THE LANTERN

THE LANTERN 

EDITION 3 SUMMER 2015 – THE MAGAZINE FOR CHANCERY LANE

69 Chancery Lane | 020 3002 4124 | www.kelvie-brown-hairdressers.co.uk

THE LANTERN 

THE MAGAZINE FOR CHANCERY LANE 

EDITION 3 SUMMER 2015 

28 Chancery 4 

Roderick Charles 8 

Affairs of the heart 11 

Women in engineering 12 

Food and drink 15 

Shopping 16 

Body and mind 18 

A hive of activity 20 

Fashion 22 

Then and now 24 

Holborn village 26 

Map 27 

The Lantern is brought to you by 

the Chancery Lane Association, a 

collection of stakeholders committed 

to promoting the interests of the street. 

FROM THE EDITOR, NICOLA FROST 

It was a pleasure to be asked recently to take part in the ‘Midtown 

Originals’ marketing campaign for 28 Chancery, which highlights the 

diversity of the people who live and work in the area. 

Incredibly the average age of people living in Midtown is reckoned 

to be mid-30s. No wonder there’s a buzz. New companies are 

moving in, giving the area a very different complexion. And when The 

Hoxton Hotel opens just up the road, it proves you’re on the map. 

Chancery Lane, at the heart of it all, is changing almost beyond 

recognition. Derwent London’s number 40 is nearly complete, as 

is Deerbrook’s scheme at 81. This edition’s featured development, 

Viridis’s 28 Chancery, and Endurance Land and Aberdeen’s newlynamed 

The Cursitor Building, are both confidently underway. 

Talking of there being a buzz, it was great to hear from Chancery 

Lane Association member Lewis Silkin about the work it does with 

The Golden Company and kids from Hackney who tend an urban 

bee colony high on the Lewis Silkin roof. Equally wonderful is the 

work being done by The Department of Coffee and Social Affairs, 

who have been providing free school breakfasts and rebuilding 

nursery schools for children in South Africa. It’s brilliant to be able to 

shine a light on such inspiring projects. 

I often joke with Tim that we could manage a monthly magazine 

given the number of stories we have to share. As ever, the research 

for this issue - a bumper summer edition - provided for a voyage of 

discovery of the delights on our doorstep. From talks and walks, to 

spas and bars, it’s all here to experience. Enjoy. 

– 3 

For more information contact 

Nicola Frost. 

nicola@nfpr.com 

+44 (0)7787 538070 

Register for updates on 

www.mychancerylane.com 

This document is printed by Full 

Spectrum Print Media on Arcoprint, 

a paper containing virgin fibre sourced 

from well-managed, responsible, 

FSC®-certified forests. The pulp 

is bleached using both elemental 

chlorine-free (ECF) and totally 

chlorine‐free (TCF) processes. 

Photography where stated by 

Laura Lean. 

www.lauralean.com 

This page: Lantern illustration courtesy 

of Paperchase Ltd. 

TIM BACON 

FOUNDER OF THE CHANCERY LANE ASSOCIATION 

Photography by Laura Lean 

You might think it’s a little premature to be thinking about 

Christmas. And if you knew it was Christmas 2016 that’s 

on my mind, you might ask if I was thinking straight. It does 

seem a little early to be buying presents. But I have got my 

dates right and it is a gift of sorts that’s on my mind. 

We decided some years ago that the Chancery Lane 

Association wanted to introduce Christmas lights – or 

seasonal lights, as they now seem to be known – to the 

street. We knew full well that we would be going through 

years of building works and, at the end of those years of 

upheaval, the lights would be a celebratory gesture that 

would mark the street’s renaissance and its arrival onto the 

wider city stage. 

In order to progress the lights, we are now ready to agree 

relevant fixing points to each of the buildings involved. 

We’re completing site visits and paperwork with structural 

engineers, and getting consent from individual landlords. 

All this needs to happen before we seek planning consents 

from three individual authorities. Quite a task! 

We’re working with James Glancy – the designer who 

brings enchanting lights to the streets of London year in, year 

out, in such notable shopping hotspots as Seven Dials and 

Carnaby Street. Whether Chancery Lane is quite ready for 20- 

foot inflatable snowmen levitating on high is yet to be seen. 

Perhaps a Dickensian lantern theme might be more fitting?

– 4 

THE LANTERN – EDITION 3 SUMMER 2015 

THE RHYME AND REASON 

OF 28 CHANCERY 

At the crossroads of Chancery Lane and Breams Buildings, 28 Chancery is very much at 

the heart of the district. Architect Alistair Brierley of GMW Architects takes us through 

the vision for the building that’s bringing a new dimension to the street. 

28 Chancery is a scheme that is helping to 

turn perceptions of the area on their head, 

so when the opportunity came along to 

work with Viridis to redevelop this prime 

site, the team at GMW Architects was 

excited to be involved. 

When it comes to the development of 

a new building, there are many factors at 

play. Balancing the equation of building 

a new commercial office block with the 

need to contribute positively to the area 

is a starting consideration. Delivering 

a great-looking building that meets the 

demands of a 21st century workplace is a 

given. Maximising both space and quality 

is essential. And so the challenge begins. 

Chancery Lane is a beautiful street, a 

world-famous address, defined by such 

grand stone buildings as The Law Society 

and King’s College London (the old Public 

Record Office). Adding to the atmosphere 

is the charming Lincoln’s Inn, nestling 

on the west of the lane, dating back in 

parts to the 14th century. Alongside these 

buildings is a diverse mix of architectural 

styles and finishes, all sources of further 

inspiration, from the intricately patterned 

brickwork of Grade II listed 87 Chancery 

Lane, to the clean, modern lines of number 

40, the newest addition to the street that 

typifies the spirit of change in Midtown. 

Capturing this changing mood and 

feeding into this renaissance was a 

primary goal for the design team. Too 

many new central London buildings fall 

back on pastiche; with 28 we wanted to 

design a dynamic building that would 

exceed the demands of the contemporary 

office market. We set out not just to appeal

28 CHANCERY 

– 5 

to potential occupiers perhaps unfamiliar 

with the street or even the area but to 

surprise them too. Good architects aspire 

to create a building with ‘personality’ – 

this was our intention from the start. 

From our first visit to site we were 

aware of the responsibilities of a sensitive 

intervention, not least because the site 

is in a conservation area. Although not 

listed, we felt that the existing façade to 

Lonsdale Chambers (as the building had 

been known) should be retained albeit 

hugely upgraded. We also decided that the 

mansard and dormers, indeed everything 

above parapet level, should be rebuilt – 

essentially delivering a completely brand 

new building. 

Nowhere would this be more apparent 

than on Breams Buildings where our vision 

called for the entire brickwork elevation 

to be demolished. This presented the 

opportunity to bring a fresh design to the 

street that is an important east to west 

pedestrian link between Chancery Lane 

and Fetter Lane. 

So how to approach such a site? 

Presented with a blank piece of paper 

what comes to mind? Nothing starts in the 

office, instead everything hinges on taking 

the area’s pulse, really getting to know it. 

We spent many days walking the length 

of the street, drawing, talking and taking 

photos, with ideas starting to flow. 

28 is located at roughly the midpoint 

of the lane from High Holborn to Fleet 

Street marking a natural flex in the road. 

Thanks to this curvature in the street, 

the building’s northerly corner at the 

junction with Breams Buildings is clear 

on the approach from High Holborn. 

Just beyond, the striking turrets of King’s 

College dominate the skyline. Nothing 

in our proposal would ever compromise 

King’s striking profile from distant views. 

Another design challenge arose from 

joining the new Breams frontage onto 

the retained façade on Chancery Lane, 

sensitively marrying them together, a task 

made all the more interesting given the 

prominence of the primary corner. 

