Police shut exclusive Mayfair members’ club over possible gun offence Hospitality Police have temporarily closed a Mayfair private members’ club, which has been visited by Sarah Ferguson, Kim Kardashian and Noel Gallagher, over a possible gun-related incident. The Metropolitan Police applied to Westminster City Council to suspend the license of Maison Estelle, which subsequently shut its doors on Tuesday. Police said reports of “serious crime, or [...]
London house price slowdown worsens as luxury areas lose value Property House prices losses in London accelerated in June as the capital’s most sought-after postcodes shed value again. The average house price in London dropped by 3.3 per cent in July to £550,000, worse than June’s 2.5 per cent fall, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The capital’s most affluent postcodes have suffered sharp [...]
‘King of Mayfair’ Richard Caring hits out at ‘lacklustre’ economy Hospitality Richard Caring, dubbed the ‘King of Mayfair’, has blamed the UK’s “lacklustre” economy for falling sales at his luxury restaurant group. The hospitality tycoon’s Caprice Holdings reported a four per cent dip in revenue to £90.5m in the year to January, which it blamed on rising employment costs and US tariffs. Caring’s hospitality group includes [...]
Five-star Mayfair hotel hit with HMRC winding-up petition August 11, 2026 A five-star Mayfair hotel has been hit with a winding-up petition by the UK tax authority, just months after the sudden departure of its managing director. The Stafford London, a 107-room luxury hotel, was served the petition by HMRC after a filing was made to the High Court, City AM can reveal. A winding-up petition [...]
Bonheur by Matt Abé review: This Michelin magnet left me hungry July 23, 2026 Matt Abé, formerly of Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, has gone it alone with the opening of Bonheur. His food might be winning plaudits (including two Michelin stars) but our reviewer was left craving french fries I’d eaten like a catwalk model in the hours that preceded my meal at Bonheur by Matt Abe. My guest had [...]
‘An impish sense of fun’: Claridge’s announces new era with fresh restaurant May 15, 2026 Claridge’s hotel in Mayfair has traded on its British history ever since Queen Victoria chose it as her preferred choice for a cocktail. The late Queen was another fan of the property, which first opened in 1812. But the hotel has experimented with that image lately, welcoming a kitchen takeover from New York restaurant Dante. [...]
‘Soul destroying’: Why London’s luxury property market has taken the biggest hit in a decade April 16, 2026 It’s been almost three years since Emma first put her Kensington home on the market. With an initial asking price of just over £4m, she turned down a number of early low-ball offers before accepting one only slightly below what she’d wanted. But after months of dithering, the buyer pulled out at the last minute. [...]
Annabel’s owner sells Mayfair empire in £1.4bn Abu Dhabi deal April 12, 2026 Richard Caring has sold a majority stake in the business behind Annabel’s, the Ivy and a string of London’s most exclusive restaurants to an Abu Dhabi-backed investor in a deal valuing the group at around £1.4bn. The buyer, Diafa, is a luxury hospitality platform linked to International Holding Company (IHC), chaired by Sheikh Tahnoon bin [...]
Non-dom reforms blamed for collapse of Harrods luxury property arm April 9, 2026 The collapse of department store Harrods’ luxury property arm was due in large part to the government’s abolition of the non-dom tax regime, estate agents have said. Harrods Estates, which opened on the shop floor in 1897, has announced the closure of its only remaining office in Knightsbridge. London estate agents said the collapse of [...]
Hotel investment tops £1bn in bumper start to year April 1, 2026 UK hotels attracted more than £1bn investment in the first quarter of this year, as the sector defies business rate rises and market uncertainty caused by the Iran war. Hotel investment volume surpassed £1.1bn in the first three months of the year, marking a 63 per cent increase on the £680m recorded in the same [...]