Fulham Residents' July / August 2015 by Runwild Media Group

fulham Resident s Journal ’

J UL Y / AU G UST 2 0 1 5 • I s s u e 3 4

Your dedicated Strutt & Parker estate agent will know what you mean by a ‘big garden’. Knowing the little ones’ playground is a must-have is just one advantage of having your own dedicated agent. That means when you buy or sell your home with us, the person you see at the first meeting will see you all the way through to completion. So if you’d like a more personal and professional service, we’d love to chat.

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Dear Resident, As we roll into yet another (hopefully) beautiful British summer, the Journal is getting out and about in Fulham to discover all things bright and beautiful. Jennifer Mason receives a lesson in flower arranging from expert florist Helen Cranmer in the dappled shade of the Walled Garden at Fulham Palace (p.6) and, later in the issue, uncovers the treasure trove that is Guinevere Antiques. This family-run business has been a Fulham institution for more than 50 years â&#x20AC;&#x201C; find out more from page seven. Elsewhere in the issue, Bethan Rees revisits the scene of a childhood triumph and reaffirms her love of oysters with dinner at Bibendum. See how this popular dining spot matches up to its newest challenger, The Lucky Pig, from page 21. For those of you jetting off on exotic holidays (or sticking around to enjoy summer in the capital), local bookshops and authors have offered their suggestions for your reading list. See what they recommend from page 13. We hope you enjoy the season!

Image: One of the eye-catching window displays at Guinevere Antiques. Turn to page seven to find out more about the iconic shop. Photograph by Nat Davies. Background 1960s monochrome photography ÂŠVictoria and Albert Museum, London.

Managing Editor Francesca Lee

General Manager Fiona Fenwick

Editorial Assistant Bethan Rees

Production Oscar Viney Hugo Wheatley Jamie Steele Alice Ford

Business Development Manager Nicola Bloomfield

Publishing Director Giles Ellwood

Senior Designer Lisa Wade

Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood Managing Director Eren Ellwood

Members of the Professional Publishers Association

Executive Director Sophie Roberts Client Relationship Director Friday Dalrymple

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

LOCAL NEWS Keep your finger on the pulse with our roundup of local news

All change for Wimsey’s

Word on the street

Overlooking leafy Parsons Green, Wimsey’s is the perfect place to unwind this summer with its outdoor seating and open-fronted façade. If this wasn’t reason enough to grab a bite to eat or a glass of wine, the restaurant has recently undergone a transformation. Alongside a refurbishment, Wimsey’s has introduced a brand-new à la carte menu which is available all day, including tuna tartare with a poached quail egg, Cornish crab linguine and pan fried buttered duck and also its children’s menu, available every day between 12noon-7pm. Additionally, Wimsey’s also serves brunch on the weekends, cooking up the staples of eggs Benedict, brioche French toast and smoked haddock kedgeree with a poached egg. 177 New King’s Road, SW6 4SW, 020 7731 8326 (wimseys.co.uk) -4-

Poetry devotees will be delighted to hear that Nomad Books’ poetry club has returned. The first meeting on 13 July will discuss the recently published second collection, Kith by Jo Bell, who is the UK’s Canal Laureate. 13 July, 7pm-9pm, 781 Fulham Road, SW6 5HA (nomadbooks.co.uk)

Make a song and dance about it Budding young performers grab your dancing shoes rmers Little Voices Fulham perfo and warm up your vocal cords. Little Voices Fulham is teaming up with local dance company Dance Grooves to produce a street dance inspired Annie performing arts week for children and teenagers aged between four and 16 years old. Taking place at St. Etheldreda’s Church on Fulham Palace Road over four days, participants will be part of a performance that will be created as they go along. 27-30 July, £160, 9.30am-3.30pm each day. St. Etheldreda’s Church, 528 Fulham Palace Road, SW6 6JF. To book a place, visit the website: littlevoices.org.uk. For more information email SWL@littlevoices.org.uk or call 07823 384 992

Time for doubles It’s that time of the year again when the masses flock to Wimbledon and attempt on-the-day entry to one of the world’s finest sporting events. As fun as that sounds, why not take the hassle out of your day and add some comfy sofas, cocktails and tasty treats at The Imperial on King’s Road. During Wimbledon (28 June-12 July) the gastropub will transform its bar and garden to include a big screen television, dedicated outside bar and a specially-laid lawn. If that wasn’t reason enough, maybe this will persuade you: it’ll be serving limited-edition cocktails such as the Bloom Gin Summer Cup and Britz Spritz. 577 King’s Road, SW6 2EH, 07872 614 774 (the-imperial.co.uk)

Walk this way Led by Simon Rodway, the Asparagus and Aristocrats: Fulham Broadway to Putney Bridge walk on 9 August will slice through the heart of SW6’s history; from the Swan Brewery to Lord Beaverbrook. The outing is part of a series of free walking tours around Fulham and Shepherd’s Bush celebrating the history and culture of the area. All the tours are led by Blue Badge Guides and will uncover some of the fascinating history, perhaps previously unknown to its residents. 9 August, free, 2pm-4pm. Meet on the pedestrian footway outside Fulham Broadway station. To book a place, email: nicki.burgess@lbhf. gov.uk or mohamad.haniff@lbhf. gov.uk,or call: 020 8753 5695 or 020 8753 2733 (lbhf.gov.uk)

All that jazz Jazz lovers, rejoice: returning for its seventh year is Jazz on the Lawn at Fulham Palace. The 606 Club is teaming up with the Palace showcasing Tony O’Malley on 31 July and hard-swinging jazz singer Kevin Fitzsimmons, with his seven-piece band on 1 August, it’s set to be a truly fingerclicking, hip-swaying evening. 31 July and 1 August, adults £15, children £10, children aged three and under, free entry, 7.30pm. Fulham Palace, Bishop’s Avenue, SW6 6EA, 020 7351 5175 (fulhampalace.org)

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FULHAM Residents’ Journal

BLOOMING

beautiful

Images ©jenniferj

affa [Instagram]

This month, professional florist Helen Cranmer will lead a oneoff, hands-on flower-arranging class at Fulham Palace. Jennifer Mason visits the walled garden for a sneak preview

love a nice bunch of flowers. If you pop round to my flat, you’ll always see a few blooms propped up in a makeshift vase (aka a plastic picnic tumbler). So I’m excited to learn the proper way to put together a professional-looking bouquet from expert florist Helen Cranmer, settled in the shade alongside buckets of

Once Helen has covered the basics, we mooch through the vast array of options until we’ve picked about 15 green stems and about 10 flowers. Today the theme is ‘wildflower’ – so although the bouquets will be properly structured underneath in the solid ‘twisted stem’ arrangement necessary for wedding bouquets and table arrangements, above the bind our imaginations can run wild, with asymmetrical foliage, vibrant colours and lush scents. I’m quite traditional in my tastes, so I make a valiant effort to keep my greens all of a similar tone. Helen, being vastly more experienced, mixes and matches to great effect; her bouquet finishes in a lovely dome shape, whereas mine… well, mine looks a little bit like a bunch of wildflowers hastily grasped by a child on the way home from school for its mother. I’m assured it takes 100 bouquets before you make a good one, but I’m (perhaps unjustifiably) proud of my riotous arrangement. Only another 99 to go…

Above the bind our imaginations can run wild, with asymmetrical foliage, vibrant colours and lush scents greenery and flowers cut fresh from the Fulham Palace Gardens. First, Helen talks me through how to prepare each stem, stripping away the lower branches, buds and leaves and leaving about a hand-length of growth at the end. There’s a special technique I need to learn for the composition of the bouquet, grasping each stem in my right hand, standing perpendicular to the table, brushing it on my left shoulder then sweeping it down my arm into the space between thumb and first finger. Theoretically, keeping to this rhythm means that my stems will all twist together in the right direction, forming a secure and stable arrangement that (should) stand up on its own.

