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20 Statue & Blue Plaque Editor-in-Chief: Kate Hawthorne Art Director & Director: Tim Epps Acting Editor: Dr Emma Trehane 21 Astronomy Head of Business Development: Dr Emma Trehane Business Development: Caroline Daggett, Education Antoinette Kovatchka, 22 Architecture: Emma Flynn Art & Culture Editors: Don Grant, Marian Maitland 26 Literature Astronomy: Scott Beadle FRAS Ballet/Dance: Andrew Ward Bridge: Andrew Robson 27 Poetry Business Stephanie Hawthorne, Douglas Shanks, Slim Chess: Barry Martin 28 Dining Out Contributing Editors: Marius Brill, Peter Burden, Derek Wyatt Travel & Lifestyle Music: James Douglas 30 Crossword: Wolfe: Dining Out: Edward Burns, Max Feldman, 35 Events Antonia Williams Editorial: Max Feldman, Owen Fulda, Anna Kretschmer, Fahad Redha, 45 Arts & Culture Antonia Williams Events:, Fahad Redha Travel & Lifestyle : Ione Bingley, Max Feldman, 54 Health Owen Fulda, Lynne McGowan Antonia Williams Feldman Reviews: Max Feldman 57 Motoring wish I had written that: Dudley Sutton Motoring: Don Grant, David Hughes Sport News, Online Editor 60 & Arts Correspondent: Max Feldman Picture Editor: Max Feldman 62 Crossword, Classified & Public Notice Poetry & Literary Editor: Emma Trehane MA Ph.D Political Editor: Derek Wyatt Sport: Owen Fulda 63 Chess & Bridge Sub-Editor: Leila Kooros 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 3 News online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

continued long after, very few actual Kensington does represent a particularly resident survivors made the news feed. extreme delineation. When I briefly lived MARIUS BRILL’S Neighbours, representatives of all sorts, in New in the 80s 96th St on the commentators, politicians, everybody East Side was known as the DMZ, the happy to see the ‘big picture’: the failures Demilitarised Zone, where the luxurious MEMEING OF LIFE of government, the Council, building upper east side tower blocks suddenly experts. The poet Ben Okri immediately stopped and the tenements and projects Meme: An element of a culture or system of behaviour passed from one individual to another... penned a beautiful eulogy which starts: of Spanish Harlem began. The contrast was sharp and obvious. For decades, “If you want to see how the poor die, in Kensington, the zone between the come see . wealthy south and the poor north was KENSINGTONSee the tower, and let a world-changing an exciting cross-over area stretching dream flower. from Gate to the . Gentrifying young bankers looking Hewitt PhotographNick © Residents of the area call it the for a San Francisco Barrio experience crematorium. proliferated the area once the domain It has revealed the undercurrents of our of poverty-exploiting slum landlords age. Peter Rachman and later Nicholas van The poor who thought voting for the rich Hoogstraten. But the money won and would save them.” slowly the less well off in the borough got bought out, moved away and The clarity of the symbolism was so squeezed north of the Westway or, in the great, it seems, few seemed to be able case of Latimer Road, council estates. to put the big picture down and see the Kensington’s DMZ is just a street wide little pictures. Clearly some media outlets in many areas now. preferred to stay away from the personal All this is true. And the tragedy of stories of victims because so many wore Grenfell Tower was no doubt affected hijabs and were everything they see as by these terrible inequalities. But there wrong with the country, others may have is a danger in memes, and symbols, and been disappointed by some survivors’ ideologies, that the individuals get lost. lack of articulacy, English not being a Sometimes it seems the irony is too great first language. But the meme of the poor and we forget the actual cost. There is a being burned by the wealthy was just too problem in staring so hard at the message overwhelming. that you fail to see the messenger, dirty, This country does have a terrible worn out, hard-pressed, hungry, yearning chasm between haves and have nots and to breathe free.

few weeks ago if you said out their incumbent Brexit supporting “Kensington” what came to mind Conservative MP with perhaps one of might be leafy garden squares the narrowest margins imaginable. Just with elegant colonnaded terraced houses, 20 votes. I got a call from a jubilant BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT A Labour supporter asking if Kensington estate agents displaying extra-wide cards to accommodate all the noughts, had ever been Labour? I had to point paper-thin housewives, crocodiles of out that Kensington as a constituency SUMMER INTERNSHIP absurdly uniformed prep school kids, has only existed for seven years and since Middle Eastern princelets gunning gold the 70s the area has been ceaselessly (PAID COMMISSION) Lamborghinis, or maybe Notting Hill, carved up into different shapes to try Hugh Grant, Portobello Market, The to maximise the, generally, left-wing Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today is one poverty in the north of the borough and Record and Tape Exchange or resident of the leading monthly newspapers in London. bays packed with automotive real-estate the tax wary right-wing south. worth more than most streets, houses Then one warm summer evening, a We are offering a 3 month internship to a Business and cars, anywhere in the country. fire broke out in a tower block in one Development Graduate looking to build their portfolio In one week all that changed. of the country’s poorest social housing over the summer months; start July 2017. This is a unique estates which happens to be in one of Now Kensington itself has become opportunity to work closely with a highly qualified and an international meme. For decades its richest areas. The fire quickly spread it’s been a national symbol for all that upwards fed by the flammable cladding dynamic team. The role is designed to prepare the right is excessive in house pricing and the that had been attached to the block for candidate for a career in Journalism and an opportunity poverty in the borough treated as an mostly cosmetic reasons making the to get hands-on experience with sales and marketing, drama of the inferno intensely dramatic anomaly; “Aren’t they lucky living in build client relationships and develop writing skills. such a lovely borough near all those for those outside and filling the more sweet smelling rich people?” But now, fireproof parts of the block with deadly An extension may be offered based on performance. with the tragedy of Grenfell Tower, the fumes. Send CV and letter to: blackened towerblock standing starkly The apparent symbolism was too against a bright sea of low-rise des-res, evident to miss. The poor dying because Dr Emma Trehane the rich who surround them don’t want the borough is becoming a byword for Acting Editor and Director of Business Development a, quite literal, flashpoint in the conflict to look at the ugly face of social housing. between rich and poor; the tinderbox A constituency politically divided. KCW TODAY, 80-100 GWYNNE ROAD, of the economic divisions in the West. Certainly these issues had some role This borough has become the focus of in the tragedy but in a world where LONDON, SW11 3UW our extreme political tides; between the deeper meaning is becoming increasingly T: 020 7738 2348 M: 0771 591 0665 purveyors of globalised and fractured by social networking and wall E: [email protected] advocates for liberal social welfare. to wall distraction, the need to impose a Just six days before the fire, the meaning on the Grenfell Tower tragedy WWW.KCWTODAY.CO.UK constituency that had voted over 70% to has seemed irresistible Remain in the Brexit Referendum kicked In the 24-hour news coverage that 4 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk

News Photograph © Chelsea PhotographChelsea © Club Arts for the £9bn flagship development project south of the river. Mr. Khan Battersea urged planning committee to reconsider. affordable homes Affordable homes currently built in London are provided under a Section 106 Agreements: a legal accord between local authorities and developers, containing a planning obligation to attersea Power Station enable restrictions on the use of the land Development Company has or the operation of the development or announced their intentions to to make contributions toward the local Breduce 250 affordable homes from infrastructure and facilities. previous plans, undergoing a 40% Wandsworth’s planning committee reduction in numbers of affordable flats chairman, Richard Field said: “The available. committee had a very difficult choice Originally, 636 homes were reserved between accepting a potentially lower for first time-buyers and renters unable number of affordable homes, or refusing to afford the 4,239 luxury homes on the the application and risk losing all of power station site, which promised local them.” residents a 40% discount on the average This development also directly funds market rent. the [Northern Line] Tube extension which is bringing 25,000 jobs to Battersea. To compensate for the overall reduction, the developer said it would Chelsea Arts Club build the 386 affordable flats three years

Photograph © Tim Epps Tim © Photograph earlier than previously planned, which Trompe l’oeil Summer Ball 2017. means residents of the flats will receive Another fine exterior by Tony Common and team. their keys by 2020. Head of Policy and Communications at PricedOut, a campaign for affordable house prices said, “Just because there is building of a new wave of rented homes a stall in house price inflation does not which are actually affordable for families mean that developers should be allowed and which will mount to no more than a Number of to scale back the affordable negotiated third of the total household incomes. during planning.” LGA published a study on July 3rd families made revealing that 43 per cent of private renters spend more than 30 per cent homeless rises of their income on rent: The same Generation Rent percentage of those renting from a by 17%

Housing Association. 37 per cent of PhotographShelter © The Malaysian-backed development Fourteen per cent of tenants are those renting from a local authority are company now fears the entire project spending more than half of their income also spending the same proportion on may become financially unviable, if it on rent rent. Lastly, the private rents currency continues to stick to the 2011 promise to One in seven private renters are average at £852 across the country, with include so many affordable homes. spending more than half of their income rents which are defined as ‘affordable’ The company now wants to offer on rent, according to new figures released ranging up to 80 per cent of market rates, 386 affordable homes: the equivalent by the Local Government Association at an average of £545 per household. of nine per cent of the total figure. The (LGA). This will result in making it far more remaining 250 homes would only be The LGA has warned the lack difficult for younger people to save a provided following an “end of scheme of affordable housing will cause a deposit to buy their first house. Previous review”, a complex financial assessment generation to be stuck in a “rental LGA research revealed under 25s today of the profits the development company logjam” as many are unable to save are now half as likely to buy a home as will make. up enough money for a deposit to they were 20 years ago. The number of families finding A Battersea Power Station buy a home. The average deposit now Deposits in the South East are 85 per themselves homeless over the past year spokeswoman said it was due to, amounts to 71 per cent of a first-time cent of the average household income, has risen by nearly a fifth from five years “technical issues around renovating the buyer’s annual income. Local leaders are whereas in the North West they average ago, official data shows. Grade II building and the weakening calling for the government to enable the 55 per cent, whilst deposits reach the Government figures show 59,090 pound have pushed building costs up on highest national price in London, at 133 households were accepted as homeless by the site… the company is hopeful that per cent of a household’s yearly income. councils in England between April 2016 the 250 homes will be provided later in LGA Housing Spokesman, Cllr and March 2017. This is 17% higher than the project.” Judith Blake stated, “When one in seven the number made homeless in the year Still, the decision was met with private renters are spending half of their 2011-12. immediate disapproval by London income on rent, it’s no wonder we have a The Department for Communities Mayor . He was quick to rental logjam, with a shortage of homes and Local Government says it is comment, “If we are serious about with genuinely affordable rents, and investing £550m to 2020 to tackle the tackling London’s housing crisis, we need young people struggling to have enough issue. But the figures, just published, also all councils in London to be pushing in income left over to save for a deposit. show nearly 200,000 people are at risk the same direction. This decision has let Only an increase of all types of of homelessness and have sought help Londoners down.” housing, including those for affordable through their local authority. Mr. Khan, however, has no power or social rent, will solve our housing Homelessness and housing charity to stop the decision, as it falls under shortage and a renaissance in house Shelter said the fire tragedy at Grenfell an amendment to planning permission building by councils is ultimately needed Tower had put the issue of homelessness granted by former Mayor Boris Johnson, if we are to boost affordability.” into the spotlight. Its director of 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 5 News online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

communications, Anne Baxendale, London Hospices Choir whose song The said: “While Shelter is calling for those Living Years was the top selling charity Strenuous efforts are made by affected to be placed in good quality single in the Christmas Number 1 race. temporary accommodation nearby, and A digitally-savvy Chair, Derek has Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster [we] hope officials make good on their championed the adoption of digital Today newspaper to ensure that promise to do so, we know many local technology across the hospice. Last the content and information is authorities simply don’t have enough year, he facilitated Trinity’s partnership affordable accommodation for those on with the Royal College of Art and correct. Kensington, Chelsea & low incomes. Harvard University which led to the Westminster Today newspaper “It’s a similar story across all London award-winning digital design project, Boroughs and the country more ‘Normalising Death’. His passion for reserves the right to report widely, so it’s no surprise that today’s digital technology has also seen Trinity unsolicited material being sent homelessness stats reveal the problem launch a new website, an online retail through to the publication. is getting worse nationally, with more boutique as well as initiate pilots into households becoming homeless every how digital technology can help people Personal views expressed in this year.” live and die better. newspaper are solely those of the The charity highlighted that a quarter Derek said “It has been a privilege respective contributors and do not of households staying in temporary and a joy to be the Chair of Royal Trinity accommodation had been doing so for Hospice over the last six years. I have continuity of care. We need to follow reflect those of the publishers or more than a year. While 1,290 families tried my best to create a warm friendly through on the investment in training its agents. All materials sent to were spending more than the six-week atmosphere in all that I have done. I staff by consolidating and building on legal limit living in bed and breakfast have been helped hugely by a great their skills, motivating them and giving Kensington Chelsea & Westminster accommodation. bunch of Trustees and a talented and them reason to stay in the NHS.” Today are at the suppliers’ risk. A Department for Communities enthusiastic senior management team. The average age of nurses leaving Reproduction in whole or in part and Local Government spokesman said: Trinity will always have a special place in the register has also dropped from 55 “This government is determined to help my heart.” in 2013 to 51. Of those who left in of this publication is strictly the most vulnerable in society, and is Royal Trinity Hospice has appointed 2016/17, 2,901 were in the 21-30 age prohibited without prior consent. group, double the number in 2012/13. committed to ensuring people always Adrian Williams as its new Chair. The appearance of advertising in have a roof over their heads. Adrian has been a Trustee since June The Royal College of Midwives’ “Statutory homelessness acceptances 2014. Since retiring from the City director for policy, employment relations this newspaper, including inserts or are less than half the 2003 peak. Adrian has sat on the boards of several and communication, Jon Skewes said, supplements, does not constitute However, the government is committed companies and non-profit organisations “the incredible pressures midwives are to do more to prevent more people in the UK and overseas. under due to increasing demands on endorsement by Kensington, becoming homeless in the first place.” services are a factor here. This combined Chelsea & Westminster Today of the with years of pay freezes and pay re- straints has left our health professionals products or services advertised. demoralised and disillusioned.” Royal Trinity More nurses and Hospice says midwives are goodbye to leaving the NHS Derek Wyatt than joining

Derek Wyatt, The Chair of Trustees of More midwives and nurses are leaving local charity Royal Trinity Hospice is their jobs in the UK than joining for the set to retire after six years in the post. first time on record, with figures hav- During his tenure, Derek has raised ing risen 51 per cent in just four years, Trinity’s profile by securing Trinity’s according to figures released on 3 July Royal name, initiating the William by the Nursing and Midwifery Council Hoare annual lecture series and most (NMC). recently originating the idea for the Originally, concerns focused around the large drop in EU registrants in the wake of Brexit. Still NMC figures show that it is the departure of UK nurses that is having the biggest impact, as they make up the 85 per cent of the register. In 2016/17, 29,434 UK nurses and midwives left, compared to 19,818 in 2012/13 and 45 per cent more UK regis- trants left than joined last year. The over- all number of workers leaving is 34,941 compared with 23,087 in 2012/14. Unions say there is a shortage of 40,000 nurses and 3,500 midwives in England alone. They blame the pay cap and workplace pressures. Director of policy and strategy at NHS Providers Saffron Cordery said, “The NHS is severely stretched and we need to keep and value our staff. This is important for the quality and particularly 6 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk

European News Photograph© Sam Trenton Sam Photograph© Puigdemont said that if the majority Parliament. vote is against independence, he will Macron has set out a new tough anti- Catalonian call new regional elections to see if terrorism law, specifically allowing the Catalans still want a pro-independence lifting of the state of emergency, which Independence government. has already been extended five times. The However if the vote is for current provision expires in mid-July, Referendum independence, both Spain and the when Macron’s new centrist government European Union ‘must accept [that] is expected to extend it again until 1 reality’. November while the new law is prepared. The legislation has been approved by France’s top administrative court despite states with an ultimatum, threatening to concerns from rights groups including German gay close its ports to foreign boats carrying Human Rights Watch and Amnesty asylum seekers, unless it received more International. Amnesty complained last marriage voted in active support in tackling the migration month that French authorities were crisis. abusing anti-terrorism measures by using The Italian government is finding them to curb legitimate protests.

A decisive majority of German MPs itself under intense political pressures, The new anti-terror law would give Photograph © Catalonia Yes We Can We Yes Catalonia © Photograph have voted to legalise same-sex marriage, and measures need to be taken in order French authorities greater power to act only days after Chancellor Angela to find a solution over the increasing to protect an event or location thought Merkel dropped her opposition to numbers of refugees. More than 73,000 to be at risk from attack, without first allowing such a vote. The reform grants migrants, from countries ranging from seeking permission from the courts. couples now limited to civil unions full Guinea to Bangladesh, have arrived to The draft law would also allow places marital rights, and allows them to adopt Italy by sea in the last year, a 14 per cent of worship thought to be promoting children. increase on the same period in 2016, which was in itself a record year. atalonia’s Parliament would Mrs Merkel’s political opponents Italian Prime Minister Paolo declare independence “within were strongly in favour, and the Gentiloni said, “the government fears two days” if separatists win a Chancellor, who only signalled her the first and second wave of its reception referendum on the issue scheduled for backing for a free vote on the 26th June, C voted against it. The bill was backed by centres are full, requiring a third one the 1st October. to be built, and it is eager for other The pledge was made in a draft bill 393 lawmakers, 226 voted against and countries to share its burden.” presented on 4th July by the separatist four abstained. The German legal code The overall response has seen charities parties which form the ruling coalition will now read: “Marriage is entered into react angrily, as the code of conduct in Barcelona.The draft bill comes ahead for life by two people of different or the drawn up in Italy and endorsed by other of the referendum which is set to be held same sex”, AFP news agency reported EU countries, sets out to constrain on the 1st October. Following the vote on June 30th, Mrs their ability to save passengers from The question put to voters will be: Merkel said that for her marriage was overcrowded and unseaworthy smuggling “Do you want Catalonia to become between a man and a woman. But she boats. an independent state in the form of a said she hoped the passing of the bill One of the most controversial aspects Republic?” would lead to more “social cohesion and of the migration crisis this year has The draft bill also states that peace”. been the proliferation of charity groups independence will be declared if there are operating rescue boats off the Libyan “more positive votes than negative votes”. coast, which critics see as a “pull factor” However the referendum itself has that is attracting migrants and enticing been subject to intense dispute. The bill smugglers. will be formally tabled and discussed in extremism to be shut down for up to

Photograph © Pride Berlin Pride © Photograph Although the details of the regulatory the Catalan Parliament in August, and six months. Prime Minister Edouard crackdown have not been released yet, is set to ignite political conflict between Philippe argued it struck the “right officials in Rome have been considering Catalonia and the Spanish state. balance” between respecting freedoms banning NGOs from entering Libyan The Spanish Constitutional Court and reinforcing security. territorial waters, forcing them to limit has stated that a referendum on Only a day after Macron announced communication with migrant boast, and independence would be illegal. his plan to lift the state of emergency, a encouraging them to co-ordinate more Meanwhile the Spanish government 23-year-old man has been charged with closely with the Italian coast guard. has stated it will oppose the referendum plotting to assassinate the President at or any independence process by ‘all France’s Bastille Day parade, confirms a means’. This has triggered fears in some Italy to judicial source. quarters that the Spanish army could be The self-described nationalist, told deployed. crackdown on French President investigators that not only was he “The state will need only 24 hours targeting the President, but also spoke to appeal [against the referendum] and flow of migrants plans to lift state of his extreme views against, “Muslims, obtain its stoppage,” government Vice- Jews, blacks, homosexuals,” the source president Soraya Saenz de Santamaria of emergency added. said. Italy has finalised a deal with France and The man was arrested at his “We will vote as usual,” the President Germany to tighten the regulation of home in the north-west Paris suburb of the Catalan government, Carles charities operating in the Mediterranean French President Emmanuel Macron of Argenteuil on Wednesday after Puigdemont, said in reply. and to enact a ‘code of conduct’ in an intends to lift the state of emergency this attempting to buy a Kalashnikov Assault Puigdemont recently fired his attempt to filter the flow of migrants autumn, which has been in effect since rifle online. business minister, Jordi Baiget, after arriving at Italian ports. the terrorist attacks in November 2015 Three kitchen knives were found in Baiget said that the Spanish state was “so In a joint press statement on 3 July, resulting in 130 deaths. his vehicle and following an analysis of strong that we probably won’t be able to Rome, Paris and Berlin confirmed they “I will re-establish the freedoms of the his computer, it was found that he had hold the referendum.” had agreed upon a ‘code of conduct’ French people by lifting the state of conducted searches on potential targets There has also been speculation over for Non-Governmental Organisations emergency this autumn, because these on the internet, the source said. how Catalan authorities will manage the working in the Mediterranean. freedoms are the precondition of the He was charged on 1 July with practicalities of a referendum, including The agreement follows as Italy existence of a strong democracy,” Macron plotting to commit a terrorist act, the the distribution of ballot boxes. recently presented other EU member said in an address to both Houses of judicial source confirms. 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 7

European News online: www.KCWToday.co.uk Photograph © Michael Brooks PhotographMichael © for European car makers and Japanese dairy producers were among the United Kingdom EU and Japan thorniest issues, but officials said they shared alarm at Trump’s apparent shift announces reach historic free away from multilateral open trading withdrawal trade deal systems towards an aggressive “America from international fishing First” policy. “Together, we are sending a strong arrangement message to the world that we stand for open and fair trade. As far as we are

he government has announced The European Union and Japan have that it will end the accord that formally agreed a free-trade deal outline. permits other countries to fish in The agreement paves the way for trading UK waters. The agreement allows Irish, in goods without tariff barriers between T two of the world’s biggest economic Dutch, French, German and Belgian fishing vessels to work within six and “Brexit poses very serious challenges areas. 12 nautical miles of the coastline of the to the seafood sector and this The “political agreement” between United Kingdom announcement will form part of the the two economies still requires some Environment Secretary Michael negotiations,” he said. By contrast the areas of negotiation to conclude, though Gove said the decision was made to Scottish government in Holyrood backed officials insist the key snags were ‘take back control’ of fishing access to the decision enthusiastically, claiming overcome in the first week of July. UK waters. When the UK left the EU it that they had been pushing for it “for “We promised to do everything in would become an “independent coastal some time”. our power to conclude political and trade state”, he said, and he went on to claim The London Fisheries Convention talks between Japan and the European that the EU’s common fisheries policy sits alongside the EU Common Fisheries Union on the eve of the G20 summit. had been an environmental disaster and Policy, which allows all European Union And we did it,” European Council the government wanted to change that, countries access between 12 and 200 President Donald Tusk told a news upon Brexit, to ensure sustainable fish nautical miles of the UK and sets quotas conference. concerned, there is no protection in stocks in future. for how much fish nations can catch. The EU-Japan Economic Partnership protectionism,” European Commission Whilst the European Commission The relationship between the UK and Agreement was pushed over the line President Jean Claude Juncker said said that it had “took note”, they felt the Ireland is further governed by a separate towards a final treaty signature in the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo convention had been superseded by EU arrangement. Government figures say coming months by the election of Abe said that with 40 per cent of world law. Michael Creed, Ireland’s minister fishing contributed £604m to UK GDP Donald Trump and his moves to ditch a trade, the EU and Japan would form for agriculture, food and the marine, in 2015 and employed around 12,000 Pacific trade pact and leave talks with the the world’s biggest open economic area, however, said that the announcement was fishers. In 2016, the fish processing EU in limbo. accounting for a third of global economic “unwelcome and unhelpful.” industry supported around 18,000 jobs. Fears of cheaper import competition output.

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according to . future, aiming to make the Kingdom the Yet, he has attracted both domestic investment hub of the Arab and Islamic Improving Saudi King and international criticism as Defence world. Minister when leading Operation The Crown Prince aims to privatise ties between appoints son as Decisive Storm, a Saudi-led coalition in the economy, making it less reliant on Yemen. The operation, launched more oil, as it’s the second largest producer Egypt and successor than two years ago, consisted of eight of oil. The overall aim is to establish Sunni-Muslim Arab countries fighting an e-government system by 2030. He Hamas unsettle Iranian-allied Houthi rebels in Yemen. has also called for more entertainment

The Saudi-led war in Yemen saw options for the Kingdom, both for PhotographJim © Matthis Palestinian devastating effects on the impoverished families and youth. The cabinet also country. Rights group accused his passed regulations to lessen the power of politics leadership of causing the killings of the religious police. countless civilians and have called on the The Prince is also engaging younger United States, UK and France to cut off Saudi Muslim scholars who are active on A series of meetings between Hamas the weapon supply to Saudi Arabia. social media and better known among and senior officials in Cairo have Despite some disapproval in his the Saudi youth, reports al-Jazeera. brought about an improvement in foreign policy and economic reforms, his To commentators, Prince relations between Egypt and the Islamist views are widely welcomed among young Mohammed bin Salman is moments Palestinian movement, with implications Saudis. In April 2016, he introduced away from being the second most for Gaza, Palestinian politics and the Vision 2030, Saudi Arabia’s vision of the powerful man in Saudi Arabia. wider region. Ismail Haniyeh, who became Saudi Arabia witnessed a radical power Hamas’s leader in May this year, said in shift on Wednesday 21 June, as King a speech in Gaza in early July that ties Salman appointed his son Mohammed with the Gaza Strip’s neighbor to the bin Salman, who is also the deputy south-west were warming. “We have defence minister, next in line to the launched a new chapter with Egypt and throne. the relations have witnessed a big move,” The 31-year-old Prince is to said Haniyeh. replace his cousin, the King’s nephew, For much of the last decade, Egypt Mohammed bin Nayef, a well known has joined Israel in enforcing a land, sea counter-terrorism figure greatly admired and air blockade of the Gaza Strip, a by Washington for crushing an al-Qaeda move to punish Hamas and its armed bombing campaign in 2003-2006. wing, which seized the territory in 2007 As veteran security chief, he led the and has controlled it since. The situation Saudi campaign against IS and al-Qaeda has worsened in the past month as Israel, in a time when Riyadh faced tensions at the request of the West Bank-based with Iran and Qatar, while also being at Palestinian Authority (PA), has cut war with Yemen. electricity to Gaza, leaving it with barely Prince Mohammed bin Nayef, 58, has four hours of power a day. been removed from his role as head of The sanctions are part of a years-long domestic security, state media confirmed, effort by the PA, led by the rival Fatah although he has pledged allegiance to his party, to force Hamas to relinquish power cousin. in Gaza and join a unified government. The King’s decree also means that Power cuts have hit hospitals and water Prince Mohammed bin Salman, will treatment plants, squeezing Gaza’s two be appointed as deputy prime minister million people amid a draining heatwave. while continuing his role as the world’s Meanwhile, Hamas’s interior ministry youngest defence minister. has begun to prepare a buffer zone “When I met him [the crown prince] between the Gaza Strip and its border in Jeddah in 2013, he described himself with Egypt. Bulldozers have begun as a lawyer. Today he’s a heartbeat away clearing ground dozens of meters in from ruling the most powerful country in width along the border. The ministry the Arab world,” reported BBC’s Middle stated that the works were intended East editor, Jeremy Bowen. to bolster security and strengthen the Despite his age, the prince’s political organisation’s control along the border. and governmental journey started in It also said a 12 kilometre patrol road 2007, when he served as full-time adviser with guard posts, lighting and cameras to the Council of Ministers for two years. along it will be paved along the border. He was special adviser to his father in Gaza security forces chief Tawfiq 2009, who at the time was governor Abu Naim said the project was agreed of Riyadh. He was appointed defence upon during the last visit by a Hamas minister in 2015, following his father’s delegation to Egypt. The buffer zone will accession to the throne. be 100 metres wide, stretching into the For the younger generation of Saudis, Palestinian side of the border, he said. It the young royal, who is known for his will be a closed military zone and will bold economic reforms and aggressive help monitor the border and prevent foreign policy toward arch-rival Iran, infiltration and smuggling. confirms that things are changing. “The message to the Egyptian side Following decades of Saudi affairs led is a calming one: Egyptian national by typically 70 and 80-year-old kings, security is part of Palestinian national Prince Mohammed navigated the world security, and we will not let the peace stage with ease, reportedly charming along the southern border be disturbed,” both US President Donald Trump Abu Naim said. and Russian President Vladimir Putin, 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 9 International News online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

The Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Qatar will face Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, addressed the four ministers’ statement restrictions after by explaining that cutting ties with his country would be seen, “as a siege that is failing to accept a clear aggression and an insult.” A few of the bloc’s demands to Qatar ultimatum by include, to shut down media channel , closing air-space to Qatar Arab bloc Airways, restricting diplomatic relations with Iran, and cutting ties with the Muslim Brotherhood. Diplomats have also accused Qatar of not, “understanding of the seriousness Q atar will continue to face restrictions and gravity of the situ-ation,” reports after failing to accept an ultimatum Al Jazeera. Saudi foreign ministers have enacted by its Middle East neighbours, announced further steps will be taken Department of Homeland Security said following a meeting in Cairo with four against Qatar at the appropriate time, Donald Trump’s it expected “business as usual at our ports foreign ministers on 4 July. and would be in line with international of entry”. The Arab bloc, made up of Saudi law. travel ban comes Supreme Court ruling upheld the Arabia, Egypt, Bahrain and the United temporary ban, a key Trump policy. But Arab Emirates, have decided to sever into effect the judges provided a major exception, diplomatic ties with the small oil-rich for those who have “a credible claim of a nation last month following a joint bona fide relationship” with someone in statement accusing Qatar of destabilising the US. The effect is that citizens of the the region. People from six mainly Muslim countries affected countries with a close relative in The meeting came as the deadline and all refugees now face tougher US the US, such as a spouse, parent, child or for Qatar to accept the list of necessary entry due to President Donald Trump’s sibling, will potentially be allowed in. demands. It was given ten days to controversial travel ban. It means people In a last minute change, the Trump comply with the 13-point list of without “close” family or business administration extended the definition of demands, with an extra 48-hour relationships in the US could be denied close family to include fiancés. However extension granted by the Saudis in the visas and barred entry. grandparents, aunts, uncles, nephews and hopes of reaching an agreement. Lawyers took up positions at US nieces are not considered to be “bona fide” Qatar has been under scrutiny airports, offering free advice. But there relations. The rules apply to people from and accused, among other things, of was no sign of the chaos that affected Iran, Libya, Syria, Somalia, Sudan and supporting and funding Jihadi groups travellers when the first version of the Yemen, as well as to all refugees such as the Muslim Brotherhood. The ban was brought in at a few hours’ notice According to the new rules, for the bloc has called upon Qatar to change in January. That is because the executive next 90 days those from the six countries its policies, and to accept the list of order does not affect people who already without a close relationship will not be necessary demands, but it was only met have valid visas or green cards. The able to enter the US. with resistance.

