CHELSEA MAY 2014

ABSOLUTELY chelsea

ABSOLUTELY CHELSEA

MAY 2014 £3.95

MAY 2014 FASHION • SHOPPING • FOOD & DRINK • WHAT’S ON • CULTURE • INTERIORS • PROPERTY

tiMe to blossoM open the window, LET THE OUTDOORS IN

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RHS Chelsea EVERY GARDEN HAS A STORY

Alan Titchmarsh Marcus Wareing 50 YEARS IN horticulture

ON Gastronomy & GORDON

S T Y L I S H . I N T E L L I G E N T. E L E G A N T. A B S O L U T E LY

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Ovington Mews, SW3

This light house offers well laid out accommodation with a large and particularly private roof terrace and separate patio garden to the rear.

£1,795 per week* Unfurnished

1,440 sq ft (133.78 sq m) EPC Rating D Reception | Kitchen | Four bedrooms | Three bathrooms | Patio | Garden

Chelsea Lettings 020 7589 9966 chelsea.lettings@struttandparker.com

*The following Tenant charges may apply prior to tenancy commencement: Tenancy Agreement £210 (inc VAT) Credit References per application £54 (inc VAT). All advertised prices are excluded and other associated services.

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Neville Street, SW7

A superb five/six bedroom Grade II listed stucco fronted end of terrace house situated on a quiet road in the heart of South Kensington.

ÂŁ8,250,000 Freehold

3,660 sq ft (340.01 sq m) EPC Rating F Kitchen/breakfast room | Dining room | Conservatory | Double drawing room Four bedrooms | Two bathrooms | Cinema room/bedroom four with en suite shower room | Bedroom five with shower room | Kitchenette | Family room | Patio garden

Chelsea 020 7225 3866 Chelsea@struttandparker.com

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ABSOLUTELY CHELSEA

EDITOR EDWINA LANGLEY CHIEF EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CATHERINE HALES FASHION FEATURES EDITOR VIOLET NAYLOR-LEYLAND INTERIORS EDITOR BEATA HEUMAN TRAVEL EDITOR GEORGIE LANE-GODFREY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CAMILLA NORTON ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER NICOLA OWENS PROPERTY DIRECTOR ANNA HUTTON-POTTS • property editor HUGO HUNTER CENTRAL PROPERTY MANAGER LEAH DAY ART DIRECTOR RAY SEARLE • Senior deSigner PHIL COUZENS DESIGNERS GEMMA ISTEED, TAHIR KAPUCU, ANDREW MAVIN • ArtWorKer EKREM YILMAZ • junior deSigner EDWARD TAYLOR PRODUCTION MANAGER STEWART HYDE • production ASSiStAnt CHRISTINE MANN • FinAnce director ALEXANDRA HVID DIRECTORS GREG HUGHES & ALEXANDRA HUNTER MANAGING DIRECTOR SHERIF SHALTOUT PA TO THE MANAGING DIRECTOR MARIANNE MCFADDEN

Published by ZEST MEDIA PUBLICATIONS LTD 213 WESTBOURNE STUDIOS, ACKLAM ROAD W10 5JJ WWW.ZEST-MEDIA.COM T: 020 7704 0588 F: 020 7900 3020 Zest Media Publications Ltd. cannot accept responsibility for unsolicited submissions, manuscripts and photographs. While every care is taken, prices and details are subject to change and Zest Media Publications Ltd. take no responsibility for omissions or errors. We reserve the right to publish and edit any letters. All rights reserved.

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MAY / 2014

CONTENTS 9 11

ABSOLUTELY LOVES

Absolutely’s top picks this month

TALKING TOPICS

What’s on and buzzing in Chelsea

STYLE 23 FASHION NOTES

We go wild for leopard print and quite fancy florals in the month’s style guide

26 GILDING THE LILY

We can never have too many flowers and our nature-inspired fashion shoot shows us why

33 THE CAT’S PYJAMAS

Luxury nightwear designer Olivia Von Halle has us in stitches describing her yesteryear fashion faux pas

37 BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL

Holly Armstrong gets a lesson in eyebrow maintenance at Shavata

EDITOR’S letter

I

f anyone was ever to ask me what my life’s mantra is, I would say: Never be ‘too busy’ to stop and smell the flowers by the roadside.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘yuk’, ‘spew’, ‘pathetic’. But I assure you it’s true. As I hurried to work today, I dashed past an adorable branch of lilac, poking its little head through a garden fence. And I stopped to smell it.

My head was instantly filled with that very distinctive, heady and intoxicating aroma of spring. And in spite of looking like a massive oddball – jerking to a halt mid-stride to shove my face in a flower bush – I couldn’t have been happier.

Here at Absolutely we love gardens.

And nature. And flowers. And so for our very special Garden Issue we simply had to interview someone who loves all those things as much as us: Alan Titchmarsh.

In our lead feature he and I have a jolly old chat about his 50 years in horticulture and his 2014 RHS Chelsea garden design, before he suddenly turns from ‘tittering Titchmarsh’ into ‘angry Alan’, and gets hot under the collar a bit.

Read the piece to find out why.

Yes it’s back, our favourite garden exhibition – RHS Chelsea Flower Show – and to celebrate, we have delved into the back-stories of three very special and unique displays.

Talk of gardens reminds us of Wordsworthian meanders around them, which means exercise, which eventually leads to hunger. Enter Marcus Wareing and his new Knightsbridge restaurant, ‘Marcus’. Yes, he’s frightening and scary and had that fight with Gordon Ramsay, but we discuss all that and discover that actually…(no, no, I’m not going to ruin it.

As before you must read it).

As usual I’ve run out of space.

Actually that’s a lie, I’m just desperate to get out to the garden.

Toodle-oo.

F E AT U R E S 18 UP THE GARDEN PATH

Catherine Hales gets an education in horticulture and medicine as she takes a tour behind the scenes of Chelsea Physic Gardens

44 GARDEN STORIES

RHS Chelsea Flower Show is soon upon us, see what wonderful exhibits await...

46 CLIMATE RAGE

Britain’s best-loved gardener Alan Titchmarsh has a real bee in his bonnet about the environment, as Edwina Langley discovers

INTERIORS 53 INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS Beata Heuman brings the outside in, with her nature-themed homeware picks

F O O D &T R AV E L 62 IRON CHEF

Michelin-star chef Marcus Wareing on hard graft, Gordon Ramsay and why he doesn’t have ‘mates’ in the kitchen

70 TURKISH DELIGHT

Catherine Hales discovers hustle and bustle at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul

PROPERTY 104 PROPERTY NEWS News and views on the area

114 PRIME PURCHASE

A two double bedroom flat in Cramner Court is what we’re after this May

Edwina Langley Editor

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BLOCK PARTY

Absolutely

Next doesn't exactly scream high fashion but it's beginning to raise its voice. The SS14 collection hits both on bold block colour trends and the inevitable 'spring' florals, which are married through the collections' elegant, fifties feel.

Next, 11 Buckingham Palace Road, SW1, 0844 844 5211; next.co.uk

ASTON MARTIN Aston Martin don't do picnic hampers but if they did... oh, wait, they do. The luxury car brand have produced a stunning hamper just in time for the summer months for a picnic that really goes the extra mile. £2,950, Available from Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1, 020 7730 1234; harrods.com

We cannot express how much we love this Anglepoise Giant 1227 Classic Lamp from Occa Home. Never before have we come across an item of furniture that makes us feel so much like a Borrower – what more could a lover of literature want? £2,349; occa-home.co.uk

PICK

Humbugs and hard boiled sweets, with a Lulu Guinness twist, are so delicious they destroy any will to diet. In addition to their delectable contents, the pretty glass jars can be kept, cleaned and recycled, as a fancy stationary holder. £5.50, 49 Bedford Street, WC2E, 020 7836 9805; hop.spun-candy.com

Otis Batterbee f your precious shut-eye is evading you, your other half sleeps with the light on or your curtains are on the thin side, you can now get your 40 winks in style. An Otis Batterbee and Liberty collaboration, these eye masks make the perfect gift from you to you. £45, Available from Liberty, Regent Street, W1, 020 7734 1234; liberty.co.uk

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L O V E S

URBAN INSIDER

EDITO R’S

SPUN CANDY FT. LULU GUINNESS

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ART&CULTURE

Talking TOPICS / May Book Review

Those Wild Wyndhams Three Sisters at the Heart of Power

By Claudia Renton Published by William Collins £25

THEATRE review

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS SAVOY THEATRE

MUSIC & LYRICS b y D AV I D YA Z B E C K DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED b y J E R R Y M I T C H E L L

I

bloody loathe musicals. Which is why, going through my notes of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: The Musical, the words ‘bloody loved it’, scribbled in my own hand, makes for nauseating reading.

Perhaps I’m going soft.

No, that’s not it, there’s a very distinctive reason. Musicals aren’t so much about acting as they are, pitch-perfect, screechy Barbieon-steroid voices. And that’s why I loathe them. But DRS:TM has none of that. Robert Lindsay and Samantha Bond lack the power of West End ‘normal’ pipes and they make no apologies for it; any quivered note is just another excuse for a laugh. They instead deliver on the fine art of acting – comic timing, nuance, sentiment – and leave the razzle-dazzle to the chorus.

Seasoned trickster Lawrence (played by Lindsay) descends onto the French Riviera to swindle hordes of gullible heiresses out of their millions. Attracting the attention of rough-around-the-edges ‘junior’ swindler Freddy (Rufus Hound) Lawrence agrees to show him the ropes, marking the American, Christine Colgate (Katherine Kingsley) as

target. The tables turn however when Freddie proves more ‘competent rival’ than ‘protégé’ and the action unfolds as the gloves come off.

Based on the 1988 comedy film, DRS:TM is quite simply a stellar piece of theatre. Not only is it incredibly funny – the Surrey heiress, Muriel (Samantha Bond) quipping she’ll hang around because ‘I can’t imagine I won’t be useful to someone in the Second Act’ had me guffawing and slapping my thigh – but it has all the qualities of a timeless classic too.

David Yazbek’s score very much sets this up, but the cast set it apart. Lindsay takes suave ‘greasing’ to the edge of likeability, whilst Kingsley inspires gasps, landing in splits during her Here I Am number (appropriately titled for no one watching it could have missed her).

As Lawrence clearly instructs, the simple art of swindling is to Give Them What They Want. Well, this show and its cast gave me what I wanted, and in doing so, swindled me out of my bloody rotten loathing of musicals – dirty scoundrels. By Edwina Langley THE STRAND, WC2R, 0844 871 3046; SCOUNDRELSWESTEND.COM

Review by Alice Coke ild, aristocratic and unconventional, the three beautiful Wyndham sisters broke every rule. Painted by artist John Singer Sargent as ‘The Three Graces’ in 1899, they gaze out deceptively demurely from their portrait. But historian Claudia Renton’s elegantly written first book unveils family letters that divulge intimate secrets about the sisters’ marriages and lovers.

Having enjoyed an enchanted childhood, they mixed with the likes of Oscar Wilde and other notable figures.

All three sisters married into ‘The Souls’ a group of brilliant, politically liberal, aristocratic intellectuals. Madeline, the middle sister, was the only one to remain happily married, to rich landowner, Charles Adeane. Mary, the oldest, married Lord Elcho and had steamy affairs with Arthur Balfour, the Conservative Prime Minister, and her mother’s former lover, the dashing poet Wilfrid Blunt, by whom she had a child. Pamela, the youngest, married the extremely wealthy Eddy Tennant and, like her older sister, juggled strings of lovers.

This excellent biography charts the sisters’ gilded, though turbulent, lives until the First World War brought an end to the Edwardian decadence.

W

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Book Picks HER BRILLIANT CAREER

MORITO

Rachel Cooke £9.99 Virago A gallery of ten pioneering women from the fifties who defied their destiny as ‘compliant creatures who knew little of sex and nothing of careers’, by racing cars, producing films and owning theatres, by knowing much of sex and enjoying complicated personal lives, and by ushering in the era of working women. Vivid portraits, extraordinary stories, and a very absorbing social history.

Sam and Sam Clark £26 Ebury Press Giles Coren has described the little sister of Moro restaurant, Morito, as the closest this country will ever find to a brilliant little backstreet place in Spain. And with this book, and its wealth of innovative tapas and mezze, it can now become the closest your kitchen will ever come to such a culinary gem. There might be a bit less buzz at home than in Exmouth Market, but the food remains exquisite.

LOST FOR WORDS

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ISLAND ON FIRE

Edward St Aubyn £12.99 Picador Ambition, celebrity and ‘Art’ vie for prominence as the judges of the Elysian Prize for Literature assemble and commence the search for the year’s best book. Edward St Aubyn takes a very sharp and deserved satirical knife to a world riddled with agendas, thick with vanity and unable to look beyond itself, otherwise known as the world of literature.

Alexandra Witze & Jeff Kanipe £10.99 Profile Books The 1783 eruption of Laki in Iceland may lack the instant cataclysm of history’s more dramatic volcanoes, and be devoid of popular museum exhibits, but for the eight months of its eruption it killed people as far away as the Nile and affected the world for years. In this history of its devastation, is a fascinating story of volcanology and an alarming reminder of how truly fragile the world is.

THE HIVE

LONDON STORIES

Gill Hornby £7.99 Abacus The Byzantine politics of the school gates of St Ambrose are disturbed by the arrival of a new headmaster and some serious cuts to spending.

In the frenzy of fundraising, queen bee Beatrice is determined to reign supreme above all other mums. Lunches, car boot sales, a ball, quiz nights – all are fertile battle-grounds for manners, favours and power. Eagerly received upon initial release and winner of the 2013 Guardian First Novel Award, the paperback is out now.

Jerry White (ed) £10.99 Everyman Pocket Classics London is pretty much a publishing industry in its own right, with almost daily volumes about its history, fashion, zeitgeist and just generally how big and city-like it is. But the Everyman Classics are something special and this pocket-sized edition collects 30 stories from an extraordinary pool of writers – Doris Lessing, Graham Green, Muriel Spark, Hanif Kureishi and many more, sitting alongside the inevitable Charles Dickens.

Supplied by Belgravia Books, 59 Ebury Street, SW1, 020 7259 9336; belgraviabooks.com

must see

RHS: CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW 20~24 May, Royal Hospital Chelsea n event that needs no introduction, the Cheslea Flower Show has been A held in the Royal Hospital grounds every year since the first show in 1913, apart from gaps during the two World Wars, and remains the most prestigious flower show in Britain. A favourite of the Royal family, visitors may even be lucky enough to spy Prince Charles sniffing around the begonias.

Royal Hospital Road, SW3, 0845 260 5000; rhs.org.uk

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ART&CULTURE

WEDDING DRES SES 1775 ~ 2014 From 3 May, V&A Here comes the bride! The V&A’s new exhibition traces the evolution of the traditional white wedding dress through the work of designers such as Charles Frederick Worth, Charles James, John Galliano, Christian Lacroix, Vivienne Westwood and Vera Wang.

Cromwell Road, SW7, 020 7942 2000; vam.ac.uk

ARTIST OF THE MONTH Art consultant Nicholas Campbell chooses May’s top talent

VIRGINIA GRIFFITH-JONES n light of the arrival of the Chelsea Flower show this month, I have chosen this more traditional work by the very talented Virginia Griffith-Jones.

Originally from Zimbabwe, GriffithJones has been a painter for many years whilst juggling a career in advertising.

Her works are wonderfully vibrant and fluid, and never fail to impress or amuse. If you are searching for a bit of colour and beauty, this is the work for you. Exhibited recently at her London show, it would suit a bedroom or drawing room perfectly, or even a summer house. It’s also a good size and is available for approximately £2,000.

I

DESIGNS BY MO THER NATURE Until 24 May, Roca London Gallery Why is a raven like a writing desk? Those looking to answer this question may find P what they seek at ‘Designs by Mother Nature.’ The exhibition aims to highlight objects we use every day, that take inspiration from nature.

From imitating the shape of a Mallard’s beak, to copying the natural echolocation ability of a bat creating radar, the display suggests what future designs may hold. Station Court, Townmead Road, SW6, 020 7610 9503; rocalondongallery.com

Nicholas is Head Consultant and Director of Narcissus Arts; narcissusarts.com

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ART&CULTURE

SPOTLIGHT ON ANTIQUES

DON’T NEGLECT GRANNY’S ATTIC f, like me, you love hunting for treasure, either on Portobello or up in granny’s attic, here are some tips of what to look out for. One of my best finds was a Georgian brooch in granny’s rubbish, which turned out to be worth thousands. Even good quality Georgian fashion jewellery now makes hundreds at auction.

Keep an eye out for elegant Georgian furniture, out of fashion, but bound to become popular again. Another find, up in the attic (which I won’t be selling in a hurry), was a small blue and white Chinese ginger jar, which turned out to have come from a 16th century shipwreck.

By Alice Coke

I

must see

PRADASPHERE 2-31 May, Harrods Worshippers at the altar of fashion, rejoice, as two deities collide and together create Pradasphere. Harrods has opened its doors to Italian fashion giant Miucca Prada and leant a space on the fourth floor to an exhibition that ranges from fashion and accessories to art, architecture, cinema, sports and beyond. Prada fanatics will no doubt swoon over the exquisite heritage items harvested from the Prada archives while the film buffs salivate over offerings from Wes Anderson, Roman Polanski and Ridley Scott.

87-135 Brompton Road, SW1, 020 7730 1234; harrods.com

For more tips about collectables up in granny’s attic, see the new BBC Antiques Roadshow Magazine, edited

by Sue Herdman, former editor of the National Trust magazine. antiquesroadshowmagazine.com

CHELSEA IN BLOOM 20~25 May, Start at Sloane Square ight years on and still going strong, this year’s Chelsea in E Bloom will transform the borough of Chelsea from urban jungle to garden paradise for five whole days. The competition, held in association with the Royal Horticultural Society, sees local retailers inspired to greater and greater heights of green-fingered ingenuity as they battle it out for the coveted awards.

Throughout Chelsea; chelseainbloom.co.uk

THOMAS’S CHORAL SOCIETY 10 May, Holy Trinity Church The Society will celebrate 15 years of music and song with Brahms’ Ein deutsches Requiem with Lakeswood Sinfonia. This performance also marks the debut of Musical Director, Sam Evans - don’t miss it!

Sloane Street, SW1, 020 7730 7270; thomasschoralsociety.com

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absolutely / SOCIAL BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS The Society of Young Philanthropists gathered at Kate Spade, Chelsea last month to fundraise for a number of local charities. Society president, Alexandra Abrams, and her army of committee members - including Tessa and Antonia Packard, and the cheeky George Askew - dashed around the shop floor furiously selling raffle tickets, of all which contributed to the grand total of £1,500 raised on the night. Yes that’s right, charity begins at Sloane [Square].

WHAT A YACHT OF FUN

FAIR PLAY The countdown to The Country Life Fair (a weekend in September where ‘the country comes to London’ at Fulham Palace) started with its launch at Claridges.

It was a sober evening. Only 445 glasses of sparkling wine, 748 cocktails and 743 glasses of Sauvignon de Touraine were sunk – whilst just 600 helpings of stilton, eaten.

Jonny Beardsall’s hats were on display for guests to try, whilst Viscount Melville and his fellow Atlantic Polo team (polo players who rowed the Atlantic – all true!) were spotted too. In fact, so much revelry was had, everyone left totally certain that the autumn exhibition will be a fair to remember.

