DOCSLIB.ORG

LONDON the DORCHESTER Two Day Itinerary: Shopping for Centuries, London Has Been One of the Best Places in Europe to Shop

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
LONDON the DORCHESTER Two Day Itinerary: Shopping for Centuries, London Has Been One of the Best Places in Europe to Shop LONDON THE DORCHESTER Two day itinerary: Shopping For centuries, London has been one of the best places in Europe to shop. From giant emporiums, which are sightseeing attractions in their own right, to entire streets dedicated to bespoke tailoring and boutiques specialising in the latest trends by local and international designers, this ‘nation of shopkeepers’ lives up to its name. Explore the best that the city has to offer with the help of this two-day itinerary. Day One Start your shopping day in London with a five-minute walk along the edge of Hyde Park to Mount Street. MOUNT STREET London, W1K A historic shopping street in the heart of Mayfair, Mount Street is the beating heart of the British fashion retail industry. Begin your London shopping experience by browsing high-end British fashion at Jenny Packham and Christopher Kane, fine jewellery at David Marshall and Stephen Webster and, just around the corner on South Audley Street, handmade watches at Bremont. From the heart of Mount Street, Bond Street is just a 10-minute walk away. BOND STREET London, W1S One of London’s most famous shopping streets, Bond Street, is a designer label utopia. The avenue is split into ‘new’ and ‘old’ sections; New Bond Street is home to leading European designer brands, while Old Bond Street is filled with the boutiques of Italian fashion houses. The area also sparkles with fine jewellers such as Boodles, Cartier and David Morris. Continue on foot for five minutes to Savile Row, which runs in parallel to New Bond Street. SAVILE ROW London, W1S Savile Row has been the menswear tailoring hub of London since the 18th century. A style institution, it’s the best place to commission bespoke handcrafted suits. For a tailor with historical value and a regal nod of approval, visit Royal Warrant holder Gieves & Hawkes. For a more modern style, book a consultation at the trend-setting Hardy Amies. Cross over to the adjacent Regent’s Street and visit Liberty London, located just a five-minute walk from Savile Row. The main entrance is located on Great Marlborough Street. The Dorchester, London | 45 Park Lane, London | Coworth Park, Ascot | Le Meurice, Paris | Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan | Hotel Eden, Rome | The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills | Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles | Dubai (opening 2020) LIBERTY LONDON T: 020 7734 1234 | Regent Street, London, W1B 5AH Housed in an iconic mock-Tudor building in the heart of Regent’s Street, Liberty is a luxury department store showcasing high-end fashion and accessories, home goods, beauty products, gifts, and much more. A prime place to explore the latest trends and collections, the store also displays the popular Liberty London in-house collection, featuring Liberty’s distinctive graphic and floral prints. To reach Selfridges, take a 15-minute walk up Oxford Street. SELFRIDGES & CO. T: 0800 123 400 | 400 Oxford Street, London, W1A 1AB The second largest shop in the UK, Selfridges & Co. can be found on London’s iconic Oxford Street. The high-end department store showcases myriad brands and collections from across the globe, with spacious areas dedicated to fashion, accessories, jewellery, beauty, home, food and gifts. To get back to the hotel from Selfridges, it’s just a 10-minute walk. Day two Begin your final shopping day with a trip to Dover Street Market, located a 10-minute walk, or a five-minute taxi journey, from the hotel. DOVER STREET MARKET T: 020 7518 0680 | 18-22 Haymarket, London, SW1Y 4DG Located in a multi-storey, Grade II-listed building in Haymarket, Dover Street Market is an upscale department store that’s laid out in the style of an art gallery. The trendy store, which was founded by Japanese fashion designer Rei Kawakubo, is popular place to browse the collections of experimental designers such as Molly Goddard, Loewe and Erdem. Continue to Jermyn Street, located just a five-minute walk from Dover Street Market. JERMYN STREET London, SW1 A menswear institution, the historic Jermyn Street features quality tailors, cobblers and leather goods boutiques. Quintessential gentlemen looking for a crisp new shirt should visit Turnbull & Asser or Thomas Pink; Alfred Dunhill for quality clothing; and John Lobb or Foster & Son for handmade bespoke