Do you have a beautiful view that you’d like to maintain but with some amount of privacy? It seems to be a common problem both at home and in the workplace.

We have all been familiar with traditional vertical and venetian blinds that darken the room and interrupt a view, which may be fine for most windows. But Sun X provide a ‘One Way Blind’ which lets light in and allows you to maintain a view and aesthetic worth seeing!

These stylish One Way Blinds appear to offer numerous benefits to the consumer:

• Allows you to maintain views & aesthetic qualities in keeping with the location
• Can reduce heat and glare from strong daylight
• Can protect furniture and furnishings
• Reduce air conditioning/heating costs and save energy
• Fabric is wipe clean and durable
• Can be used on large widths of up to 3.1 meters

Sun X is based in Bognor Regis, West Sussex and has been established for over 40 years. They pride themselves in providing the very best in window films and specialist bespoke blinds both commercially and residentially.

Their extensive range includes; Roller Blinds, Sunscreen Blinds (One Way Blinds), Solar Shade Blinds, Printed Blinds, Vertical Blinds, Venetian Blinds and Pleated Blinds. So there appears to be something to suit everyone’s style and requirements.

The company’s website states that they hold four key values at the heart of what they do;

1. Quality
2. Value
3. Technical expertise
4. Standards

They have carried out work as far as North Edinburgh and everywhere in between.

One Way Blinds are a perfect way to preserve a view while maintaining a little privacy.

For more information: www.sun-x.co.uk

£75, http://tinyurl.com/JD-double-gold-medal

Rome is often described as the first great city of the modern world. All life is here. The towering political, cultural and archaeological achievements of the Romans have earned this capital the sobriquet The Eternal City – it has flourished throughout the centuries and is perhaps the greatest example of a city that has moved from the classical through medieval and Renaissance times to the modern era. It’s impossible to visit Rome without feeling some visceral stirring – if you don’t fall in love here, you may as well surrender your passport. Here’s why…

Friday

From one of the two airports, head to the centre. Regular buses or coaches run every 15 minutes or so, or the hotel will lay on a shuttle service.

Friday Evening

There are more five-star hotels in Rome than you can shake a gladius at, but we are rooting for the famous and iconic Rome Cavalieri. It’s managed by the Waldorf-Astoria Group so we probably don’t need to tell you how luxurious it is. It’s set on its own hill – the views from your balcony are phenomenal – with the whole of Rome ahead of you, the Vatican a little to your right and St Peter’s Dome standing proudly in the foreground. Throw in terraced gardens, swimming pools, spas and an executive lounge on the seventh floor where you can sip prosecco while letting the view inspire you, and you know you’ve arrived.

Friday Night

Dine at the hotel’s La Pergola, where culinary genius Heinz Beck has ensured that this is the only three-Michelin starred restaurant
in Rome. To describe his signature dish as a kind of ravioli is like calling a Ferrari a little two-seater runaround. The delicate parcels are gently stuffed with
a carbonara and white wine filling that is completely divine. Step out on to the roof terrace to admire the panorama and the star-flecked sky, breathe deeply and… hold that moment.

Saturday

After a sumptuous buffet breakfast – choose from cooked, continental or Japanese – it’s time to head for town. It’s hard to cram two thousand years into one weekend so we’ll pick out a couple of highlights for you. The Pantheon is, for me, one of the wonders of the world. A perfect concrete dome balances on the main structure, which has at the front a portico of eight Corinthian columns. Step inside, gaze up at the perfectly calculated dome and marvel that it was finished in 126AD. Historians record that it took around 730 workers some three years to complete. A ten-minute walk will take to you the Trevi Fountain. Be warned, though – while it’s every bit as impressive as you will have seen in countless films, you will be surprised at how small the piazza that houses it is. Wide-angled lenses, eh?

