communit y Newsletter spring 2013
spring 2013
welcome letter
i l l u s t r at i o n p e t e r j a m e s f i e l d
Welcome to the spring edition of the Victoria community newsletter, the first of 2013. If you’ve walked down Victoria Street recently, you can’t have missed Land Securities’ brand-new development, 62 Buckingham Gate. This multifaceted glass building, completing in May, makes for a spectacular addition to Victoria’s rich architecture and the area’s transforming skyscape. Look out for some public exhibitions in the window space – starting with ‘A Year in Victoria’, celebrating an unforgettable 2012 when the Jubilee brought the crowds, and the Olympics brought the torch, cyclists and marathon runners to Victoria. Thank you for bearing with us during the demolition works for Victoria Circle, our most exciting project yet – right by the Victoria Palace Theatre. We are pleased to report that we are coming to the end of the demolition
phase and will be starting work on the building’s foundations very soon. Speaking of the theatre, inside you can read our interview with David Massey, company manager of Billy Elliot the Musical – and don’t miss your chance to win tickets to the award-winning show. This issue also includes a feature on what is perhaps Victoria’s most impressive historic landmark, Westminster Cathedral, and an interview with the famous Westminster Piazza hawkman. Finally, you’ll find a new community page at the back of this newsletter. This is a place where we can share and respond to your feedback, so please do get in touch! We look forward to hearing from you. Jonathan Alabaster CommunityLiaisonVictoria@landsecurities.com
spring 2013
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David Loftus
Ja m ie come s t o S W 1
I n f i ne s t y le
62 Buck i n g ha m G at e We are in the very final stages of construction of the striking glass-faceted building on Victoria Street – as the paving work is completed on all sides. The West Canopy (the stunning roof of coloured glass, designed by Sophie Smallhorn, that will sit between the building and Westminster City Hall) is taking shape and interior works are now complete, including the striking marble work and the installation of Grayson Perry’s tapestry and Stuart Haygarth’s chandelier. We’re very proud to say that the property officially launches this May.
If you thought our fascination with the Royal Family’s dress sense began with Princess Diana, think again. In Fine Style: the Art of Tudor and Stuart Fashion is the latest exhibition at the Queen’s Gallery and shows how the sumptuous costumes of British monarchs during the 16th and 17th centuries displayed their wealth, social position, marital status and religion. Bringing together period garments, paintings, drawings, jewellery, accessories and armour, the exhibition shows how the monarchy influenced trends and attitudes towards fashion. See how royal style has changed at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace until 6 October; visit royalcollection.org.uk
Exciting news! The latest addition to the ranks of new Victorians is Jamie Oliver, who will be opening a restaurant beneath the new residences at Kings Gate, on Victoria Street. Jamie is one of Britain’s best-loved chefs and we are delighted to welcome him to the area. His restaurant will join a host of new, independent establishments popping up in Victoria. Among them are the Blue Boar Smokehouse at the InterContinental Westminster Hotel, a restaurant that celebrates the best of American pitcooking using high-quality British ingredients. And just opened on Victoria Street is Scoffs, specialising in fast, fresh and healthy food. Transforming Victoria into a dining destination is an integral part of Land Securities’ long-term vision for this historic part of London, as Victoria becomes a place where people will aspire to live, work and socialise.
L it t le Wa it r o s e Land Securities is proud to announce that Little Waitrose, an express branch of the well-known supermarket chain, is coming to Victoria this summer, taking up residence in a 3,000sq ft store in Westminster’s City Hall. Speaking about the announcement, head of development Colette O’Shea said: ‘We are delighted with the continued success we’ve had in attracting a diverse range of tenants to Victoria and will keep talking to Londoners about what they want for the area.’
