The Portman Magazine Winter 2013

THE PORTMAN

Star buys: make Christmas magical inxxxxxx Marylebone Food xxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx

Winter 2013

Living on and around The Portman Estate

11 contents

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Daniel McBrearty A life in lighting

Star quality Sylvia Young on her new record label

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38

Old news Local resident celebrates his 100th birthday

French fancy Restaurateur Chris Galvin’s love of France

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42

Shaping history Sculpture past and present at Lisson

Square root The origins and history of Bryanston Square

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Festive finds Gifts galore

Green for go Snap up a new, environmentally friendly office

As told to

Happenings

Art COVER: GOLD STAR FROM ELISKÁ, 16A NEW QUEBEC STREET. TEL: 020 7723 5521.

WWW.ELISKADESIGN.COM FOR MORE CHRISTMAS BUYS, SEE P.22

Christmas shopping

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Charity Munch bunch Helping the homeless through baking The Portman is a regular journal about life on and around The Portman Estate Editor Kate White Writers Sophia Charalambous, Lorna Davies, Jamie Downham, Abi Millar, Debbie Ward Sub-editor Nuala Calvi Designer Andy Lowe Publisher The Portman Estate

Advertising Sam Bradshaw 020 7259 1051 sam@pubbiz.com Send information to The Portman Publishing Business 3 Princes Street London W1B 2LD 020 7259 1050 www.pubbiz.com Printed in the UK © Publishing Business Limited 2013

Publishing Business is a member of the Professional Publishers Association and observes the PPA Code of Publishing Practice Printed on ECF (Chlorine free) paper using fibre sourced from well-managed forests.

All inks vegetable based. Our printers are certified to ISO 14001 Environmental Management.

Music

Food & drink

Gardens

Architecture

51

Baker Street Walk the talk Take a tour through Marylebone’s history

13 as told to

Daniel McBrearty, managing director of Mac Services electrical engineers and contractors, has been at 23 Blandford Street since 1977. He tells Debbie Ward about the highlights of a life in lighting

Light entertainment

“

I CAME DOWN TO LONDON from Glasgow in 1967, worked as an electrician and then got promoted to foreman. I became a sole trader in 1972.

I’d worked locally and knew the area and the people, so I started in the basement here in Blandford Street in 1977 before opening up the shop, which was a florist before. Now I have 20 staff and the whole five floors and I live here. I’m 69 but I’ve got no plans to retire.

In those days it was pretty run-down around here. On Marylebone High Street I remember a Woolworths, a Mac Fisheries, three butchers and a tailor. There were a lot of empty shops. At the top of the road was an old National Tyre Shop that was falling down, it was in a dreadful state. Then Terence Conran took it over and that was the beginning of the rise of Marylebone High Street.

The shops are much more upmarket now but it has kept its village atmosphere around here, despite being close to Oxford Street and the West End. I wired Mick Jagger’s flat at the top of Marylebone High Road once, back when he was with Marianne Faithfull. I didn’t get to meet him but it was very fancy. Those flats were enormous, you could have a football match in the hallway.

We also renewed all the mains at the Old Bailey, which was a great job. We had to disconnect all the old switch gear and move it out, then move the next one in, all in one weekend. I was quite nervous in case we did something wrong and all the prisoners somehow got let off.

We’ve put lighting bars in the museum at the top of Tower Bridge, and we’ve run a cable out to a jetty on the Thames where the boats recharge at Butler’s Wharf. That was tricky, because we couldn’t work on it when the tide was in.

We also worked on Antony Gormley’s Blind Light installation. He did all the creative part and we did all the hard work! We have a sales guy who was in the restaurant business, so we’ve been doing lighting for lots of bars and restaurants like Zafferano and Le Relais de Venise as well.

I won the BT Entrepreneur of the Year award in 2005 and the prize was to have my portrait taken by famous photographer Perou. He had me standing by my van on Blackheath with a bolt of lightning that he photoshopped in afterwards. The day before, he’d been photographing Beckham.

Tel: 020 7486 9075.

”

www.mac-services.co.uk

14 happenings

Talk of the terrace A GLAMOrOUS WINTEr TErrACE is set to launch at Portman Square hotel Hyatt regency London – The Churchill.

The outdoor space is part of the hotel’s popular new drinking den The Churchill Bar & Terrace, which is inspired by the former prime minister. Fittingly, it opens on November 30 – Churchill’s birthday.

The terrace has been designed to resemble a sophisticated mountain-top retreat, furnished with soft furs, vintage sleighs, wooden skis and overhead heaters.

The cocktail menu will feature a selection of winter warmers including a Cherry Flip – a mix of Armagnac, Cherry Heering, sugar, bitters and a whole egg. Snacks include mini steak tartares.

The Churchill Bar & Terrace is at 30 Portman Square. Tel: 020 7299 2035. http://london.churchill.hyatt.com THE ‘CHERRY FLIP’

100 years of solitude: the key to a long life A LOCAL MAN who recently turned 100 has put his longevity down to quitting smoking and never getting married.

Charles Barrow celebrated reaching a century with friends and neighbours on the Portman Estate, Upper Berkeley Street, on his birthday on November 11.

Born in Chatham, Kent, Charles’s memories stretch back to the First World War, and he can still recall the day the conflict ended in 1918.

“It was my fifth birthday and I really thought all the parades and all the flags were because it was my birthday,” he said.

“I had just finished breakfast when the post lady arrived, asking for Master Charles, and I looked up at her and said ‘I’m five today.’

