Journal - St Martin`s Courtyard

Transcription

Spring 2011
Issue 11 of your FREE guide
to everything that is anything
in Covent Garden
cgjournal.co.uk
FREE
COVENT
GARDEN
Journal
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Strand Palace Hotel
372 Strand, London WC2R 0JJ
Spring 2011
Issue 11 of your FREE guide
to everything that is anything
in Covent Garden
cgjournal.co.uk
02 58
04 08 36 44 54
EDITOR’S LETTER
DIRECTORY
PLACE
LIfE
TASTE
ARTS
PAST
04—The quality
of mercery
The Mercers’ Company,
a medieval livery
company, has been one
of Covent Garden’s major
landowners for almost
500 years. This is the
story of one of modern
London’s most unusual
property owners.
08—The Fahri queen
An interview with one
of the greats of British
fashion design.
36—A night at the opera
The couple behind
the all-new Opera Tavern
—the 19th century pub
with a 21st century
approach to food.
44—Musical youth
The Orpheus Foundation
—an organisation
devoted to giving young
musicians much-valued
experience as they start
their careers.
54—Death in
the square
The story of very public
slaying of a politician’s
mistress—a murder
that caused a tidal
wave of prurient gossip
and passionate opinion.
12—Hive mentality
Bernard Chevilliat of
Melvita on bee-keeping
and beauty products.
14—The Jaeger meister
Harold Tillman, the
dapper entrepreneur
and fashion godhead.
40—French connection
Roy Beddows of
French Store Cupboard.
41—Daily grind
Roasting coffee at home.
48—Parasitical ponces
Harold Pinter’s Moonlight.
49—From the
crew room
We know best.
20—Sweet smell
of success
Academy of Flowers.
42—Plum position
Roasted duck breast with 49—Wild, wild wood
plum sauce from the
In a Forest,
Strand Palace Hotel.
Dark and Deep.
24—In bloom
Spring make-up.
43—5 of the best
Cups of tea.
28—My fashion life
Mark Maidment of
Ben Sherman.
30—Dyed laughing
Karine Jackson.
31—Expert eye
New jewellery.
32—Perfect fit
Personal training.
34—Decks appeal
Jewel’s DJ.
01 Covent Garden Journal Issue 11 Spring 2011
50—Artists in
residence
Art in the Garden.
52—Exhibit
Forthcoming exhibitions.
Useful websites
coventgardenlondonuk.com
operaquarter.co.uk
sevendials.co.uk
stmartinscourtyard.com
EDITOR’S LETTER
/Mark Riddaway
Not much has survived of medieval London. For the
most part, this has to be viewed as a good thing—
fortnightly bin collections might draw complaints,
but try living in a city without a sewage system; a
raging bout of Black Death would make a crowded
tube train an even less comfortable environment;
and at least when weekends get a little bit lively
these days, not everyone is carrying a sword. Some
things are a loss though. It’s a pity that so much of
the old city was lost to the Great Fire of London of
1666; it’s a shame that London Bridge is a concrete
eyesore rather than a heaving, swaying city on
stilts; and nobody can be entirely happy about the
disappearance of mead from the drinks menu.
One positive link to medieval London that continues
to thrive is the Worshipful Company of Mercers, a
livery company formally founded in the late 14th
century, which has roots that go back even further.
The Mercers, who once traded in luxury fabrics,
are still responsible for managing a property estate
that includes a large stretch of Covent Garden.
Since the middle ages, the Mercers have seen some
changes in personnel, but the structure and ethos
of the organisation remain intact—this is an
organisation of such legendary status that it still
controls the legacy of Dick Whittington. The Mercers
even remain involved in luxurious fabrics, in the
dresses sold by the up-scale fashion retailers of
St Martin’s Courtyard, but these days there’s not a
single spangly codpiece anywhere among them.
Editor
Mark Riddaway
020 7401 7297
[email protected]
Assistant editors
Jean-Paul Aubin-Parvu
020 7401 7297
[email protected]
Viel Richardson
020 7401 7297
[email protected]
Claire Finney
020 7401 7297
[email protected]
Advertising sales
Donna Earrey
020 7401 2772
[email protected]
Publisher
LSC Publishing
Unit 11
La Gare
51 Surrey Row
London SE1 0BZ
lscpublishing.com
Contributers
Tom Bradley
Holly Cox
Shannon Denny
Angela Holder
Jackie Modlinger
Design and art direction
Em-Project Limited
01892 614 346
[email protected]
Distribution
Letterbox
Printing
Cambrian
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/11
The Mercers’ Company, a medieval livery
company, has been one of Covent Garden’s major
landowners for almost 500 years. Viel Richardson
tells the story of one of modern London’s most
unusual property owners.
Given Covent Garden’s long-standing
status as something of a shopping mecca,
it is no great surprise that one of London’s
newest and most exciting retail, restaurant
and leisure developments—St Martin’s
Courtyard—would be located here, just
off Long Acre. What is more surprising is
that one of the two partners behind this
impressive new development, together
with property company Shaftesbury PLC,
and the owner of much of Long Acre and
the blocks just to its north, happens to be
a medieval livery company. Only in a city as
old and anachronistic as London could an
organisation that delights in the name of
The Worshipful Company of Mercers be a
major player in the property world.
This age-old membership organisation
is so steeped in London’s history that it
was already an established presence in
the city back when Covent Garden was just
a nunnery with some flowerbeds. In an era
of globalisation and short-termist venture
capitalism there’s something cheerfully
incongruous about such a venerable and
uniquely English organisation, and one
driven by charitable aims, retaining such
relevance within the beating heart of
modern London. It’s a bit like discovering
that Westfield is owned by the Knights
Templar. (It’s not, I promise, although Dan
Brown probably thinks it is.)
So what is the Mercers’ Company, and
where did it come from? Looking back into
the history of London’s livery companies,
the trail gets fainter and fainter until
disappearing into the swirling mists of
history. No-one knows precisely when they
emerged, although the trade guilds from
which they were formed began to cement
their presence during the 12th century.
But from their hazy beginnings, the livery
companies would go on to become some
of the most powerful organisations in the
kingdom, controlling the flow of vast rivers of
wealth and power.
The guilds started as loose associations
of men and women working in the same
trade. Initially they operated as social and
religious institutions, which looked after
members who had fallen on hard times
through misfortunes such as illness or
death. Importantly they also represented
their members in legal actions, should they
arise. In fact it is one of these disputes that
provides the first written mention of the
Mercers’ Company, in a law suit brought
in 1304. Sadly the nature of the dispute is
not known. The earliest records still held by
the Mercers’ Company date back to 1390,
just a few years before the institution was
granted its first Royal Charter by Richard II in
either 1393 or 1394.
The company represented the world of
mercery—the word used to describe the
trade in high quality fabrics such as silk,
PLACE
PLACE
thE quALity of mErCEry
The Worshipful Company of Mercers
mercers.co.uk
St Martin’s Courtyard
linen, and the fabled ‘cloth of gold’—a fabric
woven from a core thread wrapped on high
carat gold. Mercers also traded other clothbased goods such as bedding, headwear,
ribbons, laces and purses.
The Mercers’ Company first gained a
presence in Covent Garden in 1530, when
Lady Joan Bradbury, the widow of a wealthy
Mercer and former Lord Mayor of London,
left a large bequest of land to the company
on her death. The 149 acres included land
in Marylebone, St Giles and St Martin in
the Fields. But the company did not get to
enjoy the entirety of this largess for long, as
a mere 12 years later an ‘exchange of land’
involving Henry VIII left the Mercers with just
10 acres in the area along and just north of
Long Acre. The swap appears to have been
somewhat of an unequal one, with the king
getting a large and valuable swathe of land
and the Mercers, who were left with just a
fraction of the Bradbury bequest, getting to
keep their heads.
Even so Lady Bradbury’s generosity was
not forgotten and the company’s Covent
Garden estate was still being referred to as
the ‘Lady Bradbury Estate’ at the beginning
of the 21st century.
A look at company records from its
period of involvement in Covent Garden
provides a fascinating insight into the
changing face of the area. The first full
survey of the estate in 1650 shows
a mix of residential and commercial
properties, much like the present day, but
the nature of the commercial activity has
changed considerably. In 1650 individual
tradesman, stables, craftsmen and coach
of the very essence of the trade guilds.
The practice of bequeathing a personal
charity to a trusted organisation is many
centuries old and dates back to the days
when arranging how your money would
be managed after your death could be a
decidedly tricky proposition. The answer
was often to leave an income-generating
estate to a trusted body with the express
instruction that the money generated would
be used to continue the trust’s work.
The first of these bequests came from
the most famous member of the Mercers’
Company, Dick Whittington. Although his
was not quite the rags to riches story of
legend, Richard Whittington, who was born
manufacturers made up the majority of
in 1350 the youngest son of a Gloucester
the business community. In the 1800s,
landowner, did do extraordinarily well for
brewers and printers had move high up the
himself. After being apprenticed to the
Mercers tenant list, although the coach
Mercers’ Company in his youth, he took to
builders were still doing well. In the early
the trade like a natural and never looked
20th century, the coach builders had
back. By his death in 1423, Whittington
evolved into car makers and for a short
had risen far from his roots in the minor
while Covent Garden was described as one gentry, marrying the daughter of a knight of
of the centres of the British Motor industry.
the realm, lending money to the king on a
As Covent Garden has changed, so has
regular basis, and becoming Master of the
the Mercers Company. Over the years, the
Mercers’ Company three times and Mayor
livery company’s links with the mercery
of London four times.
trade slowly petered out, partly as a result
Whittington died childless, so the
of changes in the trade and partly through
executors of his will used much of his vast
the fact that sons of members were allowed wealth to set up several charities and
to join the company even if they weren’t
undertake several public works around
tradesmen themselves. With each passing London, all of which was administered
generation, the number of actual mercers
through the Mercers’ Company. The
within the Mercers’ Company became ever
Charity of Sir Richard Whittington is still
more diluted. Instead, the main focus of
administered by the Mercers.
the Mercers’ commercial activity became
With a 700 year history of charitable
that of a commercial landlord. Today it is
stewardship behind it, the Mercers’
the largest single property owner in Covent
Company has acquired many such
Garden, as well as one of the largest private bequests and the management of
landlords in the capital. The surpluses from these charitable trusts has become the
this lucrative business aren’t swallowed
company’s primary function.
up by shareholders, though. Instead, the
From their early beginnings as a social
company has established its own charitable and benevolence club, through their time
foundation, which supports a wide range
as a medieval economic powerhouse to
of good causes. These include education,
their present position as a major charitable
welfare and faith-based initiatives both in
benefactor the Mercers Livery Company
the UK and abroad.
has been a major London presence—much
As well as running its own significant
of that time in Covent Garden—for 700
portfolio of properties, and passing out the
years. A quick look at their stable financial
profits through its charitable foundation, the stewardship, dedication to charitable work,
Mercers’ Company also acts as a trustee
and long term commitment, suggests that
for numerous other charitable trusts.
the Mercers will still be making history in
This element of its charitable work is part
another 700 years.
THE MODERN GIRL’S WAY TO BUY OR HIRE VINTAGE
10 — 13 KING STREET COVENT GARDEN
020 7240 6590
WWW.LUCYINDISGUISELONDON.COM
LIFE
/11
QuEEn
Nicole Farhi has remained at
fashion’s forefront for nearly 30
years; Shannon Denny endeavours
to learn a few of her tricks
FarhI
ThE
LIFE
LIFE
thE FahrI quEEn
Fashion may have a well deserved
reputation for being fickle, but there is a
handful of designers whose work remains
relevant and desirable not only from one
short season to the next, but year after
year—even decade in, decade out. Nicole
Farhi falls gracefully into that camp, with a
list of accolades for her services as long as
a supermodel’s arm.
The winner of four British Fashion Awards
for her collections for women, she has been
named menswear designer of the year at
the FHM awards and British designer of
the year at the Maxim awards. She won
a Fifi—the fragrance industry’s version
of the Oscars—for Nicole Farhi Homme.
Then in 2007 she received a CBE and
added a Légion d’honneur only last year.
So what is the formula for her success?
Nicole was born in Nice to Turkish parents
and at first thought she might become a
painter. After studying art and sculpture
she moved to Paris to train in fashion.
Her career began with a job as a freelance
designer in Paris; she next worked in
Italy and then in the early 70s moved to
England, where she and Stephen Marks
became partners both professionally and
personally. Together they founded the
French Connection fashion label and then
gave birth to a daughter in 1975.
Initially Nicole was the principal designer
for French Connection, a position she held
for over a decade, but in 1982 she and
Stephen launched the Nicole Farhi label,
affording her the chance to design a range
that reflected her own personal style.
Nicole’s creations became known for a
brilliant combination of relaxed tailoring,
layering and chic detailing in the most
luxurious fabrics.
Five years into the life of the new
company, Nicole launched a collection
of sporty, easy pieces as a diffusion line
under the name FARHI. Meanwhile, the
brand grew to include shoes, leather
goods, swimwear, perfume and jewellery.
With the empire building steadily, a New
Bond Street flagship opened in 1994.
With a genius for creative multi-tasking,
the designer used the venue to also
house her restaurant, Nicole’s.
But why stop at fashion, fragrance
and food? Nicole next became one of
Britain’s first fashion designers to venture
into homewares, opening an interiors
shop around the corner from the flagship
and restaurant in 1998. The basis was
Nicole’s love of sculpting, and her own
range of handmade glassware and
ceramics embodies her signature style of
understated elegance. As well as her own
LIFE
Nicole Farhi
11 Floral Street
020 7497 8713
nicolefarhi.com
Womenswear & menswear
work, the store features selected labels
along with collectable antiques that Nicole
sources personally on her travels.
The Nicole Farhi brand now has five freestanding stores—including one in Covent
Garden—plus showrooms in London, New
York, Paris, Milan and Madrid. And as proof
of just how much influence the designer
quietly wields, her spring/summer 2011
show at the Royal Opera House pulled in a
front row packed with the biggest fashion
commentators in the world: US Elle editor
Kate Lamphear, UK Vogue editor Alexandra
Shulman, Vogue editor-at-large Hamish
Bowles and outgoing editor of French Vogue
Carine Roitfeld. She also landed the biggest
jewel in the crown when US Vogue editor
Anna Wintour took her seat—a tribute
almost as hard to come by as a CBE or
Légion d’honneur.
To the music of The xx, the catwalk
hosted a modern graphic collection of
delicious daywear and chic eveningwear.
Dresses featured oversized rectangular
sequins with sheer layers and insets; lively
fringes shimmered in silver and gold; the
finely pleated chiffon silk sleeveless shifts
came in bright yellow and gleeful pink.
The overall effect was dazzling, and when
the designer took her bow the audience
responded with applause that was instant
and enthusiastic. After the glittering dust
had finally settled following the triumphant
show, we stole a few minutes with the
creative polymath to garner a few insights
into her fashionable life.
CGJ: I’ve read that your first visits
to London were when you were still
studying fashion in Paris. Do you have any
recollections of this part of the city during
that time?
Nicole Farhi: As a fashion student in the
Sixties I used to come to London to hang
around Carnaby Street and the King’s Road.
In the early Seventies Hitchcock’s movie
Frenzy came out. It was largely set in the
fruit and veg market on Covent Garden
Square. I discovered a similar place at
‘the Halles’ in Paris and started going there
to shop for food and later on for flowers.
It was a very busy and colourful place.
Did you watch Covent Garden evolve from
that into what it is today?
It remained lively but by the 80s the food
market became a destination for the young
and the tourists from all over the world.
So how did your relationship with Covent
Garden develop?
I opened my first menswear shop in Floral
Street in the Nineties and it was followed by
the womenswear store on the square.
Several of your recent London Fashion
Week shows have been staged at the
Royal Opera House. What is it about that
space that appeals?
The Opera House with its Floral Hall is a
magnificent setting for my fashion shows.
I love the arched glass roof and dome with
its intricate cast iron decoration. Obviously
the place breathes creativity and is most
inspiring.
What would you say has been your best
show there, and what made it such
a success?
I think all my shows have a strength and
gravitas in the setting of the Opera House;
it’s difficult to choose a favourite.
How would you describe the Nicole Farhi
woman?
Someone who can express themselves
and does not like to be dictated to in their
day-to-day life in what they wear.
Can you tell us about the themes and
inspirations of your spring/summer
2011 collection?
The collection was inspired by the work of
the artist Christo who creates large-scale
wrappings that are often described as
“revelation through concealment”.
The collection has quite a graphic edge
and is pure, simple and minimalistic but
still feminine, combining sharp lines in
technical fabrics such as Latex and nylons
used in contrast to soft, fluid mixed silks.
What’s been your bestseller in all the years
of your label?
A wrap knitted cardigan.
Do you typically wear your own creations?
Are there any other labels you’re fond
of that have made their way into your
wardrobe?
I wear mostly my designs but love Yohji
Yamamoto and will buy a piece or two
every season.
Your headquarters is not far away;
when you come to WC2 are there any
destinations you particularly like to visit?
My atelier is in Camden, which is not far
from Covent Garden, so it’s easy to go to the
Donmar theatre at the end of a day’s work
and if I’m lucky to the Opera House to see a
ballet or an opera.
Your husband Sir David Hare is a playwrite;
what do the pair of you have in your cultural
calendar at the moment?
Gauguin at the Tate Modern and Diaghilev
at the V&A.
You were born in France, but London has
been your home for decades now. What is
it about the city that keeps you here?
My husband, my dog and my work!
LIFE
What a difference a word makes. Take a
tub of yellowish, ‘natural’ smelling cream,
add the label ‘organic’ and an eye-watering
price tag, and you can almost guarantee
you’ll find gullible consumers queuing up
to grab a quick fix for that common
irritant—a conscience. It’s become the
hallmark of a health fanatic, a byword
for beauty—but just what does the word
‘organic’ actually mean?
Not a lot, apparently—at least not in
the context of the British beauty industry.