The arms handover was a key condition in last year’s peace agreement. FARC arms The deal seeks to end more than five decades of conflict and negotiations handover between Colombia’s 900 largest left- wing rebel group and the government. Farc rebels in Colombia have handed However US monitors have warned over all of their personal weapons, that the task of locating and emptying completing the transfer of arms a day the Farc’s remaining caches could take ahead of a revised schedule, United many months because of the difficulty Nations’ monitors in Colombia say. in reaching them. Some of them can A total of 7,132 weapons have been only be reached by river or foot through registered and boxed away, the UN says. dense jungle and mountain terrain. They added they had also found and Many are booby-trapped and need to be emptied 77 out of the Farc’s arms caches painstakingly dismantled. our rights, because we had no solid legal hidden around the countryside. Many Colombians are concerned

basis establishing us as a family,” said that if there is any Public PhotographDEA © Affairs Colombia legally one of the men, Victor Hugo Prada, in a delay, these weapons video published by Colombian media on could fall into the recognises union Monday. hand of criminals, He said he and his two partners paramilitaries or the between three signed legal papers with a solicitor in the ELN, Colombia’s city of Medellin, establishing them as a second-largest left- men family unit with inheritance rights. “This wing rebel group. establishes us as a family, a polyamorous All these groups family. It is the first time in Colombia are seeking to Three homosexual men have claimed that has been done.” occupy territory to have gained legal recognition as a Lawyer and gay rights activist relinquished by “polyamorous family”, possibly the German Rincon Perfetti said there are the Farc under the world’s first, in Colombia, which many three-person unions in Colombia peace deal and take legalised gay marriage last year. “We but this was the first one to be legally over their drug- wanted to validate our household... and recognised. trafficking activities. 10 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Opinion & Comment

senior management team or close to it of the people must be respected’; the will Parliament you are at the top end of the salary scale of the 38%, not the 62% who did not and therefore if you have a company Strength & demand it. Squared pension scheme you will have the largest Stability. Now as we lurch unsteadily towards By Derek Wyatt contributions. So every year you cost the By Peter Burden an attempt to agree terms in complying company more. Park that notion. with this request by 38% of the If you do stay on what happens is that population, it has become blindingly the best middle managers start quitting clear that leaving the Customs Union, because their line to be a senior manager and denying the free movement of other has been foiled. Losing your best talent is EU citizens is going to have disastrous OU KNOW. You not a good idea. Especially as to fill those consequences in many areas of the breaches you will have to pay more for nation’s existence. Added to this is the know when you know an external candidate who may or may hideous irony that the immigration that something is not not settle in and thus could disturb the from non-EU countries, which is what company culture. prompted the fears of many ‘leave’ voters, quite right but you’re unsure Into this melće has arrived the head will not be affected in the slightest by the Y hunter. There are millions of them. UK leaving the EU. what to do? Well that’s me They seemingly mutate daily. I am not And yet, there seems to be an today. sure what the collective noun is for extraordinary, inexplicable conspiracy We no longer know what to them but a quick suggestion would of silence among members of the ruling be a Helpfulness of...... Then as senior party (and even among the Labour do with anyone over 60. It is management loses its confidence they opposition) who must see the looming personal. I am over 60. employ consultants and hugely inflated catastrophe, but do not have the courage fees. This is a collective madness. to declare that the only way to deflect Let us start again. It is a good idea this threat to the state of our finances, When it was my parents turn they for there not to be a retirement age. If workforce and foreign relations is to had certainty. They were working one you are 40 reading this article the strong abandon what is becoming ever more day and then as they turned 60 and 65 likelihood is that you will live till your clearly a thoroughly misguided course of respectively they no longer had to go late eighties or early nineties. Put another action. to work. They had so looked forward to way, under the rules for my parents you Mrs May’s debacle following this happening to them. They had been will be retired for 25 years or more. ince June 8th, a large number of the hubris of her calling for more saving furiously and had chosen to retire Currently, leaving aside compulsory UK voters (including me) have support clearly demonstrates that she to Vancouver Island where their son and euthanasia, the state does not have a clue been wandering around, dazed and miscalculated badly in overlooking daughter and three grand children lived about how to pay for your health, your confused, muttering to anyone who will the 62% who didn’t ask for Brexit, housing, your care package and your S and, indeed, their disapproval of the (my Mum was Canadian). listen, ‘Where the hell are we?’ It was a disaster. My Dad missed his pension. This is very serious. We don’t really know; but we do aggressive negotiating stance she had pint at the Legion and watching and And another thing, people over know how we got here. adopted, trying to face-down the umpiring cricket in the summer. My 60/65 are more likely to vote and to David Cameron took up the metal- EU negotiators, like Just William Mum loved it. She was home after forty vote Conservative. Of course, they were studded gauntlet thrown down by confronting Mr and Mrs Brown with two years away. My Dad came home. shaken to their roots during the election flamboyant man of the people, Nigel hands on hips and catapult poking out of Thirty nine years of marriage and six just past when the Prime Minister Farrage, and made the UK electorate a a trouser pocket. years of war time wooing ended. It was would not agree the triple lock on their manifesto promise to hold a referendum The European leaders, stronger now no recompense to him that he came to pensions, their winter fuel allowance and over Europe. No doubt he thought the with the tough but reasonable Macron, deeply regret his decision. their free TV licences over 75. This was challenge would fail, but it would clear are showing more dignity than the But it was a disaster in another way. then compounded when out of nowhere the air, and dispel the nasty pong of British negotiating team; undoubtedly, the PM declared that our care package xenophobic oratory. Cameron’s mistake, they know they need us and would like Both my parents were good at their jobs would probably be taken from the equity for which he is already perceived as one to agree terms. and contributed wisely to the various we had in our houses for those lucky of the least satisfactory British Prime But we need them a little bit more. organisations who had employed them. enough to have a house. (Let us pause Ministers of modern times, was to In the meantime, with Mrs May Suddenly they were cast off. What a here and remind ourselves how many of structure the referendum in such a way floundering around like a mermaid with mad idea to let those with wisdom in an our children in their 30s are still renting). that a minority of the electorate could her tail nailed to the rocks, there is no organisation be lost to it. Why were they So what this tells me is that no-one force an absolutely crucial and, in this single credible replacement in sight from not asked if they would consider going in Westminster whatever the party has case, disastrous change on the British within her own party. down to three days a week or whatever. really done the sums for us oldies. And Constitution. ‘Strong and stable government,’ was Since I left Parliament (or ‘stood if they have they are not telling. The only A referendum is not a first past the her mantra going into the June 8th vote. down’ in Westminster currency) in 2010 way of caring properly for those over post parliamentary election, and there In a photo which much of the media ran I have worked for myself, ducking and 60 is to tax those under 60 higher than is no historic basis for treating it like to illustrate her announcement of the diving trying to make a honest crust. It they are currently. We are done. We have one. It seems elementary that a major snap election to bring about the strong has not been easy. What a fool to resign huge debts which are unlikely ever to be constitutional change should be brought and stable government she advocated, from a job in the middle of the worst paid off (2025 is the latest date but this about only if half the electorate (not just she was walking through the Welsh economic crisis since the 1930s (I would is a flight of fancy). We have the biggest those who have voted) have demanded mountains (on quite a flat bit, actually), have lost my seat anyway, I had a slim crisis in the housing market ever. it. In other words, by a majority of looking a little wobbly but aided by majority of 79) but you take my point. And then I think, actually the way all those eligible to vote. In Australia a pair of naff-looking Kevlar walking 2010 was tough. It is still tough seven our Government functions tells us it is where a number of referendums on sticks, which seasoned hill walkers like to years on. past it’s own sell by date. We need a new their constitution have been run, voting mock, and which can’t be great indicators But now there is no certainty; there’s version of a Royal Commission made up is compulsory, and failure to do so is of their user’s nothing. There is no actual retirement of politicians of all faiths and none and against the law, thereby ensuring a full strength and age unless like PwC partners it is written experts and you and me to look at the representation of the people. stability. We into your employment contract or post 60 issues and a new Secretary of In last year’s referendum in the UK, should have terms of trade. Whilst we all accept we State to boot. We need it today. the turn-out meant that the proportion spotted that. are fitter and in better health than our of the whole electorate that demanded parents and grandparents were when 60 It is not going to happen. our departure from the EU was just 38%. In any case, But under Cameron’s structuring of the they appear to or 65 we can go on. And on. And on. peterburden.net And we do. You have been warned. plebiscite, this minority of voters has have given out This is bonkers. If you are in the forced politicians to declare that ‘the will www. already. 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 11 Opinion & Comment online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

stomach in an attempts to squeeze its Hail the 22 Bus way down the Kings Road tackling a DUDLEY SUTTON’S Get your kicks on route 22 tricky bottleneck outside Marks & Sparks where it’s the law to keep all By Sandra Leamon Range Rovers at a standstill in the I WISH I HAD WRITTEN THAT middle of the road.

Illustration © Don Grant Don © Illustration As it nears the passengers tend to perch rather than sit. So much more elegant. And then, in a Father’s Bedroom by Robert Lowell noisy, squawking migration, everybody flaps off their perch and flies into Peter In my Father’s bedroom: Jones. How come they don’t hang on till blue threads as thin Harrod’s? as pen writing on the bedspread, is a quiet affair. Nobody blue dots on the curtains, there takes the bus. Wouldn’t be seen dead on one, darling. But by Hyde Park a blue kimono, corner the odd tourist clambers aboard Chinese sandals with blue plush straps. and usually asks if the Wellington Arch The broad-planked floor is Marble Arch. I always tell them it is. had a sandpapered neatness. All life rides on the 22 at some point or Saves them a trip up Park Lane. The clear glass bed-lamp other. Then we smugly whizz up the Piccadilly with a white doily shade It sets off from Putney Common bus lane passing some of our absolute was still raised a few with a nice bunch of Londoners on best bits and pieces. The In and Out, the inches by resting on volume two board. Chatty souls who’ll tell you Ritz, the Academy (where I once heard of Lafcadio Hearn’s how London used to be before they an American tell her friend that the Glimpses of unfamiliar Japan. knocked everything down. One old feller Queen took ballet classes) and finally, Its warped olive cover once said to me as we passed a glass we come to a halt at Piccadilly Circus. was punished like a rhinoceros hide. fronted abomination “that’s where the Where there’s not a single Londoner in old abattoir was. Me mother loved it”. sight! In the flyleaf: Blimey. And then he addressed the whole Poor old Eros has got no idea what’s ‘Robbie from Mother.’ bus asking if anyone remembered the going on anymore. Once upon a time he Years later in the same hand: fairground that used to come to was firing his arrow down Shaftesbury ‘This book has had hard usage Broadway about a million years ago. Avenue to show us the way to the On the Yangtze River, China. Astonishingly, two women did. And, theatre. Now he’s just hoping to shoot It was left under an open better still, one said she met her husband one of the nightmare street performers. Porthole in a storm.’ there. On the bumper cars, no less. Just But it’s the centre of our city and you bumped into him, I suppose. can see it all from the 22. Better still, you From there on, the 22 pulls it’s can ride right past it

Letter to the Editor around two-thirds of people in London are not sure or don’t think that London’s Air Take a subscription of KCW TODAY As I come to the end of my first 60 days Ambulance is a charity. This is a massive as CEO of London’s Air Ambulance, I hurdle to overcome as we try to gain more would like to emphasise the importance support and may be explained by the fact for 2017/8 and receive of local support to our charity and share that, on average, people believe 47% of some words of thanks with the people of our funding comes from either the NHS, a copy delivered Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster. central government or local government. It’s a great feeling when you find out In reality, we receive the majority of our a company has donated a large sum of income from public donations. People also money to the charity, but it is vital to never believe that we exist to transport people Name lose sight of our grass-root supporters. To to hospital or from hard to access areas, me, a local cake sale is just as important as when in actual fact, we deliver a doctor a big corporate partnership. This charity and paramedic to a patient’s side to deliver Address was built on community spirit; it’s a service treatment only usually found in a hospital funded by the people of London for the emergency department – this includes people of London and that’s something I open chest surgery, anaesthesia, blood really want to focus on during my time as transfusions and advanced pain relief CEO. Over the last few years the charity has Right now one of our supporters focused on acquiring a second helicopter Stuart, a member of your local community, and securing extended daylight flying is getting ready to take on Prudential hours, with these aims achieved we will RideLondon Surrey 100 for a second year now focus on the challenge of increasing in a row. Last year he raised £600 for our awareness of our charitable status.It is the charity and this year he has already raised work you do promoting, fundraising or an incredible £1,195. This kind of local volunteering in your local community that support means everything to us. helps spread the message that we rely on 11 month’s subscription The money raised by communities goes public donations. Together, I know we can UK £ 46.00 (Tick box) towards delivering our advanced trauma carry on helping critically injured people in Overseas on request team by helicopter or rapid response car to London. critically injured people across the capital Finally, I would like to say a huge thank and it’s thanks to your help that London’s you for everything you have already done Fill out form with cheques made payable to: Air Ambulance was able to treat 41 people for London’s Air Ambulance. It is down to Kensington, & Chelsea Today Limited in Kensington and Chelsea last year and you that we have treated more than 36,000 and send to Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today, 123 in Westminster. Now we need your patients in our 28 years of service and your 80-100 Gwynne Road, London SW11 3UW or email: [email protected]. help again to raise awareness of our charity continued support will help us save lives Or telephone 020 7738 2348 to pay status. long into the future. By BACS or visit www.KCWtoday.co.uk to pay by PayPal. Whilst 8 out of 10 people have heard Sincerely, Jonathan Jenkins of the London’s Air Ambulance service CEO of London’s Air Ambulance 12 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Business & Finance

Nine points to assess on Defined Benefit transfers By Stephanie Hawthorne Award winning financial journalist

ince the former Chancellor George Osborne’s pension Sfreedom reforms in 2015 there has been a dramatic rise in employees wanting to transfer out of their private sector final salary pension schemes with some long serving members entitled to hundreds of Would they be able to buy after retirement), children’s pensions equivalent’ to the amount the member thousands of pounds to put an annuity which offers the and some offer increases of up to 5% on would have received had they not been in a more flexible defined same benefits? the deferred pension until the point at contracted out. Employees should make When considering if it’s a good which benefits were taken (to help keep sure that they understand the current contribution (DC) pension deal employees could also look the values in-line with inflation), and value of the income being offered as 2at how much it would cost to buy an then provide inflation proofing once in often it will be quoted at the date they pot. annuity which offers a similar income as payment. Others also have an element of left the scheme and not the uprated value But this decision is not to those guaranteed by their DB scheme. death benefits in payment if the scheme they would get at the scheme retirement be taken lightly as there are For example, a pension transfer value of member passes away within five years date. Depending upon the scheme rules £30,000 offered in lieu of a DB scheme of receiving benefits. Some DB scheme and when a member left the scheme, a lot of dangers in leaving a valued at £1,500 a year, which also comes members may also be entitled to ‘scheme increases to deferred GMP can be very secure Final Salary or Defined with a 50% spouse pension, and annual protected tax-free cash’ higher than the attractive, even as high as 8.5% per inflationary increases would actually cost standard 25%. These benefits would be annum. Benefit (DB) pension and for £68,000 to buy an annuity with the same lost in most circumstances if transferred many it makes sense to stay benefits. into a DC pension. What security measures are there? put and receive a guaranteed Is the cash really needed? Is a partial transfer available? Some employees may be worried inflation proofed income for If employees are considering Partial transfers could be a good whether their scheme is secure, transferring to a DC pension option and middle ground. and if it will be able to continue 8to pay out as promised. The PPF life. to take all of the income as cash, they should make sure (Pension Protection Fund) will generally Here is a checklist from WEALTH 5 pay up to 90% of a pension value if the 3they understand the tax implications; at work of nine important pointers to usually the first 25% of what is taken Are they going through a scheme fails, but there is an annual cap of help employees who are considering out of a DC pension is tax-free but the divorce? £34,655 (after the 90% level is applied). transferring their pension: remainder is taxed at their ‘marginal’ rate; Pensions can be included as the rate of income tax paid when all of assets in divorce settlements. Are they equipped to Is the transfer value offered a sources of income are added together. There are several options that understand their options good deal? 6couples can take when thinking about That doesn’t mean they shouldn’t transfer without advice? One way employees could find and there are good reasons for some splitting their DB pension assets during Employees who have a DB this out is by comparing how people doing so, for example; if they a divorce. One of these is to transfer the pension scheme with a transfer many years of annual income DB pension into a DC scheme so that 9value of £30,000 or more will be required want to pass money on to dependants, 1would be needed to match the transfer prefer the idea of flexibility, or have other the income can be fully accessed and split to take financial advice if they wish to value offered. This can be achieved significant sources of secure income. But between the two parties. transfer their pension. by carrying out a calculation which even these are not definitive reasons for Jonathan Watts-Lay, director, compares the ‘cash equivalent transfer doing so and before employees give up a Have they ever contracted- WEALTH at work, a provider of value’ (the lump sum the pension scheme guaranteed index-linked income (income out? financial education, guidance and advice will offer in exchange for giving up any that will increase in-line with inflation), Employees who were contracted in the workplace, comments: “As we future claims to a pension from the they should make sure they know what out of the ‘State Earnings- can see, pension transfers are complex; scheme) against the ‘current’ annual they will need the money for. Related Pension Scheme’ there are many things employees should pension entitlement payable at the 7(SERPS) between 6 April 1978 and 5 consider before they make any decisions.

scheme’s normal retirement date. For What ‘perks’ could be lost April 1997 should check the Guaranteed It’s important for employees to get example, if a defined benefit (DB) out on? Minimum Pension (GMP) value (the a good understanding of their own annual income guarantee is £5,000 and Most DB schemes have good minimum pension value which an personal situation and take advice from the transfer value is £100,000, then the benefits. Often they include occupational pension scheme has to a suitably qualified financial adviser who conversion factor would be 20 times 50% for a spouse’s/partner’s provide) if they are considering a pension specialises in this type of transfer”. (100,000/5,000). 4pension (upon death, either before or transfer. The amount is said to be ‘broadly

020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 13 Advertisement online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

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software service fraud reports over the signifies expansion in business activity. slowest rate in the country would have Mobile banking past year, targeting victims with the The Lloyds Bank PMI, is the leading been unthinkable for much of the past average age of 62 and typically paying economic health-check of UK regions. It decade. Instead growth is now spread ‘fast overtaking’ out £600. is based on responses from manufacturers much more evenly across the country- In addition to Microsoft, criminals and service businesses about the amount with the market fragmenting into a bank branch visits have claimed to have worked for BT of goods and services produced during patchwork of smaller hotspots and cold and TalkTalk among other services. May compared with a month earlier. spots. Photograph © GOC Hub PhotographGOC © The investigation indicated the calls Rising new business demand has Nationwide said that the rising originated in India, although two men fuelled growth in the Capital, resulting cost of living would curtail household and two wom-en have been accused of in the creation of new jobs. Employment spending which in turn, would create a involvement in England. levels have risen for the past seven “drag” on housing market activity. Scammers usually convince victims months in a row. A lack of homes being built, and few they have detected a fault in their PC Cost pressures for London firms properties being put up for sale, meant and deceive them in to giving them eased slightly in May and prices charged house prices would still rise by 2% this remote access to it, before demanding by businesses rose at the slowest rate seen year, the building society forecast. a fixed fee. Unknowingly, victims share since February. their bank account details and often times are targeted again at a later date So far, they include a 29-year-old Co-operative ypical consumers will visit a bank man and 31-year-old woman from UK house prices Photograph © Sam Berry PhotographSam © branch only four times a year by bank receives 2022, turning instead to their rise again mobileT phones for services, according to £700m rescue industry forecasts. At present, people visit seven times a year on average, analysts UK house prices have risen again in June package CACI have claimed. It forecasts that after three months of decline, according contact with banks will actually rise, but to mortgage lender Nationwide. this will occur primarily through apps, House prices in May fell by 0.2%, but with desktop banking also shrinking. were quickly met with a 1.1% in rise the Hundreds of branches have closed following month. in the UK in recent years, with banks Still, Nationwide economist, Robert pointing to changing consumer habits. Gardner cautioned that “monthly Although the number of visits to banks Woking in Surrey. Both were arrested growth rates can be volatile, even after may be falling, the proportion of those on suspicion of fraud and both have accounting for seasonal effects.” who use a branch, however infrequently, been granted bail. A 37-year-old man The average house price in the UK is relatively unchanged. This has and a 35-year-old woman were arrested rose by £2,590 to £211,301. Annual prompted a warning from the forecasters in South Shields, Tyneside, also on house price growth edged up to 3.1% that the public still see branches as suspicion of fraud. They were released from 2.1% in May. having a role to play. pending further inquiries. Mr Gardner has also noticed a shift On June 27 the industry marked Police commander, in regional house price trends, especially the 50th anniversary of the first cash Dave Clark said, “These arrests are just in London with the slowest annual pace machine, and many ATM manufacturers The Co-operative Bank has secured a the beginning of our work, making the since 2012, by 2.1%. claim that new technology allows the £700m rescue package to stop the lender best use of specialist skills and expertise He also noticed the gap in percentage most up-to-date machines to carry out collapsing. Investors have agreed to from Microsoft, local police forces and rises between the strongest performing 90% of all tasks conducted in a branch. swap their debt for a stake in the bank. international partners to tackle a crime region and the weakest. By the second The bank also said it would to separate All these shifts are happening faster than that often targets the most vulnerable in five-year forecasts made a year ago. its pension fund from the Co-operative our society.” Group’s scheme, which has £8bn of “The speed and convenience of Microsoft has recently released an mobile banking is a huge contributing liabilities. The ’s online advice article on how to avoid Prudential Regulation Authority said it factor to its ongoing popularity, being scammed and what to do if you especially as banks add more and had accepted the plan to return the bank suspect you have been fooled in the past to a firm footing. more functionality to their apps. and may not have realised it until now. Understanding who is using it, and how, “Supervisors will remain closely is key for banks to ensure it works for engaged with the bank while the actions everyone,” said Jamie Morawiec, associate announced today are taken forward. partner at CACI. “However, with more Implementation is subject to certain than half of the population still expected Businesses in regulatory approvals,” said the PRA, to visit a branch in 2022, the branch still which is responsible for supervising the has an important role to play. London grow UK’s banks and insurance companies. The debt-for-equity swap with hedge faster funds means that the Co-op Group’s quarter of the year, East Anglia saw a 5% stake in the bank will fall from 20% Four arrests annual growth, and North of England, to about 1%. The Co-op also said that Businesses in London have grown at a with 1% mounting to the smallest figure the relationship agreement between in UK faster rate than the usual UK average in on the record. the group and the bank, covering the following scam call reports May, according to the latest Lloyds Bank Mr Gardner also pointed out that promotion of bank services to members Regional Purchasing Managers’ Index London saw a “particularly marked of the wider business and other matters, (PMI). slowdown, with annual price growth “will naturally fall away and come to a Business activity maintained an moderating to just 1.2%, counting for formal end in 2020”. overall momentum with the London A series of scam call reports involving the second slowest pace of the 13 UK It added that it “is supportive of the PMI registering 55.7 in May, greater fraudsters posing as IT support staff, regions. plan and intends to vote in favour of the than the UK average of 54.4. have resulted in four arrests in the UK. Still, commentators said that the capital raising”. The Co-op Bank has Growth cooled slightly from last According to Action Fraud, the regional shifts were significant. been been struggling for four years since month’s recent high, when PMI was at UK’s national fraud and cyber-reporting Managing director of Garrington an abortive attempt to buy 632 branches 56.9, and was driven by a strong pipeline centre, there were 34,504 computer Property Finders, said: for London’s from Lloyds revealed a £1.5bn hole in its of new orders. A reading around 50.0 house prices to be growing at the second finances. 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 15 Advertisement online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

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to our office in a barn in a field in Sussex, At the time we thought it was a case adjacent, as it happens to, Glyndebourne. of clearing the decks for the tougher After all the excitement of the election, regime announced by such user-friendly with the Sherriff of Downing Street entitled sections of the 2017 Finance Bill suitably Magna Carta-ed, there’s a fin as the Enablers of Tax Avoidance section. d’époque feeling amongst the Merry May and her lot were on the face of it Metropolitans. I suppose it begs the as heavy-handed as Brown (and odder question, is this the calm before the Osborne), asking tax payers to own up to storm? being Serial Tax Avoiders before being Our world is very much the owner defined as such by HMRC. (This is managed business, struggling against really most unconstitutional, because it’s the odds, and the state, for survival. If making villains of people who’ve broken no government is good for business, no law.) then it must follow that a deranged, Where does that leave us? I’m a huge weak government, wholly reliant for its admirer of the footballer David Luiz. survival on a lunatic sectarian fringe, and Alan Shearer once said “but do you really already showing signs of self-destruction want an optimist as a centre half?” (One over the pay freeze, must be better. of the most famous centre halves in The pay freeze thing bothers me, history being Jack Charlton, a different mainly because it looks like tinkering kettle of fish, which for the cognoscenti at the edges. What we really need is a does indeed coin a phrase). Given the government of national unity to take huge success of his return to Chelsea British made the Prime Minister on the Civil Service and reform it from last season, I’d have said the answer was Peace over considerably weaker, and very sensible within, taking a cue from Plus One yes, and so hopefully you’ll agree you do it was too, while stopping short of Colin’s pruning of his roses down in want an optimist as a tax advisor. With Whitehall electing Glastonbury’s big new thing. Camber, lacerated to within a thorn of a government more intent on infighting By Douglas Shanks To be honest, I’m starting to warm to their lives. and doing deals with people who really the Leader of HM’s Opposition, as Mrs There’s even been a bit of a return should have no voice whatsoever in May continues her somewhat clumsy Jim to the pre-Avoidance War initiated by government, I think you’ll find the Hacker pastiche every time she answers a Baron Brown the Wicked. We do act executive stays out of HMRC’s hair, and ’m feeling a glow of goodwill towards question; or doesn’t. for some normal clients, (well at least on HMRC will go back to its pragmatic fellow man and HM Inspector of I was reduced to asking Little John the normal curve), but a lot of our work pre-War on Taxpayers best. Taxes following the electorate’s very Handley if he could think of anything we is at the sharp end, with clients literally If you’ve got a tax skeleton, this might Isensible re-affirmation of democracy. could have a rant about this month, but facing jail sentences or penury if we get it just be the best time for a while to settle. (Was our voting system ever in more he was too busy picking early-summer wrong. After Brexit, there was a rush of need of dusting down than now?) daisies with Maid Julie in the meadows settlements on some pretty touch-and-go Doug of Loxley is being anointed DSC Instead of making her stronger, the by the Annexe (AKA The Yew Tree) next cases, all in our clients’ favour. Metropolitan’s emollient tax partner

though is that the next major move is do so, according to Andrew Bailey, Financial Crisis down and the longer it takes to start the Business & chief executive of the UK’s Financial further it will go. Conduct Authority. He told Reuters, Revisited … or It is important to also keep a Finance FR they should not be forced by regulators wary eye of the yield curve. Even to relocate after the UK leaves the not? while interest rates have been almost Companies may EU in 2019. Banks, insurers, and asset By Slim zero for nearly a decade the bond managers based in the UK are already market experts have still had plenty move to Europe making plans to move some operations to talk about. Well that’s if you watch to Europe. Bloomberg and CNBC; for most of us But Bailey said that both Britain and watching paint dry is more exciting! the EU are in a position to preserve There is a lot going on in the financial Slowly though the US Federal Reserve Britain could lose its status as the top free trade for financial services,which markets and much of it is behind the has raised their benchmark interest rate European financial centre unless it would prevent this. scenes. At such times it pays to have a a few times over the past year and more keeps borders open to specialist staff, “Firms should be able to take their own clear head and trust the obvious signs. is possible. Even The Bank of England improves infrastructure and expands decisions on where they locate, subject Last month we discussed the massive is making noises in this respect. links with emerging economies. At to appropriate regulatory arrangements distribution of stocks from the big If you are still reading; well done! least, according to a new report from being in place which preserve the institutions to the general public and The yield curve is a curve showing TheCityUK, the country’s most public interest,” Bailey said, in his first that this is a bearish sign. Since then it several yields or interest rates across powerful financial lobby group. The major speech on Brexit since Britain has been very much more of the same different contract lengths (2 month, 2 Group said that continental Europe triggered the formal EU divorce and in addition other warning signs are year, 20 year, etc. ...) for a similar debt could become the chosen destination proceedings in March. supporting this potential next move. contract. The curve shows the relation for banks, insurers, and asset managers Amsterdam, Dublin, , We have been watching the Implied between the (level of the) interest rate to relocate to in order to retain access Luxembourg and Paris are among the Volatility closely. On Tuesday 27 June and the time to maturity, known as the to the EU single market. places competing for a slice of Britain’s it hit a level of 7.62% which is lower “term”, of the debt for a given borrower Though companies may start by financial industry, which Bailey than at any time since before the so in a given currency. moving a small number of jobs to the considers a good thing. But he also said called financial crisis of 2008. When Typically the shorter term yields Continent, it may accelerate when that Brexit should not be an excuse for plotted on a chart against price the are less than the longer term. What has property leases expire, business reviews other countries to restrict their ability lower the IV, the more likely the price been happening in recent months is are carried out, or the cost of capital to have freedom of location and open is to fall and vice versa. This is of such that the shorter term rates have been becomes hard to justify economically. markets. importance that we cannot over- rising more than the longer term rates. Some, including Deutsche Bank, Bailey also recommended a emphasise the message it conveys. It This is generally interpreted as bearish are already preparing to move from transitioning period based on current is never wrong, but does not assist for economic prospects and stock London to Frankfurt. trading arrangements for companies with timing. What it does guarantee markets But they should not be forced to moving people to continental Europe. 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 17 Business & Finance online: www.KCWToday.co.uk Advertise with us

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60% of the world’s oil production, will therefore make no additional cuts to Oil: A Bright their current supply curb. “I think OPEC FOR SALE: £595,000 countries and non-OPEC countries who Week in a joined us have done their part,” affirmed • Special Price for a Quick Sale • al-Mazroui. “We are not worried about Gloomy Year market recovery”. By James Billot While this price rise will bring much cheer to OPEC and other oil-producing After a bearish six months, oil states, there are still a large number of is set to undergo its longest obstacles, both long and short term, that lie ahead. The U.S. Energy Information rally in 2017. Following a Administration’s (EIA) revised series of heavy storms in the estimation for 2018 that U.S. oil output Gulf of Mexico and ongoing will reach 10 million barrels per day has added to lingering fears that the current maintenance operations in global oil glut will continue. Alaska, U.S. crude production This estimation, compounded by has fallen by nearly 100,000 Donald Trump’s promises of further deregulation in the oil and gas industry, barrels per day over the past is likely to force a re-jig in OPEC policy week. at the group’s next meeting in July. OPEC is also facing newer challenges This fall in output has led to a subsequent from other oil-producing nations, namely Chelsea Cloisters, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea, spike in the price both West Texas Brazil. Oil exports in Brazil have tripled Intermediate Oil (WTI) and Brent since 2013, and the country is now London SW3 3DW Crude, which have risen to $45.21 and producing over 1.5 million barrels per Luxury, one bedroom, first floor flat, fully furnished, fully equipped, $47.74 respectively. day. Brazil is now expected to be the facing the street, 24-hours porterage, security, service charges On June 21, oil hit its lowest prices second-largest source of non-OPEC oil in 2017, with WTI falling to $42.53 and supply by the end of the year. include central heating and hot water, long lease, ideal for rental Brent to $44.82. The commodity is now The future of oil therefore remains in investment or pied-a-terre, near , Sloane Square on course to have its longest rally in 2017, a precarious position. Much will depend and the Kings Road, , shops and restaurants. and many observers are speculating that on OPEC’s ability to adhere to its own the market is finally seeing a rebalance. production cuts and, given the well- Please contact Mrs Flora Baker on 020 7383 5606 The U.A.E.’s Minister of Energy, Suhail publicised disputes between member or 07774 265 264 / 07429 814 381 bin Mohammed al-Mazroui, stated nations, if unity can be maintained in the yesterday that OPEC, in control of group. 18 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Feature

2010 specified by architects and approved Grenfell Action Group is formed. by residents is replaced by the building Grenfell Tower: Originally the group was started to contractors in the refurbishment Grenfell Tower oppose the insensitive redevelopment of contract. Kensington’s Lancaster Green, a green space adjacent fire: to Grenfell Tower. It has grown to more November 2015 A timeline of events permanent broadly ‘defend the rights of the residents Grenfell Action Group call for an of ’. independent investigation of Kensington shadow and Chelsea Tenant Management , Approx. 00:35 : A Hotpoint By Owen Fulda, Anna July 2012 Organisation (KCTMO) due to its FF175BP refrigerator bursts into flames Kretschmer and Kate Architectural plans for the refurbishment ‘negligence, incompetence and systemic in a flat on the fourth floor of the of Grenfell Tower are released. Studio E failings’. 27-storey Grenfell Tower, in London’s Hawthorne Architects propose zinc cladding with a The group point to a 2009 report by North Kensingon. mineral-rich “fire-retardant polyethylene Maria Memoli of Local Governance core”. This decision is approved by Ltd., which was conducted by residents June 14, 00:54 : The first ‘999’ call is residents at the planning consultancy in the borough who felt that problems made and crews are stage. with KCTMO including safety and on site within six minutes. , he catastrophic disaster unsatisfactory repairs, had not been wearing breathing apparatus, entered the November 2012 addressed despite residents following inferno in an attempt to rescue residents. and events surrounding A fire risk assessment of Grenfell Tower correct complaints procedures over Fire engines struggle to get close to the GrenfellT Tower have left states that ‘no test certificates have been several years. The report notes a ‘culture building due to cars parked haphazardly seen to confirm’ the testing, servicing of ignoring complaints’. Grenfell Action in the adjacent roads. deep scars and a permanent and maintenance of emergency lighting, Group says that the 2009 Memoli report and widening shadow over fire alarm systems, the dry riser, fire has not been acted upon by KCTMO. Local witnesses report people jumping fighter lifts and the hose reels installed in off the Tower and a baby being caught Kensington, its community Grenfell. January 2016 by a member of the public after being and the whole country. The document also states that fire Grenfell Action Group’s post ‘Grenfell dropped from the burning building. extinguishers in multiple locations in the Tower Still a Fire Risk’ highlights London Fire Service’s ladders only reach building are out of test date, with some household bulk rubbish blocking access a height of the 12th floor. Those who have seen their on the roof area having ‘“condemned” to the tower’s communal entranceway, lives forever changed and torn written on them with a last test date and the failure of estate management to June 14, 08:00 : London Fire apart by this tragedy still face of 2009 or 2010’. ‘This appears that address this. Whilst refurbishment works Commissioner Dany Cotton describes monthly occupier inspections are not are ongoing this is the only entry and the blaze as “unprecedented”, with more an uphill battle for the return being carried out’, or exit point in Grenfell Tower. to any sort of normality. There than 250 firefighters and 40 fire engines if the caretaker is undertaking the attending the scene. lies ahead the painful waiting monthly occupier’s tests of the installed January 2016 period for the truth; to find emergency lighting system, fire The shadow housing minister, proposes 50 people taken to hospital and a extinguishers and structural items’. an amendment to the housing and “number of fatalities” confirmed. Large out what has happened to planning bill which would require pieces of debris, later found to be those who were not found and January 2013 landlords to make their homes safe cladding recently affixed to the tower The ‘ Scandal’ blogpost on and “fit for human habitation”. The bill whether the public inquiry block, fall from the building. will produce significant the Grenfell Action Group site calls is rejected by 312 votes to 219, due to attention to the ‘multiple and continuous ‘unnecessary regulation’. June 14, 09:45 : Firefighters continue findings as to the real cause obstructions of the emergency access Parliament’s register of interests states to battle the flames and reach the 21st and who is accountable. zone’ at Grenfell Tower. The group’s 72 of the MPs who voted against the floor to rescue residents. London Mayor Below is KCW Today’s time- complaints were forwarded to the estate amendment are landlords who derive an management and RBKC council. income from a property. Sadiq Khan says questions needed to be line to the events surrounding answered about advice given to residents and leading up to this 2017 July 2013 July 2016 to stay in their flats in the event of a fire. apocalypse. Royal Borough of Kensington and Grenfell Tower refurbishment Chelsea (RBKC) Council send a legal completed. Temporary shelters are opened for letter to the administrator of the Grenfell now-homeless residents. The names of July 2009 Action Group blog, asking to remove July 2016 - May 2017 missing and feared dead begin to emerge. Lakanal House, Camberwell. Six people content. The outstanding fire safety review called Local residents begin donating clothes, killed in the worst tower block fire on The letter, dated 25th July 2013 for by the All-Party Parliamentary Fire food and shoes in huge quantities. record so far. The fire started from a and signed by RBKC’s senior solicitor Safety & Rescue Group is again delayed piece of electrical equipment in a ninth- Vimal Sarma, notes the ‘critical’ nature by the Housing Minister. June 14, 12:00 : expresses floor flat. 999 operators, who believed of the blog and the blog’s opposition to her sadness at the “tragic loss of life” fire safety measures would be sufficient development around the estate. February 2017 and orders a cross-Whitehall meeting to prevent flames and smoke reaching The letter asks for ‘accusations council pleads guilty to four in order to deal with the disaster. The inside the flats, had told those who died against named individuals’ to be counts of breaking fire safety regulations Queen issues a message of condolence. to stay inside their homes. removed from the blog as they could over the in 2009. constitute ‘unsubstantiated accusation Following the council’s guilty plea, June 14, 16:00 : Kensington and Chelsea The All-Party Parliamentary Fire Safety of criminal behaviour’ and could be seen Dan Daly, London Fire Brigade’s Tenant Management Organisation & Rescue Group call for a fire regulation as ‘defamatory’. The blog should also assistant Commissioner for Fire Safety, admits it was aware of residents concerns and safety review refrain from ‘personal comments about clarified that LFB’s advice in the event of about fire safety at the block. Tensions Fire suppression measures in all an individual’s performance or actions a similar incident remained the same. boil over at the scene of the disaster tower blocks with similar designs were whilst working on or for the Estate “If buildings are built and maintained among angry locals. reviewed identifying approximately Management Board’. correctly, walls, floors and doors in flats 4,000 buildings without fire sprinklers. and maisonettes give you protection from June 14, 17:00 : Firefighters reach They recommended that due to the May 2014 fire, a minimum of 30 to 60 minutes, so, top floor of Grenfell Tower after speed that the fire spread in Lakanal Grenfell Tower refurbishment begins. if there is a fire elsewhere in the building being hampered by broken gas pipes. House, building regulations should be The complex chain of contractors but not inside your home you’re safer Firefighters put in 24-hour shifts nearing reviewed. and sub-contractors is headed up by staying in your flat unless heat or smoke 24-hours to tackle the fire. construction company Rydon. is affecting you. The fire-resistant zinc cladding Stay put and call 999.” 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 19 Feature online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