£40, £30 for Fulham Palace and Bishop’s Park volunteers. 25 July, 10am-4pm in the Jessie Mylne Education Centre, Fulham Palace, Bishop’s Avenue, SW6 6EA. To book, visit fulhampalace.org -6-

FULHAM Residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Journal

A FULHAM

dynasty

Jennifer Mason meets Kevin Weaver of Fulhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guinevere Antiques to find out why this family-run treasure trove is still going strong after 52 years in business -7-

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

Spreads taken from the book Guinevere, The First Fifty Years

Silver plate coffee pot, English c.1930, £480

n 1963, the far end of the King’s Road was filled with fish and chip shops, workmen’s cafés, gasworks – and the newly opened Guinevere Antiques, launched by visionary, ex-hat designer and vintage furniture enthusiast Genevieve Weaver. These days, the Fulham end of this road, one of London’s most famous addresses, looks rather different; upscale design emporiums have replaced the gritty

shop fronts of 50 years ago and Guinevere, always ahead of the rest, looks right at home. The business is now run by Genevieve’s son Kevin, his brother Marc and Marc’s wife Heather, and its future lies very much in the family. ‘My son is working here today, learning the ropes,’ Kevin tells me, as he explains the store’s history. ‘We’ve always been here, always Fulham-oriented. We all live in the area. The store has always been a part of my life.’ The vast warrens of Guinevere today differ hugely from its beginnings, I learn. ‘When we first started, we had a small room stuffed to the gills with furniture that would go out onto the pavement every day when we opened,’ he continues. ‘As children, it was our job to sit out there and make sure nothing was stolen. Things have changed a bit since then!’ It’s not just the physical aspects of the business that have changed, either. ‘We used to sell only to interior designers or other antiques dealers – but about 20 years ago that started to change. These days we deal far more often with individual shoppers,’ Kevin explains. ‘I think antique shops can seem quite forbidding, particularly for newcomers, but here we’ve tried hard to combat that; we do things very differently. There are prices on everything so people don’t need to feel awkward about asking and we try to let people wander around on their own as much as possible. We’re there in the background if needed, but we’re keen to keep a very friendly approach.’ Walking around the store, I feel as though I need some kind

Right: Carved marble bust, early 19th Century, £6,500

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Maison Jansen bronze palm tree lamp c.1970, £2,600

Large Venetian octagonal cushion mirror, 19th Century, £4,800

I’ve mentally decorated my flat with any number of hugely inappropriate but stunningly beautiful antiques), Kevin shows me some of the window displays that Guinevere is famous for. ‘The traffic on the King’s Road can be an advantage – as long as it’s not stopping clients from reaching us,’ he admits. ‘We often get phone calls from people who were stuck stationary outside the store and saw something in the window that they’d like to find out more about. That’s just one of the reasons why, although we’ve expanded the store on-site, we could never recreate the magic anywhere else. We must be an icon of Fulham by now.’ He’s not wrong; the store attracts visitors not only from SW6 but from the rest of London and the world. Guinevere’s modern, Rodeo Drive-esque frontage belies the Narnia beyond that any would-be adventurer (read: design enthusiast) worth his or her salt would be thrilled to explore. And if you find yourself lost in Aladdin’s Cave? There are few places in London as fascinating in which to while away a few hours.

of treasure map to avoid getting hopelessly lost among these precious items. Each of the rooms has been cleverly put together by designer Dean Robinson to show visitors that you can mix genres and styles successfully. ‘There are a few occasions when I try and discourage people against buying certain items to display together,’ Kevin muses, ‘but mostly our customers buy things because they like them, not because of their history or design credentials. That’s certainly how I buy the pieces we sell. I much prefer to take a chance and maybe overpay on something that I like, because even if it doesn’t sell and it’s still here in a few years’ time, it won’t be a constant reminder of a mistake because I’ll still be enjoying it.’ It’s not just gleaming furniture and twinkling chandeliers that you’ll find inside the caves of Guinevere, though; the business also runs a successful fabrics department, spearheaded by Kevin’s sister-in-law Heather. ‘We sell antique linens, which are particularly popular after we’ve used vegetable dye on them,’ says Kevin. ‘We also stock a small clothing and accessories line, and we source cotton dhurries (thick floor coverings) from India – these can also be designed and made bespoke if clients have a particular theme or pattern in mind.’ As we come to the end of our tour (and

574-580 King’s Road, SW6 2DY, 020 7736 2917 (guinevere.co.uk)

KEEP AN EYE OUT Looking for a unique wedding present? Guinevere keeps a vast collection of antique napkins embroidered with various entwined initials – perfect for an unusual gift.

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FULHAM Residents’ Journal

Good

innings

Bethan Rees meets Fulham resident and CEO of SW6-based sports hospitality and events company DTB, ahead of some of the season’s biggest occasions Dominic

ensington-born, Fulham-residing Dominic Titchener-Barrett has had a rather interesting career path to where he sits today, as the CEO and founder of DTB Sports and Events, a ticket and corporate hospitality specialist. DTB are ‘sold out’ experts and can also arrange bespoke options for clients. ‘It’s the most frustrating thing in the world when you want to go to an event and it’s sold out. We take care of all the hassle,’ Dominic tells me. Following his education at Harrow School, ‘I was forced out of bed one day, aged 19, by my mother with a broom telling me to get a job,’ he laughs. It’s hard to imagine this teenager as the same man that meets me today; confident with the determination and tenacity of a tiger who knows exactly what he wants. Following the broom incident, he went to Oxford Brookes University to study politics and history, while continuing to play semiprofessional cricket for Wimbledon in the Surrey Championship. From here, he went to work at Merril Lynch. ‘I come from a banking background, my grandfather and father were both bankers. Even as a precocious six-yearold, when asked what I wanted to be when I grew-up, I said a banker.’ However, after deciding the banking industry wasn’t for him, he moved to sports marketing agency RBI Promotions Ltd. ‘I walked in bold as brass and said “I’m looking for a job”,’ and he was back working within 48 hours. Here he explored being a sports agent managing high-profile sportsmen, including the jockey Tony McCoy, Olympic swimmer Mark Foster and British tennis player Arvind Parmar. But, he explains, being a sports agent isn’t as exciting as its cracked up to be.

Titchene

r-Ba

rrett ‘Everyone associates it with Jerry Maguire but the reality isn’t so glamorous.’ In August 2002, Dominic set up his own business: DTB Sports and Events. ‘It started in my mother’s loft,’ he laughs, before moving to an office on Rickett Street in the West Brompton end of SW6, then moved to its Parsons Green office in 2012. ‘Ninety per cent of businesses go bust in the first year and 50 per cent of those go bust in the three years after, and that’s always been in the back of my mind,’ Dominic explains. However, DTB is now somewhat of a family affair; his brother Alex is the CFO and joined Dominic in 2004 and is also the rackets British amateur number one, world number three and current world doubles champion, and their father Robert is the non-exectuve chairman. I ask Dominic, who’s also a new father, about the sibling dynamic. ‘Fortunately our character traits are very different and we effectively do different roles. More importantly, there’s a mutual respect for one another. I think going in to business with family either works extremely well or extremely badly,’ Dominic rationalises. Luckily for DTB, as business partners, they’re a match made in heaven.

For more information on ticket and hospitality options for upcoming sporting, musical and special events please contact DTB Sports and Events on 020 7385 3553 or visit the website: dtbsportsandevents.com

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Upcoming events 17-19 July – Davis Cup - GB vs France at the Queen’s Club 20-24 August – Oval Ashes Test Match 5 September – Lord’s ODI 18-22 September – London Fashion Week 18 September – 31 October – 2015 Rugby World Cup 4 October – NFL at Wembley, Jets vs Dolphins

Join us for Queen Anne«s Summer Palace 8-9 August 2015, Hampton Court Palace

eet Queen Anne as she arrives at the palace in a horse-drawn carriage at 11am each day and immerse yourself in a weekend of stylish Baroque entertainment in the palace and grounds of Hampton Court Palace. A beautiful repertoire of music, composed during Queen Anne’s life and reign, will be presented by musicians and singers of the Gabrieli Consort & Players in bite-sized performances around the palace. The programme will include movements from Handel’s Ode for the Birthday of Queen Anne, performed in the stunning setting of Hampton Court’s Great Hall, and works by Purcell in the glorious Cartoon Gallery. The Privy Garden will be brought to life

by a company of eight dancers performing Anna Morrissey’s homage to the 18th century court, On Progress, with original music composed by Sam Thomas. There will also be the opportunity to learn about dining and court etiquette in the Queen’s Public Dining Room, and we invite you to relax and picnic in the picturesque setting of the East Gardens, where you might even spot the Queen and her court taking the air. Entry is included with palace admission and, this year, we are celebrating our 500th anniversary – so there’s never been a better time to explore the rest of the palace and grounds. n Book now at hrp.org.uk/hamptoncourtpalace

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Fulham Residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Journal Exclusively invite you to celebrate the opening of

FULHAM Residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Journal

Cover to

cover

Summer is here and with (hopefully) a little relaxation on the cards, the Fulham Residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Journal has rounded up book recommendations from the staff at local bookshops Nomad Books and Daunt Books, and Fulham-based author Charlie Mortimer, to keep you occupied this month, come rain or shine

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FULHAM Residents’ Journal

NOMAD BOOKS RECOMMENDS…

1. Disclaimer by Renée Knight

‘I love this book! I read this in two sittings and just had to get to the end, as I kept thinking I had got the twist, only to be proved totally wrong. A unique thriller and a brilliant debut novel by an exBBC documentary maker. The film rights have already been sold, I can’t wait.’ – Pauline Hall

2. Go Set a Watchman by Harper Lee ‘For me, this promises to be the book of the summer. Written before To Kill a Mockingbird, the manuscript was lost for many years, only resurfacing in 2014. The story follows Scout who travels from New York to Maycomb, Alabama to visit her father Atticus Finch. Once there, she struggles with personal and political issues involving her father and the small town

which shaped her. Much of the content of the story will remain a mystery until the 14 July when the book is published, but it is certainly going to be an exciting read for all those fans of the wonderful To Kill a Mockingbird.’ – Harriet Morton

3. How to Build a Girl by Caitlin Moran ‘Outrageous, unapologetic and hilarious. This loosely autobiographical novel about being a teenager is a warm-hearted joy and perfect for summer.’ – Emma Kennedy

Nomad Books, 781 Fulham Road, SW6 5HA, 020 7736 4000 (nomadbooks.co.uk)

charlie mortimer RECOMMENDS… Charlie lives in Parsons Green and is the author of the hugely successful book Dear Lupin: Letters to a Wayward Son which has been recently adapted in to a play and opens at the Apollo Theatre in late July

Charlie M

ortimer

1. Vendetta by Michael Dibdin

‘This is one of a series of thrillers about a middle-aged, exhausted but thoroughly likeable Italian policeman, Inspector Aurelio Zen. If you read one you will come back for more.’