Super yacht owners, interior designers and naval architects came together in Ralph Lauren Home on the Fulham Road for the unveiling of OCEAN Independence’s ‘OCEAN 2014 Charter Portfolio’ last month. Amidst the splendour of RL’s Home Spring 2014 collection, guests were serenaded by jazz under the sheen of not one, but three, Stratstone of Mayfair’s Aston Martins on display, slurping champagne, snacking on canapés. What else can one say? This super-yacht crowd had a super time.

ONLY PARTIES

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UP THE GARDEN PATH MEDICINAL PLANTS, CHOCOLATE AND QUININE, Catherine Hales UNLOCKS THE SECRETS OF Chelsea Physic Garden

T

urning off Lower Sloane Street and onto Royal Hospital Road, the contrast is almost eerie; the crowds that seconds ago were eddying around me in a well-dressed torrent have almost completely disappeared leaving behind a broad leafy street dotted with the odd Chelsea Pensioner.

I pass not one, but two London institutions on my walk, with the sprawling grounds of the Royal Chelsea Hospital appearing first, followed by the National Army Museum until I reach a third – my final destination, the Chelsea Physic Garden. By no means a secret, (it is well known to residents of the borough) it nevertheless has an aura of a coin perdu with its high, red brick wall and gently swinging wooden sign. After being buzzed in, I am greeted by the aptly named Lily, the PR and marketing assistant at the Garden, and together we set off in pursuit of Nick Bailey, the Head Gardener.

As we peer around I am struck immediately by the rare calm of the Garden; ‘oasis’ is an overused word in London - every café with a nook claims to be a port in the storm of the bustling metropolis – but here, the description

HANS SLOANE DISCOVERED BOTH QUININE AND THE RECIPE FOR MILK CHOCOLATE

really does apply. Lush greenery of various shapes, sizes, textures and colours, organised into beds and crisscrossed with paths, stretch out for a surprising distance, in all directions, and any sounds of traffic are magically muted. Having spied us, Nick joins the party and together we embark on our tour, which begins at a white statue of a man in 17th century dress. It is the figure of Sir Hans Sloane, described by Nick as ‘the Garden’s great benefactor’.

Every tour of the Garden begins here, with a brief history of how the Garden came into being and how it has managed to survive. ‘The Garden was set up by the Society of Apothecaries in 1673,’ Nick informs. ‘[Sir Hans Sloane] came here as a young physician

to learn the arts of identification and usage of medicinal plants. He graduated from Chelsea Physic Garden before going on to look after the Duke of Albemarle in Jamaica, as his private physician.’

I learn that it was there that Sloane discovered both quinine and the recipe for milk chocolate; practically the same that Cadbury’s uses today. When I consider what this man has given us, a lump practically rises in my throat: Dairy Milk and G&Ts? I have found my new favourite historical figure.

Far more important than that though, Nick points out the discovery of quinine had a more significant impact than mere refreshment, acting as both a preventative and cure for

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BEHIND THE SCENES

malaria. Sloane was apparently already considerably well-off before leaving England, but this made him the 17th century equivalent of a billionaire.

‘Unthinkably in today’s terms, he was able to buy the borough of Chelsea! As a thank you for training him, he rented the Garden’s land back to them for just for £5 a year in perpetuity.’ Nick explains that the agreement, despite being roughly 300 years old, was written in such binding legal language that it still stands today. Not at all bad, considering it is currently impossible to rent a windowless bedsit for anything less than £500 a month in London.

There are also fail-safes in place should the Chelsea Physic Garden Charity ever go bust, placing it under the care of other large London institutions such as the Natural History Museum and the British Museum. This is under the specific condition that it remains committed to the growing of useful and medicinal plants. Thus assured of the Garden’s indestructibility, we begin the tour proper.

‘In the past we’ve had maybe a sixteenth of the garden dedicated specifically to medicinal plants,’ explains Nick, but since his tenure as Head Gardener, a new initiative to dedicate an entire quadrant to these plants has been implemented.

The beds look slightly sparse at the moment but the project is a work in progress. It started three years ago and cost £93,000 to build; several specimens are being kept in the glasshouses until it is warm enough for them to be planted. The idea is to

PLANTS WERE OFTEN USED HISTORICALLY WITHOUT PRESCRIBERS KNOWING HOW OR WHY THEY EVEN WORKED

take visitors through what Nick calls ‘a chronological tour of medicinal plant use,’ starting at the World Medicine Garden, which is, in turn, broken up into eight world regions. Several of the plants found in this botanic garden are incredibly difficult to come by, and have been procured by the Garden using a seed-sharing scheme set up 300 years ago called: the Index Seminum.

One such rare specimen located in the South Asia section is Piper betle, a close relation of black pepper. It

was acquired from a botanic garden in Thailand, used for ‘indigestion and coughs and to conserve teeth’ and is now being researched for its anti-cancer properties. One of the fascinating things about the World Medicine Garden is that the plants displayed have been used for traditional remedies and medicine for up to 5,000 years, and are now also being used to great effect in modern medicine.

In other instances, plants were often used historically without prescribers knowing how or why they even worked.

Pregnant women chewing on willow bark is one such example. Now, it has since been discovered that willow bark contains salicylic acid, the basis of modern day aspirin.

We make our way through sections on traditional British medicine (which include the origin of Sudafed) to pharmaceuticals, which is divided into different medical disciplines including: cardiology, obstetrics and gynecology, and neurology. These sections contain plants used in modern medical practice. The healing power of these beds is incredible, and often it is their least impressive-looking occupants that yield the most life-altering results.

There are too many anecdotes and fascinating facts to even begin to list them all here, the sheer volume of information is mind blowing. I find myself saying, ‘Oh, wow!’ with what I fear is becoming asinine repetition, though, of course, is sincere wonder.

Beyond the medical quadrant is the Garden of Edible and Useful plants, which is in itself worthy of lengthy examination, and despite having spent almost an hour being guided around by Nick, I feel like I’ve taken a whistlestop tour of a place where days, or even weeks, could be spent exploring.

We finish on the lawn in front of the café, bordered by the only strictly decorative part of the garden – the exclusive party and events location.

I leave safe in the knowledge that if I’m ever invited to one such party, I won’t waste my time making small talk; instead I’ll plunge back into the labyrinth of interminable pathways to continue my horticultural and medicinal education.

66 Royal Hospital Road, SW3, 020 7352 5646; chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk

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01 HERMÈS, GRAND APPARAT WIDE BRACELET IN ENAMEL, £430; uk.hermes.com 02 TIFFANY & CO., ATLAS® WEAVE CUFFS SET IN 18CT GOLD, £8,550, AND STERLING SILVER , £1,575; tiffany.co.uk 03 DUBINI ANCIENT ARTEMIS COIN PENDANT SET IN 18CT GOLD WITH GARNET, TOPAZ, CITRINE AND PERIDOT CABOCHON STONES, £3,310; dubini.co.uk 04 ASPREY, WINDSOR NECKLACE IN AQUAMARINE WITH PAVÉ DIAMONDS AND AMETHYSTS, SET IN 18CT WHITE GOLD, POA; asprey.com 05 PATEK PHILIPPE, LADIES’ WORLD TIME REF. 7130G IN WHITE GOLD, POA; patek.com 06 BOODLES, JAZZ BANGLE IN 18CT GOLD WITH DIAMONDS, £4,900; boodles.com 07 DE BEERS, A DIAMOND IS FOREVER GOLD PINK RING WITH DIAMOND, £750; debeers.co.uk 08 BULGARI, DIVA BRACELET IN 18CT PINK GOLD WITH AMETHYSTS, RUBELLITES, PERIDOTS AND PAVÉ DIAMONDS, POA; en.bulgari.com

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23/04/2014 11:55

ZAHEEM JAMAL.indd 2

17/01/2014 09:34

STYLE

FASHION

NOTES ANIMAL PRINT & fabulous florals liven up our closets THIS MAY

E DI T

OR’S

PICK

JEAN DREAM To take our flower theme to the absolute limit, we suggest rocking down Knightsbridge in this little Givenchy floral denim number. £665, Available from Harvey Nichols, 109-125 Knightsbridge, SW1, 020 7235 5000; harveynichols.com

WILD THING

escada.com

F L OW E R S H OW E R The idea of being rained on by petals makes us want to rush out to the nearest park, lie in a flower bed and wait for the wind to blow. But that’s rather an effort. Buying this Floral Scatter Gathered Waist Shirt

by Matthew Williamson is the far easier option. £525, 28 Bruton Street, W1, 020 7629 6200; matthewwilliamson.com

PRINCESSETAMTAM.CO.UK

It seems almost bonkers to be talking about autumn now, but this pre-fall 2014 collection by Escada (out this month) deserves homage. Reviving much-loved animal print, the collection features demure gowns, shift dresses and elegant tailoring, like this [pictured] wild cat getup.

Available from Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1, 020 7730 1234;

[ WO ] M A N ’ S WO R L D If men rule the world, in the spirit of ‘if you can’t lick ‘em, join ‘em’ we advise you embrace the ‘menswear as womenswear’ trend. Starting with these: CALDER ‘masculine’ tailored jackets – perfect over summer dresses or cigarette pants.

From £325; calderlondon.com

+ L OV E YO U R UNDIES f you own a petite or medium bust-size and hate underwiring, we couldn’t recommend Princesse Tam Tam’s Maryling Triangle Bra and Hipster Briefs more highly. With soft micro-stretch and jacquard stretch fabrics, and stylish lace detailing, this feminine baby blue set leaves you feeling both sexy and sophisticated. £36 bra, £27 briefs,

I

Available from Harrods. princessetamtam.co.uk

Violet Naylor-Leyland is away

23

CH_May_Fashion_Confidential.indd 23

23/04/2014 11:17 Violet is a stylist, journalist and owner of fancy dress and vintage boutique, Violet’s Box; violetsbox.com

London & M25 Luxury Furniture Showrooms 020 7253 3206

WHARFSIDE.indd resident-ad4.indd 12

wharfside.co.uk 01/04/2014 11:29 10:56

STYLE

FESTOONED IN FLORALS See the GARDEN, be the GARDEN

PAUL & JOE SS14

 CHEEKFRILLS, NEON KNICKER BLUE WITH PINK, £15; austique.co.uk

 MIU MIU, FLORAL-PRINT BANDEAU SWIMSUIT, £200; net-a-porter.com

 MOSCHINO, FLORALPRINT MID-RISE SKINNY PANTS, £390; net-a-porter.com

 TOPSHOP, LIMITED EDITION FLORAL PLACEMET PRINT TEE, £50; topshop.com

 ÊTRE CÉCILE BLUE AND WHITE FLORAL COTTON T-SHIRT, £95; harveynichols.com

 ANNA SUI, PRINTED SILKBLEND CHIFFON KIMONO JACKET, £435; net-a-porter.com  CAROLINE CHARLES, KIMONO SILK TUNIC, £695; carolinecharles.co.uk

25

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23/04/2014 11:24

Gilding the lily

Add an edge to this season's florals with voluminous shapes and metallic finishes

Photography: JAMES LUCAS Styling: EMMA SAVILL

Fashion Shoot_5pp.indd 26

23/04/2014 12:23

Emma Vivian top, £250 Topshop Unique skirt, £42 Vintage braclets, stylist's own

Fashion Shoot_5pp.indd 27

23/04/2014 12:23

M&S floral shirt, £35 Beulah Iris trousers, £250 Emma Vivian leather jacket, £680 Topshop earrings, £8.50

Fashion Shoot_5pp.indd 28

23/04/2014 17:56

Topshop jumper, £70 Emma Vivian skirt, £280 Zara leather bag, £80 & Other Stories shoes, £45 Topshop socks, £3.50

Fashion Shoot_5pp.indd 29

23/04/2014 12:24

Beulah bisque rose gold oil print dress, poa Zara wedges, £70 H&M jacket, £39.99

STOCKISTS Beulah; beulahlondon.com Emma Savill London; emmasavill.com Emma Vivian; emma.vivian@outlook.com H&M; hm.com M&S; marksandspencer.com Nike; nike.com Orelia; orelia.co.uk Topshop; topshop.com Zara; zara.com/uk & Other Stories; stories.com

Fashion Shoot_5pp.indd 30

Photographer: James Lucas Styling: Emma Savill Model: Lidiia at Leni’s Model Management Makeup & Hair Stylist: Alice Oliver using Bobbi Brown and Bumble and Bumble Production: BeautyandPro.com

23/04/2014 17:56

BEAUTIFUL WEIGHT LOSS It's always the right time to try something new. New to you, but where hundreds of people just like you have bravely gone before. They've lost weight, got properly fit and found a balance, a way of living, that will outlive a thousand fads.

We are weight loss experts. We don't mess around. Our plans support you intelligently from start to finish and then we show you how to keep it - forever.

For nearly twenty years we've changed the bodyshape, habits, mindset of exceptional people, just like you. It doesn't matter if you've failed before. What matters is that you're content with where you are. If not, set aside some time and just get the job done - once and for all.

The Intensive Programme combines our simple eating method with world class personal training. We train you for optimal fat burn and metabolic uplift. In your own home - six hours a week.

Our Dietitians coach you, monitor your body composition weekly and ensure you're highly motivated. Most women lose twenty pounds, men thirty. Such is life.

Our Optimum Weight Loss Programme coaches you personally for 12-weeks, shedding body fat and taking you back to basics.

No gimmicks. We simply teach you how to eat again. We cut through any lifestyle challenges and show you how to come out on top. We can support you from our Belgravia Clinic absolutely anywhere in the world.

We obsess about your metabolism, so you don't have to. Simply hand yourself over and do exactly what we say. For six weeks, or twelve. We'll be honest about what you need.

All we have is our health and our bodies – whatever your age or lifestyle, we will help you be the best you can be.

Why settle for compromise? We don't.

Sound Accessible Nutrition | Metabolic Workouts | Intelligent Lifestyle Support

www.louiseparker.uk.com Telephone: 0800 084 2828

FULL PAGE.indd 2

23/09/2013 12:59

THE ULTIMATE FITNESS RETREAT Enjoy the great outdoors as you get fit this summer with a three day Fitness Retreat package at Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Knightsbridge. Run by the health and fitness experts from The Peak Health Club & Spa and Commando Active, the Fitness Retreat is a great way to boost your fitness, firm your body for the beach and learn about nutrition.

To book, call 020 7235 1234, email JCTreservations@jumeirah.com or visit jumeirah.com/jctfitness

14-04-23, Absolutely Chelsea - May issue Fitness Retreat.indd 1

23/04/2014 14:36:26

DISCOVER innovative skincare products SEE live demonstrations of cutting-edge procedures LEARN about organic treatments, facial yoga & treat yourself to an acupuncture facelift MEET experts & gain advice on the right treatments for you GET makeover tips from Nicky Clarke, hairdresser to the stars & style your hair for a younger you TAKE home beauty secrets from celebrity speakers

2 for 1 Ticket Offer

10-11TH MAY 2014 LONDON OLYMPIA www.anti-ageingshow.com

Get 2 standard tickets for £18 (Normally £36) Just quote booking code ‘ZEST’ STANDARD TICKET PRICE

£18 VIP

ENTRY

£95

...includes official show guide & free goody bag

Includes fast-track entry, complimentary glass of Champagne, luxury treatment from Neal’s Yard Remedies, show guide, access the VIP lounge & goody bag worth over £80

Book your tickets today!

Call 0844 2097323

or visit www.anti-ageingshow.com/tickets

ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 2

23/04/2014 19:38

STYLE T H E CAT ’S

P YJ A M A S Luxury nightwear designer Olivia von Halle talks to Absolutely about Shanghai, the Silk Road and the elegance of jimjams

ABSOLUTELY Have you always had an interest in fashion?

OLIVIA VON HALLE My mother has a pathological phobia of shops and shopping, which meant I had to survive on hand-me-downs. I first became interested in fashion when I was about 12. It was 1995, and I desperately wanted to fit in with my friends and look like Cher from Clueless. Alas, I lived in the middle of the countryside and my only source of clothing was a giant trunk in our playroom filled with my grandmother, mother and aunt’s rejected clothes from the previous 40 years. I knew I’d never have the money to get to New Look in Sevenoaks, so I thought I had better embrace what was in that box.

Needless to say I spent most of my youth looking like a granny from the 70s.

ABS Post university, you became a ‘trend forecaster’ at The Future Laboratory for brands such as Louis Vitton and the Gucci Group. What did that entail?

OVH Brands would come to us and ask: what is the world going to be like for us in two, five, twenty-five years?

We would do extensive research into their sector and bring together things that were happening in consumer culture, fashion, retail and technology. We’d then build a picture, to try to capitalise on, and prepare for, those changes.

could replicate Lanvin dresses from pages torn out of Vogue. One day, I started fantasising about how elegant it would be to have a beautiful pair of printed silk pyjamas to lounge around in when coming home from partying with friends. He made me a pair and I instantly became addicted to them and started wearing them all the time. Friends begged me to make them some and before I knew it, I had an order list longer than my tailor could ever manage. So I decided to launch the Olivia von Halle brand.

ABSYour delightful nightwear collections are made of silk – where are they manufactured?

OVH The garments are manufactured in Hangzhou, China, which is traditionally the end of the Silk Road and a world centre for silk production.

ABS Last year you won the Blue Butterfly Trust Mark, which recognises that OvH has a positive impact on the environment. Is this an important issue to you?

OVH Yes, it is such an important issue. We are thrilled to have been awarded this hugely respected trust mark. We have always striven for the absolute best practice when sourcing, manufacturing and retailing our garments, and have ensured that our supplier’s social and environmental policies are in line with our own.

ABS You then moved to Shanghai with your husband Hugo. What was that like?

OVH It was absolutely incredible – a huge culture shock, especially since I had never been to China before!

But it was an adventure and that was exactly what we were after.

The spirit of entrepreneurialism, which thrives in Shanghai, gave me the confidence to start my business.

People aren’t afraid of failing there.

ABS What gave you the idea to rejuvenate the humble pjs?

OVH Being 6ft tall, I was laughed out of every shop in Shanghai. So I found the most incredible tailor. He was every girl’s wildest dream and

IT WAS 1995 AND I WANTED TO FIT IN WITH MY FRIENDS AND LOOK LIKE CHER FROM CLUELESS

ABS OvH is now stocked in Harrods.

How did that come about?

OVH Harrods were one of our first stockists! We do a show in Paris called Salon de la Lingerie and they saw the collection there and immediately placed an order.

ABS Who would you like to see wearing your pyjamas?

OVH We work really closely with so many celebrities, so I am going to aim high and say HM The Queen.

That would be truly amazing! And of course I would LOVE a Royal Warrant...

Olivia Von Halle is stocked in Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1, 020 7730 1234; oliviavonhalle.com

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23/04/2014 11:33

ABSOLUTELY PROMOTION

For Good

M E AS U R E

At fit8 each body journey begins with metabolic profiling, body stat testing and biomechanics screening. Why not begin yours now?

n a nutshell, metabolic profiling analyses your oxygen uptake against your carbon dioxide output, showing how many calories you can eat to maintain, lose or gain weight.

In addition to this, it reveals how to train effectively, to maximise the number of calories you burn. The results?

You turn into an efficient fat burner – even at rest!

So many of us eat too much and exercise too little – or, just as unhealthily, eat too little and exercise too much.

