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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Alex Lawson

Parties, power, racing: meet Ovo’s Stephen Fitzpatrick, the man who would be Richard Branson

Composite image of Fitzpatrick in black and white over a backdrop featuring architectural detail from Kensington Roof Gardens and a drone-like light aircraft with multiple rotors, all overlaid by a generic line graph with its line peaking then falling
Fitzpatrick’s many interests include the Kensington Roof Gardens party venue and his air taxis startup Vertical. Composite: Guardian Design/David Hedges SWNS.com/Archer Aviation Inc./AFP/Getty Images/ITV/Shutterstock

Pink flamingos once strolled around a rooftop garden set high above the traffic of Kensington High Street in west London, where stars including Madonna and George Harrison rubbed shoulders with the business elite.

The exclusive party venue was owned by Richard Branson’s Virgin for 37 years before closing in 2018 after struggling to make a profit.

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