FRANCESCO MACRI, HEAD CHEF OF ALLEY CATS

Tell us about Alley Cats. 

Alley Cats is a new unique concept, which is inspired by Italian American flavours. I am Sicilian and I love how the traditional Italian cuisine developed in America since the Sicilians emigrated to the US at the start of the 20th Century. Alley Cats is all about the atmosphere – loud music, fun and friendly service and incredible food!

You’ve just opened -  why pick this area for your restaurant, and what drew you to the area for the expansion of Alley Cats? 

We want Alley Cats to be a part of the neighbourhood – getting to know the people who live and work in the area – and Chelsea is the ideal location with lots of residents and a great family vibe, too. Everyone is welcome at Alley Cats. We were drawn to Chelsea because it’s a beautiful buzzy location with so much going on.

What sort of customers do you cater for? 

Curious foodies who are hunting for flavour! Most of our customers are trendy Londoners looking to have a fun time sharing great food with friends.

What’s your favourite dish on the menu? 

Actually, my favourite dishes are personalised options. I love our menu, because you can customise each dish depending on your mood and personality! I choose the Vodka Sauce pizza and add pepperoni, sausage and spicy red onions.

What do you like about the new location? 

My favourite thing is that everybody has a dog! I love connecting with the people in the area and everyone has been so friendly and welcoming to us – we’ve already made some really great connections and friends. As I’m predominantly back of house, it’s such a joy for me to engage with customers and there are so many locals who are really interested in food and want to experience the best flavours. Chelsea is a very family friendly area and it’s great to meet the little ones, too.

BABS BARNES, HEAD OF MARKETING AT LAVENDER GREEN FLOWERS  

Tell us about your business. 

Lavender Green Flowers was started in Berkshire by Sue Barnes in 1990, and we had a store on the Fulham Road before moving into the site where we are now at 239 King’s Road, with a team of 50. We are luxury florists who cover every aspect of the industry from readymade bouquets and plants, to bespoke bouquets for private individuals, luxury weddings and events across the world, five-star hotels, and even Summer hospitality events like Wimbledon and Royal Ascot. 

How long have you been on the Estate? 

We opened in 2021, so we’ve just celebrated our 3 year anniversary on the Sloane Stanley Estate. We’ve loved every moment so far and the team at Sloane Stanley are proactive nurturing landlords who meet our needs. 

What attracted you to the area in the first place? 

We have always wanted to be a part of London’s most prestigious and sought-after destination, and moving onto the Sloane Stanley Estate was a conscious decision that we made and natural progression for the brand. We were drawn to the legacy of the King’s Road and its creative roots in the arts, as well as the proximity to the Royal Palaces nearby. The destination reflects our clients’ style and needs and means we have a bricks and mortar site on their doorstep. 

What do you like about the location? 

What don’t we like?! It’s a beautiful area and we love meeting clients and serving their everyday needs from our store. I take my dogs to Love My Human and always pick up new treats and toys for them. Everyone loves the location – the team are always popping into Deli Robuchon for lunch or after-work drinks at Bluebird! 

RACHAEL WOOD, CO-FOUNDER OF CHINTI & PARKER 

Tell us about your brand. 

Chinti & Parker was founded in 2009 by myself and my cousin, and the name is inspired by our Indian Grandparents. We saw a gap in the market for playful colourful cashmere designs with both classic and edgy silhouettes. We have a loyal celebrity following and our designs have been worn by Alexa Chung and Sienna Miller. Our ethos is ‘goat to garment’, meaning the yarns come from a single origin in Mongolia and are manufactured in the UK and EU.

Who are your target customers? 

Intelligent contemporary women who are looking for quality premium garments with a playful design to match their unique style. We cater for women aged from 18 – 70.

You started with a pop-up before a permanent store. Tell us about what that gave you?

We’ve been doing pop-ups since 2018 in areas where our customers where centred – Notting Hill, Marylebone and St John’s Wood. Our first pop-up store on the Sloane Stanley Estate was in 2022, as we identified that we had a very loyal following based in Chelsea, and doing a pop-up was a great way to get to know the area and our customers here. We grew from there into our first permanent bricks and mortar site at 322 King’s Road, which we opened in 2023.

What is the importance of a bricks and mortar site? And the advantages of this, compared to solely online. 

There are certainly advantages. Our customers enjoy being able to touch and feel the quality of the yarns and see the garments. It also allows us a new level of creativity as we can showcase the brand’s entirety and curate the world of Chinti & Parker in our store. We love meeting our customers and their family, whether it’s their first piece or they’ve been buying from us for a long time, it gives me such a sense of enjoyment to see people wearing our designs. Our in-store customers come from all corners of the world – from local Chelsea neighbours to visitors from the Middle East and the USA.

What attracted you to the area to begin with? What do you like about it? 

It was always a dream to open a store on the King’s Road as it is the ultimate shopping destination and always top of people’s list to visit. I love the sense of neighbourhood and community feeling here, where everyone knows each other by name. Sloane Stanley as landlords have been very supportive and have allowed us as a small brand a retail environment in which to thrive. It would be a dream to grow with the Sloane Stanley Estate – here or in another site – who knows?! We have an exciting month ahead with a new launch of a collaborative collection with Mr Men, and Autumn/Winter is our prime time of year as a cashmere brand!