Saturday Lunch

On Via Margutta, near Piazze del Popolo and right in the centre, you’ll find Babette, a lovely local bistro with a sun-trap courtyard that is part of a former convent. There is a fabulous buffet option at lunchtimes, where a table groans under the weight of salads and home-cooked pasta and sauces. A word of warning – the meatballs are a house speciality and so delicious that the temptation is to go back for more. Don’t – you will be so full that you’re likely to nod off in the sun afterwards.

Saturday Afternoon

One of the great beauties of Rome is the Villa Borghese, one of the greatest city centre parks in the world. It’s at the top of the hill overlooking
central Rome so the views are wonderful. To get there, the best route is to climb the Spanish Steps (don’t worry, there are bars and cafes at the top if you need replenishing.) The park itself is enormous and beautiful, with ponds, playgrounds for children and vista points. If you still have energy, hop into a cab down to the Coliseum. You can see the foundations and the rooms from where gladiators – not to mention lions and tigers – were hauled up to do battle in the arena. Like Wembley, but not on the tube.

Saturday Night

There is only one place to head: Trastevere, where young Rome comes to see and be seen. The only rule here is that you must enjoy yourself. This traditionally working-class neighbourhood is a huddle of narrow streets with piazzas, honey-coloured townhouses and lots of young people buzzing around on Vespas or chatting in bars. Off the main square – Santa Maria in Trastevere – is a slew of neighbourhood trattorias where Romans come to eat. Wander up and down, look at the menus, take your pick, and be prepared to be told to go and have a drink until they can fit you in. These places are busy – and with menus at as little for 10 euros for two courses and a glass of wine, it’s easy to see why.

Sunday

After breakfast, check your luggage in with the concierge and jump in a taxi to one of my favourite hills – and viewpoints – in the whole of Rome. Gianicolo, where you’ll find a cobbled fan-shaped area that overlooks the whole of the city, across the centre to Villa Borghese and beyond. Families mob this place on a Sunday morning, gathered around the statue of Roman hero Garibaldi, who unified the country in 1860. His motto, Roma O Morte (Rome or death), stands proudly engraved at the base of the statue. Here parents drink coffee or something a
little stronger, while children take pony rides around the park.

Sunday Lunch

It’s a beautiful walk along the ridge of the Gianicolo towards the Vatican, on a hilltop path that gradually works its way down to the banks of the Tiber. Along the approach to St Peter’s Square and Basilica you’ll see a raft of family-friendly pizzerias and bistros. Grab one that takes your fancy. This is where Rome comes for lunch, and the babble of conversation and infectious laughter is as enticing as the food.

Sunday Afternoon

It would be sacrilege to visit Rome and not come to the Vatican. Though sceptics may view it as a religious Disneyland, the smallest state in the world has some of its most beautiful architecture, whatever your religious views. The truth is, though, if you take in St Peter’s Square and survive the queue for the Basilica you’ve done well. Tours of the Sistine Chapel require the patience of one of the many saints that can be found in relief sprouting like fungus around this neck of the woods. If you’re determined, though, skip all the above, head here first thing and bring sandwiches and water – you’re in for a long wait.

After you head back to the hotel for your luggage and the shuttle bus, stand outside the front, look to your left and take in that incredible view of the city one last time. No photo or postcard can ever do it justice.

romecavalieri.com

Getting there

Monarch, the scheduled leisure airline, operates flights to Rome from London Luton airport with fares, including taxes, starting from £64.99 one way (£126.99 return).

In addition to year-round low fares, Monarch also offers a bespoke “build your own class of travel” range of products and services both on the ground and inflight.  All customers are allocated a seat at check-in; however seats can be pre-allocated on scheduled Monarch flights for £4.99 per one-way flight to ensure that families and groups are seated together.  For customers looking for added comfort, extra legroom seats are also available offering up to six inches of extra space from only £9.99.

