The Steeple Times

Tag: 2015

  • A Star Subaru

    A Star Subaru

    1996 Subaru Impreza – chassis 001 – to be auctioned with an estimate of £175,000 to £200,000; it was driven by amongst others the late Colin McRae

     

    “One of the most important rally cars ever made” – according to Octane magazine – is to be sold at auction this June.

     

    The Subaru Impreza – chassis number PR0WRC97001 – offered was the rally car that won at Rali Vinho da Madeira, Rally Cyprus and Aviano Rally in 1999. It was driven by amongst others Colin McRae MBE (1968 – 2007) and Valentino Rossi and was renovated using original parts in a project overseen by Subaru’s Prodrive sales manager, Steve Smith.

     

    A Star Subaru – £175,000 to £200,000 estimate on 1996 Subaru Impreza PR0WRC97001 – To be auctioned by H&H Auctioneers at the Royal Automobile Club at Woodcote Park in Surrey on 6th June 2017.A Star Subaru – £175,000 to £200,000 estimate on 1996 Subaru Impreza PR0WRC97001 – To be auctioned by H&H Auctioneers at the Royal Automobile Club at Woodcote Park in Surrey on 6th June 2017.

     

    Of the car, its current owner commented:

     

    “It’s a truly exhilarating car to drive with levels of grip and handling that would still embarrass many a modern supercar. Plus it runs on high octane pump fuel. It’s doubtful that there will ever be another Subaru rally car from the same period restored like this one if only because the correct SRT parts are so difficult to locate. Pattern parts might be produced in time but chassis 001 is the real thing”.

     

    The left hand drive car – which comes with the registration ‘P18 WRC’ – will be sold on 6th June at the Royal Automobile Club at Woodcote Park in Surrey by H&H Auctioneers. An estimate of £175,000 to £200,000 ($224,000 to $256,000, €206,000 to €235,000 or درهم824,000 to درهم942,000) has been set – the same figure as it was guided at in October 2015. It was previously marketed for £85,000 ($109,000, €100,000 or درهم400,000) in 2009.

     

  • Beating Borwick

    Beating Borwick

    ‘The Steeple Times’ urges readers in Kensington to vote tactically to unseat Victoria Borwick

     

    Victoria Borwick, in spite of representing a constituency that was home to a greater proportion of EU nationals than any other London borough in 2016, was a firm advocate of Brexit. In the months since the disastrous vote, she has continued to ignore the fact that 69% of residents of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea voted ‘Remain’ and on that basis we urge readers based in the locality to vote against her in the forthcoming general election.

     

    Though Theresa May supporting Lady Borwick has a majority of 7,361 (21.1%), the best way to unseat her would be a high turnout and for voters to unite behind one candidate. Whilst Labour have previously come second, most will be unable to engage with the thought of backing Jeremy Corbyn and on that basis, the only option is the Liberal Democrat candidate Annabel Mullin.

     

    Backing Borwick – The Steeple Times urges voters to vote tactically and back Liberal Democrat Annabel Mullin against sitting Conservative Member of Parliament Victoria Borwick MP in the 2016 General Election on 8th June 2017
    Annabel Mullin is the only candidate who can realistically unseat the Tories in Kensington
    Beating Borwick – The Steeple Times urges voters to vote tactically and back Liberal Democrat Annabel Mullin against sitting Conservative Member of Parliament Victoria Borwick MP in the 2016 General Election on 8th June 2017.
    Victoria Borwick does not represent the views of her constituents on membership of the European Union

     

  • (Not) Wedded by Ward

    (Not) Wedded by Ward

    Loudmouth champagne swiller Dawn Ward once again fails to get permission to turn her vulgar home into a wedding venue

     

    Marketing material for Dawn Ward’s tastelessly decorated home, Warford Hall, near Alderley Edge in Cheshire, boldly describes it as “the finest entertaining house ever conceived”. She’s failed to generate any interest in it since putting it on the market for the ridiculously ambitious sum of £12 million ($15.4 million, €14.4 million or درهم56.4 million) and has now, once again, failed to get planning permission to turn the building into a conference centre and banqueting venue for boot camps, functions and weddings.