The way we eat and exercise has a massive impact on our metabolic rate and the way our bodies use energy.

One of our members, Melanie, has always been slim, but her weight yo-yoed. Her resting metabolic rate was only 800 calories per day and if she ate more than that, she put on weight.

After training with us at fit8 for just six months, her resting metabolic rate rose to over

I

The way we eat and exercise has a massive impact on our metabolic rate and the way our bodies use energy

2,000 calories. Now Melanie can eat normally and actually enjoy her food – not fear the consequences of it.

Biomechanical assessments look at how your body moves and functions so that we can suggest any necessary corrective and mobility exercises to get your body working as it should.

After one particular biomechanical assessment we prescribed Mike, another member, some quick and simple mobility exercises to release tension through his spine and pelvis. Mike incorporated the five minute exercise plan into his daily routine, and quickly felt the benefits, enjoying much more rotation through his spine.

Not only was he pain free but his golf game improved too.

Body stat testing too provides us with invaluable data, such as your body fat percentage, lean muscle mass percentage, fat weight and hydration levels. After training with fit8 for 2 months, one client lost 4.7kg, and his body fat (as a percentage of weight) declined from 21% to 15.8%. It’s fair to say he was pleased with the results!

fit8 WIMBLEDON The Basement, No 1 High Street Wimbledon Village, SW19 5DX 0333 800 8008 wimbledon@fit8.co.uk

fit8 FULHAM 39 Harwood Road SW6 4QP 0333 800 8008 fulham@fit8.co.uk

fit8 WARREN HOUSE Warren House, Warren Road Kingston Upon Thames, KT2 7HY 0333 800 8008 warrenhouse@fit8.co.uk www.fit8.co.uk

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23/04/2014 17:36

STYLE R ITO ED

’S

K PIC

JO LOVES, A SHOT OF FRESH SWEET PEAS BATH COLOGNE, £59; joloves.com

CLINIQUE, CHUBBY STICK SHADOW TINT FOR EYES IN MIGHTY MOSS, £17; clinique.co.uk

LIZ EARLE, HEALTHY GLOW CREAM BLUSH IN CAMELLIA, £16.50; uk.lizearle.com

MU HAVSET

MAX FACTOR, EXCESS VOLUME EXTREME IMPACT MASCARA, £12.99; boots.com

CLARINS, INSTANT LIGHT EYE PERFECTING BASE, £22; clarins.co.uk CHANEL, LÈVRES SCINTILLANTES IN ROSE SAUVAGE, £21; chanel.com

BOBBI BROWN, EYESHADOW IN BANANA, £17; bobbibrown.co.uk

MAC, PIGMENT IN PINK PEARL, £17; maccosmetics.co.uk

FRESH FACE Revel in the colours of spring with our May make-up picks

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23/04/2014 10:48

LondonEyeHospital

TM

World leader in ophthalmology

0808 2713691 With state-of-the-art facilities in Harley Street and Wimpole Street – right in the heart of London’s internationally-acclaimed medical district – the London Eye Hospital is a dedicated ophthalmic hospital treating all eye conditions and caring for patients from all around the world.

We offer the very best in patient care, comfort and service and use the most advanced, proven techniques and technology – often unavailable elsewhere – to deliver freedom from glasses and contacts. Our comprehensive treatments also extend to retinal and plastic surgery. Above all, we make sure we fully understand your condition and lifestyle before identifying a range of treatment options – and then help you choose the best one for you.

Our ophthalmic surgeons are the most experienced and highly qualified in their field. All new patients are allocated a UK-trained consultant chosen to match their specific needs – backed up at all times by our specialist nursing team.

Whether you are attending for your first consultation, or day-case surgery and follow-up appointments, the London Eye Hospital offers easy access by rail, road and air – plus the chance to combine your visit with all that London has to offer.

Surgical Department London Eye Hospital 29a Wimpole Street London W1G 8GP UK

Out Patient Department London Eye Hospital 4 Harley Street London W1G 9PB UK

Telephone: Local: 0808 2713691 / Overseas: +44 (0) 207 060 2602

www.londoneyehospital.com info@londoneyehospital.com LONDON EYE HOSPITAL.indd 2

19/02/2014 16:33

HEALTH&BEAUTY

EDIT

OR’S

PICK

Care With Kérastase We all wear sun cream, but we often forget about protecting our hair. Kérastase Soleil Complete Care Cream is what to stock up on, for it contains UV filters, repairing oils and illuminating pearls.

All of this smooths and protects your gorgeous locks from the sun’s harmful rays. £19.50, Available from Toni & Guy, 49 Sloane Square, SW1W, 020 7730 8113; kerastase.co.uk

B E AUT Y

CO LU M N

Straight Talking

beauty

CONFIDENTIAL Protect, pamper & love your body World Cup CLARINS

Acqua FRESH To celebrate its 10th anniversary, Acqua di Parma have released a special birthday fragrance – Iris Nobile Eau du Parfum.

Bergamot, mandarin and star anise make up the top notes, iris concentrate and ylangylang comprise heart notes, and oak musk and ambrette compile the base. £108, Available from Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1, 020 7730 1234; harrods.com

If you didn’t get tickets to the Brazilian World Cup this summer, fantastise you’re going anyway with ‘Colours of Brazil’ – Clarins’ new limited edition make-up collection.

Including the hydrating Lip Balm Crayon, the Summer Bronzing Compact and the Truly Waterproof Mascara, with this make-up set you are guaranteed to score...

From £18, Available from Peter Jones, Sloane Square, SW1, 020 7730 3434; johnlewis.com

Leading London orthodontists Dr Neil Counihan and Dr Runa Mowla-Copley on the importance of straight teeth Once the reserve of spotty teenagers, orthodontic braces have become more popular than ever, not just with children, but with parents too. A recent YouGov poll said 45% of UK adults are unhappy with their teeth, but do nothing about it.

Forget 'train tracks', today there are faster, painless solutions: the new generation of Damon braces, for instance, the discrete clear aligners – Invisalign – and the ‘invisible’ lingual braces (for behind the teeth, popular with celebrities).

There's no age limit either; we have octogenarian clients.

There are also advantages to having a straight smile other than cosmetic reasons – like improved dental function.

Straight teeth make cleaning easier and can prevent gum disease, plus flossing is less of a chore. A healthy bite can reduce habits such as grinding, and we now also know that gum disease is linked to heart disease, strokes and diabetes.

The greatest change we see in all our patients after treatment is a boost in self-confidence. This is immeasurable and the reason we love orthodontics.

+

+

+

+

Metamorphosis Orthodontics, 109 New King’s Road, SW6, 020 773 11077; metamorphosisorthodontics.com

SA LO N

R E V I E W

Shavata f you, like me, have inherited the dubious blessing of thick, dark eyebrows, then the women at Shavata are a godsend. This is a no-nonsense brow salon, devoid of ultra-girly decor and beauticians loudly telling you how great you look. Instead, the eyebrow experts are reassuringly exact: mine measured my brow line carefully with two instruments, discussed the balance of my brows, my eyelashes and my skin tone, then got to work with a combination of snipping, waxing and threading – which sounds much more painful than it is, thanks to their incredibly quick work. I was out of the place within 20 minutes, having had a free lesson in how to maximise my newly shaped arches with an eyebrow pencil on top of the reshaping itself.

It may not be the ritziest place you’ve ever had a beauty treatment done, but I walked away with the distinct impression that these women know exactly what they’re doing – and when someone’s getting up close and personal with one of the most prominent features on your face, shouldn’t that be your main concern?

By Holly Armstrong

I

£17, 60 Beauchamp Place, SW3, 020 7112 8990; shavata.co.uk

3 of the best

FOR RADIANT SKIN 2 1

3

1 Elizabeth Arden, Pure Finish Mineral Tinted Moisturiser, £27; boots.com 2 CHANEL, Hydramax + Active Teinte Moisturiser, £38; chanel.com 3 Laura Mercier, Tinted Moisturiser, £33.50; harrods.com

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23/04/2014 12:56

STYLE

MEN ONLY

st mu v e ha

LIVING IN GIN We’ve heard a lot about Adnams Copper House Distilled Gin, mainly: it’s winning awards. We like winners. Distilled from East Anglian malted barley, it contains an intriguing mix of six botanicals, infused whilst it distills away in its copper pot. Hand on heart, this is a must-try. £26.99, 30/31 Store Street, WC1, 020 7580 2443; adnams.co.uk

SA LO N

R E V I E W

THE RITZ SALON SCULPTURE VULTURE

In the line of Dutti For sharp but inexpensive seasonal garb, Massimo Dutti is worth checking out. Their SS14 collection includes Coloured Cotton Jeans (£44.95), the Structured Beige Blazer (£145), Cotton and Linen Cargo Bermudas (£44.95) and Tan Suede Moccasins (£89.95). For that effortlessly stylish Spanish air, look no further than this Spanish label. 71 Brompton Road, SW3, 020 7225 4780; massimodutti.com

Stuck for present ideas?

For something truly unique, we suggest one of sculptor (and landscape architect) Charlie Day’s fantastic designs. Perfect for the outdoors, ideal for the indoors, we have our eye on ‘David’ and ‘Buffalo Study’ [pictured].

Prices vary, 07874 272 461; charliedaygardens.co.uk

It’s All Going Swimmingly Since Love Brand & Co. opened their flagship store last year on Park Walk, they’ve gone from strength to strength – and indeed, collection to collection. From their current SS14 line, we love the Tropical Tara swim shorts (£119) and Best Bunch (£119), both of which tiein nicely with our garden issue. We don’t suggest you wear them out to RHS Chelsea – but they’ll more than do for the garden. 5 Park Walk, SW10, 020 7352 0024; lovebrand.com

en years ago if someone had told me I would be spending my Saturdays having facials at The Ritz, I would’ve blushed. But times change, we grow older and our skin gets dry, blotchy and irritable.

On previous spa visits I’ve opted for a massage, believing a facial is, as Arnold Schwarzenegger would say, ‘for da girly men’. So when looking at The Ritz’s extensive treatment menu I opted for the most manly: The Man Space Hydra Performance. Billed as a restorative moisturising treatment, it was perfect for a manly man like me. I expected the friendly service I received on arrival (it was The Ritz after all) but I didn’t expect that instead of having my cheeks ‘smooshed’ and scrubbed, I was about to enjoy the most relaxing 45mins I’ve had in years. My skilled masseuse, Hannah, massaged, peeled, pampered and moisturised my face. I’d like to tell you in more detail about it, but it was all I could do not to fall asleep.

I’m sorry Arnie, I’m letting the team down. I’m now a convert to facials. They leave your skin youthfully hydrated and give you confidence to tell your ignorant, younger self, that in ten years time you’ll be having facials at The Ritz... and loving them.

By Benjamin Walker

T

£68, 150 Piccadilly, W1J, 020 7493 8181; theritzlondon.com

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23/04/2014 19:58

Bringing smiles all across London Everyone deserves a beautiful smile no matter how young or young at heart you are.

Treating yourself to a brand new smile doesn’t have to involve discomfort or hard work. In fact all you have to do is visit the professionals at the stylish clinic rooms of Metamorphosis Orthodontics.

A firm favourite amongst London school children and parents alike, the expert team lead by Dr Neil Counihan and Dr Runa Mowla-Copley at this family friendly clinic are highly skilled in fitting a range of modern cosmetic braces, including Damon braces, a new generation of fast, fixed, ‘self-ligating’ braces, Invisalign clear braces, which are removable, and lingual braces, which are placed behind the teeth, making them a popular choice with those in the public eye. Whichever type of brace you choose, you can be confident that you’ll be left with a spanking-new smile and a fresher look.

Absolutely Readers

FREE

Orthodontic Consultation worth £125 for every reader

T: 020 773 11077

www.metamorphosisorthodontics.com 109 New Kings Road, London SW6 4SJ E: smile@metamorphosisorthodontics.com

Metamorphosis Orthodontics.2.indd 2

14/04/2014 09:18

DETAIL IS EVERY THING. STATIONERY THAT ALWAYS MAKES THE PERFECT IMPRESSION. www.chelseafinestationery.com 7 Imperial Studios, London SW6 2AG info@chelseafinestationery.com . 020 7610 9292

020 8993 5545

STONE AND CERAMIC WAREHOUSE 51/55 STIRLING ROAD, CHISWICK W3 8DJ EXTENSIVE FREE PARKING

CALL FOR A COPY OF OUR NEW BROCHURE www.sacw.co.uk OPEN 7 DAYS

STONE CERAMICS.indd 1

15/10/2012 10:42

“Sapori Sardi was simple yet fantastico!”

Fulham Hammersmith Chronicle

2013 WinneR

MONDAY STEAK NIGHT

Steak and complimentary glass of wine only £17.50pp Terms and conditions apply

Loosely translated as ‘Sardinian flavours’, this cosy family-run newcomer on Fulham Road nails its regional colours to the mast with a menu that highlights the island’s rustic specialities and native produce.

Bio Sculpture Gel, the original everlasting manicure, is a chip-free, salon treatment that cures to a strong yet flexible, glossy finish and lasts for up to three weeks. The damage-free, nourishing treatment will protect and enhance your natural nails and is available in over 150 colours. As the original nail gel, Bio Sculpture Gel is tried, tested and proven.

For your nearest salon or further information on starter kits and training courses for beginners and experienced nail technicians visit Proud www.biosculpture.co.uk or call 0845 331 2347 members of the

@biosculpturegb

A6R CC Havana Final.indd 1

ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 3

We stock an extensive selection of Italian and Sardinian wines including Vermentino and Cannonau.

sapori sardi 786 Fulham Road, SW6 5SL 020 7731 0755 www.saporisardi.co.uk

www.biosculpture.co.uk

2014/01/10 4:43sardi.indd PM sapori 1

24/03/2014 15:35 23/04/2014 19:39

STYLE DO

PHOTOGRAHPY © GEORGIA GLYNN SMITH

Clip ‘n Climb. It’s great exercise, it’s fun, and with 22 separate climbing challenges – The Skyscraper, Dark Tower, a Vertical Drop Slide (eek!) – your little ones will be thoroughly entertained for hours. You might even have a go…

Open 7 days week, 9am-10pm, 19 Michael Road, SW6, 020 7736 2271; clipnclimbchelsea.co.uk

EAT

Flowers. Well, not exactly. Sweet, sugary flowery cupcakes. Peggy Porschen’s cakes are an ideal after school treat and since this month is all about flowers, why not?!

From £18 for a box of 6, 116 Ebury Street, SW1, 020 7730 1316; peggyporschen.com

WEAR

Amelia Brennan. Amelia’s handsmocked dresses (from £34), rompers (from £35) and blouses (£17.50) are this season’s childrenswear must-haves.

Toy train overalls, buzzy bees dresses [pictured]… we love them all. 200B Blythe Road, W14, 07910 138 203; ameliabrennan.co.uk

Kids NOTES

What to eat, buy & do with the little ones WASH

With Child’s Farm Hand Wash for Mucky Mitts. If your child suffers the itchy horrors of eczema, this hand wash, containing grapefruit and organic tea tree essential oil, will clean, moisturise and hydrate.

Paediatrician approved and suitable for newborns. £4.69, Available from Appuru, 43 Moreton Street, SW1, 020 7828 0101; childsfarm.com

PLAY n huts. These handcrafted hazel ‘twigwams’ (£175), playhouses (£275) and play castles (£175) will entice any child outdoors. Easy to construct and store, you can take them down for winter, but we’re certain you won’t want to. hedgehogshop.co.uk

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EDUCATION

NEW MODEL COOL

An innovative secondary in southeast London is fast becoming one of the leading models for the free school movement, reports Amanda Constance ILLUSTRATION BY PHIL COUZENS

t’s ‘one of the country’s most impressive and forward-thinking free schools’, according to Rachel Wolf, Director of the New Schools Network.

Lord Adonis, the former Schools Minister says, ‘The teachers and staff are passionate about the importance of education, and they combine their passion with great professionalism and skill.’ The Evening Standard has cited it as one of London’s top five ‘new model’ schools with its ‘relentless focus on standards’. On Ofsted’s Parent View website, 100% of responding parents said they would recommend the school to others. So what is so great about Greenwich Free School?

‘The teachers here are all massive geeks,’ says Sarah Jones, current acting head of the school and one of its Co-Founders. ‘They are fantastically hard-working, they love their subject and they pass that excitement about learning on to the children.’

Jones also says that because GFS is a free school, ‘we can go above and beyond the national curriculum’. This means educational school trips every fortnight and a teaching syllabus that can stray into areas left untouched by other schools.

‘We’re doing Philosophy at the moment,

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Greenwich Free School has a tough ‘high expectations, no excuses, no shortcuts’ ethos discussing Utilitarianism!’ Jones declares with unqualified glee.

Since opening its doors in September 2012, GFS has been different. Firstly, it is much smaller than the average inner-city secondary school. When it reaches full capacity by 2018 there will be 700 pupils (including 200 in the sixth from); other locals schools average 1,140 pupils. With only 25 pupils in a class and only 100 pupils per year, teachers can really get to know and spend time with pupils and vice versa.

Secondly, there is also a tough ‘high expectations, no excuses, no shortcuts’ ethos that applies to children and staff.

Pupils are banned from bringing their mobile phones into school, uniform is smart and behaviour, strictly policed.

The school also operates on an extended day. School starts at 8am and finishes at 5.30pm. The last hour of the day is spent on ‘enrichment’ activities such as debating, Latin or sport; the school claims its pupils will spend a third more time learning than most children.

Academically, the school follows a rigorous ‘depth before breadth’ curriculum giving pupils more time to master the fundamentals of Maths, English and Science. And as well as classic ‘academic’ subjects such as Latin, pupils from Year 7 have lessons in PPE (Philosophy, Politics and Economics) and ICT is replaced by ‘Computer Science and Enterprise’, teaching pupils to master commercially valuable technical skills. It couldn’t be more up Michael Gove’s street.

Which isn’t surprising as GFS was the brainchild of the right-leaning think tank Policy Exchange, which itself was cofounded by Michael Gove to do precisely this sort of thing. Jonathan Simons, current Head of Education at Policy Exchange and now Chair of Governors at GFS, was one of the schools Co-Founders.

Sarah Jones said the idea for the school came to her after going through the Teach First programme (a Labour government initiative which saw top graduates recruited to teach in challenging schools) and teaching in Greenwich for all of her career.

She loved the area, ‘but I had become frustrated by aspects of the education system – like not being able to take children out on an educational field trip and not having enough time in the day on any given subject for pupils who were struggling.’

One of the key things for her was the extended day. ‘We wanted to look at longer days for academic and non-academic reasons.’ Learning for the joy of learning seems to be fundamental to the GFS ethos.

As Jones says, ‘we care about more than just exams. Every lesson should be exciting, challenging and different.’

It’s not all been plain sailing. The much-lauded Founding Head, Lee Faith, left the school in December after just a couple of years ‘to pursue other things’.

Jones insists it’s not been a problem as ‘the team here is very strong’ but it must have been disruptive at best. A new head, Oliver Knight, has been appointed and will start shortly.

