Fulham Residents' Journal March 2015 by Runwild Media Group

fulham Resident s Journal

P RIS

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MARCH 2015 • Issue 30

Where will we find your perfect buyer or tenant? As the exclusive UK affiliate of Christie’s International Real Estate network, we can reach quality buyers and tenants in 46 countries via 950 offices and a website visited 135,600 times a month. There’s no better way to open your door to the world. We highly value your feedback: fulham@residentsjournal.co.uk or 020 7987 4320

w w w. R e s i d e n t s J o u r n a l . c o . u k (020) 7987 4320

Proudly published by

RUNWILD MEDIA GROUP

701 Fulham Road London, SW6 5UL Tel: +44 (0)20 7731 7100 fulham@struttandparker.com struttandparker.com/christies

Dear Resident, As March welcomes the longer days and the official start of springtime, the Journal gives you plenty of design inspiration to inject new energy into your home. With this in mind, Bethan Rees steps inside the suitably chic studio of Fulham-based interior designer Laura Hammett. Be inspired, from page seven. If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be a party planner, wonder no longer; flick to page 16, where Wonkie Hills, founder and director of Zest Events, reveals the highlights and challenges of her career. Prepare to be hungry: the Journal meets the man bringing a Brooklyn flavour to the neighbourhood – Dave Ahern talks through the beer-centred menu and why he chose to come to Fulham (page 22). Bethan also brings the latest news from the Fulham food scene including a rather unusual supper club (page 20). Make sure you follow us on Twitter @FulhamRJ for all the latest SW6 updates.

Image / A truly striking staircase. Photography by Richard Waite of a mews house developed by Residence One. Interiors by Laura Hammett. Turn to page seven to see more.

Managing Editor Francesca Lee Editorial Assistant Bethan Rees Editor-in-Chief Lesley Ellwood Managing Director Eren Ellwood

General Manager Fiona Fenwick

Executive Director Sophie Roberts Client Relationship Director Friday Dalrymple

Production Hugo Wheatley Alex Powell Oscar Viney Alice Ford

Business Development Manager Nicola Bloomfield

Publishing Director Giles Ellwood

Senior Designer Lisa Wade

Members of the Professional Publishers Association

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

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

Collars up Nothing says business like a crisp, impeccably fitting shirt, and thanks to a new exciting start-up called Collar Club, it’s now easier than ever to keep up appearances. The luxury shirt concierge provides members with 11 made-to-order, finest-quality shirts upon agreeing to a 12-month subscription, plus Collar Club will pick up, launder and drop off five of the shirts every week for the year. The offer is available in certain areas of London, and SW6 is one of them. It’s the perfect service for the busy modern gentleman. Membership costs £95 per month. For more information, visit collarclub.com

Spring to it The Spring Season at the Finborough Theatre is a chance to see vibrant new writers and rediscover theatrical classics. Under the multi-award-winning artistic director Neil McPherson, the season opens with two world premieres: Francis Turnly’s Harajuku Girls (until 21 March) and Ben Weatherill’s Chicken Dust (Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays 1-7 March). From March to April, the theatre celebrates the illustrious partnership of Gilbert and Sullivan with Princess Ida (24 March to 18 April) and the work of Englishman Tom Taylor which Abraham Lincoln was watching when he was assassinated at Ford’s Theatre, Our American Cousin, being revived in honour of the 150th anniversary of his death (Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays 29 March to 4 April). 118 Finborough Road, SW10 9ED, 020 7244 7439 (finboroughtheatre.co.uk) -4-

Our American Cousin

Dig deep

Image courtesy of Jonathan Vines

Fulham Palace has launched West London’s first Young Archaeologists’ Club (YAC), and what better place to learn about the history of the local area, which is steeped in heritage and archaeological remains from the Neolithic and Roman eras. Eight to 16 year olds are given the opportunity to learn about history, meet real archaeologists and develop investigative skills, and each month there will be a different theme at the club. Whether it’s learning about Roman crafts or dendrochronology (tree-ring dating), the YAC is a marvellous opportunity to learn about what’s around us.

Sing your heart out Under new musical director James Day, local chamber choir Fulham Camerata has announced an uplifting, inaugural concert of music which centres on key choruses from Vaughan Williams’ opera The Pilgrim’s Progress. The choir, which performs three main concerts throughout the year, has made a name for itself with its challenging repertoire, so it’s certainly set to be a memorable show. It is always interested in welcoming new members, so if you enjoy a good sing-song, there’s an opportunity right on your doorstep. 14 March, £12, 7.30pm, Holy Cross Church, Bettridge Road, SW6 3QA. For more information on membership and concerts, email fulhamcamerata@gmail.com (fulhamcamerata.com)

Classic delights

Image © The Busch Ensemble

Join the Friends of Fulham Palace for an evening of classical greats with the Busch Ensemble. As three soloists in their own right, Omri Epstein, Ori Epstein and Mathieu van Bellen make up the group, which has been lauded by critics and audiences across Europe. The trio will feature works by Franz Schubert, Claude Debussy and Joseph Haydn. A must for any classical music lover. 16 March, £22.50, doors and bar open from 7pm, concert starts at 7.30pm, The Great Hall, Fulham Palace, Bishop’s Avenue, SW6 6EA, 020 7751 2437 (fulhampalace.org) -5-

£15 per session or £60 per term (six sessions). For more information, visit fulhampalace.org

Weekend walk-in Patients across the Hammersmith and Fulham borough are now able to access GP services every day of the week due to five practices also opening on the weekend. Launched by NHS Hammersmith and Fulham Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG), the aim is to provide an alternative to A&E for people who need to access urgent care on Saturdays and Sundays, and hopes to take some pressure off local hospitals. Practices in Fulham that are offering the weekend walk-in service are: Cassidy Medical Centre, 651A Fulham Road, SW6 5PX, 020 7384 4850 (cassidymedicalcentre.co.uk); Palace Surgery, 510 Fulham Palace Road, SW6 6JD, 020 7736 6305; Dr Jeffries and Partners, The Medical Centre, 292 Munster Road, SW6 6BQ, 020 7385 1965 (drjefferiesandpartners.co.uk)

FULHAM Residents’ Journal | promotion

The Really Helpful Club success story

his year has been a great success for The Really Helpful Club (RHC), the indispensable online members’ network for busy, dynamic and likeminded women to share their best and most trusted recommendations. The RHC has hosted and supported many successful, local and hugely popular events exclusively for the members. Founder Sarah Austin explains: ‘Our events offer a unique way for our members to come together, meet other like-minded women, connect with one another and discover something new in a fun and friendly environment. There is a real energy and vitality and an enthusiasm for what we are doing, with friendships made and connections built.’

Jo Hall: ‘A big thank you! Events like these are brilliant at bringing people together not just as a social get together with interesting talks, but as a business woman it’s always incredibly handy for networking and finding other excellent businesses that are in the area.’ Claire Cotton-May: ‘Loved the event – great speakers and I picked up some good tips on where to start. I definitely have more ideas about bikes and some of those oh-so-unglamorous chamoislined cycling shorts! I had fun, tested some bikes and made good connections. I look forward to the next event.’ Guy Pearson, Owner of Pearson Cycles: ‘I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to you and your team for one of the best evenings we have had at our Sheen store. The event was a great success in so many ways.’

What events have we held? A lunch to remember Warren House lunch, photo by Karine Torr, Darling Magazine Last October, we hosted a fundraising lunch during Breast Cancer Awareness month at Warren House in Kingston upon Thames. It was three times oversubscribed and fully booked in 24 hours. The lunch raised funds for The Haven and Shooting Star Chase, two charities supported by the RHC. It was a huge success, great fun and vibrant and had a real buzz to it.

Pamper me Last month, the RHC hosted an afternoon of pampering at Gina Conway, the award-winning spa and beauty salon. The event was exclusive for our members, who heard from Gina Conway about how she set up and grew her successful business. Attendees also got a private preview of a new service to banish the winter blues. The event was another huge success, with places selling out in less than three hours.

