CHELSEA JULY 2014

ABSOLUTELY JULY 2014 £3.95

CHELSEA

DIV E IN DON THAT BIKINI, SUMMER STARTS HERE

Lady Bamford LIVING A NATURAL LIFE

Julian Metcalfe WHY HEALTH LEADS TO HAPPINESS

Thomasina Miers MOTHERHOOD & MEXICO

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facebook.com/struttandparker twitter.com/struttandparker

struttandparker.com

Pelham Court, Chelsea SW3

An immaculate and recently refurbished two bedroom flat overlooking Pelham Crescent.

This flat has been interior designed to an exceptional standard and is ideally located for South Kensington transport links.

£850 per week* Furnished

741 sq ft (68.8 sq m) EPC Rating D Reception room | Kitchen | Two bedrooms | Bathroom

Chelsea Lettings 020 7589 9966 Chelsea@struttandparker.com

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

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Cranley Gardens, South Kensington SW7

A wonderfully bright three double bedroom maisonette arranged over the third and fourth floors (with a lift) of a stucco fronted converted period town house.

ÂŁ3,650,000 Share of Freehold

1,464 sq ft (136.01 sq m) Drawing room | Kitchen/dining room | Master bedroom with ensuite bathroom | Two further double bedrooms | Family bathroom | Roof terrace off kitchen | Roof terrace off the hallway

Chelsea Sales 020 7225 3866 Chelsea@struttandparker.com

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JULY / 2014

CONTENTS 11

ABSOLUTELY LOVES Absolutely’s top picks this month

13 TALKING TOPICS

What’s on and buzzing in Chelsea

STYLE 31 FASHION NOTES

Violet Naylor-Leyland is back! And this month, she brings us espadrilles and wild beach towels

32 SECOND NATURE

Carole, Lady Bamford, on what’s natural and organic about her Bamford clothing range – and why she loves Draycott Avenue

36 COAST TO COAST

Find your summer wardrobe in this month’s sumptuous fashion shoot

F E AT U R E S 21 OUT WITH THE NEW

Want to know the story behind Colbert, Chelsea?

Catherine Hales finds out just what that is

EDITOR’S letter

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hen I think about the summer, I am immediately transported back to my childhood.

Why is it, back then, the air smelled of English roses and was filled with the buzzing of happy bees? How come the sunlight lasted forever? Life was, simply, beautiful.

Where did it go? And can we have it back?

Please?!

Well, we hope so – through this, our summer issue, one which celebrates and glorifies nature, nostalgia and beauty.

First up, to the beautiful. In our lead feature I meet the wildly successful Pret a Manger and itsu founder Julian Metcalfe.

If anyone cares about the beauty of things – making food taste good, really good, and making things look great, really great – it’s Metcalfe and his team.

Next, to nature. Carole, Lady Bamford – of Daylesford Organic – reminds us why living naturally and being mindful of the environment is so important, and explains how her Bamford clothing range pays homage to comfort and quality.

Now, to nostalgia. Catherine Hales discovers what goes on behind the scenes of new (but ‘old’) Colbert, whilst in our interiors section we look back at 50 years of Daphne’s restaurant – and hear why Dame Shirley Bassey designed a mask for their charity exhibition.

Summer wouldn’t be summer without a good read. So local authors Bryony Gordon, Ticky Hedley-Dent and Anthony Stancomb reveal the origins of their new books (‘being single’ and ‘loving murder mysteries’ both feature, if that’s a broad enough spectrum for you).

Finally, MasterChef winner Thomasina Miers adds some spice to our July, telling Georgie Lane-Godfrey how chillies help to keep her trim (because summers must also be a lot about heat).

So there you have it, all the components of yesteryear’s summer in one compact edition. Pour out the elderflower and get stuck in.

24 UNDER COVER

Looking for a fantastic read for your hols?

Three local authors talk about what inspired their latest books

46 ITSU KIND OF MAGIC

Pret a Manger, itsu and Metcalfe’s Food Co. founder Julian Metcalfe tells Edwina Langley how to be successful like him. Well, sort of tells her

INTERIORS 62 MASK IN GLORY

Happy 50th Birthday Daphne’s! Read about the restaurant’s new refurbishment and celebrity designed mask exhibition

F O O D &T R AV E L 72 SOME LIKE IT HOT

MasterChef winner and Wahaca founder Thomasina Miers talks to Georgie LaneGodfrey about the powers of chilli (and how it makes you skinny)

79 2014 SPA GUIDE

If you need some R&R this July, look no further than Absolutely’s UK spa picks of the year

PROPERTY 120 PROPERTY NEWS News and views on the area

COVER IMAGE

SWIMWEAR • BIONDI COUTURE 55b old Church St London SW3 5BS, 020 7349 1111; www.biondicouture.com Photographer: Tory Smith • Model: Josephine Anderson Black Nebu Halter Top £89 • Black Nebu Plait Pant £79

Edwina Langley Editor

FIND US ON FACEBOOK ‘ABSOLUTELY MAGAZINES’ & TWITTER ‘ABSOLUTELY_MAGS’

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EDITOR EDWINA LANGLEY CHIEF EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CATHERINE HALES FASHION FEATURES EDITOR VIOLET NAYLOR-LEYLAND INTERIORS EDITOR BEATA HEUMAN TRAVEL EDITOR GEORGIE LANE-GODFREY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR CAMILLA NORTON ADVERTISING ACCOUNT MANAGER NICOLA OWENS BUSINESS DEVELOPEMENT MANAGER SIMON CAPLAN PROPERTY DIRECTOR ANNA HUTTON-POTTS • PROPERTY EDITOR HUGO HUNTER CENTRAL PROPERTY MANAGER LEAH DAY ART DIRECTOR RAY SEARLE • SENIOR DESIGNER PHIL COUZENS • FREELANCE DESIGNER PIO BLANCO DESIGNERS GEMMA ISTEED, TAHIR KAPUCU, ANDREW MAVIN • ARTWORKER EKREM YILMAZ • JUNIOR DESIGNER REBECCA NOONAN PRODUCTION MANAGER STEWART HYDE • PRODUCTION ASSISTANT CHRISTINE MANN • FINANCE DIRECTOR ALEXANDRA HVID DIRECTORS GREG HUGHES & ALEXANDRA HUNTER MANAGING DIRECTOR SHERIF SHALTOUT PA TO THE MANAGING DIRECTOR MARIANNE MCFADDEN

Published by

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23/06/2014 10:41

MOZART

Don Giovanni Sunday 6 July, 4pm Includes a free pre-performance talk for ticket holders at 3pm Oliver Condy, Editor, BBC Music Magazine in conversation with Christopher Gillett appearing in this year’s Glyndebourne Festival production of Der Rosenkavalier.

Recorded Live in 2010

Tickets from ÂŁ15

Don Giovanni. Glyndebourne Festival Opera 2010. Bill Cooper

See opera differently at your local cinema Gate Picturehouse, Notting Hill

For more information and to book visit www.picturehouses.co.uk/dongiovanni Glyndebourne.indd 1

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SOUTH A M E R I C A N AT T I R E We know it’s midsummer, but it’s never too early to start thinking about next season’s wardrobe. Peruvian Collection epitomise ‘chic’, matching comfort with South American sass. This pima cotton Arboretum blouse (pictured) is good for the office and a night out too. POA, 322 King’s Road, SW3, 020 7352 4494; peruvianconnection.co.uk

Absolutely

G L O R I O U S G OW N S For summer gowns, there’s only one place to go: Matthew Williamson. And his Floral Sleeve Column Gown is our current favourite. £1,295, 28 Bruton Street, W1J, 020 7629 6200; matthewwilliamson.com

PICK

SU M P T I OUS SW I M SU I T

M I N I AT U R E M A S T E R P I E C E S

Fed up of bikinis and fancy something a little more…fancy? This Red Flower Lang Swimsuit by Preen by Thornton Bregazzi (£330) is what to get your mitts on if so. Team with the Karen Walker Neon Northern Lights Sunglasses (£165) and you’re set for the beach. avenue32.com

Who doesn’t want an 18ct Yellow & Rose Gold & Pave Diamond ring that comes with its own Bedouin tent? This exquisite design is the result of the collaboration between Theo Fennell and microsculptor Willard Wigan MBE. The three camels at the ring’s centre are so small, they can be viewed only through a magnifying glass. POA, 169 Fulham Road, SW3, 020 7591 5000; theofennell.com

Summer Scent variation on the classic Prada fragrance Candy, this incarnation is girlier, sweeter and, well, pink-er, making it our pick of the summer scents. £52;

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harrods.com

L O V E S

EDITOR’S

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All-new Travel Poster collection out now!

Limited to editions of 280, our Art Deco-inspired posters have been printed on 100% cotton fine art paper using traditional techniques.

They are signed, hand-numbered and bear our embossed stamp of authenticity. Each poster is approximately 97 x 65 cms (38 x 26 inches).

Price: ÂŁ395 each inc. VAT, unframed

Pullman Editions Ltd 94 Pimlico Road Chelsea London SW1W 8PL www.pullmaneditions.com Tel: +44 (0)20 7730 0547 Email: georgina@pullmaneditions.com

Our central London gallery

All images and text copyright Š Pullman Editions Ltd. 2014

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ART&CULTURE

Talking TOPICS / July Book Review

Mrs Hemingway

By Naomi Wood Picador, £12.99

Review by Alice Coke aomi Wood has written a wonderful book about Ernest Hemingway, the most famous writer of his generation and the women who adored him. Ernest Hemingway was not unusual in the number of women he loved, but in the number of those he wanted to marry. Despite his bravado reputation and sexual magnetism, Hemingway was extraordinarily insecure and loved the stability of marriage – but his writing was sparked by the excitement of new relationships, which soon wore off.

Offering oodles of fun, romance and sex, this book would make a great summer holiday read. There is never a dull moment from his ménage a trois with Hadley, his first homely first wife and Fife, his vampish second, played out on the beaches of Antibes, in the dazzling summer of 1926, to the feisty war correspondent Martha Gelhorn and tender journalist Mary Welsh, his last wife. Hemingway’s once confessed to F. Scott Fitzgerald that his dream relationship set-up was to own two townhouses, one containing his wife and children where he would ‘be monogamous and love them truly and well’, the other ‘where I could have my nine beautiful mistresses on nine different floors.’

Celebrity artists and writers rarely make good marriage material: Hemingway was no exception!

N

Theatre Review

WOLF HALL Directed by JEREMY HERRIN

T

ALDWYCH THEATRE

he fact that the lady sitting next to me had come to London from Harrogate just to catch showings of Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies leads me to suspect that most of you will have heard how brilliant they are. (I mean, if they’ve heard all the way in Harrogate…?) So at the risk of telling you something that you already know, I recently caught the first instalment, Wolf Hall, and it is fantastic. An incredibly loquacious three hours that transforms Mantel’s roving novel into a pacey, though episodic, dramatization of the fortunes of Katherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn and the men closest to Henry VIII. The novel seemed too dense, too richly populated and winding to be a success on stage, but the brilliance of Mike Poulton’s adaptation lies in the nuances that give new depth to characters that you thought you already knew. Cromwell,

excellently realised by Ben Miles, is the everyman humanist that you love from the novel but he’s also a Machiavellian figure, calculating, at times suppressing a near-murderous rage.

Paul Jesson’s Cardinal Wolsey is the beloved friend and master, but also a wry comedian, aware of his own hypocrisies, though perhaps not of his precarious position in the king’s affections. Supporting performances are equally illuminating and often very funny (Nicholas Day is of particular note as the brilliantly raucous Duke of Norfolk), and I would defy anyone to come away from the performance with anything but a sense of history having come alive right before your eyes.

By Alexandra Jones Tickets are still available to buy for Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies, with best availability in July and August. Day Seats are available to purchase in person at the Box Office from 10.30am on the day of performance. 0844 800 1110; rsc.org.uk

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Book Picks DON’T POINT THAT THING AT ME

ENGLAND AND OTHER STORIES

Kyril Bonfiglioli £7.99, Penguin There is a quote on the front cover of this smart looking reissue that describes it as a cross between PG Wodehouse and Ian Fleming. Which is an admirably accurate rendering. Brilliantly funny but strangely overlooked, it revels in the degenerate and amoral world of art dealer Charles Mortdecai and his endearingly faithful manservant Jock.

Graham Swift £16.99, Simon & Schuster A brand new collection of short fiction from a master storyteller, and the first after more than 30 years, seven novels and one Booker Prize. These beautiful tales effortlessly span the historical richness and contemporary complexity of England, telling a story of a country and its people, of life and death and sex, and celebrating our everyday existence.

A COLDER WAR

SALINGER

Charles Cumming £12.99, HarperCollins A fast-paced, no-nonsense thriller that sees Thomas Kell working his way back to favour at MI6 after being made a scapegoat and heavily laden with all that makes a great spy novel great – tradecraft, isolation, betrayal, exotic locales. It is a truly fine example of a genre that is often overcrowded. Of all the heralded successors to the best output of John Le Carré and Len Deighton, Charles Cumming is probably the most deserving.

David Shields & Shane Salerno £9.99, Simon & Schuster The Catcher in the Rye left an indelible mark in the minds of readers all over the world. Its American author, however, consciously avoided publicity and remained a deliberate enigma.

But elusiveness will only ever foster interest and, after eight years in the making and exclusive access to J. D. Salinger’s records and relations, this definitive portrayal lays bare the life of one of the most fascinating figures of 20th century literature.

THE POISONING ANGEL

TO THE LETTER

Jean Teulé £8.99, Gallic Books The special soups and cakes made by the beautiful Hélène leave a trail of devastation as she works her way throughout Brittany, for all who taste them never recover. This fictional take on the most notorious female poisoner in history is a remarkable read, not simply for the story it tells, but also for the upbeat portrayal of life in the provinces of 19th century France.

Simon Garfield £9.99, Canongate Books There is nothing quite like a letter and there never shall be. Simon Garfield celebrates all things letter and laments a future intent on more disposable communication, revealing along the way the Romans’ happy use of postal acronyms, Oscar Wilde’s trusting approach to postage, 19th century phishing scams and the best way of sending a bee to someone.

S u p p l i e d b y BELGRAVIA BOOKS , 59 Ebury Street, SW1, 020 7259 9336; belgraviabooks.com

must see

BBC PROMS 18 Ju l y ˜ 13 Se p t e m b e r R oyal Alb e r t Hall

he Proms are upon us once more and for almost two months our television sets will be dominated by Strauss, Shostakovich and... the Pet Shop Boys. Kicking off the annual string of over 70 live concerts is Edward Elgar’s biblical oratorio The Kingdom, conducted by Sir Andrew Davis, who returns in his 70th year, joined by a cast of talented and distinguished soloists.

Kensington Gore, SW7, 020 7589 8212 royalalberthall.com

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ART&CULTURE

ILLUSTRATION AWARDS

Un t i l 2 Ju l y T h e Vi c tor i a & Al b e rt M u s e u m The five gifted winners of the 2014 V&A Illustration Awards will now have the honour of seeing their winning entries displayed for a short time. It closes soon so make sure you get down there pronto.

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

MEDICINE MAT TERS Eve ry Tu e s day i n Jul y C h e l s e a P h ys i c G a rd e n In celebration of the recent opening of the new Garden of Medicinal Plants, the Physic Garden will be holding a series of talks on the ‘past, present and uncertain future’ of medicinal plants. 66 Royal Hospital Road, SW3, 020 7352 5646; chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk

artist of the Month

C h elsea - b a sed a r t co n su lta n t N i ch o la s C a m pb ell ch o o ses Jul y’s art p ic k

LAWRENCE OWEN n light of the many fantastic degree shows that have recently taken place, this month’s artwork had to be by one of this year’s graduates.

One artist that really stuck out was Royal Academy student Lawrence Owen, with his fantastically vibrant, energetic paintings.

Owen’s work acts as an investigation into the evolution of ‘a thing’ – be it an object, an image, a letter or word. In an attempt to see

I

what happens in the journey of these ‘things’, taken out of their original context and placed into another, a different level of investigation is triggered. The results are these structured, abstract paintings which look truly fabulous. A good artist to invest in, at an extremely affordable price.

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

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23/06/2014 14:13

Royal Patron: HRH Prince Michael of Kent

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BRINGING THE COUNTRYSIDE TO TOWN Join The Fair President Ben Fogle and a host of other names for a celebration of the Best of the British countryside – in town!

BEN FOGLE

CLEVE WEST

• Stars of Chelsea Flower Show and ‘into-gardens’ writers Cleve West and James Alexander-Sinclair in the Country Garden • Tom Parker Bowles, Mike Robinson and other wellknown chefs and cooks in the Country Kitchen

JAMES ALEXANDER-SINCLAIR TOM PARKER BOWLES

• Dick Strawbridge will be sharing his tips for eco-living and sustainability • Artisan spirits, awardwinning English wines and beers in the Country Cellar

MIKE ROBINSON

DICK STRAWBRIDGE

• ‘Tweed to town’ catwalk collections • Displays from the Kennel Club in the Showring • Mini farm in the Country Kids Zone

FULHAM PALACE LONDON SW6 Book your tickets today: Priced from £23 (early-bird discount ending soon) Visit www.countrylifefair.co.uk or call the Ticket Hotline 0844 453 9268 Quote promotional code AB14 for exclusive entry into the grand prize draw. Prizes include: a five-star country spa weekend for two, a selection of luxury country clothing and gourmet Fortnum & Mason food hampers.

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ART&CULTURE

CO U N T RY D I A RY

VEUVE CLICQUOT GOLD CUP FINAL 20 Ju l y C ow dray Pa rk

or 68 years, Cowdray Park has played host to the Veuve Clicquot Gold Cup, the highlight of the British Polo season, and now visitors to the tournament can enjoy a ticketed VIP Picnic experience for the Final.

This includes transportation via private shuttles, a ‘Luxury Yellow Picnic’ with magnums of champagne (naturally) and high-end hampers from Mount Street Deli and Scott’s.

Guest will also be able to enjoy J Sheekey airstream with rock shrimp and scallop burgers to order, a Dior Beauty Pop Up and music from a super-secret DJ to be revealed on the day.

Easebourne, Midhurst GU29 0AJ, 01730 813 257; cowdraypolo.co.uk

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ABSTRACT AMERICA TODAY Th rough out Jul y Saatc hi G alle r y The Saatchi Gallery has been committed to showcasing emerging artists for over 25 years. Their new show ‘Abstract America Today’ is unwavering in this objective, featuring work from a shiny new generation of American artists, responsible for infusing the abstract art scene with new vitality. The roster of fresh faces includes Lisa Anne Auerbach, Jackie Saccoccio and Keltie Ferris. Featuring everything from obscene knitwear to paint-dashed canvasses, this exhibition is well worth a visit.

Duke Of York’s HQ, King’s Road, SW3, 020 7811 3070; saatchigallery.com

Plant of the Month w i t h C L E M M I E H A M B R O

Dahlias

am a Diehard Dahlia Devotee but life can be tricky for these Dahlings. Attacked by slugs at every possible opportunity, they then require moving inside in the winter – far too much looking after for my liking. So I have now taken to planting them in pots by the front door and it has been a revelation, solving the slug issue and the moving issue in one go.