“She gave me a kiss on the cheek and said, ‘You are a very lucky boy.’

“I then opened the front door and saw parades and people singing and dancing – I have never seen anything like it.”

It was only a year later, when Charles moved

to Goodwin Sands, that he understood why the First World War was known as The Bloody War. “The gunfire went off at school and we had to conduct a two-minute silence,” he said through pursed lips.

“It was in that silence that I began to realise everything.

“I thought back to the day my mum received a letter with a black border and a black cross on the back, and when she opened it she started crying and then told me I was never to see my Uncle Bert again.

“It was in that silence that I thought about my Uncle Bert, and I understood everything.”

Charles, who worked in cinemas until his retirement, left home at just 16 years old and headed for London.

His first job was at electrical company Western Electric, where he slept on the office floor because he didn’t have enough money to rent a room. He then landed a job playing films at the Trocadero cinema in Elephant & Castle.

He left at the beginning of the Second World War to join the London Fire Brigade, fighting the fires of the Blitz.

When the war was over, Charles went back to working in cinemas, and took a job with News Theatres.

He managed their Marble Arch branch and lived in Wandsworth Common, before moving to Seymour Place, Marylebone.

He then worked at News Theatres’ Piccadilly branch, remaining there until his retirement 21 years later, while living in his current home on Upper Berkeley Street.

Despite never marrying, Charles believes he has been fortunate. Looking back at his life, he said: “In life you gradually become a loner and there is no way of getting out of it, so you learn to rely on yourself.

“When I look back, everything falls as it falls. I got my jobs through sheer luck – and perhaps it was all because of what that post lady said to me: ‘You’re a very lucky boy.’”

16 happenings

Not so little Italy

Homemade shades

ITALIAN rESTAUrANT Il Baretto is back and bigger than ever, after expanding into the site next door.

The redesign, overseen by interior designer David D’Almada, enables diners to watch pastry chefs crafting desserts and enjoy a new upstairs bar area.

Since its opening in April 2009, Il Baretto has built up its reputation with a simple and authentic Italian menu that draws influence from speciality dishes and produce of regional Italy.

The venue is part of Arjun and Pritam Waney’s group of restaurants, which also includes La Petite Maison, The Arts Club and Coya.

HOMEMADE LONDON hosted a launch party for a new book called Make Your Own Lampshades.

The Seymour Place craft salon offers luxurious creative experiences, craft events and workshops, where guests can learn how to make anything from Christmas cards to roman blinds.

Make Your Own Lampshades, by Elizabeth Cake, features 35 original lampshades to make for table lamps, ceiling lights and more. It costs £12.99 and is published by Cico Books.

Homemade London is at 21 Seymour Place.

Tel: 020 8616 0771. www.homemadelondon.com

Il Baretto is at 43 Blandford Street.

Tel: 020 7486 7340. www.ilbaretto.co.uk

Party-proof your hair Be a friend in need

CELEBrITY HAIrDrESSEr Daniel Galvin is offering a series of special festive treatments to help women prepare for the Christmas party season.

The Let Your Hair Down package includes a manicure and pedicure to match your party outfit, as well as a red-carpet-ready blow-dry to leave you with luscious and bouncy locks.

The £110 package also includes a glass of champagne to enjoy while you’re being pampered.

Daniel Galvin is at 58-60 George Street.

Tel: 020 7486 9661. www.danielgalvin.com

A rough night MOrE THAN 50 local people slept rough on the steps of Marylebone Parish Church last month to raise money for the West London Day Centre.

Volunteers ranging from an eight-year-old to people in their eighties took part in the sponsored sleep-out for the homeless. They were joined by Eastenders star Jake Wood, who described the centre’s work as “invaluable”.

Money raised will aid its advice service, which helps up to 30 people off the streets every month.

OLIVE (72), TOM (8) AND JON KUHRT (41) AT THE CHARITY SLEEP-OUT

The West London Day Centre is at 134-136 Seymour Place. Tel: 020 7569 5900. www.wlm.org.uk/wldc

A LOCAL CHArITY is urging people to look out for their elderly neighbours in the run-up to Christmas.

The festive season is the most difficult time of year for those without family support who live alone. Cold and icy weather can curtail trips out for elderly people who are less steady on their feet, leading to increased isolation and loneliness.

Age UK Westminster, which is based on Seymour Street, is an independent charity that offers support to the elderly. It gives financial advice and can help people travel to the doctor or dentist.

It also has a befriending service, whereby volunteers make regular visits to people’s homes for a chat and a cup of tea.

One man, 82, said: “I worked all my life and I thought I had things organised for our retirement until the sudden death of my wife. Our apartment felt so empty.

“Now my befriender visits once a week and I can have an intelligent conversation over a cup of tea. I haven’t laughed so much for years.”

The charity relies on the good will of the community to fund its work with elderly residents. If you’d like to lend your support through a one-off or regular financial donation, or by volunteering, please drop them a line.

Staff are also asking any local resident who does not need their winter fuel allowance this year to consider donating it to the charity.

Age UK Westminster is at 26 Seymour Street.

Tel: 020 3004 5610. www.ageuk.org.uk/westminster

AUTHOR ELIZABETH CAKE

18 art

Back to the future

ABOVE: JASON MARTIN, ROUSSEAU’S WAKE, 2013 © THE ARTIST; COURTESY, LISSON GALLERY, LONDON

THE LISSON GALLERY’S latest exhibition is a survey of historical and contemporary British sculpture and installation.

