The Ivy goes takeaway – sort of
CELEBRITY hotspot The Ivy is in the middle of a massive makeover – but for those who can’t bear the thought of never again eating a meal in its hallowed environs, there is a solution.
The old fixtures and fittings from the restaurant will go on sale tonight, at an auction run by Sotheby’s. Alongside the place settings, wine glasses and champagne buckets you’d expect are a host of artworks, by artists who have frequented the restaurant, from Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst to Francis Bacon and Lucian Freud.
And if you were inclined to feel a bit guilty about such frivolous purchasing, don’t – all the proceeds go to charity Child Bereavement UK.
■ Prudential RideLondon is back, with the two-day cycling festival set to return on 1 August this year. The event, sponsored by life insurer Prudential, includes a 200km race from Horse Guards Parade and back to central London, with a loop through the Surrey countryside in the middle. The Capitalist knows there are several City types who love nothing more than to do a gruelling bike ride in a big circle on a weekend – one name that springs to mind is Nigel Oddy, the new chief exec at House of Fraser. Known as a keen cyclist, and runner, will he attempt to prove his mettle at Prudential RideLondon?