Power and Broadband Outage in Mayfair

Businesses and residents in Mayfair were affected by a localised power outage yesterday afternoon.

A knock on effect of this was that power to 3 of BT's ADSL "muxes" in Mayfair was lost, meaning that broadband was unavailable for several hours, leaving many firms unable to work.

According to BT's log, the ADSL error was detected at 16:11 and serviced was restored at 18:09.

A Very Merry Mayfair Christmas

South Molton Street


Bond Street Illuminations


Stella McCartney shop on Bruton Street


A thought provoking installation at the Gagosian Gallery in Davies Street

Merry Christmas from AboutMayfair.co.uk

Mayfair Lady's Extraordinary Will Upheld

Mayfair Millionairesss Golda Bechal, who died in 2004, has had her controversial final will upheld in High Court ruling, gifting her £10million estate to the proprietors of a Chinese restaurant with which she had become friendly. Kim Sing Man and his wife, Bee Lian Man set up the Chinese restaurant in commercial premises owned by Bechal.

Mrs Bechal lived into Grosvenor Square, and her will has been the subject of a challenge by her family who claimed they should inherit the estate owing to Bechal suffering from dementia and not being aware of what she was doing.

The court heard that Bechal had formed a friendship with the Mans over two decades, and Mr Man would regularly deliver Cantonese Pickled Leeks to her home. They also shared family holidays together.

Judge Sir Donald Rattee QC said: "In my judgment, on the balance of probabilities, Mrs Bechal had testamentary capacity. The will executed by Mrs Bechal in August 1994 was valid.".

Gap Between Mayfair and City Office Prices Widens

A new report by CB Richard Ellis has found that the difference in prime office space costs between the West End and the City is at its widest ever level . Within the West End, the headline figure is actually skewed upwards by two sub markets which demand prime rentals of £120.00 per sq ft - Mayfair and St James's.

Prime rental costs in the City stands at only £65.00 per sq ft. The City faces competition from Docklands and new developments on the South Bank, whilst West End tenants are less likely to look at other areas. The research says "top prime rents of the West End are being driven by a relatively small number of tenants that have strong preferances for very specific locations in the West End".

Read the CBRE Report

See Also:
Mayfair Serviced Offices

"Legible London" Scheme Makes Exploring Mayfair Easier

A new signage scheme called Legible London has been unveiled in Bond Street and nearby streets which aims to make exploring the area by foot a great deal simpler. As part of the pilot, 19 displays have been erected with useful location information which should help West End shoppers this Christmas.

The signs give the reader a quick sense of their bearings and help them to locate shops, hotels, landmarks, toilets, tube stations and other amenities. They also provide an audio commentary which can be accessed via a mobile phone.

The scheme is the result of a joint commitment by the Mayor of London, TfL, Westminster City Council and New West End Company to improve conditions and signage for pedestrians in the area.

The Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, said: "Legible London is an important part of the work that is taking place to improve conditions for pedestrians in the Capital... The Bond Street trial delivers on the pledge I made last year to improve signage in the West End before this year's Christmas shopping season."

Find out more at Legible London

Legible London sign launched by Cllr Danny Chalkley, Ben Plowden from Transport for London, and Ian Henderson from New West End Company.

Mayfair Still "Super Prime" Location, Say Savills

A new survey by Savills - the global real estate firm - that tracks the finest suburbs in London has found that Mayfair is still regarded as a "Super Prime" location. Along St James', Belgravia and Knightsbridge it has retained the same status as when the survey was last conducted, in 1989.

Whilst Mayfair has stayed the same, other areas such as Notting Hill have seen their status improve. Once considered as a "bad land" with near deprivation in the 1950s, Notting Hill now also enjoys Super Prime status.

Read the full story

Mayfair Library Reopens Tomorrow

Mayfair Library on South Audley Street reopens tomorrow (Monday 26th November) following a few weeks closure for essential building works.

