inSW1 Magazine – issue 3

www.inSW1.com

Fit for Business The gyms, spas and beauty salons of SW1 P4

Less Hell for Leather A new street signage system promises to pave the way to better routes P10

Victoria's Revival SW1's billion-pound redevelopment P18

Working together to create a destination of choice for business

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Issue-3 | Winter/Spring-2011

highlights

Editorial © Published by Victoria BID, 8a Lower Belgrave St., London SW1W 0LJ Tel 020 3004 0786 Fax 020 7730 0311 Editor-in-Chief: Ruth Duston Editor: Paul Vater paul.vater@insw1.com Design: www.sugarfreedesign.co.uk Print: Napier Jones Advertising: Paul Barratt at Sugarfree 020 7619 7430 Photography: Dominick Tyler, Richard Lewisohn and Paul Barratt.

Cover image: Lifeguard from the Queen Mother Sports Centre, Nuffield Health © Dominick Tyler

The Board Mike Noakes (Chairman), Victoria BID Mike has a long association with Victoria, having either worked or travelled through the area for most of his working life.

Trained as a Civil Engineer specialising in the planning and development of major transport infrastructure, he is passionate that major gateways such as Victoria should provide positive support and serve the businesses, residents and visitors who use them for commercial, retail and tourist activity.

Ruth Duston (Chief Executive), Victoria BID George Lynn, Angel Trains Martin Kelly, Capita Lovejoy Claudia Binkert, EDF Trading Jamie Simons, Experian David Morgan-Hewitt, The Goring Hotel Nigel Hughes, Grosvenor Michael O’Brien, Hesperia London Victoria Gary Merrick, John Lewis Colette O’Shea, Land Securities Andrew Halford, Marks & Spencer Calum Forbes, Microsoft Joelle Bailey, Network Rail Paul Green, Sainsbury’s Murray Rea, Starbucks Andrew Mills, Victoria Palace Theatre Ramesh Costa, Victoria Park Plaza Nic Harper, Wetherspoons OBSERVERS Mike Fairmaner, Westminster City Council John McNutley, TfL Matt Foley, Metropolitan Police Mick Clarke, The Passage

Contributors Kate Simon, Travel Editor, The Independent on Sunday Kate is a top UK travel journalist, with 25 years experience on national newspapers and magazines.

Simone Kane, Freelance travel writer During her 20-year career, Simone has worked for many national consumer titles.

Chris Kilvington, Freelance writer Chris has written on topics from solar panelling to sheds for a variety of organisations, including the NHS, Energy Saving Trust, universities and councils.

Nina Provençal, Marketing & Events Officer, Victoria BID. Please contact Nina to find out more about the BID at nina.provencal@insw1.com The opinions expressed in magazine are not necessarily those of the Victoria BID. All rights reserved and reproduction without written permission from Victoria BID is strictly prohibited. Although every care is taken of manuscripts, photographs and artwork submitted, neither Sugarfree nor Victoria BID can be held responsible for any loss or damage, however caused.

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Victoria is definitely open for business We continue to work with our partners to bring you information about our work, including the key phase of regeneration and transport upgrade we are now entering. This issue outlines some details of the planned upgrades and you can see regular updates on our website.

At the end of January, the press seemed to be full of advice to "avoid Victoria at all costs". Whilst there will be disruption as the underground is upgraded, this does not mean the closure of the whole of SW1. Victoria is still very much open for visitors looking to make this area of central London their base.

With the Royal Wedding taking place on our doorstep on 29 April, this year promises to be a landmark one for SW1. Victoria is well placed to join in and benefit from the celebrations that will mark this momentous occasion. The activity generated by the wedding will come as a welcome boost to local businesses and will help set us on the right road for next year’s highlights – the Queen's Diamond Jubilee and the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics. The Victoria BID has plans for taking full advantage of these international events on behalf of the businesses in our area.

There is no doubt that the year ahead will bring about mixed prospects for business.

The rise in VAT on 4 January from 17.5% to 20% is already influencing consumer spending and we need to keep an eye on its impact on potential for growth.

Now that the Coalition Government’s austerity measures are coming into focus, we are starting to see what the changes look like as they settle down across the public sector.

Westminster City Council’s budgets for the next financial year are still being finalised, services confirmed and reductions made, but there is a huge opportunity for the Victoria BID to play a fundamental role in easing what could be a difficult process. Our role in helping to find new ways of engaging with commercial business interests in delivering services being devolved from the public sector during the next 12 months is likely to become key to our economic development work.

In the spring, you will become aware of a sleek new signage system being installed across the area, paid for by the BID, in partnership with WCC and TfL. Legible London signage will be an important component introduced by the BID to provide better navigation for visitors arriving in Victoria – see page 12 of this issue to find out more.

And finally, as we endure one of the coldest winters experienced in recent years and with the excesses of the festive season still fresh in our memories, we have been talking to those businesses in the SW1 area that improve our general wellbeing and act as advocates for healthier lifestyle options. It is extremely reassuring to find that there are so many ways to reduce the long-term impact of winter’s wear and tear.

Ruth Duston, Chief Executive of Victoria BID

News in Brief FROM THE ROYAL WEDDING TO CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW Victoria, Pimlico and Belgravia need to be the destinations of choice when both business and leisure visitors are making decisions to take part in these key events. We are showcasing key offers from local businesses on our website. If you have something that would be of interest to our business and/or consumer community please contact paul.vater@inSW1.com A REAL GEM IN SW1 We are holding a "Diamond Search" competition in partnership with leading online jewellery company www.thediamondstore.co.uk.

Follow the trail and discover a real diamond, with a retail value of £3,000,

in celebration of romance and the forthcoming marriage of HRH Prince William and Kate Middleton.

MAKING BUSINESS SENSE We are publishing a programme of networking meetings this quarter in support of our local business community aimed at promoting inward investment as well as bolstering the local economy through positive and practical action and support.

MAKING VICTORIA BID THE GREENEST EVER Features in this magazine cover the type of projects we have planned.

More detailed project information will be found on our website along with details of the Integrated Habitats Design Competition, co-sponsored

by Victoria BID.

LONG-TERM SOLUTIONS FOR THE HOMELESS IN VICTORIA We are working with Victoria based charity, The Passage, providing donation points across the SW1 area so that people visiting Victoria for business and pleasure can donate freely without feeling intimidated by agressive begging.

See page 20 & 26 WHEN THE FACE FITS Some local businesses in the retail and hospitality sectors are involved in our Facewatch pilot scheme – a simple crime reporting system, due to report in April. See our website for more information about Facewatch.

For more information visit

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FEATURE

Fit for Business New year, new you. Whether you live, work or are just staying in the area, there are plenty of gyms and spas in Victoria to put you through your paces. And they're creating business opportunities in keeping our bodies beautiful. Kate Simon reports.

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t’s that time of year again, when the extra pounds you’ve put on and the enforced hours you’ve spent with the relatives over Christmas reveal the toll they’ve taken.

Lucky then that so many of us are resolved to rebuild the body beautiful and will be embracing the early days of 2011 by making a beeline for the spa and gym.

The first month of the new year is one of the most important moments for Britain’s

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We have seen an increase in sales of treatments and products to male clients.”

health and fitness industry, which is enjoying its tenth successive year of growth and is now worth £3.8bn nationally, according to trade body the Fitness Industry Association (FIA).

David Stalker, executive director of the FIA, confirms: “January is one of the busiest times of year for the fitness industry, along with September, making it a classic time for clubs to offer incentives to join.”

At Bannatyne’s – one of the major

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

health clubs in Victoria, which is also home to Fitness First, LA Fitness and the Queen Mother Sports Centre – getting us through the door is an important ongoing consideration for the business.

“Both Bannatyne’s Health Club and the Bannatyne Spa have specific marketing strategies and forecast figures for the whole year in advance, which consider all the trends throughout the calendar year,” says Natascha Germane, the General Manager of the Victoria branch. “We also have some individual in-house promotions that we will introduce at certain points in the year,” she adds.

As well as building the permanent membership, activities at Bannatyne’s include linking up with local hotels that don’t have their own gym or spa but want to give guests the chance to keep fit and indulge in a spot of pampering as part of their stay.