The school is obviously doing something right. It’s already very oversubscribed, and not just by pupils. ‘We have been very lucky with recruitment,’ says Jones. ‘Teachers want to work here because it is different and because our kids are so great.’ But how do you get great kids? ‘By having great teaching,’ she laughs. greenwichfreeschool.co.uk

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HOW DOES THE GARDEN GROW? Ahead of RHS Chelsea Flower Show this month, Absolutely takes a sneak peek at three of this year’s most exciting exhibits

A Garden for First Touch at St George’s ©John Kingsley-Dobson; jkdart.co.uk

Patrick & Sarah Collins ©Emma Durnford

THE GARDEN A Garden for First Touch at St George’s

W H O ‘ S I N V O LV E D Designed by Patrick Collins Built by Landscape Associates and Patrick Collins Sponsored by Landscape Associates, St George’s Hospital Trust and Tendercare

T H E S T O RY Garden for First Touch at St George’s has been inspired by the strength and determination shown by premature babies and their

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families. The main feature of the garden is a watercourse which flows through a stylised valley, representing the journey that families undergo through this difficult time. It has a turbulent source, but becomes gentler further downstream, as the journey progresses. On either side of the water, sculptural terraces (representing contours in the landscape) are planted, with a variety of alpines and herbaceous perennials, such as Campanula, Sea Thrift and Aquilegia.

Designer Patrick Collins took inspiration for the garden from his own childhood home (a Cornish watermill) in the Luxulyan Valley with rocks, waterfalls and streams. The youngest of four children, Patrick was born at home in Church Street, Kensington, on

A GARDEN FOR FIRST TOUCH AT ST GEORGE’S IS DEDICATED TO ISABEL, AND ALL PREMATURE BABIES CARED FOR BY THE HOSPITAL the family sofa. This is in sharp contrast to his daughter Isabel, who was born three months early in a hospital theatre at St George’s, surrounded by neonatalogists and surgeons.

Isabel spent nearly four months being cared for by staff on the neonatal unit. She is now 13 years old.

A Garden for First Touch at St George’s is dedicated to Isabel, and all premature babies cared for by the hospital. It celebrates the work of staff and the support of their neonatal unit’s charity, First Touch, and has been designed and built free of charge, using a vast majority of donated or loaned plants and hard landscaping.

Patrick has previously won four gold medals at Chelsea. His B&Q garden, a collaboration with architect Laurie Chetwood, featured one of the tallest design features ever seen at the show. Their Perfume Garden in 2009 won a gold medal and the award for Most Creative Garden.

C O N TA C T patrickcollins-design.co.uk / first-touch.org.uk

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GARDENS The Cloudy Bay Sensory Garden

Andrew Wilson & Gavin McWilliam

THE GARDEN The Cloudy Bay Sensory Garden

W H O ' S I N V O LV E D Designed by Wilson McWilliam Studio – Andrew Wilson and Gavin McWilliam Built by The Outdoor Room Sponsored by Cloudy Bay, Moët Hennessy UK

T H E S T O RY his garden takes inspiration from the tasting notes of three key Cloudy Bay wines: Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Layered characteristics of taste and sensory experience typify these wines, and their various descriptors relate well to the visual experience of the garden, its plants and materials. Charred oak in tall elegant panels combines with Purbeck limestone and sparkling water in the terrace and rill, creating an ideal location for relaxed entertaining and outdoor dining. A splash of rich wine colour runs through the planting, suggesting the deep flavours of blackcurrant, cherry and raspberry, with a lighter play of frothy white and hints of gooseberry. The dramatic colours contrast with simple ornamental grasses to the fore, and a naturalistic woodland floor mix of grasses, foxgloves, woodruff and ferns

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No Man’s Land: ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Garden ©Charlotte Rowe

‘NO MAN’S LAND’, SERVES AS A POIGNANT REMINDER OF THE HARDSHIPS FACED BY SOLDIERS 100 YEARS AGO

Charlotte Rowe ©Marianne Majerus

THE GARDEN No Man’s Land: ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Garden

towards the end of the garden.

Wild strawberries peep through here and there and forest fruits hide beneath the coppiced hazel canopies. The space is part of a larger garden, a retreat for catching the last rays of sun as evening falls.

C O N TA C T wmstudio.co.uk / cloudybay.co.nz

W H O ’ S I N V O LV E D Designed by Charlotte Rowe Built by Brian Herbet Outdoor Options. Sponsored by ABF The Soldiers’ Charity, Bechtel, Coutts

T H E S T O RY he ABF The Soldiers’ Charity Garden is a conceptual representation of the landscape of the First World War, created to mark the centenary of the Great War. Titled ‘No Man’s Land’, it is designed to serve as a poignant reminder of the hardships faced by soldiers 100 years ago, while highlighting the work of The Soldiers’ Charity today in helping soldiers, veterans and their families facing adversities. The garden will reflect how the landscape of the Western Front, though changed forever, has regenerated and ‘healed’.

The design concept represents several elements of the

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landscape of the chalk downlands of the Somme where many WWI battles were fought. These include: a water basin, which represents the many deep circular mine craters which lie all over the Western Front and which now have become peaceful havens for plants and wildlife; a long feature wall along one boundary to suggest the trenches and tunnels of the War (the central feature has a slit window which refers to the fortifications and pillboxes still found on the Western Front); and a grass mound surrounded by a number of smaller undulating grassed mounds, to represent the traces of the trenches, still visible today.

Charlotte has extensive knowledge of the battlefields of the Somme – the discovery of memoirs from her grandparents inspired her to undertake extensive research of the region, and approach the charity with the idea for the garden. Her grandfather served as an officer in the war and went over the top on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Her grandmother served as a nurse and was one of only 55 women to be awarded the Military Medal for Bravery.

C O N TA C T charlotterowe.com / soldierscharity.org

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climate

Rage 50 years in gardening and numerous plaudits are all well and good, but it’s the environment that gets Alan Titchmarsh hot and bothered, discovers Edwina Langley

I

t’s hard to imagine Alan Titchmarsh getting angry.

Britain’s favourite gardener is, after all, best known for his serenity, his dulcet Yorkshire tones that calm and charm in equal measure, prompting listeners to wistfully imagine what the light touch of Titchmarsh could do for their roses. As steady as the Ground Force theme tune, if Alan has a catchphrase it’s: Keep Calm ‘n’ Garden On. So when I find myself in the middle of a conversation with an angry Alan Titchmarsh, I feel rather unsettled. I can’t imagine rabbits in the radishes or caterpillars in the cabbages getting so much as a ‘tut-tut’ out of him, what on earth had I said to unleash such displeasure?

Don’t worry, it isn’t too dreadful. In fact, I agree with his reaction. I just didn’t see it coming with such force, is all...

I was bemoaning the woeful state of Britain’s countryside and quicker than you can say ‘compost’, Alan is off. ‘I think we really have to take this on board and do something practical about it. The problem is we just bleat on about it. And there’s all this business about climate change. If that’s the case, it’s the case. There are no solutions offered – and a lot of people think there isn’t a solution. It’s no good mulling around like chickens with their heads cut off. Encourage people to get out there, plant trees, nurture a bit of countryside. [But] it’s never mentioned! You

hear men and women in suits, going on about how dreadful it all is. And people just bow their heads and think, ‘oh dear, well that’s that then.’ There are ways in which we can ameliorate things and that means getting out there, getting your hands dirty.

People forget that.’

Flummoxed, though not perturbed, I join his environmental band wagon. I explain that where I’m from, in Suffolk, the fast pace of coastal erosion has forever been a massive concern, yet for all the political dithering, nothing has been done. ‘Well exactly,’ Alan says, getting even more heated. ‘We live in a volatile planet, it’s always been volatile, it’s not static. The story would be if things never changed! We don’t live in a pristine, hermetically sealed environment. We live on a volatile lump of something floating about in space.

Of course weird things are going to happen to it in extreme circumstances. It’s the attitude that this is ‘horrendous’, ‘dreadful’ [and] only just happening. It’s happened for eons. Between all the umpteen ice ages, there were warm tropical periods… [They don’t] mention what’s gone before, it’s just nothing new. Sorry you’ve hit on a hobby horse here, do you regret mentioning it?’

And calming, charming Alan is back. ‘It boils down to stupidity,’ he concludes, catching his breath. ‘And the fact ‘they’ think they know, living in a town or city. Out in the countryside, things alter; rivers change course if you don’t dredge, they move, they shift...’ Alan sighs. ‘I’m glad I got that off my chest.’

Alan Titchmarsh was born in Ilkley, Yorkshire in 1949 to a plumber and part-time fireman, Alan

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GARDEN

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GARDEN

I’M JUST A TINY LITTLE SPECK REALLY, DOING MY BIT

© Kate Gould Gardens

(Snr), and his wife, Bessie, a textilemill worker. The younger Alan’s interest in gardening blossomed from the age of 9, where he developed an interest in planting. By 12, he had built his own polythene greenhouse and at 15, with just one O-Level (in Art – ‘I did get another one later in English, just to prove I could legitimately write’) Alan quit school.

Embarking on an apprenticeship in the Parks Department of Ilkley’s Urban District Council, he helped grow bedding plants for Ilkley’s entry to Britain in Bloom (the nation’s largest, horticultural competition, conceived to encourage communities to ‘clean up and green up’ their environments). A City & Guilds in Horticulture followed, and a three-year diploma at Kew Gardens followed that. His subsequent job – Supervisor for Staff Training at Kew – was fulfilling for a short while, but he soon grew tired of it. Switching to publishing, he took on the role of Assistant Editor for gardening books, and dipped his toe into radio.

But his big break came when greenfly invaded Margate. Sounds absurd, but it’s true. BBC Radio 4’s the Today Programme contacted Alan to comment on the ‘crisis’ and as a result, he was picked up

by Nationwide as their horticulture expert. This led to the coveted gig presenting the BBC’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show and from there came Gardener’s World and Ground Force, gardening books, novels and a weekend show on Classic FM. All this born from a ‘mere’ boyhood interest in plants – it beggars belief that horticulture is still such an underrated subject.

‘I’m working with the RHS on their

campaign for School Gardening,’ Alan says earnestly, ‘and we’re getting into more and more primary schools – over 16,000. But a lot of children don’t know what’s going on.

It’s up to us to open their eyes, and those of career officers, as to the opportunities within horticulture.’

Not only that, but in itself it’s a pretty indiscriminate industry. As Alan agrees, ‘it caters to all degrees of aptitude. It’s long been thought of as a career for those that can’t do anything else. And it really isn’t that.’

Alan should know. In spite of his qualifications, accolades and years of experience, he still finds it challenging. Downright ‘scary’ he calls it at one point. Because in celebration of the 50th anniversary of Britain in Bloom, and coincidentally, his 50-year career in horticulture, Alan has been asked by the RHS to design a very special anniversary garden. Named ‘From Moors To The Sea’, it takes inspiration from where Alan grew up (near Ilkley moor) to where he gardens now (Hampshire and the Isle of Wight coast), juxtaposing mooren landscape (streams and pines) with a seaside area (huts and sea plants). Designed in collaboration with the awardwinning garden designer Kate Gould, it isn’t exactly ‘low profile’. ‘Kate’s very good at plan drawing,’ he says.

‘She’s helped me put it together and we’ve had a great time doing it.’

Kate mirrors this sentiment, telling me that working with Alan ‘has been a privilege and an honour... great to work with someone who loves plants as much as I do.’ Far from sounding ‘scary’ though, it all sounds rather pleasant to me.

‘You’re being judged alongside great

professional garden and landscape designers,’ Alan says mockdefensively. So what, I cry, surely he’s one of them?! ‘Well,’ he chuckles, ‘it’s a longer way to fall.’ As of this year he’s no longer presenting the BBC’s coverage, which, he says, just means he can concentrate on his job. ‘I think the impression will be, ‘well, you’ve shown us you can talk about it – now let’s see you do it.’’ Ok, ok, Alan, I can see it’s no picnic...

Still, he’s always got his MBE and RHS Victoria Medal of Honour to fall back on. ‘The important thing is, you’ve got to keep your feet on the ground and not get grand,’ he instructs. ‘I’ve got a family and a job, which remind me that I’m just a tiny little speck really, doing my bit. It’s very nice when people say ‘oh, I feel like I know you!’ – you can’t go on television and try to engage people, then be surprised when you do. But I don’t think it entitles you to behave in a bad way.’

Whilst The Alan Titchmarsh Show airs its final series this autumn, Alan seems fairly pragmatic about that too. ‘Everything has its time,’ he says. ‘Quit while you’re ahead before you go stale; it wasn’t as if I was asked to leave. I’ve now got three grandchildren and I want more time for them. It’s not that I want to slow down, I just want a few more gaps.’

So it seems very much a case of: watch this space. I wish him luck at Chelsea and he replies, ‘I hope I live up to your expectations.’ With that very humble sentence, I realise he already has.

‘From Moors to the Sea’ by Alan Titchmarsh and Kate Gould is on show at RHS Chelsea 20-24th May

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INTERIORS

interior

i n s p i r at i o n s World in bloom! Flowers are not just for gardens, discovers Beata Heuman ALESSAND RA B RANCA Elizabeth Fabric

Being partial to chintz, I have searched high and low for the perfect one. This encapsulates it, in ‘modern’ fuchsia. £278 p/m, Exclusively for Schumacher, 410 The Chambers, SW10, 020 7259 7280; turnellandgigon.com

NICKY HASLAM for OKA Walpole Chair

Nicky Haslam designed this chair as part of his collaboration with OKA. I think it’s a wonderful use of the age-old quatre feuille symbol, plus I love the cushion. £650 Hand Carved and Hand Painted, 155-167 Fulham Road, SW3, 020 7581 2574; okadirect.com

FO RNASETTI SCENTED CANDLE FLO RA Make every room smell as lovely as it looks. £99; conranshop.co.uk

JOHN DERIAN

Horner Tulip Rectangular Tray

VALE RIE WADE Lotus Flower Wall Light

These lights allow you to create a wall of flowers reminiscent of 1930s Hollywood glamour. Light reflects beautifully from the solid brass, soldered with silver petals. £1,350 Small Single Light, £1,450 Large Single Light, 108 Fulham Road, SW3, 020 7225 1414; valeriewade.com

erian’s pieces have reached iconic status over the last few years – and it’s hard not to marvel at how good things look behind a layer of perspex! Even the most traditional and delicate florals become contemporary. £95, Special Edition for The Conran Shop, Michelin House, 81 Fulham Road, SW3, 020 7589 7401; conranshop.co.uk

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For further ideas, visit interior designer Beata Heuman; beataheuman.com

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© Morgan Sendall

ROCA LONDON GALLERY THE INSPIRATION THAT FLOWS FROM WATER. The Roca London Gallery is a resource centre for anyone working on a bathroom project: homeowners, interior designers and architects.

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INTERIORS M AT E R I A L

GIRL

Curtain and blinds designer Daisy Whitehead selects her favourite fabrics

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01 KITCHENS

tripes and checks are always great for kitchens.

S Ian Mankin has a huge selection in different colours and sizes, so there is something to suit everyone. My favourite is the Henley Stripe Cream/Peony. £29.50 p/m, 271/273 Wandsworth Bridge Road, SW6, 020 7722 0997; ianmankin.co.uk

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02 MASTER BEDROOM

ou want something calming but uplifting in a bedroom so it’s not too much of a struggle to get out of bed in the morning, like this Jasper Peony by Lewis & Wood. £69.60 p/m, 105 - 106 First Floor, Design Centre East, Chelsea Harbour, SW10, 020 7751 4554; lewisandwood.co.uk

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03 KIDS BEDROOMS

ou can’t go wrong with some classic nursery tales for a child’s bedroom. Jane Churchill does a fabulous range with everything from Beatrix Potter, Thomas the Tank Engine, Winnie the Pooh and Flower Fairies. I particularly love the London Sights of Paddington Bear. £85 p/m, 110 Fulham Road, SW3, 020 7244 7427; janechurchill.com

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 For an opulent feel look at Osborne & Little’s Concetti Velvet fabric.

£122.50 p/m, 304 King’s Road, SW3, 020 7352 1456; osborneandlittle.com

04 SITTING ROOM

or a beautifully elegant sitting room, use the wonderfully luxurious Ikebana Porcelain silk fabric from Knowles & Christou. It’s timeless. £69 p/m, 116 Lots Road, SW10, 020 7352 7000; knowles-christou.com

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05 RENTAL PROPERTIES

t’s always best to go completely neutral when doing up a property for rental. Romo has a great range of plain fabrics in all colours, including a vast palette of creams, beige and greys. I always recommend Linara Porridge. £34.50 p/m, Design Centre, Chelsea Harbour, SW10, 01623 750 005; romo.com

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06 STUDY

f you’re a dog lover you’ll love these fabrics by Emily Bond. Hounds, Labradors, Terriers – she does them all. I like the Red Dachshund which is stocked by John Lewis. £48 p/m, Peter Jones, Sloane Square, SW1, 08456 049 049; johnlewis.com

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For more soft furnishing ideas, visit Daisy Whitehead Designs; daisywhiteheaddesigns.com

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To book, visit theribroom.co.uk or call 020 7858 7250 Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Cadogan Place, Knightsbridge, London SW1X 9PY

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08/04/2014 14:51:45

23/04/2014 19:41

FOOD&TRAVEL Restaurant

Review

Alicia MacDonald finds both hangover and hunger cures in Tom’s Kitchen whilst Camilla Norton tucks into a tower of sea bream at The Pantechnicon

The Pantechnicon

M Tom’s Kitchen

I

t was probably cruel to take my scrupulous Sibling, who happens to be a sous-chef at J. Sheekey, along with me to review Tom’s Kitchen but well, I owed her one. We rocked up to the enchanting Chelsea eatery and marvelled at the space – and light. It’s a charmingly luminous and comfortable room that one imagines you could have lunch in and very well push on through to dinner in too; my kind of place.

Battling a mild hangover, Sibling opted for a Bloody Mary. ‘Ooh, it’s got wasabi in it! Good move,’ she said helpfully. It did the trick and we were onto a crisp, zesty Chilean Sauvignon Blanc by the Starters.

The Specials were diverse and encompassed seasonal vegetables.

My Courgette Risotto was gloriously presented, al dente and delicious, while Sibling plumped for Ham Hock Terrine and Piccalilli that had a decent kick to it. After

much dithering (food envy must be rife here) we opted for Seared Sea Bass and Spiced Pork Belly and weren’t disappointed. The pork was crispy and tender, in all the right places, and the fish cooked to melt-in-mouth perfection. It’s also heartening to know that TK chefs snub any endangered species such as tuna and swordfish. The Poached Rhubarb was light and refreshing, a perfect summer pudding, although Head Chef Robert Stephens recommends the Floating Island (a potent mix of custard, caramel and honeycomb) for when a sugar surplus seems the only way forward. And so with tummies full and hangovers fixed, we departed – as avid affiliates of Team Tom.

y husband’s first comments on Cubitt House’s Motcomb Street pub was that it would be great for a first date, although I’m not sure with whom he had in mind...

At our waiter’s recommendation, we had a bottle of the house red, an excellent Rioja that I would certainly choose again. I started with the Chilli Salt Squid, fresh, light and hot, whilst my husband had the Duck Liver and Bacon Pate, which was both hearty and rustic. Market Fish and Roasted New Potatoes followed for me – a tempura prawn balanced on a tower of sea bream that was delicate and delicious. My husband’s Sirloin Steak was perfectly cooked, although the rich bacon and mushroom sauce did somewhat overpower the steak.

The puddings were more innovative: my Bitter Chocolate Cake, a deeply rich mound of chocolate, was accompanied by malt cream and ale ice cream.