While organic food producers in Britain
are accredited by the Soil Association
and regulated by DEFRA, with cosmetics
there is no one governing the use of the
word. In the past, this has led to legions of
so-called ‘organic’ labels jumping on the
ginseng train. Yet for French label Melvita
of St Martin’s Courtyard, being “resolutely
organic” isn’t just clever marketing.
It’s their raison d’etre.
“Every single product
carries the Ecocert logo, a
standard our founder
actually helped
establish,”
hIvE
mEnTaLITy
Clare Finney meets Melvita
founder Bernard Chevilliat
—a man who moved from
bee-keeping to beauty
products, and made it
seem like an entirely natural
career path
LIFE
Melvita
17 Slingsby Place, St Martin’s Courtyard
uk.melvita.com
Simon, Melvita’s brand manager, tells
me proudly. “Ecocert is a French organic
certification organisation, responsible for
80 countries across the world—so while
in the UK it’s still a very grey area, this logo
certifies that we really are organic”.
Later, I googled. I found Ecocert
demands Melvita’s natural and organic
cosmetics standards reach a requirement
level that is ‘superior to the conventional
regulation, thereby guaranteeing the
genuine practice of environmental respect
throughout the production line and the
promotion of natural substances of a
‘superior ecological quality’. In other words
they are as green by nature as they are by
name—which is very green indeed, given
their new lime-fronted flagship store.
Last month I visited the store’s Parisian
counterpart, an equally colourful retreat
situated on the busy Rue Rennes. It was
from here that Simon drew inspiration
for Melvita London: clean, airy spaces,
stand-alone basins for skin consultations,
warm wooden paneling and the piece de
resistance: a towering ‘living wall’ covered
with plants, which sprout from the side like
an upended allotment.
“We’ve taken this idea and adapted
it to a curved wall. It meant building in a
complete irrigation system and special
daylight lights, but the plants are specially
selected for depolluting qualities so they
make air much more purified.” It’s a nice
thought, if somewhat futile in the midst of
London’s rampant pollution, and I wonder if
the products themselves are as natural and
as candid as they look.
At the back, nestled away behind the
educational Honey wall at the Rue Rennes
store, I find my answer: a Melvita spa,
where skilled therapists create tailor-made
Melvita facials from scratch. Here, using
only rose, acacia honey and agar oil, my
therapist Marie sets to work on the dry,
sensitive source of daily irritation that is my
face. This is followed by a head massage,
a neck and shoulder massage and finally,
a hilarious arm-based movement vaguely
reminiscent of my dad doing the hippy hippy
shake.
This, I discover when I meet Melvita’s
esteemed founder Bernard Chevilliat
afterwards, is the ‘bee dance’: the
massage movement inspired by the curious
sort of box step bees do to tell their mates
where the best flowers are. “The bee dance
is one of the key inspirations for the spa,” he
says, seriously. “When the bee comes back
to the hive they are obliged to make a dance,
to illustrate the angle between the sun and
the flowers. This relates to the massage
technique. Our therapists know very well
how to do this—they’ve been working on it
specially.”
That this particular massage model
is unique to Melvita is hardly surprising:
Bernard is after all an apiarist by trade, and
was only drawn to the chimerical world of
cosmetics as a means of developing his
beloved beehives. Little did he know that
the hexagonal honey soap he road tested
20 years ago would prove the building block
for a burgeoning beauty empire and an
international campaign to raise awareness
of the perilous plight of the humble bee.
“At the beginning it was just my brother,
my wife and I, and we produced honey.
Melvita was born out of the success of
our hexagonal soap, which was popular
because people could trade in a chemically
based product for a natural one. At first it
was very simply bee hive products. After that
we tried to use oils and plants as well.”
Bernard smiles suddenly, like a man still
pleasantly surprised by the nature of his
own success. A classic French gentleman
with his unruffled air and impeccable
graces, it is his vast knowledge that has
given Melvita products their competitive
edge: light, non-greasy and effective
formulations that don’t look like they were
mixed up in a soothsayer’s kitchen. He’s
an empiricist who insists each new formula
is grounded in scientific research. If he’s
impressed by the wealth Mother Nature
has afforded Melvita, it is only because the
products work—and when I ask him why
beekeeping, he hesitates only to ascertain
the pronunciation of the word ‘biology’.
“Since the beginning of my life I have
been in a world with someone speaking
all the time of the plants and nature—it’s
very important for all my family. When I was
choosing my work I decided to be a biologist.
This was in the time of Karl Von Frisch, who
won the Nobel Prize for physiology—and he
was working in the language of the bees.
I studied hard at biology and when I left
university, I started beekeeping. It is such
a special animal and does not need much
land to start a hive.”
One hive became 10, 10 grew to 200,
and by 2007 Bernard had received the
green light for an all-solar powered, allgrass roofed eco-factory. Soon Melvita
was being hailed as the brand that brought
organic beauty to France—no small feat
in a nation that invented the term ‘femme
fatale’. From there it was only a matter of
some investment from luxury skincare
company L’Occitane en Provence before the
company’s sweet secret went global.
“Olivier Baussan [the CEO of L’Occitaine]
and Bernard were always friends, their
factories are just down the road from each
other,” brand manager Simon had explained
to me on the train to Paris. “Bernard wanted
external investment so he could make
Melvita international, so instead of selling
to a faceless corporation he sold to Olivier”
At the time, the old aphorism about trying to
run before walking sprung to mind—yet by
the end of my day with Bernard and his staff
I’m beginning to see his point. Britain has
Neal’s Yard. Germany has Dr Hauschka.
But internationally? Well, until Bernard
set his sights beyond the French border
there wasn’t a single beauty company
that aspired to provide certified organic
cosmetics to the global market. Now
Melvita is paving the way for a world in which
natural, ecologically sound beauty products
are certified, meticulously formulated and
don’t cost the earth.
“Since 2008 we’ve opened stores in
Croatia, Russia, Singapore, Hong Kong,
the list goes on and on. In the UK there’s
10 more planned over the next three
years. This is not just a little beauty shop
that’s opening” Simon insists. “America is
waiting. Japan is waiting.” Then, once the
excitement of the opening in London is over,
the team will start raising awareness of
protecting bee populations, “to give people
concrete ways of improving the situation”.
A product that works, a team that’s
dedicated, and an environmental cause
celebre. With the Covent Garden flagship
now buzzing with excited customers,
Bernard and his bees are another step
closer to world pollination.
LIFE
ThE JaEgEr
mEIsTEr
Jackie Modlinger meets Harold Tillman, the
dapper entrepreneur and fashion godhead
who saved the now-resurgent Jaeger from
sartorial irrelevance
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LIFE
thE jaEgEr mEIstEr
If fashion has a godfather, it is
Harold Tillman—the elegant
entrepreneur, owner of British
heritage brands Jaeger and
Aquascutum, and current
chairman of the British Fashion
Council. Tillman’s tale is one
of true rags-to-riches—the boy
from Brixton, son of a Yorkshireborn tailor father, Jack, who
trained at Montague Burton,
and milliner mother, Frances,
he was, so to speak, very much
tailor-made.
Harold has enjoyed a
rollercoaster of a journey,
with two long spells of
heady success punctuated
by a chastening financial
apocalypse, emerging to
become a tour-de-force in the
British fashion industry and
garnering a CBE along the
way. He has always been a
trailblazer—in the early 60s he
became one of the first male
students to attend the London
College of Fashion and, at the
tender age of 22, was made
the insanely young managing
director of the Lincroft Kilgour
tailoring business on Savile
Row. Two years later he
became the youngest person
to float a company on the stock
LIFE
Jaeger London
0203 328 9441
jaeger.co.uk
men’s jackets in a tiny flat above a shop in
south London. We had several machinists,
pattern cutters and tailors making jackets,
and it went on to become a sizeable factory
supplying the second largest men’s suitmakers in the UK. Mum would save up to go
to the best bespoke tailor for a suit and my
Dad the same. What stood out in my mind
was the importance of ‘quality’.
What was it like being an only child?
I’d always come home from school with
my neighbours, who were brothers.
They’d go in together for their tea and I’d go
into my house on my own. If you don’t have
a sibling, I think you place more emphasis
on friendship. I know that I share this with
other friends who are only children.
exchange. Turning sportsman George Best
into the face of the brand was also a major
innovation at the time—a groundbreaking
use of celebrity endorsement, the ripples
of which are still being felt in today’s fashion
world.
If the fashion industry has been
good to him, Tillman is also about giving
back—he is committed to supporting and
nurturing British fashion design talent,
and, in 2006, funded the first major British
fashion scholarship programme, pledging
£1 million to his alma mater, the London
College of Fashion. He is also a great
mentor, having many moons ago employed
a young Paul Smith, and, more recently,
given Jo Sykes her big break as design
director at Aquascutum and shoe designer
Beatrix Ong a platform at Jaeger.
Tillman bought Jaeger in 2003. Back
then, the heritage brand, which has been
a fixture of luxury fashion since 1884, was
seriously ailing—a tired and directionless
company in serious financial trouble.
Under Tillman’s stewardship, Jaeger is
strongly back in the black, and back in the
wardrobes of fashionable women. A branch
of Jaeger London has now opened in
St Martin’s Courtyard.
Tillman greets me in his all- blackleather-and chrome office at the Jaeger
headquarters in the West End. Gym-slim
and dapper, he is a fastidious dresser,
whose attention to detail is impeccable.
Today he is wearing a grey chalk-stripe suit
with purple tie and pristine white shirt.
His schedule of back-to-back meetings
would be daunting for a man half his age,
but Tillman seems to thrive on the
adrenalin that goes with wearing many
hats. And many, many suits.
CGJ: After leaving Balham County
Grammar School at 15, you studied
accountancy—do you feel that this has
been advantageous to your life’s work?
Harold Tillman: Totally. I was reluctant
to even want to do it. It was boring, but I
now know that across my whole business
career it has been a great support. I would
recommend all businessmen to have some
form of accountancy knowledge. I just didn’t
want to become articled, but being able to
read a balance sheet is so important.
I learned to type as well—in those days that
was what one did. It was quite interesting
to be able to type a letter. Fortunately I then
managed to get a scholarship to the London
College of Fashion, which is how my career
really started.
With a mother who even at 90-odd
reputedly refused to leave the house
without matching handbag and shoes, and
raised on a diet of ‘tailoring’, surely fashion
must be in the genes?
We didn’t really have genes in those days,
but yes. I can only say yes. My late father,
who was an apprentice at Montague Burton
in Leeds, started a small workshop making
Did you always have passion for fashion?
Always. When I look back at photographs,
I was always worried about wearing the
right thing at the right time in my life. I am
very conscious of colour-matching and very
critical of others who don’t care. I was in
Italy earlier this week with Jo Sykes and the
men there are so immaculately dressed.
I mean, a man without collarbones in his
shirt, how can he be let out like that?
Didn’t he look in the mirror that morning?
I dress because I enjoy what I wear.
It all depends on what I am doing on that
particular day, and I will change if I am
going to an event that doesn’t suit what
I am wearing. I have a very critical eye on
menswear. I have a tailor in Savile Row who
is driven mad by me. I also wear Jaeger,
Aquascutum, a lot of Ralph Lauren and
Corneliana.
What does it feel like to have been a
millionaire twice over?
My parents came from humble beginnings.
My father had a business, and he provided
for us well, but not in any lavish way. I
became successful very early, at 23-24,
and I was a millionaire before I was 30. As
a youth, money is just the trappings—the
boat, wonderful holidays, wonderful home,
and yes, I could afford it all. Then later on
in life you don’t keep counting your money.
Instead you make investments, pensions,
and you do things with it.
Do you regard yourself as a saviour
of Jaeger?
In a word, yes. Jaeger had lost its way.
As a child, I can recall being taken to look at
Jaeger windows by my parents. I really do
remember it well, it is a memory that I still
have. I have saved two brands now, with
Jaeger and Aquascutum.
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thE jaEgEr mEIstEr
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When you bought Jaeger, did you have a
clear vision for the brand?
I think that I did have a vision, but I also take
the view that if you think too deeply about
things you don’t make a move. You won’t
even cross the road. If you are confident
and have good people and can attract good
people, then you can make things work.
How do you get on with your chief
executive, Belinda Earl?
It was a coup to get her on board. The
journey that she has taken it on is
incredible. We work well together, we don’t
get in each other’s way and have huge
respect for each other’s knowledge and
integrity.
How much input do you have in the design
aspect of Jaeger?
I don’t. I view it when it’s virtually complete.
I learned a long time ago, from that point of
view, so no—I don’t interfere.
Who is the Jaeger customer?
Today, she’s a lot younger, probably from
18 years onwards, but we have a Jaeger
collection for almost everybody. I am really
pleased with the way things have worked
out. We have over 130 shops in the UK,
including concessions and points-of-sale.
What is the Jaeger ethos?
We believe that we are a premium brand,
offering good value at high quality that fits
the right shape, body and flatters without
being exaggerated.
Which other retailers do you admire?
Ralph Lauren, Paul Smith—he’s doing a
brilliant job. At the other end of the scale,
Primark—it gets people on the level, like
they can get something fashionable and
move on from here. And Zara.
Tell us about the Covent Garden
connection. It must be familiar territory
for you—you opened the first American
style cocktail bar Rumours in the late 70s;
Somerset House is the headquarters of the
British Fashion Council, which you chair,
and you recently opened a Jaeger London
shop in St Martin’s Courtyard.
We had been looking at it for some time,
waiting for the right opportunity. I am a
big fan of Covent Garden. It is a mecca of
fashion and retailing and a good brand like
ours needs to be there.
LIFE
Jean-Paul Aubin-Parvu learns the way of the florist
at The Covent Garden Academy of Flowers.
swEET
smELL
oF
succEss
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Say it with flowers. How many men have
chanted this mantra only to then buy the
last bunch of limp daffodils left wilting on
the petrol station forecourt? Well if I'm going
to say anything with flowers it's going to be
a shout rather than a whimper, which is why
I’ve entered The Covent Garden Academy
of Flowers in St Martin’s Courtyard. But
I’m not here to buy from the ground floor
shop. I want to learn how to create my own
display—and that kind of floral alchemy
happens downstairs.
I am welcomed by the principal, Gillian
Wheeler, who shows me around her
classroom. There are bucket loads of fresh
flowers and foliage down one end and
ornate vases dotted here and there. On
shelves live countless flower design books
and there’s even a music system. I’ve
definitely come to the right place.
Five friendly lasses are sat around
one of the workbenches. I discover that
they are spending the week here on a
bespoke flower design course. Eleanor
runs The Angels, a Harrogate-based events
company. She and her two colleagues want
to extend their knowledge about flower
design, thereby pushing the boundaries
of what they can create for their clients.
The other two ladies are Eleanor’s best
clients, who are along for the ride. They also
happen to be mother and daughter.
Where are my manners? I’ve just eaten
several of their biscuits without even being
offered. Holland exports many of the world’s
finest flowers, but I can now reveal that
these Dutch shortcake biscuits also do the
nation proud.
We’ve been joined by seven girls from
the Academy Classic Flower Design
course, the perfect 30 week launch pad
into the industry. Gillian begins the class by
demonstrating how to create a breathtaking
display. It all begins with a square black
pot, into which goes a large block of floral
foam soaked through in water. Gillian
creates the width of her display by firmly
inserting several long branches of twisted
willow into either side of the foam, before
adding darker branches of pussy willow.
These have loads of furry blobs spanning
the length of the branch, which she refers
to as “white bunnies’ tails”—a much better
description if you ask me.
She then adds slender sprigs of ivy berry
after carefully removing any dead leaves.
I notice that Gillian now inserts the foliage
into the foam at different angles and is
beginning to focus on the centre of her
display—all the while building up the layers.
She stresses the importance of achieving
things like balance, impact, form and
length. I had better take notes.
Gillian introduces more and more
foliage—the sort with posh Latin or Greek
names. When she dives for a sprig of
xanadu it comes complete with a tiny slug,
which is gently removed so that the display
remains vegetarian. The leaves of the large
eucalyptus look as though they’ve been
sprayed with a thin coat of silver. And then
it’s the turn of the arrow-straight branches
of leucadendron, whose green leaves give
way to burgundy ones nearer the head.
Gillian reaches for a huge green leaf
that has six tubby fingers. “It looks like a
large marijuana leaf,” giggles my colleague
Viel, who would be far better employed
shutting up and taking photographs. Gillian
pushes the stem into the foam with the
head pointing off at a jaunty angle, before
placing another in at the bottom going away
in the opposite direction. This has the effect
of drawing the eye from the top right of the
display to the bottom left.
And finally she busies herself with the
first of seven deepest red Grand Prix roses,
which contrast magnificently with the
various shades of green. At this moment a
great debate ensues as to the respective
merits of symmetric and asymmetric
displays. Gillian admits to being of the
asymmetric persuasion, while readily
acknowledging that symmetric also has
its place. “I find symmetrical very formal,
whereas asymmetric shapes are somehow
more pleasing. And if you’re working
asymmetrically then you have to think out of
the box a little bit.”
Even Viel has an opinion. “Symmetry
essentially gives you form,” he announces,
“whereas asymmetry gives you drama
and motion.” Where on earth did that little
nugget come from? And how much do I wish
I had an opinion worth expressing?
Gillian’s masterpiece is complete.
Waiting for the applause to die down, she
announces that it’s our turn to get creative.
“I’m challenging you all to do something
that’s a little bit out of the box,” she grins.
Thankfully Gillian and three colleagues,
Madeleine, Robyn and Fred, will be on hand
should any floral crisis arise.
There is so much to do—time to
delegate. While Fred and Robyn are
dispatched to gather together my foliage
and flowers, I have Madeleine soaking my
block of floral foam in a bucket of water.
“You literally drop it and leave it,” she
says. Sounds simple, but the trick is not to
remove the foam until the water has soaked
right through to the centre. This may be a
lengthy process, but it beats watching all
your beautiful flower displays wilt and die
just as your client’s special event is getting
underway. And the floral foam must be
wedged secure in its pot. Otherwise the
distinguished guests may stand to admire
a display that suddenly topples over like an
unwelcome drunk.