Mayfair Library

Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester Scores 8/10 in Telegraph Review

Legendary French chef, Alain Ducasse's new restaurant, Alain Ducasse at the Dorchester, has come under the reviewing eye of Mark Palmer from the Telegraph .

Palmer review says "this is a restaurant for dedicated followers of food fashion and people with deep pockets or on generous expenses... the food here lives up to its billing and should not be missed."

Read the review in full.

Joan Collins Switches On Burlington Arcade's Christmas Lights

Legendary star Joan Collins last night attended the Burlington Arcade to switch on their Christmas lights. Arriving in a horse drawn carriage, she wished the assembled throng of 600 guests a "very glamourous" Christmas before turning on the lights. She also accepted a cheque for £10,000 from the Burlington Arcade on behalf of the Variety Club, which helps sick, disabled and disadvantaged children in the UK.


Onlookers enjoyed mulled wine, roasted chestnuts and were handed treats from Father Christmas who took time out of his busy schedule to attend.

"Motorcycle Raiders" Hit Bond Street Again

The Evening Standard yesterday reported that the string of robberies carried out by a gang on motorbikes has continued, with Ralph Lauren in Bond Street being the latest target.

The robberies are the latest in a spate of crimes aimed at high end retailers in affluent areas. The gangs - Police believe two may be in operation - have struck at least 35 times in six months.

Mayfair House Gives Encore Performance in "Capturing Mary"

Stephen Poliakoff's "Joe's Palace" was shown last week on BBC One and was a candidate for drama highlight of the year. It followed the story of billionare Elliot Graham (played by Michael Gambon), who kept a stunning Mayfair mansion empty because he was afraid to enjoy his inherited riches until he knew the source of his father's income.

The stunning house looked to this eagle eyed observer like it was in Hill Street, Mayfair. Tonight the house will reappear in a second drama from Poliakoff, set in the same house but telling a different story from a different time. Maggie Smith will be sharing the limelight with the Mayfair mansion is what looks set to be another must-see drama.

"Capturing Mary", BBC 2, Monday 12th November, 9pm

Mayfair Diary Launched

AboutMayfair.co.uk has added a great new feature to the website. The Mayfair Diary is the way to keep track of all the great events happening in Mayfair, such as store openings, exhibitions, performances, sales, conferences and other special events.

Visit the Mayfair Diary

If you have information about an upcoming event in Mayfair, please email us and let us know.

Explore the streets of Mayfair

Whilst exploring the "blogosphere", I found this wonderful post by Camilla Bartley where she gives a great account of some of Mayfair's fascinating history, including notable residents and a tale of daring getaway through a now restricted passageway between the gardens of Devonshire House and Lansdowne House.

Check it out for a great little read: Promenades through London: Mayfair

Scott's Voted London's Coolest Restaurant

Mayfair restaurant Scott's has been voted London's coolest restaurant in a new "Going Out Guide" compiled by Harper's Bazaar and Moet.

The Mount Street restaurant, which dates back to 1851, specialises in fish dishes, and earned this praise from the guide's editor, Sophie Denning: "It looks gorgeous, it exudes confidence, and the simple pleasures of oysters and Dover sole are very London."

Find out more from This Is London

Mayfair Man Fined For Breaching Planning Laws

Westminster City Council has successfully prosecuted a Mayfair homeowner for breaching planning laws during the renovation of his house.

Andrew Cecil of Charles Street was fined £10,000 after historic features were damaged and substantial changes were made to interior walls in the 250 year old, Grade II listed property.

Mr Cecil pleaded guilty, and in mitigation his defence told the court he was a passionate advocate of the conservation of listed buildings.

Westminster City Council was also awarded costs in excess of £6,000.

Chor Bizarre Celebrates 10th Anniversary

Popular Indian restaurant, Chor Bizarre, is celebrating its 10th year of trading. To mark this achievement, the Albemarle St based establishment is unveiling a new interior design, new chef, new a la carte menu and a new wine list.

