BROMLEY & CHISLEHURST FEBRUARY 2015

ABSOLUTELY BROMLEY & CHISLEHURST

FEBRUARY 2015 / £3.95

HOME COMFORT

FROM CURIOS TO STATEMENT PIECES

CENTRE STAGE

THE WHOLE PACKAGE

HOLLY JAMES TALKS WOMEN ON THE VERGE

TURKEY’S STUNNING SOUTH COAST

White Hot FLY AWAY TO PURE SANDS AND CRYSTAL SEAS

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Meet the Bromley property experts If you live in the London Borough of Bromley, it’s quite possible that you – or someone you know – has bought or sold a property through us.

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the whole borough. In addition, as part of The Acorn Group, we are able to market your home throughout the whole branch network including all branches of Acorn & John Payne in South East London.

We have over 25,000 people registered with us looking for property right now, so why not call us today for a free market appraisal from Bromley’s property experts.

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Chris Salt Area Manager 020 8663 4433 James Clow West Wickham Branch 020 8432 7373

18/12/2014 16:16

Febr uar y 2015

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EDITOR’S LETTER c u lt u r e WHAT'S ON

Diary dates for February

EDGE OF GLORY

Holly James talks Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and famous directors

st yle 20 FASHION CONFIDENTIAL Absolutely’s pick of the sexiest lingerie

30 BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL

February’s beauty news, best buys and inspired gifts for Valentine’s Day

37 33 HEAVEN SCENT

Lawrence Roullier White’s guide to Spain’s premier perfumers

food & drink 39 TABLE TALK

Tasty treats, chocolate hearts and pink cocktails make for sweet Valentine’s Day

41

REVIEW

The Old Brewery in Greenwich provides a wealth of beer and British fare

t r av e l 44 TURKISH DELIGHT

Pendle Harte whisks the whole family away to Fethiye on the south coast

interiors 50 INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS

A mixture of maps and new paint colours for the Spring season

53 MARBLE MARVELS

A fresh approach to home decor

Bromle y & Chislehurst lic ke ris h Black heath & Greenwich Ve ni Vici Cou t u re ve n i vi ci .n e t

54 CURIOSITY SHOP

Katharine Maclaverty and Dan Rigby share their interior inspirations

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19 61

k i d s & e d u c at i o n KIDS CONFIDENTIAL Jerome Monahan rounds up the local education news

63 WORKING PARTNERSHIP

Amanda Constance on independent schools lending a helping hand

PROPERTY 82 PROPERTY NEWS

News and views on the area

FEBRUARY 2015

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RAFFLES

49 Montpelier Vale, Blackheath, SE3 0TJ Tel: 020 8852 0018

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08/04/2014 14:50

EDITOR’S

I

letter

t’s that time of year again. Hearts are starting to appear everywhere, all my emails seem to bear the subject line: FOR LOVERS and my single friends have already begun making plans involving horror films and red wine for February 14th. As one of the aforementioned singles, I must admit I do enjoy the odd cynical sneer at couples in love snuggling up on park benches or smushing faces for selfies. For the most part, though, Valentine’s Day has alway seemed to me like an affirmation of love in the broader sense. Friends and family have always featured heavily, right down to the annual Valentine’s Day card from my dad. So, whether single or coupled up, our February issue urges you to share the love.

Start by taking a peek at Charlotte Adsett’s lingerie round-up for inspiration on how to spice up your Valentine’s evening.

Remember, sexy underwear doesn’t have to be seen to give you that extra kick of confidence. Find out more on page 20.

Perhaps your plans involve a trip to the theatre? If so, why not check out the West End adaptation of Pedro Almodóvar’s Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown. Cast member and part-time matador, Holly James talks empowered women and stripped back choreography in this month’s lead interview on page 14.

Finding a restaurant fit both for dates and mates is a struggle in London but The Old Brewery in Greenwich has atmosphere to spare and beer literally on tap. Read our review on page 41 and you’ll be booking a table in no time - whether it be for two or 20.

After all, 14th February is just another day – so why not spend it with someone you love? And thumbing through a copy of Absolutely, of course. u

Catherine Hales Editor

Email: catherine@zest-media.com Twitter: @Absolutely_mags Facebook: AbsolutelyMagazines

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FEBRUARY 2015

27/01/2015 10:53

Photography with passion

WEDDINGS

•

PORTRAITS

•

COMMERCIAL

www.jeffoliver.co.uk TEL: 0845 519 0030 | EMAIL: photography@jeffoliver.co.uk | 23a Dartmouth Row, Blackheath SE10 8AW JEFFOLIVER.indd 2

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EDITOR CATHERINE HALES EDITORIAL ASSISTANT ELIZABETH HUTTON EDITORIAL INTERNS IZZY WAUCHOPE EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS JEROME MONAHAN, LAWRENCE ROULLIER WHITE, AMANDA CONSTANCE CONTRIBUTING FASHION EDITOR CHARLOTTE ADSETT CONTRIBUTING INTERIOR EDITOR JESSICA KLINGELFUSS CONTRIBUTING HEALTH & BEAUTY EDITOR ALY HAZLEWOOD SENIOR ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER LYNSEY SAKER TRAINEE ACCOUNT MANAGER SAAJ SUMAN COMMERCIAL MANAGER TANYA SAMUEL KEY ACCOUNTS DIRECTOR TAMSIN LUCK PROPERTY DIRECTOR ANDY ELMER PROPERTY EXECUTIVE JENNI RAWSTHORNE PROPERTY EDITOR HUGO HUNTER ART DIRECTOR RAY SEARLE SENIOR DESIGNER PAWEL KUBA PRODUCTION MANAGER STEWART HYDE MID WEIGHT DESIGNER TAHIR KAPUCU PROPERTY EDITORIAL DESIGNER ANDREW MAVIN DESIGNER EKREM YILMAZ JUNIOR DESIGNER REBECCA NOONAN COPY CONTROLLER CHRISTINE MANN FINANCIAL CONTROLLER ZUL MUHAMAD CREDIT CONTROL MANAGER ALEXANDRA HVID ACCOUNTS ASSISTANT AYSHA HABIBI DIRECTORS GREG HUGHES, ALEXANDRA HUNTER MANAGING DIRECTOR SHERIF SHALTOUT PA TO DIRECTORS MARIANNE MCFADDEN For editorial enquiries please email: catherine@zest-media.com For advertising enquiries please call 020 7704 0588 or email: advertising@zest-media.com Subscriptions are available simply by emailing: christina@zest-media.com You can receive an online subscription for FREE or a postal subscriptions for 12 months, £30 respectively (to cover postage and packaging). Please email us with your preferred option and details.

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Fo l l ow Us O n T wi t t e r @ABSOLUTELY_MAGS Fa c e b o o k ‘ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES’

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DOWN MEXICO WAY

Inspired by the exotic heat and energy of Mexico, Charlotte Olympia’s Cruise 2015 Collection is full of playful colour and texture. The perfect shoes for that Easter break you’re planning, if the ski slopes don’t appeal, of course. charlotteolympia.com

10 Things We

ABSOLUTELY

FANCY FEET

Make a statement with these towering platforms by Dolce & Gabbana. We’ll be wearing ours to the beach bar on our midwinter break. £575; net-a-porter.com

BOLD BAG

We love Italian-Brazilian designer Paula Cademartori. Using bold colours and pastel shades, her SS15 Pre-Collection is holiday heaven. paulacademartori.com

CLUTZ PROOF

Protect your iPad whilst travelling with this stylish but practical leather sleeve from Aspinal. £125; aspinaloflondon.com

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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ABSOLUTELY / LOVES JING-A-LING

LUCKY LADY

This beautifully crafted, hand blown, double walled tea cup keeps your drink hot while the glass surface remains cool to the touch.

Both clever and good looking this is a winner. £13.50; jingtea.com

Since graduating from London College of Fashion, shoe designer Camilla Elphick has worked with some of the industry’s greatest. Now she’s launched her own collection inspired by luck, and it’s brilliant. From £395; luisaviaroma.com

LOVE IT

Wear your heart around your neck this February with a stunning engravable rose gold pendant by AKALiS. £99; ilovedesigner.com

BEACH BABE

Leave it to Australian sisters Nicky and Simone to design some of the most stylish swimwear we’ve ever seen. Fusing strong silhouettes with delicate prints, bikinis like these spell holiday, no question. zimmermannwear.com

DITA DARLING

MODERN CLASSIC

Protect your peepers in these incredible tortoiseshell cat eye sunglasses from Dita. Having been inspired by the Golden Age of Hollywood, these beauties give us major wanderlust for Tinseltown. £294; farfetch.com

Reinterpreting the designs of the classic 1950s’ and 60s’ chronograph watches, this resolutely contemporary design

by Breitling is both understated and sophisticated. £15,030; breitling.com

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FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 16:10

To truly appreciate our Kitchens, Bedrooms Studies and service please visit our showroom Monday to Friday 9-5.30 and Saturday 9-2

CHA MBEr f u r ni t ure

If you would like to discuss your project with a designer or to request our latest brochure please call 01959 532 553 or visit our website.

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HOLLY JAMES: A WOMAN ON THE VERGE

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© ANGUS MCBEAN, 1950

> WHAT'S ON

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CAPTAIN FLINN & THE PIRATE DINOSAURS

© JØRGEN LETH AND OLE JOHN 1982

1 9 & 2 0 Fe b r u a r y G re e nwi c h T he a tre ollowing a rollickingly good award winning year, Captain Flinn arrives in F Greenwich. This energetic adventure play will delight and excite the mischievous tots this month. ◆ Crooms Hill, SE10; greenwichtheatre.org.uk

MAMBISTA

HISTORY IS NOW

© NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM, LONDON

2 8 Fe b r u a r y Po r ti c o G a ll e r y his new monthly live music and DJ night at the Portico Gallery features T bands that represent the 21st century's global village. With fantastic food and tasty tipples, you can samba the night away to some brilliantly energetic music. ◆ 23A Knight’s Hill, SE27; porticogallery.org.uk

F rom 10 February Hayward G aller y

In the run up to the general election, seven artists ask how we got to where we are today. Providing a fresh perspective on the nation’s journey to the present, this fun, radical and illuminating exhibition uses inventive ways to explore recent history, spanning ideas and topics as varied as the Cold War, post-Thatcherite society, feminism and celebrity culture.

Belvedere Road, SE1; southbankcentre.co.uk

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TRUTH & MEMORY

T h ro u gh o u t Fe b r u a r y I m p e r i a l Wa r M u s e u m rom documentation to raising morale, official war art has always been F carefully curated to have a particular effect upon it’s audience. Exposing poignant stories of both victory and defeat, hope and despair, this exhibition at the Imperial War Museum is well worth seeing. ◆ Lambeth Road, SE1; iwm.org.uk

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ARTS & CULTURE / WHAT'S ON

ELVIS AT THE O2

T h ro u gh o u t Fe b r u a r y T he O 2 ut on your blue suede shoes and get yourself P down to The O2 where the largest Elvis Presley retrospective to have ever been mounted in Europe will be. Chronicling the life of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll we see the great impact his music, style and movies had on popular culture around the world. This is a brilliant celebration of a man who strived to be the very best.

Peninsula Square, SE10; theo2.co.uk

WATERLOO

must see

Life & Times

WOMEN & POWER

Th rou gh ou t Fe b r u ar y T h e Fa n M u s eum

ZANDRA RHODES © JOHN SWANNELL

Throughout Fe b r u a r y D esign Museum his exhibition, designed by world-renowned architect T Zaha Hadid, takes an unprecedented look at how models, CEOs, Dames and designers have used fashion to define and enhance their position in the world. Discover how women such as Princess Diana and Zandra Rhodes express and empower themselves so that they build a reputation, attract attention and assert authority. ◆ 28 Shad Thames, SE1; designmuseum.org

2015 marks the bicentary of the Battle of Waterloo. Honour the occasion by visiting this display which celebrates one of the most tumultuous periods in European history with fans designed to commemorate military campaigns, battles and victories.

12 Crooms Hill, SE10; thefanmuseum.org.uk

EVENT OF THE MONTH 21 February, The Blackheath Halls

HOUSE OF FUN egendary grump Arthur Smith will be hosting an uproarious night of comedy in Blackheath this month.

