黑洞社区

Seeing red

I doff my hat to architect , who this week became Bristol鈥檚 first mayor. But was the former RIBA president鈥檚 election victory down to his red trousers? They do seem to capture a certain zeitgeist. There鈥檚 the acclaimed blog 鈥淟ook at my fucking red trousers鈥�, which celebrates the 鈥渢he vibrant and burgeoning red-trousered communities of London and elsewhere鈥� and features Ferguson among others. Then there are the less positive musings of Guardian columnist Hadley Freeman, who wrote this month: 鈥淩ed trousers are associated in this country with braying poshos on the King鈥檚 Road, utterly devoid of self-awareness but wealthy in idiocy.鈥� Bristol voters clearly beg to differ.

What鈥檚 in a name?

Former Labour communications tsar Alastair Campbell was enlisted to address delegates at this week鈥檚 Autodesk BIM conference. Campbell was the first to admit he wasn鈥檛 an expert on BIM, but he does know how to change an organisation. His advice? Formulate a strategy and stick to it regardless of the critics. The way to cope with negative comments is to ignore them, he said. But it seems this doesn鈥檛 apply to Twitter. Campbell lambasted tweeters for misspelling his name in tweets projected onto a wall behind him, prompting one to write back mischievously: 鈥淪orry Alistair [sic] for misspelling your name.鈥�

Two of a kind

Gleeds and 黑洞社区 enjoyed an evening at the New Comedian of the Year 2012 semi-final last week. Sadly, there wasn鈥檛 another star turn by 2011 stand-out performer Gleeds chief executive Richard Steer, who last year was called to the stage to inhale from a helium balloon and read out verses of Shakespeare. But there was some interaction between the comedian and the Gleeds and 黑洞社区 staff - unwisely sitting in the front row. One pointed out the striking resemblance between Gleeds partner John Murray and eccentric Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman. Come to think of it, have they ever been seen in the same room?

Driven away

Construction isn鈥檛 just about projects like the Shard or the Olympic park - it鈥檚 about extensions, conservatories and the near-mythical white van man. Which is why I鈥檓 distressed to learn from insurance company Commercial Vehicle Direct that the last of these are 鈥渄ying out鈥�. A survey of 1,300 van drivers found the rising cost of motoring was forcing a third to consider other occupations. The firm also found only 4% of 17 to 29-year-olds were choosing trades that required them to drive a van. Pedestrians will no doubt miss being hailed in the street with 鈥渙i oi鈥� or worse.

Ice work (if you can get it)

Builders鈥� merchant Travis Perkins has donated 拢10,000 worth of materials to 鈥淭he Coldest Journey鈥� - the first-ever Antarctica crossing to be attempted during the polar winter, led by Sir Ranulph Fiennes. The materials will be used to build sledge-mounted living quarters, called 鈥渃abooses鈥�, which will be used in temperatures as low as -90掳C. The team embarks on the 2,000-mile journey on 6 December. It aims to raise 拢6m for Seeing is Believing, a charity that tackles avoidable blindness. I hope Travis Perkins has provided insulation.

Send any juicy industry gossip to hansom@ubm.com