Customers travelling on scheduled flights can also avoid booking charges by paying for their flights using a debit card or for a fixed £10 fee, can pay by credit card – regardless of the value of the transaction or the number of people travelling. They can also take advantage of online check-in, which is available between 18 days and four and a half hours prior to departure. With a great range of tasty hot and cold meals that can be pre-booked or purchased onboard, flying with Monarch really couldn’t be simpler.

In addition to flights, Monarch also now offers a huge range of great value holidays, accommodation options, car hire and travel insurance.

For further information or to book Monarch flights, Monarch Holidays or Monarch Hotels, please visit www.monarch.co.uk

London has long been regarded as one of the world’s greatest cities for playing the tables. We stay up late to investigate some of the capital’s finest casinos…

Whether you’re the sort of high roller who’s ushered into a private room on entering or simply someone fancies a flutter on a night out in London, there are a host of stylish options for an evening spent chasing down Lady Luck.

If you’re a first-timer, cast aside all notions of casinos as gangster-run joints filled with shady types. Today’s casinos are slick, professional operations filled with people who are simply looking to play a few games and have a drink and a bite to eat in a truly unique setting.

For high-roller casinos such as the Ritz Club, dressing up is de rigueur, but other casinos have a more relaxed dress code. Don’t forget to check membership policy before you go, too, as some require 24 hours notice for membership applications. However, casinos such as the huge Aspers at Stratford’s Westfield Centre allow you to come in and play straight away.

Happy gaming!

Aspinalls

The late John Aspinall was a colourful character, and his iconic Mayfair club reflects that. Traditionally where the aristocracy came to gamble away their inheritances, this is lounge-London at its most louche. It’s set in two handsome Georgian townhouses and includes three private gaming salons. These days, the club – and John’s pet project, Howlett’s Zoo in Kent – is run by his son Damian. A truly fabulous place to discover where Old London comes to cavort… aspinallsclub.com

Aspers Stratford

Aspers , as John was affectionately known, died in 2000, aged 74. Which is possibly just as well – the rakish old aristo might well have had a seizure upon learning that his name was being used by the family to launch a joint venture at Westfield Stratford City. The sort of place Homer Simpson might go to have a flutter after bowling, this is the man-on-the-street’s casino. And none the worse for it – we are nothing if not democratic. Relaxed dress code, no membership required – what’s not to like? Just don’t tell Aspers – he’d be spinning like a roulette ball in his (presumably) opulent mausoleum… aspersstratford.co.uk

Colony Club

This is Old Mayfair at its most rarified. The Colony Club is legendary for its effortless style that whispers – never shouts – money. Fine dining is elevated to religious levels with the famous wood-panelled restaurant by polished-mirror walls and columns. Middle-eastern, oriental and Asian cuisine are specialities, while at the Teppan-Yaki Bar it’s Japanese food theatre, with sushi and sashimi expertly prepared right in front of you. And the gaming’s not too shabby – the Colony has more than 20 tables, serving up cold cuts of blackjack, all flavours of poker, baccarat and, of course, roulette. Those shy about conspicuous extravagance can avail themselves of the private room. Discretion is guaranteed – winning, sadly, is not.  thecolonyclub.com

Crockfords

Were you to ask a duke or a dealer (antiques or arms, not drugs) to name the most prestigious old-school casino in Mayfair, we’d be willing to wager a wedge of our (very) hard-earned that they’d come back with either the Colony Club or Crockford’s. The latter’s impressive claim to fame is that it is the world’s oldest private gaming club. It’s suitably impressive in presence as well, housed as it is within a Grade-I listed Georgian mansion. American Roulette, Blackjack, Punto Banco, Three Card Poker and WSOP (World Series of Poker) can be played at the tables and private rooms are also available. And the restaurant has a solid reputation for fine wine and cuisine. crockfords.com

