Fitzrovia: We focus on a London area that’s like the West End but cooler
Although the central London district of Fitzrovia has no formal boundaries (it is part of both the London boroughs of Camden and Westminster), it is generally agreed that it sits between Euston Road to the north and Oxford Street to the south.
“Today, Fitzrovia is popular with the more discerning London buyer who is looking for more discretion and character and wants to live in a central location, within close walking distance to Soho, Marylebone and Regents Park,” says Alex Carr, director at commercial real-estate services company JLL.
The area also has a rich past. “Fitzrovia is a historically bohemian area that offers architecture both old and new, which is generally low rise, creating a classic London feel,” says Carr. “Once home to some of our most well-known writers such as Virginia Woolf, over the years it has also become known as an advertising and media hub, with residential and commercial development playing a central role in its transformation.”
Nick Poppe, co-head of sales at Savills Marylebone and Fitzrovia office, agrees: “Fitzrovia is a vibrant and bustling neighbourhood that offers the very best of central London living. Home to characterful residential streets, and an array of cafés, bars and restaurants, this enclave of London has a slightly quieter and more residential feel compared to its West End neighbour Soho.”
So who is moving into the area? “Buyers are typically young international professionals who are drawn to Fitzrovia’s traditional Georgian mansion block apartments, whilst students attending nearby universities favour the newer developments,” says Poppe. “Although the family market is less abundant in Fitzrovia, there are a handful of larger homes on Fitzroy Square, one of London’s finest garden squares.”
How has Fitzrovia changed over the last decade? Poppe says: “In the last ten years, Fitzrovia has experienced huge investment. The district’s creative draw has attracted large companies including Estée Lauder and Facebook, which have each moved their headquarters to the area. Ted Baker recently announced its imminent relocation to 101 on Cleveland, mid-next year.”
When it comes to property, 101 on Cleveland is Fitzrovia’s latest and most exciting development. A “boutique” 103-home apartment building in a prime location, it occupies a one-acre site in Fitzrovia, not far from the BT Tower.
Last month it welcomed its first residents. “The building’s façade echoes Cleveland Street’s Georgian origin, whilst the communal spaces feature works by over 40 international and British makers,” says Ali Abbas, managing director of Art-Invest Real Estate UK, one of the companies behind the scheme. The project was conceived by award-winning architects and interior designers Assael, and supported with “amenity dressing” by Bergman & Mar.
Prices for one- to three-bedroom apartments at 101 on Cleveland start from £1.3m but there are also 15 “affordable” units that are rental homes let at discounted levels to lower-income residents nominated from Westminster City Council’s housing register.
The property has an enviable lifestyle offering, with residents benefitting from a screening room, communal lounge, gym, concierge, parking and private outdoor space. “Currently sitting at 70 per cent sold, we have seen interest at 101 on Cleveland from both domestic and international clientele, with a strong mix between owner-occupier and investment purchases,” says Abbas.
A statement from the developers states that while sales and house prices have remained stagnant in many of London’s “golden” postcodes, prices in Fitzrovia have increased by 16 per cent over the last five years. “With limited new build activity in the area, 101 on Cleveland’s 88 private units account for 57 per cent of the 158 private units planned for this area until 2023… [so] demand over the next few years is expected to far outstrip supply.”
Area highlights
• Fitzrovia has great Tube connections – Regents Park station, Great Portland Street, Warren Street, Euston Square, Tottenham Court Road and Oxford Circus are all within the vicinity. tfl.gov.uk
• Regents Park is one of the capital’s royal parks, 395-acres of green space, woodland, formal gardens and tree-lined paths. There are also four children’s playgrounds. royalparks.org.uk
• Circolo Popolare is an over-the-top Italian restaurant that opened in 2019 and serves giant cocktails, ice cream towers and handmade pizzas in a theatrical setting. bigmammagroup.com
• Charlotte Street is a chic, lively street known for the Charlotte Street hotel, Norma restaurant and the Fitzroy Tavern, which used to be a meeting place for artists and writers such as George Orwell. firmdalehotels.com, normalondon.com
• Owned by film director Guy Ritchie, Lore of the Land is a British pub on Conway Street that serves craft beers and traditional roasts. gritchiepubs.com