footwear. Take a two-minute walk around the corner onto Piccadilly to get to Fortnum & Mason. The Dorchester, London | 45 Park Lane, London | Coworth Park, Ascot | Le Meurice, Paris | Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan | Hotel Eden, Rome | The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills | Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles | Dubai (opening 2020) FORTNUM & MASON T: 020 7734 8040 | 181 Piccadilly, London, W1A 1ER Established in 1707, Fortnum & Mason is the grande dame of the London shopping scene. Offering impeccably sourced products, often with Royal Warrants of their own, the Food Hall is considered by many to be the main event here, selling everything from British cheeses and Champagne to handmade chocolates, with the store’s famous hampers taking pride of place. To reach the penultimate shopping destination, Harvey Nichols, enjoy a five-minute taxi journey or a 20-minute walk through Green Park. HARVEY NICHOLS T: 0207 235 5000 | 109 - 125 Knightsbridge, London, SW1X 7RJ Set in the heart of the esteemed Knightsbridge neighbourhood, Harvey Nichols is an upscale British department store specialising in luxury fashion. It’s a one-stop shop for international label lovers, with a plethora of collections by established big-name brands and must-have independent designers. To complete a new look, there are also departments dedicated to accessories and beauty. Take a five-minute walk down Brompton Road to reach the final destination, Harrods. HARRODS T: 020 7730 1234 | 87-135 Brompton Road, London, SW1X 7XL A shopping trip to London wouldn’t be complete without visiting the largest department store in the UK. Spread across a 5-acre site, and with more than 300 departments, you could spend an entire day at Harrods. While almost every item imaginable is on display, the store is particularly famous for its exquisite high fashion and accessories collections, as well as its tempting Food Hall. To get back to Mayfair, hail a taxi for the short 10-minute journey back to the hotel. All journey times are approximate and subject to variation. The Dorchester, London | 45 Park Lane, London | Coworth Park, Ascot | Le Meurice, Paris | Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris Hotel Principe di Savoia, Milan | Hotel Eden, Rome | The Beverly Hills Hotel, Beverly Hills | Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles | Dubai (opening 2020).
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Jational Register of Historic Places Inventory -- Nomination Form
    •m No. 10-300 REV. (9/77) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE JATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES INVENTORY -- NOMINATION FORM SEE INSTRUCTIONS IN HOW TO COMPLETE NATIONAL REGISTER FORMS ____________TYPE ALL ENTRIES -- COMPLETE APPLICABLE SECTIONS >_____ NAME HISTORIC BROADWAY THEATER AND COMMERCIAL DISTRICT________________________ AND/OR COMMON LOCATION STREET & NUMBER <f' 300-8^9 ^tttff Broadway —NOT FOR PUBLICATION CITY. TOWN CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT Los Angeles VICINITY OF 25 STATE CODE COUNTY CODE California 06 Los Angeles 037 | CLASSIFICATION CATEGORY OWNERSHIP STATUS PRESENT USE X.DISTRICT —PUBLIC ^.OCCUPIED _ AGRICULTURE —MUSEUM _BUILDING(S) —PRIVATE —UNOCCUPIED .^COMMERCIAL —PARK —STRUCTURE .XBOTH —WORK IN PROGRESS —EDUCATIONAL —PRIVATE RESIDENCE —SITE PUBLIC ACQUISITION ACCESSIBLE ^ENTERTAINMENT _ REUGIOUS —OBJECT _IN PROCESS 2L.YES: RESTRICTED —GOVERNMENT —SCIENTIFIC —BEING CONSIDERED — YES: UNRESTRICTED —INDUSTRIAL —TRANSPORTATION —NO —MILITARY —OTHER: NAME Multiple Ownership (see list) STREET & NUMBER CITY. TOWN STATE VICINITY OF | LOCATION OF LEGAL DESCRIPTION COURTHOUSE. REGISTRY OF DEEDSETC. Los Angeie s County Hall of Records STREET & NUMBER 320 West Temple Street CITY. TOWN STATE Los Angeles California ! REPRESENTATION IN EXISTING SURVEYS TiTLE California Historic Resources Inventory DATE July 1977 —FEDERAL ^JSTATE —COUNTY —LOCAL DEPOSITORY FOR SURVEY RECORDS office of Historic Preservation CITY, TOWN STATE . ,. Los Angeles California DESCRIPTION CONDITION CHECK ONE CHECK ONE —EXCELLENT —DETERIORATED —UNALTERED ^ORIGINAL SITE X.GOOD 0 —RUINS X_ALTERED _MOVED DATE- —FAIR _UNEXPOSED DESCRIBE THE PRESENT AND ORIGINAL (IF KNOWN) PHYSICAL APPEARANCE The Broadway Theater and Commercial District is a six-block complex of predominately commercial and entertainment structures done in a variety of architectural styles. The district extends along both sides of Broadway from Third to Ninth Streets and exhibits a number of structures in varying condition and degree of alteration.