Mix in a bit of Cosmos, make sure they are staked in and you’ll have an explosion of colour on your doorstep, from now until the first frosts. Keep picking both and they will keep flowering. And go for a mix of flower heads (pom pom, collerette) for the full KERPOW!

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MIDSUMMER MIS CHIEF 1 5 ˜ 17 Ju l y R oyal C ou rt T he a t re

CT presents a series of new plays inspired by the quote ‘well-behaved women seldom make history’, written by four brilliant playwrights: Alice Birch, E. V. Crowe, Timberlake Wertenbaker and Abi Zakarian.

Sloane Square, SW1, 020 7565 5000; royalcourttheatre.com

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23/06/2014 12:13

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20/06/2014 15:59

SOCIAL

LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYS

ewellery is solely a woman’s accessory, yes? No! Which is why hordes flocked to Robert Tateossian’s home in Chelsea to see the launch of his eponymous jewellery brand’s newest Men’s collection. Graham Norton and Pixie Lott were amongst guests who slurped Q Vodka cocktails and chomped on loin of lamb. ‘Oohs’ and ‘aahs’ aplenty were exclaimed over the range, and at times, the telly too; the host ensured footie fans didn’t miss out on the England v. Italy match. Score!

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JEWELS OF JULY Chelsea designers step out into the sun to host the season’s hottest summer parties

GOLDEN GIRL

hen the city is hot, there’s only one place to be – on a rooftop.

Which is why Chelsea-based jewellery designer Tessa Packard held her inaugural Summer Party on The Boundary’s roof terrace. Guests including Guy Pelly and Jessica Palmer-Tomkinson cooled down with cocktails outside, before dining on a lavish feast of charcuterie and lobster, inside. When full to the brim, they took over the rooftop once more, all in agreement this one jewellery designer is worth her weight in gold.

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23/06/2014 16:30

BLISS FOR BIBLIOPHILES The London Library is home to a remarkable collection of books, periodicals and reference materials from the 16th to the 21st century which can be freely browsed and borrowed by members.

Annual membership of The London Library is open to everyone.

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS: • Browse and borrow more than one million books in over 50 languages • Benefit from generous book loan periods and no fines • Access to 750 magazine & periodical subscriptions • Free access to electronic resources, from JSTOR to Who’s Who online, wherever you are in the world • Postal loans service anywhere in the UK & Europe • Wi-Fi equipped Library & reading rooms

JOIN ONLINE www.londonlibrary.co.uk

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23/06/2014 15:16

BEHIND THE SCENES

OUT WITH THE NEW, IN WITH THE OLD CATHERINE HALES GOES BEHIND THE SCENES AT COLBERT, SLOANE SQUARE AND FINDS HERSELF TRANSPORTED TO 1890S PARIS

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23/06/2014 10:18

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Most people will tell you that the best way to put a café through its paces is by trying the coffee. My editor and I have come up with an alternative and, to our minds, far more challenging test of quality: the perfect hot chocolate. When I arrive at Colbert of Sloane Square and slide into one of their cosy vinyl booths I am immediately offered a drink. As per our test, I order a hot chocolate.

When it arrives I am slightly sceptical; through the tall coffee glass I can see that the milk is pale

and frankly, not nearly chocolate-y enough. I give it a tentative stir and immediately the real chocolate hidden at the bottom of the glass swirls and melts into the milk, turning it a rich chestnut brown. One sip confirms it: delicious. With this crucial assessment completed I turn my attention to my surroundings.

Despite being only one and a half years old, Colbert has the feel of a long-established haunt, a local watering hole that has sat on this prestigious corner for a matter of decades rather than mere months;

one that pays homage to a time when Chelsea was slightly more disreputable. The walls are bedecked with black and white photographs, framed film posters and vintage adverts that look as though they’ve been accumulated by generation after generation of owners, gifted by loyal customers and celebrity regulars.

Although located in an undeniably iconic London square, there is a casual Parisian elegance to the cafécum-restaurant with its impressive bar and al fresco seating. So, what’s the story? How did this slice of Saint Germain end up in Chelsea? There to answer all my queries is Hattie Coburn, marketing and PR executive for Colbert and Daniel Craig, the general manager.

We begin our tour at a rather fine portrait situated in pride of place next to the bar. Daniel explains that the owners of Colbert

COLBERT has

the feel of a long established HAUNT

(ultra-successful restaurateurs Chris Corbin and Jeremy King, the pair behind The Ivy and The Wolseley) were conscious of the need for a story, some history to the site that it could not provide organically

and were struck by a portrait they acquired in a bulk sale when looking for pictures to adorn the walls. ‘This is Pierre,’ says Daniel, gesturing to the rotund, solemn, mustachioed gentleman staring out of the gilt frame. ‘Picture late 1800s Paris, the Saint Germain area, very affluent, full of street cafés. Pierre was working out there and got a little amorous with one of the café owner’s daughters. The owner found out and told him he would never work in Paris again.’ From here, it seems, the unfortunate Pierre was forced to leave France to seek his fortune and so ended up in London. In the late 1800s, Chelsea had yet to be invaded by the Binkys, Hugos and Spencers of today and property prices were accordingly low, meaning Pierre was able to snap up a space on the corner of Sloane Square for a song, and set up his very own brasserie.

Daniel explains that in those days brasseries were predominantly bars that served food, rather than restaurants that served drinks at bars, and this provides the explanation for the ‘first’ room, as it were, of Colbert. Dominated by a large, chrome bar simply heaving with bottles of every shape, size and potency, the room has an intricate tile floor and is littered with small tables and intimate booths, representing Pierre’s initial foray into the restaurant business. As time passed and the brasserie began to turn a profit, the neighbouring shop closed and Pierre seized the opportunity to expand into a

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BEHIND THE SCENES

We wanted to create a LOCAL RESTAURANT

brasserie-restaurant, dubbing the new addition the ‘Old Room’. In here the tile is different. The pictures on the walls are from the twenties, thirties and forties, and the furniture is still on the simple side but more intricate than in the bar. ‘As time goes on, Pierre has children, his sons get involved in the business, the next shop along becomes available several years later and,’ Daniel walks through a doorway into yet another room ‘This became the ‘New Room’.’

The furniture and tiles are more intricate still, indicating Pierre’s (and Chelsea’s) rise to fortune and Pierre’s increasing budget.

None of it is true. Not a word.

But I am utterly convinced. Our tour takes us down into the kitchens, where all patisseries are cooked from scratch and the scrumptious, Parisinspired seasonal menu is prepared.

I am lucky enough to arrive just in time for one of the twice-daily tastings, during which the manager, head chef and assorted staff are able to sample the food that they will later be serving for lunch. I manage to cram in a bite (or, perhaps two) of each, which includes scallops on a bed of broad beans and samphire, a perfectly cooked steak and chips and a refreshing summer salad – all of which, tastes delicious. Every

day, the head chef will put a new dish up on the board based on the fresh produce he has bought that morning, meaning endless variety for punters and an opportunity for creativity in the kitchen. We finally end up back in the bar, where I observe the portrait of Pierre with new reverence, despite his fictitious origins. Every element of Colbert is executed so well, and with such attention to detail, that what could have ended up as a ghastly, gimmicky restaurant, has become a Chelsea landmark. ‘We wanted to create a local restaurant, where people could come for a drink, breakfast, a formal dinner or just a coffee,’ Daniel says.

In my opinion, they have succeeded.

Just as I am about to leave, Daniel tells me to look behind me at the large painting that hangs on the back wall of the bar room. There, in the middle of the picture, sits a rotund, mustachioed man looking a little less solemn but still bearing an uncanny resemblance to the man in the portrait by the bar. I am told that this picture was bought in a different sale, at a different time and it wasn’t until it was up on the wall that anyone noticed the similarity. I nod to myself. It makes sense; Pierre is real, after all.

50-52 Sloane Square, SW1W, 020 7730 2804; colbertchelsea.com

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under

COV E R

From murder and mystery to Croatia and Bridget Jones, Absolutely’s top local authors discuss the themes and inspiration behind their new books

TICKY HEDLEY-DENT

Absolutely Why did you decide to write crime fiction – do you read a lot of it?

Ticky Hedley-Dent I’ve always been a crime addict. It all started with Miss Marple and Poirot; my sister and I were addicted when we were young.

I like the drama and suspense of a juicy crime novel but also the comforting feeling of the resolution – order is restored, unlike in real life. I have a vivid imagination and it was fun to think of inventive ways of finishing people off.

Abs How did you find writing a novel in comparison to, say, writing articles?

Thd It’s very different as you have a free rein writing a book and are not restricted to word count or a brief. I wrote the majority of Murdered in Chelsea when my son was a baby and it was a welcome release from nappies and nursery rhymes!

I love writing articles too, as I like meeting interesting and different people. The bonus of an article is you know you’ll finish it in a certain time frame.

Abs Is the lead character Lily in any way based on you?

Thd Not really. We have the same job so in a professional sense, yes. She is very different from me; she’s had much

I wanted the book TO

HAVE INSIDER KNOWLEDGE SO I SET it in my

old ‘hood’

©JACK LANDENBURG

Freelance writer Ticky talks about inventing ways to kill people through her first Lily Cane Mystery, Murdered in Chelsea

Abs How did you plan the narrative structure?

Thd With a giant pad and lots of spider diagrams, like Lily uses in the book when trying to work out who the murderer is. I plan out all the chapters freely on a flow chart but often find, in the writing process, I go off in a different direction. I love it when that happens. It’s a very organic process. I have the basics nailed down but the rest depends on my mood on the day.

sadness in her life and is a little lost. We’ll see more of that in the later books. She’s also single and fancy free and I’m married with a son.

Abs Are any of the secondary characters and publications based on people you know and places you’ve worked?

Thd The places I’ve worked inspired Society [magazine] and The LEN [a newspaper] in the book but the characters are

all fictional. I hope the Society office has a Richard Curtistype feel. I very much enjoyed working at Tatler and I hope some of those positive vibes have permeated into the book.

Abs Why did you set the novel in the district of Chelsea?

Thd I grew up in Chelsea and know it very well. I wanted the book to have insider knowledge so I set it in my old ‘hood’. I don’t live there any more but I had a fabulous time there.

Abs Who is your all time favourite crime writer?

Thd My favourite thriller writer is John le Carré – he is my hero! P. D. James is also up there along with Michael Connelly and the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie.

Abs What have you got coming up for the rest of 2014?

Thd I’m about to begin working on the second Lily Cane book and we’re also going to have a family adventure in America, as my husband [Daniel Pirrie] is touring with The Globe in a production of Shakespeare’s King Lear.

Murdered in Chelsea

by Ticky Hedley-Dent, Quartet Books, £10.99

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ARTS & CULTURE

CRICKET

Abs Is it odd when the press present you ‘as’ Bridget, when she’s not real and you clearly are?

BG Yeah, it’s a bit weird to be compared to a fictional character.

But I love Bridget and think that Helen Fielding is amazing – she’s managed to define a whole generation’s view of what being single is! So to be compared to her is just immensely flattering.

BRYONY GORDON

The Telegraph journalist Bryony has been compared to Bridget Jones through her autobiographical novel, The Wrong Knickers. Here, she tells us why...

Absolutely Why did you decide to write such a frank and honest account of your dating life?

Bryony Gordon I read so often about how women are supposed to be strong and independent and glossy and not care about men, and yet we were also expected to crank out a baby by the time we hit 35. That wasn’t my experience and it wasn’t the experience of my friends, and I thought it was time somebody told it like it is.

Abs You used to go to school in South Kensington. Do you have any memories of the area?

BG I used to sneak off for fags round the back of Queen’s Gate during my lunchbreak.

I’d shelter opposite the Lycee where I always used to imagine the children were able to openly smoke in front of their teachers, because that’s what French

I used to sneak off FOR

FAGS ROUND THE BACK OF QUEEN’S GATE during my

lunchbreak

Abs Did you ever worry you might, one day, come to regret telling all?

BG I think being open and honest is a good thing rather than something to be ashamed of. If it helps one girl feel a bit better, job done.

Abs Your book has been hailed as the ‘new’ Bridget Jones. But Bridget’s journey began at 32 – by then, you had a husband, child and career! Is your book aimed more at 20-somethings worried they will turn into Bridget, rather than the 30-somethings who feel they have become Bridget?

BG Yes. But I would also say that I was being told I was like Bridget Jones from the age of about 21. I think women today are under enormous pressure to achieve things immediately, and I hope this book says ‘hey, relax – it all turns out alright in the end, if not quite as you expected it to.’

people did, wasn’t it? I love South Kensington but I am too poor to go there now unless we are driving through to the M4.

I say to my husband ‘I used to go to school here you know!’ He looks at me in utter disbelief.

Abs The advice you would give your daughter Edie is...?

BG Don’t take advice from your mother.

The Wrong Knickers, A Decade of Chaos

by Bryony Gordon, Headline, £12.99

was something I loved at school EVEN though I wasn’t that good

AT IT

ANTHONY STANCOMB

Author, broadcaster and Fulham-local Anthony talks cricket, Radio Four and writing his memoir Under The Croatian Sun Absolutely You live in Fulham and decided to partially relocate to Croatia. Why did you decide to write a book about it?

Did you keep a diary?

Anthony Stancomb At the end of our first year I realised I had some extraordinary tales to tell: firstly, our struggle to become accepted by the locals, secondly, the starting of a cricket club in Croatia, and thirdly, the adjustment of a small society to Post Communism. I don’t keep a diary because the stories are pretty vivid!

Abs Describe your writing process to us. Do you write everyday – and at what times?

AS I get up at six and write till nine. I write whenever there’s a spare hour during the day, but I usually manage to write from four in the afternoon until seven or eight in the evening.

Abs You set up Croatia’s first Cricket Team on the island of Vis – is that right? What is it about cricket that you like so much?

AS It actually wasn’t Croatia’s first official team – that was in Zagreb, but we were the first to achieve international recognition. There are now four teams in Croatia.

Cricket was something I loved at school even though I wasn’t that good at it – I couldn’t even get into the 1st XI. But somehow, it has always been in my life. I played pub

cricket, but now almost all my friends can’t play anymore as we find after a few balls our elbows, knees or shoulders go – and as for our backs…

Abs If you could add one aspect of Croatian life to Fulham what would that be?

AS A gentle pace of life and an assumption that life isn’t going to give you any more than you’ve got at the moment.

Abs And vice versa?

AS They could do with an equivalent of BBC Radio Four, and also I’d say, a bit more British fair-mindedness.

Abs What do you like about living in Fulham?

Cosiness and orderliness.

Abs If you had to choose, which location would you live in full time – Croatia or Fulham?

AS It would be Croatia. It is a magical existence out there.

But I still have to make a bit of money!

Abs What do you have coming up for the rest of 2014?

AS I’m finishing the second book about the island, covering the strange goings on from the last three years.

Under A Croatian Sun

by Anthony Stancomb, John Blake, £7.99

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9684-OGGS-Wedding Promo Campaign-Full Page-PRESS.pdf

1

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15:59

ONE

GREAT C

M

Y

WEDDING SHOWCASE

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

One Great George Street Wedding Showcase on Sunday 21st September between 11.30 and 13.00

ONE GREAT GEORGE STREET.indd 1

Experience the ambiance of a wedding in our ornate surroundings, while enjoying fine food, entertainment and handpicked suppliers to help you with your wedding inspiration.

For an invitation please contact: annag@onegreatgeorgestreet.com 020 7665 2323 - Westminster, SW1P 3AA

23/06/2014 16:26

STYLE

wild at art 1

2

3

8

6

4

7

5

1. BOODLES, LONG BEETLE NECKLACE, IN 18CT YELLOW GOLD, £7,000; boodles.com 2. BULGARI, SERPENTI WATCH, PINK GOLD CASE AND BRACELET WITH ALTERNATING PAVÉ-SET DIAMOND AND BLACK ONYX SCALES, £39,900; bulgari.com 3. KIKI MCDONOUGH, EVE BEE BRACELET WITH DIAMONDS AND BLUE TOPAZ, £1,300; kiki.co.uk 4. ROBINSON PELHAM, DIAMOND BUTTERFLY PENDANT/BROOCH WITH PINK SAPPHIRE WINGS, £4,850; robinsonpelham.com 5. CARTIER, HIGH JEWELLERY HOOP EARRINGS IN WHITE GOLD WITH BRILLIANT-CUT DIAMONDS; POA; cartier.co.uk 6. CHOPARD, CLOWNFISH PLASTRON NECKLACE IN WHITE GOLD INCLUDING SAPPHIRES, POA; chopard.com 7. THEO FENNELL, LIMITED EDITION YELLOW SAPPHIRE LION ‘ART’ CHARM, £1,300; theofennell.com 8. LUCIE CAMPBELL, PLATINUM DIAMOND SAPPHIRE CAT BROOCH, £3,800; luciecampbell.com

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STYLE

MULTICOLOUR SUMMER Don’t hide away in the shade, get out & shine © MARY KATRANTZOU

BALMAIN, BOUCLÉ JACKET, £2,125; harrods.com HEIDI KLEIN, LAOS HAREM PANTS, £175, AND LAOS CROSSED TWIST BANDEAU TOP, £110; heidiklein.com

SOPHIA WEBSTER, RIKO CUTOUT LEATHER AND SUEDE WEDGE SANDALS, £450; net-a-porter.com

EDITOR’S

PICK

ALICE + OLIVIA, FOSS FLORAL JACQUARD DRESS, £385; harveynichols.com

MOCHI, MIRRORED SKIRT, £159; allthingsmochi.com

WILDFOX, SHIPWRECKED SWIMSUIT, £130; harrods.com MARA HOFFMAN, CUTOUT BACK MINI DRESS PINK, £225; austique.com

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STYLE FA S H I O N

NOTES Bikini? Tick. Espadrilles? Check.

Beach Towel? Growl! Get poolside chic with Violet Naylor-Leyland PRINT - WISE

It’s difficult to stand out when such a floral explosion has hit trend. Don’t want to join in? Go for an abstract pattern instead.

This Pucci number at £649 is perfection. Available at Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, SW1X, 020 7730 1234; emiliopucci.com

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT

It’s great to see fashion finally taking notice of boobs, but not all of ours are of the perfectly pert or bee-stung variety, happy to be strung together by two triangular postage stamps.

Seriously stylish new swimwear label Sumarie wants curves to know they’ve not been forgotten; make sure you pay them a visit. Available from Petis Bisous, 187 King’s Road, SW3, 0207 352 7044; petitsbisous.com

EDITOR’S

PICK

SAND SAFARI

Beach towels just got sexy. Don’t laugh – Maslin & Co’s collection of animal printed, hide-shaped beach wraps are no joke. Fill that £235 zebra-hide-shaped hole in your beach bag with one, and go wild.

Available at Salt Resort Wear, 69 Walton Street, SW3, 020 7590 9756; saltresortwear.com

BEACH DOILIES HOLIDAY FEET

This summer, espadrilles have gone posh.

We’re no longer limited to trailing markets to find a pair that will no doubt disintegrate by next year. Why? Because high fashion now offers them too. Go monochrome with these heavenly platform Stella McCartney slingbacks. £275, 91-95 Fulham Road, SW3, 020 7589 0092; stellamccartney.com/uk

Unless you’re a bronzed twig, white crochet is often unflattering, which is most disappointing because it’s irresistibly sexy. Melissa Odabash does a really beautiful (and flattering) range of white crochet dresses, kaftans and separates... just keep those whites away from the strawberry daiquiris!

