or clients, you will be provided with the unique opportunity of exploring the entire Porsche model range by driving all five Porsche models. In order to be part of this experience, you will need to gather a team of four, each of whom must participate in each activity in order for your team to qualify for the Camp4 challenge. For insurance purposes each team member must be over 25 and have held a full UK driving license for at least two years. Described by one of last’s year’s runners up as “a prize in itself”, the day is run by a team of highly-experienced Porsche Driving Consultants. Enter the competition for your chance of swapping the boardroom for the racetrack and proving to your business colleagues the calibre of your driving supremacy. n

“The most sophisticated driving day I have experienced – suitable for people of all skill levels”

how to enter To enter a team into the Canary Wharf Challenge, email competitions@runwildgroup.co.uk with the following details and write PORSCHE in the subject line: 1. Your name 2. The company you work for 3. Your position within that company 4. The names and emails of the three colleagues who will be your team-mates 5. Finally, in no more than 75 words, tell us why you and your three team-mates should be chosen to represent your company in The Power of 4 Challenge.

Terms and Conditions The closing date for entries is 31 July 2011. The prize is entry for one team (consisting of you and three colleagues) to The Porsche Corporate Challenge at Silverstone on 23 September 2011. These prizes are non-transferable and no cash alternative will be offered. The competition is open to UK residents aged 25 or over who have held a full UK driving licence for at least two years. The competition closes at 23:59 on 31 July 2011. Entries received thereafter will be discarded. The promoter reserves the right to withdraw or amend this promotion. Employees and directors of Runwild Media Group and their subsidiaries and affiliates, agents, dealers and their immediate family or household members are not eligible to enter. By entering this competition you agree to being contacted by Porsche Centre East London - Canary Wharf Showroom in the future. Please see www.runwildmediagroup.com/subscriptions for full terms and conditions. For terms and conditions relating to The Power of 4 Challenge competition please email panamera@porsche-events.co.uk.

www.vgnewtrend.it

ph. Andrea Pancino C

VG Studio at

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technology

calibre

technology It’s fair to say that the latest addition to the Bang & Olufsen home cinema family possesses the wow factor. With an 85-inch screen and available with a unique stand that elevates the TV to the optimal viewing position at the touch of a button, the BeoVision 4-85 is spectacular to behold. As the first full HD screen with 3D, the TV combines state-of-the-art performance with top-of-the-range audio, video and intelligent home integration to provide the ultimate cinematic experience. BeoVision 4-85 TV, approximately £61,500 (with motorised stand) or £44,800 (wall-mounted version), Bang & Olufsen, www.bang-olufsen.com

BeoVision 4-85 TV, £61,500 (with motorised stand) or £44,800 (wall-mounted version) Bang & Olufsen, www.bang-olufsen.com

The Latest & Greatest Gadgets... 1. Monster Vision Monster introduces Monster Vision Max 3D; the world’s first and only universal wireless 3D eyewear that will work with all brands of 3D HDTVs.

Monster Vision Max 3D eyeglasses and transmitter £165, Monster, www.monstercable.com

1 2

2. Power In Your Palm Armour’s Systemline keypads and remote controls give families the freedom to access and manage audio and video equipment independently in every room of the house

Prices of home entertainment packages available on request, www.armourhome.co.uk

3. Linked In Fatman’s new Wi-Tube music system allows you to hook up practically any music-enabled device, including mobile phones, CD players and even your computer.

Fatman Wi-Tube, £399, Fatman www.fat-man.co.uk

4. Turning Back Time Equipped with a DL-A100 cartridge, the Denon DP-A100 is capable of masterfully reproducing the energy and distinctness of analogue discs.

DP-A100 player, £2,250, Denon www.denon100.com

5. Super Sonic With an entire frequency range radiating from one point in space, the KEF Blade generates a sound-field that is truly astonishing.

KEF Blade, £20,000, www.kef.com, KEF

interview james Caan personal finance investment risk global living petrol prices ................................................................ ........

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SUSTAINABLE FISHING

From 11 May to 12 June, Selfridges ran a five week initiative called Project Ocean; this was a creative and public call to action to defend the fish in the sea

n 2009, The End of the Line made a huge splash; this feature-length documentary tackled the unthinkable prediction that the world’s fish stocks could run out by 2050 if global action is not taken. Food retailers immediately pledged to source their fish more responsibly, celebrities spoke out in support and the protection of the ocean cemented itself at the forefront of retailer consciousness. Selfridges’ Creative Director Alannah Weston, working in partnership with the Zoological Society of London (ZSL), came up with Project Ocean in the hope that the “increasingly eco-

engaged customers would make sustainability a part of their everyday lives”. Practising what it preaches about environmentally responsible practices, Selfridges has eliminated endangered fish stocks across its restaurants and food halls. The project provided a forum to address the issues of sustainability, overfishing and marine protection. Jonathan Baillie, its co-creator, deemed it “the biggest ever retail activism campaign designed to ‘sell’ and engage public mindsets on overfishing, an issue that needs mass support”. n www.selfridges.com/projectocean

feature xxxx

Enter the 88

Dragon...

interview

ounder and CEO of private equity firm, Hamilton Bradshaw – in whose Mayfair offices we meet – James is able to boast the ‘rags to riches’ story that typifies many selfmade millionaire narratives. While his pensive and articulate manner would suggest an academic background and top-tier education, in reality, this couldn’t be further from the truth. James entered the cut-throat culture of the real working world at the age of just 16. Having left school with no qualifications and subsequently declined a position in his father’s fabric business, he held a number of jobs before starting work at a recruitment company as a trainee interviewer. The job suited him. James quickly realised that selling and interacting with people were two things out of which he could forge a career. After employment in various agencies, James founded Alexander Mann, his own recruitment company and one that would, having started operations out of a broom cupboard of an office in Mayfair, develop into a global brand with a turnover of £130 million. From recruitment, James moved into executive headhunting, an industry in which he co-founded Humana International. It took the company just six years to expand to 147 offices across 30 countries. In 2003, having sold Humana, James established Hamilton Bradshaw. It was shortly after that that the BBC came knocking. “I had just set up a private equity firm and all of a sudden I get approached by a TV channel saying, if you come to a studio and sit there, we will go out and find you hundreds of innovators and entrepreneurs all looking for capital. At the time, finding good opportunities for investment wasn’t easy and here was an opportunity that cost me nothing. I would basically be doing what I already did for a living. For me, it worked fantastically. The programme enabled me to understand any business in any sector. When a guy comes in and wants £600,000 to launch a submarine, you’ve got to be able to analyse the market, the margins, the opportunity, the distribution, the manufacturing, the partners, the equity and put at an

overall value on the business. That’s extremely challenging to do within 20 minutes but by the time I stepped out of the Dragon’s Den, I could pretty much do that in any sector. Today I have thousands of people approach me in every kind of industry, and I tend to get it immediately.” James admits that the show changed his life. “Unless you have done TV before, how can you be prepared to walk into a restaurant and have everyone stare at you? Or to walk into a shopping centre and be approached by people who want your autograph? It’s not natural.” For the 2008 Asian Media & Marketing Group’s ‘Man of the Year’, it was an interesting change and there is nothing he regrets. “The truth of the matter is that we choose to do everything. Nobody forces you to do TV and getting recognised is what comes with the territory. If you’re not comfortable, don’t do it.” James realises that, as his profile has grown, so too has his capacity to provide help to those who most need it. Now, as well as the work he does for The Prince’s Trust as Enterprise Fellow and Marie Curie as a senior advisor, James devotes much of his time to his own charity, The James Caan Foundation (JCF). “When you are successful, you have the opportunity to make a real difference. What I have done through the JCF is essentially applied the expertise I’ve gained to philanthropy. A lot of charitable administrations are not run as businesses, but if you apply certain business techniques and commercial parameters, you can create a much better organisation.” It is an approach that James has applied to various initiatives in his home country of Pakistan. “We started out by sponsoring a child to allow them to get a better education. Then we thought ‘why don’t we just build our own school?’ Having done that, this year we have built an entire village where we have managed to rehouse a thousand people.” While the sense of satisfaction James gets from his charity work is obvious (“what better feeling can there be than giving someone else a better life?” he asks me), it’s also clear that this is a man whose finger rarely strays from the business world’s pulse.

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At the start of the year, the St John’s Wood resident read an article explaining how, over the next 12 months, nearly 33,000 UK businesses would go into receivership. It was a fact that inspired him two months later to devise his first SmartPhone app. Drawing upon his 30 years of experience, Business Secrets offers guidance not just to aspiring entrepreneurs and fledgling businesses, but to anyone looking to improve the performance of their company. “When I started my business there were so many things I did wrong, purely because I had never done them before. Things like raising capital and attracting the right people, knowing about the financial margins of a business, understanding media and marketing. All of these things have taken me over 20 years to understand. Business Secrets was my

James founded his own recruitment company... having started operations out of a broom cupboard, it then developed into a global brand opportunity to put all that experience in an app that I could share with the entrepreneurial community.” And it’s an app that entrepreneurs have been keen to take advantage of. In the four weeks preceding Business Secrets’ official launch last month, the aim was to have reached 10,000 downloads. Never having launched an app, James was sceptical but he needn’t have been. Business Secrets became the number one app in its very first week, and by the second had already achieved more than 73,000 downloads. “I think we did okay,” James smiles. James has amassed his millions through a career based in recruitment, by investing in people who are both passionate and methodical, and for whom work isn’t just a job. “You need people with a kind of fired drive,” he says. “People who can evaluate and analyse, and who have a natural knack with people.” It’s probably because James boasts all of these qualities that he’ll remain at the top of his game for many years to come. n

comment personal finance

Property or Shares? Dr David Kuo of the Motley Fool weighs up the advantages and disadvantages of investing in either property or shares, or both A frequently posed dilemma is “property or shares?” Which investment should I plump for? The truth is that there are arguments for both, so it is important not to adopt an either/ or approach, excluding one at the expense of the other. There is room for both, because shares and property have both delivered inflation-beating returns over the long term. Since 1973 property prices have risen by roughly 9 per cent a year. This measures up quite well with shares, which have returned an average of 11 per cent since 1918. However, it is important to compare apples with apples, and this is where it can get a bit tricky. While average house prices have increased by around 9 per cent annually, this doesn’t include rental income. This can boost returns on a property investment, although not until the rent you collect covers regular outgoings such as mortgage repayments and unavoidable maintenance costs. Most shares, on the other hand, pay dividends, and those dividends can be quickly ploughed back into more shares, so your investment should increase through compounding over time. So which is the better investment – property or shares? Perhaps the biggest advantage to property investment is the fact that land is a finite resource. Therefore, property should gain in value over the long-term, as population rises and demand for new homes increases. What’s more, it is easier to borrow money to buy a property, so gains are amplified when house prices rise. However, losses are magnified if house prices fall. Shares tend to rise over the long term too, but you need

to be more discerning when choosing in which companies to invest. Having said that, it is always possible to invest regular amounts in a stock market index tracker that mimics the performance of the entire stock market. Another argument that is often put forward for investing in property is that it is a tangible asset. In other words, you can drive past it, look at it and even go up to it and touch it to assure yourself that it’s still there. However, this is where property can become a headache; it has to be maintained, which can take both time and money. Of course, a portfolio of shares needs to be maintained too, and for that you need to learn some of the basics of investing. However, it can be a lot easier to learn about shares than whipping out your toolbox or finding the right type of handyman. Additionally, you can learn about shares in your spare time, unlike a burst pipe, which has to be fixed immediately. Unless you are well-versed in buying and selling properties, then costs are something you need to bear in mind. It can be quite expensive to buy and sell a house once legal fees, stamp duty and estate agency commission are added into the equation, so it is not something you want to do too often. By comparison, dealing in shares is much cheaper; if you think you may have invested in the wrong share, you can just sell them and buy something else instead, through the plethora of low-cost brokers. On this point, liquidity is something worth considering too. Just because you want to sell your house doesn’t mean you can do so quickly; it can take months or even years to sell a property. Selling shares, on the other hand, couldn’t be easier. If you decide to sell your shares today, the proceeds could be in your bank account almost instantaneously. Additionally, you can sell just a portion of your share portfolio if you like, which you can’t with a property: it is nigh on impossible to sell a house brick by brick. Having laid out my arguments for investing in property and shares, my opinion is that both are great assets to own and they should deliver good long-term returns. If you own a house, which has gone up significantly in value, then you may want to balance things out by investing more shares now. n

Dr David Kuo, Director at the popular financial website The Motley Fool www.Fool.co.uk

personal finance

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Too Much Risk Martin Bamford explains what has changed in recent years with regards to investment risk and how to understand the newest labels for different levels of risk Investing nearly always involves taking risk with your money. Whilst risk is an inevitable part of investing money, understanding how much risk you want and need to take is often very complex. Our understanding of investment risk has come a long way since a decade ago, when an investor was likely to be labelled “cautious, balanced or adventurous”. Your experience with an investment adviser today is more likely to involve the use of psychometric questionnaires and various financial scenarios, rather than ticking one of three boxes to determine your investment decisions. Risk is a big issue for the Financial Services Authority (FSA) at the moment; the FSA regulates the provision of investment advice in the UK, and its recent messages suggest a great deal of dissatisfaction with regard to how the issue of investment risk is being addressed. Some of the banks have been found guilty of moving too quickly to investment fund recommendations without taking the time to understand how much risk an investor should be taking. They have also come under fire for lining up funds with investor risk profiles incorrectly; just because a fund is called “cautious” doesn’t necessarily make it any good for a cautious investor. One thing that often fuels confusion when it comes to investment risk is the sectors in which various investment funds sit. The Investment Management Association (IMA) is responsible for maintaining these fund sectors, and has now made a positive change by renaming sectors previously known as Cautious, Managed and Balanced Managed. These sectors are being labelled with a letter from the alphabet (for example, Managed B), which will encourage the investor to dig a little deeper beneath the surface in order to understand what a particular sector means.