    [Show full text]
  • Manchester's Business Improvement District (Bid)
    MANCHESTER’S BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT (BID) 2018 – 2023 DRAFT BUSINESS PLAN MANCHESTER TODAY • Second most visited city in England • £3 billion worth of major property by domestic visitors developments in the pipeline, including at St John’s, Old Granada Studios, • Third most visited UK destination by Mayfield, NOMA and Kampus international visitors, an increase of 30% between 2006 and 2016 • £1.5 billion tram line expansion, with more than £1.85 billlion allocated to • 40 million visitors to Manchester’s transport improvements over the next retail district every year, spending five years, including the transformation over £900 million of Manchester Airport • 100,000 strong student population, • 2,300 new hotel rooms across Manchester the UK’s largest city centre coming on board, increasing • 50,000 city centre residential population, supply by 25% a rise of 20,000 over the last decade, • £11 million worth of development with more than 10,000 new apartments forthcoming at Manchester Arndale, in development the UK’s largest inner city shopping centre IN 2016, LONELY PLANET RATED PART OF THE PICTURE ARE THE 400 MEMBERS OF MANCHESTER ONE OF THE EVERY SUCCESS MANCHESTER’S BUSINESS IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT. HAS A STORY TOP TEN PLACES TO VISIT IN TO TELL... THE WORLD. SINCE 2013, THEY HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER, THROUGH CITYCO, TO SUPPORT CITY CENTRE GROWTH AND ENHANCE THE RETAIL OFFER. 2 3 MANCHESTER BID: THE STORY SO FAR YOUR VOICE, YOUR VIEW, AND OUR SHARED VISION As the end of the BID’s first five years approaches, it seems fitting to celebrate the successes we’ve already had, and to look to the future.
    [Show full text]
  • Shaping the Future of Professional Life
    westminster.ac.uk SHAPING THE FUTURE OF PROFESSIONAL LIFE A charity and a company limited by guarantee. Registration number: 977818. Registered office: 309 Regent Street, London W1B 2UW 6466/10.13/KR/BP 309 Regent Street in 1909 and now (opposite) FOREWORD INTRODUCTION The University of Westminster’s 175th The University’s central London More than anything, this book This year marks a special milestone In the intervening years our This brochure highlights the strength anniversary is a significant milestone. location has played its part, giving underlines the continuing importance in the history of the University of institution has advanced and of the relationships between our The history of the Royal Institute of students access to outstanding that the University of Westminster Westminster, as we celebrate the expanded – significantly under the institution and the professional bodies British Architects – RIBA – spans a resources, to powerful professional places on building strong partnerships 175th anniversary of the opening leadership of Quintin Hogg (1881– in London, across the UK and very similar timescale; we celebrated networks, and fantastic career with professional practice, to help of The Polytechnic Institution, the 1903) as the Regent Street Polytechnic, internationally. Those relationships, our 175th anniversary in 2009, and opportunities upon graduation. achieve its mission of ‘building the forerunner of our University, at then as the Polytechnic of Central born in the eras of Cayley and Hogg, since the opening of the School of But Westminster’s reach goes far next generation of highly employable 309 Regent Street. The Institution London (formed in 1970) and, were clearly nurtured throughout the Architecture at the Regent Street beyond the country’s capital.