Find out more about how Chor Bizarre is marking it's 10th birthday...

Coffee Shops In Mayfair

Found this interesting list of coffee shops in Mayfair, put together by Paul Fisher from a blog called, funnily enough, Coffee Shops of Mayfair although the blog itself is rather more about entrepreneuralism, media and business startups. I don't think it's in any way exhaustive but it's a useful list and has the ability to read, or indeed add, reviews.

Matthew Williamson: 10 Years In Fashion

Mayfair based designer Matthew Williamson is celebrating ten years in fashion with an exhibition at the Design Museum in Shad Thames. It will showcase some of his iconic works from the last decade, and is on between 17th October 2007 and 31st January 2008.

The designer's collections have gained prominence thanks to celebrity fans such as Madonna, Gwyneth Paltrow and Sienna Miller.

Williamson's flagship store is in Hertford Street, Mayfair, and he is also the Creative Director at Pucci.

Tiffany & Co Embarks on Sale-Leaseback Agreement

Diamond Intelligence Briefs has reported that luxury retailer has sold its Mayfair flagship store at 25 Old Bond Street for £73 million, and then immediately leased it back for 15 years with the option to further renew.

Following a store redesign, the world famous shop is now accessible from entrances at 25 Bond Street and 15 Albemarle Street.

CEO Michael J. Kowalski is quoted as saying "Combining the Old Bond Street and Albermarle Street properties into a spacious new store has generated sales growth beyond our expectations, and we had always planned to pursue a sale-leaseback transaction following the completion of construction.".

Tony Blair Sets Up Office in Grosvenor Square

Former Prime Minister Tony Blair is setting up his new base in rented office space in Grosvenor Square, Mayfair. It will be home to his work as Middle East Envoy for the Quartet, according to a report in Property Week.

Mr Blair has taken a ten year lease on 9 Grosvenor Square, which was once home to the 2nd US President, John Adams (between 1785 and 1788)

Throughout his time in office, Blair was accused of being too close to the US administration so it is perhaps ironic that his new office is in Grosvenor Square- famed for its links to to the US - and just over the road from the US Embassy.

Are you looking for office space in Grosvenor Square? Visit Mayfair Serviced Offices for a searchable database.

Mayfair Residents' Association Attacks Crossrail Proposals

The Residents Society of Mayfair and St James’s has come out against the Government's proposed Crossrail scheme. Using the comments section on this blog, the Association attacks the plans and questions why UK tax payers will subsidise a project that will primarily benefit Canary Wharf and the City of London - areas which are already hugely affluent and which are making only a small contribution to the overall costs.

The statement from the Residents Society of Mafair and St James's is reproduced in full below:

The Residents Society of Mayfair and St James's believes that London deserves much better than Crossrail. The Society is supportive of public transport schemes provided they are lawful, provide value for taxpayers’ money and do not cause unnecessary harm. The present Crossrail scheme fails on all these counts.
Many journalists are now beginning to question the funding of the Crossrail scheme as the Olympics has shown that taxpayers’ require proper scrutiny of schemes seeking public funding in advance of being given the go ahead not afterwards. Indeed, the Society share the view of some in Whitehall as stated in the FT previously that: “the project’s backers are likely to keep cost projections as low as possible to secure approval”.

The backers of Crossrail want two-thirds of Londoners and tube passengers to pay for a Crossrail scheme that will alleviate congestion for passengers on the central line and benefit the UK’s richest community, namely the City and Canary Wharf. MPs will vote on the Crossrail Bill at the Third Reading soon without knowing the true cost to taxpayers or tube passengers but the finances simply do not add up. Crossrail is presently estimated at £17 billion + and yet BAA, Canary Wharf and the City Corporation are offering to contribute less than a billion. Oddly, the Government claims the rest of the money will come from fares, a levy on London business rates but provide no details and make no mention of the burden of taxpayers. However, Crossrail fares will only raise £200 million p.a. and the proposed business contribution is ring fenced and time sensitive. So where does the rest of the money come from to pay for Crossrail and who will be left to pay for servicing the debt and the operational costs? It is clear that taxpayers will not be safeguarded from having to underwrite any additional costs unless Mr Brown offers the same protections afforded to the businesses set to benefit most from Crossrail.

