We knew whodunnit
In case you missed it, the new three-part Agatha Christie drama And Then There Were None aired over the Christmas break. Kicking off on Boxing Day, observant viewers might have noticed some key scenes through their post-Christmas fatigue. Why? Because EGTV went behind the scenes on the set this summer as part of an investigation into the benefits of renting out empty property for filming. EG had exclusive access, rubbing shoulders with Game of Thrones star Charles Dance and an only-sporadically dressed Douglas Booth along with some bloodied props, which Diary can assure you were just as scary on set as on screen. Watch the video below.
Jumping the planning hurdle
It can get chilly in January, and it is important to keep warm and protected from the elements. This applies to our animal friends too. Check out this dedication to equine well-being. A farmer in Doellstaedt, Germany, was denied planning permission to build a shelter for horses in one of his fields. Undeterred, and clearly a nifty carpenter, he knocked up some oversized tables and chairs to keep the animals dry. Why? It turns out that in Germany you don’t need planning permission to build furniture.
The right direction?
While being ushered to dinner at the notorious Industrial Agents Society annual dinner last month, Diary took a moment to consider the items up for auction. Without wishing to typecast or make assumptions, we were surprised to see a record and signed photo of swoon-worthy boy band 1D – previously known as One Direction – among the football shirts and days out. As the evening progressed, Diary considered – with the aid of wine and port – what the favourite 1D song would be of the average shedshifter: “One warehouse or another”? “Best shed ever”? If you get the references you are obviously a true Directioner, as the band’s fans like to be known, apparently.
Bill keeps them awake
Sensible bedtimes go out of the window at Christmas as 11am lie-ins (offspring dependent) become the norm – making the first day back at work a huge shock. Diary assumes the report stage of the Housing and Planning Bill in the House of Commons was scheduled to fit with ministers’ festive timeframes as the five-hour reading was scheduled on Monday between 9pm and 2am. Nothing says happy new year like pulling an all-nighter to sift through a 145-page bill, with 65 pages of new clauses and amendments.
Star leaves Diary speechless
Diary’s festive season reached its apex with an encounter with a certain cake-baking octogenarian. The property industry’s Story Of Christmas charity event at St George’s Church in Mayfair, W1, has attracted numerous celebrity participants over the years, but Benedict Cumberbatch, Emma Watson and Charles Dance have nothing on Mary Berry. The queen of cakes stole the show in a bejewelled ball gown and we could not have been more excited to run into her at the sinks in the ladies’ loo at the Dorchester hotel for the accompanying champagne reception. Did we say hello? Of course we didn’t. Faced with a true A-lister, Diary’s cakehole stayed uncharacteristically shut. We didn’t even get any Christmas cake tips. #epicbakefail
Screen grab
The property industry has always had a close affinity to the art world and Levy Real Estate is keeping up that trend by allowing its boardroom to be used for an installation by Newcastle-based studio NOVAK. Levy’s office will host a light projector that will beam this rather colourful image of Sir Michael Caine onto BAFTA’s grand headquarters on Piccadilly over the road next week. And what to do while your boardroom is invaded? Why, invite round some clients for a few glasses of bubbles of course.
