GARY RHODES Star Gazing - Mayfair Times

GARY RHODES
Star gazing
INTERIORS SPECIAL
Trend spotting
THE SMOKING BAN
Who picks up the tab?
£3
July 07

Contents
24
Mayfair Times
now in its 21st year
www.mayfairtimes.co.uk
26
18 Gary Rhodes
Meeting the celebrity chef is like a
reunion with a long lost friend –
who’s changed his hairstyle
6 News
A fun day for primary school
children and the largest casino
opens in London
10 Events
An evening at the Comedy Store
and cheering runners at the BUPA
Great Capital Run in Hyde Park
12 Art
Golden age of Dutch portraiture on
show at the National Gallery and
the East End of London in pictures
26 Food & drink
Mayfair has no shortage of
restaurants and cafés where you
can enjoy meals al fresco
28 Fashion
Now that summer is here, we
highlight various ranges of
swimsuits and sunglasses
28 32
20 Better by design
We talk to four of the top interior
designers working in central
London
24 Interior trends
Dressing one’s home is a nearseasonal
ritual. So why not go for
rich fabrics and natural materials?
30 Health & beauty
With a smoking ban now in force,
we offer a few tips on how to
survive this new experience
32 Business
… and still on the smoking angle,
what will happen to those untold
thousands of unused ashtrays?
50 Property
So you want to invest in a Mayfair
property? Why not buy a share
in an offshore portfolio?
62 Meanderings
The St James’s office suite once
used by Tony Blair is on the market
… and Tony’s other farewell party
20
Cover
Celebrity chef Gary Rhodes
is interviewed on page 18
Editor Selma Day
T 020 7259 1052
E mayfair.times@pubbiz.com
Art Sophie Bishop
Food & drink Selma Day
Events Lucy Brown
Fashion, health & beauty Selma Day
Business Erik Brown
Property Lucy Denyer
Sub-editor Denis Serge
Designer Andy Lowe
Publisher & editorial director
Erik Brown T 020 7259 1053
E erik.brown@pubbiz.com
Publishing director Adrian Day
Advertisement director
Sam Bradshaw T 020 7259 1051
Advertisement managers
Katie Boyle T 020 7259 1059
Gemma Huston T 020 7259 1054
Printed in England by Stones.
© Publishing Business Ltd 2007
Mayfair Times is produced by Publishing
Business in partnership with Grosvenor
Publishing Business Blandel Bridge House
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5

6
news
A brilliant
mind
A month
in Mayfair
Rocking at Swarovski
HOLLYWOOD SUPERSTAR Samuel L Jackson is to
host Swarovski Fashion Rocks for The Prince’s Trust
2007. The annual event, which unites the world’s
leading fashion and musical talent on one stage, will
take place at the Royal Albert Hall on October 18.
Confirmed designers to date include Armani,
Burberry, Calvin Klein, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana,
Stella McCartney, Versace and Yves Saint Laurent.
Mayfair-based Nadja Swarovski, vice-president of
international communications for Swarovski, said: “As
Swarovski crystals have been part of the fashion and
music industries since the beginning of the last
century, from the early days of Chanel and Dior to the
album covers and tours of Beyonce and Madonna,
this event has particular relevance for Swarovski.”
BOND STREET-BASED Bentley &
Skinner is the jeweller behind
Damien Hirst’s latest work, For the
Love of God.
The largest diamond piece
commissioned since the Crown
Jewels, a copy of a human skull, is
set with three times the number of
diamonds in the Imperial State
Crown – 8,601 to be exact.
The skull is on display at White
Cube, Mason’s Yard, until July 7
VARIATIONS HAIR AND BEAUTY,
previously at Fortnum and Mason,
has rebranded as a lifestyle salon at
22 Maddox Street. Called the Patrick
Lüdde Salon and Spa, it is run by
Patrick, whose clients include Zoe
Ball and Natalie Imbruglia, and Neil
Ward – who specialises in long hair.
The salon is offering Mayfair Times
readers 10 per cent off in July. To
book, call 020 7495 9040.
SOUL STAR Beverley Knight
(pictured) played an intimate
live set at The Living Room in
Heddon Street to celebrate the
launch of her new album,
Music City Soul. The event
was held in association with
EMI and Dorothy Perkins.
BJORK PERFORMING
AT LAST YEAR’S
FASHION ROCKS
Rocha base in
Dover Street
DESIGNER JOHN ROCHA,
whose career spans 25 years, is
launching his first concept store
at 15a Dover Street (next door
to the Dover Street Market).
Spread over three floors of a
five-storey Grade II listed town
house, the space has been
designed by the man himself.
Due to open in September, the
store will showcase all the John
Rocha fashion collections, plus
an eclectic mix of art and other
commissioned pieces.
INDIAN AND Pakistani artists
made record prices at
Bonhams recently. Indian artist
Jamini Roy’s Musicians
(pictured) sold for £90,000
against an estimate of
£30,000-£40,000, while
Pakistani artist Sadequain’s
Cactus made £57,000.
Kids’ treated
to fun day out
CHILDREN FROM the Variety
Club Children’s Charity at the
Homely Primary School in
Stanford Hill were given a fun
day out in London courtesy of
47 Park Street in support of
Marriott’s global Spirit to Serve
community initiative.
The programme was created
to provide employees with
company-sponsored service
projects to help local
communities.
THE LONDON HILTON played
host to the first Galvin Cup, a
mixology competition for both
professionals and nonprofessionals.
Salvatore
Maggio from The Cumberland
Hotel was named Galvin Cup
Barman of the Year.
Lobby life Snapper Ritts
EVERY THURSDAY and Friday from
6pm to 9pm, The Lobby Lounge at
the Metropolitan hotel in Old Park
Lane, is being transformed into a
vibrant and creative space where
people can meet friends or
colleagues.
Against a background of live
music and emerging creative ideas
from art, fashion, music, film, media,
literature and travel, guests will be
able to enjoy cocktails, champagne
by the glass and canapés.
Upcoming themes include “Great
British Summer Holiday” (August),
“London Fashion” (September) and
“Art and Design” (October).
LINDA ALI from Edward Wilson
School was the winner of the
Hard Rock Café’s Pin Wizards:
Design A Pin Competition. The
competition was launched to
raise money for the NSPCC. A
limited edition of Linda’s
winning pin design will go on
sale this month.
SUPERNA SETHI,
who runs Mayfair-based
Manhattan Properties,
scooped the top award at the
Asian Women of Achievement
Awards, held at the Hilton
Park Lane. There were 42
finalists selected across eight
different categories.
Empire gambling
LONDON’S LARGEST CASINO, The Casino at the
Empire, opened last month in Leicester Square.
Set over two floors, the casino houses 30
gaming tables, a private poker room with its own
bar for up to 80 players and state-of-the-art
electronic gaming machines.
There are two restaurants – a noodle bar and
grillroom – a bar, ice creamery, nightclub and VIP
room with a balcony overlooking the West End.
HRH PRINCE MICHAEL of
Kent was guest of honour at
the launch of Hamptons
International’s Russian desk at
its head office in Grosvenor
Square. The prince has strong
links with Russia and is the
Patron of the Russo–British
Chamber of Commerce.
HAMILTONS GALLERY is
holding the first solo exhibition
of Herb Ritts’s work in more
than a decade. The exhibition
celebrates 20 years of images
by the late American
photographer.
Madonna, Elizabeth Taylor
and a naked Cindy Crawford are
just some of the stars who
feature, alongside more generic
images such as Mask (pictured).
On until September 11 at
Hamiltons Gallery, 13 Carlos
Place. T 020 7499 9494.
MASK, HOLLYWOOD, 1989,
COURTESY OF THE HERB RITTS
FOUNDATION
Street styles
CATWALK CARNABY is a photographic
exhibition of stylish people in Carnaby
Street by Simon Armstrong.
The exhibition at Unit G3, Kingly Court,
shows people who live, work or pass
through the area – including celebrities
such as Kiera Knightley (pictured with
Rupert Friend). The exhibition ends on
July 8. Entrance is free. 10am-6pm.
DAVE WEST, owner of the Hey
Jo club in Jermyn Street,
announced he is to defy the
smoking ban. Lord Hollesley,
who bought his title off eBay
last year, has hired Cherie
Booth QC to advise him. The
flamboyant former East End
barrow boy believes the ban is
a breach of human rights.
7