Originally staged in São Paulo earlier this year, the newly configured show celebrates the multi-generational programme of the gallery, ranging from its representation of significant British sculptors such as Anish Kapoor and Richard Wentworth to a younger generation that includes Angela de la Cruz, Ceal Floyer, Ryan Gander and Haroon Mirza.

Some of the artists in the exhibition have become close friends during their time at the gallery, and have taught or mentored one another.

Many of the 35 works in the show are twinned with earlier or later examples by the same artists, comparing different stages of their practice across the decades.

Early examples of the revolutionary assemblages of found objects by Tony Cragg will be on display, as well as a painted steel work by Julian Opie titled Abstract Compositions with Pilchards (1984) – both of which look ahead to the primary-coloured construction of stacked IKEA tables by Ryan Gander, entitled Samson’s Push, or Compositie (2010).

Nostalgic for The Future will be at Lisson Gallery, 52-54 Bell Street, until January 11. Tel: 020 7724 2739. www.lissongallery.com

ABOVE: TONY CRAGG, RED INDIAN, 1982-3 © THE ARTIST; COURTESY, LISSON GALLERY, LONDON

ABOVE: JOHN LATHAM, RED, GREEN AND YELLOW, 1967 COURTESY JOHN LATHAM ESTATE AND LISSON GALLERY

22 christmas gifts

BETHLÉEM SCENTED CANDLE (£65) FROM CIRE TRUDON, 36 CHILTERN STREET. TEL: 020 7486 7590.

WWW.CIRETRUDON.COM

From Nordic treats to chocolate and champagne, Marylebone’s shops are full of gifts for all the family this Christmas

BRAZIL CORNELIAN & CITRINE LACE COLLAR (£299) FROM KOHATU + PETROS, 58 CHILTERN STREET. TEL: 020 7486 7737.

WWW.KOHATUANDPETROS.COM

Christmas wrapped up

SECRETE DATURA PERFUME (£130) FROM LES SENTEURS, 2 SEYMOUR PLACE. TEL: 020 7183 5842.

WWW.LESSENTEURS.COM

JOULU CHRISTMAS GIFT BOX (£45) FROM NORDIC BAKERY, 48 DORSET STREET. TEL: 020 7487 5877.

WWW.NORDICBAKERY.COM

KENNEDY SHIFT DRESS (£750) FROM SUZANNAH, 3 NEW QUEBEC STREET. TEL: 020 7258 0782.

WWW.SUZANNAH.COM

DAYLESFORD SEA-SALT CARAMEL MILK CHOCOLATE HEARTS (£20) FROM SELFRIDGES, 400 OXFORD STREET. TEL: 0800 123 400.

WWW.SELFRIDGES.COM

24 christmas gifts

JEM 18-CARAT RECYCLED GOLD BANGLE (£12,900) FROM MOUKI, 29 CHILTERN STREET. TEL: 020 7224 4010.

WWW.MOUKI-LONDON.COM

DRAGON BOWL (£1,295) FROM ELISKÁ, 16A NEW QUEBEC STREET. TEL: 020 7723 5521.

WWW.ELISKADESIGN.COM

BILLECART-SALMON ROSÉ CHAMPAGNE (£64.50) FROM PHILGLAS & SWIGGOT, 22 NEW QUEBEC STREET. TEL: 020 7402 0002.

WWW.PHILGLAS-SWIGGOT.COM

26 charity

Reasonably priced, nourishing and delicious, Munch in Marylebone is fast becoming the choice of office workers bored of their usual sandwich – but Munch is no ordinary business.

Abi Millar discovers how it is also helping women affected by homelessness

Food for thought PICTURE THE SCENE: it’s 1pm in the office, and you’ve been forced to condense your lunch hour into 15 minutes. You might rush out to Pret and grab a sandwich. Or you might wolf down a squashed ham bap while filling in a spreadsheet.

What you probably won’t be doing is supporting a local charity. Time is limited, and it’s hard to fit anything community-minded into a day of backto-back meetings. That is, of course, unless you’ve placed an order with Munch in Marylebone.

Munch is a catering company with a difference. Run by the Marylebone Project, a partnership between the Church Army and the Portman House Trust, it supplies all manner of sustenance to nearby offices and cafés. The menu is extensive: pastries, muffins, granola and fruit for breakfast; sandwiches, salads, quiches and stews for lunch; platters and canapés for meetings; cakes for whenever the need arises.

It’s all undeniably delicious, but then again, so are most handmade meals prepared with due care and attention. What sets Munch apart is the provenance of its chefs, all of whom have been affected by homelessness.

“The Marylebone Project is the largest women’s hostel in the UK, with about 112 residential units,” explains Sharon Poon, social enterprise manager. “They come from a variety of

AVEGHAIL THOMPSON, CATERING COORDINATOR AT MUNCH

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28 charity

backgrounds – some are just on the social housing waiting list, but others may have mental health and domestic violence issues. Our main goal is resettlement. We help them get back on their feet and find employment.”

Sharon and I are chatting over tea and brownies in the Marylebone Project meeting space, a homely venue a few minutes’ walk from the Edgware Road.

Also here is Zaina, the brains behind the brownies and one of the resident chefs.

“I’ve been here for nine months, and I’ve doing Munch since June,” says Zaina. “We book our days – there’s a rota – so they just call us and we go there. It’s getting much busier. We used to work only Monday mornings, but last week I was called in four times.”

While Zaina is a chef by profession, complete with the requisite training, many others come with no culinary experience. For them, it is a golden opportunity to acquire new skills, boost their confidence and even take steps towards employment in the sector.

