Kensington Roof Gardens

Biba, Branson and Beyond

Originally opened in 1938, Derry Gardens were open to the public until January 2018 when the leaseholder, Virgin Limited Edition, was unable to reach an agreement with the freeholder about the renewal of the lease.

The building housed the department store Derry and Toms until 1973, and then Biba until 1975. In 1978, the garden's Art Deco tea pavilion was redeveloped into Régine's nightclub, in 1981 Virgin Limited Edition bought the lease to the roof garden and the pavilion, and in 2001 Virgin turned the pavilion into the Babylon restaurant.

The more than 100 trees in the garden were given a tree preservation order by Kensington & Chelsea council in 1976, the roof garden buildings were Grade II* listed by English Heritage in 1981 as part of a listing given the whole building, and the garden itself was given a Grade II listing in 1998 within the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens.

Virgin ceased its operation of the Roof Gardens in January 2018 and the site is currently closed to the public. Stephen Fitzpatrick, Founder of OVO Energy and Vertical Aerospace acquired the site in 2021. A programme of extensive refurbishment and maintenance of the infrastructure was begun in consultation with The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.

The Roof Gardens reopened in the summer of 2024 as a three-storey social club.

The Biba Era

Much has been written about Barbara Hulanicki and the Biba era. Type either into any online search engine and you'll get millions of results. There are countless books, newspaper and magazine articles and websites, dedicated to the rise and fall of Big Biba.

For followers of Ralph Hancock, the interest is largely in the continued maintenance of his creation during that period.

Biba Move In

In the Sumer of 1973, Biba, the fashion boutique, started to transform the recently vacated Derry and Toms into the most incredible department store in London. Which, at its height, attracted over one million shoppers weekly. There were different departments, and each floor had its own theme. A children's floor, one for men, a "home" floor selling home furnishings, paint and household goods. There was a book store and even a food hall. The once elegant Rainbow Room was transformed into The Rainbow Restaurant, a major hangout for Rock and Pop stars of the time. It even featured in many pop videos by the likes of David Bowie.

Biba produced its own newspaper giving its readers a glimpse of what lay in-store as eager shoppers poured through its grand entrances. The newspaper also came with a pullout poster.

Each floor had its own logo or sign based on the Biba logo. Each sign was accompanied by a picture illustrating the department type. These were designed by Kasia Charko. The store officially opened in September 1973. But, despite huge success, its doors finally closed to the public in August 1975 with a massive sale.

During its tenure, the gardens continued to flourish under Biba. The once popular tea pavilion was transformed into the design studios of Whitmore Thomas Design. Here the look and feel of Biba was created. In her excellent blog, Kasia Charko reminisces about the move from Westboure Park in the Spring of 1973 to the Art Deco Tea Rooms. Below are a few selected extracts from that blog, used with her kind permission.

"Our move to the roof garden from Westbourne Park in the spring of 1973 went quite smoothly and we were installed in the big Art Deco style empty tearoom at the southern end of the one and a half acre gardens. The tearoom had ground to ceiling windows facing south, and mirrored walls opposite. Two large doors each end led to the staircases which were at each side of the building. We set our desks up at the windows to catch any sunshine because it was freezing up there with no heat at all. It was incredible up there though, the flowers and trees were beginning to bloom. We took any opportunity to walk around and look at the views of London over the brick walls and Mick and Chris took some photos.

One afternoon however I heard a cockney voice outside the window talking with glee about the ducks, I looked up and there was Twiggy. I believe she was there to do the famous Vogue fashion shoots in the Rainbow Room which was almost finished. The gardens only had ducks at that time , and there were tons of them. It was mating season and their behaviour was terrible, the drakes flew around chasing the females up and down the stream squawking and quacking. They attacked them constantly and it went on all day. Later , the females walked the little ducklings around and it was so cute to see them all in a line, the problem was they insisted on coming into the tearoom. They would march in through one door walk across the room and out through the other door, we could not chase them out because they might panic and fly everywhere.

Another wildlife drama happened one beautiful weekend afternoon. Chris and I stepped outside for a ciggie and admire the clear blue sky when we saw a big black cloud in the distance, it was coming towards us and then we heard the buzzing ” it’s ****ing bees!” Chris shouted and we dashed inside to wind up the top windows as they all descended on us hitting the windows like machine gun fire. They must have been attracted by the flowers?"

Below are a selection of photographs taken by Mick Partlett, another of the Biba graphic designers.

The Art Deco Tea Pavilion transformed into the Art Department for Biba

Mick and Chris take a break on the Pavilion Terrace

And finally. A photograph of Uriah, also known as George Spence.