However, this move is not universally popular. Many financial advisers do not like the removal of the traditional sector names, possibly because it will mean more work for them to convince an investor that a sector is a suitable starting place for their risk profile. We all need to improve our strategies when it comes to making decisions with our money, particularly important, potentially life-changing decisions about investing our money. In my experience, investors often take too much or too little risk, compared to how they really feel about investment risk and the level of risk they need to take to meet their investment objectives. This can happen for a number of reasons, although a lack of understanding is the most common. If major investment banks can fail to appreciate the degree of risk they are taking with their investments, leading to the global financial crisis, it is easy to see how an individual investor might make unwise investment decisions with their own money. The names of some investment funds can lull investors into a false sense of security. It is perfectly understandable that an investor in a “balanced” managed fund might expect their money to be invested in a balanced manner. It is not until they take a closer look and realise that as much as 85 per cent of their money is in riskier equities, that the reality of the word “balanced” comes home to roost. Because investment risk is such a personal thing, it rarely makes sense to rely on these types of fund (what we call multi-asset managed funds) to make important decisions about risk on your behalf. It is a step too far in terms of delegation, which can leave you feeling that you’re in a suitable investment environment, when in truth you are taking entirely the wrong amount of risk with your money. Taking the right amount of investment risk requires involvement and understanding and, while both of these factors can be time consuming, they are important. The alternative is hoping for the best, but when it comes to your money, hope should not be part of the strategy. n

Martin Bamford is a chartered financial planner at Informed Choice (www.icl-ifa.co.uk) and author of several best-selling personal finance books.

comment human resources

Team Moves With the economy on the mend and renewed buoyancy in the job market, City team moves are back with a vengeance, says Clare Murray A team move usually involves two or more employees together leaving their employer to join another, or to set themselves up in competition (with or without outside backing). The current employer faces losing key employees and often their clients and, if a whole specialist team is leaving, potentially the ability to service clients in that area at all. The employer’s confidential information may be at risk of being misused or divulged to a competitor, to help to give the team a head start. Although team moves happen all the time, it is difficult to organise one without the members breaching their obligations of loyalty and fidelity to their employer and potentially facing substantial remedies. These include an injunction to stop further unlawful acts, compensation, and for certain employees in trusted positions (called “fiduciaries”), an order to hand over profits unlawfully earned by them, even if their ex-employer has not actually suffered any loss. These can be potentially disastrous for the team trying to establish itself elsewhere. Executives who are considering a team move need to be aware up front of their express and implied obligations before taking any significant steps such as: encouraging colleagues or

clients to follow them; disclosing or using their employer’s confidential information for their own ends; starting work for a competitor during their notice period; or diverting business opportunities to their next venture, rather than offering them to their current employer. It is likely that there will also be additional express obligations in their contract: for example, garden leave clauses to keep the key individuals out of the market whilst under notice, and restrictive covenants preventing them from soliciting or dealing with clients and poaching more colleagues. There have been a number of high-profile cases recently regarding team moves, which highlight the greater willingness in the current climate of affected employers to pursue employees who breach their employment obligations, and also the willingness of courts to penalise and restrict those offending employees. So what can the team do? Some simple things from the outset include, for example, being aware of your obligations so you can make informed decisions and rein yourselves (and your future employer – who can also be subject to claims) in as far as possible. Consider if the reason for the move is related to your current employer’s unlawful conduct – for example, a unilateral change in roles or other terms of employment. Consider asking your new employer – who will benefit from the team move – for an indemnity against any potential liabilities and legal costs you may incur as a result of the move. Use a recruitment consultant who is experienced in handling team moves and has an understanding of the legal risks for the team, the new employer and for themselves, and how to minimise them as far as possible. Small steps can help reduce your risk as far as possible and potentially improve the prospects of a smooth transition to your team’s new home. n

Clare Murray is Managing Partner at specialist employment and partnership law firm CM Murray LLP. She can be contacted at clare.murray@cm-murray.com or 020 7718 0090. The contents of this column are for general purposes only. Specialist legal advice should be taken regarding specific circumstances.

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RISE OF GLOBAL

MOBILITY

Cross-Border Health Directive Readers may recall that I wrote an article last year about the complexities of healthcare for EU travellers or expatriates when visiting another EU country. This was, in particular, about the EHIC card, which many believe entitles EU citizens to NHS benefits when visiting other EU countries. As ever, the situation is much more complex than that. In February, a new Cross-Border Health Directive was adopted with a targeted introduction date of 2013, to try and tackle the issue of healthcare for mobile citizens within the EU. In brief, the key benefit is that EU citizens should, as a general rule, be allowed to receive healthcare in another member state and be able to claim back the costs of medical treatment that they receive in other countries. There is still some flexibility in how these rules are applied by different countries and the UK is one that is nervous about the changes. Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party, complained: “The rules will turn the UK’s NHS into a bureaucratic nightmare. Extra staff will be needed to chase up money owed from countries such as Romania.” It is intended that EU countries will establish systems of prior authorisation. If you fall unwell in an EU country that is not your home and you require a stay in hospital with specialised care, your home country health system would be required to give permission before you were treated. I would still stick with the travel insurance for the foreseeable future.

Global Petrol Prices A range of companies produce statistics comparing and contrasting the cost of living between countries. The Economist produces its Burger index, whereby it compares the amount of income needed to buy a Big Mac in differing countries across the globe. It describes this as “arguably the world’s most accurate financial indicator to be based on a fast-food item”. The US consulting firm AIRINC (www.air-inc.com) has now produced some interesting data comparing international petrol prices compiled in March 2011. It publishes details of the ten most expensive countries for a gallon of regular or premium followed by the cheapest, all prices in $US. According to AIRINC, Turkey is the most expensive place to drive your car, with a gallon of regular fuel setting you back $9.63, closely followed by Eritrea and Norway, both of whose fuel prices reach $9. Greece, Monaco, Denmark, Sweden, Belgium, the UK and Netherlands all top the $8 mark for a gallon. At the other end of the spectrum, if you are seeking cheap petrol it is generally best to head for the Middle East. In Algeria, Oman and Egypt it costs just over $1 per gallon to fill your car’s tank. That price drops to 80 cents in Bahrain, 72 cents in Turkmenistan and 54 cents in Saudi Arabia. However, the absolute winner of the cheapest petrol award is thousands of miles away in South America. The cost of a gallon of petrol in Venezuela is an unbeatable 6 cents. You might like to ponder that next time you fill up at the pumps.

For more information, visit www.totallyexpat.com

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For global living international executives keeping up to date with the latest news is important

Expatriates Keep Home Finances On Tap Brian Friedman explains how expatriates are able to contribute to the GDP of their countries of birth via remittances and, in some cases, ‘Diaspora’ bonds

ou may be surprised to learn that official international figures put the number of expatriates – rather loosely defined as people not residing in the country in which they were born – at 215 million people. That is approximately 3 per cent of the world’s population. But despite the relative ease of international travel in the 20th and 21st centuries, migration flows relative to the world’s population have, in fact, slowed since the late 19th century.

In its Migration and Remittances Factbook 2011, the World Bank (www.worldbank.org/migration) sets out in detail some of the crucial facts about international migration. First, migration between developing countries is larger than migration from developing to developed nations, as defined by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). Anyone who saw the news pictures of Egyptian workers stranded in Libya earlier this year will recognise this. However,

workers from developing countries who do manage to move to and work in developed countries contribute to the wealth of their home countries via remittances. According to the World Bank, these remittances are a vital source of income for the families remaining in developing countries. Furthermore, the capital inflow this represents is three times the size of official aid funds. Top remittancesending countries in 2009 were the US, Saudi Arabia, Switzerland, Russia and Germany. Worldwide, the top recipients in 2010 were India, China, Mexico, the Philippines and France. For some smaller countries remittances make up more than 25 per cent of GDP. As well as the phenomenon of remittances, there are now new ways in which the benign expatriate can contribute to the wealth of their home country. One of these is the so-called ‘Diaspora’ bonds. These are financial fixed-income securities marketed at wealthy residents abroad. Recently Greece has announced an issue in the hope that Greeks around the world will contribute to the financial recovery of their home country. It is estimated that there are 11 million people of Greek ancestry outside Greece itself, about the same number of its domestic residents. At the time of writing, Greece has been unable to sell bonds with a long maturity date. It is hoping that prominent descendants of Greek nationals will help alleviate some of the current hardship, although diaspora bonds have a chequered history. n

Brian Friedman is the contributing editor of Global Life and founder of the Forum for Expatriate Management. Founded in 2008, the Forum already has over 4,000 members who collectively manage over one million expatriate moves. Members come from the leading blue-chip employers of international assignees both in the UK and globally.

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Chic and Close This season, glamorous Mediterranean resorts are firmly back in vogue, owing to the warm weather, lovely hotels and ease of travel to such destinations: BA CityFlyer flights to Malaga from London City Airport, for example (costing from £75 one way) take just two hours so it’s an incredibly easy journey. The Hotel Melia La Quinta Golf & Spa is located in one of the most prestigious corners of Marbella and has three of its own nine-hole golf courses. In addition, there are two huge swimming pools, a Turkish bath and a variety of tempting restaurants, including a Japanese venue and Los Arcos, which offers a selection of exquisite Mediterranean dishes. www.melia-hotels.com www.ba.com/cityoffer

Brazilian style Brazil’s chicest weekend retreat is Buzios, an exclusive coastal idyll complete with azure waters, deserted beaches and the finest fish dishes. Here, the palatial, Mediterraneanstyle villa Casa Brancas is a favourite of travel experts Dehouche. The property has three glittering destination venues – perfect

Travel Fact cocktail spot Deck, the veranda restaurant Café Atlântico for local cuisine and fashionable dining lounge Roka, which draws the international jet-set. There are also lavish spa facilities and sun terraces aplenty for relaxing and sun-worshipping. www.casasbrancas.com.br

Although its height is estimated at 8850 metres, Mount Everest is still ‘growing’ at an estimated four millimetres per year.

Website of the month:

Set just moments from Uruguay’s glittering Punte del Este coast is the charming Estancia Vik. The luxurious yet delightfully quirky boutique hotel boasts 12 suites, each decorated by a different local artist in rich woods, watercolour murals and jagged stone. By day enjoy the black granite swimming pool in the courtyard or take to the polo field, before sampling meat straight from the dramatic ‘parillero’, or barbecue house, as the sun sets. www.mrandmrssmith.com

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PALACE

in wonderland

Part two of her 2,500-kilometre odyssey through Oman: Bel Trew gets to grips with off-roading, 45° climbs and 1000-metre drops, but not before a quick, palatial pit stop

he place to stay in Muscat if you want to experience traditional Omani hospitality is the award-winning five-star Al Bustan Hotel, a converted Omani palace set into the dramatic mountainous backdrop. We fell out of the desert and into reception, smelling of the morning’s campfire. Our jeep was wearing a thick coat of dust and sand. As the valet opened the door, our camping stove and noodle packs followed. Not a brilliant start. The entrance takes your breath away. The ‘lobby’ is an eight-storey ornate Arabian dome with a fountain seven feet high, tinkling harp, high-tea area in the centre and the largest chandelier I have ever seen. The hotel boasts a 50-metre infinity pool, four lagoon pools that hug the palace with private jetties and a one kilometre private beach, all set into the 200-acre palatial gardens. To add to this, the hotel is opening a Six Senses Spa, and the mysterious and heavily guarded ninth floor is an actual palace for visiting dignitaries. Tempting although it is to stay ensconced in the hotel, it is easy to explore the old city of Muscat from the Al