On your bike In January, we held an evening at Pearson Cycles which was all about women’s cycling. The event sold out, with more than 50 members attending. Its aim was for our members to discover something new about women’s cycling, which is becoming increasingly popular. Speakers from the world of women’s cycling inspired us and helped to demystify some of the cycling myths. A select group of cycling brands also gave our members an exclusive preview of the new season’s kit and developments. The Really Helpful Club had some fabulous feedback from the event:

Upcoming dates for the diary Join up now to be part of this exciting network and to be invited to these exclusive events: Friday 13 March: Join in with the RHC Cycle Club Friday 20 March: Lunch and private preview of newly launched show apartment with Berkeley Homes Friday 15 May: Enjoy a RHC charity lunch Sunday 13 September: September Exclusive Spa day with Celebrity Cruises onboard Celebrity Eclipse To find out more, visit reallyhelpfulclub.com

The Really Helpful Club (reallyhelpfulclub.com) is a thriving and dynamic online members’ network for busy, like-minded women to share great ideas and our best recommendations. An infinitely useful resource, RHC is full of information and contacts as well as business and job opportunities, networking and other events. More and more women are benefiting from RHC, a trusted best friend.

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The

Dream Factory

Laura and Aa

by Gary ron Hammett

Chandelier in a local mews house (Photo: Richard Waite)

Morrisroe

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FULHAM Residents’ Journal

From the art of designing a space, to the throw perfectly placed on your chaise longue, the Laura Hammett interior design studio helps create your perfect home from start to finish. Bethan Rees steps inside the creative hub and meets the husband-and-wife team behind the name

egendary American TV chef, author and all-round cultural phenomenon Julia Child once said in an interview with Esquire: ‘The secret of a happy marriage is finding the right person. You know they’re right if you love to be with them all the time.’ With this in mind, meet the two creative minds behind Parsons Green-based interior design studio Laura Hammett: Laura and Aaron Hammett, whose company has come on leaps and bounds since its inception in 2008. Stepping into their studio on Lettice Street, a single but beautiful detail points to the history of the studio (which used to be a stained-glass window factory); a sign reading ‘The Glass House Studio’,‘AD 1906’. The lofty, high ceilings, the imposing windows which flood the rooms with light and the shelves brimming with beautiful marble samples makes for an impressive first impression. Greeted immediately by the Hammetts’ delightfully friendly and adorable puggle (a crossbreed of a beagle and a pug) called Bee, Laura stands tall with flowing blonde locks and a gleaming smile, immaculately dressed in a simple but effective combination of white shirt and navy trousers. Aaron is also impeccably garbed in a blazer with jeans, accompanied by perfectly coiffed hair, an enviable moustache (if you’re a man, of course) and a definite air of Joaquin Phoenix about him; they’re certainly a charming-looking couple. As local residents, the pair have always admired the building, describing it as ‘a very inspiring space to work from.’ The duo love spending time in SW6, where they live and work, and Laura says they always had their sights set on Fulham ‘because it’s such a hub for interior design, with

many of our suppliers in the local area’. Living in London, Laura finds inspiration easily. ‘It’s everywhere you look,’ she says. ‘From architecture to restaurants to retail. Restaurants are great for lighting-design inspiration, and retail for joinery.’ Fulham-born and raised, Laura grew up in a creative environment thanks to her artist parents and her fascination with interiors was already noticeable in her childhood years. ‘[I] was always reinventing my bedroom long before I knew that interior design was an industry,’ she says. Having embarked on a foundation course at the Chelsea College of Art and Design, she specialised in interior and spatial design, which led her to a degree in interior architecture at Brighton University. Aaron grew up in Devon, and was likewise a very creative child, but in a different way to Laura. ‘Coming from a military family, he is passionate about the detail and precision of design,’ she explains. He moved to London when he was 19 to study product design at Central Saint Martins, where he translated and refined his eye for detail. Having finished university, Laura worked for a number of London-based interior designers, but a family situation meant she needed more career flexibility and the ability to work from

Above / The studio Left / Laura Hammett, both by Gary

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Morrisroe

Study area in a local mews house (Photo: Richard Waite)

Bedroom in a local mews house (Photo: Richard Waite)

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FULHAM Residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Journal

Dining room in a local mews house (Photo: Richard Waite)

Bathroom from a recent project (Photo: Ray Main)

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home. It was there like any other married that she honed her couple.’ She remarks. passion for homeware Laura Hammett’s and started an online signature style is hard luxury boutique, not to fall in love with. selling elegantly It’s timeless and classic handcrafted pieces yet contemporary, such as Johnstons of with special finishes Elgin cashmere. Soon and attention to detail people were talking that will make you and Laura’s business stare in wonder. Take, was growing; so much for instance, a light so that demand saw installation that hangs fit to open a boutique in the centre of the in Brook Green. ‘This spiral staircase like created lots of local majestic icicles, or the a local ony and courtyard at interest and people hand-picked artwork Outdoor terrace, balc n) Mai Ray se (Photo: Grade II listed town hou asked for interior design hanging above the consultations,’ she says. roaring fireplace. With ‘As the recession hit and the retail side warming neutral palettes accompanied by of the business slowed down, the interior splashes of personality through tangerine design consultancy seemed to be taking off cushions, dusky lilac lampshades and more and more, as people were choosing geometric rugs, Laura Hammett’s designs not to sell their homes, but to renovate and are not just luxurious and elegant, but also redecorate to make the most of what they homely with an edge of character. had.’ From here, her eponymous design The studio’s projects range from a studio was born. Knightsbridge apartment to a family villa in Starting a business in 2008 in the midst Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but their signature of the turbulent economic climate could have been a risky and damaging move for Luxury bathrooms are a big Laura. However, she used the situation to her advantage. ‘It was almost a blessing, trend this year, moving away from the because I didn’t know what it was like to clean white marble look and introducing run a business before the recession and more softness and warmth therefore hadn’t fallen into the terrible trap that so many small businesses did of having expanded beforehand to then be style and recognisable aesthetic can be seen forced to downsize,’ she says. But, working throughout. What are some of the biggest on her own did have its limitations in terms design trends that clients are requesting? I of projects she could take on, so Aaron ask. ‘Luxury bathrooms are a big trend at joined the company in 2011, which Laura the moment, moving away from the clean describes as ‘the real start of the business white marble look and introducing more taking off’. softness and warmth with chandeliers, Working with your loved one could be curtains and furniture,’ Laura replies. the stuff dreams are made of; or for some, ‘Also, making outdoor spaces feel like an nightmares. Luckily for the Hammetts, extension of the home. There are amazing they’re a match made in enterprise outdoor rugs and fabrics, including velvets, heaven. But how does the dynamic work? which you wouldn’t believe would be ‘Surprisingly well,’ Laura laughs. ‘We suitable,’ she adds. have quite different skill-sets and really 2015 is certainly going to be a busy one complement each other. I enjoy the overall for the design duo; from working alongside vision of the project, whereas Aaron is the Berkeley Group on 39 townhouses in very much about the detail.’ Laura looks Richmond, to a 6,000-sq ft Grade II-listed after the FF&E (furniture, fixtures and Mayfair property. As our chat comes to equipment) side, and Aaron runs the a close, Laura enthusiastically adds: ‘It’s interior architecture, so they regularly going to be a very exciting year.’ work separately. ‘We quite often get home (laurahammett.com) and ask each other how their day was, just - 11 -

FULHAM Residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Journal Top row, from left / Carolina Irving, Bird in the Hand, Chris Barrett, Adam Bray, Guy Goodfellow Bottom row, from left / Jennifer Shorto, Kerry Joyce, Astrid & Rudolf, Rapture & Wright Middle/ Bird detail by Flockhart, cushions both Vanderhund

g n i m r a h C Prints

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Bethan Rees takes a tour of the remarkable Redloh House Fabrics and finds out what makes it a go-to destination for interior designers - 13 -

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

itting in the shadows of the cooling towers at Imperial Wharf is one of the most unexpected delights I’ve ever encountered. Located in the heart of the industrial site, The Old Gasworks, just off the antiques hub of King’s Road, is an unexpected sanctuary of serenity and it comes in the form of Redloh House Fabrics. The white country-style cottage with a perfectly laid lawn in front would look more at home down a rural tree-lined path than with the backdrop of gasometers; but this is what gives it the undeniable charm of a slice of twee country life in London. Redloh House Fabrics was set up in 2012 by South African-born designer Penny Morrison. She had produced a small range of fabrics and was looking for somewhere to showcase and sell them but didn’t want to settle for a standard soulless showroom. Redloh House proved to be the perfect solution; it’s homely, peaceful and unpretentious and designers and clients can come in and view the collections over a cup of tea. The ground floor of the cottage houses design studios, while upstairs are two simple yet charming rooms that accommodate a treasure trove of fabrics

and wallpapers from a collection of artisan designers. Enchanting floral cushions sit next to Jamaican-inspired prints, while natural linens mingle with luxurious velvets. ‘It’s such a relaxed atmosphere; you could come and spend three hours in here easily, no one would care if you didn’t buy anything. You can even take some samples home with you,’ says Penny, as we sit at the beautiful family-sized wooden table in the showroom, surrounded by a congregation of prints while her gorgeous Jack Russell, Petal, freely sniffs around the space. Not only is it a lovely way to spend an afternoon, it also dispenses with the bothersome issue of designers having to heave around sample books. ‘It became a nightmare; you’d have hundreds of these big books with half of the prints discontinued. It’s like buying an LP; there will be the one song that you like, and the rest of them you hate,’ Penny explains. Redloh House Fabrics provides the ideal antidote to today’s mass-market conformity. It’s very much a collective, with 12 artisan designers working for a nonprofit- making consortium. ‘We’re very careful about the people we select because a lot of them approach us to join [Redloh