Fred and Robyn return with my flower
and foliage, which they leave to hydrate in a
bucket of water. The Grand Prix roses look
stunning. Most flowers arrive into the UK
via the famous Aalsmeer flower auction in
Holland. Gillian was up well before dawn to
buy these at New Covent Garden Market.
“You go, you look and you buy with your eye,”
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acadEmy oF FLowErs
The Covent Garden Academy of Flowers
020 7240 6359
academyofflowers.com
as a course director at University of the
Arts London. Gillian always involved her
students in big projects and special events,
working for clients at such wonderful
spaces as Kew Gardens, Tate Modern and
the Natural History Museum. This hands-on
ethic continues at The Covent Garden
Academy of Flowers, which opened last
November. Gillian’s academy is about to do
the flower displays for a very special English
National Opera event at Banqueting House.
The academy offers a wide range of flower
design courses to people looking to either
launch or develop a career in the industry.
There are also many short courses and
special one-day events, perfect for anyone
wishing to indulge their passion for flowers
or for those who just want to have fun.
Speaking of which, Gillian has two Mother’s
Day events planned for Friday 1st and
Sunday 3rd April, where two come for the
price of one. “You don’t actually have to
be a mother and daughter,” she insists.
“You might just want to bring a friend and
I stare at my black pot of green foam and wait
spend a lovely day with them.”
I work the last of the roses into my
for inspiration to strike. The clock ticks slowly.
display. “Finito!” I shout, dipping into a now
Then suddenly I make my move, skewering a
bare cupboard of conversational Italian.
length of twisted willow horizontally into the
I’m actually rather pleased with my creation.
By now the rest of the group are applying the
right side of the foam.
finishing touches to their work.
Gillian gives each student’s display a
explains Madeleine. “But you have to be
I take a second branch and push it deep into critique, walking us around the room and
careful because it’s very easy to overspend. the left side. And before anyone can stop
stopping at each of our flower creations in
You pay by length. This is the longest rose.
me there are three twisted willow branches turn. Amy is soon beaming ear to ear on
From the wholesalers each one would be
sticking out horizontally on either side.
hearing her magnificent display described
£1.10 plus VAT. But on Valentine’s Day it
The fact that I’ve used the longest branches as “beautiful”. Then it’s Eleanor’s turn.
would cost Gillian £3.”
to be found in London, let alone the
Her more symmetrical approach has
Madeleine and I condition all my flowers academy, means my display now measures produced a brilliant end result boasting
and foliage, which involves re-cutting
a whopping 10 feet in diameter.
pink tulips. The academy principal
each stem in case the end has become
A devout follower of the asymmetrical
is impressed, judging it “very royal
blocked—the easier the flowers can
school, I begin to thrust foliage into foam
wedding”—high praise indeed.
draw up water the longer they will last.
at alarming angles. Gillian chooses this
The critiques continue until finally, last
The conditioning process also involves
very moment to wander over. She helps
but not least, it’s my turn. Gillian gazes at
removing any dead or unwanted leaves.”
me to bring a little order to the chaos and
my work while I twitch nervously beside
I ask Madeleine who she considers
together we start building layers into my
her. “I think it’s lovely, don’t you?” she says
the true masters of flower design—apart
display. Pussy willow gives way to ivy berry,
finally. I’m just about to voice my agreement
from Gillian Wheeler, of course. Madeleine
which then becomes xanadu, a bevy of
when I realise she’s actually addressing the
recounts such illustrious names as Iris
leucadendron, silvery green eucalyptus
other students. “I love the richness of the
Webb, Constance Spry, Kenneth Turner,
and so on. My confidence soaring, I even
green and also the way you’ve positioned
Gregor Lersch and the American, Preston
ad-lib with a few tiny pink flowers that
your roses,” she continues. “I think it works
Bailey. “Preston does things on the big, big
weren’t even in the brief.
really well.”
scale,” says Madeleine. “He does all the
Now is the time for the roses. I reach
It’s lunchtime. My time as a flower
Hollywood weddings for very high profile
into the bucket and pick up the first little
designer is at an end, but at least I get to
people with bottomless budgets.”
beauty—a Grand Prix by any other name. Its take my display away with me. I shall give
I’m now ready to create my flower design. sharpest thorn pricks my finger. My revenge it to my mum. Suddenly it occurs to me
Rather than thinking out of the box, I simply is to cut it from the stem with my scissors.
that I’ll have to carry my creation through
stare at my black pot full of green foam
Fighting back the tears I ask Gillian for some the crowded streets of Covent Garden and
and wait for inspiration to strike. The clock
pointers on how best to position my roses.
then onto a train. This would be easier had
ticks slowly. Then suddenly I make my
Gillian certainly knows her stuff. Since
I not just created a monster with a 10 foot
move, skewering a length of twisted willow
graduating from Central St Martin’s with
wingspan. I wonder if The Covent Garden
horizontally into the right side of the foam.
an MA in design, she spent two decades
Academy of Flowers does deliveries.
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cgj’s FLoraL-thEmEd
guIdE to sprIng makE-up
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In bLoom
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Photography & styling
Holly Cox
hollycox.co.uk
Flowers
Academy of Flowers
Make-up
Angelina Howard from ScreenFace
Hair
Fernando Leon
The Covent Garden Salon
69 Endell Street
thecoventgardensalon.com
Models
Emily Hilton (Rose)
Models Mayhem
modelmayhem.com
Katharina Bober (Pansy)
Models Mayhem
modelmayhem.com
Zane Lapsa (Hydrangea)
British Modelling Agency
bmamodels.com
Bare Escentuals
40 Neal Street, Seven Dials
bareescentuals.co.uk
Benefit
19 Shorts Gardens, Seven Dials
benefitcosmetics.co.uk
Neals Yard Remedies
15 Neal's Yard, Seven Dials
nealsyardremedies.com
Shu Uemura
shuuemura.co.uk
ScreenFace
48 Monmouth Street, Seven Dials
screenface.co.uk
Rose (Rosa)
Homegrown Easily the most adaptable of the three
looks, the timeless, enduring quality of the English
Rose is very much reflected in the products used here:
a nourishing (and surprisingly tasty) rosy lip-gloss from
Neal’s Yard Remedies; pretty-pretty pink and gold eye
shadows that can be built up as desired; and a pot-full
of Benefit’s Posie Tint, which you can dab on the apples
of your cheeks to create a sweet flushed look
Hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)
Homegrown There’s a good reason why High Beam has
become a staple part of most make-up bags recently:
it genuinely enhances your complexion. Where many
so-called complexion enhancers are full of glitter, this
sparkle-free lotion leaves you with a natural, dewy
afterglow—without making you look like you’ve just
face-planted a craft box. Looks as great with your own
god-given features as it does with bright mineral eyeshadows and Ultra Shine lip-gloss. If hydrangeas could
use it, they would.
Full blown For the complete blooming rose look,
Angelina airbrushed Pearlescent Pink Fardel on top of
Almond Matte Foundation, topped that with blusher in
a Rouge palette and dotted pink Body Gems on the lips.
And no, you’re eyes are not deceiving you: those false
eyelashes are totally white. For the hair, make a loose
weave from one side to the other to create a romantic
feel, put the rest of the hair into curls and, to finish off,
pin strands back behind the ears.
Full blown Hydrangeas are known for their ability to
blossom in a wide range of conditions. These particular
flowers bloomed after Angelina used pastel blue
and fluid pearlescent fardel to tint the faces, small
silver body gems on the lower eyelids and Screenface
Eyelashes No 13 to make the native Irises stand
out—producing buds so beautiful even Screenface’s
ornamental butterflies couldn’t resist a look. For the
hair, make a side ponytail with a parting on the opposite
side. Backcomb the ponytail, twist around and pin into
a rough bun.
Products and pricing
Bare Escentuals Eyecolour, frolic—£14
Benefit Posie tint—£24.50
Neal’s Yard Remedies Rosehip lip gloss—£9.50
Camelia eye shadow—£11.25
ScreenFace Lord & Berry Mascara,
smudgeproof black—£7.95
Matte foundation, almond—£16.95
Fardel, 10ml, pearlescent pink—£5.50
Eyelashes, white—£6.95
Small pink body gems—£4.95
Ben Nye Blush, rouge palette—£47.95
Shu Uemura ME 335, yellow gold—£15
Bare Escentuals Eyecolour, Angel—£14
Eyecolour, ell if I know—£14
Benefit Ultra Shine, wildchild—£14
High beam—£18.50
Neal’s Yard Remedies Slate eyeliner—£9.50
ScreenFace Fardel, pastel blue—£4.50
Fardel, pearlescent—£5.50
Small silver body gems—£4.95
Eyelashes no 13—£4.95
Pansy (Viola x Wittrockiana)
Homegrown Small, delicate but vivid, the pansy is best
known for two reasons: looking fab in winter, and having
a flower like a face. You can turn your own face into that
of a flower by means of Screenface’s feathered eyelashes (which look like birds wings off but are beautiful
on) and Shu Uemura’s pressed eye shadows in gold and
purple (on the eye and bottom lip). Pressed powders
absorb and reflect the light for a multi-dimensional
effect. Use a solid line of Screen Face’s ‘cake eyeliner’
to bring it back down to earth.
Full blown Angelina made this model look like a
proper pansy by airbrushing bright yellow fardel and
pearlescent fardel onto the forehead and cheeks,
matter pigment 716 on the top lip, and the cake eyeliner
and eyelashes over and around the eyes. She set
the finished bud in Ben Nye Liquiset. For the hair, curl
using a curling iron, then backcomb to lift the hair all
over at the root. Pat the hair after spraying to settle.
Bare Escentuals Eyecolour, Water-lily—£14
Benefit Lust duster, punk royalty—£14
Neal’s Yard Remedies Natural lip gloss—£9.50
ScreenFace Fardel 10ml, bright yellow—£5.50
Fardel, 10ml, pearlescent—£5.50
Fardel matte pigment 716—£5.50
Eyelashes 316—£4.95
Cake eyeliner 404, black—£7.99
Ben Nye Liquiset—£4.95
Shu Uemura M100, matte pale pink—£15
ME335, yellow gold—£15
ME 700, grape purple—£15
LIFE
my FashIon LIFE
TOM BRADLEY
/Mark Maidment,
creative director, Ben Sherman
CGJ: How long have you been working at
Ben Sherman?
MM: I’ve been here eight years. It’s a long
time, isn’t it? A brand goes through all sorts
of phases and when I came on board the
brand name had started dipping, which
was very sad—but now I look out there and
I think there’s nothing as exciting as Ben
Sherman right now. We’re a brand that’s
coming back up from a lull; we’re halfway
back up the mountain.
You’ve certainly come a long way since
the button down shirt of yore. How did you
engineer the transition from shirt staple
to lifestyle brand?
When I first came here, all we were known
for was shirts. But actually if a brand stands
for something more than just a product
category—and we do, we stand for the music
connection, for youth culture, for working
class heroes—then you ought to be able to
apply that spirit to other categories as well.
Even now, if you go to the average guy on the
street and you say “Ben Sherman”, they’ll
think of the button-down checked shirt, which
is still fantastic, but we now also have a great
reputation for knitwear, outerwear, suits...
Suits? At Ben Sherman?
It’s true that we did cause a bit of a stir on
Savile Row when we first set up there. But if
you think about it, we have always been the
smarter side of mod fashion, as opposed
to Fred Perry who was always more sporty.
Not that I don’t admire Fred—people always
think we’re enemies, but we’re not at all—
but a Fred Perry suit doesn’t really make
sense. With Ben Sherman, the working
man’s shirt brand, you can sort of imagine
how a suit might be quite slick and smart.
We’ve been on Savile Row for 18 months
now, and it’s like we’ve always been there.
LIFE
Ben Sherman
49 Long Acre
020 7836 6196
brand.bensherman.com
It’s certainly a far cry from the days the
brand was unwittingly associated with
skin-heads. Was it difficult shaking off
such negative connotations?
People might think it’s a cop out, but we
genuinely don’t really comment on it. It’s
not something we ever chose—yes we were
adopted by those groups, but we would
rather people focused on what we’re doing
today. It’s all about new British modernism.
We have found that if we just don’t focus our
energy on all that other stuff it sort of slowly
melts away and becomes a part of history.
When you look back at our links to the
mods, Two Tone, ska, Britpop—all of that
was so much bigger and more impactful.
Tell us about those covetable union jack
upholstered armchairs and teapots
adorning stores...
We needed an interior identity, and I came
up with this concept which we call ‘Mods
in the mansion’, which is based around
those working class guys who suddenly get
rich and end up buying a big place in the
country. It’s a very simple concept, and very
British too. You imagine these guys—Liam
Gallagher, say, or Roger Daltrey—coming
from a very working class background, living
in a mansion, and you mix the two in your
design. So you take old antique furniture,
or a teapot, and stick a union jack on it.
Because of the number of people we have
coming in wanting to buy this stuff, we did
think of selling it—but that would take
away the mystique. Plus we also suddenly
thought, we’re not in the furniture business,
we’ve enough to do!
I had been working in the
States for a while when I looked
down and saw I was wearing
a black velour tracksuit. Can
you believe it? That day I said
to myself, “Mark you’ve lost
your roots.” I had to shut the
blinds and watch Michael
Caine movies all weekend to
reinvigorate myself.
Have you always wanted to work for
Ben Sherman?
It’s funny, because when I studied at the
Harrow School of Art I was actually in the
same class as Chris Bailey, from Burberry.
Now Chris is a lovely guy, but I do remember
I enjoyed a beer more than him—so when I
made my clothes I always used to overlock
the seams, which meant I could get down
to the pub when it opened. I’d come back
five pints later and Chris would still be there,
painstakingly taping every internal seam—
and I always thought that’s why he ended up
at a luxury label and I ended up here. Those
things you do when you’re younger are a
good indication of what you’ll become, and
Ben Sherman suits me—a bit more working
class, a bit more down to earth. This was
made for me.
What did you do in-between college and
your dream job here?
I started at Duffer of St George, where they
paid me in clothing. This was more exciting
than money, because the Duffer store on
Shorts Gardens in Covent Garden was
where everyone who was anyone went.
It helped me realise that there was a place
in this industry for me. From there I went
to Diesel, then to the United States, and
then—well, it just shows, you can be a
product of your environment no matter how
strong-willed you are. I went there in the late
90s when hip hop was massive, and there
was a point in time when I looked down and
saw I was wearing a black velour tracksuit.
Can you believe it? That day I said to myself,
“Mark you’ve lost your roots.” I had to shut
the blinds and watch Michael Caine movies
How do you bring about change in a brand
all weekend to reinvigorate myself and
with such a strong heritage?
suddenly I was back—into my slim trousers
We often look at other brands that have a
and my fine knitwear and my desert boots
great heritage but have needed to adapt to
and on the plane home. It made me think
stay in the running—the Mini, for example.
that during wars, when people do such
Here you have a very beautiful old car which horrific things, it’s just because they’re in
no one was buying. Now they’ve redesigned an environment where that is seen as OK.
it you see it everywhere, and the spirit of Mini Not that I’m comparing war with black velour
is alive and kicking again. The purists will say tracksuits, but it did freak me out.
the new version is horrible, but the reality is
that most people are pleased. Even Paul
And now you’ve opened a Ben Sherman
Weller has swapped his old Mini for a new
store in Covent Garden. Good to be back?
one. And the same thing is happening with
I have a massive passion for Covent Garden.
our shirts: I’ve had people contact me who
As a child, I used to pay a pound for a
were seriously flipping out that we don’t stock travelcard, come up to London and walk
the original straight-hem shirt. I admire them, around. I discovered those little alleyways
because that’s the spirit of mod—they really, around Covent Garden, and that was where
really care about their clothes—but it’s
I learnt about men’s fashion. Duffer of St
kind of extreme. And while they’re banging
George, Diesel—we opened that Diesel
on about it, we’re not getting new consumers store on Neal Street when I was there 15
in. Of course you have to keep the essence years ago and that position made Diesel as
—if Mini had designed a 4x4 that wouldn’t
a business. So I’m really proud to be here.
be right—but it does have to adapt.
It really is like nowhere else in the world.
LIFE
LIFE In brIEF
Karine Jackson
24 Litchfield Street, Seven Dials
020 7836 0300
karinejackson.co.uk
dyEd
LaughIng
/Clare Finney enters the
colourful, fun-filled
world of hair stylist and
organic dye evangelist
Karine Jackson
I can remember
quite vividly the
first time I met
Karine Jackson. It was
August last year, she was
celebrating the launch of
Organic Colour Systems and, as
the only female writer in a very male
office, I felt it was my right—nay,
my professional duty to attend.
“Come in, come in! Have some
champagne!” Standing at her
salon door with a bottle in one
hand and a brimming flute in
the other, the jovial warmth of
Karine’s welcome was halted
only by the flurry of more
arrivals. Journalists, clients,
bloggers, co-workers—even
Karine’s friends and family
were there, drawn as I was to
the irresistible prospect of
Euphorium Bakery’s catering
and champers.
“We were quite drunk weren’t
we? Oh dear. I don’t think I’ve ever
seen my clients like that!” Fast forward
six months and I’m back in the salon,
reminiscing over a cuppa and a sorely
needed hair appointment. I’ve alighted on a
head of Light Brown highlights—the colour
of choice for risk-averse dye virgins like
myself—and as she sets to, Karine chats
happily about her love of a really good party.
“I tend to over-invite. I think that’s the
key. I celebrated my 40th in Oz at Christmas
with over 140 people, and everyone said,
‘Didn’t you get stressed out planning it all
year’—but I loved every minute of it. I think
if I hadn’t become a hairdresser I would
be a party planner.” She winds up the final
piece of foil with expert deftness, and I can’t
help but think she made the right choice.
Glitteringly successful as her launch party
was, you need only spend a minute in
Karine’s smile-inducing salon to know this
woman would be wasted on table plans.
Karine, unsurprisingly, could not agree
more. Long before she was old enough
to know she could make a living out of it,
Karine and her sisters had been taking it
in turns to fix and fiddle with each others
hair. “I cut my sister’s hair, I cut my hair, I
had an uncle who was a barber—and then
on Sundays my mother would line us up
and give us all Shirley Temple curls,” she
remembers fondly, her wide Australian
smile beaming out from beneath her latest
hairstyle: a short, honey bob fashioned this
morning by one of her devoted team. It’s a
far cry from the long locks she was sporting
six months ago, or the deep red of six
years ago, and an even further cry from the
“shade of mouse” she was born with—but
then, this is the hairdressing business.
