Belgravia is a remarkable area of London. From Hyde Park to Victoria, bordering Buckingham Palace on one side and the retail delights of Chelsea and the King's Road to the west, you'd expect it to be overrun with tourists and shoppers.
But the elite streets of Belgravia are a haven of peace in London – grand residences look down on small, well-kept leafy squares, which are open only to the area's residents.
The list of rich and famous residents, both former and current, is lengthy. Royals from all over Europe, ultra-wealthy socialites and famous actors have all lived in Belgravia at one time or another – it's rumoured that a young Mozart composed his first symphony in its quiet streets, where later, two James Bonds, Sean Connery and Roger Moore, had houses.
As such, a rare opportunity to live in this most sedate and exclusive part of London has presented itself – the former Belgravia mansion of the casino tycoon and zoo owner John Aspinall has come on the market priced at £23.5 million ($29.4 million).
'Magnificent trophy home'
It was at the magnificent 5,456 square foot, five-bedroom property on Lyall Street where Mr Aspinall, known to his friends as Aspers, partied with Lord Lucan and Sir Jimmy Goldsmith.
The day after Lord Lucan's disappearance in November 1974, when the peer seemed to have fled the country after the murder of his children's nanny, Mr Aspinall and his friends Charles Benson, Dominic Elwes and Bill Shand-Kydd gathered for lunch in the dining room.
Tabloid newspapers have since speculated, with no evidence, that the group had plotted and assisted in Lord Lucan's disappearance. Nonetheless, a whiff of scandal remains to this day, even though the elusive Lord Lucan was never found and was declared dead in 2016.
"Lord Lucan was a regular guest and the house gained global publicity when it was involved in the events surrounding his disappearance, which remains a mystery to this day," said Gary Hersham, founding director of Beauchamp Estates, the agent for the mansion's sale.
"Now fully refurbished, modernised and interior-designed, it offers a magnificent trophy home for a family wanting a large house in Belgravia, one of London’s most sought-after addresses.”
After John Aspinall's death in 2000, the mansion became the London home of property developer Charles Delevingne, where his daughters Chloe, Poppy and Cara grew up.
Socialites and actresses, the Delevingne sisters have modelled for Burberry, Chanel, Stella McCartney, Versace and Louis Vuitton and also count Princess Beatrice and Sienna Miller among their friends.
As an actress, Cara is best known for playing Margo Roth Spiegelman in the romantic mystery film Paper Towns (2015), the Enchantress in the comic book film Suicide Squad (2016), and Laureline in Luc Besson's Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017).
At 18 years old, Poppy made an appearance in the Sunday Morning music video by Maroon 5. Later, she would play the role of Clara Von Gluckfberg in Kingsman: The Golden Circle. She also appeared in The Boat that Rocked and Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie.
Eldest daughter Chloe now lives with her husband and two children in Finstock, a quiet village in the Cotswolds north-west of Oxford, having spent her teenage years in the Belgravia mansion.
By 2014, the Delevingnes had moved on and within a couple of years, the mansion was bought by its current owners who launched an impressive refurbishment and upgrading project, creating an interior which is both homely and grand; both cosy and, let's face it, nothing short of fun, with a stunning design partly inspired by the 1960s glitzy Aspinall casino and private members' club heritage of the property.
Immaculately presented, the Grade II mansion, built in 1839, has a classic grand double frontage that leads into an exceptionally ornate entrance hall, with marble slab flooring, a Regency marble fireplace and a sweeping staircase hall giving access to the upper floors.
The substantial accommodation of nearly 5,500 square feet is spread over lower ground, ground and three upper floors, all of which are connected by a lift.
The dining room where Mr Aspinall and his friends met after Lord Lucan's disappearance is now a sitting room with a distinctly elegant eastern feel. The room has a beautifully Chinese-style blue and ivory design scheme, with furniture and carpets inlaid with Japanese dragons.
To the rear of the ground floor is the state-of-the-art, fully-fitted family kitchen, with Gaggenau appliances and a central island.
The first floor is home to a huge main drawing room, which stretches the full width of the house and can be divided into a reception room and a dining room. It's from this space that French windows open on to a generous first-floor terrace, which sits above the mansion's pillared entrance portico.
The current owners have created a drawing room that pays homage to the fun and entertainment that is so much part of the house's history, with marble flooring, tall windows, beautiful chandeliers and deep carpets.
Resplendent with faux leopard skin throws, lavish red curtains and bespoke furniture, this is the vibrant space where Belgravia's rich and famous rubbed shoulders with members of Europe's royal families and England's landed gentry.
Spacious bedrooms
One floor above, the jade-themed principal bedroom suite takes up the entire second floor, complete with a very spacious main bedroom suite, walk-in dressing room and marble en-suite bathroom.
