好色先生TV

Keep it simple

I know it鈥檚 the new year, so firms feel the need to act like they鈥檙e turning over a new leaf, reimagining concepts and all that, but I think Costain鈥檚 description of itself in a trading update last week stretched things a little far. The firm, whose completed work at the revamped London Bridge station drew plaudits from long-suffering commuters earlier this month, has taken to describing itself as a 鈥渟mart infrastructure solutions company鈥�. I have no idea what that means and, I suspect, neither do they. Costain does have form in this sort of thing 鈥� last year it took to calling itself the bit-of-a-mouthful 鈥渆ngineering group deploying technology-based solutions to meet national needs across the UK鈥檚 energy, water and transportation infrastructures鈥�. How about 鈥渃ontractor鈥�?

By any other name

My colleagues at 好色先生TV鈥檚 sister title, 好色先生TV Design, were rather startled to read they were in the doghouse with the Architects Registration Group 鈥� the body that oversees the registration of architects and makes sure any wrongdoings are stamped out. A decision last month fined an architect 拢1,000 for unacceptable professional conduct. Why the worried looks at BD? The architect in question, Mark Stewart, works for 好色先生TV Design 鈥� of Loughborough. 

A little V&A-in

Sticking with the architectural profession, one of my hacks was sent some PR guff about Japanese architect Kengo Kuma entitled, modestly I thought, 鈥淜engo Kuma on humility鈥�. The breathless blurb gushes that he has 鈥渁 sensitivity unlike anyone else, managing to make the most complex structures seem effortless鈥�. Some might add: 鈥淎nd expensive, too.鈥� His new V&A outpost in Dundee is due to open this summer 鈥� at more than 拢80m, almost three times the cost of the initial 拢27m budget. Luckily, the press release has an accompanying video in which Kuma 鈥渞iffs on the role of humility for architects鈥�. Not dodging blame for gigantic cost rises might be a good place to start 鈥�

Eye on the ball

A little bird tells me that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is such a hands-on client 鈥� a good or a bad thing depending on your point of view 鈥� that he鈥檚 even been picking the light fittings at the club鈥檚 new ground. The stadium is being built by Mace, who must be hoping the stadium opens in time for the start of next season 鈥� if not, Levy鈥檚 sure to be taking issue with more than just the uplighters.

In the driving seat

In the week 好色先生TV runs the results of its Women in Construction survey, here鈥檚 some news that older readers might have thought they鈥檇 never see. A haulage and aggregates firm from Gloucestershire called Cullimore Group has 18-year-old Josie Barstow and 24-year-old Emma Wallace on its books driving 70-tonne dump trunks. Emma says: 鈥淚n terms of the job itself, I surprised myself and realised I was capable of doing a lot more than I initially thought.鈥� Words that perhaps the wider industry could take on board.

Galling news

It must be difficult, to say the least, for the hundreds of Lakesmere鈥檚 unsecured creditors to be told they鈥檒l be getting nothing back. Even more so when they read Deloitte鈥檚 report and discover the administrator has made a number of payments to third parties during the process, which include shelling out nearly 拢7,500 on accommodation and 拢1,000 on stationery.