The London Lounge

We must save Bates

Of all the reports from London I’ve got to get around to the most important one: Bates is in danger.

I visited Bates the other day as usual for a steam. A petition was stapled to the wall of the venerable establishment alerting clients to the fact that a retail developer intends on redoing the building and intends on kicking our Bates out. I say “our” because if ever there were a national monument in London to save it is our favorite hat merchant.

I would like to start a cross forum letter writing campaign to “Save our Bates!”

www.bates-hats.co.uk

Please take a minute to write an email or letter expressing your support!

Thanks

Michael Alden

Jermyn street would not be the same if Bates would go. I have bought two hats from them and have especially enjoyed their personal service. The hats are great too. I would miss them very much.

MEK

This is off topic, but Bates no longer makes hats sur mesure do they?

Much as I applaud your sentiments and am a Bates customer myself if the whole building is being redeveloped there is little hope that they will retain their place on the street.

One thing the current financial crisis has done is to knock much commercial redevelopment on its head so perhaps the rebuild, if it happens, will now be some years away.

Save Bates! And Binks the cat!

"Thou wast not born for death, immortal Kitten!
Though hungry developers will tread thee down;"



For those of you who may not know Binks, the stylish tabby inhabited Bates from 1921-1926. One day, as the story goes, an Aussie saw the delightful animal and decided he needed a bit more canvassing and structure. The cat immediately looked better after the deftly administered intervention as the 1782 cat suit pattern used was a good one. But he suddenly became terribly stiff and could not move very well, his normally soft fur and skin became rigid, finally he stopped purring altogether and has been in this perfect unpleated, unwrinkled state ever since.

Now his fate lies in the hands of greedy landlords and developers. We must save Bates and the wonderful work of the plastic surgeon who sat or placed old Binks forever on his cold and lifeless pedestal.

This is a call to arms and pens. Write Bates today!



M Alden

I'm a greedy landlord and developer.

At this moment, my greed informs me not to throw away perfectly good tenants for fear that one day soon they may become scarce.

As another Bates customer, I add my support to this worthy cause. The firm must be saved, especially as it provides much needed competition to James Lock. The shop is wonderfully archaic and the fittings must be preserved. We can only hope that the credit crunch kills this project stone dead. Another thought, if Bates is in danger from the building being redeveloped, is Geo. Trumper in danger too?

Another thought, if Bates is in danger from the building being redeveloped, is Geo. Trumper in danger too?

I imagine Trumpers has a bit more political leverage. If you have most of the powerful men in London sitting in your chair and you are holding a single edge razor near their necks , they tend to think twice about messing you about.

When I was in Bates last, three Yanks came chortling into the shop talking about "jeaning it" the following day, a dress down Friday. One of them shouted "does anyone wear hats anymore?" I turned round, blocked my nasal passages, and in my best yanker accent (a "yanker" is a hybrid yank/wanker) said "Yes." The three young men left the shop wearing brown Burlingtons practicing the "two tilt" placement on the head.
They looked much better with proper headgear even if they were clothed in Wall Street style.

If you guys are reading this. it was nice to meet you! And thanks for signing the petition.

Cheers

I'm a greedy landlord and developer.

Carl, what is there left to develop in LA?

I remember it as one of the most beautiful cities in the world forty years ago. Who remembers when Irvine Ranch was a ranch and you drove across part of it to get to the beach? Who can still smell the perfumed air from the vast expanses of orange and lemon orchards? It used to be that once you left Dana Point and after passing San Clemente there was nothing but gorgeous vistas and beaches until Camp Pendleton and La Jolla. Now it is all cement.

A small tactical neutron device would be a worthy development today and then start over...

Sad cheers

Michael

alden wrote:

I'm a greedy landlord and developer.

Carl, what is there left to develop in LA?

I remember it as one of the most beautiful cities in the world forty years ago. Who remembers when Irvine Ranch was a ranch and you drove across part of it to get to the beach? Who can still smell the perfumed air from the vast expanses of orange and lemon orchards? It used to be that once you left Dana Point and after passing San Clemente there was nothing but gorgeous vistas and beaches until Camp Pendleton and La Jolla. Now it is all cement.

A small tactical neutron device would be a worthy development today and then start over...

Sad cheers

Michael

Nostalgia - you? As Longfellow has it - ´´Be up and doing with a heart for any fate´´ and here´s to the future with a Happy New Year!
NJS

NJS,

I’ve told the story to one Italian senator, provincial administrators, the mayor of my town and its city council on my adopted island. The Sicilians in my region are debating how to develop their corner of the island, and I have been asked as a foreigner to provide an outside point of view. My first formal participation on the local committee is this February and I am taking it as seriously as an IPO. Some of us would like economic and touristic development without the environmental disaster. So if there is a lesson associated with the LA memory and it can be of service then the story of the destruction of a beautiful place should be told.

I cannot admit to any nostalgia regarding California. It was a great place to spend some time as a boy but I was very glad to leave and have never had the desire to return.

Happy New Year

Michael

alden wrote:NJS,

I’ve told the story to one Italian senator, provincial administrators, the mayor of my town and its city council on my adopted island. The Sicilians in my region are debating how to develop their corner of the island, and I have been asked as a foreigner to provide an outside point of view. My first formal participation on the local committee is this February and I am taking it as seriously as an IPO. Some of us would like economic and touristic development without the environmental disaster. So if there is a lesson associated with the LA memory and it can be of service then the story of the destruction of a beautiful place should be told.

I cannot admit to any nostalgia regarding California. It was a great place to spend some time as a boy but I was very glad to leave and have never had the desire to return.

Happy New Year

Michael

Michael -
I have nearly reached the a similar stage of feeling with my native English county - Cornwall - and I sincerely hope that you can achieve a balance between development and conservation where you are in Sicily.
Best,
NJS

alden wrote:We must save Bates

Of all the reports from London I’ve got to get around to the most important one: Bates is in danger.

I visited Bates the other day as usual for a steam. A petition was stapled to the wall of the venerable establishment alerting clients to the fact that a retail developer intends on redoing the building and intends on kicking our Bates out. I say “our” because if ever there were a national monument in London to save it is our favorite hat merchant.

I would like to start a cross forum letter writing campaign to “Save our Bates!”

www.bates-hats.co.uk

Please take a minute to write an email or letter expressing your support!

Thanks

Michael Alden

On the point of Bates - here is the English Heritage site and listing page:

http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/server/show/nav.1373

Their function is to preserve historic buildings. If the interior comprises (as I suspect) period fixtures and fittings (rather than just furniture), then, together with the facade and shingle, English Heritage might seriously consider listing the shop. My own relationship with EH is not happy and my name in connection with the matter would not help (!) - however, it might be worth a try - especially since they are more interested in pre-1914 architecture and interiors than later.
NJS

Having just recovered from the flu, I will be heading to Jermyn Street on Monday to sign the petition and indulge in a bit of retail therapy. The shops had shut when I got there just after 3pm on New Year's Eve.

Bates provides much needed competition to James Lock. For example, I bought a cotton hat there last summer for £49. The same hat was sold by Lock & Co for £79. That is typical of the price difference between the two shops. In these difficult times for many, it a significant difference.

Jermyn Street is feeling effects of the economic downturn already. Crombie is closing its store and Dunhill left a few months ago. It will be interesting to see whether Hawes & Curtis open its new "flagship" store or closes one its other smaller stores on the street.

To redevelop any part of Jermyn Street would be a big risk.