Natashcha says that this is something the company wants to explore further in 2011.

Such an arrangement is in place at The Goring, which, with no spa or gym of its own, has hooked up with LA Fitness, just a few minutes’ walk away. This special agreement means that as well as enjoying a luxurious stay in one of the capital’s leading five-star hotels, guests have easy access to a pool, sauna, state-of-the-art gym, fitness classes and treatments.

The Goring also offers in-room treatments, an alternative strategy that is pursued

by many of the hotels in Victoria without spa facilities. For example, Mint Hotel, formerly known as City Inn, has a gym but no treatment rooms, so instead an outside therapist is on hand for individual bookings delivered in the comfort of guests’ suites.

Guests at The Halkin Hotel are able to use the COMO Shambhala Urban Escape, one of London’s most glamorous spas, at its sister hotel The Metropolitan on nearby Park Lane. And the new Eccleston Square Hotel, due to open in Pimlico in April, will include Hästen’s MindSpa TV, an audiovisual system that aims to enhance deep relaxation.

Only a few hotels in the area currently have in-house wellbeing suites and gyms.

These facilities aren’t always restricted to guests’ use but can also be accessed by Victoria’s residents, the local workforce and people passing through.

The Hesperia Hotel has a well-equipped gym but it is currently reserved for the use of residents only. Meanwhile, at Dolphin Square, leisure facilities are open to nonresidents, too. Sign up to use the fitness suite, which has a pool, sauna and steam rooms, a fully equipped gym, and tennis and squash courts. It lays on alternative therapies courtesy of the Calmer Clinic.

One of the most sumptuous locally is The Spa at 51, which serves both the Crowne Plaza St James and 51 Buckingham Gate, and features therapists and treatments by one of the world’s top spa names, Ann Sémonin.

Plus, it has a menu specially designed for men, using the new natural skincare range Osmium. Martin Buschman, spa manager, notes the growth of this market. “We’ve seen an increase in sales of treatments and products to male clients,” he confirms.

And it’s not just SW1’s gyms and spas that are offering a route to better wellbeing.

An alternative strategy is offered by SW1’s cycle shops and hire companies, including Action Bikes, Dial a Bike, Cycle Surgery and Evans Cycles. Runners Need and House of Fraser stock comprehensive ranges of fitness gear and kit.

No excuses, it’s time to get in shape.

After all, those Easter eggs are just a matter of weeks away.

For more information about places to visit in the Victoria area, including Pimlico and Belgravia, please visit our website.

Ease yourself into the New Year with a host of indulgent beauty treats across Belgravia With the New Year upon us and the decadence of the festive season a distant (and perhaps guilty) memory, why not beat the winter blues with some peaceful pampering in Belgravia and Mayfair. Beautiful Belgravia is home to an array of luxurious day spas, salons and perfumeries – an oasis of calm in the very heart of London.

The delightful cobbled Motcomb Street is a veritable haven of pampering possibilities. Condé Nast Traveller’s 2010 UK Day Spa of the Year, Glow Urban Spa (also on Pimlico Road), Jumeirah’s Peak Health Club & Spa and the COMO Shambhala offering at the nearby Halkin will no doubt tempt those looking to ease into the New Year with a sense of tranquillity and wellbeing.

Those embarking on a "New Year, New You" mantra, should pay a visit to Cosmetics à la Carte, where a team of experts will transform your beauty regime and devise a bespoke make-up and skincare plan just for you.

Why not brighten up lifeless locks at any one of a number of hair salons on the street – from the award-winning Errol Douglas to the organic haven of Daniel Galvin Jnr and the friendly neighbourhood salon, Gianni & Claudie. Alongside, this, the alluring aromas of Amouage and nearby Annick Goutal will tempt you with their wonderful array of women’s, men’s and home fragrances – a perfect addition to any discerning dressing table.

See www.grosvenorlondon.com/ Locations/Explore/Motcomb/Pages/ streetBase.aspx for more details

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HEARTS AND MINDS

Health in SW1

Keeping up appearances Resolutions to rejuvenate ourselves in gyms and spas can achieve amazing results.

But we need regular grooming sessions to keep looking our best, says Simone Kane.

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herever you’re based in SW1, there’s help at hand to keep your newyear body beautiful in tip-top condition.

There are scores of salons offering general “maintenance” beauty therapies, such as waxing and eyebrow shaping, and a number of tanning studios where you can achieve that post-Christmas glow.

But there’s also a good selection of specialist clinics offering more technical treatments, such as stretch mark or acne scar removal and laser surgery. Beauty 2000 & The Moll Clinic on Pimlico’s Churton Street, for example, offers the full range of “techno” and beauty services – from tailormade pamper packages and facial skincare therapies to blood and liver spot removal.

While over in Westminster, on Horseferry Road, independent salon Headlines Hair & Beauty has been servicing the beauty needs of local residents and employees for more than three years. “Our most popular treatment,” says owner Ann Kennefick, “is a half-leg wax – it’s quick and painless enough to fit into a break and still leaves time for lunch.”

Her beauty therapist also offers – exclusively in the UK – the Indermolift LPG Lipo Massage. The 100 per cent natural treatment works wonders to lift those seasonal saggy bits. Even Ann – a confirmed “magic results” sceptic – vouches for its effectiveness.

And don’t dismiss the department stores on the doorstep. House of Fraser on Victoria Street includes brow and nail bars, as well as offering eyelash and pedicure services.

If you believe beauty comes from with-in, there is a handful of clinics specialising in complementary, dietary and alternative therapies. The National Nutrition Clinic on Vauxhall Bridge Road offers food intolerance testing and nutritional advice, while Shangri-La on Wilton Road has 20 years’ experience in Chinese medicine.

Need your back clicked or your feet prodded? Head to the Pimlico Clinic, on Churton Street, which counts acupuncture, chiropody and reflexology among the treatments that it offers at its central Victoria clinic.

And you can keep up the good work at home, thanks to the comprehensive choice of health and beauty retailers in SW1.

High-street staples such as Lush, Body Shop, Neal’s Yard and Molton Brown are all here.

Or soothe your conscience by shopping at Appuru, on Moreton Street, which specialises in Fair Trade natural and organic beauty products. Then you’ll be feeling good in mind as well as body.

See opposite for a selected listings of local health and beauty outlets.

For more information about places to visit in the Victoria area, including Pimlico and Belgravia, please visit our website.

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Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

LISTINGS

Beauty salons in SW1 Bannatynes 4 Millbank, SW1P 3JA

The UK’s largest independent health-club operator.

T 020 7233 3579 www.bannatyne.co.uk/fitness/ millbank.htm Beauty 2000 and The Moll Clinic 15A Churton Street, SW1V 2LY T 020 7821 5859

www.beauty2000.co.uk

Bijoux Medi-spa 149/149A Ebury Street, SW1W 9QN T 020 7730 0765

www.bijoux-medispa.co.uk/ Body Beautiful 17A Strutton Ground, SW1P 2HY T 020 7799 3293 Browns Tanning Studio 11 Strutton Ground, SW1P 2HY T 020 7222 8442

www.brownstanning.co.uk

Colin & Karen Hair & Beauty 39 Lower Belgrave Street, SW1W 0LS T 020 7730 7440 Cuttingedge 39 Wilton Road, SW1V 1LJ T 020 7630 1829 Giuseppe 20 Eccleston Street, SW1W 9LT T 020 7730 2968

Incredible You 40 Moreton Street, SW1V 2PB T 020 7821 1020

Spirit of Beauty 64-65 Wilton Road, SW1V 1DE

Kirsty McLeod 34 Moreton Street, SW1V 2PD T 0117 924 0181

St James Health and Beauty 11-13 Strutton Ground, SW1P 2HY T 020 7222 4588

www.incredibleyou.co.uk

Lasercare Clinics Unit 4, The Exchange, 61-71 Victoria Street, SW1H 0EU Les Senteurs 71 Elizabeth Street, SW1W 9PJ

Specialist perfumery shop T 020 7730 2322 www.shop.lessenteurs.com Molton Brown Unit 4, 96 Cardinal Place, SW1E 5JE

Luxury beauty products, gifts, fragrances, men's grooming, bath and shower gels, handwash and lotion and travel kits.