     

    Of why he scuppered Mr and Mrs Ward’s application as an “inappropriate development in the Green Belt”, planning inspector Jonathan Clarke remarked:

     

    “I have found that it has not been satisfactorily demonstrated that the proposal would operate without causing substantial harm to the living conditions of occupiers of nearby dwellings. Therefore, the very special circumstances needed to justify the development do not exist”.

     

    In May 2016, champagne loving, prosecco hating Mrs Ward spoke to the Manchester Evening News about her plans. She moaned:

     

    “Neighbours don’t like noise. I understand. It’s unbelievable. Fair enough (to complain) if you are local, but we are getting complaints as far as Tytherington. How it can affect people as far away as Tytherington I have not idea. It’s ludicrous”.

     

    Later, her husband, former footballer Ashley Ward, added:

     

    “In October 2015 I attended a meeting hosted by the Parish Council at which people were advised that ‘the only way we can stop this application is to ensure we send as many written complaints as possible and beat the number of 60 plus that we managed to raise for the previous owner’s application’”.

     

    “An organised campaign was created with letters of objection even coming from people living completely out of the area and flyers distributed giving tips on how easiest to provide a complaint”.

     

    “I am concerned about the motives for the campaigns against all Warford Hall applications and in particular that this one is prejudicing the facts of the application and the findings of the local authority experts; planning officers, environmental health and highways officers”.

     

    Bad news comes in droves for Dawn Ward, it seems. In February, it was revealed she was being taken to court by her former friend and fellow WAG Leanne Brown in the wake of her having failed to repay a loan of £500,000 ($640,000, €598,000 or درهم2.4 million) and in June 2016 she was convicted of assaulting the singer Sinitta at the now closed Belgravia restaurant Salmontini.

     

    (Not) Wedded by Ward – Dawn Ward fails to get planning consent
    Warford Hall, Merryman’s Lane Great Warford, Alderley Edge, Cheshire, SK9 7TP, United Kingdom
    (Not) Wedded by Ward – Dawn Ward fails to get planning consent
    Dawn Ward is a woman known for liking to get her own way
  • High & Low

    High & Low

    “Penthouse to rival any other penthouse in the world” in converted brewery next to Tower Bridge for sale for £12.5 million

     

    Described as “a penthouse to rival any other penthouse in the world” despite its somewhat pedestrian decoration, a £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) five floor apartment next to Tower Bridge is currently for sale.

     

    Situated within the former Anchor Brewhouse, a building that formerly housed the Courage Brewery, ‘The High Command’ penthouse includes 4,286 square foot of internal space and 1,203 square foot of terraces. It has a private internal lift and as well as featuring 4 bedrooms and 3 bathrooms, comes with a gazebo, a domed rotunda with a gallery, 6 terraces and 4 private parking spaces.

     

    On the market periodically since February 2015 with Knight Frank and Cluttons, ‘The High Command’ enjoys views across the City of London to the north and Canary Wharf to the east.

     

    High & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight Frank
    ‘The High Command’ is described as being “designed to picture frame’ the various aspects of Tower Bridge”
    High & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight Frank
    The building at night with ‘The High Command’ highlighted
    High & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight Frank
    ‘The Riverside’ is situated on the ground and basement levels of the building and is offered for £6 million

     

    Buyers with a slightly more limited budget have the option of purchasing a ground and basement flat in the building. ‘The Riverside’, a 3-bedroom apartment, is offered for £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) by Knight Frank.

     

    High & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight FrankHigh & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight FrankHigh & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight FrankHigh & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight FrankHigh & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight Frank High & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight Frank High & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight Frank High & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight FrankHigh & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight FrankHigh & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight FrankHigh & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight FrankHigh & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight Frank High & Low – The High Command Penthouse and The Riverside, Anchor Brewhouse, Malt Mill, 50 Shad Thames, London, SE1 2LY – The High Command: £12.5 million ($15.7 million, €14.7 million or درهم57.6 million) through Knight Frank and Cluttons – The Riverside: £6 million ($7.5 million, €7.1 million or درهم27.6 million) through Knight Frank

  • Boozy Birds

    Boozy Birds

    Northumbria revealed to be the county with the highest number of fines for women being drunk and disorderly for second year in a row

     

    On Sunday, the Daily Star revealed “Northumbria has the highest number of women getting police penalties for their out-of-control behaviour”.