June 15, 01:14 : The blaze is brought June 21 : Affected families to move into meeting since the disaster is abandoned the council’s housing, regeneration, under control - 24 hours after it began. Kensington Row complex, where homes leading to condemnation from Downing community engagement and governance are on sale starting at £1.6m, in late July. Street. services. June 15, 09:00 : Trained dogs are sent into the blackened building to search for The chief executive of Kensington and June 30 : Kensington and Chelsea The Grenfell Response Team says 139 victims. Police admit it could be weeks Chelsea Council, Nicholas Holgate, Council leader Nicholas Paget- formal offers of housing have now been before the final death toll is known. resigns. Brown resigns saying he has to accept made to survivors. 14 offers have been responsibility for “perceived failings”. accepted and many are still in hotels. 14:00 : The Prime Minister visits June 22 : Tests carried out on high- Grenfell but draws criticism for failing to rise council buildings in England Robert Black, chief executive of A total of 87 discoveries of human meet with any affected residents. Jeremy uncover seven blocks of flats fitted with Kensington and Chelsea Tenant remains made at Grenfell Tower. Some Corbyn and London Mayor Sadiq Khan, combustible cladding similar to that used Management Organisation (KCTMO), 250 detectives comb through the talk with victims. on Grenfell Tower. also resigns. wreckage by hand, sorting more than 15 tonnes of debris per floor. June 16 : Theresa May orders public June 23 : Police considering July 1 : Residents living in the so-called inquiry and announces a £5million fund manslaughter charges as they reveal “finger blocks” which surround Grenfell Cladding from 190 high-rise buildings in for emergency supplies, food, clothes insulation and cladding tiles at the Tower have been exempted from England has failed combustibility tests. and other costs. Victims to be rehoused building failed safety tests. paying rent until earliest January 2018. Buildings at London’s King’s College within three weeks at the latest, says Barandon Walk, Testerton Walk and Hospital, Children’s Hospital Downing Street. June 24 : Hundreds of residents of the Hurstway blocks have been left without and the North Trust have in north hot water. failed fire safety tests. The Queen and Prince William visit London woken during the night and survivors and emergency service workers told to leave their homes immediately. July 2 : In an attempt to identify the July 9 : Kensington and Chelsea’s new at the Westway Sports Centre, where Camden Council became the first in the missing residents the government leader, Elizabeth Campbell states a some Grenfell residents slept for a country to order an evacuation of blocks exempts illegal sublettings of Grenfell bridge is required to fill the chasm second night. at risk of a similar fire to that in Grenfell flats. between the council and the community. Tower. June 17 : Yard announce ​The Sports Ground Safety Authority London Fire Brigade to renew criminal investigation into the disaster. June 25 : Labour’s John McDonnell (SGSA) contacts football clubs across equipment with higher aerial platforms. Focus turns to the cladding fitted to tells Glastonbury the victims of the UK to check on stadiums’ external Grenfell Tower and product reportedly “were murdered cladding. used on the building is banned in the US. by political decisions”. The cladding, installed at the block in 2016, reportedly July 3 : Judge Bicknell says his inquiry If you wish to volunteer please register Tenant list given to police by the sold as Reynobond PE, consisted of two will “go right back to the construction your interest at: Grenfellvolunteers@ Kensington and Chelsea Tenant sheets of aluminium that sandwich a of the tower” in the 1970s to examine rbkc.gov.uk to include contact details, Management Organisation not accurate. combustible core of polyethylene. warnings that may have been missed. skills and availability. No complete list of all the people living in the tower can be found. No aluminum cladding made with pure Firefighters who tackled the blaze will Anyone concerned for loved ones in the polyethylene, the type used at Grenfell be the first recipients of hundreds of free fire can contact the The Prime Minister orders councils Tower, has ever passed the US National holidays crowdsourced by members of casualty bureau on: 0800 0961 233. across the UK to undertake urgent safety Fire Protection Association test, experts the public on Facebook. checks on all high-rise buildings. in the United States say. The is raising money July 4 : A three-hour meeting is to help people affected by the Grenfell The first victim of the blaze is named Some survivors of the fire are evicted held between survivors, Met Police Tower fire. To donate please visit: as Syrian refugee Mohammed Alhajali. from the Holiday Inn Kensington Forum Commander Stuart Cundy and https://beta.redcross.org.uk/appeal/ Thousands of people sign a petition to at short notice after the local council are Westminster coroner Dr Fiona Wilcox. London-fire-relief-fund allow his family into the UK for his unable to extend their booking. Survivors informed that the “recovery funeral. phase” could last until the end of the year, A full list of charities and services June 26 : The Government faces an and Dr Wilcox. providing emotional support and June 18 : Kensington and Chelsea estimated bill of more than £600m for community resources can be found at: Council are relieved of responsibility replacing flammable cladding on housing July 5 : , the Communities https://www.peoplefirstinfo.org.uk/ for taking care of the survivors of the blocks after the disaster. 60 Blocks have Secretary, announces that a special ‘Task news/emotional-support-for-those- disaster and their work is handed over to failed fire regulation tests to date. Force’ made up of experts will manage affected-by-grenfell-tower.aspx a new Grenfell Fire Response Team. The police now believe more than 58 people June 27 : It emerges that gas pipes within are unaccounted for. the tower were left exposed, despite the Downing Street announces £5,500 orders of a fire safety expert. will be given to each household who saw their property destroyed by the fire. June 28 : Police yet to identify anyone from the 23 June 19, 11am : Firefighters halt work to flats, located between the 11th and the join residents at the 23rd floor. site for a minute’s silence. The police request data and documents The official number presumed dead from more than 60 companies involved stands at 80. Metropolitan Police in the refurbishment of Grenfell Tower. Commander Stuart Cundy says: “The awful reality is that we may not be able June 29 : Retired judge Sir Martin to identify all those that died.” Moore-Bick is appointed to lead the public inquiry into the disaster. He says June 20 : The newly-elected MP for the inquiry will be “open, transparent and Kensington slams fair” and one that “gets to the truth as the co-ordination of the response to the quickly as possible”. Grenfell Tower fire as “appalling”. Kensington and Chelsea Council’s first 20 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Statue & Blue Plaque

much to bring about a change in the law regarding homosexuality. Blue Plaque: In 1929, when Sir John was in his twenties, Harcourt Williams, newly Sir Arthur John appointed Director of the Old Vic, Gielgud invited Sir John to join the company. It Photographs © Don Grant Photographs OM. CH. was in an unfashionable area in South London, run by Lilian Baylis for working (1904-2000) class audiences to give them Shakespeare and Opera. He saw it as an opportunity to hone his skills in Shakespeare. In Dame Judi Dench unveiled an English 1935 he was one of the youngest actors Heritage Blue Plaque honouring Sir to take the role of Hamlet. Later his John Gielgud in April, this year. It was name became associated with the role of STATUES erected at his home, 16 Cowley Street, Hamlet. Westminster, in the presence of Sir Ian At the old Vic he met Ralph McKellen, Sir David Hare, Michael Richardson, they became friends and had Pennington, celebrities and friends. a professional association for fifty years. Sir John was very attached to his Sir John directed Romeo and Juliet, home and lived there from 1945 to 1976. alternating between Romeo and He shared it with his sister, Eleanor, who Mercutio with Laurence Olivier, their was his secretary, and in the Sixties, his sole performance on stage together. partner Martin Hensler, lived there until Peggy Ashcroft, a long time collaborator, Sir John died. They kept several pets, was Juliette. no doubt, was to capture freedom of including two owls and a cockatoo. The His long, impressive career included The Wynne movement and abandonment, but the house, Georgian, built of brown brick, performances in the plays of Oscar resulting mélange is a car-crash. received a Grade 2 listing during his Statues Wynne had previously sculpted residency. By Sir David Wynne The Beatles, the Queen and the Prince At the unveiling, Professor Ronald of , actors Sir John Gielgud and Hutton, Chairman of the Blue Plaque & Lord Attenborough, and musicians Scheme, said, Gardens Sir Yehudi Menuhin and Sir Thomas “ Sir John Gielgud was one of the Beecham, who remarked that the bust finest actors of his generation, beloved reminded him of all the mistakes he by his peers; he is remembered for his and his orchestra had made over the complete mastery of Shakespeare, and years. He seemed to accept criticism is thought by many to have been the avid Wynne could arguably be with alacrity, citing the famous quote greatest Hamlet of the 20th century”. crowned the most kitsch sculptor Jan Sibelius made to his fellow He was an inspiration to young in London. Certainly, his Queen composer Bengt von Törne: ‘Never actors, for example, Paul Scofield, Elizabeth Gate which he designed pay any attention to what critics say. Michael Redgrave and Alec Guinness. with Guiseppe Lund at the Hyde D Remember, a statue has never been set He was one of the trio with Ralph Park Corner end of South Carriage up in honour of a critic!’ That is not Richardson and Laurence Olivier, who Drive, takes the biscuit, if not the strictly true, if one includes the statue dominated the British Stage for much of Battenberg cake, and which Richard to the literary critic Charles Augustin the 20th Century. Wilde, Harold Pinter, Alan Bennett, Dorment described as ‘just plain naff ’. Saint-Beuve in the Luxembourg Sir John’s father, Frank Henry Chekov, David Storey and Charles It was also described as ‘romantic Gardens in Paris. It is said that the Gielgud, was a City of London Wood. candyfloss’ and ‘three-dimensional art establishment took against Wynne Stockbroker, who was of Lithuanian Sir John was primarily a knitting’, but The Queen Mother, for because he never went to art school and Polish descent. His family had lands Shakespearean actor, but from the 60s, whom it was commissioned by Prince and was self-taught, plus the irritating and a castle which they lost opposing Michael of to commemorate his his work included roles in contemporary fact that the public appeared to like Russian rule. They settled in England. aunt’s 90th birthday, absolutely loved it. theatre. Avant-garde plays were his work. It could just be that his work His mother was Kate Terry-Gielgud. He had, however previously, come to the becoming popular. was badly-proportioned and mawkishly They had four children. His aunt was public’s attention with his monumental At first he did not take films seriously, sentimental in his representation Dame Ellen Terry. black marble sculpture of Guy the but went on to appear in over one of figuration. The Cadogan Estate Sir John attended Hillside hundred, including Granada TV serial, Gorilla for London Zoo, now in Crystal commissioned him to sculpt the three Palace Park. He also made Boy with Preparatory School in Surrey, where Brideshead Revisited. He received a statues in their elegant Queen Anne he did enough to get by in cricket and Golden Globe Award and two Baftas. the Dolphin, a whimsical, yet powerful and Georgian squares in the seventies, piece of design and engineering on football, but excelled in English and Sir John became President of RADA the northern part of which was the school’s Shakespearean plays. He and the Gielgud Theatre is named after Cheyne Walk, which has a grace and designed by Humphry Repton in 1806. free-spirited daring, rare amongst his proceeded to Westminster School. The him. All credit to them for commissioning fact this school was near the West End Sir Arthur John Gielgud saw the other sculpyures. Girl with a Dolphin by contemporary work to enhance their pursues the same theme, Theatres did not escape him! Next came Theatre as more than an occupation or open spaces, but maybe they could not Lady Benson Dramatic School and profession, saying, “ For me, it has been with added water, but is less successful afford a Frink or a Flanagan. Pepsicola, finally RADA. a life” On his 95th birthday, Michael as a cohesive piece. Girl with Doves who have a vast collection of sculpture His family made it clear if he was not Coveney, Critic, said, depicts a female nude bronze standing in the Donald M. Kendall Sculpture supporting himself by the age of twenty “Sir John Gielgud is the lone survivor on a granite plinth in Cadogan Place Gardens at their world headquarters in five, he would have to go to work in an of those great actors whose careers Gardens, with five birds fluttering Purchase, New York, including works by office! laid the foundation stones of modern between her uplifted hands. Dancer with Hepworth, Moore and Rodin, own five Well, he certainly did and was Theatre....people of my age and younger a Bird in Cadogan Square continues editions of Wynne’s work, including The awarded an Oscar, a Grammy, an Emmy, can only take on trust the impact of the the motif of movement and animals, Dancers and Dancer with Bird, Girl with a Tony and Best Supporting Actor for Hamlet, whose influence lasted more while The Dancers, also in Cadogan a Dolphin, Grizzly Bear and the truly Arthur. Furthermore, he was knighted for than thirty years. Even the recordings do Place Gardens, dispenses with birds awful Girl on a Horse. and depicts a naked couple entwined services to the Theatre. not quite convey the mellifluous magic of Sadly he was convicted of the voice, once described by Guinness, as in an awkward dance. The intention, Don Grant importuning homosexuals in public ‘a silver trumpet muffled in silk’. places. The high profile court case did Marian Maitland. 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 21 Astronomy online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

Above: The Sky’s surest black hole steals material from the blue supergiant HDE226868. ©NASA. Cygnus Left: An image of the bright emission region called Tulip Nebula in Cygnus the Swan. (The Swan) The strong X ray source, a black hole called Cygnus X-1’s shock front is By Scott Beadle FRAS above and to the right of the Tulip’s red petals. ©NASA.

ack in El Valle Lecrin for my galaxy and probably most others but that summer sojourn in southern Spain still doesn’t make them common. at 36 degrees North where I can Most stars will leave the “Main observe better the nearer equatorial Sequence” as bloated giants, then white B dwarfs. Some will become dense neutron constellations and stars eg. Scorpio and Sagittarius. However even here, although stars, a teaspoonful weighing as much as they’re very clear by eye, I am in a valley 14,000 tons. A star has to be at least 3.5 and the heat rising off the Sierra de las times heaver than the Sun and in its final Guajaras makes the air very unstable at life cycle to become a black hole. times and that of course makes the image 226868 weighing somewhere between 10 the X-ray catalogue as Cygnus X-1. When their nuclear furnaces no very poor at high magnification in a and 20 times the mass of the Sun. Finally, tremendous changes occur in a longer emit enough outward pushing telescope. But, hey ho, there’s something wrong. millisecond, (a thousandth of a second), pressure such stars cannot resist the So, the best constellation to look This bloated blue star, massive as it is, is faster than an eye blink. Such near gravitational urge to collapse. The smaller at, not so affected by atmospheric being swung around every 5.6 days. How instantaneous variations prove Cygnus they get the smaller they want to be, until scintillation is Cygnus right above me. can that be? It appears to be caught in X-1 is no larger than 1/20th the size their gravitational escape velocity reaches Along with Vega in Lyra and Altair in the gravitational grasp of an immense of the Moon. Put all the parameters 299,792km/ per/sec. Light itself, then Aquila it is referred to as “The Summer object. together and you have an ironclad case cannot leave, and the stars effectively Triangle” and beloved by mariners in my Spectroscopic orbital analysis proves for a black hole. disappear. day (pre-Sat Nav/GPS) as easy sextant that its companion must weigh about 8.7 It can’t be a neutron star because Cygnus X-1’s singularity, the targets for a good navigational fix. solar masses and lie about 30million Kms infalling material would release energy collapsed star at its centre, achieved black For astronomers, there is of course a away from it, in fact relatively close to it, on impact, but evidence of a black hole hole density when it became 6km wide lot more going on. Deneb for instance yet the object twirling this massive star is because the infalling atoms only create and probably shrivelled even further to is one of my favourite stars; a blue super around remains invisible. X-rays while in orbit, after that nada. less than the size of a beach ball.The giant estimated to be around 3220 light Usually massive stars are extremely It’s hard to convey just what is required surrounding “event horizon” would be years distant and yet one of the brightest bright but our most powerful telescopes to be a black hole but maybe explaining something like 26km; on this scale an stars in the heavens to the naked eye; just today can find nothing there, so our first that if you could compress the mass invisible no-trespassing zone. Step across try and imagine how incredibly powerful deduction is that it is a heavy and an of Everest into an atomic nucleus you it and you are doomed. that star must be to shine so brightly at under-luminous object. would have a black hole. Fortunately, this will not be the fate that distance. Within this constellation We then find that this exact spot of When the Large Hadron Collider of our Sun. In 5 billion years, it will have are some beautiful sites the “North sky emits an intense beam of X-rays, a first went on line many people said it left the “Main Sequence” and absorbed American Nebula” (due to its shape), the powerful type of energy that’s always a would create a black hole that would the Earth as it swells into a Red Giant, “Pelican Nebula” and the “Veil Nebula”. signal of violence. Physics tells us that devour the Earth, but the Earth is hit before settling back to White Dwarf But if you move down the neck of the anything spiralling toward a black hole every day by cosmic rays far in excess of status. At the same time Andromeda will Swan you see a not too bright star Eta should be whipped up to speeds frenzied any of the highest energies achievable in be colliding with the Milky Way, what a () Cygni, and just to the NE about a enough to cause X-rays, and sure enough the LHC. magnificent sky for astronomers that will Moon’s width away is a much fainter this turns out be the highest energy Yet black holes are scarce because be. On the assumption we’ve’colonized though powerful blue star with an X-ray source in the sky; a source so matter does not voluntarily pack itself so other worlds. incredibly interesting name called HDE important that it is universally known in firmly. There is one at the centre of our Will we be around to witness it? 22 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Education Opportunities

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ith summer here, why the Hackney Empire main stage. 01367 252486 See website for dates 291 Mare St, London E8 1EJ williammorrissociety.org This course begins with the basics so you not learn a new skill? hackneyempire.co.uk don’t need any background knowledge FromW archery to ceramics, Heartstart of distilling to make the most of the from ballet to photography, Resuscitation training expertise on offer. The course will provide Construction Challenge August 1, September 5 a sound overview of the industry so there’s something for July 22-September 3 Have you ever thought about learning you develop a solid understanding of everyone. This summer, discover engineering how to save someone’s life? Would you the disciplines needed to operate a techniques and have a go at our know what to do if someone suffered commercial distilling venture. City Lit construction challenge. This is a a cardiac arrest, heart attack or was 1, West Quay Court, Explore El País Vasco construction challenge with a difference: choking? The Heartstart initiative SR5 2TE 0191 549 9450 Come and discover unique aspects You will be transforming your spaces is coordinated by the British Heart brewlab.co.uk about this fascinating region in northern into different environments to explore Foundation and participants receive a Spain and southern France. From how the army adapts to its surroundings. certificate of attendance. Flight Training London modern cities, quaint villages and green From the jungle to the North Pole, use City Hall, The Queen’s Walk, SE1 2AA See website for dates landscapes to world class cuisine and our stack of wooden construction planks 020 7783 2534 Whether you want to give someone a Spain’s best wine region, the Basque to create a structure that won’t topple [email protected] once in a lifetime experience or want Country, has something for everyone. over. to take the controls yourself, this is an 1-10 Keeley St, London WC2B 4BA Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London Chelsea Physic Garden experience you won’t forget. 020 7831 7831 SW3 4HT 020 7730 0717 A Passion for Plants – Elstree Aerodrome, Hogg Lane, Elstree, citylit.ac.uk nam.ac.uk Gardening for Beginners WD6 3AW, Hertfordshire August 10 020 3005 3276 Christie’s Education Sotheby’s Education Come along to learn some gardening flighttraininglondon.co.uk Chinese Art in London Foundations in Contemporary Art tips from our Education Team. You’ll be July 17 – 21 July 24-28 shown how to: grow and care for plants, Arts Factory Chinese Art in London is Christie’s This intensive five-day course provides a take cuttings, plant seeds, use containers Pottery Classes Education’s five-day summer school basis for the analysis and interpretation and more. There will be a selection of See website for dates in Chinese art. Taking London-based of international contemporary art in all things for you to take away with you to Come along and learn the pottery basics collections of Chinese objects as its its forms. Chronologically organised, grow at home as well as ideas for original in a relaxed and fun atmosphere. you can starting point, this course is an exciting lectures will consider key issues in and thoughtful gifts. learn a range of techniques from coiling a opportunity to access an informative contemporary European, American 66 Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, press-moulding to sprigging and slip- series of specialist-led lectures, and and International art from 1960 to the London SW3 4HS 020 7352 5646 trailing. whether you are a beginner or experience first-hand viewing and present day, and will be complemented chelseaphysicgarden.co.uk have worked with clay before, this class is handling in museums, galleries and by special visits to London galleries and the perfect place to get creative and make behind-the-scenes in Christie’s museums. The Photographer’s Gallery new friends. warehouse. 30 Bedford Square, Bloomsbury, London Histories of Photography 2 Parkhurst Road, London N7 0SF 8 King Street, St. James’s, London, WC1B 3EE 020 7462 3232 September 4-October 25 020 7607 0561 SW1Y 6QT 020 7389 2025 sothebysinstitute.com This course introduces participants to the islingtonartsfactory.org christies.edu richness and diversity of photography’s Fashion & Textiles Museum histories. It takes its point of departure The Idler Academy English National Ballet Pattern Making on a Mannequin from photography’s early origins in the How to write a poem with Clare Pollard Dance is the Word July 26 mid-nineteenth century, it navigates Online Course July 21 – August 15 Through modelling fabric on body forms, through the many transformations that Poet Clare Pollard gives you the Dance writing can be fun, moving and participants will learn to make a bodice the medium has undergone since, and necessary tools and techniques to start evocative. In this course you will watch shape with calico which will then be finishes with its definitive acceptance writing your own poetry. Over six video- dance and learn to write about the transferred onto paper to create your as an art form in the later half of the based lessons, Clare explores the style, moving body. You will develop a writing very own patterns. On this fun hands-on twentieth century. structure and history of classic poetic voice in a fun and friendly class, using workshop you will learn quick and easy 16-18 Ramillies Sreet, Soho, London forms like ballads, sonnets and dramatic storytelling techniques from fiction and methods to allow you to create simple W1F 7LW 020 7087 9300 monologues. Great poets, like Keats and non-fiction, experiment with the “I” in bodice shapes with a choice of necklines thephotographersgallery.org.uk Tennyson, learned through modelling, your writing, and hear from experts in and sleeve shapes. By the end of the imitating, even stealing. In this vein, How the field. workshop you will gain the confidence Modes of Contemporary Documentary to Write a Poem teaches you to read the 1-10 Keeley St, London WC2B 4BA to design your own bodice shape, mixing September 6 – October 25 classics in order to learn what you can 020 7831 7831 and matching a whole range of elements Max Houghton leads this eight-week take from them. citylit.ac.uk and methods taught throughout the day. journey looking at essential modes of 020 3176 7907 83 Bermondsey St, London SE1 3XF contemporary documentary photography, idler.co.uk Hackney Empire 020 7407 8664 with a particular emphasis on the Auditions for Artist Development ftmlondon.org relationship between image and text. Archery Fit Programme (Adp) Her imaginative choices will offer a See website for dates July 22 – 23 William Morris Society fresh take on documentary practice, as it Conveniently located in west Greenwich A two-week summer programme for Summer holiday arts & crafts evolves for a new generation of image- and open 7 days a week 8-12 hours a young performers aged 13-19, who have workshops: we love printing! makers, audiences and anyone interested day. 2 separate archery ranges, each 18 an interest in the performing arts. A July 26 in finding ways to work with or think m long (standard distance for indoor company of 40 young artists will create A workshop in two parts: create a print with photographs. world championships) with one of those an exciting brand new piece of musical using natural materials inspired by 16-18 Ramillies St, Soho, London extendable to 30 m. theatre. The company of young artists, William Morris designs and his garden, W1F 7LW 020 7087 9300 Hatfield House, Merryweather Place, actors, musicians, dancers, singers and then make your own printing blocks or thephotographersgallery.org.uk London SE10 8EW 07557 234573 rappers will work alongside a team of top use our special wooden blocks to create archeryfit.com industry professionals to compose, write, your own wallpaper. Brewlab choreograph and perform their show on Kelmscott, Lechlade GL7 3HJ Start Up Distilling Compiled by Fahad Redha 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 23 Education online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

in English state schools, particularly of teaching at university. Trainee teachers everybody has grasped the concept in maths and own language. Throughout the in England might spend only two weeks hand, does the teaching move on. Instead Chinese maths in 80s and 90s schools’ ministers of different of their training devoted to maths. of just problem solving, pupils must parties wanted to improve teaching, but When qualified, they tend to teach think about the relationships between London? were stymied by the teaching unions several subjects. Once in the job, Chinese numbers and not just absorb without Why and how? and by academics who pushed an teachers are given more time to prepare comprehending. By Professor Hugo de Burgh ideology of ‘progressive’ teaching which lessons and to feedback. They also use Morgan considers this way of was deeply damaging. Even Scotland’s textbooks, not the scrappy worksheets learning ‘more deeply conceptual’, schooling, traditionally more rigorous that our children are often condemned although it looks like rote learning. By than England’s, went downhill. Although to use. taking small steps together, what the a minority of state schools kept to high And they teach the way English teachers call ‘pudian’ 铺垫, everybody standards, whenever they could afford to, teachers taught fifty years ago, with focuses on the same matter and you see parents fled to sector. modern improvements as to content. the children concentrating hard. This is eacher asks: ‘If China is the It was the Programme for Currently in England, classes are often how solid foundations of understanding whole, what is Zhejiang?’ A International Student Assessment divided into groups based on ability, are acquired, contrasting, she says, with young mother in the front row (PISA) global education league tables with each group given work of varying the insecure foundations of those who answers:T ‘a part’. ‘Good’, says teacher. that really got the attention of journalists difficulty. This is a nightmare for have gone through the English system, ‘Now tell the class, using a complete and parents, who started to lobby for teachers, and some children get very little jumping from topic to topic and all at sentence. And then get the whole class to reform. When those tables clarified that attention, especially if the class size is different levels. repeat it back to us, in unison. Then we pupils in the UK lag well behind those of large. In China, as in Italy and France, Little children love reciting, will all write it in our copy books.’ many other countries, and in particular teaching is of the whole class, children memorising and play-acting and there This is how Dr Deborah Morgan, that Shanghai children are several years are not setted into (in effect) ‘thick’ and is plenty of that, in the schools which who heads the National Centre for the ahead, British would-be reformers ‘bright’. Everybody is expected to reach I have visited. The Chinese classes are Teaching of Mathematics, started her had an incontrovertible argument. The the same level, and faster children help shorter than ours, and probably more talk on Shanghai Maths, held earlier poorest 30 per cent of Shanghai children the slower, if necessary. intense; they are followed by 15 minutes this month at Kensington Wade. The outperform the maths results of the As Dr Morgan demonstrated at of unstructured play. English primary audience of parents, teachers and many richest 10 per cent in England, and Kensington Wade, everybody is involved. school lessons can last for 70 minutes, other locals was there to hear why this despite the fact that Chinese schools The teacher asks a question, designed without children learning as much or as Chinese style teaching of mathematics rarely have fancy teaching aids, or to reveal or illustrate a mathematical well. The Chinese pupil will reinforce is being introduced all over the English- electronic devices and the class sizes are concept, and a pupil answers it with a what has been learnt during the day, with speaking world. And how. huge by UK standards. complete explanation. She or he then homework every night. In the 50 odd years since Why do they do so well? There gets the whole class to repeat it and write I have to say that I find it quite comprehensive schools were forced on are two aspects to this. First, the down the answer. If there are doubts, humiliating that our country has been most of the country, successive experts, organization of maths teaching is better they are discussed in front of everybody. unable to start reforming teaching employers and headteachers from the few and, second, so are the methods. ‘dong nao zi 动脑子’, get your brain without resorting to learning from remaining grammar schools have been Chinese maths teachers are specialists working, the teacher calls out, exhorting a country which, thanks to a similar pointing to the collapse of standards who have studied primary maths them to ask questions. Only when ‘progressive’ ideology, had no schools at all 35 years ago. Then, young people were supposed to ‘pick up’ skills from revolutionaries; something not dissimilar went on in England at the same time. When my son started primary school in London in 1991 I was astounded to find the contempt in which the mainly working class parents held the teachers, who had rejected tried and tested teaching methods and let our children mess around ‘developing self consciousness’ so that if they learnt anything in those years it was from mother at home. After trying to reason with the teachers we signed up for an independent school where he flourished. Later generations are luckier, thanks to reforms championed by all parties. This government is making the most sustained effort of any to reverse the situation. As part of the endeavour, over the next few years, 8000 primary schools will start to teach maths Chinese style. The Education Department has set up 35 maths hubs, and 30 Chinese teachers are being seconded to the UK each year to guide the process and teach our teachers how to teach. At Kensington Wade, whose first pupils arrive this September, we will be starting out with maths the Chinese way, and provide the foundations which will stand them in good stead for the rest of their lives.

Professor Hugo de Burgh is Chairman of Kensington Wade School 24 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk

Education Photograph©Imagedoc and politicians on just how far we still possible. Many universities however, have to go,” said Ruth Hunt. “Almost are having trouble meeting the overall half of LGBT [lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, consensus of what the admissions passing transgender] young people are still grade should be. bullied at school for being LGBT,” she University College London stated said. a C grade pass now requires a grade 5. Universities such as King’s College, and London School of Economics have set the benchmark at 5 as well. Changes to Whereas, , , and University set the benchmark GCSE’s creates at grade 4. This will prove difficult as students who get a grade 4 in English confusion and Maths, will already be below the olds. “Since the 2007 School Report, threshold for several universities. the number of lesbian, gay and bi pupils over university Founder of careers advice charity My Homophobic bullied because of their sexual orientation Big Career, Deborah Streatfield, said has fallen by almost a third,” says the admissions “students and parents are confused and bullying falling in research. The number of schools who say looking for advice, it’s inconceivable that this bullying is wrong has nearly trebled, A new set of reforms in GCSE’s grading a simple task of deciding a pass has led British schools and homophobic remarks are far less system has created a wave of confusion to a ridiculous ‘standard pass’ and a ‘good likely to be heard.” over university admissions. pass’.” More than a third of schools now The changes were announced by This summer, the first batch of have a dedicated club or society for gay the Department of Education (DfE) GCSEs in Maths and English are the he level of homophobic bullying pupils, and two in five pupils know of an and Ofqual, after explaining plans to first to be graded under the new system, in Britain’s secondary schools openly gay teacher, the study suggests. switch the numerical grades, from 9 to with nine being the highest. has fallen by a third in a decade, But there are wide regional variations 1. But confusion arose when parents and Head of ASCL teachers’ union, according to a study from the University in levels of tolerance. While 36% of students were preparing for university Suzanne O’Farrell commented, “some T applications, questioning how numerical schools might be ‘future proofing’ their of Cambridge.The study, commissioned gay pupils report bullying in south-east by the gay rights charity Stonewall, England, it is a more common experience grades would translate to official passing pupils’ results by treating grade 5 instead says the use of insulting language is less in Wales, where 54% of gay pupils grades. of grade 4. But it would not be until frequent and schools are more likely to face bullying, and the West and East Under these new reforms, univer- next year that it would become apparent prevent attacks on gay pupils. Midlands, where 51% do so, according to sities are setting different “pass” grades how universities would interpret the pass But the report says 45% of gay pupils the survey. If there is a long-term trend to smooth the transition as much as grade.” still face bullying. Such behaviour needs away from gay pupils being bullied, the to be “urgently addressed”, says Ruth report says, it still remains unacceptably Hunt, Chief Executive of Stonewall. prevalent. The study, carried out by the Centre for Bullying is experienced by 45% of Family Research at the University of gay pupils, most typically in the form of Cambridge, suggests gay, lesbian and insults or gossip. But for 7% there were transgender pupils in England, Wales physical attacks and for 4% there were and Scotland are less likely to face “death threats”. Mental health problems homophobic bullying than five or 10 are described as “alarmingly high” among years ago. gay pupils, with four in five transgender In 2012, 55% of gay pupils surveyed youngsters surveyed reporting that they faced bullying because of their sexuality, had self-harmed. and the report for 2017 suggests that “While our new school report shows has fallen to 45%. The culture of school an improved experience for pupils in has begun to change, suggests the study, many ways, it also needs to act as a based on a sample of 3,700 11 to 19 year wake-up call for schools, government

currently rated second in the QS global deep concerns about its subjective student satisfaction survey results and rankings for social sciences, was awarded assessment, its lack of transparency and graduate employment rates; including Top UK the lowest bronze rating. with different benchmarks for each the proportion of graduates who go The Tef was introduced by the institution, removing any sense of equity on to work in high-skill jobs. While universities miss government in an attempt to provide a and equality of assessment.” critics argue that none of the indicators picture of teaching quality and learning A total of 295 universities, colleges directly measure teaching quality, the out on gold award outcomes in higher education to help and alternative providers of higher results are expected to nevertheless in controversial Tef test prospective students make better- education volunteered to take part in have a significant impact on student informed choices about which university the first year of the framework – of the recruitment, in particular in the to attend. The government has indicated 134 universities and specialist higher international market. that universities that have a Tef award education institutions that were given Madeleine Atkins, chief executive of Many of the UK’s leading universities will be able to increase tuition fees in line ratings, 32% (43) scored gold, 50% (67) the Higher Education Funding Council have failed to achieve the highest with inflation. silver and 18% (24) got bronze. for England, which published the Tef awards in a controversial assessment of Sir Christopher Snowden, president Among other prestigious institutions results on Thursday, said: “Students teaching quality that has sent shockwaves and vice-chancellor of the University of to receive a bronze award was the currently invest significant amounts of through the traditional higher education , expressed deep concerns SOAS University of London. time, and indeed money and incurring hierarchy. Among the elite Russell about the Tef and said his institution and Cambridge both got gold, as did debt, in their higher education. Group universities, just eight out of would be appealing against its bronze , Newcastle, Leeds, Imperial “They are quite right to expect a 21 institutions that took part in the award. “It is hard to have confidence College, and Exeter. high-quality academic experience. To government’s “teaching excellence in a teaching excellence framework hold any Tef award universities and framework” (Tef) were awarded the which appears devoid of any meaningful The rankings are awarded by a panel colleges must already have cleared a high gold rating, while 10 got silver. In one of assessment of teaching,” he said. of 27 assessors and are based on bar. The Tef measures excellence over and the biggest upsets, the world-renowned “I know I am not alone in having statistics including dropout rates, above this bar.” London School of Economics, which is 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 25