86
8
news
Flick honoured for
support of the arts
PHILANTHROPIST DONATELLA FLICK was
presented the Montblanc de la Culture Arts
Patronage Award at a champagne reception held
recently at Brown’s hotel in Albemarle Street.
Chairman of the Montblanc de la Culture
Foundation, Wolff Heinrichsdorff, presented the
annual award, which recognises an individual’s
outstanding support of the arts.
Ms Flick was selected for her role in creating
the biennial Donatella Flick Conducting
Competition, one of the major international
competitions for young conductors in Europe.
KATHERINE JENKINS WAS ONE OF THE
CELEBRITY GUESTS AT THE AWARDS CEREMONY
Cheers, Sotheby’s Café!
SOTHEBY’S HAS launched a
cook book to mark the 10th
anniversary of Sotheby’s Café.
The book features 40 of
head chef Laura Greenfield’s
favourite seasonal recipes,
complemented by wine
recommendations by Sotheby’s
head of wine, Serena Sutcliffe.
Richly illustrated, Sotheby’s
Café Cookbook also celebrates
the relationship between food
and art, both through visual
illustration and through eight
complementary articles.
News in brief
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC has
signed up for its first store in the
world – on Regent Street. A 15year
pre-let has been signed with
The Crown Estate for a 20,000 sq
ft, three-storey store at 83-97
Regent Street. The letting is the
first at the Crown’s Quadrant
development on the street.
HARDY AMIES creative director
Ian Garlant (pictured with Emily
Lobel) hosted a swanky party at
Kensington nightclub, Amika, to
reveal his latest couture collection.
Guests including Chloe Delevigne
and Igor Tolstoy got a sneak
preview of his luxury tailoring and
sexy evening dresses.
ICA hits the gigs trail...
THE INSTITUTE of Contemporary
Arts is hosting a series of free gigs
every night this month, with acts
including Mika, Ash, Amy
Winehouse and Stereophonics.
More than 60 acts, ranging
CADBURY SCHWEPPES is to
leave its head office at 25
Berkeley Square as part of a costcutting
drive. The confectionery
company is to move to Macquarie
Goodman’s Uxbridge Business
Park in west London next spring.
KKJ, WHICH operates two
franchised Mail Boxes Etc in
London, has been awarded the
“Franchisee of the Year award”.
Business partners and brothers-inlaw
Murli Mulchandani and Rikesh
Nichani opened their first franchise
in January 2002 in The Strand.
A year later, they opened a second
outlet in Shepherd Market.
Top names, top art
CELEBRITY GUESTS at this year’s Grosvenor
House Art & Antiques Fair charity gala evening
included Ivana Trump, Dame Shirley Bassey
(pictured below), Angela Rippon, Alan Whicker
and Lord Melvyn Bragg.
The evening kicked off with a champagne
reception and private view of the fair in the
Great Room. It was followed by a Mauritianthemed
dinner and entertainment. Burlington
Arcade provided a luxurious raffle, while grand
auction prizes included VIP positioning at the
Paris couture shows. Over £620,000 was
raised for childrens charity Coram. About 86
international dealers showcased around £500
million worth of art and antiques.
from major stars to newcomers,
will play intimate sets in the 350seat
theatre.
Tickets are available through a
lottery system. For further details,
visit the website on www.ica.org.uk
A PIANO that used to belong to
James Blunt is to be sold this
month. The old Chappell upright,
on which the pop singer
composed his number one hit,
You’re Beautiful, is expected to
fetch £1,000 - £1,500 at Bonhams’
piano sale on July 16.
ONE OF THE main challenges
facing Westminster City Council’s
chief planner Rosemary MacQueen
is the regeneration of Oxford
Street. In a recent interview with
Property Week, she said: “Oxford
Street needs to have something
done to it. The area needs a USP.”
She favours glass canopies over
stores to draw in shoppers.

10
what’s on events
what’s on music
WEDNESDAY JULY 4
Mosaico wine event
Mosaico, 13 Albemarle Street, W1. 7pm,
£75 per person including aperitif, fivecourse
dinner and wines.
Enjoy some of the wines and food from
Piedmonte. Wine grower Valter Fissoro,
the fourth generation of the Elvio Cogno’s
family, also gives a talk.
Info: 020 7751 1000
MONDAY 9
Mim’s Comedy Night
Comedy Store, 1A Oxendon Street, SW1.
8pm, tickets £20, available in advance
from the Comedy Store box office in
person and from Ticketmaster.
Writer and comedian Mark Maier
comperes a night organised by the
friends and family of Miriam Hyman, who
was killed in the 7/7 bombings, to mark
the second anniversary of the attack.
Simon Amstel, Jon Culshaw, Francesca
Martinez, Mitch Benn, Simon Brodkin and
Marcus Brigstocke perform in support of
the Miriam Hyman Memorial Fund.
Info: 0870 060 2300 (Ticketmaster)
www.thecomedystore.co.uk
www.ticketmaster.co.uk
www.miriam-hyman.com
THURSDAY 12
In conversation: Patrick Gale,
Neil Bartlett
Waterstone’s, 203-206 Piccadilly, W1.
7pm-9pm, tickets £3 available in store
and redeemable against a purchase of
THURSDAY JULY 5
Strum and Sing
Chappells Music Store, 152-160 Wardour
Street, W1. 4.30pm-6pm, free.
Join musicians from the the Institute of
Contemporary Music Performance for a
singalong – bring your own guitar if you
want.
Info: 020 7328 0222
www.icmp.uk.com
www.singlondon.org
SUNDAY 8
Magical Mystery Tour
Starts at Abbey Road Studios, 3 Abbey
Road, St Johns Wood, NW8 at 12pm, with
pick-up points at the World’s End, 174
Camden High Street, NW1 at 1pm and
outside Liberty, Regent Street, W1 at 2pm,
finishing at the Southbank Centre, free.
Hop on a special London Routemaster bus
for a musical journey, with performers
singing and looking at the heritage of each
site they visit, finishing at the Southbank
Centre for a finale featuring thousands of
singing Londoners.
Info: 020 7328 0222
www.icmp.uk.com
www.singlondon.org
Handel House Singers:
Highlights from Solomon
Handel House, 25 Brook Street, W1, and
Grosvenor Chapel, South Audley Street,
W1. 10am-1.15pm Handel House, 3pm-
6pm Grosvenor Chapel, £15, £12
concessions.
Join the Handel House Singers in a
performance of highlights from Handel’s
Solomon, led and conducted by Laurence
Cummings.
He coaches sopranos at 10am, altos at
the book on the night.
Authors Patrick Gale and Neil Bartlett will
be reading from their latest novels, Notes
from an Exhibition and Skin Lane, talking
about their influences and signing copies.
Info: 020 7851 2400
www.waterstones.com
SATURDAY 14
The Chap and Hendrick’s
Olympiad 2007
Bedford Square Gardens, WC1. 1pm-
6pm, free, tickets available in advance.
A daft sporting event, now in its third
year, with activities including the Pipe
Smoker’s Relay, Umbrella Hockey and the
Three-trousered Limbo, plus a 1930s jazz
11am and tenors and basses at 12.15pm.
The whole choir then rehearses with
members of the Linden Baroque Orchestra
at 3pm, followed by a public performance
at 6pm.
No auditions are required but participants
must be able to read music.
Info: 020 7495 1685
www.handelhouse.org
FRIDAY 13
James Taylor Quartet
The Pigalle Club, 215 Piccadilly, W1.
Doors open 7pm, starts 9pm, tickets £20
standing, £60 dinner and show.
Jazz funk.
Info: 020 7734 8142,
Reservations: 0845 345 6053
www.thepigalleclub.com
MONDAY 23
Anjani
The Pigalle Club, 215 Piccadilly, W1.
Doors open 7pm, starts 9pm, tickets £20
standing, £55 dinner and show.
Singer Anjani – Leonard Cohen’s backing
vocalist – performs work from her album,
Blue Alert, which Cohen co-wrote and
produced.
Info: 020 7734 8142, 0845 345 6053
(reservations)
www.thepigalleclub.com
MONDAY 30
Swing Thing
Dover Street Restaurant and Jazz Bar, 8-
10 Dover Street, W1. Approximate set
times 9.45pm and 11pm, free before
10pm, £5 after.
Jump jive and swing.
Info: 020 7491 7509/020 7629 9813
www.doverst.co.uk
band. Guests are encouraged to bring
picnics and sample complimentary
Hendrick’s and tonics. Bowler hats and
cucumber medals are given to the
winners at the end of the day.
Info: 08700 600 100
www.ticketweb.com
www.hendricksgin.com
SUNDAY 15
BUPA Great Capital Run
Hyde Park, £22 (registration fee for
runners), route and start times to be
confirmed.
Join up to 10,000 other 10K runners and
celebrities and support Help a London
Child.
what’s on film
FRIDAY JULY 6
Tour de France opening
ceremony
Trafalgar Square, WC2, 6pm, free.
Celebrate the Tour’s arrival in London.
Info: 0845 305 1234
www.tourdefrancelondon.com
The People’s Village
Hyde Park (next to Prologue course),
4pm-9pm, also July 7, 10.30am-
8.30pm and July 8 10am-6pm, free.
Info: 0845 305 1234
www.tourdefrancelondon.com
SATURDAY 7
Tour de France Prologue
Starts Whitehall, finishes at the Mall.
Caravan at 1pm, warm up at 2pm,
race starts 3pm, ends 6.20pm.
FRIDAY JULY 13
Moliere (12A)
French comedy speculating about what
happened to the 17th century
playwright/actor, played by Romain Duris,
when he disappeared for several weeks
early in his career. Directed by Laurent
Tirard, it imagines Moliere was bailed out
by a rich nobleman (Fabrice Luchini) who
expects him to coach him so he can woo
his love (Ludivine Sagnier) with a selfpenned
one-act play.
Harry Potter and the Order of the
Phoenix (12A)
David Yates (BBC1’s The Girl in the Café)
directs the next cinematic Potter
installment. Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) deals
with the triple trials of Voldemort’s
return, a bureaucratic monster who takes
over Hogwarts, and teenage life with the
help of secret society, the Order of the
Phoenix.
PRIVATE FEARS IN
PUBLIC PLACES
PREVIEWS AT THE
CURZON MAYFAIR
www.capitalradio.com/run
An exciting 8K time trial with one racer
after another speeding through a
course around central London,
competing for the Yellow Jersey.
Info: 0845 305 1234
www.tourdefrancelondon.com
SUNDAY 8
Tour de France Stage 1
Caravan parade leaves the Mall at
8.40am, riders sign on at the podium
9.25am-10.20am, riders depart the
Mall (Depart Fictif) 10.25am, Tower
Bridge ceremony 10.40am-10.50am,
riders depart the Reel at Romney
Road, opposite the Maritime Museum
in Greenwich 11am.
Info: 0845 305 1234
www.tourdefrancelondon.com
FRIDAY 20
Harry Potter launch
party
Waterstone’s, 203-206 Piccadilly, W1.
9pm, free.
To celebrate the release of the last
installment of JK Rowling’s Harry Potter
series, Harry Potter and the Deathly
Hallows, Waterstone’s is holding a queue
party prior to the doors opening at
midnight.
Expect wizards, entertainers, creatures
and games.
Info: 020 7851 2400
www.waterstones.com
SUNDAY 15
Private Fears in Public Places (15)
Alan Ayckbourn’s play, directed for the
screen by Alain Resnais, follows six
strangers who look for love in Paris.
Special preview screening at Curzon
Mayfair, 36 Curzon Street, W1, 1pm
T 0870 756 4621.
Released July 20.
SUNDAY 22
Hiroshima Mon Amour (PG) and
Orphee (15)
Double-bill of Alain Resnais’s 1959 war
romance, written by Marguerite Duras,
about a married French actress who has
an affair with a Japanese architect,
followed by Jean Cocteau’s fantasy
about a poet who falls in love with a
princess, Death.
Sunday Special, Curzon Mayfair,
36 Curzon Street, W1,12pm
T 0870 756 4621.