“In the past, quite a few have found work in the hospitality industry,” says

Sharon. “We try to give them different skills – not just cooking and baking but working with others, teamwork, organisation and time-management.”

The action takes place in the commercial kitchen at the centre, which has received a five-star hygiene rating from the Food Standards Agency. Once an order has been received, it is brought directly to your doorstep. Handily, most deliveries are local – “We don’t exactly have a food truck!” points out Sharon.

Although Munch was launched in 2011, early days were dogged by

‡

30 charity

staffing issues and progress was stop and start. Only this summer did Sharon and a colleague arrive to fill the gap. As well as overseeing the chefs, they have been working flat out to make connections with marketing firms and drum up new business.

“The more business we have, the more involved the women become, because there are more opportunities for them to cook and bake,” she says.

Not all the women in the hostel are natural bakers, but many are interested, and Munch runs popular taster sessions allowing them to get a feel for what’s involved. At present, six of the women sign up on a regular basis, with many others helping out intermittently.

For those whose talents lie outside the kitchen, there are other opportunities to carve out a niche. Munch is one of three strands of the Made in Marylebone initiative, the others being Space in Marylebone (offering meeting rooms for events) and Handmade in Marylebone (selling jewellery and handicrafts). In the latter, ladies can build their skills as designer-makers without ever once

covering themselves in flour.

Though the enterprise is funded by a grant, ultimately Sharon would like to see Munch become self-sustaining. In the long term, it may even provide paid employment opportunities. For now, though, it’s more about enhancing the ladies’ business acumen – and appeasing hungry office workers along the way.

Munch is at Elgood House, 10 Daventry Street. Tel: 020 7402 4971. www.churcharmy.org.uk

32 music

FROM LEFT: JACK, CHERELLE, HOLLIE AND EYAL OF POP BAND EVERYOUNG

SYLVIA YOUNG THEATRE SCHOOL is wellknown as a pool of talent from which Amy Winehouse, Rita Ora and Billie Piper emerged, as well as members of The Saturdays, McFly and The Wanted. So for showbiz extraordinaire Sylvia Young, who is also grandmother to singer Eliza Doolittle, it was a logical next step to create her own record label.

“Some time back we had a number of students about to leave school who were most successful in obtaining record companies and management,” Sylvia explains. “But we also have some amazing talent that were not so fortunate.”

So, she paired up with former pupil Simon Hanning to form Seymour Place Music. “A casual chat with Simon led us to form the record label and develop a group from the special students that had not been taken up by management and were hoping for a record career,” she says.

The Sylvia Young Theatre School opened in Drury Lane in 1981, but has been in Marylebone for over 30 years, moving to Rossmore Road in 1983. It has been at its current home on Nutford Place since 2010. Its location inspired the name of the new record label.

“We overlook Seymour Place, so the name felt like a good fit,” explains Simon, who worked in the TV and music industries before setting up the label with Sylvia earlier this year.

“We had to come up with the name quite quickly, and thought Nutford Place didn’t sound quite right,” Sylvia adds.

Their first signing is pop band EverYoung. With 31,800 Facebook likes and 7,400 Twitter followers (and rising), the four former pupils have spent the past two years honing their craft and

building up their fan base, performing at schools, clubs and theatres around the country and writing their debut album.

When I meet them, Jack Morlen, Cherelle Williams, Hollie McKinlay and Eyal Booker are in good spirits because their single, You Got Me, has reached number 30 in the UK Independent Singles Charts.

“We’re so pleased at the chart position, it’s amazing,” says Eyal, 18, who lives in Bushy. “It shows us that the hard work that our fans have put in has really got us somewhere. We’ll just keep on going and building until we get a number one!”

Their single is catchy, fun and packed full of harmonies, something they hope will make them stand out from other groups, who might have a helping hand in live performances.

“We’re really focused on our voices,” says Essex girl Hollie, 19. “We always sing live and we’re always on point with our harmonies – we don’t like any of the miming stuff. We do the occasional little jig, but really we are vocalists that want to get our music out there.”

The pop protégés co-wrote You Got Me. “It means we have a real connection with the song,” says Hollie. “We’re really lucky in that way. I don’t think there are a lot of bands that have been able to co-write their first single.”

The group met at Sylvia Young’s and were friends before they left at 16. When Sylvia asked whether they fancied bidding for pop stardom, they embarked on a tour performing at almost 200 schools across the country.

“We’ve travelled everywhere, from Edinburgh to Portsmouth and Cardiff to Newcastle,” says

The star-catcher

Sylvia Young is famous for nurturing upcoming stars. Now, she has launched her own record label, which is proving a success for pop band EverYoung, discovers Lorna Davies

34 music

18-year-old Jack, from Brighton. “We’ve done over 180 schools in about 12 months, so it’s been quite intense. We haven’t slept a lot!”

Being friends before has helped the group to gel, although they do admit to some disagreements. “Spending 24 hours a day together or being crammed in a car for nine hours means we do bicker a lot,” says Jack. “But we’re like brothers and sisters, so you know it’s never serious.”

“I think it definitely helps that we were friends before,” says Cherelle, 19, from Queens Park.

“We knew what to expect with people’s personalities, voices, everything. We’ve always been around each other so it was already comfortable.”

The group filmed the video for their single in Spain, spending five days soaking up the sun and donning cowboy hats and boots out in the desert. “It was amazing to bring our song to life in the sunshine,” says Eyal.