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V ic t or ia Ci r cle up dat e Work on the Victoria Circle development continues on schedule. The demolition stage of the project will be completed in the next few weeks and the first phase of construction – three of the five buildings delivering 480,000 sq ft of offices, 80,000 sq ft of retail and 170 private apartments – can begin. Mace has been appointed as main contractor and work is due for completion in summer 2016. We will be hosting an event in early June for local residents and other stakeholders to find out more about Victoria Circle – invitations will be circulated soon. We are also about to begin delivery of the Land Securities Employment Programme on site. Working with Mace Community Regeneration, we will be opening up opportunities for skilled and unskilled labour on the development. We will shortly be releasing further information and contact details – you can find out more about the programme at landsecurities.com/responsibility
T he s o cia l net work If you’re looking for a one-stop shop where you can keep fit, meet with friends over lunch and maybe even learn a new skill, head to the Abbey Centre, a friendly, vibrant community hub in the centre of London. Whether you’re interested in taking up a new exercise class such as yoga, zumba or ballroom dancing, or just want to socialise over a cup of coffee, there is something on offer for everyone at 34 Great Smith Street. For more information on social clubs, events, fitness classes and over-sixties activities, visit theabbeycentre.org.uk
Te a w ith a t ipple Could there be a more quintessentially British way of catching up with friends than over afternoon tea? The new InterContinental Hotel in Victoria certainly doesn’t think so, and is offering a complimentary glass of champagne with its traditional menu of classic Savoy finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and decadent desserts and pastries. To book, quote Victoria Newsletter Tea when you call 020 3301 8080
Win! Bill y E lliot t icket s We have a pair of tickets to give away for the award-winning and hugely popular musical Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theatre. The competition closes on 14 June, and the winner will be contacted thereafter. The tickets will be valid for a performance from Monday to Thursday, excluding peak weeks, and are subject to availability. For an opportunity to win, simply send your name, email address and postcode to community. competition@landsecurities.com
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Wa nt t o k ay a k t o Kew ? Victoria is a great place to get in shape, especially if you love being in the great outdoors. Now there’s a new opportunity to keep fit on the Thames by training for the 20-mile sponsored Kayak to Kew to raise money for the Upperdeckers, who provide the over-fifties with the chance to sail, kayak and powerboat for free. If you are aged 16 or over and can raise the £200 minimum sponsorship, would like to learn to kayak free of charge and are up for a challenge, email amanda@ westminsterboatingbase.co.uk
I n t he bu si ne s s
K i n g s G at e up dat e Progress on Kings Gate, the residential and retail development on Victoria Street, is steaming ahead. The majority of the building’s foundations have now been laid, and will be completed by the end of the summer. The 100-strong team that’s currently working on the site is focusing on excavating and helping to prepare the ground for the final foundations. The UK power network sub-station box is also being constructed and will supply not only Kings Gate and the next-door office and retail development, The Zig Zag building, but the Victoria Circle project as well. We’ve worked closely with Westminster City Council to ensure that the impact of our work is kept to a minimum. You’ll have noticed the two tower cranes that have recently been erected at the Kings Gate site – they represent the next stage in the project’s exciting development, a sign that the building is really starting to take shape.
G oi n g u nder g r ou nd There’s a lot going on in and around Victoria station, as TFL’s works continue. In order to facilitate the construction of the eastern section of the new north ticket hall, Bressenden Place has been realigned above the recently constructed north ticket hall roof slab. Preparatory work has started within the new worksite on the east side of Bressenden Place, and initial construction is scheduled to start imminently. Ground treatment work around the area is ongoing and the final stage of the whole project is due to be completed in 2018.
