We have been delightfully poring over the news that Garden Lodge, the home of the legendary Queen frontman Freddie Mercury is going on the market with Thomas van Straubenzee at Knight Frank for £30million+.
Having been lovingly taken care of by his former fianceé and close friend Mary Austin for 30 years, the property has remained untouched from the time that Freddie lived there. He originally paid £50,000 for the Neo-Georgian mansion in 1980 and stayed there until his passing in 1991.
The area in which it sits – a quiet enclave of Kensington is a very familiar one to us at Harwood. A mere 10 minutes walk away is the house in Holland Park recently sold by Freddie’s lead guitarist, Brian May. And just around the corner is the Phillimore Estate – where the Queen drummer Roger Taylor owned a home for many years.
It is also the area once frequented by Willie Robertson, Sami’s father. A legendary insurance executive for the entertainment industry, he virtually single-handedly created insurance cover for entertainers in the 1970s, when he introduced non-appearance and equipment cover for rock’n’roll bands. Queen were a long-standing client of his international insurance company Robertson Taylor (now acquired by Tysers).
He was a firm believer in doing business over lunch – and one of his favourite local restaurants was the glorious Maggie Jones, where he spent many a long hour.
Clients loved Willie because he was always there for them. When Rod Stewart dislocated a toe and cancelled a series of American dates, he flew out on Concorde and persuaded the insurance company to pay up. When Pink Floyd floated a huge helium-filled pink pig over Battersea Power Station to shoot the cover of their 1977 album Animals, fortunately they had insured the session. The pig broke loose and was finally shot down by a farmer in Kent, but not before a pilot coming in to land had reported seeing a flying pig.
Trusted by most of the biggest rock bands of all time, Willie also provided insurance cover for The Who, Led Zeppelin, King Crimson, Roxy Music, T-Rex, Rod Stewart, Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson……and even Pope John Paul II.
Many of the values that Harwood are built on are inherited from Willie Robertson. From his obituary in 2011:
“Willie rarely got stressed by his work. He was never off-duty. He was a loyal and close friend to his immediate circle, most of them dating back to schooldays. And like many busy people, he always took on more.”
Onwards and upwards.
Harwood Advisory is delighted to share that Ollie Blakelock, the respected prime property professional, has joined Harwood as a Senior Consultant.
Ollie joins Harwood as it celebrates achieving £300million of transactions in 4 years, a testament to the approach of Sami Robertson and the commitment of the Harwood team.
Harwood’s ability to flourish during the market’s overall downward cycle reflects Harwood’s success in winning the trust of clients, domestic and international, harnessing the power of other selected market participants, and relentless focus on quality. Sami’s passion for quality covers the whole transaction life cycle; no details is too small. It is this passion which led to Ollie joining Harwood. His well-deserved reputation in the market, his knowledge and contacts make him the perfect fit.
Sami stated: “Ollie embodies the attributes that make Harwood stand out in this market. He is the consummate professional, he is widely respected by both buying and selling agents, recognised for his market acumen, and held in high esteem for being diligent, straightforward and incredibly likeable. Ollie’s arrival will ensure Harwood remains in the fast lane”.
Now that Ollie has joined Sami, Anna, and Susannah at Harwood, its Onwards and Upwards trajectory will continue to accelerate.
Absolutely delighted to be featured in PrimeResi as we complete the sale of the most incredible penthouse apartment in Academy Gardens.
Thanks to PrimeResi Journal for a fantastic feature – which really does showcase this remarkable 3,125 sq.ft property that sprawls across the fourth and fifth floors of the converted Grade II listed building on the Phillimore Estate.
This sale now means that Sami has sold 22 of the 67 apartments in Academy Gardens, having been consulted on most of the others.
The client added “We instructed Sami to sell our London apartment which had been on the market without success. Sami revitalised the process with fresh vigour, a fresh approach and great energy. He achieved a sale in a short period and at a great price.”
Singapore has been a big part of our professional journey.
Building friendships and connections that have endured for decades (in some cases).
Some unbelievably successful people. Each with their fingers very firmly on the pulse of the international property market.
So to be recognised in Asia Tatler this month is a proud moment.
This article showcases not only the Harwood team, but also two of the landmark properties that we have been introducing our Singapore clients to in our most recent visit. Namely the most exquisite, 9 bedroom villa in the heart of Holland Park. Which is hands down, one of the most significant sales we’ve ever been involved with. And a number of luxury apartments in Academy Gardens, Kensington.
To be able to present such remarkable properties to these discerning individuals is something we never take for granted. But to match these properties to the right people – allowing each to begin their next chapters – especially when the starting point is 7,000 miles away, is an absolute privilege.
Thank you to everyone at Tatler Asia for featuring us this month. It really is an honour.
We’re immensely proud of our Track Record. It’s testament to 3 years of hard work, and fantastic relationships.
Thanks to our incredible clients. Your faith in us has meant so much.
Thanks to all of our partners and collaborators. Your counsel, conversations and solutions have helped us in so many ways.
One thing we always remind ourselves is that there’s room for everyone. The large, multi-national agencies CAN work in harmony with the smaller boutique firms. We’ve proven that on a number of occasions.
