It’s fine garden squares and white stucco homes mean Belgravia has long been one of central London’s most elegantly beautiful places to live.
Over the years its roll call of residents has encompassed the arts, popular culture, politics, and the aristocracy: Mozart, Brian Epstein, manager of the Beatles, Lord Mountbatten, Sir Lawrence Olivier and Margaret Thatcher have all called it home.
And Belgravia’s newly revitalised shopping streets of boutiques and artisan cafés are succeeding in attracting a younger demographic into an area which was once gorgeous to look at but slightly too staid to be much fun.
Only 200 years ago, Belgravia was an unlovely swathe of marshland where little grew other than watercress. Anyone brave enough to travel its country lanes risked finding themselves at the mercy of cutthroat thieves and highwaymen.
Modern Belgravia was the creation of one man: Thomas Cubitt, a visionary builder who persuaded the local landowner, the Grosvenor Estate, to let him reclaim the land using spoil he had dug from another of his London projects, St Katharine Docks.
Aristocratic British families started eyeing Belgravia when Buckingham House was repurposed as Queen Victoria’s London residence. Grosvenor built them elegant townhouses, fit for peers, politicians, and captains of industry. After the Second World War many of these houses were carved up into apartments.
Fast forward to the 21st century and Grosvenor is still at work in Belgravia, quietly curating the neighbourhood and introducing smarter shops, and more opportunities for eating and drinking on Elizabeth and Motcomb streets.
In 2019 it opened Eccleston Yards, a complex of shops, restaurants, gyms, and offices set in a former power station which has become a real local destination.
These upgrades, in turn, have changed the face of the local community which is now more global, and more youthful. And although Belgravia still feels more peaceful and residential than some other parts of central London it still has a great range of restaurants, pubs, and boutiques and a buzzy feel.
Its location is superb, within walking distance of both Hyde Park and Green Park. There are great transport links thanks to proximity to Victoria Station. And the shops, restaurants, theatres, and cultural institutions of Knightsbridge and the West End are close by.
And Belgravia is a really walkable little neighbourhood in its own right, with plenty to do on the doorstep.
The careful regeneration of Elizabeth, Motcomb and Ebury streets have been a great success story. At weekends you can stroll over to Orange Square for The Pimlico Road Farmers’ Market, to pick up fine cheeses and artisan produce. Or explore the surrounding streets, which have a tradition of high end design and homeware stores.
And Belgravia has a great range of property from huge townhouses over four or five stories, to sweet mews cottages on cobbled streets, characterful period apartments, and ultra luxurious modern buildings.
Once a Christian Science church Cadogan Hall is now one of London’s most eclectic music venues to enjoy everything from classical music to musical theatre. Cadogan Hall hosts some of the annual BBC Proms season and its early 20th century interiors are beautiful.
Love a traditional British local pub? Belgravia’s pubs have a cosy, villagey vibe – try The Grenadier on Wilton Row, or The Thomas Cubitt, named in honour of the architect of Belgravia, on Elizabeth Street.
Pretty Elizabeth Street is Belgravia’s de-facto high street, packed with Instagram friendly cafes like the pastel-pink fantasy bakery Peggy Porschen and smart delis like Bayley & Sage. Perfect for people watching on a relaxed Sunday morning.
If you are lucky enough to live on or near to one of Belgravia’s squares you will not only be granted the keys to a private green oasis in the middle of London. Each summer most squares hold elaborate summer parties and children’s events so you can get to know your neighbours.
Celebrate Burns Night in style at epic Scottish restaurant Boisdale, which hosts an annual dinner featuring all the classics – smoked salmon, Cullen skink, and haggis. Bagpipes and live swing music provide a soundtrack to the festivities.
Each spring the streets of Belgravia are transformed by elaborate floral displays and installations. Belgravia in Bloom coincides with the Chelsea Flower Show and a walk around the area will be rewarded by heady sights and scents.
Belgravia’s alpha addresses are its garden squares, and homes overlooking one of these perfectly manicured open spaces come at a premium. But even within these rarefied micro markets there can be wiggle room for buyers.
Black Brick was recently hired to assist a client who was looking for a two bedroom flat in either Belgravia and Knightsbridge. It needed to be in great condition, and have air conditioning, a lift, and a porter, which are not always easy to find in London unless you buy a new build.
With a maximum budget of £3.5m to play with we found a super flat on Ebury Square which ticked all the boxes. Unfortunately it was priced at £4.25m. However, in a challenging market our advice to our client was to bide their time. The price was reduced, as we suspected it would be, and we were eventually able to secure a deal for £3.322m, a discount of £378,000 off the asking price: https://www.black-brick.com/expertise/case-studies/ebury-square/
In another recent deal we were able to negotiate a 14 per cent discount off the asking price of a substantial apartment on Eaton Square, widely considered one of central London’s very best addresses. Our buyer paid £6.3m for the property, against an original asking price of £7.3m: https://www.black-brick.com/expertise/case-studies/eaton-square-jan-2020/
Buying in Belgravia can be a steep learning curve for buyers, particularly those from overseas.
Most properties are owned by Grosvenor and sold on a leasehold basis, often on extremely short leases. This makes valuing properties a particular challenge, but Black Brick has encyclopaedic knowledge of sale prices to help you. And we can introduce you to suitable legal experts should you need to go through the process of extending a lease.
The other complicating factor is that many of the best properties are sold off market, and never hit the property portals. The only way to gain access and understand your full range of buying options is with the assistance of a well connected buying agent who can help you open doors.
The average home in Belgravia sold for an average of just under £4m during 2024, according to research by Rightmove, up six per cent over the past year.
Most homes in the area are flats, with an average sale price of £2.8m, while terraced houses sell for an average of £7.6m.
On a per square foot basis the average price of a property in Belgravia is just over £2,000, according to LonRes.
But you will pay significantly more for a newly built home at one of the area’s smart, highly serviced developments. At Chelsea Barracks, on the borders of Belgravia and Mayfair, homes sell for around £5,000 per square foot.
We would be delighted to hear from you to discuss your own property requirements. For a non-obligatory consultation, please contact us.
