The Steeple Times

Tag: London

  • Is Now a Good Time?

    Is Now a Good Time?

    As Britain likely moves into further lockdowns, drug dealers are changing the way they operate and communicate; they now bizarrely demand customers ask: “Is now a good time?”

    IS NOW A GOOD TIME? – In June, Misha Glenny – the author of McMafia and a fellow at the Berggruen Institute – penned a fascinating article for the Guardian about how organised crime has had to adapt due to coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

     

    Glenny highlighted how it was “too risky for [drug] dealers to move around” in cities like London and how prices had risen as a result. He rather over generously suggested “criminals are humans too” and were “abiding by the rules [of lockdown],” but also pointed out that the growth in online crime had been accelerated by COVID-19.

     

    In a series of WhatsApp messages seen recently by The Steeple Times between a reader who works in the financial services sector and a London based drug peddler, the way in which such people have changed the way they communicate with their “customers” was fascinatingly illustrated.

     

    We share said criminal’s messages below and highlight how he now uses that devoid of utterly anything phrase “reaching out” to communicate with his customers via all means other than Sim phone calls and SMS messages. He begins:

     

    I hope this message finds you well. Just reaching out to inform you that I have changed my number from (old number: +44XXXXXXXXX) to (new number: +44XXXXXXXXXXX). Please save new number as old one will soon be inactive. Please make contact on WhatsApp/Telegram/Signal only (no Sim phone calls or SMS messages please). And as always, when referring my services to friends/colleagues/family, please call/message me in advance to inform me that you have done or intend to do so. Please also kindly forward me their contact details. Apologies if you have already received this message from my previous broadcast. Thanks.

     

    In a further message, said individual laid his “is now a good time?” message on thick and continued:

     

    Thank you for using my service and thank you for your valued custom. Moving forward I want to lay out my terms and conditions. In order for you to receive the best service and customer care it is advisable that you abide by them. They are as follows:

    • I will be your main point of contact for any disputes/feedback.
    • When contacting me please remember to use WhatsApp only (unless I advise otherwise).
    • Please message only and don’t call unless I ask you to you to (very important).
    • The first message you send should always be “is now a good time?”
    • Don’t engage in further contact until you have had a response to the first message. This is for your safety.
    • If I am unavailable you will receive a message with clear instructions to follow. Please follow them.
    • I won’t allways [sic] be available to meet you in person, and in this event you will be allocated an alternative driver. However I cannot guarantee you will be allocated the same driver every occasion I am unavailable.
    • You will be able to request a particular driver if they are available.
    • Contact the driver through WhatsApp only, with the first message being “is now a good time?”
    • All drivers carry the same stock.
    • All of my products have a distinctive packaging/branding.
    • If product presentation/quality is not up to standard it means that it has probably been tampered with and in which case you should report back to me immediately.
    • Allways [sic] make your order clear to the driver and have cash ready before they depart.
    • When referring my services to friends/colleagues/family, please message me in advance to inform me that you have done or intend to do so. Please also kindly forward me their contact details. And remember to tell them to use WhatsApp only using the phrase “is now a good time?”
    • And last but not least, always treat the driver with the same respect you would expect to have reciprocated.

    Once again thank you for your business and I look forward to hearing from you in the future.

     

    Our typically middle class reader – someone astonishingly typical of the majority using cocaine in Britain and a member of a social group where abuse of this substance is more common than alcoholism – sensibly wrote back: “Now is NOT a good time” and ended the dialogue. Sadly, many others will act to the contrary and that’s what will keep this vile piece of toerag in business now and “allways” [sic].

     

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    Misha Glenny’s 2008 non-fiction book ‘McMafia: A Journey Through the Global Criminal Underworld’ inspired the brilliant eight-chapter, 2018 BBC One series of the same name. A second eight-chapter series is due to be aired in due course.
  • Chic Chicheley

    Chic Chicheley

    Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it

    Just as historically significant as the £10 million Lilford Hall in nearby Northamptonshire we featured in June, but in far better condition, a Grade I listed mansion in Buckinghamshire has just come to the market for £3 million less.

     

    Chicheley Hall, near Olney is being sold due to the activities there – a combination of a conference venue, hotel and a centre used by the Royal Society – being curtailed due to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. It is offered for the sum of £7 million – which seems a relative bargain given its current owners paid £6.5 million for it in 2007 and spent a further £12 million on its renovation subsequently.