We undertook a long exercise looking 

at the available space, determining the 

number and dimensions of panels we 

could accommodate, focusing on the 

rhythm and punctuation of the individual 

components. We decided the stitching of 

the two façades would best be achieved 

with the introduction of a narrow recessive 

Portland stone panel. This would be a minor 

punctuation in the overall rhythm of the 

façade, allowing a comfortable transition 

from one style to another and giving the 

individual components space to breathe. 

The narrowness of the street meant 

that a flat skin would not work; we needed 

to devise a solution that would work 

when viewed obliquely. We played with 

vertical and horizontal lines to arrive at a 

multi-layered elevation, purposely leaning 

towards a vertical emphasis with the 

introduction of a three-metre bay. 

Our second response to the challenge 

lay in the choice of the material, a glazed 

terracotta cladding system known as 

faïence, with its wonderful ability to absorb 

and reflect light. Colour was central to 

our thinking; we chose to combine the 

familiar burnt orange of classic terracotta 

with a bold, strong blue – picking out the 

blue brick in the building opposite – and 

a clean white ceramic. We felt this would 

make a striking trio and strengthen the 

prominence of the walkway east. 

Other character-defining features for 

28 Chancery came in the way of a grand 

new central entrance on Chancery Lane, 

maximising the natural symmetry of 

the frontage. We decided a beautiful 

lightweight glass canopy, made up of three 

undulating linked shells, should herald the 

entrance. This provided a contrast to the 

monolithic character of the stone façade 

and also hinted at the internal glazed 

atrium lying behind the door. 

“We looked at the available 

space, determining the 

number and dimensions 

of panels that we could 

accommodate, focusing 

on the rhythm and 

punctuation of the 

individual components.”

– 6 


Alistair Brierley 

At either side of the entrance we felt 

double-height retail units, with their large 

windows and contemporary feel, would 

further help bring the ground floor to life. 

28 sits in the main retail parade along 

Chancery Lane and these new shops, 

which have the potential to be flagship 

stores, will come to serve the needs of the 

thousands of office workers moving into 

the area. 

From bottom to top, careful planning 

continued as 28 was required to enhance 

the skyline of Chancery Lane. For the 

three additional upper floors we settled on 

a glass design in the form of a lightweight 

and reflective cube, conceived almost to 

blur into the sky itself, maximising the 

view of London for anyone lucky enough 

to work there. It’s through the glass cube 

that light will flood the building’s atrium, 

creating a stunning internal space. 

Each new floor was also given its own 

terrace and individual garden, designed 

not just for amenity space but as a haven 

for wildlife too. 

The architectural challenge is never 

just the outer skin, it runs right through 

the building. This was never more so 

than here. Quite apart from the defining 

features such as the stunning atrium, 

we needed to deliver the basics of an 

efficient and geometrically simple floor 

plate, as ease of use is everything to a 

modern occupier. 

Given the care and attention paid to 

the design of 28 Chancery we’re confident 

that it will add a new dynamic to the 

evolving streetscape. It is a beautifully 

detailed construction, with pitch-perfect 

proportions that uses quality materials. 

The first solitary drawing multiplied 

into hundreds more and later took flight 

as a suite of computer-generated images 

offering a glimpse into the future. These 

in turn became the technical drawings 

that today line the walls of the site office, 

governing each and every movement, 

as the building starts to come to life. 

www.gmw-architects.com

28 CHANCERY 

– 7 

28 CHANCERY GETS OFF TO A GOLDEN START 

The presence of building works on 

Chancery Lane over the past few years 

has been unmissable. That McLaren 

Construction, the main contractor on 

28 Chancery, was recently awarded a 

Gold Award from the City of London 

Considerate Contractor Scheme, is 

testament to the sensitivity with which the 

work has been undertaken. 

Talking to Gavin Turnbull, McLaren’s 

Project Manager, it’s clear that the project 

is in good hands. “It’s important to run a 

site that fits in with the surrounding area. 

The building programme takes over two 

years so it’s imperative we establish a 

level of rapport from the start and not only 

work with the community but join it.” 

The award was based on the overall 

performance of all McLaren personnel 

onsite, their keeping the site and the 

surrounding area clean and tidy, and a 

positive attitude to neighbours and the 

general public. How does the ‘positive 

attitude’ manifest itself, we ask Gavin. 

“We issue a newsletter and we recently 

ran an open event where we invited people 

into our office to talk to the team and see 

the plans. We have another open evening 

coming up shortly to display a 3D model of 

the development. I think that if we set out 

to disturb people as little as possible and 

involve everyone in our progress, it follows 

that we’re allowed to get on with the job.” 

As part of this community ethos Gavin 

also has an open invitation to schools in the 

area to visit. “We have a portacabin that has 

a great view of the site – it would double 

as a terrific classroom!” The educational 

theme is important to McLaren and the 

team is in discussion with the Construction 

Youth Trust to help them with their Budding 

Brunels and Budding Builders schemes. 

Gavin is also set to host a drawing 

class for the nearby Sir John Soane’s 

Museum as part of the London Festival 

of Architecture. This is clearly someone 

going the extra mile, someone who loves 

his job. Gavin nods, “I enjoy all aspects of 

the construction process, from demolition 

to being in the mud carrying out the 

groundworks, to erecting the frame and 

cladding it and then finally fitting it out.” 

And it’s a good place to work? “Very 

much so. I worked on the Olympic Village 

but 28 Chancery is equally as interesting. 

It’s great to be part of the wider facelift 

of the street. There’s a real thrill in being 

part of a team working together to achieve 

the same goals – to build something that 

is unique and that will stand for years to 

come on such a famous road.” 

Viridis would like to thank the City of 

London Corporation and the Chancery 

Lane Association for their assistance and 

advice throughout the project. 

On behalf of its client investors, Viridis 

Real Estate is redeveloping 28 Chancery 

to deliver over 100,000 sq ft of flexible, 

contemporary Grade A office space 

and 6,500 sq ft of ground floor and 

basement retail space. Set over eight 

floors, and BREEAM rated ‘Excellent’, 

the building features a terraced glass 

cube above the new ceramic dressed 

elevation on Breams Buildings and the 

retained façade on Chancery Lane, 

providing a spectacular space and 

flooding the internal atrium with light. 

New shop units along Chancery 

Lane, set over the ground and basement 

floors, will bring the main portion of the 

street’s retail parade to life. 

Due to complete in Q4 2016, 

28 Chancery will appeal to all sectors of 

the market seeking high quality space in 

a premium business location. 

Main Contractor 

McLaren Construction Ltd 

Gavin Turnbull 

+44 (0)33 3077 0617 

gavin.turnbull@mclarengroup.com 

Architect 

GMW Architects 

Alistair Brierley 

+44 (0)20 7361 5611 

Office Letting Agents 

CBRE 

Dan Hammer 

+44 (0)20 7182 3646 


Gavin Turnbull 

Cushman & Wakefield 

Andrew Parker 

+44 (0)20 7152 5032 

Retail Letting Agents 

CBRE 

Steven Stedman 

+44 (0)20 7182 2712 

Farebrother 

Alistair Subba Row 

+44 (0)20 7855 3555 

Developer 

Viridis Real Estate Services Ltd 

www.viridisrealestate.com

– 8 


WORSTED, WOOL AND WHY 

TRADITIONS MATTER 

RODDY GALE TALKS TO THE LANTERN ABOUT CHANGING TRENDS 

AND THE SARTORIAL STYLE OF THE MODERN MAN 

According to Roddy Gale, founder and 

Managing Director of men’s outfitter 

Roderick Charles, he wasn’t ever really 

meant to work in menswear. 

“When I left school my father wanted 

me to join him in the family business: a 

chain of furniture shops in the North East of 

England. Instead, I joined the management 

training course at Allders department 

store.” 

And what home furnishings lost, tailoring 

gained. Today the Roderick Charles brand 

has a thriving online presence and seven 

stores throughout London, including 

the newly refurbished Chancery Lane 

branch. It’s safe to say that the family 

entrepreneurial spirit has been realised, 

albeit in two-piece suits rather than threepiece 

suites. 