     

    In an article by the paper’s Matthew Davis, it was reported that 359 misbehaviour £80 fines were handed to women in the area for being drunk and disorderly in 2015 and 27 of these went to teenage women.

     

    In response, a police officer pointed to women being “just as bad” as men and remarked:

     

    “Women can be just as bad if not worse than blokes now when it comes to their late-night drunken behaviour. People might laugh at the pictures of women half-naked, lying across the pavement, paralytic from booze. But it isn’t funny and can end up having serious consequences for the person concerned”.

     

  • Bernie Madoff – The Wizard of Lies

    Bernie Madoff – The Wizard of Lies

    TV drama film examining largest financial fraud ever by an individual set to air in May in America; ‘The Wizard of Lies’ examines the crimes of Bernard L. Madoff

     

    On 20th May, Americans will finally be able to watch director Barry Levinson’s take on the crimes of the Ponzi schemer Bernard Madoff when The Wizard of Lies airs on HBO.

     

    Sentenced to 150 years for his £51.9 billion ($65 billion, €61.2 billion or درهم238.7 billion) crime, Madoff is played in the television drama film by Robert De Niro whilst Michelle Pfeiffer takes on the role of his wife, Ruth.

     

    Two trailers have recently been released to international audiences and we share the most recent below. A date for the drama’s release in the UK is still to be announced.

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=146&v=4G2carVhVJk

  • Taking the Tito

    Taking the Tito

    Ex-Marshal Tito Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Landaulet for sale for staggering sum 1,598% higher than similar examples owned by other dictators

     

    “Benevolent communist dictator” Marshal Josip Tito, 1st President of Yugoslavia (1892 – 1980) had use of a Boeing 727 plane, a private train and a 55-foot yacht but now the 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman ‘Presidential Landaulet’ he travelled around in from 1971 to 1980 is for sale for the staggering sum of £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) through Tom Hartley Jnr. in Derbyshire, England.

     

    Taking the Tito – 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Presidential Landaulet – For sale for £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) through Tom Hartley Jnr. – Originally owned by Marshal Josip Tito, 1st President of Yugoslavia (1892 – 1980)
    Tito with the car in the background
    Taking the Tito – 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Presidential Landaulet – For sale for £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) through Tom Hartley Jnr. – Originally owned by Marshal Josip Tito, 1st President of Yugoslavia (1892 – 1980)
    Tito used to take his dog for rides in the vehicle
    Taking the Tito – 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Presidential Landaulet – For sale for £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) through Tom Hartley Jnr. – Originally owned by Marshal Josip Tito, 1st President of Yugoslavia (1892 – 1980)
    And apparently he used to shave in it too

     

    Capable of achieving 0 mph to 100 mph in 10 seconds, this 2.5-tonne, 6.3-litre limousine was built to Tito’s personal specification. The ‘dictator-mobile’s’ bespoke features numbered not only a drinks cabinet but also a shaving kit in its rear centre console and despite having covered 17,012 miles and having passed through various owners, is in remarkably good condition.

     

    Justifying the punchy price sought, in November 2016, Tom Hartley Jnr. told Car Dealer magazine:

     

    “I’ve always been in love with the car. It’s a very significant and very important car – all of the Landaulets are, and only nine of them were built in the long roof, six-door configuration. Of those nine, this is probably regarded as the most original, the most unmolested car and it also has great provenance”.

     

    A 1965 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman owned by China’s Foreign Minister, Chen Yi, sold for just £147,200 ($182,800, €172,500 or درهم671,400) in 2014 whilst just £225,000 ($279,400, €263,700 or درهم1.03 million) was sought for a 1977 example originally owned by Bokassa I of Central Africa in 2015.

