Name: Wealthy take online housekeeping classes as butlers and nannies are in self-isolation
Brand: telegraph.co.uk
SKU: telegraph-co-uk-38
Availability: OnlineOnly

critic

Wealthy take online housekeeping classes as butlers and nannies are in self-isolation

preview

High-net-worth individuals are taking online housekeeping classes as their butlers and nannies are in self-isolation, a royal provider has revealed.Polo &amp; Tweed, in Mayfair, London, recruit and train staff including housekeepers, butlers and chefs for professionals, royals and celebrities alike to ensure the smooth running of their homes.But families are struggling to keep up with the demands of maintaining their estates, castles and city homes during the Covid-19 pandemic as 50 per cent of Polo &amp; Tweed staff live off-site and many are having to isolate.In their absence, Lucy Challenger, founder and CEO of Polo &amp; Tweed, said there has been a huge rise in owners of the properties, known as ‘principals’, asking for advice and training - including in how to change bedsheets, iron and clean.Ms Challenger said: “We’re getting calls day in, day out from the principals themselves saying ‘I’ve never had to change the bed what do I do? What’s the best way of laundering it?’“People are having to launder and iron and fold for the first time and everyone wants to know tips for keeping the house clean and being aware of cross-contamination.”Those left to manage listed properties on their own are faced with a mammoth task of maintenance and upkeep or risk the homes falling into decay, said Ms Challenger.She added: “One of our clients has one of the largest properties in Henley with a team of 10 housekeepers - that’s not including the groundsmen, the PAs, the estate managers and the chefs.“People might think hang on, why can’t the person who owns the house pick up the hoover and off they go? But simply picking up a hoover in a property that has 30 bedrooms would take you a month to complete.”It’s not just those with country estates that are struggling to adapt, added Ms Challenger, who said that for London professionals having to balance childcare, homeschooling and work is “nigh-on-impossible”.One client, who has two nannies per child, hosts them in apartments near their London home but the pandemic has meant they can no longer go to work. “Suddenly they’ve got no nannies, so it’s a bit of a shock to the system,” said Ms Challenger.In response to the demand, Polo &amp; Tweed are going to launch e-learning classes in the coming weeks.Participants will be able to sign up for a specific task - such as ironing or wardrobe management - and will be tested, graded and receive a certificate if they pass.In the meantime, clients can speak to trainers one-on-one for more tailored advice, such as how to clean their chandeliers.“Principals are rolling up their sleeves and getting more involved and are having a bit more empathy for what their staff do,” added Ms Challenger.Related TopicsAdvertisementRelated TopicsWe rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism.We urge you to turn off your ad blocker for The Telegraph website so that you can continue to access our quality content in the future.Thank you for your support.Need help?Visit ourpage.Close

High-net-worth individuals are taking online housekeeping classes as their butlers and nannies are in self-isolation, a royal provider has revealed.Polo &amp; Tweed, in Mayfair, London, recruit and train staff including housekeepers, butlers and chefs for professionals, royals and celebrities alike to ensure the smooth running of their homes.But families are struggling to keep up with the demands of maintaining their estates, castles and city homes during the Covid-19 pandemic as 50 per cent of Polo &amp; Tweed staff live off-site and many are having to isolate.In their absence, Lucy...

public

Jessica Carpani

Personally, I dabble in the silly things. Professionally, journalist  @telegraph . Views are my own.

By Jessica Carpani

Think ahead with the latest news, comment, analysis and video. Subscribe here: https://telegraph.co.uk/customer/subscribe

Wealthy take online housekeeping classes as butlers and nannies are in self-isolation

No article scores yet.

CRITIC REVIEWS

PUBLIC REVIEWS