Elite visitors who have had their fill of excitement and entertainment in the drawing room can retire to the principal guest suite on the third floor, with its spacious bedroom, dressing room and en-suite bathroom.
The fourth floor plays host to two more bedrooms, one with separate dressing room and en-suite bathroom. A 40 foot-long roof terrace garden can be found on the top floor, with its own covered cocktail bar/kitchenette area ideal for outdoor entertaining.
More delights are below ground level in the Lyall Street mansion. The lower ground floor includes the fifth bedroom suite, an outside patio garden, cinema, gym, steam and spa room, professional chef’s kitchen and two storage vaults.
Houses of this calibre in areas such as Belgravia are a rarity on the open market. The new owners will be buying a slice of British history, a luxury family home and an elegant entertainment space that would be the envy of many.
“Offering both width and depth, this substantial Belgravia mansion benefits from large entertaining rooms, a wonderful roof garden with cocktail bar and a garden patio, alongside a range of luxurious leisure amenities including a cinema with cocktail bar and steam/spa room," said Charles Lloyd, head of Beauchamp Estates for Mayfair and Belgravia.
"It is one of the best houses currently available for sale in Belgravia and is immaculately presented and beautifully interior-designed.”
U19 World Cup in South Africa
Group A: India, Japan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka
Group B: Australia, England, Nigeria, West Indies
Group C: Bangladesh, Pakistan, Scotland, Zimbabwe
Group D: Afghanistan, Canada, South Africa, UAE
UAE fixtures
Saturday, January 18, v Canada
Wednesday, January 22, v Afghanistan
Saturday, January 25, v South Africa
UAE squad
Aryan Lakra (captain), Vriitya Aravind, Deshan Chethyia, Mohammed Farazuddin, Jonathan Figy, Osama Hassan, Karthik Meiyappan, Rishabh Mukherjee, Ali Naseer, Wasi Shah, Alishan Sharafu, Sanchit Sharma, Kai Smith, Akasha Tahir, Ansh Tandon
Gulf rugby
Who’s won what so far in 2018/19
Western Clubs Champions League: Bahrain
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Dubai Hurricanes
West Asia Premiership: Bahrain
What’s left
UAE Conference
March 22, play-offs:
Dubai Hurricanes II v Al Ain Amblers, Jebel Ali Dragons II v Dubai Tigers
March 29, final
UAE Premiership
March 22, play-offs:
Dubai Exiles v Jebel Ali Dragons, Abu Dhabi Harlequins v Dubai Hurricanes
March 29, final
Scoreline
UAE 2-1 Saudi Arabia
UAE Mabkhout 21’, Khalil 59’
Saudi Al Abed (pen) 20’
Man of the match Ahmed Khalil (UAE)
Essentials
The flights
Emirates flies direct from Dubai to Seattle from Dh6,755 return in economy and Dh24,775 in business class.
The cruise
UnCruise Adventures offers a variety of small-ship cruises in Alaska and around the world. A 14-day Alaska’s Inside Passage and San Juans Cruise from Seattle to Juneau or reverse costs from $4,695 (Dh17,246), including accommodation, food and most activities. Trips in 2019 start in April and run until September.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
T20 World Cup Qualifier
Final: Netherlands beat PNG by seven wickets
Qualified teams
1. Netherlands
2. PNG
3. Ireland
4. Namibia
5. Scotland
6. Oman
T20 World Cup 2020, Australia
Group A: Sri Lanka, PNG, Ireland, Oman
Group B: Bangladesh, Netherlands, Namibia, Scotland
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
War 2
Director: Ayan Mukerji
Stars: Hrithik Roshan, NTR, Kiara Advani, Ashutosh Rana
Rating: 2/5
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Honeymoonish
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Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
The Freedom Artist
By Ben Okri (Head of Zeus)
Past winners of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix
2016 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2014 Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2012 Kimi Raikkonen (Lotus)
2011 Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2010 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2009 Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
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%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
Red Joan
Director: Trevor Nunn
Starring: Judi Dench, Sophie Cookson, Tereza Srbova
Rating: 3/5 stars
Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Indian construction workers stranded in Ajman with unpaid dues
RESULT
Manchester United 2 Burnley 2
Man United: Lingard (53', 90' 1)
Burnley: Barnes (3'), Defour (36')
Man of the Match: Jesse Lingard (Manchester United)
More coverage from the Future Forum
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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United States
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China
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UAE
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The biog
Name: Shamsa Hassan Safar
Nationality: Emirati
Education: Degree in emergency medical services at Higher Colleges of Technology
Favourite book: Between two hearts- Arabic novels
Favourite music: Mohammed Abdu and modern Arabic songs
Favourite way to spend time off: Family visits and spending time with friends