Education online: www.KCWToday.co.uk Photograph©Pisa However Professor David Reynolds, a former government advisor and head Worldwide Pisa of education at Swansea University, has warned that Wales is in danger education test of missing out economically unless it improves its Pisa performance. Reynolds target ‘dropped’ warned ministers would miss their targets for the Pisa tests unless teacher in Wales training improved and that leading industrialists made investment decisions based on this “most important test”. Speaking to Sunday Politics Wales, key target to improve Wales’ the Swansea University head of scores in global education tests education said: “In a globalised world has been dropped by the Welsh Pisa is the most important test that Government.A Ministers wanted to see there is. If you look back at 2010 when Welsh pupils achieve a score of 500 in Shanghai, China, suddenly came from every subject by 2021 in the Pisa tests. nowhere to be top, foreign investment However Welsh Education Secretary in China went up. If industrialists are Kirsty Williams told a committee of looking at Pisa, and they are, the answer AMs: “It’s not my target”. is to get those scores up to get industry Introduced in 2014, the target in or we risk becoming just a kind of replaced the previous aim of seeing theme park with no industry.” Wales ranked among the top 20 best- A Welsh Government spokesman performing countries by 2015. Students said the Education Secretary’s focus in Wales were the lowest of the UK “remains on the next set of Pisa nations in science, reading and maths in In a meeting of the Assembly’s it’s more complex than that. tests in 2018 where we expect to see the 2016 tests, scoring 478 in maths, 477 Children, Young People and Education “We need to make progress in specific improvement”. “Pisa allows us to judge in reading, and 485 in science. Committee on Wednesday, the areas. We have made progress for our ourselves against the world, everybody The Pisa tests, (a major study of Education secretary was asked by lower performing children that we’ve in our system must understand this,” he educational performance), are taken Plaid Cymru Education spokesman raised them up and they’re doing better said. The spokesman pointed to measures by 15-year-olds in 72 countries every Llyr Gruffydd whether the Welsh than the OECD average.” aimed at boosting the quality of three years. After the 2016 results, the Government still retained the 500 There has been support for the teaching, from initial training and career fourth time Wales had done worse than score target. Ms Williams said: “I have Education Secretary from the National development to a new National Academy the other UK nations, First Minister been clear that my expectation is for Union of Teachers (NUT), which for Educational Leadership. “These Carwyn Jones admitted that the results the Welsh education system to make said it had “never subscribed to the actions reflect our shared ambitions and made for “uncomfortable reading”. progress in the Pisa scores. But, as I said, notion of setting arbitrary Pisa targets”. pride for the profession,” he said.

national curriculum introduced in 2014. children. The National Association of SATS In 2015, the number of primary school Head Teachers said it was a “poor policy leavers failing to make the grade fell Funding for decision” to scrap a project that has “yet from 80% in 2015 to 53%. to be evaluated”. These results are used to measure schools Schools have had a budget of £1 billion primary schools’ success in ‘league tables.’ to come from free school to launch the free meals in 2014, Nearly two in five primary “Schools and pupils have responded meals, Tory manifesto pledges including the cost of installing kitchens. school pupils in England fail to extremely well,” School Standards There will however, be free breakfast Minister Nick Gibb told BBC News. Schools will see an additional £1 billion for all primary pupils, at a cost of £60 meet the expected standard in “Today’s results show sustained progress in funding, the Conservatives have million. Extra support for disadvantaged reading, writing, and maths. This in reading, writing and maths and are a pledged, with £650m coming from students will also remain. School meals is according to figures from the testament to the hard work of teachers stopping free lunches. Currently, they are will, the Conservative party says, once and pupils across England. available to all infant pupils. again be means tested, meaning that the national curriculum tests, Sats, “Thanks to their commitment and In addition to this, the Conservative poorest students will not have to pay. sat by 11-year olds earlier this our new knowledge-rich curriculum, manifesto pledges to remove the ban The remainder of the budget will come term. 61% did reach the expected thousands more children will arrive at on Grammars and review admission from other places. Changes to the secondary school having mastered the policies. It would also mean that teachers Student Loans Company, which will save level which is an improvement fundamentals of reading, writing and would not need to pay back tuition fees £200 million, “departmental efficiencies” on last year’s 53%. maths, giving them the best start in life.” while they stayed in teaching. Maths’ which will be worth £160 million, and But the National Association of Head specialist schools will be required in £10 million from the tariff on sugary While ministers praised the hard work Teachers said that these results should be every big city, more academies and drinks. “We have protected and increased from schools, head teachers say the taken “with a pinch of salt.” independent schools, and faith schools school funding to the highest level on results don’t tell the whole story. While “Sats data only gives parents part of the are also on the agenda. Universities are record, but we accept there is more we ‘only’ 61% met the expected standard picture when judging a pupil’s success to be supported in setting up investment can do,” a Conservative spokesman said. in reading, writing and maths, greater or a school’s effectiveness,” General funds for spin-offs from research. “This extra money means no child will numbers of pupils did so for each of the Secretary Russell Hobby said. “League The changes on school funding follows a lose out.” three. tables are the least helpful way of campaign led by head teachers over cash Labour has said that all Primary school 71% of pupils reached the standard knowing if a school is the right place for shortages. The National Audit Office pupils should have a free meal funded in reading, up from 66%. In maths, your child. At the moment, parents and says that schools have a £3 billion gap in by adding VAT to private school fees. It it was 75%, up from 70%. grammar, schools know that these results have to funding. Head teachers’ leaders criticised has promised to invest over £20 billion punctuation, and spelling saw 77% of be taken with a pinch of salt.” the Conservatives for “sleight of hand,” in schools in England by 2022 as part of pupils make the grade compared with 73 He concluded that while schools do saying that this is to“counteract the a package of pledges in education that % last year. Finally, 76% of pupils met the need to be held accountable, “inspectors rising costs which are hitting schools.” it says would protect real term school standard in writing, more than last year’s should look at more than just data” and The additional funding will come mostly funding and cut class sizes for five to 74%. that the data doesn’t show the work from scrapping free hot lunches for seven year olds. The Lib Dems have This year’s pupils were the second to being done to help pupils achieve their all infant children which are currently projected £7 billion in spending over the sit the new, tough tests as part of a new full potential. used by approximately two million same period over the same period. 26 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk

Literature Photograph© Alfred A. Knopf Photograph©AlfredA. armour, the P.I. Phillip Marlowe. Whilst fiction The Op is as Chandler may have been one of the best hard as they come. Like Anniversary and Marlowe is every bit as an important many other tough-guys literary figure as Sherlock Holmes or of crime fiction, he is Poirot, Dashiell Hammett and his brutal inured to violence, but rogues gallery of detectives, criminals and he is also amoral and cruel-eyed women (though there’s often exhibits a distinct lack Red Harvest not that much separating one from the of compassion tempered Dashiell Hammett other, except for the make-up) are often with wry humor. unfairly placed a rung or so below in the This darkly alluring public perception. combination of qualities Unlike Chandler who began writing and Hammett’s concise his pulp stories as a transplanted upper- writing style makes for class Englishman, Hammett was the a reading experience real deal, an ex-Pinkerton detective that is thrilling and who had lived a hard and traumatising unforgettable. So life, including a stint as a soldier in the ground-breaking First World War. Pinkerton’s specialised was the Op, it’s been in strikebreaking and strong-arm jobs argued the hard-boiled as much as detective work and when pedigree of Chandler’s Hammett was offered $5,000 dollars by Philip Marlowe and his superiors to murder a strike leader in MacDonald’s Lew Archer 1922, his disgust at his profession drove owe their existence to his him to quit for good. At a loose end he influence. The deadpan turned his hand to writing what he knew Op, whose psychological about; the blood and violence lurking in fencing with high society the seamy underbelly of the American and the underworld Dream. alike straddles the grey Whilst his later, more famous novels boundary between his month we’re going (with co-incidentally famous film civilisation and the deep undercover as adaptations, though Red Harvest was instinct to kill, is ever adapted into Kurosawa’s Yojimbo which America when organized crime was at fascinating, and ever a page-turner. This we wade into Dashiell went on to inspire Leone’s A Fistful Of its peak, Red Harvest was published in is far from a Spillane-style testosterone Hammett’s neon-soaked Dollars) like The Maltese Falcon and The 1929 and offers a cynical portrayal of the drunk slugfest though, in the words of T Thin Man get all the ink, it’s his first kind of corruption that could be found Raymond Chandler: “Hammett was the nightmare with Red Harvest white-hot novel Red Harvest that was in countless cities across the country. The ace performer... He was spare, frugal,

the seismic shock which announced a only honest citizen in Personville has hard-boiled, but he did over and over “Play with murder enough and it gets whole new genre of hard-boiled fiction. been brutally murdered, and it takes the again what only the best writers can ever you one of two ways. It makes you sick, Pared down, with sentences that buck steely (if nigh psychopathic) dedication do at all. He wrote scenes that seemed or you get to like it.” Red Harvest and thud in a machine gun staccato, of the Continental Operative (who never to have been written before.” When most people dip their toes Hammett created a dark new world never even gets a name) to tear down the Whilst you may think that hard- into old-school detective fiction, it tends that thousands of later writers would conspiracies that hold the town trapped boiled fiction might have no surprises to be the lyrical cynicism of Raymond populate with their own tales of greed in a web. left, the genre’s first cut may still be the Chandler and his famous knight in sour and compromise. Set in Prohibition-era Even by the standards of early crime deepest. Max Feldman

together a diverse range of poetry, from the importance of reading out loud the classics: “If you’re looking for I alongside solitary reading. Independent wandered lonely as cloud, there it is, in “It is so rewarding working with Spring!”, she smiles, to modern classics children and poetry”, she says of her Bookshop Week and contemporary poets. work in schools. “If a child learns a poem “I didn’t want it to be the same book by heart you can see them grow three 24 June-1 July that you might find on your grandparents inches in height with pride at being able bookshelf ”, she explains of her editorial to recite a whole poem. And then you choices. “It includes many, indeed most, have that for life, inside your head, your of the classics. But it is up to date” , own little library of poems that you can featuring well-loved modern authors like draw on in times of need” Maya Angelou and Seamus Heaney and Shows and festivals are a key part Independent Bookshop Week (IBW) Year, edited by Allie Esiri (Macmillan contemporary poets Rachel Rooney and of her “mission, to reach as broad an kicked off on Saturday 24th, with 400 Children’s Books) with Picture Book Tony Mitton. audience as possible”. independent bookshops all over the UK category prize going to Tidy by Emily The selection marks the turning of “Poetry was always written, and Ireland taking part in special events Gravett (Macmillan Children’s Books). the seasons, commemorates important historically, in the oral tradition. We pass including readings and signings, and The new Bookshop Search app historical events, celebrates festivals like on lullabies and rhymes and stories. In exclusive books and merchandise. has been launched to accompany the Christmas or Diwali, but also places the past maybe a balladeer would come The week saw authors and publishers celebrations, which pinpoints local importance on the everyday and smaller in to your village square and recite a teaming up with The Booksellers bookshops and exclusive bookshop moments in time. “I think for most poem. For many, especially at secondary Association to celebrate local bookshops, offers. The new IndieBound Book people these days poetry is only really school age, poetry out loud is so much and shine a light on how local shops and Recommendations’ website has also just heard at weddings and funerals. But I more accessible”. their booksellers provide a special service been launched featuring book reviews think poetry really is not just for the big to their communities. from indie booksellers. things in life but for the little things too”, Ahead of the week, the IBW Book KCW Today joined local author and Esiri explains. A Poem for Every Night of the Year, Award prize winners were announced. poetry editor Allie Esiri, whose A Poem A Poem for Every Night of the Year edited by Allie Esiri, is published by The Adult category winner is Days for Every Night of the Year has won the suggests bedtime reading and the sharing Macmillan Children’s Books. Without End by Sebastian Barry (Faber Children’s category prize, in Notting Hill of poetry read out loud together. Indeed, at Lutyens and Rubinstein: 21 & Faber), while winner for Children’s bookshop Lutyens and Rubinstein. Esiri is passionate about sharing poetry Kensington Park Road, W11 2EW category is A Poem for Every Night of the Esiri’s new poetry collection gathers with children of all ages, and emphasises www.lutyensrubinstein.com 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 27 Poetry online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

John Keats (31st October 1795 - 23rd February 1821)

ngland is a land which has produced many wonderful poets but in my, not even slightly, humble opinion, John Keats is amongst the top five and yet he was a mere twenty-five years old when he died and was only a serious Epoet for six of those years. Until he was nineteen he studied as an apothecary and surgeon before abandoning a promising career to writing. During his lifetime, like many great artists, he was not appreciated and only about 200 volumes of his works were published. He died in Naples trying to cure himself of the family disease, tuberculosis from which his mother, Frances, had also died. He undoubtedly caught it whilst nursing his younger brother, Tom, who also succumbed to the disease. As he wrote in Ode to a Nightingale: “Where youth grows pale, and spectre-thin, and dies.” In the early nineteenth century TB was considered an unmentionable disease as it was falsely and ridiculously attributed to masturbation and its real cause was not recognised until 1820, just a year before Keats’s death. Keats was a master of sensual imagery and this was unquestionably achieved by his genius use of one part of speech; not the noun or the verb but the unusual and hugely apt adjective. Some of the most famous lines in all poetry come from Ode to a Nightingale:

Perhaps the self-same song that found a path Through the sad heart of Ruth, when, sick for home, She stood in tears amid the alien corn; The same that oft times hath Charm’d magic casements, opening on the foam Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.

Those few words send shivers down my spine, make the hairs on the back of my neck tingle and make me want to weep because of their sheer beauty.Which words seem to stand out more than any others? Surely it is ‘alien’ and ‘forlorn’? Why those extraordinary, but so fitting adjectives? I can almost touch this tragically beautiful and lonely woman and hear the song of that mystic bird.

Keats–Shelley Memorial House

26 Plazza di Spagna is situated at the foot of the Spanish Steps in Rome and was Keats’s final dwelling place before he died in 1821. Now the Keats-Shelley Museum, Keats house in Rome contains a wealth of treasures and curiosities relating to the works and lives of the Romantic poets. One of its most impressive features is the library which contains 8000 volumes from the Romantic period, making it one of the biggest collections of Romantic literature in the world. Percy Bysshe Shelley, another of the great Romantic poets In September of 1819 Keats was walking by the River Itchen near Winchester of the age, had met Keats in England. When Shelley heard and it moved him to write one of his most loved poems, Ode to Autumn. In this, too, the use of the adjective inspires the reader to feel exactly what the poet feels. We from a friend that Keats had contracted Tuberculosis he invited can almost smell the dying of Summer and the air has a bite to it not felt for several months. “Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;” Why did he use that rare and Keats to stay with him at his residence in Pisa but other lovely word ‘winnowing’ and can’t you feel it on the back of your neck? And haven’t arrangements had been made for Keats to go to Rome instead. we all seen the Autumn dancing of the gnats heralding the beginning of Winter? “Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn” Here, however, it isn’t only the When Keats died Shelley was so moved by the tragic loss adjective ‘wailful’ that makes the line have such a powerful impact but also the verb ‘mourn’. That is genius. that he took to his pen and wrote Adonis, another Romantic In this small appreciation of John Keats I have tried briefly to show my love and masterpiece. Shelley himself died in Italy at the age of 29 when passion for his work, which he achieved in such a short life. Tragically, he died before the world recognised his talents and felt that he had wasted his life. Mike Daunt he drowned in a sailing accident off the Gulf of Spezia. 28 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Dining Out

the Royal Borough) took another scalp by Wally with two delectable pieces of sleekly meal was paired with six different curated forcing Rasoi to close. Vineet Bhati London black Amritsari haddock hidden amidst a wines; perfectly matched to whichever part Vineet Bhati has risen from its ashes however and if small cairn of black rocks (learn from your of the tongue the meal had travelled to; anything the temporary closure seems intrepid reviewer: The black rocks are not all were thirstily appreciated. By the end London only to have focused Bhati’s drive and meant to be consumed!) which caused a of the meal sated was an understatement 10 Lincoln St, Chelsea, ambitions, leading to a dining experience minor turf war between my date and me as worthy of describing Donald Trump as “a SW3 2TS unique in Chelsea. No lunch menu, no side we frantically shuffled through the stones bit of a braggart”. The only thing to bear orders, the approach is uncompromising; searching for a phantom potential third in mind is that befitting so many courses, a Open: 6.30-10.35pm but if you are happy to allow yourself to be piece of haddock. From there it was a flight diner will be at their table for quite a while 020 7225 1881 led you will find yourself in some extremely through all manner of culinary cul-de-sacs and whilst the quality of the food (and capable hands. Inside the townhouse Bhati from glazed pork chops whose tenderness quantity) of the food more than warrants it, (or to be more specific, Bhati’s wife) has and sweetness left us with appropriately it’s quite a pricy night out; with a set price tastefully laid out some of the rooms into glazed expressions to elaborate lattice of £105 (£175 with wine flight). his is certainly homey” is pleasingly dinky dining rooms, perfect for works of chocolate that make a mockery

the joke that occurs when hosting intimate get-togethers. It was so of the very idea of diets. In addition the By Max Feldman Photograph © VineetLondon Bhati stepping into Vineet Bhati intimate in-fact that the two other couples London, a restaurant concealed inside a dining complimented each other on how “T happy they looked with each other (which handsome (and doubtlessly eye-gougingly expensive) townhouse just off King’s Road, was a bit passive aggressive towards me frustratingly for my inner Borscht-Belt and my date really) so privacy isn’t exactly comedian, however the food on offer is number one on the list of priorities. anything but a joke. Vineet Bhati London In regards to food, there is absolutely is the reincarnation of Rasoi Vineet Bhati, no contest in that the so-called Experience the brainchild of Indian masterchef Vineet Menu is really the only option worth trying Bhati. After making his name in Mumbai, here, mainly because it’s the only option. he found himself frustrated by the strict Considering that it’s made up of eleven culinary conventions of his home and he courses, it’s easy to feel something of a shifted his base of operations to London in sense of trepidation when sitting down; but ‘ ’ 1993, with an eye to modify and reinvent. considering the haute cuisine sized portions He was the first Indian chef to be awarded and the general lack of carbs it’s more akin a Michelin star (for Zaika in Kensington) to grazing than an endurance test and and swiftly gained another for Rasoi before the size of the menu allows Bhati to take setting his sights on global expansion. you on an odyssey of considerable variety. However this string of successes hit an After beginning with some Prawn Chaat unexpected roadblock when some landlord that was more inhaled than eaten, the next

finagling (the bane of all things good in course was an unexpected game of Where’s Photograph © Burns & German German & PhotographBurns © VintnersLtd up thus allowing the full flavours and aromas to waken. Temperatures Another of my friends inherited a habit from his father, of serving Rising? Champagne at near freezing By Edward Burns temperatures. This inhibits the Champagne’s ability to show its full spectrum of flavours, as the cold leaves it in a dormant state so that you may as well be drinking Prosecco or cheap sparkling wine. On the plus side, chilling a bottle One of my favourite sommeliers once said also suppresses tannin and makes alcohol to me “The problem with the English less noticeable on the palate. So if you is that they drink their white wines too have a wine that is either too young or cold and their red wines too warm” and I alcoholic, an hour in the fridge will make think he has a point! it far more approachable. If you do not There are no hard and fast rules to have an hour to spare, put the wine in observe when serving wine, however, an ice bucket with plenty of ice and a I am happy to share some of my handful of salt. The salt helps to lower thoughts on the matter. One of the most the freezing point and in ten minutes you common misconceptions with red wine will have a cold bottle of wine. is that it should only be served at room Both the style, age and grape variety temperature. I have known friends of impact on what temperature a wine mine to leave decanted wines by the fire should be served, however, it is far easier and have served near on steaming wines to let a wine warm up in the glass than to at the table. This will not only affect the cool it down. Hopefully this guidance is alcohol levels, but will leave the wine useful, as I have said, there are no rules, with a slightly stewed finish, as well as but you may be missing out on the full reminding you of drinking Glühwein on flavours, aromas and potential of your a winter’s night! glass of wine this evening! Personally, I prefer serving a red wine a couple of degrees cooler than it should be (12-14 degrees). When a Burns & German Vintners Ltd, wine is poured into the glass, due to the Chelsea, SW3 larger surface area and the warmth of T: 020 3011 5965 your hand, the wine will naturally warm www.bgvintners.co.uk 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 29 Dining Out online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

Kurobuta: Japanese Junk Food meets High End dining By Max Feldman

hen it comes to Pan-Asian fine-dining, London has concept and brand. In been stuck in something of particular he is proud aW rut. The trail initially blazed by high- of the unique and end tastemakers such as Nobu, Buddha often obscure sushi and Bar and Zuma have become increasingly sashimi that they have homogenised to the point where most on offer, to the point high-end Pan-Asian restaurants are where they require any effectively interchangeable: The same sushi or sashimi chef quasi-hotel lobby chic layout, the same to have a minimum of blandly inoffensive dance or classical ten years’ experience quietly burbling through the speakers, before they can join and what is basically the same menu, the Kurobuta Group tweaked in only the most minor ways to and even then only if avoid upsetting the apple-cart. It’s not they’ve been trained that these restaurants are bad, they’re just in a specific way. overly safe; curated high-end experience Often these exacting all assembled from the same blueprints. expectations lead to Without the spark of innovation there’s chefs being parachuted little to distinguish one restaurant from into Kurobuta’s another and the best chefs in the world to stay within the open-plan kitchen directly from across can’t help if the raw ingredients have rigidly defined South-East Asia, rather than settling for gone stale. lines of what a anything close to second best. With this in mind, when I ventured restaurant of this This perfectionist drive seems to into the newly opened Kurobuta Marble sort is ‘supposed’ inform every element of his organisation, Arch to speak with Chico Luciano, to be like, explains from exclusively sourcing their sake Kurobuta London’s Managing Director, Kurobuta’s (which is otherwise unavailable in I wasn’t expecting anything but more of immediate appeal London) from niche and independent the same tasteful, if overly familiar style for customers producers in Japan, cutting out the and experience. Instead I walked into hungry for middlemen, to employing specialist a restaurant that owed as much to its something new. pastry chefs to eliminate the need to design as a trendy nightspot in Miami Whilst the purchase buns; when talking to him beach than the hermetically sealed prior career of managing top-end brands Marble Arch branch is only newly Chico’s passionate desire for Kurobuta sterility that I’d come to expect. Pictures like Buddha Bar to now focus on his opened, Chico laughingly comments is to be completely self-reliant and drape the walls from seminal rock acts brand Kurobuta. Bored with the straight- that in King’s Road, the restaurant has uncompromising when it comes to both like Nirvana and Guns ‘N’ Roses whilst jacketed nature of the Pan-Asian dining become so ubiquitous that locals are quality and maintaining the uniqueness hidden- speakers pulsed to the tune of scene, Chico travelled through South reportedly describing it’s pull as almost of the dining experience. Despite only legends like David Bowie and Bon Jovi. East Asia, seeking taste and inspirations “unavoidable”. having just recently opened the doors on Overall the whole set-up seemed to straight from the source. Seeing no use /Of course none of this would their second location, already it looks like suggest late-night cocktails and Sake’s as for stultifying conventions he envisaged amount to anything if the food itself Chico and the highly trained team that much as it did Pan-Asian cuisine; and as an entirely new approach combining the wasn’t of a high enough quality to give he has assembled from what seems to be soon as I met Chico it became clear that quality food and expertise of high end the Pan-Asian giants a run for their every conceivable facet of the industry all of my smug assumptions were going dining with the punky edge of what he money. Punchy aesthetics are key to are eyeing further expansion, in both to be of no use to me at all. termed “Japanese junk food”, tearing viral success, but if you’re not serving London and further afield. Kurobuta is As Chico explained the concept down the old standards to build a fresh up the very best, better/ than London’s edgy, cool and unique in every sense of and philosophies behind Kurobuta to and exciting menu that’s unique amongst voracious competition, it will rip you to the word and they have a freehold on me, his eyes flashed with the kind of Kurobuta’s peers. shreds like rabid piranha’s. From the way ambition; they are certainly a brand and fervour more commonly associated with It’s this dedication to standing out that Chico explains the stringent pre- concept to experience and watch out for. freedom fighters and revolutionaries than and embracing the outré that has led the requisites that a prospective Kurobuta restauranteurs. At a vigorous 32, having still young brand (Kurobuta Chelsea only chef has to possess to qualify though, it Kurobuta Chelsea worked in the industry since leaving opened on the King’s Road two years becomes clear that it’s probably slightly 312 King’s Road, Chelsea SW3 5UH school. He was all energy during our ago) to grow so exponentially. The Rock easier to break into Fort Knox than Open: 12:00pm-12:00am chat; constantly solidifying his position ‘n’ Roll, careless/ Rockstar ethos provided pass; with even successful applicants 020 7920 6442 as one of the pioneers and sharing his by replacing the subdued anonymous requiring rigorous training even after visions for the future (one gets the generic music commonly found in Pan- passing the test “so that they can exceed Kurobuta Marble Arch impression that he is something of a Asian restaurants. The classic 80s and our expectations for our ingredients and 17-20 Kendal St, W2 2AW perfectionist). It was this energy and 90s bangers blaring across the restaurant our menu” extolls Chico, his eyes flashing Open: 12:00pm-12:00am drive that led him to leave behind his is the perfect example of Chico’s refusal with an almost religious belief of his 020 7920 6440 30 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Promotion

of jolly young yanks sitting at the table next to me. For those who would like Jackson’s & Rye to taste a little piece of heaven, I would suggest the St. Louis style Ribs. They virtually melt in your mouth and by the time you’ve come back to your senses, the When it comes to having a dual plate is empty. Iraqi food at its best! Enjoy a citizenship, among the many things that As a serious food-enthusiast, I welcome drink and 4 courses at might play against me at times, the perks nonchalantly decided upon an order of this traditional Iraqi feast, you will do outweigh the cons. I’ll get to the point ribs, smoked beef and the most delicious immediately. I can, and do, celebrate cookie sandwich I have ever eaten in my definitely leave satisfied!! as many holidays as possible, a kind of life, all of which was for only £25. child of two divorced nations, and I A couple of friends sitting next to me always calculate the rate of success by the ordered the heavenly Pecan Pie, which I Thursday 27th July 2017 at Maida Hill Place, 2-4 Fernhead amount of food that is allowed and/or was so close to ordering as well, but I’ve Road, London W9 3ET. Tickets available to buy online (link expected to be eaten. decided to save my stomach from myself below) This American style restaurant in the and have it on my next visit. This was in heart of London, will take care of filling fact, the set menu for the fourth of July Whether you are familiar with the cuisine, a big foodie or just in any gaps of homesickness. For those week, but it worked out for the best as generally want to try new things, this opportunity will allow who are perhaps feeling the distance of I’m sure if I had more options I would’ve you to be introduced to a world of new flavours. family and friends, or the authenticity overloaded and rebooted in standby of American food. Jackson’s & Rye, will mode. Menu and venue details are found on the link below, The fill you up with great food and great Jackson’s & Rye was a place of Sunflower Kitchen hopes to leave you wanting more! company. celebration and togetherness, not just a Upon entering the little red restaurant restaurant in Soho indulging Americans on the 4th July, I was pleasantly surprised to celebrate their holiday away from by the festive atmosphere. Star-stripped home. Instead it was an unexpected slice To book on visit: http://grubclub.com/the-sunflower-kitchen- flags were jauntily aligned alongside the of home itself which managed to cross iraqi-supper-club/20847 old-school counter of the sixties styled the pond and create an atmosphere that diner. The atmosphere was jolly, although is rarely served with such perfection. www.instagram.com/thesunflowerkitchen packed during dinner service, I cannot but stress what a lively and celebratory @TheSunKitch atmosphere the restaurant created. Jackson’s & Rye It’s just as worth going there any 56 Wardour St, Soho, London other day as well, but as this the 4th July W1D 4JF food left me beyond content, and I could Hours: Open today · 8am–11:30pm tell it had the same effect on the crowds T: 020 7437 8338

Luxuriating in By Ione Bingley

aving checked the weather glimpse was through the large drawing recommend the next flight to Northern rooms, lounging areas and old and new forecast for the weekend, rain, room windows where we were told one Ireland, ooey, gooey goodness like no wings, before being delivered to a spread rain, storms, rain, one could be drunken party guest, having fallen asleep other. of delightful canapés including platters of Hforgiven for having some reservations in a shady nook, had pressed his face Stuffed to bursting, we arrived at crab and fresh oysters. And the culinary about embarking on a wet and wild long after his fellow revellers had gone, the glorious Culloden Estate and Spa excitements didn’t stop there, the weekend in Northern Ireland. However, to the shock of the relaxing royals inside for two nights in the lap of luxury. tasting menu that we had the pleasure gliding past the 50 shades of green that as he searched for the exit. Celebrating its 50th anniversary, the of experiencing later that evening was cloak the rolling hills outside Belfast, a Back in the bus and bumping official opening of a new wing, complete superb. nostalgia rises for a childhood of damp along the winding road into the with renovated spa, and being named Sad to leave, but with one last treat British summers. bucolic backcountry, we headed to the Luxury Hotel of the Year at the Irish in store we alighted at Mount Stewart, The sun finally made a grand entrance wholesome home of Tracey Jeffery Hotel awards, the Culloden is certainly an extraordinary 19th century house as we pulled up to the magnificent façade perched on the banks of the Strangford still going strong. Sinking into a sea of packed with historic artefacts, with of Hillsborough Castle. Though not a Lough. Tracey organises culinary huge pillows, facing an enormous flat stunning and strange, surrealist-inspired true castle in form, the Georgian country experiences of the underappreciated, but screen and waiting for the marble bath gardens designed by the Marchioness of house is, however, the Queen’s official unparalleled Northern Irish produce, to buoy up my complimentary rubber Londonderry. residence in Ireland and has been privy including oysters considered to be some ducky, it’s easy to see why it has been Dripping with history and magic, to many a historical moment including of the best in the world. enjoying such a success. Northern Ireland will definitely require a the signing of the controversial Anglo- Snug in the kitchen for afternoon In the morning, the divine smell of return trip. Ireland agreement in 1985. tea, we learned to make two Irish Espa products, which infuses the whole While the rich drapery, huge staples, soda and potato bread, which hotel, led us into the peaceful depths of With thanks to Hastings Hotels, portraits, cut crystal and silverware is were enjoyed with some very indulgent the low-lit spa for a spoiling massage. Tourism Ireland and N01 Lounges. very impressive and certainly fit for a traybakes that Tracey had prepared Feeling very relaxed we floated around For more information visit: queen, the real gem in Hillsborough’s earlier. If you’re fostering a sweet tooth the 50th anniversary tour, taking us www.hastingshotels.com crown is the sprawling garden. Our first and you’ve never tried a ‘fifteen’, I through the many magnificent function www.ireland.com 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 31 Travel & Lifestyle online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

former GPO headquarters and previously gained by delivering mail by mail a home to the National Postal Museum, coaches was clear and postal delivery From Pillar is now owned by Merrill Lynch. A was revolutionised. Many of the mail hint of its former GPO importance is coaches set off from London along the to Post: indicated by a sculpture in the wall of the Great Roads from The General Post The walking tour that reveals building depicting a Caduceus; a Staff Office.Sadly just prior to the First London’s postal history with two entwined snakes, belonging World War this office was pulled down to Mercury/ Hermes, messenger to the to widespread public outcry. Already By Owen Fulda Gods. Around the corner stands the proving too small for the increase in statue of a hero of the GPO, Rowland mail volume, it had earlier been popular Hill, the creator of the Uniform Penny as a gathering point for the public who Post. This is known to most as that which would assemble to observe the spectacle rain geeks rejoice! The Mail gave us the 1d black postage stamp, the of the departing mail coaches. Smaller Rail; a subterranean network of first in the World, helping to open the mail vans were hazardous to the unwary; automated trains stretching from postal service to all. recorded the death Paddington to Whitechapel which kept The tour continues on the other of a pedestrian under the wheels of a T side of the road with a walk through galloping mail van in a neighbouring the Capital’s communication network flowing for over 75 years, is set to open to Postman’s Park, adjacent to another street in “ Little Dorrit”. the public on July 27. The Postal Museum former GPO Head office; GPO North. The tour also touches on the Post have resurrected a section of track so that The park has a rich history of its own, Office Underground Railway that runs you can experience the hidden history of but it was so called because of its underneath some of the areas traversed Mail Rail in thrilling motion witnessing proximity to the former GPO buildings on the tour. Work on the Railway began how millions of items of mail are and the popularity of the park with GPO prior to the First World War, and was delivered every day, round the clock, deep workers resting there between duties. then halted due to the War when the beneath the streets of London. In the park is also situated a memorial underground tunnels were used to store And if you want to learn more I established by the painter George artworks from museums and galleries highly recommend From Pillar to Post; such as the National Gallery. The railway London’s only walking tour centred on opened in 1927; It was used to transport the history of the GPO (General Post mail using driverless trains, underneath Office), specifically its early presence and London, to the mainline stations which impact in central London. It is a brilliant provided access across the country. Built way to spend a weekend morning, partially to avoid the traffic congestion discovering the fascinating history overhead, some might argue that little hidden within London’s streets. The two has changed in London today. hour tour starts in Farringdon and ends However, with the closure of most of in Bank, uncovering along the way the the large sorting and distribution offices, rich postal heritage of London’s roads routing of mail outside London and and buildings, interwoven with the City’s cessation of use of the London railway wider history. termini for mail purposes meant that the The tour begins outside the old requirement for a bespoke underground Metropolitan Railway Parcels’ office at railway, by now renamed Mail Rail, was Farringdon Station. Like today, there was no more. By the time of Mail Rail, the no monopoly on the parcel post and you transport revolution had been going could pay many different companies to for many years with the GPO availing deliver your parcel for you. The various themselves of the opportunities available. disparate railway companies provided Mail was first carried on overland trains a regular, well honed parcel service, in 1830. Again the innovation of the if a little complicated and expensive GPO is evident; mail carried by trains when utilising more than one company was instituted soon after experimentation at a time. In an endeavour to create a The large ‘A’ sized example at Bart’s not Frederick Watts. This consists of a series with the railways and train travel first nationwide service the GPO commenced only incorporates two peculiar angled of plaques that commemorate those began. its own ‘Parcels Post’ in 1883. They apertures, but also a door situated outside often unheralded elsewhere, who had The well known novelist, Anthony initially made a loss having overestimated the hospital so that the mail can be performed heroic deeds (some of whom Trollope, is credited with the the number of parcels that would be collected even if the gates are shut. were children) and all of whom paid the introduction of the first British pillar box, delivered. Into view soon after came four huge ultimate sacrifice. As you exit the park when working as a Surveyor’s Clerk for The telephone kiosks introduced buildings that formerly made up a GPO be sure to notice the bench dedicated to the GPO. The pillar box was trialled in by the GPO are well illustrated in empire. The King Edward building, ‘the Central Telegraph Office female staff the Channel Islands in 1852 and similar Smithfield Meat Market, with an who helped keep boxes were introduced to the streets eye-catching row of the iconic K2 and communications of the UK mainland by 1853. The first K6 red kiosks. Both were designed by open during two pillar boxes appeared in London in 1855 Giles Gilbert Scott (later Sir), who World Wars’. though no examples of these survive also designed Battersea Power station John Palmer, today. Possibly one of the most popular and Bankside Power station, now Tate a theatre owner of all the pillar boxes is the Penfold, the Modern. The K2 kiosk is almost certainly from Bath, only pillar box named after its designer based on the tomb of Sir John Soane, conducted a and famously used as the name of the celebrated architect. Sir John Soane’s successful trial Danger Mouse’s sidekick. tomb is one of only two Grade One run of a mail The tour ends outside the National listed tombs in London, the other tomb coach travelling Exchange and the imposing Bank of is that of Karl Marx. from Bath to England, by Bank station. Here stands Next stop on the tour is St Bart’s London in 13 a First World War memorial that also Hospital, West Smithfield, where one hours against commemorates the role of the London passes an old and inconspicuous wall the usual time Regiment, City of London Battalions box. Companies would often have their taken of nearly and the 8th Battalion (Post Office own wall box for their mail that they triple this. From Rifles), providing a fitting and sombre would then pay the GPO to collect from. then on the time end to the tour. 32 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk

Travel & Lifestyle Photograph©Bestival Abbots Ripton, Huntingdon Genre: field. Pop/Alternative Price: £197.00 Preparing for a festival, whether Headliners: Metronomy, Crystal it’s just a two-dayer such as SW4 or Fighters, Toots and the Maytals Lovebox or a five day extravaganza in An intoxicating combination of boutique Croatia like Outlook or Soundwave, chic and all night party, the theme for preparation is key. Of course it’s crucial this year is childish things, so anyone to take as little as possible, because looking to get in touch with their inner lugging half a ton of junk three miles child should head down for everything from your transport to your tent is no- from mud wrestling, lazy swimming one’s idea of fun. in the lake or raving through the night A fold out chair complete with foot there’s something for everyone, this is the rests, neck rest pillows, and beer holder last year before the shutter falls on the is arguably the most fundamental piece festival permanently, so this is last call for of festival gear. Whether you’ve spent all any late-comers. night raving and returned to your tent just in time to see the sun come up, or Cambridge Folk Festival: just want to have a chilled out weekend July 27th-30th with some mellow guitar anthems, we all Cambridge. Genre: Folk/Pop. Price: £167 need a comfy place to park our derrières. Headliners: Jake Bugg, Frank Turner & Sitting in three-inch deep mud or a The Sleeping Souls, Loudon Wainwright sun-baked slab of grass resembling green Alternative. Price: £212. III concrete is nobody’s idea of fun. Headliners: The Specials, MIA, The Cambridge Folk festival has been Traversing a muddy field once the July Festivals Cyprus Hill going since 1964 and is steeped in sun has set can be tricky in itself, but An artsy rollercoaster of a festival, Boom tradition and atmosphere. Though stumbling around in the pitch black VEN THE THREAT Town is an actual mock ‘town’ packed recently with its more pop orientated while trying to find the loo in a semi- OF TORRENTIAL with live music, stand-up comedy and lineup, the folk aspect is sometimes drunken coma is nigh-on impossible. arts and crafts. Blending ska, reggae, found more in the audience than the And that is exactly why you need a E artists. head torch! Yes smart phones now come RAIN and rivers of mud can’t dance, dub and swing with a dash keep music festivals from of hard rock, the festival is covered complete with a built-in torch, but if with incredibly elaborate stages and Reading and Leeds Festival: you haven’t already lost yours by day being an integral part of the decorations with fancy dress heavily 25th-27th August two, you’re not doing it right. A light British summer. Whether encouraged. Boomtown comes complete Reading and Leeds. Genre: Pop/Rock/ strapped to your head rather than in with an ever evolving backstory which Metal. Price: £212.50. hand also makes pulling your trousers up you’re a bearded hipster or sets the theme of each year’s festival. Headliners: Kasabian, Eminem, Muse significantly easier. Winning! a head-banging black metal Definitely leaning towards harder Saving space when packing is of Beat Herder: 17th-19th July rocking stuff than your average festival, the essence, but there are certain items aficionado there’s a festival for Sawley, Lancashire. Genre: Dance/ Reading and Leeds tend to attract a hard that you’ll really regret not taking. Sun every taste. After Glastonbury Alternative. Price: £158. partying crowd. Fans of pop-punk played cream being the obvious one, because in Headliners: Crystal Fighters, Sleaford at ear-splitting volume will find plenty the rare event that the star at the center it can be easy to assume that Mods, Kelis. For those whose tastes run to like, though those looking for a more of our Solar System actually makes an you’ve missed the boat as far more towards musical outliers. There’s relaxing time might be better served appearance in the UK, you’ll want to plenty of Breakbeat, Reggae and Dance- elsewhere. avoid coming back from Secret Garden as festivals are concerned, so Punk for those with more specialised Party looking like a poached langoustine. tastes than an average festival caters for. Bestival: 7th-10th September Mosquito repellent is equally vital, KCW are offering a list of Isle of White. Genre: Pop/Rock/ because sleeping in a freezing cold/ Photograph©Benicassim some of the best festivals going Hip-Hop/Alternative. Price: £196. boiling hot tent is hard enough without Headliners: The xx, A Tribe Called the constant need to scratch at dozens of this late in summer, both old Quest, Pet Shop Boys, Justice antagonising bites. favourites and underground Coming at the close of festival season, Ladies would be wise to invest in Bestival has something for everybody. a shewee. If you don’t know what that hits. With circuses, poetry readings, comedy, is, google is your friend. Men don’t live performance on top of a line-up 13th-16th July need to worry about that, which frees Latitude Festival: unconstrained by genre, it’s almost Henham Park, Suffolk. Genre: Pop/ up a bit more room for booze. Don’t guaranteed that even veteran festival Indie. Price: £197.50 Headliners: The forget to pack a tube or two of Berocca cynics will enjoy. 1975, Mumford and Sons, Fleet Foxes. multivitamins to kick that hangover More of a European type of festival into touch. (Tesco’s own brand is just with an emphasis given to Comedy, Art, Benicassim: 13th-16th July as effective and about one third of the Poetry, Dance and Literature rather than Spain. Genre: Pop/Rock. €142. price). a purely musical experience. Headliners: The Weeknd, Red Hot Chili Energy bars can save almost literally Peppers, Kasabian your life if you’re struggling in the latter Boom Town: 10th-13th August Due to the nearby beaches and good Summer Festival stages of a festival. A quick hit of protein Matterley Estate, Winchester. Genre: weather, Benicassim manages to draw and carbs to bloodstream gives you a in as many as 50,000 festival goers Essentials boost to get off your backside and hit determined to have fun in the sun. Much By Owen Fulda that Rodigan (MBE) set at Boom Town. more of a party festival than the relatively There’s nothing worse than running out chilled out Primavera, Benicassim is of food and being forced beg, steal and regularly attended by huge numbers of So Glastonbury has been and gone once borrow on the last day of a festival, but Britons hoping to escape the inevitable more. Ed Sheeran’s headline performance we’ve all been there. Or is that just me? mud of the traditional English festival may not have gone down a storm in But the light at the end of the tunnel... and the music reflects this, with a strong all quarters, but at least it didn’t rain, that first proper shower when you get Anglo influence. for once! Festival season is now in full home makes all the pain and suffering flow, but don’t fret, there are still plenty worthwhile! Secret Garden Party: 28rd-30th July more chances to get out and shake your Hang on, why do we even go to tailfeather to some tunes in a muddy festivals again?! 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 33 Travel & Lifestyle online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

Although many of us do the an interesting request. They quickly watching rather than the wearing, not introduced themselves as Mr Stephen A brief History to mention the riding, the time of the Spielberg and Mr Harrison Ford. of Hats year has just passed when the British Mr Spielberg was quick to reveal By Antonia Williams elite grace the Ascot race tracks draped he was making an adventure film with in elegance and extravagance. Amidst Harrison Ford as the main character. the sea of haute couture, the track has also They determined that in the movie become renowned for people-watching- Raiders of the Lost Ark, Indiana Jones enthusiasts competing for who can spot needed to be wearing a hat. the most outlandish of them all. Herbert Johnson was delighted at rom the Bowler to the Boater, Although attendees are restricted having been chosen to help design it, and the Flat Cap to the Fascinator. to a strict head to toe dress code, hats soon decided on the classic and oldest Britain’s love affair with hats is in are still the favourite accessory to show style hat known as The Poet. Fa league of its own, the nation’s devotion off. Christy’s & Co Ltd have been First created in 1890 by Herbert to headwear dating back centuries. manufacturing hats since 1783 and have Johnson, The Poet has always been Traditionally, hats were loaded with supplied thousands of pieces to Ascot The Bowler: deemed ageless. It had a wide brim and totemic power in their ability to signify attendees. Designed by London hat makers tall crown, which seemed perfect for the class, occupation, and gender. Ascot holds a long history of royal William and Thomas Bowlers in 1849. character. associations and horse racing. In fact it Created for gamekeepers to protect The Poet was modified several times was Queen Anne in 1711, when riding their heads from low branches when out for the character of Indiana Jones, out near Windsor Castle came upon riding. Most famously worn by Charlie especially finding that perfect shade of an area of heath, who said it was, “ideal Chaplin. brown called sable. This hat was very for horses to gallop at full stretch.” The distinctive as the shape of the brim gave Queen held a series of equestrian events protection to the eyes and neck, with the on that very site. slimmer sides also helping with camera angles. The Panama Hat: The brim pulled down also created Originally Ecuadorian, the Panama long the look they needed for Indiana Jones, has held the renowned position of the portraying the explorer look by just most fashionable summer hat. Made altering the original ribbon from 50mm and woven out of papa toquilla, a plant to 39mm, making the tall crown appear only indigenous to Ecuador, the Panama taller. This was the beginning of the The Top Hat: has been around at least since the 16th iconic Indy hat, a trademark which Throughout the 19th century, the top century. continues to feature in sequels and hat was an essential of Victorian life. In the mid-18th century the hat remains popular to this day. A man in a topper was thought to be made it across the gulf and into the a respectable, well-to-do, and a man of United States. During the Spanish- The Deerstalker: industry. But the top hat was quick to American war of 1898, the US Considered ‘an essential’ in the Victorian become a caricature of the upper class government supposedly ordered 50,000 era. Today it is most commonly privilege it once represented. hats for troops in the Caribbean. known as the Sherlock Holmes hat. The top hat was typically made of The hat made its debut in Paris when It was designed for hunting deer. silk mounted on a felt base. It has a high a Frenchman brought it to the World The Homburg: This hat enabled the deerstalker to be crown, a narrow, slightly curved brim, Exhibition in early 1855. As the Panama The Homburg was prime ministers distinguished from its front and back and is usually black. The earliest top hat started its reign in Europe, it didn’t take Sir Anthony Eden and Sir Winston visors, dubbed the “fore and aft”.

is often attributed to English milliner long for it to cross the Channel and Churchill’s signature hat. Photograph©PhutullyChris John Hetherington around 1797. arrive in England. Accounts of the first public The black band around the hat is said The Beret: outing in the top hat caused a riot, to have originated in 1901, the year of Holds a long political history and and Hertherington was charged and deeply cherished by the French. It was supposedly jailed for “having appeared first adopted by artists such as Picasso on the Public Highways wearing upon in 1895. In later days, it was worn by his head a tall structure having a shining Madonna and Brigitte Bardot, morphing lustre and calculated to frighten timid it into ‘modern chic’. people.” The top hat was later accepted in late The Fedora: 1700s to mid 1800s, when worn by the Originally designed for women in 1882 Photograph© istockphotoPhotograph© famous fashion forward English dandy, and more popular in women’s suffrage George Beau Brummel. movements, it became more commonly Although different shapes and associated with men after Prince Edward variations of the top hat evolved in time, was photographed wearing one in 1924. such as flatter brims or higher or lower The Fedora was soon to become the crowns, the basic form remained. In ‘gangster’ hat, when featured in movies the mid 1800s, hat checkers had to be Queen Victoria’s death. such as The Godfather. The Fascinator: introduced at the theatre and opera, as In 1985, the Panama Hat was In 1980, two Americans walked into Its origins date back to the Renaissance. top hats grew in height, some reaching selected by the Conran Foundation for Herbert Johnson’s shop in London with This large band, with clips, feathers, up to 12 inches and making it impossible the Boilerhouse Project at the Victoria & ribbons etc, is usually worn to the side for theatregoers to view the performance. Albert Museum, as one of “the 100 best and does not cover the whole head. It Top hats are worn at Ascot. designs ever.” was popular in the 1900s and brought back into modern fashion by London- The Flat cap: based milliners Stephen Jones and Ascot: Originated in Tudor times. It was also Philip Treacy. Is it also wrongly believed By the early 20th century Ascot had dubbed the ‘classless’ hat, since it was by many to be ‘The Ascot hat’, but become the epitome of British high worn by both upper and lower classes. It according to the dress code, hats worn at fashion, and much of the height was the became an icon of the working class in the track must have a base diameter size headwear, then as now. the 19th and 20th century. of 4 inches. 34 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Travel & Lifestyle

Vive l’Art Nouveau! Liberty’s, a different kind of shop © Liberty’s Photographs By Lynne McGowan

jackets. A glorious renaissance happened for Art Nouveau Liberty textiles in the with the famous Lotus collection heralding a cool Britannia era. Liberty fabrics have become iconic, arguably the most famous being Ianthe in a distinctive Art Nouveau pattern originally designed by Frenchman R Beauclair in 1900 and has become a signature Liberty print. Over 1000 floriferous patterns grace the stable of Liberty and collaborations with designers such as and Manolo Blahnik help keep the brand abreast of trends. Liberty’s 2016 Chesham Cabinet collection of fabrics and wallpapers comprises quirky associations and inspiration from celebrities such as the late actor Roger Moore and the artist Grayson Perry.

www.libertylondon.com

alking through Liberty’s is in Regent Street with three employees like entering an Aladdin’s selling a magical mix of wares. Cave of treasures with dark, First and foremost the name Liberty timberW paneled walls, leaded windows conjures the exotic, sinuous fabric reminiscent of a grand old manor patterns of the Art Nouveau era, images house and tables piled with delights immediately recognised and emblazoned from east and west. The emporium in into the British psyche. Back in the late Great Marlborough Street built in 1924 1800s the store imported fabrics from belongs to a golden age of luxury brand the Far East and created a brand new department stores. It’s oak beams may quintessential ‘English’ look to rival be Tudor but Liberty’s has survived to Paris fashion with the help of Arts and present day with a willingness to embrace Crafts designers William Morris and young designers and continuing to offer a Charles Voysey. Beloved by bohemians unique shopping experience for any age. and Pre-Raphaelite artists alike, Liberty’s Like many successful retail stories rode the zeitgeist wave of the times it all started with one ambitious with luminaries such as Oscar Wilde entrepreneur blessed with a surname championing the fabrics to Americans associated with freedom and travel; and declaring: symbolised by the Mayflower ship “Liberty is the chosen resort of the weather vane perched on the roof of the artistic shopper!” store. Arthur Lasenby Liberty was born Menacing Chinese dragons have in Bucks, but adored eastern bazaars and evolved into an abundance of flora to suit took advantage of the colonial passion the taste of gentlefolk and the soft silks for fabrics, furniture and oriental rugs. and lawns using vivid vegetable dyes are With £2000 loaned from his father- still used to embellish everything from in-law-to be, he purchased ½ a shop cushion covers to the collars of Barbour 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 35 Events online: www.KCWToday.co.uk KensingtonThe Newspaper for the Royal Borough & 020 7738 2348 December 2014 / January 2015 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 33 6LA The Postal Museum will reveal the ChelseaBROMPTON, CHELSEA, EARLS COURT, ,Selling, NORTH & letting, SOUTH KENSINGTON, management, TodayKNIGHTSBRIDGE, refurbishment, NOTTING HILL surveying and valuation Events richmix.org.uk surprising and fascinating story of the first social network, and make their July 24 – August 5 extraordinary collections available Don Quixote and enjoyable for all. From interactive Royal Opera House galleries to an immersive subterranean The Mariinsky Ballet’s London season rail ride, modern research facilities to opens with the company’s sparkling a wide-range of learning activities, The production of “Petipa” and Gorky’s Postal Museum will offer something for exuberant classic. everyone, from all backgrounds and of all 020 7240 1200 ages. E Bow St, London WC2E 9DD 020 7239 2570 V roh.org.uk Phoenix Place, London WC1X 0DA postalmuseum.org EXHIBITIONS July 19 – 30 Ongoing Internal Library Diana: Her Fashion Story Coronet Printroom Moving through a labyrinth-like She was a fashion icon for women all installation formed by hanging E over the world. Now, Princess Diana’s translucent fabrics within the black-box N best-known outfits are put on display theatre space, each visitor will encounter at Kensington Palace, in an acclaimed three antique wooden bureaux; dedicated exhibition that tells the stories behind to Memory, Dream and Secret. Here, the looks. on a variety of vintage typewriters, 0844 482 7799 each individual is invited to leave Kensington Palace, , anonymously their inner- most thoughts. W8 4PX A live performance will take place on the final day of the exhibition where all the T S Ongoing collected texts will be distilled and re- The Private Made Public expressed. Dulwich Picture Gallery 020 3642 6606 July 2017 As part of the Gallery’s bicentenary 103 , London W11 celebrations, enjoy a series of displays 3LB throughout the year that reflect the the-print-room.org Gallery’s founding principle of bringing great works into the public realm. FAIRS & FESTIVALS July 2017 English National Ballet: My First Ballet 020 8693 5254 Cinderella Gallery Rd, Southwark SE21 7AD Ends July 16 DANCE The Peacock dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk International Youth Arts Festival 2017 Everyone’s favourite rags-to-riches story, Creative Youth July 12 - 15 in a beautifully adapted ballet version Ends July 29 Showcasing the best talent nationally and Dorrance Dance for children aged three upwards. With Nathalie Du Pasquier, From time to internationally, Kingston’s International Sadler’s Wells a narrator to help the young audience time Youth Arts Festival (IYAF) provides a The masters of tap mix urban beats with follow the story, and a shortened version Pace London platform for emerging artists under 27 powerful physicality in this slick and of Prokofiev’s ravishing score, “My An exhibition of works by Milan-based years old. dynamic fusion of sound and movement. First Ballet”: “Cinderella” is a unique artist Nathalie du Pasquier. 020 8549 2120 Introducing New York sensation collaboration between English National 020 3206 7600 Millennium House, Eden Street, Dorrance Dance onto the Sadler’s Ballet and English National Ballet 6 Burlington Gardens, London W1S Kingston upon Thames KT1 1BL Wells stage, dance innovator Michelle School. 3ET iyafestival.org.uk Dorrance brings tap into the age of 020 7863 8222 pacegallery.com electronic music with an earthy, intensely Portugal Street, Holborn, WC2A 2HT July 13 – 16 rhythmic take on the traditional dance sadlerswells.com Ends July 22 Big Screen on the Green form. Bernar Venet, Looking Forward: 1961- Various locations 020 7863 8000 July 19 – August 6 1984 Chelsea’s only open-air screening event Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell, London Tanguera Blain Southern where like-minded fans can enjoy an EC1R 4TN Sadler’s Wells Bernar Venet, Looking Forward: action-packed festival of great British sadlerswells.com This summer escape to the sultry streets 1961-1984 traces the development of sport and culture. of Buenos Aires with the return of the the artist’s distinct conceptual mode, bigscreenonthegreen.com July 14 – 15 spectacular tango musical Tanguera focussing on examples of works that were Dance Overture 17 which brings a love story from turn-of- pivotal in defining his practice. It will July 14 – 15 New Wimbledon Theatre the-century Argentina to life. be the French artist’s first solo show in The 50 Plus Show Overflowing with energy, this exuberant 020 7863 8000 London since the ICA in 1976. He was Olympia display of jazz, ballet, contemporary Rosebery Avenue, Clerkenwell, London in his thirties at the time yet had already Don’t miss your chance to gain support dance and musical theatre combines EC1R 4TN been the subject of a career retrospective and advice on key topics including dynamic young dance talent with the sadlerswells.com in New York and was widely esteemed health, travel and finance. Discover work of emerging and established for his role in the development of new interests in the dedicated Hobbies choreographers, many of whom are July 23 conceptual art. and Craft Zone which will provide alumni of the college. An inspirational BARE! 020 7493 4492 demonstrations to keep your creative night out for all aspiring young dancers. Rich Mix 4 Hanover Square, Mayfair, London juices flowing. 0844 871 7646 BARE is a true celebration of youth W1S 1BP Rd, London W14 8UX 93 The Broadway, Wimbledon, London culture, a night of poetry, films, theatre blainsouthern.com olympia.london SW19 1QG and music from a range of performers.

020 7613 7498 Opens July 2 July 14 – 16 July 18 – 23 35-47 Bethnal Green Rd, London E1 Postal Museum Hyper Japan 36 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Events

Tobacco Dock Colours in Europe and helped create exhibition. Join guest children’s book about a mysterious object that has turned Bringing the best of Japan to London, an indescribable atmosphere on an authors and illustrators for story time up at the Lost Property Office. Nobody celebrating J-culture including unforgettable day. sessions and enjoy their beautiful knows what it is or where it came from traditional and contemporary exhibitors, holifestival.com illustrations that bring the stories to life. so London’s very best transport detective performances, food and more. 020 7379 6344 is brought in to help discover where the 020 7680 4001 July 31 Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E strange item came from and return it to Tobacco Quay, Wapping Ln, St Camden Fringe 7BB its rightful owner. Katharine’s & Wapping, London E1W Various Venues ltmuseum.co.uk 020 7379 6344 2SF The Camden Fringe was set-up as Covent Garden Piazza, London WC2E hyperjapan.co.uk an alternative to Festival, July 22 – September 3 7BB offering performers the chance to try Zoorassic Park ltmuseum.co.uk July 22 -23 out new material and different ideas in London Zoo AFROPUNK a supportive setting with less time and Go back in time to a prehistoric world July 25 The Printworks financial commitments than EdFringe where you will come face-to-face with Pond Dipping and Minibeast Hunt Come to AFROPUNK London 2017 to did at the time. The Camden Fringe aims moving dinosaurs: from the giant but A 30-minute pond dipping session, feel the music, free your mind, and enjoy to give anyone the chance to perform gentle Brachiosaurus to the towering followed by a minibeast hunt. an incredible lineup of ground breaking and showcase their talents, from very Tyrannosaurus Rex. Accompanying adults are free of charge. icons and emerging talents. experienced performers and companies, London NW1 4RY Lode Ln, Wicken, Ely CB7 5XP Surrey Quays Road, London, SE16 7PJ to ambitious newcomers. zsl.org nationaltrust.org.uk afropunkfest.com camdenfringe.com Saturdays from July 22 – September 9 From July 26 July 22 – 23 FAMILY & CHILDREN Summer Sleepover Family Gamelan Taster Session Ealing Blues Festival 2017 London Zoo Southbank Centre Walpole Park Ongoing Would your children like to go on their Bring your family and friends to play a 45 Disraeli Rd, London W5 5HS The Robot Zoo own time-travel adventure this summer Javanese gamelan percussion orchestra. ealingsummerfestivals.com Horniman Museum and sleep over near colossal dinosaurs? Composers as varied as Claude Debussy, How do chameleons change colour? Experience the sights and sounds of the Olivier Messiaen, Steve Reich and Björk July 22 – 23 What makes grasshoppers leap so high? the Zoo at night and enjoy exclusive have taken inspiration from gamelan AJ Bell London Triathlon 2017 How do bats see at night? Enter the animal tours; both prehistoric and music, and now you can learn to play this Attracting over 13,000 participants and fascinating world of the Robot Zoo contemporary. beautiful instrument. 30,000 spectators each year, this iconic and discover the mechanisms that give London NW1 4RY 020 3879 9555 event has become a must do event in animals their amazing abilities. zsl.org Belvedere Rd, , London SE1 the sporting calendar. With a variety of 020 8699 1872 8XX distances, routes and wave categories to 100 London Rd, Forest Hill, London July 24 – August 11 southbankcentre.co.uk choose from, it doesn’t matter whether SE23 3PQ Transport Detectives you’ve never done a triathlon before or horniman.ac.uk London Transport Museum July 26 are an Olympic champion, everyone is Storytime: Listen to an intriguing story Craft a Character Masterclass welcome. Opens July 14 livetotri.co.uk Whales: Beneath the Surface Natural History Museum July 23 Dive through one of the world’s most Lambeth Country Show compelling evolutionary journeys in Brockwell Park this family exhibition. More than 100 Faktura: Summer A unique line-up that celebrates the specimens from the Museum’s collection very best of the city and countryside. will be on display together for the first Horticultural shows, sheep dog & owl time, from parts of a colossal blue whale displays, home grown vegetable and to a small harbour porpoise. flower competitions, numerous craft & 020 7942 5511 food stalls and a very own on-site farm Cromwell Rd, Kensington, London SW7 will be there for all to enjoy. All this will 5BD be on offer and more with a distinctively nhm.ac.uk urban south London vibe. 020 7926 7085 July 22 Brixton SE24 9BJ Mister Maker & The Shapes live! lambethcountryshow.co.uk Hackney Empire CBeebies’ Mister Maker is back by July 28 – 30 popular demand in his smash hit live Prudential RideLondon Cycling Show theatre tour. With a fabulous supporting one of a series of events Excel London cast and art at its heart, this fantastic Developed by the live show encourages Mini Makers and ccording to Wikipaedia, the concept of faktura is associated with and his agencies in 2013, Prudential grown-ups to sing, dance and make some ARussian Constructivism, and is the visual demonstration of properties RideLondon is a world-class festival of noise! inherent to materials, referring to the material aspect of the surface. cycling. The fifth edition will take place 020 8985 2424 Three artists, Suzanne Holtom, an early modernist, with an interest in over the weekend of 28-30 July 2017. 291 Mare St, London E8 1EJ ‘restructure, shifting perceptions and sensory experiences of space’, Fred 020 7069 5000 hackneyempire.co.uk Thackeray-Vincent, a product designer and painter based in Berlin, and Royal Victoria Dock, 1 Western Natasha de Samarkandi, who, with Renegade Inc., was host to the first Gateway, London E16 1XL July 22 & 23 of a series of get-togethers in a studio in Fulham, as an independent excel.london Illustration and story time family exhibition of contemporary painters who are ‘exploring the manipulation weekend of material and rediscovering the forgotten art of painting’. Is painting July 29 London Transport Museum dead? Not in SW6 it ain’t. All three artists are interested in painterly Holi Festival of Colours Learn easy drawing tricks and create skills and the physical application of paint as a medium. The results are Wembley Park pictures of your most loved London vibrant and textural, with each focussing on subtly different aspects of the It all started on the 29th of June: a large places using collage, pens and pencils manipulation of paint. Don Grant number of people came together in taking inspiration from the Museum’s Berlin for the first ever Holi Festival of Sounds of the City illustration 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 37 Events online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

The South Bank Centre’s Summer dance summertime programme plays in the city host to some unusual dance and By Anna Kretschmer performance events. Circus Cirkor present a contemporary circus and acrobatic show.13th-16th August As is tradition, ballet companies go on break each summer and Sacrifice is a collaborative piece tour their repertoire around from Iceland Dance Company, the world. London’s resident featuring visual artists and Royal Ballet are jetting off to musicians; 18th-20th August Australia this year, while English The Jungle Trip is a free event National Ballet are touring featuring hiphop and parkour- internationally to Japan and inspired dance - 23rd August around the UK. The Place, contemporary dance Londoners don’t have to take theatre, hosts London Contemporary a summer holiday from dance, Their signature style and big International, every Friday and Dance School’s Graduation however, as there is some name dancers, along with some Saturday night. Performances from 7th-14th July. exciting summer programming blockbusting repertoire, make them 10th-28th August. Their Family Dance Day, particularly coming up. a real hot ticket. This year they are focused on families with kids aged dancing an exciting mix of classics. Sadler’s Wells continues its 2 to 8, has a mixture of shows and ENB’s beautiful Romeo and Juliet Don Quixote 24 July-5 August contemporary and world dance workshops to choose from on the will be at the Royal Festival Hall as Swan Lake 27 July - 7 August programme throughout the summer. 22nd July. part of their UK tour from the 1st- Anna Karenina 3-4 August Stand-outs include: 5th August. Their popular My First Contrasts 8-9 August Tanguera, a romance set in turn-of- Or why not take a summer dance Ballet series is a real treat for young La Bayadere 10-12 August the-century Buenos Aires course yourself? Week-long children; My First Cinderella is at the Wayne Macgregor Company are at 19th July-6th August summer intensives in ballet and Peacock Theatre 18th-23rd July. Camden’s Roundhouse theatre with a wide variety of contemporary their +/- Human. Contemporary Paco Peña Flamenco Dance Mariinsky Ballet, Russian superstar ballet innovator Macgregor stages Company presents Flamencura. styles, at all levels from beginner company, are in residence at the immersive dance in the exhibition 8th-12th August to professional, run at The Place Royal Opera House this summer. space, curated by Random throughout August.

Polka Theatre on the last Sunday of every month. Royal Observatory 020 7729 9200 Work with a professional actor and learn Hampstead Lane, Hampstead, NW3 7JR A planetarium show for under-7s. All Rivington Pl, London EC2A 3BA the art of creating and crafting believable english-heritage.org.uk children must be accompanied by an autograph-abp.co.uk characters using different techniques. adult. Join Ted the Teddy Bear on a There will be a mixture of improvisation FILM & PHOTOGRAPHY journey throughout the Solar System, July 15 exercises, role play, physical and text looking for the Great Big Bear in the sky. Bicycle Thieves (Ladri di biciclette) work so bring lots of creativity and come Ongoing Blackheath Ave, London SE10 8XJ Prince Charles Cinema prepared to play. Solar Superstorms 020 8858 4422 Unemployed Antonio Ricci (Lamberto 020 8543 4888 Discover the secrets of our star the Sun Blackheath Ave, London SE10 8XJ Maggiorani) is elated when he finally 240 The Broadway, London, SW19 1SB in this fascinating show narrated by rmg.co.uk finds work hanging posters around war- polkatheatre.com Benedict Cumberbatch. torn Rome. His wife, Maria (Lianella 020 8858 4422 Opens July 14 Carell), sells the family’s bed linens July 28 Blackheath Avenue, London SE10 Franklin: Death in the ice to retrieve Antonio’s bicycle from Sunshine Stories 8XJrmg.co.uk National Maritime Museum the pawnshop so he can take the job. Polka Theatre Opening 14 July 2017, the exhibition However, disaster strikes when Antonio’s Gather round for some stories inspired Ends July 16 explores the mysterious fate of Sir John bicycle is stolen, and his new job is by summer in this gentle drama and craft She Who Sees the Unknown: Ya’jooj Franklin and his crew on their final doomed unless he can find the thief. workshop. Ma’jooj expedition: a mystery that still remains With the help of his lively son, Bruno 020 8543 4888 The Photographers’ Gallery unsolved today. (Enzo Staiola), Antonio combs the 240 The Broadway, London, SW19 1SB Researching dark goddesses, monstrous 020 8858 4422 city, growing increasingly desperate for polkatheatre.com and Jinn female figures of Middle- Park Row, Greenwich, London SE10 justice. Eastern origin, Allahyari’s work for 9NF 020 7494 3654 July 29 – August 6 the Media Wall considers the effects rmg.co.uk 7 Leicester Pl, London WC2H 7BY Knight School of digital colonialism and refiguring princecharlescinema.com Dover Castle as a feminist practice, while devising July 14 – October 28 Have you got what it takes to pass a narrative through magic and poetic- Zanele Muholi: Somnyama Ngonyama, July 15 – August 28 Knight School? speculative storytelling, re-appropriation Hail the Dark Lioness Big screen on the beach Castle Hill Rd, Dover CT16 1HU of traditional mythologies, collaging, Autograph ABP Roundhouse english-heritage.org.uk meshing, scanning, and archiving. In her first solo exhibition in London, Recline in a deckchair and enjoy cinema 020 7087 9300 South African visual activist Zanele with the sand between your toes, with a July 30 16-18 Ramillies St, Soho, London W1F Muholi presents her ongoing self- new series of outdoor summer screenings Kenwood Stories 7LW portrait series Somnyama Ngonyama. set on the Roundhouse’s urban beach in The art collections and stories of thephotographersgallery.org.uk In more than 60 photographs Muholi the heart of Camden. Kenwood come alive through narrative uses her body as a canvas to confront the 0300 678 9222 and live interpretation as told by Ends July 23 politics of race and representation in the Chalk Farm Rd, London NW1 8EH Kenwood volunteers. This event is held Space Safari visual archive. roundhouse.org.uk 38 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Events

Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TN guitars, or gathered around the old friends or fun. Opens July 23 bac.org.uk upright piano watching acoustic or even 020 7787 2227 Insight Astronomy Photographer of the entirely unplugged performances by the 42-44 Battersea High St, Battersea, Year July 13 best acts London has to offer! London SW11 3HX Royal Observatory Woman at Point Zero and Four Arab 020 7278 3966 quecumbar.co.uk Insight Astronomy Photographer of Composers 28 Harrison St, Kings Cross, London the Year is the biggest international Royal Opera House WC1H 8JF July 21 competition of its kind, annually In this special, one-evening concert, harrisonbar.co.uk Jazz Verse Jukebox with Jumoké Fashola showcasing spectacular images shot by The Royal Opera joins forces with Hoxton Hall astro-photographers worldwide. Shubbak Festival to showcase works by July 19 – 20 The eclectic Jazz Verse Jukebox 020 8858 4422 five composers from the Arab world. Merchant of Venice concludes its current season at Hoxton Blackheath Ave, London SE10 8XJ Shubbak is London’s major biennial Royal Opera House Hall on Friday 21st July at Hoxton Hall, rmg.co.uk festival of contemporary Arab culture, “The Merchant of Venice” is the only with an all-female international lineup of connecting London audiences with the opera from British-Polish pianist and wordsmiths & singers. July 23 best of Arab culture across visual arts, composer André Tchaikowsky, who was 020 7684 0060 Breathless (À bout de soufflé) film, music, theatre, dance, literature, finishing the work when he died from 130 Hoxton St, London N1 6SH Prince Charles Cinema architecture and debate. cancer in 1982 at the age of 46. Its world hoxtonhall.co.uk Petty thug Michel ( Jean-Paul 020 7240 1200 premiere came thirty years later in 2013 Belmondo) considers himself a suave 161 Old Street, London, EC1V 9NG at the Bregenz Festival, in a production July 23, August 10,24, September 10, 24, bad guy in the manner of Humphrey roh.org.uk commissioned by David Pountney in his October 8 Bogart, but panics and impulsively farewell year as the festival’s intendant. Irish Music Sessions kills a policeman while driving a July 15, 22, 29, August 5, 12, 19, 26 The production was widely praised: The Harrison stolen car. On the lam, he turns to his Straight Outta Camden John O’Brien’s faithful adaptation of Traditional Irish music jam session. aspiring journalist girlfriend, Patricia Camden Assembly Shakespeare’s play, Keith Warner’s Open to musicians of all levels to join in. ( Jean Seberg), hiding out in her Every Saturday, running right through production and most of all Tchaikowsky’s Sunday Roasts are served all day until Paris apartment while he tries to pull the early hours at Camden Assembly music came in for particular acclaim. they run out and we serve a full dinner together enough money to get the pair will be turn up tunes, party hip-hop and 020 7240 1200 menu from 6-9.30pm. to Italy. But when Patricia learns that R&B classics for only £5. Bow St, London WC2E 9DD 020 7278 3966 her boyfriend is being investigated 020 7424 0800 roh.org.uk Kings Cross, London WC1H 8JF for murder, she begins to question her 49 Chalk Farm Rd, London NW1 8AN harrisonbar.co.uk loyalties. camdenassembly.com July 20 020 7494 3654 Bach Violin Concertos by Candlelight July 23,26, August 2,26 7 Leicester Pl, London WC2H 7BY July 16, August 6, 20 St. Martin-in-the-Fields Natalie Rushdie princecharlescinema.com Sunday Concert This concert includes John Landor’s Brasserie Zedel Foundling Museum entertaining and informative “Meet Making her “Live at Zédel” debut, Ends August 5 The Lodore Trio present a diverse the Music”, an optional interval event Natalie Rushdie brings her inimitable Chrystel Lebas: Regarding Nature programme of works from across the where you can explore the music further talents to the stage for a celebration of The Photographer’s Gallery centuries in this afternoon concert and experience a thrilling ‘orchestra some of her favourite Broadway & West- Chrystel Lebas (b.1966, France) uses 020 7841 3600 walkabout.’ End musicals. photography and moving image to 40 Brunswick Square, Bloomsbury, Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JJ 020 7734 4888 explore and illuminate the often complex London WC1N 1AZ stmartin-in-the-fields.org 20 Sherwood St, Soho, London W1F relationships between human beings foundlingmuseum.org.uk 7ED and nature; her interest is in looking July 21 brasseriezedel.com at how landscapes carry psychological July 17 Rising Presents: Kioko significance and reveal concealed Foundling Community Choir Concert Roundhouse July 28 histories. Preferring to photograph Foundling Museum KIOKO get set to release their follow Folk at the Foundling: Mid-Summer during twilight hours, she exploits the Join the Foundling Community Choir up album ”Let’s Be Frank”, following Special magical effects of the particular dipped for their end of term concert in the the release of their “True What You Foundling Museum light to accentuate the ‘sublime’ and draw Picture Gallery Say” EP. The band have performed with Enjoy a line-up of international attention to our place within the natural 020 7841 3600 a great variety of artists including Tinie artists, including new musical project world. 40 Brunswick Square, Bloomsbury, Tempah, Tinchy Stryder, The Specials, Vesevo, who give a modern twist to 020 7087 9300 London WC1N 1AZ The Musical Youth and Youngblood southern Italian music. The Neapolitan 16-18 Ramillies St, Soho, London W1F foundlingmuseum.org.uk Brassband, as well as providing support trio of Antonio Di Ponte (voice and 7LW for The Wailers and Lee Scratch Perry. guitar), Antonio Fraioli (violin and thephotographersgallery.org.uk July 18 They have quickly defined themselves arrangements), and Francesco Paolo Devendra Banhart as one to watch with music reminiscent Manna (frame drums), transform MUSIC Hackney Empire of reggae greats; their powerful hooks traditional music through their rapid- Devendra Banhart has confirmed a and melodies filled with well-received fire instrumentation and rousing Ends July 29 headline show at Hackney Empire on sociological and political relevant performances. Further acts to be Extravaganza Macabre July 18th in support of his latest album, messages, disguised by sharp song announced, check back for details. Battersea Arts Centre “Ape In Pink Marble”. writing sensibilities and heavy cultural 020 7841 3600 Spend a summer evening being 020 8985 2424 musical influences. 40 Brunswick Square, Bloomsbury, transported to Victorian London with 291 Mare St, London E8 1EJ 0300 678 9222 London WC1N 1AZ a whirlwind of plot twists, live music hackneyempire.co.uk Chalk Farm Rd, London NW1 8EH foundlingmuseum.org.uk and mischief. A freak storm parts two roundhouse.org.uk passionate lovers and sets them on a Every other Wednesday August 1 path of cruel fate and hapless chance. Folkroom Fortnightly July 21 Brian Wilson Will they ever be reunited or will our The Harrison Golden Girl Ava sings for you… Hammersmith Apollo scheming villain have his wicked way? The Folkroom is London’s best kept Le QuecumBar Music legend Brian Wilson is Howl at the horror and gasp at the secret; when it comes to folk music at Cabaret entertainer and golden girl Ava currently wowing fans around the gallantry in a tale of unbearably high least. A free fortnightly gig just around Golding sings piano accompaniment. globe celebrating the iconic album stakes, unspeakable moral lows and the corner from King’s Cross station, Ava’s diva classic vocal style serves you “Pet Sounds”, in honour of its 50th double lashings of devilish over-the- the gigs are home to some of the most an evening of nostalgic swing/jazz & anniversary. toppery. intimate sets you’re ever likely to see. You features special gospel of the blues 020 8563 3800 020 7223 2223 might find yourself watching fireside Classics. Perfect night for romance, 45 Queen Caroline St, Hammersmith, 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 39 Events online: www.KCWToday.co.uk 40 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Events

London W6 9QH Ongoing Out2 London editor-in-chief Caroline Ends July 15 eventimapollo.com War Paint: Brushes with conflict McGinn; and Present and Correct owner Food National Army Museum Neal Whittington. August 2 Explore why artists and soldiers have 020 7836 1321 On a stretch of Australian highway, The Fallen Heroes painted scenes of conflict, in our first 12-14 Long Acre, London WC2E 9LP sisters Elma and Nancy run their family St. Martin-in-the-Fields temporary exhibition at the new stanfords.co.uk takeaway joint; their days heavy with The Fallen Heroes are a London, UK museum. Artists and soldiers have deep frying and memories. While they based band who have been together painted scenes of conflict for many July 13 quietly wage war with their past and for over ten years, playing funky New reasons; to create records, report news Natasha Pulley in conversation dream of a brighter future, a young life- Orleans Rhythm & Blues blended with or commemorate events. But above all, Foyles loving Turkish traveller arrives, bringing a contemporary London sound all over war paintings are personal perspectives Following the huge success of her debut a charm and sensuality that turns their Europe and USA. on war and its vast impact on people novel, “The Watchmaker of Filigree world upside down. Trafalgar Square, London WC2N 4JJ and places. War Paint features over 130 Street”, Natasha Pulley will discuss her 0844 847 1652 stmartin-in-the-fields.org paintings and objects exploring the latest book, “The Bedlam Stacks”, a story 118 Finborough Road, Kensington, complex relationship between war and of a profound friendship that grows in London SW10 9ED August 5, September 2, October 7 the men and women who map, record, a place that seems just the right side of finboroughtheatre.co.uk Pete ‘Tiger’ Sheppard - Gypsy guitar duo celebrate and document it. magical. Le QuecumBar 020 7730 0717 020 7434 1574 Ends July 17 Don’t miss the mighty sound of Pete Royal Hospital Road, Chelsea, London 107 Charing Cross Road, WC2H 0DT The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by “Tiger” Sheppard & Co, stonking Gypsy SW3 4HT foyles.co.uk Bertolt Brecht, in a new adaptation by swing guitar. nam.ac.uk Bruce Norris 020 7787 2227 July 18 Donmar Warehouse 42-44 Battersea High St, Battersea, Ends July 28 The Gender Games: Juno Dawson in Chicago! A city of jazz and gangsters, London SW11 3HX Thurrock Tour Conversation prohibition and poverty. Amongst the quecumbar.co.uk Royal Opera House British Library murk of the Great Depression, there’s Discover the fascinating world of Gender is a contested, confusing room for a small-time crook like Arturo August 7 – 20 the craftspeople who create stunning space; not just for trans people, but Ui to make a name for himself. Ui and A Spoonful of Sherman costumes, scenery and sets for the for everyone. Join Juno Dawson in his henchmen just want to look after Brasserie Zedel Royal Opera House on a tour of the conversation with Matthew Todd, as she you, to offer protection for workers, for Following two sold out runs the show Bob and Tamar Manoukian Production provides a personal insight into society’s jobs, for businesses. Nothing to fear. returns for two weeks only; this magical Workshop and Costume Centre. expectations of gender and what we can But a little bribery here, some harmless evening of cabaret celebrates a century 020 7240 1200 do about them. corruption there, and soon something of Sherman song -writing. Robert and High House Production Park, Vellacott 0330 333 1144 much more dangerous takes hold. Richard Sherman are the most successful Close (off London Road), Purfleet 96 Euston Road, Kings Cross, London 0844 871 7624 songwriting partnership in the history RM19 1AF NW1 2DB Seven Dials London, 41 Earlham St, of Hollywood, composing more movie roh.org.uk bl.uk London WC2H 9LX musical songs and acclaimed film scores donmarwarehouse.com than any other writing team. July 12 July 24 020 7734 4888 Antisemitism: The Longest Hatred Alan Turing: Life, Work, Legacy Ends July 22 20 Sherwood St, Soho, London W1F JW3 Jewish Community Centre British Library The Philanthropist 7ED Confronting the most persistent hatred Alan Turing (23 June 1912 – 7 June Trafalgar Studios brasseriezedel.com of any people in the history of the world 1954) is now celebrated for his crucial Out in the ‘real world’ the Prime and focusing on the impact that Jews contribution to the Allied victory Minister and his cabinet have been August 10 made on the modern world, the rise of in WW2 and for being the genius assassinated and England’s most Kate Nash nationalism and the rise of modern racial mathematician who set the foundations treasured writers are being murdered Shepherd’s Bush Empire antisemitism. of modern computing. However, during one by one! Back in the cosy bubble of Don’t miss the award-winning singer and 020 7433 8989 his lifetime, he was a relatively obscure university life, a bachelor, Don, anguishes activist, Kate Nash as she commemorates 341 Finchley Road, London NW3 6ET figure. A victim of the prevalent attitudes over sex, marriage, anagrams, and the the ten-year anniversary of her platinum- jw3.org.uk toward homosexuality, he was chemically meaning of life. Did someone suggest selling debut album,” Made Of Bricks”, castrated before committing suicide at academics were ‘out of touch?’ by playing a run of shows this summer. July 12 the age of 41. Jim Al-Khalili is joined 0844 871 7632 020 8354 3300 20th Anniversary Celebration with local by scientists and experts in an evening 14 Whitehall, Westminster, London Shepherd’s Bush Green, Shepherd’s Wild Things’ authors dedicated to Turing. SW1A 2DY Bush, London W12 8TT Stanfords 0330 333 1144 academymusicgroup.com Stanfords Bristol invites you to celebrate 96 Euston Road, Kings Cross, London July 3 – 5 its 20th anniversary with a very special NW1 2DB Skate Hard, Turn Left: Preview TALKS & TOURS event: an evening with Wild Thing bl.uk A female sporting community built authors Sophie Pierce and Matt on sweat, speed and fierce ownership Ongoing Newbury, Laurence McJannet and Dave THEATRE is growing at a phenomenal pace. In London Duck Tours Hamilton. sports halls all over the UK, skaters are Hop aboard one of London Duck Tours’ 020 7836 1321 Ends July 9 redefining what it means to be a woman distinctive yellow vehicles and enter 12-14 Long Acre, London WC2E 9LP Romeo & Juliet in sport. Taking up space. Taking charge. the wonderful world of amphibious stanfords.co.uk Shakespeare’s Globe A revolution is happening and it’s travel. It is far more exciting than just This vibrant, volatile take on Romeo and happening on wheels. an ordinary sightseeing bus tour or river July 13 Juliet will fearlessly confront the darker 020 7223 2223 trip. See some of London’s most talked Insider London: A Curated Guide to the themes present in the play, the grotesque Lavender Hill, London SW11 5TN about sights, learn interesting facts Most Stylish Shops, Restaurants, and glamorisation of violence, sex and the bac.org.uk about the city and be entertained by an Cultural Experiences brutality of death. The production will action packed live commentary before Stanfords enjoy a dynamic mix of musical styles July 12 – 15 the thrilling splashdown onto the river Join author Rachel Felder in discussion and soundscapes, including classical and Hearing Voices Thames! with a panel of experts who will reveal modern pop. Coronet Printroom 020 7928 3132 their favourite hidden spots in the 020 7902 1400 Hearing Voices is a multi-media song- 55 York Road, Lambeth, London SE1 capital. Panellists include chef and 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT cycle for solo voice, ensemble and 7NJ restaurateur Henry Harris; Rare Tea shakespearesglobe.com recorded voices, exploring the pain, londonducktours.co.uk Company CEO Henrietta Lovell; “Time laughter and protest of women who 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 41 Events online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

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have experienced mental illness across July 22 generations. The Scar Test 020 3642 6606 Soho Theatre 103 Notting Hill Gate, London W11 Based on verbatim interviews, “The Scar 3LB Test” explores life inside Yarl’s Wood the-print-room.org Detention Centre, a place in which those seeking safe haven are thrown into a dark July 14 – October 15 world under lock and key where their Much Ado About Nothing lives are regulated, privacy is non-existent Shakespeare’s Globe and where every detainee has a story to Claudio and Benedick return home tell. from the first wave of the revolution. 020 7478 0100 Claudio has been pining for his love, 21 Dean Street, Soho, London W1D Hero. Benedick loves her cousin Beatrice 3NE and Beatrice loves Benedick; but because sohotheatre.com neither will admit it, nothing seems likely to bring them together. Only the July 25 – August 19 intrigues of a revolutionary with a dark Just to Get Married heart, force Benedick to prove his love Finborough Theatre for Beatrice; by vowing to kill his best Approaching her 30th birthday in early friend, Claudio. 20th Century England, the clever and 21 New Globe Walk, London SE1 9DT poor Georgiana Vicary is waiting for the shakespearesglobe.com handsome but shy Adam Lankester to propose to her. Her friends expect her to July 17 – August 5 get married, her adoptive parents expect Oliver Twist it and more importantly, she expects it of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre herself; but will her conscience allow it? Discover the original story of Victorian 0844 847 1652 London’s most famous child with”Oliver 118 Finborough Road, Kensington, Twist” created for everyone aged six and London SW10 9ED over. It will have you on the edge of your finboroughtheatre.co.uk seat and wanting more. 0844 826 4242 Inner Cir, London NW1 4NU openairtheatre.com Compiled and edited by Fahad Redha 20170609_tDM_BC_KCW-Today.indd 1 09/06/2017 16:01 42 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Events

On a balmy evening, Regents Park’s famous Open Air Theatre is a must for any London summer. Summer in London On the Town. Bernstein’s classic dance by Anna Kretschmer and Owen Fulda musical. New York, New York it’s a Helluva Town! 19th May - 1st July. A Tale of Two Cities. A new play adapted Once again we Londoners Wireless, Finsbury Park. The hip hop, This bonkers explosion of colour and from Dickens. 7th July - 5th August. electronic and grime festival hosts Nas, music takes place on July 29. It looks Oliver Twist. Dickens’ classic, adapted for are blessed with a plethora The Weeknd, Tim Westwood, Fetty Wap like organised chaos (in the best way both adults and younger audiences aged of outdoor and indoor events and Chance the Rapper among many possible!). Check www.holifestival.com/ 6+. 17th July - 5th August. others. 7th-9th July uk/en/your-city/london for more info Jesus Christ Superstar. Tim Rice and to celebrate summer in our and tickets. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hit musical. capital city. Whether you’re Kew The Music, Kew Gardens. 11th August - 23rd September. Legendary club Hacienda take to the SOUTH BANK openairtheatre.com/whats-on an avid watcher of sports, stage with club anthems performed with obsessed with the arts or have a live orchestra, alongside band James Underbelly Festival Until September 30 OUTDOOR CINEMAS and singer-songwriter Passenger. 11th- www.underbellyfestival.com/whats-on a burning desire to learn more 16th July Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset about gin, wine or beer, there’s Underbelly, the live entertainment House August 10-23, Lovebox, Victoria Park. The London company, has combined the popular www.somersethouse.org.uk/whats-on/ sure to be something in our Day Festival that started it all returns London Wonderground and Udderbelly film4-summer-screen London Summer events to get this year with Frank Ocean, Chase & Festivals into one event, the similarly Status and Solange. 14th-15th July named Underbelly Festival. The new Film4 Summer Screen at Somerset you out and about. extravaganza is running at the Southbank House returns bringing the best of Citadel, Victoria Park. Indie band Foals from until September 30, with a mix of cinema to one of the most spectacular OUTDOOR SWIMMING headline this one-day festival which live comedy, circus acts, burlesque and settings in London. Experience 14 nights also includes dance and art workshops, musical entertainment. of handpicked premieres, contemporary, The Serpentine Lido in Hyde Park is a discussions and Disco Dodgeball. 16th Highlights on the bill this year cult and classic films presented with popular inner-city spot to cool off. Or July include Al Murray, Sara Pascoe, James surround sound and state-of-the-art why not head up to Hampstead Heath Acaster and Stephen K Amos, as well projection onto London’s largest outdoor to bathe in the Highgate Ponds? The 51st State Trent Park, nr Cockfosters. as cult cabaret favourite Briefs, and the screen. Ladies’ Pond is a dreamy tree-shaded Launched in 2015, the festival London premiere of Driftwood from DJs play film-inspired sets prior pool where you can lounge in a meadow champions US House, Garage, Soul, Australian circus company Casus. Don’t each film , while you tuck into picnics or and swim surrounded by water-lilies Disco and Caribbean. 5th August. miss Sh*t-Faced Shakespeare: Romeo and treats from food stalls, and on selected and dragonflies, or try the Mixed and Juliet with a genuinely inebriated cast nights there will be live introductions Gentlemen’s Ponds which are slightly Visions, London Fields. Craft beer and member chosen each night, no two from familiar faces. Screenings of classic less screened off. All ponds are life food events accompany the indie one- shows are ever the same in this raucous, movies such as the Jaws and Deliverance guarded and open every day of the year. dayer in various intimate venues around riotous, rampage through Shakespeare’s double bill on August 19 will be epic, London Fields. 5th August. greatest works. Or get your dancing but there are also contemporary releases DAY MUSIC FESTIVALS heels on at social dances with live such as triple Oscar-winner Moonlight Sunfall, Brockwell Park. Newcomer music, including A Night at the Harlem which follows an African-American BST, Hyde Park. Electric Festival with underground festival with both day and Savoy, 11th September. Monday 11th boy’s journey from youth to young this year’s headliners ranging from Justin night parties. 12th August September 2017 manhood, considered to be is one of the Beiber through to Greenday and Phil most talked-about and deeply-felt films Collins. Over two weekends 30th June - SW4, Clapham Common. The August The Southbank Centre’s Summertime of recent times. 9th July. Bank Holiday party never ends on festival runs concurrently, with outdoor Clapham Common, host to all the big fun on the sandy beach playground Luna Cinema runs from June - Greenwich Music Time, Old Royal names in dance music with after-hours and in the English country roof September in parks and spaces around Naval College. A series of concerts from revelry after the Common closes. 26th- garden, plus an outdoor music stage London including Brockwell Lido, individual artists rather than a mixed bill 27th August and art installations. Inside, enjoy Kensington Palace, Alexandra Palace and festival. Including Little Mix, Ball and exciting programming in dance, art and . Feelgood family Boe, and Cliff Richards. 1st-7th July Holi Festival of Colours, Wembley Park. performance - with many free events. and summer hits include Splash! Dirty www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/ Dancing and Back to the Future. festivals-series/summertime http://www.thelunacinema.com

OUTDOOR THEATRE Rooftop Film Club, on the top of the Bussey Building in , and the Brave the elements as a groundling Queen of Hoxton in Shoreditch shows at Shakespeare’s Globe, or book both a wide selection of cult classics and new covered seats and standing tickets and releases throughout the summer. swap over with friends for the best of rooftopfilmclub.com/london/ both worlds. SPORTING EVENTS AND The Globe’s Summer of Love season SCREENINGS includes: Pimm’s is celebrating the Wimbledon Romeo and Juliet until 9th July fortnight by opening a tennis-themed Twelfth Night until 5th August takeover of the Selfridges Roof Deck, Much Ado About Nothing where tennis fans can watch the latest 14th July-15th October Wimbledon action on big screens while enjoying the sun in true Pimm’s style www.shakespearesglobe.com/summer- above Oxford Street. of-love Closer to the Grounds, Pimm’s is 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 43 Events online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

also teaming up with The Ivy Café in free to explore the wildlife after Gin Festival London 2017, Wimbledon Village to offer a special hours, taking in fun tours and talks Aug 25 - 27 at Tobacco Pimm’s menu across The Championships with grown-up themes: mating, Dock, London, E1W 2DA Fortnight, including the new exclusive death and the gruesome bits, it’s - www.ginfestival.com/ ‘Pimmbledon cocktail’. zoology, certificate 18! Live and events/gin-festival-london- new for 2017, this is the Zoo as summer-2017 England’s cricket team play four Test you’ve never seen it before, serving The UK’s biggest and matches against South Africa beginning up a unique mix of wildlife and oldest Gin Festival on July 6 and then three against the West city life that’s just for adults (18+) returns to the magnificent Indies commencing August 17. Tickets and only £17.50. Tickets from Tobacco Dock for another are available from www.ecb.co.uk/tickets/ www.zsl.org/ticket/zoo-nights celebration of gin. There england. will be over 100 different BEER FESTIVALS gins to try, including brand The World Athletics Championships new gins not available take place at the London Stadium from Great British Beer Festival 2017 at the February event August 5 - 13 and feature both Usain August 8 - 12 at and exclusive gins you Bolt and Mo Farah’s last appearance https://www.gbbf.org.uk/ won’t see anywhere else. on the world stage. Not to be missed. Check out the gin masterclasses and Birthday, August 4 - 6 at Shoreditch Tickets available at http://www. Beer lovers flocking to London this the opportunity to meet gin distillers in Electric Light Station, Hoxton Square london2017athletics.com/tickets. summer to celebrate the 40th anniversary person, a gin cocktail bar, live music and londoncraftbeerfestival.co.uk of the Great British Beer Festival will gorgeous food.

not be left disappointed as festival LONDON ZOO With over 45 of the world’s finest organisers are busy brewing up an Honest Grapes Uncorked Wine breweries involved; this festival takes As the sun goes does down, the curtain experience unlike ever before. Festival, July 25 at China Exchange, beer drinking to a whole new level. This goes up on the most original after-hours Gerrard Street, Soho www.honestgrapes. carnival of beer is all about celebrating event of the summer: Zoo Nights at Britain’s biggest beer festival is a paradise co.uk/events/honest-grapes-uncorked. the very best of the modern beer culture, ZSL London Zoo, every Friday from for beer connoisseurs with more than 900 Enjoy a huge selection of wines from and London’s place right at the heart 2 June to 14 July, between 6pm and real ales, international and other craft over 35 producers from all over the of it. The ‘all in’ tickets range from £35 10pm. Taking its inspiration from the beers, ciders and perries. Organised by world, delicious food, and the chance for Sunday afternoon to £150 for the natural world, Zoo Nights will celebrate the (CAMRA) meet some of the growers in person and whole weekend, and mean you get total bioluminescence, nature’s very own and run by thousands of volunteers, the discover the glassware and gadgets that freedom to try what you want, and best lightshow. And, as night falls over the Festival has played a huge role in raising take wine drinking to the next level. of all in unlimited quantities! city, stunning neon effects will transform the profile and popularity of UK brewers From partners such as Fishers Gin, the Zoo, creating an amazing backdrop over the years. Exton Park, Avina, and many more. Buy for a trip to the Zoo like no other. OTHER ALCOHOL three tickets (£25 each) and get a fourth Zoo Nights is just for adults, so you’re London Craft Beer Festival 5th FESTIVALS free!

44 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk

Events Pictures © Sino European European Sino © Pictures Arts ART AND PEACE

AN EXHIBITION OF CONTEMPORARY CHINESE ART

14th -18h August 2017 Ambassador Liu Xiao Ming said: “This exhibition about Art and Peace not Mall Galleries, only showcases the unique charm of The Mall London SW1 contemporary Chinese art but also expresses Chinese artists’ commitment Free Admission to world peace and development, and the Chinese peoples’ love for peace and aspirations for a shared future for mankind.” FORTY ARTWORKS, highlights from the Beijing In 2017, China Arts World Tour goes International Art Biennale through Italy, Finland, Britain and Georgia. exhibitions 2003-15, will be shown The project was funded by China National in London for the first time from Arts Fund in 2016. After a successful run in 14th to 18th August 2017. The Italy and Finland, the international tour is coming to London. works include ink paintings, oil paintings, wood block prints, The Director of The Federation of British sculptures, watercolour paintings Artists, Lewis McNaught, said: “I am and mixed media, all by renowned delighted and honoured to welcome Chinese artists. The China Artists Association to the United Kingdom and, in particular, to Mall Exhibition: Press View 14th August 2017 The China Arts World Tour, hosted Galleries. We all hope this will be the first (11:00-12:00am) by The China Artists Association of many valued opportunities to promote (CAA), celebrates the 45th and encourage a mutual understanding anniversary of the establishment of Seminar: 14th August (3:00-4:00pm) Info: between contemporary Chinese artists Opening: 14th August 2017 (6:30pm) diplomatic relations between China and our visitors and member artists, RSVP: [email protected] U.K. Contact: and Britain. It aims to promote and working in the UK and across Europe”. Sino European Arts strengthen mutual understanding Open to the public: [email protected] and exchange between The China The Chairman of China Artists Association 15th -18th August 2017 (10am-5pm) T: +44(0)7711896858 Artists Association and fine art Liu Dawei said: “Art and peace resemble www.sinoeuropeanarts.co.uk communities around the twins. They can’t be separated and what Publicity images can be obtained from 116 Pall Mall, London SW1Y 5ED world. happens to one occurs to the other.” www.sinoeuropeanarts.co.uk United Kingdom 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 45 Arts & Culture online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

his landscapes, he eschews the panoramic view and zooms in on a particular boulder in a stream, capturing the flowing water around mossy rocks with a fluency and fluidity that is almost like a snap-shot of a moment in time. The exhibition is divided into four main themes; Fragments, Cities, Landscapes and Figures. He visited Venice every autumn for 15 years, and which he called his fontaine de jouvence, being fascinated by the translucence of Venetian light and the way it was reflected in the Istrian stone and Verona marble of the buildings. Many of his subjects are in the hidden side-canals seen from gondola height, but in tightly-cropped segments. In Santiago de Compostella, he ignores the great cathedral towering over the city, and painted studies of the arcades of the Royal Hospital, with convalescent soldiers, arrayed on some steps. Although not in the exhibition, one oil painting that he did en plein air was of Ramón Subercaseaux in a Gondola is a little gem, showing the French painter in shadow painting Sargent who is painting him, with an audacious back- lit orange and yellow curtain behind him and reflections on the water that, in a few deft strokes, just say ‘Venice’. He also painted Bedouin tribesmen and quarrymen with coils of thick rope working at Carrara, as well as his neices, which are amongst the most charming of compositions, The Lady with the Umbrella being a masterclass in painterly skills. He was adept at capturing feminine beauty, but his sensuous male nudes in the final room may give us a clue to the American’s sexuality. Jacques-Émile Blanche, who was one of his early sitters, said in his unreliable memoir, that Sargent’s sex life ‘was notorious in Paris, and in Venice, positively scandalous. He was a frenzied bugger.’ He certainly knew Oscar Wilde, Henry James, Percy Grainger and the flamboyant and exotic Robert de Montesquiou. Whatever his predilections, his private life remained tighty buttoned down and we are left to marvel at what female pulchitrude John Singer Sargent, The Lady with the Umbrella, 1911, © Museu de Montserrat Sargent the painter managed to lay down on paper and canvas. After 1918, he never returned to from all over the world to celebrate his photographer would with his camera, so continental Europe, but spent time in extraordinary skills as a painter who the enormous Neptune statue in Bologna Florida, Maine, New Hampshire and Sargent: returned to the medium from 1900 to would not feature the complete edifice. the Rockies, still painting whatever was The Watercolours 1918 when he was in his forties, and had He ignores the 4m. high bronze of the in front of him, from the local flora Dulwich Picture Gallery achieved enormous success as a society Roman sea god holding a trident, and to alligators in the Everglades, as well painter. One suspects that one reason he concentrates on the lactating nereids or as lakes, seascapes and boats up the Until 8 October 2017 took up watercolour again was to ‘loosen mermaids astride dolphins around the Eastern seaboard. He never lost sight Admission £15.50 up’ after years of the strict pressure of fountain at the base. In the same way, of the precept ‘less is more’, coined by painting in the studio. He travelled he crops a Spanish fountain in Granada Robert Browning from his poem about www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk extensively in Europe and the Middle and demonstrates his skills at painting Andrea del Sarto, called The Faultless East, painting as he went, sometimes cascading water and the reflections on Painter, or in the words of his painting with friends and his sister, Emily, his the underside of the bowl, held up by a teacher in Paris, Carolus-Duran, ‘to most faithful sketching companion. couple of cherubs. In Venice, he is more express the maximum by means of the lthough he had been painting in He was unconventional in his choice occupied with the texture and light on minimum’. Visitors can certainly extract watercolour since he was a boy, of subject matter, in that he did not ‘do’ stone than the buildings themselves, and, the maximum from this perfectly-formed his work as a portraitist in oils buildings in toto, or broad landscapes, where he painted the bigger picture, such and delightful exhibition with a trip completelyA overshadowed this difficult but rather as fragments, as the Gallery as the domes of Santa Maria della Salute, to Dulwich, a mere ten minutes from and demanding medium. Dulwich has states. He would focus on close-ups, Venice, they are partially obscured by Victoria. managed to bring together 80 works framing his composition just as a ships’ rigging in the foreground. With Don Grant 46 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Arts & Culture

Hokusai: Beyond The Great Wave British Museum. Great Russell Street. London WC1B 3DG. Until 13th August 2017 Closed 3rd - 6th July

atsushika Hokusai bound a restless wave within the limits of a woodblock measuring 25.8 Kcms by 37.9 cms. The print, from this woodblock, is known as The Great Wave and is one of a series entitled 36 Views of Mt Fuji. The publisher, Nishmuraya, commissioned Hokusai to create this work. Thousands of impressions of each design were issued. Prints were cheap

Above: The Great Wave Far left: Red Fuji Left: Suspension Bridge on the Border between Hizen and Etchu provinces

and much in demand. The Great Wave paint pictures. This was a development the wave with its sublime, snow like smoke. Hokusai’s work was discovered became an icon and could be the most from his print work. flakes descending to join the snow cap by the the Modernists twenty years after famous work in Japanese art. Hokusai was an adherent adjoining Mt Fuji on the far horizon. his death and is said to have influenced Hokusai and his art are the subjects of the mystical Nichiren cult of Hokusai collaborated with specialist them. of an informative Exhibition currently Buddhism,which is reflected in his craftsmen who put his original drawing Hokusai’s early paintings appear running at the British Museum. designs for temples and a whole section on a cherry wood block. This was very somewhat static and the tonal shading Hokusai was born in 1760 in Japan, of a shrine which he painted himself. He skilled work. Different blocks were shows Western influence. They are which was called Edo at that time. He believed that all life is connected and his needed for each colour. The blocks mounted on long textile hangings. The was an unusual character who moved scientific drawings of birds, insects and tended to wear away which affected later Seven Lucky Gods is amusing and a set of house 90 times in 93 years! In common animals are evidence of these thoughts. prints adversely. ghost story book illustrations are lively with other artists, he sometimes changed To him Mt. Fuji was sacred and it was Symbolism in The Great Wave has and his notebook of people in national his name and used Gakyo Rojin, which considered by many to be a deity. been much discussed. dress is impressive. means ‘Old Man Crazy to Paint’. The Exhibition alternates groups of Does the wave represent Hokusai’s The Exhibition ends with seven large He set himself up as a woodblock paintings with groups of prints which problems in life? Does Mt Fuji represent paintings of varying subjects in different Printer, excelling in brushwork and all focus on Hokusai’s interest in nature, his religious cult? Historians have styles. The enthusiastic brush strokes understanding the human body and history and spiritual subjects. We learn observed that the wave looks back to of the demon enjoying his feast are eye the natural world. There was a Japanese much about him from the Exhibition. Mt Fuji from a position furthest out in catching. A friendly tiger and a prayer tradition of Ukiyo-e which consisted The star of the Exhibition is the the Pacific from the Japanese coast. This scene evoke abstract impressionism of images of entertainers, actors and woodcut print, The Great Wave which could represent Japan’s changing attitude However, Hokusai’s woodblock prints prostitutes. He brought a new look to shows a towering, threatening wave to the rest of the world which wished to overshadow the paintings, one especially, this art form. His life was not easy;he arising with all the power which only trade with her, but she wished to remain The Great Wave towers above them all. suffered a stroke which he managed the sea can summon, ready and poised aloof. Hokusai has brought distant This is a memorable Exhibition. to cure himself. His wife died in 1828 to fall upon three speedy skiffs bearing horizon into this work which had not Marian Maitland. and his profligate grandson managed to fishermen seeking a catch for the market. hitherto been seen in Japanese art. reduce the family to abject poverty. The It has space, perspective and distance. Other prints include poppies, birds, It is essential to book. Great Wave solved Hokusai’s poverty The fear in this print is mollified domestic scenes and landscapes. Red Fuji T: 020 7323 8181 problem. In his seventies he started to by the gentle spray that falls from has abstract patterns for water, rain and britishmuseum.org 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 47 Arts & Culture online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

