Five reasons why Bayswater is on the up

Two hundred and fifty years ago, Bayswater was little more than a hamlet. Today, this central London neighbourhood is on the rise, with significant investment, a raft of regeneration and competitive prime prices piquing interest from buyers. So how did it all go so right?

First developed in the early 19th century, Bayswater rapidly became one of the most fashionable parts of London. White-stucco Regency mansions and generous villas sprang up around garden squares. Inhabited by the culturati – former residents include the novelists Thomas Hardy and JM Barrie – Bayswater became a name to conjure with. Its first Underground station opened in 1868, followed by Queensway in 1900. Eleven years later, it gained a grand department store in Whiteley’s. Embassies moved in. W2 was a golden postcode.

In the post-war period, the elegance faded – until, in 1997, the actor-turned-designer Anouska Hempel opened the minimalist Hempel Hotel, and the cognoscenti began to look again. Like Marylebone, Bayswater shook off the dust, and in 2022 a consortium began a £3 billion makeover, featuring landmark developments and a new entrance to Hyde Park.

Now Bayswater is an emerging destination in its own right, thanks not just to these developments, but also public-realm improvements, significant greening and a new retail strategy. “It represents good value compared to its Hyde Park neighbours, too,” says Sophie Tonge, Savills residential research analyst.

Bayswater’s revived mascot
The Whiteley is Bayswater’s comeback kid. The former department store has its roots in William Whiteley’s 1863 drapery shop. It claimed to sell “everything from a pin to an elephant”, says Tessa Boase, author of London’s Lost Department Stores. Opening in 1911, it became a local landmark. 

Whiteley’s closed its doors in 2018, but is regenerating in 2024 as The Whiteley, a prime residential development. Redesigned by Norman Foster + Partners, its internal spaces are now home to high-ceilinged residences with real grandeur. “It’s stunning,” says Nina Coulter, Savills head of London residential development. “You feel you’re in a real piece of history – and it will host the first Six Senses hotel in the UK.” 

A gateway to Hyde Park
On Bayswater’s southern flank, Hyde Park will soon have a new gateway beckoning walkers into its 350 green acres. The art exhibition every Sunday on the park railings is a tradition in itself – and, once through the gate, you can stroll to the Italian Gardens and Kensington Palace. Across the park are all the joys of the Albertopolis cultural quarter, including the Royal Albert Hall. 

JM Barrie lived on Bayswater Road from 1902 until 1909. On a daily walk in the park, the author met a family to whom he told stories, and one, Peter Pan, became world famous. A romantic sculpture, Shrine of Youth, was made in 1912 by George Frampton of the fictional boy who wouldn’t grow up. It stands in Kensington Gardens. 

Bespoke developments
Until recently, Bayswater was playing catch-up with the more popular neighbourhoods around Hyde Park. But all that is changing. As well as The Whiteley, high-end residential schemes in Bayswater include Park Modern, a new development with views of the park. “It’s very grand – statement architecture with a glamorous look and feel,” says Coulter. The building will also house a new restaurant by Jeremy King, which, he has said, will be “very much within the ‘grands cafés and brasseries’ mould that I love so much”.

Next in the pipeline is the “more understated” No 18 Porchester Gardens: 36 elegantly crafted apartments behind a classic stucco facade. Residents will have access to the amenities at The Whiteley and Six Senses London. 

Great street life
Queensway is Bayswater’s main thoroughfare and, as Coulter says, “It’s got a real buzz and a huge variety of food and drink offerings.” Eastern Mediterranean Ceru is a restaurant institution, while Westbourne Grove has the famous Khans. New bars and restaurants are also in the pipeline. The spa at Porchester Hall is a stalwart and the annual fireworks night on Cleveland Square Gardens a much-loved event.

“There’s a real vision for Bayswater that will lift the whole area,” says Mark Redfern, Savills director of residential sales in Notting Hill. “It’s very exciting. Looking at the improvements in Chelsea and Marylebone, it’s likely to have a similar effect.”

Location
Bayswater is in an excellent position, “between Notting Hill, Marble Arch and Knightsbridge, so it was always due a reawakening”, says Coulter. And, unlike other central areas, it has retained its local life: “It’s friendly, and not so transient that people don’t know each other.”

Elizabeth line services from Paddington station and the Paddington Basin development have given the neighbourhood’s northern uplands a lift. “Connection-wise, it’s brilliant, with easy commuting to the City, Canary Wharf and Bond Street,” says Coulter. Long may Bayswater’s renaissance continue. 

Pictures from top: the stuccoed terraces of Bayswater (Alamy); the Park Modern development; The Whiteley; views of the London horizon from Park Modern; and the Italian Gardens (Getty)