T 0207 828 2203 www.moltonbrown.co.uk Natural Beauty 48 Warwick Way, SW1V 1RY

Organic and ethical luxury health and beauty products T 020 7834 9900 Neal's Yard Remedies Unit B Victoria Station, SW1V 1JU T 020 7630 0340

www.nealsyardremedies.com/ victoria-store SKN Clinic

69 Victoria St, SW1H 0HW T 0844 669 6028 www.sknclinics.co.uk

www.stjamesbeauty.co.uk St James Beauty Salon 13 Strutton Ground, SW1P 2HY T 020 7222 8442

www.stjamesbeauty.co.uk Stephen Casali 161 Ebury Street, SW1W 9QN

Victoria Place Shopping Centre, Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 9SA T 020 7828 2778

Skin care, cosmetics, skin care, make up, bath, body and hair products, fragrances. www.thebodyshop.co.uk The Hair Shop 39-40 Buckingham Gate, SW1E 6BS

A premier hair and beauty salon for men and women. Kerastase, Aveda and Dermalogica Consultant Salon.

T 020 7233 7833 www.thehairshop.co.uk

Specialising in bridal hair T 020 7730 2196

The Tanning Shop 34 Palmer Street, SW1H 0PH

SW1 Hair & Beauty 40 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1W 0RE

Colonnade Walk, Buckingham Palace Road,SW1W 9SH T 020 7932 0513

Offers a range of beauty treatments including manicures and pedicures.

T 020 7828 2134 www.ryan-hair.com Tantalizing 9 Denbigh Street, SW1V 2HF T 020 7834 7799

www.tantalizingfacebody.com The Beauty Rooms @ Headline 50 Horseferry Road, SW1P 2AF T 020 7222 2687 The Body Shop 10 Kingsgate Parade, Kingsgate House, 66-74 Victoria Street, SW1E 6SH T 020 7931 8444

020 7976 7292

www.thetanningshop.co.uk Thip Hair & Beauty 12 Vauxhall Bridge Road, SW1V 2SD

Hair and beauty salon T 020 7821 7030

Twenty Nine Moreton Street 29 Moreton Street, SW1V 2NZ

Hair and beauty salon T 020 7630 7863

Znips 75 Wilton Road, SW1V 1DE

Hairdressers and beauty salon T 020 7828 6688 info@znips.co.uk

For Special offers please visit our website

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GREENING OF SW1

Roots manoeuvre

A Green Infrastructure Audit, commissioned by the Victoria BID team in 2010, has sown the seed for a greener, biodiverse future for SW1. Chris Kilvington digs deeper.

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limb above the Victoria and Westminster skyline, to floors nine and ten of the building that houses London Underground and St James’s Tube station, and you might be surprised to find two green roofs planted with native wildflowers, sedums and bulbs. Away from the rush below, the living roofs of 55 Broadway don’t just sit pretty but play an important function, soaking up rain-water and providing a wildlife habitat that encourages rare invertebrates, such as sand bees.

These urban features might be extraordinary today, but, if a recent audit of green infrastructure in SW1 is anything to go by, they might not be in the years to come. The survey, which was drafted by Land Use Consultants and the Green Roof Consultancy as part of the BID’s Clean and Green initiative, sought out existing parks, green spaces, wildlife sites, trees, features incorporated into the built environment – such as the roofs above 55 Broadway –

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and other public and private spaces. More importantly, perhaps, it also noted potential for enhancing existing green features and introducing new ones.

“At ground level, we are looking at planting more trees, beds and rain gardens,” said Martin Kelly, Managing Director of land planning firm Capita Lovejoy and Chair of the Clean and Green Steering Group. “The next dimension is green-wall technology and then to roof level with green and brown roofs. There is the fourth dimension, too: that of time and maintenance, which will be key to the success of what we do.”

As the name suggests, the Clean and Green initiative is a story in two parts.

The audit is the BID team’s biggest step on the "green" side, setting a baseline for development that will not only make the district more attractive for people and businesses but also bring significant benefits to the economy and the environment, including new habitats and migration

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

routes for wildlife, help to adapt to climatic changes and increasing flood risk, cooling air during hotter months and reducing the effects of pollution.

On the ground, verges, planting beds and rain garden features could offer a visual greening effect while alleviating surfacelevel flooding by allowing water to soak away rather than enter the storm-water system.

Potential sites have been identified for green walls, which offer similar benefits. And, though there are ground-level opportunities to introduce native plants that attract birds and insects – Lower and Upper Grosvenor Gardens, for example – greenroof installations appear to offer the best opportunity for encouraging wildlife.

“We know that around 32% of central London buildings have flat roofs that could be greened,” said Dusty Gedge of the Green Roofs Consultancy.” In total, around 29 hectares of SW1 roof space was surveyed and, of this space, 25 hectares showed the potential to support living roof habitats.

The study also pinpointed opportunities to enhance more than 1.5 hectares of existing infrastructure and create more than a hectare of new green features below roof level.

“This BID initiative is already becoming an exemplar project,” said Dusty, “because I can’t think of anywhere in the world where

In total, around 29 hectares of SW1 roof space was surveyed and, of this space, 25 hectares showed the potential to support living roof habitats.

a neighbourhood has been assessed in this way, even in North America.”

As a major commercial centre and transport hub, enhancement and regeneration in Victoria is seen as a priority in Westminster City Council’s Local Development Framework, while urban greening and climate change are also at the heart of government and London mayoral policy.

Considering the modern-day significance, the Clean and Green initiative and audit steering group has attracted input from a wide range of organisations including the London Biodiversity Partnership, the Greater London Authority and Natural England.

“This is definitely a unique piece of research,” said Martin. “I also don’t think there’s ever been a delivery group like ours, which puts us in a very unique position.”

“Our vision is to create one of the greenest business improvement districts

– not just in London, but anywhere. The survey gives us our baseline, and the next steps are design and feasibility, and then delivery. It’s very exciting.”

(Above and opposite page, left to right) Completed in November 2009, 55 Broadway is a roof garden that soaks up rain water, while offering a wildlife habitat in the centre of London; This roof in Canary Wharf is built up with crushed brick and concrete substrate with pine bark, shingle and a small area of sedum mat; A rain garden in suburban London; The award-winning Laban Dance Centre, Creekside, Greenwich - see page 11 for more details; Rain garden in Portland, Oregon, USA. These are often used in parking areas that would otherwise be expanses of concrete, adding to the environmental problems of surface flooding.

You can read more about the vision and progress of the Clean and Green initiative on our website

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CASE STUDIES

Lessons to learn As the Victoria BID sets in motion a series of initiatives, we look at examples of the type of projects that have been introduced elsewhere and proved successful.

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Kensington High Street

royal borough of kensington and chelsea, london (2003)

Between 1995 and 1998 the Council commissioned Urban Initiatives to establish a strategy and recommendations for High Street Improvements. These began in earnest in 2000 and consisted of removing all unnecessary visual and physical clutter from the street, coordinating the design and location of new street furniture, and coherently defining the footway/ carriageway boundary.

The layout of the footpath and carriageway has been rationalised with the removal of pavement build-outs and clearly defining the footpath kerb line. Re-organisation of traffic lanes has allowed footpath widths to be increased on the more heavily used south side of the street, and for the central reserve to be increased to 3m to accommodate existing cycle parking and allow the planting of trees.

Lord Rogers of Riverside has said of the scheme: “It is the first time I have seen such high quality in England, easily comparable to the best examples on the continent.”

Further information - www.cabe.org.uk

Royal Arsenal woolwich (2005)

A Berkeley Homes residential development, this green-roof project was completed to enable the footprint of the structure to be handed back to the community for recreational purposes and is an exceptional example of how a flat roof can benefit the local community. The construction was completed on time and within budget.

Royal Arsenal recently secured first place in the 2006 Flat Roofing Alliance (FRA) awards, gaining recognition in the best refurbishment project over 1,000 square metres, and was commended by the judges, who described it as “a welldelivered roofing solution, coupled with the creation of a very impressive amenity space. A good, green solution.” It was completed in 2005.