Reloh House Fabrics / Left / Flockhart

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House Fabrics]. We want stuff to work together,’ Penny says of the selection process. Its independence allows for full creative freedom, with no pressures or constraints from other interested parties. With this in mind, I ask Penny about working within design periods (such as spring/ summer). ‘Some of the bigger firms have to produce a whole new collection each season; we bring them out randomly. It’s a better result if you drip-feed and don’t bring things out when everyone else does,’ she says. ‘If you showcase a collection in June or July when there’s not a lot going on [in the design world], it’s much more exciting.’ Bird in the Hand, one of the 12 design brands of the collective whose prints are all re-issued 1970s Jamaican designs inspired by bold, tropical botanicals, agrees with Penny. Laura Hamilton of Bird in the Hand says: ‘One can react and adjust to demands from customers and changes in the market. The

From le ft / Flockhar Penny Morriso n / Bird t detail fr Above / om Penny M orrison

the point that in using technology for printing, appreciation for hand-crafted production is much greater. Kerry Joyce, the esteemed LA-based designer and a member of Redloh House Fabrics, adds that it opens the door for testing. ‘I first experiment with different colourways on the computer prior to testing colours with the silk-screen; it lets me try out unusual combinations and saves me a lot of time

The growth of digital technology has allowed the development of imagery that’s not possible with traditional print techniques customer can then get a more individual product and is less likely to see the same thing in a friend’s front room.’ Adam Bray, the newest designer to join the collective, illustrates this point further: ‘Most of my collections have come through experiments on decorating projects, so we are only really market-led by one or two people, not a room full of analysts,’ he explains. The art of textiles is a true craft and many of the designers at Redloh House Fabrics still use traditional hand-screen printing, jacquard weaving and hand embroidery; but how is this changing with the constant evolution of technological advances, and is it shifting in a beneficial or detrimental manner? Laura (Bird in the Hand) has been using technology to her advantage. Working up designs from painted images into a repeated pattern and adjusting the scale is ‘so much easier using a computer,’ says Laura. Another designer from the collective, Guy Goodfellow, believes that the ‘growth of digital technology has allowed the development of imagery that’s not possible with traditional print techniques’. However, he also raises

and expense,’ he explains. With all this in mind, Rapture & Wright’s Rebecca Aird (another member of Redloh House Fabrics)makes a very interesting point – although technology has aided the designers of the collective, what’s to stop its competitors using it to their advantage? As we sit in the quaint showroom finishing our cups of coffee, Penny tells me that since the end of last year, permission has been granted to demolish some of the gas holders within The Old Gasworks industrial site, and she’s unsure about Redloh House Fabric’s future. ‘With all the development over the last 10 years [in the area], there are fewer and fewer of these odd and funky places. They’re all slowly being decimated into uninspiring spaces,’ she complains. And it’s on this note that I leave the oddly perfect countryside cottage in the middle of the industrial estate, with my fingers crossed that Redloh House Fabrics continues to thrive for as long as it can. Redloh House Fabrics, The Old Gasworks, Unit 7, 2 Michael Road, SW6 2AD, 020 7371 7787 (redlohhousefabrics.com)

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Life of the

party

Planning an event can make even the most serene of characters flustered. Bethan Rees talks to Wonkie Hills of Fulham-based party and event organiser Zest Events to discover how to take the stress out of arranging any occasion

meet Wonkie Hills, director and founder of Zest Events, in the vibrant contemporary canteen of The Worx in Parsons Green, a venue she has often worked in for events of all sorts. Hearing some of the design ideas and themes that Zest Events has created here has given me an insight into just what can be achieved. ‘The key element to organising a good party, in my opinion, is understanding the client as an individual and therefore knowing what it is that they want to achieve,’ Wonkie says of her role as an event organiser and party planner. Prior to setting up Zest Events, Wonkie spent three years with legendary organiser Johnny Roxburgh at The Admirable Crichton. ‘Johnny taught me everything,’ she says. ‘I came away with the confidence that if you can dream it, you can have it!’ She had no intention of starting an events company but several of her past clients really encouraged her. ‘Perhaps they saw something in me that I wasn’t aware of. I thought OK, I have enough money to last six months without any income, what’s the worst that could happen?’ Fast forward from 1999 to 2015, and Zest Events and Wonkie have certainly come a

long way. The Fulham-based company has organised glamorous, fun and memorable soirées all around the world – but also in SW6. Wonkie has worked her magic on some local venues, including The Hurlingham Club. ‘It is a huge compliment when members pop their head in and exclaim that they have never seen the room look like this before!’ she says. From two to 2,000 people, the company caters for events of all sizes. ‘The smallest was for an engagement,’ she says. ‘The client rang me up and said, “I want to propose and I want it to have a crowd”.’ Wonkie arranged, with Pearl & Dean, a cinema advertiser contractor, to place a proposal message in the middle of the adverts before the film started. ‘The audience loved it,’ says Wonkie. When asked to choose her favourite event, Wonkie replies coyly, ‘impossible’. But she does offer an example of one of the really fabulous occasions she’s organised. ‘We held a 70th birthday party for the most wonderful woman,’ she starts to explain. ‘She wanted something magical, something very ethereal. In the middle of December, we had a pale lilac marquee. The table arrangements were tall twiggy structures with acrylic icicles

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Image / A marquee in Chelsea by Adrian Myers, Zest Events

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

Image / Courtesy of Adrian Myers, Zest Events

throughout. It looked as though Jack Frost had just nipped in before we did.’ But with so many occasions for a variety of different clientele, where does she find inspiration? In some of the most unlikely places, it seems. ‘There are some advantages to sitting in traffic jams,’ says Wonkie. ‘Many shop windows have provided inspiration,’ she confesses. ‘People are so clever, often in the smallest of spaces.’ To create the perfect party, it is imperative to get the foundations right – a meeting, preferably in the host’s own home, is vital if Wonkie is to understand the

Wonkie Hills /

Image © Sa

rel Jansen

I set myself, and those I work with, very high standards and our aim is to produce a six-star event client. This helps enormously when putting forward ideas and listening to what sort of party they think they would like to have. It is Zest Events’ intention to protect the client from any stress during the process. It doesn’t

Image / Courtesy of Adrian Myers, Zest Events

matter whether it’s a corporate dinner for 20 or a private festival in a field, each client is treated individually and is just as important as the last. Being a party planner is an intensive, challenging career. ‘I am aware that I set myself, and those I work with, very high standards and our aim is to produce a six-star event,’ Wonkie explains. You only have to glance at the testimonials on the Zest Events website to see how hard she and her team of four work. The feedback doesn’t simply say ‘great party’; one client whose wedding Zest Events organised in St Tropez wrote: ‘Without exception everyone told me it was the best party and the best wedding they had ever been to (including their own).’ No two parties are ever the same. The team will help inspire you and carry your dream event through to fruition. From a traditional Argentinean asado (barbecue) in a tipi to a white wedding, Zest Events has got it covered. Sit back, relax and let Wonkie take care of the details, every last one. Zest Events Ltd, 020 7384 9336 (zestevents.com)