Going through more hair colours than
the rest of us do dinners comes with
the territory of being “one of the only
hairdressers in London to actually offer
organic hair colour.”
She hasn’t always been so
orthodox however. Harking back to her
roots down under, Karine recalls how she
and her friends would wash their tresses
in lemon juice, olive oil—even the odd can
of beer, in the pursuit of shiny, glistening
perfection. “I think that was probably more
of an excuse to get a can of beer to be
honest,” she laughs, “but we did have all
those natural beauty books as teenagers
and we made stuff constantly: witch hazel
creams, wheatgerm and egg facemasks...
disgusting really, but great fun.”
Fortunately for her clients, Karine’s
moved on a bit since then. The citrus juice is
no more than a minor ingredient in Organic
System’s lighter colours, while the leftover
beer is generally reserved for Karine’s
pesky garden slugs: “They love it. They
drink it down and drown in it. It’s a bit cruel
I guess, but at least they get a good party
before they go.”
LIFE
Barber papas
Ostensibly old fashioned yet actually
achingly contemporary, the burgeoning
chain of Murdock barbers has arrived
in Seven Dials to offer the very best in
traditional grooming to style-conscious
men of all ages. Having made its name
in the arty environs of Old Street,
ExpErT EyE
/Spring-summer jewellery
Nevertheless it does seem fair to say
that being brought up to see nature as a
beauty cabinet has made her more open
to the idea of organic hair dye than her
contemporaries—many of whom have
consistently ignored the potential organic
hair care could have.
“A lot of people out there colour their hair
and they are looking for alternatives—but
hairdressers don’t seem to be taking much
notice,” she wonders as, with the highlights
done and my mop transformed into
something almost attractive, she proceeds
to the delicate art of drying. “It’s fine for
me, but they are silly, really silly. The clients
want it.”
Indeed they do. As anyone on the
bandwagon will appreciate, you don’t go
through the expensive and time-consuming
process of replacing your groceries, face
creams and cotton knickers only to find
your good work undone by your hair dye.
“It’s not 100 per cent organic but where
they can substitute things, they have,”
Karine explains. “There’s no ammonia,
no retinol—none of the bad stuff that goes
into the main market dyes.”
As well as rendering it acceptable to
people who object on principle, the absence
of ammonia also means ladies with highly
sensitive scalps can get their roots done
too. Later on Karine confesses that, had
it not been for the demands of a client
suffering from cancer, there’s a chance
she might never had tried organic colour.
“Initially I said it wasn’t possible.
Everyone said to me organic didn’t work,
and I must say I agreed. Even when I was
looking, I tried some absolute rubbish.
But it’s such a young thing at the moment,
it can only get better—and Systems is the
best you can get.”
So saying, she introduces me to my
new reflection and asks what I think.
I’m still looking pasty. The purple shadows
haven’t budged. But where once there
lay a tired, rain soaked form of rodent,
there is a gleaming, sun-kissed bob:
one which won’t interfere with the
untouched goodness of my spotty organic
carrots. Result.
Tina Andersen is creative manager for
Pandora in the UK. Born in Aalborg, North
Jutland in Denmark, she has lived and
worked in London for 10 years. Tina worked
for two Danish fashion brands before
joining Pandora in January 2009. One of the
largest global jewellery brands, Pandora
sells its collection of over 1,800 unique
jewellery designs in more than 50 countries
on six continents. It all started 30 years
ago in a jeweller’s shop in the surroundings
of Copenhagen, Denmark. Although based
in London, Tina is actively involved with the
design team in Denmark.
Murdock opened branches in Mayfair
and the Liberty department store, all of
them offering high quality hairdressing,
moustache and beard trims, wet shaves,
manicures and even shoe polishing.
Emmett and Alex are the shop's resident
barbers.
murdocklondon.com
Pandora
23 Long Acre
pandora.net
individual statement pieces, but have even
more to offer when worn in a combination
of two, three or more rings. This season’s
new range has a selection of colourful
rings with muted floral details, delicately
hand-carved roses and small hearts.
Precious gemstones add an air of
sophistication to the entire collection
and create an elegant and feminine look.
The Pandora Moments collection is the
ultimate representation of a truly personal
range of jewellery. For spring/summer the
range features vivid silver adorned with
bright and colourful birthstones—each of
the 12 silver charms represents a month
I am part of Pandora’s global product
of the year and is a perfect gift. There is
council - spotting trends, producing mood
also a new range of Murano glass charms,
boards and gathering research, which is
which lends a touch of vibrancy and zest to
then reported back to Denmark to ensure
the romantic floral theme and will enhance
our products are in line with the UK market.
any bracelet.
I work closely with our visual merchandisers
For something completely new, we
and create different looks and unique pieces have introduced Macramé bracelets—a
for our press and trade events. My latest
contemporary design based on an ancient
project has been to work on creating a charm Arabic weaving tradition. Hand-tied, each
in celebration of the Royal Wedding in April. It bracelet takes approximately three hours to
is hand finished in sterling silver, with a blue produce, making it the most time-intensive
spinel setting, and is a fantastic memento.
piece in the Pandora collection.
For spring/summer 2011, Pandora has
The bracelets are available in a variety of
developed a feminine and contemporary
elegant colours and can be ornamented
collection of rings, charms, bracelets,
with clips from the charms range.
earrings, necklaces and pendants inspired
Our Black Crown Diamond watch range
by the natural beauty of the floral world.
expresses the Pandora philosophy in its
Our floral theme, with stunning shades and
entirety. This season you can customise
beautiful details, is tastefully reflected in our your own watch design with interchangeable
new designs.
straps and bezels to create an array of
Our Ring upon Ring concept is a great way combinations to suit every occasion.
to unleash your creativity and celebrate your
The new Pandora Spring collection will
individuality and uniqueness. The rings are
be in our stores from the beginning of May.
LIFE
LIFE In brIEF
Heavy traffic
Despite its name, Traffic People has
nothing to do with modern slavery
and everything to do with strikingly
feminine and subtely retro womenswear.
Started by Louise Reynolds and Mark
Readman in the markets of Camden and
Portabello, the brand has now opened
several boutiques around London and is
famous for its floral dresses and printed
jumpsuits—a combination of delicate
fabrics and strong colours. Now a new
branch has opened on Neal Street
offering a full range of clothing, with not a
single nasty people trafficker in sight.
trafficpeople.co.uk
E-Fitness
07917 666251
efitness.ltd.uk
pErFEcT FIT
understand that I would have to be eating
during some of my sessions because I
needed to feed my body every 2.5 hours. I
could not have a bite or a sip of something
that was not going to be good for me. It’s
normal to hear people say “come on, just
one” or “just today”. The hardest part was
the first birthday of my son 10 days before
competition, where I prepared all the food
for the guests. I had to make an exception
on that day, but I felt really bad about it.
There was only one solution: I had to work
harder for the next three days. And I did it.
/Eduardo Formigheri, Covent
Garden-based personal trainer
CGJ: You are originally from Brazil. What
made you come to London?
EF: The idea came while I was living in
Rio de Janeiro with my ex-girlfriend and
suddenly she kicked me out. At that time,
Marcelo, a mate I used to play football with
back in my home town, Porto Alegre, was
living in London. I had no idea what London
was like, but he made me believe I could
use my skills here and be successful. I
came to study English and see what London
could offer. I remember in my second month
in London having just £100 pounds in my
wallet for the whole month. I was trying to
get a job such as washing up, cleaner or
whatever, but luckily I ended up meeting a
group of guys who invited me to join their
group of dancers. The money was good, and
soon I could invest in a good English course.
How did you become a personal trainer?
Physical activities were always in my life.
I was doing sport and fitness related
modelling work in Rio de Janeiro, so I was
training a lot, usually three hours a day, five
times a week, weights and cardio. People
started to ask me how I got in such good
shape. I was giving tips and helping them
to get fitter and instructing them about my
diet and exercise programme. Without any
plan, I started to motivate people. When I
arrived in London, I didn’t want to lose my
fitness but I couldn’t afford to pay for a gym
so I was using Marcelo’s gym membership
card to keep working out. While I was there,
I realised my level of fitness was much
higher than the personal trainers. I saw
an opportunity calling. I felt I had climbed
a mountain without looking back. When
I finally looked back I saw how far I had
walked and decided to use this experience
and share it with people. I enrolled on a
fitness instructor course, followed by body
pump, circuits, boxercise and later personal
training.
You take part in fitness competitions.
What does it involve?
I took part in my first competition last year
in Las Vegas—one of the most competitive
contests, which gathers people from all
over the world. I prepared myself very well
and I was in my best shape ever in over 16
years of training, but unfortunately I didn’t
do so well on the result. However, I have
learnt a lot from it and I am looking forward
to doing it again. If I can summarise the
entire process, it would be self-discipline. I
have learnt the real meaning of saying no to
the things you like. I had to tell my clients to
There are claims that you can get a
toned body in a very short space of time.
What is the minimum time it takes to
achieve results?
It is possible, but you have to be careful with
what people are offering. Marketing is the
most powerful tool we have, but the reality
is that if something looks too good to be
true, it is because it is. People are looking
for a miracle and what do the marketing
people do? Sell miracles. If you really want
a fast change, it is possible. But the bigger
the change you want to make, the bigger the
effort. You have to cover all bases: sleeping,
diet, training, recovery, stress levels,
lifestyle habits, and we could add more
things. But if you watch out for all of them, I
have no doubt you will get an amazing result
pretty fast. It’s all about mind-set.
A 12 week exercise programme and
the right nutrition can make you look a
completely different person, but that is
not for everybody. I am talking about five
to six days workouts and planning your
meals carefully, measuring everything. The
question here is: Are you a believer or a non
believer? Are you going to give up alcohol,
avoid the pub for a while?
Do you think we are all a bit complacent
about our fitness?
I think many people forget about their
health and fitness. Some of them are very
successful in their business but don’t
pay any attention to their health. They
have everything they want and keep busy
enjoying these things. But unfortunately you
can’t buy health. You are wise if you invest
in your fitness now, so you will live and enjoy
your material things longer.
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33 theWeather
The quarterly magazine of
theWeather Club
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weather briefing:
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LIFE
nIght LIFE
dEcks appEaL
/Ryan Casey—Resident DJ,
Jewel Covent Garden
CGJ: Have you always been an avid
collector of music?
CS: Yes, always, and I’ve got over 20,000
records. I have a very broad taste.
My favourite producers include Booka
Shade, Sander van Doorn, Steve Angello
and Dennis Ferrer, but I also love rock
bands like U2 and Snow Patrol. Most of
my vinyl is back in Ireland, because these
days it’s all digital. A lot of people see me
working on a laptop and don’t consider it
as DJing, but the basic principle is the
same and it allows you to have so much
more music with you at any one time.
How did you get into DJing?
I grew up in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland
and got my first decks when I was 14. A year
later I was making mix tapes and selling
them at school. One of them got confiscated
by an English teacher, who also happened
to be entertainments manager for one of
the big clubs. When he called me into his
office I thought I was in trouble, but instead
he offered me a residency in the Glenavon
nightclub in Cookstown. During my set, in
front of 1500 people, I managed to hit the
limiter, and the music cut out for about five
minutes. Everyone started chanting my
name and when I got the music back on
the whole place went mad—it was then I
realised that I absolutely loved this job.
When did you move to London?
In 2005, after I finished my degree in design
and technology. I came here to get work
and just fell back into DJing. Thanks to
Dezzi McCausland I got a residency at the
Kingly Club in Soho. From there I moved
onto Movida and from that I got lots of
offers from different places. Currently my
resident venues are Jewel Covent Garden,
The Wellington in Knightsbridge, McQueen
in Shoreditch and the Brickhouse on Brick
Lane. I’ve also done private parties for
celebrities including Rihanna, Muse and
Mickey Rourke and played alongside Pete
Tong, Seb Fontaine and Judge Jules.
How long have you been a DJ at Jewel?
It must be about three years now. I usually
do Friday or Saturday. Jewel attracts a real
mix of people and there’s always a great
atmosphere.
What sort of music do you play?
Mainly funky vocal house with some familiar
remixes thrown in. You get a lot of people
asking for commercial hits, so I usually play
a remix of it. They still know what it is, but it’s
different and keeps them entertained.
What's guaranteed to get them jumping?
The Show Me Love remix by Steve Angello.
Although it’s been massive for years, that
track always goes down well. The Black
Eyed Peas are also very popular. I have
some great remixes of them which go down
a treat. The odd time I’ll play a Frank Sinatra
song at the end of a really good night—just
to end with a bang. And on New Year’s Eve
I played an electro remix of Auld Lang Syne
after the countdown to midnight.
How highly do you rate Jewel?
Well I always invite my friends here, and
they really enjoy it. Jewel has everything and
does what it does really well. There is a club
atmosphere downstairs for those who want
to dance, an amazing cocktail bar upstairs
with high ceilings and a beautiful crystal
chandelier and then two very relaxed bars
on the ground floor. The DJ box is right in the
middle of the crowd and so people often
interact with me—which I know some DJs
hate. But I don’t mind, as long as they are
nice, which is always the case at Jewel.
What do you like to drink here?
I usually just have a few beers and maybe a
couple of shots, but I gather the cocktails
here are really good. The Berry Blush seems
to be very popular with the girls, while the
guys tend to go for mojitos, caipirinhas or
hurricanes. And for James Bond fans, they
even do a traditional Vesper from Casino
Royale.
Pick one highlight as a DJ.
One of the best experiences was the first
time I played abroad, which was at Redrum
in Helsinki. I was looked after brilliantly
the whole time I was out there. Everyone
seemed to know me because there were
posters all round the city with my face on
them, which was bizarre. But it was a really
good feeling and the club was amazing—
the best sound system I’ve ever played on.
It was like Helsinki’s version of Fabric.
During my set, in front of
1500 people, I managed
to hit the limiter, and the
music cut out for about five
minutes. When I got the
music back on the whole
place went mad—it
was then I realised that
I absolutely loved this job.
LIFE
Jewel Covent Garden
29-30 Maiden Lane
020 7845 9980
jewelcoventgarden.co.uk
Ryan Casey
djryancasey.co.uk
Have you had any bad experiences abroad?
I’m not sure I’d call it a bad experience—it
was definitely one I’m glad I did, but I
wouldn’t be too keen to do it again. It was in
a club in Lagos, Nigeria. I flew out by myself.
I have lots of Nigerian friends who warned
me about certain things before going, which
worried me a little. When I got there it was
a bit of a culture shock. My first point of
contact was a young boy holding a card with
my name on it. He was very shy and I wasn’t
sure if I could trust him—I had been warned
not to trust anyone. But he and everyone
else I met were really nice and they looked
after me really well. The gig went well and
the next day I was taken back to the airport
by the same boy. After returning to London
I heard that he’d had his car stolen on the
way back from the airport. I’m just glad I
got home safe. But, like I said, it was an
experience I’m glad I had.
Is there any better way to earn a living?
It’s definitely a great way, though it’s
a particular lifestyle. It’s hard to find
someone—Miss Right or whatever—who
can live with your lifestyle, because there
are a lot of late nights and it’s a totally
different way of living. But at the same time
I don’t even see it as a job, because it’s so
much fun. I used to DJ six nights a week and
hardly saw daylight, but now I try to do just
three nights a week. I also do freelance web
design, which keeps the brain ticking over,
and I get to have the fun at the weekends.
TASTE
/11
TASTE
A
nighT
AT
ThE
OPERA
Shannon Denny meets the couple behind
the all-new Opera Tavern
—the 19th century pub
with a 21st century approach to food
TASTE
A nighT AT ThE opErA
In the year 1879, Thomas Edison
unleashed the lightbulb onto the world,
FW Woolworth opened his inaugural store
in New York, and a renowned pub architect
named George Treacher built a new tavern
in Covent Garden’s Catherine Street.
What would Mr Edison make of our
current reliance on his invention? How
would Mr Woolworth feel about the collapse
of his nicely priced empire? Who knows,
but it’s safe to say that Mr Treacher would
have been awed and delighted by what has
become of his contribution to this corner of
London. Provided he liked good tapas.
The pub was originally called the George
Treacher, and the unusual façade—
crowned with the masks of comedy and
tragedy—suggests its virtuoso creator
viewed it as something of a magnum opus.
Today the location goes by the name of the
Opera Tavern, and since Simon Mullins and
Sanja Morris-Mullins took it over last year it
has become the most desirable destination
on the district’s bursting culinary map.
The couple entered the competitive
London restaurant scene in a roundabout
manner with the launch of their first
restaurant Salt Yard on Goodge Street in
We’re not saying this
is exactly what you’ll
find in Naples or
Madrid, but it’s our
interpretation of those
flavours, using key
ingredients which
tend to be quite strong,
quite bold and not too
complicated.
TASTE
Opera Tavern
23 Catherine Street, Opera Quarter
020 7836 3680
operatavern.co.uk
2005. Before introducing diners to their
crafted menu of Italianate small plates and
Spanish tapas, Sanja has worked for the
British Council promoting business abroad,
while Simon had first been employed in
advertising and then with the pioneering
Spanish food importer Brindisa.
The British Council and Brindisa’s loss
was the London foodie’s gain. Fuelled by
stacks of rave reviews, they repeated their
winning formula in Soho at Ganton Street
hotspot Dehesa in 2008. Then they laid
eyes on the Opera Tavern in March of 2010,
totally refurbishing the grand hostelry
before serving their first diners in January
of this year.
“We came in here,” Simon recalls, “and
it was full of old ticket touts and cockneys.
It was a bit dingy, a bit run-down, a bit
unloved.” Sanja takes up the story: “But
downstairs it was busy with people who
were coming and going from the theatre.
So we got here at six and it was full, and
then at quarter past seven it was empty.”
“We sat downstairs and had a few drinks
and imagined what it could be like, and got
really sort of excited about it,” Simon says.