Available at Melissa Odabash, 93 Walton Street, SW3, 020 7589 2245; odabash.com

Violet is a stylist, journalist and owner of fancy dress and vintage boutique, Violet’s Box; violetsbox.com

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second

N AT U R E

From farm shops to fabrics Absolutely talks to Daylesford Organic founder Lady Carole Bamford about the importance of organic living

Absolutely Why are you so passionate about organic living?

Lady Bamford We have been farming organically for over 30 years.

It started with wanting to make a difference, on a small, family level.

There were two chance incidents, which changed my thinking on food production and farming. The first was about 37 years ago when we were living and farming in Staffordshire. I was in the garden with my eldest child when I noticed the roses, I had planted the day before, were wilting. I looked into this further and found out they were spraying Roundup on the farm. I must admit I didn’t even know what Roundup was, but soon learned it was a very powerful herbicide, and that the toxins had been carried in the air from the fields and affected my roses. As a mother, I was horrified and it led me to realise we couldn’t carry on farming in this way.

A little later I was at an agricultural show and the Soil Association had a tent there. I ended up speaking with them for quite a while and was instantly inspired.

When I went home that evening, I spoke to my husband about converting our farmland and using organic farming methods. It became clear that this way of farming was better, not only for our family but also for the environment, and this led to the beginning of my passion for organic living.

It’s not just about eating organic food, I also believe that what goes on the skin is as important as what we put inside our bodies. It was for this reason we developed and created the Bamford bath and body range – these are the most organic and natural products which are used in the Bamford Haybarn Spa and can also be bought by our customers to use at home. For our Bamford collection of womenswear we use only natural materials, which is in keeping with our commitment to organic living.

Abs So you started to grow organic food, which led to a farm shop, which in turn, led to the award-winning Daylesford Organic. Quite a leap! Did it happen…organically…or was it lots of hard graft?

LB Yes, it was hard work but I was led by passion. Not many people were doing this at the time but I was committed to organic and sustainable farming. When we first moved to Daylesford over 30 years ago, we were producing milk on the farm. Upon meeting Joe Schneider, an artisan cheesemaker, I was inspired to see if we could make our own cheese. Joe joined us at Daylesford and together we created the ‘Daylesford cheddar’. We then started to think about where we could sell this cheddar and other farm produce, and in 2002, we opened the farmshop at Daylesford.

We started on a very small scale and

As a mother,

I WAS HORRIFIED AND IT LED ME TO

realise we couldn’t carry on FARMING

IN THIS WAY

over the last 12 years we have seen the brand of Daylesford grow.

It was, in a sense, an organic growth, but has been hard work for all involved. I am so blessed to have a brilliant and talented team on the farm, in the kitchens, cafés and farm shops, as well as behind the scenes.

Abs Why did you move from food to fashion?

LB I didn’t ‘move’ from food to fashion, it was a natural progression.

We evolved into developing clothes to expand on our philosophy of ‘Nature & Nurture’, which now applies to what we eat, what we wear and what we put on our skin. Bamford products are created from natural ingredients and materials, with a

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STYLE

respect for nature and care for the environment and people who make them. We admire the skills of the craftspeople, which have been developed over generations and it is this that is inherent in all aspects of the Bamford ranges.

Abs Bamford’s website says that Bamford isn’t so much a ‘fashion label’ as ‘a way of life’. Tell us all about Bamford’s philosophy…

LB We believe that a woman chooses Bamford clothes because she has a certain style and a certainty about the way she looks and what she wears. We are aware of trends but we don’t follow them.

A Bamford piece should be as relevant in your wardrobe this season, as it is the next, and the one after. Therefore, we wouldn’t describe ourselves as a ‘fashion label’ because fashion can be transient. We make clothes which are made to last and can be enjoyed for many seasons.

Abs Can you describe the design process for each collection – where do you look for inspiration?

LB I lead the design process and we have a highly skilled and creative team, who interpret

my ideas. I often return from my travels with something inspirational; usually something quite simple and small, which has caught my eye because of its shape, colour or texture. More often than not, I am inspired by nature.

The starting point for a theme of the season might be a seashell, a pebble, a wooden object or perhaps, an image I have found in an archive or book. The design team then research further into that ‘theme’ and begin making shapes and researching fabrics. It’s a very collaborative and fluid process.

Abs Your clothes are made of natural fibres. Are people as aware of this as they are organic food?

LB We certainly talk about natural fibres a lot in the stores and with our clients and partners. Yes, I think there’s an awareness that Bamford is all about natural fibres. There’s sometimes a misunderstanding that the clothes are all made from organic fabrics and yarns – because of the organic status of the Daylesford food.

We have researched a great deal into organic clothing. We looked into the possibility of making the entire collection using organic materials but found that the feel

of some of the organic fabrics were harsh and the colours were often not pure. Also, as we delved further, those fabrics claiming to be ‘organic’ were, in fact, not. Aside from this, the minimums required when ordering organic fabric are huge and sadly, not possible for a collection of our size. We would be generating mountains of unused fabrics and that’s not sustainable or responsible either, so we felt above all, we would commit to natural and noble fibres. Our cotton shirting, however, is all made from certified organic fabric.

Abs Many of your pieces are designed for comfort – the button cuff cardigan and cashmere pique pant, for example. Is comfort an important factor for you in your everyday wardrobe?

LB Comfort is important to everyone in their everyday wardrobe. The most immediate and often greatest response we have to

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STYLE

to make the heart's pattern. Many elements of the Blue Hearts Summer Dress are made by hand. The result is refined and simple.

the clothes is the feel of the fabrics.

At Bamford we always start with the ‘touch’ of the fabric against the skin.

Comfort is also about the fit and the make of the pieces too. The Bamford silhouette is based on a simple shape with a layered effect, which can be belted if required, or left loose.

We consider the construction of each piece very carefully. The seams are small and lie flat, they are also well-finished and so there are no hard places to rub against the skin.

We don’t use metal fastenings or buckles for the same reason. You should feel like you are wearing the clothes – not the other way round.

If a woman is comfortable in her clothes, you can see it in the way she moves and walks, and it also gives her confidence.

Abs Do you have a favourite piece from the SS14 collection?

LB I love all the pieces but could not resist the Blue Hearts Summer Dress as soon as I saw it. I particularly like the double layer lightweight fabric and how it moves on the body; the soft pleating which gives the dress its fullness; the beautiful seaming and the block print technique used

Abs At a time when ‘Made in Britain’ is a strong USP, you are bucking the trend. Your clothes are made by craftsmen in India, Italy and Nepal, as well as Scotland. What made you decide to do it this way?

LB We have decided to find and work with the best craftspeople, who are often specialists in their particular field – the best shirt maker, the finest producer of lambskin, the most experienced maker of outerwear and so on. Sometimes these incredibly talented people are found outside of the UK. All of our suppliers are small family-owned businesses with the same philosophy as ours. They believe in traditional techniques and the beauty of the finished product.

The truth is, not everything can be made in Britain to these exacting standards. We are very proud to make the majority of our knitwear in Scotland – the heart of the cashmere industry. We believe we are helping to keep the principles of well-made traditional quality alive.

Abs Your store is on Draycott Avenue.

Why did you choose that location?

LB We wanted to be in a neighbourhood, a place where we could become part of the community, rather than on the high street. Our clients feel they are visiting a friend when they come to us in a local, familiar place. We were particularly pleased when the shop on Draycott Avenue became available because it is also just around the corner from our head office.

Abs What do you like about Chelsea?

LB I love the Conran Shop and also J Crew which has opened next to Bamford. And the restaurant Bo Lang in Draycott Avenue. I love Chelsea Green, it’s like a village with lots of independent shops. The fishmonger and vegetable shops are brilliant. My all time favourite restaurant is there as well – Tom’s Kitchen.

Abs You’ve also moved into beauty, creating bath, body and baby products.

How do you come up with fragrance combinations?

LB The scents for the Bamford Bath, Body and Baby products are all taken from fragrances that you might find in an English garden – plants, flowers and herbs. I am often inspired by

We believe we are helping TO KEEP

THE PRINCIPLES OF

well-made traditional quality ALIVE

a walk into a greenhouse, kitchen garden or flower garden and try to imagine if these delicate scents could be used in the products. We grow lots of varieties of geranium, for example, and their overwhelming and uplifting scent was something that we wanted to bottle and use in the Bamford Bath & Body range.

Abs A selection of goodies from your beauty collection is sold at Bamford Haybarn Spa at The Berkeley. The synergy between the two brands is spot on – how did the collaboration come about?

LB We had been thinking about the best place for the Bamford Haybarn in London for some time and when the opportunity arose with The Berkeley it seemed like the perfect spot. I loved that the location on the rooftop of The Berkeley enhances Bamford’s connection with nature.

The views of the park and the sky transport you back to the Cotswolds where the brand was born. When we were designing the Haybarn at The Berkeley, we wanted to draw upon features from the original Haybarn in Gloucestershire. We always try to incorporate natural materials and a sense of light to reconnect people with the natural world. The design of the space and the materials used had to create a calm and tranquil space where peace could be found.

AbsWhat exciting things have you got coming up for the rest of 2014 – and beyond?

LBWe are always looking to do things better and grow at the right time. Currently we are developing skincare in our Bath and Body range.

We also look forward to sharing our treatments with more spa partners that have the same shared values.

We have recently launched Bath and Body in Japan, with Bamford Womenswear to follow in July.

Bamford Draycott, 169 Draycott Avenue, SW3, 020 7589 8729.

Bamford Haybarn Spa at The Berkeley, Wilton Place, SW1, 020 7201 1699; bamford.co.uk

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coast to

COAST Balance leopard print with sophisticated neutrals for grown-up summer glamour Photography HELENE SANDBERG Styling CHARLIE MOORE

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Leopard print faux fur coat, £200,

by Pepe Jeans, pepejeans.com Bikini top, £127, and high-waisted bottoms, £86, both by Prism at my-wardrobe.com

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Swimsuit, £82,

by Princesse Tam Tam, princessetamtam.co.uk Wool cardigan, £109, by Stills, stills-atelier.com Leopard print belt, £60,

by Twiggy at Fenwick, fenwick.co.uk Leather sandals, £260,

by Pedro Garcia, pedrogarcia.com Suede sandals, £99,

by Boden, boden.co.uk Socks stylist's own

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Bow bikini top, £49, by Princesse Tam Tam, princessetamtam.co.uk Crochet pencil skirt, £399, by Sea Ny at my-wardrobe.com Cream coat, £175,

by Pepe Jeans, pepejeans.com

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Cream shift dress, £302, by Cacharel; colibrifashion.com Leopard print pony hair clutch, £380, by 3.1 Phillip Lim at my-wardrobe.com Suede sandals, £99,

by Boden, boden.co.uk Socks stylist's own

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Cable knit sweater, £180, by MIH, mih-jeans.com Printed towel, £35, by Seafolly, seafolly.com

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Virgin wool sweater, £280, by Escada, escada.com Leopard print bikini bottoms, £16, by asos, asos.com

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23/06/2014 16:56

itsu kind of magic

What lies behind the monumental success of Pret A Manger, itsu and Metcalfe Food Co.’s founder Julian Metcalfe? Edwina Langley tries to find out…

Y

ou would expect the founder of Pret A Manger, itsu and Metcalfe Food Co. (responsible for Metcalfe’s Skinny popcorn and the itsu grocery) to know a thing or two, wouldn’t you? I mean, the man who set up a sandwich shop in his early twenties with no experience in food, and little in business, and watched it grow into a multi-million pound organisation has to know something we don’t.

I walked into the brightly coloured offices of Metcalfe Food Co. to interview entrepreneur Julian Metcalfe because I wanted answers. And I was certain I was going to get them.

So naturally, I was most bemused when he bowled into the meeting room – all handsome, smiley faced – only to, in a very unassuming and considerate way, ask me for answers. Which plastic bottle did I think would best suit his new vegetable juice range? A rectangular bottle? A big, fat bottle? A tall slim one, perhaps? More importantly, why?

All this felt very odd. Was this some sort of psychological test, I asked myself, like that godawful mythical-but-‘true’ Oxbridge Entrance Exam question: ‘if a tree falls in the forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound?’ (over half his staff

come from those two great universities – neither of which I attended, I hasten to add)? Was he interviewing me on my worthiness to interview him? And would I be frogmarched out of the building if I gave the wrong answer?

Thankfully not. At first I thought maybe it was a technique to ensure proceedings kicked off to a good start (important to have a talking point and all that). It swiftly dawned on me, however, that perhaps Julian didn’t have all the answers. Or, more accurately, didn’t think he had all the answers. In fact, as I transcribed the interview that afternoon, the phrase that came up most often (and by that I mean, a lot) was ‘I don’t know’.

He didn’t know why, in this year’s Birthday Honours, he was awarded an OBE. He didn’t know why he decided a French name would be a successful one for Pret a Manger.

How did he find the confidence to go with his gut instincts when it defied tried and tested business models? Well, he wasn’t sure about that either. Neither was he sure how to measure success, nor why he is ‘obsessed’ with ‘trying to bring delicious, affordable food to the masses’. In fact, every time I asked a question for which he initially gave that response, it was as if he’d never been asked it before – as if he’d never quite considered how or why he has been so successful.

I was just one of those PEOPLE WHO LIKES swimming upstream

It was this unwitting modesty that made Julian Metcalfe immediately likeable, and endearing; two qualities I really hadn’t expected to discover so quickly in one of Britain’s most eminent business brains.

Born in December 1949, Julian was privately educated at Harrow, a school he didn’t enjoy. ‘Attention Deficit…’ he started to say, but trailed off before correcting himself: ‘I was just one of those people who likes swimming upstream, rather than going with everybody else.’

Art was his passion back then, something which comes across still, namely when describing the aesthetics of various packaging. He studied Property Law at the Polytechnic of Central London (now the

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ART&CULTURE

University of Westminster) before training as a Chartered Surveyor – ‘I can’t remember why. I had to have a career, like everyone’.

After two years assisting a host of retailers, finding them various sites to set up shop, he took the plunge and set up on his own – purchasing a shop on the North End Road to turn into an off-licence. ‘There was a food market, but no wine shop…which I thought was ridiculous. I didn’t know anything about wine, but I think ignorance and naivety are helpful sometimes. I opened it and worked there in the evenings – stacking shelves.

And then I hired a manger who knew about wine. The shop took more money in the first week than I earned in the whole year. I didn’t make any money, but it was exciting.’

After two years he wanted a new project, but this time, realised he needed a partner. So he called on Sinclair Beecham, a college friend, to help start up a sandwich shop in Victoria. ‘I remember two weeks before we opened, we didn’t have a name. We drove down a road and saw a derelict shop with a sign above it saying ‘Pret a Manger’. I said, ‘what’s wrong with that?’ So we bought the name for £100. I don’t know why – I loved going to French markets and there’s something about the attitude of the French…[their] love affair with food.

So we thought, why not?!’

Full of enthusiasm, they entered into the project with gusto; but if you think

sandwich-making was plain sailing, think again. Julian did all the cooking – ‘uh, god’ he said of it – boiling chickens every day, even on Sundays. How did he know people even wanted chicken? ‘Just common sense, gut feeling,’ he replied. ‘Listen, that shop lost money for three years; it was not easy.

No, it was horrible. All my friends were doing very well and life was tough. But once you start it, you’ve got to go with it.

You don’t have any choice.’

It took three years before it broke even and they were able to expand. ‘We didn’t lose a lot of money, but we lost enough. We used to go to the market at 6am in an open top VW Beetle because we couldn’t afford a van. It was a bit of an education, going

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ART&CULTURE to the vegetable market in the morning, especially if you’ve come from Harrow.’

Driven by the desire to do whatever he did, beautifully – ‘I didn’t have a goal, it wasn’t to have lots of anything, it was just to do one thing well’ – Pret a Manger gathered momentum. Two decades later, it had grown to such gargantuan proportions, McDonalds snapped up a third of it. Seven years after that (in 2008), a majority stake was sold to private equity group Bridgepoint Capital – in a deal which valued Pret at £345m.

Save a small share (the company made a profit of £40m last year) Julian has little to do with Pret now. His focus lies with itsu – the Japanese-inspired healthy food chain he founded with Clive Schlee in 1997, to ‘wage war’ against the Burger Kings and KFCs; a business now worth between £60 and £100m – and the more recently founded, Metcalfe’s Food Co..

I THINK THE endless

pursuit of something

REALLY BEAUTIFUL, really wonderful, IS SO ENTHRALLING

It’s hard to get one’s head around. What drives this man, one wonders? He doesn’t seem particularly interested in the money, an impression I formed and he confirmed early on in our discussion. ‘It’s annoying when people say that [they don’t care about money]. Of course money is important. But I think the endless pursuit of something really beautiful, really wonderful, is so enthralling. I love it, every bit of it. The development of the flavours, the feel, the packaging, the improving…’

And he’s off, talking passionately about the craftsmen and craftsmanship of his two key businesses; there’s the 70-year-old ‘guy’ who works outside Tokyo and is a ‘genius’ at making miso paste. And the guys in Korea, who don’t speak English but are responsible for producing itsu grocery’s wildly popular ‘Seaweed Thins’. Not to mention the now managing director of Metcalfe Food Co., Robert Jakobi, who hounded Julian for a

meeting to sell him ‘Pod Bites’ (we now know them as itsu’s ‘Chocolate Edamame Beans’). ‘When he came in, I could see the determination in his eyes. He was a very successful banker, but only 26. I said, ‘You don’t want to sell us chocolate. What you need to do is give up banking and join me.’

Within a month, that’s what he did.’

Robert now heads up the management side of things, while Julian focuses on the creative – a partnership that works brilliantly, save the time Robert came back from a Californian food fair with suitcases of products and started having meetings on the quiet. ‘I told him, ‘If you start [getting involved in] products, I’ll start reviewing our accounts, weekly.’ That completely stopped it!’ Julian laughed.

So people just turn up on his doorstep.

Perhaps, I wandered, therein lies the key to his profitable businesses? But no, that’s not it. ‘We hunt and hunt and hunt,’ he replied.

‘You have to really look.’

‘It’s a case of scouring the globe for the best producers and finding a way to work with them,’ added Edwina Bagge, Metcalfe Food Co.’s head of communications, who also sat in on our meeting.

All well and good, but still, it doesn’t explain why he goes to all that trouble. Can he honestly say he cares that much about ensuring the ‘masses’ have a healthy diet, that the fatties ditch the burgers? ‘No, I do care. I do care about it. I care about it a lot because it’s a great challenge, isn’t it? What I’m trying to do is give people edible food, which is good for them, for five or six quid.

That’s all I want to do.’

His new plan is to hone in on portion control. He freely admits he wants his customers to buy less, and to make this happen he’s forcing it on them, making everything smaller. Sheer lunacy from a business perspective. ‘Sometimes doing what we all do here can be tricky. Because it counters what’s often good for business.

If good business is making more profit, a lot of what we do doesn’t make a lot of sense.

But we believe in the end it’ll come round.’