Bustan. Visits to Mutrah souk – a treasure trove of antiques, fabrics, spices and gold – and the morning Fish Market (if your nose and stomach can handle it) are not to be missed. Aside from the slippery dunes of The Empty Quarter, the driving doesn’t get harder than the journey up to the Salmah Plateau. Engaging the 4WD low range, our jeep rolled perilously up the shifting graded tracks. Taking hours to complete even the smallest distance at a ridiculous angle, with dangerously tight switchbacks and nothing between you and a several hundred-metre drop on one side, for the adventure driver, this is heaven. When you’re not gripping the car door, this seemingly never-ending 1,500-metre ascent offers breathtaking views of the gorges and canyons below. On the Plateau, stone ‘wolf traps’ are scattered along the vast lunar landscape, there is an eerily abandoned airstrip and to the West are the famous Majlis al Jinn Caves; 130-metre deep holes in the mountainside, these caves are apparently big enough to fit three Boeing 747s. Camping at this cool altitude is bliss, if you ignore the chorus of mosquitoes and the inch-long red and gold hornets (a problem throughout this region). Somewhat incongruously, we were woken at sunrise by a group of ten-year-old goat herders in crisp white dishdashas and the Omani kuma hat, asking for Pepsi. Pepsi and water are a serious currency in the depths of the desert, and useful thank-you gifts to kind locals when you’re lost. Oman is famous for two things: frankincense and turtles. A 15,000-year-old industry, the history of the Omani incense trade features world-famous customers from the Magi in the Bible to the legendary Queen of Sheba and King Solomon. Frankincense, made from the gum of the frankincense tree that can be found all over the country, helped Oman stretch its empire as far as Africa and India in its heyday of the 17th century. The history of the Omani turtles is less positive: in the past, Oman has been criticised for not controlling tourists who apparently reigned free on the beaches, photographing, hassling and even, in some cases, riding the turtles, but it is thankfully a different story now. The easternmost tip of Oman at Ras al-Jinz sees around 30,000 turtles nest on its beaches every year, protected by the Ras al-Jinz Sanctuary and Visitor Centre. They run guided tours of the beaches by local turtle experts at 9pm every night. Even though out of season, we saw seven females laying their eggs and a group of babies nudging their way through the sand to the sea. It is truly magical to watch these noble creatures at such a key

connoisseur

moment under the stars, especially as fewer than one in 1,000 turtles makes it to adulthood. For a two-week trip, to continue south along the coast, over the sand dunes, the Subka salt-crusted mudflats and Rub’ al-Khali (Empty Quarter) as an amateur, in one car, is potentially fatal. To make the most of the area and the terrain, book a tour. Abercrombie & Kent provides tailormade luxury tours of the Empty Quarter down to Salalah. Treading in the footsteps of Thesiger, expert guides in shiny SUVs do the hard work for you and nights are spent under the stars in original goat-hair Bedouin tents. For the finale of the off-road adventure, we crossed Hajar mountain range via the perilous Wadi Bani Awf to reach the highest peak in Oman, Jebel Shams (Sunshine Mountain). Wadi Bani Awf, just south of Rustaq, is a favourite of serious hikers. The most famous hike is the four-hour expedition through Snake Canyon. Jumping 20 feet into rock pools, swimming through ravines and scrambling over car-sized boulders are just some of the obstacles. It can be a little risky as, once you’ve jumped, you can’t go back and if it starts to rain, flash floods through these canyons occur in seconds. There is a shorter (and safer) version at Little Snake Canyon with lagoons and gorges just as beautiful. A short drive was Jebel Shams, famous for the breezily named “Balcony Walk”. This route takes you dangerously close to the drop into Oman’s answer to the Grand Canyon. At the end of the walk is the last thing you expect to find; a village. This marked the end of the trip. Despite the difficulties the country has faced, Oman is a real-life Eden and a welcoming, multicultural society, where Swahili is spoken as readily as Arabic, and where Portuguese architecture is fused with Indian and African elements. Dusty and exhausted, we had driven 2,500 kilometres through stunning mountains, beaches, sand dunes, canyons and wadis. “You’ll be back,” winked the border guards (who proved to be a cheery lot). Inshallah. n

Images top left and middle left by Ewan Cameron

Images right and bottom far right, courtesy of Al Bustan Palace Intercontinental Hotel

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For detailed maps and information about all the places visited, purchase Oman Off Road RRP £26 (approximately) www.explorerpublishing.com Al Bustan Palace Hotel PO Box 1998, Muscat 114, Oman +968 24 79 96 66 www.ichotelsgroup.com £1,458 per person (based on a 7-night stay) Abercrombie & Kent tailor-made tour www.abercrombiekent.co.uk/oman £2,598 per person (based on a 7-night stay) Ras al-Jinz Reserve Ash Sharqiyah, Oman +968 96 55 06 06 www.rasaljinz-turtlereserve.com

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Perfect Portugal While famed for its golden sands and luxury golf resorts, it’s worth knowing that Portugal also offers a whole lot more. Small Luxury Hotels of the WorldTM have a series of stunning properties throughout this beautiful and diverse country that will suit everyone Ferragudo Bay, Algarve

Stylish cities Portugal sparkles with thriving and fashionable cities such as Lisbon. The capital has a reputation for providing lavish entertainment and the arts; its winding streets are filled with glamorous, designer boutiques and fascinating art galleries. By night, Michelin-starred restaurants and exclusive bars are the perfect venues to enjoy a crisp glass of Douro wine. Just 500m from Lisbon’s Cathedral is Hotel da Estrela, a former palace of the aristocracy which offers just 19 rooms and suites for discreet and sophisticated luxury. Designed by Portugal’s most eminent interior designer, this hotel offers guests the opportunity to immerse themselves in the heritage of the region whilst enjoying high-end facilities and comfort. If you’re looking for a more contemporary base, choose the Internacional Design Hotel, a vibrant, themed retreat in the heart of the cultural quarter. Consolidating tribal, urban, pop and zen concepts, this hotel features zebra-print murals, geometric shapes and splashes of neon!

Internacional Design Hotel

ALSO RECOMMENDED... Hotel Infante Sagres, Porto A grand hotel in the style of a traditional Portuguese manor house

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Beautiful beaches Portugal not only has a delightfully warm climate but picturesque scenery and miles of unspoilt coastline which lends itself easily to adventurous water-sports, lunch al fresco and leisurely strolls. Estoril is popular for all kinds of activities including sailing, mountain biking, and motor racing at the famous Estoril Autodrome. There’s also the Casino Estoril, Cascais Marina, palaces, museums and natural parks. The Palácio Estoril Hotel, Golf & Spa, is a deluxe hotel, which has been open since 1930. The Palácio offers a total of 161 classic, elegant rooms, including 32 wonderful suites. The magnificent public areas and the beautifully landscaped gardens, make it the ideal venue for events, while the Grill Four Seasons Restaurant is renowned as the most lavish dining restaurant locally, providing first class international cuisine. The Bar Estoril enjoys some classic history, apparently being famous as a favourite haunt for spies during World War II, and the Bougainvillea Terrace has lovely views. The Hotel also expanded its wellness facilities in April 2010, with the opening of the excellent Termas do Estoril and the Banyan Tree Spa. One of the most indulgent ways to enjoy Portugal’s coastal properties is with a gorgeous sea salt bath. The Blue & Green Vilalara Thalassa Resort in Lagoa, on the west side of the Algarve, boasts one of the best Thalassotherapy and Spa centres in the world. The stunning and intimate setting is dedicated to wellbeing and set within 11 hectares of lush, tropical gardens and beach. Guests who are undertaking one of the hotel’s specialist weight loss programmes can also benefit from authentic gourmet cuisine available on site.

yourself away from your hotel’s amenities. The serene Druro Valley is a particularly special area which was classified a Word Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2001. This region is home to legendary ports and the eponymous wine. The Aquapura Douro Valley hotel is nestled into the valley next to a majestic river. The hotel itself is an impressive contemporary property, with unique spaces and attention to detail. The colors and textures of the region have been tastefully reproduced, and rich materials and superb geometric shapes are used throughout the hotel. Rooms and balconies offer stunning views over the river and the Douro’s century-old terraced vineyards. In a location dominated by the presence of water, the Aquapura Spa offers a tranquil environment for introspection. Make the most of the warm indoor pool, aromatic showers, panoramic sauna, laconium, herbal baths or simply relax in a marvelous water bed. ALSO RECOMMENDED... L’AND Vineyards Resort, Montemor-o-Novo A 21st century resort, with 66 acres perfect for wine enthusiasts Monte do Casal, Faro An 18th century villa nestled in botanical gardens and serving as the ultimate escape Quinta de Casa Branca, Madeira A boutique hotel amidst tropical gardens Aquapura Douro Valley

Staying at Vilalara also puts you close to the most important golf courses in the Algarve, which continues to strengthen its status as an international golf destination. Visitors can also visit Faro, an important commercial and artistic centre and take a boat to the amazing deserted island of Ilha de Faro.

Chic Countryside Groves of banana trees, lush pine plantations and azure lakes are just some of the sights you will see if you can tear

Blue & Green Vilalara Thalassa Resort

To book any of these hotels, visit www.slh.com

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Destination...

Dublin

As well as being the historical and contemporary cultural centre of Ireland, Dublin is one of Europe’s most beautiful cities with more green spaces per square kilometre than any other European capital What to see::

Dublin through the ages

Dublin is a city brimming with history. To trace the story of medieval Dublin, from the English invasion through the Black Death to the closure of the monasteries in the 1540s, schedule a visit to Dublinia, a museum that promises to offer a completely new perspective of the city. To indulge in a different type of history, the Guinness Factory tells the dramatic 250 year story of the famous Irish brewery – complete with a complimentary drink. www.dublinia.ie www.guinness-storehouse.com

Where to stay:

Where to play::

The Morrison

As day turns to night...

Designed by Dublin’s very own John Rocha, The Morrison is arguably the most fashionable hotel in Dublin’s city centre. A mix of high ceilings with pale white walls, original art, stone floors and hand crafted Irish carpets, the interior of this boutique hotel provides a haven of calm. Ideal for both business and pleasure, the hotel has seven meeting rooms ranging from the Boardroom, which seats up to nine people, to the 100-capacity Printworks Theatre. The Morrison, Lower Ormond Quay, Dublin +353 (0)1 887 2400 www.morrison hotel.ie

Where to eat:

Thornton’s

CityJet flights are available from London City Airport to Dublin six days a week, with fares starting from £59 one way, all inclusive

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For more information, schedules and to book your flight visit www.cityjet.com or www.londoncityairport.com

Occupying the first floor of the Fitzwilliam Hotel in the heart of the city, Thornton’s provides a wonderful location for sumptuous dining. Warm and inviting, the restaurant is modern and stylish, having been refurbished by the renowned New York-based 1100 Architects. Two Michelin-starred head chef Kevin Thornton’s signature dishes include wild sea bass with shrimps and coral sauce, and suckling pig with its own trotter. Choose from a selection of menu options that include an eight course surprise menu devised for your table or decide to sample the dishes in miniature versions at the canapé bar. Thornton’s, 128 St Stephen’s Green, Dublin +353 (0)1 478 7008 www.thorntonsrestaurant.com

Away from the hustle and bustle of the tourist Mecca that is Temple Bar, the pubs and clubs that line the side roads off Grafton Street offer a more authentic experience of Irish nightlife. Pay a visit to Bruxelles and follow in the footsteps of names such as Mel Gibson, Tom Jones and international Irish rugby player Brian O’Driscoll.

Don’’t miss:

The Comedy Cellar

Capable of holding just 80 people, The Comedy Cellar has been holding intimate gigs since 1987. Still running strong, the venue is considered the home of Irish comedy and hosts an array of the best Irish and international acts. With top Irish funny men Dara O’Brian, Ed Byrne and Ardal O’Hanlon still paying unannounced visits, a night at The Comedy Cellar may hold more in store than you bargained for. www.dublincomedycellar.com

21 Century st

Refinement

Once a private residence frequented by royalty and Prime Ministers, Luton Hoo is now a luxury hotel where guests can dine in period opulence and walk amongst acres of manicured parkland, discovers Billy McClean

f all the country estates touched by the landscaping mastery of Capability Brown, Luton Hoo surely endures as one of the most magnificent. Working at the Bedfordshire residence in the latter half of the 18th century, ‘England’s greatest gardener’ enlarged the park from 300 acres to nearly four times that size, transforming the estate’s gardens by damming the River Lea and creating two imposingly grand lakes. Set amongst the mature trees of this gently undulating parkland is Luton Hoo’s Mansion House. A former private residence that boasts amongst its previous visitors Queen Mary, Her Majesty the Queen, Sir Winston Churchill and Lord Mountbatten, the property is now a luxury five-star hotel, and one, I can attest, that offers its guests a whole host of delights. Approach Luton Hoo via a majestic driveway after a ten

minute ride from Luton Airport, or a 40 minute drive from Heathrow, and you can’t fail to be impressed by extensive views of the estate’s picturesque grounds and its 18 hole golf course – a course designed sympathetically around Brown’s sweeping gardens. Inside, the hotel is styled authentically and in keeping with the original décor of the house. Ornate chandeliers hang from high ceilings under which dark woods complement rich carpets and period furniture. In terms of accommodation, in addition to The Parkland building in which I spent the night, Luton Hoo provides several other room or suite options, including five state suites and four principle suites in Mansion House itself, 12 bedrooms in the Grade II listed Robert Adams Stables building, and a further 59 rooms in the Flower Garden house. Just a short stroll from Mansion House, my ground-

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floor, air-conditioned room came equipped with not only a flat-screen LCD television and broadband but also its very own terrace – perfect for enjoying breath-taking views of the grounds. Enticed by said views, I decided to set off on foot to experience the park for myself – something that I soon realised could easily consume an entire day. After taking in the estate’s 18th century octagonal walled garden, I navigated the perimeter of the smaller of Brown’s two lakes. A couple of hours later, although aware that I had only scratched the surface of Luton Hoo’s 1,100 acres, I returned from a walk that proved a fantastic way of reacquainting myself with the British countryside after a tiring week in the city. It also left me with an appropriately-sized appetite for afternoon tea, which at Luton Hoo consists of a selection of delicious finger sandwiches, freshly baked raisin and plain scones with Devonshire clotted cream and an assortment of delectable tea cakes and pastries. Energised, I elected to make use of the hotel’s fitness studio, indoor swimming pool and heat therapy suite. After a rewarding workout and refreshing swim, the sauna and steam room capped off a thoroughly rejuvenating afternoon. Guests can also benefit from a number of exclusive spa blends inspired by flowers and herbs found on the Luton Hoo estate, as well as ‘his and hers’ treatments that range from traditional massages to speciality body programmes. I tried the Deep Tissue Massage which was nothing short of fantastic. When it comes to hotel dining, there can be few more spectacular settings than Luton Hoo’s Wernher Restaurant. Named after one of the estate’s most distinguished former owners, the restaurant was extensively remodelled in the early 20th century by the architects of the Ritz Hotel in London. Comprising exotic marble panel work, heavy curtains and richly coloured fabrics, you could be forgiven for thinking you had been transported into the Palace of Versailles. It is an opulence that is mirrored in the restaurant’s menu, in which executive head chef Kevin Clark reveals his culinary flair through a combination of adventurous dishes and traditional British classics. Elsewhere on the estate, The Adam’s Brasserie, housed within the historic Stables building, offers a slightly more informal style of dining, while the country club-themed The 19th restaurant provides leisure guests with a range of casual snack options. As a retreat from the stresses of the city, a stay at Luton Hoo offers something for everyone. In addition to the par 73 golf course and exclusive spa, the estate boasts a fully restored Victorian grass tennis court as well as the opportunity to partake in game or clay pigeon shooting. Away from the hotel itself, local attractions of Whipsnade Zoo, Woburn Safari Park and the Xscape indoor ski centre at Milton Keynes mean that families are catered for in abundance. Located less than a mile from junction 10 of the M1 and five minutes from Luton Parkway station – where there’s a frequent 30 minute service into the City of London – the historic wealth and luxurious splendour of Luton Hoo make it the ideal country getaway. n Luton Hoo Hotel, Golf & Spa, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU1 3TQ 01582 734437 www.lutonhoo.co.uk

