Telecommunications mogul and self-made billionaire, John Caudwell, has an extraordinary story behind his wealth and success. The life of luxury and extravagance he now leads is a far cry from his roots. Birmingham-born Caudwell grew up in Stoke-on-Trent in a working-class family. He held various jobs – running a corner shop, selling motorcycling clothing, and working in a car showroom – before starting his own mobile phone dealership in the late 1980s, when the technology was at the cutting edge. That business later became the retailer, Phones 4u, and was instrumental in the mobile phone revolution in the UK. At its height, the business reportedly sold 26 phones every minute and employed 1,000 people in the UK and abroad. Caudwell earned his title, ‘the mobile phone king’ before selling the firm in 2006 for £1.5 billion.
Today, John Caudwell is passionate about property and pushing boundaries with his developments. His £250 million Mayfair mansion is not his only significant property in the wealthy London district either – an ultra-luxurious apartment block is also underway. The 1 Mayfair development will offer 29 immense apartments, significantly larger than the now-imposed 2,000 square feet development restriction. Valued at £2 billion and scheduled for completion in late 2025, the colossal building is expected to cement Mayfair as the world’s most expensive address.
Join us as we take a tour around Caudwell’s incredible Mayfair mega-mansion, journeying through its history, location, extravagant design and amenities, before concluding with a look at Caudwell’s growing property portfolio.
Location
Caudwell’s mansion is located on Chesterfield Street in Mayfair, a Georgian Street with much of its original architecture intact. The affluent street, lined with Grade II-listed properties, has been home to many famous and notable residents, including former prime minister, Anthony Eden, and social reformer and author, Caroline Norton. Mayfair is where Caudwell concluded a five-year search for a property in London he could use to entertain and host events for wealthy contacts to raise funds for his charity, Caudwell Children. He initially eschewed Mayfair for being ‘too commercialised’ and extended his search across Kensington, Knightsbridge, and Belgravia, before realising Mayfair was the epicentre in which he often found himself in the pursuit of good food, clubs, and antique shops. The mansion – often now known as ‘Mayfair House’ - comprises two Grade II-listed buildings linked by basement, and was purchased by Caudwell in 2012 for £87 million.
History
Before the property on Chesterfield Street was a residence, it was an infamous London nightclub called the 21 Club. Some reports say the club dates back to the 1940s and was a significant and influential part of postwar London nightlife with an American-style cocktail bar and casino. In the 1960s, the club came under the ownership of Harry Meadows, who also owned the Churchill Night Club on Bond Street. During its peak, the 21 Club was said to be frequented by Princess Margaret, and its members included actor Richard Burton, and Frank Sinatra. Later, in 1983, the club was used as a filming location for vampire horror film, The Hunger, which featured David Bowie, Susan Sarandon, and Catherine Deneuve.
Previous Owners
Before Caudwell bought the Chesterfield Street mansion in 2012, it had belonged to Prince Jefri Bolkiah of the Brunei royal family. Prince Jefri was a former minister of finance and economy of Brunei and the playboy brother of Hassanal Bolkiah, the Sultan and prime minister of Brunei. Prince Jefri led an extraordinarily extravagant lifestyle and left no expense spared on the mansion, spending millions on interior decor with rich lacquering and ornate gilt. He was later disgraced, charged with embezzlement and fraud, and ordered to pay what he had taken. The mansion was sold to Caudwell, and despite the millions of pounds ploughed into the property by the Bruneian prince, the opulent decor was not to Caudwell’s taste. He spent the following nine years and tens of millions of pounds restoring and renovating the interior and exterior of the property to make it the behemoth it is today.
Features
The two Grade II-listed properties that make up the mansion are joined by a basement, and together, they equal the size of Westminster Cathedral. The basements themselves double up as a vast garage, with an eight-car stacking system housing Caudwell’s impressive collection. The rest of the mansion is classical and elegant, with beautiful marble flooring, colossal crystal chandeliers, and a six-storey staircase carpeted in a bespoke oriental design. The 15-bedroom property boasts five kitchens, a private cinema, spa and nightclub, as well as a vast formal dining room and ballroom, which holds the title as London’s largest after Buckingham Palace. The mansion has another smaller, more intimate dining room for smaller get-togethers. Its decor is inspired by Caudwell’s favourite cuisine – Thai – with an indoor stream of tropical fish flowing through the room and a faux cherry tree with pink blossoms.
Pricing And Property Portfolio
Mayfair House is just scraping the surface of John Caudwell’s property portfolio. With a total renovation cost of £65 million, the property is worth around £250 million and is thought to be the most expensive private home in London – and a second home to Caudwell at that. His primary residence is Broughton Hall, a Jacobean Grade I-listed manor house in Staffordshire, and he has a residence in Monaco – the most expensive property market in the world. Caudwell has also started working on his own developments across Europe.
The previously referenced 1 Mayfair constitutes 29 of what Caudwell refers to as, ‘super, super prime apartments’, built on the site of a former car park and hotel on South Audley Street in Mayfair. The £2 billion development has already attracted significant attention and demand, with more than 100 buyers reportedly registering interest prior to launch. Under the Caudwell Collection also sits Le Provencal in Cap d’Antibes - a former hotel in the south of France being restored to its Art Deco prestige to provide luxury residences for a wealthy clientele. Also in Cap d’Antibes, on the Northwest shore, is Domaine de la Belle Étoileon. Set in 1.3 hectares of landscaped gardens overlooking Port de l’Olivette, this impossibly picturesque location has been developed into an estate of three private guest cottages with luxury amenities.
While property is just one string to Caudwell’s bow, the extravagant developments created in his name have set incredible new heights for the super-prime property market in Mayfair and beyond.