     

    Taking the Tito – 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Presidential Landaulet – For sale for £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) through Tom Hartley Jnr. – Originally owned by Marshal Josip Tito, 1st President of Yugoslavia (1892 – 1980)
    Naturally, the needs of drinkers was a prime consideration when it came to bespoke fittings
    Taking the Tito – 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Presidential Landaulet – For sale for £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) through Tom Hartley Jnr. – Originally owned by Marshal Josip Tito, 1st President of Yugoslavia (1892 – 1980)
    Luxurious rear seating
    Taking the Tito – 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Presidential Landaulet – For sale for £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) through Tom Hartley Jnr. – Originally owned by Marshal Josip Tito, 1st President of Yugoslavia (1892 – 1980)
    The glass partition between the passengers and the driver
    Taking the Tito – 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Presidential Landaulet – For sale for £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) through Tom Hartley Jnr. – Originally owned by Marshal Josip Tito, 1st President of Yugoslavia (1892 – 1980)
    The driver’s seating
    Taking the Tito – 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Presidential Landaulet – For sale for £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) through Tom Hartley Jnr. – Originally owned by Marshal Josip Tito, 1st President of Yugoslavia (1892 – 1980)
    And hood down
    Taking the Tito – 1971 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman Presidential Landaulet – For sale for £2.5 million ($3.1 million, €2.9 million or درهم11.4 million) through Tom Hartley Jnr. – Originally owned by Marshal Josip Tito, 1st President of Yugoslavia (1892 – 1980)
    Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with Tito in 1972

  • Living Eyre

    Living Eyre

    “Gentleman’s manor house” that inspired Charlotte Brontë’s Thornfield Hall in ‘Jane Eyre’ available to rent for just £14,400 per year; alternatively you could take a tiny studio in SW3 for the same sum

     

    Described by Charlotte Brontë (1775 – 1817) as being “three storeys high; a gentleman’s manor house; battlements round the top gave it a picturesque look” in Jane Eyre, Thornfield Hall was where Jane Eyre became a governess and where she fell for Mr Rochester. The 16th century building that is said to have been Brontë’s primary inspiration, North Lees Hall, is now available to rent and is offered for the same sum as a poky 179 square foot studio in Chelsea Cloisters in London, SW3.

     

    Living Eyre – North Lees Hall, Birley Lane, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BR, United Kingdom – £1,200 per month ($1,484, €1,402 or درهم5,453 per month) or alternatively take 154 Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3DR for the same sum
    North Lees Hall, Birley Lane, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BR is owned by the Peak District National Park and available to let after the Vivat Trust, that managed it as a holiday rental from 1988, ceased trading in 2015
    Living Eyre – North Lees Hall, Birley Lane, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BR, United Kingdom – £1,200 per month ($1,484, €1,402 or درهم5,453 per month) or alternatively take 154 Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3DR for the same sum
    A first floor studio – 154 Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3DR – is available through JLL for the same sum but is hardly as imposing
    Living Eyre – North Lees Hall, Birley Lane, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BR, United Kingdom – £1,200 per month ($1,484, €1,402 or درهم5,453 per month) or alternatively take 154 Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3DR for the same sum
    Ruth Wilson played Jane Eyre with Toby Stephens as Edward Rochester in the 2006 TV adaptation of Jane Eyre; part of the series was filmed at North Lees Hall

     

    Supposedly designed by Robert Smythson (1534 – 1614), the architect of Hardwick Hall, Grade II* listed North Lees Hall features a tower and turrets and comprises of 2 reception rooms, 3 double bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. It also has a large breakfast kitchen and basement but the panoramic views from the castellated roof terrace are what will most likely impress potential tenants.

     

    North Lees Hall is available through Saxton Mee for £1,200 per month ($1,484, €1,402 or درهم5,453 per month). Tenders to rent it on a furnished basis for a minimum of twelve months must be submitted by Friday 28th April.

