User:Natasha1974/Jamie Bloom

Jamie Bloom is an English businessman. Bloom was born and raised in London, and was schooled at Norfolk House School, where he excelled in sport and was made Captain of boxing. In his early teens, his father had financial difficulties, he left school and with his brother Laurence started work selling ladies' clothes in Roman Road Market. This was the start of a career in fashion that included owning a group of shops across London called Downtown. At the same time as owning the clothing shops, Bloom, his brother Laurence and their father Maurice owned 10 indoor markets, which included Kensington Market and Chelsea Antiques Market. Years later, Jamie and Laurence would with business partners, go on to own The Stables Market in Camden Town. In the period of the late 1970's to the early 1980's Jamie and Laurence bought the iconic Rainbow Theatre in Finsbury Park, where groups and artists including Queen, The Clash, Iggy Pop, Elton John, Dolly Parton and The Jacksons. Jamie and Laurence were the last owners of The Rainbow Theatre] with the final act being Elvis Costello. In 1978 while in possession of the Rainbow, the brothers together with Harvey Goldsmith put on The Picnic at Blackbushe, to date the largest one day outdoor concert in the UK, with 250,000 people turning up to see Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, Joan Armatrading and Graham Parker. Bloom has owned and run a number of restaurants, nightclubs and bars in London, including the American theme restaurants American Dream and Arizona. In the 1990's he joined up with Alan Lubin and opened a restaurant in St Christopher's Place called Coconut Grove. Together with his brother and their business partner Bobby Lorenz, Bloom bought the nightclub Madame JoJo's and the O Bar in Soho, Bar Royale Camden, Crazy Larrys on Chelsea's Kings Road, and the Cafe de Paris (London) nightclub.

Bloom then opened a boutique hotel in Knightsbridge called the Lennox, which was later expanded to include another boutique hotel in Notting Hill. He also bought a hotel in St Tropez, called La Bastide D'Antoine. In 2008, Bloom became involved with the Milestone Group as a company director for The Flex, a web-based TV company.

In the 1980's Jamie was introduced to Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, learnt dynamic meditation and has since been a lifelong follower of his philosophy. He also practices taoism and teaches tai chi.

Bloom owns the Charterhouse Retreat, for the practice of meditation, tai chi and yoga, as well as a group of clinics called Charterhouse Clinic.

Bloom has been married 3 times, he has 2 sons and a step-daughter.