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Pick Up a Picnic The picnic season has arrived. Whether you’re having lunch in your own garden or you’re on your way to one of the summer’s outdoor concerts or festivals, Carluccio’s has a hamper to suit. Priced at £45, each hamper serves two and is packed with authentic Italian dishes, freshly made to order and packed in a smart, reusable cool-bag for you to keep. The ‘Classic’ hamper is a real Italian feast, while the ‘Vegetarian’ picnic has many of the great bites from the Classic Hamper, with mushroom tart and a mixed leaf salad instead of meat. Carluccio’s picnic hampers are available in cafés until Friday 30 September and to avoid disappointment, make sure you place an order at least 24 hours in advance. Carluccio’s, Reuters Plaza

Complimentary Bubbly Over the years, Jamie Oliver has created some amazing dishes to keep his talented chefs challenged. His new summer menu at Jamie’s Italian Canary Wharf includes a young courgette flower stuffed with ricotta, fontal and buffalo mozzarella, beautiful, whole sea bass farmed in the clean, cold waters of Anglesey and best of British lamb spiedini. Jamie is also introducing truffle risotto, squid

Opened last month, the Gourmet Hotdog kiosk in Reuters Plaza offers busy Canary Wharf workers the chance to grab a hearty yet healthy snack before, during or after a day at the office. All hotdogs are handmade, steamed and smoked at the company’s factory in London Bridge. They are also low in fat, at an average of 200 calories per hotdog. As well as the Cumberland, the Victorian and the Londoner, visitors can choose a vegetarian option or even buy products to take home.

Jamie’s Italian, 2 Churchill Place

Sweet Couture has opened a new boutique in Canary Wharf. Located in Canada Place, you can choose from a variety of freshly hand-baked cupcakes, layer cakes and small bites, each decorated with delicious butter cream or cream cheese frosting and topped with stylish sprinkles.

www.jamiesitalian.com/flyer

Sweet Couture, Canada Place

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Ceviche A South American dish that can trace its roots back almost 2,000 years, Ceviche is now most popular in Peru and Mexican coastal towns. Made from fresh raw fish, marinated in citrus juices such as lemon or lime, Ceviche is typically spiced with chilli and seasoned with salt and pepper. While traditional-style Ceviche was marinated for around three hours, modern-style Ceviche can marinate in the time it takes to mix the ingredients and serve.

The people who give you their food give you their heart. Cesar Chavez, Mexican American civil rights activist

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Let Them Eat Cake ink risotto and a risotto Milanese, all using what is widely regarded as the best rice in the world. To celebrate the additions, Jamie would like to offer a complimentary glass of Prosecco the next time you dine in his restaurant in Canary Wharf. Simply download your invitation to get the bubbly flowing and enjoy your evening.

Sign up to exclusive members’ lifestyle club www.keynoir.com and gain access to a range of fantastic deals on indulgent London experiences. From Michelin-starred dining to luxury spa getaways, and adrenaline-packed adventures to under-theradar fashion, the website hand-picks the hottest places and the coolest brands London has to offer.

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Dining by the Docks Situated in the historic Royal Victoria Dock, the brasserie-style Docklands Bar and Grill provides a calming retreat from working life in the city, discovers Richard Brown

t may only be a few stops from Canary Wharf, but alight from the DLR at Royal Victoria and you’ll feel like you’re in a different city. Once a district of London famed for industrial decline and poverty, the area now surrounding the dock is anything but destitute. Lined on one side by stylishly converted warehouses and gunmetal grey docking cranes and on the other by cafés, eateries and high-rise apartments, the dock provides an eclectic contrast between the historic and the modern. Bookended to the east by London City Airport, and to the west by The O2 and the towering offices of Canary Wharf, you’d expect the area to be a hive of industry and noise but apart from aeroplanes gliding in and out of the airport, the dockland location is quiet, serene and, as a colleague and I found out, feels somehow continental, with an early evening sun dancing on the water. Located on the ground floor of the Crowne Plaza Hotel on Western Gateway (a road that runs parallel to the dock), the relaxed nature of the Docklands Bar and Grill reflects the atmosphere of the surrounding area. The chrome finishes and striking chandeliers of its expansive bar mix well with comfortable seating areas, while the restaurant itself is a spacious and minimalistic combination of muted colours and dark woods. While the sun is up, floor-to-ceiling windows mean diners are bathed in natural light; once it’s set, scattered spotlights

on a high ceiling, coupled with lowlevel music, create a cosy ambience. The Docklands Bar and Grill menu offers a versatile collection of traditional British and European dishes, with two or three seasonal steak and fish options that change daily. Drinkswise, as well 18 different beers and an assortment of cocktails, the restaurant is one of few to offer Prosecco on tap – something that, the barman informed us, ensures consistent quality and fresh bubbles in every glass. As tempting as this was, we opted to share a dry and deliciously fruity bottle of Nobilo Southern Rivers Sauvignon Blanc from a wine list that, while somewhat short, was wide-ranging both in terms of provenance and price (starting at £17.50 and going up to £69.50). For starters, I decided on the leek and potato soup with bacon croutons. Though a little disappointed that the bacon croutons came in the form of a single, crisp fifty-pence-sized piece, the crunchy potato disks that accompanied the soup were a welcome addition to what was an appetising dish. My colleague, who had chosen the coconut-crusted salmon and prawn dill fish cake with green curry crème fraiche, was just as pleased with her course. The delicate mix of light coconut, fleshy salmon and smooth mousse made for an interesting and delicious combination of flavours. For mains, I chose the chef’s fish of the day: grilled salmon with bubble and squeak cake and a cheese and parsley sauce. Though the sauce was a

little too strong for me, with the cheese overpowering the parsley, the salmon was cooked and seasoned to perfection and the bubble and squeak was crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside. My guest opted for a medium rare 21-day airdried fillet of steak, which arrived exactly as requested. Sumptuously juicy, her decision not to order an accompanying sauce was a very wise one. Like much of the menu, the dessert options were concise yet comprehensive enough. Although both thoroughly full, the saffron and mint cheesecake with fruit minestrone sounded too good to miss, while my companion found the chocolate tart with whisky jelly and vanilla ice cream something she couldn’t resist. Though perfectly enjoyable, the cheesecake lacked the strength of the two flavours its name suggested would be in abundance. The chocolate tart was a heavenly mix of textures with the crisp base, rich chocolate and soft jelly working exceedingly well together. Refined and relaxed, the Docklands Bar and Grill provides a serene alternative to more animated, noisy restaurants. With a wealth of dining destinations on your office doorstep, it might seem tempting to resist jumping on a train for something to eat, but the 15-minute DLR journey to the Docklands Bar and Grill will be an effort you won’t regret. n Docklands Bar & Grill Royal Victoria Dock, Western Gateway 020 7055 2119 www.docklandsbarandgrill.co.uk

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The best food and drink that Canary Wharf has to offer American

Byron Hamburgers

Second Floor, Cabot Place 020 7715 9360 Smollensky’s

Reuters Plaza, E14 020 7719 0101

Davys Wine Bar

31-35 Fisherman’s Walk, E14 020 7363 6633 PLATEAU

Canada Place, E14 020 7715 7100

Gastro Pub

Gourmet Burger Kitchen

The Fine Line

Jubilee Place, E14 020 7719 6408

29-30 Fisherman’s Walk, E14 020 7513 0255

Argentinian

THE GUN

GAUCHO CANARY

29 Westferry Circus, E14 020 7987 9494

British

Boisdale of Canary Wharf

27 Coldharbour Lane, E14 020 7515 5222 THE NARROW

44 Narrow Street, E14 020 7592 7950

Cabot Place 020 7715 5818

Indian

CANTEEN

65 - 67 Amsterdam Road, E14 020 7538 3008

The Park Pavilion, Canada Square 0845 686 1122

THE PARLOUR

40 Canada Square, E14 0845 468 0100

Carribean

Chef ColLin BROWN

2 Yabsley Street, E14 020 7515 8177

European

The Battery

34 Westferry Circus, E14 020 8305 3089 Docklands Bar and Grill

Royal Victoria Docks Western Gateway, E16 020 7055 2119 FIRST EDITION

25 Cabot Square, E14 020 7513 0300 REEBOK RESTAURANT

16-19 Canada Square, E14 020 7719 6408

French

CafÉ Rouge

29-35 MacKenzie Walk, E14 020 7537 9696

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Memsaheb

Aniseed Bar & Indian Restaurant

QUADRATO

The Four Seasons Hotel 46 Westferry Circus, E14 020 7510 1857 Rocket

Chuchill Place, E14 020 3200 2022

Mexican

WAHACA 40 Canada Square, E14 020 7516 9145

Middle Eastern MEZ RESTAURANT

571 Manchester Road, E14 020 7005 0421 Nina’s TAZA express

322 Burdett Road, E14 020 7093 3552

Oriental ITSU

Level 2, Cabot Place, E14 020 7512 5790

25 Westferry Road, E14 020 7517 9233

ROKA 4 Park Pavilion, Canada Square 020 7636 5228

TiffinBites

Royal China

Jubilee Place, E14 020 7719 0333

Italian/Pizza

AMERIGO VESPUCCI

25 Cabot Square, E14 020 7513 0288 CARLUCCIO’S

2 Reuters Plaza, E14 020 7719 1749

Gourmet Pizza

30 West Ferry Circus, E14 020 7719 0888 SRI NAM

1 North Colonnade, E14 020 7715 9515

Seafood CURVE

Marriott Hotel, West India Quay 22 Hertsmere Road, E14 020 7517 2808

18-20 Cabot Square, E14 020 7345 9192

Spanish

Jamie’s Italian

28 Westferry Circus, E14 020 7239 9077

Churchill Place, E14 020 3002 5252 LA FIGA

45 Narrow Street, E14 020 7790 0077

CAMINO

EL FARO

Turnberry Quay E14 020 7987 5511

Turkish Hazev

Pizza Express

Cabot Place, E14 020 7513 0513

2 South Quay Square Canary Wharf, E14 0207 515 9467

food & drink

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Rosé-tinted

Glasses

ne of the most enjoyable ways to spend a summer afternoon must be with a chilled bottle of rosé wine over a lazy lunch in the sunshine. It was for this reason that Franco’s Italian restaurant introduced six rosé wines when it was first refurbished and reopened in 2005. These were an instant success, and the list now boasts an impressive 60 different rosé wines from 11 countries. However, rosé has not always enjoyed the popularity it does today. It was considered a cheap wine that could not be taken seriously so what has changed? We are travelling far more than we did 30 or 40 years ago; people from all over the UK make an annual pilgrimage to the south of France and the Mediterranean, to be seduced by the crisp and fragrant rosé wines of the Côtes de Provence, the Amalfi coast and Sardinia. Wine production methods have also improved dramatically in the last few years, as producers have noticed that there is a real demand for a style of wine that they have in the past overlooked. Rosé wine originated in Bordeaux in France. The first flush of popularity came at the end of World War Two, when a demand for a medium sweet drink arose, and the second came from America during the early ‘70s, when there was a huge demand for white wine. In 1976, Charlie Kreck of Mill

Jason Phillips, co-owner of Franco’s, explains why the appeal of rosé wine has never been stronger Creek Vineyards started to offer a drink that was pale pink in colour and made from Cabernet Sauvignon, a red grape. The wine makers could not call this ‘white wine’ as the grapes were from red varieties and it could not be called ‘red’ as the wine was not red in appearance. Thus, ‘blush wine’ was established and to this day Americans refer to rosé wine as blush. This style of wine is sweeter in style than its European cousins. So how is rosé made? All grape pulp, both white and red, has no colour. The