12
art
Going Dutch
DUTCH PORTRAITURE from the Golden Age is being
celebrated in the National Gallery’s latest exhibition.
Dutch Portraits: The Age of Rembrandt and Frans Hals
explores the range and variety of painted portraiture in the
Netherlands between 1599 and 1683 and gives insight into
the fashion, occupants and ambitions of a group of newly
affluent 17th century individuals.
The show focuses on the works of the masters of Dutch
portraiture Rembrandt and Frans Hals, but works by 29 other
Dutch artists also feature, many little known in the UK.
Highlight of the show is the rare loan of two of
Rembrandt’s most famous works: The Anatomy Lesson of Dr
Nicolaes Tulp and The Syndics (pictured), as well as Thomas
de Keyser’s dashing Loef Vredericx from the Maurishuis.
Dutch Portraits: The Age of Rembrandt and Frans Hals
runs until September 19 at the National Gallery, Trafalgar
Square. T 020 7747 2423.
art events
RUNS UNTIL JULY 6
Berkoff’s East End
Photographs of Londoners and London
life by Hollywood actor Steven Berkoff.
Paul Smith, 9 Albemarle Street.
T 020 7836 7828.
RUNS UNTIL JULY 14
Arturo Herrera
Felt pieces and collages by abstract
artist Arturo Herrera.
Thomas Dane Gallery, 11 Duke Street,
St James’. T 020 7925 2506.
RUNS UNTIL JULY 18
In Italian Light: The Impact of Italy
and the Italian Landscape on
Artists and Travellers, circa 1650-
1900
Focusing on Grand Tour landscape and
portraiture painting.
Colnaghi, 15 Old Bond Street.
T 020 7491 7408.
RUNS UNTIL JULY 20
The Ballad of Mister Bones:
Recent works by Andy Harper
New paintings by Andy Harper that are
rooted in nature.
Frost and Reed Contemporary,
2-4 King Street. T 020 7839 4645.
RUNS UNTIL JULY 28
Marc Chagall: Works on Paper
Covering 60 years of Marc Chagall’s life
and celebrating his works on paper.
Connaught Brown, 2 Albemarle Street.
T 020 7408 0362.
RUNS UNTIL JULY 28
Sherrie Levine
Pivotal works by American conceptual
Redfern – 50 years on...
REDFERN GALLERY is stepping back in time with a reprisal
of its definitive 1957 show, Metavisual Tachiste Abstract –
Painting in England Today.
The exhibition celebrates the 50th anniversary of the 1957
show and brings together works by all bar two of the 37
artists who participated in the original Redfern show.
Metavisual Tachiste Abstract – Painting in England Today
was one of the first to survey British post-war art and
explored the intriguing cross-currents that were prevalent in
the art of the early 1950s. Highlights of the 2007 re-run
include major works by Gillian Ayres, Robyn Denny, Paul
Feiler (his January – Yellow and Black 1957 pictured), Terry
Frost, Patrick Heron, Roger Hilton and Ben Nicholson as well
as a 1965 study of wrestlers by Francis Bacon, which has
been hidden away in a private collection for 50 years.
The exhibition runs until July 26 at the Redfern Gallery,
20 Cork Street. T 020 7734 1732.
artist Sherrie Levine, spanning four
decades.
Simon Lee Gallery, 12 Berkeley Street.
T 020 7491 0100.
JULY 4-28
Denis Mitchell
Works by the late pivotal St Ives sculptor
Denis Mitchell.
Flowers Central, 21 Cork Street.
T 020 7439 7766.
JULY 4 - SEPTEMBER 7
Flesh
Nude paintings by Angela Reilly.
ROLLO Contemporary,
16 Albemarle Street.
T 0207493 8383.
JULY 13-SEPTEMBER 1
Invisible
Group exhibition of 12 international
artists, including Michael Ashcroft, Maine
Hugonnier, Kris Martin and Damien
Roach.
Max Wigram Gallery,
99 New Bond Street. T 020 7495 4960.
JULY 18-AUGUST 11
German Painting
Exhibition of three of Germany’s most
eminent female painters: Karin Kneffel,
Cornelia Schleime and SEO.
Marlborough Fine Art,
6 Albemarle Street. T 020 7629 5161.
JULY 24-29
Nelly Weissenberger
New paintings by French artist Nelly
Weissenberger.
54 The Gallery, Shepherds Market.
T 020 7403 5893

14
art
MAIN PICTURE: JULIAN
AGNEW WITH ALAN DAVIE’S
OPUS 0.238 CRAB CREATION
TOP: MARIO TESTINO’S KATE
MOSS 2005
Old Masters,
new direction
“The relevance of today and tomorrow is far stronger than of
yesterday,” says Julian Agnew, chairman of Old Bond Street
gallery Agnew’s.
This may come as somewhat surprising given Agnew’s
reputation as one of the world’s leading dealers in Old Masters
and 20th century British art. While its inventory does extend to
the present day; Agnew's is certainly known more for its
affiliation to Turner than to Testino.
However, if its latest show is anything to go by, Agnew’s –
which this year celebrates 190 years as an art dealer and 130
in Old Bond Street – is indeed Looking Forward rather than
back.
Established in Manchester in 1817, the gallery started out
as a partnership between Thomas Agnew, then 23, and Vittore
Zanetti. The business began as a mixture of an Old Masters
dealership, a print seller and a maker of scientific instruments.
AGNEW’S IS CELEBRATING 190
YEARS AS AN ART DEALER
AND 130 YEARS ON OLD BOND
STREET WITH AN EXHIBITION
OF CONTEMPORARY ART.
CHAIRMAN JULIAN AGNEW
TELLS SOPHIE BISHOP WHY
IT’S ALL ABOUT LOOKING
FORWARD AND CELEBRATING
THE FUTURE, RATHER THAN
GLORIFYING THE PAST
However, within 50 years it had developed into a radically new
business that was based on “the transfer of art patronage from
the dead to the living”.
Bolstered by demand from the ever growing group of new
collectors made rich from the Industrial Revolution, Thomas
Agnew and his sons moved to London in the 1860s and set
about selling British contemporary art, including masters such
as J M W Turner.
Fast forward 190 years and Turner remains closely
associated with Agnew’s and the gallery is still a leading dealer
in his works. However, within that timeframe, the gallery has
also branched out into other genres; its inventory now runs the
gambit from Old Masters to contemporary painting, with a
particular focus on early 20th century British art.
It’s a huge scope of genres to have under one roof but,
according to Julian, that’s “half of the fun of it”.

