Society Insider: Boris Johnson's private dinner; Sally Ridge and new boyfriend John Darby’s house plans; Duncan and Gretchen Hawkesby’s ultimate 50th birthday bash

John Darby has bought into partner Sally Ridge's home, Boris Johnson attended a dinner on Wednesday for Auckland's elite and Duncan and Gretchen Hawkesby celebrated their 50ths in style.

Man about town Ricardo Simich brings you Society Insider. The exclusive parties, the exotic holidays, the hook-ups, the break-ups, and the high stakes business deals - this new Thursday column pulls back the curtain to reveal how New Zealand’s other half live.

Sally Ridge’s boyfriend buys into her multimillion-dollar Herne Bay mansion

Months after starting their relationship, interior designer Sally Ridge and developer extraordinaire John Darby own a multimillion-dollar Herne Bay home together.

In October, Society Insider reported that Ridge, 53, and multimillionaire Queenstown property developer Darby, 66, were understood to have been dating since earlier this year.

It is understood Ridge split with her former boyfriend, Scott Fitchett, the founder and managing director of AA Smartfuel, at the start of this year.

Ridge and Fitchett bought the rundown 1920s mansion in Auckland’s most expensive suburb at the end of 2022 for $4.9 million – well below its $6m CV.

Recently updated records now show that Ridge and Darby own the home 50/50.

Sally Ridge (left) is dating property mogul John Darby (right).

Ridge, famous for her interior design skills, has completely gutted the mansion, put a rear extension on the two-storey villa, and laid foundations for a pool laid on the 1315sq m site.

Ridge told One Roof in March last year, that the house needed “a big bit of love”. An eclectic mix of “eras and details”, she planned to update it to a modern home, with “lots of white, tasteful marble and parquet floors”. She also increased it from a three-bedroom house to five bedrooms, each with an ensuite, and added more living areas.

Matthew Wilmar was credited with the design and concept and she said she and Fitchett aimed to have the house finished by Christmas last year. After the couple’s split, Ridge continued the renovations. It’s understood Darby took over a 50% share in the last few months.

Sally Ridge bought this Herne Bay home in 2022 and has been overseeing extensive renovations.

An aerial view of Sally Ridge's Herne Bay home under renovation.

In between trips away to Darby’s home turf of Queenstown, checking out his golf course design handiwork north of Auckland in Tara Iti and trips together overseas, sources say Ridge went shopping for high-spec interiors, estimated to be in the tens of thousands of dollars.

Ridge is believed to have visited the best design stores in Auckland, including ECC and Matisse.