Palm Beach

This is almost certainly where James Bond would have felt most comfortable, sipping his vodka martini – shaken, not shtirred, natch – while playing baccarat and keeping an eye on Blofeld or Le Chiffre or whoever (please don’t write in to correct us). It’s sited at the opulent May Fair Hotel, in the former former Grand Art Deco Ballroom, and lays claim to being one of the largest gaming rooms in London. It’s open to all guests staying at The May Fair, with a wide variety of games including American Roulette, Blackjack, Punto Banco and Three Card Poker available to play until 6am. And those shy millionaires will be pleased to learn that, like the Colony Club and Crockford’s, private rooms are available, with their own entrances separate to those of the hotel and public lobby of the casino.

thepalmbeach.co.uk

The Ritz Club

To call the Ritz Club a casino is a little like calling a Ferrari a runaround. Technically true, but it misses the point. Yes, there are gaming tables – but membership confers far greater benefit. Relax in the splendidly plush environs, invite a business contact to sample the breathtaking range of fine cognacs and whiskeys or use the concierge to source impossibly hot tickets in London – and make use of the fleet of luxury limos to get you there. Of course, it is a casino as well, with a main gaming room and a Salle Prive, catering for American poker, three card poker, punto banco and blackjack. Stepping out in style in London means putting on the Ritz… theritzclub.com

Les Ambassadeurs

Housed in a take-your-breath-away-grand house in Hamilton Place – a former hunting lodge used by King Henry VIII, or at least that’s what he told Catherine of Aragon, the naughty scamp – Les A, as it is known to those in the know, is a 24-hour affair. Blackjack, poker, punto banco and roulette are all served up in the main gaming room, while there is also a smoking gaming area along with a concierge service. A-class… lesaclub.com

A blind wine tasting session results in some delightful surprises for Meze’s resident expert.

Words: Peter Dean

A heavyweight vertical wine duel, where one chateau vies for superiority over another through a massive blind wine tasting across a number of vintages, conjures up images of those Sixties Godzilla flicks. In these Japanese films the giant lizard takes on the likes of Mothra, Biorante and, in one hilarious mismatch, Bambi. The fun is in the slug-fest that ensues rather than the somewhat inevitable outcome. Godzilla, naturally.

In wine circles, though, the outcome of a duel is far less predictable, especially in a blind tasting. No sight of label, no notes and not even a look at the bottle shape. Here, the critic is put to the test and has to trust a fine balance of palette, instinct and also, thankfully, personal taste. Although the outcome is often unpredictable, the duel itself – coming as it does with a table-full of alcohol and a dry spittoon – can be just as messy as any Japanese splatter-fest.

And so to London’s snazziest new Italian seafood restaurant, Massimo Restaurant & Oyster Bar which, along with bespoke luxury wine company Eminent Wines were hosting the ‘first’ heavyweight contest of Bordeaux second growth Cos d’Estournel versus ‘Super Tuscan’ Tenuta dell’Ornellaia. Bordeaux blend versus Bordeaux blend.

Ever since the late 1940s when neighbouring Tenuta San Guido defied tradition and Italian classification and started blending cabernet sauvignon with cabernet franc in Italy, this coastal area of Tuscany has been the home of some of the world’s most pre-eminent, and costly, Bordeaux blends, the so-called ‘Super Tuscans’.

Ornellaia, under the careful watch of winemaker Axel Heinz, is made with a blend of cabernet and merlot in almost equal measure with a healthy whack of cabernet franc and a smidge of petit verdot for good measure – the perfect armoury to take on Cos’s distinct and elegant St-Estephe blend of cab sauv, merlot and cab franc .

After a glass of chilled Goulee white 2009 from Cos and some indecently fresh langoustines, whose saltiness picked out the complexity and the Atlantic air of this sauvignon-heavy blend, the main contestants were assembled and poured.

In the Italian corner we had Heinz’s second wine Le Serre Nuove dell’Ornellaia 2007, and then Ornellaia from the 2005, 2001 and 1997 vintages, while in the French corner we had another second Les Pagodes de Cos 2007, then Cos d’Estournel from the 2004, 2000 and 1995, vintages.