We are watching: OZ in London CHELSEA Space 16 John Islip Street SW1P 4JU Until 14 July 2017 www.chelseaspace.org

he trouble with an exhibition such as this is that, those of a certain age cannot see it as a distant,T academic slice of history, because one actually lived through it. I WAS THERE! I well remember buying the from Oz magazine no. 15, October 1968. (c) The estate of Martin Sharp The (c) October 1968. 15, no. Oz magazine from Electric Circus The Jimi Hendrix, Martin Sharp. first copy, having being submitting little drawings and caricatures to Tony Elliot’s Time Out and, not only having them accepted, but getting a modest stipend, albeit a few months later. I knew someone from art school who was working on the design of this new, radical-chic, undergound, counter-culture magazine, and went down to see them, working out of a basement in Notting Hill. Richard Neville was a good- looking, funny, articulate Aussie, who was seriously cool and oozed confidence, and Felix Dennis was altogether more serious, while Jim Anderson was in the background, hippy-cool and aloof. Cherie Silver is the Chelsea Arts Club Trust Research Fellow at CHELSEA Space, and has curated an exhibition of impressive depth and scope, chronicling OZ magazine from its black and white beginnings in the early sixties in Australia to the full-on, psychedelic explosion of colour and experimental graphics which took illegibilty to a whole new frontier in the late 1960s in London. Far out, man. It’s all in the exhibition, including all 48 issues and Martin Sharp’s dazzling posters and inserts, including the infamous School Kids Issue for which the three protagonists were arrested and sent to the High Court on charges of obsenity. The people who supported the trial are notable and noted, including David Hockney, Andy Warhol, Caroline Coon, John Lennon, Yoko Ono, Germaine Greer and their defense lawyer, Geoffrey Robinson. The establishment were wrigglingly uncomfortable with this new approach to publishing, which addressed such issues could not have been born from any other Magritte. His Magic Theatre poster by Leonardo da Vinci’s knot design and as race, gender prejudice, homosexuality, period in history. The Aussie cartoonist and cover for OZ number 16, which Aubrey Beardsley, are iconic images of drugs, anti-war sentiments and and artist Martin Sharp, whose mates alluded to Herman Hesse’s novel the sixties. the mistreatment of prisoners, and included Eric Clapton, Mick Jagger Steppenwolf, has been described by So, if you want to trip down the were intent on shutting down the and Nick Roeg, really pushed the writer Jonathan Green as ‘arguably the mind-bending lanes of yesteryear, underground press once and for all. envelope with his idiosyncratic and greatest achievement of the underground wearing flowers in your hair, then this They failed. The artwork loaned from surreal imagery, influenced by Eadward press’, although both his posters of Jimi is the show for you, and if you can the various archives is peculiar to those Muybridge’s moving man photographs, Hendrix, entitled Electric Circus, and the remember going to it, you weren’t there. particular years from 1967-1973, and as well as Hokusai, van Gogh and Rene Bob Dylan, whose hair was influenced Don Grant 48 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk

Arts & Culture Photograph©Fosse Gallery had the maximum allowed, still just about hold onto figuration, while with her distinctive ‘magical Anthony Eyton’s Indian Festival, Varinasi Royal Academy realist’ works. A Summer is at the other end of the spectrum and Summer Show Exhibition stalwart, Ken about as busy as it can get. Simplicity is Until 28 August 2017 Howard, has a charming what Tim Shaw offers us with his felt-tip Bacini Tryptych of Venice Raven, while Bernard Dunstan has a Admission £15.50 for £6,000, a moody most adept chalk nude entitled Resting royalacademy.org.uk Venetian snow-scene for No. 2. Cornelia Parker seems to have run £38,000, Aqua Alta S. out of breath (à bout de souffle, in her own Marco, Venice, showing words) as regards innovative and original off his petrichor skills, for ideas, recycling her trademark sculptures the same amount, and a involving flattened silver-plated objects he soi-disant English Summer surprisingly lazy daub, Rio on wires. A snip at £25,000 for two Social Season traditionally starts della Fava for £7,000. Ker- teapots, one intact and the other with the Badminton Horse Trials ching. squashed. in May, followed by the Chelsea Flower Like Howard, there Two other artists who disappoint, not T are a number of artists just in subject, execution and extortionate Show, Wimbledon fortnight, Henley, the British Grand Prix and Cowes Week. who, having once found prices, are Mark Wallinger, who is Ascot has been hijacked by the chavs, a rich vein, keep tapping asking £198,000 for a seriously dreadful and dubbed Chavscot by the Daily Mail, it, either for the benefit acrylic painting, ID Painting 37, and the Derby at Epsom has Poundland as of their fans, or that they Anish Kapoor RA wants £650,000 for one of its sponsors and Chelsea Flower simply have not moved on his silicone and fibreglass mess called Show is reduced to an oversubscribed from the relative safety of Unborn. Per-lease! Taking us gently bun-fight in a bear-pit. The RA Summer submission exhibition in the world. their chosen genre. Norman Ackroyd’s back to earth is Mick Rooney, whose Show can be summed up in the words The co-ordinator of the 249th show etchings are safe and delightful, and romantic fantasies are both charming of Jean-Baptiste Alphonse Karr, plus is the painter and printmaker, Eileen display enormous technical talent, The and beautifully painted in oils or gouache ça change, plus c’est la même chose; the Cooper and also the Keeper of the RA Stour in Winter being a masterclass in and tempura on paper. David Remfrey hanging varies from year to year, but the Schools since 2010, the first woman ever printing, using a number of effects to never disappoints, however, and he has pictures largely remain the same. Because to hold the position. She was aided and give the picture its depth. Bill Jacklin’s 3 vibrant oils in Gallery III, while the the RA is, in effect, a club, it is well- abetted by Bill Jacklin, Rebecca Salter paintings and prints are instantly veteran Joe Tilson has lost none of his represented by its members, the usual and Fiona Rae, each with six of their recognisable, utilising whirling masses of edge with Stones of Venice screenprints suspects making up roughly 20% of the own works, Yinka Shonibare with five, people, either at Grand Central Station, series. There is more than a hint of artists represented, with up to 6 works Ann Christopher and Gus Cummings, Rockefeller Ice Rink or the beaches of the curate’s egg about this show, with per Academician. There are around 1,100 each with three works on display, and Coney Island. Humphrey Ocean’s spare a few Marmite soldiers to add to the works on display, distilled from ten times Farshid Moussavi with a modest two in paintings and screenprints are so pared confection. that number, and is still the largest open the architectural section. Cooper herself down, they venture into abstraction, but Don Grant

gardening. It has an education space, cafe and bar. The food is fresh and appetising Refurbishment and is served by friendly staff. Exhibits are varied and include of the Garden photographs, drawings and paintings. Museum I particularly liked a book of pressed 5 Lambeth Palace Road flowers, collected by a soldier, in World War 1, which was donated by London SE1 7LB his daughter. A whole wall showing different seed packet designs and old advertisements is effective and the Within the ancient, deconsecrated, illuminated gnomes in a glass case are Parish Church of St. Mary-at-Lambeth, amusing. The poem, The Garden by Vita in the shadow of the Palace of Lambeth, Sackville-West tells of her inspiration a modern garden museum has evolved. from gardens. An unusual exhibit is a A beautiful, cloistered garden, designed pair of boots, typically worn by ponies, by Dan Pearson, surrounds it, and, in an as they pulled a mowing machine which elaborate tomb lie, John Tradescant the protected the turf from prints of their Elder, and his son John, the Younger, hooves. If you have ever thought about plant pioneers and gardeners to King early watering cans you will be pleased plants (Tradescantia, named after the Frederick Cornwallis, all Archbishops of Charles 1. Sacred history and love of to see the Tudor thumb pot and the Tradescants who rest nearby in the Canterbury, are probably also in the same God’s gift of gardens set the atmosphere McAlpine pot. churchyard). vault. The coffins were stacked up in a which pervades this rare Museum. There is a discreet gallery for artist There is a new archive collection brick lined vault in a secret chamber. A The Church, once so important to gardeners which reveals the definite link devoted to letters and designs of Joy mitre was found too. The coffins can be prestigious people at Lambeth Palace, between art and horticulture. On view Larkcom, Russell Page, John Brooks and viewed through a glass panel. eventually fell into disuse and was are illustrations of James Sowerby who Penelope Hobhouse. The famous Essex John Tradescant collected seeds, deconsecrated in 1972. In 1976, the spread Botanical knowledge in late 18th garden designer, Beth Chatto pioneered bulbs, curiosities of natural history and Museum’s founder, Rosemary Nicholson, century Britain. This gallery provides the this wonderful archive. There was an ethnography. He created the Musaeum discovered the Tradescants’ tomb. The opportunity to see work by John Nash, exhibition of her work at the Museum in Tradescantium, which was the first Museum was first known as the Garden Anthony Gross and Cedric Morris. 2008. Museum open to the public in England. History Museum and later became the Linking art and horticulture is a great During the extensive refurbishment Marian Maitland. Garden Museum. It opened in 1977. theme and would make a good exhibition and building work thirty lead coffins This museum has recently undergone in its own right. came to light. Two had nameplates, The Garden Museum a major refurbishment and re opened last This Museum with its fine exhibition Richard Bancroft and John Moore, Open Daily. 10.30-5.00 pm. May. It now has much improved gallery case and glass enclosed areas is certainly Archbishops of Canterbury. Records Saturdays until 4pm. spaces for showing, history, garden looking to the future. The glass classroom of St Mary’s Church show that T: 020 7401 8865 design and the hard labour aspect of will house masses of ‘spiderwort’ Thomas Tenison, Matthew Hutton and gardenmuseum.org.uk 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 49 Arts & Culture online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

printmakers, draughtsmen and sculptors, we need to continue asking what makes BRICKS AND them different rather than similar.” The technical drawings on display BRICKBATS provide instructions for everything involved in a building project: from BY EMMA FLYNN the façade and structure to heating and cooling, fire safety and sustainability. As described by the exhibition’s organisers: “Standing within a building, or looking up at its façade, most of us are unaware Construction of the conflicts that have needed to be resolved between all the different services Drawings at the and structures that share the space.” This complexity is often hidden from view. RA Summer “These drawings are not just pragmatic Exhibition

or the first time in 249 years, construction drawings are the focus of this year’s architecture Froom at the Royal Academy of Arts’ Summer Exhibition, which this year is curated by British architect, Farshid Moussavi. The annual London exhibition is one of the biggest events in the UK’s art and design calendar, and the largest open submission show in the world.

Each year the exhibition displays a spectrum of art in all forms and mediums, an extraordinary mixture of emerging artists and household names. The architecture room is a regular feature of the exhibition, unveiling work from London’s architecture students depictions of design and engineering, but to some of the world’s most acclaimed mesmerising works in their own right”. ‘star-architects’. Traditionally, the room Displayed in a variety of ways, wall- is filled with elaborate drawings and mounted technical pieces surround detailed models, but this year, in a three central tables containing early radical move, Moussavi decided to do stage conceptual hand-drawn collages something different. Moussavi chose to by Gordon Benson, drawings by showcase the types of drawings that set Peter Cook, Will Alsop and Trevor architects apart from the artists, sculptors Dannatt. These drawings are contrasted and photographers; ‘construction by mathematical visuals by Isosaki coordination drawings’, which highlight, and Ron Arad. Each wall contains a in her words, the role of architecture as grouped collection of pieces ranging ‘instruction-based art’. from layered isometric representations, “This year, I thought we could fragmented technical details following concentrate on showcasing what we conventional drawing techniques, and architects specifically do, distinct from more wilful abstractions driven by formal the painters and sculptors, which composition. Work includes drawings by is to produce a set of construction David Adjaye, BIG, Frank Gehry, Foster coordination drawings,” she explained. and Partners, and Farshid Moussavi “Although these are of course drawn on herself. the computer these days, I believe that Moussavi is best known as a co- they are nonetheless beautiful, and show founder of the former architecture a view of buildings rarely or never seen practice, Foreign Office Architects, by the public.” possibly most well known for their Moussavi was keen to select work Yokohama Pier design, in Yokohama, that shows the “full complexity of the Japan. She moved on to found her own different systems and parts of buildings”, office in 2011, and has since completed ideally colour coded. “I am hoping that notable projects including the Museum the architecture room will show the of Contemporary Art, Cleveland and complexity and richness of buildings Victoria Beckham’s London boutique beyond their outward appearance… The Summer Exhibition runs from Since at the RA, architects are a June 13 until August 20 at the Royal different category to painters, engravers, Academy of the Arts. 50 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Arts & Culture

until the dancer becomes a BALLET mummified body BY ANDREW WARD trying to perform the original dance… this became gripping to say the least and for some it Scottish Ballet… would have been a talking point The men take one for the interval as to how much for the TEAM! gaffer tape was used in the end, and didn’t he do well to appear two minutes later without any cotland’s national dance company, tape. On its own Scottish Ballet, returned to the Preljoçaj’s MC London stage at The Sadler’s Wells 14/22 would have Theatre with a programme that aimed been a ‘strictly S disaster,’ but to show the company as a tour de force with two very different pieces, but with Hampson had a an over-arching theme and display of game plan for the group dances. evening… a game It was very much an evening of of two halves. two halves. The first a piece by French Crystal Pite contemporary choreographer, Angelin is on a crest of a Preljoçaj called MC 14/22 (Ceci est mon latest Artistic Director, Christopher body stripped to its core to show the wave as her choreography sets sail around corps). Put simply a piece created to Hampson, a superb choreographer juxtaposition of glorified strength the world. Canadian born, Pite has challenge the senses for a very long 55 in his own right. The canny Scottish against the condemnation of force. The recently triumphed with her work Flight minutes of contemporary movement always like a good deal and in Hampson backdrop starts with six steel-tubed Pattern for The Royal Ballet. Emergence that oozed barbaric violence and male they have three for the price of one! tables stacked up like a surreal mortuary was Pite’s first piece created for a major testosterone bandaged up to the sounds An Artistic Director, choreographer of male bodies deceiving death by classical dance company; National Ballet of banging, crashing, squelching, and also Chief Executive all rolled into movement in the dark. Then suddenly of Canada in 2009. It too has taken flight grinding: noises that were relentless for one ambitiously talented and articulate these same tables take on a new light as and is also performed by Seattle’s Pacific the duration. individual. Hampson’s brave hearted they are deconstructed and built into a Northwest Ballet. The first nesting place For some a pill best left in the vision was delivered as prescribed as a line of six long tables for the tableaux for Scottish Ballet’s Emergence was at the wrapper. For many a tonic that was so contemporary resurrection of the biblical last supper. The violence is brutal with Edinburgh Festival last year. bitter, one would have to add a double Last Supper by Scottish Ballet’s all male recurring grotesque muscular distorting Pite is very clever in her use of gin to the tonic at the much awaited cohort. The twelve male dancers gave bodies taking centre stage. At one point large groups of dancers on stage. Her interval to make it taste more palatable; full commitment to Preljoçaj’s unusual the audience is taken further out of inspiration for the piece was from a or at least make sense of what one yet thought provoking language of their comfort zone as one dancer tapes scientific paper on “The connected lives had just endured. MC 14/22 had been dance. The piece starts with masculine another dancer, as he performs a series of Ants, Brains, Cities and Software” mothballed for some years and some tenderness as a male washes another of recurring movements. Each time he by American science theorist Steven would say should have been so forever. male with water but very quickly moves finishes the series of movements more Johnson. Pite delved into the connection A very brave move by Scottish Ballet’s into a world of violence with the male tape is applied to the limbs and body of the social organisation of bees and the hierarchical nature of classical

ballet companies. Pite’s fascination of Photographs © RossAndy swarm intelligence is clear to see in her work where large groups of people are responding to local stimuli. The notion of a large group of ballerinas, all identically costumed like birds, taking flight with their pointe shoes travelling across the stage as one is riveting. The dancers stop, start, and dart in an instant with swirling patterns and straight lines with a hypnotic and mesmorising effect. With the dark orange backdrop, with nest like large patterns taking centre stage, the forty plus dancers come to a frenzied climax of relevés and bird like arm movements that depicts that final moment of first flight from the nest! The juxtaposition of human violence against the beauty of nature and its scary first steps to freedom makes for an engaging evening of dance. Gin without Tonic… Pite without Preljoçaj would not be the same. Together Everyone Achieves More; Great TEAM work Scottish Ballet! 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 51

Arts & Culture online: www.KCWToday.co.uk PhotographRobert © Workman up there in Holland Park; to be honest it’s been a considerable oversight that (CLASSICAL) it’s not been on my radar. These pages can always do with a spot of opera, and I found myself wondering whom to take. MUSIC I went long and invited ex-wife Anita, BY JAMES DOUGLAS mother of my children (both refer to our children as “my”), and was mildly surprised by her acceptance. Anita had been to their Die Fledermaus which gave us a talking point when we hooked up with Alexandra and Chloe in the Oak Investec Opera Room for what was to become quite a few drinks. Holland Park Is there anything more British than Giacomo Puccini great art in a tent in the rain? June it was, summer it had been the previous Giuseppe Adami week, but it was pelting down. I rather La Rondine wished I’d worn my fine Canali overcoat. a heady dose of social-realism dominates At least I’d had the sense to take a cap the denouement, with more than a dark Director Martin Lloyd-Evans and raincoat (also fine Canali). That said and edgy hint throughout of Cosi Fan Conductor Matthew Kofi the hospitality was extremely refreshing Tutte. so we were pickled against the cold. The Investec deserve their plug for Waldren westerly wind lashed the sides of the supporting this fabulous venue, and Magda de Civry Elizabeth marquee, the elements adding to a huge indeed for the warm and wet (liquid sense of occasion. and heavens) welcome. I think Anita Llewellyn Designer takis’ clever set for Act just about kept me in line, so hopefully Ruggero Matteo Lippi 1 relied on drapes which billowed they’ll invite me back. I finished off the in the heavy breeze, adding to the evening by taking the love of my life Lisette Tereza Gevorgyan glamour of an immaculately turned (now we don’t have to share a bathroom) 6 June 2017 out cast, led by the splendid Elizabeth to Pappa Ciccio where over delicious crab Llewellyn and Matteo Lippi, who were linguini washed down by a half carafe, all t’s hard to imagine a more perfect at times inevitably upstaged by Tereza curtains reflected the commitment of this excellently served for under £50, Anita evening. Emma has been asking me Gevorgyan’s Lisette. The dramatic production to the highly-charged pace of broke the news that she and my girls to take a look at what they’re putting tour de force of the instant set-change the excellent libretto, loosely described as were sending me off to weight-watchers. Ion in the northern reaches of our manor, effected by the ripping down of the a comedy, although in the final analysis It never rains …

physical torture of gay men SINCE 1967. The music was well chosen and London Gay beautifully presented with a rollicking finale. From there Al and I entered what Men’s Chorus to me felt like heaven, and in fact was AGIT-POP celebrating the Home House where we had the sashimi fiftieth anniversary of the platter washed down by a half bottle of Sexual Offences Act 1967 the Tokay. 9 June 2017 Early summer wrapper I went with older daughter Hannah LGMC were fabulous and put on a and her fiancée Katy to support Gill rip-roaring evening but first you have to Perkin’s Oasis’s cabaret in support of the know about Al Canning. Al was a big HIV charity at the Sound Lounge, Love star at school, equally popular, beautiful, Happens Here. It was an outstanding respected, and as far as the college was evening with fabulously angry burlesque concerned trouble. In the market town from Rubyyy Jones, and opened by the just south of Swindon there were plenty ever-excellent Mark Bunyan’s Lehrer- of pretty-enough petite brunette women, esque piano. On a final note, one to but Al was a willowy-blonde film-star, Torquay? As it happens I was planning the Cadogan Hall. Al invited me out watch out for: it was a great privilege and, since that was pretty much how to go to David’s funeral in Devon, but for dinner, but was delighted when I visiting the Perren Street Studios to see I saw myself, I adored her. A bit of a I’d’ve gone to it on foot to see Al, and of suggested we take in the show. Now Working Title (Larry Sabin excellent hippy herself, you might think of her as a course we had an amazing day laughing between you and me, if I’d thought I on guitar taking on Hendrix on home female Syd Barrett, who taught us to be like we did when we were 17, and had half a chance now, any more than soil and equally strong vocals, Helena cool you had to be kind. If you’d given me worrying that David would be offended, I did when we were we kids, it might Pearson on bass, and Ollie Symonds one school friend I could hook up with which of course he wouldn’t, given the have been awkward, but we had a on drums) warming up for their 25 once more I would always have picked Al legendary hospitality of the Jaynes. laugh, and a cry, just like we’d had at June 2017 Hampstead Heath gig. With Canning. When Al corrected a pleasantry uttered David’s funeral. The joy in each other’s a power-trio’s staple of Hey Joe well- And so it was when our close mutual by a fellow guest (“He isn’t my husband company, tempered by the death of a worked, and with their own stamp, friend David Jayne died at the tragically …yet”) I just bathed in the moment and wonderful man, perfectly reflected the as ever it was the original material young age of 58, I got a LinkedIn assumed I’d never hear from Al again. LGMC evening, as we watched in frank that fascinated, particularly Pearson’s invitation from Al Canning, would I But I did. And it was a couple of amazement, the politicised videos telling beautifully stylised lead-bass. So there be going along to David’s funeral in days before I was due to see LGMC at the story of the psychological and indeed you are. 52 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk

Arts & Culture PhotographDecca © MAX future looked dim” as classic examples of Berry’s teenage poetry) to a punch Feldman drunk live cover of Tony Joe White’s REVIEWS Tex-Mex novelty number 3/4 Time (Enchiladas) which proves an unexpected highlight, with stop overs with the ill- advised ‘island patois’ of Jamaica Moon (sample lyrics: “Me still alone, me sip on Chuck the rum.” The prosecution rests.) itself Chuck Berry an update of Havana Moon and Lady B. Goode the fourth (!!!) sequel to the Price: £9.99 immortal Johnny. Whilst Berry only had about 4 or 5 riffs (all of which are in heavy rotation on Chuck) they’re all some “If you tried to give rock and of the best riffs ever written so it’s not roll another name, you might really a problem, but the insistence on, ahem, riffing on his past lyrical subject call it ‘Chuck Berry’.” matter draws parallels between the John Lennon slightly dodgy production to be found on the record, compared to the smooth analogue warmth of the originals. Will Chuck change your life? Do you huck Berry’s last album was even need to listen to it if you’re not a 1979’s creatively titled Rock It, pompadoured 50s freak who uses phrases which was a martyr to dated like “straight from the fridge daddy-o” Cproduction techniques: Hail! Hail! in casual conversation? Probably not, Processed Drums and Ill-advised Keyboard but it’s the lean and swinging last word Solos! might have been a more apropos from a wild-eyed firebrand who started title. In the decades following the Berry duck-walked off his mortal coil Coke bottle. Instead Chuck (for that is its a musical revolution by bringing hillbilly father of rock and roll and occasional at the ripe old age of 90). Coming as it name) sounds like the kind of record that standards to black R&B clubs and pervert (if you want to depress yourself does on the heels of David Bowie and a touring musician would make; rough basically duck-walking a huge swathe look up his penchant for installing Leonard Cohen’s elegaic final records, it’s around the edges and clearly doesn’t of 20th Century culture into existence cameras in the women’s bathrooms of tempting to hold one’s breath and dare give two fucks if you don’t think it’s the without breaking a sweat. On the other the restaurants he owned) seemed to to dream that after a career defined by bee’s knees. It has airs but no graces and hand he was a difficult bastard (Keith have moved happily into the ‘strictly supernova singles Chuck Berry was able as a result it’s about the best closing Richards is quoted as claiming that “I live performances’ period of his career. to put together an album that measures statement you could wish for from rock’s couldn’t warm to him if I was cremated Berry played countless one night stands up to and maybe even surpasses his notoriously prickly patriarch. next to him”) with a history of statutory without a fixed backing band (though scorching early work as a meditation of The whole album is a ramshackle rape and the aforementioned bathroom he brought his own instruments so he his life and career. Does it? Of course it affair that careens from Roll Over scandal and for some that might be could charge promoters an ‘instrument doesn’t. It doesn’t even come close. It was Beethoven style rockers (Big Boys is enough to give Chuck a skip. He’s a rental fee’); just blowing into town and never going to; Berry’s early work is at probably the purest example on the contradictory figure and if this record assembling any available musicians to the very core of rock’s DNA; an entire record of Berry’s particular genius, with isn’t a masterpiece then it certainly isn’t back him, refusing to give them a set lifetime of thunderstorms trapped in a lines like “I was bright in school but my a disappointment. Hail, Hail, Rock and list beyond “Chuck Berry songs” before Roll. playing whatever he felt like in whatever PhotographJohn © Thompson key he wanted, arrogantly assured that any musician worth their salt would know his stuff inside out and therefore be able to keep up. The thing is he wasn’t wrong; Chuck Berry was unarguably the father of what we think of as Rock and Roll (whilst a strong case can be made for Little Richard, Berry was the first to place the guitar front and centre) and his early hits had an effect on music similar to the monolith from 2001: A Space Odyssey had on prehistoric man. Johnny B. Goode was even deemed worthy of being blasted into space on the Voyager Golden Record, in case alien tastes run a little hotter than Bach and Beethoven. However as Berry came towards the end of his life, it seemed that he was no longer content in remaining a museum piece. Recording in his hometown of St Louis, with a band mostly comprised of his children (though there are the requisite celebrity guest appearances by the likes of Gary Clark Jr., Tom Morello, and Nathaniel Rateliff ) Berry set out a rollicking 35 minutes of his particular brand of Rock and Roll which he was still tinkering with when he died in March (clearly not a believer in the creed of ‘live fast, die young’ 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 53

Arts & Culture online: www.KCWToday.co.uk Photograph © Studio Canal PhotographStudio © our unnamed protagonist finds himself on a desert island that manages to be The Red Turtle both lush with life and vegetation and Director: yet starkly desolate. Alone but for some Michaël Dudok de Wit oddly emotive beach crabs, the castaway begins to construct a boat with admirable Running Time: 80 Minutes swiftness (as in immediately. I probably would have taken a day of lying on the beach first, but perhaps he’d left the oven hilst Pixar tend to get all the on) in order to set out. However a rather column ink as the bleeding intractable problem eventually presents edge of the animated world itself when a territorial (or perhaps just (andW considering that their upcoming lonely) giant red turtle takes it upon movie is Cars 3 perhaps their crown is itself to sink his boat. What follows is an more illusory than it used to be) the ever-increasing arms race between turtle Japanese Studio Ghibli have been quietly and man that soon turns towards magical producing uncompromising works of realism. To reveal any more would be breath-taking wonder like Spirited Away to deprive the film of its surprise (sadly and Grave Of The Fireflies with an almost not a concern for the audience that its perfect track record since their formation trailer shares), but what seems at first in 1985. Whilst The Red Turtle is not a to be a simple tale of escape makes an pure Studio Ghibli film (they were one unexpected switch into something quite of the associate production houses in this different. Of The Fireflies/The Tale Of The Princess protagonist. Roughly every 10 minutes Japanese-French-Belgian collaboration) The lack of dialogue (though Kaguya director Isao Takahata, The Red or so, something breathtaking happens, their unique sensibility is clearly present there are grunts and cries of passion) Turtle is both minimalist and vividly whether it be a daring escape through in this pared-down tale of isolation and makes perfect sense considering the rendered, from the computer-animated a tight underwater tunnel or a tidal rebirth directed by Academy Award castaway’s solitude and far from feeling waves to the well-articulated hand- wave that swamps the island, leaving winner Michaël Dudok de Wit. pretentious,the silence quietly (pun drawn human figures. devastation in its wake. Yet even amid The Red Turtle only takes 80 grudgingly intended) cuts away all The pure aesthetic beauty of The the life or death moments, The Red Turtle minutes to unfold its wordless tale of a extraneous fat from the story, leaving just Red Turtle carries the movie a long finds time to appreciate the childlike joy shipwrecked sailor, but it enchants from the gorgeous visuals to tell this oddly way, compensating for moments when of uncorking a bottle, or the gray-toned its opening shot: a seething grey sea; universal story. Dudok De Wit favours it ranges too far into the elliptical, or wonder of a moonlit beach. This film is tossing vertiginously like a monochrome the thin, “clean” lines common to many even the inexplicable. It also helps that a triumph of illustration, serving a story version of Hokusai’s The Great Wave, European comic book artists, like Jean no matter how surreal and allegorical that’s intensely aware of both the big with the tiny speck of a flailing man Moebius Giraud and Georges Hergé that Dudok De Wit and Ferran get, mysteries of human existence and the bobbing desperately amongst the raging Remi. With the help of Ghibli’s artists they ultimately keep the story grounded small ways that a crab scuttles across the

surf. Escaping by as much luck as skill and technicians, supervised by Grave in the immediate needs of their sand. Photograph © Epic Records PhotographEpic © give their hard- out of the Seattle Sound’s proverbial earned dollars to gift shop, complete with liner notes on Singles: the man who’d some of the central influences on said Original Motion Picture made Peter scene, beginning with the already defunct Soundtrack Deluxe Edition Gabriel THE Mother Love Bone’s epic Chloe Dancer/ musician to blast Crown of Thorns, The Lovemongers’ cover Various Artists from a boom-box of Zeppelin’s Battle of Evermore and The Price: £11.99 outside your love Jimi Hendrix Experience’s May This interest’s room, Be Love in addition to the latest jams no-one could from the local heroes, with Mudhoney’s have predicted it. Overblown and Screaming Trees’ Nearly If the movie Lost You (which still bursts out of the box was big though, like a rabid wolf ). Hell, even the outliers the soundtrack found a seat at the table: The Smashing was a bona-fide Pumpkins’ post-Gish jam Drown closes ameron Crowe’s 1992 Seattle- sensation, hitting things down with one of Billy Corgan’s based romantic comedy Singles double platinum greatest solos while Paul Westerberg has been mostly (justifiably?) back when that kicked off his post-Replacements career Cforgotten: It’s a fairly simple inoffensive actually meant with two original charmers. comedy featuring a cast of attractive something. This expanded re-release comes as late 20-somethings, all of whom (except Twenty-five pop-culture seems to be beginning to one) live in the same apartment complex, years later, it’s re-evaluate Grunge’s musical legacy in date each other and hang out at a coffee admittedly the wake of Chris Cornell’s (who has shop. If this sounds eerily familiar it’s somewhat several cameos in both the movie and because it’s the missing link that evolved difficult to soundtrack) death. Rather than any into Friends: originally Friends was imagine a time individual album (great as they may be) going to be a spin off series, but when when soundtracks Singles offers one of the broadest reaches those plans fell through, the producers like Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Alice commanded such power, but that’s into a genre that was actually much more just transplanted the basic conceit from In Chains and Mudhoney (Nirvana exactly what happened with Singles. The multifaceted than the cliché of flannel Seattle to New York and watched the are conspicuous in their absence) all film’s flannel-wearing sidepiece arrived and depression lets on. Coming complete money roll in. Singles is more than have pre-fame cameo roles which were nearly three months before the film’s with reams of extra tracks, (some great, a distantly remembered trivia point effectively included as in-jokes. Cameron release, riding on the first wave of ’90s some more understandably cut from the in the history of Friends however, as Crowe lived in Seattle at the time and alternative with future titans Pearl Jam, finished product), Singles resurrects a due to blind luck as much as planning was close friends with many musicians Soundgarden, and Alice in Chains. All very specific moment in music history Singles had the unintended privilege of on the then-underground scene, but three were a year or two removed from without making too big a deal about it. documenting the Seattle grunge scene became reason enough for the grungy their proper breakthroughs, and Singles Looking like you’re trying isn’t cool just before it took off. Grunge megastars faithful to trek down to a cinema and served as a handy tour guide straight and Singles is very cool indeed. 54 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Health

“The next revolution in medicine,” as describes it, is 3D printing New technologies prosthetics. “Leading prosthetics can cosmetech cost up to $100,000,” the Open Hand chelsea private clinic revolutionise Project (OHP) says. “By using emerging technologies like 3D printing, we can cut prosthetics that down to a fraction of the cost which Non-surgical Facelift By Fahad Redha means that these devices can reach a far (thread lifts) broader audience!” DR. KATE ALEXANDRA BISHOP The OHP hopes to make this more Lamborghini, best known for high If you would like to reverse the signs performance cars is teaming up with the accessible to the public. Its website Dr Kate Alexandra Bishop not only of ageing, a revolutionary non-surgical Houston Methodist Research Institute provides downloadable files that can offers anti-wrinkle injections and face lift called the ‘thread lift’ may well to study using composite materials, be 3D printed, making them far more dermal fillers at Cosmetech but now be the best possible option outside also the UK’s leading non-surgical similar to that used in its supercars, for affordable. It also allows individual ® surgery. facelift, the Princess Lift PDO (LFL the development of better prosthetics. investors and designers to offer their - Lead Fine Lift). It is a premium The project will be conducted by Dr creations to those in need. lifting thread which is absorbed after Mauro Ferrari, the Institute’s president As many as 30 million people This treatment uses absorbable threads to lift and proliferating collagen by stimulating and CEO whose research will collaborate worldwide are in need of prosthetics, rejuvenate your facial skin, resulting in a fresh, fibroblast. with five other collaborating institutes in many of them living in developing youthful appearance. Italy. countries. However, as many as eight in The partnership will study ten do not have the devices they require. These treatments target specific areas of the “I couldn’t be happier with the result” Gillian Taylforth biocompatibility issues in using these The WHO says that there is a shortage face and are recommended to lift and contour brows, crows feet, cheeks, nasolabial folds and materials for implants or devices placed of 40,000 trained prosthetists in poorer marionette lines, jawline and neck area. countries. There is also the cost associated under the skin. The hope is that they are The procedure lasts between 1 and 2 hours. READER OFFER with travelling long distances for lighter and will last longer than existing For your complimentary BEFORE AFTER prosthetics, as well as being “better treatment, including assessing their needs consultation and 10% off tolerated by the human body, and more and producing and fitting prosthetics. introductory offer*, resistant over time than those currently The treatment alone can take days and please call: used,” according to Lamborghini. the result is far from perfect. Carbon fibre composites is used by “Slowly but surely,” The Guardian’sIan 020 7565 0333 Birrell wrote, “3D printing, also known companies like Lamborghini because *T&Cs apply. This article must be presented to of its lightweight and strength. For a as additive manufacturing, has been redmeme your 10% discount. Valid until March 31st (one voucher per person). car, these are key to its performance revolutionising aspects of medicine since and handling. More recently, it has also the start of the century, just as it has had Cosmetech, Chelsea Private Clinic, The Courtyard, 250 Kings Road, London SW3 5UE been employed by BMW and Toyota for an impact on so many other industries.” 3fivetwo.com PART OF THE 3FIVETWO GROUP BECAUSE LIFE MATTERS use in their hybrid models since saving This would also be particularly great for weight is a great way to improve fuel children, as a new, larger one can be 3D consumption. printed as they grow.