Whilst the cake was delicious, the accompanying creams tasted too much of hops and barely, which was a shame, for I have never really liked either. My husband’s Coffee Mousse And Banana Mille-Feuille was a surprisingly light structure of bananas and pastry, a sexed-up banoffee pie.

The Pantechnicon shouldn’t be limited to first dates. The first-rate food suits both quiet nights and celebrations, dinners with friends, bosses, lovers... and even your husband or wife.

By Alicia MacDonald

By Camilla Norton

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27 Cale Street, SW3 020 7349 0202 tomskitchen.co.uk

10 Motcomb Street, SW1 020 7730 6074 thepantechnicon.com

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WAREING his heart on his sleeve Focused, terrifying, stern, scary… Edwina Langley armours up to take on Michelin-star ‘iceman’ chef Marcus Wareing

EDWINA LANGLEY So, you have a new restaurant, ‘Marcus’, replacing your old one ‘Marcus Wareing’. Tell me about it...

Marcus Wareing It’s very different, very exciting. To start from scratch marks a refreshing new era in my life.

EL So it’s ‘new restaurant, new you’?

MW I think so. I always knew this was what I wanted to do. The past five years have been years of recession and that has affected the way people eat out. They want really good value now.

EL You’ve retrained all your staff to make them ‘more American, less French’. What does that mean?

MW When I said [in an interview] ‘American-style service’ I actually meant, ‘American style at the highest level’. In Europe, fine dining can be very serious.

El I’m always terrified by the thought of it.

MW: Yeah, people are terrified, it’s a word I hear a lot. We’re not terrifying people.

EL You look quite terrifying on telly.

MW [laughs] I’m just a very serious person when it comes to wearing my whites, especially in the kitchen. No, with fine dining in New York, for example, the conversation between customer and staff is very engaging. I found that in my restaurants, my management were just doing the formal thing. I mean, how bloody boring?

EL But isn’t that more a ‘British thing’?

Whenever I go to the States I get annoyed when strangers ask me questions. Because fundamentally I don’t want to talk to them.

MW It’s an interesting point. You’d rather go out and be left alone, so it’s up to the restaurant to identify that. When you have the stereotypical-type restaurant that I was running, I felt it looked scary – like what you said about how I come across on TV. EL But is that you – ‘scary’?

MW I suppose when I walk into a kitchen, I am that person. You don’t get here by being polite. You get here by being very strict and focused. I say it as it is. If you don’t like it, go and get a new job. That’s just a kitchen.

You’re not here to be mates.

EL Gulp! Let’s talk about your menu.

MW The menu has grown and the pricing structures are different, especially at lunchtime. It’s individually priced so you can come in and not spend three hours. Fine dining must be accessible.

EL Is there competition between you and your neighbours – Heston’s Dinner, Pierre Koffmann next door…?

If You don’t like it, go and get a new Job. You’re not here to be mates

MW Yes. When I first came here there was no one; competition was zero. But now it’s got stronger, and it did worry me for a few years. But actually it’s created more interest in the area.

EL How important are the two Michelin stars you’ve got for this restaurant?

MW [lost for words] I, I… those things are like Oscars to me. You chase them your whole life.

They’re very important. It’s what you spend your life dreaming about. You don’t EVER want to lose them. It would be devastating.

EL So you’re dad was a potato merchant and your first job was packing potatoes. Did you ever dream this would come of it?

MW No. I dreamt about growing the family business. My dad used to supply veg for school meals, and outside of that, to hotels and restaurants. But as time went on, supermarkets took over. So there were cutbacks and it broke my father’s business.

EL Oh no!

MW No, it was great! It made him retire, and if that hadn’t happened, he’d be dead now. My father was a workaholic and he smoked, two things that’ll kill you. He [retired] and said, ‘Marcus, you need to go and find a job.’ So I got a part-time job working in a kitchen. That ethos of ‘work’ was built into me by my father.

EL Seems your father passed on his ‘workaholic-ness’ to you too...

MW My work is my choice; the job has long hours. People ask ‘how does your wife put up with you?’ It’s not ‘putting up with me’.

It’s the lifestyle that we have together.

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FOOD&TRAVEL

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CHELSEA`S LOCAL GEM

OPENING HOURS MON-SAT -7:30AM-8PM SUN - 7:30-7PM

Reservation - 020 7352 3660 Wifi Connection Available On Both Floors

www.chelseaquartercafe.com | info@chelseaquartercafe.com

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23/04/2014 10:23

FOOD&TRAVEL

EL I read a sweet story that at the beginning of your relationship with Jane you used to visit her every Sunday in Sussex on your day off?

MW Yes, that was it.

EL How romantic!

MW It didn’t feel romantic, I was exhausted! I was working in Gordon Ramsay’s kitchens and it was tough.

I needed that breather of waking up in that happy place in the middle of a Sussex field.

EL And being with Jane, of course!

MW Yes, and being with Jane.

But she understood my job. We got through a helluva lot but that was testing the relationship. In my mind, the job came first. And I was always very vocal about that. Probably selfish, but that’s the person I was and probably still am today. I used to hear it a lot, chefs coming to me and saying: ‘I’m going to have to leave because my girlfriend wants me to work less hours.’ I say, ‘get a f*cking life!’

EL Now, come on Marcus, be like you were before, romantic...

MW Nah, come on!

EL I do understand what you’re saying but…

MW You cannot say to a guy: ‘I want more time with you, you need to slow down in your job.’ It pays the bills!

IN MY MIND, THE JOB CAME FIRST. AND I WAS ALWAYS VERY VOCAL ABOUT THAT

EL Yes, I geddit. But people are human!

Plus I suppose, in that way, it tests the chef’s dedication to their job. If they say ‘rack off’ to the girlfriend, then you know they’re serious.

MW Yes, then they rock up at my kitchen and say ‘we-haay!’ I can laugh about it now, but my family are proof that you can make it work.

There is nothing more special to me than my children; my wife and my children. They are my reason to be. I make a massive effort to spend time with them.

EL Very important.

MW Because I know one day I’m going to turn round and they will have all grown up and gone.

EL How do you stay in shape?

MW I work out and do a lot of running.

EL Would you feel safe leaving the kitchen to its own devices in the middle of the day to workout?

MW I’ve structured the business so it can look after itself. But you don’t arrive here, you work towards it. I’m

43 and it’s taken me from when I was head chef at 25 to build it. I did it with my own money. I had to look at life as a marathon.

EL You’ve got to change your Wikipedia page. It says ‘Marcus Wareing, the celebrity chef’ as if you’ve never set foot in a real kitchen.

MW Wikipedia? I didn’t realise I was on it.

EL How do you recruit for this restaurant? Do people turn up with their chef whites and apron in-hand?

MW They do! I’m always looking for the next big talent. Anyone who knocks on my door will always get the opportunity to spend some time with us. But we don’t want people who don’t fit. You can damage someone if they’re not in the right job, if they’re there because they want it on their CV. My CV said I could cook…and then I went to work with Gordon and realised I was just ‘Jo Average’.

EL How are things between you and Gordon? Speaking again?

MW Nah. EL It must get quite frustrating, people always asking about your spat. But quite fun too, being part of a wellpublicised cheffy blowup...

MW I have massive respect for Gordon. I wouldn’t be sitting here today without his support in the early days. He’s a fantastic chef and I’m really pleased he’s got control of his business. But anyone who’s successful like he is, is like Marmite.

You either love them or you hate them. And I didn’t want to spend my time, thinking, ‘I hate your guts, I hate you Gordon because you didn’t help me.’ Without that falling out, I’d have never been on my own. He lives in Wandsworth too, I see him sometimes.

EL He’s a runner as well. Do you ever pass him in the park, have a quick punch up, then jog on?

MW [Laughs] I think Gordon spends a lot of time in America, so I imagine he [runs] in Los Angeles.

EL What’s next?

MW We’ve got a new restaurant opening in August called Tredwell’s.

But what I [eventually] want to do is take my jacket off and run the company. Write books. I have plans of what I want to achieve and it’s not just cooking. I want to enjoy my children’s schooling and be part of it.

When they’ve all gone, I’ll probably continue working like I’ve always worked. What else can I do? Sit at home and look at the wife all day?

EL I don’t know, take up golf?

MW I just want to continue being a father figure, overlooking what everyone’s doing and working properly. I’ll be in my whites for a long, long time.

Marcus, The Berkeley, Wilton Place, SW1, 020 7235 1200; marcus-wareing.com

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ABSOLUTELY PROMOTION

G ET OUT to the garden...

THE JAM TREE

THE ROSE

he Jam Tree boasts one of the largest gardens on the King's Road, with its own T dedicated garden bar and BBQ kitchen.

Open daily until 11pm, with all day sunshine, capacity for 80 people seated, and 200 standing, it really is a garden for all seasons thanks to substantial heating and covering throughout.

Excellent food and drink, excellent location.

he Rose is Fulham’s ‘Village Pub’ featuring a lovely heated and sheltered garden with many flowering shrubs and seasonal plants; and of course roses!

Space enough for drinks, BBQs, al-fresco lunches and dinners and, of course, the superb Sunday Roast. The Rose hosts private parties in the Garden and the Rose Room on the first floor.

The Jam Tree 541 King's Road, SW6

The Rose 1 Harwood Terrace, SW6 020 7731 1832

0203 397 3739 thejamtree.com

THE BLUEBIRD

T

therosefulham.co.uk

THE IMPERIAL

he Bluebird Café offers a sanctuary from the bustle of the King’s Road. Why not T kick-start your day with a classic breakfast, eat lunch al fresco or wind down with our à la carte dinner menu, whilst enjoying a glass of wine?

Alternatively, watch the King’s Road go by from our sun-dappled courtyard and enjoy an all-day-BBQ in the sunnier months.

ur garden is open for al fresco dining, what's stopping you from visiting? It is an extension of the restaurant, so why not drop in for a fresh and healthy salad and sip on some rosé or a Pimms? Be it breakfast, lunch or dinner, feel free to bed in for the day, and enjoy the long summer evening with us too. We also cater to private events and boast some particularly delicious menus for them too.

The Bluebird 350 King's Road, SW3 020 7559 1000

The Imperial 577 King's Road, SW6

bluebird-restaurant.co.uk

reservations@the-imperial.co.uk

O

020 7736 6081

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FOOD&TRAVEL

GET YOUR SEVEN-A-DAY Not only is this month all about flowers, but veggies too – 19-25th May is National Vegetarian Week. Gallery Mess restaurant are marking this with a weeklong English country menu, featuring Chilled English Pea and Watercress Soup, Lamp Rump with Jersey Royals and Chocolate and Lavender Brûlée… Mmm, that’s our seven-a-day sorted. 19-25th May, 3 courses for £28.50, Saatchi Gallery, Duke of York HQ, SW3, 020 7730 135; saatchigallery.com

RECIPE

Focaccia With British Asparagus, Olives And Sun Dried Tomatoes S E RV E S 8 Preparation time: 1½ – 2 hours Cooking time: 20 mins INGREDIENTS

• 500g strong white flour • 7g dried yeast • 1 tsp salt • ½ tsp sugar • 300ml warm water with 1 tbsp of olive oil in it • 1 bundle (approx. 250g) British asparagus, cut into 2 inch pieces • Handful (60g) black or green olives, pitted • 3 tbsp (75g) sun dried tomatoes, halved • 1 tbsp olive oil METHOD 1

Place the flour in a large bowl, make a well, then add the yeast. Next, add the salt and sugar. Mix.

2

Make another well, then gradually pour in the warm water and oil ( you may need more or less water). Bring together with your hand until a soft dough is formed. Knead on a floured surface for 10mins.

3

4

5

Place dough in a warm place to rise until it’s doubled in size. Knock it back, stretch to fit a baking tin of approx 25 x 30cm. Rest for 15 mins Preheat your oven to 210°C. Sprinkle over the asparagus, olives and tomatoes. Press them down into the dough. Drizzle with oil, season and bake for 20mins.

Serve with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping. british-asparagus.co.uk

LIGHT b i te s

Chinese Whispers ‘Ooing’ and ‘aahing’ at the flower show is thirsty work. Make sure you head down to Barts, the ‘secret’ speakeasy bar, for some alcoholic rehydration afterwards.

Newly refurbished, the bar has invented a new cocktail just for the show.

‘The Chinese Lantern’ mixes Hibiscus and Rose Jam infused Tanqueray Malacca, apple juice, egg white and syrup, all served up in an actual Chinese Lantern. Enjoy it in the newly-opened garden.

20th-24th May, Chelsea Cloisters, 87 Sloane Avenue, SW3, 020 7581 3355; barts-london.com

TEA ROSES o celebrate the flower show at Chelsea, Sofitel London St James has created a simply smashing afternoon tea. ‘Le Tea en Rose’ is served throughout May, in The Rose Lounge, and includes floral-themed pastries, like: Chocolate Dacquoise, Jasmine Flower

T

Mousse, Raspberry Macaroon, Elderflower Jelly, Lemon Cheesecake Crumble and Swiss Meringue. Washed down with a range of specialist teas – like Mediterranean Rose – or the ‘La Vie En Rose’ cocktail, this is worth spending an afternoon on.

From £30 pp, 8 Pall Mall, SW1, 020 7747 2238; sofitelstjames.com

DID YOU KNOW…

Blackcurrants CROSSED WITH gooseberries CREATED the jostaberry 67

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23/04/2014 19:34

NORDIC STYLE

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30th Anniversary Show

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Showrooms in Chelsea & Wimbledon Village 109 Lots Road Chelsea London SW10 0RN 7 High Street Wimbledon Village London SW19 5DX

www.nordicstyle.com Tel: 020 7351 1755

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21/03/2014 16:14:06

Discover your local weekly farmers market What can i expect to find?

Local, seasonal food. Fruit and vegetables, meat, poultry and fish. Fruit juice, dairy products, plants, preserves, handmade bread and cakes and much more.

South Kensington Farmers Markets

Notting Hill Farmers Market

Tuesdays, imperial College Road, 9am-2pm Saturdays, Bute Street, 9am-2pm

Saturdays, off Kensingtons Church St, 9am-1pm

Pimlico Farmers Market

Parsons G reen Farmers Market

Saturdays, Orange Square, 9am-2pm

Sundays, New Kings Road, 10am-2pm

info@1fm.org.ukď ź follow each market on Facebook, Twitter@Londonfarmers

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23/04/2014 10:24

23/04/2014 19:42

FOOD&TRAVEL

The House

O

nce the court house for the local area, Painswick Court has a wonderfully rich history. Take a nightcap in the oak-pannelled Court Room, with its magnificent fireplace and hidden door up to the games room, or stay in the bedroom where King Charles I was once a guest during the Siege of Gloucester in 1643 – his ghost is still believed to haunt the area. Mother and son hosts Linda and Peter Lloyd provide a warm welcome to their beautiful Cotswolds country house home, complete with lavender-lined entrance and rustic wooden doors.

Yet the house is just as stunning on the inside as it is on the outside, with its neutral contemporary interiors complementing the original period features. Look out the window and you’ll find views across the rolling countryside as well as the formal garden. A relaxing natural haven, the garden is another great entertaining space, complete with dining area, hot tub and private cinema room – perfect for hosting a party. We recommend hiring local chef James ‘Bob’ Parkinson, the man behind Made by Bob in Cirencester, whose bespoke catering really is exquisite.

PAINSWICK COURT Gloucestershire

The Area

K

nown as ‘The Queen of the Cotswolds’, Painswick is everything you’d expect from a quaint Gloucestershire village – pretty, picturesque stone cottages, a beautiful church dating back to the 14th century and a cosy traditional pub, The Falcon, serving seasonal, quintessentially British food.

The Activities

G

loucestershire is renowned as the very smartest part of the Cotswolds, so it’s no surprise to find the surrounding area is littered with polo clubs, making it a perfect destination for horse-lovers. To get involved, head to Edgeworth Polo Club for a relaxed lesson in the club’s gorgeous grounds, or try Barton Stables for a peaceful hack through the beautiful Cotswolds countryside.

£ T H E DA M AG E

One week exclusive rental of Painswick Court costs from £13,000 (£925 per person) based on 14 guests sharing. Short stays start from £3,125 (£220 per person) per night based on 14 guests sharing. Minimum stay of 2 nights. Abercrombie & Kent Villas, 0845 618 2205; akvillas.com

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23/04/2014 12:35

Turkish Delight Catherine Hales SAMPLES ALL ISTANBUL HAS TO OFFER, FROM THE GRAND BAZAAR TO The Hagia Sophia

P

W H E R E T O S TAY

erched on the Bosphorous strait, occupying a spot on the European side flanked by the Dolmabahçe Palace and the Naval Museum, the Shangri-La Hotel overlooks a panoply of mosques, minarets and rolling hills on the Asian shore. It’s an impressive view, and one which is undoubtedly worth paying for. I stayed in one of the Deluxe Bosphorus rooms overlooking the river – luxurious without being cloying or overdone, the pale carpets, high ceilings and enormous window gave it a wonderfully airy feel. Next door, a dramatic en suite black marble bathroom offered a bath big enough to swim in, an almost unreasonably spacious shower and a loo with its own phone. These, however,

were all upstaged by my discovery of the television concealed in the mirror. Granted, I was unable to make it play anything other than The National Geographic channel in Turkish, but that hardly seemed to matter. The hotel feels opulent and impressive, boasting two restaurants, a decadent spa and health centre and some staggeringly grand conference and banquet facilities, located down the magnificent staircase, which spirals around the three storey chandelier.

W H E R E T O E AT

I

n an odd twist of fate, I managed to come all the way to Turkey and end up eating some of the best Chinese food I’d ever had.

Every Shangri-La Hotel has a Shang Palace restaurant, and this one is sophisticated and seductive, filled with intimate wooden lattice

dividing up the curving booths.

The food was exquisite traditional Cantonese fare – the duck, served as just the skin, then in a pancake and finally in noodle form was flawless, crispy and succulent in equal measure.

For top notch traditional Turkish food however, the Köşebaşı Restaurant in the Nişantaşı region of Istanbul was the clear winner. The superior hummus, which bore only a passing similarity to any found in the UK, was gone almost as soon as it was put on the table. Their signature Tarsusi kebab, marinated with Turkish spices to give just the right amount of kick, also stood out.

Köşebaşı has been consistently rated as one of the world’s best restaurants

by Condé Nast Traveller and Zagat, but it was refreshing to find a restaurant which really did live up to the hype.

For an evening meal with the potential for dancing and drinking, 360 in Taksim is your best bet, although its panoramic view of the city and slightly gimmicky live entertainment do tend to attract a more touristy crowd.

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FOOD&TRAVEL

WHERE TO SHOP

I

stanbul is home to The Grand Bazaar, one of the largest and oldest covered markets in the world. The Bazaar attracts between 250,000 and 400,000 visitors daily and has over 3,000 shops on 61 streets, meaning that it is impossible to do anything more than scratch the surface in an afternoon. The main drag is dominated by souvenir shops and jewellers, and despite stores being grouped together according to type, I find it baffling, crowded and altogether overwhelming. I emerged blinking in the sudden sunlight having only purchased a few evil eye nik naks. No less voracious is the fabled Spice Market where I am proposed to several times (the Turkish style of selling takes a bit of acclimatisation). But the Spice Market is something to behold and the riotous colours and echoing catcalls seem to capture more of the vitality of Istanbul than the Grand Bazaar. Whilst both are massive tourist traps, they are worth seeing, even if only briefly. However, serious shoppers looking for designer tags will find them in one place: Nişantaşı. This is Istanbul’s answer to Bond Street and is peppered with elegant cafés and expensively dressed pedestrians, showcasing the more European side of Istanbul’s diverse culture.