     

    Constructed on the site of an earlier house destroyed in the Civil War in the 1720s to the designs of master builder Francis Smith, Chicheley Hall became the seat of Sir John Chester, the 4th baronet. It is of nine bays on three floors upon a raised basement and is described as an “exceedingly rare example” of English Baroque architecture.

     

    “For more than 100 years, architectural historians have waxed lyrical in the pages of Country Life of Chicheley Hall” remarked Penny Churchill when it was placed for sale in June 2007 and since 2009 it has been owned by the Royal Society.

     

    Having carried out a “major programme of repair and refurbishment to turn the hall into a high-quality venue for residential conferences,” the Society created a venue that provided 14 bedrooms suites in the main house, 34 en-suite bedrooms in two Grade II* listed former stable blocks, two lecture theatres, meeting rooms, sitting rooms, dining rooms and reception areas. There is parking for 50 vehicles and an apartment that was used by the centre’s director.

     

    Knight Frank market the 34,928 square foot freehold property as a whole or in three lots complete with 75 acres. They describe the mini-estate as including “beautiful formal gardens, a ‘3 sided’ lake, a walled garden, woodland walks, a Grade II* dovecote and farmland.”

     

    Chicheley Hall is situated 7 miles north east of Milton Keynes and is 50 miles from both central London and Oxford.

     

     

    The Names & Numbers – Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom

    September 2020 – For sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) through Knight Frank.

     

    June 2020 – De Vere Venues permanently closed Chicheley Hall as a conference venue and hotel due to the impact of coronavirus. In a statement to MKFM, the firm remarked: “Sadly the resulting devastating economic impact [of the pandemic] on the hospitality industry, together with heightened operational restrictions, has meant we have taken the difficult decision to close our doors permanently.”

     

    2007 – Sold to the Royal Society for £6.5 million ($8.5 million, €7.2 million or درهم31.1 million). They supposedly subsequently spent £12 million ($15.6 million, €13.3 million or درهم57.5 million) on renovations. These were in part funded by the Norwegian-American business and philanthropist Fred Kavli (1927 – 2013).

     

    June 2007 – Placed for sale for £9 million ($11.7 million, €10 million or درهم43.1 million) through Savills on behalf of Nicholas Beatty, the 3rd Earl (born 1946).

     

    2001 – Used as a stand-in for Bletchley Park in the feature film Enigma. The building has also been used in other productions including Pride and Prejudice, The Meaning of Life, The Red Violin and Black Beauty.

     

    1952 – Ownership by the Chester family ends when David Beatty, 2nd Earl Beatty (1905 – 1972), son of First World War naval hero Admiral David Beatty, bought the hall. Of his “major restoration programme,” Penny Churchill remarked: “Interior designer Felix Harbord, perhaps best known for his work at Luttrellstown Castle near Dublin, set out to recreate classic 18th-century interiors, using mainly light colours to accentuate the beauty of the mouldings and panelling. Very sensibly, the earl also added a bathroom to almost every bedroom.”

     

    1939 to 1945 – Chicheley Hall was used by the Special Operations Executive as its Special Training School No. 46, by Czechoslovaks for SOE parachute missions and as a FANY wireless telegraphy school. After the war, the hall was converted for use as a school.

     

    1720 to 1724 – Built by Sir John Chester, 4th baronet on the site of an earlier mansion to the designs of master-builder Francis Smith of Warwick. According to Country Life’s Penny Churchill, “a total of 955,550 bricks was used in the construction of the house, wings and garden, of which a staggering 85,000 were used for the garden walls.” She added: “For the next four years, Sir John himself paid the various master-craftsmen who worked on the interiors. The result was some of the finest woodcarving, joinery and plaster-work to be found in any English country house of that period. The elegant formal gardens were laid out by George London and Henry Wise, of Hampton Court and Melbourne Hall fame.”

     

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    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    The entrance hall of the house is impressive. English Heritage remark of it: “Entrance hall with Corinthian surround to front door and triple arched screen with marble columns leading to staircase, said to be designed by Flitcroft when working for Kent. Ceiling painting attributed to Kent.”
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    The ceiling painting is attributed to William Kent and depicts Herse and her sisters sacrificing to Flora.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    Continuing, there is an especially wide staircase beyond.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    One of many reception rooms.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    The dining room is dominated by wooden panelling.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    Another entertaining space.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    In its last use as a hotel and conference centre, a total of 48 bedroom suites were created within the property.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    This former coach house is currently configured as two large conference suites and a meeting room.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    One of two lecture theatres currently on-site.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    A conference room.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    Another view of the exterior of Chicheley Hall.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    Viewed from across the ‘three sided lake.’
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    An aerial shot of part of the 75-acre mini estate.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    And from another angle.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    Formal gardens.
    Chic Chicheley – £7 million for Grade I listed Chicheley Hall, Hall Lane, Chicheley, near Olney, Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire, MK16 9JJ, United Kingdom – Grade I listed Baroque mansion Chicheley Hall in Buckinghamshire for sale for £7 million ($9.1 million, €7.7 million or درهم12.6 million) or 62% less than the current owners have spent on it through Knight Frank.
    A plan of part of the Chicheley Hall site.
  • A Hair of the Dog of a House