16
art
ABOVE: JULIAN AGNEW WITH
SIR PETER BLAKE’S 3D 6D 9D 1/–
RIGHT: SAM TAYLOR-WOOD’S
IVAN 2004
Julian Agnew is the sixth generation of the Agnew family to
head the gallery; he joined the family business in 1965, aged
just 22.
“It was always felt that I would be the one who came into
the business, even though I had an older brother,” says Julian.
“I think from the age of 15 or 16, it was fairly clear that that’s
what I wanted to do. Forty two years later, here I am.”
During his tenure as chairman of Agnew’s, he has been
strongly involved in the buying and curating side of business
and was also responsible for knocking down what was
perhaps the most intimidating entrance to a gallery ever to
exist. “You did see people walking down, sticking their noses
against the door, turning around quickly and beetling off into
the distance,” says Julian.
“There really are no
barriers for most
artists between
one [media] and
another. And while
we haven’t actually
shown a video or
anything like that
yet, no doubt the
day will come”
The long entrance arcade, which had been built by his
ancestors more than 130 years ago, was knocked down eight
years ago and the front turned into an airy gallery space. The
change, says Julian, “has made a huge difference”.
Agnew’s identity has also had a slight revamp over the
years, thanks partly to Julian’s daughter, Gina, who curated the
contemporary anniversary exhibition, Looking Forward.
The two-month show brings together 30 contemporary
British artists. These range from established Agnew's names
(Andrew Gadd, David Inshaw and John Wonnacott); major
names from British contemporary art (Peter Blake, Frank
Auerbach, David Hockney), and emerging artists new to
Agnew’s (Sarah Chalmers, John Holden and John Kelly).
Sculpture by Tim Pomeroy and Anthony Caro and
contemporary photography by Sam Taylor-Wood and Mario
Testino is also on show. Contemporary photography is an
entirely new field for Agnew’s although the gallery is certainly no
stranger to the media, having commissioned Roger Fenton to
cover the Crimean war in the 19th century.
“I think nowadays, you can’t talk about particular media
because there really are no barriers for most artists between
one thing and another,” says Julian.
“And while we haven’t actually shown a video or anything
like that yet, no doubt the day will come.”
Julian admits that the newly-honed focus on modern and
contemporary art is as much one of necessity as choice, given
the current craze for all things contemporary, coupled with the
lack of quality Old Master works on the market. However, duty
aside, he also appears to be rather enjoying it.
“Part of the fun for me is looking at new things and getting
to know new things, new artists. One is always looking for
something or someone that's new and is good and perhaps
neglected or underpriced and then, in that way, you can
contribute to the market and edge on the creative process.”

18 19
One
for the
Rhodes
Meeting Gary Rhodes is a bit like a reunion with a long
lost friend. I’m old enough to remember his early TV days: the
spiky haircut and cheeky grin that charmed housewives
across the country. Twenty years later, the trademark hair style
has gone, but there’s still that glint of cheekiness in the eyes.
Cappuccino in hand, he relaxes back into one of the
funky graffiti chairs at his new restaurant near Marble Arch.
“It’s every chef’s dream to have a small restaurant,” he
says, glancing around the Kelly Hoppen-designed room. “It
provides you with so much more time to take the level of
cooking to another level.”
Gary’s first foray into television was in 1988 at the age of
27. His amiable personality and classic British fare won the
hearts of the nation long before Gordon and Jamie were
effing and blinding their way into people’s living rooms.
He’s still making TV programmes, most recently Hell’s
Kitchen, Masterchef, Great British Menu and Saturday
Cooks. The latest, Rhodes around India, will be aired next
month.
But a successful career in television has had its
downsides. “When I first got involved, I had ridiculously long
hair and a lot of food writers just thought, ‘who’s this silly boy
on the television who thinks he can cook?’ And the trouble
is, they then think all these years on, it’s that same person.”
Gary managed to shake off that image and is considered
a serious player in the industry. He’s already headed five
Michelin starred restaurants (including The Greenhouse in
Hay’s Mews), had 17 bestselling books – and was awarded
an OBE last year.
But he still finds the idea of opening a new restaurant
daunting. “It’s quite frightening because you think how long
can this go on for and will we suddenly fall flat on our faces?
We’ve been very lucky so far and found success with so
many of our restaurants.”
After a spell creating brasseries, Gary is now going back
to his classically trained roots with Rhodes W1 at Great
Cumberland Place. The emphasis on the food from head
chef Brian Hughson (30 St Mary Axe – “the Gherkin” and The
Savoy Grill) is classical French with a modern British influence
– a far cry from the steak and kidney pudding, faggots and
bread and butter pudding Gary is famous for.
“I wanted to release myself from that, as proud as I am,”
he says. “I just want to feel much freer with what I’m doing
with food.”
With that, he has added a new concept to his repertoire:
tasters as well as a standard three-course menu. Guests can
choose how many to have and so create their own menu.
“Obviously, I’m hoping we’ll achieve some sort of Michelin
status, but I really do feel we have the potential to take it to
that two-star level,” he says.
As a young lad, Gary had set his sights on becoming a
policeman until one day, he found himself cooking supper for
the family. That led to him taking on the Sunday lunch and
pretty soon he’d become obsessed with cooking. He then
told his parents that he wanted to become a chef.
“It was an odd thing at that time because I was 13 or 14
years of age and in those days (in the early 1970s), you
certainly did not want to tell your friends that you’d been
there making little scones, or cakes, or whatever it happened
to be,” he says.
IT IS HARD TO BELIEVE
THAT IT IS NEARLY 20
YEARS SINCE GARY
RHODES FIRST APPEARED
ON OUR TELEVISION
SCREENS. BUT IT IS.
SELMA DAY MET THE
AMIABLE AND STILL
POPULAR CHEF
“And I remember just before I left school telling my best
buddy that I wasn’t going to be a policeman at all – that I
was actually going to become a chef. And he said, ‘what’s
wrong with that’? And he went on to tell me that he’d been
doing ballet lessons all those years and was going to the
Ballet Rambert. So there was I, cooking bits and pieces in
the kitchen and there he was doing ballet – both keeping
secrets.”
All these years later, Gary’s passion for food seems to be
stronger than ever.
“I never get bored with wanting to create something new
– or rather trying to present our guests with a menu with a
different edge to it. I thrive on that, I really do.”
Though Gary is still labelled a “celebrity chef”, it’s a term
he hates.
“I had the opportunity to get involved with television and
never really expected it to take off. It did – it was quite
incredible and a great learning experience, but it was so
different then.
“Today you’ve got your Jamies and your Gordons – it’s
huge. It’s like being a top footballer. They make silly amounts
of money – and good luck to the guys. But there’s a lot of
chefs out there who have become totally carried away with
this whole kind of celebrity thing and I just sort of think –
come back down to earth. When will the bubble burst? I
think it will one day.”
So Gary has learned to keep a check on reality.
“I drive a Porche Turbo and a Ferrari 430 – it’s a nice
luxury and I’ll enjoy them while they’re here. But, if one day, I
have to sell them, I’ll sell them, buy a nice Audi or whatever
and be happy.”
But if his track record is anything to go by, Gary will still
be living life in the fast lane for the next 20 years.
Gary’s Michelin stars
1986 The Castle in Taunton, Somerset, when
Gary was 26.
1996 The Greenhouse in Hay’s Mews.
1998 City Rhodes, a year after Gary opened.
2000 Rhodes in the Square, within months
of opening.
2005 Rhodes Twenty Four.
Gary on his…
Favourite restaurants
For fine dining, without doubt, Le Gavroche because the Roux brothers
are my absolute heroes. The restaurant has maintained its original
design, so you feel a sort of comfort if you are a regular. I like the
stability – they have created these classics so the food is consistent.
For me there’s just no question about it that it is the best in central
London.
Best eating experience
Globe artichoke soup at Guy Savoy in Paris – served with two shavings
of parmesan and two shavings of black truffle. I took one spoonful of
this soup and had to put my spoon down – it was a sensation, like silk.
Without a doubt, it was one of the greatest dishes I’ve ever eaten.
Favourite chefs
The Roux brothers are my heroes. I’m also a big fan of Chris Galvin.
Heston (Blumenthal) is a lovely, lovely, lovely man. As far as cooking
is concerned, I’m all for development, but I’ll leave it to Heston.
I really like Gordon (Ramsay) a lot – he’s a very talented chef and a
really good buddy.
Marco Pierre White – he’s not the sort of person I’d get on with but
having said that, I do believe he was the greatest British chef of all
time. There was something magical about Marco – he was just
incredible and I don’t believe there will ever be one as good as him.
Desert island dinner
I would start off with a nice glass of Krug rose champagne. Then I
would go for Guy Savoy’s bowl of globe artichoke soup (see above).
Then I would have a dish I had at Le Gavroche some time ago – a
whole roast John Dory – a sensational fish that was just taken off the
bone at the table and served with just a very simple beurre blanc
sauce and some pea purée on the side.
And for dessert, I think it would be whatever fruit was in season on
that island, whether a beautiful fresh mango or a good old-fashioned
banana straight from the tree.
profile

