17 June 2020

Wednesday 17 June 2020

CYCLE TO WORK Homes near your office: Pages 20 & 21

The super-rich fixer F1 heiress Petra Ecclestone’s ﬁancé Sam Palmer on running billionaires’ mansions and bringing his business to the UK PAGES 22 & 23 COURTESY OF TONY TAAFE PHOTOGRAPHY TAAFE TONY OF COURTESY

homesandproperty.co.uk BEST LIFESTYLE NEWS SITE Winner 2020 20 WEDNESDAY 17 JUNE 2020 EVENING STANDARD Homes Property | New homes

GREENWICH

SITTING between travel Zones 2 and 3, house prices in Greenwich come in at 11.6 times the average wage for the area. The Jubliee line runs through Greenwich North station while the Docklands Light Railway is a Work from short walk away and there is a Thames Clipper service from the O2, stopping at Tower Bridge, London Bridge, Embankment and the West End. The river bus company has reorganised its home? We’d fleet for greater travel safety. Cycle Superhighway 4 is under construction and will run from Greenwich to Tower Bridge. Greenwich Millennium Village has been taking shape rather walk for 20 years. The 50-acre site is being carved out of abandoned brownfield land in what was a heavily industrialised area. New homes sit around four acres of wetlands and squares with shops, cafés and a new primary to the office school. Prices from £414,995. Visit greenwichmillenniumvillage. As lockdown lifts, Londoners want co.uk or call 020 8023 6290. Back to nature: formerly an walk-to-work homes, or property on a industrial area, new homes at Greenwich Millennium Village sit cycle route or near a river bus pier, for around wetlands and squares a fresh air commute. By Anna White

NEW wave of buyers are has reported a spike in enquiries for searching for homes near homes in Covent Garden, Fitzrovia their London offices so and Southwark. they can safely walk, cycle or take a boat to work. IT’S A COMPLEX MARKET AFirst-time buyers and single The property market that is professionals are topping the list of emerging from lockdown is a those trying to get on the ladder complex one, as the nation close to the main employment reassesses its needs. districts. Jennet Siebrits of CBRE says: At the same time, second steppers “Cities will remain higher are looking to upsize to a family education, leisure, social and house with a garden in nearby cultural epicentres.” Just think how well-established London villages. many people make friends and Both groups expect to spend at meet their partners in the office. least a few days a week in the office “The established migration trends and want to move somewhere that in and out of London are likely to “reduces stress”, according to remain but young professionals will London estate agent Dexters. keep arriving for employment Across its 70 branches, Dexters opportunities and favour more has reported a threefold increase in central locations,” adds Siebrits. registrations of buyers looking for a home in central London since the HOW CLOSE CAN YOU GET? From £467,000: flats at The Silk District in Whitechapel E1 From £655,000: for a two-bedroom apartment at lockdown, compared to the same Buying around inner London is come with outside space, a gym on site, communal roof Newham’s Yard by Galliard Homes, an industrial-style time last year. expensive at the best of times terrace with wi-fi zones and a 24-hour concierge service residential scheme in walking distance of the West End “This is the complete reverse of without a looming recession: the what I expected to happen,” says Jeff average house price is 13.1 times the Doble, chairman of the group, average income. The five boroughs TOWER HAMLETS SOUTHWARK which also owns agents Kinleigh that offer the best combination of Folkard & Hayward. “These buyers affordability and location are Tower THE average house price in Tower Hamlets is nine-and- IN ZONE 1, the borough of Southwark stretches from the believe there is a limit to working Hamlets, Greenwich, Southwark, a-half times the earnings of the people who live in the Southbank to Crystal Palace. The average house price is from home. They want to be able to Lambeth and Hackney, Hamptons borough. Whitechapel, in Zone 2 and within walking and 12 times the average salary in the area. cycle or walk to work, with limited International rsearch shows. cycling distance of the City, has been badged as the new It’s home to the overhaul of Elephant & Castle time on public transport as we live But following the coronavirus extension of Shoreditch, with a strong street art and shopping centre, the gyratory and the post-war Heygate in fear of further contagion.” lockdown, buyers are becoming street food scene. Estate, which are being replaced with a new town centre Meanwhile, property group CBRE more discerning. New schemes will Transport options include a London Overground and college campus. have to present decent-sized station, the Tube and a new Crossrail station. Cycle Notting Hill Genesis is building one-, two- and apartments with room for a home Superhighway 2 runs from Stratford to Aldgate. three-bedroom apartments at Manor Place Depot. Prices office, outdoor space and simple Banker Duygu Baydur and her partner Basak Unalan start from £467,500 with Help to Buy available. Call 020 Thinking of ways to get to work. moved to Whitechapel from Wapping during lockdown, 3883 5199 for details. moving? Start As Dr Lara Gosce of the Institute buying a two-bedroom flat at White + Green. “We really Cycling commuters can jump on Cycle Superhighway 6 of Global Health warns, those like this location, it has a good community feel with lots from Elephant & Castle to King’s Cross. your search on people who use multiple transport of coffee shops and independent stores, and I can walk to At the City end of Southwark, there are new homes links are more likely to contract a work in Liverpool Street in 20 minutes,” says Duygu. available by Tower Bridge. Newham’s Yard is an flu-like virus. Following the From £530,000 for a one-bedroom flat (020 7247 2025). industrial-style residential scheme comprising 86 Covid-19 pandemic, people will try The Silk District nearby comprises two towers and apartments. It’s walkable to the Southbank, the West End to limit their time on the Tube. low-rise blocks around landscaped courtyards and and the City, with Borough Market and Tate Modern on Homes & Property takes a look at gardens. All flats have outside space and there’s a gym, the doorstep. how close to the core of the capital communal roof terrace with wi-fi, concierge, cinema Prices start from £655,000 for a two-bedroom new homes buyers can get. room and café. From £467,000 (020 3930 4287). apartment. Call Galliard Homes on 020 3146 4520. EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 17 JUNE 2020 21 homesandproperty.co.uk powered by New homes | Homes Property

