Housebuilder London Square sold to US firm Ares Management July 3, 2014 London Square, the London housebuilder currently renovating Royal Star & Garter Home, has been sold to a giant American private equity firm. US-based Ares Management will buy the company from London Square’s current backers Graphite Capital for £110m. London Square was founded in 2010 with £50m of equity backing from Graphite, which also owns the [...]
Restaurant review: Blanchette July 2, 2014 Blanchette, 9 D'Arbly Street, W1F 8DR Tel: 020 7439 8100 Food: ★★★★☆ | Value: ★★★★☆ | Atmosphere: ★★★★☆ There's a little cinema in Soho where journalists go to see movies for free before they’re released. It’s one of the perks of the job and it fills the time nicely between eaves-dropping on your voicemails and pestering the [...]
In pictures: London’s new super-yacht hotel July 1, 2014 London is famous for its hotels; from the Ritz to the Dorchester the capital isn't lacking in swanky pillows to lay your head. On 4 August they are set to be joined by a new float. The Sunborn is a four-star super-yacht hotel with 136 rooms and suites, a cinema, restaurant, and spa treatment facilities; as well [...]
This 12 acre Caribbean island costs the same as a three bedroom London flat June 27, 2014 As any good economist will tell you, when you're considering a purchase ask not if you should spend the money or not but what else you could buy for the amount you're considering parting with. To put that into context, if you have £5.7m burning a hole in your pocket should you buy a three-bedroom [...]
Handbags at dawn: City ladies go gaga over designer arm candy June 26, 2014 RBS’ atrium became a flurry of activity last night as it hosted the annual Bag Ladies event, which saw handbags from the likes of Anya Hindmarch, Victoria Beckham and Burberry go under the hammer in aid of the British Association for Adoption and Fostering. Supported by RBS and run by ex-JP Morgan Cazenove comms director [...]
From plates to plinths: David Shrigley set to transform Soho’s Sketch and Trafalgar Square June 26, 2014 David Shrigley is best known for his pithy sketches; surreal, misanthropic depictions of modern life. His work straddles the worlds of fine art – he was nominated for the Turner Prize last year and will be the 13th contemporary artist to show his work on Trafalgar Square’s fourth plinth – and pop culture, with books [...]
Chef Jason Atherton touches down in the City’s Tower 42 June 26, 2014 Three years ago, Jason Atherton bet the house on Pollen Street Social. Literally: he remortgaged his home to fund it, stumping up 75 per cent of the cash out of his own pocket, money saved from more than two decades cooking everywhere from the world famous elBulli in Catalonia to the fiery environs of [...]
Eat with Alain Ducasse and Wolfgang Puck June 25, 2014 President Obama’s favourite chef Wolfgang Puck will join up with Alain Ducasse this week to host an exclusive dinner showcasing the best in contemporary American and French cuisine at CUT, 45 Park Lane this Friday (27 June). The pair of superstar chefs curate a five-course menu showcasing signature dishes from the menus of their London [...]
Bluewater shopping centre sold for £696m June 25, 2014 Land Lease, an Australian Developer with interests across the UK, has sold its 30 per cent stake in Bluewater shopping centre for £696m to Land Securities Group. The deal is expected to net the company A$480m (around £265m). The proceeds from the sale will go to pay down debts and fund investments in development projects [...]
Review: Rivea by Alain Ducasse at the Bulgari June 25, 2014 Rivea, Bulgari Hotel, 171 Knightsbridge, SW7 1DW Tel: 0207 151 1025 Food: ★★★★☆ | Value: ★★★☆☆ | Atmosphere: ★★☆☆☆ If you’ve not been to the Bulgari Hotel in Knightsbridge – and unless you’re an oligarch there’s no reason you would have been – you probably have the same preconceptions about it as me. It brings to mind [...]