Brompton has been a part of my life on and off for so long. I first got to know the area when I was a student doing my masters in Design History at the V&A and RCA. As the home of these institutions Brompton and South Kensington really is the cradle of design and design education.
When I was a student I rented a long, narrow attic in the roof of a big house on the corner of Lennox Gardens. It definitely hadn’t been renovated and you could only stand up in the centre. It was fantastic in the rain; drumming on the slate roof tiles.
Latterly I’ve had the chance to spend time here again to curate the Brompton Design District. Every September for the London Design Festival we put on a programme of temporary exhibits exploring experimental design staged in properties owned by South Kensington Estates.
It has been a great way to explore the area and poke around in buildings all over the place.
Best eating and drinking
Ognisko, the Polish restaurant on Exhibition Road, is in a wonderful house with a terrace overlooking the square behind. I have so many memories of weddings and parties laced with vodka there. Tombo, a small Japanese cafe near South Kensington station, serves really good fresh salad bowls.
Tangerine Café Bar migrated to the Institut Français from the Chelsea Physic Garden. It’s a great place to eat before a movie at Cine Lumiere in the same building.
Where I work out
You will find me on the cycle path from Kensington Palace to the Serpentine; it has to be one of the most beautiful routes in London. I often detour to a statue I love called Physical Energy by George Frederic Watts, a rider on a horse where they seem to meld into one surge of energy, man as part of the cosmos.
For a culture fix
The V&A. I have known it since I was a kid, I studied there and subsequently curated exhibitions there. I love strolling through the galleries and discovering new things.
To commune with nature
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens offer nature on a grand scale, they feel so cosmopolitan. I love watching the different tides of people come and go through the seasons. Also, the roof garden of the Ismaili Centre is one of London’s secret gardens.
It’s in four parts delineated by water channels around a central fountain and draws inspiration from the Qur’anic Garden of Paradise. Watch out for the occasional open days, usually during Open House London.
Shopping
Bute Street is great for food, in particular Moxon’s Fishmongers. There is also the farmers’ market on Saturday morning that really showcases the French influence on the area. Head to Old Brompton Road and Brompton Cross for all the design stores including Cassina, Molteni, B&B Italia and The Conran Shop.
Getting Around
I walk and cycle. I love poking around the squares and back streets.
Dream street
Reece Mews, where Francis Bacon lived and had his studio. The mewses in this area often have the remains of garages and old trades, which I like.
Something you only see in Brompton
I love the mix of institutions and odd entities hidden behind the white facades. Some are quite eccentric, such as the College of Psychic Studies dedicated to the study of psychic and spiritualist phenomena. I think Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was an early president. Or there is the Royal Geographic Society; possibly the only building on the planet with a bronze statue wearing mittens.
What’s the catch?
A few too many places geared to tourists.
In three words
Design. Education. Eccentricity.
Jane Withers is the Curator of Brompton Design District hosting a programme as part of London Design Festival until September 24; bromptondesigndistrict.com. The 2023 theme is Conviviality – The Art of Living Together.
Schools
Brompton has several primary schools nearby rated outstanding or good, including Christ Church CofE and Oratory Roman Catholic. For secondary education, the immediate area offers only independent options. Queen’s Gate School is an independent day school for girls up to 18. Knightsbridge School is a mixed school that is also independent.
What it costs
Buying in Brompton
Average flat price: £1,910,200
Average house price: £3,999,270
Renting in Brompton
Average one-bed pcm: £3,520
Average two-bed pcm: £5,250
