Flats sharing the ‘best terrace in the world’ as it offers a prime spot to watch cricket at The Oval for free are on sale for prices between £400,000 and £600,000. The homes at Oval Mansions overlook the famous cricket ground and are among the most coveted in the sporting world due to the building’s stunning roof terrace.
Residents are able to invite friends up to watch matches, though limitations are sometimes enforced for the highest-profile games with people getting the best spots from 8am. During the Ashes series between England and Australia, spots on the terrace are so highly sought after that plus ones are limited to just one per flat.
There are reports of management regularly having to eject those who manage to sneak in. Stories abound among tenants of when fans brought cheese fondues, Magnum bottles of wine and full English breakfasts up to the rooftop to enjoy during a match.
Dream one and two-bedroom flats in the building – which was built shortly after The Kia Oval in the 1880s and is the last remaining building which mimics the shape of the hallowed stadium – are currently available to cricket fans to buy for £400,000 and £600,000 respectively. Flats are also available to rent from between £1895 a month and £3,500 a month.
Oval Mansions’ heyday fell during the 2005 Ashes tournament, when cricketing greats mixed with residents and the world’s media on its rooftop to watch England beat Australia to win the Ashes urn for the first time since the 1980s. Broadcasters rented flats and moved their operations to the building, whilst some directors were said to have left their seats in the corporate stands in favour of watching from the terrace.
Nowadays, a crowd of younger cricket fans have snapped up some of the 52 flats at Oval Mansions and are making the rooftop their own. Joe Redmond, who has rented a flat at Oval Mansions for around two years, reminisced about the last Ashes tournament whilst watching last Tuesday’s (June 3) ODI match between England and the West Indies.
The 28-year-old, a civil servant who works at the Department for Transport, had taken the day off to watch England’s third successive test win with his girlfriend’s dad, David Bartley, who had travelled from the Midlands for the match.
“We made sure we moved in a week before the last Ashes test,” cricket fan Mr Redmond said. “We’ve seen some great tests up here. We saw Stuart Broad’s last wicket up here. It’s nice to go between the ground and the terrace… It’s a different atmosphere up here – it’s great.”
Phil Tuffnell knocked on door to film
Mr Redmond recalled answering the door to a BBC camera crew accompanied by England cricket legend Phil Tuffnell during the last Ashes test in August 2023. “Phil Tuffnell came up here and filmed a bit, saying it was the best terrace in the world,” he continued. “He got us to do stuff like pretend someone had just got a wicket.
“It was crazy during the Ashes. People were getting to the terrace for 8am to secure a spot. One group had a massive cheese fondue, another group had a massive bowl of punch… One guy had a Magnum (1.5 litre) bottle of wine he was sharing round. It was the best atmosphere.”
Residents bring full English breakfasts out to eat on terrace
Another tenant, Olga Tyurina, had invited friend Ollie Carter over to watch the match on the terrace. The 29-year-old, who has lived at Oval Mansions for around one-and-a-half years, believes watching on the terrace is better than forking out for a ticket in the ground.
“I’ve seen quite a few matches,” she said. “I’ve never been in the stadium – it’s better seats up here: no queue for the toilets, cheaper drinks, cold beers. I’ve seen people bring a full English up here for a Sunday morning match. There can’t be many places with a view like this. My husband came to view our flat and said, ‘That’s it – that’s where we’re moving’. I didn’t complain.”
Meanwhile, marketing worker Ollie Pearce and girlfriend Freya Hatter, a marine biologist, came up to the terrace with a meal deal on their lunch break. Mr Pearce, 28, also recently moved in and was excited to catch some matches from the terrace.
“I’ve only been to the one so far,” he said. “Surrey versus Yorkshire. We saw Jonny Bairstow back at York and Surrey won, which is always good. You can’t really beat it, can you?”
Greg Morris, who works in software sales, moved into his flat at Oval Mansions just three months ago and says the terrace was a huge selling point in the move. “The view definitely had sway in my decision,” the 30-year-old admitted. “I was a member at the Oval when I first moved to London, but this view is mental – you might as well be in the stands.
“I’ve got the day off work to come and watch. It would be hard to argue against this being the best cricket property in the world. I think it’s one of the prettiest stadiums in England.”
Henry Stalder also recently moved in around six months ago. “I have been to the Oval a few times,” the 23-year-old finance worker explained.
“A few of my friends are members… But I saw this place come up and thought it was perfect. It saves on the membership fees. [The terrace] was a big selling point. The main attraction.
“I’ve got a few friends coming up later. It’s a different, fun view. It’s like having a season ticket included in the rent.”
‘The view was the main reason me and my housemate moved here’
Management consultant Tom had brought his friend Dom, a doctor, to the terrace for the ODI match. “It’s my second season of cricket [at Oval Mansions],” Tom said.
“I’ve probably seen 20 or 30 matches… It’s so convenient and not a bad lifestyle. It would be good to do an Ashes weekend. The quality of the Oval itself attracts high-profile games.
“With the quality of the view, you might as well be in the crowd. You can bring friends up and not have to worry about forking out for beers and stuff.
“The view was the main reason me and my housemate moved here. We are both big cricket fans, and opportunities like this don’t come around often.”
Anish Ram, who works in trading, agreed that the terrace was the main draw to his flat, which he moved into around nine months ago. “It’s a different kind of experience up here,” the 24-year-old, who took the day off to watch the ODI, said.
“I’m a pretty big cricket fan… It’s the main reason I came here. I think a few of my friends will be coming after work.”
You can find out more about the two flats on sale here and here.
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