After leaving Allders at the age of 

18, Roddy joined Swaine Adeney Brigg, 

London’s celebrated maker of leather 

goods and other luxury items. He 

remembers the company’s Piccadilly 

store: “It was a winning combination of 

environment, with its traditional fixtures 

and fittings, together with an ‘old style’ 

quality retail experience.” 

It was this combination, he says, that 

was the inspiration for his ethos at Roderick 

Charles. “In simple terms? Tradition, a 

great product and excellent service.” 

Moving from the luxury goods market 

into menswear, Roddy worked in the City 

branch of Hackett, the luxury clothing and 

accessories company for a number of 

years. “There was a lot of travel. I worked 

in San Francisco, Italy – all over the place. 

I visited customers on ‘the shop floor,’ 

that is, in their offices, measuring and 

fitting everyone from traders to corporate 

financiers.” 

While gaining extensive training in 

measuring and fitting, Roddy identified 

a gap in the market for affordable classic 

suits. He opened the first Roderick Charles 

store in 1992 and his second, on Chancery 

Lane, just five years later. “We were retailing

RODERICK CHARLES 

– 9 

a traditional range of men’s suits and 

accessories like other menswear stores, 

but with an additional ready-to-wear range 

catering to the legal fraternity. Opening a 

store in close proximity to Lincoln’s Inn 

made a lot of sense.” 

Being so close to Lincoln’s Inn has 

also had another benefit – providing an 

eye-catching backdrop for many of the 

Roderick Charles adverts. The most recent 

shoot took place around the Great Hall, 

New Square and Old Square, and also 

featured a 1968 Jaguar MKII. 

The campaign showcased the full 

Roderick Charles collection from morning 

dress and dinner jackets to classic suits, 

plus more relaxed looks featuring tweed 

jackets and brightly coloured chinos. 

Everything about the collection is designed 

to cater to the modern man looking for the 

best traditions of English dress, without the 

vagaries of trend-led fashion. So what’s 

popular now? 

Roddy hones in on the company’s 

made-to-order service, which bridges the 

gap between bespoke and ready-to-wear, 

and offers a fast and convenient way for 

customers to have a suit made to their 

individual requirements. 

“Our made-to-order suits are 95% 

made in the UK. When a customer comes 

to us for a suit he chooses his cloth – which 

is manufactured in the UK – together with 

the colour of the lining and thread, and we 

take his measurements. We cut the chosen 

cloth here in the UK and then send both 

it and the measurements to our overseas 

manufacturers. The finished suit then 

Roddy Gale 

comes back to us, ready for collection.” 

For all Chancery Lane’s heritage and 

tradition, the street has started to undergo 

a dramatic transformation as new buildings 

and office spaces open to diverse 

occupants. So, we ask Roddy, will this 

affect the market for traditional menswear? 

“I predict that the arrival of established 

creative industries in this part of town – 

Saatchi & Saatchi are moving in soon – is 

going to have an interesting effect on all 

the businesses in the area. Our customer 

base is certainly going to diversify and I’m 

watching with interest.” 

So, ahead of the impending arrival 

of London’s Mad Men to the area, who 

is currently the typical Roderick Charles 

customer and what prompts their affection 

for the brand? 

Garth Sonley, manager of the Chancery 

Lane store, describes his typical customer 

as, “A gentleman who’s looking for quality, 

who’s looking for excellent customer 

service, industry knowledge and experience. 

He wants a suit that’s going to fit him well – 

the fit is always key – and a suit that’s going 

to last.” 

The longevity of the Roderick Charles 

suit is due, in no small part, to the 

company’s use of traditional worsted 

cloth, sourced from mills in Leeds. Roddy 

says, “A tailored suit should, typically, last 

for around five years. Our wool comes 

from one of the few woollen mills left in 

Yorkshire. The worsted they produce is 

comfortable, it’s easy to wear and most of 

all, it’s durable. The traditional worsted suit 

is the backbone of our business.” 

It’s this approach to quality goods, 

coupled with superb customer service that 

has brought figures like Jeremy Paxman to 

Roddy’s door. It’s also why men bring their 

sons, and even their grandsons, to be fitted 

for their first work suit. 

So, does today’s younger customer 

demand something a little more – dare we 

say – modern? And how does Roddy see 

that fitting with the traditions of tailoring? 

“There is a challenge in this business to 

stay relevant, whilst remaining true to the 

traditions of tailoring. There are confines. 

There has been a noticeable move over the 

past decade for men to dress for comfort 

as well as for style and that’s led to some 

interesting trends.” 

Garth agrees, “We’ll make a madeto-measure 

suit with a narrower leg, a 

Photography by Christian Couzens

– 10 


less traditional style, for our younger 

customers. And we’ll perhaps make a 

narrower lapel. We’re careful though, a 

suit is an investment piece, and not ‘fast 

fashion’. It needs to be of a certain quality 

and in a style that won’t date. That’s not 

to say we don’t have some customers who 

like to show a bit of flair, perhaps choosing 

a very bright silk jacket lining in contrast to 

their more formal outward appearance.” 

Other finishing touches to a Roderick 

Charles suit include the typical array 

of shirts, belts and braces, cotton 

handkerchiefs and pocket squares, sterling 

silver collar stays, plus an assortment 

of silk knots and cufflinks. There’s the 

much-loved range of animal print silk ties 

too, none more so than the best-selling 

elephant print, made south of the Thames. 

“A tie is a good way to add a splash of 

colour to a dark suit,” says Roddy. 

So who would Roddy love to dress? 

“On screen it would have to be the ultimate 

‘gentleman’s gentleman,’ that’s to say, a 

Roger Moore or Sean Connery-era James 

Bond. As for today, James McAvoy has a 

very distinctive style. And obviously the man 

of the moment, Benedict Cumberbatch. 

After seeing him as Sherlock Holmes, we 

all know he wears a tweed jacket well. I’m 

sure he’d look magnificent in made-tomeasure 

worsted.” 

www.roderickcharles.com 

SUIT YOURSELF 

All Roderick Charles ready-to-wear suits 

are made from hard-wearing worsted 

yarns, which are strong but lustrous and 

able to hold their shape while having a 

smooth feel. The cloth comes in light, 

medium and all-year-round weights. 

The higher the number in the 

worsted ‘super’ count, the finer the 

fibres, producing more luxurious wools 

which are softer but less hard wearing. 

The made-to-measure range offers 

a larger selection of British and Italian 

cloths, that range from the medium 

weight super 90s through to softer and 

more subtle 140s. 

Across both ranges there is an 

extensive choice of materials, from fine 

pin stripes to wider but muted chalk 

stripes and the bolder rope stripe, 

which is considered to be the classic 

City cloth. 

There are plainer cloths too, such as 

twill weaves in shades of charcoal and 

navy, which on closer inspection have 

a lighter shade running through them, 

giving the cloth more depth. 

Alongside these hang assorted 

herringbone patterned suits, Prince of 

Wales checks (the Roderick Charles 

version has a larger windowpane than 

the standard), plus the lesser-known 

‘birdseye’, also known as ‘fisheye’, with 

a subtle pattern of circles on a diagonal 

layout and the finer dots of ‘nailhead’. 

There are many ways to bring a touch 

of individuality to a made-to-measure 

suit. From the choice of a tailored cuff 

with contrasting coloured button holes, 

and the shade of the suit jacket lining 

and number of internal pockets, to the 

type of the waistband and belt loops, all 

aspects of the design can be specified 

to arrive at the perfect style and fit. 

Garth Sonley measures a customer at the Chancery Lane branch.

CHANCERY COFFEE 

– 11 

AFFAIRS OF THE HEART 

Did your morning cup of coffee feed 

a homeless person, or your bottle of 

water provide clean drinking water for an 

African village? No? Then you obviously 

didn’t buy them from the Department of 

Coffee and Social Affairs, which supports 

not one but four charities here in the UK 

and overseas. 