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bowel cancer, and it’s available here in endoscopy. We also have the support Some of the most common symptoms Colorectal cancer Chelsea at HCA Sydney Street, provided of The Lister Hospital just around the of colorectal cancers are rectal bleeding, by Leaders in Oncology Care (LOC) in corner, which has 61 beds, 4 operating change in bowel habit, weight loss, specialists partnership with The Lister Hospital. We theatres, an endoscopy unit, onsite anaemia and a family history of bowel also see those who have a strong family intensive care unit and was recently rated cancer. bring expertise to history of bowel cancer. ‘outstanding’ by the CQC. We work with But it’s also important to know that a dedicated Colorectal Nurse Specialist many of the common symptoms can Chelsea What are the benefits of the at Sydney Street to facilitate an easy and be attributed to other conditions such with new rapid service service? efficient patient journey on the pathway. as haemorrhoids, diverticulosis, polyps For people experiencing symptoms Our patients also benefit from multi- or inflammatory bowel disease (such as associated with bowel cancer, such as disciplinary team meetings where leading Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis) and bleeding from the bottom, a change oncologists, radiologists, pathologists and only around 5-6% of cases turn out to be in the way their bowels work or surgeons come together to discuss each cancer. loss of weight, finding out if it’s a case thoroughly in order to decide on the We believe the main message is to Mr Oliver Warren and Miss sinister diagnosis is very stressful. best course of action for each individual act quickly, and get a definitive diagnosis. Sarah Mills, Consultant The new service aims to cut the wait patient. We have seen too many patients who Colorectal Surgeons, have for appointments and test results and ignored symptoms hoping they would shorten the whole process so that we can What prompted you to start this go away, sometimes with really troubling been setting high standards get patients onto the correct course of service? consequences. in the treatment of colorectal treatment as soon as possible. Colorectal cancer is the third most Whether your symptoms turn out to and intestinal conditions in You can either self-refer to the service common cancer in both men and women. be cancer or not we will be able to advise or you can be referred by your GP, and We have worked together in the NHS you on the best course of action; for Chelsea for the last 3 years. we guarantee that you’ll be offered an for many years, even before we became example in the case of polyps, these can Here they tell us about appointment to see a consultant in 3 consultants, so we’ve seen countless lead to cancer later in life so we can set their new fast-track service for working days. You’ll then have diagnostic patients come through the door. Recently patients on a surveillance programme. tests such as a colonoscopy done within 5 though, as people have become more residents worried about their days and often you’ll have the results on knowledgeable and aware of the warning So whether you’re 23 or 103, if you health the same day. The turnaround time for a signs, we’ve seen an uplift in demand are worried come and see us! biopsy is also 5 days. for services. In the local Chelsea area Tell us a bit about the new service But it’s not all about speed. You will alone there has been a 300% increase in you’ve developed. always be under the care and supervision referrals to secondary care on the current It’s a rapid access service for people who of highly experienced consultants NHS pathway, so we are trying to fill a For more information are worried they may have colorectal throughout your treatment and at HCA need that is there. please visit The Lister Hospital website: cancer, also known as ‘bowel cancer’, and UK we’re fortunate to have some of the www.thelisterhospital.com/about-us/ basically it does what it says on the tin! most advanced tools at our disposal, What are some of the warning our-treatment-centres/hca-sydney- It’s a brand new service for people who such as CT colonography, an alternative, signs that people should be looking street have any symptoms that might suggest less invasive approach than standard for? or call 020 3131 6447 for appointments.

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Motoring online: www.KCWToday.co.uk Photograph©bluedeviation Volvo hopping mad at kangaroos By Fahad Redha

ne of the companies at the forefront of autonomous cars is Volvo. The Swedish firm has Obeen developing systems that can detect animals as well as pedestrians, but has recently found a flaw. While the so called “Large Animal Detection system” can spot and avoid deer, elk, and caribou, it is baffled by kangaroos. The unique movements of the large marsupial, which accounts for 90% of front and can supposedly spot potential development. restraint, will deploy “robot patrols.” The animal collisions in Australia, confuses collisions in urban environments. The GATEway focuses on the so-called little driverless cars will have biometric the system. “When it’s in the air, it company plans to release a self-driving “last-mile” issue. This refers to getting software to scan for wanted criminals or actually looks like it’s further away,” car by 2020 and promises no fatalities people home where a car or public anyone suspected of or currently breaking managing director of Volvo Australia, involving its cars by then. Volvo has also transport won’t take them. In other the law. It even comes equipped with its Kevin McCann said, “then it lands and it announced that all newly released models words, direct to their door. “Last mile” own drone that can be launched via a looks closer.” from 2019 onwards will be either hybrid includes walking, cycling, or hiring a rear sleeve, both of which are monitored This is because the object detection or all-electric. little vehicle, including an autonomous by a command room. systems in the cars rely on the ground But you may see driverless cars on our one. “It can recognise people in any area as a reference point, Volvo’s Australian roads sooner than that. The CargoPod The CargoPod is a small electric car and identify suspicious objects and can technical manager, David Pickett, told will begin a pilot project in the that can carry up to 128 kg (282lb). If track suspects. It has a drone and the user the ABC. Borough of Greenwich. The Greenwich it proves successful, Ocado hopes to [police officer] needs to access the car Volvo does offer semi-autonomous Automated Transport Environment have a “wider roll out of autonomous through fingerprint. It will be deployed features in the S90/V90 and XC90 Project (GATEway) has teamed up with vehicles which, in the future, may play at tourist destinations in ,” which it says gives “a taste of the future online supermarket Ocado to deliver an important role in cutting inner city Brigadier Al Razooqi said. of autonomous driving.” These systems to over 100 customers in the Berkeley congestion and air pollution.” Fortunately, neither it nor the maintain a safe distance with the car in Homes, Royal Arsenal Riverside And Dubai, a place not known for CargoPod will run into any Kangaroos. 58 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Motoring Photographs and the railway now goes through the mountains above the town, as does the

From the back ©

main road, which used to echo to the Don Grant Archive seat sound of souped-up Fiats and Vespas. Part 42 The Hotel Miramare, where we first stayed while dad was out looking for By Don Grant somewhere to rent, is still there with its strange mix of art-deco/neo-mughal- gothic architecture and colouring, and the road seems a lot less busy than it was. n the late summer, the Grant Ice-cream was a great favourite, both in family would take two or three the hotel bar and in the dazzling neon- weeks holiday, usually in Italy, as it lit gelateria in Finale Ligurie, where Icoincided with the Italian Grand Prix at we used to go and promenade in the Monza, the fiendishly fast, banked track warm evenings. We used to put 5-lira thirty kilometres outside Milan. The trip aluminium coins on the track and wait would start early in the morning, with in the bushes until a train came along dad loading up the car with everything and flattened them into anamorphic from a picnic table and chairs, to a ovals. On the other side of the track was stove, clothes and towels for five, maps an outdoor movie theatre with bench and books, his typewriter, toys, a picnic seating, and dad took us there to watch hamper with plates, knives and forks. American westerns dubbed into Italian. What would not fit in the boot would It mattered not when a train rattled go on the roof-rack, wrapped up in a past in the middle of the film in an O tarpaulin and secured by a terrifying and the twin engines would splutter for that weekend and then drive us down Winston Link tableau, with passengers device called ‘an octopus’. No matter how and fart into life, with a clattering of to the coast. We only managed to get sitting at tables lit by little table lights tight it was fastened, it would always pistons and billows of blue smoke. The to the race twice, once in 1955, when and bats flitting between the audience come loose and start flapping. We would noise was deafening as this improbable motor racing was dominated by the and the screen. With his gravelly Italian set off for Lydd in Kent and board an flying machine gathered speed down the Silver Arrows, driven by Fangio, Moss, voice, Alan Ladd will never seem the antiquated Silver City Bristol Freighter, runway, fishtailing until it hauled itself Karl Kling and Piero Taruffi. Fangio same. which took two cars and their passengers. into the air, and soon we were flying and Moss had the streamlined versions, The little house dad finally settled The front of the aircraft opened up past Dungeness and out over the sea, their last appearance in a GP after the on was only yards from the sea, the like two giant clam-shells, and the cars shining like a Ken Howard painting. Le Mans tragedy, while the other two pannetaria and the lateria, and we were would be driven up a ramp by ground- Twenty minutes later, we landed in Le were open-wheeled models. I seem to sent out first thing in the morning with crew. We passengers were strapped Touquet, and after minimal customs remember the Pope being driven around a zinc pail to be filled from a vat of cold, into full-harness belts in leather seats, formalities, we were soon on the road in an open-topped sports car and waving latte freddo with a ladle, burro with a south to Abbeville, in a very papal manner, but I may have rivet seal, and some bread. Dad could not where we stopped dreamt that. The second time my brother function without an espresso from his at a market to get and I were taken was in 1961. Dad aluminium coffee maker and a cigarette. food for our picnic booked himself into a swanky hotel in Eba was very much at home on the lunch. Although Milan, and us into a somewhat seedy beach, with her flamboyant straw hat, dad varied it a bit, dump around the corner, which, we later one-piece swimming costume, towels he never went near discovered, due to the violent banging of and an umbrella, whereas dad’s body Paris, preferring the headboard on the wall, was used by was unused to the sun and appeared as A-roads to Reims signore della notte on an hourly basis. The alabaster next to his wife and children, and then N-roads race was another tragedy, with Jimmy who had been on the beach every day for to places like St Clark and Taffy von Trips touching on over a week getting nut-brown while he Dizier, then even the flat-out belter to the Parabolica, with was off working. One fore-arm was much bumpier D-roads the German’s Ferrari being catapulted browner than the other, as it spent most through the Jura to into crowd on the second lap, killing of its time leaning out of the car window, Pontarlier and across himself and fifteen spectators. The day and he usually wore a straw hat. the Swiss border at before, we were shown around the Ferrari He was not interested in sitting Vallorbe. He would camp by Taffy, who was handsome, around in the sun, and would seek try and make it to charming and relaxed with us two out the dappled shade of a beach-bar a welcoming family teenage boys. Surprisingly, the race went drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes, hotel in Susten- on after the carnage, and was won by whilst reading a book. After lunch, we Leuk smelling of Phil Hill, who took the championship. children were packed off for a siesta, beeswax and coffee, Jimmy was spirited away in a car and while Eba would traipse back down to which he had stayed smuggled out of the country in Jack the beach in the heat of the day, sitting in many times Brabham’s aeroplane, as the Italian police under her umbrella, savouring the bliss of before, in the Rhône and prosecutors would have banged him solitude without kids. We had snorkels, valley between up on manslaughter charges. It was with masks and flippers, and I would love Martigny and Brig, enormous sadness that dad drove us back gazing at the magical underwater world at the foot of the down to Liguria late on Monday, having sliding past. Dad had brought a car-tyre Simplon Pass. written his story and sent it off from inner tube, which, when inflated, would Dad was there Milan airport. have made a passable rubber ring, were it to cover the race for Varigotti was a little fishing village not for the sharp little valve sticking into his magazine, and he built along the thin strip of the Via the small of one’s back. Dad rarely went would either drop us Aurelia, between Savona and Finale in the water, but when he did, he shot off off on the Ligurian Ligure, with the railway running at a rate of knots, outstripping both my coast west of Genoa alongside it. There were big trains brother and me with his manically fast and drive back up thundering through the little town from crawl. He could not keep it up for long, for practise, or put Northern Italy to San Remo, Alassio, however, so his two sons were able to us all up in a hotel Ventimiglia and then on to the French overhaul him with their more economic, on Lake Maggiore Riviera. I Google-earthed the area and, dare I say, elegant, strokes. 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 59 Motoring online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

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Sport

Photograph © Dmitry Rozhkov PhotographDmitry © PhotographJ. © Brichto dominated for a decade. In Bolt’s 100m final on Saturday 5 August World Athletics a sport where athletes often and the opening and closing nights, make headlines for the wrong on Friday 4 and Sunday 13 August Championships reasons, the Jamaican eight- respectively. are just the tonic London time Olympic champion “We are delighted for fans of major has been a ray of light in sporting events in the UK that we’ve needs this summer a somewhat murky world. been granted increased capacity for the By Owen Fulda Farah has also declared that stadium during the Summer of World the Championships will be Athletics,” said championship director his final track event, although Niels de Vos. “When we initially opened he will still compete in the ballot last summer 201,000 tickets marathons and road races. were requested for the men’s 100m final ‘Legacy’ was a much- night, as well as a number of sessions used word during the 2012 being completely oversubscribed. This ecent events in London have Olympics. Sebastian Coe means we can aim to fill every seat in the brought the city to its knees. A certainly fashioned an stadium for sold out sessions. We are so string of terror attacks followed by astonishing Games, one of pleased that we can once again give more the catastrophic Grenfell Tower inferno the most successful ever, fans an opportunity to be part of the R championships and this announcement have left communities scarred and angry. and unquestionably the But it wasn’t too long ago that our capital finest episode in British confirms our final availability for city was united as one as the city hosted sporting history, lapping even ticketing.” the 2012 Olympic Games. We supported England’s football World Cup One nation who will not be not only the British athletes but male victory in 1966. But has there participating in the championships and female competitors from all nations; are as resilient as they come. London really been a tangible legacy? Can we say is Russia due to their alleged state- those who were able-bodied as well as has seen worse than these troubled few that the IAAF awarding these World sponsored doping regime. Moscow’s the inspirational Paralympic athletes. months. and the IRA bombing Championships to London is down to, in head of sport and tourism, former gold During those 16 summer days, the campaign may have shaken the city but part at least, the Olympic legacy? medallist Nikolay Gulyaev, remains vibrancy, passion and hospitality of London will always prevail. Four years ago Lord Coe stepped adamant, however, that the ban is due to London and its citizens became the envy In times such as these, sport has down from his role as Olympic legacy politics rather than doping. The former of the world. Londoners of all races and an important part to play in bringing ambassador and spoke of his regret that speed skating world record holder religions celebrated as Team GB won a communities together and strengthening school sport became a political football believes Russia is in fact the the victim of record 65 medals, 29 of which were gold. cultural identities. It may seem a during the Olympic Games. In doing so a smear campaign. Mo Farah, born in Mogadishu, defeated stretch to suggest that because there he called for a 10‑year legacy plan in the Despite World Anti-Doping Agency a world-class field and became the first is no common cause to get behind face of a mounting childhood obesity (WADA) publishing reports last year British athlete in history to win 10,000 this summer (the Lions tour of New crisis. Coe said he wanted the “four big claiming that 1000 Russian athletes metres gold. Now a ‘double-double’ Zealand is huge in its own right, but it meaty chunks” of legacy that he had been committed state-sponsored cheating Olympic champion, Farah’s stature doesn’t nearly possess the magnetism of tasked with coordinating; increasing between 2011 and 2015, Gulyaev has seen him become one of the most a football World Cup) that Londoners sports participation, volunteering, the believes there is an agenda against his inspirational symbols of multiculturalism have turned on each other. While Labour economy and regeneration to all have nation. “The great sports’ arenas need to in the UK. and Tory supporters trade tiring vitriol permanent homes in government stage sports competitions, not political Sadly those relatively utopian times on social media and Brexit looms large, departments before the end of the year. ones,” said Gulyaev. “It’s just political seem far away in the current, fractious the city needs something to celebrate and The raw numbers have since shown games. I know how it works. I used to be climate of our capital. Although lest to take its collective minds off the trauma participation at least, to have sadly in certain situations in the Olympics that we forget that just 12 months before it has suffered this year. decreased across most sports. had nothing to do with sport.” the Games were held, London was Thankfully, between August 5 and Ticket sales for the World Gulyaev added that he did not want gripped by violent rioting sparked by the 13, the World Athletics Championships Championships have however been high, to see athletes turn on one another but in shooting of Mark Duggan by police, and are being held at the 60,000 capacity which is evidently positive for athletics his opinion the upcoming championship that not less than 24 hours after London London Stadium. The Championships in the UK. Such was the demand in in London would be a poorer event was awarded the right to host the will feature the opportunity to see the fact that an extra 60,000 tickets were without Russia. It’s fair to say that the Olympic games (at the expense of Paris), legendary 100 metre sprinter Usain Bolt put on sale in June for the 10 days of vast majority of athletes compete ‘clean’, 56 Londoners were murdered in the 7/7 do what he does best once more, before competition, allowing fans to buy tickets and will certainly not agree with his atrocity. But Londoners as a collective he bids farewell to the sport he has for previously sold-out sessions, such as sentiment. 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 61

Sport online: www.KCWToday.co.uk Photograph © TomRose and the usual smattering of games, often they do and how well they market it.” televised, here and there throughout After last summer’s record-breaking proceedings before quarter finals at the domestic attendances, it’s difficult to back end of August, and finals day on argue against the fact that the existing Saturday September 2. model is funding our four-day cricket, Since the 2017 edition of the Indian the stepping-stone to Test cricket. In the Premier League ended back in May, the other corner, many current and former shortest format of the game has taken players are in support of an attractive something of a backseat in proceedings. franchise-based system following the Ben Stokes was voted player of the success of the Indian Premier League series for his inspirational performances. and Australia’s Big Bash. England’s much-vaunted ginger all- Yorkshire captain Andrew Gale rounder took 12 wickets and made 306 hinted towards city-based franchises on runs in the tournament. But T20 cricket . “Franchise system would work in England still hasn’t really found its in England,” he said. “Ten cities, over a niche, at least compared to the IPL and three-week period, straight after IPL. Australia’s Big Bash. World’s best players, bigger crowds.” Earlier this year, the England ECB bosses say they are aware that and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) set nothing less than the future relevance out to create a new city-based T20 of the game in this country is on the competition by 2020 to rival the other line. Why then wait another three years

global competitions. The proposals were to implement the changes that the vast PhotographConnor © PD approved by 38 of the 41 England and majority of cricket supporters and players Wales Cricket Board members, with would almost certainly support? T20 cricket 15 first-class counties in support of the Back to this year’s contest which competition. Essex and Middlesex were looks wide open. Having lifted the blasting off again the only two counties to vote against the trophy twice in four years, Northants can By Owen Fulda proposals, while Kent abstained from no longer claim to be plucky underdogs. voting. “I passionately believe that the They are genuine heavyweights of the game has chosen the right path,” ECB competition and having kept their squad he NatWest T20 Blast returns chairman Colin Graves said. largely intact will be top contenders in July, shifting back to being In one corner, the Counties seem again. Nottinghamshire were beaten played, for the most part, in a six- reluctant to deviate from the T20 Blast. semi-finalists last year, and it is just as week block after the recent experiment Essex CCC chief executive Derek surprising that they have also never got T Bowden argues: “The 18 counties are with making it a Friday night show. their hands on the Blast trophy. They Friday nights are still a cornerstone of all making a profit out of T20, some will hope that a full season of Alex Hales the fixture list, though, joined by Sundays more than others depending on how could make the difference.

12 month deal as they offer ‘no contract message, my code had not been activated attempt later. membership’ which means you can join yet. After some brief cursing I searched, While I have to say the equipment Gyms in Zone and cancel anytime. in vain, for a member of staff. This was is certainly decent, it can be tricky to Of course, a gym as cheap as this does a Saturday morning so you would have actually get a chance to use it, especially One don’t need to inevitably have certain pitfalls. Firstly expected someone to be on hand, but no. of an evening. Helpfully you can log in break the bank gaining entry to the gym itself can be So there I was, all pumped up and ready to your PureGym account and see a live By Owen Fulda akin to the defeating Crystal Maze, at to go, looking plaintively through the update of how many people are currently least for me. Upon becoming a member big glass windows at all the equipment using the gym. But if you like a nice you are sent an access code which you I couldn’t use. Eventually I gave up, and quiet workout, your only hope of finding type into a keypad to enter the gym. after battling with customer service such sanctity is during work hours, Unfortunately, as I was informed by text back at home I made another successful Monday to Friday. No surprise there. But at the end of the day this is a no frills gym, so you can’t really expect the earth. So you’re looking for a gym in zone one If you’ve read all the way to here; I have that’s not going to cost you a Premier some bonus information. If you sign League footballer’s weekly wage. Good up through www.payasugym.com your luck! But wait, what’s this? There’s a gym monthly membership can be less than near underground station £25 per month! Now that is amazing. offering monthly memberships for less If you’re not already convinced, allow than £30. I bet the equipment is old and me to list a few of the available classes. rusty, and the changing rooms in dire Zumba (of course), Pure Box Fit, Muscle need of redecorating. Wrong! Previously Gain Induction (great for making sure an LA Fitness gym, this gym has been you’re lifting with correct form and transformed into a PureGym which won’t injure yourself), Pure Yoga, Pure opened late last year. Abs, Pure Circuits, Pure Fat Burn, Pure The renovation saw them say goodbye Cycle. There are three personal trainers to the swimming pool to maximise floor available, which is great if you need one space, a decision which has actually and great if you don’t like being pestered worked really well in my view. by them too, because most gyms seem The gym is spread over two spacious to have about 30 in my experience. The floors and contains over 220 pieces of changing rooms and showers are more quality state of the art gym equipment than adequate, and there are plenty of such as LIVESTRONG spin bikes by lockers too. Overall PureGym Bayswater Matrix, vibrating Power Plates and TRX is incredible value for money given its training frames. They also offer over 50 location (Bayswater House, 6 Moscow free classes a week. Conveniently, you Place, London, W2 4AP), just don’t go in don’t worry about being locked into a with overly high expectations! 62 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Crossword, Classified & Public Notices

This is the fifty eighth Across 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 1 US state without a red complexion. (6) Wolfe Cryptic Crossword 5 A tandem I recycled full of excitement Bill Neville of N10 2HA was last month’s (8) 9 10 winner, congratulations. Please let me have 9 Ear drum seen in a decorated any comments or suggestions you may have pediment. (8) and remember if you haven’t totally finished 10 Impudence on a measure of fuel. (6) the whole crossword still send it in as the 11 Literary device with no rhyme but 11 12 first correct or substantially correct answer reason none the less. (5,5) picked at random will win a prize of a bottle 12 Vacant or in deed initially render of Champagne kindly donated by Lea and invalid. (4) Sandeman. Send your grids either by post to 13 14 15 16 Wolfe, at Kensington and Chelsea Today 80-100 13 Tune on cruiser, but in the sky. (8) Gwynne Road London SW11 3UW or scan it 16 Is sawn, chopped for suitors. (6) in and send by email to [email protected]. 17 Archer in the front of the boat. (6) 19 Night flyer early without a tender 17 18 19 20 www.leaandsandeman.co.uk/Fine-Wine. caring. (8) 106 Kensington Church St, London, 21 Spot the gospel. (4) W8 4BH. T: 020 7221 1982. Contact Sandor. 22 Tree tapper may carry out a crime. 21 22 23 24 (10) 25 Sounds as if you could do this to your gut with this cut. (6) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 S O C W L B M S 26 Ant eater found inhabiting beginning 25 26 9 10 E X T R U D E O A R L O C K of dictionary. (8) A I R E P O N U 11 12 27 Squids defence with holy man and B O O Z E U P S E A C O A L forms a piece of desk furniture (8) 27 28 E S I I D G L 13 14 15 28 Spoil bashful soggy land. (6) D Y E R S W E E D C O L I C U E A O A 16 17 18 19 Down W I S H F U L D E S K T O P 2 Alloy always holds steadfast and E U F O T 7 Jewish tribe in a late attempt to 18 Firstly name a petroleum heater that 20 21 22 23 24 faithful. (5) A L I B I L I M E S T O N E ameliorate. (9) has a volatile liquid. (7) 3 Come of age on the stalk or shelf. (5) K T C L O D X 8 Passionate as Jupiters moon after car 19 Female that may tip the scales. (7) 25 26 27 4 Put on nothing before front of the S W A H I L I B R E A D T H test in back road. (9) 20 Proposition finds them around army sang mellow yellow. (7) P B E P B A I U 14 Ward where there are no visitors is a mineral source. (7) 28 29 O R L A N D O E R R A T U M 5 Married ? perhaps you need one first. lonely state. (9) 23 Arrive refreshed holding a flower. (5) T E T P D N Y E (7) 15 Mine skill changed to help produce 24 Put fire to light carried for a loved 6 Singers change to get in. (7) calcium oxide. (9) one. (5)

CLASSIFIED ADS TREATMENT ROOMS AVAILABLE LICENSE APPLICATION  TO RENT IN CHELSEA: NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT We are interested in businesses with (a) HK Difference Ltd, c/o AGK Partners, STANLEY TO ADVERTISE YOUR BUSINESS existing clients in the locality. of (b) 1 Kings Avenue, London, N21 3NA has applied to the Royal Borough of VICTOR OR SERVICE HERE, Kensington and Chelsea for the GRANT Call 07764 988 333 of a license for (c) for supplying alcohol HEFFORD for further information. to our customers between 11am and 8pm on week days and weekends as TELEPHONE: 020 7738 2348 refreshments. OR EMAIL: Dinner & FOR THE PREMISES (d) HK London situated at (e) 311 King’s ADVERTISING@KCWTODAY. Event Catering Chef Road, Chelsea, London SW3 5EP. SADLY PASSED AWAY CO.UK A REGISTER OF LICENSING APPLICATIONS ON 7 JUNE 2017 AGED 85 can be inspected at http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/ environmentalandtransport/licensing.aspx or ON HIS BIRTHDAY, WHILE in person at Council Offices, 37 Pembroke Road, ON HOLIDAY IN HIS London W8 6PW, tel. 020 7341 5152, by appointment with the Licensing Team between 10am and 4pm BELOVED KITTZBÜHEL, Monday to Friday. Wonderful – the recipes are truly varied Any person wishing to submit representation AUSTRIA. and imaginative” to my/our application must give notice in writing Their Royal Highnesses, The Duke and to the licensing authority at the address shown Duchess of Gloucester above, giving in detail the grounds of objection by (f) 26/07/2017. “The best”  The Council will not entertain representations Chris Evans where the writer requests that his identity remains A SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE WORRIED ABOUT BEING “Delicious and Happy Food” anonymous. Copies of all representations will be WILL TAKE PLACE AT 2PM Dame Vivienne Westwood included in the papers presented to the Licensing AN EXECUTOR? Sub-Committee and will therefore pass into the ON FRIDAY, 14 JULY 2017 AT Dinner and Event cooking from your public domain. Representations must relate to one of the four Licensing Objectives: the prevention of WELLINGBOROUGH CORPS, We can relieve you of the burden, and home/work. Gurpareet Bains, Celebrity crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of give you all the help you want: whether Chef, creator of the world’s healthiest public nuisance and the protection of children from THE SALVATION ARMY, it’s just obtaining the grant of probate meal & three times bestselling recipe harm. In the case of an application for a provisional for you, or dealing with the whole book author, presents his Dinner Party statement, please note that representations will be SALEM LANE, & Event Catering Menu. restricted once a statement has been issued process all the way through to It is an offence liable on conviction to a fine up WELLINGBOROUGH, production of final estate accounts. For more information to Level 5 on the standard scale under Section 158 We are Probaters. Call 0845 034 7344 or T: 0871 288 5767 of the Licensing Act 2003 to knowingly or recklessly NORTHANTS, NN8 4JE. check our website www.probaters.com Email [email protected] make a false statement in connection with this application. 020 7738 2348 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today 63 Chess & Bridge online: www.KCWToday.co.uk

“Disappointed in MVL (Maxime has a Bishop for 4 CHESS Vachier-Lagrave) and Nepo (Ian White pawns seems Nepomniachtchi). I thought they would to be controlling the By Barry Martin play well but they are shadows of their centre of the board, best selves so far. Hopefully they (will) and White’s next move make tomorrow interesting and prevent seems obvious to Black’s it from turning into a four hour Magnus central control. What worship session in the commentary was it? Skiing with booth.” A further comment from Answer upside down Kasparov said “....that Carlsen’s style is a below. intuition, digging combination of Karpov and Fischer..... Wesley and Magnus both defeated by deep with Giri..amazing...after losing to Magnus

it seems that Wesley (So) lost his

strategic thinking confidence....but ‘tomorrow is another promoting. to near

day....” . Tomorrow was another day, and pawns of swarm White’s

Carlsen came out of the event on top with Bishop, and

he Altibox , Norway, chess of the Paris leg of the GCT. His blog Queen both threatening

tournament held in Stavanger, 29th June, gave some insights into his 36.Rg5! with met is

June 5th-June was one of the recollections and it isn’t every day that 35....Bh5, as game the

strongest rated events the world has seen one can climb into a presiding World concludes Qh4+, 35. stuff! desperate is

T Champion’s mind and hear the human 34....Bg6, down! Black closes but all g7 with the average ELO rating a smidgen later. Kramnik might have pinned his machinations grinding away. Usually on checkmate posing Rg3, 34. move,

under 2800! However this was not one hopes on getting his knight to e5, but one has to wait for them to write their next White’s However, away. squares few

of Magnus Carlsen’s finest playing in after Bf3 White was simply winning.” auto-biographies as past champions! He a coronation potential its for d-pawn

front of his home crowd. He finished I’ll comment on the Bird Opening said, “I still have mixed feelings about the the for way the preparing and square

8th in this 10 player tournament, and next issue, and also report on the strong event, but fortunately the achievements its vacate to it getting and d3 on rook

some have suggested that perhaps support Wesley So has from his followers shine stronger and miserable moments White’s attacking move good perfectly a

his performance of late in Classical predicting a Carlsen v So World gradually fade away. Having won the first Black for seems Bf5.This 33.Qe7, exd4.

timed competition has become tainted Championship match next in the cycle of four Blitz games Saturday, 9 wins and 4 32.Rd3, later. moves few a just demise

with his progress in Rapid and Blitz who should wear the crown! draws gave me a solid lead. (No losses own his of seeds the open laying vision,

competitions, where intuitive moves The following game is a Carlsen in this class was itself a triumph! me). and concern his over-eggs but centre,

outnumber strategic in-depth thinking. loss against the eventual winner of the Collapsing midway both Saturday and the to claim Carlsen’s strengthening

However inspired instinctive moves Altibox Norway Chess Tournament, Sunday losing several games in a row further on intent seems also Black by

may seem, they don’t come from long Levon Aronian. Carlsen as Black who at was highly frustrating. Not handling the move next This e5. Rd1, 31. Answer; in-depth reasoning that Classical chess this point in the game is a piece up, has delay, instead of increment acceptably, involves. The two forms of chess require played his Queen to d5, and although response from two different sections of was only a minor contributing factor. I the human brain. However, immediately simply couldn’t handle losses adequately. preceding the main Altibox Classical Even a minus 2 score at the back end (6 competition and on the 4th June, points out of the last 14 Blitz games) was Monthly Bridge Tip for Intermediates Carlsen won the Blitz competition, and however sufficient for shared first place with Andrew Robson subsequent to that has just won the first with home favourite Maxime Vachier- leg of the Grand Chess Tour, a Rapid Lagrave, as Nakamura suffered a similar Last month’s tip was “If you know the correct contract, bid it!”. This tip is the and Blitz tournament held in Paris, collapse on Sunday. I’m quite proud of equivalent for the defence: if one defender knows how to defeat the contract, he must by winning a play-off against Maxime managing to pull myself together for ensure that there is no mishap. Things rarely look the same on the other side of the Vachier-Lagrave in a final to decide the the play off. In the first game I got a table. overall winner, each having collected positional advantage as white, while 17.5 points through their efforts in both MVL kept finding cunning tactical Dealer North East-West Vulnerable ♠ (# sections. threats to balance the position with his ♥ $#! Numerous serious chess players passed a-pawn and potential menacing ♦ &%$ over the decades have refused to play h3-pawn. I probably played a good game ♣ (*+#" as well and my f and g- pawns decided in "&' $%'# !&' $('# ♠ )' ♠ * %$ fast chess games. It is the continuation, N the in-depth analysis of all the future the end. In the second play-off he over- ♥ *+" ♥ () '  WE moves, given the the ‘present’ board pressed in a balanced Marshall Variation, ♣ ♦ "! ♦ '# !"##  !"##  S structure that obviously counts, and there and I could force a draw in a better ♣ )'&! ♣ % !"## !"## !"## may well be several possibilities at that position to win the play-off and Paris ♠ +&"! point, and at every succeeding point to Rapid and Blitz. Overall MVL came ♥ &% take into consideration. Most human second and Nakamura third.After 2 days ♦ (*+) brains cannot rapidly think through that of Rapid chess in Leuven I’m shared ♣ $ number of in-depth alternatives without 2nd place with MVL at 8 points. Wesley the extra time that Classical games give. So had a disappointing event but has West led ♦2, clearly a singleton from East’s perspective (why else would he lead dummy’s bid suit?). So, after winning ♦A, East returned ♦9. When leading a suit for partner to In that sense Blitz chess allows chance, started excellently here with 10 points. trump, the Suit Preference Signal is used, a high card asks for partner to return the higher luck and Chinese fortune cookies into I over-pressed in an equal Queen and Rook end game yesterday against So and ranking of the other suits. West therefore knew his partner held ♠A (♦9 was clearly East’s the system! highest remaining ♦). He trumped ♦9 and returned ♠2. East won ♠A, and paused to lost miserably. Apart from that game my Some chess commentators are reflect. pointing to Carlsen’s expanded performance has been fairly smooth. I’m Normally the lead of a low spot card (such as ♠2) asks partner to return that suit, but engagement with fast chess games as particularly satisfied with the win against East fell for the temptation to lead another diamond, in the expectation that West could skewing his abilities at thinking deeply Kramnik today. I played the Bird (f4) trump again. Disaster! West had no more trumps, so declarer could win ♦Q, draw East’s and decisively for the long periods opening and Kramnik quickly grabbed trumps, and discard his second spade on a minor suit winner in dummy. Game made. required to succeed at Classical chess space with b5. Until 15.Nb3, I was Whose fault? Perhaps East should have respected West’s ♠2 lead which theoretically tournaments. The first day of Rapid play uncertain about the situation, but then asked for the spade return, but West, alone, knew that the correct defence was to cash two in the Paris leg saw Carlsen score 7.5/9, I felt it was relatively equal and easier rounds of spades. He should switch to ♠K at Trick Three (key play)! He thus retains the and Kibitzer’s Corner, Chessgames. to play for White. I took on d4 with the lead to play a second spade to East’s ♠A. Down one. com saw one hopeful amongst the knight hoping to get exactly the structure ANDREW’S TIP: If you know how to defeat a contract, do not give partner the many interesting readings saying, and position we reached some 10 moves chance to do the wrong thing. 64 July 2017 Kensington, Chelsea & Westminster Today www.KCWToday.co.uk Advertisement

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