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FULHAM Residents’ Journal

residents’ culture A forum for residents’ concerns and activities

Trust

in me

Belinda Donovan gets a history lesson from the Fulham Palace Trust about the SW6 institution

his month, I am fortunate to catch up with Tim Ingram, the chair of the Fulham Palace Trust, to find out about the palace’s history, including details of the amazing and painstaking path that has led Fulham’s historical centre from riches to rags and back again. Tim tells me that the aim of the trust is to make the palace look how it did when some of the most powerful men in the land presided over the spectacular building and grounds: the Bishops of London. The entrance to Fulham Palace instantly takes your breath away. However, Tim tells me that it was once essentially the tradesman’s entrance in earlier centuries. When the bishops lived here they would have arrived in stately splendour via the river –

they might have travelled from their townhouse at 32 St James’s Square (Bishops Richard Terrick and William Howley resided here) and would have used Fulham Palace as just one of their many country abodes. This journey along the river would have taken approximately an hour. The early Bishops of London who lived at Fulham Palace were greatly feared as they were trusted and powerful men who were very close to the monarchy, as anyone who has read the historical novel Wolf Hall (recently adapted for the BBC) by Hilary Mantel will understand. Originally, the estate was enormous, incorporating the whole of the modern borough including the alphabet streets, Bishops Park and the allotments as Bishops of London

automatically had the freehold of the land and the large income it produced. During the religious turmoil of the Tudor period, more than one bishop, for example Bishop Nicholas Ridley, fell out of favour with the changing monarchy and became one of the Oxford Martyrs who were burned at the stake at St Giles’. The last Bishop (Stopford) moved out in 1973 and now the present Bishop, Richard Chartres lives near St Paul’s Cathedral. The palace deteriorated over the years. In 1975, the council took a 99-year lease from the Church Commissioners and a trust was set up to manage the property within the council. In 1992, the museum opened. The palace later benefited from two National Lottery grants between 2005 and 2012, then Fulham Palace Trust was set up in 2011 and continues to revitalize the institution to this day. Tim tells me there are plans to restore the Victorian chapel in the palace, and apparently there was once a brewery underneath which had to be moved as the hop fumes were too distracting during prayer! There’s so much to learn at Fulham Palace. And to round off a lovely afternoon speaking with Tim, I had a cup of tea in the Drawing Room Café (one of the best cafés in Fulham, in my opinion). I left reluctantly to make my way home through the most glamourous ‘tradesman’s’ entrance ever, thinking of the next time I’ll return; perhaps to see one of the operas I’ve heard so much about. Fulham Palace, Bishops Avenue, SW6 6EA, 020 7736 3233 (fulhampalace.org)

Image / Fulham Palace (Photo: Tadeusz Ibrom)

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Square

meal

Food-lovers: feast your eyes on SW6 this month. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something for every appetite; from a post-gym refuel at the newly launched Grill Market to an all-day dining destination inspired by the world of beer. Cheers to that!

Image / George Daniell

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FULHAM Residents’ Journal

FOOD & DRINK Knives and forks at the ready for a roundup of the latest additions to the local food scene

TURNING JAPANESE When discussing which local spot to visit for a weekend brunch, a Japanese restaurant isn’t usually the first to spring to mind. Formerly known as Kozu, Koji is a joint concept from Nobuhisa Takahashi, former head sushi chef of Nobu, and Mark Barnett, proprietor of Mao Tai for almost 30 years. It brings a whole new meaning to the word brunch. The sushi bar’s newly launched menu will fill your weekend with Japanese charm; expect to see onsen tamago (hot spring egg) which is slowly cooked to produce a silky poached egg, with umami jelly, chilli and spring onions and other sumptuous delights such as two-day marinated grilled salmon in miso. Leave your requests for eggs Benedict at the door and indulge in something truly special. Brunch menu is priced at £22.50 and is available on Saturday and Sunday, 12noon-3pm, 58 New King’s Road, SW6 4LS, 020 7731 2520 (koji.restaurant)

NEW-LOOK DUKE Parsons Green pub lovers rejoice; the Duke on the Green has finally relaunched following an extensive refurbishment which leaves the establishment almost unrecognisable to its former self. The Young’s pub, which is steeped in Victorian heritage, has been beautifully enhanced with splashes of powder blue and burnt orange, perfectly mismatched furniture and accents of floral-patterned upholstery which gives the SW6 watering hole just the right amount of kitsch. With signature cocktails, a great range of craft beers and a seasonal British menu, it’s the perfect refuelling spot after a walk on the green on a Sunday afternoon. 235 New King’s Road, SW6 4XG, 020 7736 2777 (dukeonthegreen.co.uk) - 20 -

Image / George Daniell

When pigs fly Prepare for a truly unique epicurean experience when Mr Pigstuff’s Pig Headed? Or Hot to Trot? event arrives at Poppy’s Place. The creative catering team behind the supper club is celebrating noseto-tail week (8-15 March) in appropriate style, with a pop-up event praising and showcasing the parts of a pig which are often overlooked. Highlights of the menu include: trotters with black and white pudding, slow-roasted cheeks with orange, bay and rosemary, and perhaps the most unexpected element of the whole thing, a trio of pork desserts: chocolate and chorizo crème brûlée, a bacon from heaven tartlet and lardy apple cake with bacon ice cream. An evening certainly for the open-minded and not for the faint-hearted. 14 March, Mr Pigstuff at Poppy’s Place, 255 Munster Road, SW6 6BW, tickets cost £27.50 per person, to book, visit mrpigstuff.co.uk or grubclub.com

WHEN IN ROME Inspired by the sizzling lunchboxes enjoyed by the masses in New York, the Grill Market has now arrived on New King’s Road. After the success of its first site in Holborn, the dining concept now arrives on the Fulham outskirts at the Lomax gym. Centred around the grill (of course), the menu sees a delicious selection of meat and vegetarian options, from grilled field mushroom with garlic, herbs and gremolata to spiced chicken with a pomegranate glaze, (served with a salad for guilt-free eating). The stripped-back café with its industrial vibe also serves scrumptious breakfast too; we recommend the free-range smoked bacon sandwich on sourdough, with homemade tomato chilli jam. The perfect pitstop for lunch, or post-gruelling workout fuel.

Transport yourself to the sunnier climes of Italy by way of Fulham this month, as the latest addition to the drinking and dining scene opens on Jerdan Place. Ice & Slice does what it says on the tin; ice cream (well, gelato) and pizzas by the slice (and also whole). From the team at Shot Espresso, the café and aperitif bar located on the other side of the road, this second project brings an intriguing bistro to the area. Serving up artisanal Italian gelato in flavours such as salted caramel, Aperol spritz and violet rose, as well as authentic Romanstyle sourdough pizzas with luscious toppings like truffles, mortadella (Italian sausage) and pistachios, it’s hard not to love this place.

293 Fulham Road, SW10 9PZ, 0871 512 0770 (grillmarket.co.uk)

24 Jerdan Place, SW6 1BH, 020 7381 5572 (iceandslice.co.uk)

LICENCE TO GRILL

IN RUDE HEALTH For an unrefined alternative to oats and flours, try Fulham-based Rude Health’s sprouted range, the first of its kind in the UK. The sprouting process helps to release nutrients and breaks down starches, which makes it much easier to digest. You can use the oats and flour for everything, from your daily porridge to buckwheat pancakes for a less naughty treat than refined grains. Sprouted range starts from £3.99, Rude Health, see website for full list of stockists (rudehealth.com) - 21 -

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

Hopsglory and

Bethan Rees meets the restaurateur bringing a slice of Brooklyn to Fulham, one beer-inspired dish at a time

ipping on a pint of beer is one of life’s most glorious pleasures. It’s become a cultural tradition for us Brits, and quite rightly so, as the tipple’s history is thought to date back as far as when Julius Caesar arrived on the coast of Kent in 55 BC (and potentially much further). London’s beer scene in 2015 is a little different from the days when it was drunk as a more sanitised alternative to water, however. The craft beer revolution is well and truly taking hold in Britain, so I go to meet the man who is taking things one step further: Dave Ahern. Behind the doors of an imposing Scottish baronial-style building on Fulham High Street something exciting is brewing. Dave, whose name is known on the London food scene thanks to hugely successful pop-up events and residencies such as Burger Breakout, is bringing another one of his tasty ideas to fruition: Wahleeah, a restaurant centred around beer and incorporating it in to almost every dish. Before I met Dave, the only beer-related food I could think of were along the lines of beer-battered fish. How wrong I was. Think instead beer-cured salmon, IPA Caesar dressing and chocolate stout brownies. ‘I’m a big believer that English palates are a lot more suited to beer with food, than wine,’ Dave explains as we sit on bar stools in the

not-quite-finished site. But why isn’t Dave content with just pairing beers with dishes? Quite simply, he enjoys the challenge and thinks this creates a rarer experience for the diner. ‘Using beer pushes us. There isn’t beer ketchup, so we have to make one and so on. It forces us to create our produce from scratch.’ The team at Wahleeah is making everything; from the anchovy salt to the horseradish cheddar, beer-cured beef bacon to the fruit beer jam. Wahleeah makes perfect sense to me, as Dave continually expands on reasons as to why this is a marvellous idea. ‘When you go out for dinner with three or four friends and order a bottle of wine for different dishes; someone’s ordered fish, I’ve ordered beef and someone else has chicken and unless Willy Wonka starts to produce wine, it’s not going to match all of them. So I thought: why don’t you offer someone a drink that’s just for them; a beer,’ he says. The question on everyone’s mind is: what does Wahleeah mean? ‘The name comes from the phonetic spelling of an old Brooklyn slang term “wallear” which is pronounced “wah-lee-ah”. It means to have a craving for a particular type of food. For example: “I got a wallear for a burger”.’ Dave wanted to bring this restaurant to Fulham because he found he was constantly travelling to the same areas of London