    A Hair of the Dog of a House

    Detached Edwardian house in New York State for sale for just £744 or 8,400% less than it cost to build in 1906; it is in the place of Tom Cruise’s birth and was home to a famous German police dog in the 1920s

    Whilst an alcoholic drink to fix a hangover is often known as a “hair of the dog,” a 2,061 square foot detached house on a plot of 3,600 square foot that is currently for sale is certainly something that is in need of a great deal of curing.

     

    Situated in the Brighton area of Syracuse, NY, the two-storey house has 4 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and last sold for £734 in 2015 is again offered for the same sum. Its asking price equates to a sum of just £2.80 per square foot – a true bargain compared to the £4,909 figure for a Chelsea Barracks, London apartment we featured in June.

     

    Featured first on the Old Houses Under 50k blog as a “fixer upper” yesterday, 214 Colvin Street East was supposedly built by one C. R. Brown circa 1906 to 1908 and represents a “good investment opportunity” or is equally suitable for owner occupancy. It is offered by the Greater Syracuse Land Bank on the condition the condition that the buyer provides proof of funds of £63,200 to cover purchase and renovation.

     

    According to the blog, the house’s best-known previous resident was a German police dog from the First World War. Of the animal, they state:

     

    “In the 1920s, it was home to a dog known as Jack. Jack was born around 1910 (?) and served as a German police dog during World War I.”

     

    “According to an article in the September 11th, 1921 issue of the Syracuse Herald, Jack was there when the German army withdrew from their position at the Hindenburg line in France in October 1918. The German army left behind a great number of dogs which had been used by them in their offensives.”

     

    “Dr. Scott R. Fisher, a Syracuse resident, was at Hindenurg [sic] working with the Red Cross to care for Americans. When Jack spotted Dr. Fisher, he stuck to him and refused to leave his side – ensuring he found a way to be with Fisher his entire way back to base. Dr. Fisher told the paper that, ‘such devotion deserves reward,’ and decided to take Jack back home with him.”

     

    “According to the article: ‘Jack was stowed away in an overcrowded ship which was bringing American soldiers home and where each man was allowed only a certain poundage of baggage. Dr. Fisher shared his own rations with Jack because dog food was not available in the ship’s stores.” When they arrived back in America, the pair settled here on Syracuse’s Southside.’”

     

    The Numbers – 214 Colvin Street East, Brighton, Southside, Syracuse, New York State, NY 13205, United States of America

     

    September 2020 – For sale for £744 ($1,000, €835 or درهم1,354) on the condition the buyer showing proof of funds of £63,200 ($85,000, €71,000 or درهم115,100) to cover the purchase and renovation.

     

    2017 – 2019 – Assessed for tax for the sum of £14,900 ($20,000, €16,700 or درهم27,100) each year.

     

    February 2015 – Sold for £734 ($1,000, €835 or درهم1,354).

     

    Circa 1906 – 1908 – Built at a cost of £2,600 ($3,500, €2,900 or درهم12,900), the equivalent of £68,100 ($91,600, €76,400 or درهم336,400) today.

     