SHARED OWNERSHIP UNLOCKS LAMBETH AND HACKNEY SHARED OWNERSHIP gives young buyers a way into Lambeth and Hackney, where affordability PAUL ECCLESTON, CHARLIE JH ROUND-TURNER CHARLIE ECCLESTON, PAUL ratios sit above the inner London average — 13.5 and 16 times borough earnings respectively. One- and two-bedroom apartments are available on a shared-ownership basis at SO Resi Clapham Park, part of the regeneration of the 2,500-home Clapham Park housing estate in Lambeth. Buyers will pay £109,250 for a 25 per cent share of a one-bedroom flat. Visit soresi.co.uk for details. From £109,250: shared-ownership at SO Resi Clapham Park It’s a short walk to Clapham Below: Fish Island Village shared ownership starts at £108,750 POWERFUL PLACE MAKING High Street and Cycle Superhighway 7 takes commuter THE redevelopment of Battersea Power Station in cyclists from Colliers Wood to Lambeth is one of the best examples of modern-day Cannon Street via Clapham. place making on the edge of central London. The bars Fellow housing association and cafés have been doing takeaway during lockdown, Peabody is selling shared- while shops on the site reopened this week. “The appeal ownership flats in the Fish Island was the sense of community and feeling of safety. I’m Village canalside redevelopment looking forward to the Circus West high street gradually in Hackney Wick. A 25 per cent opening back up,” says resident Lyndsey, 35, above. share of a one-bedroom As for transport from the new power station flats, the apartment starts from £108,750. Thames Clipper has restarted, the Northern line will run Visit peabodysales.co.uk for more. to the new Zone 1 Tube station and trains go from nearby Cycle Superhighway 1 is being Queenstown Road station to Victoria. Commuters will improved and runs from also be able to walk or cycle to Vauxhall through the new Tottenham to Liverpool Street 14-acre Nine Elms linear park when it is completed. Flats station. are priced from £870,000. Call 020 7501 0678. ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE How to bring colour into your kitchen Your questions answered by Ian Brown, interior design specialist at home decor expert Neptune

