Despite some less than favourable recent coverage in the Financial Times over the increased service charges being levied by Ballymore at its London apartment schemes, things would appear, once again, to be going swimmingly for Sean Mulryan in the UK capital.
And while it can’t be said just yet that the Roscommon-born developer has learned to walk on water, he’s now just weeks away from delivering on his dream of giving Londoners the sensation of floating through the air in the world’s largest free-standing acrylic swimming pool.
The Sky Pool, a fully transparent 25m structure, will stretch between the 10th storeys of two of the apartment blocks at Ballymore’s Embassy Gardens development, offering those who take the plunge the opportunity to bob about 35m (115ft) above the ground.
The opening of the pool on May 19th, which represents the culmination of a plan announced by Ballymore back in 2015, will be celebrated with a livestream event featuring what the developer describes as a “stylish synchronised swimming performance by world-leading water performers, Aquabatix”.
While the much-anticipated arrival of the Sky Pool is sure to impress the residents of and visitors to Embassy Gardens alike, Mulryan will doubtless be hoping that it also goes some way to addressing the claim by his company’s critics that its service charges are excessive when compared with the average in London’s residential market.
Ballymore, for its part, certainly doesn’t see itself or any of its schemes as average, or anything like it. That pride was reflected in the email sent by Sean Mulryan to his group’s personnel following the publication of the Financial Times article with which he took issue.
In the email, he said: “It was regrettable that the article compared Ballymore service charges to London averages. Ballymore’s London sites offer extensive amenities that exceed those of the wider property market, including 24-7 security, concierge, swimming pools, gyms, cinemas, and lounge spaces. At Embassy Gardens alone, we have delivered both an indoor and outdoor pool, sauna and steam rooms, two gyms, two business lounges, valet parking, concierge, security, and high-quality landscaping. We benchmark the costs of this premium provision and we are competitive with others who provide similar offerings within the prime residential market in the UK.”