2. Flesh and Blood by

Michael Cunningham ‘An extraordinarily original “big canvas” American novel which charts the fortunes of a family for 60 years from 1935 to 1995. This book really draws you in and once it does, it’s hard to put down.’

3. Le Grand Meaulnes by Henri Alain-Fournier ‘This is a wonderful and romantic story of lost love and the search for the

unobtainable; it’s absolutely magical. If you only read one book in your life, make sure it’s this one.’ - 14 -

DAUNT BOOKS RECOMMENDS…

For adults

For children

1. Summertime by Vanessa Lafaye ‘A fantastic debut novel that charts the fate of a small town’s inhabitants in Florida 1935. The tension builds as the mother-ofall-storms is heading their way. Based on true events, this is an immensely readable slice of US history.’ – Amy Willetts

Amy Willetts, Daunt Books, makes sure the little ones are also looked after

4. Shola and the Lions by Bernado Atxaga ‘Shola is a little dog with grand ideas, believing that her noble nature can only mean one thing: that she’s a fearsome lioness. Witty and charming, this book will have the whole family chuckling.’

2. Bonita Avenue by Peter Buwalda ‘This award-winning debut has already taken Europe by storm: a riotous pageturner about not so much the downfall as the explosion of the perfect Dutch family, and in whose patriarch, Siem Sigerius, we have surely one of modern literature’s most charismatic protagonists.’ – James Elliot

5. The Imagination Box by Martyn Ford ‘Tim embarks on a rescue mission like no other, with the help of his sidekick – a talking finger monkey called Phil, obviously.’

3. The Churchill Factor by Boris Johnson

6. Diary of a Wombat by Vivian French ‘A hilarious look at life from the point of view of an adorable wombat. Warning: may contain carrots.’

‘Boris Johnson is no slouch and his humour and scholarship shines through in this book. He is no equal to the great man, but he is a worthy tour guide through Winston Churchill’s youth. You can quite imagine the two of them hitting it off famously. Worth reading and eminently readable, unlike some of the more dour Churchill biographies.’ – Robert Dickson

Daunt Books, 158-164 Fulham Road, SW10 9PR, 020 7373 4997 (dauntbooks.co.uk) - 15 -

BESPOKE HANDMADE FURNITURE www.oficinainglesa.com London Showroom

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

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

Top two images courtesy of James Kerr (jameskerr.co.uk)

It’s High-am time To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Bethan Rees meets owner of Higham Furniture, Tim Higham, and finds out why there’s so much more to a kitchen than a sink and stove

hey say the kitchen is the heart of the home, the room which brings family and friends together to congregate over food and if you’re lucky, wine. It’s with this in mind that I meet Tim Higham, owner of Higham Furniture, a firm which builds handmade, bespoke kitchen furniture. The Fulham-based design studio in The Old Gasworks started in 2005 and for 10 years has been creating stunning designs for clients across the UK, with a popular customer base in south-west London. However, the inspiration to start the company came from a bad experience Tim faced in his own home. ‘I bought a handmade kitchen 13 years ago and I didn’t think the quality was great, so I teamed up with a friend of mine who’s a joiner and we decided we could do better,’ he tells me. Higham Furniture offers and encourages customers to visit the showroom in Hampshire to see their work in progress, but often busy schedules don’t permit such a detour; this is where Higham’s webcam service comes in to play. The camera broadcasts a live stream of the workshop, and with the customer’s personal login, they can keep an eye on their kitchen’s progress. The typical customer using Higham Furniture, Tim describes, tends to have a young family, live in a Victorian house and is extending the kitchen space with a sidereturn to make it wider and deeper. ‘Eighty to 90 per cent of the designs we see have the same starting point: a painted, in-frame kitchen with panel doors, but from here on they can vary a lot,’ he explains. Higham

Furniture has created its own kitchen style, called the Handleless Shaker which is a modern take on a very popular style of kitchen with panelled wood (the shaker), but without handles, of course, which gives it a much sleeker and more contemporary look. ‘This fits our clientele well as I’m often given a brief of “I want something well-made and traditional but also quite modern”,’ says Tim. ‘Some customers give us a detailed, researched brief which makes our lives easy, while others sometimes need more hand-holding.’ But where do customers who come prepared with inspiration get it from? ‘I can see a shift in people using magazines and scrap books to using interior design sites like Houzz and Pinterest, as it’s so easy,’ he enlightens me. Grey is having a moment right now; from Rihanna’s dyed hair to the catwalks. But this trend is also being mirrored in interior design. ‘We continue to buy grey paint by the bucket load,’ Tim laughs. With such a plethora of kitchen furnishing companies out there, why should someone visit Higham Furniture? ‘I believe we’re far more bespoke than any high street company. We use only the best materials we can find and can’t be beaten on quality.’ For more information, call 020 7381 0488 or visit higham.co.uk

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Image courte sy of Rowland Roques-O’Neil (roquesoneilp hotography.co. uk)

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

Baby on board Bethan Rees talks to new business owner Alexis Goldfinch about her venture, The Essential Bag Company, and why she loves Fulham

ublin-born and raised, Alexis Goldfinch now resides in Fulham with her husband and two children and has recently launched her own business, The Essential Bag Company, following a career in law. She’s created a new gift concept where, rather than giving a hamper or wicker basket full of products for the arrival of a new baby, she has delicately collated the finest luxury gifts to be presented in a stylish changing bag; a must-have for any new parent. Gone are the days of boring sacks full of nappies, or gift boxes full of products that’ll never be used; Alexis, through The Essential Bag Company, has thrown an extravagant spanner in the works. Her website allows customers to purchase a bag not just for the expectant or new mother, but also for the father, brother or sister. She has prepared ready-made bags but offers a bespoke

approach to make the perfect custom collection. Working with high-calibre and well respected brands such as Aspinal of London, Charbonnel et Walker and Petit Bateau, these bags are truly special. What inspired you to launch The Essential Bag Company? The idea was born out of my experience of receiving gifts when I had my daughter, Arabella, and the difficulties I faced when trying to buy gifts for friends, family and colleagues. I received several gift bundles wicker baskets and gift boxes that, without sounding ungrateful, were filled with items I never used and some of which were poor quality. I also ended up with boxes and baskets, most of which I ended up throwing out. After several attempts to find a quality gift bundle for friends and colleagues, I started to do some market research with a view to starting a business

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that I wish had been around when I was looking; that is, one that sold a selection of luxury branded goods. The idea of the changing bag as the anchor for the gifts came about when my daughter was about two (potty trained) and I had reverted to carrying a handbag rather than a changing bag. I enjoyed alternating my handbags every so often and thought back at how I used the one bag for nearly two years. The changing bag was my key accessory for all that time and, looking back, I could have done with a few of them to alternate over the two years. So, it struck me that a changing bag is a very useful gift for a new mother. How did you choose the brands included in the bags? They are leading luxury brands in their respective markets. They are all brands that I have used and love! At the moment, Rachel Riley and Petit Bateau are proving to be favourites in my house as I’m enjoying dressing my nine-week-old Henry in their beautiful clothing. Why did you decide to create bags for fathers, brothers and sisters too? I believe that the arrival of a new baby in the family is not only an incredible experience for the mother but for all of the family. Sometimes, a new father can feel left out and, from my own experience, he can be left carrying a pink floral changing bag to the park. So I wanted to ensure that we had suitable gifts for the new father to include him in this wonderful event. When Henry was born in April, I brought a Big Sister Bag into the hospital with me to give Arabella when she visited. It went down a real treat. She played with her Playmobil sat on the floor of the hospital room and read her I’m a Big Sister book with her grandmother in the hospital too. For days after Henry was born, she insisted on wearing her Big Sister t-shirt – I had quite a job getting her to take it off to wash it that week!

