The Steeple Times

Tag: London

  • An Expensive Blank Canvas

    An Expensive Blank Canvas

    Repossessed Knightsbridge flat for sale for £5.25 million in spite of being a complete wreck

     

    Originally built in 1870 with a façade created from the Portland stone from the original Blackfriars Bridge, 33 Ennismore Gardens was converted from a single-family home to six flats in 1947.

     

    In 1998, an additional mansard level was created to house an additional apartment and now the top three floors of the building are available instead as a single unit for £5.25 million ($6.6 million, €6.1 million or درهم24.1 million).

     

    Listed by Knight Frank on behalf of P. Mayo MRICS and A. Kisby MRICS of Allsop LLP acting as joint fixed charge receivers, the 2,732 square foot space on offer has previously had planning permission for a 4-bedroom apartment complete with 3 reception rooms and even, a little more exotically, what was termed a “cocktail room”.

     

    The Grade II listed, leasehold maisonette is currently presented in what the selling agents term “shell condition” – i.e. a total wreck – and “requires complete refurbishment”. Most of its internal walls and fittings have been removed and the resulting property offered is probably better described as “a very expensive blank canvas”.

     

    An Expensive Blank Canvas – Flat 4, 33 Ennismore Gardens, Knightsbridge, London, SW7 1AE – Repossessed shell maisonette for sale for £5.25 million ($6.6 million, €6.1 million or درهم24.1 million) through Knight FrankAn Expensive Blank Canvas – Flat 4, 33 Ennismore Gardens, Knightsbridge, London, SW7 1AE – Repossessed shell maisonette for sale for £5.25 million ($6.6 million, €6.1 million or درهم24.1 million) through Knight Frank An Expensive Blank Canvas – Flat 4, 33 Ennismore Gardens, Knightsbridge, London, SW7 1AE – Repossessed shell maisonette for sale for £5.25 million ($6.6 million, €6.1 million or درهم24.1 million) through Knight Frank An Expensive Blank Canvas – Flat 4, 33 Ennismore Gardens, Knightsbridge, London, SW7 1AE – Repossessed shell maisonette for sale for £5.25 million ($6.6 million, €6.1 million or درهم24.1 million) through Knight Frank An Expensive Blank Canvas – Flat 4, 33 Ennismore Gardens, Knightsbridge, London, SW7 1AE – Repossessed shell maisonette for sale for £5.25 million ($6.6 million, €6.1 million or درهم24.1 million) through Knight Frank

  • Hero of the Hour – John Prescott

    Hero of the Hour – John Prescott

    Lord Prescott is entirely right to suggest Jeremy Corbyn unfit to be Labour’s leader just as he was spot on about Sir Christopher “did nothing” Meyer over phone hacking

     

    According to The Mail on Sunday, last Wednesday, at a meeting of the Labour party, the former Deputy Prime Minister, John Prescott, told Jeremy Corbyn: “You’re not a leader and you never will be while you have a hole in your arse”.

     

    ‘Two Jags’ speaks for the nation if he did indeed utter such sentiments. He previously, entirely correctly, referenced Britain’s most pointless ever Ambassador to Washington and former head of the (equally irrelevant and rightly now defunct) Press Complaints Commission, Sir Christopher Meyer, as the man who “did nothing” over phone hacking.

     

    In a separate incident, the Welsh born railway signalman’s son supposedly termed the Labour leader: “Useless” and his team: “Just not up to the f***ing job”. If he did say that too, he again got it right on both scores and should be saluted and celebrated.

     

    We say: Please, Lord Prescott, keep going – You are entirely on message and our nation needs you. Britain requires a decent opposition right now and as Jeremy Corbyn won’t provide it, please, get your arse back to Parliament.

     

  • A Musical Roller

    A Musical Roller

    Rolls-Royce previously owned by musicians Kenney Jones and Vangelis to be auctioned

     

    A 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III drophead coupé complete with ‘Chinese Eyes’ quad headlights that was owned by the drummer Kenney Jones and the electronic musician Vangelis is to be sold at auction next week.