I’ve always had a white kitchen – Don’t be afraid of colour in a small what is so wrong with that? space. A common automatic reaction Absolutely nothing – plenty of people is to want to keep it as light as have them – but there is so much possible, but sometimes darker scope with different white tones, colours can really add interest. and introducing colour brings a There are some other tricks to make standard kitchen to life. If everything a small kitchen appear bigger – such is white it can feel stark and as choosing large floor tiles. sterile. Even just some green plants and foliage can really I’m scared to go all-out. help to soften a kitchen. How else can I inject Open rack shelves, pops of colour into displaying things that the space without you love, can also add committing to a interest to a kitchen. brightly hued kitchen? We paint the interiors Inky dark navy seems to of our cupboards and be the “it” colour for you could go for a neutral kitchens right now. What colour on the outside with will be the next big thing? something exciting when you open Splash out: there’s a the island; one for the walls; and one always available, an archive, and There has definitely been a move the doors. Your walls are also a wide range of stylish for the cabinets – is enough. If you seasonal shades we introduce every away from grey tones. Blue adds fantastic canvas to be a bit braver furniture at Neptune select a core background colour that year. At the moment, we have a immediate character and personality with colour – or you can even bring to add colour and flows through the whole home that beautiful saffron yellow which works to your space, whether you go for it colour in with wall art and accessories, interest to a tired can work really well. really well with navy. with all the cabinetry, or maybe just which have the added advantage of kitchen scheme the kitchen island. Brass or bronze being changeable. Installing a kitchen is a huge I need a practical family kitchen. handles work really well with blue commitment. So what happens Are painted cabinets going to be tones too. However, blue has been I adore colour. But do I have to if I get bored of the colour? tough enough or would I be better around for a bit now and I think we stick to just one for my cabinets Because Neptune cabinets are made off sticking with timber doors? To find out more are now starting to see a transition to and a neutral on the walls? of solid American oak or tulip wood, They are very durable. Of course and browse a natural palettes like greens. At Neptune, we recommend keeping they can be repainted if you want a accidents do happen, but because range of home it simple. People can sometimes change – and you can do the same with Neptune cabinets are made of solid My kitchen is tiny. What shades overcomplicate and want a bit of the hardware. We have a collection materials, you can touch them up – decor, visit will work in a compact room? everything. Three colours – one for of 28 different core colours which are unlike laminated finishes. neptune.com 22 WEDNESDAY 17 JUNE 2020 EVENING STANDARD Homes Property | A-list homes Only the super-rich know what the

super-rich want GETTY PHOTOGRAPHY, TAAFE TONY OF COURTESY When Sam Palmer, ﬁancé of F1 heiress Petra Ecclestone, ran their LA mansion he halved household bills. When he realised friends didn’t know they paid the dog walker £80k a year, he saw a business opportunity. By Liz Hoggard

