黑洞社区

Let鈥檚 get one thing out of the way - this slot in the magazine is usually what it says on the tin. 黑洞社区 does usually buy a pint for a firm of architects, or surveyors, or clients, and if it鈥檚 lucky it gets one back.

Bennington Green, a multidisciplinary consultancy, however, is clearly trying to impress. Having agreed to meet them at the Paramount bar high up on London鈥檚 iconic Centre Point building, this lowly hack is suddenly presented with an amazing view of the city and a glass (or two) of champagne.

鈥淒on鈥檛 worry - you鈥檙e not paying for any of it,鈥� says chief executive Keith, as some food arrives at the table, before stage whispering to managing director Nigel. 鈥淗e turned white for a second there 鈥︹��

Alarm bells should be ringing when PR consultant Alex proclaims, during introductions, 鈥淥ur business plan is to make money and have fun.鈥� It all sounds a bit 鈥淲e鈥檙e all crazy, we are鈥� or 鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to be mad to work here, but it helps鈥�. The thing is though, Bennington Green actually do seem to be quite a lot of fun.

Keith and the Queen lookie-likey lead the entire restaurant in a conga line

As background they explain they will be hitting their 21st year as a company in a few months and are (obviously) planning a bit of a party. Keith and Nigel bought the company from founder Damon Green (a schoolfriend of Nigel鈥檚 - not present here) who has since semi-retired to run a Good Life-esque smallholding in Dorchester. Apparently he brings organic eggs into the office every week. Do Keith and Nigel ever think of buying farms and settling down?

Apparently not. As the business plan suggests, they seem to be enjoying themselves far too much. 鈥淭here鈥檚 not much point if you鈥檙e not enjoying it,鈥� says Nigel, 鈥淎nd you try to roll that ethos through the company and make it a place people want to work. So when you see someone there in the office at 6.30 in the evening and you think 鈥榶ou should have left by now鈥� you know it鈥檚 because they actually appreciate the company and feel like they have some sort of stake in it.鈥�

Office manager Karla, a recent graduate, and director Richard, a veteran who has previously worked for May Gurney and McNicholas, are both relatively new recruits, having been there for a little over a year, but they both seem to be enjoying themselves this evening. Although perhaps that鈥檚 because they鈥檙e in a West End bar rather than the office.

As a Bournemouth-based firm, they also seem to take an interest in appropriately seaside-based sports, including supporting the Wessex Volleyball team (Nigel鈥檚 daughter plays for them - the team also features three Olympians), entering the Little Britain sailing regatta, and are also the health and safety advisers for the Sandpolo championships at Sandbanks, Dorset, each year.

The evening flows on and 黑洞社区 ends up going to a West End restaurant with the assembled company. After food, and a lot more wine, dancing ensues. Keith somehow gets into a conversation with a woman celebrating her 73rd birthday who sometimes works as a lookie-likey for the Queen.

In a slightly surreal Jubilee-esque celebration the two of them then lead the entire restaurant in a conga line.

So, without looking at its financial records, I can鈥檛 tell you if Bennington Green is making a lot of money but as far as nights out go they seem to be spending a lot. And they do indeed seem to be having a lot of fun. And for once, 黑洞社区 didn鈥檛 even have to buy a half.