     

    Living Eyre – North Lees Hall, Birley Lane, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BR, United Kingdom – £1,200 per month ($1,484, €1,402 or درهم5,453 per month) or alternatively take 154 Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3DR for the same sumLiving Eyre – North Lees Hall, Birley Lane, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BR, United Kingdom – £1,200 per month ($1,484, €1,402 or درهم5,453 per month) or alternatively take 154 Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3DR for the same sum Living Eyre – North Lees Hall, Birley Lane, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BR, United Kingdom – £1,200 per month ($1,484, €1,402 or درهم5,453 per month) or alternatively take 154 Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3DR for the same sumLiving Eyre – North Lees Hall, Birley Lane, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BR, United Kingdom – £1,200 per month ($1,484, €1,402 or درهم5,453 per month) or alternatively take 154 Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3DR for the same sumLiving Eyre – North Lees Hall, Birley Lane, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BR, United Kingdom – £1,200 per month ($1,484, €1,402 or درهم5,453 per month) or alternatively take 154 Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3DR for the same sum Living Eyre – North Lees Hall, Birley Lane, Hathersage, Derbyshire, S32 1BR, United Kingdom – £1,200 per month ($1,484, €1,402 or درهم5,453 per month) or alternatively take 154 Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, London, SW3 3DR for the same sum

  • Billionaire Battersea

    Billionaire Battersea

    Historic Battersea mansion for sale for the same sum it was marketed for in 2011; it has been mostly empty throughout the intervening period and was renovated by the late billionaire Malcolm Forbes

    Billionaire publisher Malcolm Forbes was a man who liked to live large. He had a huge yacht named The Highlander, threw lavish parties across the globe and counted Gianni Agnelli, Gordon Getty, Calvin Klein, Robert Maxwell, Rupert Murdoch, Henry Kissinger, Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump as friends. This “mysterious collector” also owned numerous residences and one of these, Old Battersea House in London, is for sale for the same sum as it was marketed for in 2011.

     

    Often seen with Elizabeth Taylor at his side and described as “living life in the fabulous”, Forbes purchased Old Battersea House in 1971. It had previously been home to and saved from demolition by Battersea Council by the eccentric author and ghost hunter Wilhemina Stirling. She took up a lifetime tenancy on the building in 1931 and used it to house artworks by her sister, Evelyn de Morgan (1855 – 1919).

     

    Billionaire Battersea – Old Battersea House, 30 Vicarage Crescent, Battersea, London, SW11 3LD, United Kingdom – Formerly Terrace House – For sale through Savills for £12 million ($15 million, €14 million or درهم54.9 million) – Former home of eccentric author and ghost hunter A. M. D. Wilhemina Stirling (1865 – 1965) and billionaire publisher Malcolm S. Forbes (1919 – 1990)
    Businessman and publisher Malcolm S. Forbes (1919 – 1990) with seven times married actress Dame Elizabeth Taylor DBE (1932 – 2011) at his lavish 70th birthday party at the Palais Mendoub, Tangier, Morocco in 1989
    Billionaire Battersea – Old Battersea House, 30 Vicarage Crescent, Battersea, London, SW11 3LD, United Kingdom – Formerly Terrace House – For sale through Savills for £12 million ($15 million, €14 million or درهم54.9 million) – Former home of eccentric author and ghost hunter A. M. D. Wilhemina Stirling (1865 – 1965) and billionaire publisher Malcolm S. Forbes (1919 – 1990)
    Old Battersea House, 30 Vicarage Crescent, Battersea, London, SW11 3LD, United Kingdom
    Billionaire Battersea – Old Battersea House, 30 Vicarage Crescent, Battersea, London, SW11 3LD, United Kingdom – Formerly Terrace House – For sale through Savills for £12 million ($15 million, €14 million or درهم54.9 million) – Former home of eccentric author and ghost hunter A. M. D. Wilhemina Stirling (1865 – 1965) and billionaire publisher Malcolm S. Forbes (1919 – 1990)
    A. M. D. Wilhemina Stirling (1865 – 1965) owned the house prior to Malcolm Forbes
    Billionaire Battersea – Old Battersea House, 30 Vicarage Crescent, Battersea, London, SW11 3LD, United Kingdom – Formerly Terrace House – For sale through Savills for £12 million ($15 million, €14 million or درهم54.9 million) – Former home of eccentric author and ghost hunter A. M. D. Wilhemina Stirling (1865 – 1965) and billionaire publisher Malcolm S. Forbes (1919 – 1990)
    Christopher ‘Kip’ Forbes (born 1951) assisted his father restore Old Battersea House and later oversaw the family selling its art collection in 2003 and 2009

     

    Grade II* listed since 1954 and adapted during Forbes and subsequently his son Kip’s ownership to showcase a vast collection of Victorian art and antiques, Old Battersea House was built on Tudor foundations in 1699 and was at first known as ‘Terrace House’. It originally had gardens extending down to the River Thames and is rumoured to have been designed by Sir Christopher Wren (1632 – 1723).

