The best of Chelsea by the people who know - Cadogan

Chelsea 

insider 

The best of 

Chelsea by the 

people who know 

2012

2 | FOREWORD | 

Foreword 

by Viscount Chelsea, 

Chairman, Cadogan 

Three hundred years ago this year, 

the eminent physician and collector 

Sir Hans Sloane bought the Manor of 

Chelsea – a collection of 11 houses, 

a handful of tenements and 166 

acres of what was then countryside 

and farmland. 

Today, Chelsea is a thriving and 

densely populated residential district, 

an upmarket shopping and dining 

destination and one of London’s 

iconic urban villages, buzzing with 

history and culture. It is noted for its 

style, its friendliness and – yes, on 

occasion – its artistic eccentricity. 

For Cadogan, 2012 is a year of 

celebration: it is the 300th 

anniversary of the birth of modern 

Chelsea, the year of the Olympics 

and – importantly – the Diamond 

Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. 

This intimate guide to Chelsea – 

rather more comprehensive than the 

few pages devoted to the district in 

most London guides – is part of that 

celebration; an affectionate tribute to 

the people famous and forgotten 

who have made Chelsea what it is 

today. 

We hope you enjoy browsing through 

the guide and strolling around 

Chelsea’s streets and squares. 

There is much to see and 

experience. 

And here’s to the next 300 years. 

Publisher: Erik Brown 

Editor: Lucy Brown 

Researcher: Alex Mackenzie 

Design: Adrian Day and Andy Lowe 

Sponsored by Cadogan. 

Published in 2012 by 

Publishing Business Ltd. 

© Cadogan 2012 

www.pubbiz.com

22 | WHAT TO DO | Music 

Chelsea insider 

Introduction 4 

History 

Chelsea 5 

Sir Hans Sloane 9 

The Cadogans 10 

Streets and sights 

Street by street guide 12 

Walks 

Tours on foot 25 

Things to do 

Art galleries 31 

Museums 34 

Film and theatre 35 

Music 37 

Green spaces 39 

Sport 40 

Spas 42 

Events 43 

Hotels and 

apartments 

Places to stay 48 

Food and drink 

Restaurants 52 

Cafés 60 

Food stores 61 

Pubs, bars and 

nightlife 62 

Shopping 

Spotlight on shops 68 

Sloane directory 73 

Useful 

information 

Need to know 82 

Map 84

4 | INTRODUCTION | 

Introduction 

Whether you’re a visitor to London or a 

lifelong resident in the capital, Chelsea 

has something to offer. With grand 

buildings, a fascinating history and some 

of the best shops, sights and restaurants, 

there’s always something to discover. 

In this guide, we look at Chelsea’s 

evolution, from early settlements to the 

bustling centre of culture and retail we 

see today. We meet some of its most 

significant figures and explain how the 

focus shifted away from the River Thames 

and towards the Kings Road. We tell its 

story, from Henry VIII and Sir Thomas 

More to the Swinging Sixties to life in 

Chelsea today. And we get top tips and 

favourite places from locals who know the 

area inside-out – our Insiders. 

Chelsea is still evolving today. And so, 

while we never intended to make this 

guide comprehensive – indeed, it’s 

impossible to do so when writing about 

busy, living, thriving place because it 

doesn’t stand still – we hope that it will 

give you an insight into how you could 

spend your time and enjoy the best of 

what Chelsea has to offer. 

Explore the past and present with our 

walking guide, sample a restaurant, listen 

to some live music or find a hidden gem 

that only people who really know the area 

would be able to tell you about. 

That’s what this guide is about. We hope 

you find it useful and that it helps you 

discover the secrets and successes of 

this wonderful place for yourself.

5 | HISTORY | A short history of Chelsea 

A short history of Chelsea 

History 

Sloane Square 

A powerful past 

From humble origins as a tiny Thamesside 

fishing village, Chelsea grew to be 

a religious centre, an artistic hotspot, 

and a favourite of the wealthy. We 

reveal the area’s fascinating history, 

from the Romans to Roman Abramovich 

Chelsea has had a rich and interesting 

history, and this is a brief overview of 

how it developed into today’s wealthy, 

bustling area. For more information on 

specific streets, places and people, see 

Streets and Sights 

Early history 

There is some limited archaeological 

evidence of prehistoric activity in 

Chelsea. Flint and pottery fragments 

have been unearthed near Chelsea 

Common and Chelsea Old Church. 

A Neolithic flint sickle, an oak club or 

‘beater’ dated to 3540-3360 BC, and 

part of a human skull were all found on 

the Thames foreshore. 

‘Chelsea Man’, as the prehistoric 

owner of the skull fragment is now 

known, died between 1750-1610 BC 

and had been subjected to trepanation, 

a surgical procedure in which a hole is 

drilled or scraped through the patient’s 

skull in order to relieve afflictions such 

as migraine, or in an attempt to treat 

mental illness. The procedure was not 

uncommon and would have been 

performed on a conscious patient, 

without anaesthetic, with a piece of 

flint for a surgical tool. A form of the 

procedure is still practised today to treat 

patients suffering a build-up of blood 

around their brains. 

‘Chelsea Man’ survived this ordeal, as 

we can tell by the bone regrowth around 

the edges of the hole in the skull, only to 

die six months later. 

Roman times 

Little is known about Chelsea in the 

Roman period, although pits, ditches, 

and a timber structure found under the 

Chelsea Old Church churchyard indicate 

Royal Borough of Kensingon & Chelsea, Family & Children’s Service 

that there may have been a small rural 

settlement there. 

A few metres away, at 6-16 Old 

Church Street, a pit and a shallow ditch 

containing third century AD Roman 

pottery suggests that the area was 

occupied in some way at the time. It is 

also possible that Julius Caesar used the 

low waters in the Chelsea section of the 

Thames at the time cross it 

during his invasion of Britain in 54 BC. 

Anglo-Saxon times 

A fishing village emerged around the site 

of Chelsea Old Church during the Anglo- 

Saxon period, and two large mid-Saxon 

fish traps, originally thought to have been 

wharves, have been uncovered on the 

Thames foreshore, giving an insight into 

The Old Chelsea Bun House 

by Walter Greaves



the lives of the residents in that period. 

The first mention of Chelsea – ‘cealchythe’ 

– appears in the Anglo-Saxon 

Chronicle’s AD 785 record as the place 

where a ‘litigious synod was holden’. The 

Old English word ‘cealc’ can mean 

chalk, stone or lime, and ‘hythe’ translates 

as ‘landing place’. It is possible that 

Chelsea was a stopping point for boats 

shipping building materials or lime for 

fertiliser. 

Whatever its original purpose, Chelsea 

became a place of religious and political 

significance. Between AD 785 and 

AD 816, at least ten religious synods 

were held in the area. It is thought that 

the Mercian kings, who largely ruled what 

is now the Midlands, kept a residence 

at Chelsea to in order to deal with the 

Church and London. The etymology of 

the nearby hamlet of Kensal – derived 

from cyning holt meaning ‘king’s wood’ 

– also suggests there was a strong 

royal link. 

The political importance of Chelsea 

was still in evidence at the end of the 

The synod of AD785 as played 

out at the Chelsea Pageant 

in 1908 

ninth century. Viking attacks had plagued 

London and the surrounding area from 

AD 830 onwards. According to the 

Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, there was “great 

slaughter” in London in AD 839 – 850 

Viking ships entered the mouth of the 

Thames in AD 851 and stormed London 

and Canterbury, and in AD 871 a “large 

heathen army”, which had been in 

England since AD 866, captured London 

and wintered there. 

By AD 898, King Alfred the Great had 

suppressed the threat from Denmark with 

a series of victories, concluding the 

‘Danish War’. He then met with religious 

and political leaders at Chelsea to discuss 

the refounding of London. 

Norman conquest 

In AD 1086, 20 years after the Norman 

conquest which brought Anglo-Saxon 

dominance in England to an end, the 

Domesday Book recorded that the 

Manor of Chelsea – covering 780 acres of 

meadow, pastureland and woodland, and 

with 60 pigs – was valued at nine pounds. 

In the centuries after the Norman 

conquest, Chelsea remained largely 

unchanged. The Anglo-Saxon settlement 

by the river continued to be the focus of 

the area, and was surrounded by fields of 

arable land. The Thames retained its 

importance to the village. Travelling by 

river was faster and safer than by land, 

and Chelsea’s position on its banks, two 

and a half miles upriver from Westminster, 

meant that a boat owner could travel 

there quickly. This convenience became a 

draw for the rich and powerful, and from 

the 13th century onwards, court officials, 

nobles and kings are said to have used 

the area. 

The Black Death 

Even though the Manor of Chelsea 

was quite secluded during this period, 

its proximity to London meant that it was 

vulnerable to the plague. In the mid-14th 

Henry VIII and 

Sir Thomas More 

By the time Pepys was setting off on his 

unfortunate journey, Chelsea had already 

undergone major transformation. 

In the 16th century, great mansions began 

to appear and a significant royal endorsement 

boosted the appeal of the village and its 

surrounding area. 

Henry VIII apparently wanted to have a nursery 

for his children at Chelsea and was said to have 

wanted to live there following visits to the house 

of his friend and advisor, Thomas More. When 

More was executed in 1535, the king received 

More’s house. He neglected it – his only recorded 

visit was in 1538, when he stayed for two days. 

Henry had built his own manor house on the 

site of today’s Cheyne Walk in 1536, where 

Princess Elizabeth, Lady Jane Grey and Anne of 

Cleves lived at various times. Sir Hans Sloane 

bought the Manor of Chelsea in 1712 (see Sir 

Hans Sloane). 

The royal connection meant that Crown properties 

in Chelsea could be used as residences for 

members of the royal family and other notables. 

Henry granted a French Ambassador residence 

at the house of the late Sir Thomas More for the 

summer of 1538 so that he could take refuge 

from the plague, and Thomas Cromwell, the 

king’s closest minister, was in Chelsea at the 

same time. 

While the wealthy continued to be drawn 

to Chelsea, more humble settlers came too. 

By the mid-17th century, housing demand was 

predominantly for smaller dwellings, rather than 

impressive mansions. 

The statue of Sir Thomas More 

outside Chelsea Old Church 

century, the Black Death ravaged London, 

and the manor of Chelsea along with it. 

Richard de Heyle, who inhabited the 

manor house at this time, saw his three 

children taken by the plague and, destitute, 

was forced to lease his property to 

Westminster Abbey for the duration of 

his life. 

Later, in 1630, the plague was still 

a threat to the area, as can be seen in 

a draft proclamation warning residents 

not to entertain strangers and risk the 

spread of the pestilence. On April 9, 

1666, Samuel Pepys, “thinking to have 

been merry at Chelsey,” found himself 

and his companions confronted with a 

house that was shut due to the plague, 

and turned back to Kensington “with 

great affright”. 

Growth and change 

Another flashpoint in the development 

of Chelsea came in the late 1600s. 

Charles II authorised the construction of 

the Royal Hospital on December 22, 

1681. It was designed by Sir Christopher 

Wren and admitted its first ‘in-pensioners’ 

in 1692. 

The Royal Hospital brought with it a 

sudden increase in interest in the area, 

and construction rapidly increased. The 

population rose along with the new 

buildings – baptisms in the parish more 

than doubled between the 1680s and 

the 1730s. This boom came alongside 

change in the social make-up of the area. 

By the early 18th century, the aristocratic 

presence in Chelsea was declining. 

While Chelsea could be called a ‘town of 

palaces’ in 1724, many of these great 

seats and houses were being let as 

boarding schools, and MPs and government 

officials rather than aristocrats were 

occupying the new developments 

around the Royal Hospital. 

Chelsea Embankment 

The construction of the Chelsea


A place of pleasure 

In the 18th century, Chelsea reached its 

heyday as a riverside pleasure resort. 

There were many inns and coffee 

houses, the most popular of which were 

dotted along the riverbank. A painting by 

Walter Greaves of the Cross Keys pub 

shows its proximity to the river. Don 

Saltero’s Museum and Coffee House, 

famous for its ‘good conversation’, 

would have looked much the same. 

In 1742, Ranelagh Gardens opened to 

the public to much fanfare. The politician 

and author Horace Walpole commented 

on the gardens' centrepiece, a rotunda 

amphitheatre with a circumference of 

555 feet and a diameter of 150 feet: 

'Everybody that loves eating, drinking, 

staring or crowding, is admitted for 

twelvepence.’ Concerts were played 

there – the child prodigy, Mozart, 

performed there in 1764 – and there 

were fireworks, dancing and balloon 

ascents. Visitors could wander the 

gardens while the garden-orchestra 

provided a soundtrack. 

By the 1770s, Ranelagh was losing its 

allure, and despite attempts to revive it, 

the gardens were eventually closed to 

the public in 1826. Although many inns 

and coffee houses remained, and the 

The ‘Chinese House’ and the 

Rotunda in Ranelagh Gardens, 

by Thomas Bowles, 1754 


A tournment at Cremorne Gardens 

famous Bun House was said to have 

sold 250,000 buns on Good Friday 

1829, by 1833 a journalist could write 

that Chelsea ‘though now proverbial for 

its dullness, was formerly a place of 

great gaiety’. 

The opening of Cremorne Gardens to 

the public in 1846 signalled a revival for 

the resort, and the crowds began to 

return to see pony-riding monkeys or to 

parachute from hot air balloons. But 

Cremorne gained a reputation as a place 

where reputable women would not travel 

alone and men went looking for fistfights, 

and it never reached the heights of 

fashion that Ranelagh had. 

Embankment in 1874 signalled the 

end for the riverside resort. It was an 

important protection against flooding and 

improved sanitation, but the embankment 

also contributed to the steady 

northward shift of the village, away from 

the Old Church Street area where it had 

begun as an Anglo-Saxon fishing village. 

A new parish church, St. Luke’s, had 

already been built on Sydney Street 

in 1824 and King’s Road, which had 

officially become a public road in 1830 

– it had previously been ‘the King’s 

Private Road’ – became the new heart 

of Chelsea. The construction of the 

embankment effectively closed the most 

famous of Chelsea’s riverside inns and 

coffee houses, and ruined the vistas 

beloved of artists such as Turner and the 

Greaves brothers. 

At the heart of art 

In the second half of the 19th century, 

Chelsea gained a reputation as an 

artistic and bohemian haven. While in 

previous years artists had been drawn 

to Chelsea for its picturesque houses 

and riverside views, its proximity to the 

West End and the affordability of spaces 

for artists' studios attracted their descendants, 

particularly after the construction 

of the Chelsea Embankment. 

Pre-Raphaelite artists, such as Dante 

Gabriel Rossetti, with his extensive 

menagerie of exotic animals, helped 

establish Chelsea’s bohemian culture. 

Artistic Chelsea was a theme that 

continued to run into the 20th century. 

Mass-produced artists’ studios, which 

started to appear in the area towards the 

end of the 19th century and continued 

being built at the start of the 20th century, 

allowed a more diverse range of artists 

on a wider range of incomes to take up 

residence in the area. 

By 1921 a census showed that 

Chelsea had the highest concentration 

of male artists in London. 

Working class at the World’s 

End 

Many Chelsea residents during the first 

half of the 20th century, however, were 

neither artists nor wealthy pleasure-seekers, 

but the lower and working classes, 

who lived in poverty in decaying properties. 

Many of these residents lived in the 

World’s End area, and it was not until 

after the Second World War – and the 

Blitz – that the housing situation there 

began to improve. 

Cheyne Walk, by T H Shepherd, 1850 

The Blitz 

Because of its central location, Chelsea 

did not escape Luftwaffe bombardments 

during the war. The worst attack happened 

in 1944, when a wing of the 

Guinness Estate in west Chelsea was 

destroyed, leaving 86 dead and 111 

injured. 

Sloane Square Underground station 

was destroyed in November 1940, and 

five months later Chelsea Old Church 

was also razed to the ground. 

But on the whole, Chelsea was left 

relatively unscathed by German bombs 

and was described as ‘neither blitzed nor 

blighted’.


Quant and the Swinging Sixties 

Chelsea’s bohemian heritage returned in 

full force after the Second World War 

when King’s Road became the epicentre 

of the pop-culture revolution. 

Fashion icon Mary Quant had opened 

Bazaar, London’s first boutique, at 

138a King’s Road in November 1955. 

The operation had to be run on a shoestring 

at first, with Quant making all of 

her clothes in her studio apartment using 

fabric bought at retail price from Harrods. 

She railed against the “unattractive, 

alarming and terrifying, stilted, confined 

and ugly” appearance of adults and 

developed instead the mini-skirt and 

hot-pants. 

Along the road, at Sloane Square, 

the Royal Court Theatre opened John 

Osborne’s Look Back in Anger in 1956, 

changing the face of theatre and launching 

the idea of the ‘angry young man’ – 

used by the media to describe young 

British writers, often from working or 

middle-class backgrounds, who were 

disillusioned with society. It was a huge 

contrast to the more traditional, genteel 

plays that had come before it. 

Another hot topic in the media was 

the group that became known as the 

‘Chelsea set’ – a crowd of young 

socialites headed by Quant and her 

husband Alexander Plunket Greene, 

including wealthy pleasure-seekers and 

the talented working class alike. During 

the day they met at Bazaar, Kiki Byrne’s 

or one of the of coffee houses, and 

during the evening they convened at the 

Markham Arms or the Pheasantry before 

moving on to the house party of choice. 

The young and the beautiful flocked to 

parade themselves on King’s Road 

throughout the 1960s as the day-to-day 

shops disappeared and boutiques, 

restaurants and cafes moved in to 

replace them. 

With the now slightly older generation 

of ‘rebels with causes’, the Quants and 


Osbornes, forming the heart of the new 

‘in’ scene, girls wearing mini-skirts and 

bell-bottom trousers mixed with tourists 

and the media as they all descended on 

Chelsea. The aim was to be seen, and 

King’s Road became a world-famous 

catwalk. 

Hedonism was the order of the day. In 

1966, an article in Time magazine likened 

London to the cheerful, violent, lusty town 

of William Shakespeare. 

When the Chelsea Drugstore – an 

American-style complex with space to 

drink, eat, dance and shop – opened in 

The Chelsea Drugstore 

1968, it soon became one of the King’s 

Road’s top venues. It appeared in Kubrik’s 

A Clockwork Orange as the ‘Musik 

Bootick’, and was referenced in the 

Rolling Stones song You Can’t Always 

Get What You Want. Pressure from local 

residents forced the Drugstore to shut 

down in 1971. 

The 1970s and punks 

In the early 1970s, King’s Road was a 

jumble of boutiques, restaurants, cafés, 

delicatessens, antique shops and junk 

shops, where the young and eager would 

Granny Takes a Trip 

still migrate to shock and be shocked. 

It was in this setting, in 1971, that 

Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm 

McLaren opened the first incarnation 

of their infamous boutique, Let It Rock, 

and brought about the start of a new 

counter-culture: the punk movement. 

Let It Rock reopened in 1974 with a 

new name and a new sign – the word 

‘SEX’ emblazoned above the shop front 

in PVC. As an extension of this second 

incarnation of the boutique, McLaren 

took on the management of a new band 

– the Sex Pistols. They started playing 

gigs in the autumn of 1975 and took a 

stand against love and peace, drugs, 

flared jeans, long hair and beards, along 

with anything else to do with the 1960s 

ideology. Instead, they wore ripped 

T-shirts, ripped jeans, safety pins, black 

leather, rubber and piercings – a look 

which was recreated, packaged and sold 

by Westwood and McLaren’s boutique, 

which would become the face of the 

movement. 

SEX became Seditionaries, and 

moved its focus further towards 

bondage, and the punk movement 

continued to thrive along King’s Road. 

The Sex Pistols, of course, weren’t the 

only punk band associated with the area 

and groups like Siouxsie and the 

The Royal 

Borough of 

Kensington and 


The boroughs of Chelsea and 

Kensington were amalgamated in 

1965 – despite the best efforts of 

Chelsea residents – when local 

government boundaries were 

redrawn and 32 new London 

boroughs were created. 

Banshees and Generation X carried on 

what the Sex Pistols had started. 

The punks’ brash lifestyles often 

landed them in trouble. Weekends would 

see violence erupt involving punks, Teds 

(Teddy Boys, who wore bootlace ties 

and styled their hair into quiffs) and 

football hooligans, and in July 1977 

members of four separate punk bands 

were involved in separate incidents over 

the course of a few days. 

Sloane Rangers 

Because of their loudness, it’s easy to 

think that Chelsea was completely 

overrun by punks in the 1970s and early 

1980s, but they were very much in the 

minority. The eastern fringes of Chelsea 

had long been a seat of more conservative 

wealth. 

The fact that, by the 1980s, the term 

‘Sloane Ranger’ had been coined to 

refer to young upper-class men andwomen 

shows just how embedded the 

wealthy were in Chelsea by that time. 

Property and gentrification 

Behind these periods of youth counterculture 

revolution, more conventional 

forces were driving Chelsea. 

After the Second World War, a resurgence 

in the property market meant that

9 | HISTORY | Sir Hans Sloane 

many Chelsea tenants were left facing 

either hikes in their rent or eviction. 

This trend continued with other 

factors exacerbating the situation: 

the high proportion of space-hungry 

institutions in Chelsea such as the 

Royal Hospital meant less room for 

housing, and redevelopment led by the 

council started targeting tenants from 

higher income groups. 

Sections of society that had long 

called Chelsea home, such as the 

artists, were gradually forced out of the 

area. The cultural revolutions of the 

1960s and 1970s sped up this process 

through the fashionable appeal that 

came with them, and by the mid-1980s 

the gentrification of Chelsea was in full 

swing. 

Today, Chelsea still bears the marks 

of its rich cultural heritage: fashion, art, 

theatre, music and history combine 

together to create the diverse area we 

see now. 

Chelsea’s 

founding 

families 

Two names you see everywhere in 

Chelsea, from street signs to pubs, are 

Sloane and Cadogan – the families who 

helped make the area what it is. And it 

all started with a medical genius who 

invented hot chocolate... 

Sir Hans Sloane 

Sir Hans Sloane is one of the most 

important figures in Chelsea’s past and 

he is remembered in place names 

throughout the area, from Sloane Square 

to Hans Town to the Botanist pub. He 

was a physician and philanthropist who 

invented drinking chocolate and gifted the 

nation such a vast collection of natural 

specimens, books, coins, manuscripts 

and artefacts that the British Museum 

was formed to house them. 

Chelsea Physic Garden 

features a statue of 

Sir Hans Sloane 


Born in Ireland in 1660, Sloane studied 

botany at the Chelsea Physic Garden 

and chemistry at the Apothecaries’ Hall. 

He travelled around Europe to learn 

more about medicine and botany, and 

passed his Doctorate of Physic in 1683. 

He was friends with botanist John Ray 

and chemist Robert Boyle (known for 

Boyle’s Law). 

Sloane quickly became a rising star 

in the medical field, becoming a Fellow 

of the Royal Society in 1685 at the age 

of 25 and a Fellow of the Royal College 

of Physicians in 1687. He set off on a 

voyage to Jamaica as the 2nd Duke 

of Albemarle’s physician and wrote 

extensive notes about the flora and 

fauna, local customs and other points 

he found interesting. He also started 

collecting samples of plants and animals 

with a passion. 

Sloane invented a recipe for drinking 

chocolate, mixing it with milk rather than 

water, after encountering cocoa in 

Jamaica. It was originally sold by apothecaries 

as a beverage with health-giving 

properties and by the 19th century, the 

Cadbury Brothers were selling tins of 

drinking chocolate. 

Sloane returned to England in 

1689 and set up a medical practice in 

Bloomsbury a few years later, which was 

hugely successful. He married Elizabeth 

Rose, a widow, in 1695, and they had 

two daughters – Sarah and Elizabeth. 

He was appointed the physician to 

three different monarchs during his life: 

Queen Anne in 1696, George I in 1716 

and George II in 1727. He was knighted 

in 1716. Sloane became president of 

the College of Physicians in 1719 and 

succeeded Sir Isaac Newton as president 

of the Royal Society in 1727. He 

was a socially-minded man and used 

some of the fortune he made providing 

medical care to the rich to give free 

services to the poor. 

Collecting was an obsession Sloane 

pursued throughout his life, and he 

bought the Manor of Chelsea from 

Charles Cheyne to house and exhibit his 

growing collections in 1712. It also gave 

him the freehold of the Chelsea Physic 

Garden, which he supported by leasing it 

to the Society of Apothecaries in 1722 

for £5 a year in perpetuity on the condition 

that ‘it be forever kept up and 

maintained as a physic garden’ and 

that 50 plant specimens a year were 

delivered to the Royal Society until 2,000 

pressed and mounted species had been 

received. By 1795, the total had reached 

3,700. The peppercorn rent is still paid 

to Sloane’s heirs at the Cadogan Estate 

by the charity that runs the Chelsea

10 | HISTORY | The Cadogans 

The 8th Earl Cadogan 

Physic Garden today. 

When Sloane retired from his 

medical practice in 1742, he lived 

in the Chelsea house that had 

been built for Henry VIII until his 

death in 1753 at the age of 92. He 

was buried at Chelsea Old Church. 

In his will, Sloane offered his vast 

collection – more than 71,000 natural 

history specimens, books, coins and 

medals – to the nation for a fraction of its 

estimated value. He wanted the collection 

to stay together in London and be 

used and enjoyed for learning, so he 

would probably be delighted that it was 

acquired by Parliament and used to 

found the British Museum and later the 

Natural History Museum. 

When he died, Sloane’s property was 

divided between his two daughters as 

his wife, Elizabeth, had died 29 years 

previously, in 1724. 

The Cadogans 

The name Cadogan comes from the 

Gaelic word ‘Cadwgan’, which means 

‘battle-keenness’, and the family can 

trace its history back to Wales. 

The spelling was anglicised in the 

15th century. 

The foundations for the Cadogan 

Estate in Chelsea were laid when Charles 

Cadogan married Elizabeth Sloane, the 

younger daughter of Sir Hans Sloane, in 

1717. Charles became the 2nd Baron 

Oakley when his older brother William 

died in 1726 and passed the title to him. 

When Sloane died in 1753, his Chelsea 

property was left to Elizabeth and her 

sister, Sarah Stanley. The Manor of 

Chelsea included 11 houses, 166 acres 

and a selection of tenements, which 

were split between the sisters. 

The 2nd Baron started negotiations 

with Henry Holland, son-in-law of 

Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown (whom the 

2nd Baron had contracted to landscape 

his estate at Caversham Park, near 

Reading) for a lease on 90 acres of land 

that would become Hans Town. The 

development was postponed because of 

the death of the 2nd Baron and the war 

with America, but the 

lease was granted by 

Charles Sloane Cadogan, 

the son of the 2nd Baron, 

in 1777 (see Hans Town in Sights and 

Streets). 

Charles Sloane was made Viscount 

Chelsea and Earl Cadogan in 1800 

because he had been a supporter of 

Pitt’s government, despite being a Whig 

politician. His grandfather, William 

Cadogan, had also held the title but this 

was a new creation, so Charles became 

in effect the second 1st Earl Cadogan. 

He completed the agreement with Henry 

General William Cadogan, the 1st Earl Cadogan 

Holland and sold the Caversham estate. 

Holland created Sloane Street, Hans 

Place and Sloane Square, laying the 

foundations for today’s Chelsea. 

In 1821, the whole of the Manor of 

Chelsea came under the ownership of 

the Cadogan family because they were 

the closest surviving relatives to the heirs 

of Sarah Stanley, Sir Hans Sloane’s other 

daughter. 

The next stage of the Cadogan 

Estate’s development was led by the 5th 

Earl Cadogan, George Henry Cadogan 

(1840-1915). He went to school with the 

Prince of Wales and became lifelong 

friends with the future King Edward VII. 

The 5th Earl was Under Secretary of War 

under Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli, 

Under Secretary for the Colonies, Lord 

Privy Seal in Lord Salisbury’s cabinet and 

the Viceroy of Ireland. He was also a 

Chelsea councillor and its first Mayor. 

He commissioned William Young to 

build a new home for the family, and 

Chelsea House was completed in 1874, 

close to where the Jumeirah Carlton 

Tower stands today. 

As the leases on the buildings in Hans 

Town came to an end, the Cadogan and 

Hans Place Estate Co. pioneered the 

‘Pont Street Dutch’ style when it redeveloped 

the area. Most of the estate was 

redeveloped between 1877 and 1900. 

Holy Trinity Church was built with financial 

assistance from the 5th Earl. 

The 7th Earl was a military man, in the 

tradition of the family, and the last Mayor 

of Chelsea before it was incorporated 

with the Royal Borough of Kensington. 

He died in 1997, aged 83, when the title 

passed to Charles Gerald John 

Cadogan, the current Earl Cadogan. 

Today the Earl Cadogan is Life 

President of Cadogan Group Limited, the 

holding company for the UK property 

investment business of his family, which 

is owned by both charitable and family 

trusts. 

The Cadogan family and Cadogan as 

a company are active in keeping Chelsea 

moving forward as well as preserving its 

past, from building the shopping success 

story Duke of York Square to providing 

funding for a new organ at Holy Trinity 

Church.

11 | INSIDER | Memories of the King’s Road 

The Insider’s Guide 

to memories of the 

King’s Road 

1950s 

My first memory of Chelsea was spending 

time in the family business, then a 

rather Victorian drapery store selling 

everything from household linens, 

furnishing fabrics and haberdashery to 

hats, gloves and gowns. 

The staff, mostly women who were 

dressed in black with white collars and 

cuffs, were like family, and quite a few 

really were relatives. 

In 1953, aged six, I remember hanging 

out of the window of 52 King's Road 

watching the Queen and Prince Philip 

riding by our shop (then called Sidney 

Smith) opposite the Duke of York’s HQ in 

an open-top car, with all the staff of local 

shops – among others – waving and 

cheering. 

1960s-1970s 

I hung out, occasionally dropped out and 

worked in various jobs including the 

shop at the weekends. The King’s Road 

was the catwalk for the fashion subcultures 

of youth – denim and leather, 

beads and embroidery, prints and PVC, 

all tailored to the mood of the moment. 

By Hazel Smith, member of a 

century-old King's Road family 

business, currently trading as 

the King’s Road Sporting Club. 

Chair of the King’s Road Trade 

Association, ex-flower child, 

ex-policewoman, ex-professional 

scuba diver, ex-maker of suede 

and leather made-to-measure 

clothes and belts, international 

business consultant and writer 

There were mods and rockers, flower 

children and hippies, skinheads and 

punks. 

At one point, the pavement outside the 

Duke of York’s HQ was strewn with 

youths with jagged paintwork on their 

faces, hair stuck up in coloured spikes, 

tattooed knuckles and wearing ripped 

clothes with silver studs – punks. 

One of them, Dave, whose frizzed-up 

‘afro’ hair was black on one side and red 

on the other, soon began to organise 

them. If a tourist looked as if they were 

trying to take a photo, he would go up to 

them and suggest a pose (for which he 

got paid). If any of his mates turned up 

with a less-than-perfect look – a floppy 

mohican, for instance – he would send 

them packing. 

On September 20, 1973, an IRA bomb 

went off at about 1am in the ground floor 

garage of the Duke of York barracks 

across the road from my flat. I was 

reading in bed and was ‘sucked’ out 

onto the floor. I looked out of the window, 

saw what I thought were flames of my 

burning building being reflected in the 

windows opposite, and evacuated my 

flatmates. We arrived in the street to 

find that it was the now-windowless 

barracks burning, and there were some 

injured people who needed help. 

About eight bombs went off in hearing 

distance of my flat. The first caused 

great concern. By the eighth, we looked 

at one another and shrugged our shoulders 

– if we had time to do that, then it 

hadn’t hit us! 

1974-1984 

During this period I worked as a Special 

Constable in Chelsea. On one occasion, 

I was involved in the arrest of about 

90 skinheads, who had been fighting 

outside the Chelsea Potter pub. 

It was bedlam in Chelsea Police 

Station as we processed all those 

arrested, and there were a few children 

in the melee. I heard one eight-year-old 

tell another: “If you don’t leave me alone, 

I’ll tear your safety pin out.” The pin in 

question was through the nose. 

A few weeks later, one of the guys I 

had processed came into the shop and 

tried to chat me up. He kept saying he 

knew me and I kept on telling him he 

didn’t. Finally, exasperated, I told him 

where we had met – he turned very pale 

and backed out of the shop. 

1970s-1990s 

This was the era of the King’s Road 

custom car cruise. Every Saturday, the 

road would be full of noise and smoke 

as the most fabulous customised cars, 

lovingly turned out in all their unique 

designs and splashes of shining colours, 

would vroom and sometimes rattle and 

jump up and down the road. A sight to 

behold and mostly missed – the traffic 

today would mean they would stand in 

one place a lot longer. 

1990-present 

I enjoy sitting in a café (formerly Blushes, 

now Caffé Concerto) people-watching. 

For most of the past two decades, it has 

been with my friend Branko Bokun, the 

author, who I assisted with writing his 

last three (of 30) books, notably his 

memoirs, The Nomadic Humorist. The 

people who stopped and talked to us 

came from all walks of life and from 

around the world. 

I grew up and live in a street strewn 

with familiar faces, from royals to music 

and movie stars, entrepreneurs, politicians 

and world leaders, much as it is 

today. It is sometimes hard to remember 

whether one knows the person or just 

recognises their face from the media. 

I have loved and love every bit of it, it’s 

my home and place of work. One thing is 

for sure – when I want to see someone 

or they want to meet me, I have no 

problem suggesting they come to me 

rather than I go to them. In the words of 

my lovely late mentor, Branko: “Why go 

anywhere when you have arrived?”

12 | STREETS & SIGHTS | 

Stellar streets 

Streets 

and sights 

There’s history around every corner in 

Chelsea, and you can still stroll past the 

houses where personalities including Karl 

Marx, Oscar Wilde and Mick Jagger lived, 

worked and – in Mick’s case – partied. 

Here we explore some of Chelsea’s notable 

streets and sights. For a general overview, 

see History, page 5 


Anderson Street 

• Karl Marx (1818-1883) lived with his 

wife and children at 4 Anderson Street in 

1849, but was evicted for not paying the 

rent and moved to the German Hotel in 

Leicester Square, and later Dean Street 

in Soho. 

Beaufort Street 

• Sir Thomas More, advisor to Henry VIII, 

bought more than 20 acres of land on 

the site of what is now Beaufort Street in 

the 1520s and built a house there. He 

was the first of several prominent figures 

to build large properties in the area, 

including Henry himself, who decided 

Chelsea would be a fitting place for his 

children to grow up (see Cheyne Walk). 

Left: Beaufort House. Below: Thomas More 

More became Henry's Lord Chancellor 

in 1529. He initially supported the king’s 

annulment of his marriage to his first wife, 

Catherine of Aragon, but when Henry 

moved to declare himself Supreme Head 

of the Church in England and dissolve 

the monasteries, he resigned. 

More’s downfall came when he 

refused to take an oath swearing 

allegiance to the Act of Succession in 

1534, which named Henry’s daughter 

Elizabeth (by Anne Boleyn) the legitimate 

heir to the throne and declared Mary, 

his daughter from his first marriage, 

illegitimate. It acknowledged the break 

from the Pope’s authority over the 

Church of England, which More refused 

to accept. 

More was arrested, charged with 

high treason and was executed in 1535. 

Five years later, More's Chelsea home 

was demolished and, in 1566, Beaufort 

Street was built on part of the site. (See 

Chelsea Old Church for more about Sir 

Thomas More). 

Bywater Street 

• John Le Carré’s fictional spy, George 

Smiley, lived at 9 Bywater Street, a little 

cul-de-sac off the King’s Road, with 

houses painted in lovely pastel colours. 

Cadogan Place 

• William Wilberforce (1759-1833), the 

politician, philanthropist and leader of 

the movement to abolish slavery, died at 

44 Cadogan Place. 

• Actress Dorothy Bland (1761-1816), 

also known as Mrs Jordan, lived at 30 

Cadogan Place. She never married, so 

‘Mrs Jordan’ was a name she took to 

seem more respectable on stage. She 

became the mistress of William, Duke


of Clarence, later King William IV, and 

had at least ten illegitimate children with 

him. 

Cadogan Square 

• Novelist Arnold Bennett (1867-1931), 

who wrote The Old Wives' Tale and 

Anna of the Five Towns, lived at 

75 Cadogan Square. 

Carlyle Square 

• Dame Sybil Thorndike (1882-1976), 

the famous actress and wife of actor and 

theatre director Sir Lewis Casson, lived 

at 6 Carlyle Square. George Bernard 

Shaw wrote the play Saint Joan with 

her in mind for the title role, which she 

performed at the 

London 

premiere in 1924. The 

production was a huge success. Her 

remains are buried in Westminster 

Abbey. 

Chelsea Barracks 

The 12.8-acre Chelsea Barracks site was 

a former British army barracks which had 

been closed to the public for more than 

150 years. The Qatari Diar Real Estate 

Investment Company, via its subsidiary 

Project Blue Ltd, won planning permission 

from Westminster City Council in 

June 2011 to redevelop the land. 

The masterplan went through a 21- 

month consultation process and will 

see the area turned into a residential 

neighbourhood in a landscaped setting, 

featuring houses, apartments, local 

convenience shops, restaurants, a multipurpose 

community and cultural centre, 

a public sports and fitness facility and a 

medical centre. 

The development will also feature five 

acres of new streets and gardens, and 

around a third of the residential units 

will qualify as affordable housing. The 

architects behind the successful plans 

are Dixon Jones, Squire and Partners 

and Kim Wilkie Associates. The 

planning permission was granted two 

years after Prince Charles intervened 

over a previous design, after which 

the planning application was 

withdrawn. 

Chelsea Park Gardens 

• Artist and Royal Academy 

president Sir Alfred Munnings 

(1878-1959), best known for 

his paintings of horses and his 

criticism of Modernism, lived at 

96 Chelsea Park Gardens. 

However, the plaque to mark 

this fact is on the side of the 

building, in Beaufort Street. 

Chelsea Reach and Chelsea 

Yacht and Boat Company 

The Chelsea Yacht and Boat Company, 

established in 1935, owns the residential 

houseboat moorings that stretch between 

Battersea Bridge and Lots Road, close 

to Cheyne Walk. Celebrities including 

Laurence Olivier and Nick Cave have 

owned houseboats there and the 

community is tight-knit and bohemian. 

The Chelsea Reach Residents’ 

Association – which represents 59 boat 

owners, with high-profile members 



Chelsea Embankment was built to improve the 

sewer and drainage system in the area, protect 

it from floods and provide a thoroughfare. It 

changed the look of the riverside and some 

streets were lost in the process, including some 

of the scenes painted by Turner and other artists. 

Joseph Bazalgette’s design for the embankment 

was completed in 1874 as part of the 

Metropolitan Board of Works’ plans to combat 

the days of ‘the Great Stink’, when the smell of 

raw sewage in the Thames became unbearable 

in the hot summer of 1858. 

Gardens were planted to soften the look of the 

new embankment (see Green Spaces). 

George Frederick Samuel Robinson (1827- 

1909), 1st Marquess of Ripon and Viceroy of 

India, lived at 9 Chelsea Embankment. He was 

born at 10 Downing Street, the son of Prime 

Minister Frederick John Robinson. Despite his 

father being a Tory, he was a Whig and a Liberal, 

serving in the cabinet and as Leader of the 

House of Lords. He pushed for more legal rights 

for native Indians while he was Viceroy of India. 

Chelsea Reach houseboats 

including artist Damien Hirst and YO! 

Sushi founder Simon Woodroffe – are 

trying to buy the Chelsea Yacht and 

Boat Company after it was put up for 

sale in 2011. 

Cheyne Walk 

Named after one of Chelsea’s first landlords, 

Cheyne Walk has been home to a 

roll call of famous people. 

• Henry VIII’s manor house was on the 

site of today’s 19-26 Cheyne Walk. He 

built the Manor of Chelsea in 1536, and 

residents included Princess Elizabeth, 

Lady Jane Grey and Anne of Cleves at 

various times. 

• In 1655, Charles Cheyne married 

Jane Cavendish, a wealthy lady whose 

family owned land in London. With her 

dowry, he was able to buy Henry VIII’s 

former manor house, which the couple 

modernised and renamed Chelsea 

Place. When Charles died in 1698, their 

son William inherited the property and 

Sir Hans Sloane bought it in 1712. 

• Number 6 Cheyne Walk was home to 

Italian physician Dr Dominiceti in 1795, 

who built a series of baths and claimed 

that bathing in them would cure any 

illness. Dr Samuel Johnson was not 

impressed and said there was nothing at 

all in his ‘boasted system’. 

• Civil engineer Sir Marc Isambard 

Brunel (1769-1849) and his son 

Isambard Kingdom Brunel (1806- 

1859), who worked together on the 

first tunnel under the Thames, lived at 

number 98 from 1808 until 1825. 

• One of the greatest English landscape 

painters, Joseph Mallord William 

Turner (1775-1851), lived at 119 Cheyne 

Walk in his old age until his death. He 

was inspired by the view of the river from 

his Chelsea home and had a balcony 

built so he could see it better. Mallord 

Street is named after him. 

• The Pre-Raphaelite poet and artist 

Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828-1882)


lived at number 16 for 20 years from 

1862, and kept a menagerie of animals 

there, including armadillos, kangaroos 

and peacocks – much to his neighbours’ 

distress. 

He was particularly fond of wombats, 

which he described as ‘a joy, a triumph, 

a delight, a madness’. He even lamented 

the death of one in a pen drawing and a 

verse: ‘I never reared a young wombat, 

to glad me with his pin-hole eye, But 

when he was most sweet and fat, And 

tail-less he was sure to die’ – a parody 

of Irish poet Thomas Moore’s Lalla Rookh. 

Algernon Charles Swinburne and 

George Meredith also lived with him 

at the house at various times. 

• Victorian author George Eliot (1819- 

1880), who wrote novels including 

Middlemarch, Daniel Deronda, Silas 

Marner and The Mill on the Floss, moved 

into number 4 with her new husband in 

1880. She died there later that year of a 

kidney infection. She used a male pen 

name rather than her own name, Mary 

Anne Evans, because she thought it 

would help her work to be taken more 

seriously. 