    [Show full text]
  • Debenhams: the Rise and Fall of a British Retail Institution Rupert Neate
    Debenhams: the rise and fall of a British retail institution Rupert Neate The Gaurdian.com 1 December 2020 Founded in 1778, Debenhams was one of the largest and most historic department store chains in the world. The business was formed by William Clark as a single high end drapers store at 44 Wigmore Street in London’s West End. It rose to become one of the biggest retailers in the UK with, at one point, more than 200 large stores across 18 countries and exclusive partnerships with some of the world’s best-known designers including Jasper Conran and Julien Macdonald. But on Tuesday, the shutters finally came down as administrators announced the chain would be wound down and all of its remaining 124 stores shut, putting potentially all of its 12,000 employees out of work. The demise of Debenhams comes just a day after Sir Philip Green’s Arcadia Group retail empire collapsed into administration, putting a further 13,000 jobs at risk. In the 1980s and 1990s both retailers had been part of the vast Burton Group, founded by Sir Montague Maurice Burton. Clark’s business remained just the single shop on Wigmore Street until 1813 when he teamed up with Suffolk businessman William Debenham, and expanded into two stores on opposite sides of the street. One was known as Debenham & Clark and the other known as Clark & Debenham. The first store outside London – and an exact replica of the original Wigmore Street shop – was opened in Cheltenham in 1818. “In the ensuing years the firm prospered from the Victorian fashion for family mourning by which widows and other female relatives adhered to a strict code of clothing and etiquette,” the company says on its website.
    [Show full text]
  • Target Corporation
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Honors Theses, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Honors Program Spring 4-7-2019 Strategic Audit: Target Corporation Andee Capell University of Nebraska - Lincoln Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/honorstheses Part of the Accounting Commons, and the Strategic Management Policy Commons Capell, Andee, "Strategic Audit: Target Corporation" (2019). Honors Theses, University of Nebraska- Lincoln. 192. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/honorstheses/192 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Honors Program at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Honors Theses, University of Nebraska-Lincoln by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Strategic Audit: Target Corporation An Undergraduate Honors Thesis Submitted in Partial fulfillment of University Honors Program Requirements University of Nebraska-Lincoln by Andee Capell, BS Accounting College of Business April 7th, 2019 Faculty Mentor: Samuel Nelson, PhD, Management Abstract Target Corporation is a notable publicly traded discount retailer in the United States. In recent years they have gone through significant changes including a new CEO Brian Cornell and the closing of their Canadian stores. With change comes a new strategy, which includes growing stores in the United States. In order to be able to continue to grow Target should consider multiple strategic options. Using internal and external analysis, while examining Target’s profitability ratios recommendations were made to proceed with their growth both in profit and capacity. After recommendations are made implementation and contingency plans can be made. Key words: Strategy, Target, Ratio(s), Plan ​ 1 Table of Contents Section Page(s) Background information …………………..…………………………………………….…..…...3 External Analysis ………………..……………………………………………………..............3-5 a.
    [Show full text]
  • Transport with So Many Ways to Get to and Around London, Doing Business Here Has Never Been Easier
    Transport With so many ways to get to and around London, doing business here has never been easier First Capital Connect runs up to four trains an hour to Blackfriars/London Bridge. Fares from £8.90 single; journey time 35 mins. firstcapitalconnect.co.uk To London by coach There is an hourly coach service to Victoria Coach Station run by National Express Airport. Fares from £7.30 single; journey time 1 hour 20 mins. nationalexpress.com London Heathrow Airport T: +44 (0)844 335 1801 baa.com To London by Tube The Piccadilly line connects all five terminals with central London. Fares from £4 single (from £2.20 with an Oyster card); journey time about an hour. tfl.gov.uk/tube To London by rail The Heathrow Express runs four non- Greater London & airport locations stop trains an hour to and from London Paddington station. Fares from £16.50 single; journey time 15-20 mins. Transport for London (TfL) Travelcards are not valid This section details the various types Getting here on this service. of transport available in London, providing heathrowexpress.com information on how to get to the city On arrival from the airports, and how to get around Heathrow Connect runs between once in town. There are also listings for London City Airport Heathrow and Paddington via five stations transport companies, whether travelling T: +44 (0)20 7646 0088 in west London. Fares from £7.40 single. by road, rail, river, or even by bike or on londoncityairport.com Trains run every 30 mins; journey time foot. See the Transport & Sightseeing around 25 mins.