Over flat pints, packets of crisps and a gin
and tonic, the pair decided to go for it. The
landlords spent five months improving the
building, and then Sanja and Simon added
four months of hard graft fitting it out.
Remarkably, they designed the interiors
themselves, blending Italian and Spanish
references with elements befitting a
Victorian Theatreland pub. Period lighting
includes reclaimed wall sconces, warm
copper pendants and a magnificent Murano
glass chandelier. A massive bar with mirrors
is original to the building, as are ornamental
glazed ceramic tiles in the entrance. Bare
brick walls evoke a backstage vibe, while
gold leaf ceilings lend a dramatic air.
The walls also feature the work of the
octogenarian artist Valentino Monticello,
who arrived in London from the north
east of Italy in the 1950s. “He used to be
sommelier at Harry’s Bar, and he collected
wine labels,” explains Simon. “At the end
of service he’d go home and create scenes
from opera.” His work—elaborate collages
made entirely from labels taken from empty
bottles—has been exhibited at the National
Gallery, Christies and the Royal Academy.
The pieces display his complete mastery
of the operatic narratives they depict, as
well as a pleasingly pedantic insistence
upon geographic relevance. In the Opera
Tavern, a scene from Don Quixote is made
from Spanish wine labels, while Rigoletto
is crafted from labels from Italian wines.
“They’re really amazing,” Sanja affirms.
“You get up close and there’s just so much
detail, it’s incredible.”
Wine is a central focus of all of the duo’s
restaurants, and in the Opera Tavern each
place setting includes a wineglass the size
of a goldfish bowl. Here you’ll come across
unusual options ranging from a rare
Basque white to ancient Trojan varieties.
“The idea is to have an accessible list, but
with more indigenous grape varieties from
Spain and Italy,” says Simon. “Particularly
in Italy there are literally hundreds of
different grape varieties. People might
look at our list and go, ‘I don’t know any
of these.’ We want to encourage people
to experiment and try things they don’t
normally, to break out of that Sauvignon and
Chardonnay mould.” And befitting a bar with
a heavy Mediterranean heritage, there are
10 sherries and a handful of proseccos.
“Also I like to sell older, well-known classic
producers, so we have vintages going back
to the 60s for the wine buffs out there.”
Just as the artworks make reference
to the wine list, Sanja and Simon have
installed a few pieces of hardware that hint
at the star attraction of the food menu.
Behind the bar, the beer tap is in fact a
jamón leg made of bronze that’s been
imported from Spain. The door handles
on the street, which were cast in bronze
in Somerset, are in a similar flavour.
“That was quite interesting,” Simon laughs.
“I had to cut the end off of one of our hams
when we were finished with it and put it in
the post for the handles. I had to ring the
artist and say, ‘There’s a hoof in the post
for you.’”
Receiving produce from Spain and
Italy—though not always via the Royal
Mail—has been a key component of Sanja
and Simon’s business from the start. The
menu at the Opera Tavern includes tapas,
charcuterie, cheese and a grill section.
“The idea of the sharing dishes is that
we’re melding the flavours of Spain and
Italy,” Sanja says. “So we’re not saying
this is exactly what you’ll find in Naples or
Madrid, but it’s our interpretation of those
flavours, using key ingredients that you get
in those countries which tend to be quite
strong, quite bold and not too complicated.”
Examples range from courgette flowers
stuffed with goats’ cheese and drizzled
with honey to salt marsh lamb leg with
pumpkin gnocchi and salted anchovies
to braised and chargrilled octopus with
smoked potatoes.
On the bar leading to the grill area there’s
a jamón leg—made from actual pork this
time rather than bronze—that is another
culinary focal point. “Obviously charcuterie
is key in Spain and Italy,” Simon explains.
“That’s a main feature. And then the new
thing about this place is the grill. What’s
unique about what we’re doing here is
jamón Ibérico, which is quite famous for its
flavour. These pigs have been fed lots of
acorns and have an identifiable black foot.
It’s a cross between a normal pig and a wild
boar. You can eat meat from this animal
rare and also raw, which is unusual for pork.
Normally people would eat it carved off the
bone, but we’re getting in fresh meat so
that will be shoulder, loin or leg, and we’re
cooking it on the grill.”
The Ibérico imports form the basis for
each of the pair’s current menu favourites.
Sanja is taken with the Ibérico presa, an
intensely flavoured dish of grilled pork
shoulder. Meanwhile, Simon is also a
patron of the charcoal grill where he’s a
particular fan of the mini Ibérico pork and
foie gras burger. “Pork is such a diverse
meat—you can cure pork, cook pork.
It’s great,” he says. “I’m just a bit of a
carnivore.”
Performing quality control duties, plus
commuting between their three locations
and a home in Kensal Rise, leaves little time
for Simon and Sanja to soak in the shows
of Theatreland, At most, their schedule
permits the occasional trip to the Savoy
for a celebratory glass of champagne, but
they’re enjoying the dramatic ambiance
of their new neighbourhood all the same.
“It’s nice to be near the opera,” Simon
observes. “I think there’s a certain
theatrical feel to the place.”
“Since we opened we’ve had quite a lot
of people who’ve come in and sat up here
and said in the 80s this pub actually used
to be known among actors,” Sanja reveals.
“One guy who was in the theatre was saying,
‘Yes I used to come up here with Judi Dench
and we used to use it as a practice room.’
So that was interesting!”
Sanja doesn’t herself have any
memories of Judi Dench, but she does
recall coming to Covent Garden around
the age of six to feed a fixation on candles
made into little shapes. “I used to come
here loads when I was little and go to the
candle shop in the piazza, which doesn’t
exist anymore, and the toy museum as well,
which also doesn’t exist. I used to come
here all the time with my dad.”
Simon, who grew up in London too, says,
“It became quite touristy for a very long
time. That seems to be reversing. With the
shops and the food market I think there are
more reasons for Londoners to come back
to Covent Garden.” I’m sure that old George
Treacher would agree.
TASTE
TASTE in briEf
French Store Cupboard
frenchstorecupboard.com
The Real Food Market
From Thursday 7th April (11am to 7pm)
East Piazza
fREnch
cOnnEcTiOn
bring some of the great products from the
travelling French markets into more fixed UK
locations. And I thought there was a niche in
the market.
/Roy Beddows,
French Store Cupboard
Have you always worked in food?
No, I spent 20 years computer
programming. I wanted a new challenge
and fancied doing something completely
different—being in an office for 20 years
takes its toll. My friend, Phillipe Bassett,
started a market company called Streets
Alive, bringing French traders over from
Normandy, Brittany, down as far as Paris,
into different parts of the UK. He needed a
market manager, so it was just good timing.
He offered me the job and I took it.
How did this travelling French
market work?
It would generally be three day events from
Friday to Sunday. We’d bring over maybe
20 or 30 traders from France, camp out
for a few days in a particular town centre,
put on the market, go back and re-supply.
We went as far north as St Andrews in
Scotland and as far west as Limerick in
Ireland. I’d travelled abroad extensively, but
hadn’t seen the UK half so well. It was a real
experience. The thing I enjoyed the most
was probably the camaraderie between
the traders. Working with a close knit group
throughout the year you find there’s almost
a sense of family. It was a really nice career
move for me.
So what’s in your cupboard?
We specialise in cured meats and hams.
I’ve got a core of about 10 varieties of
saucisson-sec, which translates as dried
sausages. The range includes pepper;
walnut; smoked; garlic; duck; wild boar;
venison—and I also do a plain pork. In fact,
most of my saucisson contain pork. Some
meats are too lean to produce a decent
saucisson on their own, so you tend to need
pork fat. You can make them with a variety
of other meats. Donkey is a very popular
one in France, but doesn’t really suit the UK
market—so I leave that one alone.
It must beat working in an office.
Yes, but it was sometimes challenging, and
all sorts of things happened along the way.
In Edinburgh one year half the stalls blew
over at midnight—literally picked up and
thrown on the ground. There were 200 litres
of olive oil pouring down the street. We had
to get the Road Traffic Accident mob in to
clean up the oil and then had to re-site the
market at 5am the next morning. So it could
be great fun and games.
Where are the saucisson made?
Although some are from Normandy and
Brittany, most of my range is made in the
Auvergne, a volcanic region about 250
miles south of Paris. Those ones carry
the name ‘Fabrication Artisanal’, a quality
award mainly on the production side,
showing that the staff are well trained and
the production techniques excellent.
What else do you sell?
We’ve got beautiful dry cured ham
shoulders, which have been hung for six
months, and this year we are introducing
a range of whole legs. We stock a range
of award winning terrines such as hare
Did the job take you over to France much? and rosemary; farmhouse; duck; and
I got to visit a lot of the places where
venison—we plan on adding a few new
this food is made. We’d often help out
ones to our range. They are absolutely
the producers, not so much with the
delicious and contain no colourings,
production, more the logistics of getting
emulsifiers or preservatives. On top of that
them back and forth to the UK. For example, are some classic favourites like cassoulet
we had a cider farmer who made beautiful
and confit of duck or goose. We also have
Calvados. We’d go off to his farm and
chorizo from the south of Spain.
help him with his stock. There was too
much weight for one van, so he needed to
What is it about the French and their food
bring two vehicles. Many of the producers
that you admire so much?
became very good friends—I’ve even spent When I was looking at French markets from
Christmases with them.
the management point of view, the quality
of presentation struck me as massively
You then set up French Store Cupboard
different to what we were doing in the UK
in 2007?
at that time. Then spending Christmases
I really wanted to do something for myself,
in France, I’d be blown away by the shop
and it seemed like a perfect opportunity to
windows and how they were dressed. It’s
TASTE
just completely excellent. The French and
other European markets have been coming
to the UK for the last 15 or 20 years. We’ve
started to pick up their methodologies and
excellent working practices—and we’re now
in a position to compete.
Are the food markets in France still
flourishing?
I wouldn’t say flourishing. I think they’ve
seen the out of town shopping centre creep
into France, a little slower than it has in
England, but it’s happening none the less.
So a lot of small producers have gone out
of business, and that does have a knock-on
effect to the market trade there.
Yet our food markets are on the up.
I think there’s a resurgence against the
massive supermarket chains. The small
food businesses we used to have on the
high street have largely vanished, so the
only way you can buy food that’s not from
a supermarket is by visiting a food market
really, or online shopping service.
When does the Covent Garden Real Food
Market return?
On Thursday 7th April, and I’m really looking
forward to it. Covent Garden is such a
beautiful part of London and it’s great for
people watching. There have been markets
in Covent Garden for over 100 years and it
feels right to do a food market in such an
historic environment as the Piazza.
What makes the Real Food Market
so special?
The manager Chris has worked so hard to
get the right product balance. He has picked
some very high quality traders and runs a
tight ship. There is an excellent range of
food on offer.
What do you enjoy about trading here?
It’s being in the centre of London, being
in the West End, just the location, and
also the sheer diversity of customers.
Covent Garden is a constantly changing
environment. They put on so many
different events in the Piazza. You never
know what you’re going to see—but it’s
almost always something that wasn’t here
the week before.
/Coffee column
hOmE wORk
/Angela Holder on roasting coffee
at home
I need to ‘fess up. I have been roasting
coffee professionally for many years but
had never tried roasting coffee at home. I
say ‘had’ because today I went for broke
and had a go. It was actually quite fun. The
long delay may surprise you—it surprised
me too. But to me home roasting is truly
‘homework’—something to which I have
been fiercely opposed since my introduction
to the concept at age eight. Plus why mess
around at home, when I can just grab a bag
of the good stuff as I leave work?
In olden times, it was common for
people to buy their coffee raw and roast it
at home. Along with baking bread and hand
washing clothes with a wash board, there
are good reasons why the practice was
ditched. Aside from the (slight) risk of fire
involved, roasting coffee is smoky, messy
and sometimes a fiendishly tricky process.
Doing a good job of it is a craft.
That said, fancy having a go?
1—To roast coffee on the stove you will
need a high sided, wide bottomed pan,
a wooden spoon, a metal colander and a
desk fan. And some stamina!
2—Green coffee beans are no longer a
staple of the dried goods aisle, but try the
internet or approach a specialty coffee
roaster such as Has Bean Coffee.
3—Open the window and turn on the
cooker hood fan. Measure out an amount
of beans that will cover the bottom of the
pan to a depth of one and a half beans. Put
aside. Preheat the pan on a medium heat
and when it’s warm, drop the beans in.
This is a dry roasting process, so no oil is
needed. Stir or shake the pan constantly
during the roasting process. If the beans
stay still they will scorch on the side in
contact with the pan.
4—As the beans cook they will turn
gradually from green to yellow to beige then
quickly to brown. You will see wisps of water
vapour given off in the first few minutes.
When the beans start to turn light brown
they will begin to pop. When the popping is
established, turn the heat down slightly.
Allow the beans to pop for 2-4 minutes,
keeping an eye on the colour as they
darken. Use a sample of shop bought
beans as a guide and when the beans
turn the shade of brown that you normally
drink, drop them into the colander.
Shake the colander while playing the
desk fan over it—this is to cool the beans
quickly or they will keep cooking.
5—When the roast is done I’m betting your
arm will ache, your kitchen will be smoky
and there’ll be chaff everywhere (a fine,
papery, flammable, membrane released
during roasting), but I hope you’ll think it
worth it, if only because it will make you
appreciate your local roaster!
TASTE
TASTE in briEf
The Strand Palace Hotel
372 Strand
020 7379 4737
strandpalacehotel.co.uk
Plum POSiTiOn
/Roasted duck breast with
plum sauce from the Strand Palace Hotel
This simple, classic combination
of duck and plum is the work of the
Strand Palace Hotel's new executive
chef Krishna Kumar Shankar.
In the hotel’s two restaurants, which
have to cater for the 1,200 or so
guests accommodated by nearly
800 bedrooms, as well as many a
casual visitor, Krishna’s challenge
is to create exciting, high quality
food in the eye-wateringly large
quantities that would make a lesser
chef blanch. For your benefit, he
has knocked a couple of zeroes off
the ingredient quantities he would
usually require for this dish.
Ingredients
1 duck breast
1 thyme sprig
1 star anise
30g butter
1 fig
For the plum sauce
1 shallot
1 tbsp olive oil
100g plums
25g demerara sugar
20ml red wine
100ml veal stock
Method
For the sauce, fry the shallot in the
oil for 5 minutes, until softened.
Add the peeled plums and sugar,
stirring for a few minutes until the
sugar has dissolved. Add the red
wine and stock, then simmer for
about 15 mins, stirring occasionally,
until pulped and thickened.
Meanwhile, heat the oven to
180°C. Score the skin of the duck
breast and season well with salt and
pepper. Heat a frying pan and place
the duck breast in, skin-side down.
Fry for 6-7 mins, then turn and add
the thyme, star anise and butter.
Allow this to melt, basting the duck
with the juices, and finish in the
oven for 8 to 9 minutes for medium
cooked. Cook the fig with the duck
in the oven.
Cut the duck in two halves
diagonally and serve with plum
sauce and glazed carrots.
TASTE
5 of ThE bEST
RhAPSOdy
in bREw
/Cups of tea
The one that makes them go green
with envy
The recently opened Teapod Tea House
offers a range of around 20 top drawer
loose leaf teas. Here you will find black
tea favourites like earl grey sitting next to
healthy green, oolong and white teas, plus
a range of fruit and herbal blends. The black
teas include vanilla black and chai, while
the greens include the rare speciality tea
jasmine dragon pearls. There is even the
rare speciality white tea, silver needle.
The tea house does breakfasts of tea and
toast, pancakes and fresh fruit, with the fun
and games continuing throughout the day
—and they promise you the best Devon
cream tea in London. They also cater for
coffee lovers, with a full espresso range
prepared as lovingly as the loose leaf teas.
Teapod Tea House
22 Wellington Street, Opera Quarter
teapodtea.co.uk
The one that helps you to keep up with
the Jones’s
Turn on the style with afternoon tea in
the Indigo restaurant at the swanky One
Aldwych hotel, where you choose from a
selection of eight of Newby Teas’ award
winning leaf teas and infusions. Executive
chef Tony Fleming promises you far
more than an excellent cuppa. His fancy
afternoon tea kicks off with a variety of
delicious sandwiches, quail scotch eggs,
Welsh rarebit on toast, mini scones served
with homemade preserves, bitter chocolate
tart, orange trifle, battenberg cake and
homemade carrot cake. You can even
complete the experience with a glass of
Louis Roederer champagne. Please book in
advance—they’ll even throw in a saucer.
Indigo @ One Aldwych
1 Aldwych
020 7300 0400
campbellgrayhotels.com/one-aldwych-london
The one that will have your belly dancing
Why not spend a relaxing hour or two in
the Souk Medina Tea Room. Those North
Africans know how to enjoy a cuppa—and it
usually involves plenty of cushions. So what
will it be? A lemon tea perhaps, or maybe
the breakfast tea, cinnamon tea, earl grey,
fresh mint tea—or the thirst quenching ice
mint tea. If you’re of an adventurous bent,
accompany your tea with a bang on the
Shisha pipe, with the range of fruity flavours
including apple and strawberry. And if the
Sahara sun is over the yardarm then why not
walk on the wild side with a Naughty Mint
Tea cocktail, a riotous affair of bourbon,
green tea and mint. One of those will make
you feel like the pretty one in Casablanca.
The one that gives you tease with
your teas
Head down beneath the Aldwych and in
through the Cellar Door. You have now
entered the world of the Saturday Afternoon
High Tea(se) & Burlesque. This guaranteed
storm in a teacup starts at 2pm. It all starts
with quality tea, sandwiches, cocktails and
a rumour of bubbles. But then everything
gets a bit wild-cabaret-and-blackjack in the
tempestuous company of Kitty’s HonkyTonk Cats and the Queen of Strip-Tea,
Honey Lulu. And any ladies who fancy a
lesson in the art of tease are cordially
invited to join burlesque legend Vicious
Delicious, who takes a class before each
show at 12.30pm.