But how, Julian, how? ‘Consumers are

intelligent,’ he responded. ‘You can fob them off with stuff for so long, but in the end, it comes back. You create a culture where everyone believes it and it spreads, you know… I hope.’

A resident of Chelsea, he speaks fondly of the district, not surprising since he’s lived there all his life. ‘I wish everyone could live in such a peaceful, clean, wonderful, enchanting place…it’s so immaculately kept, it’s lovely.’ Is that why the very first itsu was in Chelsea? ‘Yes, that area of Brompton Cross was always vibrant, incredible.’

Never in my wildest dreams had I imagined I’d say it to Julian himself, but I congratulate him on the pure deliciousness of itsu’s to-die-for herb sauce. He describes its ingredients – ‘fresh mint, fresh coriander, parsley, lemon juice’ – and as my stomach gurgled, I suggested he sell that in bottles too. ‘You can’t, it only lasts a day,’ he replied, simply. ‘We’d save a fortune if it lasted three days, but it doesn’t. And we won’t change it.’

A damned shame. ‘It’s amazing though,’ he said, pondering lowering standards to meet my greed-inspired demands, ‘you could slowly undo it all. But you mustn’t.’

And there it was, possibly the greatest insight into his success: simply doing what must and must not be done. So it turns out, it was just as I thought; Julian Metcalfe really does have all the answers – even if it’s only the one. itsu.com metcalfesfood.com

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ARE LINGUAL BRACES PAINFUL? Having something fitted into your mouth will always cause a change in the way you speak. Some find it gives them a slight lisp or that they struggle with particular words. This is simply a matter of adjusting to the brace and learning how to speak properly with it in.

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HEALTH&BEAUTY B E AU T Y R E V I E W

PURE FLOW at Bulgari Spa

had just landed from a long haul flight and noticed I was sporting ‘Hobbit’ feet – feet turned fat and puff y from flying a mile high. I thought being jetlagged was bad, but now I felt properly sorry for myself. What better time, therefore, to review ‘Pure Flow’ at Bulgari Spa, a treatment to eliminate toxins and, amongst other things, reduce swelling? Once lying calmly on the treatment bed, heart monitor pads were stuck to my chest (very Holby City) and Velcro cuffs, wrapped around my legs, attached to

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ADDICT IT TO DIOR

e admit pink eyelashes and lids are a bit ‘far out’ but if you happen to be going to a wild garden party, why not?

Dior Addict It-Lash Mascara (£22) and Dior Addict It-Line (£24.50) come in four fantastic shades – purple, blue, pink and black. The mascara provides volume and unconditional hold, whilst the liner adds heaps of drama. Easy to apply and take off, there’s no excuse to shy away. Available from Boots, 60 King’s Road, SW3, 020 7589 3234; dior.com

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Be SkinSmart this summer

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R’S DITO

PICK

HAIR, DO!

ant a revolutionary haircare experience? Go for Julien Farel’s cleanse-treat-condition formula.

After an Anti-Aging Haircare Vitamin Restore (£28) and a Hydrate Restore (£28) treatment, your hair appears stronger, shinier, younger – all down to Bioactives penetrating the follicles and scalp for intense hydration and repair. Available from Selfridges, 400 Oxford Street, W1A, 0113 369 8040; julienfarel.com

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OIL HAVE THAT!

s Paul sagely advises in our column this month, A you must protect your skin. We advise you do so with Vichy’s Capital Soleil range. The SPF 40 suncare oil in particular caught out attention as it includes a Mexoryl®-based photostable, broad spectrum UVA and UVB filtering system, which protects your skin whilst providing a dry oil texture and sweet-smelling floral fragrance. £16.50; escentual.com

Paul Banwell, skin guru and Consultant Plastic Surgeon, says we should avoid burning at all costs, minimise sun exposure and use lots and lots of sun protection in his top skin tips

Top S kin S ma r t T ips

01 Check your skin regularly for moles. Don’t forget to make sure your partner or a friend checks your back as well.

02 Look for changes in moles – any mole which changes size, shape, colour or begins to crust, bleed or itch, should be seen by a doctor for review.

Photographing your skin regularly (for comparison later on) is an easy way to look for changes. Take pictures every four months. 03 Using sun cream every morning should be part of your skincare regime. Remember: SPFs are a proven method of anti-ageing!

Don’t forget noses, under eyes and behind the ears.

Backs of hands are commonly forgotten too. 04 Remember to avoid burning at all costs as this is the biggest predictor of future skin cancer formation.

If you are keen on outdoor sports, such as tennis, sailing, golf, surfing, windsurfing and cycling this is even more critical. 05 If you like a bit of colour, use tinted SPFs or Fake It. Fake tans are definitely the way to go.

a Pure Flow machine. Once switched on, the cuffs inflated and deflated in line with my heartbeat. Why? So that during the heart’s ‘resting phase’, unoxygenated blood would be pumped from my legs to my heart, giving the effect of two heart pumps, in place of one. All this is designed to strengthen heart functions, increase circulation of your blood and lymphatic system, boost energy levels and reduce swelling. Whilst a minimum of 12 treatments over 2-4 weeks is advisable for the best results, I found myself feeling rather full of beans just hours later. I also noticed my ankles had visibly de-swelled a bit too. Would I advocate a treatment? I would. At times of pure tiredness, it’s always better to go with the flow.

By Edwina Langley Pure Flow is part of the Perfect Legs retreat at Bulgari Spa, £440 per day, 171 Knightsbridge, SW7, 020 7151 1010; bulgarihotels.com/london

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The Kindergartens are delighted to announce that they are opening two new nursery schools in Holland Park, W14 and Aubrey Walk, W8.

These will be sister nurseries to their highly successful Pooh Corner Kindergarten in SW7.

The new kindergartens will offer a very exciting and unrivalled education.

Morning places are available now.

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ADVENTURES WITH CHOCOLATE – A TUTORED TASTING Thursday 10 July, 6.30pm

An evening of discovery with master chocolatier Paul A Young.

This bespoke tasting delves into the magical world of premium hand-made chocolates.

GIN DECONSTRUCTED

Thursday 17 July, 6.30pm

CE EN H RI IT HIP PE E W RS EX R BE O M EM M

Discover the myriad of botanicals that go into giving gin its unique flavour and learn the secrets of making the best gin & tonic and the classic gin Martini.

SUMMER WINES FOR GARDEN PICNIC OR PARTY Wednesday 30 July. 6.30pm

Which wines are perfect for the summer months? Come and join us as we try a hand-picked selection for the season. The diverse line-up features crisp whites and juicy rosés for sipping solo or with food.

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Members experience, save and access more. © Master chocolatier Paul A Young

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STYLE DECORATE

With Dragons Interiors. If only we were young enough to live in Dragons of Walton Street... From beds to blinds, chests to wallpaper, everything is skillfully crafted, beautiful and perfect for children’s interiors (lots of Peter Rabbit and Brambly Hedge). But whilst we might be too old to live in Dragons, our children aren’t. Get redecorating this summer.

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In jelly shoes. It’s that time of year again. The sun is out, little feet are hot, and jellies are what are required to keep them cool. £12.99, Available from Trotters, 34 King’s Road, SW3, 020 7259 9620; trotters.co.uk

Kids NOTES

What to eat, buy & do with the little ones

LABEL

With Julia Boston Kids. Whose book is that? MINE. That’s right, that book belongs to ME. Why? The mice say so. With 5 designs sold in small envelopes of 10 plates, two of each design, these Julia Boston book plates belong in all those books of yours. Yes, little ones, yours. £5; juliabostonkids.com

WEAR alph Lauren Children’s. Because who wouldn’t want to dress their daughter in this [pictured] Mixed-Pattern Smocked Sundress (£100), a Floral Lace Cotton Top (£55) and Patchwork Swim Bottoms (£25)? 139-141 Fulham Road, SW3, 020 7761 0310; ralphlauren.co.uk

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STYLE

MEN ONLY LIGHT MY FIRE

It’s the Summertime and that means one thing: BBQs. Light them in style, with giant matches held in smart Linley match holders, embossed in leather. Giant Match Holder in Green Moc Croc, £175, 60 Pimlico Road, SW1W, 020 7730 7300; davidlinley.com

WA X R E V I E W

STRIP o the day of reckoning had arrived, my very first wax. Waxing is something I had never considered. Being the kind of Alpha Male I am, it wasn’t something I wanted to do. But then one day I thought ‘what the heck?!’ and off I went to Strip Wax Bar for a ‘back and crack hair removal’ treatment.

My beauty therapist Cat introduced herself and led me to the MANifico room, where I was given clear instructions of how to prepare myself. Cat then left the room and at this point, I felt a bit nervy (I was completely naked and had only a small towel around me).

As soon as Cat returned and started talking though, I felt at ease. She explained she would be using the MANifico wax, specifically designed for men it is the ultimate wax for strong hair and sensitive skin.

Cat then proceeded to go to work on my crack area, before turning me over to do my back and shoulders. Before I knew it, it was over – and to my amazement, pain free!

I can definitely say I would do this again. And would advise any man, hesitant like I was, to give it a go as well.

By Stewart Hyde

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MORE, MORE, MOOREA

If you’re heading to the south of France this month, don’t forget your Vilebrequins. The iconic Moorea style (which originates from the seventies) is the one to go for, and the side pockets and rear eyelets (for air evacuation) of this ‘Solid Moka’ pair [pictured], makes them the most practical by far. £158, 56 Fulham Road, SW3, 020 7589 8445; uk.vilebrequin.com

OVER THE MONTBLANC MOON

What time is it? Time for a new watch. Montblanc Meisterstück Heritage Perpetual Calendar shows the date, month and moon’s phases. Made from rose gold, who needs a diary? £14,400, Available from Harrods, 87-135 Bromptom Road, SW1X, 020 7893 8196; montblanc.com

EDITOR’S

PICK

RUSSELL UP

NOW THAT’S FLASH We’re bored of iPhones so we’re going back to basics. Well, sort of. The Sony A99 A-mount Camera has an A-mount Interchangeable Lens System, and Translucent Mirror Technology, for fast focus and clarity. Snap it up. £1,999; sony.co.uk

Forget flip-flops (so uncivilized), these lightweight Brands, Contrast Stitch Driver from Russell & Bromley are what your feet should be sporting. Made of luxe navy suede, style them with coloured chinos or loose-fitting trousers.

Don’t forget to wear socks. £165, 64 King’s Road, SW3, 020 7584 5445; russellandbromley.co.uk

Bum ‘intimate’ (£28), Shoulders (£40), Full Back (£75), 103 Fulham Road, SW3, 020 7590 0050; stripwaxbar.com

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

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

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

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INTERIORS

RALPH LAUREN HOME, JAMAICA SIDE TABLE, POA; ralphlaurenhome.com

EDITOR’S

PICK

TALISMAN, A RARE LEOPARD METAL SIDE TABLE WITH PATINATED FINISH 1960S, POA; talismanlondon.com

OKA, CALBOURNE CHAIR, £295; okadirect.com

LINLEY, LINLEY FOR SUMMIT SOFA,

£7,035; davidlinley.com

HEALS, KARTELL FRANCOIS GHOST MIRROR YELLOW BY PHILIPPE STARCK, £238; heals.co.uk

SANDERSON, 150TH ANNIVERSARY SWALLOWS CUSHION, £35; johnlewis.com

SAND CASTLES The sun is out, the sea is blue, it’s time to remodel that beach house

Bi Bea chi

THE WHITE COMPANY, VINTAGE LANTERN, £40; thewhitecompany.com

ANNABEL JAMES SILVER CHAMPAGNE COOLER WITH FLUTES, £215; annabeljames.co.uk

WILLIAM YEOWARD, ANEMONE BOTTLE, TURQUOISE, £175; williamyeoward.com

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The fine art of carpets

From the design to the manufacture and lastly the fitting of only the highest quality fabrics, Blenheim Carpets specialise in beautiful, bespoke rugs and carpets.

A service like no other.

Visit Blenheim Carpets to see their outstanding collection of 100% wool, hand loomed, wilton woven and flatweave carpets and stair runners, all made to the highest standard with only the best materials.

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www.blenheim-carpets.com FULL PAGE.indd 3

17/04/2014 11:08

PAUL WINCH-FURNESS

Roksanda Ilincic

mask in

GLORY After 50 years in business, Daphne’s restaurant has undergone a grand refurbishment. Here, Absolutely takes a sneak peek inside its new interiors

F

or the last 50 years, Daphne’s has sat discretely on Draycott Avenue, serving up Mediterranean fare to a legion of prestigious visitors. Conceived as a French bistro, Daphne’s opened in 1964, the brainchild of theatre agent Daphne Rye, who ‘discovered’ such talent as Richard Burton and furthered the careers of Kenneth More and Honor Blackman. Throughout the Sixties, Daphne’s welcomed Hollywood’s elite – royal guests too – who glided through its doors to enjoy the restaurant’s stylish, low-key yet swanky ambience.

But as London’s restaurant scene burgeoned, 30 years later Daphne’s found itself falling behind. It needed shaking up. In came restaurateur

Mogens Tholstrup who, in 1993, took over and reopened it as a modern Italian. 800 of London’s most prestigious figures were invited to the opening and within weeks, Daphne’s was back on the capital’s menu. In 1999, Tholstrup published Daphne’s Modern Italian, a recipe book of favourite dishes, which served to stretch Daphne’s appeal beyond Chelsea and those in ‘the know’.

Following a management change in 2001, Daphne’s was snapped up again in 2005, this time by Richard Caring and Caprice. It was under this new management that the Italian menu took on a more ‘seasonal’ focus.

At 50, Daphne’s remains within the Caprice family, and to celebrate its half-century has undergone a refurbishment, headed up by renowned designer Martin Brudnizki. Known for his sophisticated, modern interiors, past Brudnizki projects have

DAPHNE’S

welcomed

HOLLYWOOD’S

elite

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INTERIORS

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julia boston antiques

588 KING’S ROAD SW6 www.juliaboston.com TEL: 020 7610 6783 07 July_ 2014.indd 1

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Grate Expectations Ltd. Ltd The Fireplace Specialists

Gtitititi Etitititititititititi tititi titititi tititititititititititi tititi titititititititititititi tititititititi tititi titi tititititi tititi tititititititi ti titititititi tititititititititi Wfi fififi fififi fiK’fi fififififififf fifififififififi fifi fifififififi fififififififififi fififi fifififififi fifififififififififififififi fifi fifififi fifififififi fififififi fifififififi fififi fifififi fififififi fififififi fififi fifififififififi fififififififififififi fifi fifififffififififi fifi Wfififififififififi Wfifififififi fififi’fifi fifififffififf fififi fi fifififi fifititififi fifififififififi fifi fi fififififi fififi fifififififififififi fifififififififififififi fififififififi fffi fifffifi fififi fififi fififififififififi fifififififi ff fifififififififififi fifitifififififi fffififi fifififi fififf fififififi fifififififffi fififififffi fifififi fififi fififififififi fifififififf fi fifififififififififi Ftititi ctitititiltatitititi ti titititititititi titititititititititititititititititititititititi tititititititititititititititititititititititititi

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INTERIORS

PAUL WINCH-FURNESS

included Jamie’s Italian (at various locations), the 30th anniversary ‘refreshment’ of Le Caprice in London and Annabel’s new Smoking Terrace.

Brudnizki’s new interiors see ‘warmth and familiarity’ taken to the edge of ‘modern’ with a focus on vibrant colours to echo the bright palette and spirit of Italy. But for those fearful the old charm of the place has been lost, worry not – maintaining Daphne’s understated charisma has remained at the heart of Brudnizki’s project.

So, what to look out for? We’re excited for the bar; that’s what the locals are talking about. Its pink marble top has been inspired by the raucous Venetian drinking dens of the Grand Tour, and will no doubt mirror the raucous drinking that is shortly to take place on top of it. The bar menu itself, with strong Italian influences, will do much to encourage this, serving up such Mediterranean mixes as the punchy Sicilian Gimlet and The Hills of Sienna.

And if that wasn’t enough to set the party poppers off for 50 years in business, its new exhibition certainly will. 50 bespoke Venetian masks currently adorn the restaurant’s walls, and will do for the next month, before they are auctioned off at the end of July to raise funds for Great Ormand

Jessie J

Dame Shirley Bassey

Al i c e Te m p e rl e y

MAINTAINING Daphne’s understated CHARISMA has remained at the heart of BRUDNIZKI’S PROJECT Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH). Not just ‘any’ Venetian masks, these have been specially designed by 50 of Britain’s bestloved celebrities, including starlets Dame Shirley Bassey, Joan Collins, Harry Styles and hat designer Stephen Jones.

‘The gold on my mask represents Goldfinger and the jewels represent Diamonds Are Forever,’ Dame Shirley tells Absolutely. ‘This mask is my

tribute to the most iconic films whilst celebrating such an iconic restaurant. I was more than happy to support the wonderful Great Ormond Street Hospital with this creation.’

Stephen Jones, however, decided to adopt a more playful take on things, telling us that through his creation he ‘wanted to create a design that really played on the distortion of wearing a mask to conceal or reveal your identity.

I worked with Adel Roostein to create this ‘Topsy Turvy,’ perfect for an upside down world!’

With a starting price of £250 each, we wouldn’t want to speculate on how much they’ll actually go for, but we’d be surprised if the night wasn’t a huge success both for GOSH and, of course, Daphne’s.

As for us, we look forward to surveying both the exhibition and refurb throughout July, sitting comfortably at the pink marble bar, Italian cocktail in hand, imagining we’ve been whisked off to the jubilant streets of Venice, whilst keeping our feet firmly in Chelsea.

Well [we sip our potent cocktail], almost firmly…

112 Draycott Avenue, SW3, 020 7589 4257; daphnes-restaurant.co.uk

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INTERIORS

interior

I N S P I R AT I O N S In the Summertime when the weather is fine, it’s time to relax with cocktails and board games, says Beata Heuman BACKGAMMON BOARD

David Linley Get your ‘touche de rouge’ with this very smart backgammon board. £2,500, 60 Pimlico Road, SW1, 020 7307 300; davidlinley.com

PALMERAL ROCKER SWING SEAT House of Hackney This may be a little OTT for Aaron, but I think he would make an exception because of the print. £5,850, Available from Liberty, Regent Street, W1B, 020 7734 1234; houseofhackney.com

ONCE UPON A TIME

By Slim Aarons lim Aarons encapsulates poolside glamour in this coffee table book, better than anyone else. Never S mind that my summer will be more ‘sprinkler’ than ‘swimming pool’, I’m dreaming big. £40, Available from John Sandoe Books Ltd, 10 Blackland’s Terrace, SW3, 020 7589 9473; johnsandoe.com

PALMA GREEN FABRIC Christopher Farr Farr is a favourite for fabrics in vibrant colours, with patterns that are fresh, fun and chic – perfect for seaside living. £90, 6 Burnsall Street, SW3, 020 7349 0888; christopherfarrcloth.com

Modern Metropolis Drinks Trolley R a l p h L a u r e n H o m e Dry Martini? Oh, go on then... £3,100, 105-109 Fulham Road, SW3, 020 7590 7990; ralphlaurenhome.com

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

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S T U D I O

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17/02/2014 13:17

FOOD&TRAVEL Restaurant

R ev i ew

Camilla Norton gets a grape education and tucks into a tower of truffles at Walton Street’s recently reopened Toto’s

TOTO’S

L

ast month, my husband and I visited the recently reopened Knightsbridge restaurant Toto’s, a discrete Italian serving up almost faultless food in a stylishly chic setting.

