Since 1698, Berry Brothers have been established at the lower end of St James’s Street, a stone’s throw from the Palace. Initially, the business was a grocery, started by a woman, fitting then that some 300 years later, the current CEO is also a woman.
Through the inclusion of various relatives in the business and changing tastes, the company morphed over the centuries to become synonymous with fine wines and spirits. Somewhere in that time, Berry Bros acquired various properties along St James’s Street.
Number 1 St James’s Street had in the late 19th century become a gentleman’s club but slowly morphed into 5 rental apartments. In a prime location, overlooking St James’s Palace, the apartments had become dated and Berry Bros called in Obbard to assist in developing a plan to embrace 21st Century tastes and rental models. Berry Bros were keen to embrace sustainability in their approach and Obbard turned to us to see how we could help.
With 5 double height floors, it was a challenge that the lift was liable to lock you in so could not be used. This led to some amusing and exhausting moments as buyers carried countless appliances, marble floors, walls and kitchens down from the upper floors. The kit was a mixture of faded elegance with it’s curtains, panelled rooms, fireplaces and the more modern, utility kitchens. The contents are now spread far and wide, with a number of the curtains now holding back the cold in a Scottish castle and the large amount of Carrara marble a floor in a Wiltshire barn conversion.
Perhaps one of the more unusual sales from this building was to a Middle Eastern diplomat. He sent his military attaché to dismantle and transport a kitchen away for use in his staff quarters. We had several charming men arrive in rather smart suits which, we suspect, needed replacing after their travails.
And we did get stuck in the lift once, managing to escape using a biro found under the lift seat! Worth noting, Berry Bros produce No3 Gin, voted best gin in the world 4 times, ideal after a late afternoon stuck in a lift!