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    A Hair of the Dog of a House – £744 for detached house at 214 Colvin Street East, Brighton, Southside Syracuse, New York State, NY 13205, United States of America through Greater Syracuse Land Bank – Detached Edwardian house in New York State for sale for just £744 or 8,400% less than it cost to build in 1906; it is in the place of Tom Cruise’s birth and was home to a famous German police dog in the 1920s.
    The entrance to the house is framed by two Doric columns.
    A Hair of the Dog of a House – £744 for detached house at 214 Colvin Street East, Brighton, Southside Syracuse, New York State, NY 13205, United States of America through Greater Syracuse Land Bank – Detached Edwardian house in New York State for sale for just £744 or 8,400% less than it cost to build in 1906; it is in the place of Tom Cruise’s birth and was home to a famous German police dog in the 1920s.
    A reception room with an especially manky looking door.
    A Hair of the Dog of a House – £744 for detached house at 214 Colvin Street East, Brighton, Southside Syracuse, New York State, NY 13205, United States of America through Greater Syracuse Land Bank – Detached Edwardian house in New York State for sale for just £744 or 8,400% less than it cost to build in 1906; it is in the place of Tom Cruise’s birth and was home to a famous German police dog in the 1920s.
    Another room features two sash windows and a ceiling complete with a gaping hole.
    A Hair of the Dog of a House – £744 for detached house at 214 Colvin Street East, Brighton, Southside Syracuse, New York State, NY 13205, United States of America through Greater Syracuse Land Bank – Detached Edwardian house in New York State for sale for just £744 or 8,400% less than it cost to build in 1906; it is in the place of Tom Cruise’s birth and was home to a famous German police dog in the 1920s.
    The entrance hallway and original staircase (minus a few spindles).
    A Hair of the Dog of a House – £744 for detached house at 214 Colvin Street East, Brighton, Southside Syracuse, New York State, NY 13205, United States of America through Greater Syracuse Land Bank – Detached Edwardian house in New York State for sale for just £744 or 8,400% less than it cost to build in 1906; it is in the place of Tom Cruise’s birth and was home to a famous German police dog in the 1920s.
    The landing ceiling shows further sign of collapses.
    A Hair of the Dog of a House – £744 for detached house at 214 Colvin Street East, Brighton, Southside Syracuse, New York State, NY 13205, United States of America through Greater Syracuse Land Bank – Detached Edwardian house in New York State for sale for just £744 or 8,400% less than it cost to build in 1906; it is in the place of Tom Cruise’s birth and was home to a famous German police dog in the 1920s.
    A bedroom plainly previously inhabited by someone named Minnie.
    A Hair of the Dog of a House – £744 for detached house at 214 Colvin Street East, Brighton, Southside Syracuse, New York State, NY 13205, United States of America through Greater Syracuse Land Bank – Detached Edwardian house in New York State for sale for just £744 or 8,400% less than it cost to build in 1906; it is in the place of Tom Cruise’s birth and was home to a famous German police dog in the 1920s.
    Another room with children’s drawings on the walls (and a buckled floor).
    A Hair of the Dog of a House – £744 for detached house at 214 Colvin Street East, Brighton, Southside Syracuse, New York State, NY 13205, United States of America through Greater Syracuse Land Bank – Detached Edwardian house in New York State for sale for just £744 or 8,400% less than it cost to build in 1906; it is in the place of Tom Cruise’s birth and was home to a famous German police dog in the 1920s.
    A bathroom where one would most certainly not like to bathe.
    A Hair of the Dog of a House – £744 for detached house at 214 Colvin Street East, Brighton, Southside Syracuse, New York State, NY 13205, United States of America through Greater Syracuse Land Bank – Detached Edwardian house in New York State for sale for just £744 or 8,400% less than it cost to build in 1906; it is in the place of Tom Cruise’s birth and was home to a famous German police dog in the 1920s.
    The house stands on a street where those that neighbour it are perfectly well presented.
    A Hair of the Dog of a House – £744 for detached house at 214 Colvin Street East, Brighton, Southside Syracuse, New York State, NY 13205, United States of America through Greater Syracuse Land Bank – Detached Edwardian house in New York State for sale for just £744 or 8,400% less than it cost to build in 1906; it is in the place of Tom Cruise’s birth and was home to a famous German police dog in the 1920s.
    Syracuse is situated to the north of New York and the east of Rochester. Its metropolitan area had a population of 662,000 as of 2010 and has transitioned from a manufacturing area to one primarily focused on higher education, research and healthcare. The city is also well known for its jazz and contemporary music scene.
  • Questioning Randy Andy

    Questioning Randy Andy

    Friend of deceased paedophile and mucky madam Prince Andrew targeted in a protest outside Buckingham Palace; ‘Randy Andy’ now needs to do the decent thing and answer the FBI’s questions

    Yesterday, video footage of a protest outside Buckingham Palace against paedophiles appeared on YouTube. It was captioned: “Anti-Prince Andrew demonstration” variously, but strangely the mainstream media have decided not to even cover the event.

     

    Previously targeted at the palace in February with an American school bus carrying an advert featuring his face and the words: “If you see this man please ask him to call the FBI to answer their questions” by the lawyer Gloria Allred, whom represents several of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims, the Duke of York was unlikely present during either of the debacles.

