This week we have more cries of rage from Holyrood, some snorting and stamping from WYG and a story about a band of chickens in Bristol
Scenes likely to offend
In case you missed it, here鈥檚 the latest hard boiled episode of Holyrood, Scotland鈥檚 answer to The Sopranos. Alan Mack, Bovis Lend Lease鈥檚 project director for the parliament, gives an interview to Prospect magazine in which he speculates on the Fraser inquiry鈥檚 likely conclusions. These are read by a hack on The Scotsman, who starts babbling about the 鈥淗olyrood builder hitting back鈥� 鈥� blasting the late Donald Dewar and skewering the equally late Enric Miralles. Cue angry letters from interested parties, including a particularly venomous missive from Prospect editor Penny Lewis. 鈥淭his is one of the most dishonest pieces on the Holyrood project that I have seen to date,鈥� she steams. Oh deary me, I hope nobody ends up in a garbage compactor over this 鈥�
Great minds
Congratulations to BRE director Haig Gulvanessian for being awarded the Czech Technical University鈥檚 prestigious Gold Medal First Class for his services to civil and structural engineering. Haig will now join that elite group of eminent academics who have received the gold medal such as 鈥� er, George Bush senior.
I must check my facts 脳 100
Still on an academic theme, I have received a stern telling off from Mr Stephen Morrison, the headmaster of the Kingsdale School in south London. You may recall that I reported that pupils were ripping up books in the school library. In fact, this will not be open until October. I鈥檓 wearing my dunce鈥檚 cap as I write, Mr Morrison.
Southern fried rooster
Continuing our occasional series on the industry鈥檚 beat combos, news reaches me of a Bristol-based outfit called Akoostic Rooster, a four-piece whose next gig will be headlining the Rooster Ball at the Grand Hotel in Bristol on 2 October. The line up includes Simon 鈥淭he Bass鈥� Witts, regional director of White Green Young, and 鈥淪trumming鈥� Steve Price of Price Technical Partnership. I hear they鈥檙e fingerlickin鈥� good.
Scent of rat
They clearly have a high opinion of the construction industry at West Berkshire council.
A local contractor who was searching for a someone to clear a rat infestation turned to a search engine on the council鈥檚 website. When he typed in the word 鈥減est鈥�, the top result came up as 鈥渃hoosing a builder鈥�.
Rule little Britannia
Taking the term 鈥渕ultidisciplinary鈥� to exciting new levels, White Young Green is crowing about its prospects at this year鈥檚 Little Britain Cup. I鈥檝e received a communiqu茅 informing me that the firm is 鈥減ulling out all the stops鈥� to win the illustrious industry sailing event. Apparently, it has gone into secret training and now feels 鈥渜uietly confident鈥�. Any other teams who feel the urge to snort and paw the ground should get in touch at the usual address.
I must commend the dining experience at Hopkins Architects' Inn the Park restaurant in St James's Park, central London. It is a very pleasant venue for lunch, especially out on the terrace. These signature architects do sometimes miss the minor details, though.
A small extension to the roof, for example, would have prevented rain from falling on diners, a fate that befell a lunch companion and myself recently. It just goes to show that, even in our glorious climate, it is worth considering every eventuality.
No comments yet