Rosé wine gives more structure to enjoy with your alfresco lunch colour of a bottle of wine is uniquely dependent on the colour of the grape skin that it is made from, meaning you can produce a white wine from a red grape variety but not a red wine from a white grape variety. The first method for making rosé is often used to produce what is referred to in France as ‘vin gris’ (grey wine); the skins from the grape must be removed as few as six hours after pressing. The second method is called ‘saignée’ (bleeding); the wine maker ‘bleeds’ some of the must (grape juice) from the red wine vats to make rosé. The wine left in the vats that have been bled will be made into red wine. Cold, sliced meats, salads and fish

dishes all cry out for a chilled rosé wine to accompany them. On many occasions a white wine would suffice but rosé gives more structure to enjoy with your alfresco lunch. What do we mean by structure? The family of natural organic compounds, found in grape skins and stems, are excellent antioxidants and natural preservatives. These tannins help to cut through fat found in cold meats and barbequed foods far better than a white wine would. The general rule is the lighter the shade of red, the dryer the wine will be, therefore suited to lighter dishes; the darker the rosé, the more structure and fruit flavours will be present, so it’s suited to darker meats. The Gran Sasso, Montepulciano D’Abruzzo, Cerasuolo 2009 is drinking well at the moment: it has a bright pink colour and a fragrance of cherries and strawberries. Clean and fresh on the palate, there is enough structure and acidity to support the fruit. For a lighter style, try the Henri Bourgeois ‘La Baronne’ Sancerre Rosé 2008. This is made from Pinot Noir grape by one of the most acclaimed producers in the Loire. Refreshing and fruity, it is easy to drink, fresh and particularly well balanced in structure and aromas. n Franco’s rosé wine list is available May to October at Franco’s, 61 Jermyn Street, SW1Y 6LX 020 7499 2211 admin@francoslondon.com

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out about

Joanne Eden Jazzes Up Boisdale “I can’t think of anywhere more stunning to perform,” says Joanne Eden, ahead of her performance at Boisdale of Canary Wharf. After months locked in the studio mixing her new album Falling Out Of Grace, the singer/songwriter will be playing at the Cabot Place venue with her Supergroup on 28 July. The set will include many of Eden’s critically acclaimed original tracks and also a blend of jazz, soul and Latin classics such as Summer Breeze, Let’s Stay Together, Nature Boy and Mas Que Nada. Joanna Eden at Boisdale of Canary Wharf, Cabot Place 28 July 2011

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Taking to the Streets The Whitecross Street Party: Rise of the Non-Conformists is back for a second year. The two day street party and four week exhibition features some of the world’s most creative pranksters and musical mischief makers. Set in the stomping ground of William Blake, five minutes from Barbican and Old Street Station, the event celebrates the maverick spirit for which the area is famed. Local and international creatives will transform the entire length of Whitecross Street into a giant outdoor art gallery for two days in July. For four weeks the street will then host the Rise of the NonConformists exhibition, giving Londoners a free outdoor art gallery experience this summer. One of the stools lining the street party will be provided by www.FemmeEnfant.com, giving visitors the opportunity to blend British style with a little je ne sais quoi through a range of lifestyle accessories. The Whitecross Street Party: Rise of the Non-Conformists 23-24 July 2011 Whitecross Street, City of London

Banish Boredom

All Aboard Originally a classic motor yacht built in 1975 by Camper Nicholson, Pontoon has been transformed into one of London’s ultimate private venues, nestled on the edge of Marble Quay in the heart of St. Katharine Docks. Launched at the end of May and open until the end of 2012, the five-berth yacht is the only private hire yacht based on the Thames, offering three double suites and two twin rooms. With a natural wood terrace and luxurious lounge, Pontoon can hold up to 70 guests for private parties and drinks receptions, making it one of the most stunning al fresco dining spots for private parties of up to ten.

out & about

Pontoon, St Katharine Docks Marble Quay, E1W 1UH www.evensus.com events@evensus.com

After a week in the office, we all like to make the most of our weekends. To ensure that we do, Christopher Nye has written a book brimming with ideas and activities to transform your time off into an exhilarating and extraordinary adventure. Suggesting sensational things to do in the UK, Weekends to Brag About presents readers of all ages and fitness levels more than 100 activities from every corner of Britain. Including everything from dinghy sailing and mountain bike riding to hiking and treeclimbing, the book promises to guarantee exciting tales to tell colleagues on Monday. Weekends to Brag About by Christopher Nye www.survivalbooks.net

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connoisseur out & about

Classical Spectacular With a stellar career spanning some 50 years, PlĂĄcido Domingo is one of the most high profile names in opera. An artist in his own right as well as a member of The Three Tenors, Domingo is one of the most revered names in classical music, winning countless accolades including nine Grammy Awards.Â Just as established is Romanian soprano Angela Gheorghiu. A brilliantly agile vocalist, Gheorghiuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s performances command attention from the very first note. This summer, for the first time in the UK, the two names appear in concert together, joining forces for a spectacular celebration of song and an evening of entertainment not to be missed. Domingo and Gheorghiu at The O2 Friday 29 July

The Sound of the City As much as anything else, summer in Britain means festivals and for anyone who lives in or around London, the selection to choose from can seem endless. From the Ealing Jazz Festival (27-31 July) in the west to Lovebox (15-17 July) and Field Day (6 August) at Victoria Park in the east, London offers a music festival to suit every taste. While Live Fest (23 July), the largest indoor festival, will bring a host of UK urban and rock acts to The O2, The Big Chill (4-7 August) is welcoming numerous international names to the UK, including Empire of the Sun, Rodrigo y Gabriela and Kanye West.

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his July, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re feeling very positive. The weather is getting warmer and the property market in London continues to boom (p.156). An annual increase in house prices was seen in both the North and South of the city, while the continuing influx of senior executives to the capital has seen high demand for luxurious rental properties. With demand comes development and we were keen to explore the stunning NEO Bankside Project. The scheme will bring eye-catching apartments and great amenities to the South Bank (p.158). Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also similarly extravagant plans for Limehouse, where a range of luxurious apartments have just been unveiled at CQ London (p.126). The 215 new homes are perfectly placed to benefit from the amenities and transport links planned for the London Olympics. Happy Hunting!

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Luxury Interiors p. 155

contents 126

156 living local

126 Area News 148 Mortgage Update

new homes

156 Property Latest 158 Development Focus 162 State of the Market

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areanews By Ben West

£92m new Limehouse homes scheme launched The first homes at a striking new £92m development located in Limehouse, with convenient transport links to the City and Canary Wharf, are being launched by A2Dominion New Homes. CQ London features 215 luxury apartments for sale just moments from Limehouse Basin. Located at 721-737 Commercial Road, there is a range of studio, one, two and three-bedroom apartments on offer, starting from £199,950. Caspian Apartments is the first phase to be launched. “This scheme offers not only top-specification new homes with quick transport links to both the City and Canary Wharf but also great investment potential in this rapidly developing part of east London,” says Tariq Qureshi, A2Dominion’s London director of sales and marketing. “As well as excellent infrastructure and strong inward investment spurred on by the 2012 Olympics, Limehouse is close to a number of fantastic facilities including The 02 and the Excel exhibition centre. The development of the Thames Gateway is also underway nearby.” Limehouse has many historic pubs and restaurants including The Grapes pub, which was frequented by Charles Dickens. Indeed, an opium den he visited in nearby Bluegate Fields inspired parts of his last, unfinished, novel The Mystery of Edwin Drood, published in 1870.

Limehouse has been the inspiration for a number of other books, songs, artworks and films, including the 1920s jazz standard Limehouse Blues, James McNeill Whistler’s pictures, Thomas Burke’s book, Limehouse Nights, the 1946 film To Have and Have Not and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (1999). The area remains popular with creative types today and current residents include writer Matthew

Transport latest…

Olympic Park bridge link completed

River tour business City Cruises has unveiled details of its next generation leisure and tourism vessel. The 600-passenger RiverLiner will be the largest in scheduled service on the River Thames when it arrives in Spring 2012. It will have an enclosed, fully airconditioned main deck with seating at tables. Uninterrupted panoramic views will be possible as a result of increased window capacity and there will also be an open top deck. Passengers can expect a smoother, more stable and quieter ride as a result of the advanced catamaran design, and many green features have been incorporated.

A new £2.4m bridge for pedestrians and cyclists which will allow easier access to the Olympic Park, has opened. Spanning the River Lea, it will provide a traffic-free route under the A11/A12 road crossing in Bow and connect with nearby towpaths. Triggered by the construction of the Olympic Park and Bromley-by-Bow’s Sugar House Lane development, it has been funded by organisations that including the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Did you know? When the West India Docks opened in 1802 they were seen as Britain’s greatest civil engineering structure to date.

Parris, actor Sir Ian McKellen, comedy actress Cleo Rocos, comedian Lee Hurst and actor Steven Berkoff. The late film director Sir David Lean also used to live in Limehouse. Limehouse is of course very convenient for Canary Wharf’s many shops, cafes and restaurants, and Jubilee underground trains from Canary Wharf whisk shoppers to London’s West End in minutes.

Transport links in the area are benefitting from the forthcoming London Olympics. Docklands Light Railway (DLR) services are subject to improvement while the East London line faces expansion. London City Aiport is also minutes away by DLR, making this an excellent location for anyone travelling reguarly for work. www.cq-london.com

Water cinema comes to Docklands From 1 July until 18 September Docklands will have its very own floating cinema, courtesy of a converted narrow boat that will be wending its way through the canals of east London with lots of events including free screenings and workshops. Starting at Clapton and ending at Newham, films will include shorts made by Olympic Host Borough teenagers, featuring athletes from both the 1948 and London 2012 Olympic Games. The premiere of a rare 1920’s Barging Through London film, and historic local archive films dating back nearly a century, will also be shown. Further details are available at www.portavilion.com. If you do not make it to the floating cinema this summer, there is no need to visit an identikit multiplex if you want to see a film in London. The capital’s quirky independent cinemas include the Electric in Portabello Road and the Ritzy in Brixton as well as Islington’s The Screen on The Green. This year has also seen the emergence of Secret Cinema www.secretcinema.org which organises showings to audiences in secret locations.

127

Knight Frank

The Pumping House

A unique Grade II listed apartment An Italianate Grade II listed building in the Naval Row Conservation Area adjoining East India Dock. The apartment offers extremely flexible accommodation currently three bedrooms and three reception rooms. Freehold Guide price: ÂŁ625,000

KnightFrank.co.uk cwharf@knightfrank.com 020 7512 9966

Knight Frank

Cubitt Wharf, London E14

Berkeley Tower, London E14

Unique two bedroom apartment situated on the third floor of a warehouse conversion. Presented in excellent condition throughout, the apartment benefits from a private balcony overlooking the river as well as two good double bedrooms. Leasehold

A generously proportioned three bedroom, three bathroom apartment. Located on the 14th floor of Berkeley Tower, the apartment offers wonderful far reaching river views and benefits from two underground parking spaces.

£465,000

£1,450,000

KnightFrank.co.uk 020 7512 9966 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Pierhead Lock, London E14

Leasehold

KnightFrank.co.uk 020 7512 9966 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Lockview Court, London E14

This spacious two bedroom apartment is located within the sought after Pierhead Lock development and is conveniently situated for easy access into Canary Wharf either by foot or DLR.

A well proportioned two bedroom apartment situated on the first floor of this purpose built development. The property benefits from a private balcony, off street parking space and views across Narrow Street to the river.

Leasehold

£435,000

£480,000

KnightFrank.co.uk 020 7512 9966 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Knight Frank

Cascades Tower, London E14

Meridian Place, London E14

An extremely generously proportioned apartment located on the 6th floor of this popular portered development within a few minutes walk of Canary Wharf.

This one bedroom flat situated in a quiet development close to Canary Wharf comes with private parking and offers views accross the dock to Canary Wharf from private balcony.

Leasehold

£335,000

£320,000

KnightFrank.co.uk 020 7512 9966 cwharf@knightfrank.com

New Providence Wharf, London E14

Berglen Court, London E14

A one bedroom flat located on the 7th floor. The apartment benefits from a private balcony with views over the city and Canary Wharf. The development provides excellent facilities as well as private parking for this apartment.

This well proportioned fifth floor apartment offers some of the best views we have ever seen into Limehouse Basin. If you are looking for the wow factor you will need to view this apartment.

Leasehold

£330,000

£575,000

KnightFrank.co.uk 020 7512 9966 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Knight Frank

Forge Square, London E14

St. Davids Square, London E14

We are delighted to offer a two bedroom duplex apartment. This two bedroom, one bathroom apartment offers contemporary accommodation at a reasonable price, with easy access into Canary Wharf and Bank; the commute into work is transformed into a matter of minutes.

A two double bedroom apartment set within the ever popular St Davids Square. The property comes with one parking space and is closely located to Island Gardens DLR.

£350 per week

£415 per week

KnightFrank.co.uk 020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Belgrave Court, London E14

West India Quay, London E14

We are very pleased to offer this two bedroom apartment to let in the prestigious portered development of Canary Riverside.There is a well appointed modern kitchen, two double bedrooms with excellent storage, a modern marble four piece bathroom including walk in shower, and a separate W.C./cloakroom. Other benefits include an underground parking space with 24 hour security.

A beautifully furnished 2 double bedroom apartment in the luxurious No 1 West India Quay development. The development has 24 hour concierge and is located right next to West India Quay DLR.

£650 per week

£750 per week

KnightFrank.co.uk 020 7512 9955 cwharf@knightfrank.com

Knight Frank

Hermitage Court, Wapping, E1W

Chimney Court, Wapping, E1W

Attractive split level one bed, two reception room apartment set on 2nd floor of this portered development in west Wapping. This quiet apartment is fully furnished boasting two reception rooms, modern fitted kitchen, bathroom with shower, large roof terrace and underground parking.

Bright two bedroom two bathroom top floor apartment set in this portered warehouse conversion in Wapping. This attractive apartment has a large dual aspect reception room with exposed brick work, large windows and separate fitted kitchen, lovely wooden floors and a spiral stair case leading to a private terrace.