“Working with organisations that 

transform people’s lives on a daily basis 

enables us to shape Department into 

what we want it to be, with the values we 

want it to have,” says Ashley Lopez, the 

company’s CEO. 

At Department, everyone from the store 

staff to the company directors rolls up their 

sleeves and pitches in with humanitarian 

projects. “It’s a key part of what attracts our 

staff to work for us and why our customers 

buy from us,” Ashley explains. And it’s why, 

when you frequent Chancery Coffee or any 

of its sister stores, you could be changing 

a life 9,000 miles away. 

Closer to home there’s the Central 

London Rough Sleepers Committee, where 

members of Department staff regularly help 

out by giving time to by provide hot meals. 

And then there’s the Goldfinger Factory, 

a training hub for some of London’s most 

disadvantaged residents. When it needs 

a handyman or woman at any of its nine 

stores, Department calls Goldfinger. 

Turning abroad, Department sells 

Thirsty Planet bottled water from which 

a fixed donation is made to Pump Aid, a 

charity which provides clean drinking water 

for 1.35 million people in Africa. And then 

there’s Afri-CAN, a charity that converts 

shipping containers into cafés and bakeries. 

“Afri-CAN is our pride and joy,” explains 

Ashley. “The cafés create jobs and provide 

training for people in the townships of 

Cape Town. And, since August 2014, the 

charity has provided over 20,000 free 

school breakfasts to young children. It has 

such a positive impact.” 

Building on this success, in March 

this year Ashley was part of a team 

from Department that launched a new 

programme to rebuild nursery schools 

in the Philippi Township of Cape Town. 

Ashley remembers her trip. “The schools 

we saw were in an awful condition, with 

leaking roofs and no floors. We talked to 

the teachers and realised that for not much 

more than the cost of repairs, we could 

rebuild them from scratch. Four schools 

have been completed and another two are 

in progress so the children now have a safe, 

clean and comfortable place to learn.” 

Does Ashley have fond memories of her 

visit? “Yes! The kids were so happy and like 

kids anywhere else in the world, they just 

wanted to play.” 

To raise much-needed funds for the 

charities they support, Ashley and the 

team hold regular ‘Department Sessions’ 

that include live music and comedy events 

held in-store. “Every £350 raised can feed 

80 homeless people in London with a twocourse 

meal” says Ashley. 

Of course, none of this would be 

possible if Department didn’t also have a 

loyal clientele thanks to the excellent coffee 

they serve. And even then the company’s 

giving continues. “Our coffee grounds 

are turned into alternative fuel sources 

by Bio-Bean,” explains Ashley. “It’s much 

better than just throwing them out. Nothing 

goes to waste here.” 

Chancery Coffee 

90 Chancery Lane 

www.departmentofcoffee.com

– 12 


A MODEL OF EQUALITY AT 

40 CHANCERY LANE 


Charmaine Knower 

At the topping out ceremony for Derwent 

London’s new office building, 40 Chancery 

Lane, the many contributors to the scheme 

gathered, in time-honoured fashion, to 

toast reaching the highest point in the 

build of the structure. Amongst those 

assembled were the architectural team, the 

Mechanical Engineer, Structural Engineer 

and Project Manager. All of them women. 

It seemed so natural to the group, who 

stood together catching up and exchanging 

the latest project news, that no-one had 

remarked before on the number of women 

working on the building. Talking to any of 

them it’s plain that their choice of career 

is so natural that it’s not given a second 

thought. It’s almost unremarkable. But the 

numbers tell a different story. 

The Royal Institute of British Architects 

(RIBA) has 27,000 chartered architects; of 

that number just 4,000 are women. This 

gender imbalance is even more evident 

in both the engineering and construction 

industries. According to RIBA, the UK 

construction industry employs more than 

2.5 million people but women make up 

just 11% of the sector, with a mere 1.2% 

working in manual labour trades. 

Earlier this year RIBA President Elect, 

Jane Duncan, launched a social media 

campaign to coincide with International 

Women’s Day on 8 March. The aim of 

#SeeMeJoinMe was to celebrate and 

support a more diverse and inclusive 

construction industry by raising the visibility 

of women working in the sector around 

the world. It asked men and women, from 

bricklayers and architects to engineers and 

plumbers, to get involved by tweeting a 

picture and a few words on why creating a 

more equal industry matters. 

For Alison Darvill, Project Architect at 

Bennetts Associates, the company that 

designed 40 Chancery Lane, any initiative 

that encourages more women into the 

sector is to be welcomed. “Although 

women can now frequently be found 

on the design team in engineering and 

architectural roles – it’s probably not 50/50 

but it does feel very equally split – there are 

still very few women on the construction 

side of projects.” 

But does Alison believe in positive 

discrimination? “No. Any woman working

WOMEN IN ENGINEERING 

– 13 

in what might be thought of as a male 

domain only ever wants to be there on 

merit. No one expects or wants to be 

appointed because of their gender.” 

For Aoife Bloomer, Senior Structural 

Engineer at AKT II, the firm of design-led 

structural and civil engineers that worked 

on the 40 Chancery Lane build, a career 

in construction was she says, “A natural 

choice” as both her parents worked in the 

industry. This influence, combined with her 

love of maths and physics – plus a natural 

ability for problem solving – led Aoife to 

study for a degree in Structural Engineering 

with Architecture. 

Aoife was a regular visitor to number 40 

to ensure that the construction progressed 

in accordance with the structural design. 

Her job involved everything from checking 

the reinforcement fixing prior to the 

concrete pour, to keeping an eye on 

temporary works to ensure the stability of 

the structure. Aoife, like Alison, stresses 

the normality of her career choice. “Maybe 

I’m a little idealistic about the construction 

industry but there is absolutely no reason 

why a female can’t do the job as well as or 

better than anybody else.” 

Kimberley Field, Senior Mechanical 

Engineer at Arup, the building services 

consultant engineers for number 40 

Chancery Lane, acted as lead engineer. Her 

experience of working in the engineering 

industry has also been overwhelmingly 

positive. “There’s the occasional irritation, 

such as the odd email addressed ‘Gents’. 

And once in a while I encounter a raised 

eyebrow on site, but that’s mostly in good 

jest. In the main, there is a very positive 

attitude towards women working in 

engineering.” 

Like Aoife, Kimberley also cites a 

passion for maths and physics while she 

was at school and she comes from an 

engineering family background with a 

grandfather and an uncle who work in the 

industry. 

In fact, the family influence and an 

early introduction to engineering is a 

common thread shared by Charmaine 

Knower, Project Manager from design and 

development managers Buro Four. “My 

dad is an electrical engineer so I learned 

about engineering growing up. But when 

my parents built our family home I became 

especially interested in how it was all 

designed and constructed. 

“As a result I always chose science 

subjects, and in my final years at high 

school I elected to study Engineering 

Science. I had a fantastic teacher who 

made it all really interesting and so when 

it came to choosing a university course I 

naturally went for engineering.“ 

Given these positive accounts, why 

is the number of women in buildingrelated 

industries still so low? Aoife offers, 

“The sector needs to do more to get the 

message out to girls about the myriad of 

opportunities that exist in engineering. 

Many people, and not just young girls, hear 

the word engineering and don’t know it 

means much more than a car mechanic.” 

Charmaine agrees about promoting the 

variety of the role. “As a project manager 

I’m involved in all aspects of a job from 

acquisition, feasibility, design, procurement 

and managing works on site, which 

makes for a very varied day.” Kimberley 

adds, “Being an engineer, every project is 

different. It’s what makes it such a great 

job. It’s never boring.” 

So, is the female workforce behind the 

new 40 Chancery Lane building a sign that 

the tide is at last turning? Dawn Bonfield, 

President of the Women’s Engineering 

Society (WES) welcomes it as a very 

positive indication of the opportunities that 

exist for talented women, and the result of 

campaigning for nearly a century. 

