“Britain’s ultimate interior designer” is a man of many talents and guises. Haslam flits from party to party by night, but by day writes, edits and designs. He’s performed cabaret at The Savoy and Bellamy’s and interior watercolour renderings by him are held by the Victoria & Albert Museum. This trendsetter’s life is indeed summed up by the title of one of his books: Sheer Opulence.
Tag: Kensington
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Nicky Haslam (Nicholas Haslam)
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Terry Venables
“El Tel” is best known as a footballer manager but he’s a man of many talents. Few know that this national team manager of England (1994 to 1996) also co-authored four novels with Gordon Williams and was the co-creator of the ITV detective series Hazell. A Chelsea resident, he’s often to be found at Motcomb’s, the Rib Room Bar & Restaurant and Sette in Sydney Street. -
William Cookson
An “urban abstract” artist who also paints a superb portrait. His family founded the renowned CV Travel empire that turned Corfu into “Kensington-on-Sea.” George Osborne rented his mother’s home in Corfu 2008 and whilst there controversially met with the billionaire financier Nat Rothschild and Russian oligarch Oleg Deripaska. One of four brothers, he’s exhibited at Elistano, Bistro K and Brinkley’s. Another showcase is deservedly imminent. -
Lord & Lady Black (Conrad Black & Barbara Amiel)
She’s a British-Canadian journalist most famous for having an “extravagance that knows no bounds.” He was a media baron who denounced his Canadian citizenship to become a British peer. Life began to unravel in 2005 when he was charged and subsequently convicted on various charges of defrauding Hollinger, the company he led. “Citizen Black” got out of jail a year early and now he and his feisty Manolo wearing sidekick are back on the rampage. Watch out. -
Ohad Maiman
Born in Israel, Ohad Maiman served in the Israel Defense Forces for three years but it is photography that is his true passion. (more…) -
Hakim Berkani
A former parking warden who was probably the only decent one out there. He refused to behave like his grasping colleagues in Kensington & Chelsea (who referred to themselves as “Ali Baba and his 40 thieves”) and got constructively dismissed as a result. He rightly got £20,000 in compensation at an industrial tribunal but decently commented: “’I’m very disappointed because I believe that justice has not been done. My job was worth more to me than any amount of money.” -
Heather Mills (formerly known as Heather Mills-McCartney & Lady McCartney)
This Geordie Vegan campaigner got some £24 million in her divorce from Sir Paul McCartney. She’s continued to cause trouble ever since. -
Nick & Christian Candy
Started a property empire with a loan of £6,000 from their grandmother in 1995. Now said to be worth anything upto £13 billion, this pair are most famous for their One Hyde Park development next to The Mandarin Oriental. London based Nick is married to the Australian singer and former Neighbours actress Holly Valance whilst Monaco based Christian is married to a former “It-girl” named Emily Crompton. In one interview Nick was quoted as saying: “We’ve probably got about 10 cars”. With this much wealth, what’s a car between friends? -
Charlie Gilkes
Eton educated Gilkes is a club-trepreneur who has made waves in Chelsea and Battersea. He also appeared in The Iron Lady and launched an Italian pizzeria and karaoke bar named Bunga Bunga with a performance by the X Factor star Wagner. -
K&C's £50 grifter
The nuisance conman who pounds the streets of Kensington & Chelsea
When an old man approaches you in the street complaining he’s lost his wallet or can’t afford a bed for the night, no decent person would disbelieve him or begrudge him a few pennies.
On the streets of Knightsbridge, Kensington and Chelsea, however, in the last year I’ve regularly encountered an old man who is plainly seizing on such pity and abusing it. This chap makes the grifters of the BBC’s Hustle seem like amateurs and he’s probably raking in upwards of £300 a day.
The £50 grifter: He may look like The Right Honourable Dr Vince Cable MP but he ain’t quite so well intentioned The individual I mention is probably about 65 years old and his favourite haunts seem to be Walton Street, Beauchamp Place, Sloane Street, Cadogan Place and Draycott Avenue. He is certainly a beggar who opts to limit himself to the finest streets and it is certainly apparent why he does such.
The cast of the BBC’s superb Hustle: Robert Gleinster, Matt Di Angelo, Adrian Lester, Kelly Adams and Robert Vaughn The first time I encountered him I was with a friend. The man concerned approached us with a story of how he’d been pick-pocketed and requested £50 for a train ticket to somewhere up north. My friend opened her wallet and handed him the cash and he went on his merry way leaving her thinking she’d done a good deed.
The next time I was stopped, the same man told me a tale of how he couldn’t afford a bed for the night. “Could you give me £50?” he enquired. I pointed out that we’d met before and he flat denied it. In astonishment, I mumbled some excuse about not having any cash and turned to leave but then his vitriol began to flow: “F**k you, you f**king piece of Eurotrash,” he screamed. I got away as quickly as I could.
Days later I was in Beauchamp Place and he managed to block my path. Plainly, for all of his audacity, he doesn’t or cannot remember who he spins his yarns to and this time my friends and I were given a story about his wife having suddenly died and his being unable to afford a train ticket to Gloucester. “Give me £50, will you,” he politely requested. Yet again, I explained that we’d met before. Yet again, he denied such and realising he wasn’t getting a cent, the swearing commenced.
All other encounters have been similarly peppered with tales of woe and always end with a request for £50. His success is obvious as the man wouldn’t continue haunting our streets if his strategy didn’t result in people paying up. Many locals have also told me of their conversations with this man and some tell me that they too parted with their cash. Finally, though, I managed to get a snap of the con artist the other day and I publish it here as a warning to my readers.
Don’t get me wrong: I entirely support helping those in need and there are indeed several poor old people who I assist locally when I run into them but confidence tricksters such as this really should be stopped from conning tourists and locals.
If you spot this man, report him to the Metropolitan Police’s Chelsea police station at 2 Lucan Place, London, SW3 3PB on 0300 123 1212 or go to: http://content.met.police.uk/Borough/Kensington
Watch clips of the BBC’s Hustle at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b007gf9k