     

    The mid-metallic blue with beige hide interior stunner, which has been “recently unearthed from a London garage”, was one of a vast collection of cars owned by Stepney born Jones – a member of Small Faces, Faces, The Who, The Law and The Jones Gang – in the 1980s. The Conservative supporting, polo club owner sold the car to Vangelis in 1993 and in an interview with Luxurious Magazine remarked: “I had to downgrade to an Audi Q7 which was big enough to hold [my six children]”.

     

    A Musical Roller – 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III drophead coupé – Ex drummer Kenney Jones and ex electronic musician Vangelis – To be sold by H&H Classics at their 29th March Imperial War Museum Duxford sale in Cambridgeshire – Estimate £150,000 to £180,000 ($186,000 to $224,000, €173,000 to €208,000 or درهم684,000 to درهم821,000)
    Kenney and Jayne Jones at their Hurtwood Park Polo Club and Vangelis

     

    Secretive Chariots of Fire score writer Vangelis – born Evanghelos Papathanassiou – kept the vehicle for 23 years yet hardly ever drove it. Despite him having left it in a London garage for decades, the vehicle “runs well” and is described by its owner as having a “very good” engine and “good” coachwork, paintwork and interior trim. Factory extras fitted to the vehicle include an electrically operated hood mechanism, electric windows and a cocktail cabinet with crystal glasses and a carafe under the dashboard.

     

    H&H Classics have placed an estimate of £150,000 to £180,000 ($186,000 to $224,000, €173,000 to €208,000 or درهم684,000 to درهم821,000) on this “decidedly avant-garde, yet majestic” coupé and will sell it on 29th March at their Imperial War Museum Duxford sale in Cambridgeshire.

     

    A Musical Roller – 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III drophead coupé – Ex drummer Kenney Jones and ex electronic musician Vangelis – To be sold by H&H Classics at their 29th March Imperial War Museum Duxford sale in Cambridgeshire – Estimate £150,000 to £180,000 ($186,000 to $224,000, €173,000 to €208,000 or درهم684,000 to درهم821,000)A Musical Roller – 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III drophead coupé – Ex drummer Kenney Jones and ex electronic musician Vangelis – To be sold by H&H Classics at their 29th March Imperial War Museum Duxford sale in Cambridgeshire – Estimate £150,000 to £180,000 ($186,000 to $224,000, €173,000 to €208,000 or درهم684,000 to درهم821,000)A Musical Roller – 1965 Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud III drophead coupé – Ex drummer Kenney Jones and ex electronic musician Vangelis – To be sold by H&H Classics at their 29th March Imperial War Museum Duxford sale in Cambridgeshire – Estimate £150,000 to £180,000 ($186,000 to $224,000, €173,000 to €208,000 or درهم684,000 to درهم821,000)

  • Red Rollers

    Red Rollers

    Pair of striking red Rolls-Royces with Scottish connections to be auctioned at the Imperial War Museum Duxford

     

    Rolls-Royces tend to be noticed wherever they go but a pair to be auctioned later this month are especially stand-out examples in that they both come in especially bold shades of red.

     

    The first car, a 1990 Rolls-Royce Corniche III convertible, is offered with an estimate of £50,000 to £60,000 ($62,000 to $74,000, €58,000 to €69,000 or درهم228,000 to درهم273,000). It was built to special order for a Scottish laird and features one-of-a-kind red paintwork said to match the colour of his family’s tartan. The 27-year old automatic, 6.75-litre vehicle comes with an original set of cut glass decanters and matching glasses and has covered just 64,900 miles.

     

    The second comes in the form of a 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25 limousine with coachwork by Hooper & Company of Westminster, London. It is presented in maroon and black with black upholstery up front and red to the rear. Originally owned by a Mrs Margaret Abercrombie of Castlehead, Paisley, the 3.7-litre long-wheelbase car subsequently spent 39 years in the USA before returning to the UK in 2003. It is offered with an estimate of £24,000 to £26,000 ($30,000 to $32,000, €28,000 to €30,000 or درهم109,000 to درهم118,000).