you are, to a large extent, in control of your workload. I make a real effort when I’m with my children to focus on my time with them and give them my full attention. That does mean that I have to work in the evenings and weekends but I feel it is a small price to pay to get to spend quality time with them and be running my own business. Have you got any tips for fellow working mothers? Focus on one thing at a time and do it well. So when you’re spending time with your children, try not to get distracted by work. If you can, try to get your children involved in your business. Since it is such an important and large part of your life, let them be part of it if you can. My daughter regularly asks if she can help with the business. Counting stock is more fun than doing a jigsaw in her eyes! What do you enjoy about living in Fulham? I love Fulham’s selection of beautiful parks and wealth of restaurants, bars and shops. I have made wonderful friends in the area so it is the perfect place for me to enjoy my (limited) spare time! I couldn’t fail to mention that I met my husband on Parsons Green nine years ago so the area will always mean something extra special to me. My perfect Saturday includes a run by the river, lunch at my favourite local Italian, Nuovi Sapori, a trip to Bishop’s Park with my children and drinks in Amuse Bouche in the evening. Prices vary, call 020 7731 8201 or visit: essentialbagcompany.co.uk

As a working mother, how do you balance work and motherhood? The wonderful thing about running your own company is that

Alexis G

oldfinch

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by Cath

Lowe Ph otog

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FULHAM Residents’ Journal

Parent Trap: Nappy Valley Net NappyValleyNet.com has become an online sensation in the four years since founder Susan Hanage, aka. Annabel, launched it, with more than 130,000 visits to the site every month. An invaluable tool for parents based in south-west London who are seeking to swap tips and share advice, we’ve teamed up to post some of the most pressing topics posted on the site

Puppy insurance advice We have just bought a Cavapoo [a crossbreed of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and a Poodle] puppy and I’m looking to get her some pet insurance. I’ve already asked the vet, but they’re not legally allowed to offer advice, so I was hoping some fellow pet owners could help.

most. As you’ve got a crossbreed rather than a pedigree, your premiums will be much lower, though. That said, both Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and Poodles are prone to some problems and there is no guarantee that your puppy won’t have inherited those issues, so opt for a comprehensive policy that keeps paying out for the lifetime of any condition (rather than the first year, then refusing to renew your policy).

make sure you have lifetime cover and pay as much as you can afford, at least £7,000 cover, as if the worst happens and your puppy is involved in an accident or has any kind of complicated health problems necessitating expensive tests etc., it’s scary how quickly the vet bills can add up.

Tue 9 June, 2015 10.39am Tue 2 June, 2015 9.13am

Tue 9 June, 2015 8.26am

Pet Plan generally has a good reputation for settling claims directly with the vet (so you don’t need to pay and reclaim the money) but the annual premiums are higher than

Pet Plan is usually one of the more expensive companies initially but it doesn’t hike up its premiums year on year like many of the others do. Whichever company you go with,

Pet insurance is a complete and utter minefield, so make sure you do some research with a reputable source, not just word of mouth from well-meaning friends. There are regulations for vets recommending pet insurers but none of these prohibit vets from giving guidance on generic policy types and basic dos and don’ts. If your vet can’t help further, then you might find this free and independent reference on pet insurance that I’ve compiled for my cat-owning clients useful (it applies to dogs too): thecatvet. co.uk/pet-insurance. Here are a few pointers: I can’t stress enough that pet insurance is the one type of insurance you do not want to get from a comparison website. You need to use a company that specialises in pet insurance, not a bank or your home and contents insurer. You have to look past the cheap monthly payments and look at the true cost of the policy (i.e. when you come to claim); if the monthly price seems too good to be true there’s a reason for that. So many companies hike their premiums later down the line and you get stung then. You can’t shop around each year like you do for other insurances – after your pet has had even a whisper of a possibility of a medical condition on their records this will be excluded from any future insurers so you really have to get it right the first time round.

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All threads from NappyValleyNet.com; users’ names have been omitted to protect individuals’ identities and although opinions have not been altered, posts have been edited in line with the Residents’ Journal house style and some dates and times changed

Top replies:

Food fight Bethan Rees takes her rumbling stomach to south-west London to pit two restaurants against each other in a battle of the best. Who will win? The classic, London institution that is Bibendum, or Fulhamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s latest, swanky joint, The Lucky Pig? Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only one way to find out...

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FULHAM Residents’ Journal

Peter Robinson, hea d

Images courtesy of Laura Mott

THE OLD FAVOURITE

Preach to the tyre Bethan Rees revisits a childhood haunt at Bibendum, gulping down oysters just as before, but this time with Champagne

s a bored 10-year-old during the summer holidays, I accompanied my father on a rather important business meeting. The location? Bibendum. It was here I slurped my first oyster, completely ignoring the advice given to me of ‘don’t chew it’ and preceded to have another dozen to myself in front of aptly astonished suited onlookers including my father and his guest. Fast-forward 13 years and I find myself in the Fulham Road institution yet again, still with a undiminished love of oysters. A feast for the eyes as much as the stomach, the legendary restaurant has just re-opened its doors to the public, revealing its respectful restoration and fresh menu devised by new head chef, Peter Robinson. Residing in the Art Deco landmark of the Grade II-listed Michelin House, the former London headquarters of Michelin Tyres, the restaurant has become

an iconic local and national dining destination. Named after Michelin’s rather adorable and portly mascot, Monsieur Bibendum (or the Michelin Man as he’s more commonly known), the building is famed for its stained glass windows depicting said mascot in all his white-tyre distinction. The first-floor restaurant, which has a 28-year history, is flooded with light and casts vibrant coloured shapes across the space through the aforementioned stained-glass windows. The colour scheme is scattered yet refined; teal, Clarence Court eggyolk yellow and violet blue while dangerously comfy wooden-framed, Scottish leather armchairs pick out the same colours which are reflected from the windows giving the room a defined theme. The only tan leather chair that sits in the restaurant is reserved for Sir Terence Conran (one of the three owners and a world famous designer) at his favourite corner table, and the - 22 -

chef

curbed and mirrored waiter stations have been restored from their 1987 glory from the very same restaurant. The new menu sees unfussy, seasonal British produce with a strong French influence which changes daily, giving diners even more excuse to visit every week. My guest and I dine on probably the most indulgent options possible: half a dozen oysters, escargot de Bourgogne (with a garlic butter I want to almost swim in it’s so delicious) and a whole lobster with a courchamps sauce. But the best is yet to come: the buttermilk panna cotta with poached strawberries. I’ve had a fair few of the wobbly desserts in my time, and never have I been so silent while eating one; a true mark of approval. 81 Fulham Road, SW3 6RD, 020 7581 5817 (bibendum.co.uk)

When pigs fly Fulham’s latest hotspot, The Lucky Pig, is the perfect venue for pretty much any occasion, as Bethan Rees discovers

lose your eyes and walk through the imposing doors guarded by red rope of 374 North End Road, and be transported to another era: the 1920s to be precise. Following in the footsteps of its illustrious Fitzrovia brother, The Lucky Pig Fulham has just flung open its decadent doors to SW6. If you’re wondering what exactly its name means, it’s referencing the 1920s Italian mobster Lucky Luciano and the moniker for Prohibition speakeasy bars (blind pigs). Oozing vintage glamour with a contemporary touch, every detail here has been carefully thought out. The antique mirrors, monochrome marble floor and the exposed brickwork make for a glitzy backdrop to your evening. The palette of cerulean

blue, soft grey and brushed gold works well to create a warming but elegant atmosphere, and the metallic theme runs throughout the institution; from the unusual gold cocktail shakers to the sign out front. However, The Lucky Pig is quite an odd venue in that it’s the ultimate all-rounder. On a Friday evening, an after-work drinks crowd begins to fill up the bar area, while diners indulge in three-course meals in the slightly raised restaurant area, all at the same time as a Hawaiian-shirted jazz pianist tinkers away on a piano in the corner. One way to describe this bar-meetsrestaurant venture is definitely ‘fun’. Headed up by chef Michael Mannion, a protégé of Raymond Blanc and Marco Pierre White whose career has seen him leap from Claridge’s to Le Manoir aux Quat’saisons, the menu offers

seasonal, British food using local produce where possible. I opt for the seared West Coast scallops with a seaweed potato cake and anchovy crisps to start, with just the right amount of wobble on the scallops. This is followed by pan-roasted Stone Bass on a bed of sweet potato accompanied by preserved lemon and spinach salsa, which is a perfect combination of comforting and exciting, and caramelised almond ice cream with espresso dates – a perfect substitute for an after-dinner coffee. The Lucky Pig is a truly versatile establishment: perfect for lunch with co-workers, dinner with a loved one, dancing the night away, a cheeky nightcap, private events, and everything in between. 374 North End Road, SW6 1LY, 020 7385 1300 (theluckypig.co.uk)

THE NEW CONTENDOR

And the winner is… Bibendum. It was a very close call, both with immaculate food and service, but sometimes, you just can’t beat the golden oldies. - 23 -

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

Baker’s dozen The Journal speaks to the founder of GAIL’S Tom Molnar to find out what it’s like running an artisan bakery, without having to get our hands all floury Chocolate Pecan Brownies

really wants to stay ‘behind the scenes’? As my mother said: ‘life is on the road, not the inn’. How much tasting goes on? Be honest… Tons of it. We’ll try lots of salads for a few weeks and then change our focus to breads, then sweets, then drinks or summer cakes.

