Those invited included Kate Moss, Simon Cowell, Leonardo DiCaprio, Gwyneth
Paltrow, Katherine Jenkins – the soprano who sang at his 55th – Sir David
Tang, Iranian property moguls Robbie and Vincent Tchenguiz, and developer
Nick Candy and his fiancée Holly Valance, a Strictly Come Dancing
competitor.
Stevie Wonder, Rihanna and Bruno Mars were reported to have been lined up at a
cost of £3 million to provide the musical entertainment by Lady Green, the
party organiser and Monaco-based owner of the Arcadia Group.
Guests arriving from London were instructed to turn up at Luton airport on
Tuesday evening with their passports and “warm weather” clothing
as Lady Green endeavoured to keep secret the venue for the jamboree.
But it could only remain secret so long. In fact, the idyllic setting is the
Rosewood Mayakoba, a five-star 1,600-acre property hugging a mile-long
crescent of white sand beach at Playa del Carmen south of Cancun.
Its 128 suites face a network of lagoon waterways running through a mangrove
forest. Guests opt for a boat or a golf buggy to move around the resort.
A giant stage was erected on the beach for the musical fiesta, and security
guards patrolled ropes strung across the sand to the ocean to cordon off the
seafront VIP zone. The party was planned by event organisers Banana Split,
who are based in north London, and who have previous form for excess, having
planned Cowell’s showy 50th celebrations.
The culmination of the party, which was expected to see Pol Roger champagne
and haute cuisine flown in from Japan on the menu, was set to be fireworks
by Fantastic Fireworks, pyrotechnicians based in Harpenden, Herts, who were
flown out in advance to prepare the show.
In keeping with the fancy dress theme of his 50th, guests were also asked to
provide their vital statistics so they could be kitted out with appropriate
costumes.
In between the revels, there was plenty to do.
The resort boasts private pools, 24-hour butler service, and concierge service
for all rooms – although few were expected to make it a family trip.
Also on offer was golf at signature Greg Norman 7,000-yard, 18-hole course, El
Camaleon, that meanders along the coast within the resort and hosts the
annual Mayakoba Classic, a US PGA tour event.
Sir Philip was likely to find one cause of celebration in particular – the
move to suspend Sunday trading restrictions later this year, which is to be
unveiled in this week’s Budget.
In November, the Arcadia boss announced that the group – which includes
Topshop, BHS and Dorothy Perkins – could close up to 250 shops during the
next three years because of weak consumer demand.
Related posts:
Views: 0