Further information www.livingroofs.org.uk

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

Walthamstow Town Square, Gardens and High Street

Barclays Bank

churchill place, canary wharf (2005)

walthamstow (initiated 1 9 9 9 and completed 2005)

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This large site is also high up and had to be constructed using light substrates and planted with drought- and windtolerant plants. Sedum mats were pre-grown and rolled out on the roof and combined with areas of pine bark and locally sourced recycled crushed brick and concrete [from Charlton]. Specially designed erosion mats counter high winds, enabling a small amount of soil to be seeded with wildflowers. Shingle and pebbles support rare insects and invertebrates that find this an ideal home.

Not accessible to tenants, it is monitored

by UCL as a research project. Bernie McGinty (Head of Engineering at Barclays) says: “Building a roof designed for biodiversity so high hadn’t been done before. We didn’t know whether the soil would simply blow away, or if a truly biodiverse culture could spring up so high above ground. In the end, we needn’t have worried and I’m delighted with the result.”

Further information www.livingroofs.org.uk

This scheme consists of three interconnected zones: the High Street; Town Square; and Town Gardens. A double avenue of existing mature lime trees have had fences and vegetation cleared away to sit them in areas of cedec gravel.

A new footpath has been created that links the new bus terminal and shopping centre.

A large swathe of grass sits at the heart of the scheme, with most of the existing trees and bushes removed to open up vistas. The ground has been subtly remodelled to create viewing areas for the performance space and to discourage activities such as football and provide a natural buffer against Selbourne Road.

Shrub planting is focused on the edges of the site and in areas around the sensory garden, which provides a degree of enclosure and separation from the main space. A 2m-high brick wall and planting provides protection against the adjacent bus terminal.

This scheme won the Mayor's Award for Planning Excellence at the 2004 London Planning Awards.

Laban Dance Centre creekside, greenwich (2002) The award-winning Laban Dance Centre, designed by Herzog & De Meuron (also responsible for Tate Modern), is located in the Deptford Creek area of South London and was the first of its kind. The building won the RIBA "building of the year" award, and Herzog & de Meuron won the Stirling Prize for the Laban Dance Centre building in 2003. The building has the first "brown" roof ever built in London for Black Redstarts. It consists of crushed demolition waste from the site mixed and applied to the roof.

Brownfields became common here providing habitat and breeding areas for native birds, plants and insects. Work has since gathered pace, partly due to their linking up to Stephan Brenneisan's research in Basel, Switzerland, and also bringing the UK's own ideas into action through circumstances, and rigorous promotion and advocacy. In this regard, particular credit goes to Dusty Gedge of www.blackredstarts.org.uk and www.livingroofs.org.uk.

Further information - www.cabe.org.uk

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ENVIRONMENT

Less Hell for our Leather A new pedestrian information system that aims to encourage walking and simplify journeys on foot is coming to a pavement near us in 2011.

Chris Kilvington puts his best foot forward.

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egible London, a shared initiative between Transport for London and local boroughs, is set to come to our aid in SW1, making use of a range of information sources to help walkers reach destinations quickly and easily. We're not talking your average set of signs and maps, though. Information has been developed to sync with the way we think and act as walkers – how we interact with our surroundings and relate one place to another.

It’s a system that was first trialled at the end of 2007 around Bond Street tube station.

The prototype was popular with the public, so its scope in the West End was extended to other parts of Bond Street and to Oxford Street and Regent Street.

Installations were also introduced between Bloomsbury and Covent Garden, around the South Bank and Bankside, and further south in Richmond and Twickenham.

Legible London is designed to help residents and local workers as much as it is tourists. Plus, it caters for different types of journey, from the quickest, most efficient routes to more laidback wanders.

Three-dimensional images of landmark buildings are flagged en-route and information links up with other modes of transport, so when you step off the Tube

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you can quickly identify your next steps – literally.

Coordinated information is key to the initiative’s success, says Legible London.

Its research found that one of the biggest barriers to walking around the city was the lack of clear, connected on-street information, resulting in many people falling back on their London Underground map to navigate over-ground. Through years of development between Transport for London and boroughs, Legible London will become the sign system for the capital, with competing information removed from the streets.

In SW1, a total of 132 installations are planned, with around 30 sites dedicated to the BID area. Victoria BID is part-financing

Putting one foot in front of the other is the simplest way to move around and experience our great city

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

implementation across the district, paying £100,000 into the scheme. In October, Westminster Council and Legible London ran a workshop with BID members and residents, where discussions focused on the local information that would be of most use to walkers. The team is now out and about pinpointing locations, with foundation plates for signs and maps due to spring up early in the year – look out for the Legible London "walking man" brand.

As well as improving public health, it is hoped that the Legible London information will benefit the transport system, economy, tourism and the environment. “Putting one foot in front of the other is the simplest way to move around and experience our great city,” said Mayor Boris Johnson at the initiative’s launch.

And, you have to admit he’s right. There can be no better way to see our capital than on foot.

For more information about places to visit in the Victoria area, including Pimlico and Belgravia, please visit our website.

www.inSW1.com

All the pictures here show the existing signage around other areas of London, including parts of Mayfair, Wesminster and Kensington.

You will see from this selection of signage that the Legible London system will provide a clear and intuitive way for all visitors to Victoria, whether here on business or pleasure, to navigate their way around the SW1 neighbourhood on foot, giving clear directions and estimated walking distances between streets, transport links and key buildings or landmarks.

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SHOP INSW1

CARDINAL PLACE

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SW1 GALLERY WAGAMAMA MARKS & SPENCER EDWARD GOODYEAR HA! HA! LA TASCA COSTA LLOYDS TSB

PORTLAND HOUSE

CARDINAL PLACE

SPECSAVERS GOLDSMITHS MONSSON TOPSHOP JONES ZARA THE NORTH FACE CYCLE SURGERY RUNNERS NEED

WESTMINSTER CHAPEL

51 BUCKHINGHAMGATE

(INCL. QUILLAN, BANK ZANDERS BAR)

LIBRARY WESTMINSTER CITY HALL SAINSBURY'S RYNESS CLINTON CARDS EAT VISION EXPRESS BODY SHOP TM LEWIN PRET A MANGER NATIONWIDE PELLINI UOMO LONDON LUGAGE CO OLIVER BONAS PIZZA HUT

PALACE STREET

(BILLY ELLIOT)

ELAND HOUSE

FITNESS FIRST

VICTORIA PALACE THEATRE

RISKY GARFUNKELS BETTER BET

DUKE OF YORK

SAINSBURY'S LOCAL FITNESS FIRST BELLA ITALIA PIZZA EXPRESS

ASK

TM SUTTON

INTERNET CAFE

ALLINGTON STREET

THISTLE WESTMINSTER

BRESSENDAN PLACE

RUBENS

SCOTCH STEAK HOUSE GENEVIEVE AMERICAN STEAK HOUSE HSBC

BALLS BROTHERS

BUCKINGHAM PALACE ROAD

BUCKINGHAM PALACE THE ROYAL COLLECTION, THE QUEEN'S GALLERY

ACCESSORIZE HAWES & CURTIS MOLTON BROWN L'OCCITAINE THORNTON'S NANDO'S ZIZZI EAT BOOTS HOBBS

Victoria street HOUSE OF FRASER

CAFE NERO BOOTS 0₂ SANTANDER RBS JAYEMS CARDS GALORE T-MOBILE WASABI HOTEL CHOCOLAT THE PERFUME SHOP STARBUCKS BROOK STREET BUREAU DE CHANGE REED BOOTS OPTICIANS CARPHONE WAREHOUSE CLARKS

MACDONALDS CURRY'S DIGITAL HOLLAND & BARRETT ITSU

MOSS BROS

VODAPHONE

NATWEST JOHN LEWIS HQ

(WICKED)

CARLISLE PLACE

HESPERIA LONDON

APOLLO VICTORIA THEATRE

THE PASSAGE

AT ION RIA S T

SAUDI ARABIAN AIRLINES

V IC TO

E

PRET A MANGER

LAC

VAUXHALL BRIDGE RD

US P

HALIFAX

MIN

WILTON ROAD

PREZZO TIMPSONS REED FOOD & WINE SHAKIES JR SHOE REPAIR PLAY 2 WIN CATCH 22 BUREAU DE CHANGE ACCESS TICKETS WILLIAM HILL EUROCHANGE HSTAIN

THE GROSVENOR

TER

WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL

PARK PLAZA SEE www.victoriaplaceshopping.com FOR MORE ON SHOPPING VICTORIA STATION

SEE WWW.HOUSEOFFRASER.CO.UK FOR MORE DETAILS ON SHOPPING AT HOUSE OF FRASER

DONATE HERE

Victoria Street

With its high-street favourites, independent names and a lively open-air market, Victoria Street is the beating heart of this busy neighbourhood, says Kate Simon.

