FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT
LONDON — He’s like a little one a “clash of civilizations” that pits traditionalist Englishmen against modernist Americans.but also a battle between a decorated “aristocracy” tied to the past and an attacking elite born of modernity.
Showbiz celebrities such as Emma Thompson, Imelda Staunton (The Queen of the latest episode of The Crown) and her husband Jim Carter (Butler Carson from Downton Abbey): they are outraged by a plan to build a glass and aluminum house in West Hampsteadan area on the northern outskirts of London where they live along with many other celebrities.
An American couple wants a new mansion. Daniel and Sandy Youngwho made money on cryptocurrencies and artificial intelligence and now dream of good retreat in a privileged segment of London. But the English actors are not in the know and have written a letter to the local council to oppose the project: according to them, new home ‘better suited for Malibu’while it is an eyesore in an area made up of Victorian and Edwardian Art Nouveau residences.
West Hampstead is something of a village in itself, dotted with small restaurants and independent shops: there is no McDonald’s or Zaras here, you’re having an outdoor brunch (weather permitting) or stopping to browse bookstores. It was here that writers such as Evelyn Waugh and Doris Lessing lived. today it is home to actors such as Stephen Fry and pop stars such as Dua Lipa..
It is therefore not surprising that Americans are considered barbarians at the gate: “The view would be that of a large glass and aluminum industrial warehouse, which would be completely inappropriate,” Jim Carter and his wife Imelda Staunton wrote about the house they wanted to build right in front of their home. The elderly actor couple, with an objection that seems worthy of the Earl of Downton Abbey, appeals to their passion for gardening and emphasizes that “The proposed building poses a serious threat to the ability to enjoy our garden. and a serious threat to the plants and creatures that share it with us.”
But the biggest concern is that new construction will end up setting a precedent that could greenlight a whole slew of projects that will distort the character of West Hampstead. For its part, the architecture firm responsible for designing the house defends itself by saying that it would be wrong to try to copy the historic style of the area and that instead they tried to offer “a modern building, light and strong, clearly in keeping with its time.”.
But the resistance of the elders of London is stubborn and forged over the years: for some time now Emma Thompson campaigned against the opening of a new supermarket nearby and won a victory after a six-month battle.. Just as Carter and Staunton threatened to sue South Hampstead High School, one of the most prestigious girls’ schools in London, because the girls played padel in the sports complex opposite their home, the noise of the rackets broke the silence of the school. couple of actors!