But the shoot wasn’t without its drama, with Jack suffering an allergic reaction. “I’m not sure what it was, but my lips swelled up, my whole face was puffy and it looked hideous!” he says. “It was the day before we started filming so we were really worried. But I went to hospital and it all went back to normal, thank goodness.”

The foursome also rode horses across the desert in one clip, something Cherelle, Eyal and Jack had done before but that novice rider Hollie was petrified about. “I’m a drama queen anyway, and I don’t like horses, so that was just another drama in itself!” she laughs.

Despite the setbacks, Eyal says the trip was a highlight. “It was incredible fun, and one of the

best things we’ve done together. And we all love the video.”

With so many pop groups and solo artists springing out of reality shows such as The X Factor and The Voice, it’s refreshing to meet a group doing it the old-fashioned way, and the foursome seem very level-headed about success.

“I think we have to be like that, because if we go every day thinking everything is going to work itself out and we’ll be number one tomorrow, we’re never going to get there,” says Hollie. “You have to do it step by step, and I think it means we experience and appreciate everything more.”

“We have high expectations of ourselves as a group,” says Eyal, “but we know that its not going to come instantly and we’ve all got to work as hard as we can.”

The Sylvia Young Theatre School is at 1 Nutford Place. Tel: 020 7258 2330. www.everyoungmusic.com

“We always sing live and we’re always on point with our harmonies – we don’t like any of the miming stuff” Hollie McKinlay

38 food & drink

Chris Galvin and his brother began their food empire with Bistrot de Luxe on Baker Street, and now own seven restaurants. But it all began with their dad’s lucky win on the horses and a life-changing family holiday to France, he tells Jamie Downham

Feeding ambition

WHEN THE GALVIN BROTHERS, Chris and Jeff, left their executive chef positions at two of London’s top restaurants and set about opening their own place on Baker Street eight years ago, the future seemed very uncertain.

Galvin Bistrot De Luxe opened opposite the Marks & Spencer head office just as the retail giant was leaving – and on a site where the four previous restaurants had all gone to the wall. But as London’s fine-dining scene was about to learn, you don’t bet against the Galvins.

The brothers’ empire now spans seven restaurants, and the Parisian-style bistrot was practically an overnight success, going on to become a much-loved Marylebone hangout. Even the M&S building was eventually refurbished and filled with hungry new workers.

The restaurant’s aim was to deliver great classical French cooking at affordable prices, using the best seasonal ingredients – even if that came at the expense of the Galvin brothers’ sleep.

“When we opened the bistro, we slept on the banquettes,” admits Chris. “One of us would push the other one to go to the market and buy all our vegetables and fruit. So we used to go to Covent Garden at 4.30 in the morning to buy most of our veg for that day.

“It wasn’t always easy in those early days when we first opened – most people thought it was a bit of a poisoned chalice. But we thought we could offer really good-value cooking. We hoped that instead of people going out once or twice a month they’d come out once or twice a week. I think that was the secret of its success.

There are lots of good entry points and lots of flexible pricing.”

Indeed, the average à la carte spend is £30 for lunch and £45 for dinner (or £19.50 and £21.50 for three courses on the Prix Fixe menu), while wine starts from £19.75 a bottle. The décor is determinedly Parisian, with globe lighting, Bentwood chairs and green banquettes (as slept on by the chefs). Typical dishes include steak tartare, and l’escargot à la bourguignonne.

It’s a model that could have been borrowed from the fantastic French roadside cafes that the Galvins used to visit on holiday. There’s an interesting story behind the family’s French revelation: Chris, Jeff and their middle brother David – who also works for the group, visiting markets – made their first foray onto the Continent from their Essex council house when their father won a fiendishly complex horse-racing bet.

“I’ve not really found out from my dad why he did what he did, but it was 1965 and he won a

40 food & drink

Yankee on a horse,” says Chris. “He loved betting on horses. I think it was about £300, and he bought a second-hand Vauxhall Viva and drove all the way through France, and we went down into Spain. That’s when I was definitely hooked.”

The young Galvins, who had become masters of ‘scrumping’ at home – the ancient art of swiping fruit from people’s trees – were presented with an array of new taste sensations in France.

“You become a bit of a connoisseur after a while of what’s a good pear or a good apple [by scrumping],” says Chris. “But you can go through France and instead of an apple or a pear, it could be an apricot, peach or some grapes – it was so exotic. We did the journey many, many times after that, going to roadside cafes on the D roads, as they were. You could get fantastic plat du jours, really well cooked dishes, which were fabulous.”

By the age of ten, he was a “terrible Francophile”. “For 20-odd years I used to write to restaurants in France asking to just go and work there. My poor family – every year I dragged them to one region or another of France, and I would

just cook from a market. I was obsessed.”

Chris began his career as Antony Worrall Thompson’s pot-washer more than 30 years ago, before going on to work with Terence Conran, opening the likes of Mezzo in Soho and Bluebird in Chelsea and gaining a Michelin star at Orrery on Marylebone High Street. In 2003, he opened the much-lauded Wolseley restaurant for Jeremy King and Chris Corbin.

But one of his biggest triumphs came at the luxury Lanesborough hotel in Knightsbridge. “I’m particularly proud of the Lanesborough, because I think it was the first hotel in the UK to have five red stars for the hotel and five stars for the restaurant,” Chris says. “I don’t think it’s happened since – not on opening.”

Galvin Bistrot De Luxe may have been Chris’s first opening as an owner, but it was his 18th as a chef. “You always say, ‘Never again – it’s so hard,’” he says.