20 21
Tom Dixon creative director
at Habitat.
The project
Habitat, Regent Street.
The brief
To update the look and feel of Habitat to suit
the prime location and to create a unique
retail environment.
The challenge
Balancing the demands from City of
Westminster planning department, English
Heritage and The Crown Estate, while
maintaining a cohesive look for Habitat’s retail
requirements.
The look
A neutral stage set using honest materials for
the 6,000 products in the Habitat range.
The clients
Habitat loyal clients supplemented by West
End office workers and the millions of tourists
that pour through Regent Street every year.
What does the name Habitat mean today?
The by-word for affordable interior style.
What sets you apart from other designers?
Interest in materials, manufacturing,
commerce and engineering – and art.
Describe your design style
Home made.
Best designed place in Mayfair
Dover Street Market.
Most exciting trend
New Rave.
How eco-friendly are you?
I cycle and recycle.
Favourite designers
I often find myself more interested in one-off
pieces by relatively unknown designers that
have the potential to make a real difference.
Next big thing?
It’s a secret – we are working on it now.
IN THE WORLD OF INTERIOR
DESIGN, ORIGINALITY IS
KEY. WE TALK TO FOUR
DESIGNERS WHO HAVE
MADE A NAME FOR
THEMSELVES BY STANDING
OUT FROM THE CROWD
AND LOOK AT THEIR MOST
RECENT PROJECTS IN
MAYFAIR
Better
by design
Kelly Hoppen has designed
everything from houses and hotels to yachts
and private jets.
The project
Rhodes W1, Great Cumberland Place.
The brief
To reflect Gary [Rhodes’] English and French
style of cooking.
The look
French grandeur using crystal chandeliers and
antique-style chairs with a traditional English
touch in the form of old-fashioned silver
cheese trolleys and vintage-style napkins.
The challenge
To get a bar area without losing seating in the
restaurant and to create a chef’s table that
wasn’t separate but still felt slightly sexy.
The clients
Anyone looking for a sumptuous dining
experience.
What sets you apart from other designers?
I strive for perfection. I’m true to the brand
and my design philosophy and we deliver.
Describe your design style
Pure. I create homes for people to live in
rather than just to look at.
How eco-friendly are you?
Fairly. My office is run totally green –
everything is recycled, shredded and all that
kind of thing. There is probably a lot more I
could do.
What inspires you?
Every day I’m inspired. I get my influence by
going to a city, sitting in a café, peoplewatching,
going to a fashion show or just
chilling at home in the country. My last major
trip was a safari in Africa. I came back and
designed four projects.
Biggest trend at the moment
I don’t really like trends. I think fashion can
have trends but the home is somewhere you
live and it’s all about what you like. And if you
look at my design, it has pretty much been the
same philosophy – neutrals and adding colour.
interior designers

22
interior designers
Shaun Clarkson the designer behind
Denim and The Atlantic Bar and Grill, has a mixed
repertoire: from mad gay clubs in the heart of Soho to
country pubs in Highgate.
The project
The Pigalle Club, Piccadilly.
The brief
To create an elegant jazz club where you could imagine
Mae West sitting and having supper.
The challenge
Designing an intimate performance area in such a small
space and to get it finished within a six-month
timeframe. It took just under a year.
The look
Forties. It feels like you are stepping back in time,
although contemporary materials give the club a rock
and roll element.
The clients
A variety of interesting people turn up to see people like
Boy George and Marianne Faithfull perform.
What sets you apart from other designers?
We have a fairly uncompromising view; people come to
us to get our product and we are good at what we do.
Describe your design style
We’re quite inventive.We don’t do the same thing every
time. We use a lot of colour.
Kit Kemp is design director of Firmdale Hotels,
which she runs with her husband, Tim. Their portfolio
includes the Charlotte Street Hotel and The Soho Hotel.
The project
The Haymarket Hotel, Suffolk Place.
The brief
To keep the detail of a historic (Grade 1 listed) building
outside but create a contemporary jewel inside.
The challenge
The swimming pool as there appeared to be a river
running below the hotel that had to be diverted.
The look
English art and colour. A little voyage of discovery
through the rooms. Surprise and fun.
The clients
All types. We love the variety – as long as they smile
when they walk through.
What sets you apart from other designers?
I use colour and scale differently. I balance rooms by not
thinking in pairs. I am daring in mixing and matching
modern and period pieces. Having said that, function
and comfort come first.
Describe your design style
A feast for the eye.
What’s the best designed place in Mayfair?
Dover Street Market (as a concept).

24 25
Long live art deco
It’s been around for a while, but the art deco style, with its
elegant proportions, pretty detailing and liveable practicality
looks set to stay.
“It’s a 1920s and 1930s feel – glamorous and Hollywoodinspired,”
explains Kamini Ezralow, director of Lifestyles
Interiors. Kamini advises getting the glamorous look with a
chaise longue luxuriously upholstered and scattered with
sumptuous cushions. But there are other, smaller ways to bring
this look into your home – a bevelled mirror brings light to a
room, or you could update an existing sofa or bed by adding
some cushions in art deco inspired fabrics.
This is a style you can afford to have fun with too – for quirky
detail, invest in a classic piece that harks straight back to the
inter-war years. Designer Katharine Pooley says that nowadays
it’s all about cocktails and rather than people hiding their drinks
away in cupboards, they’re getting them out on show. Keep an
eye out for a curved cocktail cabinet – or invest in Pooley’s
beautiful black cocktail tray on legs which comes with an inlaid
silver tray on top, divided into sections for different bottles.
Indulgence in luxury
Forget minimalism, austerity and pared-down living; this coming
season it’s all about indulgence. Fabrics are fabulous – silks, velvets,
chenilles – anything with texture and a whiff of glamour about it and
they cover everything from the walls to the floor.
“Very luxe materials are coming in – marvellous silks and textured
fabrics,” says Jacqueline Duncan, head of the Inchbald School of
Design. “You can back an awful lot of fabric with paper and it looks
very good – do a whole room.”
“There is much more fabric on walls now – from suede to silk,”
agrees Katharine Pooley. “You don’t go into a room now and just see
a white wall.”
If covering walls is too much, look at reupholstering furniture with
an extravagant material. Exotic skins look fabulous on classicallyshaped
furniture. Don’t just think fabric either: add a touch of luxury
with finishes such as highly-polished wenge or walnut wood – not
just in furniture but as panelling on a wall, too.
If you really want to splash out, have something specially created
for your home. “There is a massive trend towards bespoke,” says
Brigitta Spinocchia, senior interior designer at top-end designers
Candy & Candy.
DRESSING YOUR HOME THESE
DAYS IS AS SEASONAL AS
CHANGING YOUR WARDROBE.
WE ROUND UP THE KEY
INTERIORS LOOKS FOR THE
COMING SEASON
Spotting trends
Natural materials
Bamboo – ultra-sustainable, cheap and good-looking – is in, sisal
flooring is staging a comeback and you should prepare yourself
to rip up the rubber flooring and replace it with real stone.
“Using natural materials is key,” says Superna Sethi, interior
designer for Manhattan Properties, a Mayfair-based development
company, who says she has recently been using a lot of antique
marble and limestone in the properties she has been decorating.
It doesn’t have to mean ripping up every surface in the house,
however – get the look for less by replacing plastic furniture with
natural wood, adding a bamboo bowl for trinkets to your coffee
table – even filling glass jars with beautifully-shaped stones.
Especially in the heart of London, where urban living often takes
over, sometimes it’s good to bring the outside in.
Jewel colours
While in recent years, interiors have been tastefully muted in
earthy tones and natural hues, now it’s all about warming
up your home with the richness and intensity that comes
from colour.
“It’s an opposite to the eternal blandness of office
beige,” says Jacqueline Duncan.
Katharine Pooley agrees, attributing the emergence of
hot pinks, juxtaposed with dramatic black to a Russian
influence. One of Habitat’s themes this autumn is “The Dark
Room” – inspired by the opulence of a gentleman’s club. It’s
all about intense colours, such as a rich berry red
and vivid satsuma orange.
Colours are, however, tempered with
deeper shades – Katharine predicts the
resurgence of warm chocolate brown,while
Habitat is also using a deep brown to
offset its brighter shades – making them
sing out even more.
If the thought of colour terrifies
you, accessorise to start with:
cushions in jewel-like shades on a
neutral sofa, a richly coloured vase
in a corner – even a bowl of
bright green apples in the
kitchen. Don’t be afraid of
using colour … a splash of
brightness brings life to the
grey winter months.
Eclectic
Not a look one can create, as such. This is rather a movement
away from the tastefully constructed “matching-ness” of a room
to a looser, more informal style.
“It’s no longer about being a square box of cream and brown
and matching,” says Brigitta Spinocchia. “It’s nice to have
something a little off key – the eye will enjoy it more.”
In practice, this means mixing things up a little – juxtaposing
the old with the new, expensive with bargain, traditional with
modern.
“Having a vintage, battered sofa mixed with something really
beautiful and brand new makes things eclectic – it’s fun, but
liveable,” says Brigitta. Stella McCartney has it bang on in her
shop, she adds – she has mixed cheap plywood on the walls
with beautiful limestone on the floor, creating a look that is
unique without being super-expensive to achieve. And even the
cheapest materials can look fantastic if you treat them right –
Candy & Candy recently did a house in Geneva with polished
concrete floors – “the price per square metre of the concrete as
opposed to slab marble is non-comparable. But the overall
effect was seamless and fantastic,” says Brigitta. The rule is, if
you like it, go for it.
interiors

26
food
THE PRETTY COURTYARD at Mirabelle in
Curzon Street is a bit of a hidden gem. Open
for lunch and dinner, Monday to Saturday,
you’ll find classic French dishes, with a set
lunchtime menu costing a reasonable £17.50
for two courses and £21 for three.
To book, call 020 7499 4636.
NOW THAT SUMMER IS HERE,
WHAT BETTER THAN TO SIT
OUTSIDE AND ENJOY THE
SUNSHINE? MAYFAIR IS
PACKED FULL OF PLACES TO
EAT OUTDOORS. HERE ARE
JUST A FEW...
THE TERRACE AT Mo Tearoom is the
perfect spot to relax during your lunch
hour or enjoy fruit-flavoured shisha
and mint tea after work. Part of
Momo restaurant on Heddon Street,
it has just introduced a new menu.
Dishes include North African hot and
cold mezze, priced from just £4.
There’s also a selection of cakes and
pastries. The tearoom is open from
12 noon to 1am Monday to Friday
(last orders 11pm). On Sunday, it
closes at midnight.
To book, call 020 7434 4040.
Eating al fresco
OLIVER PEYTON’S Inn the Park café/restaurant
overlooks the lake in St James’s Park and Duck Island.
Customers can enjoy the best of British food at
breakfast, lunch and dinner or chill out with a glass of
wine after work at the Terrace bar. There’s also a special
afternoon tea, which includes finger sandwiches,
pastries and buttermilk scones with clotted cream and
“Rosebud Preserves”. For those who prefer to have their
own picnics, the café also offers a special hamper.
To book, call 020 7451 9999.
IF YOU’RE THINKING of holding a
private event al fresco this summer,
you won’t do much better than the
roof terrace at the Trafalgar hotel.
Overlooking Trafalgar Square and
Nelson’s Column, the terrace is
available for breakfast or cocktails
and canapés in the evening.
To book, call 020 7870 2900.
restaurant directory