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ney glazed granola, ho e k pudding sauc ac y bl rr n, be so ue rset veni er and bl Loin of Do son hash and a be ni carrots, ve

Hops

to eat at the newest restaurants, from Brixton to Shoreditch. ‘I feel that many neighbourhoods in London have been ignored by new restaurants. People living in areas such as Fulham have to choose the convenience of eating locally against the excitement of eating in a new trendy restaurant. I want to change that.’ Essentially, he intends to create a true neighbourhood restaurant. ‘I want this to be the centre of a community where people come and hang out, get to know people who have lived 100 yards from them for the last five years but who have never met them,’ he adds.

This image / Hiver beer will be sold Above / 42 -day aged ribeye steak at Wahleeah

I feel that many neighbourhoods in London have been ignored by new restaurants The building itself is as impressive as the menu. Sitting just a stone’s throw away from Putney Bridge is the red-brick, partially Grade II-listed property that Wahleeah will call home. Respecting its heritage is important to Dave who wants to retain as much of the original space as possible; he fell in love with the place instantly. ‘It could be picked up and dropped smack-bang in the middle of Brooklyn,’ he says. ‘There’s a tendency when a new restaurant opens in an old building to try and erase the history, to make it all shiny and new. Our building hasn’t had the easiest of lives; it’s changed hands often and hasn’t been treated well. But rather than hide these scars, we want to wear them with pride,’

Dave explains to me. The menu should come with a cautionary warning; it’s likely to make you salivate. Forget scrambled eggs and avocado on toast; Wahleeah’s brunch reads like pure gluttony: cornflakecoated French toast with maple butter, beer biscuits with sausage gravy and pig’s-head sausage with a fried egg, cheese hollandaise in a brioche bun. The huge menu is sure to please most taste-buds, but be warned, even the ‘lighter’ options aren’t wholly angelic; for example, the deliciously decadent bream with beerbraised fennel and crayfish mash. If Wahleeah’s offerings sound a little unusual to you, Dave understands, but he also has a piece of advice to offer. ‘Trust me,’ he smiles, and from his past experience in the culinary world and the sound of what’s to come, I definitely do. After giving me a quick tour of the premises, including the stunning outdoor terrace which I can imagine buzzing with hungry sun worshippers in the summer, he says ‘I want someone to walk out of here thinking about the next time they’re going to come back.’ I for one can’t wait to return, which says a lot, as it’s still half-finished and hasn’t opened yet. Here’s to Wahleeah.

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Dave Ahern

Wahleeah is set to open in late March. 4 Fulham High Street, SW6 3LQ. Follow @WahleeahSW6 for updates

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

health & beauty Bring out the best in you this March

1. From Italy, with love 2 . Cult Take yourself on a journey classic to the sunshine without leaving home, with Acqua di Parma’s Blu Mediterraneo Italian Resort collection. After 15 years of research, the Italian lifestyle company has produced the innovative Mediterranean Re-Activating Complex which is at the heart of this collection. The natural elixir found in the bark of the Sicilian Maritime pine helps counter the signs of ageing by restoring and revitalizing the cells. The range also includes a double concentration Revitalizing Face Serum and Illuminating Face Exfoliant. Prepare to look fabulous this summer. Collection starts at £30, Acqua di Parma, available at Space NK, 205 New King’s Road, SW6 4SR, 020 7736 6728 (spacenk.com)

3. In bloom

This month, Parisian beauty brand Biologique Recherche launches the transformative bodycare collection in the UK. The range uses active ingredients to tone and help firm the skin, which is an excellent solution for the approaching bikini season. The Lotion P50 may sound familiar to you; it’s truly a facial cult product and now it’s available in a version for the body. Spray onto skin, massage in using the glove provided and shower 10 minutes later for glowing skin. Could this be the next wonder product? £108 for 250ml, Lotion P50 Corps, Biologique Recherche, available from Beauty M at Seed, 789 Fulham Road, SW6 5HD, 020 7731 5744 (seedsalon.co.uk)

Step into spring in appropriate style with the historic perfumery Penhaligon’s. This month sees the launch of its latest scent, Ostara, which has been created in partnership with one of London’s oldest horticultural institutions, Clifton Nurseries. Crafted by master perfumer Betrand Duchaufour, the fragrance is a modern interpretation of the delicate and much-loved daffodil. Throughout March, Clifton Nurseries is also hosting an exclusive afternoon tea dedicated to Ostara, which would make a wonderful gift for Mother’s Day. £65 for 50ml, £85 for 100ml, Ostara Eau de Toilette, Penhaligon’s, 132 King’s Road, SW3 4TR, 020 7823 9733 (penhaligons.com)

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4. Vanity hair Is your hair crying out for a little love and attention? Give it the finish it deserves with two new launches from heritage hairdressing brand Oribe. Try the Curl Gloss with Brazilian extracts of passion flower for beautiful curls all day, while for coloured hair, the Split End Seal treatment is essential. Results are unexpectedly noticeable after just one use. Say hello to strong, healthy locks. Curl Gloss, £36 for 175ml (online only), Split End Seal, £42 for 50ml, by Oribe, available exclusively at Space NK, 205 New King’s Road, SW6 4SR, 020 7736 6728 (spacenk.com)

review

Mr Muscle

Tom Hagues tries his hand, and every other body part, at Barre

bowled into the studio at ‘this is really working’ to kick in. can certainly see that being the case. Heartcore ready for my Barre After this, it was time to move on I would heartily recommend Barre session with an undeserved to the legwork. We lined ourselves to anyone looking for a workout confidence. I’d tried a similar up at the barre on the wall, held on that offers a mixture of different class somewhere else, so I knew what with one hand and began elegantly movements (the stretching at the end to expect and how much pain I was working on our legs with the smallest is enormously satisfying and hugely about to endure. In fact, I welcomed of movements. It’s worth noting welcome) and positions. I can only the challenge. I chose my mat and put that just because the movements imagine the overwhelming sense of it in position and began limbering up. are minute, it doesn’t mean it’ll achievement that you’d get after a The warm-up, as challenging as it was, hurt less. The burning, searing pain few weeks of taking this class when set the groundwork for the rest of the immediately indicated that I was you realise that you can last so much session and assured me longer than your first that there would be no attempt. The result of The burning, searing pain easy way out of this. my session was a sore immediately indicated that I was deeply unfit, We began by working body the day after, but also that the routine was good on the muscles in the but a desire to do it arms, combining a again and see how few ballet-type moves with fierce, deeply unfit, but also that the routine quickly I could improve. If, of course, pumping music and core-enhancing was good and obviously working. I’m I improved at all. Barre, it seems, is a poses. I have no sense of rhythm, but not ashamed to admit that I had to painfully addictive way to get a daily the enthusiastic instructor made sure keep pausing simply because it was dose of exercise. everyone got to grips with it easily and so rigorous, and this, I’m assured, Classes throughout the week, £27 for I was soon Barre-ing with the best of is expected for someone who hasn’t a single class. Heartcore Fulham, 723 them. We were instructed to use small done it regularly before. I was told Fulham Road, SW6 5UL, 020 7371 7088 weights for some of the armwork and that after a few sessions, core strength (heartcore.co.uk) it didn’t take long for the feeling of and stamina are vastly improved and I

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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

333 Fulham Palace Road 020 7993 9888

Goss & Co. 666 Fulham Road 020 7751 8326

Strutt & Parker 701 Fulham Road 020 7731 7100

Breteuil 280 Fulham Road 020 7351 6308 Knight Frank 203 New King’s Road 020 7751 2400