• The American artist James Abbott 

McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) lived at 

Henry VIII’s Chelsea 

manor house 


several addresses in Chelsea including 96 

Cheyne Walk, where a plaque bears his 

name. He was known for his wit and was 

friends with Oscar Wilde. A sculpture of 

Whistler by Nicholas Dimbleby stands on 

Cheyne Walk near Battersea Bridge, at a 

point affectionately known as Whistler’s 

Reach. He signed his works with a butterfly 

image and painted scenes around the 

area, including Nocturne: Blue and Gold – 

Old Battersea Bridge, and Nocturne in 

Black and Gold – The Falling Rocket 

(see Art). 

• Number 10 housed one of the 20th 

century’s key politicians, David Lloyd 

George (1863-1945) – the only Welsh 

prime minister and the last Liberal to hold 

the office. He was PM between 1916 and 

1922, and was one of the ‘big three’ 

(along with France’s Georges Clemenceau 

and US President Woodrow Wilson) who 

finalised the Treaty of Versailles, signed in 

June 1919, that ended the state of war 

between Germany and the Allied Powers 

after the First World War. 

• Scottish sculptor John Tweed (1869- 

1933), known for statues including Lord 

Kitchener at Horse Guards Parade, the 

peers’ war memorial at the House of Lords 

and Joseph Chamberlain in Westminster 

Abbey, lived at 108 Cheyne Walk. 

• Poet, essayist and historian Hilaire 

Belloc (1870-1953) moved to 104 Cheyne 

Walk in 1900 and lived there for five years. 

He worked closely with the writer GK 

Chesterton, leading George Bernard Shaw 

to call their partnership ‘Chesterbelloc’ - 

a name that stuck. The house had 

previously been occupied by artist Walter 

Greaves (1846-1930), who lived there 

from 1855-1897 and painted the river 

extensively. 

• Mathematician, logician and philosopher 

Bertrand Russell (1872-1970), lived at 

several Chelsea addresses including 

14 Cheyne Walk. He wrote the landmark 

maths tome Principia Mathematica with 

Alfred Whitehead, who lived at 17 Carlyle 


Square, while living in Chelsea. 

• Women’s rights campaigner Sylvia 

Pankhurst (1882-1960) lived at number 

120. She was the daughter of Emmeline 

Pankhurst, founder of the Women’s 

Social and Political Union, and, like some 

of her fellow suffragettes, endured 

imprisonment and force-feeding for her 

cause – to try to win rights for women 

and be treated as equals to men. 

• Carlyle Mansions, on the corner of 

Lawrence Street and Cheyne Walk, was 

home to several wordsmiths, earning it 

the nickname ‘the Writers’ Block’. 

Residents in the flats through the years 

included Henry James, TS Eliot, 

Somerset Maugham and Ian Fleming, 

among others. 

• Sir Jacob Epstein, the sculptor who 

created the memorial to Oscar Wilde 

that stands in Paris’s Père Lachaise 

cemetery, lived at 72 Cheyne Walk. 

The site of his studio, which he used 

between 1909 and 1914, was bombed 

in 1941 and is now known as Roper’s 

Garden. 

• Other residents of Cheyne Walk have 

included composer Ralph Vaughan 

Williams, artists William Holman Hunt 

and Philip Wilson Steer, designer and 

architect Charles Robert Ashbee and 

Rolling Stones members Keith Richards 

and Mick Jagger. 

George 

Eliot’s 

house on 

Cheyne 

Walk, by 

W Burgess 

Cheyne Row 

• Artist William De Morgan (1839-1917) 

lived at 30 Cheyne Row and 127 Old 

Church Street. He worked with William 

Morris and is best known for his glazed 

pottery, but he also painted and 

designed stained glass, and wrote a 

novel that became a best-seller in 1906. 

• Margaret Damer Dawson (1875- 

1920), the founder of the Women’s 

Police Service, is remembered in a 

plaque at number 10 Cheyne Row. The 

organisation started out as the Women’s 

Police Volunteers when the First World 

War began in 1914, paving the way for 

women to enter the police service. 

Danvers Street 

• Sir Alexander Fleming (1881-1955), 

discoverer of penicillin, lived at 20a 

Danvers Street. 

Draycott Avenue 

• Pioneering plastic surgeon Sir 

Archibald McIndoe (1900-1960), who 

helped airmen who had been badly 

burned in the Second World War, lived at 

Flat 14 in Avenue Court. 

Draycott Place 

• John Rushworth Jellicoe (1859- 

1935), 1st Earl Jellicoe and Admiral of 

the Fleet, lived at 25 Draycott Place. 

He commanded the Grand Fleet at the 

Battle of Jutland in the First World War, 

and there is a bust of him in Trafalgar 

Square. 

Duke of York Square 

Duke of York Square has become such 

a part of Chelsea that it’s now difficult 

to imagine the King’s Road without it. 

It used to be the Duke of York’s army 

barracks, which had been inaccessible 

to the public for 200 years, and before 

that had been a school, the Duke of 

York’s Royal Military Asylum, set up in 

1802.


Cadogan bought the site from the 

Ministry of Defence in 1999 and began a 

£120 million development which included 

100,000 sq ft of shops, cafés, offices 

and flats. 

Architects Paul David & Partners 

worked with English Heritage to make 

sure the new buildings complemented 

the historic ones around them, and work 

began in April 2000. The area was landscaped 

by Elizabeth Banks Associates 

and was designed to create a haven 

from the bustle of the King’s Road, with 

pale stone, fountains and shrubs. It was 

the first new public square in central 

London for more than a century. 

The development was opened by HRH 

Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, on 

March 19, 2003. A sculpture of children 

playing commemorates the school that 

stood on the site, and a statue of Sir 

Hans Sloane links it to both Chelsea and 

Cadogan’s past. 

Today, Duke of York Square features 

the Saatchi Gallery and a variety of fashion, 

beauty and food shops, as well as 

restaurants and cafés. There are regular 

events, including the Saturday Farmers' 

Market, the annual BADA Antiques & 

Fine Art Fair and concerts. For more, 

visit www.dukeofyorksquare.com. 

Elm Park Gardens 

• Labour politician Sir Stafford Cripps 

(1889-1952) was born at 32 Elm Park 

Gardens. He served in several posts in 

the wartime coalition in the Second 

World War and was Chancellor of the 

Exchequer from 1947 to 1950. 

• Entertainer and writer Joyce Grenfell 

OBE (1910-1979) lived in Flat 8 at 34 

Elm Park Gardens between 1957 and 

1979. She is best known for her onewoman 

shows and monologues, including 

her role as a nursery teacher with the 

catchphrase: “George… don’t do that.” 

She had also lived in the King’s Road 

and St Leonard’s Terrace. 

Duke 

of York 

Square 

opening 

King’s Road 

The King’s Road started life as just that – 

the King’s private road. It was built by 

Charles II in the 17th century as a route 

from Whitehall to Hampton Court. 

Because not everyone could use the 

thoroughfare, Chelsea was based more 

around the riverside. 

However, locals were allowed to use 

the road, and when George I looked set 

to take away this right, Sir Hans Sloane 

and the local rector organised a petition 

and saved the custom. It remained 

closed to the general public – only those 

with a special token could pass – until 

1830, when it was opened to everyone, 

helping to invigorate the area. 

The King’s Road’s reputation as a 

fashion hub and key scene in the 

Swinging Sixties really began with the 

opening of Mary Quant’s shop Bazaar 

in 1955. She railed against traditional 

fashion and launched cutting-edge 

designs including mini-skirts and plastic 

raincoats. Iconic boutiques such as 

Granny Takes a Trip, Hung on You and 

the Chelsea Drugstore complex also 

sprung up in the King’s Road. 

The road was the epicentre of punk 

culture in the 1970s, as a new era swept 

away the idealism of the 1960s. 

Vivienne Westwood and Malcolm 

McLaren opened their shop, Let It Rock, 

at 430 King’s Road in 1971. It reopened 

as SEX in 1974 and changed its focus to 

S&M-inspired anti-fashion that challenged 

the establishment. 

McLaren had been helping a band 

called the Strand – soon to be known as 

the Sex Pistols – and spotted John 

Lydon, who auditioned at SEX and 

became the band’s lead singer, Johnny 

Rotten. McLaren managed the band and 

The Pheasantry on 

the King’s Road 

helped them gain notoriety. 

In the 1980s, the King’s Road became 

known for ‘Sloane Rangers’, after the 

publication of Ann Barr and Peter York’s 

Official Sloane Ranger Handbook in 

1982. ‘Sloanes’ was a term for the caricature 

of the young, upper or upper-middle 

class men and women often seen on 

the road. 

Today the King’s Road is known for its 

shopping, nightlife and history (for more 

on the history of the King’s Road, see 

History). 

• Thomas Arne (1710-1778), the composer 

of Rule, Britannia!, lived at 215 

King’s Road. He also wrote music for 

concerts at Ranelagh Gardens. His son, 

Michael, who was also a composer, had 

a passion for alchemy and built a laboratory 

in Chelsea, where eventually his 

obsession destroyed his finances. 

• Actress Ellen Terry (1847-1928), one 

of the great beauties of her time, also 

lived at 215 King’s Road. She was one 

of the era’s leading actresses and 

appeared at Chelsea’s Royal Court 

Theatre. 

Her first marriage was to the artist 

George Frederic Watts, who was much 

older, and she features in several of his 

paintings. Although they separated after 

less than a year, she wasn’t divorced 

from him until much later – making her 

relationship with architect Edward 

William Godwin, with whom she had 

children, something of a scandal. 

• John McKean Brydon's Chelsea Old 

Town Hall was finished in 1887. The 

front of the building, seen from the King’s 

Road, was added 30 years later by 

Leonard Stokes. The building hosts 

events and has beautiful rooms available 

for hire, including for civil marriage ceremonies 

and receptions. It also houses 

the Chelsea Library. 

• Thomas Crapper had a bathroom 

fittings showroom at 120 King’s Road. 

Contrary to myth, he didn’t invent the 

flush toilet, but he did help to popularise 

it and developed several important inventions, 

such as the floating ballcock. 

• The Six Bells pub on the King's Road 

was a favourite of artists including 

Whistler. It is now Henry J Bean’s (see 

Pubs, bars and nightlife). 

• The Glaciarium, the first mechanically 

frozen ice rink, opened just off the King’s 

Road in 1876 and moved to a permanent 

venue on the street the next year. 

• Australian-born pianist, composer and 

arranger Percy Grainger (1882-1961) 

lived at 31 King’s Road. He is best 

known for his piano arrangement of the 

folk tune Country Gardens, which he is


said to have detested. Much of his work 

was experimental. 

• The Pheasantry at 152 King’s Road is 

a Chelsea landmark with a long history 

as a hub for creative artists – including 

dancers, actors, writers and musicians. 

The building’s name comes from its 

earlier use as a site to breed pheasants. 

Ballet dancer Princess Seraphine 

Astafieva (1876-1934) lived and taught 

there from 1916-1934. She was a relative 

of Tolstoy and her pupils included 

Margot Fonteyn and Alicia Markova. 

The basement housed a club and 

restaurant from the 1930s up until the 

mid-1960s and it counted Dylan 

Thomas, Francis Bacon, Lucian 

Freud, Gregory Peck and Peter 

Ustinov among its members. 

Eric Clapton lived on the top floor in 

the late 1960s, and the Pheasantry also 

hosted early UK gigs by Lou Reed, 

Queen and Hawkwind. The building 

now houses a Pizza Express, which 

carries on the tradition by continuing to 

host live music. 

• The Markham Arms pub at 138 King’s 

Road was frequented by East End crime 

figures the Kray twins in the 1950s. The 

bow-fronted building is now a bank. 

• The Chelsea Drugstore – mentioned 

in the Rolling Stones’ You Can’t Always 

Get What You Want and featured in 

Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange 

as the Musik Bootick – opened in 1968. 

It was a trendy, American-style complex 

based on Le Drugstore in Paris, with 

spaces to eat, drink, dance and shop, 

and had a very modern glass and aluminium 

look. 

It was open 16 hours a day, seven 

days a week, and even offered a ‘flying 

squad’ delivery service, where girls on 

motorcycles would deliver purchases. It 

closed in 1971 after pressure from local 

residents, and although a pale imitation 

opened later, it failed to revive the glory 

days. The site is now a McDonald’s. 

• Christian the Lion was a real lion 

that lived in a basement flat on the 

King’s Road. He was bought as a cub 

from Harrods’ pet department by John 

Rendall and Ace Bourke in 1969, and 

visited restaurants and exercised in the 

grounds of the Moravian church on 

the King’s Road. But he was growing 

fast, and Rendall and Bourke worked 

with Born Free stars Bill Travers and 

Virginia McKenna and conservationist 

George Adamson to return Christian to 

the wild. He was released in Kenya in 

1971 and the footage of the emotional 

reunion with his former owners when 

they visited a year later has since 

become a YouTube hit. 

• Ian Fleming’s iconic fictional spy 

James Bond lived in a unnamed square 

off the King’s Road. 

Lawrence Street 

Porcelain was manufactured in Chelsea 

in a house in Lawrence Street, established 

around 1745. It was known for 

high-quality tableware and figures, and 

was run by craftsmen including former 

silversmith Nicholas Sprimont and later 

Chelsea Methodist Church 

With its striking blue and gold front, 

Chelsea Methodist Church might catch 

your eye amid the shops on the King’s 

Road. The church and pastoral centre 

run a variety of different activities for 

young and old throughout the week and 

the building is also the hub of West 

London Churches Homeless Concern, a 

separate charity. 

Methodists started meeting in Chelsea 

in a local woman’s house in the 18th 

century, where the movement's founder, 

John Wesley, preached to them several 

times. As the movement grew, they first 

rented rooms in Ranelagh Gardens, then 

leased and converted a slaughterhouse 

in the Sloane Street area and had a 

purpose-built chapel in Sloane Square 

(now the site of the Royal Court Theatre) 

in the early 19th century. 

Their second chapel was in Sloane 

Terrace, on the present site of Cadogan 

Hall. They built here on the King’s Road 

in 1903, but a bomb destroyed the 

sanctuary in 1941, and the whole site was 

redeveloped in 1983. 

The new design created 21 flats for the 

elderly and sanctuaries designed by 

Bernard Lamb, including the narthex 

(welcoming area) in front of the church’s 

main sanctuary. 

Today, the upstairs hall is used by community 

groups, play sessions and classes, 

and office space on the top floors is rented 

out to charities. The narthex welcomes 

everyone, from the homeless to people who 

just need to see a friendly face (9-4pm on 

Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays). The 

church also takes part in the winter night 

shelter for the homeless run by West 

London Churches Homeless Concern. 

It is open every day for prayer and there 

are services from 11am on Sundays, with a 

diverse congregation. 

155a King’s Road, SW3 5TX. T: 020 

7352 9305. www.chelseamethodist.org.uk


Chelsea Old Church 

Chelsea Old Church is on the corner 

of Old Church Street and Chelsea 

Embankment. There has probably been a 

church on this site ever since Christianity 

came to England, and it used to be the 

parish church of the village of Chelsea 

before it was part of London. 

The building – before it was bombed 

during the Second World War – dated 

from the 13th century, and consisted of 

the chancel, north and south chapels 

and the later nave and tower (dating 

from 1670). 

The chapels were private property and 

the north one, the Lawrence Chapel, 

belonged to the Lord of the Manor of 

Chelsea. The south chapel was rebuilt in 

1528 as Sir Thomas More’s private chapel. 

The date appears on one of the capitals 

of the pillars leading to the chancel, said 

to have been designed by Holbein. 

The church was almost completely 

destroyed when it was heavily bombed 

in 1941 and a painstaking period of 

rebuilding and restoration followed, led by 

the architect Walter Godfrey. The More 

Chapel suffered the least damage and 

was extended and reopened in 1950. The 

chancel and Lawrence Chapel were 

restored and were rededicated in May 1954 

and the entire church was reconsecrated in 

May 1958 by the Lord Bishop of London, in 

the presence of HM Queen Elizabeth the 

Queen Mother. It is still on the original foundations. 

The More Chapel was brought back 

into use for weekday services in July 1964. 

Chelsea Old Church features many 

important monuments commemorating 

some of the people who have worshipped 

there. They were damaged in the Second 

World War, but were mostly saved and 

restored. These include the monument to 

Sir Thomas More against the south wall of 

the sanctuary, with an inscription composed 

by More in tribute to his first wife and wishing 

that he and his second wife should be 

buried in the same tomb. It’s a matter of 

debate where More’s final resting place was 

after he was executed in 1535. 

A tomb in the south-east corner of the 

More Chapel remembers Jane Dudley, 

the Duchess of Northumberland, who 

was the mother of Elizabeth I’s favourite, 

Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester. On the 

north side of the nave, Lady Jane 

Cheyne, daughter of the Duke of 

Newcastle and a benefactor of the 

church and 

Chelsea, 

is remembered 

in a 

1669 memorial 

by Gian 

Lorenzo 

Bernini. These 

are just a few 

of the church’s 

monuments. 

Sir Hans 

Sloane is 

buried in 

Chelsea Old 

Church 

and a 

monument 

was erected 

in his honour 

on the north wall 

of the chancery, 

paid for by the 

Friends of the 

British Museum 

and unveiled by 

Earl Cadogan, a descendent of Hans 

Sloane. 

Chelsea Old Church is Anglican and 

part of the Church of England’s Diocese 

of London. The church hall is the nearby 

Petyt Hall, which can be hired. There 

are regular services and the church is 

also open Tuesday to Thursday from 

2pm-4pm. 

For more information, telephone 

020 7795 1019 or visit www.chelsea 

oldchurch.org.uk. 

by Derby porcelain factory owner 

William Duesbury. It closed around 

1784. 

• For The Cross Keys, see Pubs and 

Bars. 

• Novelist and poet Tobias Smollett 

(1721-1771), best known for The 

Adventures of Roderick Random and 

The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle, lived 

at 16 Lawrence Street and also lived in 

part of the same house as the porcelain 

factory from 1750 to 1762. 

Lennox Gardens 

• Polish statesman and diplomat Count 

Edward Raczynski (1891-1993) lived at 

8 Lennox Gardens from 1967-1993. He 

was the Polish ambassador to the 

League of Nations and became the 

ambassador of the Republic of Poland in 

the UK. He signed the Anglo-Polish 

alliance that led Britain to declare war on 

Germany after Hitler’s aggression 

towards Poland, and was his country's 

president-in-exile from 1979-1986. 

Mallord Street 

Mallord Street is named after Joseph 

Mallord William Turner. 

• Painter and etcher Augustus John 

(1878-1961) lived at 28 Mallord Street in 

a house modelled on Rembrandt’s studio 

in Amsterdam, designed for him by 

Dutch architect Robert van’t Hoff. He 

later lived at 33 Tite Street. 

• AA Milne (1882-1956), author of 

Winnie-the-Pooh, lived at 13 Mallord 

Street. 

Oakley Gardens 

• Novelist George Gissing (1857-1903) 

lived at 33 Oakley Gardens from 1882 

to 1884. 

Oakley Street 

• Lady Jane Francesca Wilde (1821- 

1896), Oscar Wilde's mother, lived at 

87 Oakley Street from 1887 to 1896.


She was an Irish poet, who wrote under 

the pen name ‘Speranza’. 

• Captain Robert Falcon Scott 

(1868-1912), also known as Scott of 

the Antarctic, an explorer who led two 

expeditions to the South Pole, lived at 

56 Oakley Street. 

He led a small team to reach the pole 

in January 1912, only to discover that a 

rival Norwegian team had beaten them 

to it by five weeks. Scott and his team all 

perished on the return journey, despite 

the unwell Captain Lawrence Oates 

famously sacrificing himself by walking 

out of the tent into a blizzard to give his 

team-mates a better chance of survival. 

• David and Angie Bowie lived at 89 

Oakley Street from 1973 to 74. 

Old Church Street 

• John F Sartorius (c.1775-c.1830), 

best known for his sporting paintings, 

especially of horses, lived at 155 Old 

Church Street from 1807-1812. 

• University professor, Church of 

England priest and author Charles 

Kingsley (1819-1875), best known 

for writing The Water-Babies, lived 

at 56 Old Church Street. His father 

was Chelsea’s parish rector from 

1836-1860. 

• Ceramic artist and novelist William 

De Morgan (1839-1917) and his wife 

Evelyn (1855-1919) lived and died at 

127 Old Church Street. He was friends 

with William Morris and designed tiles, 

stained glass and furniture for Morris & 

Co, while Evelyn was a Pre-Raphaelite 

painter. 

• Sound Techniques, an independent 

recording studio, was at 46a Old Church 

Street from 1964-1976, and was used 

by artists including Nick Drake, Pink 

Floyd, the Who and the Yardbirds. 

• Former Def Leppard guitarist Steve 

Clark (1960-1991) died from a drug 

overdose at his home at 44 Old Church 

Street, aged 30. 

Royal Hospital Chelsea 

Pont Street 

• Sir George Alexander (1858-1918) 

lived at 57 Pont Street. He was actormanager 

of St James’s Theatre and 

produced several major plays, including 

Oscar Wilde’s Lady Windermere’s Fan 

and The Second Mrs Tanqueray by 

Sir Arthur Wing Pinero. 

Wilde’s The Importance of Being 

Earnest premiered at the theatre in 

February 1895, with Alexander himself 


The Flying Man 

One of the most colourful stories from 

Chelsea’s past is that of the ‘flying man’. 

Vincent de Groof, a Belgian with a 

dream of making a flying machine that 

imitated a bird’s wings, planned a public 

demonstration of his invention at 

Cremorne Gardens in 1874. He had 

already successfully trialled his flying 

apparatus at the gardens, and claimed 

he could fly through the air for 500 feet. 

On a fateful July evening, the crowds 

gathered to watch him make his 

descent. His invention, made of cane 

and silk and similar to a bat’s wings, had 

levers to control it and he planned to 

swoop down from a balloon. The balloon 

lifted de Groof and his machine high into 

the air, about 300-400 feet, but he 

seemed to lose his nerve and ask for the 

balloon to be lowered to he could make 

his flight from nearer the ground. 

According to newspaper reports at 

the time, as the balloon drifted towards 

St Luke’s Church, the balloonist was 

heard to tell de Groof to cut himself 

loose or he would land on the church 

roof. De Groof cut the rope when he was 

80 feet from the ground, hoping to land 

in the churchyard, but his wings didn’t 

inflate and he plummeted into Robert 

Street (now Sydney Street). 

He never regained consciousness and 

in the role of Mr John Worthing, JP. 

The Marquess of Queensberry, who 

would eventually bring about Wilde’s 

downfall (see Oscar Wilde under 

Tite Street), intended to disrupt the premiere, 

but Alexander and Wilde were 

tipped off and prevented him from 

attending. 

Wilde’s conviction for gross indecency 

in May 1895 led to the play being 

closed, despite its success. 

died shortly after at Chelsea Infirmary. 

His wife reportedly fainted at the sight 

of the crash and the flying machine was 

carried off in shreds by the crowd before 

the police could secure it. The balloon 

soared away over Victoria Park and was 

apparently watched with interest by 

many people, unaware of its role in 

the tragedy. 

• Actress Lillie Langtry (1853-1929) lived 

at 21 Pont Street (see The Cadogan in 

Hotels). 

Royal Hospital Road 

• The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a 

beautiful, grand Grade I-listed 17thcentury 

buildings, mostly built by Sir 

Christopher Wren, with three large 

courtyards and well-kept grounds. The 

main courtyard, Figure Court, features an 

Royal Borough of Kensingon & Chelsea, Family & Children’s Service


impressive statue of Charles II, which 

was regilded in 2002 for the Queen’s 

Golden Jubilee. 

The Chelsea Pensioners themselves 

are immediately recognisable in their 

scarlet uniforms, and there are tours by 

Chelsea Pensioner guides (see 

Museums). The RHS Chelsea Flower 

Show has been held in the South 

Grounds of the hospital since 1913. 

There are events, such as concerts, held 

at the hospital and certain rooms can be 

hired for functions or weddings. 

The Royal Hospital was established 

under Charles II, who issued a Royal 

Warrant in 1681 authorising its building 

to provide for the welfare of old or disabled 

soldiers. Sir Christopher Wren, 

Surveyor-General of Works to Charles II, 

was commissioned to design it and Sir 

Stephen Fox, former Paymaster General 

to the Army and Commissioner of the 

Treasury, secured the funds – with some 

difficulty. 

Despite delays and problems with 

funding, building work was finally 

completed in 1692 and in February the 

same year, the first in-pensioners were 

admitted. The hospital includes the Long 

Wards, which contains the pensioners’ 

living quarters, the State Apartments, the 

Wren Chapel, the Great Hall and the 

Octagon. The berths in the Long Wards, 

where the pensioners sleep, were 

extended in 1954-55 and again in 1991 

to their present size of 9 x 9ft. 

The Royal Hospital was funded by 

deductions from army pay and got occasional 

boosts from other sources in its 

early days, but since 1847 it has been 

supported by Government ‘grant-in-aid’, 

legacies, donations and unclaimed shares 

of money from the Army Prize Fund. 

Today it is still supported by grant-in-aid 

but major projects and non-routine maintenance 

are funded by private donations. 

It is home to between 300 and 350 

veteran soldiers who have surrendered 

their military pension to the Treasury in 

return for accommodation, food, uniform 

clothing and medical care. 

The Great Hall, where the pensioners 

eat, is an impressive space and features 

a number of artworks, including a mural 

painting by Antonio Verrio and Henry 

Cooke of Charles II on horseback, dating 

from around 1690, which was restored 

in 2002. 

One of the hospital’s real gems is the 

Wren Chapel. It has a high ceiling, great 

acoustics and a mural of the 

Resurrection by Sebastiano Ricci, dating 

from 1714. The first televised church 

service in Britain was broadcast from the 

chapel in 1949. 

Chelsea pensioner tour guides 

The Octagon, which links the chapel 

and the Great Hall, supports the cupola 

and rises to 130ft. The Royal Coat of 

Arms over the north entrance originally 

came from the Royal Hospital at 

Kilmainham, Dublin, which closed in 

1925. The striking statue of a Chelsea 

Pensioner by Philip Jackson was erected 

in front of the Octagon in 2000 to mark 

the new millennium. 

Sir John Soane added a new infirmary 

building on the site of today’s National 

Army Museum in 1809, but it was 

demolished after being bombed in 1941, 


St Luke’s and 

Christ Church 

St Luke’s Church 

St Luke’s on Sydney Street and Christ Church 

off Flood Street are treated as the same parish. 

St Luke’s, designed by James Savage, was 

consecrated in 1824 and was built because 

Chelsea Old Church had become too small for 

the rising population. Christ Church, designed 

by Edward Blore, was consecrated in 1839, 

originally as a ‘chapel of ease’ for St Luke’s. 

St Luke’s is regarded as one of the first 

neo-Gothic churches in London. 

Charles Dickens married Catherine Hogarth 

at St Luke’s on April 2, 1836, two days after 

the first part of The Pickwick Papers was published. 

Other famous figures connected with 

the church include The Water-Babies author 

Charles Kingsley, whose father was the rector 

of the parish from 1836-1860; John Goss, 

who wrote the hymn Praise My Soul the King 

of Heaven; and John Ireland, who wrote the 

tune for My Song is Love Unknown. Goss and 

Ireland were organists at the church. 

The nave is 60ft high, thought to be the 

tallest of any parish church in London, and the 

tower is 142ft tall. The east window covers 

more than 500 sq ft and was designed by 

Hugh Easton. It features emblems of the 

saints and was installed in 1959 to replace a 

window destroyed in the Second World War. 

Behind the altar, a painting by James 

Northcote (1746-1831) shows the taking of 

Christ from the cross, and two modern sculptures 

by Stephen Cox either side of the high 

altar depict Adam and Eve at the fall of man 

in the Garden of Eden. The ten bells in the 

tower were cast at Whitechapel when the 

church was built and are still rung. 

The organ at St Luke’s was built by John 

Compton in 1932 and includes some of the 

original 1824 instrument. It was the prototype 

for the organs at Broadcasting House and 

Downside Abbey. 

The PPFA Chapel on the south side of the 

church is used for prayer and is a memorial 

chapel to the Punjab Frontier Force, based in 

India from 1847 to 1947. There are other 

memorials to locals at St Luke’s, including Lt 

Col Henry Cadogan and Luke Thomas Flood. 

The labyrinth of crypts under the church is 

now used as offices, and the burial ground 

has been a public garden since 1881 (see 

Green Spaces). 

Christ Church is smaller than St Luke’s and 

was designed as a church for the working 

class. It was funded by the Hydman family 

trust and cost much less than St Luke’s, the 

idea being to cater for the maximum number 

of people for the minimum cost. It was 

extended over the years, with adornments 

added as the social make-up of the area 

changed. The organ and pulpit were rescued 

from churches that were being demolished. 

Christ Church established a boys’ school 

soon after its consecration at rented property 

in Flood Street. It accepted girls from 1843, 

when land was donated by Lord Cadogan 

and new schools were built. Today, it is a 

Church of England primary school. 

Christ Church rejoined St Luke’s in 1986 to 

form the Parish of Chelsea: St Luke and 

Christ Church. Each church is managed 

separately. 

For more information, telephone 020 7351 

7365 or visit www.chelseaparish.org.


during the Second World War. Parts of 

the hospital were also damaged by 

bombs in 1918, rebuilt in 1923 and 

destroyed again by a V2 rocket in 1945. 

The Margaret Thatcher Infirmary with its 

125 en suite bedrooms, built by Quinlan 

Terry, was opened in 2009 to provide 

state-of-the-art care. 

The creation of the Chelsea 

Embankment resulted in the loss of 

Wren’s original formal gardens, and the 

Royal Hospital has lost and gained land 

over the years. Today, the grounds cover 

66 acres. 

The Chelsea Pensioners’ Appeal, a 

registered charity, is campaigning to raise 

£30 million to update the living accommodation 

in the Long Wards, which are 

already being refurbished, hoping to 

change wooden cubicle berths and 

shared bathrooms into modern en-suite 

study bedrooms. (For more information 

about visiting the Royal Hospital 

Chelsea, see Museums and Green 

Spaces.) 

• For the National Army Museum, see 

Museums. 

• For the Chelsea Physic Garden, see 

Green Spaces. 

• For Restaurant Gordon Ramsay and 

Foxtrot Oscar, see Restaurants. 

Sloane Square 

Sloane Square was part of the 1771 

Hans Town development designed by 

Henry Holland and his son, also called 

Henry, and named after Sir Hans Sloane 

(see Hans Town panel on page 23). In 

those days, it had a small green in the 

centre and Blandel Bridge crossed the 

River Westbourne in the eastern corner. 

The bridge was known as 'the bloody 

bridge’ because it was a notorious spot 

for highwaymen, muggings and murders. 

Many of the premises in this area were 

utilitarian in nature at first. 

By the 19th century, roads had sprung 

up to connect the surrounding streets. 

Sloane Square station opened in 1868 

(see Sloane Square Station) and Peter 

Jones was created when draper Peter 

Rees Jones opened shops at the top 

end of King's Road, redeveloping them 

as a single building in the 1880s (see 

Peter Jones in Shopping). The building 

that houses the Royal Court Theatre was 

built in 1888 (see Royal Court Theatre 

in Theatre). 

The Venus Fountain at the centre of 

the square is Grade II-listed and was 

sculpted by Gilbert Ledward. It was 

installed in 1953 and shows a kneeling 

Venus pouring water from a conch shell, 

while the basin depicts Charles II and his 

mistress, actress Nell Gwyn. 

Several proposals to redevelop the 

square have been put forward in recent 

years. A public consultation was held in 

2007 about changes to the road layout, 

including a plan to create a crossroads. 

However, the plans were not popular and 

a renovation of the square was carried 

out instead. 

Sloane Square Station 

Sloane Square Station serves the District 

and Circle Underground lines and is on 

the south-eastern corner of the Square, 

next to the Royal Court Theatre. The station 

was opened in 1868 as part of the 

District line. 

The River Westbourne, one of 

London’s ‘lost rivers’, flows above the 

tracks in a pipe on its way from its 

source at Hampstead Heath to the 

Thames at Chelsea Hospital. 

The station was rebuilt in the late 1930s 

but it was heavily bombed in the Second 

World War. In November 1940, bombs 

fell on the station causing the roof to collapse 

while a train was at the platform, 

killing or seriously injuring 79 people. 

Another tragedy at the station was the 

death of Peter Llewelyn Davies, the 

inspiration for JM Barrie’s Peter Pan, who 

committed suicide on the tracks. 

Holy Trinity 

Sloane Square 

Despite being known as Holy Trinity Sloane 

Square, this church is actually on Sloane Street. 

One of London’s most beautiful buildings, it 

was built in 1888 by John Dando Sedding, an 

architect inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement, 

which promoted skilled, hand-crafted 

work as a reaction to industrialisation. 

The church was described by poet John 

Betjeman as “the cathedral of the Arts and 

Crafts movement”, featuring works by William 

Morris, Edward Burne-Jones and Christopher 

Whall, among others. 

The roof was destroyed by incendiary bombs 

during the Blitz, but the church was restored by 

the 1960s. The beautiful stained-glass windows, 

made by William Morris & Co, Sir William 

Blake Richmond and Christopher Whall, have 

been returned to their former glory and are 

once again a showcase for the Arts and 

Crafts style. 

Music is very important at Holy Trinity – 

Sedding himself was an organist, so the church 

was designed with a huge organ chamber more 

than 40ft high. The Sunday morning services 

include music and there are often concerts held 

at the church. 

The restoration of the organ began in July 

2011, funded by the Cadogan family and 

Cadogan Estates Ltd. The original was built by 

James John Walker and completed in 1891. It 

has been modified and repaired many times 

since then, including an unfortunate incident in 

1967 when a member of staff fell into the second 

largest pipe while replacing glue on the 

joints (he survived). The rebuilt organ, which will 

have a completely new structure and mechanism 

while retaining most of the historic 

pipework, is expected to be completed in late 

summer 2012. Made by Harrison & Harrison 

organ builders, it will have 4,200 pipes, ranging 

from three-quarters of an inch to 32 feet. 

For more information, telephone 020 7730 

7270 or visit www.holytrinitysloanesquare.co.uk.


The station is usually decked with 

plants when the RHS Chelsea Flower 

Show (see Events) is running. 

Sloane Street 

• Jane Austen stayed with her brother 

at 64 Sloane Street (see Hans Town 

panel on page 23). 

• Statesman and author Sir Charles 

Wentworth Dilke (1843-1911) lived at 

16 Sloane Street. He had been tipped as 

a future prime minister, but a high-profile 

divorce case in which he was cited as 

the seducer of an MP’s young wife, 

ruined his career. He spent much of his 

life trying to clear his name. 

• Actor and theatre manager Sir Herbert 

Tree (1852-1917) lived at 76 Sloane 

Street, where a plaque now marks the 

fact. Tree changed his surname from 

Beerbohm so it was easier for audiences 

to call for an encore. 

He managed the Haymarket Theatre 

and helped fund the rebuilding of Her 

Majesty’s Theatre (then known as His 

Majesty’s Theatre), which he later managed. 

He also played Henry Higgins in 

the premiere of Pygmalion there. He also 

founded the famous Royal Academy of 

Dramatic Art in 1904, and was knighted 

for his contributions to theatre. 

Swan Walk 

Swan Walk was named after The Swan, 

a pub visited by Samuel Pepys and 

mentioned in his diaries. It was the 

original finishing place of the Doggett’s 

Coat and Badge Race. 

• The Doggett’s Coat and Badge Race 

is a rowing race for the young Freemen 

of the Company of Watermen and 

Lightermen along the River Thames from 

London Bridge to Chelsea. The race is 

four miles and seven furlongs long, and 

in recent years has included women. 

The Watermen and Lightermen still work 

the Thames – the Watermen are concerned 

with passenger transport, and 

the Lightermen with the carriage of goods. 

The race was founded in 1715 by 

Thomas Doggett – actor, comedian and 

manager of Drury Lane Theatre – and 

until 1873 was rowed against the tide. 

The prize is a scarlet coat, breeches and 

a silver badge, based on the original 

costume of 18th-century Watermen. It is 

still run each year, but the finishing point 

is now Cadogan Pier. 

• Mary Astell (1666-1731), a pioneering 

feminist writer, lived on Swan Walk. 

• Elizabeth Blackwell (1707-1758) lived 

at 4 Swan Walk. She was a botanical 

illustrator who recorded many of the 

unusual plants in the Chelsea Physic 

Garden, a career she turned to after her 

doctor husband, Alexander, ended up in 

a debtor’s prison. 

St Leonard’s Terrace 

• Bram Stoker (1847-1912), author of 

Dracula, lived at 18 St Leonard’s Terrace. 

Oscar Wilde 



Tite Street 

Tite Street runs down from Redburn 

Street to Royal Hospital Road and is 

best known for being the home of Oscar 

Wilde. It was named after William Tite, 

an architect who was a member of the 

Metropolitan Board of Works, which was 

largely responsible for the creation of 

Chelsea Embankment. The numbers 

have changed over the years and today’s 

numbers are given here (for example, 34 

Tite Street was known as number 16 

when Wilde lived there). 

• Landscape and portrait painter John 

Singer Sargent (1856-1925) lived at 31 

Tite Street. Henry James, who lived in 

nearby Carlyle Mansions, was one of his 

sitters. 

• Irish writer, poet and wit Oscar Wilde 

(1854-1900) lived in Tite Street, first at 

number 44 and then at today’s number 

34 after he married Constance Lloyd in 

1884. They had two sons, Cyril (1885) 

and Vyvyan (1886). The house was 

transformed by Edward William Godwin, 

who had also designed a house in the 

street for James Abbott McNeill 

Whistler – although Whistler never got to 

enjoy it because of his costly libel action 

(see Art). 

Many of Wilde’s greatest successes 

happened while he lived here, including 

the publication of his novel The Picture 

of Dorian Gray (1891) and the staging of 

Lady Windermere’s Fan (1892) and A 

Woman of No Importance (1893). Salomé, 

which he wrote in French, was refused a 

licence by the Lord Chamberlain’s Office 

and was first performed in 1896 in Paris. 

In 1895, An Ideal Husband and The 

Importance of Being Earnest were staged, 

but at the height of his fame, Wilde sued 

the Marquess of Queensberry, the father 

of his lover Lord Alfred Douglas, for libel 

over an insulting note that read ‘For 

Oscar Wilde, posing somdomite’ [sic]. It 

was a disastrous decision – the evidence 

that the case unearthed led to Wilde 

being arrested for gross indecency with 

men (see The Cadogan in Hotels for 

more about Wilde’s arrest). He was 

eventually convicted and sent to prison, 

sentenced to two years of hard labour. 

By chance, the judge who decided his 

fate also lived in Tite Street. 

After Wilde was released in 1897, he 

fled to Paris and died there in 1900. His 

remains lie in the Père Lachaise cemetery. 

Constance Wilde changed her and 

her sons’ surname to Holland after 

Wilde’s conviction. 

• The composer Peter Warlock 

(a pseudonym of Philip Arnold Heseltine, 

1894-1930), lived at 30 Tite Street. 

Tedworth Square 

• Samuel Clemens (1835-1910), better 

known by his pen name Mark Twain, 

lived at 23 Tedworth Square in 1896-97. 

He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer 

and Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. 

Upper Cheyne Row 

• Journalist and poet Leigh Hunt (1784- 

1859) lived at 22 Upper Cheyne Row. 

He was a Chelsea resident from 1833 

and published poets including Keats and 

Shelley in his weekly periodical The 

Examiner. However, it landed him in 

prison after he printed an insulting 

description of the Prince Regent.

22 | INSIDER | Buildings & architecture 


to buildings and 

architecture 

By Hugh Seaborn, chief 

executive of Cadogan, which 

represents extensive Cadogan 

family land holdings 

in Chelsea. These date back to 

1712, when Sir Hans Sloane 

purchased the Manor of 

Chelsea and Charles, 2nd Baron 

Cadogan, subsequently married 

his daughter Elizabeth Sloane 

in 1717 

Duke of 

York Square 

Peter Jones, Sloane Square 

I would start at the top of Peter Jones, 

enjoying a coffee while drinking in the 

view from its picture windows. On the 

way in, wonder at the statement made 

by the building, built in the 1930s on 

an impressive scale. Look at its size 

compared to everything around it. 

The confidence it conveys is reflected 

in the pioneering use of curtain walling. 

This is where the John Lewis workers’ 

cooperative began. 

Cadogan Hall, 5 Sloane Terrace 

A two-minute walk away in Sloane 

Terrace is the hidden gem of Cadogan 

Hall. This concert hall, open to the public, 

was converted with great sensitivity from 

a Church of Christ, Scientist. It was 

originally built by Robert Chisholm in 

two sections, and was finished in 1907. 

Above all, look at the windows, 

which were designed by Baron von 

Rosenkrantz with beautiful, rich colours. 

Holy Trinity Church, 

Sloane Street 

On the way back, walking south on 

Cadogan Hall 

Sloane Street, you will pass the 

Holy Trinity Church designed by John 

Sedding, where you can marvel at the 

peace just off this busy shopping street, 

and again drink in the stained glass 

windows with the light behind them. 

Duke of York Square, 

King’s Road 

From here it is less than five minutes to 

the Duke of York Square, opposite Peter 

Jones. There is much to see, but I would 

start with the Saatchi Gallery, which was 

originally a home for soldiers’ children 

built in the first years of the 19th century 

by John Sanders. The connection with 

children continues today as you will 

frequently see children from Hill House 

School on the playing fields in front of 

the gallery. The buildings were so well 

converted by Paul Davis and Partners 

that it feels as though it was designed 

for its present use. 

Royal Hospital Chelsea, 


No visit to Chelsea for someone 

interested in buildings is complete until 

you have enjoyed the Royal Hospital, 

designed by Christopher Wren in the 

late 17th century. It is extraordinary 

that these wonderful buildings are still 

used for the same purpose they were 

designed for, more than 300 years ago. 

The Chelsea Pensioners add to the 

dignity and elegance in their smart, 

scarlet uniforms. 

Cadogan Square 

Finally, if you have the energy left, 

I would suggest taking a walk around 

Cadogan Square and look at the variety 

of gables. Imagine the confidence of the 

Victorians building these mansions for 

their successful merchants in place of 

the small Georgian houses that had 

been there for 100 years previously. 

Number 52 on the west side of the 

square may particularly catch your eye. 