     

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hrqo4UUT_X8
    A video of the protest at Buckingham Palace against Prince Andrew was uploaded to YouTube yesterday.
    Virginia Giuffre reacted to news of the protest by taking to Twitter to state: “That’s right @RoyalFamily lol outside and see the crowds gather around and call you out. You do not deserve to be collecting taxes from the public- what are they getting out of it? A corrupt gov- well that’s what you get- protesters! #saybyetotheroyals #Justice”

    Now, the heat is being turned up for the deservedly reduced royal and if he is indeed as innocent as he claims of the allegations made against him by Virginia Giuffre, he should finally do the decent thing: Answer the questions of the American authorities about his involvement in this sorry saga.

     

    Pictured top: ‘Randy Andy’ with Jeffrey Epstein in 2010 – soon after the paedophile’s release from his first stint in prison.

     

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    Questioning Randy Andy – Protest against Prince Andrew – Friend of deceased paedophile and mucky madam Prince Andrew targeted in a protest outside Buckingham Palace; ‘Randy Andy’ now needs to do the decent thing and answer the FBI’s questions.
    Questioning Randy Andy – Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre at the home of Ghislaine Maxwell at 44 Kinnerton Street, Belgravia on 10th March 2001. The royal claims the photograph is a fake, whilst Giuffre has stated she is “running out of hope” that any punishment will be given for the crimes she alleges were perpetrated against her when she was a minor.
    Questioning Randy Andy – Protest against Prince Andrew – Friend of deceased paedophile and mucky madam Prince Andrew targeted in a protest outside Buckingham Palace; ‘Randy Andy’ now needs to do the decent thing and answer the FBI’s questions.
    Questioning Randy Andy – The American school bus that delivered a message to Buckingham Palace in February 2020.
    Questioning Randy Andy – Protest against Prince Andrew – Friend of deceased paedophile and mucky madam Prince Andrew targeted in a protest outside Buckingham Palace; ‘Randy Andy’ now needs to do the decent thing and answer the FBI’s questions.
    Questioning Randy Andy – The Duke of York with Donald Trump. Both associated willingly with both Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell and both need to explain their involvement with these undoubtedly deviant duo.
    Questioning Randy Andy – Protest against Prince Andrew – Friend of deceased paedophile and mucky madam Prince Andrew targeted in a protest outside Buckingham Palace; ‘Randy Andy’ now needs to do the decent thing and answer the FBI’s questions.
    Questioning Randy Andy – Sarah Ferguson with Ghislaine Maxwell. The former wife turned live-in sidekick of the non-sweating Prince Andrew happily accepted £15,000 from the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Whether it was ever repaid is unknown.
  • The Hotel Detective and his Lover

    The Hotel Detective and his Lover

    Hotel legend Derek Picot’s novel ‘The Hotel Detective and his Lover’ is a perfect easy read for those wishing to enjoy quirky hotel land

    Derek Picot is a legend in the world of hoteliers. He has charm and a brilliant eye for detail and now he’s written a novel, The Hotel Detective and his Lover.

     

    Available on Amazon for £10.50 since the 9th August, ex head honcho at London’s sadly now under renovation Carlton Tower, Picot’s second foray into print – following on from, Hotel Reservations, which was very much a deserved hit in its own right – tells the tale of an internal detective at a fictional hotel on The Strand.

     

    Complete with characters drawn from his own real-life experiences in the industry and quite a bit of action in the suites, this is a book that is fun and it is one that makes for a perfectly delightful read. You’ll find skullduggery, deviousness and dining on its pages and you’ll marvel at a world that has sadly long since been eroded by multi-national chain blandness of Hiltons and Intercontinentals.

     

    In the days of dullness of coronavirus lockdowns, we need to remember the fun times of the past and in Picot’s work, you’ll find something refreshing. Here is a book that has, as the author’s restaurateur friend Philip Lawless commented to The Steeple Times, “had names changed to protect the innocent, yet not has lost the authenticity of something of Agatha Christie’s At Bertram’s Hotel.”

     

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    The Hotel Detective and his Lover – By Derek Picot – Hotel legend Derek Picot’s novel ‘The Hotel Detective and his Lover’ is a perfect easy read for those wishing to enjoy quirky hotel land.
    ‘The Hotel Detective and his Lover’ is set in a fictional hotel on The Strand; The Savoy, of course, is the only real hotel of any note on that street, but Picot’s creation is an utterly fascinating concoction of intrigue.
  • Magnificent Madeleine

    Magnificent Madeleine

    Matthew Steeples suggests the utterly charming Chez Madeleine as the best place for seafood in Saint Tropez, France

    To those that aspire to be Mary Berry, Saint Tropez is famous for its Tarte Tropézienne – created in a bakery in the main square in the 1950s by Alexandre Micka, a young Polish baker, and made famous by Brigitte Bardot’s obsession with it subsequently in the 1960s – and to the flash with wads of cash, this is a summer spot that is all about hedonism and high fashion.