Savills 191 New King’s Road 020 7731 9400 and 423 Fulham Palace Road 020 7578 9050

Marsh & Parsons 103-105 Moore Park Road 020 7736 9822 and

Winkworth Fulham and Parsons Green 40 New King’s Road 020 7731 3388

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

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

Florist

Mystique Flowers 57a Fulham High Street 020 7371 5888

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

planning & development Structural changes in the area

Planning Applications Date registered: 23 February Address: Cloncurry Street Proposal: Reduce the oak tree by 30 per cent back to previous reduction points and cut back the foliage that overhangs the neighbour’s garden Date registered: 19 February Address: Fulham Road Proposal: Five small London plane trees situated on a forecourt in front of shops (895-921 Fulham Road)to be re-pollarded, as in previous year Date registered: 13 February Address: Fulham Broadway Proposal: Partial demolition of existing building facades to enable the erection of a double-height single-storey lobby extension in the existing forecourt of the building and a part five, part six storey extension fronting Vanston Place to provide mixed use. Retail use (Class A1) at ground-floor level and office use (Class B1) on the floors above. Also, formation of a roof terrace at fifth-floor level, proposed change of colour of external render of the existing building and re-cladding of external walls at ground-floor level

THE FIGHT AGAINST GRIME Hammersmith and Fulham Council is encouraging residents to use its Report It app to help crack down on littered streets. The app allows users to report problems like dumped rubbish, dog mess and noise nuisance and have the complaint logged directly with the council. Residents can log the issues stating the time, date and exact location on their smartphones or tablet devices. For people who found complaints of mess falling on deaf ears, the council hopes that this app will inspire them to actively help keep the borough’s streets litter-free. (lbhf.gov.uk/reportit)

Planned roadworks and closures in and around March STREET

PLANNED WORK

DATES

WORKS OWNER

Chaldon Road

Constructing a new manhole

24 March-8 April

Fulham Road

Lay new domestic service two metres from main in nearside footpath

13-19 March

Thames Water 0845 9200 800 National Grid Gas plc 0845 6056 6770

Munster Road

Rectify anti-skid in carriageway

18-29 March

North End Road

Lay two-metre new domestic service from main located in footpath Customer side leakage supply pipe replacement

16-18 March

Vera Road

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18-20 March

Thames Water 0845 9200 800 National Grid Gas plc 0845 6056 677 Thames Water 0845 9200 800

PROPERTY WATCH Experts shine a light on local property news

Prepare to shine Ben Gee, sales manager and associate director at Marsh & Parsons’ Bishops Park office, gives vendors some top tips on making the most of their property

hen trying to sell a property, there’s always something you can do to evoke a better response from the person viewing it. Consider the following practical suggestions to make your home look as attractive as possible to potential buyers before you start baking fresh loaves of bread or spraying your new jojoba atomizer in every room. I would advise starting from the outside; walk from across the street to the front of your home. Are the bins out of sight? Is the paint peeling off the front door? A buyer’s first impression is crucial, so adding a fresh lick of paint or smartening up a communal hallway could make all the difference. Everyone has their own idea of what constitutes ‘the perfect home’, but deep burgundy-painted walls, for example, are unlikely to do any favours

be theirs one day. One of the phrases we hear among buyers when discussing requirements is: ‘light and airy’. In truth, I think it’s more of a feeling than a physical attribute. If your home doesn’t ‘feel’ light and airy, there are a few easy fixes that can make a big difference. Firstly, check all the light bulbs are working throughout the house; a good agent will arrive early and turn on the lights prior to a potential buyer arriving. Clean your windows beforehand so they let in as much light as possible. When preparing for a viewing, make sure all the blinds are fully retracted, not just tilted open. Finally, leave the doors to all the rooms open; it will aid the natural flow of a viewing and also give the feeling of an airy space. Quite often I’ll discuss viewing arrangements with clients and they’ll proudly state that there’s no better person to show their home to a

Viewers like to take their time and discuss any potential changes to a property, so an estate agent should allow them the time to do this to what may be already a small room. Neutral, bright walls and ceilings will give an impression of space by reflecting light around the room. Walk around your home, standing at the door of each room, and consider what needs to be on show. Remove any unnecessary furniture that could be making the space look smaller and de-clutter any shelves and bookcases. For a successful viewing, potential buyers must feel that your home could

potential buyer than themselves. I then (tactfully) suggest that they should not be present for viewings. Whilst the vendor might know everything about their own home, the agent can sell the benefits that match the particular buyer’s needs. Viewers like to take their time and discuss any potential changes to a property, so an estate agent should allow them the space to do this without talking throughout the viewing. The presence - 29 -

of the homeowner is likely to make the prospective buyer uncomfortable if they want to discuss walls they might knock through or the kitchen they may want to take out. Finally, if you’ve decided to sell your home, it’s essential that you’re prepared to act as soon as the right offer is made. The moment you go onto the market (if not before), you should appoint a solicitor to prepare a sales pack for you. You need to provide them with any documents relating to planning permission, building regulations and guarantees and then complete the necessary fixtures and fittings forms and give them your lease (if applicable). Having all of this information ready to send to the buyer’s solicitor as soon as a sale is agreed will keep up the momentum and could save up to two weeks on the transaction time. There is no doubt that selling your property is an important change, so make sure you do everything possible to ensure your home looks its best, so that you can achieve the maximum possible price for it. 333 Fulham Palace Road, SW6 6TE, 020 7993 9888 (marshandparsons.co.uk)

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

Wardo Avenue SW6 ÂŁ1,999,950 Situated close to Parsons Green and Bishops Park, this fully refurbished, stunning four-bedroom house is presented in immaculate condition and offers an elegant reception room and garden. Freehold. EPC=C

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

Waterford Road SW6 ÂŁ1,695,000 This impressive three-bedroom house, situated close to the Chelsea/Fulham border, boasts a beautiful double reception room and a large kitchen leading out onto a landscaped garden. Freehold. EPC=D

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

Shorrolds Road SW6 ÂŁ899,950 A unique and charming two-bedroom maisonette located on a residential road moments from Fulham Broadway offering period charm, a private entrance and a beautiful garden. Leasehold. EPC=C

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

Tasso Road W6 ÂŁ850 per week Located on a quiet cul-de-sac, this beautiful four-bedroom house arranged over three floors, boasts wellproportioned living space and a large eat-in kitchen leading out onto a beautiful private garden. EPC=D

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

Fulham Road SW6 ÂŁ695 per week This fantastic three-bedroom duplex apartment has been superbly refurbished throughout to offer a spacious reception room, a large kitchen and a beautiful terrace with roof top views. EPC=E

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

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

Image © Sarel Jansen

LIFE

for RENT

Mary O’Grady, associate at Knight Frank Fulham lettings, discusses the 2015 market so far and explains why renting in SW6 is about more than just four walls

‘I

n Fulham, you’re not renting houses, you’re renting lifestyles,’ Mary begins, as we discuss what makes SW6’s lettings market stand out from other areas of London. ‘Unlike other places such as Kensington and Chelsea, people who live in Fulham really live here. If you look at some roads and squares in prime central London, a lot of them are empty at the weekend because people go to their other homes. In Fulham, that happens far less often. If you’re a family renting a house here, usually it’s your principal home.’ The hustle and bustle of Fulham with its various high streets and green spaces filled with weekend dog walkers are a clear indication

Mary’s top tip for renters in SW6 If you find something you like, take it. Don’t delay – if you do, it will be gone.