The dining room of the restaurant is located behind the bar, which, in my mind, was apposite; unbeknownst to us, wine was to become the central focus of our evening.

On taking up our seats, we were introduced to sommelier Marco, who suggested we leave the wine choices for each dish in his capable hands. Gladly, we obliged. I started with the truffle and wild forest mushroom tagliatelle (£15), a starter-sized bowl of pasta with such a generous shaving of truffles, I can only imagine it mirrored the abundant wild mushroom-ed forest floor from which the fungi were picked.

The taste and quantity of truffle, however, did not overpower the dish but left it rich and immensely

satisfying. Marco selected a Chianti Classico, Castello di Ama (2011) to balance the truffles’ strength, which worked wonderfully well.

My husband opted for the more meaty papparadelle with duck ragout (£13). Here, the pasta was the star; the texture of the thick, freshly-made papparadelle was an example in how to achieve ‘perfect al-dente’. Whilst the duck got a touch lost amongst all the parmesan and pasta, Marco’s choice of the unusual Fiano di Avellino, ‘Vintage’ Mastroberardino (2002) provided a distinct but sharp contrast in

HERE, THE PASTA WAS THE STAR...

AN EXAMPLE IN HOW TO ACHIEVE ‘PERFECT AL-DENTE’

flavours to enhance the overall taste of the dish.

The grilled wild seabass (£28) which followed, was light and fresh, with a perfectly salty Swiss chard and parsley sauce to accompany it. My husband’s ribeye with shaved parmesan, rocket and balsamic dressing (£28), was finely cut to resemble more ‘tender roast beef’ than ‘heavy steak’. This was ‘a great success’, he announced, and the Pinot Nero ‘Montigl’ Terlano (2011) that came with it, enhanced the lightness of the plate in general.

Halfway through, Marco took it upon himself to suggest that we ‘play’ with the wines. He brought us a couple of glasses of red to test our noses (that is, to see if we had any!), challenging us to decipher the grape variety and region of the wine. Neither of us excelled here, but we enjoyed the Sangiovese all the same.

Whilst I had absolutely no need (or indeed, appetite left) for a pudding, I nevertheless tried the chocolate tart (£8), a ‘chocolatetruffle-in-a-tart’. This was accompanied by the Plaisir Passito Rosso, Zaccagnini, a sticky portlike wine made from dried grapes; both were very indulgent.

The chocolate ice cream (which came in ‘the selection of gelati and sorbet’ for £6) was, according to my husband, peerless. His lemon sorbet though, was disappointingly tart. When chased by the sweet sparkling Moscato d’Asti S.Stefano, Ceretto, however, the bitterness blended into sweet.

Set back from Walton Street, Toto’s doesn’t rub shoulders with its louche neighbour, Beauchamp Place. Whilst discretion may not be desirable for many visitors to Knightsbridge, if you delight in the quality of food and wine, this is the place to be. And if you listen to Marco, you might learn something as well.

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Walton Street, SW3 020 7589 2062 totosrestaurant.com

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Chillies actually speed UP YOUR METABOLISM...

AND I EAT a lot of

chillies!

Some like it

H O T…

MasterChef winner and Mexican food fanatic Thomasina Miers may have just opened another Wahaca restaurant in Wimbledon, but when it comes to her latest book, she’s decided to spread her wings. Here, she tells Georgie Lane-Godfrey why

Mexican cuisine, Thomasina Miers (or Tommi to her friends), still manages to remain inexhaustibly enthusiastic about the country and cuisine with which her name has become synonymous. But surely, surely, even she must struggle to remain so excited about Mexico all the time? ‘Well, during my second pregnancy I really went off Mexican food altogether,’ admits the motherof-two. ‘We were developing a lot of dishes for our South Bank menu which has lots of specials and I had really bad morning sickness. I found the process just exhausting. And funnily enough, the book I’ve just written has very little Mexican food in it.’

The new book is Chilli Notes, a collection of chilli-inspired recipes from around the globe. It proved liberating, letting Miers delve into other cuisines that she couldn’t access before. ‘I submitted a recipe recently to an editor and she replied saying, ‘Hmm, that’s a bit Yotam [Ottolenghi]. Can you do something else?’ I remember thinking, ‘Oh my god, he’s just cornered the whole of the Middle East!’ I suppose you

t’s a story which has been done to death. Inspired by a gap year living in Mexico and a cookery course in Ireland, Thomasina Miers auditions to be a part of the BBC’s newly rebooted MasterChef. Dazzling judges Gregg Wallace and John Torode with her ‘bold and sometimes eccentric cooking style’, she wins and goes on to become ‘Mrs Mexico’, setting up the Wahaca chain of hugely successful Mexican street food restaurants.

And yet, despite its countless repetition, despite all the interviews and inane questions about how she became so passionate about

I

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FOOD&TRAVEL can’t be greedy though, and he is Israeli after all!’ Chilli Notes may have given Miers that much needed creative release from her restrictive Mexican shackles, but it took its toll in other ways. ‘I basically wrote it on my maternity leave, which was a real killer. My husband told me, ‘If you ever do that to me again, I will divorce you,’’ she says casually. ‘But you kind of need that creative space to write a book and it was a real labour of love. I did actually enjoy the whole process, even though my husband obviously didn’t!’ she laughs.

Now, however, she’s back at work with a renewed passion for all things Mexican. ‘I always find post maternity a really exciting phase as you come back with loads of fresh ideas. It’s an amazing time to reassess.’ One of these new ideas includes opening another branch of Wahaca in Wimbledon, a place to which she feels ‘a real affinity’: ‘My best friend from uni grew up in Wimbledon so I used to spend a lot of my university holidays hanging out at his house. It was like a kind

Roasted Red Pepper & Goat’s Cheese Tart his is one of those incredibly simple recipes that I always turn to in the summer when I want to make something out of nothing.

I like to wrap it in foil hot from the oven to take on a picnic: it seems to taste better warm than hot and with that flaky, buttery pastry, it’s also delicious cold, served with a green salad and some boiled potatoes.

T

of idyll,’ she explains nostalgically.

‘As a new mother as well, I quite like the family aspect to the area. One of the things I’m working on at the moment is our kids menu, which I don’t think is very good. Now that my eldest daughter is nearly three, as a parent you really start to notice these things.’

Gangly and gap-toothed, Miers is easy company and immensely likeable. She also happens to be exceptionally successful; the most successful in fact of all the MasterChef alumni. With two

Feeds 4

• 230g ready-made all-butter puff pastry • 150g roasted red peppers (jarred to make it easy), cut into strips

• ½ red onion, finely sliced • 12 cherry tomatoes, halved • 25g pine nuts • 80g goat’s cheese, crumbled • ½ tsp Turkish chilli flakes or a pinch of sweet smoked paprika

For the Tapenade

• 1 garlic clove • zest and juice of ½ lemon • 1 tbsp of capers, washed in cold water • 110g black olives • a good handful of basil leaves, roughly chopped

• 1 large fresh red chilli, roughly chopped • 6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil 1 Preheat the oven to 220°C/430°F/gas 7.

2 To make the tapenade, whizz all the ingredients apart from the olive oil in a food processor until roughly combined, then add the olive oil.

3 Roll the pastry, place on a lined or buttered baking sheet and chill for 20 minutes. Lightly smear the base of the tart with the tapenade, making sure you leave a border of pastry, 1cm wide, all the way around.

4 Scatter the base with the strips of pepper, onion, tomatoes, pine nuts and cheese. Brush the edges of the pastry with a beaten egg and bake in the oven for 15 minutes or until the pastry has risen and is golden and crisp and the tomatoes and onion are cooked. Sprinkle with the chilli flakes and serve.

TIP Break a couple of eggs on top before baking if you want to make the tart a little more substantial. © Thomasina Miers 2014. Recipe taken from Chilli Notes by Thomasina Miers published by Hodder & Stoughton (£25) Photos: ©Tara Fisher.

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FOOD&TRAVEL Little Lime Possets with Chilli Tamarind curd hese indulgent pots have an ethereal lightness and an addictiveness that I put down to the classic Mexican flavour combination of sour tamarind and hot chilli. The silky, slightly spicy tartness of the curd contrasts beautifully with the creamy underneath. What is more, you can make everything the day before.

T

Feeds 6

• 500ml double cream • juice and zest of 5 large limes • 150g golden caster sugar • 1 tsp vanilla essence For the Curd

• 1 medium egg plus 3 medium yolks • finely grated zest and juice of 3 limes • 4 tbsp tamarind paste • 130g caster sugar • ½ tsp dried chilli flakes • 150g unsalted butter, cut into small cubes 1 To make the posset, put the cream, lime zest, caster sugar and vanilla essence in a pan and bring to the boil, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar. Lower the heat and leave to bubble for a few minutes, stirring from time to time. Whisk in the lime juice then remove from the heat. Sieve the hot cream into 6–8 glasses and chill in the fridge.

2 To make the curd, whisk the eggs,

lime, tamarind, sugar and chilli together in a saucepan over a low heat, then add the butter, one cube at a time.

Let the curd cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring regularly, until it is thick and custard-like, but at the first sign of the mixture erupting with a ‘plop’ remove from the heat.

3 Strain the curd through a sieve into a clean bowl and allow to cool. Spoon a layer of the curd over each of the set possets, return to the fridge and leave to set overnight.

4 I love to serve these with almond biscotti and a glass of pudding wine or aged tequila.

TIP This batch of curd is a little big for the recipe, so eat the leftovers on toast.

Or double the recipe so that you have plenty: it’s great with vanilla ice cream and will keep for a week in the fridge in a sealed container. © Thomasina Miers 2014. Recipe taken from Chilli Notes by Thomasina Miers published by Hodder & Stoughton (£25) Photos: © Tara Fisher.

WHEN I FIRST

Chilli Notes

by Thomasina Miers is published by Hodder & Stoughton (£25) and is out on 8th May.

came back from MEXICO I wanted to do a Mexican version of THE RIVER CAFÉ

daughters, two books, three TV series and a restaurant chain, her tick list appears to be almost complete. So, what’s next on the cards? Gourmet Mexican food perhaps? ‘I think about it all the time,’ she tells me. ‘When I first came back from Mexico I wanted to do a Mexican version of The River Café, but it’s so ingredient led; it’s all about the terroir. For example, there are 200 varieties of chillies in Mexico and the dough for the tortillas is made from fresh corn.

It’s that fresh produce which just doesn’t exist here. You’d have to fly over those fresh ingredients which goes against the grain of it, for me anyway, so I’ve never really squared that circle.’

She does, however, get her gourmet fi xes elsewhere, eating out in London to check up on what her contemporaries are cooking.

She recommends Medler on the King’s Road to me, and Marianne

and Assagi’s in Notting Hill, as well as Clarke’s ‘because it’s always wonderfully seasonal.’ The list goes on, which is surprising when you look at her; Miers is a beanpole. So much for never trusting a skinny cook, then. ‘You can’t discriminate against someone for having a fast metabolism,’ she says crossly.

‘When you’re surrounded by food all the time, the novelty wears off.

Besides, chillies actually speed up your metabolism and I eat a lot of chillies, so sometimes I think that must be one of the reasons!’ Looks like I’d best get watering my chilli plant. And get buying a certain chilli cookbook too.

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WEDDING VENUE

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24/06/2014 09:52

FOOD&TRAVEL

Penchant for a Bouchon here’s nothing like a good bouchon, those little traditional Lyonnaise restaurants. So the fact that chef Daniel Boulud has created a Bouchon Menu specially for Bar Boulud, makes us almost forget we’re not able to visit a real one. Pork Belly, Roast Chicken and Rainbow Trout with Almonds are served up alongside the usual à la carte bistro menu (of charcuterie, ham, saucissons and terrines).

This is French cooking at its finest, and it’s on your doorstep.

Two courses with a glass of wine and coffee for £17, Bar Boulud at Mandarin Oriental, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1X, 020 7201 3899; barboulud.com/london

T

INDULGENT TOMATO & FIG TARTS Makes 12 Ingredients 250g ready made puff pastry 1tbsp dried mixed herbs 225g (8oz) British vine-ripened cocktail tomatoes 12 British cherry tomatoes 5 fresh figs 140g (5oz) goat’s cheese, crumbled 3tbsp red pesto sauce 2tbsp runny honey

• • • • • • • •

Method 1 Sprinkle the herbs over the pastry and roll out thinly to ½cm thickness.

2 Cut pastry into 9cm rounds.

Arrange the circles on a baking tray lined with non-stick baking paper.

Prick each circle with a fork.

3 Chill the pastry for 20mins.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 220°C, 425°F, Gas Mark 8.

4 Slice the cocktail tomatoes and figs, and halve the cherry tomatoes.

Spread a little pesto over each pastry circle. Arrange the sliced tomatoes and figs on top. Crown each tart with two cherry tomato halves and crumbled goat's cheese.

Drizzle each tart with a little honey.

5 Bake in the oven for 12-14mins.

Cool on a wire rack for 5mins before serving.

Recipe courtesy of the British Tomato Growers’ Association; britishtomatoes.co.uk

LIGHT b i te s

All Hail GAIL’s hat is it we so love about GAIL’s Bakery? It’s got to be their rustic loaves.

And their shiny croissants.

And their flaky sausage rolls. And-and-and... If only we could take GAIL’s home with us, we huff.

Well, now we can, with their very first cookbook.

Including such recipes as Apple Crumble Cake (think about it: a crumble, in a cake) and the Leek & Goat’s Cheese Picnic Loaf, if you don’t dash out for a copy now, you knead your head examined. £20, Ebury Press; gailsbread.co.uk

W

for tums that GruMble ou know you know Grumbles. It’s that restaurant in Pimlico. The one with the blue exterior. With the great fish pie? OK, OK, it’s the one The Beatles and Princess Margaret used to go to. Yes, now you’ve got it!

This year good old Grumbles celebrates being

Y

good (and old) by turning 50. And if you missed their birthday celebrations last month, there’s every reason to get down there now, for their house special prawn cocktail and char-grilled calves liver.

35 Churton Street, SW1V, 020 7834 0149; grumblesrestaurant.co.uk

DID YOU KNOW…

Ancient Egyptian labourers who built the Egyptian pyramids were paid in radishes, onions and garlic 77

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TRAVEL

The

SPA GUIDE 2014 Only have a weekend to spare? Never fear – relaxation isn’t far away.

Welcome to Absolutely’s guide to the best spas in the UK

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take in the breathtaking views across the mountainous countryside of north Wales and the waters and wind farms of the Irish Sea. Back in Bodysgallen, wooden staircases, antique furniture and crackling wood fires combine with delicious food and incredibly comfortable bedrooms to give the hotel a warm, traditional feel. The spa, located in an airy, spacious building (formerly the stables) has a more modern aesthetic, with neutral decor perfectly suited to its Welsh surroundings – no garish, faux Orientalism here. The spa is also the first in the UK to offer Environ treatments, using a machine that produces a mild electric current to help active ingredients, such as Vitamin A, Vitamin C and other anti-oxidants, penetrate more deeply into the skin. The Environ Active Vitamin treatment in particular is great for Londoners,

BEST FOR RURAL RETREATS

BODYSGALLEN HALL HOTEL & SPA Wales

by Catherine Hales

et in the midst of 200 acres of gardens, Bodysgallen Hall is a sympathetically restored 17th century Historic House Hotel with glorious gardens, a top notch spa and views that stretch all the way to Conwy Castle, Snowdonia National Park and beyond. The hotel is located a stone’s throw from the virtually untouched seaside town of Llandudno, whose rural charm and quaint architecture make it well worth a visit.

For those unafraid of sheer drops and winding roads, visitors can also drive up the cliffs and

S

BEST FOR WEIGHT LOSS

LUCKNAM PARK HOTEL & SPA Wiltshire

by Emma J Page

nspired by its natural surroundings, the spa at Lucknam Park effortlessly combines a holistic approach with modern innovation.

Far-reaching views of the kitchen gardens, an outdoor saltwater plunge pool and an elegant terrace harness the power of nature, while four thermal cabins, nine treatment rooms, a vast indoor pool and a new Well-being House promise to nourish mind, body and soul.

A comprehensive approach means that guests can choose tailor-made treatments that deliver specific results, from anti-

I

BEST FOR YOGA BREAKS

YOGA RETREAT AT OCKENDEN MANOR West Sussex

by Leo Bear

ckenden Manor’s yoga retreats are enough to make Gwyneth pack up her north London home and move to the South Downs. With a roster of smoothies, Ila treatments, flotation therapy, reflexology and sun salutations, they might be at the gentler end of the ‘retreat’ spectrum, but throw in a dash of Nordic walking and your glutes will know about it.

The spa itself is modern and magnificent: a rusted-aluminium glass box surrounded by cow-speckled pastures – not what you’d expect in the sleepy Tudor village of Cuckfield.

O

ageing facials courtesy of high performance brands Anne Sémonin and Carita, to the cocooning effects of an organic massage using all-natural Ila products. Look out for a series of inspiring two-day courses in conjunction with visiting consultants, including expert nutritionist Katie Sheen, who’ll shine a friendly light on your diet and advise how to optimize it during an invaluable one-to-one session. On day two, you can bring her dietary advice to life in a hands-on cookery class under the inventive eye of chef Hrishikesh Desai. Covering topics from Happiness and Vitality to Purity and Mindful Eating, there’s no doubt that revitalised visitors will leave with a spring in their step.

Two-day Well-Being retreat, £695 per person, including overnight accommodation, breakfast lunch and supper. Lucknam Park Hotel & Spa, 01225 742777, lucknampark.co.uk

On the treatment side, Ila and Ren products predominate, and a vast indoor/outdoor pool (a favourite with Ralph Fiennes) lies at its core.

Chief yogi Sal Jefferies is in charge of the retreat itineraries designed for small groups of no more than ten. A softly-spoken twinklyeyed soul with world-class flexibility, he’s been practising Vinyasa-Flow yoga for more than ten years, and has quite a following. He encourages people to take it slow, and beginners are more than welcome. Save time for a chat after yoga sessions – Sal’s an expert on everything from sleep patterns to mind-mapping.

Beyond the spa, Ockenden Manor comprises an Elizabethan manor house boasting 28 rooms and a Michelin-star dining room (although retreat guests are assigned suites within the spa building itself). Miranda Carminger, who runs Ockenden Manor with her husband Pontus, has a discernible passion for interior

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TRAVEL

designed specifically to stimulate collagen, hydrate and reduce redness, fine lines and ravages of pollution.

The treatment involves an application of moisturiser to the face with aid of the electric current and soundwaves, followed by a very cold heavy gel mask, which then sets, sealing in the product. The current is used again, along with a hand held roller to aid deep absorption.

Throughout the process, high squeaks can be heard and a sensation of mild pinpricks is felt, which, although not painful, isn’t necessarily relaxing – more of what you’d call ‘an active treatment’. The result? Very good – the redness was reduced in my cheeks and my skin was left plumped and rehydrated.