£470 pw

£575 pw

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

E1 Waterside, Wapping, E1W

St Pancras Chambers, Kings Cross, NW1

Contemporary two double bedroom two bathroom riverside apartment in west Wapping. This stylish apartment has been fitted to a very high standard boasting modern furnishings, a fully fitted open plan kitchen, beautiful bathroom suites with showers, under floor heating, a private balcony and underground parking.

1033 sq ft two double bedroom 3rd floor apartment to rent in this prestigious development offering a 24 hour concierge service and use of the facilities in the new 5* hotel next door. This spacious apartment has a large reception room with an open plan fully fitted kitchen, large master bedroom, 2nd bedroom with sleeping platform, two bathrooms, real wooden floors, high ceilings, original features and available furnished.

£695 pw

£700 pw

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

Knight Frank

NEO Bankside, Holland Street, Southbank, SE1 Selection of brand new one, two and three bedroom apartments

Stunning selection of contemporary apartments with large living rooms, floor to ceiling windows and private winter gardens. Providing great storage space, comfort cooling, wooden floors and beautiful bathrooms. NEO bankside is complete with a 24 concierge service and will have a residentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gym, day spa and a variety of shops and restaurants. This is the first phase of the new NEO Bankside development designed by the international, award-winning architects Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners. Available now

knightfrank.co.uk/lettings wapping@knightfrank.com 020 7480 6848

savills.co.uk

Newell Street, E14

Coral Apartments, E16

Reception room  kitchen  3 bedrooms  bathroom  study  conservatory  private garden  parking space

Reception room  kitchen  3 bedrooms  2 en suite bathrooms  cloakroom  terrace  parking space  concierge

Guide £1.1 million Freehold Savills Canary Wharf

canarywharf@savills.com

Guide £849,950 Leasehold 020 7531 2500

Savills Canary Wharf

canarywharf@savills.com

Hanover House, e14

Discovery Dock West, e14

Reception room  kitchen  3 Double bedrooms  3 en suite bathrooms  cloakroom  balcony

Reception room  kitchen  3 bedrooms  utility room  3 bathrooms  3 balconies  parking space  concierge

 parking space  concierge

Guide £1.25 million Leasehold Savills Canary Wharf

canarywharf@savills.com

020 7531 2500

Guide £1.35 million Leasehold 020 7531 2500

Savills Canary Wharf

canarywharf@savills.com

020 7531 2500

savills.co.uk

TAPESTRY BUILDING, EC2M

BENBOW HOUSE, SE1

Reception room  fully fitted Gaggenau kitchen  3 bedrooms  bathroom  shower room  utility room  intelligent lighting entertainment system  comfort cooling system

3 Reception rooms  kitchen  4 bedrooms  3 bathrooms  3 balconies  2 parking spaces  concierge

Guide £3.4 million Leasehold

Price On Application

Savills Docklands

docklands@savills.com

020 7456 6800

Savills Docklands

docklands@savills.com

GALAXY BUILDING, e14

EATON HOUSE, e14

Reception room  kitchen  4 bedrooms  4 bathrooms  balcony  3 parking spaces  riverside views  concierge  leisure facilities

Reception room  kitchen  3 bedrooms  3 bathrooms  2 terraces  riverside views  concierge

Guide £2.275 million Leasehold

Guide £1,499,950 Leasehold Savills Canary Wharf

canarywharf@savills.com

020 7456 6800

020 7531 2500

Savills Canary Wharf

canarywharf@savills.com

020 7531 2500

savills.co.uk

CANARY SOUTH, E14

WEST INDIA QUAY, E14 2 Bedrooms  2 bathrooms (1 en suite) reception room  open plan kitchen  wooden flooring dual aspect views  private parking  24hr porter

1 Bedroom  1 bathroom  reception/dining room open plan kitchen  wrap around terrace panoramic views of The River Thames and Canary Wharf

£400 per week Furnished Savills Canary Wharf

£695 per week Furnished

canarywharf@savills.com

020 7531 2500

Savills Canary Wharf

canarywharf@savills.com

WAPPING HIGH STREET, E1W

OLIVER’S WHARF, E1W

4 Bedrooms  2 bathrooms  guest WC reception/dining room  separate kitchen private garden  private parking

3 Bedrooms  2 bathrooms  reception/dining room open plan kitchen  2 balconies  river views private parking  porterage  warehouse conversion

£795 per week Furnished

£1,350 per week Unfurnished

Savills Docklands

docklands@savills.com

020 7456 6800

Savills Docklands

docklands@savills.com

020 7531 2500

020 7456 6800

We’ve made No.1 our home. In the latest UK Business Superbrand charts, Savills was voted No.1 brand* in the real estate sector for the 3rd consecutive year. Everyone likes accolades, but the real benefit is for you. Because if you’re selling or letting your home, having the most powerful brand on your side can help give your property real profile, and a tangible edge in the market. If you’ll thinking of selling this summer, call us now for professional advice or a free market appraisal.

Savills Canary Wharf 4 Westferry Circus London E14 4HD 020 7531 2500 canarywhaf@savills.com

savills.co.uk

Savills Wapping 80 Wapping High Street London E1W 2NE 020 7456 6800 docklands@savills.com * 2011 Business Superbrands, administered by The Centre for Brand Analysis.

living local

HOT PROPERTY: Space to Savour

This truly exceptional three-bedroom triplex penthouse apartment is situated within the Victory Place development in the heart of Limehouse. This rare property comes to the lettings market for the very first time and offers circa 1,500 sq ft of internal living space as well as an extensive outdoor balcony area. The property comprises a main reception room with 180Â° balcony, a dining area, a fully fitted kitchen, main bathroom and a large utility room, as well as three

double bedrooms, two of which have balconies and en-suite facilities. The property also enjoys a full-length mezzanine level, which is currently set up as a further dining area but works well as a multi-functional space. The property is fully furnished and finished to the highest of standards and must be seen to be fully appreciated. The tenant will have exclusive use of two under-cover parking spaces and will have access to a concierge service and an on-site residentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gym.

Limehouse, E14 ÂŁ1,000 Per Week Hurford Salvi Carr www.hurford-salvi-carr.co.uk

020 7791 7011 139

Sales

Millennium Drive, E14

£359,950

Pan Peninsula East, E14

£399,950

Eaton House, E14

£430,000

A 943 ft² two double bedroom, one en-suite, apartment set in a riverside development. The property benefits from separate fitted kitchen, well proportioned master bedroom, secure allocated parking, day concierge service and is offered to the market chain free.

A contemporary 9th floor one bedroom apartment finished to a high specification with well proportioned living space, balcony and panoramic views. Unrivalled facilities include gym, pool, health spa, restaurant and amazing rooftop cocktail lounge.

An immaculate one bed apartment situated on the 7th floor of the prestigious Canary Riverside offering panoramic views. Benefits include good sized bedroom with en-suite bathroom and separate WC, separate kitchen, reception with balcony and 24hr concierge. Parking is included.

Lanterns Court, E14

Belgrave Court, E14

£435,000

£700,000

£730,000

A highly desirable 940ft ² brand new two bedroom first floor apartment for the discerning buyer. Suitable for buy to let investors and owner occupiers alike, this property will be highly sought after. Gym, Concierge and close proximity to South Quay DLR.

A luxury two bedroom 5th floor apartment in the prestigious Canary Riverside. Presented in excellent condition with good views of the River Thames and benefits including parking, security, concierge, and the best restaurants that Canary Wharf has to offer.

A large 6th floor 2 bedroom apartment in the most prestigious development in Canary Wharf. Offering river views from two balconies, secure parking for two cars and located just five minutes walk from both Jubilee line and DLR stations.

Port East Apartments, E14

West India Quay, E14

Waterman Building, E14

£780,000

A stunning 1300ft² split level Grade 1 listed two bedroom, two bathroom warehouse conversion. Modern fitted kitchen and open plan lounge with access to a private balcony. Rarely available and only metres away from the business district. Includes parking and 24hr concierge.

£975,000

This amazing 1568ft² one bedroom duplex apartment is the finest we have seen. Double height ceilings, floor to ceiling glazing with unrivalled panoramic views, parking, concierge and access to room service from the neighbouring 5 star Marriot hotel. West India Quay DLR.

£1,799,950

A spectacular four bed, three bath duplex penthouse boasting over 2220sqft of internal space, with unparalleled views from four stunning terraces. Bespoke finishes throughout provide unique living accommodation quite unlike any other. Superb location. Viewing highly recommended.

www.kingsturge.co.uk Canary Wharf Office - 020 7715 9700 dockland.sales@kingsturge.com With London offices in Knightsbridge, Canary Wharf, Blackheath and Greenwich

Lettings

Ability Place, E14

£335pw

Frances Wharf, E14

£360pw

Landmark East, E14

£390pw

A luxury one bed apartment on the eighth floor with a high specification of fixtures and fittings and floor to ceiling windows. Very close to South Quay DLR with easy access to Canary Wharf shopping and the Jubilee line. Available early August 2011.

Two double bedroom, two bathroom apartment on the 6th floor of this secure canal side development. Private balcony offers Canary Wharf views and is a short walk to DLR stations and Canary Wharf itself. Available 25th July 2011.

Stunning one bedroom 38th floor east facing apartment offers views towards Canary Wharf and 02 Arena. On site leisure facilities and 24 hour concierge. Close to Heron Quay DLR and Canary Wharf Jubilee Line. Available July 2011.

Cascades Tower, E14

Waterman Building, E1

Landmark West, E14

£425pw

A two double bedroom two bathroom 4th floor apartment located offering bright and spacious living. Full leisure facilities including gym and pool as well as 24hr concierge and secure parking. Moments walk to Canary Wharf DLR.

Landmark West, E14

£460pw

This highly desirable 907 sqft two bedroom two bathroom 4th floor apartment boasts direct river views towards Central London. It is presented in very good condition and benefits from access to leisure facilities, 24hr concierge & one secure parking space. Millennium Harbour is only a short walk to Canary Wharf, its transport links and extensive amenities.

£475pw

Stunning two bedroom 26th floor south and east facing unit offering views towards the Thames and Greenwich. Features include 24hr concierge and gym. Only moments walk to Heron Quay DLR and Canary Wharf Jubilee Line.

£1,300pw

Stunning three bedroom 29th floor North and West facing unit in sought after Landmark West. The Landmark truly lives up to its name, offering the highest residential accommodation in Canary Wharf. This spacious three bedroom, two bathroom apartment offers dual aspect views towards the River Thames and Canary Wharf. The internal finishes are second to none including floor to ceiling panoramic windows, comfort cooling, marble bathrooms and fixtures/fittings by quality respected brands including Villeroy & Bosch, Grohe and Siemens. The development itself features 24 concierge, and residents’ private gym. Only moments walk to Heron Quay DLR and Canary Wharf Jubilee Line. Available for immediate occupation, fully furnished to the highest standard.

www.kingsturge.co.uk

Canary Wharf Office - 020 7715 9700 dockland.lettings@kingsturge.com With London offices in Knightsbridge, Canary Wharf, Blackheath and Greenwich

www.alanselby.co.uk Sales

Telegraph Place E14 • 1 bedroom • Top floor • Loft storage

£214,995 • Close to Mudchute DLR • Separate Kitchen • Parking

020 7519 5900 | info@alanselby.co.uk

Arran House E14

£424,995

Theatro Tower SE8

£330,000

Hutchings Wharf E14

• 2 & 3 Bedroom Lateral • Close to DLR station and Duplex apartments • Chain free • Parking available • Final availability • 24 Hour porter

• 2 bed 2 bath • Sun terrace • River Thames views

020 7519 5900 | info@alanselby.co.uk

Vanguard Building E14

£499,995

•Leisure facilities • 24 hour porter • Secure Parking

• Direct River Thames views • 2 bed 2 bath • 1st floor • Balcony • Gated development • Garage

• 2 bed 2 bath • Direct River Thames view • Balcony

020 7519 5900 | info@alanselby.co.uk

£389,995

• Secure parking • Chain free • Day porter

New Providence Wharf E14

£550,000

• 9th floor • 2 bed 2 bath • River Thames and 02 views • 24 hour concierge • Secure Parking • Balcony 020 7519 5900 | info@alanselby.co.uk

Estate Agents | Land & Development Consultants

www.alanselby.co.uk Lettings

Jetty Court, E14 • 1 bed • Partial river views • Separate kitchen

£270 per week

• Gated development • Parking • Furnished

Edison Building E14 • 1 bedroom • 24 hour porter • Views onto the River Thames

£325 per week

• 4th floor • Furnished • Leisure facilities

Schooner Close E14 • 2 bed 2 bath • 8th floor • Furnished

£360 per week

• Leisure facilities • Close to Heron Quay DLR • 24 hour porter

020 7519 5900 | info@alanselby.co.uk

Cascades Tower, E14

Pilgrims Mews E14

Ability Place, E14

• 2 bed 2 bath • 8th floor • Furnished

£420 per week

• 24 hour porter • Leisure facilities • Close to Heron Quay DLR

020 7519 5900 | info@alanselby.co.uk

• 3 bedroom Tower House • 2 bathrooms • 2 additional parking spaces

£530 per week

• 24 hour porter • Garage • Garden

020 7519 5900 | info@alanselby.co.uk

• 2 bed 2 bath • 18th Floor • Furnished

£1,150 per week

• 24 hour porter • Leisure facilities • Vast living and entertaining space

020 7519 5900 | info@alanselby.co.uk

Estate Agents | Land & Development Consultants

Elektron Tower, East India, E14

£217,000 • Marina views £399,950

£269,995 • Balcony £349,950

•Fleet Studio House, apartment Limehouse, E14 •• Private balcony bedrooms Two double •• Close Cross Harbour DLR Two tobathrooms •• Attractive Parking decor throughout

Two bedrooms • £325,000 • Two bathrooms • Balcony

£335,000

Contact our sales team today for a free, no £325,000 obligation valuation.