With quick wit, good music, saucy stand-up and more, this is set to be a brilliantly funny night where absolutley anything could happen. The diverse line up includes comedian David Whitney, singer Felicity Duncan and music from Danny and the Moonlighters. Their unique blend of upbeat

L

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and catchy tunes in a 1950s high-school-prom rock ‘n’ roll style will get you jiving the night away. We’re most looking forward to comical duo Shirely & Shirely who James Corden dubed as “Two of the freshest and most energetic performers in Edinburgh [Fringe Festival] this year”.  24 Lee Road, SE3; trinitylaban.ac.uk

FEBRUARY 2015

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XXXXXX / XXXXXXX SPOTLIGHT

The edge of

GLORY

Actress and Greenwich local Holly James spills the beans on Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and meeting Pedro Almodóvar W o r d s C at h e r i n e h a l e s

CATHERINE HALES: Women on the Verge seems like an unusual choice for a musical adaptation. What do you think makes it work?

HOLLY JAMES: It works on so many levels, I could say so much about it. I think it’s really important to have a musical about strong women and I know its a selling point because lots of friends of mine have said to me, ‘Yes, finally!’ At last a musical with strong female characters, who are funny and who you can empathise with – and not just one but lots of them. It’s set in Madrid so it’s colourful and bright and the music is different and it makes you feel something.

CH: You spend quite a lot of the play in a rather impressive costume…

HJ: The funny thing about that costume is that I was only supposed to wear it once for the song ‘Model Behaviour’, that Candela sings. When she says ‘posing with a man dressed like a matador’, that’s when I came in but when the director saw me in the costume he was like: [puts on American accent] ‘I love it.’ It’s so heavy and so hot, though.

CH: I was going to ask – it looked a little on the heavy side...

HJ: You don’t want to know. I’m beading heavily. After that it was, ‘Oh, we’ll get you to do this and that’ and it really became a thing but it started from a tiny moment.

CH: It sets the scene brilliantly though.

Did it help in keeping true to the show’s Spanish roots?

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HJ: It’s definitely important but I think as soon as you hear Ricardo doing the announcement at the beginning of the show it automatically relaxes the audience, they know where they are, they understand the vibe and then when I come out with the cigar and matador’s outfit it really starts the journey.

CH: What was the thinking behind the dance choreography?

HE USED to send us things DURING REHEARSALS like sweets and SPECIAL TREATS HJ: This version is completely stripped back because the Broadway show had a much bigger ensemble and it was full out whacking kicks and splits but then when I met Ellen Kane [the choreographer] she said no, its all going to be stripped right back. It’s far more of an abstract piece than it was.

CH: Were the dance numbers a challenge with a small company?

HJ: Definitely. And something like the end of Act 1, in the song ‘Verge’ you have four female ensemble and four characters on stage but Ellen was really precise about

wanting everyone to go on their separate journey. Songs like ‘Madrid’ started out as a massive partner-work section and then got scaled back to a very abstract thing because its such a weird piece.

CH: Which was the song when your dance was echoing Lucia and Ivan?

HJ: ‘It’s You’. Nuno is another trained dancer who’s fantastic and that started off again as a massive duet and was pulled right back but I think it looks lovely.

CH: You’ve already mentioned strong women; do you think that the ultimate message of the play is a feminist one?

HJ: I’ve had so many friends and friends of friends who’ve come to see it and have been able to relate. Whether it’s with Pepa, or Lucia, or Marisa, when you’re in a relationship where you’re not happy, it strikes a chord with everyone - and everyone in it, too. We’ve all been there, we’re all going to get there, I think it’s an important message that you can change and things do get better.

CH: Not to give anything away about the ending but I must say I found Pepa’s choice refreshing…

HJ: I know what you mean, especially when you think of the opening scene when she collapsed on the floor because [Ivan's] left.

I think as women, we often underestimate our own strength.

CH: Does it make a change to be in a female-dominated cast?

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ARTS & CULTURE / PROFILE HOLLY JAMES

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FEBRUARY 2015

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ARTS & CULTURE / PROFILE

HJ: Yes, especially because I was in American Psycho at the beginning of last year and that was the reverse of this because all the women were objects and it was all about the guys. This is completely different and even the cast themselves, as people, are strong.

CH: In terms of dancing too, it must have been a change…

HJ: Absolutely and I think even in the rehearsal process the guys were standing at the back sighing while the women took over.

CH: Did you get to meet Pedro Almodóvar?

HJ: Yes, he’s so lovely. He’s actually really shy and he’s so generous. I also thinks he’s just so thankful that people are still loving his work and his films so he’s just happy with the decisions we make and so supportive. He used to send us things during rehearsals like sweets and special treats.

He’s just the most gorgeous man ever.

CH: Did he have an input?

HJ: I think he trusted the creatives completely and because they’d done it on Broadway and weren’t 100% happy with the result they decided to completely change it around. He was like, ‘Take it, do what you want.’ When he

came to see it at the very first preview, he was just adorable and loved it.

CH: It’s a big responsibility, were you nervous?

HJ: Definitely, definitely nervous. But I trusted Bart [Bartlett Sher, the director] and the creatives because they are just such great fans of his work and they’ve spoken in depth with him about everything.

IT STRIKES

a chord with

EVERYONE

CH: What’s your favourite thing about living in Greenwich?

HJ: I’ve got so many great things to say about Greenwich, I mean I don’t think I could live anywhere else. What I love is that you’re definitely in the hustle and bustle of it all but you breathe fresh air and you get to see the seasons change. It can be so peaceful and yet so full of life and vibrant and the people are so friendly and eclectic, I could never get bored of living there.

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CH: Any recommendations?

HJ: I do pub hops around Greenwich so I start at the Gypsy Moth and go up to the Tavern. I also love Heaps and Royal Teas is fantastic. There are so many places; I love The Rivington and the markets.

CH: What advice would you give to young female actors or dancers trying to crack the West End? HJ: I think you have to just love it more than anything because you have so many setbacks and you meet so many unsympathetic and unsupportive people that you have to be on your path and know what you want to do because it’s going to take a long time.

CH: It has to come from you?

HJ: It has to come from you. It can’t even come from someone thinking you’re great at something. When I go on stage or take a class, I forget about everything else going on and - this sounds really wanky - it’s literally like my therapy. The advice I’d give? If you love it, then just do it. And work really hard. u The Playhouse Theatre, WC2N; womenonthevergemusical.com

FEBRUARY 2015

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> FASHION CONFIDENTIAL: LINGERIE TO LIGHT A SPARK

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WHAT LIES BENEATH

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THE HEART WANTS Ask us our heart’s desire this month and they answer may very well be found in the Valentino Pre-Fall 2015 Collection, inspired in part by visionary designer Celia Birtwell. We know what we want for Valentine’s Day. valentino.com

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st y l e C e n t r a l

FASHION Off The Beaten Track

Fur bags and hats, elaborate necklaces and the best lingerie sets for a steamy Valentine’s Day

Wo r d s V i o l e t N ay l o r - L e y l a n d

artorial fashion is as transient as the body shapes that inspire it.

The only body-trend that I’ve been longing to see the back of is this size 4/6 toned clique of shapeless zombies that have not only ruined what is intrinsically beautiful about a woman’s body, but wrecked many centuries of tailoring to boot. The type of figure I’m talking about doesn’t belong to the natural willowy twiggy-esque physique or petite person; it is that entirely unnatural body, which the owner has worked very hard, creating it to be as trim and as toned as it is possible to be (without looking ill). The result renders them with no shape at all, no physical personality. They’re just a generic sized pair of boobs, with a small, flattish bum and no hips. It is inspired by celebrities who live in front of cameras, but the reality of this body is in fact boring and unfeminine. Why would you want to get rid of the naturalness that makes you a woman – the softness of your flesh, the nip of your waist and curve of your bottom? It has inspired women’s clothing since time began! So if you’re worrying about having overdosed at Christmas and New Year, take a few pictures of Marilyn Monroe, Kate Upton or Kim Kardashian to the mirror with you, and just check you don’t rather suit those few extra pounds? They’re in Vogue after all… u

S

w o rd s charlot te adset t

Candy Crush Bon Bon Bags

● V I O L E T N AY L O R - L E Y L A N D Stylist and owner of fancy dress boutique Violet’s Box;

violetsbox.com

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Following the huge success of her faux fur popsicle scarves, London fashion designer Charlotte Beecham of Charlotte Simone has created the ‘Bon Bon’ bag in collaboration with her friend and Rita Ora’s super-stylist Kyle De’volle. The candy coloured fluffy ‘Bon Bons' (modelled here by Daisy Lowe) look as edible as they sound.

Bon bon bags, £150; charlottesimone.com

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FASHION / NOTES

5

LOCKET LOVERS Loquet

of the best

Nothing says ‘I love you’ quite like a bespoke piece of jewellery. The keepsake ‘Loquet’ concept was created by Sheherazade Goldsmith and Laura Bailey, with the idea lockets can be personalised with collectable charms, initials and birthstones. Start dropping hints for Valentine’s day now. From £450; loquetlondon.com

LINGERIE SETS 01

HIGH LIFE House Of Hackney X Terr y Havilland

East London fashion and interiors label du jour House of Hackney have joined forces with legendary rock n’ roll shoemaker to the stars Terry de Havilland to create a range of 70’s inspired printed wedges and platforms.

Shoes, £375; houseofhackney.com

02

FLORAL FANCY G i a m b a t t i s t a Va l l i

Italian couturier Giambattista Valli, as worn by Amal Alamuddin the first time she stepped out as Mrs Clooney, designs beautifully constructed and ultra feminine dresses. This dress (£1,778) is a wise investment for your spring wardrobe.

Available from mytheresa.com

03

04

RED HOT Ve n i V i c i C o u t u r e

The debut collection from Rawan Behbehani’s luxury label mixes fine fabrics with edgy detailing while the colour palette ranges from emerald greens to bold reds to subtle plums.

We particularly love this radical red peplum number. An absolute must-have for SS15. venivici.net

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05

01. LOVEDAY LONDON Bra £120 + suspender belt £90 + briefs £80 lovedaylondon.com, 02. FLEUR LONDON Lace Boudoir bra £79 + briefs £95 fleurlondon.com,03. eurlondon.com, BORDELLE Bra £80 + briefs £45 bordelle.co.uk, 04. WILLIAM WILDE X LASCIVIOUS £135 + briefs £120 lascivious.co.uk 05. STELLA MCCARTNEY Bra £60 + Briefs £35 net-a-porter.com

FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 17:03

Cream silk printed pyjama top, £330 (sold as a set with trousers),

by Olivia con Halle Black geometric bra, £43 and shorts £15, by Huit

W ha t li e s

BENEATH This lingerie is so sexy and sophisticated, you’ll never want to cover up… embrace the spotlight and take centre stage P h o t o g r a p h y P h i l i p B ly t h m a n S t y l i n g Ly n d a B e l l

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Black sequin pencil skirt, £119, by Boden Brown silk and lace bow bra, £79, by Fleur of England Gold long drop earrings, £200, by Dinny Hall

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Black star lace body, £86 and cat ears £135, by Mimi Holliday Silver and crystal ring, £119, by Myia Passiello at Cadenzza

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Photographer: Philip Blythman Stylist: Lynda Bell Model: Fruzsina at Models1 Hair: Marcia Lee at Caren using Aveda Make-up: Claudine Blythman using Lanc么me STOCKISTS boden.co.uk cadenzza.co.uk damaris.co.uk dinnyhall.com fulldisclosureluxe.com huit.com maisonlejaby.com my-wardrobe.com net-a-porter.com oasis-stores.com pepejeans.com petitsbisous.com princesssetamtam.co.uk sea-ny.com

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Black lace body, £150, by Petit Bisou Gold and pearl necklace, £1,010, by Rosantica by Michela Panero

FashionShoot_Feb_6pp.indd 27

26/01/2015 17:07

roullier

WHITE

THE HOME OF FINE

FRAGRANCE

125 LORDSHIP LANE E A S T D U LW I C H L O N D O N S E 2 2 8 H U O P E N 7 D AY S

020 8693 5150 roullier white.com

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23/08/2013 11:21

> BEAUTY CONFIDENTIAL: GIFT IDEAS FOR VALENTINE'S DAY

p. 30

HEAVEN SCENT

p. 33

BERRY BEAUTIFUL Putting the berry in Burberry, the British heritage brand swept raspberry-red lipstick across model's lips for their SS15 show.