of the stay-at-home community feel of the area, alongside the fact that in zone two and close to busy areas like the King’s Road, SW6 can boast a ‘villagey’ feel. ‘People in Fulham are used to living well,’ Mary continues. ‘Sometimes, those renting what has been their family home can find it quite difficult to cut the emotional tie they have to their house, which is completely understandable. It’s worth remembering that here in Fulham the majority of tenants taking these houses will be very similar to their landlords – professional couples with prep-school age children who aspire to and achieve - 36 -

reasonably high standards of living. Ultimately, it’s the same sort of people they rent to and are tenants for each other. There’s a reassurance about it that’s one of the things I love most about Fulham.’ It seems that Mary is not the area’s only fan, as the lettings market so far this year has been booming. ‘Normally January isn’t busy at all, and the market doesn’t pick up until early spring as we prepare for the intense summer season when the majority of contracts begin and end around the school term dates,’ she explains. ‘But this year, demand was very high in January, and because the

sales market has been somewhat ‘I see a busy year ahead,’ The people they’re renting to unsure in the run-up to the says, after considering. will be just like them, with small children she general election in May, it’s ‘I think there will be a lot of like theirs, who want to live in the really helped the lettings side of properties that come on the things. However, there is still a market and get rented, as just same way they do degree of caution in the market. before and after an election There is a lack of stock in some areas of The lettings business is about there is always uncertainty, which fuels London as potential landlords hesitate more than just matching a client to a the rental market. That said, there’s over the wider political uncertainties property, though. ‘It’s as much about always a strong market in Fulham, so caused by the election.’ matching personalities as it is everything in terms of lettings, I don’t think the What effect does Mary think a else,’ Mary elaborates. ‘You’re building election will affect as much change potential mansion tax might have relationships and it’s important to here as in other parts of the capital. At on the lettings market in match the right people. With sales, you the end of the day, there will always be Fulham? ‘As specific put it all together and step away. people looking to rent in SW6 and as details about With lettings, you’re potentially long as a property is presented nicely, it any potential involved in the relationship will rent well, and quickly.’ Mary’s mansion tax is for years to come, so it’s top tip for Lettings at Knight Frank Fulham, still reasonably important to get it right.’ LANDLORDS in SW6 203 New King’s Road, SW6 4SR, sketchy, it’s So what does Mary It’s all about 020 7751 2410 (knightfrank.co.uk) unclear as to predict for the rest of 2015? presentation. De-clutter, what affect dress it well and it such a tax could will let. have. However, if landlords’ costs are to increase it does seem If you thought modern, spacious warehouse-style living was reserved for reasonable to assume that these, or residents of the trendier postcodes in east London, think again, because at least an element of them, will be there’s a new penthouse on New King’s Road in SW6 that ticks all of those passed on to tenants. So will tenants boxes. This 5,000 sq ft, four-bedroom, four-bathroom, three-reception choose to stay in the areas they can room flat in the Talisman Building benefits from off-street parking, direct currently afford, and pay more? Or will lift access and stunning views over Eel Brook Common. The interiors have they move? It remains to be seen, but I been finished to a supremely high standard and offer residents the best think they will more than likely choose of both worlds; the spacious, industrial feel of the converted warehouse to downsize and stay in the area.’ apartment coupled with the luxurious décor more commonly expected Presumably the threat of a mansion tax in this part of the capital. Just minutes from Fulham Broadway and will also affect the traditional lettings Parsons Green stations as well as local shops and amenities, this property ‘timetable’, too? ‘March and April are is truly unique in the Fulham area and will make a stunning home. generally busy anyway, but I think this year they will be more so as people try Guide price £6,500 per week. To arrange a viewing, to get locked into contracts before the contact Knight Frank on 020 7751 2410 election and potential rent increases.’ Increasingly, Mary is seeing tenants take on longer-term lets rather than the traditional one-year contract. ‘It’s a bit of a Fulham phenomenon,’ she agrees, ‘especially with families. They’re looking to take on agreements for two or three years now, and although they will ask for a break clause after 12 or 18 months, they like the idea of security of tenure – particularly if their children are enrolled in local schools.’ Are there any exceptions? ‘We are seeing potential tenants seeking to agree to longer term tenancies where the only reason they can terminate their tenancy would be for business reasons, for example, if their employers are moving them outside London. That suits the landlords, the companies and the agents – it’s beneficial for everyone.’

Something special

- 37 -

KnightFrank.co.uk KnightFrank.co.uk

Clapham Common West Side, SW4 South west facing garden

A 5 bedroom house of over 3500 sq ft with off street parking. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, kitchen/dining/reception south west facing Clapham Common Westroom, Side, SW4 garden, off street parking. EPC rating C. Approximately 329 sq. m. ﴾3,541 sq. ft.﴿.

South Freehold west facing garden

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

A£3,500,000 5 bedroom house of over 3500 sq ft with off street parking. 5 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 3 reception rooms, kitchen/dining/reception room, south west facing garden, off street parking. EPC rating C. Approximately 329 sq. m. ﴾3,541 sq. ft.﴿. ﴾WND150006﴿ Freehold

£3,500,000 Please note these photos were taken in 2014, the property is currently unfurnished. ﴾WND150006﴿

BBCW 1.2

25/02/2015 15:53:22

City

3:22

KnightFrank.co.uk KnightFrank.co.uk

Battersea Park Road, Battersea SW11 Two bedroom duplex with balcony SW11 Battersea Park apartment Road, Battersea 2 bedrooms, reception room/kitchen/dining room, 2 bathrooms, balcony. EPC rating C. Two bedroom Approximately 97 sq m duplex ﴾1,044 sq ft﴿apartment with balcony Leasehold reception room/kitchen/dining room, 2 bathrooms, balcony. EPC rating C. 2 bedrooms, Approximately 97 sq m ﴾1,044 sq ft﴿ £600,000 Leasehold RVR140333 RVR140333

£600,000 RVR140333

KnightFrank.co.uk/Battersea battersea@knightfrank.com 020 3597 7670 KnightFrank.co.uk/Battersea battersea@knightfrank.com 020 3597 7670

City mag Mar 2015 print

12/02/2015 17:11:47

KnightFrank.co.uk

Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham SW6 Beautifully renovated four bedroom family home

A lovely family house with stunning living space and an exceptional finish throughout. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 2nd bedroom with en suite bathroom, 3rd bedroom with en suite shower room, further bedroom, shower room, double reception room, kitchen with dining and sitting area, cellar, garden. EPC rating D. Approximately 236.9 sq m (2,550 sq ft) Freehold Guide price: ÂŁ2,250,000 (FLQ185163)

KnightFrank.co.uk/fulham fulham@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6475

KnightFrank.co.uk

The Piper Building, Fulham SW6 A well-presented four bedroom family home

A beautifully presented warehouse style apartment with a stunning double height reception room. Master bedroom with en suite bathroom, 3 further bedrooms (one with en suite bathroom), bathroom, reception room, kitchen, mezzanine study area, utility room, guest WC, private balcony, storage areas, gated and secure parking, 24 hour porter and security, communal roof terrace. EPC rating B. Approximately 239.3 sq m (2,576 sq ft) Leasehold Guide price: ÂŁ1,850,000 (FLQ206878)

KnightFrank.co.uk/fulham fulham@knightfrank.com 020 3641 6475

KnightFrank.co.uk

Crookham Road, Fulham SW6

A newly refurbished two bedroom flat An immaculately presented two double bedroom flat arranged over the first and second floors on a desirable residential street close to the local amenities on the Fulham Road. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, reception room, kitchen and 2 balconies. EPC rating D.Approximately 101.82 sq m ﴾1,096 sq ft﴿

KnightFrank.co.uk/Fulham fulhamlettings@knightfrank.com 020 7751 2410

Available Unfurnished Guide price: £675 per week ﴾FLQ211441﴿

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

Crookham Road Fulham Residents Journal March

18/02/2015 16:39:33

KnightFrank.co.uk

The Piper Building, Fulham SW6

A two bedroom apartment with off street parking A substantial two bedroom apartment set within this iconic portered building. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, mezzanine living area, terrace, off street parking, 24 hour concierge. EPC rating C. Approximately 101.82 sq m ﴾ 1,096 sq ft﴿

KnightFrank.co.uk/Fulham fulhamlettings@knightfrank.com 020 7751 2410

Available Unfurnished Guide price: £780 per week

﴾ FLQ212513﴿

Piper Building FRJ MARCH 2015

18/02/2015 17:36:25

savills.co.uk

1 CHARMING THREE BEDROOM "VILLES" HOUSE rosaville road, sw6 Double reception room ø kitchen/breakfast room ø 3 bedrooms ø bathroom ø garden ø 102 sq m (1,098 sq ft) ø EPC=F ø EPC=F

Savills Fulham Sarah Lloyd sjlloyd@savills.com

020 7731 9420 Guide £1.35 million Freehold

savills.co.uk

1 AN IMPRESSIVE VICTORIAN HOUSE WITH A SOPHISTICATED ATMOSPHERE mimosa street, sw6 Double reception room ø kitchen/breakfast room ø 4 bedrooms ø 2 bathrooms ø utility room ø loft ø garden ø roof terrace ø 176 sq m (1,894 sq ft) ø EPC=D

Savills Fulham Henry Forbes hforbes@savills.com

020 7731 9420 Guide £1.9 million Freehold

savills.co.uk

LETTINGS LAYOUT ONLY

L L O

STUNNING ARCHITECT DESIGNED FAMILY HOME branksea street, sw6 5 bedrooms ø double reception room ø open plan kitchen/dining room ø 2 bathrooms ø guest w.c. ø garden ø 179 sq m (1,931 sq ft) ø Council Tax=G ø EPC=C

Savills Fulham Kate Rotheram krotheram@savills.com

020 7578 9051 Unfurnished £1,000 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

BEAUTIFULLY PRESENTED SIX BEDROOM FAMILY HOME napier avenue, sw6 6 bedrooms ø 3 reception rooms ø eat-in kitchen ø 4 bathrooms ø patio garden ø 312 sq m (3,358 sq ft) ø Council Tax=H ø EPC=C

Savills Fulham Milly Webb mwebb@savills.com

020 7731 2692 Unfurnished £2,750 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.