     

    The cars will be sold by H&H Classics at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in Cambridgeshire on 29th March.

     

    Red Rollers – H&H Classics Imperial War Museum Duxford sale on 29th March 2017 – 1990 Rolls-Royce Corniche III convertible estimated at £50,000 to £60,000 ($62,000 to $74,000, €58,000 to €69,000 or درهم228,000 to درهم273,000) – 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25 limousine estimated at £24,000 to £26,000 ($30,000 to $32,000, €28,000 to €30,000 or درهم109,000 to درهم118,000) Red Rollers – H&H Classics Imperial War Museum Duxford sale on 29th March 2017 – 1990 Rolls-Royce Corniche III convertible estimated at £50,000 to £60,000 ($62,000 to $74,000, €58,000 to €69,000 or درهم228,000 to درهم273,000) – 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25 limousine estimated at £24,000 to £26,000 ($30,000 to $32,000, €28,000 to €30,000 or درهم109,000 to درهم118,000)Red Rollers – H&H Classics Imperial War Museum Duxford sale on 29th March 2017 – 1990 Rolls-Royce Corniche III convertible estimated at £50,000 to £60,000 ($62,000 to $74,000, €58,000 to €69,000 or درهم228,000 to درهم273,000) – 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25 limousine estimated at £24,000 to £26,000 ($30,000 to $32,000, €28,000 to €30,000 or درهم109,000 to درهم118,000)Red Rollers – H&H Classics Imperial War Museum Duxford sale on 29th March 2017 – 1990 Rolls-Royce Corniche III convertible estimated at £50,000 to £60,000 ($62,000 to $74,000, €58,000 to €69,000 or درهم228,000 to درهم273,000) – 1935 Rolls-Royce 20/25 limousine estimated at £24,000 to £26,000 ($30,000 to $32,000, €28,000 to €30,000 or درهم109,000 to درهم118,000)

  • Dine With Donald

    Dine With Donald

    Matthew Steeples suggests readers reject Donald Trump’s desperate plugs for an opportunity to win dinner with his own very sorry self

     

    In the past twenty-four hours I’ve received four messages begging me to buy my way in to being in with a chance of winning a dinner with Donald Trump on Tuesday 21st March in Washington, D.C.

     

    In the series of email missives, ‘The Donald’s’ representative boast that the winner of this “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” will get to “attend the annual March dinner for FREE”. They list the benefits and amongst them are:

     

    A trip to D.C.: FREE

     

    A stay in TRUMP Hotel: FREE

     

    A dinner with President Trump: PRICELESS

     

    Though “making a contribution does not increase your chances of winning” nor likely your time getting to share “alternative facts” with Kellyanne Conway, entrants are urged to donate $10 to get one entry, $20 to get 4 entries, $50 to get 10 entries or $100 to get 50 entries. Whoever wins will be “President Trump’s guests of honor [sic] at the BIGGEST Republican event of the year”. Lucky them.

     

    In London, a manager of a Chelsea restaurant, on hearing of the “opportunity” to share an over-cooked steak topped with ketchup with the 45th POTUS, remarked: “I’d rather go with one of the local tramps than dine with that old mutt”.

     

    An embarrassed American, sat nearby, laughed and added: “I’d rather eat wasps, nails and paving stones”.

     

    If you really do desire an evening with a lunatic, click here to be in with a chance to win dinner with Donald Trump.

     

    Twitter: @M_Steeples

     

  • Not So Roomy

    Not So Roomy

    Small, single room in South Kensington to be sold for £150,000 at auction

     

    A single room in South Kensington is to be auctioned for the staggering sum of £150,000 ($184,000, €172,000 or درهم675,000).

     

    Curiously offered with a “reserve price not to exceed” that sum, the 205 square foot space is on the lower ground floor of 30 Queen’s Gate Gardens and held on a lease with 113 years remaining. It can be accessed from the main ground floor or entrance or via the lower ground floor entrance, has an external window and appears to have a rather large hole bashed in one of its walls.