WES was established in 1919 at the 

end of the First World War to ensure 

equality for those women who had worked 

in technical jobs during the war and who 

wanted to continue with their work. Its 

members have been working since that 

time to ensure equality for women, and 

to celebrate its 95th anniversary last year, 

the society established National Women in 

Engineering Day. The aim of the day was to 

focus attention on the great opportunities 

for women in engineering, at a time when it 

has never been more important to address 

the engineering skills shortage. This year’s 

event, to be held on 23 June 2015, will 

continue the society’s mission to showcase 

the wide variety of engineering careers that 

are available to girls. Talking to Dawn, she 

is full of praise for the team at 40 Chancery 

Lane. “The cluster of role models is brilliant. 

It’s so important to draw attention to these 

successes not only for the next generation 

of girls to see, but also for their parents 

who are very influential in the choice of 

their daughters’ careers.” RIBA’s Jane, 

who before becoming President Elect was 

RIBA’s equality and diversity champion, 

Aoife Bloomer 

Alison Darvill 

Kimberley Field

– 14 


agrees. “Collectively the industry needs 

to take positive steps to encourage and 

inspire the widest talent pool.” 

Paul Collen, Senior Project Manager 

for Morgan Sindall, the main contractor 

at number 40, agrees; “In my experience, 

a site with a diverse range of people with 

varying backgrounds and areas of expertise 

helps to contribute towards a successful 

project. At Morgan Sindall we recognise 

that talented people from all walks of life 

are the key to our success. We actively 

contribute to women’s networks such as 

South West Women in Construction and 

the Association of Women in Property to 

help ensure a bright future for our industry.” 

Fortunately this sentiment is widely 

shared and there is a wave of new 

initiatives nationwide to encourage girls 

to think beyond traditional female career 

roles. Mentoring and access to industry 

are high on the agenda, as with RIBA’s The 

Role Model project, launched this June, as 

part of a drive to increase the diversity of 

people working in architecture. The project 

uses mentoring to send a message that the 

profession is for anyone, regardless not only 

of gender but also of social background 

or any aspect of a person’s identity. Jane 

continues, “Architecture needs to not just 

respond to society but to reflect it.” 

Does Alison see herself as a role 

model? “If I can help enthuse anyone 

about the sector, that’s great. Anything 

A varied and hands-on job; Alison Darvill 

at work. 

that encourages more girls to look at a 

career in construction is a positive thing. 

There is such a range of opportunities in 

the industry and it offers an exciting and 

challenging career. It would be great to 

see more women actively involved at the 

production end of construction, either as 

site architects or engineers, or working for 

contractors. For me, this has always been 

the most interesting and rewarding part of 

the job. When you see your design being 

realised and the tangible results of all your 

work, as we are with 40 Chancery Lane, 

the sense of achievement is huge.” 

Nationwide a number of initiatives have 

been introduced to encourage girls to 

think beyond traditional female career 

roles. 

The Women’s Engineering Society is 

a professional, not-for-profit network 

of women engineers, scientists and 

technologists that offers inspiration, 

support and professional development. 

www.wes.org.uk 

www.nwed.org.uk 

Your Life is a three-year campaign, 

supported by the Department for 

Education that aims to ensure young 

adults in the UK – and young women 

in particular – have the maths and 

science skills needed to succeed in the 

competitive global economy. 

www.yourlife.org.uk 

Jaguar Land Rover and Birmingham 

Metropolitan College have combined 

to run the ‘Young Women in the 

Know’ apprenticeships course which 

has been developed to change outdated 

perceptions of engineering and 

to encourage more young women to 

consider careers in both engineering 

and manufacturing. 

www.bmetc.ac.uk 

WISE inspires girls and women to study 

and build careers in science, technology, 

engineering and manufacturing (STEM). 

It is also collaborating with Jaguar Land 

Rover – 2015 applications are now open 

for the Evoque WISE Apprentice and 

Undergraduate scholarships. 

www.wisecampaign.org.uk 

Pictured at the topping out ceremony for Derwent London’s 40 Chancery Lane – with a 

trowel and cement in the foreground – are, left to right, Alison Darvill, Rebecca Sawcer 

(Architectural Assistant, Bennetts Associates), Aoife Bloomer, Kimberley Field and Jade Chau 

(Architect, Bennetts Associates). 

The Women in Engineering programme 

at Brunel University consists of a 

bespoke mentoring scheme, personal 

professional development training and 

industry visits. It awards £10,000 to 

30 selected female students who are 

starting their full-time masters studies 

on a range of MSc courses. 

www.brunel.ac.uk

FOOD AND DRINK 

– 15 

RESTAURANT REVIEW: CIGALON 

KATHERINE WILDMAN IS TRANSPORTED TO THE SOUTH OF FRANCE TO 

DISCOVER THE DELIGHTS OF CORSICAN COOKING 

Any restaurant that boasts Rib of Camargue 

Bull on its menu demands to be explored. 

And, if the elegant and eloquent staff of 

that same restaurant can say “Pieds et 

Paquets” in such a way as to make the 

classic Marseille stew of lamb’s trotters and 

tripe sound like a sensual line of poetry, all 

resistance becomes futile. 

We visit Cigalon on Chancery Lane 

one bright and sunny Tuesday lunchtime, 

joining tables filled with smart-suited 

diners and elegant couples. As restaurant 

manager, Jocelyn, takes us to our seats, 

the sun pours in through the glass roof 

and filters through a line of parlour palms 

that punctuate the middle of the light, 

spacious dining room. On one wall a mirror 

with honeycombed-glass panels echoes 

the tessellated terracotta floor tiles and 

delicate lavender-painted screens that 

decorate the beautiful room. 

We choose from the three course ‘wine 

flight’ menu, where each dish is matched 

to a specific French or Corsican wine. 

While we decide, our waiter Alessandro 

brings a selection of toasted breads to the 

table, together with a dish of black and 

green olive tapenade that packs a heady 

punch of Mediterranean sun. 

The tapenade is the first clue to the fact 

that Julien Carlon, Cigalon’s Head Chef, 

sources his herbs, mushrooms, olives and 

olive oil from a Provençal supplier. The 

flavours that emerge from his kitchen are 

earthy and chewy – and sing of long days 

spent under azure blue skies. 

The second clue comes with our 

starters. My companion chooses a delicate 

salad of courgettes, tangled on the plate 

and intertwined with piquant pickled 

button mushrooms, roquette and fresh 

basil leaves while I savour a tender fillet of 

mackerel escabèche in a saffron bouillon 

sauce, served with sweet julienne carrots, 

finely diced tomato flesh and fresh parsley. 

We devour our main courses in 

appreciative silence. A sea bass fillet, all 

milky white flakes and crisp buttered skin, 

is served on a bed of sprouted broccoli 

with a Pastis and fennel sauce. A generous 

hunk of lamb neck – raspberry pink on the 

inside, slightly charred on the outside – 

makes an exquisite combination with its 

accompanying black olive mashed potato. 

Cigalon is housed in a former auction 

house and named after the 1935 black and 

white film, directed by Marcel Pagnol. The 

film tells the story of Monsieur Cigalon, the 

owner of a restaurant in a small village in 

Provence, who refuses to serve any food 

to his customers, deeming them unworthy 

of his talents. Thankfully, Monsieur Carlon 

had no such qualms when, unable to 

choose between chocolate ganache with 

yoghurt sorbet, aromatic rosemary cream 

with a gloss of morello cherry coulis and 

blue cheese with a saffron pickled pear, 

we ask for all three, complemented by a 

glass of honeyed Domaine Pieretti 2010 

Muscat du Cap Corse. 

Call today to book your ticket to 

Provence and your chance to soak up the 

flavours of the sun. No passport required. 