Active Vitamin Treatment (3 areas) 1 hour, £60; bodysgallen.com

We Also Love...

CHEWTON GLEN HAMPSHIRE Detox in the skies in one of the romantic treehouses set in the beautiful woodlands of this country house hotel and spa. Treatments can be taken in the luxurious spa (which boasts Europe’s largest hydrotherapy pool) or in the privacy of your own room.

From £325 a night;

chewtonglen.com

BEST FOR RELAXATION

HOUSE SPA AT DORMY HOUSE Cotswolds

by Leo Bear

merging from a £10m facelift, this charming 17th century farmhouse hotel now packs an impressive spa punch. Two years in the planning, the groundwork has paid off: everything from the deeply comfy massage beds to the posttreatment sorbets shout ‘indulgence’. At the heart of the spa lies a generous relaxing-areacum-café dominated by a towering funnelshaped fireplace. Chess sets and cashmere throws add to the informal atmosphere, while a selection of ‘posh nibbles’ from the pastry chef ensure spa-goers don’t go hungry.

Sticking to a British theme, treatments are

by Temple Spa (a family-owned English brand), and for a touch of glamour, there’s an ultragirly Veuve Clicquot nail bar.

Therapists are trained by Pure Massage (so expect the best) and for something a bit different, there’s Rasul Mud therapy or an enriching ‘Mediterranean marinade’ facial available. One of the signature treatments is the ‘Silent Night Lavender Sleep’, which consists of two and a half hours of massage, scrubbing and foot rubbing, certain to settle even the most jittery of souls. I roadtested the lavender sauna, but it didn’t have quite as much lavender in the air as I would have liked. The salt-infused steam room and outdoor hydrotherapy pool, on the other hand, were fantastic.

If you’re staying the night, expect to be spoilt rotten. Rooms are homely yet hi-tech – a tablet allows you to order fresh milk at the touch of a button – whilst in the communal areas, original flagstone floors, wood paneling and exposed stone hearths come together to create a most welcoming rural retreat. My favourite spot was the chic blue lounge just off the lobby – the perfect blend of Soho House meets mummy’s living room.

E

GILPIN LAKE HOUSE LAKE DISTRICT Overlooking its own private lake, the Jetty Spa Trail incorporates 5 hours of pure indulgence, starting with a bespoke aromatherapy blend consultation, a dip in the pool, a sauna and body scrub, a blissful massage, afternoon tea in the cosy little boathouse and a spell in the outdoor hot tub with a glass of champagne.

The Jetty Spa Trail, £300 for two people;

thegilpin.co.uk

design. Rumour has it she even has a room in her house dedicated to mood boarding – and we can believe it; the wallpaper in the drawing room had us stroking the walls and purring.

Carminger is also the brains behind the spa, so it comes as no surprise that the spa suites are airy and contemporary with plenty of attention to detail.

Overall, Ockenden Manor’s yoga retreats are well-conceived and hugely enjoyable.

You’re certain to come away feeling pampered and clearer headed. Our only quibble is the scheduled 9pm dinner times, which made rising for early morning yoga a bit of a challenge.

Places on three-day yoga retreats are available to book at Ockenden Manor this July, September and November; hshotels.co.uk

THE SCARLET CORNWALL Capturing the essence of the coast, The Scarlet’s spa offers facials administered with wild-crafted herbs and hot steamed poultices, and a reed-filtered natural cliff top outdoor pool, with nearby hot tubs providing the perfect spot from which to storm and cloudgaze. From £285 a night;

scarlethotel.co.uk

Silent Night Lavender Sleep treatment (£195); dormyhouse.co.uk

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TRAVEL

BEST FOR THE ECO-CONSCIOUS

BEST FOR CITY ESCAPES

GRAYSHOTT SPA

TITANIC SPA

By Georgie Lane-Godfrey

By Alexandra Jones

ax intrantibus. Salus exeuntibus reads the motto engraved above the entrance at Grayshott – ‘Peace on arrival. Health on departure.’ It’s a statement which really does ring true. Secluded and peaceful, Grayshott lies in the heart of the Surrey countryside, a million miles away from the hustle and bustle of London, yet just an hour’s drive down the A3.

A historic country house that was once the home of Victorian Poet Laureate Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Grayshott has been showered with awards over the 50 years it has been in business. Admittedly the rooms feel a bit dated, but we can pretty much guarantee you’ll spend little time indoors; you only have to look out of the window to yearn to be outdoors, enjoying the surrounding countryside. Set amongst 47 acres of beautiful gardens and adjoining over 700 acres of National Trust woodland, it’s a haven for walkers and cyclists – bikes are available to hire from reception.

The spa itself has a real health focus and their celebrated Seven-Day Regime centres on the digestive system, getting back in shape so that your body can restore, renew and cleanse. But all the usual high-end treatments are also on offer, as well as a few off-beat options too. One of which is the Equilibrium Therapy, a slow, rhythmic massage of the body, face and scalp designed to release negative

t is worth noting from the start Titanic Spa’s sublime setting, on the edge of the Pennines. Long after your patience for being wrapped, plucked and primped has worn thin, the beauty of Linthwaite and the views of the surrounding countryside from the riverside terrace will keep you entertained. It is truly idyllic.

To the ‘UK’s first eco-spa,’ then.

Measures have been taken to reduce Titanic’s carbon footprint, including making the building ‘green’ (electricity, for example, is derived from solar roof panels) and putting in place systems which have the lowest possible impact on the environment. As its name

Surrey

Yorkshire

I

P

emotions and give relaxation and peace. Highly recommended for those escaping the city, it’s so relaxing that you’ll struggle to stay awake.

Spa treatments aside, it’s the food here which really caught our attention. Despite the obvious focus on digestive health, dishes still feel indulgent. Buffet style breakfasts and lunches let you pick and choose from the range of dairy and grain-free food, whilst à la carte dinners serve healthy spins on firm favourites; we even had apple strudel for dessert! A great option for gourmands looking to loosen their waistbands.

Equilibrium therapy, £85; grayshottspa.com

might suggest, the spa is one of epic proportions, offering a dizzying array of treatments. It is also wildly popular.

Combined, these things can, at times, make the experience less than relaxing.

It attracts groups and caters well to them, but you might feel a little outnumbered if you go, as I did, for a quiet weekend with just one other person. The treatments themselves do make up for that: the therapists are bright, friendly and adept at creating a serene environment. The ‘beauty’ treatments were more accomplished than the massages: we sampled the Exotic Lime and Ginger Salt Glow and felt suitably squeaky-clean afterwards.

The massages didn’t have quite the same impact; billed as ‘deep tissue’, mine felt a little limp.

Titanic is perfect for a stylish, robe swaddled, hen weekend. You’ll score extra points for your eco-awareness.

Exotic Lime and Ginger Salt Glow, £50; titanicspa.co.uk

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OFFERING YOU A WIDE RANGE OF SERVICES:

Monday to Saturday 9:00 am to 7:00pm | Sunday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm Electroclinic Ltd 369-D, Fulham Road, London, SW10 9TR, United Kingdom T 020 7351 2801 F 020 7351 2801 E info@electroclinic.co.uk W www.electroclinic.co.uk

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EDUCATION

NUMBERS GAME

Schools are bending over backwards to offer bursaries to the bright but broke. But, as Amanda Constance discovers, finding out if this means you is an altogether trickier question illustration PHIL COUZENS

Y

our child is bright but you are broke, or at least you think you are. Does this mean a private education is out of your reach? Not necessarily. The good news is that private schools are offering more assistance with fees than ever before. The difficulty is in trying to work out if you qualify for any help.

Susan Hamyln, Director of the Good Schools Guide Advice Service, says that, in the past few years, she has seen such an ‘explosion in demand’ from parents investigating bursaries that the GSG has now set up a dedicated Scholarship and Bursaries Service to help parents navigate a confusing system. One of the first questions she is always asked is: ‘Do we qualify for help?’

The answer, frustratingly, is that it depends. ‘What qualifies you for a bursary in London is different from the rest of the country,’ says Hamlyn.

‘Broke in London is far richer than broke in Yorkshire.’

Bursaries are certainly more plentiful than they were. The recent census from the Independent Schools Council (ISC) trumpeted that more than one third of private school pupils now receive assistance with fees, the amount of relief rising by 5.6% in the last year.

This is partly because schools are bending over backwards to justify their charitable status with the Charities Commission. As Barnaby Lenon, former head of Harrow and

AS A GENERAL RULE, the richer the school THE BETTER THE BURSARY

now chairman of the ISC explains, there has been a drift away from providing scholarships to bright children to providing bursaries for the less well-off.

So what about Londoners; do the capital’s day schools offer decent bursaries, too? Hamlyn says the general rule is the richer the school, the better the bursary, which is why the older public schools can seem extremely generous. Hamlyn established the Scholarships and Bursaries Service following a talk by Tony Little, headmaster of Eton, about making public school education open to the most disadvantaged children.

Most schools make it clear that bursary applications are treated on a case-by case-basis. It’s not simply

income that affects fees assistance but the value of your house, car, investments, even holidays. In collating what information is available into a central resource, the GSG has uncovered a huge disparity in provision.

If you want a bursary at City of London School, for example, don’t bother applying if your gross household income is more than £45,000. In contrast, Godolphin and Laytmer, once proud of its assistedplaces scheme but now popular with the offspring of oligarchs, declares its threshold for bursary applications is £100,000.

Most schools, such as Latymer, St Paul’s Girls, Dulwich College, King’s College School and UCS state that bursaries are offered on the basis of a student’s performance in entrance exams and interviews. And there’s the rub with bursaries. Applications for fee assistance can only be made after your child has been through the rigorous academic selection process.

Only the most academically able will be offered a bursary, as schools can cherry-pick the best and competition in London is especially fierce.

Hamlyn cautions that she frequently deals with the parents of a bright child who contact her with a view to getting a bursary but whose income renders them ineligible.

Nevertheless, they put their children through the entrance exams for academically selective schools, only to find they don’t qualify for a bursary, can’t afford the fees, and the process has been in vain.

‘That’s an awful position to put a child in,’ Hamlyn says. ‘If you do look at high-flying academic independent schools with your eye on a bursary, you must be very clear with your child that you are taking a chance and you need a good state school as a back-up,’ Hamlyn adds. ‘Be realistic about your child. Just because he or she is in the top 10% at their state primary, doesn’t mean they will cut it in some of the most selective academic independents.’

This can be squeamish territory for the middle classes. We might joke over dinner about how rich or poor we are, but we rarely like to lay bare the numbers. But with independent education beyond most salaries, there is at least now less of a stigma when it comes to asking for help. goodschoolsguide.co.uk

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JULY 2014

ABSOLUTELY

PROPERTY

Paultons Square, Chelsea, SW3 A rare opportunity to acquire one of the few remaining west side houses on Paultons Square with the possibility to extend (subject to the usual consents). This Grade II Listed Freehold house has been beautifully maintained and boasts one of the most desired gardens in Chelsea.

Asking price ÂŁ4,750,000 Freehold Strutt & Parker I 020 7373 1010 I west.chelsea@struttandparker.com

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The Negotiator Awards 2013 (for the 2nd year running!)

Sunday Times Estate Agency of the Year 2013 - Gold (for the 2nd year running!)

Community Champion of the Year

Best London Estate Agency

The Negotiator Awards 2013 - Silver

Sunday Times Estate Agency of the Year 2013 (Medium) - Gold (for the 4th year running!)

Cadogan Place SW1 £3,950,000 This rare three-bedroom, split-level garden apartment is situated within a fine period building in the heart of one of Knightsbridge’s finest garden squares. Arranged over the raised and lower ground floors of a stunning period building, the property boasts a stylish interior with high ceilings throughout, comprising a beautiful reception room, a superb kitchen, dining room, three double bedrooms, two bathrooms (one en suite), a magnificent private garden and access to communnal gardens. Leasehold. EPC=D. Joint Sole Agent.

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

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Follow us on Twitter: @marshandparsons

Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/marshandparsons

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

SALES

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

Rostrevor Road SW6 £2,900,000 This beautiful six-bedroom house is located on a popular and quiet tree-lined residential street in the heart of Fulham.

Arranged over four floors this exceptional house offers wonderful accommodation refurbished to an exceptionally high standard, including a light and airy reception room with bay window and wood floors, and a fabulous kitchen leading out to a pretty garden arranged over two levels with a stylish water feature. Freehold. EPC=E.

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

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Local know-how. Better results.

Clonmel Road SW6 £2,200,000 Beautifully presented throughout, this impressive mid-terraced house is arranged over three floors. Retaining many of its original features, the accommodation comprises a spacious double reception room, a modern kitchen leading out to a landscaped patio garden, a master bedroom with a stunning en suite bathroom, three further double bedrooms and a bathroom. Benefits include excellent storage throughout, a ground floor cloakroom and a separate utility room. Freehold. EPC=C. Joint Sole Agent.

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

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Follow us on Twitter: @marshandparsons

Join us on Facebook: facebook.com/marshandparsons

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

SALES

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

Elm Park Gardens SW10 £1,890,000 This stunning two-bedroom apartment is located on a sought after prime Chelsea street just off the Fulham Road. Located on the raised and lower ground oors the stunning two-bedroom apartment boasts access to communal gardens and provides a grand reception room leading to a kitchen and dining area, two well-proportioned double bedrooms, each with an en suite bathroom, an abundance of storage and a private patio area. Leasehold. EPC=D.

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

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ABSOLUTELY Property

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IN THEIR OWN

WORDS JAMES WATSON

Director of Fine & Country, Fulham Photography: Rebecca Noonan

H

aving left university studying a degree in Estate Management it was time for the first big challenge of my life. I was in debt like most students plus a bit, £40k in fact. My father announced he had done his job and it was now up to me – no more financial help. I stared in to the abyss, but actually, all I saw was opportunity. I took a year out of my excesses to clear my debt. I bought the Times and saw a job as an estate agent, commission only, with an on-target earning potential of £40k, the equivalent of the debt I had. It was sink or swim. I got the job, and worked all the hours I could. I quickly learned, if you didn’t earn - you didn’t eat! I paid off the entire debt in 18 months and this experience grounded me; it gave me a determination to succeed against the odds.

In January 1993, I borrowed £400 from a friend, and paid £385 for a month’s rent in a little office behind the Albert Hall which left £15 for an advert in the property section of the Evening Standard. It was a Tuesday, and the advert came out on the Wednesday.

I didn’t eat for 24 hours! On the Wednesday evening, a young lady came to see the only property I had available, a one bed flat to let in Chelsea and she took it. It was music to my ears - with £650 in my hand, I went out and ate the best steak I can ever remember!

I never looked back.

The internet was undoubtedly the single biggest development of the 90’s. In the old days, clients

would write with their instructions, I would call back and agree whatever needed doing. I always kept my word and never let anyone down, and that was that, but nowadays, it’s all tap tap at the key board confirming everything in triplicate.

What happened to my word is my bond?

I have gained a lot of experience in buying, developing and selling my own property, and this has given me an edge over my competitors.

When I value a home, I look at offering the best advice on how to maximise income, helping understand development opportunity, letting potential, taxation, and making the most from an investment - once on board, clients tend not to go anywhere else. 21 years on, I have come of age and I’m on a mission – to get back to where I started - by the Albert Hall. With a fabulous new double shop showroom in Wandsworth Bridge Road, I intend to open up branches of Fine and Country all over town. With over 300 branches worldwide, and winners of the world’s best estate agency marketing for the 5th year running, a head office in Park Lane, it’s exciting times. So what did I learn from my 21 years – work hard, never give up, be honest, and opportunities will abound next stop Chelsea! � 020 7731 0031; fulham.fineandcountry.co.uk

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CADOGAN GARDENS, Chelsea, SW3 An exceptional two bedroom apartment situated on the second floor of this impressive period building, quietly located, yet within close reach of Sloane Square and the Kings Road.

The property, which has recently been renovated to a very high standard, offers spacious lateral accommodation (approx. 1,670 sq. ft.) including an impressive vast reception with separate dining room, fully fitted kitchen/breakfast room, master bedroom with ensuite, second double bedroom, shower room and a lift. Available now for long term lets on furnished basis. EPC rating D. Price Per Week: £2,250 Plus Property Fees: £180 Admin & £185 Checkout.

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

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

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STANHOPE GARDENS, South Kensington SW7 A bright two bedroom, two bathroom (approx. 660 sq. ft. / 61 sq. m.) on the second floor at the rear of this purpose built block, overlooking Stanhope Mews.The apartment comprises a well-presented open-plan kitchen/ reception room, master bedroom with ensuite bathroom, second bedroom, and a family bathroom. Charlesworth House is one of the most exclusive addresses in South Kensington and benefits from 24-hour porterage, security, underground parking, communal gardens and access to the private square of Stanhope Gardens. EPC rating C. Leasehold: approximately 984 years remaining Guide price: ÂŁ1,229,950 +44(0)20 7225 5911 andrew.gunnforbes@harrodsestates.com

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

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

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

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

ANDREW EVERILL A S S O C I AT E D I R E C T O R

Andrew has been a sales force in Chelsea for Bective for over 10 years and knows pretty much every square inch of Chelsea. This intimate knowledge, superb contacts and genuine expertise makes him the “go to” agent when selling your property. Old fashioned and perhaps slightly eccentric, Andrew has the enthusiasm and passion of a young buck yet with the benefit of wisdom and experience. You will be assured comprehensive and professional advice backed with plenty of energy and enthusiasm.

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

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FIND US ON

Classic Chelsea Flat CADOGAN SQUARE CHELSEA SW1

A most delightful flat with a truly glorious west facing reception room which enjoys extensive views across the gardens square located on the raised ground floor of this well run period building. The property has a lease term of approximately 8 years 5 months remaining. Cadogan Square is one of London’s most sought after and famous garden squares, located to the West of Sloane Street.

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

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LEASEHOLD £1,500,000 ANDREW EVERILL AE@BECTIVE.CO.UK CHELSEA OFFICE 020 7589 6 67 7

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

18/06/2014 16:34 18/06/2014 12:52

CHELSEA

COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

FIND US ON

0 2 0 76 0 3 51 8 1

Style & Substance CR ANMER COURT CHELSEA SW3

Enjoying a southerly aspect on the fifth floor of this most highly regarded portered mansion block

by Chelsea Green. The flat has three bedrooms and two bathrooms with the principal bedroom having an en suite dressing room and bathroom. Situated in the heart of Chelsea between Chelsea Green and Sloane Avenue.

3 B E D RO O M S , 2 B ATH RO O M S , R E C E P TI O N RO O M , K ITC H E N , LI F T, P O R TE R .

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SHARE OF FREEHOLD £2,650,000 ANDREW EVERILL AE@BECTIVE.CO.UK CHELSEA OFFICE 020 7589 6 67 7

11 6 SQ M / 1 , 250 SQ FT APPROX E N E R GY R AT I N G D

18/06/2014 16:34 18/06/2014 12:52

FIND US ON

Communal Gardens CADOGAN SQUARE CHELSEA SW1X

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

FURNISHED £3,450 PER WEEK £5,000 PER WEEK (SHORT LET) S O P H I E M U R R AY SSM@BECTIVE.CO.UK CHELSEA OFFICE 020 7589 6 67 7

Elegant Living CO R NWA LL GA R D E N S S O U TH K E N S I N GTO N SW 7

FURNISHED £1 ,850 PER WEEK

A stunning apartment with a 575 sq ft roof terrace. Fully refurbished to a very high standard with top range appliances and Apple airplay technology. Centrally located within this garden square with access to the communal gardens. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), reception room, kitchen, terrace, communal garden. EPC Rating C.