But just a few months after the opening, he was off again, opening the hugely acclaimed Galvin at Windows at the top of the Hilton Park

Lane – another French restaurant, this time modern haute cuisine – which opened in just 12 weeks. And others, in London and Edinburgh, have followed over the years.

It is a remarkable success story, which began on Baker Street. But that very nearly wasn’t the case, with the limited start-up budget meaning the brothers were originally poised to set up much further south.

“We were looking around Fulham Road first of all because we didn’t have any money – very little money – to open a restaurant,” Chris reveals.

“And then our partner, Ken Sanker, said we needed to get nearer to the West End. ‘More customers will know your name,’ he said. So what’s why we opted for Baker Street in the first place.”

Mr Sanker, wherever you are, Marylebone thanks you.

Galvin Bistrot De Luxe is at 66 Baker Street.

Tel: 020 7935 4007. www.galvinrestaurants.com

LEFT: GALVIN BISTROT DE LUXE. ON THE MENU: CASSOULET (ABOVE) AND ESCARGOT (RIGHT)

42 gardens

Leafing through history

Debbie Ward looks back over the 200-year history of Bryanston Square Garden, from its Georgian origins to its Victorian features, its service in the Second World War and its changing face today

GEORGIAN ENGLAND came to Bryanston Square this summer, as residents celebrated the 200th anniversary of its private garden.

“Because of the Georgian reference, we encouraged people to get dressed up,” says the chairman of the square’s garden trust, Sir Michael McWilliam.

“I hired breeches and a frock coat and persuaded my wife to wear one of those bosomy dresses. We had a successful diamond jubilee party last June so we needed a good excuse for another.”

The Portman Estate helped sponsor the event, the Swiss Embassy kindly provided the wine and the Royal College of Music played for the crowd.

The anniversary relates to the 1813 formation of the same trust that helps preserve the garden today. Development of the garden started a few years before that date, and went on for a few years after it.

The Bryanston Square Garden Trust, and others like it, came about as a result of an act of parliament in order that it could raise an annual levy on surrounding residents for the upkeep of the private green space.

Situated between Marble Arch and Wyndham Place, the one-and-a-half acre garden has views to St Mary’s Church.

“It’s essentially a mature, tree-lined garden in the heart of London for people to look out on,” says Sir Michael.

Tiles edging some beds and sections of path date from the 19th century, as does a cast-iron water pump in the form of a Doric column. There is also a drinking fountain with a shell-shaped basin erected in the 1860s in memory of

William Pitt Byrne, owner and editor of the Morning Post, which later merged with the Daily Telegraph.

The highlight of the garden, however, is the collection of more than 30, 200year-old plane trees, though the canopy they provide limits what can be grown beneath. “We can do spring flowers and shade-loving plants,” explains Sir Michael. Rhododendrons, azaleas, camellias and hydrangeas feature, and the latest addition is a purple-flowered foxglove tree, planted to mark the Queen’s diamond jubilee.

The plane trees have survived a lot longer than the original railings. During

LEFT: SIR MICHAEL MCWILLIAM, CHAIRMAN OF THE BRYANSTON SQUARE GARDEN TRUST OPPOSITE: DONALD AND PENNY RUSHTON AT BRYANSTON SQUARE GARDEN’S 200TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

44 gardens

the Second World War the square was requisitioned by the US army and the garden was ignominiously turned into a military car park while its railings, like many others in London, were melted down to make tanks.

Bomb damage also affected the square, and not all of the houses that overlook the garden are the 19th century originals – some have been sympathetically copied. The most notable resident, the Swiss Embassy, was among the bombing casualties, and a further unexploded shell was found during 1969 excavations to construct its replacement.

In 1965 the garden was given a makeover by influential garden designer John Brookes, with a strong curving pattern and a new planting scheme. It came through the recent storms with no more damage than a fallen branch, but the latter is sadly indicative of an ongoing problem among London’s plane trees, which have been blighted with the disease Massaria. “It attacks branches of trees from the top,” says Sir Michael.

“We spend several thousand pounds a year to get steeplejacks to go up and inspect them.”

Besides keeping an eye on poorly trees, renewal and maintenance is the main part of the trust’s work, though Sir Michael admits: “If somebody gave us a sizeable sum, we have one or two exciting ideas up our sleeves.”

Many will remember the scene in Notting Hill

when Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant climb into a private garden after dark. But intruders, celebrity or otherwise, are not a major concern for the trust. “We get the odd prankster and we have people wanting to sleep rough here, but there are high railings and you’d need to be pretty agile to get over them,” says Sir Michael.

Non-residents can have a legitimate peek at Bryanston Square Gardens once a year when it participates in the Open Garden Squares Weekend. Up to 130 people usually take the opportunity, some of them working their way around all the London squares.

The changing demography of the square has brought more younger residents and a different spirit to the garden. But with absentee foreign investors also on the rise, some property owners are never seen taking a stroll.

Occasional parties like those for the jubilee and anniversary bring residents together under the plane trees. While the trust doesn’t rent the garden out commercially to non-residents like some other London squares do, individual key holders are allowed to stage events.

“This summer we’ve had a wedding reception, a funeral reception and two or three children’s parties,” Sir Michael says. “All of these are what we want the square to have – it’s a deliberate policy to create a community within the square.”