     

    If you want Celine, Dior, Hermès, Loro Piana or Louis Vuitton, in Saint Tropez you will find yourself in your idea of heaven and in terms of dining, the coastal town is primarily divided between restaurants that cater to tacky tourists and dining destinations that pander to the cravings of the super, super ultra rich. However, for those desiring something a little more authentic there’s a wonderful little oyster bar hidden behind a small fish market named Chez Madeleine that you simply just couldn’t fail to fall in love with.

     

    Owned and operated by a delightful lady named Garance Fonquerne and her family since December 2019, Chez Madeleine is certainly petite. With just a few bar stools, it’s a quick pitstop for some but, if you linger, you’ll soon discover the charm of this dining destination is based upon its atmosphere and jolly staff.

     

    Garance is thoroughly French, but her father runs a hair salon in London’s Gloucester Road. She was educated partly in South Kensington and as such has an ability to click with her international clientele. Here, indeed, is a hostess exceptionnelle and someone whose dining spot is deservedly buzzy.

     

    Featuring primarily a menu of oysters including the Josephine and the Gillardeau – both famously farmed by the family of the latter name since the 19th century. As you sit observing these delights being shucked, you’ll soon realise the truth of Andrew Carnegie’s quote on this most delectable of shellfish: “The first man gets the oyster, the second man gets the shell” as you then witness the suave staff of the ‘have yachts’ arrive to collect stunningly presented takeaway baskets of such for their masters to consume on their nearby gin palaces.

     

    Offered here also is king crab, prawns, salmon and caviar and washed down in the sunshine with a bottle of rose, you’ll also realise you’ve found the best thing in life in Chez Madeleine: A simple, yet utterly glorious culinary paradise.

     

    Chez Madeleine, 14 Place aux Herbes, 83 990, Saint Tropez, France. Telephone: +33 (0) 9 52 04 39 47. Instagram: @la.fine.equipe.chez.madeleine

     

    Pictured top: Garance Fonquerne outside Chez Madeleine.

     

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    Magnificent Madeleine – Review of Chez Madeleine, France – Matthew Steeples suggests the utterly charming Chez Madeleine as the best place for seafood in Saint Tropez, France. Chez Madeleine, 14 Place aux Herbes, 83 990, Saint Tropez, France. Telephone: +33 (0) 9 52 04 39 47.
    Magnificent Madeleine – Review of Chez Madeleine, France – Matthew Steeples suggests the utterly charming Chez Madeleine as the best place for seafood in Saint Tropez, France. Chez Madeleine, 14 Place aux Herbes, 83 990, Saint Tropez, France. Telephone: +33 (0) 9 52 04 39 47.
    Magnificent Madeleine – Review of Chez Madeleine, France – Matthew Steeples suggests the utterly charming Chez Madeleine as the best place for seafood in Saint Tropez, France. Chez Madeleine, 14 Place aux Herbes, 83 990, Saint Tropez, France. Telephone: +33 (0) 9 52 04 39 47.
  • A Mach 3 Fixer Upper

    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper

    Charming detached Edwardian house in Buffalo, Kansas – the birthplace of the first man to beat Mach 3 – for sale for just £15,000; it comes with 0.5 acres of land, a barn and is in reasonable condition

    In England, £15,000 will just about buy you a Ford Fiesta hatchback, but in Buffalo, Kansas, you could get a detached Edwardian house on a plot of 0.44 acres.

     

    Featured on the blog Old Houses Under $50k, 309 North Church Street comprises of a 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom house extending to 2,197 square foot and it comes with a small barn also. It is a “fixer-upper” but it appears surprisingly not in the very worst of states.

     

    Built in 1910, the house comes in at a price of just £6.89 per square foot – which seems a true bargain compared to the £4,909 per square foot Chelsea Barracks, London one bedroom we featured in June – and is described as “very cute” and the “perfect [place] for raising your own chickens.”

     

    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper – £15,140 ($20,000, €16,800 or درهم73,500) for 309 North Church Street, Buffalo, Wilson County, Kansas, KS 66717, United States of America through Diane Hess of Midwest Real Estate, Inc. – Charming detached Edwardian house in Buffalo, Kansas – the birthplace of the first man to beat Mach 3 – for sale for just £15,000; it comes with 0.5 acres of land, a barn and is reasonable condition.
    Milburn G. ‘Mel’ Apt (9th April 1924 – 27th September 1956) was born in Buffalo, Kansas and graduated from Buffalo High School in 1942. He was killed after separating from the Bell X-2 in his escape capsule during the record-setting flight that exceeded Mach 3.