Ultimate spring seduction. burberry.com

29 B&C_FEB15_Beauty_Opener.indd 29

FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 16:11

tried & T e s t e d

GROOM ROOM Dulwich Village

A box of tricks, how to look hot this Valentine’s day and the best scents for closet romantics

Wo r d s t o m b e va n

he Groom Room, located in the of Dulwich Village, offers a T heart variety of treatments designed for the modern urban gentleman.

I can say with some conviction that one of the highlights is the hour-long, full-body Swedish massage (accent optional). Having never had a massage before I had no idea what to expect, but suffice to say I left the Groom Room a completely relaxed, stress-free, de-knotted individual.

The treatment does what it says on the tin – one lies down for an hour getting progressively more relaxed while a Groom Room whizz makes it their mission to ensure all of your aches and pains are soothed away (complete with plinky-plonky music).

The massage is ideal for anyone with a hectic lifestyle who needs a good bit of ‘r and r’ in order to recharge their batteries, and the Groom Room also offers other must-try services including the highly-popular facial treatments. They also provide your bread and butter options for those lucky enough to be completely lacking in aches and/or pains: some of the best haircuts and wet-shaves in South East London.

On a return visit (which now seems highly likely) I would be tempted to go for the The Classic Scissor and Comb or possibly even Turkish Hot Towel Shave if I'm feeling particularly bold.

So whether you’re looking for a day of pampering, or simply need a trim and a shave, head to the Groom Room pronto – you won’t be disappointed. u

W o r d s R o m y va n d e n B r o e k e

Eye Candy Estée Lauder

● GROOM ROOM 78, Dulwich Village, SE21; thegroomroom.co

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

C&A_FEB15_Beauty_Notes.indd 30

This year has been quite a year for Kendall Jenner. Not only has she struck up a covetable new friendship with Cara Delevigne and been in the spolight because of a rather famous wedding, she has also landed a job as the face of Estée Lauder. Bravo. esteelauder.co.uk

30 26/01/2015 16:18

HEALTH & BEAUTY / NOTES

3 of the best

ROSE SCENTS

RED ALERT Kevyn Aucoin

New for Valentine’s Day is Kevyn Aucoin's Bloody Gorgeous Box Set, a collection of six of the make-up artist’s most iconic products in his favourite shade, Bloodrose - the ultimate red. £100, spacenk.com

For the classic romantic, red roses mean so much more on Valentine's Day when they come in a bottle 02 01

03

editor’s

PICK WHITE LINE Odin

Not only do these fragrances from Odin New York look stylish on your dressing table, they're also unisex so can be spritzed on both you and your partner this Valentine's day. £140; odinedt.com

1. THAMEEN, Noor Olain Taif, £125; selfriges.com 2. ACQUA DI PARMA, Nobile Rosa, £68; acquadiparma.com 3. RAMON MONEGAL, L’Eau de Rose, £130; harrods.com

3 of the best

TUBEROSE SCENTS

LIGHT MY FIRE M a i s o n Ve s

For a less conventional woman, the scent of white flowers is the sexiest of all and bound to set the mood

Short on gift inspiration this Valentine’s Day? These beautiful smelling Maison Ves scented candles come with special messages for the occasion, all in the form of popular hashtags. #LoveIt. £78; maison-ves.com

best

BUY

01

03

SHINE LIKE A DIAMOND BeautyLab

Slather your face in black diamond extract with this energizing serum from grooming giants, BeautyLab. It’s sure to keep you looking fresh this February. £90; beautylab.com

01

02 1. ROBERT PIGUET, Fracas, £95; harrods.com 2. JO MALONE, Tuberose Angelica, £100; jomalone.co.uk 3. FREDERC MALLE, Carnal Flower, £215; liberty.co.uk

31 C&A_FEB15_Beauty_Notes.indd 31

FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 16:18

Start the New Year as a

MODERATE DRINKER...

Myla and Davis have opened their second branch on North Cross Road, East Dulwich.

Do you drink everyday?

Do you fear it controlling you? Instead of you controlling it?

Does your drinking become excessive when you socialise?

If any of these apply to you and you want to take back control and instead become a MODERATE DRINKER Contact me, Diana Powley on 0800 093 2024 Locally based in Dulwich I use a combination of NLP and Hypnotherapy.

And record hypnosis to CD for you to take home.

We Break Habits Team of exclusively senior stylists – Bumble and bumble – Wella Professionals – Brazilian Blow Dry – Great Lengths Hair Extensions – Digital Perm – Wedding Hair – Baby Tuesdays

0800 093 2024 07886 863 923 www.dunehypnotherapy.co.uk

“I am so happy that this awesome and much needed salon has opened in East Dulwich so I don’t have to trek into town anymore – beautiful interior and lovely staff. Amazing!’

Diana Powley SQHP/MPNLP

DUNE_HYPNO.indd 1

65 North Cross Road, East Dulwich SE22 9ET | 020 8299 4742 www.mylaanddavis.co.uk Mon - Fri 10am – 7pm | Saturday 9am – 5pm | Sunday 10am – 5pm

18/12/2014 15:54

BSTUY YOU R 1 CLASSEE GET 1 FR

Pilates | Yoga | Barre Bringing expert teaching to a peaceful location in the heart of the Crystal Palace Triangle.

07969 083 261 enquiries@bamboofitness.co.uk

BAMBOO.indd 1

_ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 1

FIND US DOWN THE ALLEY IN BETWEEN THE BLACK BIRD BAKERY AND CAFE LATINO FOLLOW US

Private Sessions Back Care Pre & Postnatal

GIPSY HILL RAIL

WESTOW HILL

T WS STO WE

bamboofitness.co.uk

BAMBOO FITNESS PAXTON MEWS, WESTOW STREET, CRYSTAL PALACE TRIANGLE, SE19 3RW

Hot Yoga

CRYSTAL PALACE RAIL AN ER LE Y HI LL

Photography © Merrithew Corporation

BOOK ONLINE

Total Barre™

RD

We offer classes and workshops for all levels.

Reformer Pilates

CH UR CH

Improve your posture and shape up in our boutique Reformer Pilates studio, our Total BarreTM classes will transform your body with a mix of ballet, cardio, Pilates and strength training, perfect and deepen your practice in our new Hot Yoga centre.

26/01/2015 15:23

27/01/2015 11:46

HEALTH & BEAUTY / COLUMN

heaven

SCENT

Be whisked away to sunny Spain with scents from the world’s secret perfume capital W o r d s L aw r e n c e R o u l l i e r W h i t e

A

s a ‘retail tourist’ Spain is one of my favourite destinations.

One of my greatest joys is wandering the back streets of Barcelona, Madrid, or Seville and stumbling across an ‘undiscovered’ artisan studio, specialist shop, or particularly a hidden perfumery or apothecary.

Despite the many treasures to be found, sadly Spain does not enjoy the reputation for fine fragrances bestowed on its French and Italian cousins. However, there is a great tradition in the country that goes back many generations, and a use of scent that would put us British to shame. From babies the Spanish fragrance their children straight from the bath. There are many baby-safe cologne brands on the market in Spain, such as the gorgeously presented one from the country’s oldest existing fragrance house; Alvarez Gomez. It is, however, Alvarez 02

03

Gomez’s sublime classic for adults; Agua de Colonia [01] - sunny citrus with woody, herbal hints – which is widely and liberally splashed on post-shower.

You would want to be more careful with the exquisite scents from the latest Spanish brand to land on these shores.

Having spent 35 years creating fragrances for other brands in 2009 Ramón Monegal launched his own line, complete with a dedicated boutique on Carrer de Calvet, in his hometown of Barcelona. So many of today’s new launches are so similar that it is a delight to come across a range which is fresh and inspired; scents united by the common thread of craftsmanship, authenticity of ingredients and integrity, yet each individual and unique. My personal favourite is Cherry Musk [02], cherry, coconut, jasmine Chinese rose and strawberry on a bed of warm musks.

I have long been a champion of another

33 DUL_FEB15_Perfume.indd 33

Barcelona brand, Carner Barclona. Sara Carner’s sensual line is a celebration of her remarkable city. El Born talks of the bohemian quarter famed for its café and bar culture, whilst D600 [03] evokes the city stirring after a night of slumber; top notes of Madagascan black pepper, Sicilian bergamot and grapefruit dance across a middle rich with Guatemalan cardamom, Italian iris and Egyptian jasmine absolute on a bed of luxurious Virginian cedar wood, Madagascan vanilla absolute and sophisticated vetiver.

Major players in the global fashion market, Puig operates under license from some of the world’s biggest and best known fragrance and fashion houses. It is little known, however, that one of the company’s own forages into fragrance, Azur de Puig [04] from 1969, is still available today. Opening with notes of bergamot, thyme and mandarin, the rounded middle is full of sweet jasmine and lily of the valley, countered by a base of patchouli and oak moss.

Jordi Roca is the pastry chef at El Celler de Can Roca in Girona, which in 2013 was named best restaurant in the world by Restaurant Magazine. Some of Jordi’s most ground breaking recipes are inspired by scent, however, in 2011 he turned the tables and created Nuvol de Llimona [05], Lemon Cloud, with perfumer Agustí Vidal; a perfume based on a dessert. The resulting scent? The aroma of a “lemon muffin soaked in milk”. What more reason would you need to book a weekend away? u

05

01

04

● Roullier White

125 Lordship Lane, SE22; roullierwhite.com

FEBRUARY 2015

27/01/2015 10:09

XXXXXXXX / XXXXXXXXX

SHARE

THE LOVE Show them you care this Valentine’s Day, with gifts ranging from perfume vouchers to baked goods

PIECE OF CAKE BAKERY Try something a little different this year and gift a home baked cake handmade by the Piece of Cake Bakery and Cafe this Valentines day, we use traditional methods producing exceptional quality cakes for all occasions 76 East Dulwich Grove 0208 6937733 pieceofcakecafeuk.co.uk

BOB WINES Just tell Bob about your Valentine’s tastes and preferences and Bob will find you the perfect drink from a great selection of local beers, spirits, Italian, French and English wines for a wonderful tête à tête!

29 Anerley Road, Crystal Palace 020 86596092

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

DUL_FEB15_VALENTINES_FEATURE.indd 34

34 26/01/2015 16:03

ABSOLUTELY XXXXXXXXX//PROMOTION XXXXXXXX

THERAPY Treat your Valentine to a gift of relaxation with a Therapy Gift Voucher! Choose from our popular luxurious facials and massages or pretty feet and/or hands with a Gel Manicure or Pedicure.

All vouchers come packaged in a box with ribbon and are available for all treatments and products at the salon. Call us or pop in to order and make it a Valentine’s Day to remember.

8 Melbourne Grove, East Dulwich, SE22 8QZ, 0208 6933773; hb-therapy.co.uk

ROULLIER WHITE There is nothing more romantic than the gift of fragrance on Valentine's Day; however choosing a scent for someone else, no matter how well you known them, can be a tricky business. Buy your loved-one a Roullier White boxed gift certificate which comes with a free fragrance consultation and a few gorgeous phials to sample on the day, from £75.

125 Lordship Lane, SE22 8HU; 020 8693 5150 roullierwhite.com

BELAIR HOUSE

SWEET CAROLINA

This Valentine’s Day, sit down to a private three course dining experience in our restaurant, complimented with a handcrafted cocktail on arrival. Stay for after dinner treats at the bar and listen to live musical entertainment from Sebastian Genovese. Book your table by calling 020 8299 9788.

Gallery Road, West Dulwich, SE21 7AB belairhouse.co.uk

Sweet Carolina is a boutique bakery nestled in the heart of South East London that produces delicious, home-baked treats using the finest organic and seasonal ingredients. Whether you're looking for simple iced biscuits or an entire decadent dessert table, we can whip up something special for any occasion. This Valentine's Day, why not opt for some of our scrumptious and beautifully presented goodies to be delivered to your sweetheart?