It was designed in 1885 by Sir Ernest 

George and is rich in the styles of the 

Flemish and German Renaissance. It is 

a private house, so you cannot go in, but 

the external details alone justify the visit.


Hans Town 

The area of Chelsea that was known as 

Hans Town has been frequented by many 

remarkable characters, including authors 

Jane Austen, Lady Caroline Lamb and 

Mary Mitford. 

Henry Holland the builder and his son, 

Henry Holland the architect, put forward 

plans in 1771 to develop 89 acres of fields 

and market gardens between 

Knightsbridge in the north and Blacklands 

— what is now Turks Row, behind the 

Saatchi Gallery — in the south. It was an 

ambitious scheme. To put it in perspective, 

the £2 billion regeneration of King s Cross 

which is destined to deliver 2,000 homes, 

500,000 sq ft of retail and 3.4 million sq ft 

of offices, covers only 67 acres. 

The Holland scheme — known as Hans 

Town after Sir Hans Sloane, whose heirs 

owned the land — became the model for 

many new towns in central London during 

the building boom in the 18th and 19th 

centuries. 

Work on Hans Town began in 1777, and 

by 1790, spacious three-storey Georgian 

terraces lined the west side of Sloane 

Street and flowed into Hans Place, Hans 

Street and Hans Crescent. 

The buildings had been let on 99-year 

leases and when the leases came to an 

end, the Cadogan Estate launched a redevelopment 

programme in a style that art 

critic, author and cartoonist Osbert 

Lancaster described as Pont Street Dutch . 

The red-brick buildings, with their large windows, 

ornamentation and gables, are 

instantly recognisable. 

Sloane Place 

Henry Holland the architect built himself a 

mansion south of Hans Place, set in three 

acres, and had moved in by 1789. 

Pont Street Dutch gables 

Originally called Sloane Place, it became 

known as the Pavilion because the front 

of the house was built as a model for the 

Brighton Pavilion, with a Doric column 

colonnade. 

The south of the mansion looked over 

landscapes designed by ‘Capability’ 

Brown, Holland s father-in-law and partner. 

The gardens featured a Gothic icehouse 

and a faux ruined priory, created 

using stones from the demolished home 

of Cardinal Wolsey. 

The Pavilion was demolished during 

the 19th-century redevelopment, but is 

commemorated in the name of Pavilion 

Road. Cadogan Square was laid out in 

part of the gardens. 

22 Hans Place 

22 Hans Place was a school in 1978, 

attended by Lady Caroline Lamb, novel- 

ist Mary Russell Mitford and journalist, 

poet and novelist Letitia Landon, who 

was known by her initials, LEL. 

Lady Caroline Lamb (1785-1828) 

married the future prime minister, the 

2nd Viscount Melbourne, and is best 

known for her affair with Lord Byron. She 

famously described Byron as, mad, bad 

and dangerous to know. 

Mary Mitford (1787-1855), who wrote 

Our Village, was a friend of Elizabeth 

Barrett Browning and had plays produced 

in Covent Garden. 

Letitia Landon (1802-1838) had her 

first poem published in the Literary 

Gazette when she was 18, and went on 

to become its chief reviewer. Her poetry 

was popular but her reputation suffered 

after rumours began to circulate that she 

had given birth to secret children — 

something her fianc John Foster did not 

help with when he investigated to see if it 

was true. 

She broke off the engagement and 

married the governor of the Gold Coast 

in Africa in 1838, leaving Britain behind. 

Two months after she arrived in Africa, 

she was found dead with a bottle of 

prussic acid in her hand. 

After redevelopment, 22 Hans Place 

became the headquarters of the Irish 

Treaty delegation. It was decided there 

on December 5, 1921, that the delegates 

would recommend the Anglo-Irish 

Treaty, which ended the Irish War of 

Independence, to the D il ireann. 

23 Hans Place 

Jane Austen’s brother Henry lived in a 

house at 64 Sloane Street in 1811 and 

Jane visited him in the spring, just before 

Sense and Sensibility was published. But 

two years later, his wife had died and he 

had moved to rooms above his bank in 

Covent Garden. In 1813, he moved to 

23 Hans Place and Jane stayed with him 

several times before he became ill in 

1815.

24 | INSIDER | Favourite places 


to favourite places 

By Michael Hoppen, owner of 

the Michael Hoppen Gallery in 

Jubilee Place. He is a leading 

photography dealer and his 

recent exhibitions have 

included works by legendary 

fashion photographer Guy 

Bourdin and the first European 

solo show from Japanese 

photographer Hisaji Hara. 

Michael is the son of Stephanie 

Hoppen, whose gallery is 

in Walton Street, and the 

brother of interior designer 

Kelly Hoppen 

St Luke’s, Sydney Street 

I have always loved St Luke’s church. 

It’s beautifully maintained, close to my 

gallery, and the gardens are always 

a good place to reflect. A refuge. 

606 Club, 90 Lots Road 

606 still makes my feet tap whenever 

I go. 

Chelsea Physic Garden, 


The Chelsea Physic Garden is an 

amazing place to wander. So much 

history and so many beautiful, small 

things to look at. 

Chelsea Arts Club, 

143 Old Church Street 

A long lunch at the Chelsea Arts Club 

is a perfect way to spend an afternoon 

in Chelsea. 

Fetter Lane Moravian Church, 

381 King’s Road 

My secret green space is the Moravian 

gardens down at World’s End. I remember 

seeing the lion cub exercise there 

when I was a small boy growing up 

around Chelsea in the 1960s (see 

‘Christian the lion’, page 16, in Streets 

and Sights). 

Phat Phuc Noodle Bar, 

151 Sydney Street 

The best Vietnamese noodles in town. 

The Pig’s Ear, 35 Old Church 

Street 

This pub has a great atmosphere for 

when the Arts Club is too busy. 

The King’s Road 

I have so many memories of the King’s 

Road as I grew up here from the early 

1960s. I remember the Stones’ concert in 

Hyde Park when all the hippies came 

down the King’s Road walking to the 

park. There was a couple who painted 

their bodies with flowers and walked 

naked up the street. My eyes were on 

stalks! 

Cocomaya, Unit 10, 186 Pavilion 

Road 

A wonderful café behind Peter Jones – 

the best coffee in Chelsea bar none.

25 | WALKS | 

Wander of 

wonders 

Don’t miss any of Chelsea’s treasures with these 

walking tours of the area’s unmissable sights 

Chelsea is a small enough place for you to see a 

lot on foot, but big enough that there is plenty to 

see. Even within a few streets, the atmosphere and 

architecture can be vastly different. We have 

planned three walks to show you some of the best 

sights and hidden gems in the area. 

How long they take to walk is up to you – the 

estimated times given here are purely for the 

routes on foot. Make sure you give yourself extra 

time for any shopping, eating or visiting 

attractions. 

Sloane Square 

to Knightsbridge

26| WALKS | 

Sloane Square to 

Knightsbridge 

Time: 45mins 

Sights include: Holy Trinity Sloane 

Square, Hans Town, Harrods and Harvey 

Nichols. 

This walk takes you from 

Sloane Square Tube station to 

Knightsbridge Tube station, 

covering a bit of history and 

some of the area’s iconic 

shops. 

Start at Sloane Square Tube station. 

Cross over the road towards Hugo Boss. 

Continue past Hugo Boss and walk up 

to the traffic lights. Turn right and cross 

over to the middle of Sloane Square q 

itself. [Sight: Sloane Square.] Have a look 

at the fountain, which usually has pennies 

in it where visitors have made a 

wish. 

Continue over Sloane Square and 

cross the pedestrian crossing to Sloane 

Street, which has Tiffany & Co. on the 

left-hand corner, followed by Cartier. 

Walk up Sloane Street and you will see 

Holy Trinity Sloane Square w on your 

right, an impressive Arts & Crafts building 

with striped brickwork. [Sight: Holy Trinity 

Church.] Notice the carving over the 

door and the ornate window. 

Continue up Sloane Street. Insider 

Cassandra Goad s shop e is immediately 

after the church. [Insider: 

Cassandra Goad.] 

Just before you reach Jo Malone, turn 

right into Sloane Terrace to see Cadogan 

Hall. r [Sight: Cadogan Hall.] There is a 

carving over the stage door, a remnant 

from the building s former life as the First 

Church of Christ, Scientist. 

Return to Sloane Street and turn right 

to continue up it, past Jo Malone. 

Turn right down Ellis Street (just after 

the Paule Ka shop). There is a charming 

little row of shops here, including Selina 

Blow t and Lulu Guinness. y [Sight: 

Shops — Selina Blow, Lulu Guinness.] 

Walk to the end of Ellis Street and turn 

left into D Oyley Street. On the corner of 

D Oyley Street and Cadogan Gate, there 

are a couple of white metal bollards 

marked Hans Town 1819 . 

Turn left into Cadogan Gate, with 

Cadogan Place Gardens on your right, to 

return to Sloane Street. There are some 

Barclays Cycle Hire bicycles here, known 

colloquially as Boris Bikes after Mayor 

of London Boris Johnson, a prominent 

supporter of the scheme. 

At the end of Cadogan Gate, turn right 

and continue up Sloane Street. Cadogan 

Place Gardens u is one of Chelsea s 

many private gardens and is residentsonly, 

but you can peek over the railings 

to see what the people who live here 

enjoy. 

Cross over to the other side of Sloane 

Street to walk on the left-hand side of 

the road. After a few minutes walk, you ll 

see blue plaques to actor Sir Herbert 

Tree and politician Sir Charles Dilke 

[Sights] on your left, at number 76. i 

Continue up Sloane Street and you will 

see the Cadogan hotel o [Sight: 

Cadogan hotel] on the left, where Oscar 

Wilde was famously arrested. 

Sloane Street meets Pont Street here. 

Look down Pont Street to the left to see 

the Cadogan Restaurant, formerly 

Langtry s, where there is a blue plaque 

marking it as the former home of 

legendary actress Lillie Langtry. 

Look right to see a green hut a on 

Pont Street — one of the charity-funded 

cabmen s shelters, which are scattered 

around London. They have been a food 

and respite stop for cabbies since 1875 

and were conceived by the Earl of 

Shaftesbury as a way for cab drivers to 

have a hot meal and a cup of tea without 

leaving their cabs unattended. 

Cross over Pont Street to continue up 

Sloane Street. Just before the the 

Embassy of Iceland, turn left into Hans 

Street and walk towards the green trees 

at the end. This is Hans Place, with a private 

garden in the middle and great 

examples of Pont Street Dutch architecture. 

[Sight: Hans Town, 22 Hans Place, 

23 Hans Place.] Walk around Hans Place 

clockwise. Number 22 s has had an 

interesting past, including being a 19thcentury 

school and the headquarters of 

the Irish Treaty delegation in 1921. At 

number 23 d you can see a blue 

plaque marking the London home of 

Jane Austen. 

Continue around Hans Place until you 

reach Hans Road. If you look down Hans 

Road, you can see Harrods, f with its 

beautiful detailing and iconic green 

canopies. [Sight: Harrods in Shopping] 

Visit it if you like, and then to continue 

the walk, return to Hans Place via Hans 

Road. 

Continue walking around Hans Place 

until you reach Herbert Crescent. There s 

another white bollard on the corner, 

marked St Luke Chelsea 1844 . Walk 

down Herbert Crescent and head for the 

big, white house at the end, which is on 

Hans Crescent, and then turn right down 

Hans Crescent to return to Sloane 

Street. You should be able to see Dolce 

& Gabbana, Valentino and Yves St 

Laurent on Sloane Street ahead of you. 

Turn left to continue up Sloane Street, 

where there are a whole range of designer 

shops, including Chanel, Bulgari, 

Herm s, Fendi, Versace, Jimmy Choo 

and Dior. 

Continue to the end of Sloane Street 

until you reach the junction with 

Brompton Road. Harvey Nichols g is on 

your right at the end of Sloane Street 

[Sight: Harvey Nichols in Shopping], with 

an entrance for Knightsbridge Tube station 

just in front of it.

27 | WALKS | 

Chelsea – Old and new 

Chelsea – Old and new 

Time: 1 hour 

Sights include: Royal Hospital Chelsea, 

the National Army Museum, Tite Street 

and Duke of York Square/Saatchi Gallery. 

This walk shows you some of 

Chelsea’s historic sights and 

takes you through to Duke of 

York Square, a recently-built 

development that has proved a 

huge success. 

Start at Sloane Square Tube station. 

Cross over the road towards Hugo Boss. 

Continue past Hugo Boss and walk up 

to the traffic lights. At the traffic lights just 

after Hugo Boss, turn left into Lower 

Sloane Street. 

Walk down Lower Sloane Street. Look 

out for the dragon on top of the Pont 

Street Dutch-style building at number 44. 

q You can see the Sloane Club at number 

52. Walk past the shops and the 

Rose and Crown pub and continue 

towards the trees at the end of Lower 

Sloane Street. The Chelsea Barracks site 

w (see Streets and Sights) is on the 

other side of the road, next to Chelsea 

Bridge Road. 

Turn right into Royal Hospital Road 

and cross over to walk on the left-hand 

side of the street. The Royal Hospital 

Chelsea s Margaret Thatcher Infirmary e 

is on your left. 

When you reach London Gate, turn 

left to go into the grounds. There s a 

painted statue of a Chelsea Pensioner on 

a bench, and the caf , museum and 

souvenir shop are on the left as you walk 

down. The State Apartments are on the 

right. Walk down to the trees at the end 

and go through Garden Gate. 

The peaceful Ranelagh Gardens r 

[Sight: Ranelagh Gardens in Green 

Spaces] are on the left, which you can 

explore if you wish. When you want to 

continue the walk, retrace your steps 

back out of the grounds to Royal 

Hospital Road. 

Continue down Royal Hospital Road 

and pause at Chapel Gate to see the 

Royal Hospital Chelsea t from the 

front. [Sight: Royal Hospital Chelsea.] If 

you want to explore further, Light Horse 

Court, Figure Court, College Court and 

the Chapel are open Monday-Saturday 

10am-12pm, and 2pm-4pm, and the 

Great Hall is open Monday-Saturday 

11am-12pm and 2pm-4pm. (For reception 

and enquiries, go to Chelsea Gate, 

further up Royal Hospital Road). 

Continue along Royal Hospital Road. 

After passing the Royal Hospital Chelsea, 

you will see the National Army Museum 

y on the left. [Sight: National Army 

Museum in Museums.] Visit if you like, 

and to continue the walk, return to Royal 

Hospital Road. 

Keep walking along Royal Hospital 

Road and cross over Tite Street, which 

we will return to later. You will see some 

shops on your left, including Foxtrot 

Oscar u (see Restaurants). Further 

down Royal Hospital Road is Restaurant 

Gordon Ramsay i (see Restaurants). 

When you reach Swan Walk, you will see 

a blue plaque with information about 

Chelsea Physic Garden o [Sight: 

Chelsea Physic Garden in Green 

Spaces]. Turn left down Swan Walk and 

the entrance to the garden is on the 

right. Visit if you like, and return to Swan 

Walk to continue the walk. 

Continue down Swan Walk to Chelsea 

Embankment [Sight: Chelsea 

Embankment in Streets and Sights] and

28 | WALKS | 

turn left. Walk down the Embankment 

and look out for the blue plaque on 

Turner s Reach House, a number 9, 

marking the home of George Frederick 

Samuel Robinson, Marquess of Ripon 

and Viceroy of India. [Sight: George 

Frederick Samuel Robinson]. Continue 

walking along Chelsea Embankment and 

turn left into Tite Street. 

Walk down Tite Street, looking out for 

a stone plaque on the right marking John 

Singer Sargent s house at number 31 

s. Continue down Tite Street, looking 

out on the left for blue plaques to Lord 

Haden-Guest at number 38, Oscar 

Wilde s house at number 34 [Sight: 

Oscar Wilde], and Peter Warlock at number 

30 d [Sight: Peter Warlock]. 

Keep walking down Tite Street, crossing 

over Royal Hospital Road and 

Christchurch Street, until you reach 

Tedworth Square, where the trees are, at 

the end of Tite Street. Turn right and see 

the blue plaque marking the house on 

the corner as Mark Twain s house. f 

[Sight: Mark Twain]. 

Walk to the end of the block and turn 

left, walking past the green square with it 

on your left, until you reach the northeast 

corner of the square. Turn right onto 

St Leonard s Terrace, and walk down, 

crossing straight over the junction with 

Smith Street and Durham Place, with 

Burton Court on your right. Look out for 

the white house on the left with the blue 

plaque — Bram Stoker s house. g [Sight: 

Bram Stoker] 

St Leonard s Terrace was also the 

home of Alex Rider in the film 

Stormbreaker. [Sight: Film locations in 

Film.] 

Turn left into Royal Avenue, which has 

a gravel section in the middle with lines 

of trees on either side. There is a plaque 

explaining the history of Royal Avenue, 

which was laid out by Sir Christopher 

Wren, on the side of the house on the 

right-hand side of the avenue. Further up 

on the opposite side of Royal Avenue, 

there is a blue plaque to film director 

Joseph Losey at number 29 h. 

Continue to the end of Royal Avenue 

to the King s Road. The McDonald s on 

the left side of the junction between 

Royal Avenue and the King s Road used 

to be the Chelsea Drugstore j [Sight: 

Chelsea Drugstore in King s Road in 

Streets and Sights] and was a film location 

for A Clockwork Orange. 

Turn right on the King s Road and walk 

up towards Duke of York Square, k 

which is on the right after Jigsaw. 

Walk into Duke of York Square [Sight: 

Duke of York Square], where there is a 

statue of Sir Hans Sloane. [Sight: Sir 

Hans Sloane in History.] The Saatchi 

Gallery is on your right as you face the 

statue. [Sight: Saatchi Gallery in Art.] 

You can either finish your walk here, 

visiting the Saatchi Gallery and exploring 

Duke of York Square, or make your way 

back to the King s Road and turn right to 

walk back up to Sloane Square Tube 

station, 

Historic Chelsea and 

Chelsea Green 

Time: Part one (50 minutes), part two (20 

minutes), whole walk (1 hour 25 minutes, 

including walking between the two parts). 

Sights include: Cheyne Walk, Old Church 

Street, Chelsea Old Church and Chelsea 

Green. 

This walk takes you through 

some of Chelsea’s most historic 

streets and into Chelsea Green. 

It is a fairly long walk, so you 

can either do the whole walk or 

split it into two parts. The first 

part covers Cheyne Walk and 

Chelsea Old Church, while the 

second includes Chelsea 

Farmers Market, St Luke’s and 

Chelsea Green. 

Part one 

Start on the King s Road at the top of 

Flood Street, which is opposite the purple 

Trafalgar pub and is about 15 minutes 

walk from Sloane Square Tube station. 

Turn left down Flood Street, which is 

named after Luke Thomas Flood, who 

performed many charitable works in 

Chelsea. There is a memorial to him at 

St Luke s Church, which appears in the 

second part of this walk. 

Walk to the end of Flood Street, looking 

down Robinson Street (on the left 

about three-quarters of the way down) to 

see Christ Church, q which is linked to 

St Luke s Church. [Sight: Christ Church] 

Continue to the end of Flood Street 

and turn right into Cheyne Walk [Sight: 

Cheyne Walk]. This beautiful street has 

been home to many famous people, 

although not all of their former homes 

have blue plaques — for a detailed list, 

see Streets and Sights. 

Walk down Cheyne Walk. At number 

4, there is a blue plaque marking it as 

George Eliot s house w [Sight: George 

Eliot]. Tudor House, e which was home 

to Dante Gabriel Rossetti and Algernon 

Charles Swinburne, is at number 16 and 

has a blue plaque [Sight: Dante Gabriel 

Rossetti]. 

There s a little passageway called 

Cheyne Mews on the right just before 

the junction — look out for the plaque on 

the wall about Henry VIII s manor house. 

You can see down Cheyne Mews to the 

trees at the end, and there s also a little 

sign just under the arch, reminding drivers 

to walk their horses. 

Cheyne Walk is split by a junction, 

which you need to cross to continue 

down Cheyne Walk. Cross over Oakley 

Street, towards the Mercedes-Benz 

showroom. In front of the showroom is a 

statue, Boy With a Dolphin r by David 

Wynne. Continue past the showroom 

and continue down Cheyne Walk. 

When you reach Cheyne Row, which 

runs off Cheyne Walk to the right just 

before the Cheyne Walk Brasserie (see 

Restaurants), step into the gardens on 

the left to see a statue of Thomas 

Carlyle. t Go back out of the gardens 

and walk down Cheyne Row to see 

Carlyle s House y at number 24 [Sight: 

Carlyle s House]. It is a National Trust 

property and you can visit it at this point 

if you wish. 

Continue to the end of Cheyne Row 

and turn left down Upper Cheyne Row 

to reach Lawrence Street. There s a blue 

plaque at number 16 u noting this 

street s past as a site of the famous 

Chelsea China pottery, and that author 

Tobias Smollett lived in part of the same 

building.

29 | WALK | 

Historic Chelsea 

and Chelsea Green 

Turn left down Lawrence Street and 

look down a picturesque little street 

called Justice Walk. Continue down 

Lawrence Street past the Cross Keys 

pub i [Sight: The Cross Keys]. At the 

end of the street, Carlyle Mansions o 

[Sight: Carlyle Mansions] is on the left. 

Notice the white decorative carvings. 

Turn right, back onto Cheyne Walk, 

and walk to the end, where you can see 

Chelsea Old Church a [Sight: Chelsea 

Old Church]. There s a statue of Sir 

Thomas More in the gardens to the left 

of the church, and the large stone 

memorial to Sir Hans Sloane in the 

church grounds, by the gate marked 

Petyt Hall. Continue around the church 

to the beginning of Old Church Street. 

You can see the front of the church 

here, with Roper s Garden s [Sight: 

Roper s Garden in Green Spaces] on 

your left. 

Walk up Old Church Street. The Pig s 

Ear pub is on the left, and just after that 

on the opposite side of the road is a yellow 

house (number 46) with some tiles 

painted with pretty country scenes. Look 

down the driveway next to it to see a 

building with a large cow s head on the 

front. 

Continue up Old Church Street. 

Manolo Blahnik is on the left. Walk to the 

end of the street to return to the King s 

Road. 

This forms a natural break in the walk, 

so you can either finish your walk here, 

or continue to part two of the walk by 

turning right to walk up the King s Road 

towards Sydney Street. If you continue 

the walk here, look out for Henry J 

Bean s d [Sight: Henry J Bean s in 

Pubs] on the right as you walk up the 

King s Road. It s an old pub that used to 

be the Six Bells, a favourite of Whistler s. 

Dovehouse Green f [Sight: Dovehouse 

Green] is opposite it, on your left. 

Continue up to Sydney Street, just 

before Heal s furniture shop. 

Part two 

If you are continuing the walk from part 

one, turn left off the King s Road into 

Sydney Street. If you are starting the 

walk here, start at the top of Sydney 

Street, where it meets the King s Road. 

Walk down Sydney Street. On the left 

is Chelsea Farmers Market, g which 

isn t really a farmers market but rather a 

collection of huts containing interesting 

shops and restaurants, including the 

Chelsea Gardener. Have a look around 

the market if you like, and then return to 

Sydney Street and continue walking. 

Spare a thought for the unfortunate 

Flying Man (see Streets and Sights) as 

you walk along Sydney Street towards St 

Luke s h [Sights: St Luke s, St Luke s 

Gardens]. Walk past the church grounds 

and the sports facilities and turn right 

onto Cale Street. 

Walk up Cale Street past the church, 

passing Tom s Kitchen j (see 

Restaurants) on the right. This is the area 

known as Chelsea Green, k although 

the green itself is tiny today. There are 

lots of charming shops and boutiques 

here, from the Chelsea Fishmonger to 

Jane Asher Sugarcraft. It has a village 

feel that is quite different from the bustle 

of the King s Road. 

Continue walking until you reach the 

triangle of shops surrounding Chelsea 

Green. The tiny green has some benches 

and is a pleasant place to sit. 

Turn right down Jubilee Place, a pretty 

street that will take you back to the 

King s Road. Look out for Insider Michael 

Hoppen s gallery l [Sight: Insiders, 

Michael Hoppen] as you approach the 

King s Road. 

When you reach the King s Road, look 

right to see the Chelsea Potter pub ; 

[Sight: Chelsea Potter in Pubs]. You can 

either end your walk with a welldeserved 

drink in there, or turn left to 

walk back up the King s Road to Sloane 

Square Tube station.

30 | INSIDER | Favourite places 


to favourite places 

By Tom Aikens, one of Britain’s 

leading chefs. After working in 

Michelin-starred restaurants 

including La Tante Claire and 

Pied à Terre, he opened his own 

restaurant, Tom Aikens, in 

Chelsea’s Elystan Street in 

2003. He won its Michelin star 

in 2004. His second Chelsea 

restaurant, Tom’s Kitchen, 

opened in Cale Street in 2006. 

(For more on Tom Aikens’ 

restaurants, see Restaurants) 

The Chelsea Fishmonger, 

10 Cale Street 

This is the freshest and best fish in 

Chelsea. It comes direct from the south 

coast and Billingsgate Market. They 

always have a wide range of line-caught 

fish and sustainable produce, which is 

very important to me. 

Dri Dri, Chelsea Farmers 

Market, Sydney Street 

This ice cream shop is fairly new to 

Chelsea. The recipes are Italian-based 

and you'll find delicious favourite 

flavours like frozen yoghurt, pistachio, 

strawberry and caramel. They are served 

in cups, cones or large freezer packs to 

take away, which I like. 

old and new objects. A great place to 

find something unique. 

Haynes Hanson & Clark, 

7 Elystan Street 

Haynes Hanson & Clark is a thriving, 

independent wine merchant in Chelsea 

and has another shop in Gloucestershire. 

They have a great range of wines and I 

believe they deliver all over the UK. 

Aubaine, 260-262 Brompton 

Road 

If I have time to take a little break in the 

afternoon, I love nothing more than grabbing 

a coffee and treat from Aubaine. It’s 

particularly nice in the summer on the 

terrace. 

Felt, 13 Cale Street 

Felt stocks contemporary jewellery, featuring 

beautiful pieces by Giorgio Vigna, 

Taher Chemerik, Alyssa Norton, Pippa 

Small, Alison Evans, Marijke de Goey 

and Jemima Rogers. They also sell great 

felt products and have an eclectic mix of

31 | THINGS TO DO | Art galleries 

Art of the matter 

Things to do 

Image courtesy of the Saatchi Gallery, 

London, © Matthew Booth, 2009 

Whether you’re in the mood to 

check out a gallery, catch a 

ground-breaking play, find a quiet 

spot to sit or listen to a 

spellbinding concert, there’s 

plenty to do in Chelsea 

Galleries showcasing photography, 

sculpture, drawings and paintings from 

all ages are found splashed around the 

Chelsea area, which is now a major 

arts hub, partly thanks to the arrival of 

modern art mecca, the Saatchi Gallery 

9 Langton Street 

Along with its sister gallery on Lacy Road 

in Putney, 9 Langton Street exhibits 

figurative and abstract contemporary art 

— including paintings and sculpture — 

from around 65 young London artists. 

The gallery is nestled in between the 

Italian restaurant La Famiglia (see 

Restaurants) and Offer Waterman & Co 

(see below) and specialises in one-off 

shows by talented young artists who are 

hitting the ground running. Although 

there are a few artists who have built up 

their reputation through longer-standing 

relationships with the gallery, the majority 

are new and previously unknown. 

Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, by 

appointment at weekends. 

9 Langton Street, SW10 0JL 

T: 020 7823 3606 

www.9langtonstreet.co.uk 

Andipa Gallery & Andipa 

Contemporary 

Descended from a family of art dealers 

and collectors that dates back to 

16th-century Venice, and based on 

Walton Street since 1967, the Andipa 

Gallery owns an impressive catalogue 

of paintings, drawings, sculptures and 

rare prints by some of the biggest 

names in modern and contemporary art. 

Matisse, Picasso, Warhol, Lichtenstein, 

Hockney, Damien Hirst and Banksy 

are all represented there. Andipa 

Contemporary holds exhibitions in the 

Andipa Gallery 

lower ground gallery and was opened in 

2010 to showcase fresh, innovative and 

aesthetically stimulating works by new 

artists from around the world. 

Monday-Friday 9.30am-6pm, 

Saturday 11am-6pm, by appointment 

at other times. 

162 Walton Street, SW3 2JL 

T: 020 7589 2371 

www.andipa.com 

Cricket Fine Art 

Cricket Fine Art was founded in 1996 by 

Leslie Pratt, who ran the gallery from her 

home. In 2003 the gallery joined others 

on Langton Street, before moving to 

Park Walk in 2010. It was created to 

promote and support talented contem-


porary artists. The idea that art is best 

viewed hanging in a home environment 

is integral to the gallery — hence its 

furnished home feel. 

Monday-Friday 10:30am-6pm, 

Saturday 11am-5pm, and by appointment. 

2 Park Walk, SW10 0AD 

T: 020 7352 2733 

www.cricketfineart.co.uk 

Daniel Hunt Fine Art 

Based just south of Sloane Square, 

Daniel Hunt Fine Art is a world leader in 

the field of sporting art and also has a 

large collection of Italian and Dutch Old 

Masters, early British paintings and early 

marine paintings. Prices usually range 

between £1,000 and £50,000, but some 

higher value works are also available. 

Monday-Friday 10am-5pm, by 

appointment at all other times. 

60 Lower Sloane Street, SW1W 8BP 

T: 020 7259 0304 

www.danielhuntfineart.co.uk 

The Gallery at 

Anthropologie 

Flying Colours Gallery 

With a name that was picked from 

Roget s Thesaurus, the Flying Colours 

Gallery was founded in Scotland, came 

to London in 1995 and is now based in 

Chelsea. It promotes both emerging and 

established talent in British art. 

Exhibitions feature a range of figurative 

and landscape works of art priced from 

£500 to £30,000. 

Monday-Friday 10.30am-5.30pm, 

by appointment at all other times. 

6 Burnsall Street, SW3 3ST 

T: 020 7351 5558 

www.flyingcoloursgallery.com 

The Gallery at Anthropologie 

In line with Anthropologie s reputation for 

doing things its own way, the Gallery at 

Anthropologie allows the staff at its 

King s Road clothing and home decor 

store to share inspiring work from 

unknown artists they admire with their 

customers. This means that exhibitions 

cover a wide spectrum of work, such 

as Tom Stogdon s water-eroded 

garden sculptures, Chloe Harrison s 

hand-stitched tweed trophy heads or 

Moroccan Boucherouite rugs. The gallery 

opened in February 2010. 

Gallery hours: Monday, Wednesday, 

Friday, Saturday 10am-7pm, Thursday 

10am-8pm, Sunday 12pm-6pm. 

139 King’s Road, SW3 4PW 

T: 020 7349 3110 

http://www.anthropologie.eu/en/uk/ 

kings-road-store/page/kingsroad/ 

James Harvey British Art 

The Harvey family live above the gallery, 

and the upstairs hall and drawing room 

are even used for larger exhibitions and 

entertainment. The gallery is situated in 

the little cluster of galleries on Langton 

Street and promotes traditional figurative 

contemporary art and British artists 

dating back to the 17th century, particularly 

focusing on the less well-known 

Royal Borough of Kensingon & Chelsea, Family & Children s Service 

The London Sketch 

Club 

The London Sketch Club is a gentlemen’s club 

for artists, illustrators, graphic designers and 

architects that has its origins in the sketching 

section that formed in the Artists’ Society in 

1838. This became the Langham Sketching Club 

when the society moved to 1 Langham Place 

in 1854. 

In 1898, the members fell out over whether 

meals should be served hot or cold, and the hot 

meals supporters — including Phil May, Tom 

Browne and Dudley Hardy — split off and formed 

the London Sketch Club. 

The new club first met at the Modern Gallery, 

175 Bond Street, and its first president was 

George Hait . After being based at several 

different sites in London, the club moved to its 

current home in Dilke Street in 1957. 

Members have included Heath Robinson, 

Peter Blake, Gerald Scarfe and Michael Foreman. 

The club holds regular sketching nights and 

evening dinners, and often co-hosts events with 

Chelsea Arts Club. It is staunchly traditional and 

has resisted allowing women full access — even 

today, the only women admitted on drawing 

nights are the life models. Visits to the club are 

by invitation only. 

7 Dilke Street, SW3 4JE. T: 020 7352 8209 (bar 

phone, Tuesday and some Friday evenings only). 

www.londonsketchclub.com 

The London Sketch 

Club in 1969 

artists of the 18th and 19th centuries. 

Tuesday-Thursday 10am-6pm, by 

appointment at all other times. 

15 Langton Street, SW10 OJL 

T: 020 7352 0015 

www.jhba.co.uk 

Jonathan Cooper Gallery 

The Jonathan Cooper Gallery is based 

just south of Fulham Road on Park Walk 

and has been promoting international 

contemporary artists for more than 

25 years. The gallery specialises in 

botanical and wildlife art in paintings, 

photography and sculpture, and holds 

solo exhibitions throughout the year. 

Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 

11am-4pm. 

20 Park Walk, SW10 0AQ 

T: 020 7351 0410 

www.jonathancooper.co.uk 

King’s Road Gallery 

Along King s Road to the west, almost 

as far as World s End, the King s Road 

Gallery exhibits European and Asian 

contemporary art from both established 

and emerging artists. The gallery opened 

on the King s Road in 1998, three years 

after its Hong Kong sister gallery. 

Monday-Friday 10am-6pm, 

Saturday 11am-5pm, by appointment 

on Sundays. 

436 Kings Road, SW10 0LJ 

T: 020 7351 1367 

www.kingsroadartgallery.com 

Little Black Gallery 

After the death of the iconic photographer 

Bob Carlos Clarke in 2006, three people 

close to him — his wife Lindsey, friend 

Tamara Beckwith and agent Ghislain 

Pascal — came together to found the 

Little Black Gallery, which opened in 

2008. One room at the gallery is permanently 

dedicated to his work and there 

are frequent guest exhibitions. 

Monday-Friday 11am-6pm, Saturday


11am-4pm, by appointment at all other 

times. 

13A Park Walk, SW10 0AJ 

T: 020 7349 9332 

www.thelittleblackgallery.com 

Mica Gallery 

Mica opened in the wake of the 

Arab Spring in 2011 with an exhibition 

of contemporary Egyptian art from both 

before and after the country s revolution. 

The gallery specialises in — and is an 

acronym of — modern Islamic and 

contemporary art which has been 

influenced by Islamic culture or heritage. 

The Mica definition is pretty flexible — 

modern Islamic works are rooted in 

traditional calligraphy and geometry, 

while the contemporary artists are more 

broadly inspired by Islamic cultural 

heritage at large from British, European, 

Arab, African and South Asian artists. 

By appointment only from 10am-6pm 

Monday-Friday and 11am-6pm on 

Saturdays. 

259A Pavilion Road, SW1X 0BP 

T: 020 7730 1117 

www.micagallery.com 

Michael Hoppen Gallery & 

Michael Hoppen Contemporary 

Gallery 

The Michael Hoppen Gallery specialises 

in 19th, 20th and 21st-century photography. 

Based just north of the King s Road, 

near the Chelsea Potter pub, the gallery 

has been in Chelsea since 1993. 

The Michael Hoppen Contemporary 

Gallery — another major international 

photographic gallery — opened in 2000 

and occupies the second floor of the 

same building. It supports established 

and emerging contemporary artists. 


Saturday 10.30am—5pm. 

3 Jubilee Place, SW3 3TD 

T: 020 7352 3649 

www.michaelhoppengallery.com 

Royal Borough of Kensingon & Chelsea, Family & Children s Service 

Chelsea Arts Club 

Chelsea Arts Club is a private members’ 

club. The membership is divided into 

ordinary members who practice the visual 

arts – painters, sculptors, architects, 

photographers, designers and so on – and 

associate members from related fields, such 

as musicians, actors, gallerists and writers. 

The club was founded by artists 

including sculptor Thomas Lee and painter 

James Abbott McNeill Whistler as a rival to 

Mayfair s Arts Club. Originally based at 

181 King s Road, the club moved to 

143 Old Church Street in 1902. 

The Chelsea Arts Ball, held from 1908 to 

1958, was a themed public fancy dress ball 

that became progressively more lavish — 

and raucous — and grew to occupy Chelsea 

Town Hall and then the Royal Albert Hall. 

It was originally held for Mardi Gras, but 

eventually moved to New Year s Eve. It was 

banned in 1959, but was revived in 1984/5. 

Club membership was opened to women 

artists in 1966. Would-be members need to 

be proposed and seconded by people who 

have known them for more than two years 

and who have been members of the club 

for more than two years. 

The outside of the building is sometimes 

painted to mark an event, such as the the 

70th anniversary of the end of the Blitz 

in 2011. 

143 Old Church Street, SW3 6EB 

T: 020 7376 3311 

www.chelseaartsclub.com 

Artwork 

for the 


Arts 

Club 

annual 

dinner 

1968 

Northcote Gallery 

The Northcote Gallery, which has a sister 

gallery on Northcote Road in Battersea, 

specialises in modern British and 

international contemporary paintings and 

sculpture and hosts ten solo exhibitions 

from established and emerging artists 

each year. 

Tuesday-Saturday 11am-6pm, Sunday 

1pm-4pm. 

253 King’s Road, SW3 5EL 

T: 020 7351 0830 

www.northcotegallery.com 

Offer Waterman & Co 

Established in 1996 amid the small 

cluster of art galleries next to the 

La Famiglia restaurant on Langton 

Street, Offer Waterman is a leader in 

the fields of 20th-century British paintings, 

drawings and sculpture, and can 

also offer expertise in American and 

European, Impressionist, modern 

and contemporary art. 

Monday to Friday 10am-6.30pm, by 

appointment on Saturdays. 


T: 020 7351 0068 

www.waterman.co.uk 

Proud Chelsea 

The Proud Group was launched by 

Alex Proud in 1998 and includes a 

music venue in Camden, a speakeasystyle 

venue in the City, a gallery just 

off the Strand and Proud Chelsea — 

a photographic gallery that aims to 

introduce high-quality photography to 

a mainstream audience. 

Proud uses popular themes to create 

accessible exhibitions with a distinct rock 

n roll emphasis — the Sex Pistols, Bob 

Marley, Bob Dylan, the Libertines and 

the Rock n Roll Years have all been the 

focus of exhibitions. 

Daily 10am-7pm, until 8pm on 

Wednesdays. 

161 King’s Road, SW3 5XP 

Proud Chelsea 

T: 020 7349 0822 

www.proudonline.co.uk/ 

Saatchi Gallery 

In 2009 and 2010 the Saatchi Gallery 

held five of the six most attended 

exhibitions in London — the only one to 

achieve more visitors was Van Gogh at 

the Royal Academy of Arts. 

Charles Saatchi opened his original 

Saatchi gallery in 1985 in a disused paint 

factory in St John s Wood before moving 

to County Hall on the South Bank in 

2003. The gallery was forced to close 

in 2005 after a row with County Hall s 

owners and was without a home for 

three years. 

In 2008, the Saatchi Gallery reopened 

at the Duke of York s Headquarters — 

a vast 70,000 sq ft space that was 

a perfect blank canvas to display paintings, 

sculpture and installations. The 

gallery exhibits contemporary art from 

home-grown talent, often previously 

unseen, and international artists that 

have rarely or never before exhibited in 

the UK.


Recent exhibitions include The Empire 

Strikes Back: Indian Art Today, Abstract 

America: New Painting and Sculpture, 

and The Shape of Things to Come: 

New Sculpture, each reportedly drawing 

around 4,000 visitors a day. Entry to all 

shows is free of charge. 

The Gallery Mess (see Restaurants) is 

worth checking out, and the gift shop is 

great for interesting presents for arty 

types. Rooms at the gallery can be hired 

for events. 

Daily 10am-6pm, last entry at 5.30pm. 

Duke of York’s HQ, King’s Road, 

SW3 4RY. T: 020 7811 3080 

www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk 

Stephanie Hoppen Gallery 

Stephanie Hoppen — mother to famous 

gallery owner Michael and interior 

designer Kelly — has been working at 17 

Walton Street since 1981. She believes 

in a practical approach to art, cutting 

away jargon and theory, where the one 

consideration for buyers should be 

whether there is love at first sight . The 

gallery displays works from British and 

international contemporary artists and 

photographers. 

Tuesday to Friday 10am-6pm, 

Saturday 12pm-5pm, Monday by 

appointment. 

17 Walton Street, SW3 2HX 

T: 020 7589 3678 

www.stephaniehoppen.com 

Nocturne in Black 

and Gold – the 

Falling Rocket 

American-born artist James Abbott 

McNeill Whistler lived at many places 

in Chelsea (see Streets and Sights) 

and his painting Nocturne 

in Black and Gold – the Falling 

Rocket, which depicts fireworks at 

Cremorne Gardens over Battersea 

Bridge, resulted in a costly libel case 

against the critic John Ruskin in 1877. 

Whistler had exhibited the painting 

at the Grosvenor Gallery and Ruskin 

had called him a coxcomb for asking 

two hundress guineas for flinging a 

pot of paint in the public s face . 

Whistler sued him 

for libel, saying it was an artistic 

arrangement rather than a view of the 

gardens, and that he didn t ask two 

hundred guineas for the time 

it took to paint, rather for the knowledge 

I have gained in the work of a 

lifetime . 

Whistler won the case, but was only 

awarded a farthing in damages and 

had to pay his own costs, 

forcing him to sell his new house 

in Tite Street, designed for him by 

E W Godwin, and bankrupting him. 

Time travel 

From the Carlyle’s House to Chelsea FC, 

these museums will give you an insight 

into the past and the present 

National Army Museum 

The National Army Museum is a bit 

different to most other museums — it 

uses the objects in its collection as a 

way to link the past and present, rather 

than to examine history as a separate 

entity. It aims to tell the story of the 

British Army — and the Indian Army, up 

until 1947 — as a whole, right up to the 

present day. The online exhibition about 

the Army in Helmand, Afghanistan, and 

its permanent exhibition in the museum, 

Conflicts of Interest, 1969-present, 

show its dedication to covering current 

conflicts as well as historic ones. It 

receives grant aid from the Ministry 

of Defence and it pays ground rent of 

precisely one guinea a year to its landlord, 

the Royal Hospital. 