He joined Big Biba when the graphic design team moved from Westbourne Park. Uriah cleaned the offices at Derry and Toms as well the Tea Pavilion/Studio space in the roof garden.

The legend was that Uriah had walked into the old Biba store in the early days, picked up a broom and started sweeping the place up.

He was offered a job as a cleaner and carer for Barbara’s dogs, she had two great Danes at that time, and he had been with Biba ever since. Here he is (right) with his broom sweeping up. The Design Team generated a lot of waste paper with cut up photo prints, how neat everything would have been with computers!

Kasia, left and with Mick in the gardens, right.

After Barbara Hulanicki left 'Big Biba' in 1975, British Land Company decided that the building was worth more than keeping the Biba business running. The old Derry and Tom's store was divided into separate retail outlets. The roof garden became the property of Rama Superstores although it only received the minimal of attention. In 1976 the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council placed a Tree Preservation Order on the trees growing in the gardens to ensure that unnecessary removal or harmful pruning works were not carried out.

In 1978 the gardens became the subject of a redevelopment. The tea pavilion gave way to Regine’s restaurant and night club. New lifts were installed destroying the rear part of the garden and necessitating the removal of a bridge across the river. The cascades went too, their Pennsylvania rock was later used in a grotto feature by the new entrance to the roof gardens. The addition of anew air conditioning chiller unit also destroyed the line of the Spanish loggia walkway so that the long view through to the Tudor garden could no longer be seen without break.

Terracotta pots, statues and gayly painted urns disappeared or were removed and lawns replaced the flower beds in the Spanish Garden. The viewing platforms, deemed unsafe, were closed. Even the circular windows, found in the Woodland garden were given wrought iron grates, supplied by Bramley through Hancock Industries.

The Spanish Garden in the 1970's

Régine Zylberberg owner of Regines Nightclub

The original planting schemes were lost to time and the gardens took on an altogether different feel. Over the intervening years, where previously a small army of gardeners had cared for the gardens, a single part-time and enthusiastic gardener took to looking after their well-being. The gardens continued to thrive, although root penetration from the maturing trees started to cause problems for the upper floor of the building.

Virgin and Sir Richard Branson

In 1981 the Virgin Group, headed by Sir Richard Branson, purchased the lease on the gardens. Regine’s was replaced by the Babylon Restaurant and a members-only nightclub. In 1986 the gardens were awarded "Grade II Star" listing by English Heritage. This meant that no work could be carried out without permission and then only under their supervision.

Head Gardener, Vivienne Anderson, who took over the job of maintaining the gardens in 1987, was responsible for their £500,000 facelift. Work was completed in the Spring of 1992 and on 6th May that year, they reopened with a spectacular garden party attended by a number of celebrities. Including tennis ace, Pat Cash and the Rolling Stones' Bill Wyman. A cheque for £975,000 was presented to the Malcolm Sargent Cancer Fund for Children, the result of a nation-wide collection by school children.

In more recent years, latterly through Becky Burns, Head Gardener until 2008, the gardens continued to be maintained to high standards and they flourished. Visitors were treated to glorious colour in the spring and summer months, classic autumn giving way to winter.

In the Spring of 2008 a new Head Gardener, David Lewis, was appointed. David had previously worked with colleagues from Mind (the mental health charity) at the roof garden with Becky. In May 2008 he announced ambitious plans to replant the Tudor gardens in black and white to reflect the Biba era. Before the Tudor Gardens could be replanted, extensive work was undertaken to relay the waterproof membrane which lay beneath them. Unfortunately the Rainbow Room, which sits directly under that part of the gardens, had suffered damage because of the membrane failure. Once the membrane had been fixed the gardens were relaid and replanted. They were completed just before Easter 2009.

The Spanish gardens too received a facelift. The walls were repainted in what David called 'flamingo pink', taking his inspiration from samples of the original colours that were rediscovered. Four new palm trees were planted along with 5 olive trees, a pomegranate and a wonderful fig tree. The latter replacing a fig that Hancock himself had planted in the 1930's.

In his online blog, published in 2009 David said of the Spanish garden; "the whole effect is strikingly modern, and considering it was first designed in 1936 by Ralph Hancock it must have been quite startling to the visitors when the garden opened in 1938. The planting we have used is not the same as Hancock’s but we feel that we are being sympathetic to his planting and only using replacement plants that we think he would have used if they had been available to him."

The Spanish gardens replanted and with the walls repainted 'flamingo pink' in March 2009

The woodland garden also saw some spectacular changes. Under David's supervision, a new lawn was laid along the river bank. Box hedging, like those originally laid out in the 1930's, marked it's border with the pathway along what was the old tea pavilion.