077 8550 4969; sweetcarolina.co.uk

LOUISE HEYWOOD Independent Make-up Artist, Louise Heywood feels that make up should be used sparingly to enhance, define and celebrate our faces. When not working on magazine shoots Louise provides one to one and group make-up lessons, either at your home or from her studio in Crystal Palace. The perfect gift for women of all ages! Gift vouchers available. louiseheywood.com

35 DUL_FEB15_VALENTINES_FEATURE.indd 35

FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 16:04

Village Tandoori Authentic Indian Takeaway

Award Winning Master Chef (with 26 years experience) ‘London tried & tasted 2014’ Award Winners by customer voted online

Special Discount VIllage Tandoori is offering very high standard in out door catering for any party. (Garden parties wedding & birthday parties)

020 8693 4915 / 020 8299 2002 To order a take away please call us on: 020

8693 4915 / 020 8299 2002 www.villagetandooridulwich.co.uk or walk just in

OPENING TIME: 4.30pm to Midnight - 7 Days a week, including Bank Holidays FREE home delivery over £10, 3 miles radius 71 East Dulwich Grove, East Dulwich, london, SE22 8PR (Opposite The East Dulwich Hospital)

> TABLE TALK

p. 39

REVIEW: THE OLD BREWERY, GREENWICH

p. 41

ALL THINGS SPICE Anglo-Indian food master Arun Kapil has released a new cookbook called Fresh Spice, which delves deep into the world of flavour, aiming to teach the art of seasoning properly. ÂŁ19.99; amazon.co.uk

37 B&C_FEB15_Food_Opener.indd 37

FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 17:17

Bringing a taste of the Mediterranean to Bromley and blackheath

From contemporary Greek to delicious Italian, Aqau Bar & Grill offers an exciting fusion of modern Mediterranean cuisine and impressive cocktails in a relaxed and friendly envioirment.

STEAK NIGHT MONDAY NIGHTS 50% OF ALL STEAKS LETS DO LUNCH MON-SAT LUNCH MENU 2 COURSES -£12 3 COURSES-£15

TRADITIONAL ROAST 2 COURSES-£15 3 COURSES -£17 COME DINE WITH US MON-THURS SET MENU 2 COURSES-£15 3 COURSES-£18

4-6 Market Parade, East Street, Bromley BR1 1QN 020 8460 2346 | info@aquabarandgrill.co.uk

www.aquabarandgrill.co.uk FULL PAGE.indd 2

NOW TAKING BOOKINGS FOR

Valetines Day

25% OFF FOOD BILL

WITH THIS ADVERT ONLY VALID WHEN DINING 13.2.15

BOOK YOUR TABLE NOW

020 8460 2346 3-5 Montpelier Vale Blackheath, SE3 0TN

www.aquarestaurantblackheath.co.uk 27/01/2015 11:47

FOOD & DRINK / NOTES RECIPE

COCKTAILS

Dry January is long gone so why not celebrate Valentine’s Day with one of these scrummy pink concoctions?

English Kiss Created by rock & rose

TABLE TALK

INGREDIENTS

• 24ml raspberry infused vodka • Couple of drops of peach • bitters • 25ml Chambord • Pineapple juice • Lime ◆ METHOD

Brownies for the girls, whiskey for the boys and cocktails for everyone this Valentine’s Day

Mix the above ingredients in a Martini glass and top with rock fairy dust.

Alternatively mix with egg white.

rockandroserestaurant.com

MAIDEN’S BLUSH Created by Filippo Previero

SWEETS FOR MY SWEET

THAT'S THE SPIRIT

What better way to say ‘I love you’ this Valentine’s Day than with baked goods? Boutique Herne Hill bakery Sweet Carolina deliver deliciousness to your door with their great range of Valentine’s treats – from gooey brownies to heart-shaped biscuits. If you’d prefer choose in person, Carolina herself will be at the Herne Hill Market on 8 February. u sweetcarolina.co.uk

February 14th isn’t all about the girl, so if you’re searching for a gift that he'll really appreciate, look no further than award-winning Woodford Reserve Double Oaked whiskey. Serve straight up or perhaps in an Old Fashioned – that is, if you can bear to give it away... £50, available from fortnumandmason.com

LA MAISON DU CHOCOLAT

Caramel Sensations £14.50; lamaisonduchocolat.co.uk

5

INGREDIENTS

• 45ml Tanqueray 10 • 5ml Absinthe • 20ml lemon juice • 1bar spoon caster sugar • 2bar spoon rasberry jam ◆ METHOD Pour all the ingredients into a shaker and shake well. Strain into a fancy cobbler over crushed ice and garnish with a bamboo straw, sprig of mint, star anise, fresh raspberry and icing sugar.

ROCOCO

Heart Shaped Truffle Box £45; rococochocolates.com

Luxe Boxes for Chocolate Lovers

MONTEZUMA’S

PRESTAT

Theatre Heart Box from £6.50; prestat.co.uk

Large Truffle Box £15.99; montezumas.co.uk

39 DUL_FEB15_Food_Notes.indd 39

GODIVA

Heart Box £23; godivachocolates.co.uk

FEBRUARY 2015

27/01/2015 11:02

Green Cuisine Cookshop cook • bake • dine

With proper Winter weather on the way, the Thermo Pot (£30) is perfect to take a hot lunch to work or school Buy in store or online at

WINNER OF THE 2014 BARTENDER OF THE WEST END FOR THE BESPOKE COCKTAIL ‘THE UGLY DUCKLING’

7 Lordship Lane SE22 8EW • 0208 693 7781 www.greencuisinecookshop.com

GREEN CUISINE_.indd 1

26/01/2015 15:25

LIVE MUSIC | PRIVATE HIRE DOWNSTAIRS BAR RESERVATIONS AND ENQUIRIES INFO@COCKTAILEMBASSY.COM

OPEN HOURS: MON-WED 5PM-12AM THUR 5PM - 12:30AM FRI 5PM-01:30AM SAT 2PM-2AM SUN 2PM-12AM TEL: 020 3609 2929 - 76 WESTOW HILL, CRYSTAL PALACE, SE19 1SE

WWW.COCKTAILEMBASSY.COM

HALF HORIZONTAL.indd 1 _ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 2

BOB.indd 1 26/01/2015 15:27

A new wine shop in Crystal Palace Specialised in: • Italian producers sourced directly from Italy • English still and sparkling wines • Local craft beers • New cask wines system : a eco-friendly concept called “BOB” Bring Our bottles 29 Anerley Road | London SE19 2AS | 020 8659 6092 www.bobwines.co.uk | info@bobwines.co.uk 1 minute walk from Crystal Palace station | Free parking

FOLLOW US

26/01/2015 15:26 27/01/2015 11:50

FOOD & DRINK / REVIEW perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside and not too salty, while the lemon mayonnaise adds a note of sweetness. My salmon gravadlax is flaky, piquant and gone too soon but I comfort myself by taking another swig of the Pilsner.

My companion and I both select pub favourites for our mains: bangers and mash for her and steak and chips for me. Actually, to be more accurate, it was spiced German style Meantime Raspberry Wheat Beer sausage with sauerkraut and mash and 10oz. Angus rump steak, with peppercorn sauce, leaf

BANGERS and mash for her AND STEAK and chips FOR ME

The Old Brewery Artisan beers and hearty meals are all on the docket in Greenwich Wo r d s r o s e n o e l

G

reenwich is famous for many things; the naval college, the Cutty Sark and, most importantly in my opinion, Greenwich Meantime beer. I had been given the opportunity visit the source and dine in the brewery itself so I set out with a friend to discover the place where the beer is made.

The main dining room is incredibly striking with copper beer tuns dominating one wall and glass bottles suspended from the ceiling. We are seated in one of the cosy vinyl booths and a friendly waitress arrives at our side.

To my delight there is a dedicated beer menu which is immediately produced and I decide to go for the paddle, a choice

of four beers, served as thirds. With a little help, I select the Pilsner, the London Pale Ale, the Brewery Fresh Lager and the Yakima Red. My favourite of these is the Pilsner, which has a crisp, delicate taste and immediately has me imagining picnics by the river in the sunshine. The other standout is the Yakima Red; made with special German caramelised malts and five different hops from Yakima Valley in the US, this has a sweet, citrusy taste and I probably have a little more of it than I ought to.

The fare on offer at The Old Brewery is hearty and very English. My companion starts off with devilled whitebait and lemon mayonnaise and I choose the Meantime IPA-cured salmon gravadlax, pickled beets, dill mayonnaise and mustard sauce. The whitebait are

41 DUL_FEB15_Food_Review.indd 41

salad and hand cut skin-on chips. My enormous steak was cooked to a bloody medium rare, just the way I like it, my only criticism being that my chips were just a tad undercooked. My friend wolfed down her sausage with such enthusiasm I was almost unable to wrest a bite away from her but when I did it was bursting with flavour, the Raspberry Wheat Beer adding a hint of fruitiness and the mash, smooth and lump-free and absolutely swimming in gravy.

We shared a lovely pear and apple crumble for pudding and as I washed it down with the last of the beer, I realised I had discovered a new favourite restaurant to add to my roster. u

â—? old brewery

The Old Royal Naval College, SE10; oldbrewerygreenwich.com

FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 17:18

Add a little spice to your night Our emphasis is on providing delicious cuisine using the best quality ingrediants which are both pure & natural.

Book now for

Valentine’s Day 134a Thurlow Park Road West Dulwich, London SE21 8HN 020 8761 9738 | 020 8670 1770 | www.chandnirestaurant.co.uk Sunday - Thursday: 18:00 - 23:30 Friday - Saturday: 18:00 - Midnight chandi_.indd 1

26/01/2015 15:30

Manuel’s

Manuel’s creates authentic freshly cooked Italian food. Service is friendly and relaxed.

Menus A La carte menu Set menu Sunday roast menu

020 8670 1843 129 Gipsy Hill, London SE19 1QS

www.manuelsrestaurantandbar.com Manuels.indd 1

_ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 3

‘Great food, friendly and relaxing Italian restaurant & bar’ manuelsrestaurantandbar

@manuels129ghill 27/05/2014 10:08

27/01/2015 12:03

> THE WHOLE PACKAGE: FUN FOR ALL THE FAMILY IN FETHIYE

p. 44

COASTING THROUGH Pendle Harte experiences a package holiday with a difference in Fethiye on the south coast of Turkey. Thinking overszealous reps, overcrowded pools and serisouly underwhelming buffets? Think again...

43 DUL_FEB15_Travel_Opener.indd 43

FEBRUARY 2015

27/01/2015 10:11

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Turkish Delight A private peninsula on the south coast of Turkey proves the ultimate spot for a family to relax in the sun Wo r d s P e n d l e H a r t e

A

s a mother of three, businesswoman and former model, Jasmine Guinness is a woman who needs a holiday, and knows it. When she explained that: ‘people who read on holiday always have a better time because it’s total escapism, both physically and mentally,’ she articulated my feelings exactly. Because what I want most from a holiday is a place to read. A beautiful place in the sun, where all my immediate physical needs are met – and those of my family – in order that I can be left in peace to read. But this is harder to achieve than it sounds. Anyone with children knows that for a holiday to be a holiday, you need to be able to reclaim your own brain for yourself, away from the incessant random demands made on it, and this is not something that happens easily.

