Keepie up PPA
Members of the Portsmouth Property Association have taken time out from the property game to invest in the beautiful game, spending £2,000 on community shares in the trust that runs Portsmouth FC. Pompey, the largest fan-owned club in England, has announced it is now officially debt free thanks, in part, to supporters including those generous real estate types at the PPA. Pompey’s chief executive Mark Catlin said: “The backing of fans, such as the PPA, is like having a 12th man on the field at Fratton Park.” Let’s hope their presence is felt when the team plays Plymouth Argyle this Saturday.
Arachnid’s unwelcome advance
Electrifying as the discussion was, it wasn’t just the panel debate at Estates Gazette’s latest Question Time in Manchester last week that got the audience excited (p80). An already lively discussion was nearly thrown into turmoil when a large arachnid darted towards the front row and in between the legs of several horrified listeners. However, the fear of interrupting Sir Howard Bernstein as he riffed on the need to revalue business rates clearly outweighed any arachnophobia in the audience. In what can only be described as a heroic effort, both Diary and a team of Mills & Reeve lawyers managed to overpower the beast, with a minimum of uproar. Now we know why everyone’s always afraid to sit at the front…
Architects face the face
If there’s one thing that architects do best, it is creativity. And property is all about creativity, right? Last Friday’s Architect’s Ball raised cash for Maggie’s, a network of drop-in centres for people affected by cancer, and was organised as a masked ball. What happens when you tell creatives they can wear masks? Well, alongside the classic Venetian-style face furniture was a Captain America mask, fox masks and, for the sustainability-minded, a headdress/mask made of plastic milk bottles.
Ref allows late substitution
More sporting diary fodder now. It’s not uncommon for leaders in their field to take to the golf course after retirement. But few have the competitive pedigree of former World Cup and Premier League referee Graham Poll, whom Linden Homes managed to rope in for its latest charity day. Poll – who infamously gave a Croatian player three yellow cards before sending him off during the 2006 World Cup in Germany – was one of more than 200 guests attending the event, which was expected to raise around £15,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital. Despite his mistake, Poll has also been named “the best referee” of the past quarter-century. Could this be the first step in a new career?
That hunk on the next street
When you find out that the love interest you’ve been pursuing over dating app Tinder (ask a younger, single colleague) for the past fortnight is in fact your property lawyer, it’s probably time to re-assess your wooing technique. That’s what one homebuyer, who will remain nameless, discovered this week. Apps are a great way of connecting people, but here is proof that you never quite know whom you might be flirting with. That hasn’t put off Viridian Housing Association, though. It is currently building a prototype app called Move Maker by replicating Tinder’s interface, where users swipe right for yes and left for no. But rather than potential partners (or indeed property lawyers) it will help tenants to find new homes in the area that they like. Or not. Just swipe left.
From pie to soup? Hallelujah!
After the presentation of the lifetime achievement awards at this year’s annual BPF dinner, a gospel choir took to the stage belting out Oh Happy Day, Ain’t no Mountain High Enough and other classics. After a few confused expressions, the guests at London’s Landmark hotel quickly became more energetic than Diary has seen property types be at a black tie event for a while. “Gosh, everyone is here late, aren’t they,” said Liz Peace, surveying the room as the rhythmic clapping got louder. “It must be the choir.” Well, it certainly wasn’t the earlier “soup en croute” – delicious but confusing. “They need to decide if this is a pie or a soup,” said one guest. “Because I am struggling with the decision between spoon and fork.”
Move over Boris
There is a new bike in town. Presenting the Ben bike, a 60th birthday present to Strettons director Benjamin Tobin from his team. The birthday boy has decided to share the love and will let staff use his new mode of transport to do viewings. Expect to see this fine specimen zipping through central London streets in the near future.