28 29
� THE DESIGNERS at
Debenhams range has a great
selection of swimwear from the
likes of Julien Macdonald and
Matthew Williamson. This
pretty heart tankini top from
Floozie by Frost French costs
£16 and comes with matching
bottoms, priced at £14.
� MARKS AND SPENCER
has a range of swimwear for
both men and women. This
season, womenswear is all
about high glamour. Swimsuits
are colourful and sexy, with cut
out backs and deep plunging
fronts with ornate fastenings
and beadings. Bikinis come in
bronze, black and white, with
sequin embellished animal
prints. The menswear
collection (pictured) is just as
stylish, with swimming trunks
priced at £15.
Cool
shades
SUNGLASSES HAVE BECOME AN
EXPRESSION OF INDIVIDUALITY
AND THERE ARE NOW STYLES
TO SUIT DIFFERENT MOODS
AND OCCASIONS. HERE ARE
A FEW OF THE BEST
� NOW IN its fifth season, the Elizabeth Hurley Beach
collection is a chic but wearable line aimed at the jet-set.
As well as bikinis, tankinis and one-pieces, the range
includes tops, hot-pants, mini skirts, loose linen trousers,
tunics, kaftans with beading, sarongs, flip-flops, beach
bags, towels and hats. Colours are bright, with bold
prints. All the swimwear is made in Italy, while the
embroidered kaftans are made in India. You’ll find the
collection at Selfridges.
ELIZABETH WEARS
ALLEGRA BIKINI
(£116) AND
CAMILLE SHIRT
(£110), BOTH BY
ELIZABETH
HURLEY BEACH
(WWW.ELIZABETH
HURLEY.COM).
JEWELLERY BY
BLAGUETTE
(WWW.BLAGUETTE.
COM).
� THE SWIMWEAR collections
from Australian brand Sunseeker
include Aztec prints, stripes, onepiece
cut-outs and black and white
pieces embellished with white shell
pendants on brown leather ties.
Colours include ruby, mint, aqua,
mushroom, steel blue and gold
shimmer. They feature a micro fibre
that protects the skin from harmful
UVA and UVB rays, with a UPF of
50 +. Available at Sweaty Betty (in
Selfridges) or www.sweatybetty
.com and www.figleaves.com
WHETHER YOU ARE LOOKING FOR STYLISH
SWIMWEAR FOR FITNESS OR A TOUCH OF
GLAMOUR TO TAKE YOU FROM THE POOL
TO THE BEACH, YOU’LL FIND IT HERE
In the swim
� ZOGGS IS a classic range of swimwear available at
House of Fraser. For women, the Nowra and Campbell
styles come with built-in cups for support and integrated
tummy control to give you a slimmer silhouette. And The
Tathra and Lorne ranges offer high chlorine resistance,
which means they will stay in shape. Men’s swimwear
includes these “Hayman” shorts, priced at £19.99.
� RIGBY & PELLER stocks a variety of swimsuit and
bikini styles from several well-known brands – available
all year round. Prices for swimsuits range from £45.95 to
£56.95, while bikinis are from £13.95 to £65. You’ll also
find trendy, young styles from Freya (priced from £13.95
to £52.95). They come in a selection of styles, both plain
and detailed, in modern floral designs and in fresh
colours. Rigby & Peller is at 22A Conduit Street.
FROM FAR LEFT:
THE LULU GUINNESS sunglasses collection is girly and chic,
adorned with spots, Swarovski crystals, filigree metals, studs and
printed graphics. The Clara (pictured) is priced at £99. For stockists,
call 0800 783 1372.
IF YOU ARE looking for designer sunglasses, Safilo has just about
every brand name you can think of, including Yves Saint Laurent,
Dior and Gucci (pictured). For stockists, call 01423 520 303.
SUMMER IN THE CITY is the new collection from Swarovski, which
features square crystals. For men, there are two key styles: The
Aviator and Acetate Square, also featuring a crystal design.
DIESEL HAS restyled its “Sister Yes” retro shades. The sleek new
look features oversized scratch-resistant lenses for maximum
protection. Available in six colours. Diesel, 130 New Bond Street.
fashion

30
health & beauty
Five tips on how
to survive the ban
by Jo Evans, senior spa trainer
at The Sanctuary.
The Sanctuary Spa product range
is available from Boots.
LIBERTY ROSS
AT THE SANCTUARY
SPA IN COVENT GARDEN.
1. SET ASIDE A
few minutes each
day for relaxation
to eliminate the
discomfort of the
physical
withdrawal.
THE THIRD SPACE in Sherwood Street and
the Life Works centre on Duke Street have
joined forces to develop a six-week intensive
programme to help you stop smoking.
The course is a combined mind/body
therapy that will prevent relapse, weight gain
and kick-start a new health and fitness regime
and detox from the effects of smoking.
After an individual medical assessment,
patients sign up to 20 hours of specialist
2. EVERY TIME
you crave a
cigarette, drink a
large glass of water
to hydrate you and
remind you why
you are giving up.
Summer treats
TOM FORD’S summer collection for
Estée Lauder comprises two key makeup
looks using plum (Soirée) and natural
(Bronzée) palettes. It also features a new
version of the original Azurée fragrance
created by Estée Lauder in 1969.
Included in the range are body oil spray,
all-over body spray and a refreshing
after-sun moisturiser.
MATTHEW WILLIAMSON has brought
out a lighter version of his signature
fragrance. While keeping the character of
its original, the Eau de Toilette combines
fresher notes of lime and bergamot with
ginger oil, jasmine, amber and musk. A
hydrating body oil is also available.
Time to give
up the weed
3. RESTORE
youthful vitality and
firmness to your
skin with a vitamin
packed treatment
or a relaxing and
revitalising facial.
LACOSTE ELEGANCE is a new fragrance
for men – classic but with a lighter edge,
so great for summer. Although its woody
notes give it a masculine touch, it also
contains peppermint to give it a fresher
feel. You will find it in the shops within
the next few days.
IF YOU WANT glowing skin on the
beach, try Sisley’s new Sun Glow Gel
Mat, a transparent-matte and natural
version of its popular Sun Glow Gel. And
for the hair, use Phyto Touche Or, a
sparkling dry oil for the body, face and
hair.
LIGNE ST BARTH is a range of plantbased
products, which includes
creams, gels, oils and lotions
with an exotic touch for all skin
types. Ingredients include
coconut oil, aloe vera,
avocado and papaya.
Available from Fortnum &
Mason, it also includes a
range of high-protection
sun care products.
counselling and relapse prevention therapy.
They choose from acupuncture,
hypnotherapy, nutritional advice, personal
training, yoga or pilates classes.
Clients are also encouraged to use the
facilities at The Third Space gym for the
duration of the course, which includes an
ozone-treated swimming pool, resistance floor
and hypoxic chamber.
www.lifeworkscommunity.com
4. AID THE BODY
with the
detoxification
process by treating
yourself to a
detoxifying body
treatment.
WITH THE
SMOKING BAN
IN FORCE, NOW
IS A GOOD TIME
TO KICK THE
HABIT
5. TO REDUCE
yellowing of hands
as a result of
smoking, use a
hand scrub to
remove dead
skin cells.