As for the main bout itself I had Ornellaia winning the battle of the ‘seconds’, although perhaps its muscularity was a better match for the Italian food, while overall I put Cos ahead on a slender point margin. Judging between Cos’s elegance, and incense-scented finesse and Ornellaia’s warmer voluptuousness was like trying to choose between silk and velvet. The later vintages were both drinking very well indeed with still many years left in the bottle. If you don’t have £125 to spend on these babies (and quite frankly you should have) go for the seconds, neither of which you would throw out of bed on a Tuesday night.

For those looking to find their own ‘duel’ in the crown, a wine challenge among friends is the perfect way to spend an evening.

Eminent Wines are based in London and Hong Kong and provide bespoke wine packages and corporate hospitality.  www.eminentwines.com

Club Med offers Premium All-Inclusive holidays to over 80 exclusive Resorts all around the world in stunning locations including the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, Africa, America, South America, Europe, Indian Ocean and the Middle East.  The product is unique from other All-Inclusive packages due to the superior standard of accommodation offered, fine dining options with gourmet meals, premium bar drinks, dedicated children’s clubs split into different age groups and sports academies with lessons in all levels.  Even champagne is offered in the 5 Trident Resorts, 5 Trident Luxury Spaces, Chalet Apartments and Luxury Villas.

Club Med hosts the biggest sports academy in the world with 60 water & land sports in ideal surroundings, using top of the range equipment from the most famous brands. Exceptional and entertaining classes are given by staff and professionals trained in their sports. With 23 Ski resorts in the Alps and Asia, Club Med has developed a unique concept of Premium All-Inclusive ski holidays with the same inclusions, as well as full day lessons and ski passes. You have the option to engage in an action packed holiday or to choose a day relaxing or exploring the local culture.

In 2010 the company has created a great new concept with its Luxury Villas in Mauritius and Chalet Apartments in the charming resort of Valmorel, France.  The luxury villas are prestigious holiday homes, complete with a private swimming pool and with exceptional, elegant designer interiors guarantee a memorable stay.  The luxurious Chalet Apartments offer comfort, wellness and refinement at the very heart of the Alps.  Boasting first class amenities and customised services, the concept also includes a personal butler who is there to cater to all of your needs.

Club Med All-Inclusive holidays really do include everything you could possibly need for your holiday, and with their fabulous team of staff (GO’s) who are there to ensure your holiday is a success and completely stress free.

For further information and booking, please contact Club Med’s Preferred Infinite Agency: Full Circle Travel on 0800 048 8772 or visit their website at www.fullcircletravel.co.uk.

Full Circle Travel is an award winning Club Med specialist agency offering clients the fantastic luxury and value of a Club Med holiday combined with the unbeatable one to one service and added value that Full Circle Travel provides.  They know Club Med inside out, are passionate about the product and you will be dealing with a small, mature & professional team of consultants.   They promise honest, original and impartial advice – they have no sales targets to hit so will provide what is right for you.

Boombox
This is a real word of mouth affair, and moves around a bit, but can often be found at the Hoxton Square Bar and Kitchen. It’s where I go to hear truly cutting edge electronic music and to see some of London’s most fashionable types cutting loose. A real eye-opener.
hoxtonsquarebar.com

A new book documenting the majestic, crumbled buildings of Detroit sparks an exploration of other great and gone metropolises. By Eugene Costello

This town is coming like a ghost town. All the clubs are being closed down.” So sang The Specials

back in the early 1980s. Then, like now, the UK was a place of recession and decay; then, like now, the riots erupted in cities across the country. Then, like now, there was a feeling that urban living was under threat, an idea whose time might be over.

The debates around ghost towns have become more and more relevant in recent years thanks to a number of factors. The subprime crisis in the US has seen thousands lose their homes because of crippling recalculated mortgages. Riots and looting broke out in London, Birmingham and Manchester last summer. Natural forces have sparked devastation in cities from New Orleans to Bangkok and Tokyo. City-states, once the impregnable bastions of classical civilisation, have never looked so vulnerable.