     

    Featuring “handsome classical proportions throughout” and standing within a 110-foot wide walled garden, the 10,100 square foot house includes 4 reception rooms, 10 double bedrooms and 7 bathrooms. It has off-street parking and a garden store but it is sadly overlooked by the adjoining housing estate that was built in its grounds in the 1930s.

     

    Savills seek £12 million ($15 million, €14 million or درهم54.9 million) for Old Battersea House.

     

    Billionaire Battersea – Old Battersea House, 30 Vicarage Crescent, Battersea, London, SW11 3LD, United Kingdom – Formerly Terrace House – For sale through Savills for £12 million ($15 million, €14 million or درهم54.9 million) – Former home of eccentric author and ghost hunter A. M. D. Wilhemina Stirling (1865 – 1965) and billionaire publisher Malcolm S. Forbes (1919 – 1990)
    The impressive hallway of Old Battersea House
    Billionaire Battersea – Old Battersea House, 30 Vicarage Crescent, Battersea, London, SW11 3LD, United Kingdom – Formerly Terrace House – For sale through Savills for £12 million ($15 million, €14 million or درهم54.9 million) – Former home of eccentric author and ghost hunter A. M. D. Wilhemina Stirling (1865 – 1965) and billionaire publisher Malcolm S. Forbes (1919 – 1990)
    Another entertaining space
    Billionaire Battersea – Old Battersea House, 30 Vicarage Crescent, Battersea, London, SW11 3LD, United Kingdom – Formerly Terrace House – For sale through Savills for £12 million ($15 million, €14 million or درهم54.9 million) – Former home of eccentric author and ghost hunter A. M. D. Wilhemina Stirling (1865 – 1965) and billionaire publisher Malcolm S. Forbes (1919 – 1990)
    Elizabeth Taylor and her then husband Larry Fortensky at Old Battersea House in 1992
    Billionaire Battersea – Old Battersea House, 30 Vicarage Crescent, Battersea, London, SW11 3LD, United Kingdom – Formerly Terrace House – For sale through Savills for £12 million ($15 million, €14 million or درهم54.9 million) – Former home of eccentric author and ghost hunter A. M. D. Wilhemina Stirling (1865 – 1965) and billionaire publisher Malcolm S. Forbes (1919 – 1990)
    Images of the house as it was furnished during the ownership of the Forbes family

  • Dining without Toto

    Dining without Toto

    Former Toto’s site in Lennox Gardens Mews, Knightsbridge to become a “contemporary Japanese” restaurant named Dinings

     

    In April 2014, just off Walton Street in Knightsbridge’s Lennox Gardens Mews, Toto’s prepared to reopen after a £3 million makeover at the behest of a new Indian owner. In spite of serving the most delicious Italian food, its slightly off-piste location proved difficult and it again closed in early 2016. Now, after remaining empty for some time, this former artist’s studio is set to become a “contemporary Japanese restaurant”.

     

    First mentioned by the lifestyle app Urbanologie earlier this week, Dinings, the Japanese tapas and sushi restaurant that has taken the site, already has an outpost in Marylebone and describes its offering as “a new style of Izakaya; Japanese tapas which combines traditional Japanese with modern European cuisine”.

     

    The restaurant is due to open on 16th May and will feature two dining bars and a ten cover sushi counter. Its interior has been designed by David d’Almada of Sagrada – a man whose previous commissions include The Arts Club on Dover Street and Sartoria on Savile Row – and, in spite of many recent closures in the area due to soaring rates and rents, we wish the new operators all the best in their venture.

     

    Image depicts the restaurant and garden as it was in 2014.