I

t’s easy to dismiss Victoria Street as just another busy London thoroughfare catering to faceless commuters and the tourists wandering between SW1’s two great sights, Buckingham Palace and Westminster Abbey. Yet this bustling shopping parade is, in fact, the high street of a vibrant neighbourhood.

Victoria’s main retail hotspot – which stretches from the Abbey to the Cathedral – offers a huge variety of shopping and sustenance for the residents and workforce that make up the local community, as well as those just passing through. This is due to the sheer choice offered, which ranges from independent stores, such as the gift shop John and Trinny Hay, and renowned

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worldwide brands including the global coffee stop Starbucks.

The presence of one of the capital’s leading department stores, House of Fraser, the shiny new shopping piazza, Cardinal Place, and the open-air market at Strutton Ground makes for a compelling retail offering.

And despite tough economic times, Victoria Street’s retailers are reporting that plenty of customers are still coming through their doors, thought they are noticing people are spending more wisely and demanding bright ideas from their favourite shops to keep them coming back for more.

Nasresh Somaiya, manager of the Victoria Street branch of Moss Bros, has

recently moved to the area from a previous job in Sloane Square. “The footfall is excellent,” he remarks.

But Naresh has also noticed that there are lots of bargain hunters around at the moment. “And people are looking for something different,” he adds. So, although Moss Bros is best known for hiring quality formal wear, Naresh says it is embracing new ideas to meet this demand. “We’re introducing more renowned designer names,” he confirms.

Naresh is keen to see the conclusion of the improvement works to the railway station, which he believes will give the look of the area a real boost. Caroline Oborne,

Victoria’s main retail hotspot offers a huge variety of shopping and sustenance

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

PETTY FRANCE THE FEATHERS

ST JAMES'S PARK

DOLPHINS SNAX

LLOYDS TSB

TFL

THE ALBERT

NT SHOP

MEMORIAL TO THE SUFFRAGETTE MOVEMENT

BROADWAY

CAXTON STREET

POST OFFICE MEMORIAL TO HENRY PURCELL

CENTRAL HALL WESTMINSTER N EW SCOTLAND YARD

storey's gate

LE CLUB CAFE

NEWS AGENTS

BRUNO

N ATIONAL MAP CENTRE

PALMER

ADAM & EVE

BUCKINGHAM ARMS

BUCKINGHAM GATE

Victoria Street

STAR

PRISON MINISTRY SERVICE OF HQ JUSTICE

STARBUCKS

T HE OLD

B ON

GUSTO CAMERA

MAP

STATUE OF WINSTON CHURCHILL

STATUE OF ABRAHAM LINCOLN

PARLIAMENT SQUARE

SUPREME COURT

STATUE OF NELSON MANDELA

Victoria street ABBINGDON STREET

GREAT PETER STREET

General Store Manager at House of Fraser, agrees. But she also believes that a further piece of work needs to be done on making the shopping experience easier for the public and stop the dislocation of the two sides of this major road.

“It’s hard to cross Victoria Street," she says. "We need to make it easier to transfer from one side to the other – that’s something to think about for the future."

Caroline believes that the key to Victoria Street’s ongoing prosperity lies in businesses getting together to create a unified strategy.

The BID in setting up a forum for local retailers which will begin in April 2011.

“We will be able to share what works and what doesn’t," she says. "The whole of the high street will be involved, including the restaurants.

STARBUCKS

RYMANS LEONIDAS YOUR DENTIST BENJYS NATWEST

DAVID CLOLOW RAVELLO COFFEE SNAPPY SNAPS SK:N BUREAU DE CHANGE SERGIO'S HAIRDRESSERS JASMINE

MR MOBILE

SHOE MASTER

PRET A MANGER

CHILTERN FLOWERS

COLOSSEO

PIZZA EXPRESS

DALES NEWS

HAMLETS

THE COLOUR COMPANY

SANTANDER

ARTILLERY ROW

STRUTTON GROUND

WESTMINSTER CATHEDRAL

Step out of Victoria Station, with the Victoria Palace Theatre in front of you, and turn immediately right onto Victoria Street . This major London thoroughfare runs from the seat of government, Parliament Square, to Buckingham Palace Road 1 minute's walk from Victoria Station

PLEASE NOTE: THIS MAP IS NOT DRAWN TO SCALE

“We need to work out how our companies are going to work together during the Olympic Games in 2012, for example," continues Caroline. "We are going to be a tourist hub – so how do we attract these people into the shops? One of the ideas that I have put forward for House of Fraser is to put a bureau de change in the building.”

And Caroline believes that any plans must also embrace the people who work in the retail outlets as well as those who use them. “I have 350 staff; I wonder what can we do for each other’s staff? We should make this part of the business strategy, too,” she adds.

This thriving street is weathering the economic storm and is heading towards a bright future, for retailers and customers alike.

(Top) The bell tower of Westminster Cathedral is a well-known landmark.

For more information about places to visit in Victoria, please visit our website.

www.inSW1.com

(Above) Cardinal Place, seen from the station looking eastwards up Victoria Street towards Parliament Square.

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SAFE & SECURE

Collective Intelligence In October, the Victoria BID registered as a member of the City Security and Resilience Networks. Its CEO, Richard Bingley, speaks to Chris Kilvington about the importance of collective risk-planning in counter-terrorism.

A

not-for-profit enterprise, the City Security and Resilience Network (CSARN) brings together more than 10,000 security leaders from UK industry, the police force and the emergency services, encouraging joint planning and intelligencesharing for business security and staff safety.

“Terrorism alerts are severe at the moment for very good reason,” says Richard.

“With increased extremism and political violence occurring in central London, there is a feeling that this is the most volatile

50% of all companies don’t have business continuity plans and, of those companies, half again don’t practise them every year.

time for many years. Cyber attacks are particularly prevalent, with over half of all recorded malicious software attacks happening in 2009, activated by people trying to destabilise systems.”

The Victoria BID has joined the network as a corporate member partner to support partnership building and business continuity planning across the district. The BID will be arranging for local businesses to take advantage of CSARN services, and the security enterprise will be running events in

For more about forthcoming activities with VBID, contact Simon Reason, VBID’s Business Crime Reduction Officer, on 020 3004 0788 or visit our website for more information

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Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

JUST BELOW THE SURFACE

Tothill Fields Prison A dark secret from Victoria’s past lies beneath its bustling high street.

Kate Simon explains.

2011 to help SW1 businesses develop their commercial networks.

“Lessons from previous terrorist attacks show companies that practise evacuation and emergency exercises have better staff protection and business recovery rates,” says Richard. “Big disasters typically affect groups of organisations rather than one, so collective risk-planning offers mutual benefits. One of our aims is to bring information forward for companies, making it more affordable and accessible.”

“Currently, 50% of companies don’t actually have business continuity plans and, of those companies, half again don’t practise them every year. One of the biggest challenges for us is bringing SMEs into the fold, to convince them that they really can do something to protect their business and members of staff.”

In 2010, CSARN won CIR Magazine’s Business Continuity Initiative of the Year Award. As well as providing front-end risk assessment and a twice-monthly Security Risk Monitor to subscribing members, it runs eight to ten briefings in the capital every year, which tackle a variety of topics that include physical security, crisis management, crisis communications, risk assessments, due diligence, hotel and hospitality security, business travel security and cyber attacks.

“I’m hugely impressed that VBID want to be part of the network. As well us sharing our knowledge with business security personnel in Victoria, we’re keen to learn something from their experiences.”

