Charles Kennedy spills the beans on how he winds up John Prescott, we find out why Zizou will never get ahead, batty ways to stop planning approval, and a lady鈥檚 honour is rescued by some quick thinking
Zizou, Marco and the BCSA
It must be difficult trying to put together a speech that relates the British Constructional Steelwork Association to popular culture. But even so, the effort from Martin Neillson, chairman of the Association of Consulting , at the BSCA annual lunch last week was more than a little bewildering.
鈥淚 can tell you the real reason for Zinedine Zidane鈥檚 annoyance the other day,鈥 Neillson began promisingly, before swiftly bringing an end to the murmur of excitement that was spreading throughout his audience: 鈥淚t was because he didn鈥檛 get an invite to today鈥檚 lunch.鈥 Nobody told us Marco Materazzi was in charge of the invites: nice to see world-class footballers are doing their bit for the industry.
The perils of fame
My colleague Emily Wright enjoyed her cover-girl status last week, but not as much as some of her contacts. At a red wine-fuelled lunch, one keen 鈥 perhaps slightly too keen 鈥 building surveyor rather brazenly requested that she sign his personal copy of 黑洞社区 with the message, 鈥淵ou鈥檙e the best I鈥檝e ever had.鈥 She politely declined and instead scrawled a more wholesome 鈥淭hanks for lunch.鈥
No trouble in Paradise
Developer Grosvenor Estates has been quick to dismiss speculation that Laing O鈥橰ourke is about to leave the massive Paradise Street regeneration scheme in Liverpool after completing its first phase. Despite Balfour Beatty, David McLean and Pierse Contracting having been contracted to carry out 鈥渋ndependent site contracts鈥, project director Rod Holmes assures us this was 鈥渆nvisaged from the outset鈥. Laing O鈥橰ourke, he adds, which was appointed under a framework agreement for the whole project, will be overseeing a further batch of contracts currently going out to tender.
Gondoliers wanted
Cabbies are known for having, how shall I put it, a colourful view of life. My colleague was surprised therefore to hear that Bradford regeneration bosses are recruiting the city鈥檚 cab drivers to sing the praises of their radical Will Alsop-inspired redevelopment plans. Given the disruption that building Alsop鈥檚 plans, which include running a new canal through the city centre, are going to cause to Bradford鈥檚 road network, I wonder whether cabbies will be the best ambassadors 鈥
Just trying to be friendly
Former Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has had his fair share of problems of late, but at least he has managed to remain cheerful throughout. Speaking at the Heating and Ventilating Contractors Association annual dinner last Thursday, Kennedy gave a fresh insight into that cheerful persona. Reflecting on John Prescott鈥檚 current difficulties, Kennedy confided: 鈥淛ohn doesn鈥檛 really like Lib Dems 鈥 I鈥檝e always made a point of being extremely over-friendly to him, as it winds him up.鈥
Postscript
If you have any industry stories to tell us, or photographs you鈥檇 like to share, please write to: The editor, 黑洞社区, 8th floor, Ludgate House, 245 Blackfriars Road, London SE1 9UY. Fax 020-7560 4004 Email hansom@cmpi.biz
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