    [Show full text]
  • St James Conservation Area Audit
    ST JAMES’S 17 CONSERVATION AREA AUDIT AREA CONSERVATION Document Title: St James Conservation Area Audit Status: Adopted Supplementary Planning Guidance Document ID No.: 2471 This report is based on a draft prepared by B D P. Following a consultation programme undertaken by the council it was adopted as Supplementary Planning Guidance by the Cabinet Member for City Development on 27 November 2002. Published December 2002 © Westminster City Council Department of Planning & Transportation, Development Planning Services, City Hall, 64 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QP www.westminster.gov.uk PREFACE Since the designation of the first conservation areas in 1967 the City Council has undertaken a comprehensive programme of conservation area designation, extensions and policy development. There are now 53 conservation areas in Westminster, covering 76% of the City. These conservation areas are the subject of detailed policies in the Unitary Development Plan and in Supplementary Planning Guidance. In addition to the basic activity of designation and the formulation of general policy, the City Council is required to undertake conservation area appraisals and to devise local policies in order to protect the unique character of each area. Although this process was first undertaken with the various designation reports, more recent national guidance (as found in Planning Policy Guidance Note 15 and the English Heritage Conservation Area Practice and Conservation Area Appraisal documents) requires detailed appraisals of each conservation area in the form of formally approved and published documents. This enhanced process involves the review of original designation procedures and boundaries; analysis of historical development; identification of all listed buildings and those unlisted buildings making a positive contribution to an area; and the identification and description of key townscape features, including street patterns, trees, open spaces and building types.
    [Show full text]
  • 70 Jermyn Street
    70 Jermyn Street London SW1 3rd Floor Bury Street Suite Partially fitted 1,709 sq ft 70 Jermyn Street The Crown Estate has refurbished Jermyn Street is within local proximity the 3rd floor suite within this to the West End with its world class hotels, restaurants, bars and theatres grade A office building. The suite for entertaining clients. overlooks the corner of Bury Street and Jermyn Street. Third floor Jermyn Street 1,709 sq ft / 159 sq m Outgoings Quoting rent £72.50 psf for lease to expire January 2022 Service charge £11.60 psf Rates £29.20 psf Specifications Bury Street Manned reception Passenger lift New LED lighting Air conditioning New perimeter trunking N Kitchenette Comms cabinet Cabling in situ At the forefront of office accommodation. Since 1661. St James’s St James’s is a true original more than The restaurants here are the best, Located in the core West End, Green Park, 300 years in the making, a one of a kind whether you are looking to pick up a Piccadilly Circus, Charing Cross and Victoria place to work and enjoy. morning coffee at Ole & Steen or entertain are all within easy reach. Alternatively clients at Michelin-starred Aquavit. If you take a walk to work through the beautifully We know that your exceptional business have a taste for the refined, the unusual landscaped parks and squares. needs an iconic home that provides and the bespoke, you can find it in the inspiring places to dine, to shop, and to You’ll soon discover there is simply nowhere shops of St James’s – from rare wines create, and that is what every location else like St James’s.
    [Show full text]
  • St John's University Undergraduate Student Managed Investment Fund Presents: Target Corporation Stock Analysis November 11, 20
    St John’s University Undergraduate Student Managed Investment Fund Presents: Target Corporation Stock Analysis November 11, 2003 Recommendation: Purchase 300 shares of Target stock at market value Industry: Retail Analysts: Jennifer Tang – [email protected] Michael Vida – [email protected] Share Data: Fundamentals: Price - $39.15 P/E (2/03) – 21.63 Date – November 6, 2003 P/E (2/04E) – 21.96 Target Price – $44.58 P/E (2/05E) – 22.95 52 Week Price Range – $25.60 - $41.80 Book Value/Share – $11.03 Market Capitalization – $35.40 billion Price/Book Value – $3.60 Revenue 2002 – $43.917 billion Dividend Yield – 0.72% Projected EPS Growth – 15% Shares Outstanding – 910.9 million ROE 2002 – 17.51% Stock Chart: Executive Summary After analyzing Target Corp’s financials, industry and future outlook, we recommend the purchase of 300 shares of the company’s stock at market order. As a leading discount retailer, only behind Walmart, Target has made considerable growth in the industry over the past few years. Target offers an array of merchandise from women’s apparel, household products, toys and even food. One of the strengths of Target lies in its development of private brands, which helps create a strong image of the store in the customers’ minds. The company is able to further lower its costs through direct sourcing, buying merchandise at lower prices and strengthening its bargaining position with suppliers. While Target Corp hasn’t seen as much success with its other operations of Marshall Fields and Mervyn’s as it has with its namesake store, the company plans to invest resources into these two areas to turn around results.