Souk Medina tea Room
1a Shorts Gardens, Seven Dials
020 7240 1796
soukrestaurant.co.uk
Cellar Door
Zero Aldwych
020 7240 8848
cellardoor.biz
The ones to brew yourself
Nip along to Tea Palace for a wide selection
of the finest quality teas. The expert staff
will help you rediscover a “proper cup of tea”
while downstairs is a shrine bearing Teas
of the Day, which are there for the tasting.
Tea Palace’s range includes everything
from Assam Hunwal, Ceylon Pettiagalla and
Formosa Oolong to Japanese Bancha and
Jasmine with flowers—you can even take a
holiday in a Russian Caravan.
Fellow Covent Garden tea emporium
The Tea House also has more teas
than you could shake a bamboo
stick at. So mind your manners
with a packet of India’s finest
Darjeeling 1st Flush or simply
blow your mind on Gunpowder
Green Pearl, Lapsong Souchong
from China or Japan’s highest
grade classic Gyokuro Asahi.
Then again you may be drawn
to the sweet aroma of South
African Red Bush. The choice is
yours—and it’s all indoors.
Tea Palace
12 The Market Building
020 7836 6997
teapalace.com
The Tea House
15 Neal Street
020 7240 7539
ARTS
/11
arts
arts
musical youth
This spring, Covent Garden plays host to a concert of Brahms pieces performed by the
orchestra of the Orpheus Foundation—an organisation devoted to giving young musicians
much-valued experience as they start their careers. Clare Finney meets three of the stars
of the concert and hears how this much loved institution can change lives
Picture the scene. You’re a brilliant young
musician—a pianist, say—and you’ve just
nailed your final recital at the Royal College
of Music. You stand. You bow. And as
you exit stage left, you can almost hear
in the rhapsodic applause that follows
the sound of the London Philharmonic
Orchestra calling.
Or so you might think. Last year 250
students graduated from London’s two
great conservatoires—the Royal College
of Music and the Royal Academy of Music.
A small proportion of these walked straight
into full-time symphony orchestras. Many
others have done well out of playing part
time. And the rest? Well, they’re still out
there, funding a life of ceaseless auditioning
with a dwindling pile of savings and an
evening shift at Pizza Express.
“It’s that old conundrum,” explains
veteran school musical director Denys
Robinson. “They say they won’t take you
unless you have experience of a major
orchestra—but how do you get experience if
they don’t take you on?”
In the past, such fledgling artistes
would have been taken under the wing of
high society—archdukes, for example,
or wealthy lords and ladies who would
nurture their talent in the hope that when
they had launched the next Beethoven, the
shine would rub off on them. These days,
however, links to potential benefactors in
the corporate sector, private individuals and
charitable trusts are difficult to forge without
a friendly intermediary—and it’s there that
the Orpheus Foundation, named after the
great musician of Greek mythology, steps in.
Established five years ago by Royal
College graduate Marc Corbett-Weaver,
the Orpheus Foundation has since made
it its mission to fill the gaping hole left by
the musical patrons of yore. By providing
young artists with the chance to play in a
central London orchestra, the foundation
allows each one the chance to showcase
their talents—and by inviting potential
benefactors to hear them, Marc and his
merry band of music-makers provide a
lifeline for talented graduates seeking
professional glory. One of the orchestra’s
regular concert venues is the beautiful
St Paul’s Covent Garden.
“It’s very difficult when young musicians
come out of the Royal Academy or the Royal
College” explains Marc, who remembers
clearly how daunted he felt as an aspiring
pianist flying the academic nest. “They are
wonderful colleges, and the musicians they
produce are all ready to go—but how many
people in their early 20s get professional
orchestral experience?”
And if it’s daunting for a concert pianist
of Marc’s calibre, one can only imagine what
life must be like for conductors, many of
whom can spend years and years trying
to break into the professional circuit.
“Getting players engaged with a full
symphony orchestra and getting them
experience can be quite difficult,” says Marc.
“Getting talented conductors to get in front
of a big orchestra and major pieces—even
more so.”
One such maestro-in-the-making is the
cellist Thomas Carroll. Born in Swansea and
trained by the legendary Melissa Phelps,
by the time Thomas was in his early 20s he
had already won almost every award going,
and was one of only two artists to audition
successfully for both the Young Concert
Artists Trust in London and Young Concert
Artists Inc. in New York. He first picked up
the baton about six years ago in a bid to
indulge his passion for conducting and try
his hand at something other than a bow.
It wasn’t until 2009, when a speculative
performance at the Leeds Conductors
Competition saw him reach the semi-final,
that Thomas began to take his “second
musical passion” seriously and have some
instruction. “They were very enthusiastic,
very encouraging—so I took a lot more
lessons and many more master classes and
started developing myself as a conductor.”
Today Thomas can boast a festival and
two separate orchestral performances
to his name. Yet while he continues to
be inundated with invitations to play the
cello, his conducting career still has some
way to go before it takes off—and the
Orpheus Foundation, he says, is the perfect
launching platform.
“Many people describe it as a stepping
stone—and it is, in a way, but it is also a lot
more positive than that. It’s wonderful for
me to be able to work with musicians who,
like me, are just starting out on their careers.
Hopefully it will lead to other things but I’m
very excited to be conducting with them.”
On 31st March, Thomas will be leading
the young men and women of the Orpheus
Sinfonia through their Night of Brahms
at St Paul’s Covent Garden—his second
appointment as conductor of the orchestra
and one he is eagerly anticipating. “I’ve lived
in Vienna, I’ve played his concertos on the
cello, I’ve spent a lot of time studying his life
and reading about his letters, and I just love
his music. It is so exciting to be conducting
my first Brahms with this orchestra.”
Performing in front of him will be
his partner Tamsin Waley-Cohen—a
“supremely talented” violinist and Orpheus
veteran whose sound has sent shivers
across the classical music press—and
on the cello next to her will be their long
standing friend Gemma Rosefield, of Pierre
Fournier Award fame. Between them the trio
have won numerous awards, performed in
scores of countries and generated several
books’ worth of rhapsodic newsprint.
Nevertheless, when I asked them if they
were excited about rejoining this young
orchestra of hopefuls they were unreserved
in their enthusiasm—and in their praise.
“It is always a great pleasure to work
with a group with such enthusiasm and
freshness,” enthuses Tamsin as she
arts
A Night of Brahms
31st March
7:30pm
St Paul’s Covent Garden
020 7629 1830
orpheusfoundation.com
Gemma Rosefield
Playing with others is so
different to practicing in
a room all day on your
own. Things come alive.
You discover things you
didn’t know. When you
become friends, it is even
more special to play
together. And you can hear
that in the performance.
glides effortlessly from a performance of
a Tchaikovsky Trio in Hanover Square with
Gemma, to rehearsing with the European
Doctors Orchestra for a concert in Cadogan
Hall.
Having first been singled out for the
Orpheus while she was still at college,
Tamsin is the classic example of someone
whom Marc can “point to and say, ‘They
were with us initially and now look at them’”.
Yet even those musicians who are not
direct beneficiaries of the foundation can’t
fail to appreciate the opportunities it can
offer. “It’s vital that there are things going
on for people just out of college,” stresses
Gemma, an Orpheus debutante who herself
was catapulted into the professional circuit
as a teenager when she won the chance to
perform live on Norwegian TV.
Having been informed by her piano
teacher at the tender age of six that she
had “no musical ear and was wasting her
money”, Gemma is no stranger to musical
bumps. Realistic as she is about a young
musician’s need to “create opportunities
and explore new repertoire yourself”, she is
also aware that not every young cellist can
rely on parents as supportive as her own
(who ignored the piano teacher and asked
her recorder teacher instead. He said she
was “a natural”). “We really need proactive
organisations like this which get young
people involved—both in the audience
and in the orchestra,” she says. “It’s vital
that musicians get the chance to play big
concerts in the centre of London, and to
play this repertoire. It’s a brilliant start to
performing life.”
It means playing professionally. It means
getting an audience (and a generous one
too, with Stanhope sponsoring the Brahms
concert). But it also means playing with
friends. Tamsin is thrilled—“I always love
playing with Gemma!”—and Thomas too is
excited about conducting. Yet it is Gemma,
the only one of the three not to have played
with the orchestra before, who offers
perhaps the greatest insight into Orpheus
and what the foundation means to young
musicians whose careers are still in tuning.
“Playing with others is so different to
practicing in a room all day on your own,”
she says. “Things come alive. You discover
things you didn’t know. And when you get
on with them as people and become friends
it is even more special to play together.
And you can hear that, you know, in the
performance.”
Quote ‘CGJ’ when booking a pair of tickets
for A Night of Brahms and receive two
complementary glasses of wine.
arts
arts iN BriEF
Moonlight
7th April—28th May
Donmar Warehouse
Earlham Street
donmarwarehouse.com
PARASiTicAl
PonceS
/Moonlight
Written and released well over a decade
after his biggest theatrical blockbusters
(if such an establishment term may be
used for such an anti-establishment
playwright), Harold Pinter’s short and dark
play Moonlight is neither as menacing
as The Birthday Party and Homecoming,
nor as funny. As a New York Times critic
surmised in the year of its premiere,
Moonlight is “a succession of revelations
of what has been and always will be”
—which isn’t the average person’s idea
of comedy, unless the average person is
Samuel Beckett.
Moonlight plays serenely over the life
of a former civil servant and his estranged
sons. Andy, the father, is at death’s door
in the suburbs—the hunting ground for
all Pinter’s greatest ideas. His sons
Jake and Fred are refusing to see him.
As Andy reflects despondently on his
flaw-ridden life, Jake and Fred fester in
their rented room, dodging their mother’s
calls and absconding filial duties. Their
reason? Well, if their drink-fuelled rants
are anything to go by, Andy’s tight-fisted
mediocrity renders him a disgrace to the
name Dad. Yet as the play meanders on,
you begin to understand why their own
father once branded the brothers
“a sponging parasitical pair of ponces”.
Starring Shakespeare veteran
David Bradley as Andy and directed by
the very-nearly-almost-Laurence Olivier
award winning Bijan Sheibani, Moonlight
promises, if not outright laughter, then
at least a grim smile of recognition—
particularly with David Bradley’s
observation that “rationality went down
the drain donkey’s years ago and hasn’t
been seen since.”
arts
Ghost Stories
A ghost-denying professor, a nightwatchman, a young student involved in
a hit-and-run: so seemingly familiar are
the threads of Jeremy Dyson and Andy
Nyman’s Ghost Stories that they appear
to be more fairground than theatre—at
least, they do in the cold light of day.
Venture inside the dimly-lit foyer of
the Duke of York theatre, however
and it won’t be long before borderline
cliché becomes across-the-borderline
terrifying. Having haunted pundits and
critics alike last year, Nyman’s cynical
parapsychology expert and his “case
studies” have been resurrected—and
with League of Gentleman mastermind
Jeremy Dyson and the Lyric’s artistic
director Sean Holmes still at the fore,
this is a cocktail that even the most
hardened of horror-holics will struggle
not to shake at.
dukeofyorkstheatre.co.uk
In a Forest, Dark and Deep
Until 4th June
Vaudeville Theatre
404 Strand
vaudeville-theatre.co.uk
/Inside Story
Our anonymous West End
insider gives a backstage
view of life in Theatreland
FRoM THe
cReW RooM/
We knoW beST
One of the things that you get used to in
this profession is the casual passer-by
assuming that they know more about your
job than you do. To the uninitiated, a set can
appear to be a jerry-built mass of plywood
and gaffer tape held together by a wing
and a prayer, but of course nothing could
be further from the truth. In fact it’s very
difficult to design a set. It requires talent
and experience to master. Try building a
structure that looks and works like a real
office or kitchen, has running water, usable
cupboards and working lights, can be
dismantled and re-assembled by a small
team of people at speed in the dark, and
has to last from anything from one month
to several years depending on how long
the show runs. It’s not easy. Deep down
most people know this, but that doesn’t
stop what I call the ‘pursed lip brigade’.
These are people—both sexes healthily
represented—who take one look at a set
going up pucker their lips, inhale a long
slow breath before uttering the immortal
words: “You don’t want to be doing it like
that mate.”
One incident, that still raises a smile,
happened a number of years ago and
involved a young female carpenter. We were
putting a show into the Whitehall Theatre
on the Strand, which due to its proximity to
Nelson’s Column produced a steady stream
of curious tourists whenever the dock door
(the large garage like opening where sets
are taken in and out of the building) was
opened. The pursed lip brigade had been
out in force, and the morning had seen its
Wild,Wild Wood
/In a Forest, Dark and Deep
‘In a forest, dark and deep’ sounds like it
could be a pithy summary of Neil La Bute’s
creative genius—challenging, penetrative
and resolutely dark. But it also happens
to be the title of his latest play, due to be
performed at the Vaudeville this spring by
the lantern-jawed star of American TV show
Lost, Matthew Fox, and the brilliant British
fair share of “Where’s the rest of it?”
actress Olivia Williams.
or “When do the grown-ups take over!”
The casting of the Fox is satisfying on a
in an impressive variety of accents.
number of levels (not least because viewers
Eventually the inevitable happened—one
of Lost attempting to identify coherent
of the women on the crew was working on
plot strands will know what it feels like to
the set when the words “You don’t want to
be tangled up in a deep, dark forest), but
be doing that love!” came floating down
there is a risk that the presence of “one of
from the dock door. “Oi! Just %&** off
the 50 Most Beautiful People in the World
before I shove this where the sun don’t
according to People Magazine” at the top
shine!” she shouted, spinning around
of the bill might leave his co-star somewhat
and brandishing an electric drill. A gale of
in the shade—which would be a mistake,
laughter swept the stage but petered out
because Cambridge-educated Royal
as we looked up to see two of Her Majesty’s Shakespeare company alumnus Olivia
finest looking back at us, one of whom was
Williams, whose film credits include the
looking distinctly un-amused. Unfortunately brilliant likes of Rushmore, An Education,
the theatre’s proximity to Downing Street
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll and The Ghost,
also meant that there was usually a fair
comes with something close to a cast iron
sprinkling of policemen in the vicinity.
guarantee of quality.
What followed was something like a
Details of the play itself remain thin
Mexican stand-off between a very angry
on the ground. “One brother. One sister.
techie and a very offended policeman.
One thrilling evening,” announces the
Silence reigned for several tense moments
by-line, but the accompanying synopsis
before the second policeman said “Come
is far from revealing. We do know that the
on mate you went first,” and with that they
forest will be actual as well as metaphorical,
left, one somewhat more reluctantly than
that the cottage within it hides a lot more
the other. At which point all eyes shifted
than just Betty’s junk, and that Bobby, her
to the carpenter—still brandishing her
brother, might soon come to regret offering
drill—whose glare of defiance dissolved into to help her clear it out.
a look of horror as she recalled what she had
Being a Neil La Bute play, it is highly
said to a member of the constabulary. After
unlikely to offer gentle suburban comedy.
that the master carpenter decided to close
Conflict is a given—and given that it’s
the dock door—which was usually left open about two siblings, it’s likely to be intense
to help keep the stage cool—for the rest of
—and set deep in a forest, psychological
the day. A very wise move indeed.
insights are a must. Put this mix into
the directorial hand behind Fat Pig and
The Shape of Things, and you have a play
that will flatly refuse to hide its searchlight
under a bushel.
arts
arts iN BriEF
The Damnation of Faust
Opera has always been an insanely overthe-top artform—one that has cultivated
the talents of many a mad genius. Talent
doesn’t get much madder, or more
genius-like, than former Python and cult
filmmaker Terry Gilliam, so it’s hard to
think of a more promising addition to
the rollcall of opera directors. Starting
in May, Gilliam is turning his singular
imagination to a production of The
Damnation of Faust—Berlioz’s dazzlingly
kaleidoscopic take on Goethe’s Faust.
The ENO’s Olivier Award-winning music
ARTiSTS
in
ReSidence
director Edward Gardner directs,
Peter Hoare stars as Faust, and
Christine Rice appears as the seduced
and abandoned Marguerite, but quite
what visual madness awaits them will
remain to be seen.
eno.org
Art in the Garden
From 4th March
Seven Dials Club
42 Earlham Street, Seven Dials
/Art in the Garden
How are you involved?
The first exhibition took place in the Piazza
in 1990 and I’ve been involved from the
beginning. Since then I have curated and
co-curated several artists’ exhibitions in
Covent Garden, and I always submit two
or three pieces myself.
Why do you think Covent Garden yields
such good amateur artists?
Of course it is a very rich area for people
who are artists and work in the art world.
You’ve got all the galleries around, you’re a
stones throw from the British Museum and
John Soames—it’s as if Covent Garden was
ring fenced by artistic institutions. And then
within that you have the famous St Martins.
Do you get a good range of exhibitors?
There’s a terrific cross-section: there are
people whose livelihood is art, others who
sell their work but don’t do enough to live off
it, and there are amateurs who just love it.
Obviously there are some people who are
already quite creative in their day jobs—we
have one from the framing shop Frame
Set and Match for example. But then it is
a community thing, so we really do have
something of everyone. We have a waiter,
we have teachers, and we have children too.
Do you see many kids getting involved?
Yes, it’s amazing what they produce.
Last year we had a wonderful painting by a
girl aged about 11 of Covent Garden tube
station. It was slightly impressionistic and
everyone thought it was a professional artist
who did it. She’s submitting again this year,
along with pupils from St Josephs and St
Clement Danes, who have a class project.
What sort of art can visitors expect to
find? Any recurring themes?
You get everything. You get their personal
lives, you get paintings of flowers, you get
fantasies. It makes for a spectacular show
because you’re not just walking into one
genre. It is like looking at a big mosaic.
What is the exhibition space like?
It’s a very good exhibition space, probably
one of the best in the area. There are four
rooms, all with a large, open well-lit space
to hang things in.
BILL ALDRIDGE
Art in the Garden, created and displayed by
people who live or work in Covent Garden,
is an exhibition which seems on the face of
it to be the artistic equivalent of erecting an
amateur tea shop in China.
This is, after all, the famous Covent
Garden: home of the National Portrait
Gallery and the Courtauld, and breeding
ground for the basement floor pop-up
galleries that appear almost daily. Some
have even claimed it has more artists per
square metre than most of London has
rats. What on earth would it want with a
community art exhibition?