Dean, a straight-talking Australian horticulturist and a colleague of David's from his time at Mind, said that the lawn was laid in just 3 days, well ahead of the 5 day schedule that he had been set. With colleagues from Mind and a team of labourers, the new lawn looked as if it has been there since Hancock's day.

The Cotswold stone bridge below, which sits at the head of the river, had also been cleaned up and, apart from a minor alteration to it's path, made necessary with the installation of a lift (undertaken when Derry and Toms were still in operation), must have looked as it did when Hancock handed over the gardens to Trevor Bowen in 1938?

Although long-gone, the waterfall (the remnants of which can still be seen in the brickwork on the far wall) was replaced by this new water feature. The over-grown plants have all been cut back opening-up this long neglected part of the woodland garden.

The 'new' lawn as it looked in mid-2009

The waterfall, now long gone, replaced by a sculpture

The bridge cleaned in mid-2009

75th Anniversary

On Thursday 9th May 2013, exactly seventy-five years to the day, the Roof Gardens (Formerly the Derry Gardens) celebrated reaching their three-quarter-century mark.

To celebrate this achievement, David Lewis, Head Gardener for the Roof Gardens hosted an afternoon Garden Party for invited guests. On arrival, guests were greeted with delicious themed cocktails based on the gardens themselves. One of the drinks was served in a small stainless steel garden pail. The other, had delicate, tiny flower petals floating on its surface. Themed canapés were also served to guests in the Spanish Garden. And, with the help of a little ray of spring sun, one could almost be in the Alhambra.

Later, guests were ushered in to what was the old Tea Pavilion, now the Private Members Club where, appropriately, afternoon tea was served, and a five piece band played and sung a medley of tuneful songs.

The Invitation to afternoon tea

75th Anniversary Cake

At 3pm, David Lewis announced the cutting of the 'Birthday Cake' and then two members of the Roof Gardens very own Gardening Club, were called upon to cut the cake, above.

After the cake cutting, we were introduced, by David to two very special guests, Mrs Erica Bargman and Mr John Nailard.

Mr Nailard, aged 13 in 1946, arrived at what was then, Derry and Toms. Allowed to leave school before his 14th birthday, he was employed, at first, as the junior member of the maintenance team. He told us that he soon became a skilled tea maker for the much older workmen! When he left, 22 years later in 1968, he was in-charge of the entire maintenance function.

He told us some wonderful stories of his time at Derry and Toms. Of the Friday evening staff dances in the Rainbow Room, of the various sporting clubs which were organised by the department store management. And, of course, the gardens themselves. He admitted that the gardens had changed little since he had left Derry's in the 1960's. But seeing them again had reminded him of all the good times. His fondest memory were of those dances. Growing up during the war, with little in the way of luxury, he recalled how thrilled he was to discover tables full of long-since-seen jelly and cream cakes. It was like being in heaven, he recalled.

Mrs Bargman also had memories of the gardens. This time through her late Father, John Burley (J Burley & Son). At the time the gardens were constructed, the firm of J Burley and Son were already well-known civil engineers and as exhibitors of fine gardens at the Pre-war Daily Mail Ideal Homes Exhibition. She recalled that her father and his firm were responsible for the physical construction of the structures within the roof gardens. Burley's specialised in cast-concrete as well as landscaping.

She wasn't sure how her father became involved in the project. But, it is quite likely that both John Burley and Ralph Hancock met at the Ideal Home Exhibition in the mid 1930's. Whatever the story of their meeting, they obviously clicked.

The resident flamingoes; Bill and Ben and Splosh and Pecks

One of the tasty, themed drinks

Virgin Limited Edition

The roof gardens, the most spectacular party venue in London was to become one of a number of retreats and exotic venues owned by Virgin Limited Edition. The list included Sir Richards private island, Necker and Kasbah Tamadot in Morocco. David Lewis, the Head Gardener was responsible for planting the gardens at the latter. The Roof Gardens themselves flourished and saw them become a place to be seen and to party. Babylon, the restaurant in the sky hosted many fabulous dinners. The gardens under David's guardianship blossomed.

During his tenure, Sir Richard hosted many high profile events including the launch of a joint environmental initiative with former US Vice President Al Gore. On 6th June 2011, a lavish and spectacular party was held to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of Sir Richard's lease. Guests included Barbara Hulanicki, founder of Biba and a previous guardian of the Roof Gardens, other guests included many of the celebrities who had graced the nightclub and wealthy diners who had frequented Babylon.

Between 20th and 24th May 2014, David Lewis exhibited at the Chelsea Flower Show in celebration, the previous year, of the 75th Anniversary of the Roof Gardens.