To find out more about business continuity contact simon.reason@inSW1.com or for CSARN visit – www.csarn.org www.inSW1.com

A

s you join the crowds in search of a bargain in the sales, take a moment to consider the history that lies beneath the hundreds of feet pounding Victoria Street’s pavements. For this busy commercial strip was once home to one of London’s oldest jails, Tothill Fields Prison.

What’s more, some of its cells could be among the stranger finds in the bowels of the House of Fraser department store, which first opened in 1872 as the flagship outlet of the historic retail chain Army & Navy. “There are lots of interesting things down in the basement of the store – we found some old weighing scales from the Army & Navy days. But most exciting are these cells we’ve found,” confirms general manager Caroline Oborne.

A prison was first sited in Victoria in the early 17th century on land bought from the Benedictine monks who built Westminster Abbey. It was a grim new role for this reclaimed marshland, which, until then, had been variously used as a marketplace, fairground, pleasure garden, and to house a ring for bull-baiting. The original prison – named Bridewell – was an important house of correction for the City of London; at first, the poor were incarcerated within its walls, though by the late 17th century convicted criminals were sent here, too.

In 1834, the jail made way for a larger prison that was built in the area, designed by the architect Robert Abraham. It is said to have covered eight acres of land, built in a circle to enable the guards to have the best vantage point from which to watch up to 900 prisoners. In 1877 the prison closed and the land was sold to the Catholic Church, which laid the foundation stone of Westminster Cathedral on the site in 1895.

You can see The Stone Gateway to the prison in nearby Little Sanctuary, at the back of Middlesex Guildhall, where it was re-sited by the Greater London Council in the late 1960s. The structure is thought to be the only remains of the 16th century prison. Perhaps the staff at House of Fraser have uncovered more evidence of Victoria’s enigmatic past.

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INTERVIEW

Victoria: the multibillion-pound revival Colette O’Shea talks to inSW1 about Land Securities’ ambitious plans for Victoria.

By attracting new commercial, residential and retail developments, they promise to put the area firmly on the map as a destination for business, leisure and London living.

A

s you walk along Victoria Street you can’t fail to get a sense that change is afoot. Construction is now well underway on 62 Buckingham Gate, a landmark prism-like structure on the corner of Victoria Street and Buckingham Gate. Due for completion in spring 2013, the stunning development will provide more than 23,500 square-metres of prime office space with high-profile retail units at ground level.

Taken in isolation, the development will make a huge improvement to Victoria’s streetscape, and will build on the success of the vibrant office and retail space on offer at nearby Cardinal Place. However, it isn't alone.

Across the road, work has just started on the redevelopment of 123 Victoria Street, transforming the office space within the building’s interior and the surrounding public realm. Significant changes will be made to the area around Westminster Cathedral, improving the look of the streetscape and providing much needed open space for local residents and workers to enjoy.

Meanwhile, a stone’s throw away on Buckingham Gate, Land Securities’ Wellington House is fast taking shape, bringing prime London residential accommodation – from studios to fourbed penthouses with roof-terrace views of Buckingham Palace – to Victoria.

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Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

(Opposite) 62 Buckingham Gate (Left) Wellington House (Below) 123 Victoria Street

Speaking to Colette O’Shea, Development Director for Land Securities’ London Portfolio, it’s clear that this is only the beginning. “Victoria is one of the most visited parts of London. It’s the home of royalty, the political powerhouse of Westminster, the chosen HQ for a variety of leading businesses and the Capital’s busiest transport hub. However, despite its distinct historical and cultural significance, and its enviable transport connections, it is fair to say Victoria hasn’t always been seen as a destination in its own right.

“We’re seizing the opportunity to put Victoria well and truly on the map, working with Westminster City Council on an ambitious multi-billion pound development programme that will see the area transformed over the next five years, and beyond.”

At the heart of Land Securities’ development plans is a belief that the ongoing success of Victoria lies in its diversity. Its mixed-use developments will deliver the very best in retail, commercial or residential space, and create a thriving commercial and residential community in the heart of the city. Land Securities

We’re seizing the opportunity to put Victoria well and truly on the map with an ambitious development programme that will see the area transformed over the next five years, and beyond.

is investing in communities by working in partnership to deliver employment, education and skills opportunities around its development sites, supporting the long-term economic viability of an area.

Land Securities’ plans for the Victoria Transport Interchange will encompass six new buildings in the area bordered

by Victoria Street, Bressenden Place and Buckingham Palace Road, providing prime office space alongside prominent retail space on the ground and first-floor levels with cafes

and restaurants lining the new pedestrian routes. More than 200 new apartments and affordable housing units will also be created and a huge amount of public space will be made available across the site.

O’Shea is confident that the plans will not only bring huge benefits to businesses and residents already in Victoria, but will also help to attract newcomers to the area.

It will bring a wealth of new ideas and commercial talent to an already strong commercial sector and create a thriving local community, which in turn will help to support the local economy.

“The key to regenerating and reviving any area is to make it a place where people want to work, to shop, to socialise, to live and to invest in – and that’s exactly what we’re doing in Victoria. We’re turning it into a destination in every sense. A place for Londoners to enjoy, people from across the world to visit, and a place that businesses and individuals alike are proud to call home,” says O'Shea.

To find out more about Land Securities and development plans in Victoria, please visit www.landsecurities.com

For more infommation about transport upgradres please visit our website

www.inSW1.com

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FOCUS

Food for thought…

Why is there still a need for soup kitchens in the 21st century? Could our efforts to help the homeless be more effective, asks Chris Kilvington.

T

he debate about soup kitchens will always be an emotive one. But, there is a very important question to be asked: in 2011, is it still acceptable for people to eat out on the street when London is so well-resourced to feed them, and more, indoors?

Soup runs have been around for years, but there is strong evidence to suggest that the distribution of food on the street does not typically serve the population most of us would expect it to – namely, homeless people.

Though soup kitchens can be seen as a way of sustaining people who don’t have an income, what if they, in fact, perpetuate the street lifestyle, as many surveys and

conversations with former street sleepers suggest?

Over recent years, street populations have changed, bringing new challenges.

We see more people from other countries sleeping rough and these individuals have no access to public funds, from welfare benefits to routes into rehab if they need it.

In the US, it is now illegal on health and safety grounds to distribute food on the street. Wrapped up in this is an approach that encourages people to come inside and move away from the street.

The British public has always been very generous, and giving is good, but we need

to face honest discussions about how and where our giving is directed. There are so many schemes in London that provide great services but are crying out for volunteers.

Could our efforts be directed in more helpful ways – ways that will change people’s lives rather than maintain them? Excellent resources and joined-up working networks are already in place, which means London is one of the first cities that could realistically end rough sleeping – if we decide to take that course.

The VBID team is working with local partners to find effective, long-term solutions to homelessness in SW1.

Diverted Giving was set up in November to help people make informed donations to homeless charities. Find out more on www.insw1.com.

For more information about volunteering in SW1 or about the Diverted Giving campaign please visit our website

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Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

restaurant REVIEW

Ebury Wine Bar & Restaurant Ebury Wine Bar & Restaurant 139 Ebury Street London SW1W 9QU www.eburywinebar.co.uk To book: 020 7730 5447 Ebury Wine Bar & Restaurant celebrates its 50th year in the business in 2011. During that time, it has become a firm favourite with drinkers and diners living, working in and visiting Victoria. Owners Nigel and Elizabeth Windridge are dedicated to satisfying traditional and modern tastes with a varied menu from bar snacks to dinner service.

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Inspector Ian Hicks Belgravia Police Station My most recent visits to the Ebury Wine Bar were Chistmas 2006 and then again the following year. My impression then was very favourable, so I was extremely pleased to be asked by the Victoria BID to visit the restaurant again for lunch.

On entering the wine bar, I noticed little if anything had changed in terms of the layout and décor. Now that’s not to say the place looks tired or dated because it doesn’t.

On the contrary, it seems to effortlessly blend the traditional with an inviting fresh and uncluttered space.

The welcoming décor is matched by the friendly and helpful staff. The service is efficient without being hurried and attentive without being intrusively fussy. There is one tiny fault with the menu: it promises so many tasty dishes it made it very hard to choose.

After eventually deciding on veal and olive galantine with saffron pickled pear, I was disappointed to hear that there had been a rush on and it was no longer available.

