Savile Row tailor found dead

A SEVENTY-FOUR year old Savile Row tailor has been found in the River Thames.

The body of Harry Bhageerutty, a master coat maker with Dege & Skinner, was discovered in waters off the Isle of Dogs.

Mr Bhageerutty had not been seen since leaving his Thornton Heath home on June 12th, according to reports.

Dege & Skinner, established in 1865, is located at 10 Savile Row. A message on the company website states:

“At this sad time, with the news that one of our team has passed away, we would like to express our heartfelt condolences to the family of Harry Bhageerutty, who was a much loved member of our team and our thoughts go out to family and friends at this distressing time.”

Mayfair puts out the flags for Diamond Jubilee

Union flags decorate Bruton Street

UNION flags and bunting have been put up across many Mayfair streets to help mark the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

HM The Queen was born, as Princess Elizabeth, at a house at 17 Bruton Street in 1926. She ascended to the throne following the death of her father in 1952.

Mayfair.org.uk went in search of decorations around Mayfair to mark the Queen’s sixty years as monarch.

Burlington Arcade

Old Bond Street

New Bond Street

Charbonnel et Walker in the Royal Arcade as a display in its window, although the arcade itself is curiously free of decorations.

Graffiti by artist Paul “Don” Smith at corner of Old Bond Street and Burlington Gardens.

50 Albemarle Street

Coach and Horses pub

Mayfair chef inspires south London students

RICHARD Corrigan met with students at a college in south-east London last Thursday to give them a cooking masterclass.

The Michelin-starred chef was there to meet students who have been picked to cook a menu he designed for the Sail Royal Greenwich hospitality event on the Thames this summer.

Corrigan, along with Dutch Michelin star chef Ron Blaauw, spent time with the NVQ students at Shooters Hill Post-16 Campus, Woolwich, and answered their questions about having a career in food before demonstrating how to cook some of the recipes.

The youngsters will be prepping the foot at the college this summer before its taken on board the 16 tall ships that will form the Sail Royal Greenwich event. The fleet of modern and vintage tall ships will transport guests up and down the Thames while they enjoy great food and drink.

Corrigan, who runs Corrigans Mayfair in Upper Grosvenor Street and Bentley’s Oyster Bar in Swallow Street, told Mayfair.org.uk that his menu will be “light”, “delicious” and “refreshing.”

Listen to Richard Corrigan describe his Sail Royal Greenwich menu

Get more information about Sail Royal Greenwich

Tuxedo exhibition gets under way

A new exhibition dedicated to the tuxedo has got under way in Mayfair to mark the garment’s 150th anniversary.

The ‘Little Black Jacket’ exhibition takes place in the Burlington Arcade, just metres from Savile Row where the iconic jacket was invented by Henry Poole & Co.

The exhibition, which is being put on in collaboration with the London College of Fashion will showcase “heritage pieces” including those worn by Frank Sinatra and Truman Capote.

Harold Tillman, Chairman of the British Fashion Council, comments “The Tuxedo and Burlington Arcade are two British icons that remain the epitome of timeless fashion. I can’t think of a more fitting environment to display this fantastic show, which is a perfect example of some of the finest British craftsmanship”.

The Little Black Jacket exhibition runs from today (10th) through to September 22nd.

Restaurant fire in North Audley Street

Firefighters were called out to a blaze at a Mayfair restaurant earlier this week.

Four fire engines and 20 firefighters attended the fire in North Audley Street on Wednesday. The fire took hold at the Lucky Spot restaurant which has flats above it and is next to the former St Marks church, now converted to an events space known as One Mayfair.

The Fire Brigade was called at 0907 and the fire was under control at 1044, they say. Part of the restaurant was damaged in the fire.

Mayfair hotel sold to Indian billionaire

A leading Mayfair hotel has been sold to the Indian billionaire, Subrata Roy.

Roy, who owns and chairs the Sahara India group, has completed the acquisition of the Grosvenor House Hotel in Park Lane for a reported price of GBP 470million.

The iconic hotel, which includes over 400 guestrooms, 74 suites and a large banqueting space, was sold by the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS).

Mr. Subrata Roy Sahara commented, “We are extremely happy to announce Grosvenor House joining the Sahara family. This acquisition is a part of the major expansion plans of the group. In addition to the acquisition of Grosvenor House, London will be the gateway for Sahara to introduce some of its new business ventures, internationally.

Find out about hotels in Mayfair.

Boris Bikes open to casual users

The Barclays Cycle Hire Scheme, known simply to many as ‘Boris Bikes’, have opened to casual users.

Until now, only members who had signed up in advance to receive their release key could hire the bikes but now the scheme is open to non-members who wish to just pay the terminals.

The cycle hire scheme went live in July but plans to allow casual users to try them have been delayed until now to allow the operator, Serco, to deal with ‘teething problems‘.

There are cycle hire docking stations in the following Mayfair locations:

• Curzon Street
• Sackville Street
• Grafton Street
• Bruton Street
• St George Street
• South Audley Street
• Millennium Hotel
• Grosvenor Square
• North Audley Street
• Green Street
• Woodstock Street

“Unlawful killing” verdict in Martine Vik Magnussen case

A coroner has returned a verdict of “unlawful killing” in the case of Norwigian student, Martine Vik Magnussen.

Magnussen, aged 23, was killed after a night out at a nightclub in Mayfair.

She had met prime suspect, Farouk Abdulhak, at the Maddox Club in Mill Street in March 2008. Her semi naked body was found in the basement of his apartment the next morning.

Abdulhak fled to Yemen, a country with no extradition treaty with the United Kingdom.

The victim’s father, Petter Magnussen, commented outside Westminster Coroner’s Court:

“This really shows the absurd situation that surrounds this case. We have a suspect that has fled to a country where he is untouchable.”

Playboy announces Mayfair return

The Playboy Club looks set to return to Mayfair in London after a 30 year absence.

Playboy Enterprises announced today that it will be partnering with London Clubs International to bring the Playboy brand back to Mayfair.

The new club, to be designed by London-based architects Jestico + Whiles, will combine a restaurant, lounge, members club, table games and high-limit salon privé gaming rooms.

The original Playboy club was in Park Lane, but today’s announcement from Playboy doesn’t specify whereabouts in Mayfair the new venue will be.

“When we first opened the Playboy Club in London it was one of my favorite times for the brand,” said Hugh Hefner, Playboy Founder, Editor-in-Chief and Chief Creative Officer. “With Playboy now more popular than ever, I look forward to our return to London and again sharing the notions that are celebrated in the magazine, the concept of good food and drink, pretty girls, and exciting entertainment.”

The new Playboy Club should be open in the Spring of 2011.

Sheep graze in Savile Row for Wool Week

One of Mayfair’s most famous streets has been turfed over and become home to flocks of grazing sheep this week.

Tourists and shoppers stopped and stared at the extraordinary sight of dozens of sheep all the way up Savile Row.

The eye catching initiative is part of the first ever National Wool Week which has been organised by the British Wool Marketing Board.

Mark Henderson from the Savile Row Bespoke Association commented (in the video below):

“We are big users of wool. In fact, I guess it’s our staple product and we have been fighting a campaign over the five years about keeping people working, making high quality craft in the middle of London, and I guess part of our campaign involves the quality of wool and why people should pay what they do”

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