Savills and Aston Chase are pleased to confirm the sale of the former London home of Rihanna, the global music icon, a magnificent 6,332 sq.ft (588sqm) double-fronted eight bedroom house on St John’s Wood Park, purchased by a family from overseas, the sale of the famous house, listed for £27.5 million, being one of the most significant sales in 2023 in North West London.
The white stucco detached St John’s Wood villa was originally built in 1844 by local builder William Holme Twentyman (1802-1884), for De Beers diamond tycoon Daniel Francis, the property designed by renowned architect John Shaw Junior (1803-1870), under the auspices of historic landowner Walpole Eyre (1773-1856).
Fully refurbished and modernised the house provides multiple reception and family rooms, formal and casual dining rooms, a study/library, family kitchen and a gymnasium providing a weights room area and exercise studio. The house opens onto a 21 ft terrace overlooking a 126 ft deep by 130 ft wide rear garden, an exceptional and private green oasis.
Significantly, the property also has the benefit of detailed and implemented planning consent for enlargement to a 16,000 sq.ft residence including a health spa with swimming pool, sauna, steam room and massage/beauty treatment facilities.
Rihanna used the luxurious mansion on St John’s Wood Park as her base for 2.5 years whilst renting in London, with her own media interviews and Instagram stories filmed in the house leading to wide global reporting in the press and social media about her time in London. This included widespread publicity about her enjoyment of the large kitchen for ice cream desserts, the huge garden for relaxation, her love of local walks and even Rihanna shopping at Sainsburys! Such is her fame that the house is now even marked on Google Earth as “Rihanna’s home”.
Given the global publicity around the listing of the house for sale, the appointed agents Savills and Aston Chase introduced numerous international potential buyers and also prospective super-prime tenants with the successful buyer ultimately being introduced by Stephen Lindsay, Savills (Head of North London and St John’s Wood Office).
This is one of many successful collaborations between Savills and Aston Chase in St John’s Wood over a period of many years. Both Stephen Lindsay and Mark Pollack have been market leaders in the St John’s Wood area for over 30 years and the combination of the global brand alongside the leading niche independent has proven to be a very successful formula for both vendors and the agents as they complement one another as opposed to duplicating one another as can often be the case when two comparable agencies are instructed.
Stephen Lindsay, Savills (Head of North London and St John’s Wood Office), says: “Savills is delighted to have introduced the buyer and successfully sold this famous house on St John’s Wood Park in one of the biggest deals in St John’s Wood in 2023. This is an extremely special house, the only one of Royal architect John Shaw’s original villas on St John’s Wood Park to have survived into the twenty first century. The substantial price achieved firmly underlines the value and quality of this unique trophy home and the enduring appeal of St John’s Wood with buyers from both the UK and from around the world.”
Mark Pollack, Co-Founding Director of Aston Chase says: “Notwithstanding the current challenging market conditions this sale is indicative of the surge in demand from Chinese buyers for super-prime homes in London. As a result of an inability to travel during the pandemic many wealthy Chinese and Hong Kong residents are prioritising a ‘Plan B’ in the eventuality of another unforeseen event leading to the Chinese Government restricting movement. London is still widely regarded as the best city in the world from a cultural, educational, legal system, and politically stability perspective so, for those wanting to establish a home in a safe destination it is an obvious choice in the knowledge that they will also potentially benefit from meaningful capital growth over a period of time. The recent spate of super-prime sales in London reflect these considerations and the demand has only been fuelled by the tragic wars in both Ukraine and Israel/Gaza which have served to underline the fragility of life and the merit in having a ‘Plan B’ which many Chinese and Hong Kong entrepreneurs are able to benefit from due to the vast wealth accumulated in recent years. Also, this sale at circa £3,500 per sq.ft. represents a record price for the St John’s Wood area reflecting the substantial planning consent obtained, the large plot and the secure carriage drive which are amenities normally associated with homes further out in the suburbs of London.”
Stephen Lindsay believes that St John’s Wood has everything a family could want or need including highly-regarded local schools, great parks – including Primrose Hill and Regent’s Park, and strong transport links to Heathrow Airport, the West End and neighbouring Hampstead.
Mark Pollack highlights that buyers are attracted to the leafy village ambience of St John’s Wood, the stock of large family houses and villas and the proximity to the West End and the City. The location is also home to many celebrities and the recent regeneration of St John’s Wood High Street will result in one of the best local high streets in London. Pollack says that deals like this inevitably boost the market and provide a ripple of confidence for other vendors and purchasers in the immediate area.