As it stands, the Government has nominated UK taxpayers to subsidise and underwrite the present Crossrail scheme, which primarily benefits the City and Canary Wharf. Londoners will not benefit from the property uplift at Canary Wharf and the Corporation of London in Central London. Yet oddly taxpayers are being asked to subsidise the scheme.

Furthermore, independent analysts express doubts about the cost and economic viability of the Crossrail project. To this end, we asked the Treasury numerous questions about Crossrail on the aforementioned areas under the Freedom of Information Act on April 25, 2007 so that they could be analysed independently. We have received no response so it would seem the Government are reluctant to answer these questions. Crossrail appear to be short on facts. Indeed, the Parliamentary petition hearings have shown that when we ask for evidence or substantiation of claims of benefits and harm arising from the project - it is absent.

The Society also asked the Government about the financial structuring of Crossrail and why taxpayers, Londoners and tube passengers have not been consulted. No protection is afforded from from having to pay higher fares and taxes for a Crossrail scheme, which is flawed, unlawful and destroys historic parts of residential London unnecessarily while simultaneously protecting development sites. No response has been received in relation to these specific questions. But the Government should take note that Londoners and UK taxpayers have not been consulted about whether they wish to subsidise a £17 billion + Crossrail scheme, which some say could cost as much as £30 billion.

The railway planner, who helped plan and deliver the successful Jubilee Line and the lauded high speed Channel Tunnel Rail Link Michael Schabas, is sceptical about the benefits of the present Crossrail scheme. Mr Schabas should know as the Crossrail team retained him. In evidence, Mr Schabas says about the Crossrail scheme: “The analysis is so inadequate for a scheme of this size. Maybe if you are doing a garden shed, yes, but you are not supposed to do it this way.” In evidence at the Crossrail petition hearings, Mr Schabas who is a witness-in-fact also revealed Crossrail had refused to consider alternative routes on the central section despite a legal requirement to limit harm and having spent £400 million of taxpayers’ money. Mr Schabas has been denied the right to give evidence in public by the chair of the Crossrail Select Committee Labour MP Alan Meale. Mr Meale has given a variety of different reasons for preventing Michael Schabas from giving evidence in public. We understand Mr Meale’s last reason was he wanted to protect Mr Schabas as he was giving evidence on oath. Mr Schabas has said he has not asked or requested protection but he does want the right to give evidence on oath in public on Crossrail’s refusal to consider alternative routes and not in private as Mr Meale desires. Mr Schabas went on to say that Crossrail claim to “systematically and carefully look at all these alternatives, and that to me is exactly what has not been done in going through these points, and when I read this, not only has it not been done, but it is laughable.” Unfortunately, Mr Schabas has been denied the opportunity to give full evidence on Crossrail’s refusal to consider alternative routes in public by the Crossrail Committee chair Labour MP Alan Meale on no less than two occasions, one of which disclosed Crossrail's own documents showing that a less harmful alternative route had been dismissed without justification. http://www.parliament.the-stationery-office.com/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmcross/uc235-vi/uc23502.htm
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200607/cmselect/cmcross/uc235-xvi/uc23502.htm
A residents group in Spitalfields, the Woodseer and Hanbury Residents Association has disclosed a legal opinion, which says the Crossrail Bill is unlawful in its present form.