WENT to a very famous super-rich are missing their Miche- celebrity’s house and I asked lin-star restaurants, never fear. “For the him, ‘How many staff have birthday of the wife of a client a Miche- you got here?’” says Sam lin-star chef was brought in. He was Palmer, the founder and temperature checked at the door. He chief executive of Staffing then headed to the garden where he ‘I Properties. “He said, ‘I’m not cooked a beautiful meal on the bar- quite sure.’ And then I said, becue. When he left we sent ‘Right, okay, who pays the cheque?’ He a cleaner in, wearing mask replied, ‘The house manager.’ And I said, ‘But and gloves, who packed who puts the money into the account for the everything away. And it house manager?’ And he said, ‘I do.’ And I cost less than taking his said, ‘That’s your problem.’” wife to that restaurant.” The celebrity then confessed. He was just Palmer is amused by not in control of his house any longer and stories of the super- had no idea what was going on. rich locked down Palmer explains: “A lot of people have no without staff, who idea how much they are spending, not don’t know how because they don’t care but because they’ve to clean the bath got so much going on in their lives. These or load the wash- houses are such big estates, they don’t know ing machine. But how they actually run. So you need to bring he doesn’t judge. He in a specialist.” understands the If I were George Clooney or Meryl Streep, problems of running a I’d have Palmer on speed dial. He can tell large home because he you if you’re overpaying your housekeeper, had to learn when he met running the sprinklers on your lawn at the Petra. Staffing Properties most expensive time of day, or what your is billed as “the first dog walker is up to. agency led by someone This handsome Essex boy, 37, who grew up who himself lives with in Harlow, started out as an electrician and house staff”. went on to build up a successful recruitment He relocated to LA agency for the A-list in Los Angeles. He plans and lived from 2017-2019 to bring his business to London just as soon at Petra’s residence there, The as lockdown is over. Ultimate luxury: from top, The Manor in LA was built for the late US Manor in Holmby Hills. Petra sold Palmer knows the price — and the value TV producer Aaron Spelling, of Dynasty and Hart to Hart fame. Bought the 56,000sq ft luxury estate — built — of everything. But money is the last thing by Petra Ecclestone, it became home to her and Sam Palmer. Petra sold for the late American film and TV he needs to worry about. He’s engaged to it last summer for more than £95 million, a record price for California producer Aaron Spelling — last sum- heiress Petra Ecclestone, 31 — the youngest mer for £95 million. daughter of Formula One racing boss Bernie Staffing Properties last year as Ecclestone — and is currently hunkering Managing their house, one of the larg- the concierge solution to help down with her, their newborn daughter and est domestic residences in America, the super-rich in need. After all, Petra’s three older children in her 18th-cen- required a sizeable staff and Palmer he’s dealt with most problems tury Chelsea manor house, estimated to be soon spotted weak links. “When I came himself, from theft to infighting worth between £100 million and £130 mil- into this life with Petra I saw a lot of among staff. “You start by hiring lion, just off King’s Road. things that weren’t right. Coming from a dog walker, and soon you’re pay- the real world, I thought, That’s defi- ing per dog, twice a day, and the A core team of staff have locked down with nitely not what that price should be. dog walker is on £80,000 a year, he them. “I haven’t been out for 11 weeks,” says We were being charged 150 times more laughs. “Couldn’t the staff just take Palmer. “When it comes to the virus, we are than market value.” the dog for a walk?” probably the most paranoid people in the He did his research, a one-man whirl- Although he had a high-powered world.” They even have a dedicated parcel wind in the house of Ecclestone. “I job in recruitment and a swanky drop in the house, where they don masks went through our house from top to apartment with a housekeeper, his and gloves. bottom and changed everything. I life changed forever when the couple Lockdown has allowed him to road-test the brought costs down on staffing by 50 got together. Now he offers a con- agency here. He has been helping high-net per cent. Now that wasn’t underpay- cierge approach to home staffing. worth Londoners recruit live-in staff, who ing staff, it was rejigging staff or He’ll open his little black book and will have been in quarantine before they go getting the vendors to come down “curate and assemble a top-perform- into a new household. He and Petra have on their rates. It was quite funny, ing arsenal of staff” including nannies, used a lot of the people they recommend. prices shot down dramatically.” stylists and butlers. Everyone is “I’ve put a gold star of approval by the people He realised he had a blueprint he background checked and non-dis- I want to share with other people.” If the could take to market. He launched closure agreements are signed. EVENING STANDARD WEDNESDAY 17 JUNE 2020 23 homesandproperty.co.uk powered by A-list homes | Homes Property

Many of his clients have multiple homes Inspiration: Sam Palmer at The Manor, extra family kitchen where they can cook around the world. “I think staffing could be above and left, former LA home of his fiancée, tea. And they’ve blocked up doors “so you’re bigger in London than it is in LA,” he says. Petra Ecclestone, inset. Living there with the not always bumping into staff”. Salaries for a house manager in LA can go F1 heiress sowed the seed of Palmer’s prestige up to £198,000 a year, but Palmer wants to concierge business, Staffing Properties The panic of where to go on holiday post broaden his clientele to more modest types. Covid-19 has also givenPalmer a new busi- He says he will book a cleaner or a tutor ness project — a luxury concierge service through Staffing Properties for a couple of seven years, working for a recruitment for vacation rental properties in Los Angeles. hours, from the equivalent of £29 an hour, agency. He is not happy when he is not work- “A lot of people are wary about going to for anyone, using the same people who serve ing. Petra understands this. “It’s the way I hotels.” The service will source the property hundred million dollar homes. keep myself sane, you could become lazy in for no extra fee, organise staffing, book res- Talking to him, you realise the world of this world. Probably my business will never taurants and excursions, plus hair, make-up Oscar-winning film Parasite is all too real earn the money that will buy the house I live and styling teams — essential in this Insta- — but not in a household run by Palmer. In in, but I’ve always been a hard-working man. gram age. We can make you live like a star LA, staff go on to double time after eight “Spending Christmas Day with two heir- for two weeks, according to your budget. Or hours, so it can be cheaper to hire two peo- esses, Petra and her sister Tamara, there’s if you don’t want to leave the residence, we ple for one job, he adds. In these unprece- no worse feeling in the world than when you can bring everything to you in a safe manner. dented times, Staffing Properties will ensure have to pull out a gift,” he jokes. “So that “Everything we do, I try it on our own live-in staff are trained in the proper use of really is my motivation.” house. I started the business to say to the PPE and sanitisation techniques. He and Petra now have a smaller home in client: ‘I know what you’re looking for After training as an electrician and working LA, which makes him far happier. The old because I’m looking for it, too.’” in luxury cars, Palmer took a gap year to house had a huge kitchen where the chef Australia when he was 27 and stayed for stood to attention, so now they’ve built an ⬤ staffingproperties.com 24