32
business
Who picks
up the tab?
THE SMOKING BAN HAS
AN OBVIOUS AND
DIRECT IMPACT ON
PUBS, BARS AND
RESTAURANTS IN
MAYFAIR AND ST
JAMES’S – AND A MUCH
LESS OBVIOUS IMPACT
ON A VARIETY OF OTHER
BUSINESSES.
KATE WHITE AND ERIK
BROWN INVESTIGATE
Ban beneficiaries
MANUFACTURERS OF PERSONAL
“POCKET” ASHTRAYS
Street smokers might like the new ecofriendly
pocket ashtray from Butts &
Gum Ltd. A pack of five recycled,
recyclable and biodegradable ashtrays
costs £4 from www.buttsandgum.com.
SNUFF MANUFACTURERS
Edward Sahakian of cigar emporium
Davidoff in St James’s Street says sales
of snuff have doubled in the past year
as smokers look for an alternative
nicotine hit.
HYPNOTHERAPISTS
Josephine Teague, chairman of the
Hypnotherapy Association, hopes more
people will seek help in the wake of the
ban, but warns they have to really want
to give up. The success rate is around
two in three.
AWNING MANUFACTURERS AND
JOBBING BUILDERS
People are allowed to smoke outside
and in “insubstantially enclosed” places.
Terraces and awnings are springing up
all over London.
SIGN MANUFACTURERS
No smoking signs have to be displayed
in all smoke free premises. And that’s
pretty much everywhere.
PRISONERS
Around 80 per cent of prisoners smoke,
and will still be allowed to because
prison is their home.
SNEAKS
A new phone line 0800 587 1667 is
now in operation, allowing members of
the public to report breaches of the
ban.
NOBODY KNOWS how many ashtrays
there are in Mayfair and St James’s – but
a good guess would be hundreds of
thousands. The Radisson Edwardian May
Fair Hotel in Stratton Street thought it had
between 700 and 1,000, the Hyatt
Regency Churchill in Portman Square
thought perhaps 1,000. Multiply those
figures by every hotel, club, bar and
restaurant in the West End and you top
six figures quickly and easily.
So, what’s going to happen to all of
those redundant ashtrays?
Well, some of them – including those
on this page – will probably be spirited
away, because they’re all collectable
For more details – of fines etc – go to www.smokefreeengland.co.uk
Trays bon
antiques of the future.
James Salzmann, a specialist in 20th
century design at Sotheby’s, said there
could be a market for some of the
famous-name ashtrays in 50 years or so –
although they would fetch higher prices if
they were released into the market slowly.
Sarah Caverhill of Grays Antique
Market agreed. If you’re planning to start
a collection, though, go for the best
quality ashtrays in mint condition.
Anything chipped or worn will be worth
less.
Can the non-collectable ashtrays be
recycled?
Well, here’s what Westminster City
Council has to say: “Unfortunately, we
cannot recycle ashtrays because they are
made from special heat resistant materials.
“However, rather than just throwing
them away, we suggest that businesses
come up with some imaginative uses for
their redundant ashtrays. We’ve heard of
some bars and restaurants which have
found alternative imaginative uses for their
old ashtrays, such as selling them to
customers as commemorative souvenirs
with the donations going to charity. But,
depending on their design and condition,
they could be used as paperweights, or
used for storing loose change and other
items, such as paper clips and pins.”
ANTIQUES OF THE FUTURE?
TOP ROW: MET BAR, THE WOLSELEY
BOTTOM ROW: CLARIDGE’S, ANNABEL’S,
GROSVENOR HOUSE, QUAGLINO’S
No butts
AMONG THE many clubs, hotels and
bars that organised smoking events in
the run-up to the ban, two deserve
special mention. The first is the Royal
Automobile Club on Pall Mall, which flew
in a trained cigar roller from Cuba to roll
each diner at a special lunch their own
unique cigar, which was served with fine
cognacs and whisky. Even-handedly, it
has also arranged for the club’s resident
therapist, Samir Mustafa, to help
smokers who want to give up, using
acupuncture and Chinese herbal
medicine. The second is the Chelsea Arts
Club – worthy of mention for its crossdressing
evening, The Last Drag.
“Smoking is the single largest cause
of statistics in the UK” Anon
£50 the fine for smoking in public
£80 the fine for littering if you drop a cigarette
stub outside
600,000 the number of smokers the government
forecasts will quit as a result of the ban
4,000 the number of chemicals in cigarette smoke
50 the number of chemicals known to cause
cancer
70 the percentage of smokers who say they want
to quit, according to a government web site
15 the number of smokers who told a Mintel
survey that they wanted to quit
200 the majority by which the legislation banning
smoking was passed by parliament
... but a good cigar
is a smoke
THE BAN is likely to have a direct impact on
the cigar shops of Mayfair and St James’s.
Paul Bielby, manager of London’s oldest
cigar shop, James J Fox & Robert Lewis on St
James’s Street, says fewer places will be
selling cigars, so sales will be concentrated on
specialist stores. Cigar shops have a special
dispensation that allows customers to smoke
on the premises.
Edward Sahakian, proprietor of Davidoff on
St James’s, points out that cigars are a
pleasure to be enjoyed and lingered over after
a nice meal with good wine. Cigar aficionados
are unlikely to pop outside for a smoke.
Desmond Sautter, owner of Sautters of
Mayfair on Mount Street, agrees. If people
can’t smoke inside and are unlikely to smoke
outside, they’ll end up smoking less.
33

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Great living
spaces
THIS MONTH’S Mayfair Times has a special feature on
residential interior design. So, I thought readers might be
interested in Grosvenor’s experience of creating
contemporary apartments, many of which are let,
some sold.
Alex Proby is our interior designer at Grosvenor; she
joined us two years ago and loves the challenge of
creating great contemporary living spaces out of some
of the most complex and challenging buildings.
Here are some of her thoughts about what matters to
residents in central London:
“We put a lot of effort into internal layouts. As the
majority of our refurbishments is within period buildings,
reconfiguring a property can be really challenging and
calls for creative design solutions that complement the
character of the property. Charles Brice and Toby
Flannagan are among the architects we use; they are
completely in tune with the market and always surprise
us with innovative layouts.
“Must-haves include flexible living space, for
example a floating wall between kitchen and dining
room, en-suites to all bedrooms, dressing areas with
fully-fitted joinery and separate utility areas.
“A good example is a mews house where we have
added an additional storey. We have maintained the
period façade but have completely reconfigured the
interior, in order to create large modern living spaces
that are proportionate to the increased size of the
property and to open up the interior to maximise natural
light.
“Equally important are the architectural finishes. For
rented property, we stick to a neutral palette. It’s a clean
look that enables residents to put their own stamp on
the property with their choice of furniture, art, drapes,
etc. Our finishes are contemporary but we are wary of
using anything too fashionable, as this inevitably dates.
All apartments have high capacity cabling but we only
put in tried and tested technology as reliability is critical.
“To get the quality of finishes right we use a small
number of trusted suppliers that we know guarantee
quality craftsmanship. For example, all bathroom stone
used on Eaton Square is supplied and fitted through
Dave Goodhall, whom we know we can rely on to
quality-check every stone supplied and to fit stone and
tiling to an exceptional standard.
“A lot of the cost is in the ‘hidden specification’ – for
example, acoustic insulation between flats, booster
pumps for hot and cold water and drip trays with flood
alarms to prevent leaks to the flat below. A prospective
tenant may not originally notice these elements, but we
know they are vital in delivering the best possible living
experience once they are in occupation.
“We also aim to achieve a very good – or excellent –
eco-homes rating on all our refurbishments to minimise
impact on the environment. For example, we use
raindance shower heads that are aerated so there is less
flow of water but still have excellent pressure. We are
also testing borehole technology to provide low carbon
heating and cooling.
“More important than anything else is to know your
customer and to create a property that not just looks
good on day one but makes for an enjoyable and
trouble-free home.”
Peter Vernon
UK Investment Director

50
property
INVESTING IN PROPERTY IS THE NAME
OF THE GAME IN MAYFAIR – WHETHER
IT’S FOR A VERY SMALL STAKE OR A
VERY LARGE ONE. LUCY DENYER
REPORTS ON THE LATEST NEWS
ENTREPRENEUR Vincent Tchenguiz (pictured) –
already one of Mayfair’s richest men – is
bidding to become one of Britain’s largest
residential landlords with a £500m venture to
take advantage of the exodus from the buy-tolet
sector.
The Iranian-born businessman, who started
by collecting empty Coke bottles to claim the
deposits, and started his property empire with
£50,000 from his father, has agreed a deal with
the Royal Bank of Scotland to create a fund –
seeded with an initial £100m in cash and debt –
that will grow to £500m over five years. This will
then be used to buy large numbers of homes to
let to people unable to get on to the property
ladder.
The company, to be called First UK
Residential, will buy off-plan homes and later
let them under its brand name. His decision to
SOUNDS LIKE a dream scenario, but the offshore company
London Central Portfolio Property Fund (LCPPF) is offering
experienced and professional investors the opportunity to
buy a share in its property portfolio for as little as that.
“It’s a unique way of accessing the central London
market,” explains Naomi Heaton, chief executive of LCPPF.
‘Recession proof’ residential
Investing in Mayfair for £50,000?
“And because you can add it to a private pension scheme,
there are tax benefits, too.”
Anyone dreaming of moving into a Mayfair pad for just
£50,000 will be disappointed, however. That figure buys you
a share in LCPPF’s portfolio of 15-20 one and two-bed West
End properties as a whole rather than a portion of a specific
property. And you won’t see an annual return either: because
the portfolio is geared, profit goes back into the company
rather than to the shareholders – you only get your money
back when you sell up at the end.
If you fancy taking a punt on the property market without
shelling out a fortune, however, it could be worth looking at.
After all, central London is booming: average values in central
London run in excess of £750,000, and according to the
latest figures from estate agent Knight Frank, prices of the
best properties in central London have risen by more than
33.3 per cent during the past year – the fastest rate of
growth for nearly 20 years.
“The fund aims to double an investor’s stake, with a
target of 10 per cent growth per year,” says Heaton, who
adds that the “Olympic effect” should see London house
prices soar in the run-up to 2012.
Which means you could see your investment grow as
quickly as a 100m sprinter runs – hopefully without collapsing
at the end.
Closing date for investors is July 20 2007.
www.londoncentralportfolio.com
The business
of property
form First UK Residential came as interest rates
rose yet again, to 5.5 per cent, and the Royal
Institute of Chartered Surveyors warned that
landlords are exiting the buy-to-let sector.
But in a recent interview with Bloomberg,
Mr Tchenguiz referred to the management of
property – particularly on a large scale – as
being a safe investment. “Our core residential
business is pretty much recession-proof,” he
said.
Mr Tchenguiz already owns around 200,000
properties and manages the freehold estate of
80,000 in the UK. It is thought that his eventual
plan is to float the vehicle off as a residential
Reit, a tax-efficient property investment vehicle.
Mr Tchenguiz has also recently announced
his decision to give his £1bn property empire to
the recently formed Vincent Tchenguiz
Foundation (VTF) on his death, which will make
it one of the largest charitable foundations in
the UK. The VTF distributes funds to a wide
variety of causes, primarily relating to the
environment and those focusing on improving
people’s quality of life. Mr Tchenguiz believes
that investing in green technologies will
eventually make him a billionaire.