     

    Auctioneers Allsop will sell what could be one of the most expensive cupboards in London on 30th March at The Cumberland Hotel in Great Cumberland Place, W1H. The agents emphasise a key selling point in stating: “There is no liability towards the building’s insurance or service charge” with this property.

     

  • Bring Back Abdulhak

    Bring Back Abdulhak

    Father of Martine Vik Magnussen again calls for his daughter’s wealthy Arabic suspected killer to face justice nine years after her death

     

    Nine years have passed since Martine Vik Magnussen, after being caught on camera leaving Mayfair’s Maddox Club, was raped and murdered in Great Portland Street, London. Her suspected killer, a wealthy brat named Farouk Abdulhak has never been caught and, to this day, lives in luxury with his family in Yemen.

     

    On Wednesday, Miss Magnussen’s Norwegian father, Petter, issued yet another appeal for justice through The Mirror. In his statement, he remarked:

     

    “We never imagined nine years ago that we would be in this position today”.

     

    “We had hoped that Farouk Abdulhak would by now have had the courage to return to the UK and allow for the legal processes to proceed”.

     

    “Sadly that is not the case, he remains at large, hiding from justice and putting myself and my family through intolerable pain”.

     

    “Martine was a beautiful daughter and our search for justice will never cease”.

     

    Bring Back Abdulhak – Father of Martine Vik Magnussen again calls for his daughter’s wealthy Arabic suspected killer Farouk Abdulhak to face justice nine years after her death
    Suspected killer and rapist Farouk Abdulhak continues to live a playboy lifestyle thanks to the wealth and connections of his family

     

    The son of a wealthy businessman named Shaher Abdulhak, Farouk Abdulhak remains at large and due to Britain having no extradition agreement with Yemen continues to do as he pleases. It is shameful and wrong and despite repeated calls for him to return to the UK to face justice, he will likely never give himself up.

     

    Those with information should contact the police on +44 (0) 20 8358 0300 or Crimestoppers on +44 (0) 800 555 111.

     

  • Nelson & Nintendo

    Nelson & Nintendo

    Georgian mansion, where Admiral Lord Nelson lived with his lover and her husband, for sale for £4.25 million; it was renovated by a former Nintendo executive

     

    One would expect a senior executive of a tech company to live in a slick, modern home in Silicon Valley, but since 2004, Matthew Hill, for many years a senior manager at Nintendo, has called a Grade II listed manor house named Fir Hill in Hampshire’s Meon Valley home.

     

    Built in 1765 and the scene of one of the most famous ménages à trois in history when home to Sir William Hamilton, his wife Emma and Admiral Horatio, 1st Viscount Nelson in 1801 to 1802, the 7,905 square foot “Georgian masterpiece” includes 3 reception rooms, 7 bedrooms and 4 bathrooms. It stands in 5.2 acres of land and comes with a two-storey stable block with potential for secondary accommodation.

     

    Mr Hill purchased the property from Mrs Vida Schreiber, previously Lady Clive, after the death of her husband, Brigadier Schreiber. He met intellectual property lawyer Georgy Evans in 2007 and married her in St Mary and All Saints church in Droxford in 2012 and in the time since, aside from completing the renovation of Fir Hill, the couple have worked together creating a website that comprehensively details the entire history of the building.

     

    Of the renovation and why they are now selling, Matthew Hill told Hampshire Life:

     

    “The renovation work took us 10 years on and off. Our architect said, you either have a big bang and not live here for two years or work in phases. We decided to do the work in four phases which meant we could live here, moving around the house as each phase was completed. The experience of living in the house helped with the restoration… It’s a lovely house, with a lovely feeling, but too big for the two of us now”.

     

    Fir Hill is for sale for £4.25 million ($5.17 million, €4.87 million or درهم19.07 million) through Christie’s Real Estate.