LAURIE YU (LEFT) AND DEE HARRIS AND EVA FARACE (BELOW) AT BRYANSTON SQUARE GARDEN’S 200TH ANNIVERSARY PARTY

46 architecture

It’s easy being green

Sustainability has moved further up the agenda of businesses looking for office space. The latest developments on The Portman Estate have green credentials – as well as artistic touches – at the core of their design, says Lorna Davies

DUE FOR COMPLETION at the end of the year, Marble Arch House is a £40 million development consisting of new offices, residential and retail space on the corner of Seymour Street and Edgware Road. Developed by British Land in partnership with The Portman Estate, and designed by Bennetts Associates Architects, it should achieve an Excellent rating under the BREEAM environmental assessment system.

Adjacent to the new building, at 62-64 Seymour Street, is a development of ten residential apartments, all of which British Land says will achieve an EcoHomes Very Good sustainability rating.

So, what makes Marble Arch House so green? Where better to start than the roof, which consists of 7,700 sq ft of green space along with a courtyard with a ‘living wall’ covered in plants.

Meanwhile, the glass facades increase natural daylight levels, hopefully stopping people turning on the lights, and the shading louvres reduce overheating – reducing the need for mechanical cooling at the same time as providing great views towards Hyde Park.

There are also 74 cycle spaces at Marble Arch House, as well as showers and lockers, to encourage bicycle use – and there are no car-parking spaces. ‡

THE RECEPTION AREA OF 10 PORTMAN SQUARE

48 architecture

The Portman Estate’s fund manager and director of commercial asset management, Tom Knight, says the estate is committed to delivering the highest quality buildings to its tenants and occupiers.

“We recognise that we have an impact on, and therefore a responsibility to, the environment and communities in which we operate,” he explains.

The second British Land and Portman Estate development also reflects this. 10 Portman Square is a seven-floor, 134,000 sq ft office building located on the north-east side of Portman Square.

Completed in May, the offices boast column-free floors, views of the square and a dramatic curved roof. The building has achieved a BREEAM rating of Excellent, and a B on its Energy Performance Certificate.

“It incorporates state-of-the-art cooling and lighting systems, and includes photovoltaic panels on the roof that generate electricity,” says James Danby, director of London leasing at British Land. “We are particularly proud of the building’s cycling provision, with storage for 124 bicycles and shower facilities more akin to a health club than an office building.”

Joe Baker, environmental projects and policy manager at Westminster City Council, says office developments in central London undergo higher scrutiny then elsewhere in the country when it comes to balancing sustainability with community and cost. “The overall strategy of the national and regional policy is all about delivering sustainable development,” he says. “That means it must deliver environmental, social and economic performance in equal measure. Westminster asks for exemplary standards in sustainability through building design.”

Creativity is also an important element for the two developments.

Architects Jestico + Whiles collaborated with award-winning

The Portman Estate is committed to sustainability.

“In addition to targeting a minimum expectation of BREEAM Excellent for major commercial developments and EcoHomes level 3 for new residential, our continuing refurbishment programme seeks to improve the performance of every building that requires work,” says Tom Knight.

“We have started on a site at 24-25 Castlereagh Street, specifically designed to achieve code 4 for sustainable housing, which exceeds our commitment of code 3 for all new residential development.”

MARBLE ARCH HOUSE

VIEWS FROM MARBLE ARCH HOUSE

architectural glass artist Kate Maestri to integrate the two main facades of 10 Portman Square.

“Our relationship with Kate stems from British Land’s investment in public spaces – including specially commissioned pieces of art as part of our developments,” says British Land’s Victoria Kinnard. “For example, both Regent’s Place [in Camden] and Broadgate [near Liverpool Street] house impressive collections of public art, including sculptures, paintings and water features from a number of major British and International artists.”

Maestri’s art wall for 10 Portman Square cleverly combines the public and private space, extending from the reception outside into the external foyer.

“We wanted the art and design to be befitting of one of London’s most exclusive locations, and feel we have achieved that aim,” says Danby. “Inside, the use of Jura limestone flooring, bamboo timber and luxury leather wall coverings reinforces that feeling of quality and prestige.” www.10portmansquare.com

www.marblearchhouselondon.com

51 baker street quarter

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Reach even more of London’s most affluent readers

A newspaper for the residents and business occupiers of Belgravia December 2013 Issue 122

Belgravia

Belgravia is set to sparkle this winter, with lots of exciting events that are filled with seasonal spirit.

We’ve got Christmas covered in this issue of your local magazine, with details of everything from a pop-up

cinema showing festive films in Belgrave Square to carol services at the local churches.

Turn to page 12 for a complete listing of the fun-packed

festivities taking place, including Christmas concerts at Cadogan Hall and a new exhibition featuring snowy scenes at the Osborne Studio Gallery.

If you’re wondering what to buy family and friends this Christmas, then look no further than our gift guide on page 20, where you’ll find plenty of perfect presents from the local shops.

Also inside, we talk glitz and glamour with the fabulous Joan Collins at her Belgravia home, and catch up with chef Marcus

Have yourself a merry little Christmas in Belgravia

There will be sleigh bells jingling, ring-ting-tingling in Belgravia this Christmas, with two events that promise plenty of festive fun.

Father Christmas and his real-life reindeer will be making an appearance at this year’s Belgravia Christmas Sunday, which takes place on December 1 on Pimlico Road (11am-4pm) and Elizabeth Street (12-5pm).

A magical Christmas market will line Elizabeth Street, with stalls selling gifts, food and drink. Carol singers, a brass band and choirs from local schools will perform.

Entertainments on Pimlico Road will range from jugglers to trumpeters, with traditional festive fare including roast chestnuts and toffee apples.