Ultimately – people buy from people. And that won’t ever change.
Here’s to Year 4.
Onwards & Upwards
March/April 2023
NEW LISTING > GORDON PLACE, LONDON W8
Working alongside Stroud Fuller Lurot, we are incredibly proud to introduce this charming and exceptionally light five bedroom period family house along a wonderfully quiet and leafy street in Kensington, W8.
This is a spacious and well laid out home on the corner of Gordon Place – over 3,000 sq.ft in size, with a wonderfully secluded front and rear patio garden, as well as a private off street parking space, garage and under pavement vaults.
With three reception / family rooms, the triple aspect windows provide an abundance of green views from almost every angle, this end of terrace house is ideally positioned – almost equidistant from both Holland Park and Kensington Gardens.
Gordon Place, London, W8.
3,044 sq.ft (inc. vaults)
5 Bedrooms
Front & Rear Patio Garden
Off Street Parking & Garage
Price: On Application
Thanks to everyone at Country & Town House for the superb feature.
Great British Brands 2023 celebrates the start of a new era, and looks ahead to a greener, fairer and more balanced world. It brings together 150 of the country’s finest, and looks at how we’re all creating companies of the future.
Little over 3 years since we launched, we’re beyond proud to be included in the list of #GreatBritishBrands2023 – alongside such well-established, and universally revered names that have been part of our lives for so long:
Anya Hindmarch
Ascot Racecourse
Asprey
Barbour
Berry Bros. & Rudd
Bremont Watch Company
The Conran Shop
CROCKETT AND JONES LIMITED
Fenwick
Harvey Nichols
John Smedley Ltd
Joseph Cheaney & Sons
LINLEY
Molton Brown
Mulberry England
Rolls-Royce
Sunspel
Theo Fennell
Thomas Pink Shirtmaker
Vivienne Westwood
Yardley of London
Huge thanks to the Country & Town House team for considering us worthy of inclusion in this esteemed group. Our travels around London, the countryside and further afield constantly remind us of the craft, quality and excellence within British brands.
A special nod to Leo Caillard for creating the incredible VR cover too.
https://www.countryandtownhouse.com/your-digital-edition-country-town-house-gbb-2023/
As we round off 2022, the Harwood Advisory team wanted to look back on all that has passed this year, as well as look forward to what we can expect in 2023.
It’s been a year of challenges for the country as a whole. But with challenges come obstacles for us all to overcome – and we have to be proud of all that we have achieved as a team, and for our clients.
Our Senior Property Advisor, Anna Lazenbury, writes passionately about the transition from working for a large firm to a more personal, boutique team:
Compared with our experience of working in large firms, it goes without saying that there is a huge difference in hierarchy and levels. With the focus purely on the clients, decisions can be made in a matter of minutes or hours which is ultimately most beneficialTo the client and efficient.
Working in a very close and unified way, we have the ability to be incredibly proactive and service client’s requirements with a very hands on approach – stepping in for each other whenever required. In respecting one another implicitly, we’ve an inherent understanding of how best to deliver for our clients 24/7.
Without a very well known name over the door or established brand behind us, the majority of our business comes through our existing relationships, and the word of mouth referrals that mean so much. Those clients trust us to be on hand to answer all questions and find a solution to their every need. From market values and conveyancing through to how best to dress their property and which photographers to use – we are there with them every step of the way.
Discretion is paramount. Our clients rightly demand privacy – so we have to make sure everything we do is ‘under the radar’. It’s why most of our deals are completed off-market. This in itself places even greater importance on our contacts and client relationships.
Cumulatively, we have almost 60 years of Prime Central London experience – but now, we are fortunate to not have any geographical restrictions placed upon us. With Susannah’s impressive knowledge of the country market, we are able to help with property requirements across both the breadth of London and the Country without having to “hand over” to anybody.
This afternoon, we are off to meet a client who is considering offering on an a flat that they would like to refurbish for rentals- but they would like our advice on their proposed layout and finishes. As a trusted old client of Sami’s, they very much appreciate his advice and input – especially within certain developments in Kensington where he has sold a substantial number of apartments.
From there, I head off to a number of previews that I need to undertake on behalf of a client in search of a lateral property with outside space; This is not something readily available in today’s post-Covid market, but it is precisely why we are instructed by clients – to have access to the widest range of properties, both on and off market. They are prepared to undertake some works to a property but with the sharp increased costs of building works as well as procurement timeframes being quite lengthy I need to make sure any “project” they take on is as transparent as possible and the budget doesn’t overrun.
Harwood offers a very hands on approach with clients. At any one time, we are mindful of only working with a handful of properties, searches and advisory projects. This helps to build a very personal relationship with clients, and fundamentally goes a long way in ensuring we become their ‘go to’ for all property related matters.
As a boutique agency, we all work very hard to create an excellent and knowledgeable reputation in the marketplace. To have built such an incredible track record in three short years is testament to that.
Sami and Susannah and I all share the same ethos and values. We love what we do, and enjoy helping clients. If we can continue to share that enthusiasm, passion and knowledge with our clients, then the future will be a bright and positive one.