Cigalon 

115 Chancery Lane 

+44 (0)20 7242 8373 

www.cigalon.co.uk

– 16 


DAPPER DADS 

ON FATHER’S DAY OR AT BIRTHDAY TIME, DELIGHT YOUR DAD WITH GIFTS TO TREASURE 

11 

1 

10 

2 

9 

4 

7 

6 

5 

3 

8 

1 Sterling silver skull cufflinks £545 

2 Sterling silver and enamel boxer dog cufflinks £295 

George Attenborough & Son, 193 Fleet Street 

3 Flask and four cups £140 

4 Newmarket wool bag £325 

Church’s, 89 Chancery Lane 

5 Léman fountain pen £420 

6 Montegrappa DC Comics Batman rollerball £250 

7 Visconti ballpoint £440 

8 Caran d’Ache A5 notebook £325 

Penfriend, 17 Fleet Street 

9 Silver business card holder £220 

10 Silver twist paper knife £125 

11 Silver blotter £370 

John Surtees, Vault 16 

London Silver Vaults, 53 - 64 Chancery Lane

SHOPPING 

– 17 

13 

12 

14 

15 

17 

16 

12 Hopsack linen ties £80 

13 Diagonal spot bow ties £20 

14 Portobello cotton socks £15 

15 Halston folding Panama hat £95 

16 Polka dot linen handkerchiefs £45 

17 Map of the world braces £65 

Ede & Ravenscroft, 93 Chancery Lane

– 18 


FILL YOUR LUNGS 

TenPilates 

The expert trainers at TenPilates, the home of Dynamic Pilates, 

deliver innovative, intense and highly effective full body workouts. 

Designed to give you lean, toned muscles, fast, classes range 

from beginners to advanced, with prenatal classes on offer too. 

This lovely studio is now also open on Sundays. 

Lower Ground Floor, 36 – 38 Hatton Garden 

www.tenpilates.com 

Central Health Physiotherapy 

Chancery Lane’s very own physiotherapy clinic offers personal 

training as well as mat Pilates and High Intensity Interval Training. 

And if you do need support to recover from an existing injury, 

these guys are the best, offering a range of rehabilitation services. 

Recommend a friend for physio and enjoy a free massage. 

Chancery House, 53 – 64 Chancery Lane 

www.central-health.com 

Fitness First 

There are two Fitness First gyms 

within easy reach of Chancery Lane 

but Thavies Inn is closest if you’re 

saving energy for your workout. 

You’ll need it - the new range 

of Team GB Pro Athlete classes 

are designed by top athletes to 

enhance speed, endurance, power, 

agility and strength. Look for the 

‘try us’ option on the website 

and download your first workout 

for free. 

1 Thavies Inn, Holborn Circus 

www.fitnessfirst.co.uk 

Gymbox 

Calling itself a melting pot of fitness 

insanity, Gymbox is not for the 

faint hearted but it does promise 

to deliver the hardest bodies in 

town with classes such as the 

‘Warrior Workout’ and ‘Ripped 

and Stripped’. Open all week 

and with nightly DJ sets, the gym 

also boasts a boxing ring, matted 

combat area and climbing bars in 

addition to extensive free weights 

and resistance machines. 

100 High Holborn 

www.gymbox.com 

Edge Cycle 

The team at Edge Cycle promises to put 

the fun into indoor cycling and clients 

on Twitter agree; “Amazing teachers, 

exercising in a club, what could be better?” 

Classes include Edge Yoga and Edge Latin 

Craze plus a brilliant bootcamp workout. 

Book your free Learn to Ride induction 

class and get on your bike! 

2 Leather Lane 

www.edgecycle.co.uk 

Lincoln’s Inn Fields courts 

Prefer the fresh air? Open from 8am until 

the last hour before the park closes at 

dusk, the three tarmac tennis courts and 

two netball courts are available for hire all 

week round, with bookings taken up to 

seven days in advance. The path around 

the park’s perimeter doubles as a great 

running track. 

+44 (0)7525 278647 

www.camden.gov.uk/parks 

Grange Health Club 

If you fancy a dip in Greco Roman style 

surroundings head to the Grange Hotel 

with its stunning 13-metre pool. Looking 

for more than a splash about? Turn to 

ex-international swimmer Jean Ross and 

her newly launched City Swim Academy 

offering private one-to-one lessons to 

everyone from beginners to triathletes. 

50-60 Southampton Row 

www.grangehealthclubs.com

BODY AND MIND 

– 19 

FEED YOUR BRAIN 

Gresham College 

Fancy a little cerebral stimulation? For over 400 years Gresham 

College has provided free public talks and today the Gresham 

Professors and other visiting speakers offer over 100 free public 

events across the City. Upcoming lectures include ‘The Benefits of 

Singing in a Choir’, and ‘Religion, Morality and Meaning’. 

Barnard’s Inn Hall, High Holborn 

www.gresham.ac.uk 

Conway Hall 

Owned and operated by Conway Hall Ethical Society this venue 

is billed as the landmark of London’s independent intellectual, 

political and cultural life. It hosts a wide variety of classes, 

performances and lectures including the London Thinks series. 

Upcoming lectures include ‘The Science and Ethics of Dr Who’. 

25 Red Lion Square 

www.conwayhall.org.uk 

The Hoxton 

The Hoxton is not just the place 

to rock up for a night’s kip, it’s 

also becoming a regular creative 

hangout with a host of art shows, 

DJ nights and workshops on offer. 

Recent events include ‘Hacking 

Happiness’, an event to help you 

to awaken your inner creative 

genius. Coming up next is ‘How 

to Nail Pinterest’ and don’t miss 

the fashionable launch of the Betty 

magazine summer annual. 

199 – 206 High Holborn 

www.hoxtown.com 

Sir John Soane’s Museum 

The idiosyncratic house of the great 

neo classical architect Sir John 

Soane is untouched since the time 

of his death in 1837. But don’t just 

go for the celebrated candlelit tour, 

look out too for the art workshops. 

The ever-popular drawing and oil 

painting classes, such as ‘Work in 

Progress – Building Sites’ which 

partly takes place at 28 Chancery, 

are known for their excellent 

teaching and small class sizes. 

13 Lincoln’s Inn Fields 

www.soane.org 

Hunterian Museum 

The weekly lunchtime talks at the museum 

of the Royal College of Surgeons of England 

give fascinating insights into the world of 

medicine. A popular weekly curator’s tour 

also takes place every Wednesday at 1pm. 

Look at the website for upcoming lectures 

and evening talks, and the occasional wax 

modelling class. 

35 – 43 Lincoln’s Inn Fields 

www.rcseng.ac.uk 

Midtown Business Club 

The area’s premier networking association 

holds regular learning-based events 

where key issues affecting Midtown are 

discussed. Potential members are welcome 

to attend one event before committing to 

membership. Look out for the June private 

view of The Foundling Museum’s summer 

exhibition, Lines of Beauty. 

+44 (0)1993 844776 

www.londonmidtown.org 

The School of Life 

Want to be a good leader? To find your 

passion or a career that fits? The School 

of Life, devoted to developing emotional 

intelligence, offers all of this and more 

providing a wide variety of classes 

concerned with how to live wisely and well. 

Highlights for the summer include ‘How to 

Communicate Better in Love’. 

70 Marchmont Street 

www.theschooloflife.com

– 20 


A HIVE OF ACTIVITY 

THE LANTERN DISCOVERS WHAT’S CREATING A BUZZ ABOVE CHANCERY LANE 

Every Friday afternoon, between the 

months of May and September, Gustavo 

Montes de Oca arrives in the reception area 

of law firm Lewis Silkin on Chancery Lane. 

Accompanied by members of his team, he 

makes his way up to the building’s rooftop. 

There, along with staff members from 

Lewis Silkin, they tend to two beehives, 

home to an estimated 60,000 bees, high 

above the Midtown bustle. 

In 2011, Steve Forster, Head of 

Facilities at Lewis Silkin, read an article 

about Gustavo and his social enterprise 

business, The Golden Company, in the 

Evening Standard. 

The Golden Company works with 

young people aged 16-20 from Hackney, 

one of the most deprived boroughs of 

London, and provides opportunities for 

them to ‘learn, earn and discover nature’ 

by creating, marketing and selling products 

linked to beekeeping. 