     

    Nelson & Nintendo – Fir Hill, High Street, Garrison Hill, Droxford, Southampton, Hampshire, SO32 3QL, United Kingdom – For sale for £4.25 million ($5.17 million, €4.87 million or درهم19.07 million) through Christie’s Real Estate – Home of Nintendo executive Matthew Hill and Georgy Evans Nelson & Nintendo – Fir Hill, High Street, Garrison Hill, Droxford, Southampton, Hampshire, SO32 3QL, United Kingdom – For sale for £4.25 million ($5.17 million, €4.87 million or درهم19.07 million) through Christie’s Real Estate – Home of Nintendo executive Matthew Hill and Georgy Evans Nelson & Nintendo – Fir Hill, High Street, Garrison Hill, Droxford, Southampton, Hampshire, SO32 3QL, United Kingdom – For sale for £4.25 million ($5.17 million, €4.87 million or درهم19.07 million) through Christie’s Real Estate – Home of Nintendo executive Matthew Hill and Georgy Evans Nelson & Nintendo – Fir Hill, High Street, Garrison Hill, Droxford, Southampton, Hampshire, SO32 3QL, United Kingdom – For sale for £4.25 million ($5.17 million, €4.87 million or درهم19.07 million) through Christie’s Real Estate – Home of Nintendo executive Matthew Hill and Georgy Evans Nelson & Nintendo – Fir Hill, High Street, Garrison Hill, Droxford, Southampton, Hampshire, SO32 3QL, United Kingdom – For sale for £4.25 million ($5.17 million, €4.87 million or درهم19.07 million) through Christie’s Real Estate – Home of Nintendo executive Matthew Hill and Georgy EvansNelson & Nintendo – Fir Hill, High Street, Garrison Hill, Droxford, Southampton, Hampshire, SO32 3QL, United Kingdom – For sale for £4.25 million ($5.17 million, €4.87 million or درهم19.07 million) through Christie’s Real Estate – Home of Nintendo executive Matthew Hill and Georgy Evans Nelson & Nintendo – Fir Hill, High Street, Garrison Hill, Droxford, Southampton, Hampshire, SO32 3QL, United Kingdom – For sale for £4.25 million ($5.17 million, €4.87 million or درهم19.07 million) through Christie’s Real Estate – Home of Nintendo executive Matthew Hill and Georgy EvansNelson & Nintendo – Fir Hill, High Street, Garrison Hill, Droxford, Southampton, Hampshire, SO32 3QL, United Kingdom – For sale for £4.25 million ($5.17 million, €4.87 million or درهم19.07 million) through Christie’s Real Estate – Home of Nintendo executive Matthew Hill and Georgy Evans

  • Power Pays

    Power Pays

    That a convicted paedophile is able to avoid a jail sentence is an utter disgrace especially given pensioners get locked up for non-payment of TV licence fees; Old Etonian Andrew Picard shouldn’t be on the streets, he should be in the clink

     

    Andrew Picard (AKA Andrew Laurence and Andrew Boeckman) was caught with 1,185 indecent images of children as young as eight on his computer. He admitted to possessing videos of a three year old being raped, children being forced to have sex with dogs and sharing indecent images on Skype with an undercover policeman yet he was spared jail and handed a derisory non-custodial sentence late last month.

     

    Eton College, Berkshire and Williams College, Massachusetts educated former USA swimmer Picard – who changed his name from Andrew Boeckman to protect the supposed “good reputation” of his wealthy family during his trial – received a sentence of just 10 months imprisonment suspended for 18 months for ten counts of possessing child pornography in late February and thus, one must ask: “Why wasn’t he locked up?”

     

    Justifying why he spared Picard of Probyn House, Page Street, Westminster jail and why he also decided not to place this privileged pervert and predator on the sex offenders’ register, Judge Peter Ross remarked:

     

    “It has been said that you and your family have suffered deeply as a result of your arrest and public exposure. Your family didn’t deserve that… [Prison] would undo the counseling you have undergone”.

     

    Sallie Bennett-Jenkins QC, defending, added:

     

    “This is a young and very able man who has hopes for the future… He was able to have this opportunity [to seek help] and this was something Andrew sought for himself, by himself”.