52
property
When, last year, the Tory leader David
Cameron secured planning permission to install a
wind turbine on the roof of his home to generate
“green energy”, it kick-started an eco movement
that has swept throughout the nation. No matter
that a wind turbine generates less energy than it
takes to make – sustainability is now a buzzword
for success, happiness and warm fuzzy feelings,
while failing to recycle your wine bottles, not
buying organic and driving a 4x4 are all seen as
being the work of the devil.
These days, living green is big business.
Developers who ignore the eco-movement do so
at their peril – not only are consumers far more
ethically conscious than they used to be, but the
government is cracking down, with targets to
reduce the carbon emissions of new homes and
the inclusion of a compulsory energy
performance certificate in the Home Information
Packs it is desperately hoping to salvage.
But just how easy is it to have an eco-friendly
home – especially in an ancient and muchprotected
area such as Mayfair?
The answer is, not easy – or at least not if you
AS KERMIT THE FROG ONCE SAID, IT’S
NOT EASY BEING GREEN. BUT EVEN IN
MAYFAIR, IT’S POSSIBLE. LUCY DENYER
SHOWS YOU HOW
Living
the green
dream
want to do things on a grand or flamboyant
scale, á la David Cameron (who, incidentally, was
forced to remove his turbine after it was
discovered it had breached planning law).
“You have to do what you can within the
planning environment,” says Andrew Murray,
director of Morpheus developments (tagline:
“sustainable luxury” – the company is currently
investigating the possibility of installing
geothermal boreholes in one of their Mayfair
projects). “It’s not easy to do in Mayfair as
everything’s so built up,” he adds diplomatically.
Tim Fulstow, another Mayfair developer, who
is currently working on a multi-million pound
project in Culross Street, is less tactful. “The
green thing is all PR ... there’s dichotomies all
over the place,” he says.
Westminster Council, which boasts proudly
that its council homes are the most energyefficient
social housing in the UK, is nevertheless
reticent on the matter of wind turbines and solar
panels.
“Although we are keen to encourage
sustainable energy sources, the council has a

54
property
TOP: HEATKEEPER BOOSTS
RADIATOR EFFICIENCY.
RIGHT: THERMAFLEECE LOFT
INSULATION, MADE FROM
SHEEP WOOL
responsibility to other residents to ensure any
visual or noise impact is kept to a minimum,”
says Rosemarie MacQueen, director of planning
and city development.
In other words, don’t try doing a Cameron any
time soon. But don’t write off the possibility of
reducing your carbon footprint a wee bit. Here’s
our guide to reducing the energy output of your
Mayfair home, from the top right down to the
bottom.
Sort out your insulation. According to the
Energy Saving Trust, nearly 50 per cent of the
heat in a house is lost through roofs and walls.
Loft insulation can save around one-third of your
heating costs – and eco-friendly materials, such
as sheep’s wool, recycled newspaper or hemp
work more efficiently, too. If you think your
insulation is sufficiently up to scratch, remember
not to overlook the nooks and crannies – 20 per
cent of heat loss is through ventilation and
draughts. So invest in draught excluders for
doors and windows.
Heat your home efficiently – 60 per cent of all
domestic CO 2 emissions come from old boilers.
Replacing an old boiler with an energy efficient
condensing boiler can save you one-third on
heating bills. Look into double glazing (no pun
intended) – a fifth of all heat loss can be through
single glazing or badly fitting window frames. This
can be a planning issue if you live in a listed
building or conservation area, so check with the
council as to the rules and regulations.
Produce hot water efficiently. You might have
to forgo a solar hot water system in Mayfair, but
fitting a GasSaver device to your boiler reduces
gas usage by recycling flue gas heat that is
normally wasted and expelled into the
atmosphere, reclaiming it and using it to preheat
incoming cold water.
If you really want to splash out, you could
investigate installing a fuel cell into your home,
which, run on natural gas, will reduce your
carbon footprint by two-thirds, “does” hot water,
central heating and will provide electricity to boot
– you can even sell what’s left over to the
National Grid.
Be warned, however, they do not come
cheap. John Lidderdale, director of Mayfair-based
company Logan Energy, estimates that a 5kw
fuel cell, to do the bare essentials, is around
£15,000 and a 200kw fuel cell, which would
provide the needs of a large Mayfair house,
would cost upwards of £800,000.
On a cheaper note, even small things can
make a difference. Redecorate using eco-friendly
paint. Put a brick in the cistern – it will save water
when flushing the loo. Replacing ordinary
lightbulbs with energy-saving versions is four
times more efficient – and can save you up to
£100 over the bulb’s lifetime. Switch electrical
appliances off standby – or if you can’t be
bothered, invest in Bye Bye Standby, a new
energy-saving device which links all your standby
kit together, allowing you to switch the lot off with
a remote control when you’re out or asleep. From
next year, the government will make Smart
Meters, which tell you how much energy your
home is using, available to anyone who wants
one for free – seeing how it all adds up will
encourage you to use less energy.

Coming soon in
Mayfair Times:
August
The Out & About Issue, things to do in
and around Mayfair in the summer
September
The Manhattan Issue, distributed through
hotels in New York and with extra features
on fashion and property
October
The Country Issue
November
The It’s-Only-Seven-Weeks-to-Christmas
Issue
December
The Last-Minute-Shopping Issue
Contact Sam Bradshaw, Katie Boyle or
Gemma Huston on 020 7259 1050
for advertising opportunities
Free
advertising
Get your business
on-line for free in a
directory promoted
by Mayfair’s leading
lifestyle magazine
Mayfair Times is offering
every business in Mayfair and
St James’s a free listing in the
new directory on its web site at
www.mayfairtimes.co.uk.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re
a club, a five star hotel, a café
or a fashion boutique – if you’re
in Mayfair or St James’s and
you’re in business you’re entitled
to a place in the directory.
Just go to
www.mayfairtimes.co.uk
and follow the instructions.

62
meanderings erik brown
A political party
worth joining
TALKING OF PARTIES, I enjoyed a particularly
eccentric one thrown to say farewell to Mr Blair. More
than 500 Brits named Tony Blair, George Bush or
Gordon Brown received invitations to the Bye Bye Tony
Blair pub crawl on June 27. It started in Downing Street
– where several attendees wore Blair masks – before
moving to The Red Lion in Whitehall on the way to the
House of Commons and the many pubs favoured by
MPs. Tickets were free, but partygoers were invited to
make a donation to The Queen’s Nursing Institute.
Bond Street
jewel for sale
MY OLD CHUMS at the commercial property mag
Property Week reveal that Tiffany’s in Bond Street is up
for sale. If you’re a regular there, however, fear not:
Tiffany is staying put. This is a sale-and-leaseback deal.
The idea is that Tiffany sells the property for £80 million –
through Mayfair agent Harper Dennis Hobbs – and then
leases it back from the new owner. £80 million,
incidentally, is a little less than the rumoured price tag on
Damien Hirst’s next artwork: a diamond-encrusted fetus.
PHOTO: GABOR SCOTT
High office
available to let
BUSINESSMEN AND WOMEN who are already pining for former
PM Tony Blair – and there must be one or two – might like to
know that an office he once used, overlooking the green acres of
St James’s Park, is back on the market.
Executive Offices Group has developed the former Labour
Party HQ at 16 Great Queen Street, SW1, into a series of
elegant, fully-serviced offices. The Labour Party sold the longleasehold
on the building – a couple of doors down from
The Spectator – more than a year ago when the papers were full
of stories about the party’s debt mountain.
Executive Offices – which operates under the Argyll, Paladia
and Corpnet brands and is based in St James’s Square – has
worked its usual magic on a building that had grown, frankly,
quite shabby. Labour’s red rose logo has been replaced by
decent artwork, the clean lines of contemporary office furniture
and the magic of voice over internet telephony. Happily, it has all
been left discreetly unbranded – there’s not a logo to be seen
anywhere, red or otherwise.
So, who are the takers? Executive Offices is, as usual,
discreet – but my guess would be hedge funds and private equity
firms forced out of Mayfair by the shortage of space. It’s just their
sort of thing.
And what fun to think of those companies the trade unions
have branded casino capitalists occupying space so recently
vacated by New Labour.
The last word
THE SCARY TONYS –
MORE FRIGHTENING
THAN DR WHO
MY FAVOURITE and most useful word of the year so far
is a German one: Schlimmbesserung. Literally, it means
“a worse improvement”. How can we Brits have
survived for so long without a word for a phenomenon
so commonplace in public life – especially since we are
the only nation to enjoy schandenfreude about
ourselves? Interesting language German.