What goes into the day-to-day running of GAIL’S? We’re all about amazing food and coffee, so every day we have new ideas to work on. We try really hard to make sure we have a tight baking schedule so that every 20-30 minutes something delicious is coming fresh out of the oven – just like what the world’s best Grandma would s rie st pa on of A selecti cook. We also think a lot about how it should be displayed – it’s worth taking the extra time to make our produce look beautiful. There’s not enough beauty in the world, so we try to change that. We also spend a lot of time communicating internally about what’s going on and where we’re going. People join GAIL’s because they believe that we can improve the food scene in London, so we want to nurture this interest in our vision. Roy Levy, our head chef, and the rest of the food team, are crucial in order to get everyone excited and focused on quality food. Do you get to be very hands-on with GAIL’S or is it mostly behind-the-scenes work? I love to be on the floor selling bread, making coffees and talking to people. We have a great group of staff who work with us and we have premises in some of the best neighbourhoods in London – so who

How do you decide which products go out? Do you do mass tasting days? We had a fun time doing a few bread selections where we closed the bakery early and had a popular vote for the new loaves we were thinking of making. We had a lot of wine and ate a lot of bread and in the end we voted on two new products – spelt sunflower and a fruit bread. Mostly, we do the tastings internally. They can last all day and into the night. When we were doing the menu for our restaurant, GAIL’s in Bloomsbury, we would meet at 7pm on a Wednesday and eat ourselves silly until 1am trying new things. It’s a fun job… How did you come up with the idea for GAIL’S? Was it simply a case of filling a gap in the market? Gail Mejia is the inspiration behind the bakery and a great food pioneer. She and her team were making some of the world’s best bread for the world’s best chefs. We still serve these chefs and many more who have worked hard to make London one of the world’s best food destinations. My friend Ran Avidan and I were desperate to find worldclass bread more widely available and GAIL’s just came out of the idea that everyone prefers to eat chef-quality bread and food, even if they don’t want to leave their local area. We think that a neighbourhood bakery is an important part of the high street and that good food needs to be more widely available and accessible. We really just wanted to contribute something worthwhile; bread and food was our way of doing it. GAIL’S, 341 Fulham Road, SW10 9TW, 020 7352 8842 (gailsbread.co.uk)

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Wimsey’s offers relaxing dinners, lighter lunches, weekend brunch & Sunday roasts for you, your family & friends in our comfortable dining room or on our outdoor terrace. For further information, please visit our website at

www.wimseys.co.uk

177 New King’s Road, London SW6 4SW 020 7731 8326 info@wimseys.co.uk

Sample A La Carte Menu

Starters Salmon & Smoked Haddock Fishcake topped with a Poached Egg Tuna Tartare with Poached Quail’s Egg & Wasabi Mayo

Mains Pan Roasted Stone Bass with Tomato Risotto Wimsey’s Steak Burger Cheese, Bacon & Club Sauce in a White Bap with Fries Homemade Ravioli filled with Asparagus, Spinach & Parmesan

Desserts Cheesecake with Caramelised Bananas Dark Chocolate & Pistachio Brownie with Yoghurt & White Chocolate Sorbet

Open from Tuesday to Friday 12pm to 3pm & 5pm to 10.30pm and all day Saturday & Sunday from 10.30am to 10.30pm

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

heaLTH & BEAUTY Keeping you looking and feeling your best this month

Beauty treatment of the month Roots are the root of all disappointment when you have coloured hair. However, Parsons Green favourite Hari’s has just the solution, particularly suitable for the time poor. Visit Hari’s T-Bar for the ultimate root pampering, which keeps your colour looking fabulous between visits to the salon for the full job. Choose from the Root Refresh, using foil highlights on the top for that ‘just-left-the-hairdressers’ look; Deep Rooted for Hari’s quick take on balayage, working colours into roots and mid-lengths for a subtle summer feel; and Root Master, which uses the latest colouring technique from LA: freehand fingerpainting to give natural highlights. For a little bit of fun, opt for the Par-Tee (using hairspray in vibrant shades) or Glit-Ta (using glitter gel). Prices vary. Hari’s, Parsons Green, 183 New King’s Road, SW6 4SW, 020 7731 6062 (harissalon.com)

Superstylin’ Straight, curly or wavy? Regardless of how you wear your hair, you can now do it in a safer-for-hair way with the new GHD Platinum styler. The plates have three sensors to ensure that the optimum temperature for styling hair is constant, rather than dipping or surging which can damage your locks. Also, for the more forgetfulminded, the styler has a sleep mode which switches off after 30 minutes unused. £165, available from all premium salons and retailers in SW6 (ghdhair.com)

Plumped to perfection

Fun in the sun Get the glow with the This Works Energy Bank Sun Flash. Brighten up dull skin with an instant colour shot filled with multi-vitamins including vitamin D, imbuing the skin with a healthy bronze tint. Don’t worry, it’s so subtle you definitely won’t look tangoed, plus it’s suitable for all skin tones. 30ml for £28, available at Space NK, 205 New King’s Road, SW6 4SR, 020 7736 6728 (uk.spacenk.com) - 26 -

Collagen: a word often associated with plastic surgery, but don’t worry; beauty brand Balance Me isn’t stepping anywhere near needles with its latest Collagen Boost Collection. Using an exclusive new peptide complex for Balance Me, the collection features a cleanser and face cream. The peptide complex is made up of tri-peptide, proven to dramatically increase collagen synthesis. Cream cleanser £18 for 125ml, face cream £40 for 50ml, Balance Me, available at Whole Foods Fulham, (wholefoodsmarket.com) and Waitrose Fulham, (waitrose.com)

Saving FACE

Jennifer Mason visits The Chelsea Day Spa in an attempt to breathe a bit of life back into her skin

aye Fasan studies me with the help of one of those hideously revealing bright lights that stun you into submission at the start of all decent facials. ‘Baby skin,’ she declares. Baby skin? I mentally reel. Surely she’s not describing the same hag with bags that stared back at me in the bathroom mirror this morning? I’m at The Chelsea Day Spa, a small but perfectly formed oasis, to meet the spa’s founder and beauty expert Faye, who’s going to show me the effects of her new signature facial. Using one of the industry’s most exciting and innovative new technologies, the GeneO+, as well as products from HydroPeptide (a brand Faye swears by) I can expect radiant, glowing and soft skin with a firm and rejuvenated feel and appearance. It’s a big promise, but as I settle in for the ride, Faye asks me if I can guess how old she is. I’m nearly 10 years off (in a good way!) and I’m assured that it’s all due to the powers of excellent beauty products and regular facials. I’m sold;

bring it on. I haven’t had many facials in the past, so for me, the GeneO+, which produces a kinetic force that cleanses and exfoliates, while infusing the

My skin looks and clear, with rosy cheeks and no residual redness nutrient-rich products into my skin, is an intense experience. Those used to microdermabrasion and the like will no doubt find it invigorating, but despite my worries, the results are astonishing. My skin looks bright and clear, with rosy cheeks and no residual redness (surprising given how strong the exfoliation felt to me). My face also - 27 -

feels tighter and healthier, and I can’t stop stroking my cheeks. Days later, as I write this, I’m still wearing absolutely no foundation, concealer, bronzer or blusher and I’m as proud in my skin as I’ve ever been. Friends ask whether the colour in my cheeks and my glowing appearance are due to a summer romance – they’re thrilled when I tell them they can get similar results in just over an hour. Hearts and flowers? Who needs them? The secret behind my smile can be found in a boutique just off the Fulham Road. The Faye Fasan Signature Facial, £250, 53 Hollywood Road, SW10 9HX, 020 7351 4555 (thechelseadayspa.co.uk)

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

By the book Emma Thompson catches up with local author Julia Laflin as she releases her first, self-published book on Amazon Kindle

ulham-based writer Julia Laflin grew up by the sea near Hastings, East Sussex. From a very young age she was an avid reader and spent all of her pocket money on books. Her earliest memories are of buying Puffin and Penguin publications from the little bookshop under Marina Parade, St Leonards-on-Sea. Her precocious reading sometimes got her in to trouble. At nursery school, she had to stand in front of her class and read a page aloud backwards as a test, and her teacher assumed that she had memorised the text rather than actually learnt to read. At 19, Julia moved to London and worked for 10 years at various multinational businesses, followed by a long career in PR and marketing. Here she began to write professionally, producing articles for her clients and feature writing for the Hurlingham Club magazine, Hurlingham Magazine. After writing and editing two successful non-fiction books she decided ‘it was time to digress into fiction’ and found inspiration from a holiday in Corsica. She explains: ‘I woke up in the middle of the night when

Julia La flin I was out there, I wrote five pages in my notebook and then went back to sleep.’ This night-time scribbling rapidly developed into a novella entitled The House at Roc Noir, which Julia self-published on Amazon Kindle last month. The novella is a fabulous holiday read. Alice, the protagonist, is about to turn 50 and appears to be experiencing an emotional mid-life crisis. Her husband decides to book a holiday as a birthday treat without consulting her, and chooses an out of season apartment that overlooks a beautiful but remote stretch of sea in Corsica. During their stay, a series of strange happenings occur and, as suspense builds, the reader can’t be sure if these events are real or in Alice’s imagination. Her love of the sea is clearly a source of inspiration and the vivid description and attention to detail she employs is instinctive. She concentrates on historical research to develop both plot and characters and, unlike some novelists, doesn’t have a regular writing group, as it would ‘take too long’. Instead she spends much of her time writing in cafés around Parsons Green. The rise of eBooks has caused disruption and shrinkage in the traditional publishing industry, so for first-time novelists there are now new opportunities to reach readers, such as self-publishing on Kindle. ‘You, the writer, have to become the publisher,’ Julia says. She employed an editor and a professional book cover designer. After a four month publishing process The House at Roc Noir was finally available to download in June and within a week was already half-way up the top-100 paid Kindle holiday reads. However, Julia isn’t resting on her laurels; she’s already started work on her first a full-length novel, a family saga set over 110 years on the island of Zakynthos in Greece. She hopes to finish by the end of this year, so with luck it will hit the online stores in plenty of time for next summer’s reading list.

