Belgravia Celebrates Elizabeth Street Unveiling 

Elizabeth Street’s transformation was unveiled in September by His Grace, the Duke of Westminster, with a truly spectacular tea party. The celebration marked the re-opening of this beautiful street after several months of intensive construction work.

The Duke of Westminster unveiled the remodelled street to around 700 guests, made up of retailers and local residents, at a party to thank them for their patience and support during these improvements.  His Grace was joined on stage by Councillor Robert Davis, deputy leader of Westminster City Council, who added his thanks to those involved.

His Grace commented while unveiling the street: “For me, Elizabeth Street is a perfect example of a neighbourhood street. This is not a cosmetic makeover; it has involved a substantial reconstruction of the street, using high quality materials to make a lasting change for the better.  It is a long term investment for the whole community – to enhance the appearance and improve the street – and I am confident this completed scheme will set a new standard for urban life in London.”

From fashion shows to a vintage taxi parade, the unveiling offered something for everyone. Visitors were also treated to an eclectic mix of entertainment from the retro performer DJ78 and suitably-old world gramophones, followed by the soothing tones of a string quartet - a perfect soundtrack to the beautiful surroundings. Models on podiums adorned the street, highlighting the destination's fashion credentials.

Grosvenor carried out the work in partnership with Westminster City Council (WCC), to significantly improve the streetscape. This is the first joint public and private sector venture of this type and has the potential to revolutionise urban renewal, releasing the vast sums of cash needed to make major improvements across central London and elsewhere in the UK.
Cllr Robert Davis, Westminster City Council's Deputy Leader, added: “As the custodians of this city we are constantly striving to balance how we can improve our roads and streets while preserving their historical significance for future generations to enjoy. We share an understanding with Grosvenor that the appearance of streets and spaces in between buildings is fundamental to the long-term success of an area.”

Elizabeth Street runs from Buckingham Palace Road to Eaton Square. The street is packed with high end niche luxury brands run by specialists in their field, a sophisticated stylish high street a million miles from the usual experience. Retailers on the street include Allegra Hicks, renowned jewellers Erickson Beamon and De Vroomen, and milliner to the A-list, Philip Treacy.

Upcoming openings on the street include cupcake maker to the stars, Peggy Porschen. The Peggy Porschen cake school will open at 30 Elizabeth Street later this year. Joanna Wood has just opened a ‘pop-up’ at 50 Elizabeth Street, Lewis & Wood, which will be open until Christmas, stocking her own wallpapers and fabrics. More exciting openings are set for 2011.

Full details on the on-going project across Grosvenor’s London Estate of Mayfair and Belgravia can be found at www.grosvenorpublicrealm.co.uk.

The main features of the exciting improvements to enhance Elizabeth Street include:

• The creation of more space for pedestrians for movement and circulation, as well as for relaxing and enjoying the street.
• Design improvements to the carriageway to reduce its width and boost its visual appearance through the introduction of granite setts.
• The introduction of trees to the street, to provide shade for pedestrians.
• The reorganisation and simplification of the junction with Ebury Street, to provide a better balance between pedestrians and vehicles.
• Developing a more attractive and comfortable pedestrian experience by co-ordinating materials and continuing pedestrian-friendly surfacing across the main carriageway and side streets.
• The use of high quality materials including York stone for pavements, smooth granite setts for parking areas, pedestrian crossings and the main carriageway, and granite kerbs.
• The removal of unnecessary signage and street clutter to create a more attractive and pedestrian friendly environment.
• The introduction of contemporary lighting that is sympathetic to a heritage environment.