Steve pitched the idea of working with 

The Golden Company to the Corporate 

Social Responsibility committee at Lewis 

Silkin. Penny Newman, Director of People 

and Knowledge says, “We were keen to 

support the bees, but we also liked the 

idea that The Golden Company provided 

training opportunities for young people to 

learn about beekeeping.” 

So who gets involved? According to 

Gustavo, everyone. “From the lawyers to 

the facilities team, they all come to help.” 

And how does access to a company such 

as Lewis Silkin help the young people he 

works with? “Beekeeping introduces our 

kids, our ‘Bee Guardians’, to people they’d 

never get to meet in their normal lives. 

And because the youngsters have been 

trained in beekeeping, this is their chance 

to lead and teach the lawyers and other 

elders what to do. It’s key for building their 

self-esteem.”

A HIVE OF ACTIVITY 

– 21 

Gustavo continues, “Apart from giving 

the kids a chance to find their voice, they 

get to see London from a completely 

different perspective. They don’t really ever 

get to come into the City in their normal 

lives, and here they are having a taste of 

a secret side of London. It gives them a 

sense of ownership to see the rooftops 

and chimneys; there’s a thrill in being able 

to look down and see the buzz of the street 

below, the people rushing around. And the 

area around Chancery Lane is steeped in 

history, unlike Hackney where these kids 

are from. They marvel at the spires of King’s 

College! It opens their eyes to be part of a 

something bigger, something prestigious. 

They’re masters of their own universe, if 

only for a little while.” 

So what about the old chestnut of 

health and safety for everyone up on the 

roof? Penny smiles and nods. “For safety 

reasons the bees are in an area that can 

only be accessed by the facilities team. 

There is signage to warn about the 

presence of the bees and when the hives 

are opened everyone wears full beekeeping 

suits. To be honest though, we’re much 

more concerned about the risk of seagull 

attacks! The nesting gulls on the adjacent 

building often dive bomb the staff who go 

onto the roof to water the lavender and 

other bee-friendly plants we have growing 

up there. We keep a couple of Lewis Silkin 

golf umbrellas handy to fend them off.” 

After all this hard work, we ask Gustavo, 

what happens to the honey? “When it’s 

time for the annual spring honey harvest, 

everyone congregates in the staff canteen. 

We take over a table and cut open the 

frames to start extracting the honey. 

Everyone’s welcome to come along and try 

it before it gets bottled and sold in the staff 

canteen.” Penny was one of the people 

lucky enough to be at the company’s first 

honey harvest. “The honey was delicious. 

Pale golden in colour, light and floral 

but with a complex flavour. And so very 

different from commercial honey. 

Gustavo explains, “For every jar of 

honey made, one bee will have visited two 

million flowers – that’s why the flavour is 

so good. Those flowers will be on the trees 

of the South Bank and St Paul’s Cathedral 

as well as the old lime trees that line the 

capital’s streets. The bees visit the flowers 

in the municipal borders and on people’s 

balconies too. Lavender is a great plant for 

attracting them to gardens.” 

Lewis Silkin isn’t the only business in 

the area to have hives high on its rooftop. 

At Olswang, another local law firm, this 

time on High Holborn, three hives are 

looked after by a team of volunteers, 

trained by a professional apiarist from the 

local Business Improvement District body 

inmidtown. 

The hives, in place since 2012, produce 

up to 120 jars of honey every year and 

a rooftop garden (pictured above), first 

created to feed the bees, has developed 

into an urban oasis providing vegetables 

and herbs for the staff canteen, with plans 

afoot to start a vegetable box scheme. 

Ashley Badcock, senior partner at 

Sharpe Pritchard solicitors, on Fulwood 

Place just off High Holborn, is another keen 

beekeeper. Ashley can lay claim to tending 

one of the longest standing bee colonies 

in the area, introducing, as he did, a hive 

to the roof of his office six years ago. He 

now produces up to 50lbs, that’s 50 jars, 

of ‘Holborn Honey’, with its legal bee logo, 

from a single colony each year, though the 

vagaries of beekeeping are such that the 

amount can sometimes dip. 

What made Ashley think of bringing 

bees into the heart of London? “Bees will 

travel about three miles to gather pollen so 

my Holborn bees have a wonderful pool 

of gardens and greenery. There’s Gray’s 

Inn and Lincoln’s Inn Fields, Bloomsbury 

and Russell Squares. There’s no shortage 

of flourishing open spaces.” Asked if his 

honey has a distinctive 

taste, Ashley beams. 

“Yes, a subtle hint of 

rose.” 

The introduction 

of rooftop planting 

schemes all over 

Holborn will add to the 

bees’ feeding grounds 

and thanks to the crop 

of new buildings along 

Chancery Lane there 

will be new green roofs 

for the bees to visit – as well 

as encouraging additional new arrivals to 

the area’s wildlife. 

81 Chancery Lane has plans for a robin 

box, a bat tube and a sparrow terrace on its 

roof. Meanwhile, over at 40 Chancery Lane 

there are more bat tubes and almost 50 

bird boxes. These nesting aids could see 

the arrival of wrens, spotted flycatchers 

and black redstarts to Chancery Lane all 

adding to the street’s biodiversity. Penny 

enthusiastically sums up. “We’re delighted 

that other firms are embracing nature 

– green roofs will help to maintain our 

threatened bee population.” 

Gustavo agrees, “Bees are so precious. 

Not only do they provide an incredible 

way to help create connections between 

people but they allow us as individuals to 

connect to the natural world too.” 

www.thegolden.co

– 22 


DRESSING FOR THE SEASON 

Earlier this year, Amal Clooney, the renowned human rights lawyer, was asked what she was wearing for her court 

appearance that day. Her no-nonsense reply – “I’m wearing Ede and Ravenscroft” – put the Chancery Lane store 

into the spotlight. Although traditionally famed for its men’s tailoring and robe making – Amal was wearing her gown, 

wing collar and bands – the boutique is also home to a range of elegant designer womenswear and accessories. 

Cartier Queen’s Cup 

14 June 

Whether you’re in the Clubhouse or 

the Royal Box, stand out from the 

crowd in this chic, fashion-forward 

monochrome Sportmax dress. 

Sportmax £480 

Royal Ascot 

16 – 20 June 

Perfect for a day at the races or a 

night at the opera, this elegant Joseph 

number will ensure you’re suitably 

attired for the Royal Enclosure. 

Joseph £295 

Wimbledon 

29 June – 12 July 

As the tension on Centre Court mounts 

and the Pimm’s flows in the stand, 

channel the colour code and keep your 

cool in this classic MaxMara dress. 

MaxMara Studio £305

FASHION – 23 

From dramatic monochrome checks and bold 

statement stripes to pretty pastels and floaty florals, 

store manager Karen D’Andraia presents her guide 

to dressing for the season. 

RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show 

30 June – 5 July 

Wander through flowering arbours 

and stay as fresh as a daisy in this 

blooming gorgeous boat-neck dress 

by MaxMara. 

MaxMara £275 

Henley Royal Regatta 

1 – 5 July 

Whether you’re cheering the crews 

from the Stewards’ Enclosure or 

Fawley Meadows, make a splash in 

this stylish Paul Smith dress. 

Paul Smith £275 

Goodwood Revival 

11 – 13 September 

Perfect the vintage vibe in this 

feminine 1940s-style tea dress 

by MaxMara. Accessorize with a 

stole for maximum effect. 

MaxMara Studio £305

– 24 


THEN AND NOW 

Raymond Feldman 

As you descend the stairwell into the London Silver Vaults you’ll notice a wall to your right, covered in framed photographs. 

On that wall you’ll see an old black and white photograph of a smart young man proudly holding an ornate silver coffee pot. 

Fast forward 60 years to today and that same gentleman, Ray Feldman – still working full time at the Vaults and looking 

forward to turning 80 on his next birthday – talks hallmarks, celebrities and silver spoons to Nicola Frost. 