    Buffalo, Wilson County itself was founded in 1867 if you believe Wikipedia. It was “named after the American bison, commonly known as the buffalo.” It grew to be incorporated as a city in 1898 due to the Missouri Pacific Railroad passing through it, but as of 2010 had a population of just 232 people. Mel Apt (1924 – 1956), the first man to attain speeds faster than Mach 3, was born there.

    309 North Church Street is offered by Diane Hess of Midwest Real Estate, Inc.

    The Numbers – 309 North Church Street, Buffalo, Wilson County, Kansas, KS 66717, United States of America

    • August 2020 – For sale for £15,140 ($20,000, €16,800 or درهم73,500) through Midwest Real Estate, Inc.

    • 2019 – Tax assessment of £1,840 ($2,431, €2,037 or درهم3,348).

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    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper – £15,140 ($20,000, €16,800 or درهم73,500) for 309 North Church Street, Buffalo, Wilson County, Kansas, KS 66717, United States of America through Diane Hess of Midwest Real Estate, Inc. – Charming detached Edwardian house in Buffalo, Kansas – the birthplace of the first man to beat Mach 3 – for sale for just £15,000; it comes with 0.5 acres of land, a barn and is reasonable condition.
    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper – An internal shot of 309 North Church Street, Buffalo indicates that it might be in basic condition, but it is far from a wreck.
    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper – £15,140 ($20,000, €16,800 or درهم73,500) for 309 North Church Street, Buffalo, Wilson County, Kansas, KS 66717, United States of America through Diane Hess of Midwest Real Estate, Inc. – Charming detached Edwardian house in Buffalo, Kansas – the birthplace of the first man to beat Mach 3 – for sale for just £15,000; it comes with 0.5 acres of land, a barn and is reasonable condition.
    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper – Further empty rooms in the property include character features such as sash windows and wooden floors.
    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper – £15,140 ($20,000, €16,800 or درهم73,500) for 309 North Church Street, Buffalo, Wilson County, Kansas, KS 66717, United States of America through Diane Hess of Midwest Real Estate, Inc. – Charming detached Edwardian house in Buffalo, Kansas – the birthplace of the first man to beat Mach 3 – for sale for just £15,000; it comes with 0.5 acres of land, a barn and is reasonable condition.
    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper – The house a kitchen where you can currently cook on a stove or barbecue and sit on a plastic chair or a fold-up one.
    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper – £15,140 ($20,000, €16,800 or درهم73,500) for 309 North Church Street, Buffalo, Wilson County, Kansas, KS 66717, United States of America through Diane Hess of Midwest Real Estate, Inc. – Charming detached Edwardian house in Buffalo, Kansas – the birthplace of the first man to beat Mach 3 – for sale for just £15,000; it comes with 0.5 acres of land, a barn and is reasonable condition.
    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper – The kitchen cabinets definitely need replacing.
    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper – £15,140 ($20,000, €16,800 or درهم73,500) for 309 North Church Street, Buffalo, Wilson County, Kansas, KS 66717, United States of America through Diane Hess of Midwest Real Estate, Inc. – Charming detached Edwardian house in Buffalo, Kansas – the birthplace of the first man to beat Mach 3 – for sale for just £15,000; it comes with 0.5 acres of land, a barn and is reasonable condition.
    A Mach 3 Fixer Upper – A Google Maps image of the house and barn shows that they were both previously painted red. The plot is open and flat.
  • The Death of the High Street

    The Death of the High Street

    Matthew Steeples laments the death of the high street, but sees some hope in a shift to a new way of retailing

    Remember when Mary Portas was banging on about saving the high street? Appointed in May 2011 by David Cameron and Nick Clegg to “breathe life back” into shopping hubs, this “retail consultant’s” well-meant attempt ended up sadly achieving little in reality.

     

    Now, partly due to the impact of coronavirus and in many cases actually due to longer standing systemic problems with largescale companies, Britain’s towns and cities need to fast adapt if their central business districts are to survive.

     

    Firstly, the high street’s customer base has altered and businesses must come to understand this. With those who’d worked in offices previously having used sandwich shops and retailers at lunchtime gone, many operations such as Pret are seeing footfall collapse and opting to cut staff hours and close stores.

