The London two-bedroom penthouse above the former music studios where pop icons such as Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan and Rick Astley recorded some of their greatest hits is up for sale.
Situated on Vine Yard, the 1,517 square foot Manhattan-loft style apartment is above what used to be the Hit Factory, the recording studios of the 1980s pop production trio of Stock Aitken Waterman.
The team's first No 1 hit was Dead Or Alive’s classic You Spin Me Round, in 1985. Following its success, they relocated from central London and built the studios on Vine Yard in Borough, just south of London Bridge.
It was here the trio defined the pop sound of the 1980s and 1990s, launching the careers of, among many others, Mel and Kim, Steps, Sinitta, Rick Astley, Sonia, Jason Donovan and, of course most famously, Kylie Minogue.
As such, the penthouse – on sale for £1.35 million ($1.64 million) – sits directly above where Kylie recorded I Should Be So Lucky, and where Rick Astley’s laid down his debut track Never Gonna Give You Up.
In 1989 alone, Stock Aitken Waterman had seven No 1 singles and a further 15 Top 40 hits. By the 1990s, the walls of Vine Yard studios were festooned with gold and platinum discs.
After producing tracks for mainstream record companies, the trio set up their own label through Pete Waterman's company called PWL Records, which was launched in 1987 with the single I Just Can’t Wait by Mandy Smith.
Pete Waterman has also been a judge on Britain's version of Pop Idol and Pop Stars: The Rivals. He has also won dozens of awards, including several Ivor Novellos for songwriting.
A home of note
The building on Vine Yard, just off Sanctuary Street in Borough, is a classic red-brick industrial warehouse with walls originally built thick enough to withstand blasts during Zeppelin raids in the First World War. It's one of the reasons the space has an inner calm amid the bustle of London and why the building was chosen as a site for a recording studio.
Easily accessible from a discreet doorway, the penthouse's entrance hall opens on to a double-height, open-plan reception room, with a vaulted ceiling which reaches beyond seven metres in places.
The living space's enormous windows flood the space with light – all the better to bring attention to the room's most interesting feature: the warehouse’s original industrial winch and joist machinery, which serves not only as an artistic talking point, but also as an architectural reminder of the building’s past.
Any pop diva would not feel out of place in the penthouse's glamorous and generous reception space, which is capable of hosting a sizeable A-list party. Indeed, such is the size of the interior that the current owner is able to indulge in indoor horticulture, with a fully grown tree on display.
On the same level are areas that would function equally well as relaxation or reading zones as they would as office and working spaces.
The separate dining room, with its dark wood floor and ruby-red walls, can seat up to 10 people. A separate kitchen, utility room and guest suite take up the rest of this sizeable floor.
The principle bedroom on the mezzanine level manages to be both spectacular and quaint, with light pouring in from the lantern skylight in the vaulted ceiling.
One side of the bedroom overlooks the enormous living space below, with the eaves space cleverly lined with built-in wardrobes. A black marble bathroom and dressing area complete the suite.
“This striking penthouse with its double-height ceilings and large arched windows is a rare proposition," said Jeremy Gee, managing director of Beauchamp Estates, the agents for the sale.
"With its vast vaulted-ceilinged reception and entertaining area, overlooked by a mezzanine bedroom, it would suit a buyer in search of a truly interesting home."
Just south of London Bridge, the Borough area has undergone a trendy upgrade in recent years, thanks in part to the growing status of the world-renowned Borough Food Market.
In addition, neighbouring Bermondsey – immediately to the east – is now regularly voted one of London's coolest areas.
“As well as being in one of London’s hippest locations, moments from Borough Market and with easy access to the City, this stunning Manhattan loft-style penthouse comes with the priceless kudos of being part of British music history, located directly above the legendary music studios of Stock Aitken Waterman," said Gary Hersham, founding director of Beauchamp Estates.
"Countless young, virtually unknown musicians and singers crossed the Vine Yard threshold, only to emerge fully fledged pop stars having recorded with the trio."