What exactly is it about the theme of decaying civilisations that so grasps our imaginations, stirring something visceral, something thrilling, shocking and mournful? It’s long been a powerful leitmotif in culture – from the long-dead, once-mighty king Ozymandias in Shelley’s eponymous poem to the Statue of Liberty buried chest-deep in the final scene of Planet of the Apes, the Mad Max films, Escape from New York and Blade Runner.

Of course there are real lost cities [see sidebar overleaf], but they belong to ancient realms or to science fiction, don’t they? Well, no. From the 1970s to the 1990s there were magazine features and television documentaries about the growth of the 21st-century ‘supercity’ – both fictional, as in sci-fi comic 2000AD where Judge Dredd gunned his Harley substitute around Mega-City One – and real, as in sprawling behemoths such as Tokyo (which currently has around 34.3 million inhabitants), Shangai (24.8 million), Mumbai (23 million) or Mexico City (22.9 million).

Now it looks like things might be moving in the opposite direction. For many years, there has been a trend in North American cities to abandon the centre and head for the suburbs. Now this trend is in evidence in Europe – in Manchester, Liverpool and Berlin. The most advanced example, though, is Detroit.

In the 1950s, Detroit was one of the great cities of the world. It was the base of the fabulously powerful American car industry, its factories building cars that were shipped to the furthest corners of the planet. The idea that it was simply a manufacturing and industrial hub, though, would be quite wrong. The profits were pumped back into the city, with handsome municipal buildings and architectural treasures. The wealth found its way down to the plant managers and assembly-line workers – Detroit had the highest median income and widest home ownership of any major American city.

Since then, the near-total collapse of the car industry means that the population has halved and many parts of the city have been abandoned.

French photographers Yves Marchand and Romain Meffree began to document the collapse of Detroit in 2005. Speaking to The Economist, they explained the allure of decay: “A fading and rotting building reminds you how fluctuating and ephemeral things are.”

Marchand and Meffre are at pains to point out that it is what is left behind that brings home the human tragedy of urban decay. The pictures they took of schools and libraries full of books were the ones that distressed them the most.

“Even if you know the context,” says Marchhand, “you really don’t get why it has been left like that. It says a lot about the loss of culture, lack of education and social waste.”

It is not a problem that is confined to Detroit. After the Berlin Wall came down in 1989 there was an exodus of East Berliners or Ossies (the same etymology gives us the lovely word Os-talgia, to describe the fondness of East Berliners’ for Communist-era products). In the process, more than a million apartments were simply abandoned, leading the German government to found the Shrinking Cities Project 10 years ago. For the project, architects, artists and academics studied this global trend, looking at cities such as Berlin, Leipzig, Detroit, Manchester and Liverpool, created exhibitions and published books
on their findings.

As well as the erosion of manufacturing, cities’ existences can be threatened by physical phenomena. San Francisco, perched on the San Andreas Fault, suffers almost perennial quakes. According to researchers at the University of California, there is a 50% chance that San Francisco will be hit by a “big one” – an earthquake of magnitude 7 or greater – by 2050, and a 75% chance that it will happen by 2086. Those kind of statistics are surely part of the reason – with all kinds of additional cultural and economic factors – why San Francisco is now one of the fastest-shrinking cities in the US.

Well-documented rising sea levels only add to the trend for moving away from coastal areas. Ten years ago, the World Bank published a paper on how climate change might affect population trends. It concluded that Banjul, the capital of Gambia, is set to sink into the sea; it also highlighted other cities at risk, including Alexandria, Jakarta and Bangkok. Social and economic factors give cause for concern, but it’s climate change that could be the biggest threat to cities.

Joel Kotkin, a presidential fellow at California’s Chapman University who writes about successful cities, says there are even simpler reasons that many cities fail and start to die – successful cities
play to their advantages, which could be logistical superiority in terms of location and access to road, rail and air infrastructure.

