黑洞社区

First of all an apology is in order. I had been rather snearing about GIA鈥檚 original venue suggestion 鈥� an outlet of the coffee chain Benugo. I told the hapless PR that 黑洞社区 journalists buy PINTS not skinny lattes, and besides, we had a Benugo franchise in our office building and I didn鈥檛 want to spend an evening in one. I insisted GIA choose a new venue. They came up with Ping Pong, a perfectly nice lounge bar near the Festival Hall on London鈥檚 South Bank. 鈥淭hank God for that,鈥� I thought.

I now know why they chose Benugo. The other night I popped into the British Film Institute (BFI) on the South Bank and discovered a great new bar with a great interior, good music, and an intelligent crowd. It was called Benugo Bar & Grill and it was the venue GIA had originally chosen.

I imagine GIA would have felt at home at the BFI bar. I鈥檇 never seen such an attractive, well groomed bunch of surveyors. Some of GIA鈥檚 work involves resolving disputes 鈥� being attractive probably helps soothe the pain.

鈥淲e get involved in neighbourly matters,鈥� explains Shirley euphemistically. 鈥淲e advise developers on their obligations regarding party walls.鈥�

Disputes may arise if developers put scaffolding up without advising neighbours or, in the case of the Pinnacle, when vibrations caused by demolition cause disturbance.

At this point Stuart introduces a shocking revelation. 鈥淚 have terrible neighbours. One of them stuck an axe in another one recently.鈥�

Suddenly, rights of light disputes sound less important. 鈥淚t鈥檚 in the Camden Journal. He鈥檚 on life support. It was only after they鈥檇 done a scan and realised he wouldn鈥檛 die that they let me go back to my house.鈥�

So, obvious next question from Mark: have you considered leaving London? 鈥淣o plans. You have to live on top of each other in London, but there鈥檚 lots of pluses as well.鈥�

Everybody agrees, especially Michelle who鈥檚 only just moved down from Yorkshire. 鈥淚 love the bustle and the diversity. I can鈥檛 see myself leaving,鈥� she says. Obviously the axeman hasn鈥檛 visited her neighbourhood yet.

Listening to the range of perks GIA offers their workers I begin to understand Michelle鈥檚 enthusiasm. As well as pool tables and computer games in the office, there鈥檚 also an imaginative range of company awaydays from conservation work to band nights and putting on plays.

No wonder they鈥檝e managed to attract an ex-TV presenter, a model and a nuclear scientist to their staff. 鈥淚t鈥檚 about recruiting high-calibre individuals,鈥� says Ingram.

Hart goes further and I think expresses the essence of what GIA are about. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to make building surveying sexy.鈥� And why shouldn鈥檛 they?