So we came to an all-inclusive resort. It might not be the most imaginative holiday option, but when your ambition is to find rest and relish in it, the promise of having no decisions to make for a full week is an exciting one. Letoonia in Fethiye, on Turkey’s south coast, is a vast hotel on a completely private peninsula. Set in absurdly lush surroundings (over 268 varieties of fauna, requiring near-constant watering in this dry part of the world) it’s a beautiful spot. Imagine pine trees, bougainvillea, jasmine and roses all vying for space and creating a wilderness of colour. There are three private beaches, four pools (one indoor), eight restaurants, nine bars, a spa, a kids’ club and countless available sporting

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

NH_JAN_Turkey.indd 44

44 27/01/2015 10:12

TRAVEL / TURKEY

45 NH_JAN_Turkey.indd 45

FEBRUARY 2015

27/01/2015 10:12

Shot By The Sheriff

Photography

Discounts available for Dulwich Weddings (20-25% discount available, depending on package booked - please ask for details)

All packages include a DVD of printable images (approx. 800 images from an 8 hour booking)

Please contact us to arrange a no-pressure appointment to discuss your wedding prior to considering a booking

Weddings & Family Portrait Photography Please contact us for more information or to make a booking 07973 504 522 or 0800 03 777 03 | absolutely@shotbythesheriff.co.uk | www.shotbythesheriff.co.uk No.4 The Old Stable House, 53-55 North Cross Rd, East Dulwich, SE22 9ET

ShotbytheSheriff_Jan.indd 2

26/01/2015 09:52

TRAVEL / TURKEY activities. It’s almost a village in itself, a sprawling, hilly one with funicular railways and golf buggy taxis (flag them down when you’re flagging) connecting locations such as the pools and the beaches with the life-sized chess board, the theatre and the eateries, plus the archery course, the tennis courts and the water slides.

But if this sounds big and busy, it doesn’t feel it. On our visit, in high season and during the school holidays,

THIS is a UTOPIAN, moneyfree SOCIETY where everything IS ALWAYS AVAILABLE accommodation is at full capacity but still there is no crowding, queueing or scrambling for pool loungers. Everything is quiet and seamless. The all-inclusive ethos creates a utopian, money-free society where everything is always available to everybody and there’s no competitiveness or conspicuous consumption (nobody seems to overeat or drink despite the bottomless plates and glasses, which makes a convincing case for the goodness of human nature). We walk round the village unencumbered by anything as pedestrian as a wallet.

Accommodation is in bungalows with carved wooden details designed by award-winning Turkish architect Nail

Çakırhan. Our two bedroom suite is comfortable and spacious, with a shady balcony offering impressive sea views, so quite quickly we settle into a form of routine, loosely based around meals.

Buffet dining suits us and the largest restaurant is situated at the tip of the peninsula, by the lighthouse, offering sea views in all directions. Options are endless and alongside all the high class if fairly standard international fare is a good selection of Turkish meze – every day brings a delicious new twist on the aubergine – and there’s enough variety not to ever get bored. There are two à la carte restaurants too, one of them offering a curious fashioning of Japanese

food and the other a beachside fish venue, but we stick to the buffets with their wide array and child-friendly setup. We quickly discover our favourite place for lunch – on the beach, where salads and Turkish flatbreads offer light options alongside a chilled glass of wine. The children choose pasta with tomato sauce every day without exception, fully believing themselves in culinary heaven, and we are delighted that the ice cream stall opens punctually after lunch every day and then closes for the rest of the afternoon.

Days pass in a haze of swimming – the pool? Or the beach? Which pool and which beach? – and we enjoy everything from the waterslides that drop into the sea to the pedalos and rowing boats in the bay, as well as the elegant bananaleaf style hammocks that dot around the resort. One day we take a trip on Letoonia’s luxury yacht, which takes us around the peninsula, stopping to swim in clear turquoise waters and to shop in the market. In the evenings we enjoy all-singing, all-dancing performances from the in-house amateur dramatics group, whose enthusiasm and fantastic costumes fill the village amphitheatre with energetic shows every night.

So, the reading count went well. Not only did I reread Jane Eyre but I caught up with Meg Wolitzer and Philip Roth too.

In terms of physical and mental escapism, I certainly had my fill. u Special offer for Letoonia bookings before end of January 2015 - 7 nights all inclusive including flights from £504 at letoonia.com

47 NH_JAN_Turkey.indd 47

FEBRUARY 2015

27/01/2015 10:12

Luxury European Furniture since 1962

London Luxury Furniture Showroom 020 7253 3206 WHARFESIDE.indd 1

wharfside.london 13/01/2015 17:03

> INTERIOR INSPIRATIONS

p. 50

CURIOSITY SHOP: INSIDE THE DULWICH TRADER

p. 54

GRAND TOUR John Lewis’ Fusion collection captures the spirit of adventure, celebrating a global range of styles, with eclectic furniture, ethnic-influenced fabrics and decorative accessories. Be an armchair traveller and transform your home with farflung influences, no matter where you live. johnlewis.com

49 B&C_FEB15_Interior_Opener.indd 49

FEBRUARY 2015

27/01/2015 09:44

10 of the best

map and globes

Map it out and paint the town with this month’s home picks

01

BHS

Map Printed Bedding Set, £25; bhs.co.uk

Wo r d s g e m m a b i l l i n g t o n

HOUSE OF FRASER

Revival Wire Globe, £50; houseoffraser.co.uk

02

BOMBUS

Bespoke Map Heart, £92; bombus.co.uk

03

ASPACE

Vintage Map Duvet Set, £85; aspace.co.uk

must

HAVE

04

ModernWay Heals’ Modern Craft Market

JEREMY HARNELL

Not All Those Who Wander Unframed Poster, £20; johnlewis.com 05

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

Chiswick_FEB15_Interior_Insp.indd 50

Heals’ Modern Craft Market will be returning to the central London store for the second year running. Taking place for one week this February, the event will showcase the best in contemporary craft as well as giving enthusiasts the chance to take part in a series of live workshops. 2 - 15 February; heals.co.uk

50 27/01/2015 09:50

HOMES & INTERIORS / NOTES NEWGATE CLOCKS

VERY BERRY

Giant World Poster, £252; amara.com

P a n t o n e C o l o u r o f t h e Ye a r

Colour experts Pantone have announced ‘Marsala’ as the Colour of the Year 2015. Described as a ‘naturally robust and earthy wine red,’ many interior brands have followed suit and introduced it to their ranges. Prepare to welcome this rich berry hue into your home and for Marsala madness to hit the high street. pantone.co.uk

10

MY PRECIOUS

JAN CONSTANTINE

The Ruby Tree

West London designer Bethan Gray, and Islamic Art & Craft scholar, Mitchell Abdul Karim Crites, have teamed up to launch the Ruby Tree, a collection of beautiful tableware and furniture inspired by Islamic design. The collection is available exclusively at Harrods. Photo ©Julian Abrams; therubytreecollection.com

MELLOW YELLOW Dulux

‘Big Nature Small Me’ is a winter colour trend forecast by Dulux.

Inspired by the great outdoors, the ‘rich colours... form a great escape from the streamlined, grey, hi-tech world we increasingly live in’ according to Dulux Interior Designer, Lisa Jennings. dulux.co.uk

New York Cushion, £128.50 janconstantine.com

OLIVER BONAS

dulux pic here

09

Globe Decorations, £4.50 oliverbonas.com

08

ALEXANDER & PEARL Quest Trunk Chest, £575; alexanderandpearl.co.uk

editor’s

PICK

07

BEST IN SHOW Holloways of Ludlow

Interior retailer Holloways of Ludlow will celebrate their 30th anniversary this year with a series of events and new collections. With five locations in Brook Green and west London, this year Holloways are also set to open a seventh showroom in Shropshire. hollowaysofludlow.com

51 Chiswick_FEB15_Interior_Insp.indd 51

ASPACE

Beanbag, £65; aspace.co.uk 06

FEBRUARY 2015

27/01/2015 09:50

Bespoke Kitchens & Furniture SINCE 1990

TheDovetailJoint creativedesignandcraftsmanship

FOREST HILL | 020 8291 5578 | WWW.THEDOVETAILJOINT.CO.UK

Dovetail Joint_Feb.indd 2

26/01/2015 09:55

HOMES & INTERIORS / PRODUCTS EARNEST STUDIO & DANA CANNAM DESIGN,

‘All of a Piece’ tableware, £320 each; all-of-a-piece.com

ISABELLE STANISLAS

‘So-Cross’ chair, POA; so-an.fr

TERENCE WOODGATE

‘Solid light’, £197; terencewoodgate.com

EERO SAARINEN, FOR KNOLL

‘Saarinen’ round table, £3,350; knoll.com

JAMES IRVINE, FOR MARSOTTO EDIZIONI Connoisseur 32, POA; marsotto-edizioni.com

GAMFRATESI, FOR GUBI

‘TS’ table, £345; gubi.dk

LEE BROOM

‘On the rock’ glassware, POA; leebroom.com

APARENTMENT

ANNA FABRIZI ‘Connecting Dots’ coat hooks, £80; maffe.it

MARBLE MARVELS Keep things fresh this year with all things marble

'Marblelous' stairs, POA; aparentment.com

SEAN WOOLSEY

Filetto Rosso Marble & Tri-Mod Base Table, $900; seanwoolsey.com

By Jessica klingelfuss

SIMON LEGALD, FOR NORMANN COPENHAGEN,

‘Craft’ salt and pepper mills in black/white marble, £64; normann-copenhagen.com

E. BARBER & J. OSGERBY,

The Bottle Table, POA; cappellini.it

53 B&C_FEB15_Interior_Products_Right.indd 53

FEBRUARY 2015

27/01/2015 09:52

XXXXXX / XXXXXXX

PROFILE

Curiosity

SHOP Katharine Maclaverty and Dan Rigby, owners of The Dulwich Trader, talk interiors Wo r d s c at h e r i n e h a l e s Photography Rebecca noonan

CATHERINE HALES: When you choose the homewares for the shop, what are you looking for?

KATHARINE MACLAVERTY: We try and work out some looks for the shop so its a cohesive edit but at the same time it’s quite an eclectic store. We want to appeal to people’s own taste, too, to try and have a good balance of ranges, so they’re all tasteful and things that we are proud to stock but at the same time people’s own choices come into that. We’re not prescriptive.

CH: Is there quite a good range in price?

KM: It’s a real range because often people are shopping for gifts and lots of customers like to come in and buy something really pretty that they love and they don’t have to think about it, they don’t have to save up for it. At the same time we have pieces that are a little more of an investment.

CH: Is there a brand that you stock that you’re particularly fond of?

KM: Yes, a couple of the Scandinavian brands and I’m a little obsessed with tableware and ceramics.

CH: How much is your stock informed by the area?

KM: Heavily. The Dulwich Trader is more classic as its based in West Dulwich whereas our shop in East Dulwich [named “ed”] is a little more quirky, slightly more trend-lead.

ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

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54 26/01/2015 16:46

HOME & INTERIORS / PROFILE

55 DUL_FEB15_ RIGBY_3pp.indd 55

FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 16:46

quarter page ad_Layout 1 30/08/2013 09:13 Page 1

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Baby, it’s cold outside Beautiful new timber windows and doors www.ayrtonbespoke.com Telephone 020 8877 8920 Email enquiries@ayrtonbespoke.com 406 Merton Road, London SW18 5AD

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28/01/2015 13:35

HOME & INTERIORS / PROFILE I’M a little obsessed WITH TABLEWARE and CERAMICS CH: I would imagine you have quite a vocal customer-base?

KM: We work very much from our customer feedback and the relationship between the customers and the girls in the shop is strong.

We’ve built it up over years so we tend to hear about things quite quickly. To be honest it doesn’t always relate to the sales figures because when someone’s commenting on something, six other people have quietly bought it but nonetheless we get phone calls every day saying, ‘People are loving this!’ or, ‘That really didn’t go down well.’

DAN RIGBY: We had one customer who came in and bought a lot of these cushions and if you saw the number on paper you’d think, wow these cushions are selling brilliantly but it was actually just this one customer who we know very well.

KM: She said, I want six in each colour and order me lots of other colours. So we did, then she wanted more for her other house, so we kept ordering themDR: If you saw that on paper you’d think they were a big hit.

KM: In fact, no one else in Dulwich ever even got to see them.

CH: So now there’s only one left? Probably the last the company ever made before running out of materials.

KM: And all retiring.

CH: I know the shop has been here for a long time, is it second or third generation?

DR: Second, my mother set up the business here 25 years ago.

CH: So, you know the area very well; is there a strong sense of community here?