The House at Roc Noir is available to download on Amazon for £1.99 (julialaflin.com)

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PLANNING & DEVELOPMENT Structural changes in the area

Fulham FC wades in to the River Thames Planning Applications Date registered: 2 June Address: Inglethorpe Street Proposal: Erection of a rear extension at second-floor level over part of the existing back addition. Also, excavation of the front garden and part of the rear garden to form lightwells, in connection with the creation of a new basement

Fulham FC has bought a ‘chunk’ of the river as a result of unveiling plans to extend the Riverside Stand at Craven Cottage. The proposed enlargement is set to rise in height and width to house more spectators, but also will ensure that the river walk between Putney and Hammersmith bridges is complete. The capacity for the ground is also planned to increase, from 25,700 to 30,000. Alistair Mackintosh, CEO of Fulham FC says: ‘We’ve concluded with the Port of London Authority the licence to work with the river and we’re also through the period during which we could have a legal challenge.’ He continues to explain that the club wasn’t entirely sure they’d be able to buy a chunk of the Thames. ‘It doesn’t matter which division we’re in. We’re now going to move forward with discharging some of the planning conditions so that will allow us to build the Riverside Stand, hopefully starting next year,’ he adds. (fulhamfc.com)

Date registered: 3 June Address: Harbord Street Proposal: Erection of a single-storey outbuilding in rear garden Date registered: 18 June Address: Fulham Road Proposal: Installation of a new enlarged window and a Juliet balcony to replace existing window at the front elevation Image: BasPhoto

Planned roadworks and closures in and around July/August STREET

PLANNED WORK

DATES

WORKS OWNER

Dancer Road

8-14 July

Estcourt Road

Alter and relay domestic service seven metres from main in carriageway and footway Replace poor condition Link Box in footway

National Grid Gas plc 0845 605 6677 UKPN East & Lon LTD 0800 028 4587

North End Road

Surfacing carriageway

3-4 August

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22-30 July

Hammersmith and Fulham 020 8748 3020

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

the directory Whether whim or wish, all of the essentials are taken care of in our round up for harmonious living

ESTATE AGENTS Douglas & Gordon 656 Fulham Road 020 7731 4391 Knight Frank 203 New King’s Road 020 7751 2400 Marsh & Parsons 103-105 Moore Park Road 020 7736 9822 and 333 Fulham Palace Road 020 7993 9888 Strutt & Parker 701 Fulham Road 020 7731 7100

Savills 191 New King’s Road 020 7731 9400 and 423 Fulham Palace Road 020 7578 9050 Winkworth Fulham and Parsons Green 40 New King’s Road 020 7731 3388

Carter Jonas Bishops Park 361 Fulham Palace Road Sales: 020 7731 3333 Lettings: 020 7751 8898 and Parsons Green 783 Fulham Road Sales: 020 7751 8899 Lettings: 020 7751 8898

PROPERTY SEARCH AGENT Penn Holmes London Ltd ‘SW6 ladies Katie and Francesca specialise in buying properties for their clients here in Fulham.’ 55 Langthorne Street 07884 180480 07989 746499

Chestertons ‘Three offices – one great postcode’ 78 New King’s Road 020 7731 4448

FASHION Essam Guenedy 273 New King’s Road 020 7751 3348

Marc Wallace 261 New King’s Road 020 7736 6795

Katie & Jo 253 New King’s Road 020 7736 5304

Iceblu 24a New King’s Road 020 7371 9292

Claudia Sebire 136 Fulham Road 020 7835 1327

Mania Mia 307 New King’s Road 020 3441 1003

Natasha Coote 173 New King’s Road 020 7371 7526

HEALTH & BEAUTY BEAUTY

Space NK 205 New King’s Road 020 7736 6728

hair salon Gina Conway 612 Fulham Road 020 7731 7633

pharmacy

Palace Pharmacy 331 Fulham Palace Road 020 7736 3034

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barber

Crew Experience 911 Fulham Road 020 3010 1096

HOME ARCHITECTS

Hogarth Architects Ltd 186 Dawes Road 020 7381 3409

INTERIOR DESIGN

tiling

WOOD FLOORING

Alice Leigh Design

Porcelanosa

12 Parkville Road 07801 823953 (aliceleigh.co.uk)

Wandsworth Bridge Road 08444 818952 (porcelanosa.com)

Bembé UK Ltd ‘German craft since 1780.’ 315-317 New King’s Road 07794 906621

schools & nurseries Chelsea Independent College 517-523 Fulham Road 020 7610 1114

Godolphin and Latymer School Iffley Road 020 8741 1936

Latymer Upper School 237 King Street 020 8629 2024

Parsons Green Prep (formerly Eridge House) 1 Fulham Park Road 020 7371 9009

Hurlingham and Chelsea School Peterborough Road 020 7731 2581

L’Ecole des Petits 2 Hazlebury Road 020 7371 8350

Fulham Cross Girls’ School Munster Road 020 7381 0861

Kensington Prep School 596 Fulham Road 020 7731 9300

Millie’s House Nursery & Pre-School 163 New King’s Road 020 7731 0440

Fulham Prep School 200 Greyhound Road 020 7386 2444

Lady Margaret School Parsons Green 020 7736 7138

Parayhouse School New King’s Road 020 7751 0914

essentials builder William Gaze Ltd. Basement, Loft and Extension Specialist 28 Imperial Square 020 7078 8874 (williamgazeltd.com)

butcher Parsons Nose 752 Fulham Road 020 7736 4492 (parsonsnose.co.uk)

plumber

Sinclair House School 159 Munster Road 020 7736 9182 The London Oratory School Seagrave Road 020 7385 0102

Cranbrook Nursery 344-346 Fulham Palace Road 020 7381 9523 (cranbrooknursery.co.uk)

luxury services EVENTS

Sweetapple Heating & Plumbing ‘Local Gas Safe registered plumbing and heating engineers, offering a 24 hour service’

Addoastra ‘Events that leave a legacy’ Party planning, event styling and concierge services 020 3689 4585 (addoastra.com)

130 Stephendale Road 020 7371 0409 07889 184146 (sweetappleplumbing.co.uk)

Zest Events 2 Swan Mews 020 7384 9336 (zestevents.com)

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stationer

Perry’s 777 Fulham Road 020 7736 7225

travel

The Ultimate Travel Co. 25-27 Vanston Place 020 3627 6264

Tickets and hospitality DTB Sports and Events 10 Plato Place, 72-74 St Dionis Road 020 7385 3553

WHAT'S YOUR NEXT MOVE? To find out how we can help you or to arrange your complimentary market appraisal please contact us: KnightFrank.co.uk/fulham fulham@knightfrank.com 020 7751 2400

Guide price: £585,000

Queen's Club Garden, Barons Court W14 A well proportioned and presented one bedroom apartment on the raised ground floor with a large and spacious kitchen and reception room. Bedroom, bathroom, reception room, kitchen. EPC: D. Approximately 49.3 sq m (531 sq ft). Share of freehold. fulham@knightfrank.com Office: 020 7751 2400

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

Guide price: £2,350,000

Felden Street, Fulham SW6 A delightful house on the western side of this quiet and popular street just off the Fulham Road. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), 2 reception rooms, kitchen with dining area, guest WC, cellar, garden. EPC: C. Approximately 189.5 sq m (2,040 sq ft). Freehold. fulham@knightfrank.com Office: 020 7751 2400

FRJ - LHP July 15

25/06/2015 11:08:23

FRJ

8:23

WHAT'S YOUR NEXT MOVE? To find out how we can help you or to arrange your complimentary market appraisal please contact us: KnightFrank.co.uk/fulham fulham@knightfrank.com 020 7751 2400