When my salted cod fritters with red chilli jam arrived, I regretted not ordering the pan-fried scallops with balsamic roasted beetroot puree, which looked stunning.

However, the main course I selected, a melt-in-the mouth tender seared venison

loin with spiced red cabbage and orange and juniper sauce, more than compensated and was quite simply delicious. Caramelised lime and ginger tart topped off a superb meal.

I certainly won’t be leaving it so long before my next visit.

Caroline Oborne Victoria Store Manager, House of Fraser The Ebury had a fantastic atmosphere, fresh and calm. I loved the detail on the wall of books with very funny references, the food was brilliant and very tasty I had scallops to start, which were cooked to perfection, then halibut on a bed of spiced lentils, which was divine, healthy and filling. Not so healthy, I chose chocolate pudding with praline sorbet for dessert.

The service was excellent all round, from start to finish, prompt and friendly. I will definitely visit again and again.

Sarah Dorgan Facilities Manager, Westminster Cathedral Walking in to a warm, cosy atmosphere from the cold is always a joy; this was no exception. The interior is highly decorated and is truly fabulous; a work of art. I loved the books (see if you can find the one “written” by Cliff Richard).

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

The atmosphere was relaxed; the service was wonderful, friendly, polite, and attentive but not "in your face". There is nothing worse than feeling rushed and this was refreshingly far from it.

My meal could be summed up in one word: scrummy. Words cannot describe how delicious the food was, so I shall simply list my selection (adding that as I type I am wishing I was eating it again).

Pan fried scallops with balsamic roasted beetroot purée (superb) Butternut squash and chestnut risotto.

(Why doesn’t my rice taste like this?!)

Spice apple and raisin gratin, calvados sabayon and cinnamon ice cream (even the smell was sumptuous) A fantastic place for lunch and lovely for an evening, too. I recommend booking because it was full even at lunchtime. I already plan to go back.

Anna Warnecke Meetings & Events Coordinator, Park Plaza Victoria London The restaurant has a bow-fronted stalwart appearance and trompe l'oeil décor.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is relaxed and intimate and the menu is a mix of French traditional cuisine and a more Mediterranean feel. The bar has an extensive selection of fine wines, as well as popular and budget-priced brands.

We sat at a small table for six people; the textile tablecloth was covered with a paper tablecloth, which felt appropriate for lunch but not for a dinner.

www.inSW1.com

The waiter took our orders and when we received our food, every person got the dish they ordered without the waiter having to re-confirm who ordered which dish.

I also ordered a glass of wine and the waiter had full knowledge about the products and helped me choose the wine that would best accompany my food but wouldn't be too dry – excellent service.

I ordered a starter of aubergine and crispy wonton stack, with black olive tapenade, a main dish of butternut squash and chestnut risotto, and a medley of desserts.

The food was very well presented and the texture and taste was excellent. The timings between each course were just perfect, too, I didn't feel rushed and I didn't go hungry along the way. I really enjoyed the lunch.

Jody Brearley Meetings & Events Sales Supervisor, Park Plaza Victoria London I recently visited the Ebury Wine Bar for lunch and I was pleasantly surprised by not only food, but the service and the ambience.

The restaurant is combined with a separate wine bar, which gives guests the option to either enjoy a drink at the wine bar or a three-course dinner in the restaurant. The staff were very welcoming and made me feel relaxed during my lunch.

Our drinks order was taken within minutes of sitting down, our starters arrived within 20 minutes and our main course not long after. But at no point did I feel rushed

(Opposite page) Nigel Windridge in the dining room, which is decorated with trompe l’oeil, a key feature of the Ebury Wine Bar and Restaurant.

(This page) One of the tempting plates of food and our reviewers.

– I did feel well looked after. I thoroughly enjoyed the sea bass for my main course and it was well complimented by the pea puree and carrot veloute.

For dessert I had the warm chocolate and almond cake, which was delicious and not too heavy. Overall, my dining experience at the Ebury Wine Bar was very enjoyable and the food was absolutely delicious.

If you would like your restaurant to be reviewed or would like to join us in reviewing a local restaurant, please contact Nina Provençal.

T 020 3004 0790 E nina.provencal@insw1.com Visit our website for more places to eat and drink in SW1– www.insw1.com

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CULTURE

1

2

3

Arty Facts There’s a thriving arts scene in SW1 and it could hold the key to London’s future prosperity, says Simone Kane.

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W

hat motivates an internationally renowned contemporary art auction house – which has its global headquarters in Chelsea, New York’s trendy gallery and arts district – to open a new showroom in Victoria?

“It was a fantastic opportunity to take up a unique space in London,” says Finn Dombernowsky, managing director of Phillips de Pury & Company, of its new showroom/gallery in Howick Place. “And there’s a synergy in promoting cuttingedge contemporary art in a cutting-edge, contemporary building.”

Completed in 2009, the former Victorian postal depot on Howick Place has been transformed by Alessandro Cajrati Crivelli into an arts and residential complex that has quickly become a creative hub. The Italian designer was driven by the belief that instead of relying on financial services, London should nurture its dynamic creative sector to lead the city out of crisis.

Phillips de Pury & Company counts among its neighbours at Howick Place furniture designer Marc Newson and fashion designer and film director Tom

Ford. In April 2009, Ilona Orel, international champion of Russian contemporary art, expanded her Paris-based operation to London when she opened the 350 square metre Art Sensus gallery in the building – (artsensus.com).

“We are not just an auction house,” says Dombernowsky, “we are breaking the mould. In a similar way, we opened in New York’s Meatpacking District before it was fashionable and today it’s home to big brands and high-end fashion names. Now, in London, we are at the forefront of this trend in Victoria – there’s a promising future here for creative industries.”

Founded in London in 1796 by Harry Phillips – who quickly gained the confidence of the British aristocracy – the original business remains the only auction house to have held a sale inside Buckingham Palace.

Today, however, its focus is on the sale of the best contemporary art, design, photography, jewellery and editions through auctions and private sales, as well as building private collections for individual and corporate clients.

From its 3,700 square metre showroom

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

4

in Howick Place, the London arm complements the work of its New York headquarters. Recent exhibitions include “Projectory”, the second installation of its pop-up programme, which was launched in the Saatchi Gallery in Sloane Square in September. And the company has recently flown in 14 artists to create installations for its next, non-selling, exhibition of Chilean contemporary art, which opens at Howick Place this month.

Meanwhile in the surrounding area, at the grassroots level, Westminster Arts, now in its 46th year, is a small but highly effective charity that offers funding and support to a wide range of local arts groups and individuals. In this way, it helps them to deliver inclusive projects, as well as producing and managing specific schemes to enrich the arts in the community (westminsterarts.org.uk).

Its annual Open Exhibition – held in the stunning contemporary exhibition space, the SW1 Gallery (sw1gallery.co.uk) – is becoming a key feature in Westminster’s cultural calendar. Reflecting a diversity of art forms and cultures, it is an opportunity for artists who live, work or study in the borough, to showcase and sell their work.

Charity events also play a large part in the work of Phillips de Pury & Company, both internationally and locally. “Our charity work is a very important part of what we do,” says Dombernowsky. “We make time for our auctioneers to take part in charity

5

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We are not just an auction house… Now, in London, we are at the forefront of this trend in Victoria – there’s a promising future here for creative industries.

been a destination for discerning shoppers on the hunt for the best in antiques, art and interiors pieces (full guide at thepimlicoroad. com). Mark Ransom also has a gallery there, showcasing contemporary British and American art and 20th-century furniture design classics (markransom.co.uk). On Ebury Street, there’s the Ebury Galleries (020 7730 8999) and Tobin Jefferson (tobinjefferson.com), while Long & Ryle – with changing exhibitions of modern and contemporary art – is on John Islip Street (longandryle.com) and the Pimlico Gallery is on Moreton Street (020 7976 6200).

Also within easy reach for contemporary art lovers are the Saatchi Gallery on Sloane Square – just outside the Victoria BID area, but worth the pleasant stroll (saatchi-gallery. co.uk) – and, of course, Tate Britain (tate.org. uk). From spring this year, Tate Britain will begin a two-year renovation programme and a major re-hang that will reflect different ways of thinking about its collections.