     

    Secondly, the likes of Marks & Spencer – which announced 7,000 job cuts yesterday – will find itself forced into doing more business online. People have adapted to having their food and clothing delivered and a shift to more of that kind of business seems the only way forward for the big household names.

     

    Thirdly, as both retail and office space empties as a result of these changes, town planners must look at new ways of drawing in life and use for this accommodation. Whilst some such spaces are suitable for conversion to housing, another idea could be to make more locations centres of specialisation. Hay-on-Wye, for example, has prospered as a book town whilst Margate has gone from a shabby resort to a vastly successful centre for the arts. Another example is Leeds – which took advantage of the .com boom in the 1990s and became a major location for financial services businesses and call centres.

     

    In spite of a future that looks bleak right now – with Pizza Express axing 1,000 of its workers also as they close numerous locations – if our currently completely haphazard government help it adapt, there could be a future for the high street. It must, however, be one that will have to involve more reasonable landlords and a firm goodbye to greedy robber barons asset strippers like Sir Philip Green also.

     

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  • From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication

    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication

    Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home

    Our readers are important to us and one, Julie Harper of Old Crook Car Farm, Bracewell, Barnoldswick, took the trouble to write in to tell us she thought our publication “great, funny, very true and to the point.” We thank her for her kind words.

     

    Sharing news that she is selling her home for £1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million), Harper explained she’d purchased what is now a 5,692 square foot detached property almost 30 years ago.

     

    Of it, she remarked: “It consisted of a rabbit infested pile of stone – which included the remains of a demolished farmhouse and a barn in ruins – and in the time since we have lovingly rebuilt it into a 5-bedroom home with indoor swimming pool.”

     

    “Due to my love of horses,” she added, “we have constructed stables, a storage barn and a menage also and we have made a bolthole ‘up north.’ It’s no longer cloth cap and clogs up here, it’s on the up and with people fleeing lockdown London due to coronavirus, this could be a wonderful residence for a family who are able to work from home. People sometimes forget there is actually life beyond Birmingham – but there really is.”

     

    Continuing, Harper remarked of her house – which is on the market with Dacre, Son & Hartley – “it is like living in a five star hotel, you could even add a helicopter pad in the field.”

     

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    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – The entrance hall.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – A sitting room complete with a bar.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Another reception room.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – The kitchen.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    The indoor swimming pool.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    The terrace of the pool.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    One of five bedrooms.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    Another bedroom.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    A rather charming bathroom.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    The gardens.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    Another view of the setting.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    The stables.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    The manege.
    From Cloth Caps And Clogs to Sophistication – Reader of ‘The Steeple Times’ shares news that ‘up north’ is “no longer “just cloth caps and clogs” and illustrates this with information about the sale of her £1.5 million home – Old Crook Car Farm, Gisburn Road, Barnoldswick, Lancashire, BB18 5XD, United Kingdom, for sale through Dacre, Son & Hartley for 1.475 million ($1.930 million, €1.630 million or درهم2.691 million).
    The entrance to the property and its garaging. The late Percy Shaw would have been very happy with such.

  • A Lament for London

    A Lament for London

    Matthew Steeples expresses lament for London’s post-coronavirus future – here is a city that faces an exodus and recession

    This morning in The Guardian, Emma Brockes – a “British writer in New York” according to her Twitter handle – penned an article about how that city is “going back to the 1970s” as a “long overdue correction to the ravaging effect of high finance.”

     

    Her fascinating analysis of how the “post-Covid hotspot” is set to lose its middle classes and “become more dangerous,” could also be applied to London.

     

    Aside from families releasing that they desire outside space rather than cramped flats in the pandemic, the exodus to the suburbs and beyond is most definitely occurring. Property prices are rising in more rural areas and workers will commute less and less.

     

    The new era ahead involves working from home and the consequences were explained to me recently by a city restaurateur. When allowed, he reopened for a week – but hardly anybody came. He found the city empty of his usual regulars, closed his doors and will try again in September.

     

    Sandwich shops such as Pret have seen a sharp decline in revenue and tailors are suffering as well. People no longer need a Savile Row suit and instead wear their shorts or dressing gowns whilst they work. Many shops have closed – some would have closed anyway given the high street was already failing – and stabbings have sadly dramatically risen.

     

    Dick Whittington famously fictionally arrived in London expecting the streets to be paved with gold. He initially found to the contrary and ended up cold and hungry and now many will find the same. With an expected second wave of coronavirus this winter and the worst recession in history underway, London needs to wake up and smell the coffee.  

     

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