     

    In a country where our government actively pursues jail sentences for pensioners refusing to pay their TV licence fees, it is a disgrace that the son of a prominent American lawyer named Philip J. Boeckman manages to avoid prison in spite of the seriousness of his offences. This utterly contemptible decision is something that brings only shame on Britain.

     

  • Large in Lowndes

    Large in Lowndes

    Vast Knightsbridge penthouse with two terraces and a double garage for sale for a sum 478% higher than it achieved in 2000

     

    A penthouse across three buildings in Knightsbridge that sold for £5.1 million (the equivalent of £7.9 million, $9.6 million, €9 million or درهم 35.3 million today) in November 2000 has gone on the market for the much increased sum of £29.5 million ($35.9 million, €33.6 million or درهم 131.8 million).

     

    Large in Lowndes – The Penthouse, 23 – 25 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9HD for sale for £29.5 million ($35.9 million, €33.6 million or درهم 131.8 million) through Savills – Vast Knightsbridge penthouse with two terraces and double garage for sale for a sum 478% higher than it achieved in 2000
    Exterior of 23–25 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9HD

     

    Featuring 16 windows overlooking a mature communal garden and a gross internal area of 6,215 square foot, The Penthouse at 23 to 25 Lowndes Square has six bedrooms, two roof terraces and private garaging for two cars. It is offered on a 992 year lease with a share of the freehold and is subject to a whopping annual service charge of £50,576 per year ($61,525, €57,635 or درهم 225,982).

     

    The selling agents are Savills of Sloane Street.

     

    Large in Lowndes – The Penthouse, 23 – 25 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9HD for sale for £29.5 million ($35.9 million, €33.6 million or درهم 131.8 million) through Savills – Vast Knightsbridge penthouse with two terraces and double garage for sale for a sum 478% higher than it achieved in 2000Large in Lowndes – The Penthouse, 23 – 25 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9HD for sale for £29.5 million ($35.9 million, €33.6 million or درهم 131.8 million) through Savills – Vast Knightsbridge penthouse with two terraces and double garage for sale for a sum 478% higher than it achieved in 2000 Large in Lowndes – The Penthouse, 23 – 25 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9HD for sale for £29.5 million ($35.9 million, €33.6 million or درهم 131.8 million) through Savills – Vast Knightsbridge penthouse with two terraces and double garage for sale for a sum 478% higher than it achieved in 2000Large in Lowndes – The Penthouse, 23 – 25 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9HD for sale for £29.5 million ($35.9 million, €33.6 million or درهم 131.8 million) through Savills – Vast Knightsbridge penthouse with two terraces and double garage for sale for a sum 478% higher than it achieved in 2000Large in Lowndes – The Penthouse, 23 – 25 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9HD for sale for £29.5 million ($35.9 million, €33.6 million or درهم 131.8 million) through Savills – Vast Knightsbridge penthouse with two terraces and double garage for sale for a sum 478% higher than it achieved in 2000Large in Lowndes – The Penthouse, 23 – 25 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9HD for sale for £29.5 million ($35.9 million, €33.6 million or درهم 131.8 million) through Savills – Vast Knightsbridge penthouse with two terraces and double garage for sale for a sum 478% higher than it achieved in 2000 Large in Lowndes – The Penthouse, 23 – 25 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9HD for sale for £29.5 million ($35.9 million, €33.6 million or درهم 131.8 million) through Savills – Vast Knightsbridge penthouse with two terraces and double garage for sale for a sum 478% higher than it achieved in 2000Large in Lowndes – The Penthouse, 23 – 25 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9HD for sale for £29.5 million ($35.9 million, €33.6 million or درهم 131.8 million) through Savills – Vast Knightsbridge penthouse with two terraces and double garage for sale for a sum 478% higher than it achieved in 2000Large in Lowndes – The Penthouse, 23 – 25 Lowndes Square, Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 9HD for sale for £29.5 million ($35.9 million, €33.6 million or درهم 131.8 million) through Savills – Vast Knightsbridge penthouse with two terraces and double garage for sale for a sum 478% higher than it achieved in 2000