FA M O U S S I G H T S

F

irst Byzantium, then Constantinople and finally Istanbul, Turkey’s largest city has an incredibly rich history, having served as the capital of four separate empires. Although a Christian stronghold for hundreds

TURKEY’S largest city has an INCREDIBLY RICH HISTORY, having served as the capital of four separate EMPIRES

of years, the Ottoman invasion in 1453 transformed the city into a centre of Islam, a change represented in architectural form by the Hagia Sophia. Initially a church and later a mosque, it no longer belongs to any denomination and instead serves as a museum, appointed by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, first Turkish President and founder of the Turkish Republic. The inside has a hallowed atmosphere, with enormous hanging discs inscribed with the names of Allah and Muhammad, accompanied by mosaics of familiar Biblical characters like Mary and Jesus. This historical behemoth is located a stone’s throw from another unmissable Istanbul landmark, the Blue Mosque. A breathtaking structure – the domes and minarets seem to multiply as you look on, the white of the stones gleaming in the sunshine.

Be prepared to queue though – the long line to enter isn’t for the faint hearted.

DON’T MISS...

A

Turkish Hammam. A traditional cleansing treatment, I tried one at the CHI Spa in the Shangri-La Hotel. Conducted in a white marble chamber lined with basins, the treatment involves lying on a slab in the centre of the room as a jug of warm water is poured over you. This is followed by a rather vigorous rubbing down, before you are covered in a warm foam. The process is then repeated, with the added bonus of a hair wash.

It really does leave you feeling exceptionally clean, and afterwards my hair had never been shinier and my skin was silky smooth for days.

Quite possibly the most enjoyable way to sample authentic Istanbul.

THE DAMAGE A double room at Shangri-La Bosphorus, Istanbul starts from €410 per room per night. Includes breakfast, tax and service.

British Airways flies to Istanbul from London Heathrow, three times a day from £145 return.

0800 028 3337; shangri-la.com britishairways.com.

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14/04/2014 16:34

23/04/2014 19:43

FOOD&TRAVEL

TR AV E L

Leonardo Love ove Leonardo de Vinci?

Love the Dorchester’s Milanese hotel, Hotel Principe di Savoia’s, ‘A Road to Leonardo Package’. Visitors experience a three-hour guided tour of Leonardo’s masterpieces – including ‘The Last Supper’ at the Monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie – and back at the hotel, have access to the beauty centre, steam rooms and sauna, not to mention, rather exquisite views of Milan. Now that’s amore. Min 2 nights stay from €480 per night; dorchestercollection.com

L

Cougar Time f you think ‘cat’ not ‘trainers’ when you I hear the word ‘puma’, this trip is for you. Embark on an exciting adventure to Chile to track these majestic creatures through Torres del Paine National Park, with renowned photographer Diego Araya.

From £6,495 pp, includes 5 nights’ trekking from Patagonia Camp and 5 nights at EcoCamp, guided treks and flights from London; southamericanexplorations.com

NOTES

Rock[well] On f you have friends visiting for the flower show and no room to house them, why not suggest a stay at The Rockwell, a comfortable independent 40room hotel on the Cromwell Road? Delightful bedrooms (some with patio areas), White Company goodies in the bathrooms, a restaurant that serves modern food (with delicious bread – we can vouch!) and an outdoor dining area for al fresco lunches… scrap that, pay it a visit yourself!

181-183 Cromwell Road, SW5, 020 7244 2000; therockwell.com

I

MUST SEE

Ancient City Break Just steps from the Holy City lies the newly opened Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem.

Situated on the site of the former Palace Hotel and within easy walking distance of the Old City, this is Jerusalem's only internationally-branded luxury hotel. With 226 rooms, gastronomic options include French and Italian cuisine, though it's falafel all the way for us. waldorfastoria.com

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Smart knows where to be seen when selling.

Over 30 million visits per month

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MAY 2014

ABSOLUTELY

PROPERTY

NARBOROUGH STREET, SW6 An immensely stylish three storey, four bedroom Victorian family house forming part of this popular residential street. The house, which is fully extended, benefits from fantastic entertaining space leading onto a private decked garden. The property is located along the mid section of Narborough Street, benefitting from the shopping and transport facilities of the local area including Parsons Green and Wandsworth Bridge Road. The open spaces of South Park are moments away.

ÂŁ1,850,000 Freehold Strutt & Parker I 020 7731 7100 I fulham@struttandparker.com

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Follow us on Twitter: @marshandparsons

Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/marshandparsons

Visit our YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/marshandparsons

SALES

See all of our properties online: marshandparsons.co.uk

Lennox Gardens SW3 £4,900,000 A rare opportunity to acquire two individual apartments with the potential to convert into one unit (subject to usual consents) in this delightful Chelsea location. Both apartments are in immaculate condition and span the entire second, third and fourth oor of the stunning period red brick property. There is the option to purchase the properties individually or as a pair. The owners currently have listed building consent for the pair to be converted into one apartment. Share of Freehold. Joint Sole Agents.

CHELSEA: 020 7591 5570 sales.chs@marshandparsons.co.uk

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Local know-how. Better results.

Our offices:

Barnes

Brook Green

Earls Court

Holland Park

Marylebone

Pimlico & Westminster

Askew Road

Battersea

Chelsea

Fulham

Kensington

North Kensington

South Kensington

Balham

Bishops Park

Clapham

Hammersmith

Little Venice

Notting Hill

Blake Gardens SW6 £2,295,000 eautifully presented throughout, this attractive ictorian property provides well balanced accommodation over three floors. The ground floor offers a stunning bay windowed reception room and a fully integrated family itchen leading out to a pretty south facing garden. The upper floors include an impressive master bedroom complete with tted wardrobes and an en suite bathroom, three further double bedrooms, a shower room and an additional bathroom. Freehold. EPC=D. Sole Agents.

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

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Follow us on Twitter: @marshandparsons

Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/marshandparsons

Visit our YouTube channel: youtube.com/user/marshandparsons

LETTINGS

See all of our properties online: marshandparsons.co.uk

Clancarty Road SW6 £1,675,000 Stunning throughout, this well proportioned property is in excellent condition, providing well-balanced accommodation arranged over three floors. The ground floor includes a spacious hallway entrance and a sensational 41ft reception room, partially divided to include a dining area, a beautiful conservatory leading out to the landscaped garden, a galley kitchen and a cloakroom. The three generous bedrooms (one with en suite shower room) and a family bathroom are arranged over the upper floors. Freehold. EPC=E. Sole Agents.

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

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ABSOLUTELY Property

IN THEIR OWN

WORDS ANDREW GUNNFORBES Manager, Harrods Estates, Chelsea Office Photography: Rebecca Noonan

I

originally wanted to be a spy, since I was so glued to the Bond films - however, this was only my top career choice until I was around 11.

There is excitement to be had in property too, the complexities of handling sales transactions and the entire process of taking on a property through to sale and completion keeps thrilling me the more I work in the industry.

I came into the business due to my desire to meet lots of different people and have the opportunity to do deals without having to go into the City at 5AM every morning! London is the best city in the world, and Chelsea the pinnacle of London, so the fact that I can view stunning properties, meet interesting people and sell some of the best and most prestigious addresses in London is fantastic.

I grew up in South West London and went on to study business at Bristol University. When I completed my studies I moved to Battersea and I now live in the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, which I could never envisage myself leaving. Chelsea is a wonderful place to live and to top it all, I was appointed Manager of the new Harrods Estates office on the Fulham Road.

I have been in Chelsea for 10 years and I love its diversity: from the glorious restaurants such as Five Fields (which I can highly recommend) to the Saatchi Gallery, there is something to appeal to all. I am only five minutes from Harrods but I also have the

intimacy of the Duke of York Square market.

The Chelsea Flower Show is also a huge draw for me; coming from a family of horticulturalists, I go every year and enjoy it immensely. My Grandfather, Owen Thomas, started gardening in the Royal Gardens, Windsor. He then worked through France until he was accepted into Kew Gardens in 1897 and penned a huge range of books before being awarded the Victoria Medal of Honour from the Royal Horticultural Society in 1949. He served as President of Kew Garden from 1953-54 and at the flower show I really see why he loved Horticulture.

Moving back into property, the market in Chelsea is fascinatingly fast moving at the moment. We are seeing huge demand for property of all sizes, with a significant amount of off-market sales also occurring. This demand naturally pushes property prices up, and recently Henry Moore Court achieved £3,800 per sq ft, a record price for the area. There will soon be a large amount of developer investment to SW10, the Lots Road Power Station and Chelsea Barracks (230 units) should keep prices buoyant.

Currently, our premium stock has been achieving premium prices and I can only see this trend continuing in Chelsea: our clients seem to have fallen in love with the area as much as I have!

� 020 7225 6700; harrodsestates.com

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ABSOLUTELY Property

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CRANLEY PLACE, South Kensington, SW7 A generously proportioned three bedroom maisonette in a stucco-fronted period building in prime South Kensington. n the ro nd floor the apartment enefits from an impressive 22 ft. reception room, a second reception room, cloakroom and a large kitchen/ dining area with French doors leading onto the private patio garden. On the lower-ground floor is the master edroom with en s ite athroom two further double bedrooms with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom, utility room and internal courtyard. Cranley Place is ideally located for the shops and restaurants of South Kensington, Chelsea and Knightsbridge and has excellent transport links around London. EPC rating C. Share of Freehold Guide price: ÂŁ4,750,000 +44(0)20 7225 6700 andrew.gunnforbes@harrodsestates.com

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE: 82 BROMPTON ROAD LONDON SW3 1ER T: +44 (0)20 7225 6506 MAYFAIR OFFICE: 61 PARK LANE LONDON W1K 1QF T: +44 (0)20 7409 9001 CHELSEA OFFICE: 58 FULHAM ROAD LONDON SW3 6HH T: +44 (0)20 7225 6700

HARRODSESTATES.COM

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4314

THE TOWER, ONE ST GEORGE WHARF, Vauxhall, SW8 We are pleased to present this stunning, brand new, riverside development.The Tower offers superb amenities to residents, with a luxury gym and spa, cinema, lounge, meeting rooms, swimming pool with river views, 24 hour porter and concierge services and underground parking. The apartment is on the fifth floor with lovely views from the reception room and the bedroom, comfort cooling, integrated media and security systems. Approx 486 sq ft, the accommodation comprises open plan kitchen / reception room, a separate bedroom and shower room. Available immediately for long term rentals on a furnished basis. EPC rating C. Price Per Week: £495 Plus Property Fees: £180 Admin & £162 Checkout.

References: £42 per person* *http://www.harrodsestates.com/tenants +44(0)20 7225 5881 candice.fletcher@harrodsestates.com

KNIGHTSBRIDGE OFFICE: 82 BROMPTON ROAD LONDON SW3 1ER T: +44 (0)20 7225 6506 MAYFAIR OFFICE: 61 PARK LANE LONDON W1K 1QF T: +44 (0)20 7409 9001 CHELSEA OFFICE: 58 FULHAM ROAD LONDON SW3 6HH T: +44 (0)20 7225 6700

HARRODSESTATES.COM

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You may know us from walking your dog, local charity events or simply recognise a familiar face.

Because many of our agents live where they work, they really understand what matters to buyers and sellers there. And because people know us, time and again we are able to sell and let properties more quickly and at a better price than anyone else.

BENSON BEARD MRICS A S S O C I AT E D I R E C T O R

Benson has two decades of property experience in Chelsea as a Chartered Surveyor and Estate Agent bringing a true wealth and breadth of expertise and experience to all his dealings. Married in Chelsea Old Church, playing regular cricket matches at Burton Court, negotiating lease extensions and selling some of Chelsea’s finest homes, makes Benson a true local and he has cemented his position as one of the area’s most knowledgeable and credible property professionals.

C H E L S E A 0 2 0 7 5 8 9 6 67 7 — K E N S I N G T O N 0 2 0 7 7 9 5 42 8 8 N O T T I N G H I L L 0 2 0 7 2 2 1 4 8 0 5 — L A D B R O K E G R O V E 0 2 0 7 2 2 1 0 3 3 0 — B R O O K G R E E N 0 2 0 76 0 3 51 8 1 L A N D & N E W H O M E S 0 2 0 7 3 1 3 7 7 1 1 — P R O P E R T Y M A N A G E M E N T 0 2 0 7 2 2 1 0 0 9 9 — C O M M E R C I A L 0 2 0 7 9 8 5 07 1 5 W W W. B EC TIVE .CO.U K FIND US ON

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P H OTO G R A P H S BY T I M CO L E W W W.TI M - CO LE .CO M

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The Old Dairy OLD CHURCH STREET CHELSEA SW3

Surely one of the most distinguishable houses in Old Chelsea. An individual period house arranged over four floors with excellent living accommodation and a fantastic roof terrace. Built on the original site of Wrights Dairy. Old Church Street runs south of King’s Road to the river close to the many excellent restaurants and shops situated in this fashionable and sought after location.

3 B E D R O O M S , 2 B AT H R O O M S ( 1 E N S U I T E ) , D R E SS I N G R O O M , C LOA K R O O M , 2 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S , K I T C H E N , C O U R T YA R D , R O O F T E R R A C E , S H A R E D P A R K I N G .

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FREEHOLD £4,250,000 ANDREW EVERILL AE@BECTIVE.CO.UK CHELSEA OFFICE 020 7589 6 67 7

170 SQ M / 1 , 82 9 SQ F T APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G E

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CHELSEA

COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

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Classic Belgravia Townhouse W I LT O N P L A C E B E L G R AV I A S W 1

An elegant house situated on this extremely attractive terrace with views across to St Paul’s Knightsbridge. The house is presented beautifully throughout and offers flexible accommodation and opulent reception spaces. Just around the corner from Hyde Park and a short distance to Green Park and the world renowned shopping district of Knightsbridge, including Harrods and Harvey Nichols.

M A S T E R B E D R O O M W I T H E N S U I T E B AT H R O O M , 5 FU R T H E R B E D R O O M S , B AT H R O O M , 2 S H OW E R R O O M S , 3 R E C E P T I O N R O O M S , C L O A K R O O M , GY M , K I T C H E N / B R E A K FA S T R O O M , L A U N D R Y, VA U LT S , G A R D E N , TERR ACE .

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F R E E H O L D £ 7, 9 5 0 , 0 0 0 ANDREW EVERILL AE@BECTIVE.CO.UK CHELSEA OFFICE 020 7589 6 67 7

31 0 SQ M / 3 , 3 6 3 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G E

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Sheer Elegance CADOGAN SQUARE CHELSEA SW1X

A most delightful flat with a truly glorious west facing reception room which enjoys extensive views across the gardens square located on the raised ground floor of this well run period building.

The property has a lease term of approximately 8 years 8 months remaining. Sloane Square Underground Station offers the nearest transport links (District & Circle lines).

B E D R O O M , B A T H R O O M , R E C E P T I O N R O O M , M E Z Z A N I N E S T U D Y/ B E D R O O M , K I T C H E N , P O R T E R , CO M M U N A L H E ATI N G/ H OT WATE R .

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LEASEHOLD ÂŁ1,500,000 ANDREW EVERILL AE@BECTIVE.CO.UK CHELSEA OFFICE 020 7589 6 67 7

6 4 SQ M / 6 89 SQ F T APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G E

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COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

FIND US ON

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Princes Court BROMPTON ROAD KNIGHTSBRIDGE SW3

A bright apartment located on the seventh floor of this portered purpose-built block. The property benefits from fabulous views and would make the ideal pied a terre or rental investment. Princes Court is located on the Brompton Road, directly opposite Harrods.

Ideally located for Knightsbridge, Sloane Street and Hyde Park.

2 B E D R O O M S , B AT H R O O M , R E C E P T I O N R O O M , K I TC H E N .

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LEASEHOLD ÂŁ1,695,000 ANDREW EVERILL AE@BECTIVE.CO.UK CHELSEA OFFICE 020 7589 6 67 7

82 SQ M / 8 8 3 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G C

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Country Living TITE STREET CHELSEA SW3

F U R N I S H E D/ U N F U R N £ 1 5 , 0 0 0 P E R W E E K

A magnificent property that is situated on the site of the studio house built for James McNeil Whistler by EW Godwin in 1887. This accommodation offers generously proportioned rooms, plenty of light and an elegant approach to large scale entertaining. 7 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms (5 en suite), 5 reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, wine cellar, private garden, 2 terraces, gym, steam room, garage. EPC Rating D.

S O P H I E M U R R AY SSM@BECTIVE.CO.UK CHELSEA OFFICE 020 7589 6 67 7

Communal Gardens CADOGAN SQUARE CHELSEA SW1X

FURNISHED £3,450 PER WEEK

An immaculate property providing a spacious reception room and well arranged accommodation throughout with views over the garden square. This property has been superbly renovated and interior designed in the best modern contemporary style and beautiful high ceilings and wooden floors throughout. 3 bedrooms, en suite bathroom, 2 shower rooms (1 en suite), reception room, kitchen, use of communal gardens. EPC Rating E.

S O P H I E M U R R AY

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SSM@BECTIVE.CO.UK CHELSEA OFFICE 020 7589 6 67 7

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CHELSEA

COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

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Garden Views CADOGAN SQUARE CHELSEA SW1X

FURNISHED £1,495 PER WEEK

A beautifully presented, spacious west facing first floor flat with high ceilings and original features. This property also benefits from having plenty of natural light, a lift and a resident caretaker in the building.

3 bedrooms, 2 shower rooms (1 en suite), reception room, kitchen, balcony, access to communal gardens. EPC Rating D.

S O P H I E M U R R AY SSM@BECTIVE.CO.UK CHELSEA OFFICE 020 7589 6 67 7

Loft Style Apartment

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HARRINGTON GARDENS SOUTH KENSINGTON SW7

FURNISHED £1 ,1 50 PER WEEK

A beautifully refurbished and extremely spacious and bright top floor flat. This property has a large open-plan kitchen/ dining area and benefits from a large private roof terrace. Harrington Gardens is conveniently located just off Gloucester Road and close to South Kensington. Bedroom, bathroom, reception room, kitchen, roof terrace. EPC Rating E.

S O P H I E M U R R AY

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SSM@BECTIVE.CO.UK CHELSEA OFFICE 020 7589 6 67 7

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Living the Dream The most luxuriously appointed properties on the market.

Hans Road, SW3 This beautiful one double bedroom apartment is located on the top floor of a stunning period building opposite the world famous Harrods department store.

The property is both stylish and spacious in equal measure. Accommodation comprises a large reception with rooftop views, an excellent sized double bedroom with fitted wardrobes, en suite shower room, modern fully fitted kitchen, wooden floors throughout and a fabulous roof terrace. Hans Road is an exclusive Knightsbridge address with easy access to fashionable shops, bars and restaurants.

Available 1st June 2014. Fees Apply.

£835 Per Week 020 7731 0031;

fulham.fineandcountry.co.uk

Kensington Gate, W8

Cadogan Gardens, SW3

Kensington Gate offers the rare opportunity to purchase a Grade II* listed townhouse in this prime garden square complete with mews house to the rear, the two connected via a lower ground floor entertaining/leisure complex. The main house and mews can be arranged to provide nine bedrooms and an abundance of entertaining space, patio garden, garage, basement leisure facility and staff quarters.

