黑洞社区

What鈥檚 that in old money?

There were sighs of relief all round last week as the RICS鈥� long-awaited New Rules of Measurement dragged the noble QS profession into the 21st century. No longer, the authors cried, would varied and archaic measurements befuddle poor clients struggling to understand project estimates. Surprising, then, to see the choice of front cover for the 拢45, 300-page document: a picture of a surveyor鈥檚 plan measured in good old-fashioned feet and inches.

And now, by video link

Most of the architects in the room at the 黑洞社区 Awards congregated at Allford Hall Monaghan Morris鈥� table after the gongs were handed out to congratulate the firm on winning three of them. Farshid Moussavi of Foreign Office Architects was in particularly sprightly form, despite having just run into a bit of visa trouble in the US. She had landed a prestigious gig to lecture at Harvard, but the zealous chaps at the US Customs decided the Iran-born architect shouldn鈥檛 get permission to work in their fair land. Sadly, the cancellation didn鈥檛 get round Harvard in time, and a roomful of students turned up to hear her talk while she was stuck on the other side of the Atlantic. So much for being a Foreign Office.

Shard of wit

Bernard Ainsworth, the man charged with project managing the Shard for developer Irvine Sellar, was on great form at the 黑洞社区 Awards last week. We thought he鈥檇 be less than keen on chatting to 黑洞社区 journos 鈥� especially since one of my colleagues had been badgering him in person at his office that very day. On the contrary, he was all too happy to talk. The reason? Apparently, the Shard is in need of more column inches. 鈥淲e need to raise our profile,鈥� he said. Erm 鈥� really? Surely that couldn鈥檛 be a hint of sarcasm from the genial Lancastrian?

Big-league housebuilder

Redrow founder Steve Morgan has been quick to start his City charm offensive after he stormed the housebuilder鈥檚 boardroom last month to seize the top job. The charismatic Wolverhampton FC owner, whose high expletive count has apparently made some in the Square Mile uneasy, is understood to be pondering taking the company private. 鈥淲here would he get the cash?鈥� I hear you ask. One City wag suggested the answer may lie on the football pitch. Wolves are currently looking good for promotion into the Premiership next season and, if successful, the club would presumably be worth more than the 拢10 Morgan paid for it in May 2007. Given its history of yo-yoing between the top two flights of English football, he鈥檇 better not hang around.

Bring out the violins

The director of the UK Contractors鈥� Group Stephen Ratcliffe is known for his ability to bring a cultural edge to the contracting industry. What is maybe less well known is the action he is taking to help other UKCG employees follow their own creative journeys. He has recently taken to accompanying his deputy director鈥檚 violin practice on the piano to get her through her grade II exams (she passed with flying colours) and updating the bosses of major contractors on her progress. It must be the stress of the recession 鈥� I guess for some a recourse to music is the only answer.

You win some, you lose some

Hats off to 黑洞社区鈥檚 racing tipster Stef Stefanou, whose recommendation on these pages for this year鈥檚 Grand National bore fruit. Yes, State of Play romped home in fourth place at the weekend, meaning anyone who placed a 拢10 each-way bet at 14-1 would have pocketed 拢45. Very many thanks to the sage concrete mogul. My own decision to invest in Offshore Account (25-1) met with little success. After the strict tax haven regulations drawn up at last week鈥檚 G20 meeting I wonder if that might soon be the case for some of you, too 鈥