Exclusive boxes in London concert hall go on sale

Jun 3, 2008, 16:17 GMT

London - A 10-seat box in London's Royal Albert Hall, a prime venue for music events, is up for sale for for 1.2 million pounds (2.4 million dollars), an estate agent said Tuesday.

The Grand Tier box, billed as 'arguably the best position in the house,' is one of three boxes being marketed by luxury real estate agent Harrods Estates.

The other boxes are an eight-seat Loggia box, priced at 750,000 pounds, and a five-seat Second Tier box, positioned directly above the royal box, for 495,000.

The 10-seat box, on the same level as that reserved for Queen Elizabeth II, has room for guests to enjoy canapes and even to sit down to dinner at a table. All of the boxes have space for a bar.

Many of the boxes in the Royal Albert Hall have been privately owned for generations, but sales are rare.

The circular building near London's Hyde Park is best known as a venue for the annual classical music festival, the BBC Proms, rock concerts and occasional literary readings.

There had lately been a 'huge interest' in box ownership, said Alex Greaves of Harrods Estates.

'It's very, very exclusive...It's even better than having a season ticket at a football club,' he said.

The boxes have more than 850 years left on their lease and the buyer will be asked to pay an annual service charge of around 900 to 1,000 pounds.