A beautifully designed recently refurbished flat on the raised ground and lower ground floor of this period building. The flat is available fully furnished and offers two areas of outside space. The communal parts have recently been refurbished to a high modern standard and there is direct lift access to the flat. Cadogan Gardens is perfectly located just a short walk from Knightsbridge, Sloane Square and Hyde Park Corner.

£13,500,000

£3,950 Per Week

020 7225 6506; harrodsestates.com

020 7581 8431; jackson-stops.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Fulham Palace Road, SW6 An end of terrace, extremely spacious, light, well presented ground floor flat benefiting from a wonderfully large 40’ garden. It is located towards the Bishops Park end of Fulham Palace Road with Putney Bridge underground station close by.

This property further comprises three double bedrooms, family bathroom, spacious reception, and kitchen. There is also the potential to extend, STPP.

£925,000

020 7381 4998; lockettestates.co.uk

First Street, SW3 This wonderful freehold family house, boasting in excess of 1,550 sq ft, benefits from extensive reception space, three bedrooms and two bathrooms. The ground and lower ground floors have a tremendous amount of natural light and are dedicated to a mass of reception space, a large eat in kitchen with space for dining, as well as further living space leading onto a patio garden and a separate guest cloakroom. The house has excellent ceiling height and an amazing open and airy feel. The bedroom accommodation is well laid out over the first and second floor, with two double bedrooms and a family bathroom on the first floor and the master suite, with balcony, comprising the entire second floor.

£3,950,000

020 7591 5570; marshandparsons.co.uk

Marville Road, SW6 A rare opportunity to rent this unique five bedroom double fronted house laid over three floors and occupying approximately 3,095 square feet. This wonderful family house has been completely renovated and offers excellent space throughout. Marville Road is a prime street in the heart of Fulham set within the area known locally as ‘The Villes’; moments from all the shopping and transport facilities of both Parsons Green and Fulham Broadway.

£1,650 Per Week

020 7731 7100; struttandparker.com

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Completely at home in West London.

Our services Sales and Lettings Property Management Block Management Property Solicitors Chartered Surveyors Financial Services Visit kfh.co.uk

With over 35 years’ experience and 50 branches across the Capital, our local knowledge and London network will ensure we achieve the right result for you.

Local branches include • Fulham • Holland Park

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05.1

Holland Park, Holland Park, W11 £4,500,000 Shared freehold Holland Park 020 3542 2111 Email shp@kfh.co.uk

09:34

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An outstanding two bedroom maisonette in a handsome Victorian villa offering stunning double reception room with high ceiling, walk in wardrobes and a sleek modern kitchen.

• • • • • • • •

Two large bedrooms High ceilings Dual aspect reception Porter and lift Luxurious bathrooms Air conditioning Crestron AV and lighting EPC rating D

11:45 03/04/2014 09:32

Rostrevor Road, Parsons Green, SW6 £1,200,000 Leasehold Fulham 020 7731 0051 Email sfb@kfh.co.uk

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A well presented Victorian split level conversion apartment situated within the desirable Parsons Green area of Fulham ideal for the shopping amenities on Fulham Road.

The property offers further potential to create a pod room or roof terrace subject to ownership, licence and planning permission.

• • • • • • • • •

Three double bedrooms Spacious reception room Open plan kitchen En suite bathroom Separate shower room First and second floors 1,060 sq ft of accommodation Balcony to front EPC rating E

11:45 03/04/2014 09:33

ABSOLUTELY Property

Luxurious Lettings ďż˝

An immaculate property providing a spacious reception room and well arranged accommodation throughout with views over the garden square.

T

his property has been superbly renovated and interior designed in the best modern contemporary style with beautiful high ceilings and wooden floors throughout. This property is ideally situated close to Sloane Street and the local amenities of Knightsbridge. Sloane Square or Knightsbridge Underground Station are the closest transport links (Circle, District and Piccadilly lines).

Details

Cadogan Square, SW1 ÂŁ3,450 Per Week

Contact

Bective Leslie Marsh, Chelsea 020 7589 6677; bective.co.uk

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sullivanthomas.co.uk | carterjonas.co.uk

STEVENAGE ROAD SW6

£5,000,000 F/H

An absolutely sensational fully refurbished and extended semi detached period house with off street parking.

• 2 reception rooms

• 2 shower rooms

• Open-plan kitchen

• Media room

• 6 bedrooms

• Garden

• 3 bathrooms

• Energy efficiency: Band B

LANGTHORNE STREET SW6

£1,750,000 F/H

A beautifully presented terraced period house offering in excess of 1,800 sq ft of well laid out space.

Fulham Bishops Park Sales: 020 7731 3333

• Double reception room

• Family bathroom

• Kitchen/family room

• Landscaped garden

• 4 bedrooms, 1 en suite

• Energy efficiency: Band E

Full online details including the EPC are available by scanning this code using any QR code scanner

Fulham Bishops Park Sales: 020 7731 3333

Part of a network of 9 offices in London and a further 19 across the country

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BOWFELL ROAD W6

£750 per week*/£3,250 per month*

A very well presented family house quietly located on this residential road close to Hammersmith Broadway and local transport links.

• Reception room

• Garage

• Open-plan kitchen

• Patio

• 3 bedrooms

• Energy efficiency: Band D

• 2 bathrooms

Fulham Parsons Green Lettings: 020 7751 8898

BISHOPS MANSIONS SW6

£450 per week*/£1,950 per month*

An exceptional, recently refurbished apartment on the second floor of this popular Mansion Block close to Bishops Park and Putney Bridge Tube Station.

• Reception room

• Good storage

• Kitchen

• Communal gardens

• 2 bedrooms

• Energy efficiency: Band D

• Bathroom

Fulham Parsons Green Lettings: 020 7751 8898 *Rent excludes administration fees. Please contact your local office for further information.

Full online details including the EPC are available by scanning this code using any QR code scanner

*Rent excludes administration fees. Please contact your local office for further information.

sullivanthomas.co.uk | carterjonas.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Ask the Lettings Experts Our panel of professionals give you the edge in the property market

“

THE MAJORITY of landlords work full time or live abroad and if they don’t take on property management they are responsible for organising any maintenance works and access for contractors, which can be frustrating and time consuming. Properties managed by a specialist company tend to be looked after to a much higher standard and returned at the end of tenancy in good condition, which can help minimise void periods when re-marketing.

2. Short-term or long-term tenants?

I’VE ALWAYS been of the mind that long term letting is less stressful for a landlord. Although the rent achieved is typically 30% less for long term letting, the income is consistent rather than sporadic. With a long term let, all utility bills are the tenant’s responsibility and the general wear and tear is likely to be greatly reduced as the property will be treated as a home rather than a hotel. It is also not widely known that some London boroughs require consent or planning permission for change of use for a short let.

3. Rental yield vs. capital growth?

A SUCCESSFUL rental investment is a balance of capital appreciation and steady rental yield.

While London has experienced tremendous capital growth in recent years, we cannot necessarily expect this to continue at the same rate. Looking first at rental yield, we see demand in Chelsea as strong as ever although rents were flat in 2013. Corporate budgets have been frozen and tenants are considering other less expensive areas. With high capital values, average rental yields in Chelsea are 2%-2.5%.

So while there is potential for further capital growth, it’s possible to find higher yields on the

The most advantageous position for a landlord is the ability to house a tenant on a furnished or unfurnished basis.

“

1. Why should I use a property management agent?

City fringes. Investors should consider their long-term investment objectives; owning a home in prime central London should bring the benefit of good capital growth but the yield will be low.

4. Best buy-to-let investments?

THE PROPERTIES that we have the most demand for are one or two bedroom apartments in modern blocks with concierge, parking and leisure facilities. At busy times of the year we even have people on waiting lists for these sort of properties, and they therefore tend to achieve the best rental prices and the lowest void periods. However, any property bought for investment should be located close to transport links and be presented to the best of your ability.

5. Furnished vs. unfurnished?

THIS IS a common question our clients ask us, and in order to answer most accurately it is important to consider your target market.

If renting out a one or two bedroom property (particularly one bedroom flats) the majority of potential tenants require furniture, however with larger and more expensive three + bedroom flats and especially houses, the majority of tenants have their own furniture.

The most advantageous position for a landlord is the ability to house a tenant on a furnished or unfurnished basis, as this opens up the whole pool of tenants to your property. However, this is not often feasible because the furniture has to be stored which can be expensive. In our current market it is worth considering where there is significantly more stock on the open market and therefore more competition.

1. Alice Umfreville Head of Lettings, Strutt & Parker � 020 7589 9966 • struttandparker.com

2. Emma Mills Lettings Manager, Jackson-Stops & Staff � 020 7581 8431 • jackson-stops.co.uk

3. Marc von Grundherr Lettings Director at Benham & Reeves Residential Lettings, Kensington branch � 020 7938 3522 • brlets.co.uk

4 Karen Boland Lettings Director, Harrods Estates � 020 7225 6602 • harrodsestates.com

5. Peter Herman-Taylor Managing Director, Maskells � 020 7581 2216 • maskells.co.uk

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NOW OVER 60% SOLD

THE WEST COLLECTION NOW AVAILABLE AT LONDON SQUARE FULHAM Situated in the heart of Fulham, The West Collection is set behind a grand gated arch overlooking the beautifully landscaped garden square. The townhouses benefit from private gardens, secure underground parking for two cars and an outstanding level of specification.

4 & 5 B E DROOM TOWN HOUS ES ÂŁ3,9 0 0,0 0 0

CALL NOW FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

0333 666 2737

www.londonsquare.co.uk

Computer generated image of London Square Fulham. Details and price correct at time of going to press.

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Knightsbridge

ÂŁ4,000 pw + Fees Unfurnished

5 Bedrooms | 2 Receptions | 4 Bathrooms Terraced House | Balcony | Tube Nearby | EPC - C Knightsbridge 020 3302 7174 knight@brlets.co.uk

Eleven offices open six days a week Monday - Saturday Beaufort Park | Canary Wharf | City | Ealing | Greenwich | Hampstead Highgate | Hyde Park | Imperial Wharf | Kensington | Knightsbridge

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London’s Letting Agency

To arrange a viewing or for more information call

info@brlets.co.uk www.brlets.co.uk

020 7319 9783

Imperial Wharf

£395 pw + Fees Furnished

Studio Apartment | 1 Bathroom Gym | Parking | Near Tube | EPC - B Imperial Wharf 020 3503 0015

Chelsea

iw@brlets.co.uk

£830 pw + Fees Furnished

2 Bedrooms | 1 Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Flat Communal Garden | Parking | 24hr Concierge | EPC - C Knightsbridge 020 3302 7174 knight@brlets.co.uk

Imperial Wharf

£550 pw + Fees Furnished

1 Bedroom | 1 Reception | 1 Bathroom | Flat 24hr Concierge | Gym | Near Amenities | EPC - B Imperial Wharf 020 3503 0015 iw@brlets.co.uk

Chelsea

£1,300 pw + Fees Furnished

2 Bedrooms | 1 Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Flat Balcony | Close To Tube & Amenities | EPC - D Knightsbridge 020 3302 7174 knight@brlets.co.uk

Dubai | Hong Kong | India | Malaysia | Singapore

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Property News

Spring boost for the market AS WITH every year, the spring has given the Prime Central London property market a boost and there are now more properties for sale compared to the beginning of the year.

Unsurprisingly, this increase has attracted a new flurry of buyers and the ratio of 14 buyers for every property has contributed to rising values.

We are continuing to see a proportionately high number of ‘sealed bids’ in the sales process, compared to last year and in many cases, we are achieving record prices for our clients. However, Chelsea does attract savvy buyers, so sellers should be aware that, although they are likely to enjoy a premium on the sale of their property in the current market, they will not achieve unrealistic prices.

David Hill

Sales Manager at Marsh & Parsons, Chelsea � 020 7591 5570; marshandparsons.co.uk

Carlyle Square, SW3

HOUSE Hunting

It’s a seller’s market

Edward Sinclair Lockett Estates, Fulham

� 020 7381 4998; lockettestates.co.uk

Harry Wigram Associate Partner at Strutt & Parker’s Chelsea office � 020 7225 3866; struttandparker.com

Property I’d most like on my books and why?

Large family flats are in strong demand, particularly from international buyers. The desire to live on as few floors as possible is a real driver.

There is a real shortage of such properties, so when they come up for sale they sell quickly.

The best place to invest?

Garden squares are the best places to invest in Chelsea. I particularly like Burton Court opposite the Royal Hospital. The location is central to the Kings Road and Sloane Square, and offers fabulous views and open green space, with the use of tennis courts and lots of space for dog walking.

The most interesting property I have been involved in is...

Eight years ago, I was involved with the Entomological Society at Queens Gate – a 12,600 sq ft building which was their headquarters since 1920. It was heavily listed, with ornate plaster ceilings which were gifted to the house by the V&A. Due to the society being relocated outside of London, the building went to informal tender and sold for £3m over the asking price.

The toughest sale and why?

This was a re-possession in South Kensington on a midterm lease. Our instructions were to sell the house with the benefit of a freehold title.

A premium was agreed by the bank to buy the freehold, and we had a short period of time to ascertain a buyer who was able to exchange and complete within the timeframe before the premium expired.

Finest property showcase...

This family home benefits from wonderful volume and light. It overlooks the beautifully maintained private garden. The one acre garden won silver and gold medals in recent competitions for best garden square in Kensington and Chelsea.

Carlyle Square, SW3: £8,750,000.

DEMAND in Hammersmith and Fulham continues to be very strong amongst owner/ occupiers, investors and developers.

Unmodernised properties, and ones with potential to extend always attract the most attention. The lack of supply has meant that properties which would normally take a little while to sell are being snapped up by buyers a lot sooner.

Rising consumer confidence among borrowers, increased lending and the Government’s Help to Buy Scheme are assisting purchasers to afford property with uplift in prices, in addition to the massive investment currently being seen in prime central London property. This combination has created a sellers’ market and a great opportunity to sell your property.

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OFFICES THROUGHOUT SOUTH WEST LONDON clapham south

balham

battersea

clapham north

020 8673 6111

020 7801 3400

020 7840 3700

020 8675 1222

fulham central

fulham south 020 7736 6110

furzedown

tooting

020 7381 7381

020 8769 7900

Musard Road, W6

020 8772 7080

£725,000

Recently refurbished throughout, this stunning, bright and airy two bedroom ground floor flat offers contemporary living space and exquisite finishes, including underfloor heating throughout. The flat briefly comprises two double bedrooms, a large open plan, modern kitchen and living area and a family bathroom.

• Beautifully refurbished • Underfloor heating • Private patio terrace • Close to the Queen’s Club and Barons Court

aspire fulham central 020 7381 7381 c.fulham@aspire.co.uk

SOUTH WEST LONDON’S LEADING ESTATE AGENT

ASPIRE_CHELSEA_April.indd 149

.co.uk

22/04/2014 17:35

OFFICES THROUGHOUT SOUTH WEST LONDON clapham south

balham

battersea

clapham north

020 8673 6111

020 7801 3400

020 7840 3700

020 8675 1222

fulham central

fulham south

tooting

020 7381 7381

020 7736 6110

furzedown 020 8769 7900

Kilkie Street, SW6

020 8772 7080

£825,000

An impressive, interior designed two double bedroom ground floor flat, fully extended and created by uniQue Home UK. The property offers opulent and colour coordinated style throughout with silk wallpaper and specific custom made furniture which will be included within the sale of the property.

• Private decked, south west facing garden • Impeccable finishings • Exceptional family bathroom • Close to Imperial Wharf overground station

aspire fulham south 020 7736 6110 fulham@aspire.co.uk

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Tynemouth Street, SW6

£895,000

A stunning two double bedroom Victorian conversion set on this quiet residential street within the Sands End area of Fulham. Immaculately finished, the property is set over two floors and comprises two large double bedrooms, an open plan kitchen/reception room, two bathrooms and a fabulous roof terrace.

• Over 1000 sq ft • Plenty of eaves storage • A new, private roof terrace • Master en-suite bedroom

aspire fulham south 020 7736 6110 fulham@aspire.co.uk

SOUTH WEST LONDON’S LEADING ESTATE AGENT

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Property Notes Chesterton Humberts Polo in the Park 2014 Kicks Off The Summer Season In London.

ATTEND one of the most hotly anticipated fixtures on London’s sporting and social calendar. Blending ferociously competitive on-field action, a variety of off-field entertainment and world-class pitch-side hospitality.

In June 2014, the historic fields of Hurlingham Park will play host to one of the most hotly anticipated fixtures on the sporting and social calendar. Now in its sixth consecutive year, Chesterton Humberts Polo in the Park 2014 will return to the beautiful surroundings of leafy Fulham for a weekend of ferociously competitive on-field action, a variety of off-field entertainment and world-class pitch-side hospitality.

5

Chesterton Humberts Polo in the Park 2014 continues the legacy of bringing the exhilarating world of polo back to central London. This polo event has become one of London’s greatest summer outdoor events and will kick off another summer social season in the capital.

Hurlingham Park, Fulham, SW6 3RQ Event dates: 6th, 7th & 8th June 2014 Bookings for individual and group tickets can be made via Ticketmaster on 0844 248 5069 or online at ticketmaster.co.uk

Eggcellent Easter Cards

minutes with...

2. How long have you been in the area?

I’ve been treading these streets for nearly ten years now. I suppose being so established in an area helps tremendously with repeat business.

3. What is your company ethos?

Tom Ward Director of aspire, Fulham

� 020 7736 6110; aspire.co.uk

1. What makes you the go-to-agent in the area?

When people speak to us, they know what they are getting. Clear and honest advice. No inflated prices or pushy sales tactics – just the best recommendations possible.

We like to think we do a lot more than just sell or let property. Finding a buyer in a strong market is the easy bit, it’s all the niggly bits in-between where we really focus our energy!

4. What can we expect for the market in the Spring/ Summer?

It is clear that the market is going to remain strong for the foreseeable future. With the demand remaining strong, we expect the prices to follow suit.

Flexibility lets quickly Marc von Grundherr Lettings Director, Benham & Reeves Residential Lettings, Kensington SPRING has more than sprung, with a 17% rise in enquiry levels compared to March and April last year. Properties of all sizes are letting very quickly and with almost 90% of existing tenants renewing their leases, there is a lack of supply. Budget remains paramount, both for costconscious young professionals and senior executives. Flexibility is the key to letting and we urge landlords to consider offers and not hold out. Meeting a tenant halfway ensures a property lets quicker, reducing void periods. � Benham & Reeves Residential Lettings, Kensington 020 7938 3522; brlets.co.uk

FEATHERSTONE Leigh have sponsored the re-launch of the new look Treetop Nursery in Fulham, which officially opened on the 12th April. The Fulham branches asked the children to draw a selection of themed pictures, which were used on their annual Easter cards and sent out in the weeks leading up to the long weekend, offering free market appraisals and advice to local residents on how to maximise the eventual sale value of a property. � featherstoneleigh.co.uk

Spotlight on SW10Average asking price - £2,718,597Average asking rents - £3,629 pcmAverage property value - £1,698,086

Data provided by 108

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Show Apartment now open in the heart of W6

RAVENSCOURT GARDENS

London W6 0TU 2 & 3 bedroom apartments from £745,000

• Individually designed duplex Show Apartment now open • Superb Grade II listed building, with many original features • Private walled gardens and some secure underground parking

Marketing Suite and Show Home open daily 11am – 6pm QR scan me now

0844 644 1576

lindenhomes.co.uk/ashlarcourt

Details and price correct at time of going to press. Photograph shows Ashlar Court.