Guide price: £1,350,000

Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham SW6 A marvellous five bedroom family house situated in South Fulham. Master bedroom with en suite shower room, 4 further double bedrooms, family bathroom, reception room, kitchen, guest WC, garden. EPC: F. Approximately 165.2 sq m (1,778 sq ft). Freehold. fulham@knightfrank.com Office: 020 7751 2400

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

Guide price: £2,550,000

Chesilton Road, Fulham SW6 This stunning property has just been extended and refurbished in a modern but classical style. Master bedroom suite, 4 further bedrooms, family bathroom, reception room, kitchen/dining room, guest WC, cellar, garden. EPC: C. Approximately 197.3 sq m (2,124 sq ft). Freehold. fulham@knightfrank.com Office: 020 7751 2400

FRJ - LHP July 15

25/06/2015 11:08:23

Thames Quay, Chelsea Harbour SW10 A three bedroom flat with south facing balcony A bright, spacious flat with excellent views over the River Thames from the reception room and adjoining terrace. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, balcony, concierge. EPC: B. Approximately 142 sq m (1,529 sq ft). Leasehold: approximately 96 years remaining

Guide price: £2,500,000

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

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/RVR150095

City Mag July 2015 Riverside

24/06/2015 15:03:03

Ken

3:03

Patten Road, Wandsworth SW18 Located on the "Toast Rack" Stunning detached double fronted house in immaculate order with off street parking for several cars. 6 bedrooms, 5 bathrooms (3 en suite), kitchen/dining/family room, drawing room, playroom, gym, studio flat (double bedroom with en suite), downstairs kitchen, downstairs cloakroom, coat room, utility room, wine room, plant room, garden, off street parking. EPC: D. Approximately 630 sq m (6,781 sq ft). Freehold

Guide price: £5,250,000

KnightFrank.co.uk/wandsworth wandsworth@knightfrank.com 020 8682 7777

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/WND140160

Kensington & Chelsea Magazine

18/06/2015 12:06:17

Acfold Road, Fulham SW6 A five bedroom "Lion House" A well presented house just off the Wandsworth Bridge Road and a short walk away from Parsons Green underground station. 5 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, kitchen, garden. Approximately 200.95 sq m (2,162 sq ft). Available unfurnished

Guide price: £1,395 per week KnightFrank.co.uk/FLQ176813

KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings fulhamlettings@knightfrank.com 020 3463 2621

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

All potential tenants should be advised that, as well as rent, an administration fee of £276 will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit KnightFrank.co.uk/tenantcharges

FRJ JULY 2015

24/06/2015 09:39:36

FRJ

9:36

Stephendale Road, Fulham SW6 A charming family house A neutrally decorated four bedroom family house located close by to South Park. 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, 2 reception rooms, kitchen, garden. EPC: D. Approximately 148.28 sq m (1,595 sq ft). Available unfurnished

Guide price: £1,000 per week KnightFrank.co.uk/FLQ216105

KnightFrank.co.uk/lettings fulhamlettings@knightfrank.com 020 3463 2621

@KnightFrank KnightFrank.co.uk

FRJ JULY 2015

24/06/2015 09:39:36

savills.co.uk

1 IMMACULATE, NEWLY REFURBISHED, DESIRABLE LOCATION novello street, sw6 Double reception room ø kitchen ø 4 bedrooms ø 3 bathrooms ø utility room ø air conditioning ø garden ø high specification ø 139 sq m (1,496 sq ft) ø EPC=D

Savills Fulham Henry Forbes hforbes@savills.com

020 7731 9420 Guide £1.75 million Freehold

savills.co.uk

1 FANTASTIC, FULLY EXTENDED, FAMILY HOME mablethorpe road, sw6 Double reception room ø kitchen/dining room ø 4 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø guest w.c. ø south-facing garden ø 153 sq m (1,647 sq ft) ø EPC=E

Savills Fulham Alfie Baldwin abaldwin@savills.com

020 7731 9420 Guide £1.6 million Freehold

savills.co.uk

LETTINGS LAYOUT ONLY

L L O

STUNNING FIVE BEDROOM FAMILY HOUSE perrymead street, sw6 5 bedrooms ø 2 reception rooms ø eat-in kitchen ø 3 bathrooms ø utility room ø garden ø 268 sq m (2,885 sq ft) ø Council Tax=H ø EPC=C

Savills Fulham Sophie Curtis scurtis@savills.com

020 7731 2692 Unfurnished £2,000 per week + £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply* *£36 inc VAT for each additional tenant/occupant/guarantor reference where required. Inventory check out fee – charged at the end of or early termination of the tenancy and the amount is dependent on the property size and whether furnished/unfurnished. For more details, visit www.savills.co.uk/fees.

savills.co.uk

LETTINGS LAYOUT ONLY

SUPERB FAMILY HOME FINISHED TO A HIGH STANDARD ellerby street, sw6 6 bedrooms ø double reception room ø eat-in kitchen ø 3 bathrooms ø utility room ø 2 guest cloakrooms ø garden ø 282 sq m (3,039 sq ft) ø Council Tax=H ø EPC=D

Savills Fulham Alexandra Martin amartin@savills.com

020 7578 9051 Unfurnished £2,250 per week + £276 inc VAT one-off admin fee and other charges may apply* *£36 inc VAT for each additional tenant/occupant/guarantor reference where required. Inventory check out fee – charged at the end of or early termination of the tenancy and the amount is dependent on the property size and whether furnished/unfurnished. For more details, visit www.savills.co.uk/fees.

Immaculate plot with south-facing patio Matching people and property in London for over 150 years.

St Dionis Road SW6 ÂŁ3,000,000 An elegant and charming six-bedroom family house with a large garden, located in the heart of Parsons Green. Freehold. EPC=E

Fulham: 020 7736 9822 sales.ful@marshandparsons.co.uk

Britannia Road SW6 ÂŁ2,350,000 A meticulously presented four-bedroom family house with a large garden, located on a quiet residential street within walking distance to Fulham Broadway. Freehold. EPC=E

Fulham: 020 7736 9822 sales.ful@marshandparsons.co.uk

Langthorne Street SW6 ÂŁ2,150,000 A wonderful four-bedroom family home with a garden, conveniently located on a quiet and popular residential street, just moments away from Bishops Park. Freehold. EPC=D

Bishops Park: 020 7993 9888 sales.bis@marshandparsons.co.uk

Sulivan Road SW6 ÂŁ1,395 per week An immaculate four-bedroom family house, refurbished to the highest standard, situated next to the Hurlingham Club and the River Thames. Freehold. EPC=B

Fulham: 020 7736 9822 lets.ful@marshandparsons.co.uk

Wardo Avenue SW6 ÂŁ1,300 per week A stunning four-bedroom house with a south facing garden, presented in excellent condition and located on a beautiful residential street . EPC=E

Bishops Park: 020 7993 9888 lets.bis@marshandparsons.co.uk

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

The honest agent Henry Hopwood-Phillips talks to Wayland Ward-Smith, head of sales at Carter Jonas’ Sullivan Thomas’ Bishop’s Park branch, about what sort of ride the local property market is in for

Photography by Sarel Jansen

- 48 -

ayland Ward-Smith, head of sales at Carter Jonas’ Sullivan Thomas’ Bishop’s Park branch, is honest from the off. ‘I had predicted that there’d be immediate activity after the election,’ he concedes. Yet instead, there was a lull lasting a couple of weeks. At first it was flats that defied the pause, ‘around 10 days after the result,’ and then houses in the £1-2million region. Apartments saw a particularly strong bout of activity. Whatever new stock was coming on was merely replacing that being sold. ‘In the third week after the election, we agreed five flat sales at asking price or above,’ Wayland notes. This spike in activity has provoked gazumping, however; a trend that he counts as ‘the least pleasant part of the job.’ I’m not sure that’s true though. Wayland’s just back from a stint as a bear at a school fête; a role that involved being chased for balloons by children and for advice by adults. That must be the worst part, no? He insists he’s proud of working with local schools, recently sponsoring fairs at All Saints C of E Primary School and Queen’s Manor Primary School – ‘they both make great use of any money raised.’ Looking forward to the summer, normally a period when activity slows, Wayland is predicting a bit of a spillover. Fulham usually get buyers taking early summer holidays and coming back to the property markets a little sooner than elsewhere, but Wayland ‘suspects these boundaries will be a little fuzzier due to the distortion the election wreaked. ‘Autumn is the period you’ll spot a particularly strong bout of activity,’ he suggests. The logic is that most people will have written off the property market after the election for the summer months; ‘they’ll want to see the calm after the storm before making any decisions.’ Wayland hopes it’ll be like the month before the election when his team sold three houses above £2.5million and is proud that they have sold eight out of the 11 houses sold for more than £2.5million in the area in the last 18 months. Fulham is a different market to

most. Many buyers here are already based in the area. The migration from Chelsea has become a more recent trend. ‘In fact, it’s surprising to see how few people really know what Fulham offers,’ Wayland adds. He keeps referring to it as a bit of a ‘secret’. Admitting that it sounds odd, he explains that ‘many of those who live here, grew up here, made some money and later returned. Additionally the number of European buyers have increased significantly in the last three years.’ They tend to be professional couples or families,’ he continues. I

Autumn is the period you’ll spot a particularly strong bout of activity argue that it must be hard to convince them that a patio is enough when a little further afield there are big gardens and parking spaces. ‘The payoff between centrality and space has always been there,’ Wayland protests. ‘I always tell my buyers you’ll never get a garden big enough – especially when it comes to playing football with your son. However, beautiful Bishop’s Park is nearby.’