26 WEDNESDAY 17 JUNE 2020 EVENING STANDARD Homes Property | Smart moves/New homes Healthy new beginnings for townies

David Spittles reveals smart moves for post-lockdown Londoners who want a new home offering greenery and wellbeing — but would rather not leave the city to ﬁnd it

E-URBANISATION has become the best and worst air quality. Barnet, one From £790,000: a discussion point during the of the best boroughs, is promoting urban above, studios, flats Covid-19 crisis and encouraged greening at Colindale Gardens, a new and penthouses at some Londoners to shift their 2,900-home neighbourhood spanning 47 King’s Road Park in focus to a greener, healthy acres. When complete, more than 6,000 SW6 are set within Dcountryside home. But for many more, people will live in homes overlooking six acres of green city living comes first. And for them, parks and sports pitches. There will be an landscaped space. developers are determined to show that on-site primary school, shops and Call 020 3004 4112 through intelligent design, health and community facilities, green roofs, podium From £725,000: wellbeing can flourish in urban settings. gardens, new wildlife habitats, allotments below, homes at According to the United Nations, 83 per and spaces for urban agriculture. From Islington Square by cent of the UK population lives in cities. £339,000. Call Redrow on 020 3811 6580. Galliard, with London architect Sir Terry Farrell talks London’s biggest Zen garden has been London’s biggest persuasively about weaving nature into created at Islington Square, an Edwardian Zen garden retreat. the fabric of the city and creating vital Royal Mail depot transformed into a Call (020 3874 0927) outside “amenity” space wherever fashionable new address with 263 homes. possible: “Most London developments do The historic four-and-a-half-acre site not benefit from an adjacent park so the with a grand, double-arched entrance in challenge is to create a green external environment for residents, whether at ground level or higher up the building.” New showpiece balconies feature globally, as in Singapore which embraces “biophilic” design — homes incorporating daylight, fresh air, plants and water. And London has more green space than most world cities, with eight Royal Parks, heaths and commons, 600 traditional garden squares, public parks, nature reserves and well-kept inner-city community spaces. ACRES OF OPEN SPACE BY THE RIVER IN SW6 King’s Road Park is the latest new green neighbourhood on the Thames. On a 16-acre former gasworks site, the project fills a void between the Fulham riverfront neighbourhood of Imperial Wharf and Chelsea’s fashionable King’s Road. It will have 1,843 flats, some with vast roof terraces, in three distinct “character areas” overlooking six acres of public open Upper Street has been opened up and a space. Beaumont, the first phase, has 345 new shopping arcade and civic square flats, private courtyard gardens and, created behind the façade. The 8,560sq ft beneath a glazed roof, an underground Zen sanctuary was designed by Chelsea complex of residents’ spa with swimming Flower Show Gold medallist and bonsai pool, gym, fitness studios and treatment artist Peter Chan, with copious rooftop rooms, plus two private cinemas, private green space on restored buildings and dining rooms, a club lounge and virtual new-build apartment blocks. Penthouses golf. A competition will decide the have big terraces and private rooftop redesign of a listed Victorian gasholder at swimming pools, while street-level the centre of the development that will be maisonettes have an internal courtyard HOMES & given over to community or leisure use. — an outdoor lounge — and a garden. Prices start at £790,000. Studios with 10ft A new pedestrian route links to a PROPERTY ceilings and their own front door to the neighbouring conservation area of ONLINE street are likely to be popular. Call 020 Victorian garden squares. This route takes 3004 4112 to fix a visit to the marketing the form of a glass-roofed internal garden Award-winning suite and show home. and retail mall plus an open-air, tree-lined homesand Interactive website londonair.org.uk street. Prices from £725,000. Call Galliard allows Londoners to identify areas with Homes on 020 3874 0927. property.co.uk