KM: There definitely is a community and

put West Dulwich back on the map. I was on the West Dulwich Forum and the East Dulwich Forum the other day and the latter has thousands of engaged users but the West Dulwich has only a very few. However, those few are very passionate and they want to have a voice. They’re very proud of what they’ve got: they’ve got great schools, good pubs and restaurants, brilliant local businesses and feel that in recent years they may have been living slightly in the shadows of surrounding areas.

then there are kind of sub groups. We live in Crystal Palace, just up the hill and that’s a completely separate community even though its five minutes away.

CH: You started Love West Dulwich; is it mainly for business owners? What’s the thinking behind it?

DR: To give the area a sense of identity that I think it was losing. It was originally business owners but then a couple of residents wanted to join and begin this initiative to

57 DUL_FEB15_ RIGBY_3pp.indd 57

CH: What can we expect to see arriving in the store in the next couple of months?

KM: We’re just in the middle of ordering our new lines. We’re off to Paris this week which is where we’ll achieve some looks for the shop but we’re only a quarter of the way through buying for the new season. Pastels are on the way out but we still have a lot of metallics, golds, silvers and coppers and of course, the beautiful ceramics are also on their way in. u

● t h e du lw i c h trader

11 Croxted Road, SE21, 020 8761 3457 rigbyandmac.com

FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 16:47

Independent co-ed pre-prep & nursery 3–7 years . Founded 1976 . Member ISA

Latest inspection report: 58 times excellent and outstanding!

Come and see why.

Lordship Lane Carpets Ltd

Inquisitive, for life

SNOAWLOEN Up to 50% off Selected Lines & Rugs

As featured in BEST FLOORING SHOPS IN LONDON

Carpets Wood Amtico Rubber Cork Sisal Marmoleum Woven Runners Customised Runners Bespoke Rugs Vinyl and Woven Vinyl Concrete

East Dulwich

129-131 Lordship Lane, London SE22 8HU info@lordshiplanecarpets.co.uk Tel:

Open morning:

020 8693 8728

Monday-Saturday: 9am-5:30pm

Sat. 7th March 10am – 12:30pm

Blackheath Village lordship flooring Co. Brigade St, London SE3 0TW info@lordshipflooringco.co.uk Tel:

Main entry at 2+, 3+ and 4+.

We look forward to meeting you!

W www.hernehillschool.co.uk.

E enquiries@hernehillschool.co.uk T 020 7274 6336

The Old Vicarage 127 Herne Hill London SE24 9LY

www.lordshiplanecarpets.co.uk

LORDSHIP_VERTICAL.indd 1 _ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 5

020 8852 8109

Monday-Saturday: 10am-5pm

18/12/2014 15:59 28/01/2015 13:35

> KID CONFIDENTIAL: TOGS FOR TODDLERS AND LOCAL NEWS

p. 61

WORKING PARTNERSHIP

p. 63

FLOWER CHILD Favoured by celebrities and royals like, high end childrenswear brand Pale Cloud have launched their new SS15 collection. Think Japanese-inspired prints and lightweight fabrics; breezy and beautiful.

From ÂŁ39; pale-cloud.com

59 DUL_FEB15_Kids_Opener.indd 59

FEBRUARY 2015

27/01/2015 10:07

The Old Vicarage 127 Herne Hill London SE24 9LY W www.hernehillschool.co.uk.

E enquiries@hernehillschool.co.uk T 020 7274 6336

Independent co-ed pre-prep & nursery 3–7 years . Founded 1976 . Member ISA

Latest inspection report: 58 times excellent and outstanding!

Come and see why.

Open morning: Sat. 7th March 10am – 12:30pm Main entry at 2+, 3+ and 4+.

Acting together, for life

We look forward to meeting you!

new zest AD SEP 2014:Layout 1

20/1/15

13:08

Page 1

Independent Co-educational 3-11 years. Founded 1942. ISA & IAPS

What makes us different is the difference we make...

Our strong academic record is just the starting point: from scientific exploration to personal discovery, our outstanding education goes way beyond exams.

Find out more at our Spring & Summer open events Junior: Wednesday 6 May 9.30 - 11am Senior: Thursday 7 May 9.30 - 11am Wednesday 24 June 6.30 - 8pm

Inspiring Brilliant Futures

Open Mornings

(including our D’Art Exhibition)

Tuesday 17th March 9.30 - 11.00 Tuesday 9th June 9.30 - 11.00

020 8557 7004 admissions@syd.gdst.net www.sydenhamhighschool.gdst.net

Tours of the school are held on Tuesday mornings Bursaries available

15 & 19 Westwood Hill, London, SE26 6BL

_ADVERT PLACEMENTS.indd 6

020-8670 5865 email: admissions@rosemeadprepschool.org.uk www.rosemeadprepschool.org.uk

27/01/2015 12:05

KIDS & EDUCATION / NOTES E L F M AG I C Elfie

If there are children’s clothes more adorable than those of Elfie’s this spring, we don’t know of them.

The cotton patchwork dresses (£38) and Grace Shirts (£32) add a splash of colour to your girl’s new season wardrobe. elfielondon.com

SHELF LIFE

LOVE FROM PADDINGTON £12.99 Harper Collins (Hardback)

SMALL TALK Terrific togs for tots, Peruvian bears and local education news by Jerome Monahan

A RT AT TAC K

Yo u n g L o n d o n A r t i s t s ’ A w a r d s

Young artists from across South East London have been praised by professional artist Roxana Halls – one of the judges of the seventh annual Young London Artists’ Awards – for being inspiring, challenging, provocative, confusing and delightful. First prize went to 18-year-old Megan Nightingale from Nunhead for her abstract, sculptural and photographic work.

Congratulations Megan!

n case you haven’t noticed, London I and, indeed, the whole planet has gone positively Paddington potty! On the back of his first ever live action film comes Love From Paddington, a new book from creator Michael Bond.

The first Paddington book to be written from the beloved bear’s perspective, Love From Paddington is a collection of letters penned to Aunt Lucy, who lives in the Home for Retired Bears in Peru. Like the old bear himself, this book is set to become a true family favourite. ◆

I N FA S H I O N

B A BY L OV E

The annual Fashion Show was heavily informed by the imminent move into the new school building – centrepiece of the £23 million redevelopment underway at the Dartmouth Road school.

Everything a new mother could want, all in one beautiful package. These handpicked designer baby clothes come as part of monthly or quarterly subscription and are, in a word, divine. boxuponatime.co.uk

Sydenham School

Box Upon A Time

61 DUL_FEB15_Kids_Notes.indd 61

Au t h o r michael bond Illustrator p e g gy f o rt n u m & w. r a l l e y

FEBRUARY 2015

27/01/2015 10:05

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF “THE MOST RADICAL CHANGES TO PENSIONS IN ALMOST A CENTURY’’ The Government have now confirmed the intention to introduce greater choice and more flexibility for those taking benefits from money purchase pension schemes from April 2015.Whether you are considering retirement in the near future or still in the process of building up your pension savings, understanding your options at retirement is now a necessity. Receiving professional advice to explain the expected raft of new products that will cater for this new ‘flexible’ world and to ensure tax efficiency of your retirement income, has become more important than ever.

For a free initial consultation contact one of our advisers today

020 8771 8661 67 Westow Street, Upper Norwood, London SE19 3RW E-mail: mail@thorntonspringer.co.uk

www.thorntonspringerfs.co.uk

THORNTONSPRINGER.indd 4

Registered in England and Wales No OC314913 Thornton Springer Financial Services LLP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

26/01/2015 16:41

KIDS & EDUCATION / SCHOOL TALK

Working partnership Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt wants independent schools to work more closely with state schools, yet many are doing so already.

Wo r d s A m a n d a C o n s ta n c e

I

n north Kensington, in the backwoods of Notting Hill, there is a state-of-the-art, brand spanking new school. This is Kensington Aldridge Academy, a secondary school for the local community. Nearly all the pupils live within a mile, the majority from the surrounding estates. It couldn’t be more inner city. Yet who are its educational partners? Two bastions of private school privilege – Godolphin & Latymer and Charterhouse.

Eton College has sponsored a new school, too; Holyport College, a state free school which also opened its doors to Year 7 last September. The Independent Schools Council (ISC) – which represents the majority of the UK’s private schools - says nine out of 10 independent schools already take part in partnerships with state schools.

Was Tristram Hunt ignorant of examples such as these when he pledged before Christmas to strip fee-paying schools of business rate relief?

The shadow education secretary provoked a furious backlash from private school leaders when he said that, if Labour came to power, independent schools could lose tax relief worth a combined total of £147m a year unless they worked more closely with the state sector.

Under the plan, independent schools would be expected to sponsor state academies, share teachers, train new staff, help state pupils apply to top universities and provide and run joint extra-curricular activities.

Jo Heywood, headmistress of Heathfield in Ascot says: ‘Almost all of us are already involved in partnerships with excellent schools in the state sector,

THE ADVANTAGES of these partnerships ARE COMPLETELY TWO-WAY including many of the initiatives he has suggested, and we are fed up with these repeated attacks on our schools.’

Perhaps the problem for private schools is that, while many have established strong partnerships with the state sector, they just haven’t done a very good PR job explaining it.

‘If there is one mea culpa in all of this, it is that we haven’t done what we’re normally good at doing, which is blowing our own trumpet,’ says Charlotte Vere, the ISC’s general secretary.

Mark Beard, headmaster of University College School in Hampstead, alma mater of the Honourable Tristram Hunt, himself the son of a baronet, accused Labour of

63 CHIS_FEB15_Education.indd 63

displaying great ignorance of how modern private schools work.

‘If the shadow education secretary were to visit his old school, what would he find?,’ asks Beard. ‘A nest of privilege, devoted to raising the children of oligarchs and City financiers in secluded, toffish privilege? On the contrary, he would find a diverse population of pupils, from all creeds and backgrounds.’ UCS spends £1m a year on fees assistance and has a range of collaborations with state secondary schools, including Westminster Academy, UCL Academy, London Academy of Excellence, and a number of primaries.

It doesn’t take much digging on the websites of London’s top schools to find a list of their ‘community’ work. Latymer Upper, for example, runs a successful Saturday school, where local pupils are taught by its staff. King’s College School in Wimbledon has no academic lessons on Friday afternoons and the majority of pupils from Year 9 and above do volunteer work. Some sixth formers, overseen by a teacher, teach Latin to girls in Kingston, some coach rugby and cricket. Others help severely disabled children at a special school.

King’s also runs top-up lessons in the spring term for hundreds of local Year 11 children preparing for their GCSEs in key subjects, plus an ‘Aspirations’ programme for gifted and talented Year 9 pupils from local state schools.

‘This is not all as selfless as it may sound,’ says King’s headmaster, Andrew Halls.

‘The advantages of these partnerships are completely two-way’. Halls says King’s parents know the programme has a cost – which they are effectively bearing in their fees – ‘but not one of us, not a single parent, would wish it otherwise’. u

FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 16:53

PL.indd 1

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Jennings-Bramly Furniture Ltd Beautiful furniture dovetailed to your needs Drawing rooms Dining rooms Bedrooms Kitchens Libraries Studies

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26/09/2014 16:03

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Property Absolutely

Februar y 2 0 1 5

> PROPERTY ROUND UP p. 76 IN THEIR OWN WORDS p. 82 NIGEL LEWIS p. 86

Duggan Drive, Chislehurst, BR7 5EJ

ÂŁ1,495,000 Leasehold

A truly stunning penthouse apartment, offering 3600 sqft of sumptuous living accommodation that briefly comprises of three double bedrooms, four bathrooms/WCs, three reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room and utility room. Features six balconies, two garages with OSP. Located just 1/4 mile from Elmstead Woods station and 1.5 miles from Chislehurst Village.

Langford Russell, Chislehurst langfordrussell.co.uk

020 8295 4900 67 PROPERTY FRONT COVER_2.indd 1

FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 16:11

New lettings s Same Brockl e

5

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letting fee.

Vist us at: 322 Brockley Road Brockley SE4 2BT

Terms and conditions: For full offer terms and conditions visit www.kfh.co.uk/offerterms

KFH.indd 1 KFH Absolutely Blackheath and Greenwich_Brockley_DPS.indd 2

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s service. l ey branch.

