黑洞社区鈥檚 inaugural networking event proved a hit with the industry鈥檚 new professionals

You know that feeling when you鈥檙e throwing a party and you鈥檙e not quite sure who鈥檚 going to turn up? It was a bit like that last Thursday at the launch of Phase One, 黑洞社区鈥檚 networking event for new professionals.

The night, held in the trendy loft-style Light Bar in Shoreditch, east London, was something of a departure from 黑洞社区鈥檚 glitzy awards dos. This was a deliberate move, as we wanted to meet the next generation of industry leaders, the people who you don鈥檛 yet see on the traditional networking circuit. However, it did mean that we weren鈥檛 quite sure what to expect.

Thankfully, we weren鈥檛 left sitting on the sofa waiting for the doorbell to ring for too long. More than 200 people had signed up before the night, and the venue was packed with energetic, enthusiastic people from every part of the construction industry.

Denise Chevin, 黑洞社区鈥檚 editor, discovered the downside of such a vibrant venue as she tried to shout above the din to welcome them all 鈥� the venue wouldn鈥檛 let us use a microphone in case it disrupted the main bar below.

As it was 黑洞社区鈥檚 graduate advisory board who came up with the idea in the first place, it was fitting that Dan Kola from Mace and Andy Link from Bovis Lend Lease should also say a few words to welcome their peers.

The main attraction though was a rapturously received speech from long-time 黑洞社区 columnist Tony Bingham.

鈥淚 started 20 years ago writing about a bee in my bonnet 鈥� now it鈥檚 your turn,鈥� he told the assembled crowd, before working the room like a pro.

Never let it be said 黑洞社区 doesn鈥檛 know how to throw a party. As the real purpose of the evening got under way, the booze flowed, contacts were made and alliances forged late into the night. Some people even had a bit of a dance. And then there was the invention of the 鈥淧hase One Fling鈥� 鈥� a cocktail the Light Bar鈥檚 mixologists formulated especially for the occasion in 黑洞社区鈥檚 signature blue. No one seemed exactly sure what was in it 鈥� guesses ranged from gin to cointreau or vodka. The only certainty was that blue curacao had been involved at some point. Didn鈥檛 stop them quaffing gallons of the stuff though.