On the dot of midday, James Blunt bustles into Gymkhana in Mayfair. “I’m always asked about legacy and what will one’s legacy be,” he says, as he slides into our leather-seated booth. “And I really hope my legacy will be that I was the most punctual man in rock’n’roll.” I ask Blunt how he’s doing. “Great!” replies the singer-songwriter, who turns 50 this week. “Well, I’ve got an invitation to Gymkhana for lunch. Let’s not do anything about music. Let’s get beer, curry and see where the day takes us!”
Gymkhana is that rare dining spot: a place of impeccable service and food – it recently won a second Michelin star – that also manages to feel relaxed and discreet. It’s little surprise that it has been a hit with celebrities, and everyone else, since it opened in 2013. Blunt looks around the wood-panelled, clubby interior: you suspect he’s more often here in the late evenings rather than lunch. “Yeah, I’ve been photographed rolling out of here before, falling out of here,” he confirms.