The collections look at both the Army s 

role in history around the world and the 

personal experiences of servicemen 

and women. The exhibitions, particularly 

on modern or current conflicts, give an 

intimate portrayal of what it is like to 

serve in the military, and doesn t shy 

away from the psychological impact. 

It links into popular culture, too — for 

example, War Horse: Fact & Fiction 

explores Michael Morpurgo s novel. 

The new Kids Zone soft-play area is 

a great addition, helping young children 

to learn in a fun way, with the Early Years 

Foundation Stages at its heart. There are 

also plenty of family events. The education 

department is excellent. 

In fact, the museum is so popular that 

an expansion is planned, with a glass 

atrium, a roof terrace, a restaurant, new 

National 

Army 

Museum 

education facilities and an overhaul of 

some of the galleries in the pipeline. 

An interesting series of celebrity 

speakers runs at the museum, from 

authors to anthropologists and first-hand 

accounts from soldiers, along with 

lunchtime lectures. There s sometimes a 

ticket fee for talks, but most of the 

museum s events are free. 

Open daily 10am-5.30pm. 

Free admission. 

Royal Hospital Road, 

SW3 4HT 

T: 020 7730 0717 

www.nam.ac.uk 

Chelsea FC 

Chelsea Football 

Club s museum at 

Stamford Bridge tells 

the story of the club from 

its beginnings in 1905 to its 

global reach today. It features memorabilia, 

interactive experiences including the 

adidas Shooting Gallery — which teaches 

visitors how to shoot the perfect goal — 

and a showcase of shirts from some of 

the team s greatest players. The museum 

works in conjuction with an updated 

stadium tour route and shop.

35 | THINGS TO DO | Museums 

A Chelsea 

Pensioner 

dressed in the 

famous uniform 

Open 10.30am-5pm (last entry 4pm) — 

on match days the opening hours will vary 

depending on kick-off time. Open until 

6pm (last entry 5pm) in July and August. 

Museum only prices: Adult (16+ years) 

£10, child (five-15 years, under fives free 

of charge) £8, concession (senior citizen 

and students with valid ID) £9, family 

ticket (two adults and two children) £32. 

Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, 

SW6 1HS. T: 0871 984 1955 (general 

enquiries), 0871 984 1905 (tickets) 

www.chelseafc.com 

Carlyle’s House 

The house of Scottish satirical writer 

Thomas Carlyle and his wife Jane, preserved 

since 1895. They were a celebrity 


(For more about the Royal Hospital Chelsea, see Streets 

and Sights) 

The Royal Hospital, home of the the Chelsea Pensioner, has a 

small museum in the grounds. It originally opened in 1866 and 

its collection is mostly made up of objects left by former In- 

Pensioners. There are artefacts associated with the Duke of 

Wellington, a diorama of the Royal Hospital in 1742, a reconstruction 

of a typical berth in the Long Wards (which are not 

open to the public) and a collection of more than 2,100 medals, 

among other items. Visitors can also see the Parade Chair, 

which was presented to Queen Elizabeth II by the Royal 

Hospital, and the Sovereign s Mace, which the Queen presented 

to the hospital in 2002. You can even book a guided tour 

with a Chelsea Pensioner (£65 per tour, which contributes 

directly to the Royal Hospital s funds to benefit the welfare of 

the Chelsea Pensioners. Tours begin 10am and 1.30pm, 

Monday-Friday). 

The Museum and Souvenir Shop are open to the public 

Monday-Friday, 10am-5pm, excluding bank holidays and official 

Royal Hospital events, such as Founder s Day. Individuals and 

groups of up to 10 people can visit the Royal Hospital Chelsea 

for free (larger groups must book a tour on the number below). 

Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4SR. T: 020 7881 5200 (switchboard), 

020 7881 5298 (to book a tour). 

www.chelsea-pensioners.co.uk 

couple in the Victorian literary world, and 

Thomas influenced other famous authors 

of the time, including Charles Dickens 

and John Ruskin. Jane was a wellknown 

letter-writer in her own right. 

The house is kept as it was in the 1850s, 

when Robert Tait painted a portrait of 

the couple in their home. It s a chance to 

peek into the past of this very creative 

part of Chelsea. 

Open Wednesday-Sunday and bank 

holiday Mondays, 11pm-5pm, last 

admission 30 minutes before closing. 

Admission: Adult £5.10, child £2.60, 

family £12.80. 

24 Cheyne Row, SW3 5HL 

T: 020 7352 7087 

www.nationaltrust.org.uk/carlyleshouse 

Star quality 

With two luxury cinemas, two worldclass 

theatres and more movie cameos 

than Alfred Hitchcock, Sloane Square 

and the King's Road are unmissable 

destinations for fans of stage and screen 

Chelsea Theatre 

Launched in 1953, Chelsea Theatre 

commissions and presents new work 

from leading international companies and 

artists, such as Goat Island, Lone Twin, 

Ron Athey, Annie Sprinkle, Pacitti 

Company, Julia Bardsley, Dries 

Verhoeven and Kazuko Hohki. Recent 

collaborations have involved exchanges 

with theatres in Vienna, Moscow, Rio de 

Janeiro and New York. 

Under artistic director Francis 

Alexander, the focus since 2004 has 

been on the production and presentation 

of live art, creating work where artists 

cross between visual, time-based and 

performance practice. The theatre has 

gained support from organisations 

including Arts Council England, the 

British Council and the Live Art 

Development Agency. 

World’s End Place, King’s Road, SW10 

0DR. T: 020 7352 1967 

www.chelseatheatre.org.uk 

Cineworld Chelsea 

Cineworld Chelsea is a four-screen 

cinema showing the latest blockbusters 

and independent films. The building is 

one of the oldest of Cineworld s sites, 

and first opened as a cine-variety venue 

in 1910, and has continued to screen 

films right up until the present day. 

Cineworld Chelsea also has a programme 

of alternative content, including 

live feeds of the Met Opera, seasonal 

showings such as The Rocky Horror 

Picture Show and golden oldie 

favourites. 

Ticket prices: Adult £10.50 after 5pm 

Monday-Friday and all day Saturday and 

Sunday, £8 before 5pm Monday-Friday, 

child (14 and under) £6.60, senior/student 

£7, family £29 after 5pm Monday- 

Friday and all day Saturday and Sunday, 

£24.50 before 5pm Monday-Friday. 

Weekend prices apply to bank holidays. 

There is an additional cost for 3D films 

(£2.30 for adults, £1.50 for 

child/senior/student/unlimited, £5.60 for 

family ticket, 3D glasses 80p per pair). 

On-street parking only. 

279 King’s Road, SW3 5EW 

T: 0871 200 2000 

www.cineworld.co.uk/cinemas/10 

Curzon Chelsea 

A 700-seat luxury cinema, Curzon 

Chelsea shows both big releases and 

smaller arty, independent and foreign 

language films. It also shows live screenings 

of opera and theatre from the New 

York Metropolitan Opera and London s 

National Theatre, among others. 

It s a location full of cinematic history, 

built on the original site of film pioneer 

William Friese-Greene s studios and 

laboratory. He patented a moving image 

Curzon Chelsea

36 | THINGS TO DO | Film and theatre 

camera in 1839, and experimented with 

colour and motion pictures. By 1934, a 

huge cinema — the Gaumont Palace — 

had replaced his studio. A bas relief of 

his image can still be seen on the fa ade 

of the building. 

Designed by William E Trent and 

Ernest F Tully, it had seating for 2,502 

and included a fully-equipped stage, a 

rehearsal room, dressing rooms and a 

Compton theatre organ. It became the 

Gaumont Theatre from 1937 and was 

modernised in 1960. It was renamed the 

Odeon in 1963 but closed its doors in 

1972. The foyer and stalls became 

Habitat, while the stage became flats 

and offices. 

A new Odeon cinema opened in 

September 1973, seating 739, occupying 

the former balcony area, but it closed 

in 1981. After the cinema had been dark 

for two years, distributor Artificial Eye 

took it over and renamed it the Chelsea 

Cinema. It joined Curzon Cinemas in 

2006, and became the Curzon Chelsea 

after extensive refurbishment in 2010m 

boasting the biggest screen outside the 

West End. The auditorium has 713 seats, 

some of which are luxury Pullman 

seats, and the cinema also has a bar. 

Ticket prices: Adults £10.50, Cineaste 

(Curzon members) £8.50, Pullman seats 

£15/£13 Cineastes (Monday-Friday after 

5pm, Saturday and Sunday after 2pm). 

Cinesaver (Monday-Friday 2pm-5pm) 

£7.50 adults, £6.50 Cineaste, £11/£9 

Pullman seats. Early bird (open to 2pm) 

£7.50 adults, £6 Cineaste £5, £9/£8 

Pullman seats. Children (under 15) £6 at 

all times. There is a surcharge of £2 on 

all tickets for 3D films. The cinema is currently 

inaccessible to wheelchair users, 

but staff can offer assistance with stairs if 

you phone in advance to discuss your 

needs. 


T: 0330 500 1331 

www.curzoncinemas.com/cinemas/chelsea/ 

Film locations 

With its diverse architecture and rich history, 

Chelsea has always been in demand as a 

location for films. Here are just a few of the 

movies that have scenes shot in the area 

Blow-Up (1966) 

Michelangelo Antonioni s thriller sees glamorous 

fashion photographer Thomas (David 

Hemmings) showing his portfolio to his 

agent, Ron (Peter Bowles), in El Blason, 

8-9 Blacklands Terrace, and attending a 

party on Cheyne Walk. 

A Clockwork Orange (1971) 

The McDonalds on the King s Road used to 

be the Chelsea Drugstore, which doubled 

as a record store visited by Alex (Malcolm 

McDowell) in Stanley Kubrick s iconic film. 

Withnail and I (1986) 

Monty, played by Richard Griffiths, lives at 

35 Glebe Place and is visited by his 

nephew Withnail (Richard E Grant) and his 

friend, played by Paul McGann and named 

only as & I in the end credits. Bruce 

Robinson s black comedy is a cult favourite 

and counts Beatle George Harrison as one 

of its executive producers. 

Match Point (2005) 

Scarlett Johansson s American actress 

character Nola auditions for a role at the 

Royal Court Theatre in Woody Allen s thriller. 

A Good Year (2006) 

The iconic Bluebird Caf on the King s 

Road features in Ridley Scott s romantic 

comedy. 

Alex Rider: Stormbreaker (2006) 

Adapted from Anthony Horowitz s novel, 

this film stars Alex Pettyfer as teenage spy 

Alex Rider, who lives in St Leonard s 

Terrace. 

Royal Court Theatre 

The Royal Court is a non-commercial 

theatre renowned for its work championing 

new writing and staging landmark 

plays, such as John Osborne s Look 

Back in Anger and Edward Bond s 

Saved. Its ongoing writers programmes 

and festivals, including Rough Cuts and 

the Young Writers Programme, have 

helped to launch the careers of new 

voices such as Mike Bartlett, Lucy 

Prebble, Polly Stenham, Laura Wade and 

Bola Agbaje. 

The Royal Court — originally called the 

Court Theatre — was built by Walter 

Emden and opened in 1888. It became 

famous for its George Bernard Shaw 

seasons. It was used as a cinema from 

1932-1935, after which it closed for a 

while, and was damaged in the Second 

World War. After the war, it presented 

light musical reviews. 

In 1952, former music hall performer 

Alfred Esdaile acquired the lease of the 

theatre and the land next to Sloane 

Square underground station from the 

Cadogan Estate, and reopened the 

building as a theatre club. The English 

Stage Company, led by artistic director 

George Levine, made the Court its home 

in 1955. Look Back in Anger opened at 

the theatre in 1956 — the start of a new 

era of modern British drama. 

The Royal Court has also been instrumental 

in the abolition of censorship 

on the London stage, with Osborne s 

A Patriot For Me and Bond s Saved and 

Early Morning being refused a licence 

to be performed in public by the Lord 

Chamberlain s Office in the 1960s. The 

role of official censor was abolished in 

1968. 

In 1966, the Young People s Theatre 

was set up to develop and produce new 

writing by writers under 25 years old, 

and the Young Writers Festival, now a 

regular event, was launched in 1973. 

The Theatre Upstairs, one of the first 

Artistic 

directors at the 

Royal Court 

Theatre 

2007 — 2013: Dominic Cooke 

1998 — 2006: Ian Rickson 

1992 — 1998: Stephen Daldry 

1979 — 1992: Max Stafford-Clark 

1977 — 1979: Stuart Burge 

1975 — 1977: Robert Kidd and 

Nicholas Wright 

1972 — 1975: Oscar Lewenstein 

1969 — 1972: William Gaskill, 

Lindsay Anderson 

and Anthony Page 

1965 — 1969: William Gaskill 

1956 — 1965: George Devine

37 | THINGS TO DO | Film and theatre 

Notable Royal 

Court Theatre 

productions 

Look Back in Anger by John Osborne 

(1956) 

The Chairs by Eugene Ionesco (1957) 

Endgame by Samuel Beckett (1958) 

Roots by Arnold Wesker (1959) 

The Knack by Ann Jellicoe (1962) 

Saved by Edward Bond (1965) 

The Lion and the Jewel by Wole 

Soyinka (1966) 

Over Gardens Out by Peter Gill 

(1969) 

The Contractor by David 

Storey (1969) 

As Time Goes By by 

Mustapha Matura (1971) 

The Rocky Horror Show 

by Richard O Brien 

(1973) 

The Island by 

Athol Fugard 

(1973) 

Cloud Nine 

From the original Royal 

Court Theatre production of 

The Rocky Horror Show 

by Caryl 

Churchill 

(1979) 

Bent by Martin 

black box studios opened by a mainstream 

theatre, launched in 1969. 

The Royal Court s building closed temporarily 

for redevelopment in 1996, with 

the company moving to the West End 

until it reopened in 2000. A book about 

the Royal Court s life — The Royal Court 

Theatre: Inside Out by Ruth Little and 

Emily McLaughlin — is available in the 

bookshop or from the online shop. Play 

texts are also available. 

Recent successes at the Royal Court 

have included Jez Butterworth s awardwinning 

Jerusalem, which transferred to 

Sherman (1979) 

Top Girls by Caryl Churchill (1982) 

Rita, Sue and Bob Too by Andrea 

Dunbar (1982) 

Rat in the Skull by Ron Hutchinson 

(1984) 

Road by Jim Cartwright (1986) 

Our Country’s Good by Timberlake 

Wertenbaker (1988) 

Death and the Maiden by Ariel Dorfman 

(1991) 

Blasted by Sarah Kane (1995) 

East is East by Ayub Khan-Din (1997, 

performed at the Ambassadors during 

the Royal Court building s redevelopment) 

Attempts On Her Life by Martin Crimp 

(1997, performed at the Ambassadors) 

The Weir by Conor McPherson (1997, 

performed at the Ambassadors) 

Plasticine by Vassily Sigarev (2002) 

A Number by Caryl Churchill (2002) 

Fallout by Roy Williams (2003) 

Motortown by Simon Stephens (2006) 

Gone Too Far! by Bola Agbaje (2007) 

That Face by Polly Stenham (2007) 

Shades by Alia Bano (2009) 

Enron by Lucy Prebble (2009) 

Jerusalem by Jez Butterworth (2009) 

Clybourne Park by Bruce Norris (2010) 

The Heretic by Richard Bean (2011) 

the West End and New York’s Broadway. 

The Royal Court s artistic director, 

Dominic Cooke, has announced that 

he will step down from the post in April 

2013 to focus on freelance work. His 

successor has not yet been announced. 

The Jerwood Theatre Upstairs is the 

studio theatre, while the Jerwood Theatre 

Downstairs is the main house. All seats 

are £10 on Mondays, available on the 

day of performance from 9am online, 

10am in-person. 

Sloane Square, SW1W 8AS. T: 020 7565 

5000. www.royalcourttheatre.com 

Tuned in 

Whether you'd like to hear the Royal 

Philharmonic in a spectacular concert 

hall or enjoy live jazz with your jumbo 

shrimp, Chelsea's many music venues 

should hit the right note 

606 Club 

The 606 Club is a jazz club restaurant 

which hosts live British-based music 

seven nights a week. Run by musician 

Steve Rubie, the club is set in a basement 

venue and has been hosting a variety 

of jazz, latin, soul, groove, R&B and 

blues acts since 1976. It moved to its 

current location to suit higher demand in 

1988. 

There is a bar, but non-members can 

only be served alcohol with a substantial 

meal. Membership costs £95 per 

year and you must have visited the club 

at least three times before being accepted. 

There is also a music charge of £10 

(Sunday to Thursday) or £12 (Friday and 

Saturday), which goes straight into the 

band s pocket and is added on to your 

bill. 

Sunday-Thursday 7pm-12am, Friday- 

Saturday 8pm-2am. 

90 Lots Road, London SW10 0QD 

T: 020 7352 5953 

www.606club.com 


Cadogan Hall is the home of the Royal 

Philharmonic Orchestra and the grandest 

of Chelsea s music venues. 

It was designed by Robert Fellowes 

Chisholm as a New Christian Science 

Church in 1907 and could draw congregations 

of up to 1,600. Almost 90 years 

later, in 1996, the congregations were 

dwindling and change was needed. The 

Cadogan Estate bought the hall in 2000 

606 Club 

and converted it into a music venue, with 

acoustics, atmosphere and technology 

high on the list. 

The hall can seat an audience of 

around 900 and offers an eclectic mix of 

music including classical, opera, choral, 

jazz, rock, pop and world music. See the 

website for listings. 

The box office is open Monday- 

Saturday 10am-6pm (8pm on performance 

days) and on Sundays (only on 

performance days) from 3pm-8pm. 

5 Sloane Terrace, London, SW1X 9DQ 

T: 020 7730 4500 

www.cadoganhall.com 

Caffé Concerto (see Cafés) 

Chelsea Old Church 

Classical concerts are held at Chelsea 

Old Church most months (avoiding 

busier times in the church calendar such 

as Christmas and Easter). 

The singers and musicians for the

38 | THINGS TO DO | Music 

most part come from the professionals 

affiliated with Chelsea Old Church, 

although other artists also appear. There 

are operatic arias and requiems on some 

evenings. It is worth calling or checking 

the website for details of upcoming 

events. 

64 Cheyne Walk, SW3 5LT 

T: 020 7795 1019 

www.chelseaoldchurch.org.uk 

Holy Trinity Sloane Square 

The Holy Trinity Church at Sloane Square 

hosts concerts throughout the year and 

prides itself on the diversity of the music 

at its Sunday morning services — fitting 

for a church that the former Poet 

Laureate and Chelsea resident John 

Betjeman described as the cathedral of 

the arts and crafts movement . 

Holy Trinity also has a fine organ, 

which was built in 1891 by JW Walker & 

Sons. See the website for details of 

upcoming concerts and services. 

Sloane Street, London, SW1X 9BZ 

T: 020 7730 7270 

www.holytrinitysloanesquare.co.uk 

Chelsea musicians 

Thomas Arne, the composer of the 

traditional British song Rule, 

Britannia!, lived at 215 King s Road 

during the final years of his life. 

Percy Grainger — a famous 

pianist and composer who was said 

to have detested the piece that he 

was most famous for, Country 

Gardens — lived at various addresses 

in Chelsea between 1901 and 

1914. 

Peter Warlock — originally Phillip 

Arnold Heseltine — died from gas 

poisoning at 30 Tite Street on 

December 17, 1930. 

Holy Trinity 

Sloane Square 

Ralph Vaughan Williams, who 

composed favourite English hymns 

such as Come Down O Love Divine, 

lived at 13 Cheyne Walk from 1905 

to 1929. 

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 

stayed on Five Fields Row (now 

Ebury Street) in 1765 for seven 

weeks. He wrote two symphonies 

while he was there and also performed 

at Ranelagh Gardens — all at 

the age of nine. 

For more notable figures who 

lived and worked in Chelsea, see 

Streets and Sights. 


The Royal Hospital hosts the RHC 

Concerts series every autumn, 

showcasing internationally celebrated 

musicians as well as promising young 

artists. The concerts are held in the Wren 

Chapel to meet high demand for tickets. 

See the website for more information. 

Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4SR 

T: 020 7881 5324 

www.chelsea-pensioners.co.uk/rhcconcert-series 

Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Crabshack 

Diners can enjoy live jazz, rock, R&B and 

soul music at Big Easy every night in the 

main dining room from 8.30pm on 

Sundays-Thursdays and 9pm on Fridays 

and Saturdays. 

332-334 King’s Road, SW3 5UR 

T: 020 7352 4071 

www.bigeasy.co.uk 

Pizza Express – the Pheasantry 

Live music kicks off at Pizza Express at 

the Pheasantry early on most evenings. 

There is an eclectic mix of music — predominantly 

jazz, but also including 

swing, blues, cabaret, latin, pop and a 

wide range of other genres and styles. 

The website has an up-to-date and 

comprehensive list of the line-up for the 

months ahead. 

For details about The Pheasantry s 

history, see Streets and Sights. 

152 King’s Road, SW3 4UT 

T: 0845 6027 017 

pizzaexpresslive.co.uk 


Chelsea in music 

Chelsea has featured in many songs 

and music pieces. Here are just a few 

Chelsea Bridge is a 1941 jazz standard 

by Billy Strayhorn, which has 

been recorded by artists including 

Duke Ellington, Ben Webster, Tony 

Bennett and Ella Fitzgerald. 

The Rolling Stones song You Can’t 

Always Get What You Want on their 

1969 album Let it Bleed mentions the 

Chelsea Drugstore, which was on the 

King s Road: I went down to the 

Chelsea Drugstore/To get your prescription 

filled. 

The Tom Petty and the 

Heartbreakers song King’s Road 

appeared on their 1981 album Hard 

Promises. The first verse is: Well they 

put me out on the old King s Road/I 

didn t know which way to go/There 

was people all around/Wearin funny 

lookin clothes/Some boys, some 

girls, some I don t know.

39 | THINGS TO DO | Green spaces 

Garden party 

You don't have to look too hard to find 

a calm, green space to transport you 

from all the bustle of the King's Road. 

Here are our pick of some of the area's 

greatest gardens 

Royal Hospital – South Grounds 

and Ranelagh Gardens 

Ranelagh Gardens opened in 1742 and 

were designed as pleasure gardens, a 

popular attraction of the time. A Chinese 

house was built and a huge rotunda 

staging classical music concerts provided 

a grand centrepiece. A young Mozart 

performed there in 1764. However, by 

1805 the site had deteriorated and was 

closed. 

The Royal Hospital acquired the gardens 

and a summer house was built for 

the pensioners there in 1834. John 

Gibson, the designer of Battersea Park, 

redesigned the gardens in 1860, along 

with the South Grounds — famous as the 

site of the Chelsea Flower Show, which 

Ranelagh Gardens 

takes place in May. Other events and 

fairs are also held there. 

The grounds include sports areas for 

football, tennis and netball (see Sports). 

Opening times: April 1-30 10am- 

7.30pm, May 1-August 31 10am- 

8.30pm, September 1-30 10am-7pm, 

October 1-30 10am-5pm, November 1- 

March 31 10am-4.30pm, open from 

2pm on all Sundays. 

Royal Hospital Chelsea, Royal Hospital 

Road, SW3 4SR. T: 020 7881 5200 

(Switchboard, Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm) 

www.chelsea-pensioners.co.uk 

Open Garden Squares Weekend 

Open Garden Squares Weekend is a rare 

chance to see some of the hidden gems 

of Chelsea, with gardens not normally 

open to the public welcoming visitors. 

The Royal Borough of Kensington and 

Chelsea is one of the biggest contributors 

and around 80 gardens in the area 

took part last year, including Markham 

Square and Paultons Square. 

The event will take place on June 9-10 

in 2012. 

www.opensquares.org 

Chelsea Common 

Chelsea Common used to be around 30 

acres, but as Chelsea developed, buildings 

and roads encroached on the land, 

and this pretty garden is the last remaining 

piece. 

Cale Street, SW3 


There are several small, pleasant gardens 

near the Thames, including the 

Chelsea Embankment Gardens outside 

Chelsea Old Church and the St Thomas 

More Gardens, which feature a statue of 

More. The gardens were created after Sir 

Joseph Bazalgette built the Thames 

embankmentbetween 1869 and 1874. 

Chelsea Embankment, SW3 

Chelsea Physic Garden 

This is a different kind of garden – one 

that’s not only beautiful, but useful. 

There are more than 4,800 kinds of 

plants in the four-acre space, and there 

is an emphasis on those that have a 

practical purpose. 

There are plants that are used in medicine 

— both in pharmaceutical treatments 

and in cultures throughout the world — 

perfumery, aromatherapy and rare vegetables. 

Collections are grouped around 

little signs marking uses like dermatology 

and parasitology , and there are 

earthy-smelling glasshouses of ferns and 

more exotic plants. 

The garden was founded by the 

Society of Apothecaries in 1673 and 

leased to them for £5 a year in perpetuity 

from 1722 by Sir Hans Sloane — on the 

condition it stayed a physic garden. The 

sum is still paid to his heirs at Cadogan 

by the charity that runs Chelsea Physic 

Garden today. Sir Hans himself is immortalised 

in a statue in the grounds. 

It is like a living museum, and there is 

a walk showing the work of different 

people associated with its history, including 

Philip Miller, William Hudson, Sir 

Joseph Banks and William Forsyth. The 

Grade II*-listed pond rock garden, created 

from stones from the Tower of 

London, Icelandic lava, fused bricks and 

flint, was completed in 1773. 

The garden has a wide-ranging events 

programme, from workshops in beekeeping 

to photography and making 

cosmetics. There is a caf (see Eating 

section) and the garden welcomes people 

with disabilities (telephone in advance 

for details about access). 

Adults and senior citizens £9; 

students, unemployed and children (five- 

15 years) £6; Friends of the Garden and 

companions of disabled visitors are 

admitted free. Assistance dogs only. 

Maximum of two children allowed per 

accompanying adult. 

Opening times: April 1-October 31, 

Tuesday-Friday 12pm-5pm, Sundays 

and bank holidays 12pm-6pm, last 

admission 30 minutes before closing. 

66 Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4HS 

T: 020 7349 6458 

www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk

40 | THINGS TO DO | Green spaces 

Cremorne Gardens 

This garden has good views and commemorates 

the former riverside pleasure 

gardens, which opened in 1845 and 

closed in 1877. The Cremorne Pleasure 

Gardens hosted entertainment including 

concerts, balloon ascents and fireworks. 

Whistler captured the scene in 

Nocturne in Black and Gold – the Falling 

Rocket, which became the subject of a 

libel case (see Art). 

Cremorne Gardens was regarded as 

somewhere where respectable women 

would not wish to be seen alone, and it 

faced heavy criticism from its neighbours. 

Staffed garden, open 7.30am until 

dusk. Public toilet facilities. 

Lots Road, SW10 

Dovehouse Green 

A gift to the borough from Sir Hans 

Sloane in 1733, this was used as a burial 

ground until 1824. It was developed in 

1947-50, when the small area was 

opened to the public and the mortuary 

was demolished. 

The Chelsea Society and the Royal 

Borough of Kensington and Chelsea 

turned the space into a garden in 1977 

for the Queen s Silver Jubilee and 

renamed it Dovehouse Green. The 

garden was reworked again in 2003 for 

the Queen s Golden Jubilee. It is a quiet 

spot to sit and escape the commotion of 

the King s Road. 

Dovehouse Street, SW3 

Roper’s Garden 

Close to Chelsea Old Church, this 

garden was once an orchard, which 

Sir Thomas More gave to his daughter, 

Margaret, when she married William 

Roper in 1521. The buildings were 

destroyed by a parachute mine in April 

1941 and a sunken garden was created 

on the site in March 1964. 

An ancient cherry tree was planted in 

it to mark the visit of Gunji Koizumi, a 

‘The Female Blondin’ 

Cremorne Pleasure Gardens drew crowds to 

watch spectacles, and one of these was an 

attempt by Madame Genevieve, or ‘the 

Female Blondin’ as she was billed, to cross 

the Thames from the gardens to Battersea 

on a tightrope in August 1861. It nearly 

ended in disaster. 

After she had started crossing the 

tightrope, the guy ropes were cut by someone 

so they could steal the lead weights. 

She managed to avoid danger by sliding 

down a rope and reaching a boat on the 

Thames. The tried again a week later and 

successfully completed the stunt. 

martial arts master who introduced judo 

to the UK in 1918. 

Cheyne Walk, SW3 

St Luke’s Garden 

The gardens next to St Luke s Church 

have beautiful flower displays, a playground 

and a games area (see Sports). 

They are a popular place to sit. 

The site was consecrated in 1812 to 

cope with the parish s growing population 

and it was used as a burial ground 

until 1857. It became a public garden in 

1881 and the gravestones were moved 

to form a boundary wall. The gardens 

were developed in 1887, and the church 

and the gardens are Grade II listed. 

Open 7.30am until dusk. 

Sydney Street, SW3. 

Good sports 

Sweat it out on the squash court, test 

yourself on a treadmill, or leave it to the 

professionals from the comfort of the 

stands at Stamford Bridge with this 

run-down of some of the area’s stunning 

sport and leisure venues 

Chelsea FC 

Now one of the top teams in the world, 

Chelsea Football Club was founded in 

1905 by two brothers, HA and JT Mears. 

They entered the second tier of the 

English Football Leagues and immediately 

began drawing big crowds — on Good 

Friday that year, their match against 

Manchester United was attended by 

67,000 people. 

After only two seasons in existence, 

Chelsea FC reached Division One — the 

highest level of competition in the English 

game at the time. They found success in 

the 1950s, 1960s and 1990s, winning 

the League Division One title in 1955 and 

FA Cup titles in 1970, 1997 and 2000. 

On July 2, 2003, Roman Abramovich 

bought the club and made it a global 

powerhouse overnight. In his first offseason 

period, Abramovich spent more 

than £100 million on players. During the 

Russian oligarch s ownership of the club, 

Chelsea has finished either first or second 

in all but one Premier League seasons 

(2008-9). It also won three FA Cup 

titles, reached the final of the UEFA 

Champions League (2007-8), and has 

lifted the Football League Cup and the 

FA Charity/Community Shield twice. 

The Stadium, Stamford Bridge, seats 

41,841 spectators and prices range from 

£41 to £87 for a Premier League fixture. 

Tickets for matches are often hard to 

come by — they only go on general sale 

after being offered to members and season-ticket 

holders. If any are available, 

they appear two weeks from the date of 

the fixture. 

Stamford Bridge, Fulham Road, SW6 

1HS. Ticketing sales & enquiries: 0871 

9841 905 (UK), +44 207 835 6000 (Intl.) 

www.chelseafc.com 

Sport centres and 

facilities 

Chelsea Sports Centre 

Inside its charming exterior, the Chelsea 

Sports Centre houses a swimming pool 

and has facilities for five-a-side football, 

basketball, badminton and table tennis. 

There s also a gym (see Fitness Centres). 


Saturday 8am-8pm, Sunday 8am-10pm. 

Chelsea Manor Street, SW3 5PL 

T: 020 7352 6985 

www.gll.org/centre/chelsea-sportscentre.asp 


Sports 

Centre

41 | THINGS TO DO | Sport – facilities 

Cremorne Riverside 

This outdoor activity centre provides 

canoeing and kayaking on the tidal 

Thames for young people aged nine to 

19. They also offer introductions to 

white-water, surf and sea kayaking. 

There are sessions for adults too. Adult 

beginner courses run from March to 

October and fitness sessions can be 

booked on Wednesdays (6.45am- 

8.45am) and Saturdays (by arrangement). 

To take part in the fitness sessions, 

you must have completed the adult 

beginner course or arrange a two-hour 

induction paddle. Hours vary depending 

on the time of year. 

Cremorne Gardens, Lots Road, SW10 

0QH. T: 020 7349 9591 

www.rbkc.gov.uk/cremorne 

Royal Hospital South Grounds 

As well as being the staging area for the 

annual RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the 

Royal Hospital South Grounds offers two 

football pitches, two tennis courts, one 

netball court (which is overlaid on the 

tennis courts) and a sports pavilion 

equipped with public toilets. 

Duke of York’s 

Square Athletics 

Track 

In 1953, Roger Bannister, the first man to 

run a mile in under four minutes, moved 

his training to the athletics track at the 

Duke of York’s Square Headquarters, 

which now houses the Saatchi Gallery. 

He successfully achieved the record on 

May 6, 1954. The track is now mainly 

used by local school children and is not 

open to the public. 

Cremorne Riverside 

offers kayaking 

sessions on the Thames 

The tennis courts are available to 

everyone for casual booking, with no 

membership required. Open from 

7.30am until dusk. For more information 

on any of the facilities, call the sports 

booking line below. 

Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4SR 

T: 020 7602 2226 

St Luke’s Gardens 

In the shadow of the early 19th-century 

Neo-Gothic church, St Luke s Gardens 

has two Multi-Use Games Areas , or 

Astroturf pitches. For more information, 

call the sports booking line at Chelsea 

Sports Centre: 020 7352 6985. 

Sydney Street, SW3 

Fitness centres 

Chelsea Sports Centre 

The gym at the Chelsea Sports Centre 

offers a range of cardiovascular and 

resistance training equipment as well as 

free weights and a stretching area. 

Monthly memberships are available, as 

well as a pay-as-you-go service. 


Saturday 8am-7.30pm, Sunday 8am- 

10pm. 

Chelsea Manor Street, SW3 5PL 

T: 020 7352 6985 

www.gll.org/centre/chelsea-sportscentre.asp 

KX 

KX Gym (pronounced kicks ) is beautifully 

designed, with a well-equipped gym 

on the ground floor, four studios and 

three private studios for pilates, yoga 

and private general training. It is strictly 

members-only and there are no published 

fees (a membership consultant will 

guide you through the options). The only 

part of KX that is open to non-members 

is the spa (see Spas panel). 

151 Draycott Avenue, SW3 3AL. T: 020 

7584 5333 

www.kxgym.co.uk 

LA Fitness 

The LA Fitness chain describes its South 

Kensington gym as the jewel in its 

crown. Facilities include a sauna, steam 

room, swimming pool, cardiovascular 

and Technogym equipment, as well as 

group classes. It offers short-term deals 

as well as long-term memberships. 

Monday-Thursday 6.30am-10pm, 

Friday 6.30am-9pm, Saturday-Sunday 

9am-8pm. 

63/81 Pelham Street, SW7 2NJ 

T: 0843 170 1021 

www.lafitness.co.uk/gym/london-southkensington/ 

Peak Health Club & Spa at the 

Jumeirah Carlton Tower 

The really impressive thing about the 

Peak is the view. The club is located on 

the ninth and 10th floors of the five-star 

Carlton Tower hotel, with views to the 

north and south across London. 

Launched in 1982, The Peak s membership 

gives you access to a 20-metre 

stainless steel indoor swimming pool, 

The Peak Health Club 

jacuzzi and spa (see Spas) as well as a 

club restaurant and lounge. There s a 

2,335 sq ft gym, an aerobics studio, a 

spinning studio and a golf simulator that 

allows players to tackle some of the 

world s best-known courses without ever 

leaving Chelsea. The Peak is open to 

guests and members, who also have 

access to tennis courts in private gardens 

in Cadogan Square. 


Saturday-Sunday 7.30am-9pm. 

Jumeirah Carlton Tower, on Cadogan 

Place, SW1X 9PY. T: 020 7858 7300 

www.jumeirah.com/en/Hotels-and- 

Resorts/Destinations/London/Jumeirah- 

Carlton-Tower/Health-Spa/

42 | THINGS TO DO | Sport – fitness centres 

Powertone Studios 

Powertone Studios specialise in Power 

Plate workouts which use vibration 

technology to improve your muscular 

endurance and core stability. They also 

provide a variety of Powertone equipment 

to complement your workout. 

There are many different membership 

options, including monthly memberships, 

annual memberships and pay-as-you-go 

options. 

Monday-Thursday 7.30am-8pm, 

Friday 7.30am — 5pm, Saturday 9am- 

1pm. 

1st Floor, Kings Walk Mall, 122 King’s 

Road, SW3 4TR. T: 020 7584 4911 

www.powertonestudios.com/chelseapowerplate-studio.html 

SP & Co 

Often described as the world s most 

exclusive gym, Stephen Price & Co is 

limited to only 30 members. Stephen 

Price himself was once a professional 

cricketer and his vision is to make the 

kind of integrated healthcare previously 

only available to elite athletes available to 

others. Each member receives one-onone 

attention from a group of experts in 

strength and fitness, yoga, pilates, physiotherapy, 

nutrition and aromatherapy — 

there is even a Neuro Muscular Dentist. 

All of the equipment and facilities are 

state-of-the-art. The altitude chamber is 

described as Europe s most advanced 

and the rooms are designed by awardwinning 

interior designer Kelly Hoppen. 

But this luxury comes at a cost — membership 

for a year will set you back 

£5,000, and on top of that your time with 

the experts will be charged at an hourly 

rate of between £75 and £150. The 

team also operates beyond the gym at 

establishments including the Dorchester 

Hotel Spa and the Berkely Health Club & 

Spa. 

3 Jubilee Place, SW3 3TD 

T: 020 7351 3332 

www.spandco.co.uk 

The Chelsea Club 

Based at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea 

Football Club s stadium, the Chelsea 

Club s facilities include a spa, swimming 

pool, sauna, steam room, lounge, 

restaurant and cr che. Workouts can 

be performed in the gym or in studio 

classes and there is also a full concierge 

service. 

Monday-Friday 6am-10pm, Saturday- 

Sunday 9am-8pm. 


1HS. T: 020 7915 2200 

www.thechelseaclub.com 

Reach for the spas 

If sport isn’t your thing or you just fancy 

a bit of pampering, Chelsea has plenty of 

soothing spas where you can recharge. 

Here are just a few – some salons also 

provide spa facilities and treatments 

(see Shopping) 

Amanda Lacey London 

Independent skincare therapist Amanda 

Lacey developed her own range of products 

and treatments based on natural 

oils and gentle, effective solutions nearly 

ten years ago. Based in Chelsea, she 

has become famous for her facials. 

PO Box 63725, SW3 9BB 

T: 07590 436029 

www.amandalacey.com 

Antara Spa at the Chelsea Club 

A new holistic spa at the Chelsea Club, 

bringing together Ayurvedic, Oriental and 

European wellness therapies. 



The Chelsea Club, Stamford Bridge, 

Fulham Road, SW6 1HS. T: 020 7915 2215 

www.thechelseaclub.com/antara-spa/ 

welcome/ 

Balance the Clinic 

A clinic offering a wide range of health, 

beauty and body treatments, from 

acupuncture and colon hydrotherapy to 

body wraps, massages and semi-permanent 

make-up. 

Monday-Thursday 9am-8pm, Friday 

9am-7pm, Saturday 9am-6pm, Sunday 

10am-5.30pm. 

The Courtyard, 250 King’s Road, SW3 

5UE. T: 020 7565 0333 

www.balancetheclinic.com 

facials, waxing, laser services, nail care 

and body treatments, including the triple 

oxygen treatment and IPL hair removal. 

Monday-Wednesday 9.30am-8pm, 

Thursday-Friday 9.30am-9pm, Saturday 

9.30am-8pm, Sunday 11am-7pm. 

60 Sloane Avenue, SW3 3DD 

T: 020 7590 6146 

www.blissworld.co.uk/spa/spa-411/ 

locations/bliss-london.aspx 

The Chelsea Day Spa 

The Chelsea Day Spa opened in 2009 

and is on two floors of a townhouse just 

off the King s Road, giving it a boutique 

feel. It has four treatment rooms and a 

nail bar, and offers massage therapy, 

body treatments, waxing, nail therapy, 

spray tanning and facials. The express 

New York Manicure is a good deal if you 

want a quick spruce-up (£12.50 for up 

to 30 minutes). The spa also provides 

specific treatments and grooming for 

men. 

Monday-Thursday 9am-8pm, Friday 


12pm-6pm. 

Second and third floor, 69a King’s Road, 

SW3 4NX. T: 020 7351 0911 

www.thechelseadayspa.co.uk 

SP & Co 

Bliss London 

The London site of international spa 

chain Bliss, this has eight multi-purpose 

treatment rooms and offers massages, 

The Chelsea Day Spa

43 | THINGS TO DO | Spas 

Gina Conway Aveda Lifestyle 

Salon and Spa 

Gina Conway moved from San Francisco 

to London in 2001 and opened a series 

of award-winning combined salon and 

spas that provide hair treatments, design 

and colour as well as spa services such 

as facials, massages, body, hand and 

foot treatments, tinting, waxing and 

threading and eyelash extensions. 

Monday 9am-7pm, Tuesday-Friday 


10am-6pm. 

199 King’s Road, SW3 5ED 

T: 020 7352 1013 

www.ginaconway.co.uk 

Liz Earle Skincare and 

Treatments 

Founded in 1995 by Liz Earle and Kim 

Buckland, Liz Earle Naturally Active 

Skincare has a flagship store with treatment 

rooms in Duke of York Square. 

Services include the Liz Earle Signature 

Facial (90 minutes, £85), skincare tutorial 

(45 mins, £45) and back and body massages. 

The team at the store can also 

give advice about your personal skincare. 

Monday 10am-7pm, Tuesday 

10.30am-7pm, Wednesday-Saturday 

10am-7pm, Sunday and bank holidays 

11am-5pm. 

38-39 Duke of York Square, SW3 4LY 

T: 020 7881 7750 

uk.lizearle.com 

Lush Spa 

Pitched as a ‘traditional English country 

spa’ and set in a country kitchen before 

you enter the treatment room, the Lush 

Spa is a bit different and has a range of 

quirky treatments which are a bit like a 

spa equivalent of a Heston Blumenthal 

dish. Try the Lush Sound Bath – an hour 

of relaxation and sound therapy (£70), 

including a hot and cold stone facial and 

a scalp massage. 

123 King’s Road, SW3 4PL 

T: 020 7349 9648 

www.lush.co.uk/spa 

NYR Organic Beauty Spa 

Neal’s Yard Remedies is famous for its 

organic, natural health and beauty products, 

and its spa at the King’s Road follows 

this ethos. It offers facials, body 

treatments, waxing, manicures and pedicures 

and men’s treatments, as well as a 

sauna and CACI treatments using microcurrents. 