According to a recent report from Sharpie Markers, more Britons now visit art galleries than attend football matches – representing a huge surge in interest in our cultural offering. And if you’re based in SW1, you’re lucky enough to have a thriving arts and culture scene on your doorstep – make the most of it.

events and we contribute in excess of £2 million a year to various organisations – from Shelter and Centrepoint, to Help the Heroes, the Teenage Cancer Trust and Great Ormond Street, as well as the Red Cross International in Switzerland.

“The local councils in London are doing things to look after less fortunate people and we support this. But this area needs to be a more pleasant place at night, to improve the whole experience and make it a destination – not just a gateway,” continues Dombernowsky. “It needs to attract more high-end or unique brands and restaurants, to complement the high-street names, so that people who come for the culture can have a fully rounded experience.”

“The village” that is formed by Pimlico Road and the surrounding streets, has long

1 SW1 Gallery, 2 Tate Britain, 3 Howick Place, 4 Mark Ransom, 5 Saatchi Gallery, 6 Ebury Galleries

If your company is interested in working with a local charity, contact Scott Nixon at scott.nixon@insw1.com or visit our website

www.inSW1.com

25

GIVING

Victoria Needs You!

Training on the use of computers at T he Passage

Christmas dinner, 2010 with some of the elderly people at In-Dept h

T he launch of Diverted Giving with the Rt Hon. Grant Shapps MP, centre making his own donation!

“You make a living by what you get. You make a life by what you give” winston churchill

T

he Victoria Business Improvement District (BID) brokers relationships between local charities and businesses by finding new ways of supporting their corporate and social responsibility programmes (CSR). We develop partnerships with local charities and voluntarysector organisations that enable businesses to give something back to the community, either through volunteering their time or making a financial commitment, whether through donation or working on a campaign or a longer-term scheme.

From the outset, we identified potential partners and potential social-problem areas that could be addressed by CSR and that are particular to the Victoria area, including homelessness, veterans, the elderly, the disability and children. We wanted to work with several organisations, immediately recognising their worth in terms of tackling local issues and also in terms of what businesses could gain from their greater involvement.

The Victoria BID has been working with The Passage, a Victoria-based charity celebrating 30 years of working with homeless people. The Passage says that it provides “the resources which encourage,

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In only two days, the day centre was completely transformed.

We are so grateful for local business support and are always in need of dedicated and motivated volunteers to support our work

inspire and challenge homeless people to transform their lives”. Westminster has one of the highest numbers of rough sleepers in a London borough. In response to this, The Passage has one of the capital’s largest day centres, with 200 people passing through its door each day. Ingrained problems around homelessness, such as drug and alcohol dependency, mental-health issues, poverty and abuse – as well as issues compounded by economic migrants – require long term, coordinated and sustained action. Charities

such as The Passage really do transform lives, its slogan has real intent behind the words.

It is only through an ongoing commitment made by companies towards organisations like The Passage, or to groups and individuals needing support, that lasting change can be achieved. As a sign of our commitment, the BID launched Diverted Giving on 11 January, 2011, at the Department for Communities and Local Government.

Local Government Minister, the Rt Hon Grant Shapps MP, helped launch this scheme with The Passage’s Chief Executive, Mick Clarke, the Victoria BID's Chief Executive Ruth Duston and Nic Harper, Chair of the BIDs Safe and Secure committee. This scheme encourages people to donate using collection boxes placed in local office lobbies, shop counters and in other public spaces rather than directly into the hands of those begging on the street.

This money will be used to support the work of the Passage – 100% of funds raised goes direct to work with the homeless. All production and installation costs of the collection boxes have been covered by the BID. There are four larger collection boxes located at House of Fraser, Victoria Coach

Published by the Victoria Business Improvement District

Station, Cardinal Place and the lobby of the Ministry itself, as well at various other counters around SW1 – look out for the distinctive DG branding to see where you can make a donation.

In the summer, the BID brokered and facilitated a request by a local investment company to organise a two-day activity that it felt could assist with its own teambuilding, but that would just as importantly benefit the local community. The BID co-ordinated and prepared a project with The Passage, which culminated in about 60 volunteers working to paint and refurbish the common areas of the day centre over the course of two days, which equated to a total of £3,000 of in-kind and cash contributions.

Since this event, many of the volunteers have revisited the Passage and developed longer-lasting links. Roger Clark, Deputy Chief Executive said: “In only two days the day centre was completely transformed.

We are so grateful for local business support and are always in need of dedicated and motivated volunteers to support our work with the homeless”.

Whizz Kidz is another locally based charity we have been working with. It is all about giving children with disabilities and young people the independence to enjoy an active childhood – at home, at school and at play. By providing them with mobility equipment, training, advice and life skills, they give them something much more important, the independence to be themselves. Whizz-Kidz makes an immediate and life-changing difference to the lives of the children and young people it works with. Whizz-Kidz has changed the lives of more than 11,000 children with disabilities since 1990, but there are still more than 70,000 children in the UK who need support and need it right now.

When the BID team visited Whizz Kidz headquarters in Allington Street, they left with a real sense of excitement and were very inspired to be involved in the latter stages of an already existing campaign – the Whizz Kidz, Blue Peter Go Cardz Appeal.

This UK-wide project began in February 2010 when Whizz-Kidz was chosen to be BBC TV’s Blue Peter's charity appeal of the year. The concept was unique, creative, challenging and exciting and asked children from around the UK to use elements from special art packs provided, to hand-

make Christmas cards. These were then repackaged and supplied to selected Tesco stores and sold throughout the UK. The appeal launched live on the BBC’s Blue Peter on 20 September to an overwhelming response from its viewers. The card-making packs were all requested within one week, which gives you an idea of how popular it was. In total, 150,000 Christmas cards were returned by children for sale by Tesco.

To enable Whizz-Kidz to fulfil this huge undertaking, large numbers of individuals, communities and businesses from the BID area provided volunteer support. Between 1 September and 30 November, more than 700 volunteers worked at a fulfillment centre in Victoria. This large space was secured from a key member of the BID, Land Securities.

The job was split into two parts, first there was putting together card-making packs and mailing these out to viewers. Once the decorated cards were returned the second task was to open post, sort and carry out a quality control function. Once the packs of cards had been collated these were then packed and labelled for sale. Victoria BID helped to provide many of these volunteers from the SW1 community. Whizz-Kidz estimate that somewhere in the region of more than 10,000 working hours have been used in helping to sort through the 150,000 cards made by Blue Peter viewers.

The BID’s Secret Santa gift drop-boxes also proved to be very successful in tapping into our business community’s festive spirit.

People gave very generously, with the BID office periodically bursting with gifts from Santa. Our gift drop-boxes were located in the lobby of 1 Warwick Row as well as in St Peter’s Church Eaton Square. Three charities received the presents, Veteran’s Aid, In-Deep Community Task Force and Marsham Children’s Centre. The children’s centre got more than 100 gifts of toys and books, which were delivered by Santa at their yearly Christmas party. In-Deep Community Task Force received more than 40 gifts and Veterans Aid got 40 gifts and £300 worth of gift vouchers. A total in-kind contribution of more than £2,000 was achieved.

The BID co-sponsored a flagship event for Cancer Research at Westminster Cathedral on Tuesday 7 December 2010.

Eighteen BID members attended as special guests and enjoyed this spectacular carol concert, which was recorded on BBC Radio

Whizz-Kidz provides mobility for disabled children throughout the UK

Victoria BID co-sponsored a fund-raising dinner for Cancer Research on 7 Decembe r

4 and Classic FM and broadcast to listeners on Christmas day. HRH Princess Alexandra was Guest of Honour at this event, which was held at Westminster Cathedral instead of St Paul’s Cathedral, for the first time. The BID’s £6,000 sponsorship contribution helped to raise a total of £200,000.

The concert performers included Sir Thomas Allen, Amanda Roocroft, Andrew Kennedy and Peter Rose. Gareth Davies, principal flautist with the London Symphony Orchestra, the Barbican Brass and the Westminster Cathedral Choir all took part.

A surprise guest appearance by Therese the Bactrian camel stole the show.

If your company is interested in working with a local charity, contact Scott Nixon at scott.nixon@insw1.com or visit our website

www.inSW1.com

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