Month: October 2009

Mentmore’s London sibling for sale

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Mentmore Towers
Mentmore Towers

Simon Halabi’s original plan was to develop a super-luxury, six-star club experience with members enjoying country facilities at Mentmore Towers, in Buckinghamshire, with a London base at the In and Out Club on Piccadilly.  However, the recent global crisis seemed to put the plans on hold and concerns had been raised (including in comments on earlier blog post: ‘Simon Halabi and Mentmore Towers’ – 17 July) as to whether sufficient maintenence was being undertaken at both locations.

The master plan appears to have now been changed with the news that the In and Out Club has been put up for sale.  Included in the deal are various neighbouring buildings which give the potential for the sale to raise up to £250m. It’s not known what Mr Halabi’s plans are but one can only hope that the money raised will benefit Mentmore Towers, preserving and protecting this important country house.

Full story: ‘Mayfair’s In and Out Club on market‘ [Financial Times]

Viewhill House to be demolished

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Local Inverness councillors have managed to cut off their nose to spite their architectural face  – and claim it’s a triumph of cosmetic surgery.  Viewhill House (mentioned in this blog on 13 Oct) has been approved for demolition and will almost certainly be built over – another important and interesting piece of Inverness architecture will be lost forever.  Meanwhile the builders have been claiming that it was the objections of Historic Scotland which have prevented the restoration of the house.  What they mean is that they haven’t been given free reign to do as they wish and now they’re having a tantrum.  The worst developers are prone to claiming that their vandalism is ‘necessary’ to secure jobs/investment/tourism/etc but usually the price is paid in lost architectural heritage.  Viewhill House is another casualty.  Give it a few hundred years and maybe the developers will hold a party when they get rid of the last of these historical speed bumps.

Full story: ‘Heritage in danger of crumbling away‘ [Inverness Courier] / ‘Quango accused of causing failure of three businesses‘ [The Press and Journal]

Oldway Mansion apparently ‘needs’ 160 homes built nearby?

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Oldway Mansion
Oldway Mansion

Oldway Mansion has been called a miniature Versailles – which was the intention of the owner, Paris Singer, who rebuilt the house built by his father, Issac Merritt Singer, founder of the Singer sewing machine company.

The house and grounds have long been a pleasant retreat for the locals who, both old and young, have enjoyed the grounds with many weddings held in the house.  However, rising maintenance costs have led the Council into some bizarre logic.  To save the house they have now signed an agreement to lease this important local asset to a developer who has claimed that many millions will be spent apparently converting it into a hotel! In addition, the Rotunda (formerly the stables) will be incorporated into this development.  In a telling comment, Jason Collard, managing director of Akkeron, said the building was an ‘amazing site’. Why do councils keep falling for this classic play from the ‘developers handbook’? The house is a mere architectural inconvenience to them in many cases which put these houses at risk.  The idea that the vandalism of this house should be funded by selling off some of the very gardens which create such a special location is dubious to say the least.

In short, this is a council with little regard for their heritage, selling an architecturally important and much loved local landmark to save a few quid.  It may be expensive to keep it public but to deny or severely limit access whilst undoubtably compromising this house should be challenged.  I’m sure the council will also find that the plans are entirely acceptable to their planning committee so in this round of mutual backslapping I can only hope that something will happen to bring the council to it’s senses.

Full story: ‘160 homes would have to be built to save ‘amazing’ Oldway Mansion‘ [Herald Express]

Pytchley Gates restored

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In April 2007 a car veered off the road and severely damaged the historic Pytchley Gates, which were originally the entrance to Pytchley Hall (demolished 1824) before they were moved to become the entrance to Overstone School.  Parts of the main arch and column were demolished with other damage caused to the surrounding areas.  However, Northamptonshire County Council are to be commended for assembling a team skilled in conservation restoration to repair the gates.

Full story: ‘Damaged Pytchley gates restored to former glory‘ [Northamptonshire County Council]

Anyone looking for a very large country house?

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Blaisdon Hall (Image from The Times)Blaisdon Hall (Image from The Times)

An example of just how cyclical the housing market – particularly for country houses – a house which 60 years ago might have been at risk of demolition is now a trophy purchase.

Blaisdon House, in Gloucestershire, was built in the 1870s for Edwin Crawshay, a local ironmaster, by a Gloucester architect, F.S. Waller.  Currently for sale, it includes a convenient 85-acres, sauna and gardens. The house was rescued from the threat of the 1950s when it was converted into a school but has now been skilfully converted back to family home with no trace of it’s former institutional use.  One can only hope that more of these houses are rescued.

Full story: ‘The grandiose Victorian country house is back in vogue‘ [The Times]