It is also a carbon-neutral company 

and uses organic towels, cotton 

wool and natural cleaning products. 

Monday 11am-7pm, Tuesday 10am- 

6pm, Wednesday 10am-7pm, Thursday- 

Friday 10am-6pm, Saturday 10am-7pm, 

Sunday 11.30am-6pm. 

124b King’s Road, SW3 4TR 

T: 020 7225 2050. 

www.nealsyardremedies.com/nyr-organic 

-beauty-spa 

The Peak Health Spa 

Day spa and beauty treatments on the 

ninth floor of the Jumeirah Carlton Tower 

Hotel, including Pevonia Facials, men’s 

treatments and the Voya ‘Tangle Me Up’ 

Liz Earle Skincare 

and Treatments 

signature experience – a body wrap in 

organic seaweed, head massage, and 

hour-long facial (105 minutes, £130). 

Monday-Friday 6.15am-10pm, weekends 

7.30am-9pm. 

Jumeirah Carlton Tower, on Cadogan 

Place, SW1X 9PY. T: 020 7858 7300 

www.jumeirah.com/en/Hotels-and- 

Resorts/Destinations/London/Jumeirah- 

Carlton-Tower/Health-Spa/ 

Sen Chelsea 

A centre offering traditional Chinese 

medicine treatments, including Chinese 

herbal medicine, acupuncture, acupressure, 

reflexology and other techniques. 

There is also a Sen on the fourth floor 

of Harvey Nichols (T: 020 7201 8695). 


10am-7pm, Sunday 12pm-6pm. 

149 King’s Road, SW3 5TX 

T: 020 7352 9333 

www.senhealth.com/uk/home 

The Spa at Bluebird 

The Spa at Bluebird tailors treatments to 

each client and works with Micheline 

Arcier Aromatherapie for essential oil 

blends and techniques. Most therapies 

are suitable for men and women, and 

include facials, massage, body treatments, 

manicures and pedicures and 

waxing. New clients for treatments need 

to have an initial consultation (30 minutes, 

£25), including skin and lifestyle 

analysis, to help the therapist choose the 

best treatments and products for you. 

Try the express back massage (30 minutes, 

£55) if you are new to massages or 

want a quick way to wind down, or the 

jet lag massage (105 minutes, £125) if 

you’ve just flown in. 

Monday-Saturday10am-7pm, Sunday 

12pm-6pm. 

350 King’s Road, SW3 5UU 

T: 020 7349 5090 

www.theshopatbluebird.com/category/ 

spa-and-beauty/treatments/ 

It’s all 

going on 

Chelsea boasts a busy year-round 

schedule of events, including the Flower 

Show, one of London's biggest antiques 

events, and the ever-popular Affordable 

Art Fair. The dates given in our guide are 

for 2012 

Affordable Art Fair 

March 14-18, October 24-28 

The Affordable Art Fair is based just south 

of the river in Battersea and displays 

contemporary works of art by a wide 

range of artists, each with a price ceiling 

of £4,000. A free shuttle bus service runs 

from Sloane Square to the fair. 

www.affordableartfair.com/battersea/ 

home 

Chelsea Antiquarian Book Fair 

November 2-3 

The Chelsea Antiquarian Book Fair is a 


Antiquarian 

Book Fair

44 | THINGS TO DO | Events 

book-lovers’ haven. It has been held in 

Chelsea for more than 20 years and runs 

at the Chelsea Old Town Hall each 

November. More than 75 exhibitors 

present a wide range of items, from 16th 

to 21th-century works, priced between 

£10 and £10,000. 

www.chelseabookfair.com 

Chelsea Antiques Fair 

March 21-25, September 19-23 

The Chelsea Antiques Fair is now the 

oldest fair of its kind in Britain. It has 

been operating since 1950 and is based 

in the Chelsea Old Town Hall. The fair 

has 38 stands of specialists offering a 

wide variety of quality wares, including 

furniture, jewellery, porcelain, Oriental 

pieces and fine art. Entry costs £5 and 

prices range between £200 and 

£20,000. 

www.penman-fairs.co.uk 

Chelsea Art Fair 

April 20-22 

The 38 exhibitors at the 

Chelsea Art Fair are all respected 

British galleries and many 

represent international artists. 

The fair shows contemporary 

art in a range of different 

media, including paintings, 

drawings and sculpture. 

Prices range between £500 

and £20,000. 

www.chelseaartfair.org 

Chelsea Autolegends 

September 2 

A celebration of Britain’s passion 

for automobiles and 

motor sport, Chelsea 

Autolegends takes place 

in the grounds of the 

Royal Hospital Chelsea. 

The 2012 events 

includes Stars’ Cars, 

70s Cool, Formula One 

RHS Chelsea Flower Show, © RHS Images 

Celebration Tributes and Supercar Park. 

www.chelseaautolegends.com 

RHS Chelsea Flower Show 

May 22-26 

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show began 

as the ‘Great Spring Show’ in the mid- 

19th century and has been based at the 

Royal Hospital nearly every year since 

1913. 

Over the five days, a variety of exhibits 

falling under five different award categories 

– Flora (garden and floral exhibits), 

Hogg (exhibits of trees), Knightian 

(exhibits of vegetables, including herbs), 

Lindley (exhibits of special educational or 

scientific interest) and Grenfell (exhibits of 

pictures, photographs, floral arrangements 

and floristry) – are put on display. 

There are also special awards, including 

Tips for visiting the RHS 

Chelsea Flower Show 

If you’re in London when the Flower 

Show is on, it makes a wonderful day 

out, whether you’re a keen gardener or 

not. The sea of colours is spectacular 

and there are lots of unusual plants and 

stylish garden designs. Here are a few 

tips for attendees. 

• Wear comfortable shoes. You’ll be on 

your feet for a long time and it’s surprising 

how far you can end up walking 

when you’re looking around. 

• Take a bottle of water and check the 

weather forecast. If it’s forecast to be 

sunny, make sure you take sunscreen 

and a hat. If you’re not so lucky and 

rain is forecast, make sure you take a 

waterproof jacket – you often see very 

damp and miserable-looking ladies 

walking around Chelsea who chose 

fashion rather than practicality at a 

rainy show. 

Best Show Garden, Best City Garden, 

RHS Floral arrangement trophies and the 

RHS President’s Award. The show 

gardens are often spectacular and gain 

the most publicity, with media coverage 

including television broadcasts. 

There is a big sell-off of plants at the 

end of the show (from 4pm on May 26). 

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show is a 

world-famous, extremely popular event, 

so visitor numbers are capped at 

157,000. 

It is essential to book in advance either 

by telephone or online if you would like 

to attend. 

Children under five are not admitted to 

the show and no animals except guide 

or assistance dogs are allowed. 

There is no re-entry to the showground 

once you have left. 

• Work out which gardens or exhibits 

you want to see the most and visit 

them first. It’s easy to get caught up 

in the crowds and there’s lots to see, 

so you’ll miss things if you’re just 

ambling through. 

• Take a digital camera so you can 

document any plants you want to 

track down later. And, of course, so 

you can capture your day. 

• It sounds obvious, but take antihistamines 

and any other medication you 

might need if you suffer from hayfever, 

allergies or asthma. That’s a lot of 

pollen in one place. 

• If the crowds get too much or you’re 

getting tired, take a break at one of 

the picnic/seating areas. You’ll enjoy 

it more if you take a ten-minute 

breather and then continue with 

the show. 

www.rhs.org.uk/shows-events/ 

rhs-chelsea-flower-show/2011 

Chelsea Fringe 

May 19-June 10 

This ambitious event is opening for the 

first time in 2012 and is hoping to build 

on the popularity of the RHS Chelsea 

Flower Show by catering for a wider 

audience of potential gardeners as well 

as existing ones. 

Events planned for the Fringe include 

‘secret gardens’ in the backs of lorries 

which will park on street corners before 

revealing gardens, ‘floral boats’ floating 

down the Thames and ‘pop-up gardens’ 

which will appear in unexpected locations. 

www.chelseafringe.com

45 | THINGS TO DO | Events 

Chelsea Gifts for Christmas Fair 

Ran December 16-18 in 2011, dates for 

2012 TBA 

If you have some last-minute Christmas 

shopping to do, the Chelsea Gifts for 

Christmas Fair at the Chelsea Old Town 

Hall could offer an exotic and quirky gift 

from one of its 50 stalls. 

www.chelseachristmasgifts.com 

Paule Ka taking part in Chelsea in Bloom 

Chelsea in Bloom 

May 21-26 

Another event which coincides with the 

Chelsea Flower Show, Chelsea in Bloom 

sees local retailers transform their shops 

and shop windows into ambitious, stunning 

floral exhibits. Guided tours offer 

visitors an insight into the themes and 

ideas behind each display. 

www.chelseainbloom.co.uk 

Christmas Fair at Chelsea 

Physic Garden 

December 1-2 

Large heated marquees offer shelter 

from the winter weather in the grounds 

of the Chelsea Physic Garden for the 

Christmas Fair. It is not only a chance to 

browse the wide range of gifts offered by 

stallholders, but also a rare chance to 

see the garden in winter when it is usually 

closed to the public. 

www.chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk/fairs/fair 

.htm 

Frock Me! Vintage Fashion 

April 29, June 10, September 9, October 

28, December 2 

Frock Me! has been based at Chelsea 

Old Town Hall since 2004 and claims to 

be London’s hottest vintage fashion 

event. Kate Moss, Laura Bailey and Kylie 

Minogue have all shopped at the show 

and there is something on offer from 

every era. Prices range from one pound 

up to several hundred. 

www.frockmevintagefashion.com 

Little Chelsea Antiques Fair 

March 5-6, June 11-12 

The Affordable Antiques Fair, as the Little 

Chelsea Antiques Fair is known, is 

renowned for offering something for 

everyone, with items costing from ten 

pounds to more than £30,000. It has 

been based at Chelsea Old Town Hall 

since 1980 and the UK-based dealers 

offer a diverse range of antique and decorative 

items such as furniture, jewellery, 

glass and porcelain, textiles and scientific 

instruments, as well as other novelty 

items. 

www.littlechelseaantiquesfair.co.uk 

Frock Me! Vintage Fashion 

Handmade in Britain 

November 16-18 

Handmade in Britain was set up to support 

and promote UK-based designermakers. 

It organises a contemporary 

craft and design fair at Chelsea Old 

Town Hall, where designer-makers 

Handmade 

in Britain 

exhibit a wide variety of wares including 

glass, jewellery, furniture, greeting cards, 

stationery, metalwork, ceramics, sculpture, 

woodwork, prints and etchings. 

www.handmadeinbritain.co.uk 

Il Circolo – Italian Christmas 

Bazaar: 12th – 13th November 

2012 

November 12-13 

Il Circolo is a registered charity that promotes 

Italian culture in the UK through 

scholarships and events. One such event 

is the Italian Christmas Bazaar, which is 

held each year at Chelsea Old Town Hall 

and 10% of all sales and entrance fees 

go towards scholarships for talented students. 

www.ilcircolo.org.uk 

Open House London 

September 22-23 

Open House London is an architectural 

celebration of London’s buildings, places 

and neighbourhoods. It is a free event 

with a huge catalogue of buildings to 

view – in 2011 more than 780 buildings 

were available for viewing, one of which 

was Holy Trinity Church, just off Sloane 

Square. 

The printed programme becomes 

available in August each year, as does 

the search facility on the website. 

www.londonopenhouse.org 

Open Garden Squares Weekend 

(see Green Spaces) 

Untitled Artists Fair 

June 1-3 

Untitled is the biggest artists' fair in the 

UK. There are no agents and no galleries 

involved, and 100 per cent of all sales 

income goes directly to the artists themselves. 

It is based in Chelsea Old Town 

Hall and each year as many as 170 

artists display and sell their wares. 

www.untitledartistsfair.co.uk

46 | INSIDER | Open spaces 

Chelsea Physic Garden, 


Walk past Wren’s glorious Royal Hospital 

(the finest brick building in London?) 

towards the river, past Gordon Ramsay’s 

flagship restaurant and arrive at an 

unpretentious brick wall. Hiding behind 

that long, low wall is the ultimate secret 

garden – the Chelsea Physic Garden. 

It has been there since 1673, when the 

river was its southern boundary and 

ships moored there with plants discovered 

from all around the world. 

Explore and enjoy the greatest variety 

of trees and rare plants in London: the 

magical miniature world of the Victorian 

fernery, a special land of natural medicine 

and perfumed flowers. Where better, 

ever, anywhere, to take tea and cake on 

a summer’s afternoon? 

Albert Bridge 

I’m so glad the bridge is back in action 

and reborn out of its scaffold shroud of 

the past two years. I missed it like an old 

friend. 

My favourite gateway into Chelsea (I 

grew up south of the river), it is always 


to open spaces 

By Paul Davis, 

local architect 

and lover of 

London past and 

present. Once 

upon a time 

he raced cars 

but now, for 

relaxation, he 

gardens and 

plants trees 

the prettiest of London bridges. At night it 

sparkles in the Thames, like the threshold 

into a magic kingdom. 

Go and stand on it at dawn, see the sun 

rise over Battersea Park and the grand old 

Power Station, the seabirds wading at low 

tide, stillness and space in the middle of 

London. At sunset, sometimes the water 

seems to catch fire, all the reds of a paint 

box colouring in the water around the 

houseboats. Even the chimneys of Lots 

Road Power Station appear romantic in 

the evening light. No wonder Turner and 

Whistler loved to paint this panorama, 

available to us all. 

Chelsea Arts Club, 

Old Church Street 

Another treat only found in Chelsea. 

Beyond the snooker table, the piano, the 

random bucket leather chairs in the big 

bow window, you will find the garden. 

The crumpled flagstones characterfully 

shabby, the rose arbour glorious in white 

blooming all summer long. Explore the 

garden’s corners, the romantic secret 

nook hidden behind the statue of Diana. 

Reinvented (in part) only recently, the 

quirky thatched arcade under the cleverly 

cropped cupressus trees, a columnar 

colonnade, provides shelter from the rain 

while supping wine, smoking cigars and 

debating the vagaries of artistic directions. 

Ranelagh Gardens, 

Royal Hospital Chelsea, 


This shady retreat is a place of absurd 

extremes. In June, it is one of the most 

densely populated places during the 

Chelsea Flower Show. That is a wonderful 

event and part of what makes 

Chelsea world-class. But for 11 months 

of the year, it is almost forgotten. 

Walk through the London Gate of the 

Royal Hospital, past Light Horse Court 

and into Ranelagh Gardens and don’t be 

surprised if you find yourself in your own 

private park, alone. The idea I most love, 

as you walk towards the river in leafy 

solitude, is that 270 years ago this was 

the site of London’s most fashionable 

pleasure ground. 

Designed by William Jones and painted 

by Canaletto, the Rotunda, a magnificent 

120ft diameter domed pavilion, was part 

of the riverside setting with Wren’s 

masterpiece. 

This is where the ‘masquerade’ was 

introduced to the English public, when 

oysters were common fare, where 

princes and dukes mingled with people 

from all walks of life. 

Mozart played there as a nine-year-old 

while living in Ebury Street just around 

the corner. Nell Gwyn was there and 

courtship was in the air. 

The entrance fee was two shillings and 

sixpence then – now it is free. 

Chelsea Green 

The heart of an urban village in the middle 

of a world city. A tiny triangle of open 

space, dissected by a path lined with 

benches and adorned with two cherry 

trees (best at springtime in pink blossom). 

Most remarkable is the atmosphere 

and character created by useful, everyday 

and still elegant (it is Chelsea, after 

all) shops. A real fishmonger, open-fronted 

with traditional grey Carrara marble slabs; 

the pie (Man) shop; a local butcher; Finn’s 

fine food delicatessen; Jane Asher’s cake 

shop and an excellent wine merchant. 

Especially essential, there is a good 

pharmacy, newsagent, dry cleaner and 

shoe repairs, a picture framer and, most 

importantly (this little boy never grew up), 

a wonderful toy shop. The few clothes 

boutiques here are not to be found on 

every high street or miserable mall. 

Tom Aikens and others provide variety 

in restaurants and not a Starbucks in 

sight – hooray!

47 | INSIDER | Places for children 


to places for 

children 

When I’m not working or undertaking 

charity work, one of my top Chelsea 

hangouts is KX, a private members’ gym 

and spa. My favourite restaurants in the 

area are Ilia (96 Draycott Avenue) for its 

incredible selection of antipasti, Eight 

Over Eight (392 King’s Road) for its lively 

bar and pan-Asian menu (the chilli salt 

squid and duck salad are two of my 

favourite dishes anywhere) and my friend 

Richard Caring’s place Daphne’s (112 

Draycott Avenue) for its seasonal Italian 

food and atmosphere. 

Igloo, 227 King’s Road 

As a mother to two little girls nearing the 

age of three, I find myself in children’s 

shops all the time and Chelsea has a 

really good range of stores for everything 

the little ones need. Igloo on the King’s 

Road is fantastic for great shoes and 

boots and it’s also a brilliant place to buy 

gifts for all my friends’ kids. The range of 

clothes is great as they stock two of my 

favourites – Petit Bateau and I Love 

Gorgeous. The staff are all super-helpful 

and friendly, which always makes 

shopping with little ones all the more 

By Jenny Halpern Prince, 

who has lived in Chelsea and 

had her office on the King’s 

Road for more than 15 years. 

She started Halpern, one of 

London’s leading consumer PR 

agencies, in her kitchen and it 

has grown into an agency that 

looks after some of the world’s 

leading brands. Jenny sits on 

the boards of Great Ormond 

Street Hospital Children’s 

Charity, Tate, Women’s Aid and 

The Legacy List. She is also 

the governor of the London 

Academy and a mentor for 

creative start-ups 

The Little White 

Company 

pleasant. At the moment my two are 

budding ballerinas and Igloo has a 

beautiful range of tutus by Angel’s Face. 

Trotters, 34 King’s Road 

Trotters, also on the King’s Road, has 

nailed what kids’ shops should be. While 

parents stock up on clothes and more, 

the children can have their hair cut and 

are kept entertained seated in front of 

a giant aquarium. It’s a good place to 

stock up on books as well as hair clips 

and other accessories too, like hats, 

scarves and gloves. 

The Little White Company, 

4 Symons Street 

The Little White Company is perfect for 

bedding and the basics, and everything 

is so fresh-looking. My two would never 

have been able to sleep as little ones 

without their Little White Company grow 

bags and even now still love the pyjamas 

from there. 

Natural History Museum, 

Cromwell Road 

Away from the shops, when the kids and 

I are after some entertainment, my first 

port of call is the Natural History 

Museum. I am addicted to this place – 

probably even more so than my children 

– due to my fascination with animals. 

Nothing beats walking round the 

impressive building and ending up in 

the room with the blue whale replica in it. 

It amazes me every time. 

Science Museum, 

Exhibition Road 

The Science Museum is also a must-see 

as there are endless installations and 

Natural History Museum Wildlife Garden 

displays for the kids to interact with. Like 

me and the Natural History Museum, the 

kids never get bored of the Science 

Museum and spend days chatting about 

everything they have seen there each 

time we go. 

Kensington Gardens 

I love to get out the house and into the 

fresh air with the girls and Kensington 

Gardens is hands-down the best park in 

central London for me, especially for 

skating/scooting, feeding swans and 

ducks and the unique pirate ship and 

playground. Many a happy day has been 

spent here with the children and my dog. 

I always bump into other friends while 

strolling around, especially when the sun 

is out. Regardless of whether it’s flip-flop 

or welly boots weather, it’s hard to drag 

the children away.

48| HOTELS AND APARTMENTS | 

Staying power 

Hotels and 

apartments 

The main bar at The Capital 

There is no shortage of places to 

stay in Chelsea, from self-catering 

apartments to luxury hotels where 

champagne is served at six. Here, 

we check out some of the places 

to check-in 

Basil Street Apartments 

**** 

Luxury serviced apartments close to 

Harrods. There are eight apartments, 

ranging from studios to three-bedrooms, 

featuring kitchens, washer/dryers, and 

a relaxation area. There is a minimum 

stay of three nights. 

15 Basil Street, SW3 1AX 

T: 020 7631 8288 

www.basilstreetapartments.com 

The Beaufort 

**** 

A privately-owned, four-star boutique 

hotel, close to Harrods and Harvey 

Nichols. Set in a tree-lined cul-de-sac, 

it has 29 individually decorated rooms. 

Room rates include a complimentary 

afternoon cream tea and a drink at the 

residents’ bar. 

33 Beaufort Gardens, SW3 1PP 

T: 020 7584 5252 

www.thebeaufort.co.uk 

The Capital 

***** 

Opened by Scottish proprietor David 

Levin in 1969, this five-star boutique 

hotel is still family-run. Its Capital 

Restaurant was voted one of the five 

best hotel restaurants in London by 

Zagat in 2011 (see Restaurants). 

Special events and masterclasses are 

run at the hotel throughout the year. 

The Capital Apartments in Basil 

Street are available for longer stays, 

from short to long lets, and have 

kitchens and washing machines as well 

as housekeeping. 

22-24 Basil Street, SW3 1AT 

T: 020 7589 5171 

www.capitalhotel.co.uk 

Room rates 

Due to the changeable nature of 

room rates - which depend on 

availability, dates required and 

any special deals - we have not 

included a price guide for hotels. 

Please contact the hotels directly or 

search online for the current rates. 

Drinks at The Capital

49 | HOTELS AND APARTMENTS | 

The Cadogan 

***** 

‘A thump and a murmur of voices – 

(“Oh why must they make such a 

din?”) 

As the door of the bedroom swung 

open 

And two plain-clothes policemen came 

in: 

“Mr Woilde we’ave come for tew take 

yew 

Where felons and criminals dwell. 

We must ask yew tew leave with us 

quoietly 

For this is the Cadogan Hotel.”' 

John Betjeman’s 1937 poem sums 

up both the Cadogan’s prestigious 

reputation and one of its most famous 

moments – the arrest of Oscar Wilde 

in 1895. 

The writer, poet and notable wit was 

staying in room 118 and, ignoring the 

Afternoon 

tea at The 

Cadogan 

pleas of his friends to flee, remained 

drinking at the hotel until his arrest for 

homosexual activities. He was sent to 

Reading Gaol, the beginning of the end 

for one of Victorian society’s most 

colourful characters. He died in Paris, 

destitute, in 1900, aged 46 (for more on 

Oscar Wilde, see Tite Street in Streets 

and Sights). 

The hotel also includes what was once 

the home of Lillie Langtry, actress and 

lover of the future king of England, 

Edward VII. She lived at 21 Pont Street 

from 1892 to 1897 – even after she sold 

the house and it was absorbed into the 

hotel in 1895, she would stay in her old 

bedroom. In fact, she was so attached 

to the rooms that her ghost is said to 

haunt her old living quarters. The 

Cadogan’s restaurant, Great Taste at the 

Cadogan, is in her former home (see 

Restaurants). 

These days the Cadogan is a calm, 

luxurious place to stay close to Gucci, 

Tiffany, Harrods and Harvey Nichols, and 

its Edwardian grandeur is a reminder of 

its past stories. It has private gardens, 

tennis courts and a fitness studio. 

75 Sloane Street, SW1X 9SG 

T: 020 7235 7141 

www.cadogan.com 

Chelsea Cloisters 

*** 

A three-star property with more than 

200 studio, one-bed and two-bed 

serviced apartments. Guests can book 

for stays of one night up to many weeks. 

Each apartment has its own kitchen and 

en-suite bathroom. 

Sloane Avenue, SW3 3DW 

T: 020 7589 5100 

www.chelseacloisters.co.uk 

Draycott Hotel 

***** 

Named England’s Leading Boutique 

Hotel in the 2010 World Travel Awards 

and a runner-up for Europe’s Leading 

Boutique Hotel in 2011, the Draycott 

aims to be a luxurious home from home. 

It has 35 large rooms and suites, 

all individually decorated and filled with 

antiques, and each is named after a 

theatrical figure – such as Sheridan, 

Coward and Grenfell. Every suite has a 

fully fitted-out kitchen, and many have 

working gas fireplaces. Modern touches 

include air conditioning, satellite television, 

CD systems and complimentary wi-fi. 

The five-star townhouse hotel occupies 

three red-brick Edwardian homes and 

has its own garden square and a private 

dining room. The 'English country retreat' 

feel is summed up by the complimentary 

drinks served every day at set times in 

the Drawing Room – tea and biscuits at 

4pm, champagne at 6pm and hot 

chocolate from 10pm. If only all homes 

could be like that. 

26 Cadogan Gardens, SW3 2RP 

T: 020 7730 6466 

www.draycotthotel.com 

Durley House 

***** 

Boutique hotel Durley House has 11 

suites furnished in a classic period style, 

all 45 sq m or more, some with kitchens. 

It has the air of a private house, with 

Lord Durley’s portrait looking on as 

guests enter the hotel. 

Reservations include complimentary 

use of the Peak Health Club and Spa at 

the Jumeirah Carlton Tower, a fiveminute 

walk away, for one guest. 

Durley House does not have a restaurant 

but offers 24-hour room service with 

dishes prepared by its own chef, delivered 

to suites by a traditional dumbwaiter 

service lift. Champagne afternoon 

tea is served in the lounge (£24.50 per 

person). 

115 Sloane Street, SW1X 9PJ 

T: 020 7235 5537 

www.durleyhouse.com 

Jumeirah Carlton Tower 

***** 

The five-star Jumeirah Carlton Tower, a 

landmark on the Knightsbridge skyline, 

celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011. 

Designed by Michael Rosenauer, who 

also created the Time Life Building on 

New Bond Street, it was the tallest hotel 

in London when it opened in 1961. 

Its modern design and spectacular 

views made it the backdrop to photoshoots 

by fashion designer Mary Quant 

and Twiggy’s Mini campaign, and 

celebrities including Princess Diana, 

Michael Jackson and Madonna have 

stayed there. It also made the headlines 

in 1975 when the IRA shot at the hotel – 

luckily, the bullets passed between 

The Draycott Hotel

50 | HOTELS AND APARTMENTS | 

diners in the Rib Room restaurant and 

no one was hurt. 

The hotel has three restaurants, two 

bars and the Peak Health Club and Spa, 

which has a gym and a 20-metre indoor 

rooftop swimming pool (see Sports 

Centres and Facilities and Spas). 

It was nominated for Europe’s Leading 

Business Hotel in the World Travel 

Awards in 2011. 

For more on the Rib Room Restaurant 

and Bar, see Restaurants. 

Cadogan Place, SW1X 9PY 

T: 020 7235 1234 

www.jumeirah.com/Hotels-and- 

Resorts/Reiseziele/London/Jumeirah- 

Carlton-Tower 

The Levin 

***** 

The Levin is a five-star boutique hotel 

with just 12 rooms, a stone’s throw away 

from Harrods. It is owned and operated 

by David Levin, who also created 

the Capital next door. The rooms are 

individually designed with luxury in mind, 

and Le Metro Bar & Brasserie serves 

afternoon tea as part of its all-day menu. 

28 Basil Street, SW3 1AS 

T: 020 7589 6286 

www.thelevinhotel.co.uk 

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels 

at Chelsea Football Club 

**** 

This four-star deluxe hotel is based at 

Chelsea Football Club and offers football 

packages, including match tickets and 

programmes, accommodation, dinner 

and breakfast. Of course, you don’t have 

to be going to a match to stay there – 

it’s also close to the Fulham Broadway 

end of the King’s Road. See also Marco 

Restaurant in Restaurants. 


1HS. T: 020 7565 1400 

www.millenniumhotels.co.uk/millenniumcopthornechelseafc 

Jumeirah 

Carlton Tower 

Millennium Hotel London 

Knightsbridge 

**** 

A large, four-star deluxe hotel at the top of 

Sloane Street, close to Harvey Nichols, 

Harrods and designer stores. It has 222 

guest rooms. Its MU Restaurant & 

Cocktail Bar serves Asian fusion cuisine. 

17 Sloane Street, SW1X 9NU 

T: 020 7235 4377 

www.millenniumhotels.co.uk/millennium 

knightsbridge 

No.11 Cadogan Gardens 

No.11 Cadogan Gardens is a luxury, 

couture hotel set in a quiet area close to 

Sloane Square, making it a perfect urban 

hideaway. Set in grand buildings, it has 

54 rooms and four self-contained suites. 

It also has a gym, spa and restaurant. 

The decor is quirky and the unusual 

layout makes you want to explore – check 

out the romantic courtyard dining area, lit 

with candles. It relaunched in April 2012. 

11 Cadogan Gardens, SW3 2RJ 

T: 020 7730 7000 

www.no11london.com 

San Domenico House 

***** 

A five-star boutique hotel with 16 bedrooms 

and suites and an extensive room 

service menu, a three-minute walk from 

Sloane Square Tube Station. 

29-31 Draycott Place, SW3 2SH 

T: 020 7581 5757 

www.sandomenicohouse.com 

Searcy’s 30 Pavilion Road 

***1/2 

30 Pavilion Road has 11 roof garden 

bedrooms in a country-style Georgian 

townhouse. The whole house is also 

available for exclusive use for dinners, 

receptions and other events. 

30 Pavilion Road, SW1X 0HJ 

T: 020 7584 4921 (bedrooms) 

T: 020 7823 9212 (events). 

www.searcys.co.uk/30-pavilion-road/ 

Sloane Club 

****/***** 

The exclusive Sloane Club has its origins 

in the Service Women’s Club, which was 

founded for serving and former lady 

officers of the Armed Forces in the 

Second World War. 

It became the Helena Club for ladies 

in the early 1960s, established by a ladyin-waiting 

to Princess Marie Louise. 

Gentlemen were admitted in the 1970s 

and it became the Sloane Club in 1976. 

It is designed as a home from home. 

Although you need to be a member 

to book into a room or dine at the 

club (members can bring a guest), nonmembers 

can book an apartment and 

are granted membership for the duration 

of their stay, allowing them to use the 

restaurant, private dining room, bar and 

roof terrace. 

The 20 apartments are four or 

five-star, ranging from studios to four 

bedrooms, and can be found in Lower 

Sloane Street and Sloane Gardens. 

They are available from one week to 

three months (shorter periods on 

request). 

52 Lower Sloane Street, SW1W 8BS 

T: 020 7730 9131 

www.sloaneclub.co.uk 

Millennium Hotel 

London 

Knightsbridge 

The Sloane Square Hotel 

**** 

Overlooking Sloane Square, this four-star 

hotel is a convenient base to explore the 

area from. The bedrooms include some 

interesting extra features, including free 

local and national calls, a Toshiba laptop, 

a DVD player and library of 250 films, 

iPhone and iPod docking stations and 

free Sky Sports TV channels. See also 

Chelsea Brasserie in Restaurants. 

Sloane Square, SW1W 8EG 

T: 020 7898 9988 

www.sloanesquarehotel.co.uk 

Sydney House Chelsea 

**** 

A four-star deluxe hotel with 21 bedrooms 

set in a Grade II-listed, Georgian 

townhouse. It has a drawing room, bar 

and a boardroom, and the top-floor 

double room (known at the Room at 

the Top) has its own private roof garden. 

An organic, cooked English breakfast is 

available until 6.30pm. 

9-11 Sydney Street, SW3 6PU 

T: 020 7376 7711 

www.sydneyhousechelsea.com

51 | INSIDER | Chelsea, past and present 


to Chelsea, past 

and present 

National Army Museum 

As a long-time Chelsea resident, I think it 

must be one of the best places – if not 

the best place – to live in London, which 

itself is the most vibrant and cosmopolitan 

city in the world. 

My chief joy is walking round the 

streets, squares and places that make 

Chelsea a village within a city. The most 

special places are the Royal Hospital 

Chelsea, which is still doing what it has 

been doing for more than 300 years; the 

Chelsea Physic Garden; the National 

Army Museum, which is brilliant for 

children (and, in my case, grandchildren); 

and Duke of York Square, which – thanks 

to an inspired redevelopment as London’s 

newest public square – is a meeting 

place for all ages. 

Then there are the wonderful churches, 

such as Chelsea Old Church, where 

my wife and I were married, as was 

my widowed mother on her second 

marriage. Her mother’s funeral took 

place there, which is appropriate as 

she did so much to raise funds for its 

rebuilding after bomb damage. 

Also, there is the chapel at the Royal 

Hospital Chelsea – where my ex-soldier 

By Sir Michael Craig-Cooper 

CBE TD DL, who has lived most 

of his life in Chelsea and has 

held several important posts 

in the area. 

Following National Service in 

Combined Operations, he was 

articled to a solicitor and 

undertook many unpaid 

voluntary roles in the service 

of Chelsea, the Royal Borough 

and Greater London. He served 

as a councillor for the Hans 

Town Ward, during which time 

he was chairman of the 

Council's Finance Committee 

for two years, and then served 

as one of the last of the 

aldermen. Having served in the 

Territorial Army for many years, 

he was a deputy lieutenant 

for Greater London and the 

representative deputy 

lieutenant for the Royal 

Borough of Kensington and 

Chelsea until his promotion to 

Vice Lord-Lieutenant in 2005 – 

a role he completed in 2011. 

He is currently president of the 

Friends of the Royal Hospital 

Chelsea and is a trustee of the 

Thames Diamond Jubilee 

Pageant Foundation, as well as 

serving as vice president of the 

Reserve Forces and Cadets 

Association of Greater London 

son was married and his two children 

christened – Holy Trinity Sloane Street, 

St Luke’s in Sydney Street, and many 

others I have connections to. 

It is a great privilege to live in 

Hans Town which, until the reorganisation 

of London local government in the 

late 1800s, was the oldest secular unit 

of local government under its commissioners 

outside the City of London. 

It was an additional privilege to represent 

it on the council for six years and as an 

alderman for a further four. 

The Wren Chapel at the 

Royal Hospital Chelsea

52 | FOOD AND DRINK | Restaurants 

Food and 

drink 

The Lounge at Zuma 

Whether you’re looking forward to a 

special dinner, you’re meeting friends for 

drinks or you’re just feeling a bit peckish, 

there’s a myriad of restaurants, cafés, 

pubs and nightlife spots in the area 

Top tables 

Chelsea is peppered with some of the 

world’s finest restaurants, including the 

legendary Michelin-magnet Restaurant 

Gordon Ramsay – but if you don’t fancy 

breaking the bank, there are plenty of 

alternatives on the menu 

Awana 

££££ 

A fine-dining Malaysian restaurant and 

satay bar, Awana offers an à la carte 

menu, specials, vegetarian and vegan 

food and a couple of set menus (‘Taste 

of Malaysia’ and ‘Malaysian Banquet’). 

The satay bar serves up Malaysian 

street food, particularly dishes from the 

island of Penang, while the substantial 

cocktail list features plenty of exotic fruits 

and flavours. 

Lunch: 12pm-3pm. Dinner: Monday- 

Wednesday 6pm-11pm, Thursday- 

Saturday 6pm-11.30pm, Sunday 6pm- 

10.30pm. 

85 Sloane Avenue, SW3 3DX 

T: 020 7584 8880 

www.awana.co.uk 

Baity Kitchen 

££ 

Baity Kitchen serves an interesting mix 

of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean 

cuisine – the result of a partnership 

between Palestinian-born food blogger 

and chef Joudie Kalla-Anagnou and her 

Greek friend Christina Mouratoglou. 

It’s an all-day dining venture that has 

opened relatively recently (December 

2010), with an emphasis on home-cooking. 

‘Baity’ means ‘my home’ in Arabic, 

and the restaurant aims to serve up the 

sort of home-cooking that isn’t normally 

found on menus in Arabic restaurants. 

Joudie has worked in Restaurant 

Price guide: 

The following key shows a general 

price guide for the restaurants, 

based on an average three-course 

meal from the à la carte menu 

(including VAT but not including 

drinks or service charges). Please 

note that this is just a guide to prices 

and should be treated as such. 

£: Under £25 

££: £25-£35 

£££: £35-£45 

££££: £45-£55 

£££££: £55 and over 

Baity Kitchen Cake Pops


Gordon Ramsay, Daphne’s and Papillon, 

so she has the skills to back up her 

home-cooking. Best-sellers include the 

Greek dish gemista (stuffed vegetables 

with rice) and the Palestinian sayyadiyeh 

(seared cod with cumin). There is also a 

catering service. 

Monday-Saturday 8am-9pm, Sunday 

9am-8pm. 

172 Walton Street, SW3 2JL 

T: 020 7584 6866 

www.baitykitchen.com 

Baku 

£££ 

A new Azerbaijani restuarant named after 

the country’s capital. Run by Philippe 

Moreau, who launched the Cheyne Walk 

Brasserie and Eight Over Eight on the 

King’s Road, it serves dishes from 

Caspian sturgeon caviar to meat and fsh 

kebabs and black cod pomegranate. 

Monday-Sunday, 11am-2am. 

164-165 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QB 

T: 020 7235 5399 

bakulondon.com 

Beaufort House 

Cocktail Bar and 

Brasserie 


£££ 

The brasserie and cocktail bar on the 

ground floor are open to the public, while 

the rest of Beaufort House is a private 

members’ club. The brasserie has an 

all-day brunch menu and a dinner menu 

made up of British and European dishes. 

It welcomes families with young 

children in the day and becomes more 

of a bar in the evening. For the cocktail 

bar, see Pubs, Bars and Nightlife. 

Brasserie and cocktail bar open 

Sunday-Wednesday 10am-12.30pm, 

Thursday-Saturday 10am-1.30pm. 

354 King’s Road, SW3 5UZ 

T: 020 7352 2828 

www.beauforthousechelsea.co.uk 

Benihana 

££££ 

Benihana Chelsea is part of an international 

chain of Japanese restaurants 

founded in 1964 with a theatrical flair, 

where food is prepared and cooked at 

your table on a Hibachi Grill. The 

Chelsea branch opened in 1993. 

The menu features mostly steak and 

fish/shellfish dishes – often a combination 

of the two. If you feel in the mood to 

splash out, there’s even Wagyu beef. 

There’s also a selection of hot and cold 

appetisers, sushi and bento boxes. The 

lunchtime dishes are generally cheaper. 

Lunch: Monday-Saturday 12pm-3pm. 

Dinner: Monday-Saturday 5.30pm- 

10.30pm, Sunday and bank holidays 

5pm-10pm. 

77 King’s Road, SW3 4NX 

T: 020 7376 7799 

www.benihana.co.uk 

Big Easy Bar.B.Q & Crabshack 

££ 

A restaurant inspired by Gulf Coast 

crabshacks in the US of A, Big Easy 

brings American barbeque food to 

Chelsea. The ‘theme’ idea might put 

some people off, but it’s not just a gimmick 

– the food has won fans and it’s 

buzzy, with live music in the evenings. 

The menu features steaks, fajitas, lobster, 

ribs, burgers – and crab, of course. 

Prices for mains are around the £15-£25 

mark, unless you’re going for the top 

steaks or a steak/lobster combo. There 

are some good deals, too, depending on 

the day of the week. 

It’s happy hour at the bar at 12pm and 

4pm daily, Tuesday-Friday 4pm-7.30pm 

and all day on Monday until 11pm, and 

the drinks list is cocktail-heavy. 

Sunday to Thursday 12pm-11pm, 

Friday and Saturday 12pm-12am. 

332-334 King’s Road, SW3 5UR 

T: 020 7352 4071 

www.bigeasy.co.uk 

Black & Blue 

£££ 

Black & Blue, a restaurant group that 

specialises in steak and hamburgers, 

has taken over the site of the famous 

Picasso café on the King’s Road. 

Bluebird Restaurant 

Picasso was much-loved by locals and 

was a hangout for rock stars and celebs, 

including the Rolling Stones and Eric 

Clapton in the 1960s, and Bob Geldof 

and Gordon Ramsay in later years. 

The recession took its toll and it closed 

in 2009. 

The Black & Blue menu includes a 

selection of light lunches and more substantial 

meals, primarily steaks, burgers 

and fish. There is an extensive wine list. 

Sunday-Thursday 8am-11pm, Friday 

and Saturday 8am-11.30pm. 

127 King’s Road, SW3 4PW 

T: 020 7351 1661 

www.blackandbluerestaurants.com 

Bluebird Chelsea 

£££ 

Set in a striking 1920s Grade II-listed 

former garage, this foodie hub has a 

restaurant, a bar, a café (see Cafés), 

an al fresco dining area, a food store and 

a wine shop (see Shopping). 

Terence Conran developed the 

building in the 1990s as the Bluebird 

Gastrodome, and it has since been 

taken over by restaurant group D&D 

London. There’s also a shop selling 

clothes, accessories, gifts and furniture 

and a spa in the same complex (see 

Shopping and Spas). 

The restaurant is on the the first-floor – 

cut between the café and the al fresco 

courtyard and up the stairs on the lefthand 

side as you face the main building. 

The à la carte menu is made up of 

modern British dishes and classics with 

a twist, and the desserts include grownup 

takes on childhood favourites. There’s 

also a lunch menu, a set lunch menu 

and a Sunday lunch menu, as well as 

bar snacks. 

Lunch: Monday-Friday 12pm-2.30pm, 

Saturday and Sunday 12pm-3.30pm. 

Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6pm- 

10.30pm, Sunday 6pm-9.30pm. 

Bluebird Chelsea, 350 King’s Road, SW3


5UU. T: 020 7559 1000 (restaurant, bar 

and café) 

www.bluebird-restaurant.co.uk 

Byron King’s Road 

£ 

Tom Byng founded restaurant chain 

Byron in 2007 to serve ‘proper hamburgers 

the way they should be’. There are a 

few salads as well, but it’s all about the 

burgers here and there’s a substantial list 

of toppings and dips so you can customise 

them. 

The desserts are American in theme 

and there are milkshakes too. The wine 

list is minimal but there’s a good selection 

of craft beers. 

Monday-Thursday 12pm-11pm, Friday 

12pm-11.30pm, Saturday 11am- 

11.30pm, Sunday 11am-10.30pm. 

300 King’s Road, SW3 5UH 

T: 020 7352 6040 

www.byronhamburgers.com 

Great Taste at the Cadogan 

££ 

This luxurious restaurant, adjacent to the 

Cadogan, is set in the former home of 

actress Lillie Langtry, famous for her 

affair with the future king of England, 

Edward VII. 