Crookham Road SW6 ÂŁ1,185,000 Leasehold Fulham Sales 020 7731 4391 | fulhamsales@dng.co.uk

North

Chelsea

Fulham

An immaculately presented, Victorian terrace, home offering circa 1,056 sq ft of living and entertaining space. Arranged over two floors, the property is located on this popular road near Parsons Green.

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

Kensington

Kensington Gate

3 bedrooms, Bathroom, Double reception room, Open-plan kitchen, Cloakroom, EPC: D.

South Kensington

Notting Hill

Pimlico & Westminster

douglasandgordon.com

Rosaville Road SW6 ÂŁ875 per week Fees apply Unfurnished Fulham Lettings 020 7731 4791 | fulhamlets@dng.co.uk

South

Balham

Battersea

Battersea Park

A four bedroom family home located on 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Reception this popular street in the 'Villes'. The room, Kitchen/dining room, Garden, ground floor, which has recently been EPC: D. extended, boasts a wonderful openplan kitchen which opens onto a beautiful south-facing patio garden.

Clapham

East Putney

Southfields & Earlsfield

West Putney

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

Fernhurst road Fulham SW6 An outstanding Victorian family home, extending to approximately 2,630 sq ft. • • • • • •

Reception room 6 bedrooms Kitchen Under floor heating Garden Energy rating D

Guide price £2,695,000 Parsons Green

020 7751 8899 leo.florees@carterjonas.co.uk

radipole road Fulham SW6 Bursting with character and charm, this sensational family home will suit the larger family looking for a well located residence. • • • • • •

Double reception room 5 bedrooms Kitchen/dining room High ceilings Garden Energy rating D

Guide price £2,250,000 Parsons Green

020 7751 8899 leo.florees@carterjonas.co.uk

Lysia street Fulham SW6 An absolutely sensational newly refurbished and extended semidetached period house offering in excess of 2,200 sq ft of thoughtfully laid out space. • • • • • •

Reception room 4 bedrooms 2 bathrooms/1 shower room Kitchen/family room Large garden Energy rating E

Guide price £2,350,000 Fulham - Bishops Park

020 7731 3333 wayland.ward-smith@carterjonas.co.uk

NormaNhurst maNsioNs Fulham SW6 A very well presented flat on the second floor of this popular mansions block close to Putney Bridge and Parsons Green Tube Station. • • • • • •

Open plan reception room 2 double bedrooms Open plan kitchen Good storage Wooden floors Energy rating C

£425pw/£1,842pcm Parsons Green

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

Rostrevor Mews, SW6 Located in a quiet mews in the heart of Fulham, this pair of fabulous bespoke new build homes are designed by award winning architects and will be finished to the highest specification. For further details and full brochure please contact us.

Awaiting EPC Prices from ÂŁ2m to ÂŁ2.35m

Join our online community!

Barclay Road, SW6 We are delighted to offer this stunning two bedroom, two bathroom split level period maisonette. Boasting a large open plan reception area, attractive patio garden, very high end décor and furnishing as well as being located in a fantastic location only moments to Fulham Broadway Station this property is perfect for professionals.

EPC Rating D £675 per week

Riverview Gardens, SW6 A stunning 2 bed, 2 bath, mansion flat presented in immaculate condition. The flat has a very high end kitchen with separate dining area and a truly beautiful reception room overlooking the river. Located on a pretty, tree lined street and benefiting from a delightful communal garden, early viewing is recommended. EPC Rating E

£692 per week Administration Fee: £180 inc VAT per tenancy Reference Fee: £60 inc VAT per tenant Deposit: 6 Weeks

020 7751 8326 • mg@gossandco.com • Goss & Co. 666 Fulham Road, Fulham, London, SW6 5RX

Show apartment launches 7th March 2015

Luxury Apartments at Wimbledon Hill Park Conveniently located for both Wimbledon Village and Central London, Wimbledon Hill Park offers a luxurious collection of 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, with residents’ gym and concierge, all set within 19 acres of protected parkland in one of London’s premier addresses. Prices from £1,150,000 Register now on 020 3627 7801 or visit www.wimbledonhillpark.co.uk

Sales & Marketing Suite, Copse Hill, Wimbledon, London. SW20 0NE Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of companies

Representative computer generated images of Wimbledon Hill Park and landscaping, indicative only. Prices correct at time of print.

9821_073_Fulham_Residents_Journal_Full_Page_A4_18Feb.indd 1

19/02/2015 19:15

FULHAM Residents’ Journal

renting class

The rise of the

Michelle van Vuuren, managing director of residential development and investment at Sotheby’s International Realty, takes a look at the flourishing rental market in Fulham as it becomes a very real option for families

ulham is no exception to the constrained, the rental market will for families to enjoy its proximity to rise of the rental market that take the pressure for those looking green open spaces, its great shopping has been well-documented, to live in a central location. However, facilities and convenient commute. but the area has one renting has become a preference The vast majority of residents have important difference. Many of the for some – more than 50 per cent come to the borough having moved rental properties are not the flatshares of tenants are now defined as ‘high from Kensington and Chelsea. that people in their 20s like, but income’ and make this choice As a local Fulham resident, I have instead are family homes. because of the flexibility it offers. seen the evolution of the area over the The rental sector in the UK has The job market has changed in last decade. Gorgeous boutique shops, undergone substantial excellent schools and growth, doubling in size wonderful parks like The rental sector in the UK has undergone over the past 14 years. Parsons Green and substantial growth, doubling in size over the past Bishops Park makes More than 10 million people now live in rented 14 years. More than 10 million people now live in it a fantastic place accommodation and to raise a family. rented accommodation evidence suggests that However, Fulham still this number is set to grow represents reasonable in the coming years. recent years and many jobs demand rental market value for families. While the housing supply remains that employees are able to move It is a popular area for buy-to-let location at relatively short notice. investors, many of whom have moved The reality is that the London to the countryside but retained their sales market remains too hot for London property. The majority of some, so renting, particularly in housing stock in Fulham consists of areas such as Fulham, provides a terraced housing and is perfect for good option for families. A third young families who want a reasonably of this new generation of renters central location. have children and a central All the evidence points towards a location like Fulham with its growth in renting and a shift towards a excellent schools is an obvious model of accommodation – the private choice for them. rented sector – which dominates For many young renters, the German and French markets. As Fulham was the first port of call house prices remain proportionally for flatshares and was wellhigh in comparison to income, known as Chelsea’s cheeky, renting will become more desirable cheaper younger cousin, and accessible areas like Fulham will located only a mile down the surely only increase. route of the Thames, but with bars and restaurants aplenty. However, as the flow of money Call Michelle van Vuuren at Sotheby’s from central London has International Realty London office for travelled along the south-west more information. corridor, Fulham has evolved Michelle.vanVuuren@sothebysrealty.co.uk; ren to become a destination 020 3126 4573 Michelle van Vuu - 55 -

facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Bishops Road, SW6

A well presented three bedroom family house occupying approximately 1593 sq ft on this prime stretch of Bishops Road.

ÂŁ1,650,000 Freehold

Fulham Sales 020 7731 7100 fulham@struttandparker.com

Wardo Avenue, SW6

A stunning four bedroom family house occupying approximately 1776 sq ft.

ÂŁ1,999,950 Freehold

Fulham Sales 020 7730 7100 fulham@struttandparker.com

facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Empress Place, SW6

An immaculate and beautifully presented three bedroom upper maisonette in this convenient location moments from West Brompton station.

£675 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

P RIS

’

MARCH 2015 • Issue 30

w w w. R e s i d e n t s J o u r n a l . c o . u k (020) 7987 4320

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