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Offices throughout London

Munster Road, SW6

£799,950 SOF

New Kings Road, SW6

£599,950 Leasehold

A brilliant two double bedroom garden flat on the ever so popular Munster road. The flat comprises of a great sized kitchen, high ceilings throughout, two double bedrooms, bathroom and a lovely private garden. Located in the mix of Munster Village with easy access to local amenities bars and restaurants. EPC=E

A lovely two bedroom lion house period conversion on the extremely sought after New Kings Road. Property comprises of two bedrooms, bathroom, Shared garden and good condition.

Perfect location with a wide selection of boutique shops and pavement cafes of the picturesque Parsons Green. EPC=D

Fulham Office  020 7731 9680 fulham@bushells.com

Fulham Office  020 7731 9680 fulham@bushells.com

Fulham Park Garden, SW6 £575,000 Leasehold

Rostrevor Road, SW6

Offering bright and spacious open-plan accommodation, this excellent one bedroomed flat features ample living and entertaining space in a popular area of Fulham. Ideal for transport to Putney bridge station and local amenities. EPC=D

A fantastic two bedroom garden flat in the center of Fulham. This property has a pleasant layout with a large open plan kitchen and airy reception room, two bedrooms, one with ensuite, a further family bathroom and west facing garden, + EPC

Fulham Office 020 7731 9680| fulham@bushells.com

Fulham Office  020 7731 9680 fulham@bushells.com

£630,000 SOF

Acton  Balham  Bloomsbury  Battersea  Camden  Clapham  Dulwich  Fulham  Hammersmith  Islington  West Hampstead

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bushells.com

Oxberry Avenue, SW6

£525,000 Share of Freehold

A generously proportioned one bedroom flat in a prime Fulham location. Property benefits from an impressive open plan kitchen, high ceilings, and lots of storage. Oxberry Avenue is a very attractive, tree-lined residential street, running north off the Fulham Road, close to many local shops, bars and restaurants. EPC=C

Fulham Office 020 7731 9680 fulham@bushells.com

PART OF THE EDMUND CUDE GROUP

Acton  Balham  Bloomsbury  Battersea  Camden  Clapham  Dulwich  Fulham  Hammersmith  Islington  West Hampstead

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Ask the Sales Experts Our panel of professionals give you the edge in the property market

THERE isn’t a one size fits all answer to this question, it really varies from property to property. Quite often there is little point in doing anything to a property if it is really tired and needs a complete refurbishment, if you want a quick sale.

If, however, the property simply needs a lick of paint to cover up dark walls and smoke stains, redecorating to accentuate light and space can do wonders to a home’s marketability. However, most purchasers will budget to do some work on a property to put their own mark on it, so don’t make it too personal to you.

2. Why hasn’t my property sold?

OFTEN a property may sit on the market for longer than necessary due to several reasons.

Probably the main one that I face daily is that the property is overpriced. It is vital to instruct the correct agents to value your property.

A good estate agent will take into account a whole host of factors to ensure that your property reaches its maximum potential without sitting on the market for long. Shop around and select a couple of reputable agents close to the property.

3. Where should I invest?

IT is important to do your research before buying in an area you might be unfamiliar with.

Make sure any property you consider is free of any blights, such as underground rumble, busy roads or noise from pubs/restaurants that might put off a prospective tenant.

It is also important to make sure you are close to transport links and local amenities.

Established areas are probably a safer bet but new developments can also give good returns.

“

A good estate agent will take into account a whole host of factors to ensure that your property reaches its maximum potential without sitting on the market for long.

“

1. Should I redecorate pre-sale?

4. What common mistakes do sellers make?

ONE of the most common and unhelpful mistakes is selecting a poor agent. Some vendors can be easily swayed by higher valuations, discounted fees and can sometimes assume that they know their property and the local market better than their agent; this is rarely ever so, in addition to which it is almost impossible to be completely unbiased when viewing one’s own property.

It is essential to do your homework when selecting an agent; they charge fees for providing a professional service that should help reduce the stress involved in the sale.

1. Peter Shaw Director, Featherstone Leigh � 020 7610 9755 • featherstoneleigh.co.uk

5. Should I use a Financial Advisor?

IT is always a good idea to speak to an independent mortgage adviser so that they can inform you of all the products which are available to you in the current marketplace. Often purchasers will just go to their bank to see what they can get but the rates can be higher than they can get from other lenders.

Coreco are excellent at keeping you up to date with the best offers and it doesn’t cost anything to have an initial conversation with them about your situation. They can also provide you with an agreement in principal (AIP) which is essential to provide an agent with when you make an offer.

2. Kyle Best Senior Negotiator, Home House Estates � 020 3747 4997 • homehouseestates.co.uk

3. Benson Beard Associate Director, Bective Leslie Marsh � 020 7589 6677 • bective.co.uk

4. Paul Finch Sales Manager, Beauchamp Estates � 020 7499 7722 • beauchamp.co.uk

5. Emma Stead Associate Director, Douglas & Gordon � 020 7731 4391 • douglasandgordon.com

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020 7381 4998 • 190 Fulham Palace Road London W6 9PA sales@lockettestates.co.uk • lettings@lockettestates.co.uk • www.lockettestates.co.uk

Fulham Palace Road, SW6 An end of terrace extremely spacious, light, well presented ground floor flat, benefiting from a wonderfully large 40’ garden. There is potential to extend STPP. EPC E Three Double Bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception Room, Kitchen, 40’ Garden

£925,000

020 7381 4998

Lysia Street, SW6 An extremely well presented split level flat located on one of the popular alphabet streets on the Bishops Park Estate. EPC C

Two Double Bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception Room, Kitchen

£750,000

LOCKETTS_CHELS_MAY.indd 2

020 7381 4998

23/04/2014 14:44

ABSOLUTELY Property

Prime Purchase �

A beautifully presented 1,377 sq ft two double bedroom flat in a secure block.

Details

Cranmer Court, SW3 £2,350,000

Contact

Douglas & Gordon, Chelsea 020 7225 1225; douglasandgordon.com

R

emodelled and refurbished to a very high standard, this flat combines comfortable open-plan living with the security of a portered and well-maintained period mansion block. Cranmer Court sits right on Chelsea Green and is a short walk

from both Sloane Square and The King’s Road. This property comprises the master bedroom with en-suite bathroom with separate shower, second bedroom with en-suite, reception room with open-plan kitchen, cloakroom, lift, porter, eighth floor

box room available by separate negotiation, Bulthaup kitchen, Lutron mood lighting, underfloor heating, Bizazza mosaic tiling, B&O integrated sound system, and monitored CCTV security in communal internal and external areas.

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ÂŁ1,225,000 Freehold Biscay Road W6

Weekly Rental: ÂŁ700 Available: Now Crefeld Close W6

This charming property still retains many of its period features and further benefits from wood flooring to the ground floor, a cellar and a stunning south-facing garden.

Mid-terrace, Four bedrooms, Fitted eat-in kitchen, Two reception rooms, Two bathrooms, Cellar.

This stunning maisonette has just been completely refurbished to a very high standard.

Perfect for sharers and viewings are highly recommended.

Five bedrooms, Two bathrooms, Open-plan kitchen/reception, Fully furnished, Modern interior, Great location.

Tel: 0208 563 0202 | 404-406 North End Road, Fulham, London SW6 1LU

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Showcase ďż˝

A stunning apartment situated within a highly desirable red brick mansion block, a short distance from Cheyne Walk, the River Thames, Kings Road and Fulham Road.

O

ffering a contemporary and luxurious finish, with 518 square feet of accommodation, this apartment is located at the rear of the building, providing residents plenty of peace and quiet. The property is comprised of one double bedroom, spacious reception room with an open plan kitchen and a modern bathroom. Residents can also benefit from a caretaker service, well maintained and established communal grounds and unallocated residents parking.

Details

Ashburnham Road, SW10 ÂŁ625,000 Shared Freehold

Contact

KFH, Fulham 020 7731 0051; kfh.co.uk

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Is your agent using the latest cutting edge marketing tools to help sell your property?

Find out how Fine and Country Fulham can help to generate extra enquiries to achieve higher selling prices by using:

1. Download the app

2. Find an image with this icon

3. Scan the image with the app

Scan our property opposite to see for yourself in association with

Instantly gain access to 3D houses and 3D floor plans, This beautiful one double bedroom apartment is located on the top floorbuttons of a stunning period building opposite videos, photo galleries and interactive HANS ROAD, the World Famous Harrods department Store. The property is both stylish and spacious in equal measure.

KNIGHTSBRIDGE, SW3 ÂŁ835 per week

Accommodation comprises a large reception with rooftop views an excellent sized double bedroom with fitted wardrobes, en suite shower room, modern fully fitted kitchen, wooden floors through-out and a fabulous roof terrace. Hans Road is an exclusive Knightsbridge address with easy access to fashionable shops, bars and restaurants. Closest transport link is Knightsbridge tube station a few minutes’ walk away. Available 1st June 2014.

Fees apply.

Fine0031 and Country Fulham Tel +44 (0)20 7731 100-102 Wandsworth Road, Fulham, London, SW6 2TF 020Bridge 7731 0031 fulham@fineandcountry.com Email fulham@fineandcountry.com FINE & COUNTRY_MAY.indd 2

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RE P D RIC UC E TI O N

WANDSWORTH WANDSWORTH HANS ROAD, BRIDGE ROAD, BRIDGESW6 ROAD,SW3 KNIGHTSBRIDGE, FULHAM, FULHAM, SW6 £835 per perweek week £720 £550 per week

Newly refurbished split level ground floor maisonette. Accommodation comprises three double bedrooms, two bathrooms, a one brand new contemporary kitchen, a spacious reception room leading out a quiet and This beautiful property has been recently refurbished by landlord.

Laid outperiod overonto 2building floors, the property This beautiful double bedroom apartment is and located onits thecurrent top floor of a stunning opposite private patio The property new carpets modern throughout, complete with a level consists a 2garden. largeHarrods bedrooms with also builtbenefits in wardrobes and both leading tolighting the en-suite bathroom.

On the split the World Famous department Store.

The property isand both stylish and spacious in equal measure. fully functional The property is located the top endheaters of Wandsworth Bridge close to landing there feature iscomprises accessfire-place. to aa large large south westwith facing roofatterrace, anddouble seating area.Road, On with the upper Accommodation reception rooftop views anwith excellent sized bedroom fitted New Road and Fulham Broadway.

FEES floorKings the en open plan living area is modern perfect for entertaining andwooden relaxingfloors alike, through-out with a large dining table at one wardrobes, suite shower room, fullyAPPLY. fitted kitchen, and a fabulous roofend and comfortable armchairs at the other.

The property a whole qualityshops, frombars the rain terrace.

Hans Road sofa is anand exclusive Knightsbridge address with easyasaccess to oozes fashionable and reactive Velux windows totransport the bi folding glass doors over-looking the roof andwalk benefitting from wooden restaurants.

Closest link is Knightsbridge tube station a fewterrace minutes’ away. Available 1st Junefloor 2014. throughout.

Fulham Broadway Station-5 min walking. Available immediately. Fees apply.

Fees apply.

Tel +44 (0)20 7731 0031 Tel +44 (0)20 7731 0031 Tel +44 (0)20 7731 0031 100-102 Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham, London, SW6 2TF

100-102 Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham, London, SW6 2TF 100-102 Wandsworth Bridge Road, Fulham, London, SW6 2TF Email fulham@fineandcountry.com Email fulham@fineandcountry.com Email fulham@fineandcountry.com

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FOR SALE

Blenkarne Road

Wandsworth Common, SW11 £3,450,000 | FREEHOLD Possessing one of the largest gardens (70’ x 55’) and leafiest locations between the commons, this substantial Victorian house (3248 SQ.FT / 301.7 SQ.MT) is a rare treasure. One of only a few semi-detached properties set back in this prestigious crescent, it offers wonderful scope for expansion. Wandsworth Common, its station, fashionable Northcote/ Bellevue Roads and excellent schools are close by.

• Built c. 1885 • Front Garden With Side Access • Entrance Hall With Galleried Staircase • 2 Large Reception Rooms • Kitchen/Breakfast Room • Extensive Basement • Terrace • Outside WC/Washroom

• Store • 5 Double Bedrooms • 3 Bath / Shower Rooms • Roof Terrace • Loft Space • 70’ x 55’ Rear Garden • London Borough of Wandsworth • 3248 SQ. FT. / 301.7 SQ. M + LOFT

@JTEstateAgents EXCLUSIVE, HD FILMS FOR EVERY EXCLUSIVE, PROPERTY HD FILMS FOR EVERY PROPERTY @JTEstateAgents @JTEstateAgents SW11 6QZ

john-thorogood.co.uk | 020 7228 7474 | info@john-thorogood.co.uk | 140 Northcote Road SW11 6QZ

I N N O VA T I O N

SINCE 1991 INTEGRITY

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New Release GOLDHURST HOUSE Introducing Goldhurst House, the new release of exclusive residences at London’s prestigious riverside destination, Fulham Reach. Each spacious apartment enjoys stunning river views, a panoramic private balcony and interiors by the world renowned interior designer Tara Bernerd.

Apartments and Penthouses available at Fulham Reach from £1,174,950 - £8,950,000* Fulham Reach Riverside Show Apartments & Marketing Suite, Distillery Road, London, W6 9RU +44 (0)20 7870 9500 | enquiries@fulhamreach.co.uk www.fulhamreach.co.uk Proud to be a member of the Berkeley Group of Companies

Computer generated images for illustrative purposes only and are subject to design development. *Prices correct at time of going to press.

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Lyford Road, SW18 | ÂŁ3,500,000 Freehold Positioned moments from Wandsworth Common and beautifully presented throughout, this handsome four storey semi-detached family house has two floors of exceptional entertaining and living space, six bedrooms and an exquisite 70ft south west facing garden.

Entrance hall | Double reception room | Kitchen | Dining/family room | Playroom | Six bedrooms (one en suite) | Two additional bathrooms | Shower room | Utility room | Two store rooms | Guest W.C. | 70ft south west facing garden | EPC rating: C | 3637sq ft (338 sq m)

rymer-irens.com

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The Orangery, SW17 | ÂŁ1,650,000 Freehold Unique and exquisitely presented, this delightful home offers excellent lateral living & entertaining space, including an immensely elegant 28ft reception room, three bedrooms (one of which is en suite) and a charming landscaped garden.

Entrance lobby | 28ft reception room | Conservatory | Kitchen | Master bedroom suite | Two further double bedrooms, one with private terrace | Bathroom | Landscaped garden | Secure off street parking | EPC rating: D | 1705 sq ft (158 sq m)

34 Bellevue Road London SW17 7EF

89 Nightingale Lane London SW12 8NX

020 8767 2222

020 8045 8989

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The spoils of the hardy workplace warrior.

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jackson-stops.co.uk

Duchess of Bedford House, W8 A ground floor flat in this mansion block that has been completely modernised recently, close to Kensington High Street and Holland Park. Benefits from a porter, parquet flooring and service entrance. Three double bedrooms, en suite bathroom, shower room, kitchen and hallway all measuring circa 1340 sq ft. Leasehold approximately 140 years remaining. EPC = D

£2,650,000 Leasehold JSA Knight Frank 020 7938 4311. AB55274

People Property Places Local & National reach through a network of London & Regional offices JSS_CHELS_MAY.indd 1

Holland Park

020 7727 5111

holland.park@jackson-stops.co.uk

16/04/2014 15:55

Stanhope Gardens, SW7 A fourth floor(top) two bedroom flat in South Kensington with views over communal gardens. The apartment measures 845 sq ft in size and is situated on the top floor of this period building with south facing views from both bedrooms. The reception room is open planned with the kitchen in one corner and a separate dining area. 84 years approx.

EPC = D

£995,000 Leasehold JSA Maskells 020 7584 2216. AB56294

People Property Places Local & National reach through a network of London & Regional offices JSS_CHELS_MAY.indd 2

Chelsea

020 7581 5881 chelsea@jackson-stops.co.uk

16/04/2014 15:56

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Chesilton Road SW6 £2,950,000 Freehold Fulham Office Call 020 7731 4391 or email fulhamsales@dng.co.uk

Draycott Avenue SW3 £1,795,000 Leasehold

A stunning family house offering 2,732 sq.ft. of versatile living and entertaining space. The house has been thoughtfully refurbished and has a great sense of light throughout.

5 double bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (1 en-suite), 2 reception rooms, Kitchen/ dining room, Utility room, Cellar, Garden, EPC: D.

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A fantastic two/three bedroom maisonette presented in excellent condition in a prime central location.

Master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, Second bedroom, Bathroom, Reception room, Dining room/bedroom 3, Kitchen, Roof terrace, EPC: C.

O £

Chelsea Office Call 020 7225 1225 or email chelseasales@dng.co.uk North

Chelsea

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Fulham

Hammersmith & Shepherd’s Bush

Kensington

Kensington Gate

South Kensington

Notting Hill

Pimlico & Westminster

17/04/2014 09:40

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Oakley Street SW3 ÂŁ1,325,000 Leasehold Chelsea Office Call 020 7225 1225 or email chelseasales@dng.co.uk

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Ongar Road SW6 ÂŁ925,000 Share of Freehold Fulham Office Call 020 7731 4391 or email fulhamsales@dng.co.uk

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South

Balham

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Battersea

Battersea Park

On a 37 year lease a well-presented duplex apartment located on this popular road close to the Kings Road.

The flat offers generous and wellproportioned living accommodation.

2 bedrooms, Shower room, Reception room, Kitchen, Undemised roof terrace, EPC: D.

This beautiful two double bedroom flat with a landscaped patio garden, offers 908 sq.ft. of very thoughtfully designed living space.

2 double bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception room, Open-plan kitchen, Garden, EPC: B.

Clapham

East Putney

Southfields & Earlsfield

West Putney

17/04/2014 09:40

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Chesilton Road SW6 £1,350pw Unfurnished Fees apply Fulham Office Call 020 7731 4791 or email fulhamlets@dng.co.uk

Chaldon Road SW6 £850pw Unfurnished Fees apply Fulham Office Call 020 7731 4791 or email fulhamlets@dng.co.uk South North

Balham Chelsea

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Battersea Fulham

A beautifully presented terraced house in a fantastic Fulham location. The house offers an open-plan kitchen/dining room with French doors that open on to a south-west facing garden.

4 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, Double reception room, Kitchen/dining room, Cloakroom, Utility area, Garden, EPC: D.

Located between Dawes and Lillie Road this immaculately presented house is only a short walk away from all the amenities of 'Munster Village'.

4 double bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, Reception room, Kitchen/breakfast room, Large paved garden, EPC: E.

Battersea Park Clapham East Putney Southfields & Earlsfield West Putney Hammersmith & Shepherd’s Bush Kensington Kensington Gate South Kensington

Notting Hill

Pimlico & Westminster

17/04/2014 09:40

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16/04/2014 16/04/2014 16:31 15:30

WE INVITE YOU TO DISCOVER BEAUTIFUL AUSTRALIAN LIVING 362-364 KING’S ROAD, SW3

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