F R A N C E S C A F O R T U N AT I

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FF@BECTIVE.CO.UK KENSINGTON OFFICE 020 7795 4288

18/06/2014 16:34 18/06/2014 12:53

CHELSEA

COMMERCIAL

0 20 75 89 6 67 7

020 7985 0715

KENSINGTON

LAND & NEW HOMES

020 7795 4288

020 7313 7711

NOTTING HILL

PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT

020 7221 4805

020 7221 0099

LADBROKE GROVE 020 7221 0330 BROOK GREEN

FIND US ON

0 2 0 76 0 3 51 8 1

Fit for a Queen Q U E E N S GAT E S O U T H K E N S I N GTO N S W 7

An outstanding apartment impeccably refurbished to the highest standard within this smart portered block. Offering extremely high ceilings throughout, a state of art Gaggenau kitchen and stylish bathrooms. 2 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en suite), open plan reception room/ kitchen, porter, lift. EPC Rating D.

F U R N / PA R T F U R N £ 9 9 5 P E R W E E K F R A N C E S C A F O R T U N AT I FF@BECTIVE.CO.UK KENSINGTON OFFICE 020 7795 4288

Delightful Apartment D R AY C O T T P L A C E C H E L S E A S W 3

UNFURNISHED £695 PER WEEK

A wonderfuly opportunity to let this contemporary loft styled apartment in the heart of Chelsea. The apartment has been refurbished to an exacting standard and benefits froma patio garden off the reception room. Double bedroom, single bedroom, bathroom, cloakroom, reception room, kitchen, study, patio garden. EPC Rating C.

S O P H I E M U R R AY

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

18/06/2014 16:34 18/06/2014 12:53

ABSOLUTELY Property

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

Redesdale Street, SW3

A

beautifully refurbished four/ five bedroom freehold home that has been finished to the highest of standards and boasts a fabulous roof terrace. A charming, well proportioned period family house in the heart of Chelsea is situated on the south side of this popular residential street running parallel with and to the south of the King's Road. The house has been beautifully refurbished to the highest standard throughout with an extremely family friendly layout, offering excellent living and entertaining space and is laid out over four floors.

£4,950,000 Marsh & Parsons, Chelsea

� 020 7591 5570; marshandparsons.co.uk

FREEHOLD

St Maur Road, SW6

A

n exceptionally spacious five bedroom family home that also benefits from a substantial basement. Modernised throughout whilst still retaining many period features, the double reception room includes two fireplaces and original ceiling mouldings providing a formal and elegant living/ entertainment space.

£2,950,000 Sullivan Thomas with Carter Jonas, Fulham

� 020 7731 3333; sullivanthomas.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Burnfoot Avenue, SW6

A

four bedroom terraced house situated in 'Munster Village'. The property is arranged over three floors and comprises four bedrooms, two bathrooms, large bright through reception, and large eat in kitchen leading to a private patio garden.

Parsons Green Lane, SW6

A

fantastic opportunity to purchase a modern house in this superb location. This is an ideal investment as the site has huge potential for possible future development and is therefore a sound investment for anyone to purchase.

The Lancasters, W2

B

eautifully presented two bedroom apartment within The Lancasters, a luxurious Grade II listed cluster of imaginatively designed apartments converted from prime period space with south facing views over Hyde Park.

£1,775,000

£925,000

£2,000Per Week

� 020 7610 9966; featherstoneleigh.co.uk

� 020 7381 4998; lockettestates.co.uk

� 020 7581 2112; brlets.co.uk

Featherstone Leigh, Fulham

Lockett Estates

Benham & Reeves Residential Lettings, Knightsbridge

Exquisite Wine Estate in the Var

E

nchanting estate with an impressive principal house and beautiful formal gardens with a private lake, 8 acres of vines and 900 olive trees. Ample Space for horses and a helicopter pad.

Koi ponds and streams are found throughout the property and water flows year round, even in the hot summer months. A large swimming pool and tennis court add to the allure. The estate has been extensively and imaginatively remodeled. The spacious and well laid out 1000 m2 main residence is spread over 3 floors.

€9,500,000 Beauchamp Estates

� +33 4 93 94 45 45; beauchamp.com

 Spotlight on SW3: Average asking price - £3,273,678Average asking rents - £4,745 pcmAverage property value - £2,192,770

Data provided by 105

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23/06/2014 11:18

Completely at home in West London.

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

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

Local branches include • Fulham • Holland Park

KFH.indd 2 brand adverts_July-August.indd 3 KFH MASTER

16/06/2014 15:21 13:02 05/06/2014

William Morris Way, Fulham, SW6 £975,000 Leasehold Fulham 020 7731 0051 Email sfb@kfh.co.uk

KFH.indd 07.14 KFH 3 Fulham and Chelsea.indd 2

A stunning lateral apartment offering 981 sq ft of exceptional living space enjoying panoramic views directly over the River Thames the property further benefits from a 24 hour concierge.

Refurbished to a high standard this beautiful apartment offers luxury accommodation within a popular riverside development. Ideally located for Imperial Wharf station, the exclusive Harbour Club and new Fulham Riverside Development.

• • • • • • • •

One double bedroom Spacious reception room Smallbone kitchen En suite bathroom 974 years remaining 35ft balcony First floor flat with lift Underground parking

16/06/2014 14:44 13:02 13/06/2014

St Anns Villas, Holland Park, W11 £1,100,000 Shared freehold Holland Park 020 3542 2111 Email shp@kfh.co.uk

KFH.indd 07.14 KFH 4 Fulham and Chelsea.indd 3

A stunning two double bedroom flat with high ceilings and large windows on the first floor of a beautiful Victorian building with communal gardens access.

• • • • • • •

Two double bedrooms High ceilings Large windows First floor Beautiful building Garden square access EPC rating D

16/06/2014 09:37 13:02 13/06/2014

BEAUCHAMP.indd 1

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Luxurious Lettings Lowdown for Landlords What insurance do I need for my property while letting it out?

G

etting the correct insurance is crucial in order to ensure a Landlord is properly protected. Standard buildings and contents insurance will not protect a tenant occupied property unless its specific Landlords insurance. It is important to tell your insurer if you are renting your property otherwise you will not be covered. As a Landlord you must have specialist Landlord insurance and it is important to get a policy which gives you the best possible protection, not one that offers the cheapest rate. There are different areas within Landlords insurance that need to be looked at, with a couple of the most important ones being Landlord buildings insurance & Landlord contents insurance and also Landlords Liability protection Cover.

A magnificent seven bedroom house in Chelsea. �

Marianna Protopapas Lettings Manager at Bushells, Fulham

� 020 7731 7788; bushells.com

T

he property has been created by conjoining two neighbouring houses in a manner which reflects the architectural design of the private gated Square. The result is a stunning example of a spacious family home in the heart of Chelsea and South Kensington. The house has had a re-paint throughout and comprises an unusually large reception room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, study, utility room, seven bedrooms, five bathrooms, two shower rooms, and cloakroom which are complimented by the patio courtyard garden, and numerous balconies and roof terraces.

Parking is available directly outside the property

on a first come first served basis. Queen’s Elm Square is a gated garden square located just off Old Church Street. It is in close proximity to the Kings Road and Fulham Road which have an abundance of shops and restaurants.

Details

Queen’s Elm Square, SW3

£6,950 Per Week Contact

Strutt & Parker, Chelsea 020 7589 9966; struttandparker.com

110

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Instruct Princetons to market your property in the next 6 weeks and we will give you Real Estate Excellence for 0%

0207 7888 000 Sales@Princetons.com Princetons.com

CHELSEA

Princetons_June_v3.indd 2

|

KENSINGTON

|

FULHAM

22/05/2014 11:27

sullivanthomas.co.uk | carterjonas.co.uk

DONERAILE STREET SW6

£3,999,950 F/H

A sensational, wider than average newly refurbished end of terrace house offering approximately 4,000 sq ft of thoughtfully laid out space over four floors.

• 2 reception rooms

• Wine room

• 6 bedrooms

• 10 year BLP guarantee

• 2 bathrooms

• South-facing garden

• 2 shower rooms

• Energy efficiency: Band B

WINCHENDON ROAD SW6

Offers in excess of £2,999,950

Located in Parsons Green on a popular tree-lined street, this beautiful Victorian property has been re-developed to a high standard.

Fulham Parsons Green Sales: 020 7751 8899

• Leicht kitchen

• B&W speaker system

• 6 bedrooms

• South-West facing garden

• 4 bathrooms

• Utility room

• Gym and cinema room

• Energy efficiency: Band D

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

Fulham Bishops Park Sales: 020 7731 3333

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

SULLIVAN THOMAS.indd 1

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DELVINO ROAD SW6

£1,150 per week*/£4,983 per month*

A spacious and well presented family house located on this popular road in the heart of • 2 reception rooms Parsons Green close to restaurants, bars and shops as well as Parsons Green Tube Station.

• Kitchen • 4 bedrooms

• Cellar • Patio garden • Energy efficiency: Band E

• 3 bathrooms

Fulham Parsons Green Lettings: 020 7751 8898

LAMBROOK TERRACE SW6

£375 per week*/£1,625 per month*

A newly refurbished, versatile flat on the ground floor of this period conversion on this residential road, just off Fulham Palace Road and close to local transport links.

Fulham Parsons Green Lettings: 020 7751 8898

• Reception room

• Patio garden

• Kitchen

• Unfurnished

• 1/2 bedrooms

• Energy efficiency: Band D

• Bathroom

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

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

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

sullivanthomas.co.uk | carterjonas.co.uk

SULLIVAN THOMAS.indd 2

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Imperial Wharf

ÂŁ1,950 pw Furnished

3 Bedrooms | 1 Reception | 3 Bathrooms | Apartment 24hr Concierge | Lift | Balcony | Tube Nearby | EPC - D Imperial Wharf 020 3503 0015 iw@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

B&R_Chelsea_June.indd 1

18/06/2014 09:28

London’s Letting Agency

To arrange a viewing or for more information call

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

020 7319 9783

Imperial Wharf

£450 pw Furnished

Victoria

£595 pw Furnished

Manhattan Studio | 1 Bathroom | Apartment 24hr Concierge | Gym | Lift | EPC - B Imperial Wharf 020 3503 0015 iw@brlets.co.uk

1 Bedroom | 1 Reception | 1 Bathroom | Apartment Balcony | Near Tube & St James’s Park | EPC - B Knightsbridge 020 3302 7174 knight@brlets.co.uk

Imperial Wharf

Knightsbridge

£700 pw Furnished

2 Bedrooms | 1 Reception | 2 Bathrooms | Apartment 24hr Concierge | Gym | Balcony | Near Tube | EPC - C Imperial Wharf 020 3503 0015 iw@brlets.co.uk

£1,450 pw Furnished

3 Bedrooms | 1 Reception | 3 Bathrooms | Period Conversion Balcony | Lift | Tube & Amenities Closeby | EPC - D Knightsbridge 020 3302 7174 knight@brlets.co.uk

Dubai | Hong Kong | India | Malaysia | Singapore

B&R_Chelsea_June.indd 2

18/06/2014 09:29

Smart is always the first to know.

Get instant property alerts

ZOOPLA_JULY.indd 1 Zest Adverts_Jan2014.indd 1

30/05/2014 08/01/2014 09:26 09:34

OFFICES THROUGHOUT SOUTH WEST LONDON balham

battersea

clapham north

020 8673 6111

020 7801 3400

020 7840 3700

fulham central

fulham south

020 7381 7381

020 7736 6110

furzedown

clapham south 020 8675 1222

020 8769 7900

Wandsworth Bridge Road, SW6

£1,795,000

Only a short stroll from South Park is this immensely light five bedroom family home presenting a very special vintage interior. Beautifully designed from top to bottom, you will discover not only an elegant feel throughout but the splitlevel layout over the four floors would make it ideal for a family, recreational living and for a home office all rolled into one.

• Two spacious living areas • Stone-tiled kitchen • Five bedrooms • Close to the local prestigious Fulham schools

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

SOUTH WEST LONDON’S LEADING ESTATE AGENT

ASPIRE_CHELSEA.indd 149

.co.uk

18/06/2014 16:20

OFFICES THROUGHOUT SOUTH WEST LONDON balham 020 8673 6111

battersea 020 7801 3400

clapham north 020 7840 3700

fulham central 020 7381 7381

fulham south

furzedown

020 7736 6110

clapham south 020 8675 1222

020 8769 7900

Then and Now Kingwood Road, SW6

Clean lines, style and oozing opulence is only one of many ways to describe this fantastic apartment. The property has been completely re-modelled from top to bottom using only the highest quality materials and fixtures. The layout of the property in our opinion is the optimum configuration for this

ÂŁ1,100,000

type of apartment and comprises three double bedrooms, a gorgeous guest shower room and open plan, state of the art kitchen imposing on a bright and sizeable sitting room. Offered with no onward chain.

.co.uk

ASPIRE ADVERTORIAL.indd 4

23/06/2014 15:02

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

SOUTH WEST LONDON’S LEADING ESTATE AGENT

ASPIRE ADVERTORIAL.indd 5

.co.uk

23/06/2014 15:02

Property News HOUSE HUNTING

RIGAULT ROAD, FULHAM, SW6

Anthony Bell

� 020 7731 0051; kfh.co.uk

The best place to invest? For short term capital growth, Sands End is still benefitting from a spate of recent new build developments and popularity is on the rise.

For mid to long term growth West Kensington and West Brompton are set to benefit from the Earls Court redevelopment.

Property I’d most like on my books and why? In Fulham, most buyers at the moment are keen to purchase either unmodernised three bedroom houses priced at around £1,250,000 or two bedroom period conversions, which usually cost between £650,000 and £850,000. These are often in short supply so fantastic when you have them available.

The most interesting property I have been involved in is... We once took on a beautiful red brick mansion block with 14 apartments priced at £10 million. Situated near the Chelsea Football Club Stadium, we were inundated with interest from a number of wealthy overseas cash and investment buyers looking to purchase and become a neighbour of Roman Abramovich.

Sales Manager at Kinleigh Folkard & Hayward, Fulham

The toughest sale and why? We were instructed to sell a property as part of a court order which involved sellers in Australia, Scotland and London. The process was incredibly complicated and the sale was continuously hampered by multiple court orders, which ultimately extended the entire sales process.

Finest property showcase...

Located on a popular residential road, this four bedroom house on Rigault Road, Fulham, SW6, offers a spacious Victorian mid terraced property with 1,604 square feet of accommodation. Offering a double reception, this property is priced at £1,750,000 – freehold.

 CHOOSE THE LOCAL EXPERT

A

fter what can only be described as a bonkers start to the year, it is refreshing to see a market that is slightly more sensible and where properties are taking 2-3 weeks to go under offer compared to the 2-3 days, that was common place only a month ago. So why the change? The introduction of the Mortgage Market Review (MMR) coupled with an increased amount of property to choose from, has led to a slight dip in confidence. Buyers are still there in force and are still prepared to pay the prices but they are looking for more guidance from the estate agent when offering. As a result, when selling, your agent can no longer just turn up, open the door and expect an offer. Local knowledge, experience and ability to actually sell are what will separate the agents that can sell and those who just produce glossy brochures. We’re looking forward to the upcoming summer months!

I

suggests:

t’s that time of year again when the Chelsea Flower Show inspires the greenfi ngered god and goddess in all of us and thoughts turn wistfully to barbeques over weekends as temperatures start to soar.

If you’re a garden lover and looking for a property with outside space, now is one of the optimum times to view. But before you buy, make sure you check the orientation of the garden, pay attention to any potential problematic trees and check your boundary rights and responsibilities.

� aspire, Fulham; 020 7381 7381; aspire.co.uk

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ABSOLUTELY Property

BECTIVE SPONSOR PINTAT RAPIDO � 020 7313 7711; bective.co.uk

P

intar Rápido London is the UK’s biggest outdoor painting festival and competition, an initiative devised by founder Roger Beckett. After travelling to a small village in Catalonia, Spain called Horta De Sant Juan, he noticed how local residents spent their days painting the local scenery, ready to sell their artwork later that evening. Once arriving back in London, Beckett wanted to use this experience to create something similar in London; thus Pintar Rápido was born!

Pintar Rápido comprises of participants choosing a location to paint in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea and then composing their own masterpiece in any style, medium or size.

The following day all art pieces submitted are available for purchase, with 10% of the money raised going to The Campaign For Drawing and participants entered to win the £1,000 Pintar Prize! Following last year’s successful event, this year’s initiative has a number of lead supporters including; sofa.com- the online furniture retailer,

ST JAMES LAUNCHES FIRST NEW BUILD MANSION BLOCK STYLE APARTMENTS IN FULHAM SINCE 1930S � 020 8246 4199; hurlinghamwalk.co.uk

O

n Saturday 10th May, St James launched a brand new collection of new luxuriously appointed apartments in Fulham, SW6. A unique new proposition to one of London’s most desirable suburbs, the apartments at Hurlingham Walk have been designed to echo the grand façades of West London’s traditional Edwardian and Victorian mansion block architecture - becoming the fi rst new build mansion style properties to join Fulham’s architectural landscape since the 1930’s. Hurlingham Walk consists of just 68 exclusive apartments across six floors. A stylish collection of one and two bedroom apartments and a few three bedroom penthouses, all the homes benefit from high ceilings, floor to ceiling French windows and exceptional use of space and light. Much coveted services include a dedicated concierge, 24-hour security, a private landscaped garden with infi nity pond and courtyard accessible

Cass Art London- the biggest art retailer in London and Bective Leslie Marsh- leading London property agents. “Pintar Rápido is going to be a celebration of art and the city backdrop that inspires artists of all styles to create a painting in a day. I want them to capture the spirit of city – from its parks to its architecture, industrial locations to a river scene. The chaos and the calm and the people who breathe life into it, but most of all I want it to be a fun and exciting event for all those who take part.” Roger Beckett founder of Pintar Rápido London.

Pintar Rápido takes place on Saturday 19th July at Chelsea Town Hall. For more information and how to get involved please visit: www.pintarrapido.com/london/

5

MINUTES WITH

Tyrena Dangerfield Refurbishment Manager /Associate at Douglas & Gordon

� 020 7225 0234; douglasandgordon.com

 What services do you provide?

We provide a bespoke refurbishment service tailor made to suit our client’s needs. We are there to offer our professional advice on how their property can be best presented to the rental market.

to residents only and gated basement parking - unheard of in traditional mansion block apartments.

The new homes are priced from £650,000. For further information, please visit www.hurlinghamwalk.co.uk or call 020 8246 4199.

 What benefits are there of using a refurb/ dressing service?

We do everything for the client to ensure the entire project is hassle free and delivered to a very high standard using our hand-picked, trustworthy and reliable contractors. The fi nished product speaks for itself and if we can dress a property it can only look better.  What is your biggest success story?

Any satisfied customer is a successful project.

