You’re Hired

‘The Apprentice Mansion’, a grand Victorian home, from the BBC series & Lord Sugar fame has had 7 year restoration has recently come to the market

Victory House on Daleham Gardens in Hampstead – also known as ‘The Apprentice Mansion’ of BBCTV series and Lord Sugar fame – is for sale, the grand comprehensively restored Victorian house provides 10,409 square feet of accommodation including five/six bedrooms, four reception rooms, a cinema/media room; a private wellness centre with a spa pool, gymnasium and steam room; staff studio, a double garage and a 170 foot long landscaped garden with reflection pool. For sale via joint sole agents Aston Chase and Savills.

Aptly called Victory House, the imposing residence is located on one of Hampstead’s most sought-after addresses, its glamorous interiors showcased on BBCTV with the house used by the 18 contestants on ‘The Apprentice’ to relax and enjoy between their challenges and presentations to anchor star Lord Sugar.

Victory House has had a fascinating history long before BBCTV and ‘The Apprentice’ arrived. It was originally built in circa 1882 by Herbert & Edward Kelly and served for many years as the London home of the Bowlby family, most notably Edward Bowlby CBE (1907-1990) the eminent psychologist and biographer of Charles Darwin, whose father Sir Anthony Bowlby (1855-1929) was Royal surgeon to King Edward VII and King George V, given a Baronetcy for his services to the Royal Household.

The substantial detached house was the subject of a seven year restoration and modernisation programme in order to transform it into one of Hampstead’s finest residences, overseen by architectural practice Foster Lomas using some of the finest British craftsmen and artisan firms including Firman Glass, Ardern Hodges, James Horrobin and Blair Thompson. The restoration has created unique contemporary architectural features, combined with modern living spaces along with the best period features of the Victorian house which have been sensitively restored.

Victory House provides accommodation over garden, ground and two upper floors. On the ground floor the large hall gives access to the main drawing room, with deep bay, family room and formal dining room. The drawing room has bespoke English Oak flooring by Ardern Hodges, a grand original fireplace and elegant ceiling plasterwork.

The dining room has hand carved Oak panelling with beautiful detailing and a bespoke feature fireplace designed by Foster Lomas. Double doors from the dining room lead into the family kitchen/breakfast room which has fitted bespoke units, including a large walnut wood topped central island, and integrated Miele and Gaggenau appliances.

On the garden floor is the spectacular 50 foot garden room with bespoke limed Oak flooring, which doubles as a relaxation space and a large party room, with full height glazing opening onto the garden and lightwells allowing natural light to cascade into the living space. Adjoining the garden room is the wellness centre which has a fully air-conditioned gym, spa, steam room and twin changing rooms.

The principal bedroom suite is on the first floor with a main bathroom with freestanding sculptural bath, walk-in shower and walk-in dressing room. There are two further bedroom suites on the first floor and there are two additional bedroom suites on the top floor along with a large cinema/media room, which has 2.8 metre screen and can be used as a sixth bedroom. The bathrooms have hand carved stone basins, cut from the same slab as the flooring, with the freestanding bathtub in the main bathroom carved from Travertine marble. There is also a studio flat on the ground floor comprising kitchen/living room, bedroom and shower room. This is located immediately behind the family kitchen room which connects internally or can alternatively be independently approached by its own separate entrance. Consequently, it provides versatile staff/guest accommodation or can be used as a preparation space as and when entertaining on a large scale.

The house is fitted with state-of-the-art lighting, entertainment, sound systems and security including Helvar computer controlled lighting, a Crestron audio-visual home entertainment system and electronic blinds throughout.

To the front of the house is a west facing formal topiary garden whilst the main south facing garden has a sweeping lawn, mature trees and planting, with a reflection pool bordering the garden room and to one side stairs leading up to a large terrace, located off the drawing room.

Mark Pollack, Co-Founding Director of Aston Chase says: “Victory House is one of the finest residences on the southern slopes of Hampstead and is superbly located for thriving Belsize Village which, during the pandemic, has become a hugely valued amenity for local residents. The house is also situated only three minutes from the highly regarded South Hampstead High School in addition to numerous other excellent private schools. The house represents an outstanding opportunity for anyone looking to buy a substantial lateral family home only moments from St John’s Wood and Primrose Hill, yet arguably representing better value for money.”

Stephen Lindsay, Head of Office, Residential at Savills (St John’s Wood) says: “Victory House has been refurbished and finished to a superlative level of quality, with bespoke craftsmanship and the highest quality stone, wood and glasswork used throughout. After seven years of restoration the Victorian grandeur of this large house has been embellished with flair and imagination to create a stunning 21^st century Hampstead home of exceptional quality and style.”

Victory House is for sale with POA (freehold).

www.astonchase.com - www.savills.co.uk