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Grove Vale, Chislehurst, BR7 OIEO £950,000 Chislehurst 020 8285 9900 chislehurst.sales@kfh.co.uk

KFH.indd 02.15 KFH 3Absolutely Blackheath & Greenwich.indd 3

A stunning renovated detached house offering four bedrooms, two bathrooms and 150 ft garden. The property is situated close to Elmstead Woods train station and Chislehurst High Street.

• • • • • • •

Four bedrooms Two bathrooms Bi-fold doors to garden 150 ft garden 1,644 sq ft of living space Freehold EPC rating D

27/01/2015 14/01/2015 10:16 09:21

Aldermary Road, Bromley, BR1 £830,000 Bromley 020 8460 6066 bromley.sales@kfh.co.uk

KFH.indd 02.15 KFH 4Absolutely Blackheath & Greenwich.indd 4

A charming four bedroom semi detached Victorian family home offering two bathrooms, utility room, conservatory and double garage. The property is situated in the Sundridge Village area, close to Bromley North train station.

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27/01/2015 14/01/2015 10:16 15:11

Priory Park, Blackheath, SE3 OIRO £625,000 Blackheath 020 8852 9451 blackheath.sales@kfh.co.uk

KFH.indd 02.15 KFH 5Absolutely Blackheath & Greenwich.indd 5

A well presented three bedroom flat offering open plan lounge/diner and communal gardens. The property is set on the ground floor and is close to Blackheath Village and Blackheath train station.

• • • • • • • •

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27/01/2015 13/01/2015 10:17 16:15

Chislehurst Road, Chislehurst, BR7 £1,550pcm Bromley 020 8464 5353 bromley.lettings@kfh.co.uk

A stunning two bedroom apartment offering two bathrooms, open plan reception, integrated kitchen, balcony and communal gardens. The property is situated moments from Chislehurst train station.

• • • • • • • •

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27/01/2015 14/01/2015 10:17 12:28

Seafarer Way, Surrey Quays, SE16 £1,950pcm Surrey Quays 020 7237 3222 surreyquays.lettings@kfh.co.uk

A beautifully presented two bedroom flat offering two bathrooms, open plan kitchen, reception and concierge. The flat is set on the top floor offering stunning views and is situated in Marine Wharf close to Canada Water tube station.

• • • • • • •

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27/01/2015 13/01/2015 10:17 16:19

N OV O ER W SO 50% LD

RED LION LANE | WOOLWICH COMMON | LONDON | SE18 4AS

LANDMARK ADDRESS WITH A U N I Q U E H I S T O RY

Mulgrave Mews

East Lecture House

East Cadets’ Quarters

A contemporary collection of only ten new build houses and apartments, many with outdoor space or balcony.

East Lecture House comprises ten new build and refurbished houses and apartments, centred around a communal courtyard.

Just four 2 and 3 bedroom apartments, expertly designed and refurbished with both ground floor apartments featuring private outdoor space.

1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments available from £280,000 - £495,000 2 and 4 bedroom houses available from £425,000 - £535,000 Marketing Suite and Showhomes open Thursday - Monday 10.00am - 5.00pm (Sunday 4.00pm)

www.theacademywoolwich.co.uk or call: 020 3689 7868 Computer generated image is indicative of Mulgrave Mews, East Lecture House and East Cadets’ Quarters. Prices correct at time of publication.

DURKAN HOMES.indd 1

21/01/2015 09:53

Property Round Up FEATURE PROPERTY Camden Park Road, Chislehurst, BR7

HOUSE HUNTING

with...

LAURA KNIGHT-SMITH

Sales Manager at Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, Chislehurst 020 8285 9900; kfh.co.uk

PRIME LOCATION.COM

Most interesting property I've been involved with: We recently sold two high specification properties which had been built by a local developer. We started by marketing them off plan and did so until completion. For every project the developer works on, he always incorporates a feature from the original property into the new one. In this case, it was the diamond shaped windows.

The property I'd most like on our books is: A very large house on Camden Park Road, which I have sadly never had the

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ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES

PROPERTY ROUND UP.indd 2

opportunity to see inside. It’s an Arts and Crafts house and the front garden alone is like a park.

I never thought I'd see: Such significant price rises in such a short space of time, as we did last year.

Finest property showcase: Camden Park Road, Chislehurst, BR7, £2,500,000 – Freehold. Located in one of Chislehurst's premium private roads is this stunning and substantial five bedroom detached house with a beautiful 280 ft landscaped garden.

Spotlight on SE21 Average asking price - £837,246 / Average asking rent - £1,632 pcm / Average property value - £944,627

Data provided by

76 28/01/2015 16:04

PROPERTY | NEWS

The INSIDE SCOOP of NEWS in your area Blackheath Park, SE3 £2,500 Per Month

A

n exclusive two bedroom apartment available in this beautiful conversion with communal gardens and off street parking. Set on the top floor of this stunning building and boasting a modern fitted kitchen, two double bedrooms, two stylish bathrooms, superb internal specification and solid wood flooring.

Cluttons, Blackheath 020 7647 7820; cluttons.com

Lomond Capital makes move into South of England with key appointment IVOR DICKINSON

Regional Chief Executive at Lomond Capital

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omond Capital, the private equity backed property management company, is making good on its bid to expand into the significant residential property management markets in the South of England including London.

Ivor Dickinson, previously Managing Director of the large London agency, Douglas & Gordon, has been appointed as Regional Chief Executive, charged with accelerating Lomond’s presence in the South of England.

Lomond Capital was formed in 2010 and now manages a rental portfolio in excess of £1.75 billion across four cities – Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Birmingham and Manchester. It received private equity backing from MML Capital Partners last year to build on its momentum and accelerate future expansion in the UK’s rapidly expanding residential rental property market. lomondcapital.com

Annandale Road, SE10 £825,000

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his charming late Victorian three bedroom terraced house is located in a quiet road in the Royal Borough of Greenwich. A stucco brick wall with railings above and a wrought iron gate open onto a tiled pathway

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leading to the porch. There is a beautifully modernised interior with a large kitchen/ dining area to the rear. The two ground floor reception rooms have been turned into a through living space with rear French doors opening onto a courtyard.

There is a grass lawn and a raised patio.

Jones Lang Lasalle, Greenwich 020 7087 5696; jll.com

FEBRUARY 2015

26/01/2015 16:13

A member of

Overbury Avenue, Beckenham BR3

£699,995 F/H

This four double bedroom Regency style townhouse is located in the heart of Beckenham and offers 1,933 sq ft of living accommodation arranged over four floors. Comprising four double bedrooms, kitchen/breakfast room, living room with balcony, study and three fully tiled bathrooms.

Contact Beckenham 020 8663 4433

Orpington BR6

OIEO £600,000 F/H

Stunning three bedroom detached family home located in a much sought after one way residential road.

• Three bedrooms • Off street parking

Contact Orpington 01689 661 400

• 100ft garden • Energy Efficiency Rating D

• • • •

Four double bedroom townhouse Three bathrooms 1,933 sq ft of living accommodation Off street parking and private garden

Orpington BR6

Guide Price £2,495,000 F/H

Beautifully appointed six bedroom, six bathroom executive home in the private ‘Chelsfield Park’ estate.

• Six bedrooms • Integrated double garage

• Automated gates • Energy Efficiency Rating B

Contact Locksbottom 01689 882 988

The Acorn Group, incorporating:

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Beckenham 020 8663 4433 Bromley 020 8315 5544

Please call your local office for a free sales or lettings valuation.

Duggan Drive, Chislehurst BR7

£1,495,000 L/H

A truly stunning penthouse apartment offering 3,600 sq ft of sumptuous living accommodation that briefly comprises three double bedrooms, four bathrooms/WCs, three reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room and utility room. Features six balconies, two garages with OSP and two large storage cupboards.

Contact Chislehurst 020 8295 4900

West Wickham BR4

£740,000 F/H

Substantial four bedroom detached house within close proximity to numerous excellent schools and amenities.

• Four bedrooms • Garage & separate workshop

• Stunning garden • Energy Efficiency Rating E

Contact West Wickham 020 8432 7373

• • • •

Chislehurst 020 8295 4900 Locksbottom 01689 882 988

Orpington 01689 661 400 West Wickham 020 8432 7373

Three double bedrooms 3,600 sq ft of living accommodation 1/4 mile from Elmstead Woods station Energy Efficiency Rating C

Bromley BR1

£1,000,000 F/H

Stunning five bedroom detached house occupying a wide plot and located in the heart of Sundridge Park Village.

• Five bedrooms • Spacious kitchen/diner

• Large secluded rear garden • Energy Efficiency Rating D

Contact Bromley 020 8315 5544

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Blackheath Park, Blackheath SE3 Guide Price £3,950,000 Freehold This fine Georgian double fronted house is situated on the premier road in the Cator Estate. Offering over 7,000 sqft of luxurious accommodation arranged over four floors, with an impressive indoor pool and a stunning landscaped 300 ft rear garden.

Contact Blackheath Village Office on 020 8318 1311

› › › › › ›

CELEBRATING

40 YEARS

The Property Experts

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1975-2015

Five bedrooms Three reception rooms Three bathrooms Luxury accommodation Indoor pool EPC rating: E

@johnpayne

johnpayne.com

23/01/2015 15:19

Greenwich High Road, West Greenwich SE10 Guide Price £1,195,000 Leasehold Spacious contemporary four bedroom townhouse arranged over five floors. Bespoke high gloss kitchen with integral appliances, three bathrooms and private courtyard garden. Conveniently located for transport links to Canary Wharf and the City.

Contact Greenwich Office on 020 8858 9911

Blackheath Village Blackheath Standard Greenwich Lee Property Management

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020 8318 1311 020 8858 6101 020 8858 9911 020 8852 8633 020 8318 0243

› › › › › ›

Four bedrooms Two reception rooms Three bathrooms Spacious and contemporary Secure parking EPC rating: B

1 Montpelier Vale, SE3 0TA 11 Stratheden Parade, SE3 7SX 227 Greenwich High Road, SE10 8NB 119 Burnt Ash Road, SE12 8RA 39 Montpelier Vale, SE3 0TJ

23/01/2015 15:19

IN THEIR OWN WORDS

Mark Wellington Manager at Benham and Reeves Residential Lettings Greenwich, Canary Wharf and City offices Photography: rebecca noonan

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hat do I love most about Greenwich and Blackheath? It has to be the open green spaces. What could be more enjoyable than taking a long walk through Greenwich Park or across Blackheath in your lunch hour? The fresh air and sense of freedom are such a welcome change from the grey pavements of central London. Add to that the historical architecture, the museums, the culture, and I find it amazing it’s taken this long for Greenwich to be ‘discovered’. I love working in London property rentals– every day is different. I started my career in estate agency twenty years ago, then moving on to work for a well known, corporate serviced apartment provider. An early and very enjoyable career highlight was getting a call from actress Gwyneth Paltrow on several occasions whenever she was filming in London, this was before her marriage to Coldplay frontman Chris Martin. I joined Benham and Reeves Residential Lettings in 2003, first setting up our City office, then the Canary Wharf office in 2009. As Greenwich’s star shines ever brighter, we’ve seen rental demand soar, prompting us to open our eleventh office here in 2013 During my career, I’ve seen property trends come and go but perhaps one of the most significant is tenants’ changing attitude towards location. A few years ago, City professionals would only live in central London, the City or Canary Wharf - today, most are more flexible and happy to look further afield where they can find value for money and a better quality of life.

Rapidly improving transport links (my favourite commute into central London is

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the Thames Clipper Boat service) is another attraction of the area, as too, of course, are the many stunning developments offering light-filled, contemporary homes that until recently were in short supply in South East London. These shiny, new residential buildings are transforming the Greenwich skyline and I find this ever changing architectural landscape really fascinating. These properties are attracting a new generation of young professional tenants to the area, drawn to these glamorous apartments with their high spec interiors and great amenities – a gym, swimming pool and increasingly a concierge service, that previously could only be found in the City and central London.

We usually have fully referenced tenants ready to move into developments such as New Capital Quay, Marine Wharf, The River Gardens and City Peninsula. If an apartment isn’t available immediately tenants will usually wait until one comes up. In peak periods, we have up to eight applicants chasing every property.