    [Show full text]
  • BDS - Representing the Visual Merchandising Profession
    British Display Society Recognising Excellence Established 1947 FORTNUM & MASON, PICCADILLY, LONDON Christmas Street decorations at CHAPEL OF LOVE St Christopher’s Place, London BDS - Representing the Visual Merchandising profession 2020 No.1 Welcome from the Chairman This year has not started well for fans of historic department stores. Sadly, Beales which opened in Bournemouth in 1881 and its other stores across the country fell into administration. Debenhams which traces its history back to 1778 named many stores shortly to close. Coupled with this, we learn that Boswell & Co in Oxford which dates back to 1738 is almost certain to close with the owners blaming the ‘current economic retail climate’ Times are certainly tough on the High Street have been so for some time, but I can’t help thinking that there are a number of retailers who just cannot seem to move forward with the times and current trends and wonder why they are struggling in the current economy. We all appreciate that On-Line Shopping, High Street Parking Charges and Business Rates are factors as to why retail is failing, however I look at stores such as Selfridges and Fortnum & Mason, where business is very brisk. I recently read an article about Dunelm who defy the gloom of UK retail by posting a major jump in profits. In the 6 months to Dec 28, sales jumped by 6% to £585m with pre- tax profits up 19.4% to £84.9m. Retailers must reinvent themselves to stay, not only, competitive but to become a Destination store. With some many retailers, it is matter of creating ‘Retail Theatre’.
    [Show full text]
  • A London Legend Reborn a London Legend Reborn
    A London Legend Reborn A London Legend Reborn True to its original glamorous spirit, Café Royal is reopening as a luxury hotel in 2012 in the heart of London, with elegant Mayfair to the west and creative Soho to the east. Paying homage to the history of the building, grand historic areas are being sensitively restored, while serene new rooms and suites are being created in a refined style. Café Royal, which has been a national treasure for almost two centuries, is continuing its celebrated legacy and features a diversity of places to enjoy food and drink, from the casual elegance of The Brasserie to the sophistication of the exquisitely restored Domino and Grill Rooms. To complete the full experience, other new facilities include the Akasha Holistic Wellbeing Centre, the Café Royal Club and the Café 1865. Location The serene new rooms and suites have The Café Royal is ideally located on been created in a contemporary style Regent Street, in the beating heart of the characterised by a refined simplicity with West End. To the west are the glamorous grand classical features in noble materials. residences and elegant boutiques of Mayfair. To the east are Soho’s lattice The overall effect of the hotel’s 159 guest of alleys and streets, which define the rooms and suites, including six ‘historic’ nightlife and encompass the cosmopolitan suites reminiscent of Café Royal’s glorious restaurants. Also right on its doorstep is past, is calm, assured and distinctive. the famous shopping of Bond Street, Mount Street and Jermyn Street. Below Piccadilly Accommodation are the exclusive clubs and art galleries The suites and rooms have an original and of historic St James’ with Westminster graceful air, carefully designed for guests’ and Buckingham Palace just beyond.
    [Show full text]
  • A Place for Music: John Nash, Regent Street and the Philharmonic Society of London Leanne Langley
    A Place for Music: John Nash, Regent Street and the Philharmonic Society of London Leanne Langley On 6 February 1813 a bold and imaginative group of music professionals, thirty in number, established the Philharmonic Society of London. Many had competed directly against each other in the heady commercial environment of late eighteenth-century London – setting up orchestras, promoting concerts, performing and publishing music, selling instruments, teaching. Their avowed aim in the new century, radical enough, was to collaborate rather than compete, creating one select organization with an instrumental focus, self-governing and self- financed, that would put love of music above individual gain. Among their remarkable early rules were these: that low and high sectional positions be of equal rank in their orchestra and shared by rotation, that no Society member be paid for playing at the group’s concerts, that large musical works featuring a single soloist be forbidden at the concerts, and that the Soci- ety’s managers be democratically elected every year. Even the group’s chosen name stressed devotion to a harmonious body, coining an English usage – phil-harmonic – that would later mean simply ‘orchestra’ the world over. At the start it was agreed that the Society’s chief vehicle should be a single series of eight public instrumental concerts of the highest quality, mounted during the London season, February or March to June, each year. By cooperation among their fee-paying members, they hoped to achieve not only exciting performances but, crucially, artistic continuity and a steady momentum for fine music that had been impossible before, notably in the era of the high-profile Professional Concert of 1785-93 and rival Salomon-Haydn Concert of 1791-2, 1794 and Opera Concert of 1795.
    [Show full text]