LONDON
PULse
rime Central London – this is
P
PRIME CENTRAL
‘property speak’ for the most
desirable addresses in the world’s
LONDON
favourite city. IT’S TERRIFYINGLY EXPENSIVE,
Several postcodes make up this FRENETIC BUT PEACEFUL AND
area, SW1, 3, 5, 7 and 10, plus UTTERLY BEAUTIFUL
W8 and W14, more attractively known as
Westminster, St James, Pimlico, Belgravia, SUMMARY OF PROPERTIES FOR SALE
Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Kensington, IN LONDON ON
Notting Hill and Holland Park. www.primelocation.com
In these London ‘villages’ lie leafy 15 January 2010
squares, sumptuous crescents, secret Total for sale in Central London: 4618
streets and hidden mews where horses Lowest priced home for sale: £150,000
once slept – now expensive but cosy Highest priced home: £39.25 million
little escapes from the frenetic but elegant
London scene. SUMMARY OF PROPERTIES TO LET
Westminster – home to English politics IN LONDON ON
and politicians, with mansion blocks and www.primelocation.com
river views. St James’ – all palaces and 15 January 2010
parks and Pimlico, which isn’t all gorgeous; Total properties to let in London: 12,267
you have to know where to look. Lowest rent listed: £443 pcm
Belgravia – simply beautiful, with a Highest rent listed: £40,000 per week
breathtaking selection of properties from
the traditional white stucco fronted listed
mansions of Eaton Square (£27 million) ‘pick and mix’ area. Sometimes described
to the glistening new Foster & Partners as ‘Saudi Ken’ – but only in the posh parts
designed / Candy brothers decorated and – or Kangaroo Valley; South Ken is also
furnished apartments in Chesham Place home to students, backpackers and other
(£39 million). Belgravia’s Squares have huge transient workers. However, South Ken has
flags flying on the world’s finest embassies, its share of beauties as well, with ‘The
extravagant window boxes filled with Phillimores’, a lovely enclave of Victorian
geraniums and the bay trees on the villas, one of which is for sale, needing total
porches are simply mandatory. refurbishment, for £20 million. Holland
Knightsbridge – so much more than Park is more of the same, with superb
just Harrods, several lovely squares, big houses and apartments. The good news
mansion blocks and a surprising variety is that it is possible to find a family home
of architecture, with more stucco nudging with a garden for less than £1 million,
bright red brick Dutch gabled buildings. which is something to remember if the
Sloane Square, Cadogan Square, Lowndes Liberal party is, perchance, elected.
Square, so many desirable homes. And then, Notting Hill, made
Chelsea – its charm lies in its reputation memorable by its annual Carnival and
as the home to both dukes and dustmen. the rather more soppy movie of the same
Maybe so, but buying a home here is still name starring Hugh Grant and Julia
pricey, the least expensive properties are Roberts. Notting Hill is cosmopolitan,
still over £200,000 and you might have celebrity studded, trendy, noisy and
to leave the cat somewhere else. It is also irresistable. Extensive gentrification has
said that 50 per cent of homes in Chelsea taken this area from bijou, to, dare we say
is unlived in for most of the year; some of it it, a little brassy but somehow it keeps its
is, of course, squatted instead but the locals feet on the ground with the wonderful
don’t really chat about that. Portobello market and blend of ethnic
South Kensington, in SW5 with its cafes and smart bars. And that famous
neighbour, Earls Court, is another rather ‘blue door’ of the bookshop is long gone.
Oh, London is a fine town,
A very famous city,
Where all the streets are paved with gold,
And all the maidens pretty.’
— George Colman the Younger
PROPeRTYdrum FEBRUARY 2010 23
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