One sign of hope is that back in Detroit residents are reclaiming inner-city areas to turn them into allotments and market gardens. So could cities be set to undergo change and adaptation to external factors – as they always have done – rather than suffer complete abandonment?

And let us not overlook the strong sense of self that people derive from identifying with their city – anyone who’s sung ‘Maybe It’s Because I’m a Londoner’, ‘In Dublin’s Fair City’ or ‘New York, New York’ can attest to the strength of city-patriotism. Many are determined to rebuild and redevelop their troubled cities rather than simply abandon them to water, weed and creeper.

After the well-catalogued woes of New Orleans in the chaos after Hurricane Katrina, the city was evacuated and whole neighbourhoods abandoned. Yet people are reclaiming and rebuilding their city, and defending its right to exist.

When Newsweek last year gave New Orleans top billing in its list of Top Ten Dying Cities, the article provoked widespread outrage. The Newsweek website went into meltdown as angry New Orleans residents logged on to proclaim their loyalty to the Crescent City and their hopes and plans for its future.

So perhaps it is a matter of interpretation. One man’s dying metropolis is another man’s reborn homeland. Let us not sound the death toll for cities just yet.

‘The Ruins of Detroit’ by Yves Marchand and Romain Meffre is published by Steidl at £78 

Lost cities

Troy

Massive. Home to Helen. Great city walls. All undone by a wooden horse. It fell into decay and its remains were finally discovered by 19th-century archaeologists near Cannakale
in Turkey. (Presumably they had to work like Trojans to excavate the site.) 

Machu Picchu

The lost city of the Incas in what is now Peru. This eyrie was built in 1450 – pity the poor labourers lugging stone up those mountains – but was abandoned only 100 years later, a consequence of the Spanish Conquest. One of the best-known, and best-preserved, ‘lost’ cities in the world.

Lothal 

Possibly the most significant find of the Indus Valley era, the huge Gujarat city of Lothal dates back to 2,400BC and was only discovered in 1954. All that remains today is the system of trenches and tributaries that served this mighty port, showing that even the mightiest city will eventually return to dust and soil.

Steve Westlake, MD of European Skytime and Manhattan Jet Management, is a take-charge guy. When his landscape gardening business saw him travelling all over the country, he got a helicopter licence so he could fly himself to meetings. Then he left garde

ning to fly other people to their meetings. When his clients wanted to use private jets without having to buy shares, he bought the shares and sold block hours, revolutionising the business jet industry. When the company that looked after his jets began to struggle, he bought them out and taught himself about jet operations, so now he offers aircraft management as well as chartering services.

So when he invited Meze to speak to him in one of his jets (a Learjet 45XR) about his recent acquisition of Manhattan Jet Management, we jumped at the chance. Once we’d probed fruitlessly for gossip about their A-list celebrity clients and various royals, Steve gave us his introduction to business jet aviation.

Owning a private jet is like having twins – it comes with all sorts of hassles and problems. But there’s something very special about flying in one. It’s very intimate.

My gut feeling is that things are about to change. In 2007 the market was so busy it was difficult to charter new good quality aircraft. We planned to buy a fleet of eight Learjets, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, and had to settle for Happy and Sneezy when the re

cession hit. But now we’re looking to acquire another 12 aircraft.

We didn’t lose customers. The recession created other problems. The banks stopped lending and the values of aircraft fell – 40 per cent in three years.

But it’s also created opportunities; the company that managed our jets, Manhattan Jet Charter (as it was originally known), were good, but had funding issues, so we bought them out last year and changed the name to Manhattan Jet Management.

We’re one of the smallest players, but have very strong foundations. We already turn over more than £10m a year and can grow to four or five times the size in the current market. We are ready to invest in that growth.

The companies we operate have had 100 per cent safety records for 18 years. Safety is critical. We
are one of only two com

panies recommended by
the Civil Aviation Authority for Compliance Plus
– setting the benchmark for safety among private aviation companies.