The restaurant was launched in 2012 

and serves modern British cuisine. It 

showcases Great Taste award-winning 

ingredients, celebrating the best of 

British produce. The food changes regularly, 

with prominent experts – such as 

famous food critics Faye Maschler and 

Charles Campion – creating new menus 

every six to eight weeks. It’s £18 for one 

course, £23 for two courses and £28 for 

three courses. 

Lunch: Tuesday-Sunday 12pm- 

2.30pm. Dinner: Tuesday-Saturday 6pm- 

10pm. 

21 Pont Street, SW1W 9SG 

T: 0800 023 5445. 

www.cadogan.com/restaurant.html 

Cheyne Walk Brasserie 

The Capital 

£££££ 

Under executive head chef Jérôme 

Ponchelle, the award-winning restaurant in 

the Capital Hotel serves up contemporary 

and classic French and British cuisine and 

celebrated its 40th birthday in 2011. 

The à la carte menu changes according 

to the season and there are also degustation 

menus for the whole table. A set 

menu is available for lunch (Monday- 

Friday) and there is a Sunday lunch menu, 

including a carvery. The wine list is huge 

and reached the final round of the AA 

Wine Award in 2011/12. 

Events – including special wine and 

champagne dinners – and masterclasses 

are held throughout the year. Ponchelle 

also oversees menus for the private 

dining rooms. 

Lunch: Monday-Sunday 12pm-2.30pm. 


10.30pm. 

The Capital Hotel, 22-24 Basil Street, 

SW3 1AT. T: 020 7591 1202 

www.capitalhotel.co.uk/restaurantbar.html 

Caraffini 

££ 

Close to Sloane Square, Paolo Caraffini’s 

long-established Italian restaurant serves 

traditional food at relatively affordable 

prices. There are daily specials in addition 

to the à la carte menu, and the wine 

list focuses mostly on Italian wines. Table 

reservations are only available by telephone. 

Lunch: Monday-Saturday 12.15pm- 

2.30pm. Dinner: Monday-Saturday 

6.30pm-11.30pm. 

61-63 Lower Sloane Street, SW1W 8DH. 

T: 020 7259 0235 

www.caraffini.co.uk 

Chelsea Brasserie and Bar 

Chelsea Brasserie and Bar 

£££ 

Simon Henbery, former head chef at 

Jamie Oliver’s Fifteen, runs the kitchen at 

the Chelsea Brasserie and Bar on Sloane 

Square. Serving breakfast, brunch, lunch 

and dinner, the European menu has a 

modern, seasonal twist. 

Breakfast: Monday-Friday 7am- 

10.30am, Saturday-Sunday 7am-10am. 

Lunch: Monday-Saturday 12pm-3pm. 

Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6pm-10.30pm. 

Sunday brunch: 11.30am-3.30pm. 

7-12 Sloane Square, SW1W 8EG 

T: 020 7881 5999 

www.chelsea-brasserie.co.uk 

Cheyne Walk Brasserie 

££££ 

Set in a former Victorian pub, this longrunning, 

riverside French brasserie and 

salon has a Provençal-inspired menu. 

Seasonal produce is prepared on an 

open grill in the heart of the brasserie. 

There’s a good-value weekday set 

lunch (Tuesday-Friday, £19 for two 

courses, £25 for three) and a weekend 

set lunch (£28 for two courses, £34 for 

three), and you can choose your dessert 

from the à la carte menu for both. 

There’s also a weekend children’s menu 

(£9.50 for two courses). The wine list is 

extensive. 

The upstairs Salon has a river view 

and serves drinks and cocktails, with 

a menu of tartines, baguettes and the 

traditional Croque Monsieur. The Salon 

sometimes hosts jazz nights - check the 

website for event details. 

Lunch: Tuesday-Saturday 12pm-3pm, 

Sunday 12pm-3.30pm. Dinner: Monday- 

Saturday 7pm-10.30pm. 

50 Cheyne Walk, SW3 5LR 

T: 020 7376 8787 

www.cheynewalkbrasserie.com 

Eight Over Eight 

£££ 

Part of restaurateur Will Ricker’s group of 

trendy pan-Asian restaurants, the sleek 

Eight Over Eight has recovered from the 

fire it suffered in 2009 and is back to its 

glamorous best. 

The bar serves interesting cocktails 

(£8-£10) – including the Black Orchard 

(Johnnie Walker Black shaken with fresh 

ginger, chilli, lemon juice and sugar, 

served short over ice) and the Lychee 

Bellini (lychee liquor and sake topped 

with champagne). 

The menu features dim sum, sushi


and sashimi, tempura, curries , 

BBQ/roasts, specials and salads. There’s 

also a bento box lunch special (£13.50- 

£16.50), which brings together sushi, 

salads and hot dishes in set menus. 

It’s worth checking out the special 

offers on the website too, which can give 

a hefty discount on selected days. 

Lunch: Monday-Friday 12pm-3pm, 

Saturday and Sunday 12pm-4pm. 

Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6pm-11pm, 

Sunday 6pm-10.30pm. Bar (dim sum 

served all day): Monday-Saturday 12pm- 

12am, Sunday 6pm-11.30pm. 


T: 020 7349 9934 

www.rickerrestaurants.com/eightovereight/ 

El Blason 

El Blason is a Spanish restaurant which 

featured in the film Blow-Up (1966) – 

see Film. At the time of writing, it was 

closed for refurbishment. 

8-9 Blacklands Terrace, SW3 2SP 

T: 020 7823 7383 

Foxtrot Oscar 

Elistano 

££ 

Head chef William Pinfold, who has 

worked with Tom Aikens and Gordon 

Ramsay, recently joined Elistano, so the 

traditionally Italian restaurant is broadening 

out to offer modern European-style 

food as well as the old favourites. There 

is some pavement seating if you want to 

eat al fresco. 


Saturday 12pm-4pm. Dinner: Monday- 

Saturday 6pm-10.30pm. Sunday all day 

10am-4pm. 

25-27 Elystan Street, SW3 3NT 

T: 020 7584 5248 

www.elistano.com 

Fifth Floor Restaurant at 

Harvey Nichols 

£££ 

Harvey Nichols’ Fifth Floor Restaurant 

has European seasonal menus designed 

by executive chef Jonas Karlsson, drawing 

inspiration from his Swedish heritage. 

The daily-changing ‘market menu’ 

showcases produce from the Harvey 

Nichols Foodmarket, also on the fifth 

floor. The neutral, sophisticated décor 

makes it a calming place to take a break 

from shopping, and the award-winning 

wine list offers more than 750 wines from 

all over the world. Wi-fi is available. 

Lunch: Monday-Thursday 12pm- 

3.30pm, Friday-Sunday 12pm-4pm. 

Afternoon tea: Monday-Thursday 

2.30pm-5.30pm, Friday-Saturday 

3.30pm-5.30pm, Sunday 3pm-5pm. 

Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6pm-11pm. 

Harvey Nichols, 109-125 Knightsbridge, 

SW1X 7RJ. T: 020 7235 5250 

www.harveynichols.com/restaurants/fifthfloor-london/fifth-floor-london-restaurant 

Foxtrot Oscar 

££ 

Part of Gordon Ramsay’s stable of 

restaurants, Foxtrot Oscar is a modern 

bistro with a relaxed atmosphere. 

Head chef Cary Doherty puts his 

experience from working at restaurants 

including Maze, Zuma and Gordon 

Ramsay’s flagship restaurant down the 

road to good use in a simpler style of 

food, and he’s particularly proud of 

Foxtrot’s burger and chips. 

His experience with Asian cuisine 

lends an interesting twist to dishes such 

as braised caramelised pork belly, which 

comes with jasmine rice and Asian salad. 

À la carte prices range from £7 upwards 

for starters, £12.75-£16.50 for mains 

and £5-£6 for desserts. 

There’s a two-course set menu for 

£18, three courses for £22 (lunch 

Monday-Saturday and early supper 

Monday-Thursday), and the Sunday set 

menu is £20 for two courses and £25 

for three. A Sunday roast menu is also 

available. You can bring your own wine 

on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 

lunch and dinner (corkage fee of £10 per 

bottle). 

Lunch: Monday-Saturday 12pm-3pm, 



9pm. 

79 Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4HN 

T: 020 7352 4448 

www.gordonramsay.com/foxtrotoscar/ 

Gallery Mess at the Saatchi 

Gallery 

££ 

It’s not somewhere that you might think 

of immediately when you’re looking for a 

place to eat, but the Saatchi Gallery’s 

restaurant is definitely worth a look. 

The setting is lovely, with large 

windows looking over the Duke of York 

Square lawns, exposed brickwork and 

vaulted ceilings, and there’s an al fresco 

terrace. Naturally, it’s decorated with 

contemporary art, and the food is much 

better than you might expect from a 

gallery restaurant. The building was once 

part of the barracks mess, hence the 

name, and the restaurant is operated by 

Rhubarb Food Design, which also runs 

restaurants at the Royal Albert Hall. 

The Gallery Mess has daily, seasonal 

specials and an ever-evolving menu, 

mostly made up of British and European 

dishes. There’s also a children’s menu 

(two courses £9.95) and afternoon tea 

(£9.50/£17). There’s a sizeable drinks list, 

including cocktails. 

Monday-Saturday 10am-11.30pm, 

Sunday 10am-7pm. Pastries served 

10am-11.30am. Starters and salads 

11.30am-close. Mains £12pm-close. 

Puddings 11.30am-close. Children’s 

menu 11.30am-close. Afternoon tea 

2.30pm-6pm. 

Saatchi Gallery, King’s Road, SW3 4SQ 

T: 020 730 8135 

www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/gallerymess/ 

Geales 

££ 

Seafood restaurant Geales in Chelsea 

Green – sister restaurant to Geales in 

Notting Hill – serves posh fish and chips, 

oysters, sharing platters and classics like 

Gallery Mess at the 

Saatchi Gallery


fish soup, fish pie and Morecombe Bay 

potted prawns. There are also some beef 

dishes for people not so keen on fish, 

but honestly, it’s rather missing the point 

if you order steak. 

The desserts are comforting favourites 

such as apple and blackberry crumble. 

The fixed lunch menu offers good value 

(£11.95 for two courses, available 

Tuesday-Friday, 12pm-2.30pm). 

Lunch: Tuesday-Friday 12pm-3.30pm. 

Dinner: Monday-Friday 6pm-10.30pm. 

Weekends: Saturday 12pm-10.30pm, 

Sunday 12pm-9.30pm. 

1 Cale Street, SW3 3QT. T: 020 7965 

0555 

www.geales.com 

Gaucho Sloane 

££££ 

Argentine steak restaurant chain Gaucho 

has sites all over London). The black and 

white décor (complete with cow hide) is 

striking and it’s a haven for carnivores, 

although probably terrifying for vegetarians. 

The cuts are explained to you by a 

waiter holding a board covered with 

meat, which is helpful if you don’t know 

what bife de chorizo, bife de ancho and 

bife de lomo are. Sides are ordered separately. 

Starters include ceviche, 

empanadas and grilled provoleta. 

If you have room, the desserts and the 

fantastic cheese board – also explained 

by the waiter – are worth a look. The 

wine list is extensive, with an impressive 

offering of Malbecs. 

Gaucho runs masterclasses if you 

want to find out more about cocktails, 

wine, beef or ceviche. 

Monday-Thursday 12pm-11pm, 

Friday-Saturday 12pm-11.30pm, Sunday 

10am-10.30pm. 

89 Sloane Avenue, SW3 3DX 

T: 020 7584 9901 

www.gauchorestaurants.co.uk 

Le Cercle 

Lounge 

Restaurant 

King’s Road Steakhouse & Grill 

££££ 

Serving classic steak cuts, roasts and 

fish, this steakhouse is under the Marco 

Pierre White banner, part of his partnership, 

the London Steakhouse Company. 

It has a £21.50 set menu and a £29.50 

set menu, as well as the a la carte menu. 


Sunday 12pm-4pm. Dinner: Monday- 

Saturday 5.30pm-11pm, Sunday 6pm- 

10pm. Dress code: Smart casual. 


T: 020 7351 9997 

www.kingsroadsteakhouseandgrill.org 

La Famiglia 

£££ 

A Tuscan restaurant founded in 1966 by 

Alvaro Maccioni, La Famiglia is tucked 

among the galleries in Langton Street, 

World’s End. 

Family photos hang on the walls, and 

the blue and white décor gives it a 

Mediterranean feel. The menus are 

authentic and include a section devoted 

to seasonal dishes. There’s a huge 

amount of choice, with the pasta and 

meat sections alone featuring around 15 

dishes each, not counting the seasonal 

list. There’s a heated outside terrace if 

you want to eat al fresco. 

Lunch: 12pm-2.45pm. Dinner: 7pm- 

11.45pm. 


T: 020 7351 0761 

www.lafamiglia.co.uk 

Le Colombier 

£££ 

A French restaurant with an emphasis 

on Parisian brasserie dishes, Le 

Colombier was established in 1998 by 

Didier Garnier. The á la carte menu features 

plenty of classics and there is a 

daily set menu of two courses for 

£19.50, including coffee. Le Colombier 

has a pretty terrace. 



Saturday 6.30pm-10.30pm, Sunday 

6.30pm-10pm. 

145 Dovehouse Street, SW3 6LB 

T: 020 7351 1155 

le-colombier-restaurant.co.uk 

Made in Italy 

£ 

The first restaurant in Made in Italy’s 

chain, this opened in 1989. A real selling 

point is the pizzametro – literally ‘pizza 

metre’ - a pizza up to a metre-long for a 

table to share, covered with strips of different 

ingredients to satisfy everyone. 

Monday 6pm-11.30pm, Tuesday- 

Saturday 12pm-11.30pm, Sunday 

12pm-10.30pm. 

249 King’s Road, SW3 5EL 

T: 020 7352 1880 

www.madeinitalygroup.co.uk 

Manicomio 

Manicomio 

£££ 

This newly-refurbished Italian restaurant 

in Duke of York Square is handy for a 

bite to eat while shopping and has an al 

fresco, heated dining area to survey the 

comings and goings in the square from 

while you eat. 

The building was the former military 

asylum of the Duke of York’s barracks, 

hence the name Manicomio, which means 

‘asylum’ or ‘mad house’. There’s a café 

and deli (see Cafés) and a restaurant. 

The restaurant serves contemporary 

Italian cuisine that’s unfussy and elegant. 


Saturday 12pm-5pm, Sunday 12pm- 

5pm. Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6.30pm- 

10.30pm, Sunday 6.30pm-10pm. 

85 Duke of York Square, SW3 4LY 

T: 020 7730 3366. 

www.manicomio.co.uk 

Marco Restaurant 

££££ 

One of three restaurants at the Chelsea 

Football Club hotel, this is a collaborative 

effort between Marco Pierre White and


the Chelsea FC owner. 

There are set menus and special 

deals, such as Marco Steak Night on 

Thursdays. There are also matchday 

special offers. Serving fish, roasts and 

grills, and steaks, the menu is a mix of 

French and English dishes. There’s a 

good showing of English and Irish stouts, 

ales and ciders in addition to the wine list 

and cocktail list. 

Tuesday-Saturday 6pm-22.30pm. 

Millennium & Copthorne Hotels at 

Chelsea Football Club, Stamford Bridge, 

Fulham Road, SW6 1HS 

T: 020 7915 2929 

www.marcorestaurant.org 

Palm Restaurant 

££££ 

The London outpost of this USA-based 

restaurant group, the Palm Restaurant is 

famous for its prime-aged American 

steaks and jumbo Nova Scotia lobsters. 

Lunch: Friday-Sunday 12pm-5pm. 

Dinner: Monday-Saturday 5pm-11pm, 

Sunday 6pm-10pm. 

1 Pont Street, SW1X 9EJ 

T: 020 7201 0710 

www.thepalm.com 

The Painted Heron 

£££ 

Head chef Yogesh Datta serves up 

modern Indian cuisine in this smart 

restaurant, one of Zagat 2011’s ‘top 

food in Chelsea’ picks. 

The à la carte menu changes regularly, 

the décor is elegant and the food shows 

European ingredients in a new light. The 

set price menu (six courses for £45, for 

the whole table, minimum two people) 

and weekend brunch menu (£20 per 

person) are excellent value. 

Brunch: Saturday and Sunday, 11am- 

5pm. Dinner: 6pm-11pm daily. 

112 Cheyne Walk, SW10 0DJ 

T: 020 7351 5232 

www.thepaintedheron.com 

Pellicano 

Pellicano 

£££ 

Serving Italian cuisine with a Sardinian 

accent, this Chelsea Green restaurant’s 

à la carte menu changes seasonally. 

There are also weekly specials and fixed 

price set menus that change every week 

(set lunch menu £16.95 for two courses, 

£19.95 for three). 

Lunch: Monday-Friday 12.30pm-3pm, 

Saturday 12.30pm-15.30pm, Sunday 

12.30pm-9.30pm. Dinner: Monday- 

Friday 6.30pm-11pm, Saturday 

12.30pm-11pm. 

19-21 Elystan Street, SW3 3NT 

T: 020 7589 3718 

www.pellicanorestaurant.co.uk 

Peter Jones Brasserie 

££ 

Easy to overlook because of its posh 

department store location, the Brasserie 

in Peter Jones is a proper restaurant, 

with waiter service and reservations. 

It serves surprisingly good contemporary 

dishes, sometimes with a little 

complimentary amuse-bouche from the 

chef. It seats 58 and has a relaxed 

atmosphere – a great place to have a 

meal and people-watch while you’re 

exploring Chelsea, especially if you can 

get a window seat. 

It also serves afternoon tea, including 

set menus (afternoon tea for two 

£22.50, champagne afternoon tea for 

two £38.50). 

Monday-Saturday 9.30am-6.30pm 

(Wednesday until 7.30pm), Sunday 

11am-4.30pm. 

Peter Jones, Sloane Square, SW1W 8EL 

T: 020 7881 6457 

www.peterjones.co.uk 

Pizza Express – the Pheasantry 

£ 

The Pizza Express chain might be ubiquitous, 

but this restaurant is on a historic 

site (see Streets and Sights) and it’s a 

cheap place to grab a bite to eat on the 

King’s Road. It’s over three floors and 

there’s a heated garden area for al fresco 

dining. It serves pizza, pasta and salads, 

and is also a live music venue (see 

Music). 

Daily 11.30am-11pm. 

The Pheasantry, King’s Road, SW3 4UT 

T: 020 7351 5031 

www.pizzaexpress.com 

Restaurant 

Gordon 

Ramsay 

Rasoi Vineet Bhatia 

£££££ 

In the restaurant guides to Chelsea, 

Michelin-starred Rasoi, helmed by Vineet 

Bhatia, is usually somewhere near the 

top of the list. 

The innovative Indian cuisine is 

impressive, but the prices can be pretty 

steep – the ‘gourmand’ menu is £85 for 

seven courses (there is a separate vegetarian 

version too). The ‘prestige’ menu 

is £87 (vegetarian £78) and the set price 

for à la carte is £49 for two courses or 

£59 for three. The lunch menu is great 

value – two courses for £22, three for 

£27 and four for £32. 



Friday 6pm-10.45pm, Saturday 6pm- 

11pm, Sunday 6pm-10pm. 

10 Lincoln Street, SW3 2TS 

T: 020 7225 1881 

www.rasoi-uk.com 

Restaurant Gordon Ramsay 

£££££ 

Gordon Ramsay’s flagship restaurant has 

held three Michelin stars – the highest 

rating awarded by the guide – for ten 

years, and is now London’s longestrunning 

three-starred restaurant. It’s 

very popular in the food guides too, 

scoring near the top of the best UK 

restaurant lists. 

Menus include a set lunch (three 

courses £45), à la carte (three courses 

£95), menu prestige (seven courses 

£125) and seasonal inspiration (dinner 

only, seven courses £185). The food is 

sophisticated and refined, the ingredients 

are top-line and the service is impeccable 

– but be prepared to open your 

wallet wide. 

Launched in 1998, this was Ramsay’s 

first wholly-owned restaurant. By 2001, it 

had been awarded three Michelin stars. 

Clare Smyth has been the head chef 

since 2008. The restaurant seats 45 and


was designed by David Collins. Book 

well in advance to get a table – it has a 

long waiting list. 

It also offers masterclasses to teach 

you how to prepare Gordon Ramsay signature 

dishes (£600 for one person to 

attend the class and then enjoy a threecourse 

lunch with a guest, with wines 

paired to each course). 

Lunch: Monday-Friday 12pm-2.30pm. 

Dinner: 6.30pm-11pm. Dress code 

smart – no trainers, shorts or sportswear. 

68 Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4HP 

T: 020 7352 4441 

www.gordonramsay.com/royalhospitalroad/ 

The Rib Room Bar and 

Restaurant 

£££££ 

The Rib Room at the Carlton Tower is 

something of an institution. It has been 

serving up beef since the hotel opened 

in 1961 and regulars at the restaurant 

include Nigella Lawson, Charles Saatchi 

and Sir David Frost. 

It recently underwent a major redesign 

front of house and has a new team 

behind the scenes – general manager 

Michele Caggianese, head chef Ian Rudge 

(who has worked at Michelin-starred 

restaurants Northcote Manor, Restaurant 

Gordon Ramsay and Whatley Manor) 

and head sommelier Louise Gordon. 

Rudge aims to serve up British cuisine 

that’s “good, honest food” with some 

interesting twists to surprise diners. The 

much-loved roast rib of beef with 

Yorkshire pudding is still present, but 

there’s also less traditional dishes like 

caper-crusted rack of Cornish lamb, 

lightly-curried neck, shallot compote 

and Jerusalem artichoke purée. The wine 

list includes around 500 wines and is 

presented on iPads. The set lunch menu 

is good value, with two courses for 

£19 and three for £25, and there’s a 

children’s menu too. 

The Rib 

Room 

The restaurant redesign was by Martin 

Brudnizki (the man behind the look of 

Scott’s and Corrigan’s Mayfair), who has 

given it a New York clubby feel. 

The walls are hung with originals 

by expressionist artist Feliks Topolski, 

including portraits of Churchill, a Chelsea 

pensioner, and the ‘Chelsea Girls’ 

series, featuring Vanessa Redgrave and 

Lady Astor. 

The restaurant made the headlines in 

1975 when the hotel was attacked by 

the IRA. Luckily, the window table’s 

position in the Rib Room meant that the 

bullets passed between diners and no 

one was hurt. 


10.30am, Sunday and bank holidays 

7am-11am. Lunch: Monday-Friday 

12.00pm-3pm, Saturday-Sunday and 

bank holidays 12.30pm-3pm. Dinner: 

Monday-Saturday 6.30pm-11pm, 

Sunday and bank holidays 6.30pm- 

10.30pm. Dress code: smart casual. 

Jumeirah Carlton Tower, Cadogan Place, 

SW1X 9PY. T: 020 7858 7250 

www.theribroom.co.uk 

Scalini 

£££ 

A welcoming Italian restaurant with 

a dedicated following, Scalini serves traditional 

food and has a chef’s speciality 

every day. A private room has recently 

been added. 

Lunch: Monday-Sunday 12pm-3pm. 

Dinner: 7pm-12pm. 

1-3 Walton Street, SW3 2JD 

T: 020 7225 2301/02 

www.scalinionline.com 

Sushinho 

£££ 

This restaurant and cocktail bar serving 

Japanese/Brazilian food takes inspiration 

from the popularity of Japanese food in 

Brazil. 

Sushinho has a sushi bar which works 

in conjunction with the restaurant – you 

can order sushi, warm dishes or both – 

and operates a family-style service where 

all the dishes are meant for sharing and 

are brought to the table as the kitchen 

serves them up. 

It’s an interesting combination, with 

Japanese sushi, sashimi, tempura and 

noodles on the menu alongside Brazilian 

ceviche and beef with chimichurri sauce. 

It no longer serves tuna, as it has a sustainable 

sources policy. 

The bar serves interesting cocktails – 

including ‘popular in Sao Paolo’ and 

‘Nipo-Brazilian’ sections – and there is a 

decent wine list. 

Lunch: Wednesday-Saturday 

12.30pm-2.30pm. Dinner: Sunday- 

Tuesday 6pm-10pm, Wednesday- 

Saturday 6pm-10.30pm. 

312-314 King’s Road, SW3 5UH 

T: 020 7349 7496 

www.sushinho.com 

Tom’s Kitchen 

£££ 

Tom Aikens’s Chelsea Green brasserie is 

just round the corner from his Elystan 

Tom’s 

Kitchen 

Street flagship, but the tone is entirely 

different. 

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, 

and brunch on weekends, it offers 

comforting classics with a few quirky 

twists. There is a first-floor bar and 

private dining. 


11.45am. Brunch: Saturday and Sunday 

10am-1pm. Lunch: Monday-Friday 

12pm-3pm, Saturday-Sunday 1pm-4pm. 

Dinner: Monday-Friday 6pm-11pm, 

Saturday-Sunday 6pm-10.30pm. 

27 Cale Street, SW3 3QP 

T: 020 7349 0202 

www.tomskitchen.co.uk/chelsea/ 

Tom Aikens 

££££ 

Tom Aikens’s flagship restaurant 

reopened in January 2012 after an 

extensive refurbishment. 

Aiken’s sophisticated dishes are 

imaginative and feature interesting 

flavours and techniques. The new menus 

include a three-course à la carte menu 

(£50), a six-course taster menu (£55), an 

eight-course taster menu (£75) and a


ten-course taster menu (£95). 

Lunch: Monday-Friday 12pm-3pm. 


11pm. The restaurant is also available for 

exclusive hire on weekends. 

43 Elystan Street, SW3 3NT 

T: 020 7584 2003 

www.tomaikens.co.uk 

The World’s End 

££ 

Brother and sister team Mitch and 

Meredith Tillman have recently launched 

this three-level redevelopment on the site 

of the World’s End Distillery. It’s made up 

of the Scene on the ground floor, the 

Summerhouse upstairs and the Cellar in 

the basement. 

The duo behind the First Restaurant 

Group – its other venues include the 

Notting Hill Brasserie and Mayfair gastropub 

the Running Horse – are the son 

and daughter of Harold Tillman, chairman 

of the British Fashion Council and 

owner of Jaegar and Aquascutum. 

Harold also opened what is regarded 

as the UK’s first cocktail bar, Rumours, in 

Covent Garden in 1978. Mitch started by 

opening a small deli and eventually built 

up a restaurant portfolio, and Meredith, 

who had a background in advertising 

and an eye for design, joined him in the 

business. 

The three levels in their new project in 

World’s End have very different identities. 

The Scene Bar and Kitchen is an 

American diner with a cinematic theme, 

with movies – from classics like 

Breakfast at Tiffany’s to 1980s favourites 

like Ferris Bueller’s Day Off – playing in 

the background. The menu is full of 

American favourites and an all-day 

breakfast is served at weekends. There 

are nightly special deals. Soft drinks 

include milkshakes and smoothies and 

it’s big on cocktails, with alcoholic 

shakes and slushies in addition to the 

mojitos and mules. 

The World’s End 

The Summerhouse is a seafood 

restaurant decked out like a Hamptons 

beach house. It’s a sister restaurant to 

the Summerhouse on the Union Canal in 

Maida Vale. It closes for the winter, 

although it can be hired during that time, 

and reopens for the summer in April 2012. 

The Cellar is a candle-lit basement bar, 

which can be hired for private events 

and can be catered with a bespoke 

menu created from either the Scene or 

the Summerhouse. 

The Scene: Tuesday-Friday 6pm- 

10.30pm. Saturday breakfast: 10am- 

4pm. Full menu: 12pm-10.30pm, Sunday 

10am-6pm. Bar open until 12am. 

The Cellar: Licensing hours 11ammidnight 

(later licences can be obtained 

for private parties). 

459 King’s Road, SW10 0LR 

T: 020 3362 3362 

www.theworldsend.co 

Ziani’s 

££ 

An established Italian restaurant that 

welcomes children, Ziani serves Venetian 

specialities and is tucked away in a quiet 

street off the King’s Road. The wine list 

focuses on Italian regional varieties. 

Lunch: Monday-Saturday 12.15pm- 

2.45pm, Sunday 12.15pm-3.15pm. 

Dinner: Monday-Saturday 7pm- 

11.30pm, Sunday 7pm-10.30pm. 

45-47 Radnor Walk, SW3 4BP 

T: 020 7351 5297 

www.ziani.co.uk 

Zuma 

££££ 

This contemporary Japanese restaurant 

offers a sophisticated take on the 

informal, 'izakaya' style of eating and 

drinking. 

You can eat in the main dining area or 

at the sushi counter and robata grill, 

where you can watch the chefs in action, 

and the sake bar offers more than 40 

different varieties of sake, as well as 

cocktails. 

The beautifully-designed interior and 

bold flavours are popular with foodies 

and celebs alike, with good reason – but 

it’s not a cheap night out, especially if 

Zuma’s sushi 

counter 

you get carried away sampling the sake. 

There’s no set protocol on ordering 

from the menu – dishes are designed to 

be shared or eaten individually. There’s 

also a tasting menu. You don’t need a 

reservation to sit at the counters, and the 

full menu is still available. 

Lunch: Monday-Thursday 12pm- 

2.30pm, Friday 12pm-3pm, Saturday- 

Sunday and bank holidays 12.30pm- 

3.30pm. Dinner: Monday-Saturday 6pm- 

11pm, Sunday and bank holidays 6pm- 

10.30pm. 

5 Raphael Street, SW7 1DL 

T: 020 7584 1010 

www.zumarestaurant.com/zuma_uk.html

60 | FOOD AND DRINK | Cafés 

Café culture 

If you fancy a more simple meal, there 

are dozens of high-end cafes in the area, 

serving up all-day breakfasts, pastries, 

strong coffee, and some seriously good 

sandwiches 

Its pavement seating area always 

seems to be very popular, which is not 

surprising given its prime location on the 

King’s Road. It hosts live music from 

7pm, ranging from jazz to classical, pop, 

soul and swing. 

Daily 9am-11pm. 

52 King’s Road, SW3 4UD 

T: 0844 335 8403 

www.caffeconcerto.co.uk 

Patisserie 

Valerie 

Gelateria 

Bluebird Café and Courtyard 

The café has an all-day menu, serving 

everything from a classic English breakfast 

– or healthy options like granola if 

you are so inclined – to sandwiches, 

smoothies, eggs, pasta, salads and fish 

and chips. 

There are also dishes from the grill and 

rotisserie. The drinks menu includes an 

interesting mix of wine, champagne 

cocktails, beer and hot drinks, which 

reflects the al fresco courtyard’s role as 

a place to relax. 

Turfed with artificial grass, bright with 

large sun umbrellas and warmed by 

heaters in the evening, this is designed 

for people to sit and talk from the afternoon 

into the evening, rather than just 

somewhere to grab a quick bite to eat. 

Opening hours: Monday-Friday 8am- 

11pm, Saturday 9am-11pm, Sunday 

9am-10pm. 

Bluebird doesn’t take reservations for 

the courtyard except for members. 


T: 020 7559 1000 (restaurant, bar 

and café) 


Caffé Concerto 

This branch of Caffe Concerto opened in 

February 2011 – there are others in 

Knightsbridge and South Kensington. 

Serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, the 

menu mostly focuses on sandwiches for 

the daytime and Italian favourites for the 

evening. 

Bluebird 

Café 

Caffè Fratelli 

An Italian café in Duke of York Square. It 

serves a selection of pasta, sandwiches 

and salads from the counter display, and 

the coffee is excellent. The customers 

include plenty of Italians – always a 

good sign. 

There’s a pleasant al fresco seating 

area with lots of tables right on the 

square. 

Monday-Friday 7.30am-7.30pm, 

Saturday-Sunday 8.30am-7.30pm 

Duke of York Square, SW3 4LY 

T: 020 7823 6800 

http://fratellidelicafe.com 

Ca’puccino 

Italy-based Ca’puccino opened its 

King’s Road branch in July 2011, its third 

site in the UK. It serves coffee, pastries, 

paninis, Italian regional dishes and ice 

creams. 

Ca’puccino also has a café in Harrods 

(T: 020 7590 0986, café open Monday- 

Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 11.30am- 

6pm). 


138A King’s Road, SW3 4XB 

T: 020 7036 0555 

www.ca-puccino.com 

Chelsea Quarter Café 

Doron and Valeria Zilkha, owners 

of Brompton Quarter Brasserie, 

Quarter Grocer and Health Quarter in 

Knightsbridge, opened Chelsea Quarter 

Café in October 2011. They aim to 

reflect the area’s identity at each site and 

Chelsea Quarter Café was designed by 

Mathilde Allibe, who lives locally. It serves 

quirky sandwiches and fresh fruit juices. 


Saturday-Sunday 8am-7pm. 

219 King’s Road, SW3 5EJ 

T: 020 7352 3660 

www.bqbrasserie.com 

Chelsea Gelateria Valerie 

Close to its sister café in Duke of York 

Square, this Patisserie Valerie gelateria 

offers handmade ice cream in both traditional 

and unusual flavours. 

It also serves up continental breakfasts, 

cakes, patisseries, tea and coffee 

and light lunches such as sandwiches 

and grilled croissants. A takeaway menu 

is available. 

Monday-Friday 7.30am-6pm, Saturday 

8am-7pm, Sunday 9am-6pm. 


T: 020 7730 7978 

www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk/chelseagelateria.aspx 

Cuisine de Bar by Poilâne 

French artisan bakery Poilâne has

61 | FOOD AND DRINK | Cafés 

recently opened an all-day restaurant 

in Chelsea. 

You can sit at the eating bar – where 

chefs make fresh tartines to order – at 

one of the individual or communal tables, 

or relax in the lounge. There’s complimentary 

wi-fi throughout the restaurant 

during the morning. 

Breakfast includes classic French 

dishes and pastries, while lunch features 

healthy options and savoury tartines. 

Last orders for supper are at 9.30pm. 

Bread, pastries and related accessories 

such as baskets, knives and books are 

available to buy. 

Monday-Friday 8am-8.30pm, 

Saturday-Sunday 9am-6.30pm. 

39 Cadogan Gardens, SW3 2TB 

T: 020 3263 6019 

www.poilane.com 

Dri Dri 

An Italian gelato in Chelsea Farmers 

Market, with flavours ranging from 

biscotto (cookies and cream) to cioccolato 

(chocolate) and caffè expresso 

(espresso coffee). It also offers workshops 

where children can learn how to 

make sorbets and create their own tub 

to take away, and has a catering service. 


Unit 16, Chelsea Farmers Market, 

125 Sydney Street, SW3 6NR 

T: 020 8616 5718 

www.dridrigelato.com 

Jak’s 

Close to the galleries and boutique 

shops on Walton Street, Jak’s serves up 

Mediterranean food. It's a popular 

brunch stop on weekends and offers 

dishes from pasta to moussaka. Jak’s 

Bar is a few doors down on the same 

street. 

Monday-Sunday 7.30am-11pm. 

77 Walton Street, SW3 2HT 

T: 020 7584 3441 

www.jakswaltonstreet.com 

Patisserie Valerie on 

Duke of York Square 

Manicomio Café and Deli 

(see Restaurants for the restaurant) 

The café serves breakfast, paninis, 

bruschettas and an informal dinner, while 

the delicatessen has a counter display 

so you can choose what to take away or 

eat in the café and conservatory. 


10am-6pm. 


T: 020 7730 3366. 

www.manicomio.co.uk 

Patisserie Valerie – Chelsea 

Left Wing Café 

The original Patisserie Valerie opened in 

Frith Street in 1926, when Belgian-born 

Madam Valerie decided to bring continental 

treats to England. 

As well as patisserie treats such as 

éclair au chocolate and tarte au citron, 

there’s continental breakfasts, all-day 

breakfast and brunch (up to £8.50), 

grilled snacks and lunch, through to 

evening dishes including salads, lasagne 

and soup of the day (£4.05-£9.50). 

Drinks include fruit smoothies (£4.05), 

ice-cream milkshakes (£3.35) and a 

good selection of tea and coffee. There 

is also a takeaway menu. 




T: 020 7730 7094 

www.patisserie-valerie.co.uk/cafechelsea.aspx 

Peter Jones Espresso Bar 

Grab a freshly-made coffee (and a cake 

or pastry, if you’re like us) and get a 

bird’s eye view over Chelsea at Peter 

Jones’s top-floor expresso bar. There’s 

also a self-service restaurant on the 

same floor, should you want a more 

substantial bite to eat. 

Monday-Saturday 9.30am-7pm, 

Sunday 11am-5pm, bank holidays 

10am-6pm. 

Peter Jones, Sloane Square, SW1W 8EL 

T: 0207 730 3434 


Ramelli’s Sandwich Bar 

Close to Sloane Square Tube station 

(turn left as you come out), this sandwich 

bar serves snacks, hot and cold food 

and drinks. 


6 Holbein Place, SW1W 8NP 

T: 020 7730 3113 

Royal Court Theatre Café Bar 

(see Pubs, Bars and Nightlife) 

Snog Chelsea 

Serving up pure frozen yogurt treats, 

Snog offers a healthier alternative to 

ice cream. Choose a yogurt and add 

toppings, which are updated with the 

seasons. 

Daily 11am-12am. 

155 King’s Road, SW3 5TX 

T: 020 7351 7164 

www.ifancyasnog.com 

Treats to 

take home 

Chelsea is lucky enough to have lots 

of wonderful food and wine stores – here 

are just a few of them 

Artisan du Chocolat 

Luxury chocolate company Artisan du 

Chocolat was founded by Irish chef and 

chocolatier Gerard Coleman in 2000 

and the Chelsea shop opened in 2001. 

The chocolates are beautiful as well as 

delicious – perfect for a gift or a treat. 


12pm-5pm. 

89 Lower Sloane Street, SW1W 8DA 

T: 0845 270 6996, option 2. 

www.artisanduchocolat.com 

The Bluebird Food Store and 

Wine Cellar 

The food store sells bakery breads, 

cured meats, chutneys and British 

cheeses, and there’s also a takeaway 

menu. There are prepared meals to 

take home, takeaway coffees and a selfservice 

salad bar, and you can have a 

Pack a picnic 

When the weather’s nice, a great 

alternative to dining at one of the 

many restaurants with gardens and 

al fresco areas is to visit some of 

the food shops in Chelsea and put 

a picnic together. Sitting by the 

fountains in Duke of York Square or 

in Ranelagh Gardens is a lovely way 

to spend a lunchtime.

62 | FOOD AND DRINK | Food stores 

bespoke hamper made up for you. 

The breads are baked on the premises 

and the Bluebird food store also supplies 

bread to other restaurants and shops. 

The wine cellar below supplies more 

than 750 unique wines, liqueurs, spirits 

and cigars from all over the world. It also 

runs special wine tasting events and 

classes. 

Food store: Monday-Friday 7.30am- 

7.30pm, Saturday 9am-7pm, Sunday 

9am-5pm. Wine cellar: Monday-Friday 

10am-7.30pm, Saturday 11am-7pm, 


350 King’s Road, SW3 5UU. T: 020 7559 

1140 (food store), 020 7559 1130 (wine 

cellar) 


The Chelsea Cake Shop 

A cake shop specialising in individually 

crafted cakes, from wedding cakes to 

cup cakes. All the cakes are made to 

order in the open-plan kitchen. 

Tuesday-Friday 10am-5.30pm, 

Saturday 10am-4.30pm. 

66 Lower Sloane Street, SW1W 8BP 

T: 020 7730 6277 

www.chelseacakeshop.co.uk 

The Bluebird Food Store 

and Wine Cellar 

Jane Asher Party Cakes and 

Sugarcraft 

Actress Jane Asher’s Chelsea Green 

cake shop, with everything you need to 

create a baking masterpiece. 

If baking is not your thing, they can 

make you a show-shopping cake to 

order. 

Monday-Saturday 9.30am-5.30pm. 

22-24 Cale Street, SW3 3QU 

T: 020 7584 6177 

www.janeasher.com 

Jeroboams 

Peter Rich opened the first Jereboams 

shop in 1985, taking inspiration from 

France’s traditional fromageries. It originally 

focused mainly on cheeses, but 

also stocked speciality foods, fine wines 

and champagnes. 

The Pont Street store has a range of 

wines from Bordeaux, Burgandy and 

Tuscany, as well as from around the 

world. It is managed by New Zealander 

Xavier Hornblow. 


10am-7pm, closed Sundays. 

6 Pont Street, SW1X 9EL 

T: 020 7235 1612 

www.jeroboams.co.uk 

Here 

A specialist organic supermarket in 

Chelsea Farmers Market, off Sydney 

Street. 


Sunday 10am-6.30pm. 

T: 020 7351 4321 

La Bottega 

An Italian delicatessen that also serves 

food and coffee and offers a catering 

service and hampers. 



65 Lower Sloane Street, SW1W 8HD 

T: 020 7730 8844 

www.labottega65.com 

Partridges 

Partridges 

Partridges is the holder of the Royal 

Warrant, By Appointment Grocers to 

HM the Queen, and celebrates its 

40th anniversary of trading in Chelsea 

in 2012. 

The family-run food shop originally 

opened at 132 Sloane Street by Richard 

Shepherd in May 1972, and he was 

joined by his brother John in 1981. The 

store expanded and eventually relocated 

to Duke of York Square in 2004. 

There’s a food market with around 

150 small speciality food producers on 

Saturdays. 

Partridges has a range of more than 

5,000 foods and wines from Britain and 

around the globe, and also has a wine 

bar and café with a private terrace. 

It offers local delivery and bespoke 

hampers. 

Market: Saturday 10am-4pm. Store: 

Daily, 8am-10pm. 


T: 020 7730 0651 

www.partridges.co.uk 

Thirst class 

You’d be hard-pressed to find anywhere 

in London with better pubs, clubs and 

bars than Chelsea. Whether you fancy 

a cider on Sydney Street or shots in 

Sloane Square, there will be a venue for 

you in our guide 

The Admiral Codrington 

This pub has a restaurant and a private 

dining room as well as the traditional bar 

area, and that sets the tone for the 

Codrington. It has a reputation for good 

food and a buzzy atmosphere, and it 

does a good job of mixing the traditional 

and the modern. 

The restaurant even has a retractable 

glass roof that can be pulled back on 

sunny days to allow al fresco dining. 

Well-prepared for the changeable English 

weather, there’s also a heated beer 

garden with all-weather awning. 

The food ranges from fish and chips to 

more exotic fare. The lunch menu is also 

available in the bar. Sunday’s menu 

includes brunch and roasts. 