Photography by Sarel Jansen

- 49 -

The sober advice Wayland gives clearly increases Carter Jonas’ Sullivan Thomas’ market share and clients better results. He’s reduced new entrants to either over-valuing properties or going down rather gimmicky routes. No doubt the agent is being helped by the firm’s (formerly known as Sullivan Thomas) merger with Carter Jonas, which has ‘given us a greater national profile, leading to a rise in the number of linked sales to the countryside.’ Gripes about stamp duty still stick in Wayland’s craw. He remembers buyers and sellers backing out of deals on the day it was announced. ‘Especially in Fulham, where lot of movement is local and a sum approaching £500,000 in costs for a £5million purchase is enough to prevent some who want a house for seven years from moving,’ he reminds me. Overall, however, the market is still buoyant and he recently received 16 offers on a Gowan Avenue house. ‘It may feel a little late but a vendor could do worse than come on to the market now.’ Stock is being sold at asking price, to a market that is clearly there. Carter Jonas Sullivan Thomas Fulham Bishop’s Park, 361 Fulham Palace Road, SW6 6TA, 020 7731 3333 (carterjonas.co.uk)

sullivanthomas.co.uk Now part of the Carter Jonas network

STEVENAGE ROAD Fulham SW6

A sensational fully refurbished and extended semi-detached period house with delightful views over Bishops Park towards the Thames. 2 reception rooms • 6 bedrooms • Kitchen/ family room • Media room • Garden EPC rating E

Guide price £4,850,000

Fulham Bishops Park

020 7731 1333 wayland.ward-smith@carterjonas.co.uk

WANDSWORTH BRIDGE ROAD Fulham SW6 A charming maisonette with high ceilings throughout and views to towards South Park. This spacious flat of over 1,235 sq ft could be moved into without further expense but planning permission is also being sought for the addition of a roof terrace. • • • • • • •

Entrance hall Drawing room 3 double bedrooms Bathroom Shower room Kitchen/breakfast room EPC Rating E

Guide price £875,000 Parsons Green

020 7751 8899 tom.lewis@carterjonas.co.uk

DELVINO ROAD Fulham SW6 A spacious and well-presented family house located on this popular road in the heart of Parsons Green close to restaurant, bars and shops as well as Parsons Green Tube Station. • • • • • • •

Reception room 4 bedrooms 3 bathrooms Kitchen Dining room Utility room/cellar EPC rating E

£1,250 pw*/£5,417 pcm* Parsons Green

020 7751 8898 selina.garcia@carterjonas.co.uk *Rent excludes administration fees. Please contact our branch who can provide this information.

Pursers Cross Road SW6 ÂŁ1,650,000 Freehold Fulham Sales 020 7731 4391 | fulhamsales@dng.co.uk

South

Balham

Battersea

North

Chelsea

Fulham

Battersea Park

A fabulous family home of circa 1,538 sq.ft. located on a quiet residential street in the heart of Parsons Green. The property has an extended kitchen that opens onto a lovely south-facing garden.

Clapham

East Putney

Hammersmith & Shepherdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bush

Kensington

3 double bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (2 en suite), Double reception room, Kitchen, Study, Garden, Roof terrace, Cloakroom, EPC: E

Southfields & Earlsfield

West Putney

Kensington Gate

South Kensington

Notting Hill

Pimlico & Westminster

douglasandgordon.com

Orbain Road SW6 £550 per week + admin fees* Unfurnished Fulham Lettings 020 7731 4791 | fulhamlets@dng.co.uk

Located on a popular tree-lined street in the heart of Fulham is this charming, two bedroom cottage. The property boasts a spacious modernised kitchen which opens on to a lovely garden.

2 double bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception room/dining room, Kitchen, Garden, EPC: E

Good to know... *An initial one-off tenancy agreement fee of £240 (inc VAT) per property and a £45 (inc VAT) referencing charge per person will apply. At the end of the tenancy an inventory check-out fee will be charged, this amount will depend on the size of the property and whether it is furnished/unfurnished. For more details visit www.douglasandgordon.com/tenants/infoandcharges

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

Climbing the

ladder The Journal asks Robbie Dillon, associate director at Marsh & Parsons’ Fulham branch, to sketch a picture of the lettings market

ulham has long been considered one of south-west London’s steadiest markets when it comes to lettings, particularly for large family houses. ‘The market here has always been busy – the election didn’t slow activity at all,’ begins local agent Robbie Dillon. ‘Afterwards there were, admittedly, a few more reluctant landlords (wanting six-month break clauses) – but that was all.’ However, a change is coming to SW6. ‘In Kensington & Chelsea, expansive one and two-bedroom apartments have been popular for a while – but that’s not always been the case in Hammersmith & Fulham,’ he explains. ‘To that end, these days developers are more and more often creating large one-bedroom flats with L-shaped sofas, open-plan kitchens and huge bedrooms to suit the many young professionals choosing to make Fulham their home.’ The developers also make larger profits from these modern apartments than the smaller, more traditional style of two-bedroom property that used to form the market, he continues. But it’s not just the market that’s changing in SW6, Robbie admits. ‘There used to be underdeveloped parts of Fulham, but these days, potential tenants are spoilt for choice.’ They do often have fairly fixed ideas about where in the area they want to settle, though. ‘A good example of requests I often get from clients is: “I want to be south of Joe’s Brasserie but north of Waitrose”,’ he says. One of the most influential changes in the local market has been the increase in tenants who accept that

they won’t get onto the property ladder for a while, but who want to live well while they wait. ‘We often deal with some very impressive budgets,’ Robbie reveals. With the beautiful weather we’re currently experiencing in London, that must make options with gardens, balconies or terraces more popular, we suggest. ‘Properties with something special like that, a space to entertain, are always sought-after,’ he agrees. Although Robbie now lives in Chelsea (just a six-minute Boris-bike away) he lived in Fulham for years and has always loved it. However, his launch into the world of London property didn’t go as smoothly as that of his clients, who benefit hugely from his experience (and past personal faux-pas). ‘When I first arrived in London, I rented a place that I’d thought was in Putney, but turned out to actually be in Wandsworth,’ he recalls, with a grin. But that was back when Robbie was working in office settlements with a view to eventually becoming a trader. All of that changed - 54 -

with the credit crunch of 2008 – Robbie by that point was already head-over-heels for the capital. ‘I was crestfallen by the thought I might have to leave London,’ he says. ‘I discussed the situation with my mother (the managing director of one of Ireland’s most reputable estate agents) and she put me in touch with some of the directors at Marsh & Parsons.’ A round of interviews later, Robbie was determinedly climbing the career ladder. Going from trainee to senior negotiator at the Brook Green office, he progressed to a senior management role in Clapham and then became an associate director at Holland Park, before replacing the head of the Fulham branch last November. So what would he say the defining characteristic of the SW6 market is? ‘Very few people move out,’ he replies, ‘because few of the neighbouring areas are quite as good.’ 103-105 Moore Park Road, SW6 2DA, 020 7736 9822 (marshandparsons.co.uk)

London’s most prestigious riverside location featuring 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and penthouses and an array of exclusive leisure and entertainment facilities. Prices from £819,950 to £4,749,950* Fulham Reach Riverside Show Apartments and Marketing Suite, Distillery Road, London W6 9RU 020 8003 6130 | enquiries@fulhamreach.co.uk | www.fulhamreach.co.uk

Computer generated image is indicative only. *Prices correct at time of going to press.

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Harbord Street, SW6

An immaculately presented three bedroom apartment set within this Victorian building with its own front door.

ÂŁ995,000 Freehold

Fulham Sales 020 7731 7100 fulham@struttandparker.com

Novello Street, SW6

A bright and beautifully presented three bedroom house, situated on one of Fulham’s prettiest and most sought after streets, in the heart of Parsons Green.

£1,500,000 Freehold

Fulham Sales 020 7730 7100 fulham@struttandparker.com

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struttandparker.com

Radipole Road, SW6

A substantial six bedroom family house on this popular road in the heart of Parsons Green.

£1,750 per week* Unfurnished

Fulham Lettings 020 7731 7100 fulham@struttandparker.com *The following Tenant charges may apply prior to tenancy commencement: Tenancy Agreement £210 (inc VAT) Credit References per application £54 (inc VAT). All advertised prices are excluded and other associated services.

fulham Resident s Journal ’

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