£525,000

020 7538 9250

• Large balcony £375,000 • River views • 11th floor £375,000

LD SO

bedrooms • Two £425,000 • Two bathrooms • Direct river views • Balcony

• Two double bedrooms • Secure car parking Neutron Tower, Virginia Quay, E14 • Concierge double bedrooms • Twoleisure • Residents facilities

• Three double bedrooms • Two bathrooms • Large through reception/dining room Chinnocks Wharf, • Good decorative order Narrow Street, E14

Canary Central, Canary Wharf, E14

LD SO Cardale Street, Isle of Dogs, E14

Dogs, E14

Barrier Point, Silvertown, E16

• Two double bedrooms • Separate kitchen • Secure car parking • Gymnasium

Court, Narrow Street, E14 • OneLamb double bedroom • Excellent double order bedrooms • Twodecorative • Large private balcony bathrooms • Two • Residents gymnasium underground parking • Secure

Actions speak louder than words.

LD • Two bedrooms • Secure parking space Shackleton Court, Isle Of • Juliet balcony riverchain views • •Direct No forward

Frans Hals Court, Isle of Dogs, E14

SO Three Colt Street, Limehouse, E14

L SO

£629,950

L SO

L SO Pusey House, Poplar, E14

Medland • Two doubleHouse, bedroomsLimehouse, E14 • Fitted kitchen apartment • Penthouse • Large terrace reception • Large • Balconyunderground parking • Secure £199,999 views • Marina

Dunbar Wharf, Narrow Street, E14

Berglen Court, Limehouse, E14

• Two bathrooms £640,000

• One double bedroom £669,950

• Two double bedrooms • Two bathrooms • River views Harbour, South Quay, E14 •Millennium Secure car parking space

• Two bedrooms • River views • Balcony £449,950

020 7538 9250

• Three double bedrooms • Floor to ceiling windows • Modern fitted kitchen Drive, Isle Of • TwoMillennium bathrooms

Dogs, E14

• Secure car parking • River views • Refurbished throughout £275,000

www.lourdes-estates.com

Lourdes Estate Agents, 94-96 Three Colt Street, Limehouse, London, E14 8AP

L SO

Spice Court, Wapping, E1W

£325 per week views • Marina

£375 per week views • Marina

£400 per week • Balcony

£629,950

Fleet House, Limehouse, E14 • One bedroom • River views double bedrooms • Two • Leisure bathrooms • Twofacilities • Close to Canary Wharf • Parking £399,950

Dogs, E14

• Two £450 perbedrooms week

• Two bathrooms • Balcony £335,000

Dunbar Wharf, Narrow Street, E14 • Two double bedrooms • Two bathrooms • River views • Private balcony

Contact our sales team today £500 per week for a free, no obligation valuation.

• Three bedrooms • Shackleton Two bathrooms Court, Isle Of • Fully furnished Direct river views • •Secure parking

LD Lamb Court, Narrow Street, E14

Lamb Court, Narrow Street, E14 • Two double bedrooms • Two bathrooms • Two double bedrooms • Unfurnished • Two bathrooms • Private• garage Secure underground parking £349,950

Actions speak louder than words.

Phoenix Wharf, Narrow Street, E14

• Two double bedrooms • Two bathrooms Neutron Tower, Virginia Quay, E14 • River views Two double bedrooms • Private• balcony

• Large £600 per weekbalcony • River views • 11th floor £375,000

LD SO

New Providence Wharf, E14

• Medland One bedroom House, Limehouse, E14 • •Fully furnished apartment Penthouse • •Allocated parking Large terrace • •Private balcony Secure underground parking

E14

L SO

Island Row, Limehouse, E14

Dundee Wharf, Limehouse, E14

Basin Approach, Limehouse, E14

Dunbar Wharf, Narrow Street, E14

• Two £600 perbedrooms week

• Two £1000 perbathrooms week

One double bedroom £1500•per week

• Three bedrooms • Two bathrooms • Secure parking • Chinnocks Leisure facilitiesWharf, Narrow Street, E14

• Two bathrooms • Direct river views • Balcony £525,000

020 7538 9250

• Three/four bedrooms • Marina views • Private garage Millennium Harbour, South Quay, E14 • Furnished or unfurnished

• Two bedrooms • River views • Balcony £449,950

020 7538 9250

• Three bedroom penthouse • River views • Four roof terraces Drive, Isle Of • SecureMillennium parking

Dogs, E14

• Secure car parking • River views • Refurbished throughout £275,000

www.lourdes-estates.com

Lourdes Estate Agents, 94-96 Three Colt Street, Limehouse, London, E14 8AP

Tequila Wharf, Limehouse, E14

L SO

• Two double bedrooms • Two bathrooms £895 per week • Parking • Marina views £399,950

£629,950

L SO

L SO Medland House, Limehouse, E14 • Penthouse apartment • Large terrace • Secure underground parking • Marina views

A three bedroom penthouse apartment offering a wealth of features including solid oak flooring, expansive reception room with floor to ceiling windows, bespoke modern kitchen, wrap around landscaped terrace offering breathtaking views of Canary Wharf, Limehouse marina and the City, master bedroom with adjoining en-suite, including a steam room and shower room, separate fitted dressing room, two further double bedrooms one with ensuite bathroom and a further family bathroom. Supplementary benefits include an onsite concierge, secure allocated parking and is located moments from Limehouse short walk in to Canary Street, Wharf. E14 Fleet House, Limehouse, E14 DLR station and aLamb Court, Narrow

• Two double bedrooms • Two bathrooms • Secure underground parking • Balcony £349,950

Basin Approach, Limehouse, E14

Actions speak louder than words.

Contact our sales £1000 perteam week today for a free, no obligation valuation.

£335,000

SO Shackleton Court, Isle Of Dogs, E14 • Direct river views • Two bedrooms • Two bathrooms • Balcony

A unique opportunity to rent one of Limehouse’s most prestigious town houses situated in Limehouse marina. This impressive property is arranged over three floors and features an extensive reception room with adjoining kitchen, three private balconies; three double bedrooms, a further double room on the ground floor, three bathrooms, utility room and an integral garage as well as off street parking. The property is available to rent either furnished or unfurnished and is ideally located for Canary Wharf and Limehouse DLR station.

Neutron Tower, Virginia Quay, E14 • Two double bedrooms • Large balcony • River views • 11th floor £375,000

Dunbar Wharf, Narrow Street, E14

020 7538 9250

£1500 per week

Millennium Harbour, South Quay, E14 • Two bathrooms • Two bedrooms • River views • Balcony £449,950

£525,000

Chinnocks Wharf, Narrow Street, E14 • Two bedrooms • Two bathrooms • Direct river views • Balcony

A simply stunning three double bedroom duplex penthouse apartment with direct river views. The property has been refurbished to a very impressive specification and is arguably one of the finest penthouses in Docklands, the property is approximately 2500 sqft and features a master suite with dressing area, large fitted kitchen with breakfast room, integrated audio system throughout, glass staircase and many rooms offering 180 degree views from floor to ceiling windows.

Millennium Drive, Isle Of Dogs, E14 • One double bedroom • Secure car parking • River views • Refurbished throughout £275,000

www.lourdes-estates.com

Estate Agents, 94-96 Three Colt Street, Limehouse, London, E14 8AP 020Lourdes 7538 9250 www.lourdes-estates.com

Lourdes Estate Agents, 94-96 Three Colt Street, Limehouse, London, E14 8AP

River Habitat RiverHabitat.co.uk

BELGRAVE CT, CANARY RIVERSIDE, E14 FANTASTIC RIVERVIEW FLAT WITH EASY CANARY WHARF WALK

BARTHOLOMEW COURT, VIRGINA QUAY, E14 SUPERB PURCHASE OPPORTUNITY WITH LARGE BALCONY

n 1,592 Sq. Ft. Beautiful Two, Double Bedroom Apartment n Stunning Floor To Ceiling Curved Windows n Juliet Balcony With Breathtaking N.W. View n Parking Space. Available Mid-December 2011

n Spacious Two Bed, Two Bath, 5th Floor, River View Flat n Panoramic Views Of River And 02 Dome n Easy Walk Into Canary Wharf n Balcony And Secure Underground Car Parking Space

£1,200,000 LEASEHOLD

£395,000 LEASEHOLD

BELGRAVE CT, CANARY RIVERSIDE, E14 A SUPERB UNFURNISHED THREE DOUBLE BEDROOM FLAT

EATON HOUSE, CANARY RIVERSIDE, E14 A BEAUTIFUL ONE DOUBLE BEDROOM FLAT

n 1,843 Sq. Ft, Wooden Floors Throughout n South and West Facing Reception n 3 Double Bedrooms, 3 En-Suite Bathrooms and Cloakroom n Portered Building, 24 Hour Security. n Available Unfurnished n Underground Car Parking Space

n 859 Sq. Ft. with Balcony n South Facing n Double Bedroom, Good Sized Reception, Bathroom, Cloakroom n One Underground Car Parking Space n High Spec including Coil Fan Heating and Cooling System n Portered Building, 24 Hour Security

£1,050 pw

£480,000 LEASEHOLD

• info@RiverHabitat.co.uk • T: 020 7791 9830 • F: 020 7791 9831 • The Suite LG. 655 Commercial Road, Limehouse, London E14 7LW

newhomes

The first rung of

the property ladder RON RADWAY GOES BACK TO THE START WITH PROPERTY BUYING

he first port of call, whether you are a first time buyer or a mover, is to secure a mortgage in principle. It is not, as many discover, to find your dream home and assume everything falls into place naturally, before facing bitter disappointment. Unfortunately, you cannot assume that a mortgage is readily available. Although the situation has improved over the past 12 months, criteria are still tight and lenders’ moods still flighty. Therefore you may find yourselves declined for the most spurious of reasons. Once you have a decision in principle, either by using the services of a broker, or by doing your own homework and dealing direct, you have to consider affordability. Very few lenders offer interest only deals at present, so if you are on a budget you will no longer have the option of postponing a payment plan for a year or two, when your circumstances might alter. Apart from every day expenses (utilities, council

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tax, car, etc) you also have to take into account associated ongoing costs like insurances. These include building and contents, life, critical illness and income protection plans. All of these are important and need to be seriously considered, but, of course, need to fit a budget. When buying a property you will also need to pay for surveyors’ fees, solicitors’ fees and stamp duty. It is much easier to organise these aspects prior to finding your new home, so as not to complicate an already difficult process. If you have the time and confidence you could arrange this all for yourself. However, an experienced mortgage broker will alleviate most of the issues, and make the whole process as painless as possible. You can find one near you by visiting websites such as www.unbiased.co.uk n Ron Radway is a Mortgage Consultant with OneCall Financial Advice Centre. For further details visit www.onecallonline.co.uk or call 020 3174 0422

London's Finest Properties

LETTINGS

SALES

Lanterns Court, E14

Ontario Tower, Canary Wharf E14

California Building, Deals Gateway, SE13

£350.00 per week

£350 per week

Mulberry Court, Cable Street E1

Oceanis Apartments, Royal Victoria Docks E16

New Providence Wharf, Canary Wharf, E14

No 1 Pepys Street, E1

Starting from £350 per week

£400 per week

£409,950

£435,000

Barge Walk, City Peninsula, SE10

The Landmark, East Tower E14

New Providence Wharf, Canary Wharf, E14

New Providence Wharf,E14

• 2 Bedroom / 2 Bathroom Apartment • Highly Prestigious Riverside Development • Excellent Condition Throughout • Valet Parking • 24hr Concierge and Exceptional Leisure Facilities

• Stunning 10th Floor Apartment • Uninterrupted River Views From Front And Rear • Excellent Condition Throughout • Secure Underground Parking • 24hr Concierge And Exceptional Leisure Facilities

£450.00 per week

£525 per week

£490,000

£555,000

• One bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • 7th Floor • On-Site Gymnasium • Concierge Service • Nr. Deptford Bridge DLR

• A Selection of 1,2 and 3 Bedroom • Apartments • Furnishing Available • Short walk from the City of London • Parking Available • Nr. Shadwell St

• Two Bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • 15th Floor • Parking Available • Concierge Service • Nr. North Greenwich

• Unique 13th Floor 3 Bedroom / 3 Bathroom Apartment • 3 Balconies • Secure Underground Parking • High Level Of Specification • 24hr Concierge • Moments From Heart Of Canary Wharf And Transport Links

£1,100,000

• Two Bedroom Apartmen • Fully Furnished • 9th Floor • Balcony • Parking Available • Nr. Royal Victoria DLR

• One Bedroom Apartment • Fully Furnished • 24th Floor • Secure Underground Parking • 24hr Concierge Service • Nr. South Quay DLR

• 4th Floor • Stunning Riverside Development • 2 Bedroom / 1 Bathroom • Balcony • Valet Parking • Moments from DLR and Jubilee Line

Lowry House, Canary Central, E14

• One Bedroom/ One Bathroom • Exceptional Order Throughout • Fully Furnished • 24hr Concierge • On Site Pool And Leisure Facilities • Moments From South Quay DLR

£275,000

• 4th Floor • Spacious 1 Bedroom / 1 Bathroom • Exceptional Order Throughout • Secure Allocated Parking • Fully Furnished • Porterage

