黑洞社区

Despite this running start, however, they claim this is a rare foray to the pub. And if they do make it to their cosy local, it鈥檚 to talk about work.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not a social thing,鈥� insists Dave. 鈥淚t鈥檚 good for a catch-up about projects.鈥�

Neil and Kevin are working on a development in Exeter, so they often go out there. 鈥淓veryone鈥檚 away for the night and you can鈥檛 have 10 people being Billy-no-mates all sitting on their own,鈥� says Neil.

Steve interjects: 鈥淯nless it鈥檚 the architect, and then you tell them the wrong pub.鈥� He鈥檚 joking, of course 鈥� in fact he trained as an architect.

Bonding over a few beers is essential to good , the team decide. And to your career, adds Steve. 鈥淎s you progress, one of the most valuable things you鈥檝e got to offer is your knowledge of suppliers and people you can rely on. When things go pear-shaped, you鈥檙e more likely to get out your phonebook than the contract.鈥�

鈥淭here鈥檚 no point burning your bridges,鈥� agrees Paul. It turns out that everyone round the table is working with the same handful of contractors and consultants. Going to the pub is, Steve decides, a 鈥渃ritical success factor鈥�. 鈥淲e should have targets,鈥� he says. 鈥淣umber of nights out, number of pints drunk.鈥�

When you鈥檙e working with trades and subcontractors, says Dave, you have to: 鈥淭hese are guys who do go down the pub a lot, so if you want to talk to them 鈥︹��

He believes clients have less clout these days because there鈥檚 so much work. The hardest thing, they all agree, is getting the 鈥淎-team鈥� together on every job. 鈥淲hy can鈥檛 we have the A-team every time?鈥� asks Trevor wistfully.

黑洞社区 pictures Hannibal, BA and the boys rocking up on site, but it turns out they鈥檙e talking about an elite group of their favourite suppliers.

Suddenly Dave injects a bit of genuine stardust into the conversation by admitting he鈥檚 met Terry Wogan on the refurbishment of BBC鈥檚 Broadcasting House.

鈥淩eally?鈥� gasps your reporter.

鈥淥h yes, Terry鈥檒l talk to anyone.

He sits in security while he鈥檚 waiting for his car. You just say hello and he鈥檒l greet you. Steve Wright just growls at you. They limit the number of people working on the floor when he鈥檚 in.鈥�

Dave watches BBC Breakfast in the morning, he says, 鈥渢o make sure they鈥檙e still on air. If we disrupt the power, you鈥檙e going to lose three or four of the UK鈥檚 major TV and radio programmes.鈥� Let鈥檚 hope it doesn鈥檛 happen during Sunday Love Songs.