As Victoria continues to develop into the leading destination for forward-thinking businesses, opportunities to forge new partnerships also grow. The Westminster Kingsway Business Club hosts regular events at the Westminster Kingsway College Victoria Centre in picturesque Vincent Square. Hear from industry experts on subjects such as digital and social media, marketing, sustainability and procurement while making new connections. Training opportunities are also available and membership is free. Email wkc@wes.ac.uk
spring 2013
c u lt u r e
da n c i n g at t h e Pa l ac e w o r d s M i c h a e l P r o d g e r ph o t o g r a phy t r e n t m c m i n n
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a place for musicals. The illy Elliot: The Musical current building, with its arrived at the Victoria gilded statue of the ballerina Palace Theatre in May 2005 Anna Pavlova topping the and eight years later shows dome, has been there since no sign of leaving. It is a Clo c kw i s e, f rom a b ove: 1911 and, over a century later, perfect example of upward Re dm and R ance a s B illy ; C omp any M an a ger D av id M a s s ey it remains much as it was mobility: the boy dancer who then. There is even a sliding moved from his northern section to the dome, which mining town to SW1 – a mere acted as an early form of air lump-of-coal’s throw from conditioning 100 years ago. Buckingham Palace – and is Billy Elliot itself has a link to now thoroughly a local. the early days: one of the David Massey, the Company Manager was a member of the original cast. Now current cast, Ann Emery, had her first job in the theatre aged he looks after the performers and production staff and 16, when she performed with the Crazy Gang. The Victoria Palace Theatre is the perfect setting for a oversees everything from the payroll to scheduling, rehearsals to publicity. It is an all-encompassing role piece such as Billy Elliot. The theatre seats 1,500 and suits designed to make sure everything about Billy Elliot runs, the intimacy of the story: ‘The audience feel part of the staging,’ says Massey. That clientele is hard to categorise, he pirouettes and leaps smoothly. Even though Massey has seen the production hundreds of continues, reflecting the area itself. ‘They are all sorts of times, he remains starry-eyed about the musical. As for the people – locals, tourists, people from the wider UK. But venue, he loves Victoria more than ever. The area, he says, is then, it is a universal story and it has a place in people’s almost unrecognisable from when he first arrived: ‘It is on hearts. It’s why we get a standing ovation every night.’ Victoria is a vital part of London’s theatre scene, says the up. There’s more to it than just a rail and coach terminus!’ Where once the stately Victoria Palace Theatre and the Massey. ‘Two of the biggest West End shows – Billy Elliot 20ft-tall model of Big Ben just opposite it were the area’s and Wicked – are in the area, and there’s the new St James only real landmarks, now ‘striking new buildings are being Theatre just around the corner. We are not on the edge of Theatreland – we’re an important part of it.’ It’s a question put up and we’re in the middle of it’. The building works and the new Victoria Station of community, not rivalry, he says. ‘We always vote for upgrade can be noisy during the day but step through the Wicked at the West End Eurovision charity event, even Palace’s doors and ‘you enter a piece of history’. There has though we get good-naturedly booed for it.’ For Billy Elliot it been a theatre on the spot since 1832 and it has always been is clear the transition from pit to palace has been a happy one.
spring 2013
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spring 2013
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W e s t m i n s t e r C at h e d r a l words felix lowe
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M os aic re lief of St A nt hony, in t he ent rance of We s t m in s ter C at he dral
he poet John Betjeman described Westminster Cathedral as a ‘masterpiece’ of craftsmanship and the last great building to be made of brick. To be specific, the Catholic cathedral was made using 12,454,474 bricks, not to mention an astonishing 126 varieties of marble, sourced from 24 different countries. Recent redevelopment in Victoria has opened up stunning new views of the John Francis Bentley’s basilican cathedral and its eye-catching 285ft-high bell tower of contrasting red brickwork and white Portland stone (made famous from a vertiginous scene in Hitchcock’s film The Foreign Correspondent). But it’s the interior of the cathedral that packs the greatest punch. Although the building remains incomplete since opening in 1903, when the budget did not allow for decorating the upper walls, the cathedral is as good a free museum as London has to offer. Wondrous mosaics adorn the walls of the 12 chapels and sculptor Eric Gill’s fantastic friezes of the 14 ‘Stations of the Cross’ are worldrenowned. It will cost an estimated £12m to cover the sooty bricks of the inner domes in mosaics – but for many, the
allure of the building comes from it still being a work in progress. ‘The interior is without doubt one of the most moving of any church in London due to the fact it is unfinished,’ the late historian Sir Nikolaus Pevsner once told The Daily Telegraph. Certainly when night falls, the suspended crucifix above the nave emerges gloriously from the gloom of the blackened brickwork. Peering down from the walls is a veritable Noah’s ark of 583 animals and creatures. Patrick Rogers, the cathedral’s official historian, spent ‘several days with binoculars’ counting 45 types of insect, 73 reptiles (including a baby dragon in the crypt), 153 fish and marine creatures, 83 mammals (including a winged ox) and 229 birds. That doesn’t include the tailless monkey that Cardinal Griffin ordered to be removed from an altarpiece designed by Gill before its installation in 1947. While a theatrical treasure trove for art, the cathedral is perhaps better known for its distinguished choral tradition. The boys’ choir is one of the best in the world and attracts hundreds of people to its free daily concerts of Renaissance