Santa will be making a second appearance at the Motcomb Street Christmas evening on December 4 from 6-8.30pm. The Holland Park Opera Singers will perform, shops will open late and fizz and canapés will be served.

A treasure hunt will see clues dotted about in the street’s local boutiques, with the first 35 children and 35 adults to crack the code taking home a Christmas stocking filled with presents.

Wareing ahead of an exciting new chapter for

From top left: painting

by Anne Bullen, on show at Osborne

his double-Michelin-starred restaurant at

Studio Gallery; Nainesh Shah of Mayhew newsagent on Motcomb Street with Santa Claus; Joan Collins; gold holly leaf from Joanna Wood;

The Berkeley hotel.

Remember, there’s still time to nominate inspiring members of the community for the inaugural Belgravia Awards,

Marcus Wareing

which will be held on January 28.

Turn to page 11 to find out more.

Photo: Nils Jorgensen/REX

Finally, from all the staff at Belgravia magazine, we wish our readers a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.

15:25

S

SLOANE SQUARE

In addition to Portman, Publishing Business also produces Mayfair

Times, Sloane Square, Belgravia and Greenwich – high-quality local magazines for some of London’s wealthiest areas P

Art • Culture • Fashion • Food October 2013

Tom Ford: the story behind the store

29/10/2013 10:23 Page 1

VISITORS ENJOY A MARYLEBONE WALKING TOUR

Walk this way

Plus: Jane Asher’s cake baking secrets How to make money from things you love

Greenwich

09:26 Page 1

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Winter 2013

Star buys: make Christmas magical inxxxxxx Marylebone Food xxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxxx xxxxxx xxxx

Winter 2013

Living on and around The Portman Estate

NATALIA VODIANOVA On the Naked Heart Foundation

MOSCOW MEETS MAYFAIR Anglo-Russian special

£5

RUSSIAN ART WEEK An in-depth guide

November 13

THE PORTMAN

Page 1

For details of Portman or any of our other magazines please call

Sam Bradshaw 020 7259 1051 Bridget Rodricks 020 7259 1059

Greenwich Market goes glam with a charity fashion show

That’s a wrap: Christmas gifts for all the family Match making the perfect festive food and drink

From Sherlock Holmes and the Fab Four to Victorian workhouses and ancient burial sites, Marylebone’s rich history is revealed in a series of walking tours by the Baker Street Quarter, the Business Improvement District (BID) for the area

A SERIES of fascinating walking tours is giving local people the chance to discover more about Marylebone, with topics ranging from local history to Sherlock Holmes.

The walks are led by professional tour guides and were launched by the Baker Street Quarter. “We wanted to give people a deeper connection to the area,” says Kirsty Jones, marketing and communications manager for the Quarter.

“We know a lot of people come into the Baker Street Quarter every day, go to their office, go out at lunchtime to grab a sandwich and then go straight back to their desks. We want to help people get to know the area more.”

Lunchtime walks take place on the fourth Wednesday of every month and last 45 minutes, giving local workers a chance to enjoy a walk, get some fresh air and exercise and still have time in a lunch hour to grab a bite to eat. The walks aren’t restricted to local workers and are popular with residents and visitors too.

Additional evening walks are also included in the autumn and winter programme, which allow a little more time to delve deeper into the historic stories told and culminate with drinks at a local pub.

All walks are free of charge and there’s no need to book or register.

Walks include Streets of Sherlock, which takes a look at Baker Street’s most famous spy, and Baker Street Beatles, where walkers

52 baker street quarter

can follow in the footsteps of the Fab Four.

Another walk explores Marylebone’s fascinating history, from workhouses to estates, bazaars and burial sites. A recent gardens walk even gave participants the opportunity to access private garden squares and learn about their history.

The walks have grown in popularity, says Jones, with the last Sherlock walk attracting more than 30 people. “Baker Street is the most used and known street in the Quarter, but we want to encourage people to explore the side streets as well,” she says.

“I held some focus groups recently with local workers and they said they want to explore the area and support independent businesses, but they need some help to go and discover them.”

The walks also bring the community together, she says. “People chat and get to know each other while they’re walking from one destination to the other.”

City of Westminster guide Tina Hodgkinson is hosting the next walk on November 27. “It’s going to explore the past and present of Marylebone,” she says. “We’re going to look at old buildings that have a different use now.”

The walk will include the Wallace Collection, which was originally built as a hunting lodge for the Duke of Manchester. Private members’ club Home House on Portman Square, the former residence of the Countess of Home, will also feature.

All walks start outside 55 Baker Street. Tel: 020 3056 5910. www.bakerstreetquarter.co.uk/walks

Winter walks Past & Present

Streets of Sherlock

Visit several locations and discover how some of the Baker Street Quarter’s most distinguished historic buildings have been adapted for contemporary use.

November 27, 1pm (45 minutes).

Get to know the Quarter’s most famous character, Sherlock Holmes, on this whistle-stop tour.

January 22, 1pm (45 minutes).

Baker Street Beatles Find out what effect the Fab Four had on the Quarter. Walk in their footsteps and discover how the area played a vital role in the band’s history and the swinging 60s. The evening walk ends with drinks at a local pub.

December 4, 1pm (45 minutes) and February 5, 6pm (90 minutes).

SHERLOCK HOLMES’S DEBUT IN THE BEETON’S CHRISTMAS ANNUAL, 1887

Old Map Trail Step back in time and discover the Quarter’s fascinating history. You’ll be guided through the streets using old historic maps in a walk that takes in a burial ground and the site of a former workhouse.

February 26, 1pm (45 minutes).