I take great personal satisfaction when handing over the keys at the end of a job, no matter how big or small and seeing a very excited client whose property is let within two weeks of completion.  Have you spotted any popular trends in interiors so far in 2014?

I have stuck with tried and tested formulas as trends come and go and we like to hand over a blank canvas so that tenants can add their own pop of colour.

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Ask

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

1. Short-term or long-term tenants?

Th is has to do with the stability of your rental cash-flow. In RBKC, we only deal with lettings over 6 months and usually 1 year, so we consider this short-term.

Our view is that long-term tenants are best for the following reasons: 1) re-marketing a property every year often means that you lose one month or more of rent.

2) The market may have changed since you originally rented the property so you may have to accept a lower rent than you were previously earning.

3) You develop a relationship with your tenant which often means they take better care of the property. The downside is that in a market where rental properties are scarce (not the case today) you may not always get the highest rental return as your tenant may resist attempts to increase the rent by much more than 3-6%.

2. Rental yield vs. capital growth?

i

In the summer last year we were seeing rental yields of 3% - 3.2% in the Chelsea rental market but a more realistic yield is currently around 2.8%. There will always be properties that fall

3. Best buy-to-let investments?

I have previously mentioned that the rental returns in Central London are low and therefore buy to let investment needs to be a long term plan with a view to benefit on the capital growth. Therefore my advice would be to invest in a 3 bedroom Chelsea House in popular streets such as Hasker Street, First Street & Ovington Street. These always attract British and International Tenants looking to be close to the good schools. The rental return is about 3% but the capital growth over time would be an excellent investment.

4. Furnished vs. unfurnished?

As a rule, it’s a good idea to furnish smaller (one and two bedroom) properties. These

2. Alice Umfreville

appeal to young professionals who tend to move frequently with their job so fi nd it easier to rent a home where everything has been done for them. Larger properties are often rented by families relocating from overseas who are usually staying longer term so prefer to rent unfurnished and have their own belongings. Whatever its size, dressing a property always helps it let more quickly by creating a ‘lifestyle’ that tenants fi nd appealing. Landlords sometimes dress a larger property initially to attract a tenant, then give them the option of renting furnished or unfurnished.

5. Why should I use a property management agent?

Managing your own property can be time consuming even if you live close by, and virtually impossible if you do not. From dealing with utility companies at the start and the end of the tenancy, negotiating any deposit disputes, being on call 24 hours a day and organising call outs, contractors, as well as handling frequent property inspections throughout the tenancy, being a landlord can be a full time job. All this, plus the fact that a lot of tenants will now only consider “professionally managed” properties, would make taking a property management service a good business decision.

4. Anita Mehra

Head of Lettings, Strutt & Parker

Managing Director at Benham & Reeves Residential Lettings, Knightsbridge

� 020 7589 9966; struttandparker.com

� 020 7581 2112; brlets.co.uk

1. Peter Herman-Taylor

3. Emma Mills

5. Karen Boland

� 020 7581 2216; maskells.co.uk

� 020 7581 8431; jackson-stops.co.uk

� 020 7225 6602; harrodsestates.com

Contact

Managing Director, Maskells

122

outside of the norm but at the moment it is important that Landlords are realistic and not over inflated with expectations of rental levels, and that their properties are looking good in order to achieve the highest possible yield. It is extremely rare for both the sales and lettings market to peak at the same time and in my opinion holding on to a property in the current market is more about the capital growth than receiving a huge rental price.

Ask the expert.LETTINGS.CHELSEA.indd 108

Lettings Manager, Jackson-Stops & Staff

Lettings Director, Harrods Estates

23/06/2014 11:27

NOW OVER 60% SOLD

SHOW HOME NOW OPEN Set behind a grand gated arch and arranged around a beautifully landscaped garden square, this exclusive collection of townhouses ranges in size from three to five bedrooms. Each townhouse benefits from its own private garden, secure underground parking for two cars and an outstanding level of specification.

PRICES ÂŁ2 ,6 0 0,0 0 0

CALL NOW TO ARRANGE YOUR VIEWING APPOINTMENT Sales Suite, Farm Lane, Fulham, SW6 1QJ open daily.

0333 666 2737

www.londonsquare.co.uk

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

LONDONSQUARE.indd 1 0585 LS_Fulham_Absolutely_FP_Generic_JULY_ART.indd 1

18/06/2014 17/06/2014 11:39 10:57

ABSOLUTELY Property

Ask

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

1. Why hasn’t my property sold?

If your property is failing to sell at the moment it can be for a number of reasons.

Primarily it is price as there is certainly no lack of demand from buyers. However, they are astute and well informed purchasers who have done their homework and been watching the market. They know prices are strong but if they feel the asking price is too high they will watch the property until the price is reduced. A second reason is often presentation of the property and its condition. Landlords who are selling should always come and see how their property presents. Often they don’t and are surprised it’s not selling until they visit and realise their tenant is not helping them. So vendors need to make an effort to present their properties in the best light to achieve the best price and help it sell.

2. Where should I invest?

Over the past few years Fulham has proved beyond a shadow of a doubt it’s a safe environment to invest. We’ve seen record growth in house prices, which should only encourage homeowners to put properties on

Contact 1. Emma Stead

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Associate Director, Douglas & Gordon � 020 7731 4391; douglasandgordon.com

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the market, and house hunters to seriously consider Fulham as their next move.

3. What common mistakes do sellers make?

A mistake landlords often make is holding out for an asking price offer for weeks on end instead of taking offers at a slightly lower rental price from good quality tenants.

Landlords should always consider the cost of a vacant property and aim to get it occupied as soon as the right offer comes along. Landlords should also see the value in good quality tenants, a stress free tenancy can often be worth a lot more than a slightly higher rental yield.

be reduced in order to sell. Whereas individual viewings present you with more time to show applicants around and agents benefit from getting to know their applicant better.

5. Should I redecorate pre-sale?

Rather than host individual viewings spread over a number of days or weeks, some vendors and agents prefer to open the house for viewings at prearranged times, to allow prospective buyers to come and go as they please. This provides maximum exposure over a short period but if the property fails to attract any interest, the property price may have to

Yes and No. This greatly depends on the condition of the property and decor, the style, and whether you are selling as a development opportunity/’fixer-upper’ or as a home. Most vendors are selling a property as a home and, as such, are looking to achieve the best sale price. Creating a positive and pleasing first impression is a very important part of this process. This is unlikely to be achieved if the décor looks tired and/or dirty and is of a very unique design or unusual colour choice. The key is to present the property as fresh, clean and bright so a potential client can use is as a blank canvas this is easily achieved with a fresh coat of paint. Additionally, this can mean new carpets or it can just be a good professional steam clean. If your property looks fresh and is decorated in relatively neutral colours, then there is probably no need to redecorate. If however, the answers to these questions are negative, then modest redecoration may help you achieve a better sale price and expedite the matter more quickly.

2. Peter Shaw

4. Benson Beard

� 020 7610 9755; featherstoneleigh.co.uk

� 020 7589 6677; bective.co.uk

3. Kyle Best

5. Paul Finch

� 020 3747 4997; homehouseestates.co.uk

� 020 7499 7722; beauchamp.co.uk

4. How do Open House viewings work?

Director, Featherstone Leigh

Senior Negotiator, Home House Estates

Associate Director, Bective Leslie Marsh

Sales Manager, Beauchamp Estates

23/06/2014 11:29

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

Parsons Green Lane, SW6

Crabtree Hall, Rainville Road, W6

A fantastic opportunity to purchase a modern house in this superb location in the heart of Parsons Green. Located moments from an array of shops, bars and restaurants. EPC D

An immaculately presented one bedroom flat benefiting from exceptional river views. The flat optimises the ideal of riverside living. EPC E

Two Double Bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception Room, Kitchen, West Facing Garden

Bedroom, Bathroom, Open Plan Reception Room, Kitchen, Cycle Storage Room

£925,000

£415,000

020 7381 4998

020 7381 4998

Distillery Wharf, Fulham Reach, W6

Lysia Street, W6

A selection of two and three bedroom apartments located within this new riverside development, offering far reaching views. Due for completion Summer 2014. Residents will enjoy exclusive use of a Private Members Club featuring a host of facilities from a private screening room, spa, steam room, lounge area, gymnasium, swimming pool, snooker room, virtual golf simulator and wine cellar.

An extremely well presented split level flat located on one of the popular alphabet streets on the Bishops Park Estate with the shopping and transport facilities of both Hammersmith Broadway and Fulham Palace Road close by. EPC C Two Double Bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception Room, Kitchen

£1,400,000 - £2,300,000

£695,000

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020 7381 4998

020 7381 4998

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Offices throughout London

Fulham High Street, SW6 £949,950 Leasehold.

Ranelagh Gardens, SW6

£640,000

Moments from Putney Bridge Underground station, this well presented three double bedroom maisonette benefits from private outdoor space and is set over two floors. At over 1200 sq ft the property makes a great family home. EPC = D

A brilliant two double bedroom flat located a stones throw away from Putney bridge station and moments from the Hurlingham Club. The flat comprises a lovely open plan kitchen, bathroom and communal gardens. Located perfectly for local amenities and transport. EPC = C

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

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

Lyndhurst Mansions, Vera Road, SW6 £575,000

Landridge Road, SW6

A superb two bedroom first floor flat with own private garden. Perfectly located to Bishop’s Park and Fulham Road, Lyndhurst Mansions is located on Vera Road, which is in desirable Munster Village, and offers easy access to the wide selection of shops, bars and restaurants on Fulham Road, as well as Putney High Street. EPC = D

A charming flat offering two double bedrooms, bathroom, a spacious living and dining space, separate kitchen and private balcony. The flat is situated on a quiet road in short walking distance to both Putney Bridge and Parsons Green tube stations.

EPC = D

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

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

£525,000

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

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bushells.com

Wardo Avenue, SW6

£1,000,000

An exceptional two bedroom maisonette with a beautiful south facing garden, close to Munster Village and walking distance to Parsons Green. This beautiful apartment is located on a popular residential street and occupies the ground floor of an attractive Victorian terraced property. EPC = E

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

PART OF THE EDMUND CUDE GROUP

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

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ABSOLUTELY Property

Prime Purchase SHARE OF FREEHOLD

Vendor advice What legal proceedings are involved with the sale of the property?

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nce you have decided to sell your property, don’t wait until you have an offer before instructing your solicitor to do the conveyancing. Do choose your agent and solicitor at the same time, as the period between receiving an acceptable offer and exchange can be one of the most stressful times of the whole selling process. Being prepared can save a lot of time and heartache for you.

Your solicitor will have a lot to do even before an offer is agreed. They will need to draw up a draft contract which will include the freehold title or lease if a flat; a fixtures and fittings list must be devised and a management information pack produced to include accounting details, local council searches and any other additional property information.

It is important the solicitor has all this information collated, ready to send to the buyers’ solicitor once an offer has been agreed. A delay could have unfavourable consequences.

� A generously proportioned three bedroom maisonette in a stucco-fronted period building in prime South Kensington.

Benson Beard

Associate Director at Bective Leslie Marsh � 020 7589 6677; bective.co.uk

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n the ground floor the apartment benefits from an impressive 22 ft. reception room, a second reception room, cloakroom and a large kitchen/dining area with French doors leading onto the private patio garden. On the lower-ground floor is the master bedroom with en-suite bathroom, two further double bedrooms with a Jack-and-Jill bathroom, utility room and internal courtyard. Cranley Place is ideally located for the shops and restaurants of South Kensington, Chelsea and Knightsbridge and has excellent transport links around London.

Details

Cranley Place, SW7

£4,500,000 Contact

Harrods Estates, Chelsea 020 7225 6700;harrodsestates.com

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Yeldham Road W6 Freehold £1,025,000

Dawes Road W6 Freehold £1,350,000

“This charming property still retains many of its period features and is conveniently located; having good access to local shops & amenities, fashionable bars and restaurants on Fulham Palace Road.”

Commercial space, Two top floor flats Newly converted loft (third flat), Great transport links, Investment opportunity.

Two bedrooms, Third loft bedroom, Double, reception room, Patio garden, Ideally located.

Lochaline Street W6 Freehold £1,125,000

Three bedrooms, Two reception rooms, Well presented, Large eat-in kitchen, Potential to develop cellar & loft.

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

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Chelsea&Fulham

Trim size 210 x 297mm - RHP

IN FULHAM ONE POUND BUYS YOU 55 PER CENT OF A LATTE OR IT COULD SELL YOUR HOME To celebrate the launch of our Fulham office we are inviting people to sell their home with us for only one pound.

This promotion will save you thousands of pounds and there is no catch, we’re simply looking to establish our business in the Fulham area.

fjlord.co.uk SALES

ACKMAR ROAD, SW6

SALES

GUIDE PRICE £895,000

EWALD ROAD, SW6

£1,379,995

A stunning split level conversion flat with share of freehold in the heart of Parsons Green. With three double bedrooms, two bathrooms one en suite to the master and an open plan kitchen/living room that leads directly onto a private garden.

OPEN HOUSE; Saturday the 5th of July 12pm - 2pm. An elegant and beautifully presented three bedroom mid-terrace house. Stunning throughout with well proportioned accommodation.

FULHAM 020 7610 6551

FULHAM 020 7610 6551

SHILLINGSTONE HOUSE, W14

Ref: FJL036000071 | EPC –D

£999,950

CASTLETOWN ROAD, W14

Ref: FJL036000063 | EPC –D

GUIDE PRICE £850,000-£875,000

An exceptional apartment in a fantastic development, located just off the Kensington High Street, within close proximity of excellent transport links, inclusive of Kensington Olympia Rail and the underground.

A stunningly refurbished duplex apartment located in this quiet and convenient location close to Barons Court tube station and the exclusive ‘Queens’ tennis club. This fabulous apartment is presented in excellent condition.

FULHAM 020 7610 6551

FULHAM 020 7610 6551

SALES.FULHAM@FJLORD.CO.UK

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Ref: FJL036000061 | EPC –B

Ref: FJL036000038 | EPC –C

FJLORD.CO.UK

18/06/2014 10:26

IN FULHAM ONE POUND BUYS YOU 55 PER CENT OF A LATTE OR IT COULD SELL YOUR HOME To celebrate the launch of our Fulham office we are inviting people to sell their home with us for only one pound. This promotion will save you thousands of pounds and there is no catch, we’re simply looking to establish our business in the Fulham area.

Either pop in for a cup of coffee to take advantage of our opening promotion or call us on 020 7610 6551. fjlord.co.uk

BLACKHEATH, BOW, CANARY WHARF, CHISWICK, CLERKENWELL, FULHAM, GREENWICH, HACKNEY, HAMPSTEAD, ISLINGTON, SHAD THAMES, STOKE NEWINGTON, SURREY QUAYS, WANSTEAD, WAPPING

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Charlwood Place SW1V ÂŁ3,250,000 Freehold

A recently refurbished, mid-terrace, period house on the highly desirable Charlwood Place. With natural light throughout this family house provides fabulous living space.

5/6 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms (2 en-suite), Reception room, Kitchen/dining room, Cloakroom, Utility room, Patio garden, Roof terrace, EPC: E.

Pimlico & Westminster Sales 020 7931 8200 | pimlicosales@dng.co.uk North

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Chelsea

Fulham

Hammersmith & Shepherd’s Bush

Kensington

Kensington Gate

South Kensington

Notting Hill

Pimlico & Westminster

19/06/2014 09:43

douglasandgordon.com

Princes Gate SW7 ÂŁ1,650,000 Leasehold Chelsea Sales 020 7225 1225 | chelseasales@dng.co.uk South

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Balham

Battersea

Battersea Park

A fantastic fifth floor flat, with lift, in this very handsome stucco fronted period building. The flat has two bedrooms, a good sized reception room with superb views and is moments away from the green spaces of Hyde Park.

Clapham

East Putney

Southfields & Earlsfield

2 bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen, Lift, EPC: C.

JSA: John Taylor 020 3284 1888 l london@john-taylor.com West Putney

19/06/2014 09:44

Draycott Place SW3 £1,595,000 Leasehold Chelsea Sales 020 7225 1225 | chelseasales@dng.co.uk

Fabian Road SW6 £1,550,000 Freehold Fulham Sales 020 7731 4391 | fulhamsales@dng.co.uk North

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Chelsea

Fulham

An 800 sq.ft. ground and lower ground floor flat situated in an attractive red brick building. The flat benefits from a rear patio garden and would make an excellent home or pied-a-terre.

2 bedrooms, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen, Patio garden, EPC: C.

A fantastic four bedroom family house, offering 1,740 sq ft of stunningly presented living and entertaining space on a popular road in the heart of Fulham. The property has been finished to an extremely high standard throughout.

4 double bedrooms, 3 bathrooms (2 en-suite), Double reception room, Kitchen/dining room, Family room, Roof terrace, West-facing garden, EPC: D.

Hammersmith & Shepherd’s Bush

Kensington

Kensington Gate

South Kensington

Notting Hill

Pimlico & Westminster

19/06/2014 09:44

douglasandgordon.com

Lennox Gardens SW1X ÂŁ1,450 per week Fees apply Unfurnished Chelsea Lettings 020 7581 6666 | chelsealets@dng.co.uk

Gowan Avenue SW6 ÂŁ1,000 per week Fees apply Unfurnished Fulham Lettings 020 7731 4791 | fulhamlets@dng.co.uk South

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Balham

Battersea

Battersea Park

A spacious flat on the raised ground floor situated opposite and overlooking the communal gardens in this lovely Knightsbridge location. The flat provides excellent space for entertaining.

3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en-suite), Reception room, Dining hall, Kitchen, Access to communal gardens, EPC: D.

A family house which has been beautifully refurbished, ideally located for local schools and Bishops Park. The property is neutrally decorated throughout and the eat-in kitchen opens on to a paved garden.

4 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en-suite), Double reception room, Kitchen/breakfast room, Juliette balcony, Paved garden, EPC: E.

Clapham

East Putney

Southfields & Earlsfield

West Putney

19/06/2014 09:44

douglasandgordon.com

Brookville Road SW6 £950 per week Fees apply Unfurnished Fulham Lettings 020 7731 4791 | fulhamlets@dng.co.uk

St. George's Square SW1V £520 per week Fees apply Furnished Pimlico & Westminster Lettings 020 7931 8300 | pimlicolets@dng.co.uk South North

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Balham Chelsea

Battersea Fulham

This four bedroom house is presented to a very high standard throughout and has been fully extended. The ground floor offers a large double reception room and a larger than average kitchen which opens up on to the garden.

4 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms (1 en-suite), Double reception room, Kitchen, Cloakroom, Cellar, Garden, EPC: D.

A stunning one bedroom furnished flat on the second floor of this stucco fronted building. The open-plan reception room offers a working gas fire, a large dining area and beautiful furnishings.

Double bedroom, Bathroom, Reception room, Kitchen, EPC: D.

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

Notting Hill

Pimlico & Westminster

19/06/2014 09:44

Don’t sell your property short.

Get an investor’s view.

When we value property, we don’t just rely on educated guesses. We use data and insights from leading London residential property investors at D&G Asset Management. douglasandgordon.com Residential Sales & Lettings

Property Management

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Corporate & Relocation Services

Professional Valuations

Asset Management

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