FOR more than 300 years Mayfair has been the most fashionable and renowned residential area of London. Developed in the 17th and 18th centuries, it took its name from the annual 15-day May Fayre held there, but in the late 1700s local nobles felt that the market itself lowered the tone and it was suppressed.

Over that time the most influential people in the land have enjoyed its elegant squares, broad Georgian thoroughfares and beautiful parks. Mayfair also boasts the capital's most exclusive shops, hotels, restaurants and clubs and for the past 30 years many of their clients have beaten a path to the door of Beauchamp Estates on Curzon Street, in search of a London home.

That door remains, but behind it everything has changed as Beauchamp Estates transforms its headquarters into a 21st century showcase for the very best in London property.

"We hadn't been making enough use of the space we had and due to the technological revolution in the property industry we took the plunge and refurbished all six floors," says Penelope Court. There is now a boardroom with plasma screen and DVD on which we can show properties to clients. We've also transformed our reception area so that clients can meet negotiators comfortably. The reception also has LCDs, a plasma screen, display scale models of new developments, and there are of course brochures and property magazines aplenty - the receptionists will even serve you a cappuccino whilst you browse.

Their client list reads like a Who's Who of the world's richest and most influential people, from Russian oligarchs and Middle Eastern oil billionaires to American entrepreneurs, British businessmen, Royalty, European bankers and brokers, and high net worth individuals from across the globe.

About 20 per cent of our clients are from the UK and many of them have been clients for more than 20 years.

Although the company specialises in residential sales at the very top of the market - its most expensive house sold recently for a record figure of £85 million - it also handles commercial investments and lettings, potential sites, new developments and international property. "A purchaser may come in looking to buy a house, but while they search they'll rent a flat through us and even take an office," says Penelope. "We try to offer an all round package and tend to keep repeat business from our clients".

With most of its business still coming from international buyers, communication is vital and the languages spoken by Beauchamp's 15 staff range from French, Spanish and Italian to Hebrew, Russian and Arabic.

The company has a now, well established office in Cannes on the Rue des Etats Unis as well as a thriving office in Myknos, Greece. "There is a strong link between the type of applicants we sell to and European or indeed other International markets. For example, it is estimated that around 50 per cent of the money paid out in City bonuses will be spent on overseas property," says Penelope.

London will remain the mainstay of the company which specialises in homes with only the very best addresses, Mayfair, Chelsea, Knightsbridge, Belgravia, St John's Wood, Hyde Park, Notting Hill, Kensington and Holland Park.

Very wealthy people want to live in the best parts of any major city. At the moment in London it's the Russians who are the front runners - mostly in Belgravia, but the Chinese as well as the Uzbeks are on their way.