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A b ove, f rom lef t : M os aic of M ar y and St D om in ic in t he L ady Ch ap e l; t he Ch ap e l of St G re gor y and St Aug u s t ine, where C ard in al B a s il H ume i s b ur ie d; a mos aic in t he Ch ap e l of St A ndrew and t he S aint s of S cot l and dep ic t in g C on s t ant inop le and t he g re at church of H a g i a S op hi a – an in s p irat ion for We s t m in s ter C at he dral
music. It is also the only cathedral choir in the world that sings both vespers and mass services every day as part of the liturgy. But first and foremost, Westminster is a working cathedral. With six daily masses, the mother church of the Catholic community in England and Wales is one of the busiest places of worship in the UK. It is also the only church in England to have received visits from two Popes and the Queen. Within its walls lies instant relief from the hustle and bustle of London. The cathedral is an oasis of calm in the heart of the city, a tranquil place of contemplation, spirituality and prayer, welcoming everyone regardless of nationality or creed – indeed, it is particularly popular with Muslims. ‘People can find a degree of trust and noncompetitiveness in the cathedral. It’s a friendly place with no hostility or aggression,’ says Rogers, author of Westminster Cathedral: An Illustrated History. Strong links with two homeless shelters – The Passage and the Cardinal Hume Centre – emphasise the cathedral’s role in the community. Its famous open-door policy – even to those who simply fancy a bit of shut-eye – has recently
been extended to some enterprising creatures swarming around the clergy terrace: a hive of bees. The bees arrived after Sarah Dorgan, the Cathedral Facilities Manager, took a beekeeping course in Victoria. Since April last year, she has tended ‘the girls’ with help from friends in the local community, including the Master Carpenter at Victoria Palace Theatre, two workers from Westminster City Hall and an employee at Cambridge Associates in Cardinal Place. Prince Michael of Kent, on a recent visit to the Victoria Business Improvement District (BID), was gifted one of the first pots of the cathedral’s deliciously sweet honey. ‘We would love to make candles for the church but we won’t be running until we can walk,’ says Ms Dorgan. ‘We’re just very blessed and grateful that our bees are flourishing at a time when so many colonies are struggling. It’s also been great to link with other people from different businesses in Victoria.’ That inclusive attitude, it seems, perfectly encapsulates the ethos of Westminster Cathedral. westminstercathedral.org.uk
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DESIGNS FOR THE FUTURE w o r d s c h a r l i e t e a s d a l e ph o t o g r a phy t r e n t m c m i n n
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the students were tasked he Pimlico Academy with giving a presentation to Design Project offers investment executives and students the chance to planners from Land Securities experience the inner workings – with all the pressure of a real of a property development pitch for financial backing. company. It was launched in Teacher Edward James January and already it has from the Pimlico Academy been a roaring success. says, ‘Working with Land The project is the Securities on a collaborative brainchild of Land project has been an exciting Securities’ London Corporate and insightful experience for Responsibility Coordinator the students, giving them a Philip Barron, who knows A b ove: L and S e cur it ie s’ D eve lopment D ire c tor Step hen N e al , top lef t , and L e a s in g D ire c tor Adr i an C ro o k s w it h s t udent s unique understanding of how important it is for the f rom P imlico Ac ademy how a FTSE 100 commercial company to be involved in the communities it works in. ‘The school wanted something property company operates. Tasks such as creating plans that could help their young people develop their project outlining use of public space and a business model with management skills and introduce them to a different kind of financial forecasting and a sustainability appraisal has developed the students’ analysis, creativity, critical thinking career.’ Every fortnight over three months, six A-level pupils and business nous.’ However, it’s not only the individual students who from Pimlico Academy’s sixth form visited the Victoria Circle development, to get involved with the project’s stand to benefit from the programme, says Barron. The progress, working with architects, engineers, project involvement of nearby schools helps Land Securities share managers and leasing directors. Victoria Circle is Land its vision for the area. ‘It creates a positive perception of the Securities’ major development in the area, so it provided developments in the area. We want to have a close partnership with the community and get local people great material for the students. Each workshop is different and showcases another facet involved with the various regenerations’. Because of the success of the project, Land Securities is of Land Securities’ work. One was led by PLP Architecture, which has been working on Victoria Circle since 2002. It looking to replicate it with Pimlico Academy in the future, gave the students a great insight into the long-term planning as well as involving other local schools. In addition to required for this kind of development. Another, on stakeholder becoming one of the leisure, business and cultural hubs of engagement, was led by Rozanne Shipman from the Victoria the city, it would seem Victoria is set to become the place to Business Improvement District (BID). In the final workshop, be for the architects and developers of tomorrow.