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

2011-06-23 18:04:28

94.126.43.186

TOWER BRIDGE

Temple Gardens Hertfordshire WD3 An outstanding detached house beautifully located in grounds of about an acre overlooking the former boating lake in the heart of the renowned Moor Park Golf Course. All of the principal rooms enjoy views over the beautiful grounds. The house which is set back from the road is approached through a security gate over a wide driveway which provides extensive parking entrance hall | drawing room | family room | dining room | main bedroom (en suite) with dressing room | 6 further bedrooms (en suite) | kitchen/breakfast room | utility room | cloakroom | eaves storage | integral garage | 2 balconies | grounds of about 1 acre

Guide price ÂŁ3,950,000 freehold

cluttons.com

020 7407 3669

towerbridge@cluttons.com

2011-06-23 18:06:01

94.126.43.186

TOWER BRIDGE

Dartmouth Hill Blackheath SE10 A three bedroom loft house located close to The Heath which has been completed to create a bespoke signature home. The house is arranged over two floors and benefits from a vaulted ceiling, wooden beams and a spacious private terrace area located by the main entrance to the house. Attention to detail throughout helps to create the perfect blend between period and modern entrance hall | reception room with open-plan kitchen and dining area | main bedroom (en suite) with dressing area | 2 further bedrooms (1 en suite) | further bathroom | study | basement storage | terrace

Guide price ÂŁ1,150,000 freehold

cluttons.com

020 7407 3669

towerbridge@cluttons.com

A prominent detached residence (492 sq m/5,296 sq ft) situated on a 0.24 acre plot within this secure gated domain located only moments from Hampstead Heath. A stunning double volume reception hall with striking sculpted feature staircase leads to exceptional living space ideal for large scale entertaining whilst the upper floors provide well planned family accommodation comprising five bedrooms and six bathrooms featuring an indulgent principal bedroom suite boasting ‘his’ and ‘her’ dressing rooms, bathrooms and a large private terrace. The property also benefits from a ‘state of the art’ cinema room, intelligent Lutron lighting and music system, under floor heating, comfort cooling, CCTV and a magical cascading south east facing rear garden with very large terrace and summer house. Single integral garage with additional off street parking for two cars.

www.telegraph-hill.co.uk Freehold £7,950,000

A development by:

Joint Sole Agents:

LAWRENCE_WARD_CityMag_May2011 24/05/2011 15:48 Page 1

newHOMES

Your essential guide to new local developments. Read up to the minute information about star apartments, good investments, yet to be launched to the market properties, and the best in innovative design, architectural excellence and chic, city style. This dedicated section covers luxury projects throughout Blackheath, Camberwell, Dulwich and other select areas of South East London.

Capital Gains

LONDONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S PROPERTY MARKET

Style In Central

THE NEO BANKSIDE DEVELOPMENT

newhomes

Property Latest By Ben West

agents report dramatic increase in relocations to London Estate agents have seen a 20 per cent increase in enquiries from relocation agents over the past two months, indicating increased confidence in the capital among the international business community. Budgets are also increasing to levels not witnessed for several years. Up to the first quarter of this year, the majority of relocation agent activity was on behalf of junior or entry-level employees, and while that sector of the market remains strong, there has been a significant increase in enquiries on behalf of senior executives with higher rental budgets in the region of £1,000 per week upwards. The increase in relocation searches is spread across a broad range of business sectors, including accountancy, law and IT companies,

as well as financial services. “Relocation activity is a reliable indicator of confidence among the business community,” says Lynn Hilton, partner for residential lettings at Cluttons. “London has withstood the recession well but relocation agent demand had dropped significantly until last year, now activity levels are increasing

Now is the time to buy property The Worldwide Property Group has released figures from its latest tracker survey and the results reveal that confidence in property both here in the UK and abroad remains high. The survey focused on a number of areas such as house price and interest rate expectations, general confidence, buying intentions, and views on property as an investment. Significantly, 84 per cent of respondents stated that they believed now to be a good time to buy a property in the UK. Three in every four people surveyed believe property offers the best investment potential of any major investment. Just 28 per cent of those interviewed expect UK property values to fall over the coming year with an even split between those who expect prices to either increase or remain static. Eighty-five per cent expect the BOE base rate to rise at some point over the next year, while 65 per cent said that they were still benefiting from the current low level of interest rates with 58 per cent saying this had increased their desire to buy a property.

rapidly,” she adds. “New talent is flooding into London at a rate not seen since the height of the market in 2007. We have had enquiries on behalf of top executives with budgets up to £10,000 per week. The fact that firms are prepared to make this investment to bring their highest ranking staff to London is extremely encouraging.”

tennis courts and leisure facilities prove big draw for buyers When buying a property, outside space can come at a premium, and yet recently it is fitness facilities such as tennis courts which are proving to be especially popular among buyers. Hard courts are more popular than lawn courts as they are considerably easier to maintain, are useable throughout the year and do not present significant safety issues. “Having a tennis court installed can certainly add value to a property,” says Alex Gamble, account director at Fabricproperty.com a luxury lifestyle and property portal for London. “However, anyone considering installing

one should make sure there is enough space so that it doesn’t dominate the garden too much. Ideally the plot where your tennis court is placed should be more than an acre and a half.” Tennis courts require planning consent and permission can be refused by the local council, who are very strict about even minor details, such as the colour of the fencing around the court. Yet the time and money involved in installing a court may well be worth it, as buyers appreciate the benefits of a ready-made court and will often be more likely to spend that bit closer to the asking price to get one.

NEWS IN BRIEF The Royal Wedding Effect Agents across the capital are attributing a recent surge in sales and lettings enquiries to the international hype surrounding the wedding of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Previously, analysts have been quick to suggest a lack of available stock and political unrest in the Middle East were driving investors to London, but many are now acknowledging that the market has recently benefited from the media spotlight which was placed on the nuptials. With the approach of the Olympic Games it is likely that visitors will continue to enjoy all that the capital has to offer and seek a base here.

Broadgate redevelopment possible

London prices continue to rise A Chesterton Humberts house price poll has found that the average price of a house in north London is now £367,594, which is around 1.2 per cent higher than last year. And there’s good news down south as well, with the average price of a house in south London now coming it at £305,249; this figure shows an annual increase of 0.2 per cent. These impressive figures demonstrate that London’s booming property market not only applies to central areas, and experts are confident that this trend is set to continue with the redevelopment of East London areas such as Stratford.

The government have rejected proposals from English Heritage which would have seen the city’s Broadgate Estate given a restrictive listing. The proposals suggested that the 1980s scheme was architecturally and culturally significant but both The City of London authorities and British Land and Blackstone who collectively own the campus, feel that regeneration will benefit the area. The City headquarters of UBS will now undergo an £850m renovation.

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newhomes

DEVELOPMENT FOCUS River of Dreams The South Bank is a vibrant area to work, play â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and now live, says Lana Jordan

he South Bank is famed for its social and cultural landmarks, including the prestigious Tate Gallery, London Eye and a plethora of brilliant restaurants. However, an iconic development of 199 apartments and penthouses is set to make the area prime residential territory. NEO Bankside consists of four stunning pavilions which overlook the River Thames. The development has been designed by acclaimed architects Rogers Stirk Harbour and Partners and has a striking steel, glass and timber appearance. The team has ensured that each apartment and penthouse also benefits from floor to ceiling windows and accommodation is accessed by external glazed lifts, to allow breathtaking views of the local area. Inside, properties are available with up to three bedrooms, but equally conscientious design means space is optimised throughout. An innovative external bracing system has removed the need for internal structural walls, flooding each property with light and allowing a flexible layout. In terms of outside space, most apartments will include winter gardens, which take the form of enclosed terraces integrated into the living areas and intended as perfect entertaining venues. However, the entire complex has been conceptualised with ecology in mind and linear groves of birch and alder, fruit trees, beehives and a herb garden are currently being put into place. These landscaping elements are among those aspects envisaged to form part of a five star lifestyle experience for occupants. Premium shops, bars and restaurants are currently being chosen for the ground floor of NEO Bankside to create a vibrant atmosphere and sense of luxury and convenience. There will also be a state-ofthe-art gymnasium and day spa on site to cater to the health and fitness needs of residents. These residents are likely to be affluent city professionals, owing to the complexâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s location in the heart of the capital. Final completion of the project is scheduled for the springtime of 2012, when locals will be able to benefit from the newly-reopened Blackfriars underground stations, as well as river taxis and the Thames Path. NEO Bankside will also possess its own cycling club, for those looking to incorporate their journeys into a fitness regime, as well as underground car parking facilities, should they be required.

Star apartment Interior designer Anthony Collett has styled one of the three bedroom homes into a contemporary yet warm retreat. Keen to capitalise on the spacious nature of the development and inject a sense of personality, he has combined neutral tones with pale teals and quirky, bespoke furniture. He says: “I’ve tried to create an eclectic, organic environment that looks as good as its surroundings, where you can also kick off your shoes and relax.” £POA

Of all of the capital’s new developments, NEO Bankside is equipped with some of the most interesting additions. A private business centre epitomises the project’s commitment to 21st century living in all its guises, while a temperature-controlled wine cellar will also be available in partnership with leading merchants Berry Bros & Rudd who are on hand to provide storage advice. On a day-to-day basis, a concierge service will arrange newspapers and morning coffee, in addition to ad hoc requests such as theatre tickets. Such planning reflects a wider trend in the capital for new luxury accommodation to be modelled on the service and facilities of a sophisticated hotel. n Prices start at £1m for a two bedroom apartment www.native-land.com www.grosvenor.com

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A NEW BEGINNING

IN LONDON STRATFORD Computer generated image

Stunning marketing suite and show apartment opening July • Highly speciﬁed contemporary apartments • Excellent transport links from Stratford station • Stratford offers excellent shopping with the soon to be opened Westﬁeld Centre • Close proximity to 2012 Olympic Park

Computer generated image of a 1 bedroom apartment

Prices from £188,950* * Price for a 1 bedroom apartment

1, 2 & 3 BEDROOM APARTMENTS AVAILABLE FOR SALE For further information please contact:

0844 800 5578 www.site-sales.co.uk

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21/6/11 15:58:19

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

DENBRIDgE ROAD, BICKLEy PARK BR1

A truly elegant residence of significant proportions and a fine example of the ‘Arts & Crafts’ architectural style of Ernest Newton. Located on the prestigious Bickley Park Estate just 0.2 miles from Chislehurst Station. Occupying a plot of three quarters of an acre with heated swimming pool and garage block with accommodation.

PRICE ON APPLICATION

MANOR WAy, BECKENHAM BR3

A fine Post-Edwardian Mansion occupying a west facing plot of approximately a third of an acre located in the heart of Beckenham opposite Kelsey Park. Five Bedrooms with three receptions plus a wonderful Kitchen/Breakfast Room and spectacular Garden Room. The Annex provides two bedroom accommodation with Office or Games Room above.

£1,875,000 F/H

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

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

living local

State of the market Alasdair Carpenter, Company Director of Lourdes estate agents, comments on the state of the residential property market

like a phoenix from the flames

or a sustained and lengthy time after the collapse of the property market in late 2007, first time buyers became an endangered species as more stringent lending criteria and larger deposits were required by mortgage lenders. The average age of first time home owners increased significantly and, even still, a large number of those that did successfully make it onto the housing market did so with financial assistance from a family member. Now though, a number of sources have released data suggesting that London is leading the way in terms of the flow of first time purchasers. According to a recent survey conducted by rightmove.co.uk it found that nationally 27 per cent of buyers over the next 12 months would be first time homeowners where as in London the figure was a staggering 42 per cent. The long term health of the market would usually require a level of around 40 per cent of transactions coming from first time buyers. The property market is cyclical, it requires a top and a bottom and without a bottom transaction levels falter and key segments of the market and broader society suffer. Over

162

the past few years London has in some respects survived the lack of first time buyers by inward investment from the overseas investment markets. Currently one in every three new homes in the capital are sold to an overseas investor. More first time buyers will invariably lead to a more active market with a marked increase in transaction levels. In my opinion this is a direct result of the publicâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s perception that London prices are set to recover in the next 12 months. First time buyers are effectively calling the bottom of the market and are now making moves to beat the forecast price increases. Would-be buyers are also benefiting from some historically low mortgage rates and an underlying belief that interest rates will remain low for the foreseeable future. Brace yourself, the topic of conversation at dinner parties across London could soon be returning to the staple of property prices. n Lourdes Estate Agents 020 7538 9254 www.lourdes-estates.com

A TUSCA N DR EA M, 800 Y EARS IN THE MA K ING Pisa approximately 45 minutes, Florence and Siena approximately 1 hour Toscana Resort Castelfalfi is a 1,100 hectare estate set around a stunning historic ‘borgo’. Beautiful apartments, traditional farmhouses and a selection of newly built villas. Overlooking an established 27-hole golf course, the borgo will also include a boutique hotel, 2 restaurants, cafe and range of shops. Apartments from €230,000. Villas from €1,200,000. Traditional farm houses – price on application W W W. C A S T E L FA L F I . I T

55 Baker Street, London, W1U 8AN +44 (0)20 7629 8171 rupert.fawcett@knightfrank.com

HIRSH L O N D O N

HARMONY COLLECTION HANDMADE IN PLATINUM

Famous for engagement rings www.hirshlondon.com

WEST END 56-57 BURLINGTON ARCADE W1J 0QN T 020 7499 6814 - CITY 9 HATTON GARDEN EC1N 8AH T 020 7831 3333

CanaryWharfJulyHarmony.indd 1

07/06/2011 12:53