A great deal, actually—as we found
when we spoke to one of the artists
currently leading the project, Tom Cook.
A professional artist in his own right, Tom
has been living in Covent Garden for 30
years, 15 of which have been spent mining
the area’s remarkable creative potential
by means of the exhibition called variously
Art in the Garden and Garden of Artists.
Having begun life as part of the Covent
Garden International Festival in the Piazza,
the project still has, despite changes in
name and location, the same fundamental
aim as always: to gather and celebrate the
artistic talents of the area.
Some are professionals who are already
exhibiting. The majority however are
amateurs whose day jobs may be dull, but
whose after-work (or indeed after-school)
doodling has been inspired by the creativity
of their surroundings. After all, it would take
a particularly stony sort of philistine to live
or work within a stone’s throw of Somerset
House and not want to pick up a pencil.
With such a wide range of art, how do you
decide what goes where?
The whole thing becomes a matter of visual
harmony and balance—you don’t want
to have all red on one wall and green on
another, you want it mixed up. My job is to
produce an exhibition that is colourful and
lively and also harmonious. I think it helps
to be an artist yourself.
30 years is a long time in Covent Garden.
How has the area changed?
30 years ago the neighbourhood was
really quiet; it wasn’t noisy, and there
weren’t a lot of tourists, and there were
all kinds of quirky little shops around the
market because the rents were so low.
I remember there was a shop that just sold
pen nibs. It drew in all the great illustrators
and artists. It was very famous in a very
small way.
arts
exHibiT
Pick Me UP
17th—27th March
/Somerset House
Embankment Galleries
Somerset House
Strand
020 7845 4600
somersethouse.org.uk
Graphic artists rarely seem to be granted
quite the level of respect and adulation
afforded to their contemporaries in more
traditional fields. Which is a shame, as
when it comes to the colourful world of
graphic art, Britain really can claim to be
a hotbed of talent and innovation. Pick Me
Up seeks to give some much deserved
exposure to the best artists currently
working in the field. Following Rob Ryan’s
successful residency at the fair’s inaugural
exhibition last year, legendary designer
Anthony Burrill will set up his studio in the
gallery, inviting special guests to create
new, limited-edition work. Exhibitors, who
will be producing, exhibiting and selling a
wide range of affordable artwork, include
established favourites such as Concrete
Hermit, Evening Tweed, It’s Nice That,
Nobrow, Nous Vous and Print Club London,
as well as exciting newcomers Ditto Press,
Jaguar Shoes, Puck and ThemLot.
arts
An engliSHMAn in
neW yoRk
Until 17th April
/National Portrait Gallery
HoPPe PoRTRAiTS:
SocieTy, STUdio And
STReeT
Until 30th May
/National Portrait Gallery
National Portrait Gallery
St Martin’s Place
020 7306 0055
npg.org.uk
First it was a song by Sting, then a film
about Quentin Crisp, then a host of dodgy
cover versions. In October, Ben Sherman
will launch its Autumn/Winter collection
under the same name. For now, though,
An Englishman In New York means Jason
Bell’s exhibition at the NPG. Taking in such
cultural luminaries as actor Kate Winslet,
author Zoe Heller and playwright Sir Peter
Schaffer, this stunning mix of portraits
offers a grand tour of the Big Apple seen
through the eyes of the Limeys. “I think
New Yorkers are slightly in awe of British
people,” observes Winslet, in the caption
accompanying her enigmatic portrait.
Written by the subjects, these captions set
out to illuminate why the people in Bell’s
study have chosen the life of a legal alien.
“I think they assume we are infinitely better
educated than them, which is of course an
absolute load of shit; I left school at 16, so
go figure,” writes Winslet.
liFe, legend, lAndScAPe:
VicToRiAn dRAWingS
And WATeRcoloURS
Until 15th May
/The Courtauld Gallery
The Courtauld Gallery
Somerset House
Strand
020 7848 2526
courtauld.ac.uk
EO Hoppe’s photographic moment of glory
came in 1920 when his controversial Book
of Fair Women stunned the establishment
by including images of women who—
shock! horror!—weren’t white, wealthy
and Western. “Aristocrats and peasant
girls side by side!” marveled the Boston
Transcript, while others condemned the
implicit suggestion that female beauty
existed outside of the European archetype.
Resident in Britain from 1902, Hoppe made
his name as a portraitist by capturing the
celebrities of the age—the Duchess of
York, Albert Einstein, George Bernard Shaw.
Then, in the 1920s, he was inspired to
look beyond the studio towards the streets
of London. The result was a blend of the
‘high’ and ‘low’—from the future king to a
sandwich board man advertising an Indian
restaurant—all treated with the affection
and sensitivity that made Hoppe the
‘missing link’ of 20th century photography.
Any king or queen is likely to oversee a fair
few changes in artistic thought—and with
over 60 years of ruling under her royal belt,
the venerable Queen Victoria saw more
than most. JMW Turner, Dante Gabriel
Rossetti and Audrey Beardsley all feature
in this wide ranging exhibition of Victorian
drawings and watercolours which spans at
least four different schools and a veritable
smorgasbord of media, styles and subjects,
ranging from the criminally under-exhibited
Frederick Walker, right through to Rossetti’s
famous painting of Venus Verticordia.
Also well represented are the landscape
paintings which, together with the collection
of animal and natural history sketches,
represent a vivid monument to the Victorian
taste for travel and exotic adventure.
A notable exception to all the exotica, but
no less beautiful, is Samuel Palmer’s
naturalistic watercolour of the Surrey
countryside near Dorking.
PAST
/11
DeATh
in
The
SquAre
Past
Mark Riddaway on the very
public slaying of a politician’s
mistress—a murder that
caused a tidal wave of
prurient gossip
and passionate opinion
Samuel Johnson, the great lexicographer
and essayist, and by now a terrifying
dinosaur of a man, was not happy. It
was 16th April 1779, and the subject for
discussion at the dining club was a terrible
murder that had set tongues wagging at
similar establishments all over the city—the
death of Martha Ray in the Covent Garden
Piazza at the hands of James Hackman.
Johnson’s dining companion that night was
Topham Beauclerk, the type of dissolute,
hard-living aristocrat who, in the absence
of any useful contribution to the world, is
remembered as a “celebrated wit”, as if that
counted as some form of job.
Beauclerk may well have been witty,
but Johnson was far from amused. While
the great man of letters was convinced
that James Hackman had premeditated
the murder of the famous Miss Ray, his
younger companion thought the killing to
have been a public suicide gone horribly
wrong, and Beauclerk’s scathing tone
was not well received. Piqued by what he
considered a shameless lack of respect,
the lexicographer exploded in a storm of
righteous indignation and spittle, described
by his biographer James Boswell as a
“tempest”.
It is no great surprise that the murder
of Martha Ray inflamed such passions.
The story had just about everything,
including all of the finest ingredients for a
popular scandal: politics, sex, celebrity,
class, religion and death. According to
the Newgate Calendar, a collection of the
monthly bulletins of the keeper of London’s
Newgate prison, the murder was a case
of such notoriety that “pamphlets and
poems were written on the occasion, and
the crime was long the common topic of
conversation”. The supporting cast alone
was like a roll-call of late 18th century
London life—the famous Italian opera
singer Caterina Galli, the blind magistrate
Sir John Fielding, James Boswell, and
the vastly powerful statesman whose
aristocratic name lives on through a billion
cafes and snackbars—John Montagu, the
4th Earl of Sandwich.
Martha Ray was a London-born corsetmaker’s daughter. At the age of 17, while
working as a milliner’s apprentice on
Tavistock Street, Covent Garden, her
attractive visage struck the roving eye
of the notoriously rakish earl, a married
man 24 years her senior. Instantly struck
by her beauty, the politician took this
young seamstress and installed her as
his mistress—his wife being the kind of
“mad woman in the attic” so beloved of
English gothic novelists. Based at the
earl’s Westminster home, Martha was
given a thorough education and was slowly
integrated into the aristocracy—a process
that apparently inspired Bernard Shaw’s
Pygmalion. She was publicly and proudly
flaunted by her powerful lover, with whom
she raised five children, including the
successful lawyer Basil Montagu.
As well as being an attractive woman—
one florid contemporary described her
as “a second Cleopatra, a Woman of
thousands, and capable of producing those
effects on the Heart which the Poets talk
so much of and which we are apt to think
Chimerical”—Martha was a wonderful
singer, and she became something of
a celebrity in her own right through her
impressive operatic performances.
It was in 1775, when Martha was 33
years old, that James Hackman, a “volatile”
army officer 10 years her junior, first set
eyes on the singer at the earl’s country
seat in Hinchingbrooke, Cambridgeshire.
Hackman, who was based nearby in
Huntingdon, was instantly bowled over
by the glamorous lady of the house. “No
sooner had Mr Hackman seen her than
he became enamoured of her,” wrote
the Newgate keeper. Whether or not this
attraction was in any way reciprocated, and
quite how far their relationship was taken,
was a matter of considerable debate during
the avalanche of salacious gossip that
followed the murder. It was suggested that
Hackman proposed marriage to Martha, but
was firmly knocked back. According to one
later account, she told the humble soldier
that, given her comfortable circumstances,
“she did not choose to carry a knapsack”.
All we know for sure is that on the
unseasonably hot and humid night of 7th
April 1779, both Hackman and Martha were
out and about in Covent Garden, but in very
different moods. Martha—together with
her friend, the equally famous Caterina
Galli—was dressed up to the nines and
reveling in flirtatious male attention at a
performance of Thomas Arne’s lengthy
comic opera Love in a Village. Hackman,
who had recently resigned his army
commission and joined the priesthood,
was also in the theatre at some stage in
the evening, apparently having followed
the earl’s mistress to her destination, but
he was not so enamored of the attention
being heaped upon her. Leaving the opera,
Hackman ran to his lodgings on St Martin’s
Lane and, “not being able to contain the
violence of his passion”, armed himself with
two loaded pistols. Returning to the Piazza,
he downed a few glasses of brandy at the
Bedford coffeehouse and waited for Love in
a Village to end.
The audience began to file out of the
Covent Garden Theatre at around 11:15. As
Martha was being helped into her coach by a
handsome young Irish attorney by the name
of John Macnamara, Hackman, dressed
Past
death in the square
‘‘
I stand here this day the
most wretched of human
beings, and confess myself
criminal in a high degree;
yet while I acknowledge that
my determination against
my own life was formal and
complete, I protest that the
will to destroy her, who was
ever dearer to me than my
life, was never mine.
the conclusion to which was presented as
evidence of the priest’s innocence: “May
heaven protect my beloved woman, and
forgive this act, which alone could relieve me
from a world of misery I have long endured.
Oh! If it should ever be in your power to do
her any act of friendship, remember your
faithful friend.”
The jury, possibly questioning why a man
planning a suicide would require two loaded
pistols, dismissed Hackman’s defence.
Mr Justice Blackstone in his summing up
stated that the priest had demonstrated
“a coolness and deliberation which no
ways accorded with the ideas of insanity”.
Hackman, at the tender age of 26, was
hanged at Tyburn on 19th April 1779, then
dissected in public at the Surgeons’ Hall.
While Hackman’s body rotted, attempts
were made at resurrecting his reputation.
Through a combination of sympathy with
Hackman, enmity towards the unpopular
Earl of Sandwich and casual 18th
century misogyny, numerous writers and
commentators took up the young killer’s
all in black, appeared from the crowd. Mary
Earl of Sandwich, whose political problems
cause, presenting him as a tragic lover
Anderson, a Covent Garden fruit seller, later were rendered suddenly meaningless,
abandoned by a cruel woman, rather than
told the Old Bailey that she watched in horror “wept exceedingly”.
as a deranged and somewhat sinister
as “a gentleman in black came up, laid hold
Two days after the burial, Hackman
stalker who had violently robbed five
of her [Martha] by the gown, and pulled out
appeared at the Old Bailey, where he
children of their mother and an old man of
of his pocket two pistols; he shot the right
pleaded not guilty to murder. The basis for
his deeply loved companion.
hand pistol at her, and the other at himself”. his defence was the contention that he
Hackman’s lawyer Mannaseh Dawes
Martha died instantly, but Hackman’s
had never intended to kill Martha, only to
described in his memoirs how Hackman
attempted suicide was unsuccessful. “They commit suicide in front of her. In a speech
had been lured into the earl’s corrupt world
fell feet to feet,” Mary reported. “He beat
apparently written by James Boswell,
of “lucre, rank and fortune” by a “capricious
himself violently over the head with his
Hackman proclaimed his innocence of
and an ungrateful woman”, who had brought
pistols, and desired somebody would kill
any premeditation and insisted that the
this terrible crime upon herself.
him.” James Mahon, a local apothecary,
slaying was an act of temporary insanity:
In 1780, a journalist by the name of Herbert
wrenched the weapon from the killer’s hand “I stand here this day the most wretched of
Croft produced a fake collection of letters
and, together with a constable, dragged the human beings, and confess myself criminal between Hackman and Martha, entitled
wounded man to the nearby Shakspeare
in a high degree; yet while I acknowledge,
Love And Madness: A Story Too True, which
tavern, where Martha’s lifeless body had
with shame and repentance, that my
cast the young man as a deeply tragic
already been deposited by Macnamara,
determination against my own life was
figure, a victim of circumstances. The book
who had remained impressively composed
formal and complete, I protest, with that
rapidly became a bestseller, and Samuel
despite being deeply traumatised by
regard to truth which becomes my situation, Johnson’s loudly shouted position—that
“the sudden assault of the assassin, the
that the will to destroy her, who was ever
Hackman had gone out that sultry April night
instantaneous death of the victim, and the
dearer to me than my life, was never mine
bent on cold blooded murder—became very
spattering of the poor girl’s brains over his
till a momentary frenzy overcame me, and
much a minority view. Not even the great
own face”. Sir John Fielding, the Bow Street induced me to commit the deed I now
lexicographer could turn the tide of opinion.
magistrate and brother of the novelist Henry deplore.”
Hackman, it was decided, was a tragic hero.
Fielding, arrived to arrest Hackman and
A letter was read out in court that had
Martha Ray, meanwhile, was dead and
transport him to Tothill Fields prison.
been found in Hackman’s pocket on the
buried; her brains blown out on the Covent
Martha was buried at Elstree parish
night of the murder. Addressed to the killer’s Garden Piazza by a priest who claimed to
church, Hertfordshire, on 14th April. The
brother-in-law, it amounted to a suicide note, love her.
Kate Ross
LoCatIoN
ST PAuLS CHuRCH GARDENS
Why aRe you heRe?
LuNCH BREAk
directory/11
Fashion
Accessorize
The Market at Covent Garden
020 7240 2107
monsoon.co.uk
agnès b
35-36 Floral Street
020 7379 1992
agnesb.com
All Saints
020 7179 3749
57 Long Acre
020 7836 0801
allsaints.co.uk
Aubin & Wills
12 Floral Street
020 7240 4024
aubinandwills.com
Banana Republic
132 Long Acre, St Martin’s Courtyard
020 7836 9567
bananarepublic.gap.eu
Base
020 7240 8914
base-fashions.co.uk
Womenswear
Ben Sherman
49 Long Acre
020 7836 6196
brand.bensherman.com
Menswear
Betsey Johnson
4-5 Carriage Hall, 29 Floral street
020 7240 6164
betseyjohnson.com
Womenswear
Birkenstock
020 7240 2783
birkenstock.co.uk
Shoes
Calvin Klein
120 Long Acre
020 7240 7582
calvinklein.com
Carhartt
15-17 Earlham Street, Seven Dials
020 7836 1551
carhartt.com
Cos
130-131 Long Acre, St Martin’s Courtyard
020 7632 4190
cosstores.com
Crocs
020 7836 2505
crocs.eu
Shoes
Desa
020 7836 6055
desa.uk.com
Leather & womenswear
Diesel
43 Earlham Street
020 7497 5543
diesel.com
Dune
26 James Street
020 7836 1560
dune.co.uk
East
16 The Piazza
020 7836 6685
east.co.uk
Womenswear
Energie & Killah
47-49 Neal Street, Seven Dials
020 7836 7719
energie.it
Menswear
Fat Face Clothing
Thomas Neal’s Centre,
020 7497 6464
fatface.com
Fenchurch
020 7240 1880
fenchurch.com
Fifi Wilson
020 7240 2121
fifiwilson.com
Womenswear
Firetrap
020 7395 1830
firetrap.net
Formes
28 Henrietta Street
020 7240 4777
formes.com
Pregnant womenswear
Fred Perry
14 The Piazza
020 7836 3327
6-8 Thomas Neal’s Centre
020 7836 4513
fredperry.com
Freddy
30-32 Neal Street, Seven Dials
020 7836 5291
freddy.it
Fullcircle
14 Floral Street
020 7240 8310
fullcircleuk.com
Gary Holder
22 Thomas Neal’s Centre, Seven Dials
020 7836 7889
garyholder.com
Jewellery
G-Star
5-11 Shorts Gardens, Seven Dials
020 7240 3707
g-star.com
Hoss Intropia
124 Long Acre
020 7240 4900
hossintropia.com
Womenswear
Jack Wills
136 Long Acre,
020 7240 8946
jackwills.com
Jaeger London
020 3328 9441
jaeger.co.uk
Womenswear and menswear
Joules
joules.com
Kabiri
020 7794 0754
kabiri.co.uk
Jewellery
Karen Millen
22-23 James Street
020 7836 5355
karenmillen.com
Womenswear
Kurt Geiger
1 James Street
kurtgeiger.com
Laird London
23 New Row
lairdlondon.co.uk
Hats
Laura Lee
020 7379 9050
lauraleejewellery.com
Jewellery
L K Bennett
138 Long Acre,
020 7379 9890
lkbennett.com
Womenswear
Lyle & Scott
40 King Street
020 7379 7190
lyleandscott.com
Massimo Dutti
125-126 Long Acre, St Martin’s Courtyard
020 7935 0250
massimodutti.com
Womenswear & Menswear
Mimco
020 7836 9826
mimco.com.au
Accessories
Mint
20 Earlham Street
020 7836 3440
Vintage clothing
Monsoon
5-6 James Street
020 7379 3623
monsoon.co.uk
Womenswear
Nicole Farhi
11 Floral Street
020 7497 8713
nicolefarhi.com
Orla Kiely
31-33 Monmouth Street, Seven Dials
020 7240 4022
orlakiely.com
Womenswear and homewares
Original Penguin
8 North Piazza
orginalpenguin.co.uk
Menswear and womenswear
Pandora
23 Long Acre
pandora.net
Jewellery
Paul Smith
40-44 Floral Street
020 7836 7828
9-11 Langley Court
020 7240 5420
paulsmith.co.uk
Pop Boutique
020 7497 5262
pop-boutique.com
Vintage womenswear & menswear
Poste Mistress
020 7379 4040
postemistress.co.uk
Shoes
Pretty Ballerinas
prettyballerinas.com
Shoes
Replay
32 Long Acre
020 7379 8650
replay.it
Santos & Mowen
020 7836 4365
santosandmowen.com
Menswear
Size?