My father was a milliner in Clerkenwell but 

I always wanted to be a silver dealer. I was 

fascinated by hallmarks and how you can 

trace an item’s history. It’s all in the book 

‘Jackson’s Hallmarks’ which dates silver 

from 1300. I call it my bible. 

I’m self-taught and started collecting 

teaspoons at the age of 14 around North 

London. I had stalls in Portobello Road and 

Bermondsey. I began to travel a bit further 

afield when I got my first car, a Ford Consul. 

I’d go on buying trips to Ireland and come 

back with stock to sell to other dealers. 

There was no shortage of silver back then, 

spoons, plates, you name it. So much of 

it was made during Victorian times, you 

would pay just a few shillings for pieces in 

any of the many antique shops across the 

countryside. There were a huge number of 

silversmiths in the 19th century – contrast 

that with today, when there are so few, 

and relatively few good antique shops too. 

The big auction houses put paid to them. 

There’s nothing to match what you can find 

here at the Vaults. 

I started working here in 1954 aged 17. 

I was an apprentice for a Scotsman called 

Mr Mazure. It was the year after the London 

Silver Vaults opened in its current guise. 

The building took a direct hit during WWII 

and although the vaults stayed intact, they 

were after all built as a strong room, there 

had been water damage.

THEN AND NOW 

– 25 


The first thing I sold was a silver tea 

set for £59. That would be worth £2,500 

today. When I was 21, I acquired a small 

shop of my own in the back corridor of the 

Vaults. My mother would sometimes help 

me. Later on, in 1977, my son Michael 

joined the business. I’ve moved a few 

times to different units but today 

I’m settled in numbers 4 and 6 

and Michael’s next door to me 

at number 2. 

For a silver item to be 

considered an antique it has to 

be over 100 years old, but we do sell 

modern pieces too. The variety of things 

we have on sale sometimes even surprises 

me! We have duck presses of the kind 

made famous by La Tour d’Argent in Paris 

– you can see one of ours in use at Otto’s 

on Gray’s Inn Road – and meat trolleys 

too. We sold one to the Rosewood Hotel 

on High Holborn recently. I do like to see 

antiques in use and not just kept for display. 

Of course needs and tastes change; we’ve 

got spoon warmers from Victorian times 

that were used to make sure that when 

the stuffing was served, it was hot. A 

well-to-do household wouldn’t 

have been without one. 

I like the Vaults not least 

because it’s reckoned to be 

the fourth most secure building 

in the world – something that’s 

not lost on my associates in Hatton 

Garden! – but also because the area has 

so much history. I remember the buses 

running up and down the street in the late 

50s and the hundreds of smoky bars. I 

remember Gamages the department store, 

up the road. It closed in 1972 but in its 

day it rivalled Selfridges. I don’t miss the 

dingy bars but it would be nice to have a 

department store on the doorstep again. 

There’s such an amazing mix of people 

both working at the Vaults and passing 

through. We have visitors from all over the 

world – South Africa, America, China. The 

buyers from Ralph Lauren come to us to 

find various bits and pieces to decorate 

their shops. And we’ve served lots of 

celebrities and royalty over the years too, 

people such as Sean Connery. Baron 

St John of Fawsley once bought a silver 

George III card tray from us, which I believe 

the Queen keeps at her bedside. 

We provide a valuation service – the 

most expensive collection we ever valued 

was that of Sheffield-born silversmith 

Omar Ramsden. It was worth about 

£100,000 and quite something. I love to get 

hold of unusual items and we specialise in 

rare silver. One of my favourite finds was 

the Royal Hunt Cup made by Hancock & 

Co. We were also asked to commission the 

largest silver basting spoon in the world; 

it’s even in the Guinness Book of World 

Records. Neither of those pieces is quite 

as unusual as the stripped down, silverplated 

ejector seat from a F4 Phantom that 

we recently sold. It’s sitting in an airline 

company boardroom now. We 

now have a silver-plated 

Vickers machine gun 

on sale, deactivated of 

course, transformed from a 

weapon into a striking piece 

of modern art. 

www.rfeldman.co.uk

– 26 


WE TAKE A STROLL 

AROUND ONE OF 

CHANCERY LANE’S 

NEIGHBOURING 

MIDTOWN VILLAGES. 

The Hoxton 

So much more than a hotel, The Hoxton 

must surely be Holborn’s favourite hang 

out thanks to restaurants Hubbard & Bell 

and Chicken Shop, plus the Holborn Grind 

Coffee Shop. There are meeting rooms for 

hire too. And don’t forget to look in on the 

Cheeky Parlour, a one-stop shop for manis, 

pedis and makeovers. 

www.thehoxton.com 

www.urcheeky.com 

IT’S HIP, IT’S HAPPENING. 

HELLO HOLBORN. 

Slow food and living market 

Explore Rosewood London’s weekly 

slow food market in the serenity of the 

hotel’s grand inner courtyard. The market, 

featuring over 30 different merchants, 

recreates a traditional marketplace and 

celebrates produce from local growers and 

artisans. Open every Sunday come rain or 

shine from 10am to 3.30pm. 

#rosewoodlondonmarket 

Sense Spa at Rosewood London 

This tranquil retreat, with its bamboo walls 

and wooden walkways over rippling water 

and pebble stones, is a haven away from 

High Holborn. There are seven treatment 

rooms, including an exclusive couple’s 

suite. Kick back and enjoy a relaxing 

massage or an exclusive Face Place facial, 

new to the UK from America. 

www.sensespalondon.com 

Discover Midtown guided walks 

Starting at the information kiosk outside 

Holborn tube, there are regular free walks 

plus some special events such as ‘Very Old 

Holborn’, looking at buildings dating from 

before 1666. Look out for the interactive 

walks too where you get to meet some 

of the fascinating characters and great 

thinkers who made Holborn their home. 

www.gotomidtown.co.uk/walks 

UAL Showroom 

The expertly-curated University of the Arts 

London Showroom on High Holborn never 

fails to catch the eye, and features the work 

of UAL’s talented art and design students 

and graduates. Work on display is for sale 

and commissions are accepted. 

www.arts.ac.uk/about-ual/ual-showroom 

Bounce 

Incredibly Bounce is located on the very 

spot where ping pong was invented in 

1901 by John Jaques III. If you’re not too 

busy playing wiff waff on one of the 17 

bespoke tables – including the London 

2012 Olympic final table – there’s a pizza 

restaurant and a cocktail bar too. 

www.bouncepingpong.com 

Photography by Damian Griffiths

RUNNING SUBJECT HEADER – 27 

6 

21 

18 

3 

16 

19 

25 

26 

11 

15 

4 

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23 

24 

7 

14 

17 

20 

5 

13 

8 

1 

9 

2 

10 

12 

FOOD AND DRINK 

SHOPPING 

FITNESS 

HOLBORN VILLAGE 

1 Chancery Coffee 

2 Cigalon 

PLACES TO LEARN 

3 Conway Hall 

4 Gresham College 

5 Hunterian Museum 

6 School of Life 

8 Church’s 

9 Ede & Ravenscroft 

10 George Attenborough & Son 

11 Kelvie & Brown 

12 Penfriend 

13 Roderick Charles 

14 London Silver Vaults 

15 Central Health 

16 Edge Cycle 

17 Fitness First 

18 Grange Health Club 

19 Gymbox 

20 Lincoln’s Inn Fields courts 

21 Ten Pilates 

22 Bounce 

23 The Hoxton 

24 inmidtown kiosk 

25 Rosewood London 

26 UAL showroom 

7 

Soane Museum

– 28 


THE HOME 

OF SILVER 

SHOPPING 

THE LONDON SILVER VAULTS 

OFF CHANCERY LANE, LONDON 

MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9AM – 5.30PM 

SATURDAY 9AM – 1PM 

silvervaultslondon.com

THE LANTERN

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