We’ve survived th

e biggest challenges and can see a clear path forward. Finding high-quality people who are open to a new way of thinking is the most difficult task now. It’s a very small industry and some people can be set in their ways.

Only one other company is in a position to do what we’re about to do – offer clients Jetshares. They can buy up to an eighth of an jet, guaranteeing them access to an aircraft anywhere in Europe at 24 hours’ notice and saving about 20 per cent on the standard rates.

My business is jets, but my passion is helicopters.
I got my pilot’s licen

ce so I could fly myself around the country. Then I fell in love with flying. When I sold my previous company in 1995 I bought a helicopter instead of paying off the mortgage.

That led me to working for Virgin and flying Richard Branson around. When he sold that arm of Virgin in 1999, I started European Skytime and began buying shares in NetJet’s planes.

This was where I pioneered the block hours or Jetcard schemes, which all brokers offer today. My clients wanted to charter jets as well as helicopters but didn’t want to buy shares, so I bought the shares and sold them flight hours.

I would love for Snow White, our eighth aircraft, to be a helicopter. An Agusta 109. Then I would have come full-circle.

It’s purely for this reason that many investors have taken notice of one of the country’s top property developments, Eden Island, a luxury marina development that graces the east coast shoreline with an enticing array of upmarket residences and amenities. A unique island, being that it is reclaimed, Eden Island offers investors from around the world the opportunity of owning a piece of paradise, whether it be for a permanent stay, an island holiday getaway or a simple investment choice.

An exclusive private island lifestyle that appeals to the sophisticated buyer looking for excellent investment value, Eden Island has three product offerings available. Spacious Apartments which offer exquisite panoramas of the main island Mahé and surrounding islands, deluxe Maisons that take the form of private duplexes situated on water-front plots, and top of the range Villas which are the epitome of opulence and sophistication – all oceanfront, spilling over into the inviting ocean just a few steps away. With prices starting at $465 000 for an apartment, $975 000 for a Maison and $2,6m for a villa – the enticing lifestyle offered by Eden Island is a desirable aspiration.

Construction of this magnificent 633 unit development is currently over 50% complete, with 384 units being sold to date and over 300 units complete. Three of the islands four beaches are currently enjoyed by the islands inhabitants, while the fully equipped clubhouse, fitness centre and deli, are a popular choice for others.  The recently completed championship tennis court and two resident swimming pools are widely utilised, however for the ocean adventurers, there is fantastic snorkelling, fishing and sailing nearby. This becomes a convenient hobby as all units come standard with a mooring for your own boat which gives you the opportunity to explore the many neighbouring islands.

For the investment savvy individuals, Eden Island offers great returns on investment from the Eden Island Rental Pool. Homeowners have the option of placing their units in the fully managed rental pool on a short and long term basis. Eden Island is fast becoming a popular tourist destination in Seychelles, making this a sound asset.

Eden Island affords many opportunities, with purchasers being entitled to apply for residency of the Seychelles subject to an application process and payment of a fee of (currently) SCR 150 000 per family (Family is defined as owner plus issues (spouse and minor children).This residency is renewable every 5 years. Residency is available to up to 6 shareholders and their issues in the case of ownership in a company or legal structure. Purchasers of units from the developer Eden Island require sanction but in the case of Eden Island first purchases no sanction fees or stamp duties are payable. The only fees payable are the notary fees.

Whether you need to remove yourself from the rat race from time to time, are looking for a retirement destination, a holiday home or a safe investment, Eden Island affords many opportunities and a wide range of products, a life on Eden Island and Seychelles not only becomes an ideal but also a reality. As this luxurious island begins to take shape, it’s extremely difficult not to succumb to dream-like thoughts of sunset cocktails on the white, sandy beaches of Eden Island – an awe inspiring setting in the Seychelles. For more information contact our Seychelles Sales office on +248 434 6000 or for details of the various sales agents around the world, please visit www.edenisland.sc