Kensington Roof Gardens
The resident flamingos Bill, Ben, Splosh, and Pecks (not sure who is who), now rehoused.
In 2024, the Grade II-listed Kensington Roof Gardens reopened as a members only club, after a six year closure. I have fond memories of popping in there when I was in High Street Kensington, to escape the traffic and imagine I was in the Alhambra, sitting by a stream playing giant chess and watching pink flamingos. If it sounds like something from Alice in Wonderland, well, it kinda was.
Charging at least £1,000 a year I probably won’t be joining, and like the famous Groucho Marx quote, I certainly wouldn’t want to join any club that would have me as a member. Anyway, according to City AM website, the members club made a £26m loss last year, so who knows how long it will remain open.
The gardens, spread out over 1.5 acres, were designed by Ralph Hancock, and opened in 1938 on the top of Derry and Toms department store, 100 feet above street level. It was created as three separate gardens; a Moorish section, modelled after the Alhambra, with fountains and vine-covered walkways; a Tudor Garden, and the Woodland Garden, which contains 100 trees of 30 different species. There are also streams and ponds, a bridge and flowers, as well as the resident flamingos (rehoused some years ago to Pensthorpe Natural Park in Norfolk).
The department store was taken over by Biba in the 1970s and in 1978 the tea pavillion became Regine’s nightclub. Richard Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition bought the garden and pavillion in 1981, and it became the Babylon resturant in 2001. The gardens became closed to the public in 2018 when Virgin sold the gardens to Stephen Fitzpatrick, Founder of OVO Energy.
Previously on Barnflakes
Nature meets brutalism at the Barbican Conservatory
Jardin Majorelle, Marrakech