Soon MPs will be asked to vote on Crossrail at the Third Reading without having information on what Crossrail will cost, if it is lawful, the taxpayers’ burden and the environmental harm it will cause. Oddly former transport secretary Douglas Alexander quotes shadow transport secretary Chris Grayling as saying: "Privately: it is the wrong project (bad route, too expensive) and we wouldn't want to be associated with it." In contrast, the Prime Minister seems keen to back Crossrail.

Got a story about Mayfair?

We're on the look out for stories about people, events and businesses in London's Mayfair. If you have a news item or press release concerning Mayfair, please email it to us: mayfair@uretopia.com

The Nancy Bag from Smythson of Bond Street

Unless you have been living under a fashion rock for the past few months, you will have heard of the Nancy Bag from Smythson of Bond Street. There's actually a Nancy Collection, with three bags: Small Nancy Bag, Large Nancy Bag and the Nancy Clutch Bag. Each of these is available in black, brown and taupe.



The calf skin bags have been the talk of the fashion pages, having been seen on the arm of celebrities such as Cat Deeley, Madonna and of course, the creative director of Smythson, Samantha Cameron - wife of the Conservative party leader, David Cameron.

As you might expect, these must-have bags do not come cheap - the small Nancy bag is £750.00, the large Nancy bag is £950.00 and the Nancy Clutch bag costs £495.00. If you want to treat yourself, or maybe you're looking for very special Christmas present, click the link below to buy the Nancy bag online.

Smythson of Bond Street > "Nancy" Collection

Claridge's To Launch Mineral Water Menu

Legendary Mayfair hotel Claridge's will soon be launching a new "water list", with 30 different varieties of bottled water from around according to a report in the Evening Standard.

The exotic varieties come from places as far afield as India, Newfoundland and New Zealand, with the most expensive one costing the equivalent of £50 per litre.

Read the full report...

BOOK A ROOM AT CLARIDGE'S

Old Bond Street Most Expensive Shopping Street in World

The Guardian has reported on a survey by Colliers International that has shown Old Bond Street is the most expensive shopping street in the world, pipping Manhattan's Fifth Avenue to the prize, if that's the right word.

McLaggan Smith Monopoly Mayfair Mugs

McLaggan Smith Mugs is a family run business based in Scotland, that specialise in attractive mugs that will become a talking point in your kitchen. They recently created a range of mugs inspired by the Monopoly board game, and of course we were particularly taken with the Mayfair mug (pictured above).

Other mugs in the range include Park Lane, Go To Jail, Trafalgar Square and the Water Works, and the cost £7.25 direct from McLaggan Smith.

Crossrail project approved, Bond Street to get new station

With the scent of a possible General Election in the air, the Government has approved a £16 billion package to make the long talked of Crossrail project a reality. The 73 mile route will connect Maidenhead in Berkshire, with Shenfield in Essex - travelling through Central London and stopping at Mayfair's Bond Street station about slap bang in the middle.

There'll be a new Bond Street station to meet the capacity expected, and planning consent has already been sought to demolish 18-19 Hanover Square to build a new ticket office and entrance.

Find out more at the Crossrail website.

Canadian Embassy For Sale, MacDonald House Profiled

The Times has reported that the Canadian High Commission in Grosvenor Square has been put for sale. MacDonald House - an eight-storey mansion occupying numbers 1-3 Grosvenor Square - is expected to reach £300million on the open market, with the eventual new owners likely to turn the prestigious address into a hotel or serviced apartments, according to speculation.

A Brief History of MacDonald House

In 1936, the previous building that occupied the space was knocked down as part of the Square's ongoing development by the Duke of Westminster, and a new building was put up, becoming 1-3 Grosvenor Square.

From 1938 onwards, part of the building was the original Mayfair home to the US Embassy, but the Americans' requirements outgrew the building and they moved into their purpose built Embassy in 1960, which takes up the entire western side of Grosvenor Square.

Soon after they left, the Canadian High Commission took up residence there and it's been in there hands ever since. The Canadians are now looking to move the closer to Trafalgar Square.