The Roof Gardens Artisan Garden, included Moorish pillars and wrought iron balconies and the decorative gates from the Roof Garden's Spanish Garden added to the overall look of the final design. The fountain matched, exactly, the dimensions of Hancock's own central fountain used at the 1939 show. Plaster render used within the garden was identical to the render at Kensington. The vibrant colour matched perfectly to that found in the Spanish Garden.

Planting included; Allium christophii; Tagetes 'Bambino'; Actinidia deliciosa; Euphorbia x pasteurising 'John Phillips'; Alyigyne heugelii; Papaver orientale as well as roses, origanum vulgare gold and Pinus pinra and Olea europaee.

David was awarded a Bronze Medal in the Flora Range.

Original plan by David Lewis

The garden as it appeared at Chelsea

The departure of Virgin and closure

On 3rd January 2018, Virgin Limited Edition announced that they were closing the doors of The Roof Gardens with immediate effect. According to their website, the gardens had faced unpredictable market conditions and were a challenge to remain profitable. Other sources quoted a disagreement between Virgin and the new owners of the building being unable to reach an agreement over a rise in the rent.

The fate of the Gardens post-Virgin was unclear. They, of course, were Grade II listed and as such would be afforded some protection from any changes to their structure. The mature trees, planted by Ralph all have preservation orders. The local authority, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea also play a role in the protection of the gardens. Their planning and conservation department had worked closely with Virgin Limited Edition and were instrumental in granting permission for the installation of the Green Plaque that recognised and commemorates Ralph’s creation of the gardens. The plaque sits proudly next to that of Trevor Bowen whose vision for a Garden in the Sky were realised by Ralph in May 1938.

It was difficult to see what lay ahead for the Roof Gardens, the restaurant and nightclub. Sir Richard Branson had made them into one of the most unique dinning and party venues in London.

A Private Viewing

On Thursday 8th February 2018, members of the Hancock family were invited by Virgin Limited Edition to visit the Roof Gardens. Ralph’s granddaughter, Angela Buck led the party on a private tour of this remarkable venue. The following photographs are a selection of images taken during their tour.

The deserted Spanish Garden

The dormant Court of Fountains

The Woodland garden and stream

The balcony and palm trees

The Tudor Gardens

The famous Flamingoes seen here were all rehoused

The world famous Roof Gardens, design and built by Ralph Hancock some eighty years before, now lay abandoned. Tended once again by a single gardener. Their fate unknown. And, despite enquiries made of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and conversations with the influential Kensington Society, it seemed that a new tenant could not be found.

Beyond Biba and Branson

In 2021, it was announced that Stephen Fitzpatrick, Founder of OVO Energy and Vertical Aerospace had acquired the site and that he would be re-opening The Roof Gardens as a three-storey social club in the summer of 2024. Newspaper reports suggested that Mr Fitzpatrick had invested over £11 million in restoring the gardens. Membership would be limited to 1500 with further reports suggesting that annual fees would be £1000, £500 for under 32s and rising to £2000 once the Founder Membership was full.

Evidence given at a planning meeting of the local authority suggests that there are to be four food and drink outlets, a club room restaurant on the sixth floor, an Asian-inspired dining room on the seventh level, a North African and southern European-inspired grill in the Spanish Garden, and an al fresco Italian restaurant in the Tudor Garden. In what was the Tea Pavilion there are plans for a Biba inspired bar. The Gardens would remain closed to the public.

A Hancock family visit

In June 2024, members of the Hancock family were invited by Chief Executive, Sue Walter to visit the gardens and, to see for themselves the extensive refurbishment, which had been undertaken over the previous three years. Without visiting the actual gardens, it was instantly clear, once out of the lift, that this had been a full bricks and mortar restoration. The new club room and other facilities bore no resemblance to what had been there under Virgin Limited Edition. Features, lost over time, had been uncovered and painstaking and lovingly restored. At the request of our host, we were not permitted to photograph inside the club room. But, there are images available elsewhere online.

We were then taken by the Membership Manager to see the gardens. Any description written here would not do justice to the sights that we would behold. The gardens had been transformed. They had been restored to how they must have looked in 1938 when Ralph Hancock handed them over to Trevor Bowen. Features, such as the once soot-damaged Tudor arches had been painstakingly restored and looked almost new, their features bright in the early summer sun. The Woodland garden now had a platform on which to sit in comfy chairs and the river channel had been restored and looked magnificent. The old administration building had been refurbished and was now named "Esme's" in recognition of Ralph's plantswoman. Inside, members could order a drink at the bar named after her.

The Spanish Garden too had been lovingly restored with new seating for members. The damaged Delft tiles which had lined the raised flower beds had been replaced with suitable tiles of a Spanish design. A new bar now sat within the area which previously house the Well of St Theresa.

Below are some images taken during that visit and a subsequent visit a few weeks later.