Another huge success story is Kidbrooke Village, where demand has been incredibly strong, exceeding our expectations. Our international offices in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia have a lot of landlords who purchased properties here. The Zone 3 location might have been a disadvantage in the past but that hasn’t been the case. The interior specification and facilities are excellent, the rents affordable, and with only a 20 minute commute to Cannon Street, tenants are happy to travel slightly further. With such high rental demand, we are usually able to secure tenants for landlords within 48 hours – this is our benchmark. Perhaps our biggest frustration is that we often have more referenced applicants than properties so we are always keen to talk to new landlords.

020 3440 7010; brlets.co.uk

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PROPERTY | PROFILE

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Kidbrooke Way, SE3 £600,000 Three bedroom, 1930's semi-detached family house. EPC: E

Kidbrooke Park Road, SE3 £1,597,000 Substantial, six bedroom Victorian family home. EPC: D

Blackheath Sales 020 3305 6488

Blackheath Sales 020 3305 6488

Prince Imperial Road, BR7 £2,375,000 Six bedroom, Victorian house for contemporary living. EPC: E

Crooms Hill, SE10 £2,500,000 A Grade II-listed Georgian house with studio house and garage. EPC: Listed

Blackheath Sales 020 3305 6488

Greenwich Sales 020 3092 5899

Tarves Way, SE10 £435,000 A smart two bedroom apartment with balcony and parking. EPC: B

4 Little Thames Walk, SE8 £625,000 A stunning two bedroom apartment with balcony, views and parking. EPC: C

Greenwich Sales 020 3092 5899

Greenwich Sales 020 3092 5899

Beyond your expectations www.hamptons.co.uk

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North Several, SE3 £4,000 pcm Unfurnished (charges apply)* Bright and spacious modern three bedroom family home. EPC: E

Lee High Road, SE3 £1,000 pcm Unfurnished (charges apply)* A well presented one bedroom first floor conversion flat. EPC: D

Blackheath Lettings 020 3302 5508

Blackheath Lettings 020 3302 5508

Beaconsfield Road, SE3 £1,650 pcm Unfurnished (charges apply)* A spacious two bedroom lower ground floor conversion flat. EPC: D

Merchants House, SE10 £2,200 pcm Unfurnished (charges apply)* Two bedroom apartment, boasting River views. EPC: B

Blackheath Lettings 020 3302 5508

Greenwich Lettings 020 3302 0718

Bellville House, SE10 £2,500 pcm Unfurnished (charges apply)* A superb three bedroom apartment minutes from Greenwich station. EPC: B

Kings Lodge, SE10 £1,517 pcm Furnished (charges apply)* Brand new one bedroom apartment with River views. EPC: B

Greenwich Lettings 020 3302 0718

Greenwich Lettings 020 3302 0718

*Tenant Charges Tenants should note that as well as rent, an administration charge of £216 (Inc. VAT) per property and a referencing charge of £54 (Inc. VAT) per person will apply when renting a property. Please ask us for more information about other fees that may apply or visit www.hamptons.co.uk/rent/tenant-charges

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PROPERTY | STYLE BIBLE

ART DECO is back in vogue Wo r d s N I G E L L E W I S

Taking a tour of 1920s style

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rt Deco was once the only style of choice for any Londoner wanting to build or refurbish a home. But since its heyday during the 1920s and 30s its influence has retreated significantly and is only felt in a few spheres of London life. So widespread has this withdrawal been that RIBA recently mourned the number of Art Deco buildings being demolished, but even so London is still littered with buildings from the period including former factories, garages, offices, public buildings, tube and railway stations, hotels, theatres, cinemas, cafes, pubs, shops and, of course, homes. Individual Art Deco houses are everywhere from Purley in the

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south to Highgate in the north, but it is the surviving apartment developments that bear testimony to the Art Deco ambitions of so many architects. Remember that in their day Charles Raymond Hood, Robert Atkinson and Harry Weedon were once as famous as Norman Foster, Richard Rogers and Zaha Hadid are today. But can you still buy their designs? There are 250 Art

Deco properties for sale in London at the moment ranging from a £11 million, fourbedroom apartment in St John's Wood at the top of the market to a £240,000 one-bedroom apartment within Du Cane Court in Balham at the bottom. But as a quick look at these properties proves, it is difficult to pin down exactly what the Art Deco style is. Its influences are numerous and varied and include, for starters, the decorative arts of the late 17th century, Cubism, Bauhaus, Ancient Egypt, Japan, Africa and even ancient Mayan art. But what makes it easy to spot from the street is that nothing else looked like it, either before or after its nadir. The most famous example is Florin Court within the Charterhouse Square gated community in EC1, which was built in 1936 and has been used many times as the home of Poirot in the eponymous TV series. There studio apartments sell for between £250,000 and £300,000.

But while its properties are sought after, it is within the world of interiors that interest in the style is gaining a new momentum. And it’s mainly because developers building prime properties in London are increasingly turning to the Art Deco palette when creating interiors.

Interior designer Anna GraceDavidson of Anna Casa Interiors thinks this is because it's “both glamorous and timeless at the same time”, a quality that appeals to anyone trying to sell a property with a high price tag to a wide range of potential buyers.

She also thinks it utilises the type of geometry that the human eye is naturally attracted to, although she attributes its more recent rise in popularity to the recent remake of F. Scott Fitzgerald's 1925 novel The Great Gatsby into a film.

"I think people like it because the style's not too heavy, not too minimalistic and you can mix it with other styles without it jarring," she says.

And as Jay Gatsby says in the novel, when asked if you can repeat the past: “Of course you can, of course you can!”

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Smart knows where the buyers are.

Make sure your agent is on Zoopla.

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Blackheath

£625 pw Unfurnished

3 Bedrooms | Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Apartment Communal Garden | Conservatory | EPC – D | Sole Agents Greenwich 020 3503 0529 greenwich@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 Additional charges apply: Tenancy Agreement, Credit Check & Inventory Report. For details visit www.brlets.co.uk/tenantinfo

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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

Canary Wharf

£325 pw Furnished

Eltham

£330 pw Furnished

1 Bedroom | Reception | 1 Bathroom | Apartment 24hr Concierge | Gym | EPC – B | Sole Agents Canary Wharf 020 3417 4308 cw@brlets.co.uk

2 Bedrooms | Reception | 1 Bathroom | Apartment Parking | Communal Garden | EPC – E | Sole Agents Greenwich 020 3503 0529 greenwich@brlets.co.uk

Kidbrooke

Canary Wharf

£525 pw Furnished

3 Bedrooms | Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Townhouse 24hr Concierge | Private Patio | EPC – C | Sole Agents Greenwich 020 3503 0529 greenwich@brlets.co.uk

£675 pw Furnished

2 Bedrooms | Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Apartment Gym | 24hr Concierge | Close To Amenities | EPC - B Canary Wharf 020 3417 4308 cw@brlets.co.uk

Dubai | Hong Kong | India | Malaysia | Singapore

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PROPERTY | NIGEL LEWIS

London’s MOST POPULAR

Nigel Lewis, Absolutely's resident property writer, takes a look at London's most viewed property: 10, St Stephen’s Gardens, Notting Hill

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his one bedroom apartment is not unique in London even if (for anyone outside the capital), its asking price of £850,000 might be. Selling agent Gareth Kelly of Marsh & Parsons is consequently puzzled that it’s been viewed 5,000 times on Zoopla since he was instructed to sell it two months ago. Gareth, who is sales manager at his company’s Notting

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Hill office, has shown 40 people around the property and says its location, large floor-to-ground windows and high quality interior finish make it popular. Also, he says one unusual feature is that it’s a raised-floor apartment, which helps give it the feel of a first floor flat when it isn’t one.

“The road is also a cul-de-sac, so it’s quieter than the surrounding streets,” he says. “And this is a really massive flat for

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a one bed in this area.” But when Gareth says ‘location’ is a factor, what he really means is ‘Notting Hill’. It’s one of those iconic London areas that has effortlessly become uber fashionable over the past three decades, a rise that’s been helped of course by Richard Curtis’s eponymous 1999 film starring Hugh Grant. And St Stephen’s Gardens has a film connection of its own.

A property a few doors down from No.10 was a film location for Michael Caine’s 1966 film Alfie. Also, talking of celebrities, until a few years ago Stella McCartney owned a house in an adjacent street and Ruby Wax lives nearby too. People like this are drawn to this neighbourhood of Notting Hill because it’s the best of many worlds – near Portobello Road but far away enough not to be too mobbed during the annual carnival

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but not far from Bayswater and also walking distance of three tube stations on two different lines.

St Stephen’s Gardens is also well placed for Notting Hill’s best eateries and places to hang out including Tom Conran’s champagne and oyster bars, The Cow and The Westbourne, both of which are just around the corner. On Chepstow Road there’s The Napoleon Bonaparte – famous for being pop band Blur’s favoured pub during the 1990s.

Another reason for the property’s popularity on Zoopla is its price. Those outside London might baulk at £850,000 for a one bedroom apartment but in Notting Hill it represents reasonable value and one-bedders closer to Bayswater and Notting Hill Gate can fetch up to £1.2 million.

“The market around here, like the rest of prime central London, cooled off rapidly this summer but recently it’s picked up again and we’ve been really busy – so I’m confident that we will find a buyer for this apartment fairly soon,” he says.

FEBRUARY 2015

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CALIFORNIA HOUSE, BLACKHEATH PARK, SE3 • 7 Bedrooms • Cator Estate location • 5 Bathrooms • Landscaped garden • Detached modern house • Walk to Blackheath Village

PRICE £8,500 PER CALENDAR MONTH

“ This seven bedroom, five bathroom detached house nestled away in an extremely private corner of the leafy Cator Estate, Blackheath.”

8 Montpelier Vale Blackheath SE3 0TA

UNFURNISHED For more information, call Charlotte Russell 020 8003 6282 or email charlotte.russell@eu.jll.com

JLL.CO.UK/RESIDENTIAL

Potential tenants are advised that administration fees may be payable when renting a property. Please ask for details of our charges.

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FOYLE ROAD, BLACKHEATH SE3 • 4 Bedrooms • Westcombe Park conservation area • 3 Bathrooms • Landscaped garden • Edwardian terraced house • Close to Maze Hill mainline station

“This good quality Edwardian terrace house is located on a quiet residential road within the Westcombe Park conservation Area.”

GUIDE PRICE £1,200,000 FREEHOLD For more information, call Graham Lawes 020 3642 1868 or email graham.lawes@eu.jll.com

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18 Montpelier Vale Blackheath SE3 0TA

JLL.CO.UK/RESIDENTIAL

26/01/2015 16:59

ANNANDALE ROAD, GREENWICH SE10 • 2 Reception rooms • 3 Bedrooms • Open plan kitchen • Victorian terraced house

• Beautifully modernised property • Excellent transport links • Falls within the Halstow school catchment area

“This charming late Victorian terraced house is located in quiet road in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.”

GUIDE PRICE £825,000 FREEHOLD For more information, call Graham Lawes 020 3642 1868 or email graham.lawes@eu.jll.com

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8 Montpelier Vale Blackheath SE3 0TA

JLL.CO.UK/RESIDENTIAL

26/01/2015 16:59

COLERAINE ROAD, BLACKHEATH, SE3 • 5 Bedrooms • 3 Bathrooms • Beautiful kitchen / dining room • Victorian semi-detached house

• Off street parking • Conservation area

GUIDE PRICE £1,695,000 FREEHOLD For more information, call Graham Lawes 020 3642 1868 or email graham.lawes@eu.jll.com

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“ This is a fine example of a Period Victorian villa set within the Westcombe Park Conservation Area in the Royal Borough of Greenwich.”

8 Montpelier Vale Blackheath SE3 0TA

JLL.CO.UK/RESIDENTIAL

22/01/2015 17:22

langfordrussell.co.uk

Bromley & Kent’s Leading Estate Agency.

Now with six branches across the Bromley Borough.

Call your local office for a free sales or lettings valuation.

Beckenham 020 8663 4433 Bromley 020 8315 5544

Chislehurst 020 8295 4900 Locksbottom 01689 882 988

Orpington 01689 661 400 West Wickham 020 8432 7373

The Acorn Group, incorporating:

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