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september2014
52
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brussels
frommorethan50europeandestinations;
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fivetimesdaily;
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and
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monopolymoney inmayfair
Londonersalreadyboredof theviews from theShangri-Laand the
queuesat theChilternFirehousewill be thrilledabout thismonth’s
openingof theBeaumont inBrownHartGardens.Not only is this the
first hotel venturebyChrisCorbinandJeremyKing–whohavepresided
over someof London’s top restaurants, includingLeCapriceand the Ivy
– it is the first hotel toopen in thissectionofMayfair inadecade.
Converted fromamulti-storeygarageand featuringaNewYork-style
brasserie, theBeaumont isshooting for thesamecasualness that has
servedCorbinandKingsowell. And it isnocoincidence that this
approach isso instepwith thechanging faceof thedistrict. Partnering
with them in the€75mhotel is theGrosvenorEstate,whichhasspent
millions revampingnearbyMount,MotcombandElizabethStreets.
“TheBeaumont isakeypart of the ‘place-making’ strategy forNorth
Mayfair,” saysGrosvenor development director IanMorrison.
Indeed,whatwas fiveyearsagoasleepyclumpof galleries is
nowLondon’smost dynamicbusiness, retail and residential hotspot,
partlydown toGrosvenor’s recent policyof hand-selecting tenants.
Itmaintainsdirect control of about 30shopsonMountStreet,
includingMarcJacobs, BalenciagaandLanvin.
Newcomers includeeyewear companyLindaFarrow, French label
Célineand luggagebrandMoynat. InJuneSerbiandesignerRoksanda
Ilincic, flushwith investment capital, threwaRedgraveclan-heavy
launchparty for her newboutique.
Septemberwill see the first shop fromChristopherKane, thehot
Scottishdesignerwho recentlysoldastake inhiscompany to luxury
powerhouseKering, and theLondon flagshipofRome jewellerydesigner
DelfinaDelettrezFendi, thesparkyoffspringof the fashiondynasty.
Grosvenor promisesother edgyor emergingdesignersareon theirway.
Aswell assexingup thearea, incomersarehelping further push
uppropertyprices.Mayfair alreadyhas theworld’smost expensive
office rentals–housinghedge funds, privatebanks, andadagencies–
andGrosvenor has 15,000squaremetresof officespace in thepipeline.
Its400,000m
2
estatealsocontains 1,910 residences. In July
abuilding inBalfourPlacewasput on themarket for€56m.
“Wearecreatingavibrant newplace inLondon for people to live,
workandvisit, andenhancing theconnectivity fromBondStreet and
GrosvenorStreet toBerkeleySquareandMountStreet,” saysMorrison.
If theGagosianGallery, thedouble-height art spaceonGrosvenorHill
set toopenby theyear’send, isn’tmodernenough, perchedon the
Beaumont’sneoclassical facade isahugestatueof acrouchingmanby
BritishartistAnthonyGormley. Theartworkhousesa two-floor suite,
which includesa rather sparsebedroom. Gormleysayshehopes itwill
provokeguests toask themselvessuchquestionsas “Whoam I?”and
“What am I doinghere?”
the
numbers
Theprojectednumber of visitors toNewYork thisyear–whichwould
bean increaseof 1.5millionon2013–according to thecity’s tourism
marketingagency.Almost one inevery
fivevisitorswill be fromabroad. Eachdollar avisitor
spends translates intoaboutUS$1.50
(€1.12) ineconomicactivity.
Theworthof
ManchesterUnited
– theworld’smost
valuable sports team– following its€95mkit
deal withAdidas.RealMadrid isnow second,worth
€2.54bn, andBarcelona thirdat€2.38bn.
55.8
m
€2.66
bn
MountStreet isa
magnet forquality