37a Neal Street, Seven Dials
020 7379 7853
Shoes
Skechers
2-3 James Street
uk.skechers.com
Shoes
Sole
020 7836 6777
sole.co.uk
Shoes
Stone Island
34 Shelton Street, Seven Dials
020 7836 8402
stoneisland.co.uk
Menswear
Super Superficial
020 7287 7447
supersuperficial.com
directory
directory/11
health
& Beauty
Superdry
24-25 & 28 Thomas Neal’s Centre,
Seven Dials
020 7240 9437
superdry.co.uk
Tatty Devine
tattydevine.com
Jewellery
Ted Baker
1-4 Langley Court
020 7497 8862
tedbaker.com
Twenty8Twelve
020 7042 3500
twenty8twelve.com
Womenswear
Traffic People
69 Neal Street
01245 280 878
trafficpeople.co.uk
Womenswear
Tzar
15 King Street
020 7240 0969
Womenswear
UGG Australia
Long Acre
uggaustralia.com
Accessories
UNCONDITIONAL +
020 7836 6931
unconditional.uk.com
Urban Outfitters
020 7759 6390
urbanoutfitters.com
Volcom
020 7836 3353
volcomeurope.com
Surf and skate fashion
WeSC
020 7836 4473
wesc.com
Skate fashion
Whistles
020 7379 7401
24 Long Acre
020 7240 8195
whistles.co.uk
Womenswear
Adee Phelan
020 7240 3777
adeephelan.com
Hair & beauty salon
Ahava
020 7240 8815
ahava.co.uk
Skincare
Bare Escentuals
bareescentuals.co.uk
Skincare and cosmetics
Benefit
020 7379 0316
benefitcosmetics.com
Cosmetics
The Body Control Pilates Centre
35 Little Russell Street
020 7636 8900
bodycontrol.co.uk
Covent Garden Dental Practice
61g Oldham Walk
020 7836 9161
cgdp.com
Covent Garden Dental Spa
020 7836 9107
coventgardendentalspa.co.uk
Covent Garden Physio
Ground Floor, 23-24 Henrietta Street
020 7497 8974
coventgardenphysio.com
Physiotherapists
The Covent Garden Salon
69 Endell Street, Seven Dials
020 7836 8362
thecoventgardensalon.com
Hair & beauty salon
Crabtree & Evelyn
3 The Piazza
020 7836 3110
crabtree-evelyn.co.uk
Erno Laszlo
020 3040 3035
ernolaszlo.com
Skincare
Good Vibes
14-16 Betterton Street
020 7240 6111
goodvibesfitness.co.uk
Power Plate fitness studio
Hair By Fairy
8-10 Neal’s Yard, Seven Dials
020 7497 0776
hairbyfairy.com
Hair & beauty salon
Karine Jackson
24 Litchfield Street, Seven Dials
020 7836 0300
karinejackson.co.uk
Hair & beauty salon
Kiehl’s
020 7240 2411
kiehls.com
Skincare
L’Artisan Parfumeur
020 3040 3030
artisanparfumeur.com
Perfume
L’Occitane
020 7379 6040
Lush
020 7240 4570
lush.co.uk
Mac
020 7379 6820
maccosmetics.com
Cosmetics
Melvita
uk.melvita.com
Skincare
Miller Harris
020 7836 9378
millerharris.com
Molton Brown Emporium
18 Russell Street
020 7240 8383
moltonbrown.co.uk
Skincare & cosmetics
Murdock
020 7240 0700
murdocklondon.com
Barbers
Neal’s Yard Remedies
15 Neal’s Yard, Seven Dials
020 7739 7222
nealsyardremedies.com
Natural remedies & skincare
Nickel
020 7240 4048
nickelspalondon.co.uk
Men only spa
relax
7 Mercer Street, St Martin’s Courtyard
020 7871 4567
relax.org.uk
Beauty and massage centre
Saco
020 7240 7897
sacohair.com
Hair salon
The Sanctuary
12 Floral Street
0870 770 3350
thesanctuary.co.uk
Women only spa
Sanrizz
4 Upper St Martin’s Lane
020 7379 8022
sanrizz.co.uk
Sassoon
45a Monmouth Street, Seven Dials
020 7240 6635
sassoon.com
Hair salon
Screen Face
020 7836 3955
screenface.com
Cosmetics
Shu Uemura
020 7240 7635
shu-uemura.co.jp
Space NK
020 7379 6384
spacenk.co.uk
Stuart Phillips
020 7379 5304
stuartphillips.co.uk
Hair salon
Toni & Guy
4 Henrietta Street
020 7240 7342
toniandguy.com
Trevor Sorbie
27 Floral Street
0844 445 6901
trevorsorbie.com
Hair salon
Walk in Back Rub
Neal’s Yard, Seven Dials
020 7836 9111
walkinbackrub.co.uk
Massage
directory
directory/11
retail
Aram Designs
3 Kean Street
020 7240 3933
aram.co.uk
Furniture
Artbox
14 Thomas Neal’s Centre, Seven Dials
020 7240 0097
artbox.co.uk
Fun accessories
Berghaus
020 7379 9313
berghaus.com
Outdoor clothing and accessories
Cath Kidston
28-32 Shelton Street, Seven Dials
020 7836 4803
cathkidston.co.uk
Homewares
Coco de Mer
020 7836 8882
coco-de-mer.com
Womens erotic boutique
Covent Garden Academy of Flowers
020 7240 6359
Flower design courses
The Dover Bookshop
020 7836 2111
doverbooks.co.uk
Design books
Ellis Brigham
3-11 Southampton Street
020 7395 1010
ellis-brigham.com
Mountain sports
Field & Trek
64 Long Acre
020 7379 8167
42 Maiden Lane
020 7379 3793
fieldandtrek.com
Outdoor pursuits
Kathmandu
26 Henrietta Street
020 7379 4748
kathmandu.co.uk
Outdoor pursuits
Kidrobot
020 7836 4074
kidrobot.com
Designer toys
Kirk Originals
29 Floral Street
020 7240 5055
kirkoriginals.com
Eyewear
London Marathon Shop
63 Long Acre
020 7240 1244
londonmarathonstore.com
Running equipment
The North Face
30-32 Southampton Street
020 7240 9577
thenorthface.com
Outdoor pursuits
directory/11
Food retailers
& caFes
SJ Dent
34 Great Queen Street
020 7242 6018
sjdent.com
Sporting memorabilia
Slam City Skates
16 Neal’s Yard, Seven Dials
020 7240 0928
slamcity.com
Skateboarding equipment
Spex in the City
020 7240 0243
spexinthecity.com
Eyewear
Stanfords
12-14 Long Acre
020 7836 1321
stanfords.co.uk
Maps
Time2
128 Long Acre
020 7292 1247
time2.co.uk
Watches
The Tintin Shop
34 Floral Street
020 7836 1131
thetintinshop.uk.com
Tintin memorabilia
Treadwell’s Bookshop
34 Tavistock Street, Opera Quarter
020 7240 8906
treadwells-london.com
Herbals
The White Company
020 8166 0200
thewhitecompany.com
Homewares
Battersea Pie Station
020 7240 9566
batterseapiestation.co.uk
Pies
Ben’s Cookies
13a The Market Building
020 7240 6123
benscookies.com
Bougie Macaron
3 Russell Street, Opera Quarter
020 7836 4980
bougie.co.uk
Candy Cakes
30 The Market Building, Lower Courtyard
020 7497 8979
candycakes.eu
Bakery
Crème de la Crepe
29 The Market Building, Lower
Courtyard
020 7836 6896
cremedelacrepe.co.uk
Crepes
Double Shot Coffee Company
020 7240 9742
doubleshotcoffee.co.uk
Ella’s Bakehouse
20a The Market Building
ellasbakehouse.com
Euphorium Bakery
Thomas Neal’s Centre, Seven Dials,
020 7379 3608
euphoriumbakery.com
Bakery
Frances Hilary
020 7836 3135
franceshilary.com
Gardening
Hope and Greenwood
1 Russell Street, Opera Quarter
020 7240 3314
hopeandgreenwood.co.uk
Sweets
Kastner & Ovens
52 Floral Street
020 7379 6428
Bakers
Monmouth Coffee
020 7379 3516
monmouthcoffee.co.uk
Coffee
Mr Simm’s Olde Sweet Shop
25 New Row
020 7240 2341
Sweets
Neal’s Yard Dairy
020 7240 5700
nealsyarddairy.co.uk
Cheese
New York Deli
24 The Piazza
020 7379 3253
Notes Music & Coffee
31 St Martins Lane
7240 0242
notesmusiccoffee.com
Coffee shop
Patisserie Valerie
15 Bedford Street
020 7379 6428
patisserie-valerie.co.uk
Patisserie
Primrose Bakery
primrosebakery.org.uk
Cakes
Scoop
020 7240 7086
Italian gelato
The Tea House
020 7240 7539
Tea
Tea Palace
020 7836 6997
teapalace.co.uk
Tea
Tea Pod
020 7240 5550
teapodtea.co.uk
Whittard
whittard.co.uk
020 7836 7681
Yu-foria Frozen Yoghurt Co
19a The Market Building,
Lower Courtyard
020 7240 5532
yu-foria.com
Frozen yoghurt
DEVIN BIRD
NEW YORK, USA
LOCATION
BOW STREET
WHY ARE YOU HERE?
VISITING FRIENDS
directory
directory/11
restaurants
Axis at One Aldwych
1 Aldwych
020 7300 0300
onealdwych.com
Modern British
Belgo Centraal
020 7813 2233
belgo-restaurants.co.uk
Belgian
Bill’s
020 7240 8183
bills-website.co.uk
Cafe & deli
Boulevard Brasserie
38-40 Wellington Street
020 7240 2992
boulevardbrasserie.co.uk
Modern European
Café des Amis Bar & Restaurant
11-14 Hanover Place, Long Acre
020 7379 3444
cafedesamis.co.uk
French
Canela
33 Earlham Street
020 7240 6926
canelacafe.com
Portugese/Brazilian
Cantina Laredo
10 Upper St Martin’s Lane,
020 7240 0630
cantinalaredo.co.uk
Mexican
Carluccio’s
Garrick Street
020 7836 0990
carluccios.com
Italian
Chez Gerard
020 7379 0666
chezgerard.com
French
Christophers American Bar & Grill
020 7240 4222
christophersgrill.com
Modern American
Clos Maggiore
33 King Street
020 7379 9696
Quality food
French
Côte
17-21 Tavistock Street,
Opera Quarter
020 7379 9991
cote-restaurants.co.uk
French bistro
Dishoom
12 Upper St Martin’s Lane,
020 7420 9320
dishoom.com
Bombay cafe
Le Deuxieme
65a Long Acre
020 7379 0033
ledeuxieme.com
Modern European
directory/11
culture
The Forge
14 Garrick Street
020 7379 1432
theforgerestaurant.com
Modern European
Great Queen Street
32 Great Queen Street
020 7242 0622
British
Hawksmoor Seven Dials
11 Langley Street
020 7856 2154
thehawksmoor.co.uk
Steak and cocktails
The Ivy
1-5 West Street
020 7836 4751
the-ivy.co.uk
Modern European
J Sheekey
28-32 St Martin’s Court
020 7240 2565
j-sheekey.co.uk
Fish and seafood
Jamie’s Italian
11 Upper St Martin’s Lane
020 3326 6390
jamieoliver.com
Kitchen Italia
020 7632 9500
kitchen-italia.com
Kopapa
kopapa.co.uk
20 7240 6076
Fusion food
L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon
13-15 West Street
020 7010 8600
joel-robuchon.com
French
Le Deux Salons
40-42 William IV Stree
020 7420 2050
lesdeuxsalons.co.uk
French
Livebait
020 7836 7161
livebaitrestaurants.co.uk
Fish and seafood
Loch Fyne Restaurant & Oyster Bar
2-4 Catherine Street, Opera Quarter
020 7240 4999
lochfyne.com
Fish and seafood
Masala Zone
48 Floral Street
020 7379 0101
masalazone.com
Indian
Mon Plaisir
020 7836 7243
monplaisir.co.uk
French
Opera Tavern
020 7836 3680
operatavern.co.uk
Tapas
PJ’s
020 7240 7529
pjscoventgarden.co.uk
Bar and grill
Porters English Restaurant
17 Henrietta Street
020 7836 6466
porters.uk.com
British
Restorante Aurora
020 7836 7585
Italian
Rossopomodoro
020 7240 9095
rossopomodoro.co.uk
Italian
Rules
35 Maiden Lane
020 7836 5314
rules.co.uk
British
Sagar
020 7836 6377
gosagar.com
Sarastro
126 Drury Lane
020 7836 0101
sarastro-restaurant.com
Turkish/Mediterranean
Simurgh
17 Garrick Street
020 7240 7811
simurgh.co.uk
Persian
Sitaaray
167 Drury Lane
020 7269 6422
sitaaray.com
Indian
Sofra
020 7240 3773
sofra.co.uk
Turkish
Sophie’s Steakhouse
020 7836 8836
sophiessteakhouse.co.uk
Steak
Souk Medina
1a Shorts Gardens, Seven Dials
020 7240 1796
soukrestaurant.net
North African
Strada
13-15 Tavistock Street, Opera Quarter
020 3077 1127
strada.co.uk
Pizza
Wahaca
66 Chandos Place
020 7240 1883
wahaca.com
Mexican
World Food Café
1st Floor 14 Neal Street
020 7379 0298
World Food
Arts Theatre
6/7 Great Newport Street
020 7836 2132
artsheatrelondon.com
Theatre
The Courtauld Gallery
Somerset House
Strand
020 7848 2526
courtauld.ac.uk
Gallery
Donmar Warehouse
41 Earlham Street
0870 060 6624
ddonmarwarehouse.com
Theatre
The Funny Side
0870 446 0616
thefunnyside.info
Stand up comedy
Grosvenor Prints
020 7836 1979
grosvenorprints.com
Antique prints
London Coliseum
St Martin’s Lane
020 7632 8300
eno.org
Opera
London Transport Museum
Covent Garden Piazza
020 7565 7298
ltmuseum.co.uk
Noel Coward
St Martin’s Lane
0844 482 5141
delfontmackintosh.co.uk
Theatre
Novello Theatre
Aldwych
0870 950 0940
novellotheatre.com
Theatre
The Poetry Cafe
22 Betterton Sreet
020 7420 9887
poetrysoc.com
Poetry
Royal Opera House
Bow Street
0207 240 1200
royalopera.org
Opera
Somerset House
Strand
020 7845 4600
somersethouse.org.uk
Tenderpixel Gallery
10 Cecil Court
020 73799464
tenderpixel.com
Visual arts
Vaudeville Theatre
404 Strand
vaudeville-theatre.co.uk
Theatre
directory
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WINNER
Large Letting Agency
of the Year 2010
National Estate Agency
Chain of the Year 2010
Fetter Lane EC4A
£795 per week
Great Queen Street WC2B
£625 per week
West Central Street WC1A
£420 per week
Martlett Court WC2B
£335 per week
A unique newly refurbished 2nd floor apartment found within
this sought after portered development located in the heart
of the City. Comprising a large reception, separate fully fitted
kitchen, 2 double bedrooms & 2 bathrooms.
A modern 1st floor apartment found within this newly
converted fire station benefiting from neutral décor &
wooden flooring throughout. The property comprises open
plan kitchen/reception, double bedroom & bathroom.
Lettings 020 7379 5300
A large duplex apartment located moments from the
Covent Garden Piazza boasting double ceiling height &
original property features. Comprising reception, kitchen,
2 double bedrooms, 2 bathrooms & wooden flooring throughout.
A bright & airy apartment found within this gated development
located just off Aldwych close to the Covent Garden Piazza.
Comprising reception, separate kitchen, double bedroom,
bathroom & use of communal gardens.
[email protected]
chestertonhumberts.com
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Bloomsbury Square WC1A
£1,350,000 share of freehold
Museum Street WC1A
£995,000 leasehold
Great Queen Street WC2B
£695,000 leasehold
Charing Cross Road WC2H
£330,000 leasehold
A magnificent & beautifully appointed apartment, forming part
of a much sought after Grade II listed building overlooking
Bloomsbury Square. The flat enjoys an enviable location close to
British Museum & Covent Garden’s various theatres.
A contemporary duplex 2 bedroom apartment within a period
conversion on Great Queen Street in the hustle & bustle of
Covent Garden, only moments away from the Piazza.
Sales 020 7836 2888
65 Covent
Garden
Journal
11 Spring
65 Covent
Garden
Journal
IssueIssue
11 Spring
20112011
An excellent size 2 bedroom apartment arranged over 2 levels
in this period building. The flat offers just under 1,100 sq ft of
space & also benefits from a private terrace with views over the
heart of Bloomsbury.
A stunningly refurbished & spacious studio apartment.
Situated on the 4th floor of this landmark development
adjacent to the famous Phoenix Theatre, & only moments
from Covent Garden & Soho.
[email protected]
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Journal - St Martin`s Courtyard

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