黑洞社区

Stadium rocker seeks group

I hear that Multiplex managing director Martin Tidd is on the lookout for a new job after his employer鈥檚 announcement that he is to leave the firm next year. Tidd, who famously told the BBC that he would be sitting in his seat at this year鈥檚 Wembley cup final, has been linked to a role at Sir Robert McAlpine 鈥� the firm that recently completed Arsenal鈥檚 Emirates stadium on time and budget.

So what kind of role would Mr Tidd fancy at McAlpine? Could he possibly take over from head honcho Benny Kelly when he eventually retires? It seems not According to a well-placed source at McAlpine, Kelly will not be retiring in the near future, and there is no a role available for Tidd 鈥渋n any capacity鈥�. So, now all parties now know where they stand.

Stef鈥檚 out for a duck

To the Jumeirah Carlton Tower hotel in Mayfair for Construct鈥檚 annual get-together for the concrete industry. Stef Stefanou, who chairs the organisation, claimed to have invented a way to force his guests to network and enjoy themselves. His secret, it turned out, was to serve the hoi sin duck starters at the champagne reception before diners were invited to their tables. At the dinner, which was topped of with a speech from Private Eye鈥檚 Ian Hislop, Stefanou announced that after 13 years at Construct he would be handing over his chairmanship to Martin Stephenson, chair of subcontractor MR Stephenson. Let鈥檚 hope he can keep next year鈥檚 event just as lavish.

How the other half work

I hear that Andrew Chisholm, the joint managing director of consultant CNP, volunteered to swap jobs for a day as part of Radio 5 Live鈥檚 programme Be Your Boss. So, instead of running a crucial client review meeting, he was sent off to a project in Westminster, where he had the job of checking the installation of an entrance intercom. At the same time, one of the company鈥檚 surveyors, Simon Pickford, stepped up to run the meeting. Simon and Andrew said the experience gave them invaluable insight into each other鈥檚 jobs 鈥� probably enough to make them both realise they should stick to their own 鈥�

Credit: Scott Garrett

Send in the crowns

In the event that Wembley is ever completed, a little known tax ruling means that it could find itself with a surprise new owner 鈥� the Queen. Word reaches me that Wembley National Stadium is three months late filing a return with Companies House, which has written to the client to demand that the matter be addressed. Two more warnings and WNSL will face being struck off, in which case all its assets would become the property of the Crown, which in turn would mean that the ground would be converted to show jumping and the whole thing would have to start again from the beginning.

Putting it baldly

BBC sports presenter Clare Balding was on good form at Willmott Dixon鈥檚 annual race day at Ascot. She was particularly impressed by the stand, which was completed earlier this year by Laing O鈥橰ourke. In fact, she described it as 鈥渙ne of the most fantastic sports venues鈥� she had ever seen 鈥� before adding that guests were lucky it wasn鈥檛 raining, as it leaks.

Sustainability on the brain

At BRE鈥檚 Resource06 conference Simon Mills, head of sustainable development for the usually staid City of London, treated the audience to his thoughts on why sustainability is like teenage sex. The reason? Because 鈥漞verybody says they鈥檙e doing it, only a few are and even they are probably not doing it right.鈥