Britain’s richest plumber Charlie Mullins has revealed he has his eye on Tom Jones’ swanky London apartment above the £10million sub-penthouse he already owns.
The ex-Pimlico Plumbers boss can see the MI6 headquarters, Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and Westminster Cathedral from his new 3,500sqft sub-penthouse overlooking the Thames.
Mr Mullins, 69, decided to treat himself to the luxurious London apartment after he sold Pimlico Plumbers in September 2021 for £145million. He now classes premier league footballers and Tom Jones among his well-heeled neighbours.
“Tom Jones lives in the apartment above us currently; we sometimes have chats over the balcony,” he said.
“His place is really nice, so I’m trying to buy it. If it does become available, I’d put stairs in there, to combine the two apartments, you know, for family. It’s so good, I want two!”
The entrepreneur is now living in his “pinch me” ultra-modern apartment; a luxury he never imagined he would be able to afford 40 years ago.
When Charlie first moved into the ultra-luxurious three-bedroom apartment during the pandemic, it was decorated with a sleek, modern white and dark wood colour scheme.
But fast forward to today and he has filled it with extravagant accessories, art, sculptures, pottery and artefacts chosen by him, for him, or commissioned by him.
Charlie said: “The owners were initially reluctant to sell it. It’s a brand new apartment and has never been lived in. They allowed me to rent it and I finally persuaded them to sell it to me. I can't believe that I own a place like this if I’m honest.
“It was undoubtedly the views that attracted me to it - and the architecture too. I love its contemporary design, which fits perfectly with the vista on the banks of the river opposite the iconic MI6 building recognisable in recent James Bond films.
“The design of the exterior is curved to reflect the curve of the Thames, which creates fantastic terrace space too. The concierge service is exceptional too and it's very, very secure.
“I’ve had 10 apartments along the river and this one is head and shoulders above them all. I’ve never seen quality workmanship like it.
“I have homes in Spain and Hutton Mount in Essex, but this is a different class. There's no place like London. It's beyond a dream to own an apartment here.”
Charlie’s London pad boasts antique Chinese vases, bespoke paintings of London landmarks, photos of him with celebrities and politicians, as well as his framed OBE certificate.
But on arrival, guests are greeted by signed photos of “absolute legends” Charlie Chaplin and Muhammad Ali, in a 35-foot entrance.
Then lining the walls are framed photos of Charlie with the past three Prime Ministers. As well as signed photos of Michael Jackson, Tom Jones, Lennon, Nelson Mandela, Princess Di, Vera Lynn, Elvis and Marilyn Monroe.
Plus, there are two huge brightly coloured quartz stones, as well as a 90-year-old limited-edition Rock-Ola Jukebox.
“I’ve always held back a little from doing too much to a place that I have been renting, but once the sale was agreed, I started to put my stamp on the place, which now reflects my personality and interests,” Charlie said.
“When people come up here, it takes their breath away. The vases all come from a collection from Canterbury Antiques.
“There’s a 7ft blue and white one in the lounge that is based on a Famille Blue Chinese Temple, and originally stood in Sir David Tang’s “Shanghai Tang” fashion store in Regent Street. Everything in here is very sought-after and unique - you can’t buy anything better than what I’ve got.
“People do say I’m a bit of an oddball. So when people come up and see what I’ve done to the place, they say it’s ‘typical Charlie’, it’s ‘typical Charlie to have the biggest vase’ or it’s ‘typical Charlie to have a Harley Davidson’ in the flat.
“People say ‘this is you’ when they see what’s in here. I didn’t think I was that outrageous but people seem to think it fits the bill.”
The master bedroom boasts floor-to-ceiling curved windows, two walk-in showers as well as a free-standing bath. There’s also a guest bedroom and a third bedroom.
There’s a Paul Oz portrait of Winston Churchill signing V for Victory, a specially-made designer coffee table with a chrome ‘crack’ splitting it into three, and an 80-inch TV.
And there’s the cabana-style bar, which is stocked with “everything, mostly champagne”, that’s being propped up by the lifesize statue of a skeleton holding two bottles of Moet & Chandon.
“That’s where the skeleton always sits,” Charlie says. “It’s just a bit of fun; a talking point. It’s an antique bronze skeleton and he’s always at the bar. To the left of him, we’ve got a Harley Davidson petrol pump, which is a light-up champagne cupboard.
Each of the rooms has a beautiful terrace area, affording the property with stunning 360-degree views of London.
Charlie said: “The hallway is often neglected in a home, but I have made it a statement room. I wanted to show it was a piece of me as soon as guests arrived!
“It has beautiful wood panelling adorned with signed pictures of famous actors, singers and VIPs I’ve met, like members of the royal family.”
There are also Art Deco clocks, sculptures, a large question mark hanging on the wall, and a huge fireplace which makes it feel “homely”.
Charlie added: “I love the curvature of the lounge set against the views across the river. I’ve added antique and Art Deco pieces that really ‘pop’ against the white walls, plus the bar is a popular place to relax so I’ve just commissioned an Art Deco bar too.
“When people come round before we’re supposed to be heading out into London, we’ll be around the bar area socialising or out on the terrace, and you find people want to stay in.
“Why go out when you live somewhere like this?”