Open Monday-Thursday 11.30am- 

12am, Friday and Saturday 11.30am- 

1am, Sunday 12pm-10.30pm. 

Restaurant service: Monday-Friday lunch 

12pm-2.30pm, dinner 6.30pm-11pm, 

Saturday lunch 12pm-3.30pm, dinner 

6.30pm-11pm, Sunday 12pm-9pm. Bar 

menu: Monday-Friday 12pm-2.30pm, 


4pm. The evening bar snacks menu is 

available daily, 6pm-10.30pm. 

17 Mossop Street, SW3 2LY 

T: 020 7581 0005 

www.theadmiralcodrington.co.uk 

Barts 

Barts is a ‘secret’ speakeasy-style bar 

on Sloane Avenue. To find it, you have to

63 | FOOD AND DRINK | Pubs, bars and nightlife 

walk through a large 1930s apartment 

building until you come to a black door 

with a lantern and an inconspicuous 

sign. 

Inside, the bar is decorated with quirky 

and antique ornaments, and there’s a 

fancy dress box packed with wigs, costumes 

and hats. Barts plays ‘Prohibition 

era’ music and has a Cuban-themed 

garden. Cocktails, snacks and canapés 

are served, including sharing cocktails 

served in teapots or top hats. 

Monday-Thursday 6pm-12.30am, 

Friday-Saturday 6pm-1.30am, Sunday 

6pm-11pm. 

Sloane Avenue, SW3 3DW 

T: 020 7581 3355 

www.barts-london.com 


(see Restaurants for brasserie) 

The ground floor cocktail bar and 

brasserie are open to the public, while 

the upper floors are part of a private 

members’ club. In the evening it’s much 

more of a bar, with mixologists creating 

signature and classic cocktails. 

Members have access to the members’ 

lounge/bar/restaurant, the club 

The Botanist 

room and the Penthouse Champagne 

Bar. Contact the venue regarding 

membership queries. 

Brasserie and cocktail bar open 

Sunday-Wednesday 10am-12.30pm, 

Thursday-Saturday 10am-1.30pm. 


T: 020 7352 2828 

www.beauforthousechelsea.co.uk 

The Botanist 

The Botanist, sister site to Tom and Ed 

Martin’s The Cadogan Arms, nods 

towards Sir Hans Sloane in both its 

name and the backlit drawings of flora 

and fauna on the restaurant wall. It’s a 

popular drinking spot for locals and has 

a great selection of signature cocktails. 

On the breakfast menu, The Botanist 

pays special attention to hot chocolate in 

honour of Sir Hans Sloane’s invention, 

here made with chocolate flakes and 

served with a chocolate stirring stick 

from Rococo Chocolates. The choice 

of tea for breakfast is also impressive. 

The lunch and dinner menus feature 

British/modern European dishes with a 

seasonal angle, including a good showing 

of fish, steak and oysters. There are 

also menus for Saturday brunch/lunch, 

Sunday lunch, afternoon tea and pretheatre/post-theatre, 

and a substantial 

bar menu. 

Monday-Friday 8am-11.30pm, 

Saturday-Sunday 9am-11.30pm. 

Breakfast Monday-Friday 8am-11.30am, 

Saturday-Sunday 9am-11.30am. Lunch 

Monday-Friday 12pm-3.30pm, Saturday- 

Sunday 12pm-4pm. Afternoon tea 

3.30pm-6pm daily. Dinner 5.30pm-11pm 

daily. Pre and post-theatre menu 

5.30pm-6.30pm, 10pm-11pm. The bar 

menu is available 12pm-10.30pm daily, 

and bar customers are also able to order 

from the restaurant menus during lunch 

and dinner service times. 

7 Sloane Square, SW1W 8EE 

T: 020 7730 0077 

www.thebotanistonsloanesquare.com 

The Builders Arms 

A gastropub serving predominately 

British cuisine, the Builders Arms is in 

a Georgian building with a main bar and 

a dining area. It has a trendy, relaxed 

ambience similar to the other Geronimo 

pubs in the area, the Phoenix and the 

Surprise. 

There are roasts on Sundays and 

the wine list has been put together by 

Master of Wine John Clevely. 


Saturday-Sunday 12pm-4pm. Dinner: 

Monday-Wednesday 7pm-10pm, 

Thursday-Saturday 7pm-11pm, Sunday 

7pm-9pm. 

13 Britten Street, SW3 3TY 

T: 020 7349 9040 

www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/thebuilders 

arms/ 

The Cadogan 

Arms 

You can play pool upstairs on the first 

floor – there are three American eight-ball 

tables available to play by the hour – and 

the room can be hired out. A £10 deal 

includes an hour of pool, a glass of wine 

or a bottled beer and mini cheeseburgers, 

fish and chips and sausage rolls. There’s 

a pub quiz on Mondays at 7.30pm 

(teams of up to six people, £2 each to 

play, £100 bar tab for the winning team). 

The pool and quizzes might be 

traditional pub activities, but the food is 

definitely more of a brasserie style and 

ranges from about £12-£23 for mains. 

There’s a lunch and dinner menu and a 

Sunday lunch menu too. 

The selection of beers on tap is quite 

small, but there are some interesting 

bottled beers, including Dark Brewery 

Sunburst and Samuel Smith’s Organic 

Lager, and there’s also a cocktail list. 


11am-10.30pm. Food: Monday-Friday 

12pm-3.30pm and 6pm-10.30pm, 

Saturday 12pm-10.30pm, Sunday 

12pm-9pm. 

298 King’s Road, SW3 5UG. 

T: 020 7352 6500 

thecadoganarmschelsea.com 

The Cadogan Arms 

The other Chelsea gastropub owned by 

brothers Tom and Ed Martin (along with 

the Botanist), the Cadogan Arms mixes 

the feel of a proper English pub with the 

style of a brasserie restaurant.


The Cellar at the World’s End 

(see Restaurants) 

The Cross 

Keys 

The Cross Keys closed in May 2012. 

1 Lawrence Street, SW3 5NB 

JuJu 

Chelsea Potter 

The Chelsea Potter was originally called 

the Commercial Tavern and was built by 

entrepreneur Richard Smith, who 

acquired the former grounds of a manor 

house in the 1830s and tried all sorts of 

business ideas there, including a pleasure 

garden, a wash baths for working 

men, a theatre and finally a dance hall 

and a tavern. 

The Commercial Tavern and the dance 

and entertainment venue the Commercial 

Rooms or Commercial Hall – now the 

Founders’ Hall that houses classrooms 

at Hill House International Junior School 

– were both built around 1842. 

The tavern and the hall were connected 

by an internal door, and it is thought 

that the buildings were linked even when 

the hall was being used as a place of 

worship later in the 19th century. 

Architects found the door opening when 

they were recently restoring the 

Founders’ Hall for the school. 

The tavern was renamed the Chelsea 

Potter in the 1950s, and was a hangout 

for King’s Road icons in the 1960s, 

including Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling 

Stones. 

Today the Chelsea Potter is a popular 

traditional English pub that serves cask 

ales and British pub food. It has a few 

tables outside for the lucky few who get 

there early enough, and there’s usually a 

crowd balancing drinks on the outside 

windowsills in the evenings once the 

tables have been filled. 

119 King’s Road, SW3 4PL 

T: 020 3603 5764 

www.taylor-walker.co.uk/pubfood/chelsea-potter-chelsea/pid-C6708 

Coopers Arms 

A pub on the corner of Redburn Street 

and Flood Street, the Coopers Arms is 

dedicated to real ales and home-cooked 

food, from sandwiches to bangers and 

mash, fish pie and curry. 

There’s also a Sunday menu (available 

12pm-9pm) which includes a Sunday 

roast. 

Open daily 12pm-11pm. Food served 

Monday-Friday 12pm-3pm and 5pm- 

10pm, Saturday-Sunday 12pm-10pm. 

87 Flood Street, SW3 5TB 

T: 020 7376 3120 

www.coopersarms.co.uk 

The Cross Keys 

Founded in 1708, the Cross Keys has 

counted Dante Gabriel Rossetti, JMW 

Turner, James Abbott McNeill Whistler, 

John Singer Sargent and Agatha Christie 

among its patrons. 

It’s a striking sight with the reliefs of 

St Peter, an angel and a heron on the 

building’s front – the ‘cross keys’ symbol 

is a reference to the keys of heaven. 

Henry J Beans Bar and Grill 

Once the famous Six Bells pub 

frequented by artists including Whistler, 

Henry J Bean’s is now an American bar 

and grill. The food is classic American 

burgers, steaks and hotdogs, and there’s 

an extensive spirits and cocktails list. 

It might not have the historic atmosphere 

of some of the other local pubs, 

but it makes up for it with its garden – 

it is huge by the standards of Chelsea, 

where outside drinking spots get very 

busy. If you’re finding it tough to get a 

space to drink outside or accommodate 

smokers in your party, this is probably a 

good bet – although it too gets crowded 

in the summer. 

Monday-Wednesday 11am-11pm, 

Thursday-Saturday 11am-12am, Sunday 

11am-12am. Children are not allowed in 

the venue after 7pm. 

195-197 King’s Road, SW3 5ED 

T: 020 7352 9255 

www.henryjbeans.co.uk 

The Henry Root 

This bistro/wine bar/tea shop is named 

after the pseudonym used by William 

Donaldson, who wrote letters lampooning 

the wealthy, famous and influential 

from this street. It aims to be a place to 

relax with a slice of cake and a cup of 

tea or glass of wine, or grab a bite to eat 

from the seasonal menu. Brunch is 

served at weekends. 

9 Park Walk, SW10 0AJ 

T: 020 7352 7040 


and Sunday 9.30am-11pm. 

www.thehenryroot.com 

The Jam Tree 

The Jam Tree is an open-plan gastropub 

with a decked garden complete with its 

own bar and a barbeque. The wine list is 

substantial and there are speciality beers 

and a decent cocktail list, including the 

signature Jam Mojito (white Cuban 

rum stirred with fresh mint, lime and 

raspberry jam). 

It hosts special events, such as a 

‘steak out’ evening and resident DJs, 

and the menus have a modern British 

and ‘colonial’ flavour. 

The Sunday menu includes roasts. 

There’s also a special menu for when the 

barbeque is fired up on Thursday and 

Friday nights and 

all-day Saturday and Sunday, weather 

permitting, including jerked chicken leg, 

rib-eye steak and giant barbeque 

prawns. 

Open Sunday-Thursday 12pm-11pm, 

Friday-Saturday 11am-2am. Lunch: 

12pm-3pm. Dinner: 6pm-10pm. 

541 King’s Road, SW6 2EB 

T: 020 3397 3739 

www.thejamtree.com/chelsea/


JuJu 

Winner of Best Bar at the London Club 

and Bar Awards 2011, JuJu is a cocktail 

and champagne bar on the King’s Road, 

owned by ex-footballer Lee Chapman 

and his actress wife Lesley Ash. 

Sharing plates of mostly pan-Asian 

dishes are served tapas-style, as well as 

party menus (pre-order only). 

The cocktail list is long, including nonalcoholic 

ones, shared cocktails and 

pitchers. Look on the website for deals, 

such as after-work drinks at a reduced 

price. 

Cocktail classes are available if you 

want to learn to mix your own at home 

(from 3pm every day, pre-booking 

required, £50 per person including pan- 

Asian tapas and up to four cocktails, 

minimum four people per booking). 

Monday 9pm-1.30am, Tuesday 8pm- 

1.30am, Wednesday 7pm-1.30am, 

Thursday 6pm-1.30am, Friday-Saturday 

5pm-2.30am, Sunday closed for private 

bookings. 

316-318 King’s Road, SW3 5UH 

T: 020 7351 5998 

www.jujulondon.com 

Kings Club 

King’s Road private members’ club 

King’s Club features the sumptuous 

Persian Room on the top level and a 

heated Roof Terrace, where you can 

enjoy shishas. A Middle Eastern menu is 

served up in the Lounge. The Main 

Room hosts club nights at the weekend 

and private events during the week. 

Kings Club has recently launched 

Jajouka, a live music and entertainment 

night held on Tuesdays. 

Tuesday-Thursday 6pm-10pm (upstairs 

cocktail lounge), Friday-Saturday 

6pm-3am. 

107 King’s Road, SW3 4PA 

T: 020 7351 5521 

www.kingsclubchelsea.com 

Kitts 

Kitts 

A boutique private members’ club, 

with a name inspired by the travels 

of Sir Hans Sloane, who conducted 

botanical research on the Caribbean 

island of St Kitts. 

7-12 Sloane Square, SW1W 8EG 

T: 020 7881 5990 

www.kittslondon.com 

The Markham Inn 

The duo behind Mahiki and Whisky 

Mist, Nick House and Piers Adam, 

recently opened this bar/brasserie in 

Chelsea Green. 

It has an all-day modern European 

menu, with an emphasis on British, 

seasonal ingredients, and also serves 

breakfast daily, brunch on weekends and 

roasts on Sundays. 

The wine list focuses on the old world, 

and the beverage menu includes homemade 

cream soda, cloudy original 

lemonade and ginger beer. There are 

also thick homemade shakes. Cocktails 

are served with a jar of freshly salted or 

smoked popcorn. 


Sunday 9am-11pm. Breakfast: Daily until 

11am. Brunch: Weekends 11am-4pm. 

Roasts: Sunday 11am-4pm. 

2 Elystan Street, SW3 3NS 

T: 020 7581 9139 

themarkhaminn.com 

The Phoenix 

A popular spot for a drink and a bite to 

eat, the Phoenix is a relaxed pub that 

serves a mix of modern and traditional 

British food, including Sunday roasts 

and daily specials. 

There’s an extensive wine list, plus 

guest wines and some real ales. A few 

outside tables are available for al fresco 

dining or drinking. Check the website for 

details of events, including food-themed 

nights. 

Kitchen: Monday-Saturday 12pm- 

3pm, 7pm-10pm, Sunday 12pm-8pm. 

23 Smith Street, SW3 4EE 

T: 020 7730 9182 

www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/thephoenix/ 

The Pig’s Ear 

With past lives in the 19th century as the 

Black Lion and the 20th century as the 

Front Page, today the Pig’s Ear is a 

gastropub and restaurant serving 

British/French brasserie food with an 

emphasis on seasonal produce. 

The menu is changed daily and food 

is served in the bar and the adjoining 

Blue Room, which has an open fire in 

the winter and takes reservations. 

The oak-panelled dining room on the 

first floor opens during busier evening 

and weekend lunches and feels more 

like a restaurant – reservations are 

essential. 

Drinks include British cask ales from 

Sambrooks Brewery – a local microbrewery 

in Battersea – as well as the signature 

Pig’s Ear from the Uley Brewery in 

Gloustershire. There are also bottled 

European cider and lagers and the wine 

list has a predominately French influence. 


Kitchen: Monday-Friday 12pm-3pm, 

6pm-10pm, Saturday 12.30pm- 

10.30pm, Sunday 12.30pm-9pm. 

35 Old Church Street, SW3 5BS 

T: 020 7352 2908 

www.thepigsear.info 

The Queen’s Head 

A gay pub just off the King’s Road, 

the Queen’s Head is traditional and 

unpretentious. It has some outside 

tables, tucked away from the bustle 

of the main roads, and the pub itself is 

larger than it first appears because it is 

split into several rooms. 

25-27 Tryon Street, SW3 3LG 

T: 020 7589 0262 

Raffles 

A famous private members’ club, named 

after the colonial mogul Sir Thomas 

Stamford Raffles. 

Membership is available by invitation 

only and you must first be put forward by 

a current member, but once gained gets 

you privileges including ski trips, summer 

parties abroad and away days. There is 

a dress code – see the website for 

The Black Lion 

(now The Pig’s 

Ear) in the 

1860s


details. 

Wednesday-Saturday 10pm-5.30am. 

297 King’s Road, SW3 5EW 

T: 020 7351 4964 

www.raffleschelsea.com 

Royal Court Café Bar 

The Royal Court Café Bar is a really 

good option for a central meeting place 

even if you’re not going to see a show, 

because it’s right next to Sloane Square 

Tube station. 

Set in the 19th-century auditorium pit, 

it’s a surprisingly big space. 

It serves seasonal British food and 

uses cured meats, oils and olives from 

the Spanish food emporium Brindisa, 

meat from Smithfield Market and cheese 

from Neal’s Yard Dairy. 

Sausage rolls, tortillas and cakes are 

on offer if you’re just a bit peckish, as 

well as a more substantial menu if you’re 

hungry. 

Book in advance if you want a preshow 

dinner. The bar is stocked with 

seasonal wines chosen by Bibendum. 

Monday-Saturday 12pm until late. 

Lunch and dinner served 12pm-8pm, 

bar snacks served throughout the 

evening. 

Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, 

SW1W 8AS. T: 020 7565 5058 

www.royalcourttheatre.com/your-visit/ 

cafe-bar/ 

The Sporting Page 

The Sporting Page is a gastropub that 

shows sporting events (you can even 

book a private booth to watch the game) 

and has four screens. 

The food is generally pub classics, 

with the menu changing to take advantage 

of what is in season and what the 

weather is like. 

Check the website for events and 

offers. The drinks menu is extensive and 

has a good range of beers and wines, as 

well as some cocktails. The pavement 

terrace is heated in winter. 

Monday-Saturday 11am-11pm, 

Sunday 11am-10.30pm. Lunch and dinner 

every day. Brunch: From 11am 

Saturday and Sunday. 

6 Camera Place, SW10 0BH 

Royal Court Café Bar 

T: 020 7349 0455 

www.thesportingpagechelsea.co.uk 

The Surprise 

A sister pub to the Phoenix and the 

Builders Arms, the Surprise is a gastropub 

that serves up small plates of British 

food, with the idea being that you order 

a few dishes rather than picking one. 

It has real ales on tap and serves 

Sunday roasts. 

The wines are chosen by Master of 

Wine John Clevely. 


Saturday 12pm-4pm. Dinner: Monday- 

Saturday 6.30pm-10pm. Food served all 

day Sunday, 12pm-9pm. 

6 Christchurch Terrace, SW3 4AJ 

T: 020 7351 6954 

www.geronimo-inns.co.uk/thesurprise 

The Surprise 

Sushinho 

(see Restaurants) 

Sydney Arms 

The Sydney Arms is traditional in style 

and serves pub and brasserie food. 

The cocktail list includes the memorably 

named Basil Fawlty (Smirnoff No.21 

vodka blended with apple juice, passionfruit 

and homemade basil syrup) and 

Sydney James. 

The bar snacks are a posh twist on 

standard pub favourites. It also serves 

breakfast. 

The Sydney Arms shows live sports on 

five screens inside and outside the pub, 

and you can book a table in advance to 

guarantee your spot. 

Monday-Wednesday 12pm-11pm, 

Thursday-Friday 12pm-12am, Saturday 

10am-12am, Sunday 10am-10pm. 

70 Sydney Street, SW3 6NJ. T: 020 7352 

7924 

www.sydneyarmschelsea.com 

The Trafalgar 

Don’t be too put off by the bright purple 

exterior – the Trafalgar is nicer inside 

than it looks from the outside, and it’s 

pretty spacious. It even has a small garden 

with heating and a sheltered area. 

The venue has a good selection of 

speciality beers too, from regularly 

changing cask ales to bottled beers from 

around the world. The spirits are good 

quality and there are homemade soft 

drinks in summer. 

The food is seasonal and there’s also 

a brunch menu. Sunday’s menu includes 

roasts. 

Check the website for more details 

and offers. 

Monday-Tuesday 11.30am-11pm, 

Wednesday-Saturday 11.30am-12am, 

Sunday 11.30am-10.30pm. 


T: 020 7349 1831 

www.thetrafalgarchelsea.co.uk

67 | INSIDER | Design inspiration 


to design 

inspiration 

Anya Hindmarch Bespoke 

By Cassandra Goad, who 

started her business in 1985 

and now has a shop on Sloane 

Street. Her unique jewellery 

combines traditional methods 

with modern designs to create 

individual, wearable pieces. 

Cassandra’s passion for 

gemology is reflected in the 

diverse, colourful and rare 

gemstones she uses, including 

prasiolites, kyanites, 

tourmalines and fire opals. 

She travels the world sourcing 

stones and gleaning inspiration. 

In addition to her own designs 

and collections, Cassandra 

offers a bespoke service 

creating custom-made jewellery 

in her own in-house workshop 

the ski slopes in Italy, I went straight 

to see Anya and asked her to write a 

message in a wallet for him so he would 

never forget that trip. “Pronto soccorso 

Rio Negro” was the message, after the 

slope he fell on. 

St Mary’s Bourne Street 

I walk past this beautiful, hidden church 

every day. It is an oasis of calm and 

holiness amid the bustle of London life. 

Some of my most successful designs 

came about after I had stopped by here. 

John Sandoe Books, 

10 Blacklands Terrace 

Whenever I think about a new country to 

travel to, I always walk across to John 

Sandoe and ask them to suggest books 

of all sorts to start me off on my journey. 

Their advice is unfailingly excellent, 

diverse and provocative. 

Anya Hindmarch Bespoke, 

15-17 Pont Street 

When my husband had an accident on 

Cuisine de Bar by Poilâne, 

39 Cadogan Gardens 

The Poilâne café always reminds me of 

the day my five-year-old daughter stood 

over the Metro air vent in Paris and her 

skirt flew up. Her little face was full of 

delight at the unexpected magic. We 

were walking to buy our bread at Poilâne 

in the days when there was no Poilâne in 

London. To my great joy, they have 

opened a café just off the King’s Road. 

All the best creative days start with a big 

slice of their bread. 

Hunan, 51 Pimlico Road 

In 2004, I set off to China, climbed the 

Great Wall, stared at the Terracotta 

Warriors, walked the streets of the 

Forbidden City and marvelled at the 

beautiful gardens of Suzhou. And everywhere 

my sketchbook came with me. 

When I got back, I took my team to 

Hunan and with their delicious food they 

'transported' us all to China for an 

evening.

68 | SHOPPING | Spotlight on shops 

Shop and awe 

Peter Jones 

Spotlight 

on shops 

As well as being home to some of the 

world’s most famous stores (Harrods 

and Harvey Nicks being just two), the 

area also boasts small but brilliant 

boutiques. We’ve picked out just a few 

in our Spotlight on Shops – for more, 

see the Shopping directory, page 73 

Department stores 

Harrods 

A five-minute walk from its rival Harvey 

Nichols, Harrods is a famously upmarket 

department store. It is enormous, 

covering 4.5 acres, with seven floors. 

Its history is as rich as its décor. 

Charles Henry Harrod opened a wholesale 

grocers with a special interest in tea 

in 1834 in the East End of London, and 

moved to a single room in Knightsbridge 

in 1849 to capitalise on the Great 

Exhibition in Hyde Park in 1851. The 

business expanded under the leadership 

of Harrod’s son, Charles Digby Harrod, 

and it took over adjacent buildings, 

becoming a thriving department store. 

Disaster struck in December 1883 

when the entire store burned to the 

ground but, incredibly, Charles still fulfilled 

all of his customers’ Christmas 

deliveries, making record profits. The 

store was rebuilt with the help of architect 

Charles William Stephens, who gave 

it a grand style. 

By the 1890s, Harrods had become a 

public company and, in 1898, it installed 

one of the world’s first escalators – with 

a brandy for nervous customers at the 

top. 

In the Second World War, Harrods 

turned its focus from luxury goods to 

producing uniforms, parachutes and 

parts for Lancaster bombers. 

The House of Fraser Group bought 

Harrods in 1959 and the young fashion 

boutique Way In opened there in 1967. 

The store returned to private ownership 

in 1985 when it was bought by 

Mohamed Al Fayed and his brother Ali. 

They implemented a £300 million refurbishment 

plan. In 2010, Qatar Holding 

Harrods 

bought Harrods for £1.5 billion. 

The store has suffered two IRA attacks 

in its history – one in 1983, when a car 

bomb exploded in an adjacent street, 

and one in 1993, when a bomb was put 

in a bin outside. 

In addition to its reputation for luxury 

goods, Harrods is known for its lavish 

style and famous food halls, which are a 

joy to wander around. It also has a huge 

range of restaurants and cafés and even 

has a tasting room for wine sampling 

and dining. 

The store has a dress code which 

asks that all clothing is clean and presentable, 

not too revealing and that 

appropriate footwear is worn. Small bags 

and rucksacks are allowed, but large


bags and rucksacks must be checked 

into the left luggage service. The closest 

tube station is Knightsbridge, on the 

Piccadilly line. 


11.30am-6pm (browsing only between 

11.30am and 12pm on Sundays). 

Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, 

Knightsbridge, SW1X 7XL (enter SW3 

1BB for sat-navs). T: 020 7730 1234 

www.harrods.com 

Peter Jones 

Peter Jones is a huge, eight-floor department 

store opposite the Royal Court 

Theatre on Sloane Square. It is named 

after its founder, Peter Rees Jones, a 

Welsh draper who moved to London and 

started a shop in Hackney, then moved 

to Bloomsbury, then to Draycott Avenue 

and eventually to 4-6 King’s Road in 

1877. 

The business expanded until it took 

over 28 houses and a new building was 

developed in the 1880s. He is thought to 

Peter Jones 

be the first person to light his store with 

electric lighting. 

When Jones died in 1905, John 

Lewis, who owned a shop in Oxford 

Street, bought Peter Jones. Legend has 

it that Lewis put £22,500 in cash in his 

pocket, caught a bus to Sloane Square 

and bought Peter Jones in his lunch 

break. 

John Lewis’s son, John Spedan Lewis, 

ran the Peter Jones store from 1914 and 

came up with the idea of making the 

entire business a partnership, with all the 

permanent staff becoming partners and 

sharing in the profits, giving them a voice 

in a business they co-owned. 

The John Lewis Partnership was 

founded in 1920 and has a written constitution 

setting out its principles, governance 

and rules. The idea is that whenever 

you go into a John Lewis shop, you 

are served by an owner. 

The present Peter Jones building, now 

Grade II-listed, was built in 1936. The 

modernist design by Slater, Crabtree and 

Moberly, with its ‘glass curtain’ wall, 

caused quite a stir. 

A five-year, £107 million refurbishment 

of the store was completed in 2004. It 

has a brasserie, an espresso bar and a 

top-floor restaurant. 

Monday-Saturday 9.30am-7pm 

(Wednesdays until 8pm, bank holidays 

10am-6pm), Sundays 10.30am-5pm 

(browsing only between 10.30am and 

11am on Sundays). 

Peter Jones, Sloane Square, SW1 8EL 

T: 020 7730 3434 


Designer 

destinations 

Beatrix Ong 

Beatrix Ong, who rose from being a 

fashion intern at Harper's Bazaar to 

become creative director of Jimmy 

Harvey Nichols 

Harvey Nichols, affectionately known as 

Harvey Nicks, is an eight-floor luxury 

department store specialising in fashion, 

beauty and lifestyle products, with the 

fifth floor dedicated to food, wine and 

restaurants. 

It started as a linen shop in a terraced 

house on the corner of Knightsbridge 

and Sloane Street in 1813, opened by 

Benjamin Harvey. It passed onto his 

daughter in 1920, on the understanding 

that she go into partnership with Colonel 

Nichols, selling Oriental carpets, silks 

and luxury goods alongside the linens. 

In 1880, the present building was built. 

Harvey Nichols was bought by 

Debenhams in 1919 and became part of 

the Burton Group in 1985, but was 

acquired by Dickson Concepts 

(International) Ltd in 1991. In 1996, it 

was listed on the London Stock 

Exchange, but was de-listed in 2003 

when it returned to private ownership. 

Today, Harvey Nichols has six UK 

stores, including the flagship at 

Knightsbridge, and one in Dublin, as well 

as five stores in Saudia Arabia, Hong 

Kong, Dubai and Turkey. Future stores 

include one in Kuwait and a second 

store in Hong Kong. The group also 

launched restaurants in the OXO Tower 

and Prism Restaurant and Bar. 

The fifth floor of the Knightsbridge 

store houses a restaurant, a café and 

Choo, launched her shoe range in 

2002 and was made an MBE in 2011 

for services to British fashion. 

Her concept store on Pavilion Road 

showcases her collections of shoes and 

accessories. 

Monday-Saturday 10am-6.30pm. 

188 Pavilion Road, SW3 2BF 

T:020 3463 7369 

www.beatrixong.com 

terrace, a bar, a food market and a wine 

shop, while the fourth floor features 

beauty services including a Beyond 

MediSpa, SEN treatment rooms and the 

Daniel Hersheson Salon. The Fifth Floor 

Café recently had a major makeover, featuring 

an open plan kitchen and a golden, 

horseshoe-shaped espresso bar. 

The closest tube station is 

Knightsbridge, on the Piccadilly line. 


11.30am-6pm (browsing only between 

11.30am and 12pm on Sundays). 

Harvey Nichols, 109-125 Knightsbridge, 

SW1X 7RJ. T: 020 7235 5000 

www.harveynichols.com 

Cassandra Goad 

Jewellery designer Cassandra Goad 

launched her business more than 25 

years ago and soon moved to Sloane 

Street, where she can be found next to 

Holy Trinity Church. The store, which 

takes up four floors, features two 

showrooms, a private room for special 

commissions, a design studio and an 

in-house workshop. Cassandra often


uses unusual stones and her designs are 

classical with a quirky touch. 

Monday-Friday 10am-5.30pm, open 

on some Saturdays (closed on Saturdays 

in July and August). 

147 Sloane Street, SW1X 9BZ 

T: 020 7730 2202 

www.cassandragoad.com 

Chloé 

Known for its elegant, feminine and 

romantic collections, Chloé celebrates its 

60th anniversary in 2012. While there are 

Chloé ranges in luxury department stores 

including Harrods and Harvey Nichols, 

this is London’s only standalone Chloé 

boutique. It offers ready-to-wear, accessories 

and fragrance lines. 

Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm 

(Wednesday until 7pm). 

152-153 Sloane Street, SW1X 9BX 

T: 020 7823 5348 

www.chloe.com 

Lulu Guinness 

British accessories designer Lulu 

Guinness is famous for her witty handbags 

and some of her designs are in the 

permanent fashion collection at 

the Victoria and Albert 

Museum. Fashion fans 

should make time to pop 

into her Ellis Street store – 

even if you don’t end up 

buying anything, it’s a 

wonderful showcase of 

her quirky style. 

Monday-Friday 10am- 

6pm, Saturday 10am- 

6pm. 

3 Ellis Street, SW1X 9AL 

T: 020 7823 4828 

www.luluguinness.com 

Manolo Blahnik 

Shoe icon Manolo 

Blahnik’s flagship store is in Old 

Church Street. His dramatic designs 

are spectacular – worth a look for any 

fashion (or Sex and the City) fan. 

Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm. 

49-51 Old Church Street, SW3 5BS 

T: 020 7352 8622 

www.manoloblahnik.com 

Maria Grachvogel 

Designer Maria Grachvogel recently 

moved into Culford Gardens from Sloane 

Street. The three-storey townhouse, 

designed by Russell Sage, features an 

atelier, a couture and bridal space and 

the ready-to-wear collection. 

She says her aim is ‘to create pieces 

that when worn make you look and feel 

amazing’ and her mission is to design for 

all women – rather than use a fit model, 

she uses real women. It makes for flattering, 

beautiful clothes, and her designs 

are often seen on the red carpet. 


(Wednesday until 7pm). 

18 Culford Gardens, Blacklands Terrace, 

SW3 2ST. T: 020 7245 9331 

www.mariagrachvogel.com 

Mary Quant 

Mary Quant, the designer that 

kickstarted the King’s Road’s 

reputation for fashion with 

Bazaar in 1955 (see History 

and King’s Road in Streets 

and Sights), has her selftitled 

London shop in Duke 

of York Square. It sells fashion 

and cosmetics and there 

is a makeover service. 

Monday-Saturday 10am- 

6.30pm (Wednesday until 

7pm), Sunday 11am-5pm. 

37 Duke of York Square, 

Lulu Guinness SW3 4LY. T: 020 7881 9833 

www.maryquant.co.uk 

Rigby & Peller 

Rigby & Peller, famous for 

its luxurious lingerie, has 

held the Royal Warrant of Appointment 

as Corsetieres to the Queen since 1960. 

It’s a family-run business and its flagship 

store is on the King’s Road. 


(Wednesday until 8pm), Sunday 12pm- 

6pm. 

13 King’s Road, SW3 4RP 

T: 0845 076 5545 

www.rigbyandpeller.com 

Selina Blow 

Selina Blow launched her first collection 

in 1992 and is known for her sharp, 

clean tailoring and bold colours. Her 

ready-to-wear range is available in her 

retail store just off Sloane Street. 


11am-6pm. 

1 Ellis Street, SW1X 9AL. T: 020 7730 

2077 

www.selinablow.com 

Worlds End 

Vivienne Westwood has played an 

important role in Chelsea’s history (see 

History and King’s Road in Streets and 

Sights) and her presence is still felt on 

the King’s Road with her wonderfully 

eccentric shop. 

Its design is a fusion of The Old 

Curiousity Shop and a galleon, 

with a huge clock on its front that 

spins backwards and deliberately 

sloping floors. It is, in 

fact, the same shop that 

used to be called SEX – 

where Johnny Rotten 

auditioned for the Sex 

Pistols – and was 

later rebranded 

Seditionaries. It was 

Manolo 

Blahnik 

renamed and remodelled as Worlds End 

in 1980. With its unusual, outlandish 

and edgy fashion, it is still pushing 

boundaries and challenging the mainstream 

today. 

430 King’s Road, SW10 0LR 

T: 020 7352 6551 

www.worldsendshop.co.uk 

Something 

different 

Basia Zarzycka 

A sparkling chest of accessories, 

garments, things for brides, antique 

handbags and hair combs, going into 

Basia Zarzycka is like stepping into 

another world. 

She is inspired by nature and folklore, 

and her unique designs are unusual and 

spectacular, and her customers have 

included Kylie Minogue, Johnny Depp 

and Monica Bellucci. Before last year's 

Royal wedding, Kate, William and Harry 

paid a visit. 

Basia explains: “Everything here is 

made from scratch using old-fashioned 

techniques and I stamp it all with my 

personality, with flowers and stones and 

sparkly things, to bring a smile to people’s 

faces.” 

Past commissions have included a 

tiara for a real swan in an advertisement, 

and a wedding dress with a train 12 

metres long and weighing 42 kilos – they 

had to make little wheels to carry it on – 

studded with Swarovski crystals and 

3D flowers. 

54 Sloane Square, SW1W 8AX 

T: 020 7730 1660 

www.basia-zarzycka.com 

British Red Cross 

Charity shops in wealthy areas get some 

high quality donations, and the British 

Red Cross shop in Old Church Street is 

well worth a look.


Look out for vintage gems and famous 

labels – this particular branch is one of 

the British Red Cross’s specialist designer 

charity shops. You could find yourself 

a bargain and do your bit for charity at 

the same time. 

Monday-Saturday 10am-6pm. 

69-71 Old Church Street, SW3 5BS 

T: 0845 054 7101 

www.redcross.org.uk 

The Chelsea Gardener 

The Chelsea Gardener in Chelsea 

Farmers Market has plants, furniture, 

containers and accessories, and the 

expert team can give you gardening tips 

and advise on design. 


12pm-6pm. In the spring, the hours 

change to 9am-7pm Monday-Saturday 

(Sunday remains 12pm-6pm). 


T: 020 7352 5656 

www.chelseagardener.com 

John Sandoe 

A wonderful independent bookshop with 

an enthusiastic and knowledgeable team 

of staff. It was set up by John Sandoe in 

1957 and in 1989 it was sold to members 

of staff. It’s a great place for browsing 

and they’ll try to hunt down any book 

you ask for, even if it’s out of print. 

Monday-Saturday 9.30am-5.30pm 

(until 7.30pm on Wednesdays), Sunday 

12pm-6pm (except for bank holiday 

weekends, when it is closed both 

Sunday and Monday). 

10 Blacklands Terrace, SW3 2SR 

T: 020 7589 9473 

www.johnsandoe.com 

Pet Pavilion 

A pet grooming, food and accessories 

shop in Chelsea Farmers Market. They 

also run a dog walking service and offer 

a delivery service for all their products, 

including for grooming – they can pick 


up your pet and return them looking 

great. 




T: 020 7376 8800 

www.petpavilion.co.uk 

The Shop at Bluebird 

The Shop at Bluebird opened in 2005 

and is a concept store taking inspiration 

from the boutiques of the Sixties and 

Seventies, when the King’s Road was a 

melting pot of styles and fashions. 

It sells everything from designer dresses 

to furniture to books and music. It 

also has a spa and beauty area where 

you can get pampered, pop-up spaces 

for chic, unusual brands and it hosts 

events. 

If you’re looking for a gift that’s a bit 

different, this is a good place to start. 


12pm-5pm. 


T: 020 7351 3873 

www.theshopatbluebird.com 

Ray Ward 

Ray Ward provides quality shooting 

supplies, luxury rifles and shotguns and 

expert advice, offering brands such as 

Boss & Co, Holland & Holland and 

James Purdey and Sons. 

Ray Ward celebrated its 50th anniversary 

by branching into the gunsmith 

trade and releasing the first pair of Ray 

Ward shotguns. 

Monday-Friday 9.30am-6pm (Friday 

during the hunting season, October 1- 

January 31, 8.30am-7pm). Saturday 

9.30am-5.30pm (during the hunting 

season 9am-5.30). Sunday (during 

the hunting season only) 10am-4pm. 

Closed on Sundays for the rest of 

the year. 

The garden at 

The Chelsea 

Gardener 

12 Cadogan Place, SW1X 9PU 

T: 0800 953 5844/020 3283 8944 

www.rayward.co.uk 

R. Soles 

R. Soles was set up by Douglas Berney 

and opened on the King’s Road in 1975. 

It’s an independent shop selling supercool 

cowboy boots, which have featured 

on catwalks in New York, London and 

Paris. The boots are designed by Judy 

Rothchild. 


12pm-6pm. 

109A King’s Road, SW3 4PA 

T: 020 7351 5520 

www.rsoles.com 

VV Rouleaux 

A gorgeous ribbons and trimmings shop, 

full of lace, feathers, flowers and silk. It 

was started in 1990 by Annabel Lewis, 

who previously ran a flower shop. And it 

doesn’t stop at ribbons – there’s everything 

from pretty cushions to wooden 

bangles to a vintage lace bridal headdress. 

Whether you want to customise an 

outfit, design clothes or decorate your 

home, it’s a place to spark creativity. 


Wednesday 10.30am-6.30pm, Sunday 

12pm-4pm. 

261 Pavilion Road, SW1X 0BP 

T: 020 7730 3125 

www.vvrouleaux.com

72 | INSIDER | Quirky shops 

John Sandoe, 

10 Blacklands Terrace 

Launched as a book shop by John 

Sandoe in 1957, the three floors of this 

18th-century building just off the King’s 

Road are crammed and chaotic with 

books piled on the stairs and on every 

flat surface. 

The cramming is real – there are 

25,000 books in this tiny store – but the 

chaos is an illusion: if the book you are 

John 

Sandoe 

Books 


to quirky shops 

By Erik Brown, gentleman 

journalist, back-bedroom 

guitarist, occasional 

falconer and publisher of 

Sloane Square 

asking for is in stock, staff will be able to 

take you straight to it. Brilliantly, and 

unlike the chain bookstores, they seem 

to have one copy of everything. And if 

they don’t have it they can usually get it 

for you faster than you can get it on line. 

Despite the books on the stairs, the 

only real danger in John Sandoe is that 

you will lose the rest of your day. It’s like 

slipping into a different dimension. 

Andrews Pharmacy, 

149B Sloane Street 

The B behind that number is significant 

because it suggests half a shop rather 

than a whole one, and that is pretty 

bang-on. 

This is the tiniest chemist’s in 

Christendom, stacked to the rafters with 

pills, potions and oddities like 

Mediterranean natural sea sponges and 

a Georgian razor with a fake horn handle. 

All of this is presided over by resident 

comic and pharmacist Norman 

Waidhofer, one of Chelsea’s genuine 

characters. Members of the royal family, 

film stars and multi-millionaires are 

among the customers. 

Artisan du Chocolat, 

89 Lower Sloane Street 

Every Christmas, just before my last fitness 

training session of the year, I slip 

down to L’Artisan du Chocolat to buy my 

(female) personal trainer a big box full of 

these special handmade chocolates. And 

when I hand them over, my trainer smiles 

a smile that reminds me of kids unwrapping 

presents around a Christmas tree. 

A couple of years ago, I caught her 

chopping up a chocolate with a knife so 

that all of her colleagues in the sports 

team at the Lansdowne Club could have 

a taste. Now I buy two boxes – one for 

the sports crew and the other for my 

trainer to take home to her mum and sister. 

These chocolates are so fresh that 

they have to be refrigerated – if they last 

the night. Usually, they don’t. 

Green & Stone of Chelsea, 

259 Kings Road 

This store is so compellingly attractive 

that it frightens me. Historic and beautifully 

laid out, it contains everything an 

artist needs and lots more besides. For 

instance, it has a range of antique camera 

lucida for sale. A camera lucida was 

an optical device used by artists to project 

an image of the subject on to paper – 

it’s related to a camera obscura. 

Green & Stone of Chelsea 

There are travelling paint tables, mannequins, 

pen racks, writing boxes, blotters, 

inkwells… It’s enough to make anybody 

want to become an artist. 

Founded in 1927, Green & Stone has 

occupied the same site since 1934. 

Previously the store was a shop for the 

Women’s Suffragette Movement. 

Partridges, Duke of York Square 

Grocer to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 

Partridges is up there with Harrods’ food 

halls and Fortnum & Mason as an icon of 

grocery opulence. 

Founded in 1973 by MP Richard 

Shepherd and run by his affable brother 

John, it is at first a visual experience – 

with hams and cans and bread and ready 

meals and thousands of other foodstuffs 

vying for attention. Then it is an olfactory 

experience, with the smell of freshlybaked 

croissants and roasting chicken 

blowing away the diesel fumes of the 

King's Road. 

There are a couple of cafés in 

Partridges – one out front and the other 

tucked away in a back corner – that are 

good for impromptu meetings with excellent 

coffee. And if you’re lucky you might 

run into John Shepherd, a real gent and 

former President of the Royal Warrant 

Holders’ Association.

