A 693 sq ft one bedroom house at 9 New Burlington Place, considered to be the smallest house in Mayfair, is for sale for £750,000 through Wetherell.
Owner Hugh Le Fanu, 46 bought the property in 1999 as a bachelor wanting to be in the heart of London. He says: ‘This property is larger than most one bedroom flats in Mayfair and is ideal for a single person or couple. It’s so well proportioned and turned out – it’s just like Stuart Little’s house. Life in London takes on a whole new meaning when you can literally pop out and see a West End Show without advance booking and pick up some sushi or Chinese on the way home. One is spoilt for choice when it comes to restaurants and bars, and all the other exhilarating entertainment options London has to offer.’
Despite its central location it is surprisingly quiet. ‘The property is tucked away behind the imposing facades of the shops on Regent Street and only accessible via a small passageway which tourists and shoppers never use. The area has many commercial buildings which practically shut down in the evening, and the closest neighbours are down the road on Savile Row.’
Shaun Crockett, sales director at Wetherell, adds: ‘In our thirty year presence in Mayfair we have never sold a smaller house than this. I know of no other place like it in Mayfair – to be so private and quiet with no neighbours, it is a sanctuary to escape the clamor of City life. For someone seeking a ‘hide away’ it has no equal.’
In 1988 a planning application was made by National Provident Institution to rebuild the rear section of 54 Conduit Street facing New Burlington Place to for a two storey house. The house was built in the early 90s and Mr Le Fanu was the first occupant.
In 2005, Hugh got married to his wife, Sara. Between them they have four children, so they moved to Derbyshire where they now rent a farmhouse in the Peak District. Hugh, a metal broker in the City, says: ‘Having the house in London has been useful for when I need a place to stay during the week. However, we feel that the time is right to buy a family home in the country, so we need to sell to release some capital in order to do so.’
One snag: there’s only 59 years remaining on the lease.
contact: Wetherell (0207 529 5566; www.wetherell.co.uk)
