黑洞社区

Judging by results

Where, oh where, are Currie & Brown鈥檚 results? That is the question being whispered in the corridors and cubicles of the consultant鈥檚 London Wall home, I hear. The QS has tended to publish its figures punctually in February 鈥� except its 2006 accounts, which appeared in July 2007 and revealed a 拢2.6m loss. My moles tell me the financial director is keeping the accounts hidden from all but the most senior staff. So we won鈥檛 be the only ones checking the Companies House records with bated breath.

The case of the sneezing Chinaman

The slow spread of swine flu has largely been replaced in the public鈥檚 thoughts by the slow, agonised death of new Labour, but it is high in the mind of at least one of our readers. Bill Dunster, the eco-architect best known for BedZed, sat next to an extremely sneezy Chinese passenger on a flight to Beijing recently. Upon arrival, the authorities feared the wurst (geddit?) and packed him off to quarantine in a Chinese hostel for 24 no doubt rather terrifying hours. Thankfully, both the architect and his neighbour were given a clean bill of health and let out of the country. Dunster is now recovering from the experience, but we understand he is not bed(zed)bound.

That sinking feeling 鈥�

The latest government reorganisation 鈥� known informally as the 鈥渄eckchairs on the Titanic鈥� reshuffle 鈥� saw Jim Knight, the genial schools minister, moved to the work and pensions department. Bad news for Partnerships for Schools, which hoped to have some form of ministerial consistency during the 黑洞社区 Schools for the Future programme, but worse news for 黑洞社区 as we interviewed him for this week鈥檚 issue on his now-redundant brief. Presumably, new schools man Vernon Coaker won鈥檛 change direction entirely, so to read Knight鈥檚 interview, go to www.building.co.uk

Meccano across the Mersey

Some plucky students from the North-west are, we hear, set to build a bridge made from Meccano over a lock in Liverpool, with the help of a noted engineering consultant.

It鈥檚 all in aid of a BBC programme, apparently. Although the consultant in question said it was 鈥渟worn to secrecy鈥�, we can reveal that it is, in fact, Atkins which is digging out its old model-making kits. All we can say is that at least it isn鈥檛 Arup, which has been known for the wobbly nature of at least one of its bridges 鈥� 

John the thirst  

Although the expenses scandal has so far failed to affect the construction sector, it would be remiss of us not to point out the eating habits of John Walker, former head of English Partnerships, who spent 拢18,000 on dining out over a 20-month period. According to recently released freedom of information data, the 112 meals that Walker billed to the taxpayer included 拢1,152 spent in a Belgravia pub and 拢843 in legendary Westminster eatery Shepherd鈥檚. Walker鈥檚 guests were mainly other civil servants and government figures. Any housebuilders or regeneration chiefs out there who benefited from Walker鈥檚 taste for fine dining should let us know urgently if our money was spent wisely.

Early doors

Top brass at RAF Northolt are enjoying the redevelopment of their base, especially the new bar. And that鈥檚 not the only addition. They have bigger bedrooms, owing to Defence Estates鈥� decision to halve the number of officers in each block. Just one problem 鈥� English Heritage wouldn鈥檛 allow any of the original doors to be touched. So there are two per bedroom, one that opens, and one that doesn鈥檛. Although EH may be happy, the end users are not. Complaints have been pouring in that after a convivial evening in the new bar, finding the right door is too much of a head scratcher.

Send any juicy industry gossip to hansom@ubm.com