73 | SHOPPING | Shopping directory 

Tateossian 

Shopping 

directory 

Fashion 

Kids 

Jewellery 

Books 

Health and beauty 

Fashion 

À La Mode 

Sells some of the most desirable 

designer collections from around the 

world. Free alterations and worldwide 

delivery available. 

10 Symons Street, SW3 2TJ 

T: 020 7730 7180 

www.alamodefashion.co.uk 

Agent Provocateur 

Luxury designer lingerie. 

16 Pont Street, SW1X 9EN 

T: 020 7235 0229 

www.agentprovocateur.com 

agnès b 

Chic women’s fashion from Paris. 


T: 020 7730 2255 

www.agnesb.com 

Alberta Ferretti – Philosophy 

Italian designer boutique selling elegant 

feminine day and eveningwear pieces 

with intricate detailing. 

205-206 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QX (at 73- 

74 Sloane Street during renovation works 

and moving back in summer 2012). 

T: 020 7235 2349 

www.albertaferretti.com 

All Saints 

Menswear and womenswear that is all 

about mixing the old with the new, 

restyled with a contemporary edge. 


T: 020 7730 0404 

www.allsaints.co.uk 

Anne Fontaine 

French shirt designer that promises that 

the cut and fabric of their creations will 

suit every woman’s needs in terms of 

comfort and elegance. 

14 Sloane Street, SW1X 9NB 

T: 020 7838 9210 

www.annefontaine.com 

Anya Hindmarch 

A leading British accessories designer. 

Anya's designs are synonymous with 

beautiful craftsmanship, exceptional 

quality and an element of humour. Pieces 

include handbags, shoes, luggage, small 

leather goods, coats, cashmere and 

beachwear. 

157-158 Sloane Street, SW1X 9BT 

T: 020 7730 0961 

www.anyahindmarch.com 

Anya Hindmarch Bespoke 

A beautiful, award-winning store specialising 

in uniquely personalised products 

for men and women. Choose your own 

leather or fabric and embellish with an 

inlaid photograph or embossing in your 

own handwriting. 

15-17 Pont Street, SW1X 9EH 

T: 020 7838 9177 

www.anyahindmarch.com 

Banana Republic 

An accessible luxury brand offering 

high-quality clothing and accessories 

collections for men and women, and 

superior customer service. From work 

to casual occasions, it offers covetable, 

modern style. 


T: 020 7730 4704 

www.bananarepublic.eu 


Couture bridal and evening dresses, and 

accessories including shoes and tiaras. 

Every bride has a free consultation to 

establish what will suit her. For more 

details, see Spotlight on Shops. 

54 Sloane Square, SW1W 8AX 

T: 020 7730 1660 

www.basia-zarzycka.com 

BCBG Max Azria 

This is the first shop in London for the


fashion house, which claims to deliver 

a vision of global style and attitude. 

23-25 King’s Road, SW3 4RP 

T: 020 7824 9840 

www.bcbg.com 

Beatrix Ong 

Luxury shoes, accessories and luggage 

for men and women. For more, see 

Spotlight on Shops. 


T: 020 3463 7369 

www.beatrixong.com 

Berluti 

Famous for being one of the finest men's 

shoemakers, operating since 1895. It 

offers a bespoke service and ready-towear 

shoes. 

4 Harriet Street, SW1X 9JR 

T: 020 7823 2300. 

www.berluti.com 

Billionaire Italian Couture 

Haute couture brand devoted to men 

launched by entrepreneur Flavio Briatore. 

This boutique hosts the brand’s collection, 

including prêt-a-porter, luggage and 

accessories plus a made-to-measure 

and personalised items service. 

9 Sloane Street, SW1X 9LE 

T: 020 7245 0096 

www.billionairecouture.com 

Boggi Milano 

Luxury shop offering traditional and 

stylish Italian men’s ready-to-wear. The 

collection includes casual and formal 

wear, as well as personal tailoring. 

28 Sloane Square, SW1W 8AB 

T: 020 7823 5044 

www.boggi.com 

Bottega Veneta 

A leader in luxury fashion, best known 

for its signature leather goods, including 

handbags, luggage and leather wallets. 

33 Sloane Street, SW1X 9NR 

Emilio Pucci 

T: 020 7838 9394 

www.bottegaveneta.com 

Brora 

Beautiful clothing and fine Scottish 

cashmere for women, men, children 

and babies. 

6-8 Symons Street, SW3 2TJ 

T: 020 7730 2665 

344 King's Road, SW3 5UR 

T: 020 7352 3697 

www.brora.co.uk 

Browns 

Fine selection of womenswear from 

prestigious luxury labels and upcoming 

new talent, including designers exclusive 

to Browns. 

6C Sloane Street, SW1X 9LE 

T: 020 7514 0040 

www.brownsfashion.com 

Brunello Cucinelli 

Luxury Italian fashion for men and women. 

159 Sloane Street, SW1X 9BT. T: 020 

7730 5207 

www.brunellocucinelli.it 

Calvin Klein 

Men’s and women’s underwear from the 

world-famous designer. 

68 King's Road, SW3 4UD 

T: 020 7838 0647 

www.cku.com 

Carine Gilson Lingerie Couture 

The finest silk, the airiest Chantilly lace, 

hand-crafted haute couture: underwear 

that deserves to be worn as outerwear. 

11 Pont Street, SW1X 9EH 

T: 020 7235 9491 

www.carinegilson.com 

Cesare Paciotti 

Beautiful shoes, handbags and jewellery 

for men and women, from this respected 

Italian company. 

8A Sloane Street, SW1X 9LA 

T: 020 7235 3393 

www.cesare-paciotti.com 

Chanel 

Boutique offering ready-to-wear clothing 

from this famous French fashion house, 

along with shoes, accessories, fine 

jewellery, perfumery and cosmetics. 

167-169 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QF 

T: 020 7235 6631 

www.chanel.com 

Chloé 

The Chloé girl is “sassy, sexy and 

ultra-cool”, says this prestigious French 

fashion company. Its clothes combine 

femininity and romance with a street-cred 

edge. For more, see Spotlight on Shops. 

152-153 Sloane Street, SW1X 9BX 

T: 020 7823 5348 

www.chloe.com 

Christian Dior 

World-famous French fashion house 

stocking ladies’ ready-to-wear clothing, 

leather goods, shoes and fine jewellery. 


T: 020 7245 1330 

www.dior.com 

Coccinelle 

Stylish Italian handbags, shoes, scarves, 

jewellery and leather and cashmere 

clothing. 

13 Duke of York Square, SW3 4LY. 

T: 020 7730 7657 

www.coccinelle.com 

Comptoir des Cotonniers 

French women’s ready-to-wear brand 

whose creative style and original image 

have won over a wide public through 

campaigns that illustrate the bond uniting 

mothers and daughters. 


T: 020 7730 9600 

188A King's Road, SW3 5XP 

T: 020 7352 5249 

www.comptoirdescotonniers.com 

Dolce & Gabbana 

Boutique selling the Italian design 

house’s ready-to-wear collections for 

men, together with a wide selection of 

shoes and accessories. 


T: 020 7201 0140 

www.dolcegabbana.com 

Elliot Rhodes 

The UK’s only custom belt-maker invites 

you to discover the world of custom 

belts and buckles. Classic, contemporary 

and extravagant styles for both men and 

women. 


T: 020 7730 4000 

www.elliotrhodes.com 

Emilia Wickstead 

“A fresh approach to couture.” The lower 

ground floor is reserved for private clients 

for made-to-measure pieces in a chic, 

luxurious and intimate environment. On 

the ground floor the new atelier houses 

this season’s ready-to-wear collection. 

28 Cadogan Place, SW1X 9RX 

T: 020 7235 1104 

www.emiliawickstead.com 

Emilio Pucci 

The Sloane Street boutique stocks 

ready-to-wear clothes and accessories


for women, and a small range of men’s 

accessories. 

170 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QG 

T: 020 7201 8171 

www.emiliopucci.com 

Emma Hope 

Luxury shoes and handbags. Emma’s 

trademark is her exquisite use of 

embroidered velvets and calf leathers. 

53 Sloane Square, SW1X 8AX 

T: 020 7259 9566 

www.emmahope.co.uk 

Eric Bompard 

Leading French cashmere designer, 

specialising in luxury clothing and accessories 

for men, women and children. 


T: 020 7730 9826 

www.eric-bompard.com 

Ermanno Scervino 

Italian couturier Ermanno says his style 

becomes fashion, because fashion 

comes and goes but true style remains. 

198-199 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QX 

T: 020 7235 0558 

www.ermannoscervino.it 

Fendi 

Designer boutique offering women’s and 

men’s ready-to-wear fashions, shoes 

and accessories. 

181-182 Sloane Street., SW1X 9QP 

T: 020 7838 6288 

www.fendi.com 

Ferragamo 

Designer clothes for women. Quality, 

creativity and craftsmanship are the 

hallmarks of this Italian fashion label. 

207 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QX 

T: 020 7838 7730 

www.ferragamo.com 

Franchetti Bond 

Fine leather accessories, with particular 

emphasis on sumptuous ladies’ handbags 

and shoes made in classic designs 

by the best Italian artisans. 


T: 020 7823 5550 

www.franchettibond.com 

Fratelli Rossetti 

Traditional and stylish Italian shoes, bags 

and fine leather clothing. Classic taste 

with a personal twist. 


T: 020 7259 6397 

www.rossetti.it 

French Sole 

Shoe shop selling more than 500 different 

styles and colour combinations of 

stylish ballet flats. French Sole have also 

recently introduced an exciting range of 

bags, small leather goods and flat boots 

to their collection. 


T: 020 7730 3771 

323 King’s Road, SW3 5EP 

T: 020 7351 1634 

www.frenchsole.com 

Gabriela Ligenza Hats 

High-fashion hats and accessories. 

Gabriela Ligenza designs and sources 

classic but contemporary items for her 

shop. Commissions welcome. 


T: 020 7730 2200 

www.gabrielaligenza.com 

Gianfranco Ferré 

Boutique selling Italian fashion designs 

for men and women. 

29 Sloane Street, SW1X 9NE 

T: 020 7838 9576 

www.gianfrancoferre.com 

Gieves & Hawkes 

This famous name from Savile Row presents 

its full ready-to-wear collection, 

classic core essentials as well as a 

made-to-measure service with new offerings 

on fabrics and trims. 

33 Sloane Square, SW1W 8AQ 

T: 020 7730 1777 

www.gievesandhawkes.com 

Gina 

A British design, manufacturing and retail 

company specialising in luxury designer 

shoes and accessories for ladies. 

189 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QR 

T: 020 7235 2932 

www.gina.com 

Giorgio Armani 

Ready-to-wear, accessories, fine jewellery 

and watch collections for men and 

women. The boutique also offers a 

made-to-measure tailoring service for 

men and information on haute couture 

for ladies. 

37 Sloane Street, SW1X 9LP 

T: 020 7235 6232 

www.giorgioarmani.com 

Giuseppe Zanotti Design 

Shoe designer that is no stranger to the 

red carpet, counting Cameron Diaz, 

Herve 

Leger 

Penélope Cruz and Jessica Biel among 

its customers. 

49 Sloane Street, SW1X 9LU. T: 020 7838 

9455 

www.giuseppezanottidesign.com 

Gucci 

Flagship store offering the complete 

range of Gucci luxury fashion products. 

Ready-to-wear plus a new made-toorder 

service. A full children’s range is 

also now in store. 


T: 020 7235 6707 

www.gucci.com 

Hackett 

British menswear label which bases its 

reputation on a distinctive cut, the finest 

cloths, the use of colour and the quality 

of its products. 

137-138 Sloane Street, SW1X 9AY 

T: 020 7730 3331 

www.hackett.com 

Heidi Klein 

Everything you need to look fabulous on 

your holiday. 


T: 020 7259 9418 

www.heidiklein.com 

Hermès 

Fashion house renowned for its leather 

goods, ready-to-wear clothing, silk, 

accessories and porcelain. The company 

boasts, “exquisite contemporary products 

combining a passion for beauty, tradition 

and innovation.” 

179 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QP 

T: 020 7823 1014 

www.hermes.com 

Herve Leger 

Since 1985, the striking and sensual 

style of Herve Leger has attracted an 

international clientele consisting of the 

world’s most fashionable women.


Hollywood stars have become some of 

the label’s most devoted fans. 

29 Lowndes Street, SW1X 9HX 

T: 020 7201 2590 

www.herveleger.com 

Hogan 

High-quality leathers offering chic design 

with functionality. Stylish shoes, bags 

and accessories for men, women and 

children. 


T: 020 7245 6363 

www.hoganworld.com 

Jimmy Choo 

The largest Jimmy Choo store worldwide 

and home to the label’s first VIP room. 

Glamorous shoes, boots, handbags and 

leather goods. 


T: 020 7823 1051 

www.jimmychoo.com 

Jitrois 

Leather and fur specialists. 

6F Sloane Street, SW1X 9LE 

T: 020 7245 6300 

www.jitrois.com 

Loro Piana 

Luxury cashmere products for men, 

women, children and the home. 

47 Sloane Street, SW1X 9LU 

T: 020 7235 3203 

www.loropiana.com 

Louis Vuitton 

Luxury French fashion brand, selling 

leather goods, fashion, accessories, 

jewellery, ready-to-wear and shoes. 


T: 020 7201 4190 

www.vuitton.com 

Hoss Intropia 

Spanish fashion label producing 

original, eclectic and varied clothes and 

accessories for today’s cosmopolitan 

woman. 

27A Sloane Square, SW1W 8AB 

T: 020 7259 9072 

www.hossintropia.com 

Hugo Boss 

The company’s flagship store in the UK, 

offering menswear, womenswear and 

accessories. 

35-38 Sloane Square, SW1W 8AQ 

T: 020 7259 1240 

www.hugoboss.com 

Intimissimi 

Men’s and women’s underwear from this 

famous Italian company. 

56b King’s Road, SW3 4UD 

T: 020 7584 6350 

www.intimissimi.com 

Jigsaw 

Womenswear, childrenswear and 

accessories. This branch also has 

the concession Cabbages & Roses, 

which specialises in womenswear and 

homeware. 


T: 020 7730 4404 

www.jigsaw-online.com 

Joseph 

Stores carrying the Joseph own-label 

collection, plus a selection of womenswear 

from some of the best designers 

of the moment. 


T: 020 7730 2395 

16 Sloane Street, SW1 9LQ 

T: 020 7735 1991 

www.joseph.co.uk 

King’s Road Sporting Club 

Independent sportswear retailer 

specialising in men’s and women’s 

activewear, swimwear and 

footwear. 

38-42 King’s Road, SW3 4UD 

T: 020 7589 5418 

www.krsc.co.uk 

The Kooples 

An upmarket range designed for men 

and women. 


T: 020 7589 7696 

www.thekooples.co.uk 

La Perla Boutique 

Designer lingerie, swimwear, nightwear 

and fashion. 

163 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QB 

T: 020 7245 0527 

www.laperla.com 

Les Petites… 

Launched in 1992 by Isabelle Bénichou, 

this retailer is famous for flagship styles 

such as cashmeres and dresses. 

131 Sloane Street, SW1X 9AT 

T: 020 7259 9188 

www.lespetites.co.uk 

Liza Bruce Swimwear 

Boutique showcasing exclusive and 

distinctive products: luxurious cashmere, 

made-to-measure swimwear, handcrafted 

jewellery, kaftans, cushions and antique 

textiles. 

9 Pont Street, SW1X 9EJ 

T: 020 7235 8423 

www.lizabruce.com 

LK Bennett 

Luxury shoes, clothes and accessories. 


T: 020 7881 0766 

www.lkbennett.com 

LK Bennett 

Lowndes 

Menswear shop selling Italian clothing 

including the Brioni brand, handmade 

trousers, jackets and suits. For enquiries, 

please contact the shop by phone or 

email. 

lowndesuk@aol.com. 

25C Lowndes Street, SW1X 9JF 

T: 020 7235 4383 

Lulu Guinness 

British accessories designer Lulu is 

renowned for her glamorous and witty 

handbags. The shop also sells jewellery, 

sunglasses, fragrances and umbrellas. 

For more, see Spotlight on Shops. 


T: 020 7823 4828 

www.luluguinness.com 

Maje 

Contemporary, free, daring, sensual and 

delicate, Maje has developed a vibrant 

and lively style over the past ten years. 

129 Sloane Street, SW1X 9AT 

T: 020 7730 9097 

www.maje-paris.fr 

Maria Grachvogel 

Womenswear designer known for 

creating timeless, transformative clothing. 

A supplier for some of the world’s 

most glamorous women including


Angelina Jolie, Emma Thompson, Erin 

O'Connor and Marie Helvin. For more, 

see Spotlight on Shops. 

18 Culford Gardens, Blacklands Terrace, 

SW3 2ST. T: 020 7245 9331 

www.mariagrachvogel.com 

Marni 

Marni is a cutting-edge Italian fashion 

label of researched and refined eclectic 

collections. 


T: 020 7245 9520 

www.marni.com 

MCM 

German luxury brand specialising in 

leather goods, handbags, luggage and 

accessories. 

5 Sloane Street, SW1X 9LA 

T: 020 7235 3331 

www.mcmworldwide.com 

Missoni 

Legendary Italian fashion house famous 

for knitwear in bold colours and zig zag 

prints. This is the only Missoni boutique 

in the UK. 


T: 020 7823 1910 

www.missoni.com 

Miu Miu 

Luxury brand known for using fine 

materials and interesting designs. 

Apart from womenswear, Miu Miu also 

offers shoes, handbags, gloves and 

other accessories, for which it is widely 

recognised. 

185 Sloane Street, SW1X 9NW 

T: 020 7235 6965 

www.miumiu.com 

Moncler Boutique 

Luxury leisurewear and outerwear. 


T: 020 7235 0857 

www.moncler.com 

Myla 

A beautiful collection of luxury lingerie, 

sleepwear, swimwear and an exclusive 

range of bedroom toys and accessories. 


T: 020 7730 0700 

www.myla.com 

N.Peal 

Luxurious cashmere knitwear retailer for 

more than 75 years. 


T: 020 7730 6891 

www.npeal.com 

9 London 

Specialist in beautiful designer maternity 

wear from around the globe. The store 

offers a huge selection of maternity 

denim, evening wear, day wear and 

nightwear as well as gifts. 


T: 020 7730 1318 

www.9london.co.uk 

Office 

Fashion retailer for men, ladies and 

sports shoes. 


T: 020 7584 5611 

www.office.co.uk 

Oliver Brown 

Hunting, country and formal wear for 

ladies and gentlemen. Includes formal 

menswear hire service and a large 

selection of antique top hats. 


T: 020 7259 9494 

www.oliverbrown.org.uk 

Oska Women 

Simple and elegant collection of 

women’s clothing using natural fabrics. 

Sizes 8-22 in a variety of beautiful muted 

colours. 


T: 020 7730 8989 

www.oska.de/en/ 

Paul & Joe 

Flagship London boutique stocking the 

best of Paul & Joe’s distinctive, feminine 

designs. This boutique brings an original 

and fresh touch. 

134 Sloane Street, SW1X 9AX 

T: 020 7824 8844 

www.paulandjoe.com/uk 

Paule Ka 

Chic and elegant fashion and accessories 

in a timeless style, à la Audrey 

Hepburn. 

161 Sloane Street, SW1X 9BT 

T: 020 7823 4180 

www.pauleka.com 

Pickett 

Leather luggage, wash bags, leatherbound 

books and games, handbags 

and gloves plus a rainbow of pashmina 

shawls and semi-precious jewellery. 


T: 020 7823 5638 

www.pickett.co.uk 

Pinko 

Italian boutique stocking ladies’ ready-towear 

fashion and accessories. 

9 King’s Road, SW3 1QU 

T: 020 7730 1500 

www.pinko.it 

Prada 

The Prada Group is one of the world’s 

leaders in design, production and 

distribution of fine leather goods, 

footwear, clothing and accessories. 

43-45 Sloane Street, SW1X 9LU 

T: 020 7235 0008 

www.prada.com 

Pretty Ballerinas 

Menorcan footwear label specialising in 

beautiful ballet pumps and flats. The 

store stocks many styles and all are 

available in a large selection of sizes. 

7 Pont Street, SW1X 9EH 

T: 020 7245 0895 

www.prettyballerinas.com 

Pringle of Scotland 

Luxury fashion for men and women with 

expertise in knitwear. Stocks the main 

line and 1815 collection, as well as an 

accessories line. 

141 Sloane Street, SW1X 9AY 

T: 020 7881 3060 

www.pringlescotland.com 

Ricci Burns 

Women’s fashion. 

25G Lowndes Street, SW1X 9JF 

T: 020 7823 1555 

www.ricciburns.com 

Rigby & Peller 

Company well known for the quality of 

its luxurious lingerie, expert bra fitting 

service and for holding the Royal Warrant 

as corsetieres to HM Queen Elizabeth


since 1960. For more, see Spotlight on 

Shops. 


T: 0845 076 5545 

www.rigbyandpeller.com 

Roberto Cavalli 

The Italian fashion designer of modern 

and luxury clothing. This Sloane Street 

boutique stocks couture for men and 

women. 

20-22 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QP 

T: 020 7823 1879 

www.robertocavalli.com 

Roger Vivier 

London showroom of the French shoe 

designer credited with the invention of 

the stiletto heel. 

188 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QR 

T: 020 7245 8270 

www.rogervivier.com 

Russell and Bromley 

Shoes for ladies, men and children, as 

well as handbags and men’s belts. 


T: 020 7584 5445 

www.russellandbromley.co.uk 

Sandro 

Luxury French boutique offering the 

finest in ready-to-wear clothing for 

women, shoes and accessories. 

133 Sloane Street, London, SW1X 9AX 

T: 020 7259 9539 

www.sandro-paris.com 

Sarah Pacini 

A unique blend of knitwear and prêt-àporter. 

Simple, scintillating colours result 

in an ultra-feminine collection. 


T: 020 7259 9936 

www.sarahpacini.com 

Selina Blow 

Showcase for Selina's signature tailoring 

and opulent fabrics. In addition to her 

womenswear, the store also carries her 

menswear and childrenswear lines, and 

shoes from Meher Kakalia. For more, see 



T: 020 7730 2077 

www.selinablow.com 

Sergio Rossi 

Luxury Italian accessories brand famed 

for feminine, modern and sexy shoes 

made expertly with quality materials and 

a superior fit. Beautiful bags are made 

with luxurious fabrics for day and night. 

207a Sloane Street, SW1X 9QX 

T: 020 7811 5950 

www.sergiorossi.com 

Shanghai Tang 

Where Chinese culture and tradition 

meet 21st-century design, sophistication 

and functionality. Imperial tailoring, 

clothing for women, men and children, 

and home furnishings. 

6A/B Sloane Street, SW1X 9LE 

T: 020 7235 8778 

www.shanghaitang.com 

Shi Cashmere 

Cashmere made in Scotland in 150 

colours. Designs are also available in 

other sumptuous fabrics, including 

suede, silk, linen and flannel. 


T: 020 7235 3829 

www.shicashmere.com 

Ted Baker 

Designer label encompassing menswear, 

formal wear, womenswear, shoes and 

fragrances. 


T: 020 7881 0850 

www.tedbaker.com 

Thomas Pink 

Beautiful hand-finished shirts for men 

and women. Only natural cotton fabrics 

are used, woven into classic and more 

unusual designs. 

162B Sloane Street, SW1X 9BS 

T: 020 7245 0202 

www.thomaspink.com 

TM Lewin 

One of the UK’s leading makers of fine 

shirts since 1898. Suits, ladieswear and 

accessories also available. 


T: 020 7881 0957 

www.tmlewin.co.uk 

Tod’s 

Italian shoes, accessories and handbags 

for men and women. 

35-36 Sloane Street, SW1X 9LP 

T: 020 7235 1321 

www.tods.com 

Trilogy 

Boutique shop offering a unique mix of 

contemporary and stylish premium 

denim brands, including Paige, Citizens, 

Wolford 

Hudson, Goldsign and J Brand. 


T: 020 7730 6515 

www.trilogystores.co.uk 

Valentino 

Luxury clothes and accessories for 

women from the world-famous Italian 

fashion house. 

174 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QG 

T: 020 7235 5855 

www.valentino.com 

Versace 

Luxury clothing, accessories and 

fragrances from the international fashion 

house. 

183-184 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QP 

T: 020 7259 5700 

www.versace.com 

Ventilo 

French fashion specialist in ladieswear 

and menswear. 


T: 020 7824 8884 

www.ventilo.fr 

Walter Steiger 

Handmade shoes for ladies and men, 

and accessories of the highest quality. 

48 Sloane Street, SW1X 9LU 

T: 020 7245 8480 

www.walter-steiger.com 

Whistles 

A leading-edge womenswear fashion 

brand, recently reinvented and known for 

its coats, dresses and knitwear. 


T: 020 7730 2006 

www.whistles.co.uk 

Wolford 

Luxury manufacturers of ready-to-wear, 

bodywear, lingerie and swimwear. 

17 King’s Road, SW3 4RP. T: 020 7730 9152 

www.wolford.com


Yves Saint Laurent 

Clothes and accessories for men and 

ladies. 

171-172 Sloane Street, SW1X 

9NR. T: 020 7235 6706 

www.ysl.com 

Zadig & Voltaire 

Parisian brand comprising 

womenswear, menswear, 

childrenswear and accessories. 

Key pieces include 

essential cashmere 

sweaters, aged and customised 

jeans, Tunisian fine 

cotton T-shirts, lace-edged 

silk camisoles and easy 

accessories in the softest 

leather. 

140 Sloane Street, SW1X 

9AY. T: 020 7730 1880 

www.zadig-et-voltaire.com 

Zagliani 

Founded in 1947, Zagliani is renowned 

for timeless and luxurious handbags and 

accessories created with exclusivelytreated 

leathers and exotic skins. 


T: 020 7235 4124 

www.zagliani.it 

Zara 

Womenswear, menswear, childrenswear 

and a Zara Home section from the 

international high-street brand. 


T: 020 7901 8700 

www.zara.com 

Kids 

Zagliani 

Baby Dior 

Christian Dior presents its childrenswear 

collection from newborn to 12 years. 

6 Harriet Street, SW1X 9JW 

T: 020 7823 2039 

www.dior.com 

Bonpoint 

Creative, elegant and modern, Bonpoint 

is the luxury French fashion house for 

children and young adults. 

15 Sloane Street, SW1X 9NB 

T: 020 7235 1441 

www.bonpoint.com 

Caramel Baby & Child 

This stylish luxury childrenswear store 

offers the perfect selection of clothing, 

accessories and a hair salon for children. 

A cool, calm signature style gives shoppers 

a traditional collection with a twist. 

Sizes from three months to 12 years. 


T: 020 7730 2564 

www.caramel-shop.co.uk 

Kidspace 

Luxury children’s boutique on Sloane 

Street selling exclusive apparel from 

newborn to 14 years. 


T: 020 7235 3730 

www.kidspace.it 

The Little White Company 

Luxurious products for home, women 

and children. 


T: 020 8166 0199 

www.thewhitecompany.com/the-littlewhite-company 

Bonpoint 

Marie-Chantal 

Contemporary clothes and accessories 

for boys and girls from newborn to 

12 years. Everything from everyday 

essentials to gorgeous partywear. 

133a Sloane Street, SW1X 9AX 

T: 020 7730 8662 

www.mariechantal.com 

Neck & Neck 

A unique brand specialising in children’s 

clothing and accessories, ranging from 

newborn to 14 years. 


T: 020 7881 0802 

www.neckandneck.com 

Ovale 

Unique French concept store which 

offers a beautiful collection of baby 

clothes, and also original gifts and 

objects for loved ones. 

35b Sloane Street, SW1X 9LP 

T: 020 7235 5235 

www.ovale.com 

Rachel Riley 

Traditional clothing for ladies, children 

and babies. Mail-order available. 

14 Pont Street, SW1X 9EN 

T: 020 7259 5969 

www.rachelriley.com 

Trotters 

Exclusive childrenswear (0-10 years) plus 

the best in children’s shoes, books, toys, 

gifts and accessories. Hairdressing available 

by appointment. Much loved by 

parents and children. 


T: 020 7259 9620 

www.trotters.co.uk


Jewellery 

Annoushka 

Fine jewellery collection created by 

Annoushka Ducas, which is fast 

becoming renowned for its exquisite 

design and unique 18-carat gold pieces. 

The boutique showcases her collections 

and those of select guest designers. 

41 Cadogan Gardens, SW3 2TB 

T: 020 7881 5828 

www.annoushka.com 

Arije 

Specialists in watches and jewellery. 

165 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QB 

T: 020 7752 0246 

www.arije.com 

Avakian 

Exclusive and glamorous jewellery 

made by the finest craftsmanship, 

incorporating the most precious and elegant 

gemstones. 

Jumeirah Carlton Tower Hotel, 

2 Cadogan Place, SW1X 9PY 

T: 020 7235 1323 

www.avakian.com 

Boodles 

The ultimate shopping experience for 

contemporary and unique British fine 

jewellery. Designed, created and familyowned 

in the UK for more than 200 

years. This shop is closed for refurbishment 

in the early part of 2012. 


T: 020 7235 011 

www.boodles.com 

Brilliant 

Design-led and quality-focused pieces 

set by hand by master craftsmen using 

the finest quality diamond simulants. 


T: 020 7259 9555 

www.bybrilliant.com 

Bulgari 

Contemporary Italian jeweller, specialising 

in jewellery, watches and accessories. 

177-178 Sloane Street, SW1X 9QL 

T: 020 7838 9411 

www.bulgari.com 

Cartier 

By combining tradition with innovation, 

Cartier has stayed at the forefront of 

jewellery and watch making, creating 

objects of the highest design and 

contemporary elegance. 

143-144 Sloane Street, SW1X 9AY 

T: 020 7312 6930 

www.cartier.com 

Cassandra Goad 

Designer of fine jewellery expressing 

“inventive contemporary style and 

classical confidence”. An in-house workshop 

ensures that seasonal collections 

and private commissions are of exceptional 

craftsmanship. For more, see 



T: 020 7730 2202 

www.cassandragoad.com 

Dodo 

Jewellery collection created by the distinguished 

Italian jewellery house of 

Pomellato in 1995. A playful family of 

Frey Wille 

animal charms, each with its own tender 

message of friendship or love, to be 

gifted and collected. 

31 Sloane Square, SW1W 8AG 

T: 020 7259 1414 

www.dodo.it 

Escada 

Ready-to-wear and accessories, plus 

sunglasses and jewellery. 


T: 020 7245 9800 

www.escada.com 

Faraone Mennella 

From 'classic' jewels to wear every day 

to the most exceptional one-of-a kind 

couture pieces, Faraone Mennella knows 

how to surprise and make a statement. 


T: 020 7235 1183 

www.faraonemennella.com 

Cartier 

Frey Wille 

Enamel jewellery and accessories 

inspired by famous artistic and historical 

epochs and emotions, which wearers will 

want to experience every day. 

4a Sloane Street, SW1X 9LA 

T: 020 7235 1388 

www.frey-wille.com 

Gilda’s Tryst 

Exciting British accessories label with 

bold, fashion-forward gemstone jewellery 

and evening bags. The limited edition 

designs are inspired by old-world 

glamour and strong feminine muses. 


T: 020 7730 8200 

www.gildastryst.com 

Graff 

Only the finest diamonds are selected to 

be created into a Graff jewel, says the 

company. Clients can acquire exquisite 

jewellery to be treasured and passed on 

from generation to generation. 


T: 020 7201 4120 

www.graffdiamonds.com 

Kiki McDonough 

Jeweller Kiki McDonough designs fine 

jewellery featuring her trademark use 

of vibrant semi-precious stones with 

diamonds in 18-carat gold. Bold, contemporary 

yet extremely elegant, Kiki’s 

pieces are modern classics. Now available 

online. 


T: 020 7730 3323 

www.kiki.co.uk 

Lara Bohinc 

Designer of innovative jewellery, accessories, 

handbags, shoes and scarves 

that are refined and elegant. Lara adds 

another dimension to jewellery, creating 

pieces that are architecturally influenced 

and glamorously feminine.


149F Sloane Street, SW1X 9BZ 

T: 020 7730 8194 

www.larabohinc.com 

Links of London 

Innovative and original luxury jewellery, 

watches and accessories and creators of 

the official jewellery collection for London 

2012. 

16 Sloane Square, SW1W 8ER 

T: 020 7730 3133 

www.linksoflondon.com 

Montblanc 

International luxury lifestyle brand offering 

exquisite female jewellery, male accessories, 

watches, leather goods and writing 

instruments. 

151 Sloane Street, SW1X 9BX 

T: 020 7730 7681 

www.montblanc.com 

Tateossian 

Specialist in men’s cufflinks and accessories 

plus contemporary ladies’ jewellery. 

The style is elegant and distinctive, 

using sterling silver with semi-precious 

stones, fibre-optic glass and leather. 


T: 020 7259 0777 

www.tateossian.co.uk 

Tiffany & Co. 

Internationally-renowned jeweller 

providing classic designs for life’s 

memorable occasions. A wide range of 

engagement rings, statement, fine and 

fashion jewellery, sterling silver gifts and 

accessories. 

145 Sloane Street, SW1X 9AY 

T: 020 7409 2790 

www.tiffany.co.uk 

Books 

BookHaus 

A beautiful showroom for Haus 

Publishing’s stylishly-produced biographies, 

history, travel writing, fiction and 

prize-winning modern Arabic literature. 

70 Cadogan Place, SW1X 9AH 

T: 020 7838 9055 

www.hauspublishing.com 

www.arabiabooks.co.uk 

John Sandoe 

A leading independent bookshop with 

more than 25,000 books. Specialists in 

modern fiction, biography, history, poetry, 

art and architecture. 

10 Blacklands Terrace, SW3 2SR 

T: 020 7589 9473 

www.johnsandoe.com 

Potterton Books London 

Independent bookshop specialising in 

new and out-of-print titles on the arts, 

design and lifestyle. 


T: 020 7730 4235 

www.pottertonbookslondon.co.uk 

Taschen 

Bookstore selling an eclectic variety of 

books from Taschen, unique international 

publishers of art, anthropology and 

aphrodesia. 


T: 020 7881 0795 

www.taschen.com 

Health and beauty 

A Moore 

Modern chemist and health-food shop 

offering excellent customer service. 

25E Lowndes Street, SW1X 9JF 

T: 020 7235 5887 

Andrews Pharmacy 

This community pharmacy is aptly 

referred to by its catchphrase: “Where 

small is great.” Despite its tiny size, it 

boasts an amazing variety of products. 

149B Sloane Street, SW1X 9BZ 

T: 020 7730 1018 

www.andrews-pharmacy.co.uk 

Beauty at 25a 

An established and prestigious beauty 

salon offering a high standard of quality 

treatments by knowledgeable and friendly 

therapists. 

25A Lowndes Street, SW1X 9JF 

T: 020 7235 3154 

The Body Shop 

Natural body, hair and make-up products. 

Men’s grooming products also 

available. 


T: 020 7584 0163 

www.thebodyshop.co.uk 

Boots 

Health and beauty products including 

cosmetics, toiletries, medicines, vitamins 

and pharmacy. Other services include 

photo processing and lunchtime food 

and drink. 


T: 020 7589 3234 

www.boots.com 

Potterton Books 

Cadogan Clinic 

Discreet and exclusive day clinic offering 

medical and cosmetic treatments. 

120 Sloane Street, SW1X 9BW 

T: 020 7901 8500

82 | USEFUL INFORMATION | 

Need to know 

Useful 

information 

Barclays Cycle Hire, 

also known as ‘Boris bikes’ 

From getting money to getting around, 

here is some information that could 

come in handy when you’re in and 

around Chelsea 

ATMs and banks 

There are cash machines at Sloane 

Square (where there is also an 

International Currency Exchange), along 

King’s Road, Fulham Road, Brompton 

Road and at Knightsbridge. There are 

also free ATMs on Sydney Street and 

Sloane Avenue. 

Public toilets 

The only public lavatory in Chelsea is 

the Autoloo outside Sloane Square 

Underground Station, which costs 20p 

to use. There is another Autoloo located 

at South Kensington Underground 

station. 

Phone numbers 

Emergency Services 

For police, fire or ambulance services, 

dial 999 or 112. 

You can also register your mobile 

phone for the 999 text messaging 

service for the hard of hearing: 

emergencysms.org.uk. 

Chelsea Police Station 

2 Lucan Place, SW3 3PB. 

T: 020 7589 1212 

Operator assistance 

Dial 100 

Directory enquiries 

There are a variety of different directory 

enquiry services that begin with 118 as 

standard. There is a charge for calling 

these numbers. The British Telecom 

directory enquiries number is 118 500. 

International operator 

assistance 

Dial 155 

International directory 

enquiries 

Dial 152 

Transport 

A helpful tool for planning your journeys 

is Transport for London’s Journey 

Planner, which can be found at: 

journeyplanner.tfl.gov.uk. It allows you to 

enter the places you are travelling from

83 | USEFUL INFORMATION | Transport 

and to, with many preference options, 

and tells you the best route and how 

long it will take – it will even give you live 

updates telling you whether there are any 

delays. 

Here’s a bit of information to get you 

up to speed with transport in Chelsea. 

London Underground Tube 

stations 

Sloane Square 

Circle and District lines. 

Knightsbridge 

Piccadilly line. 

South Kensington 

Circle, District and Piccadilly lines. 

Fulham Broadway 

District line. 

Cycling 

Barclays Cycle Hire 

Affectionately known to Londoners as 

‘Boris bikes’ due to the Mayor of 

London’s high-profile endorsement of the 

scheme, these blue bicycles can be seen 

cruising around central London. 

You can hire either on a membership 

(UK residents only) or casual basis. You 

have to pay an access fee (£1 for 24 

hours) and then a rate depending on 

how long you use the bike (up to 30 

minutes is free, up to one hour is £1, up 

to one and a half hours is £4 and so on). 

Chelsea straddles the south-western 

edge of the 17 sq m coverage zone, so 

while it has more than ten docking stations, 

they are all based to the north-east 

of the area. It is worth noting that helmets 

and other such protective gear are 

not provided. 

For more information on the scheme, 

see the website: www.tfl.gov.uk/roadusers/cycling/14808.aspx. 

Taxis 

Black cabs can be hailed when their 

orange light is lit (your best bet is to 

head to the nearest main road), picked 

up from a taxi rank (there is one at 

Sloane Square, on the central island), or 

booked in advance. 

A cheaper option is a minicab, but for 

your own safety, make sure they are 

from a licensed company. Minicabs must 

be booked or ordered in advance (only 

black cabs are allowed to pick up passengers 

on the street) and if you’re looking 

for a good deal it is often worth calling 

more than one company for a quote. 

Make sure the minicab driver can confirm 

your name and destination before 

you get into the car to ensure it is the 

one you have booked, and check the 

driver’s photo ID. 

Black cabs 

One-Number Taxi: 0871 871 8710 

Call-A-Cab: 020 8901 4444 

www.callacab.com 

Computer Cab: 020 7908 0207 

www.comcablondon.com 

Minicabs 

Addison Lee (London-wide minicab 

service) 

T: 0844 800 6677 

Sloane Cars 

65 Wiltshire Close, Draycott Avenue, 

SW3 2NT 

T: 020 7854 1189 

Hurlingham Cars Ltd 

18 Lillie Road, London, SW6 1TS 

T: 020 7381 1111 

For more licensed minicab numbers, use 

the ‘Findaride’ service on the Transport 

for London website which can be found 

here: 

www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/findaride/default.aspx. 

Buses 

Lots of buses travel through Chelsea. To get the best picture of bus 

routes, go to the interactive bus map on the Transport for London website: 

www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaround/maps/buses. For now, here is a list 

of buses that go through Chelsea and the streets they stop on: 

Bus No. 

11 

N11* 

14** 

19 

N19* 

22 

N22* 

49 

170 

211 

319 

345** 

360 

414 

Stops on… 

Lower Sloane St/Sloane 

Square/King’s Rd. 

Lower Sloane St/Sloane 


Fulham Rd 

Sloane St/Sloane 

Square/King’s Rd/ 

Beaufort St. 


Square/King’s Rd/ 

Beaufort St. 





Sydney St/King’s 

Rd/Beaufort St. 

Royal Hospital 

Rd/Chelsea Embankment 

Chelsea Bridge 

Rd/Sloane Square/King’s 

Rd/Sydney St./Fulham 

Rd. 

Sloane Square/King’s 

Rd/Beaufort St. 

Fulham Rd/Beaufort St. 

Sloane Ave/Sloane 

Square/Lower Sloane St. 

Fulham Rd. 

* Night bus. 

** Runs day and night. 

Interesting stops 

West: Fulham Town Hall. East: Victoria, Westminster, 

Trafalgar Square, St. Paul’s Cathedral, Liverpool Street 

Station. 

West: Ealing Broadway, Chiswick, Hammersmith, Fulham 

Broadway. East: Victoria, Westminster, Trafalgar Square, 

St. Paul’s Cathedral, Liverpool Street Station. 

North: Warren Street, Tottenham Court Rd., Piccadilly 

Circus. South: Chelsea Football Club, Fulham Broadway, 

Putney Heath. 

North: Highbury, Islington, Piccadilly Circus. South: 

Battersea. 

North: Highbury, Islington, Piccadilly Circus. South: 

Battersea, Clapham Junction. 

West: Putney. East: Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus. 

West: Twickenham, Richmond, Barnes, Putney. East: 

Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus. 

North: Shepherds Bush. South: Battersea, Clapham 

Junction. 

North: Victoria. South: Battersea, Clapham Junction, 

Wandsworth Town, Putney Heath. 

West: Hammersmith, Fulham Broadway, Chelsea Football 

Club. East: Victoria, Westminster, Waterloo. 

South: Battersea, Clapham Junction, Wandsworth 

Common, Streatham. 

North: Natural History Museum. South: Battersea, 

Clapham Common, Brixton, Peckham. 

North: Natural History Museum. South: Pimlico, Vauxhall, 

Imperial War Museum, Elephant & Castle. 

North: Warwick Avenue, St. John’s Wood. South: Chelsea 

Football Club, Fulham Broadway, Putney.

84 | USEFUL INFORMATION | Map 

Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2012

The best of Chelsea by the people who know - Cadogan

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