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y Victoria is the Piazza, where I work, outside Westminster Cathedral. I don’t get out of the square much, but I like where I spend my days – it’s a peaceful place with a nice little community. I’ve been working in the area for about six months now. We fly a hawk here to scare the pigeons away from buildings and public spaces and make it cleaner for everyone. We’re not here to catch or hurt them, just move them on. Until we set up, there was a particular issue with pigeons in the area – about 200 of them were living around the Cathedral Piazza alone – but the majority of them have left now. They had made such a mess there, which is completely gone now because of the job that we’ve been doing. It feels really good to be associated with such a landmark – I love the place and it has such a great atmosphere. I like being part of Victoria and the people here enjoy us being around. Most of those I meet are inquisitive and interested in the hawk and what we’re doing. I’m always talking to people and have got to know quite a few of the locals. I like what the Victoria Business Improvement District (BID) is doing for the area, planting more trees
Stephen goodearl
and setting up beehives to encourage the bees, which are declining in numbers. It’s good that they’re putting such an effort into making the place cleaner and tidier; it’s so great for the community Patrolling the sky above Victoria, Jasper the hawk – with and has really helped to lift Victoria. They’re taking an the help of his falconer – is the scourge of local pigeons organic approach to change: i n t e r v i ew r o s I e s t e e r nothing too extreme, and all the improvements fit with the place and suit the ecosystem too. For example, the beehives are on top of big buildings, which means they’re out of the way. And, although you can’t really see them, you know they are doing such a good job. I’ve been a falconer for 13 years. When I was at school, I did work experience at a local hawking centre for a couple of weeks. I then worked there on a voluntary basis for a while, before they offered me a full-time position. It’s a good skill and a hobby that eventually became a job for me. I always use the same hawk, Jasper, who lives with me. We have quite a strong bond with each other; he could pick me out in a crowd of 200 people if he wanted to. They’re not affectionate, but they do recognise and want to be with you – I see him as a family member! You do get really attached, and I’m very passionate about what I do.
t h e H aw k M a n
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community
V i c t o r i a’ s C o m m u n i t y Let us know what you think about the changes in Victoria – email us at CommunityLiaisonVictoria@landsecurities.com
Get i n volv ed
Sm a rt busi n e ss
Join us at our regular community liaison group meetings, held every two months on Monday evenings. The meetings are open to all Victoria residents, and provide a forum to discuss the changes and developments in the area. The next meeting is on 22 July. Email us at the address above to reserve a spot.
Do you work in Victoria? Why not join our new stakeholder liaison group and meet other people with a vested interest in the exciting developments taking place in the area. The first meeting is planned for June. Again, you are welcome to email to let us know you are interested in joining us.
V ictor i a wa lki ng tou r s Victoria is changing. At Land Securities we are investing more than £2bn over the next decade to create a Victoria for the future, with spectacular residential opportunities, the best in contemporary office space and a new retail heart for the area. We would be delighted to share with you both our vision for the district and its hidden history on one of a series of tours for local people. Let us know if you’d like to participate – places are limited!
We ’ ve had s ome gr e at fe e d back on t he wal k s s o far… ‘We locals value our area and take pride in its history and the building site at the moment, but the improvements to the area when distinguished and interesting buildings still here. We are keen the work is complete will have been worth the inevitable disruption that, where they can be, they are preserved or enhanced alongside during the process.’ development. The mix brings added value to both old and new.’ ‘I found the walk most interesting. I find myself now looking up ‘Thank you very much for organising our guided walk last week: it when I’m walking and it’s amazing what you see when you look was very interesting and informative. Victoria is something of a around at the buildings.’
Victoria was sadly the site of a tragic cycling accident last month. While the Mayor of London is injecting investment into making our roads safer for cyclists, this clearly demonstrates a need for greater awareness for all road users. For more information on current campaigns, the vision for London cycling, cycling safe and free training, visit the Transport for London website: tfl.gov.uk To find out more about the new Victoria, go to www.createvictoria.com Published for Land Securities by Show Media Ltd www.showmedia.net