The EU's plan to purchase a new London residence for its ambassador to the United Kingdom has been thwarted by national capitals because it is too extravagant, even for a high-ranking diplomat.
Two diplomats claim that on Thursday, EU nations rejected the purchase of a home in Chelsea's wealthy Upper Cheyne Row, also known as Millionaires' Row.
One EU diplomat commented on the plan, "It seems golden toilets are the only thing missing in this regal residence where the ambassador could live like a Spanish king."
Pedro Serrano de Haro, formerly chief of staff to EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, who took over as the bloc's ambassador to the United Kingdom at the beginning of the year, would have lived in the property, which would have been rented for more than €1 million per year and paid for by the taxpayers of the EU.
The ambassador's current lease cannot be renewed at 8 Whistler Square, which is five minutes' drive from Upper Cheyne Row. The European External Action Service, which has been in charge of the property search, claims that the 175 square meters of property do not "offer sufficient space for hosting events." Even though all 27 EU nations have representatives in London, the 8 Whistler Square property can only accommodate up to eight guests for dinner.
These issues do not exist on the Upper Cheyne Row property. The EEAS states that the building is 645 square meters in size, and its total usable net surface is 559 square meters. It has two patios, a roof terrace, and a driveway that can accommodate two cars.
The ambassador should have an appropriate residence in terms of "location, visibility, image, representativeness, size, functionality, appropriate representation area and private area" in the new residence that is selected.
During a meeting last week, numerous EU nations criticized the property's price, size, and location in Upper Cheyne Row.
However, a representative of the EU objected, stating that the discussion was not unusual because “building projects are very thoroughly analyzed by member states.”
POLITICO obtained written responses to EU countries' questions from the EEAS prior to Thursday's meeting.
The diplomatic corps emphasized that an ambassador's residence is a "key working room" because they must "attract high-level political interlocutors."
The EEAS says that the average size of the ambassador's residence in cities where (almost) all EU countries are present is 460 square meters. There is a separate working area of 240 square meters from the private family area.
Ex-New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George, actress Elizabeth Taylor, Bram Stoker, author of Dracula, and Rolling Stone Mick Jagger are among the famous current and former residents of the posh street. Serrano de Haro does not appear to be going on that illustrious list.