Pedalling nonsense
This year’s Cycle to MAPIC was a little more challenging than its two previous editions, but the cheekiness of the riders remained strong. Any property cyclist will know that banter among the peloton is par for the course and when free beers (recovery fuel, honest) are provided courtesy of Completely Group after a day in the saddle, that banter sometimes gets out of hand. When a few of the riders – they know who they are – had to leave the ride to attend to other needs (family, business, age), some (well, one, and he knows who he is) took pen to paper for a little friendly teasing. Naughty…
It’s the way he tells ’em
To the Westminster Property Association lunch, at which outgoing chair Dan Van Gelder reminded his audience of their contribution to London’s economy. “None of you knows how important you are,” he trumpeted. “Well, Mike Hussey does. The rest of you don’t.” Later his speech was interrupted by the toastmaster, who handed him a telegram. Van Gelder opened it with a flourish, betraying many hours clearly spent in front of the mirror polishing his theatrical chops. “It’s from Jeremy Corbyn,” he said, eyebrows dancing.
“Sorry I can’t be with you, I’m in St Tropez on Mike Slade’s yacht.”
Rees’s party pieces
Former City planning officer Peter Rees was never shy of sharing his opinions, and strong ones at that. In fact, his regular outbursts on topics from residential conversions to oddly named towers have become so well-rehearsed that hacks attending the annual IBP media awards were treated to a full rendition despite Rees failing to turn up to deliver his appointed after-dinner speech. Fortunately, NLA boss Peter Murray has heard Rees’s spiel so many times he was able to give an uncannily accurate impersonation.
Hashemi’s no upper crusty
Perhaps the most difficult question for panellist and Pizza Union founder Bobby Hashemi at EG’s London Question Time this week was what his favourite pizza topping was – the most ”liked” question submitted anonymously via sli.do. After some thought he said it had to be the Calabria – a spicy sausage, tomato, mozzarella and mascarpone special on offer for £5.95. Not quite the crust of the matter, but a lighter way to end the discussion.
Our cup runneth over
Here at EG Towers we pride ourselves on living and breathing property 24/7. But even we were a touch surprised to come face-to-face with a rather familiar logo on a weekend coffee run. It turns out that a certain agent has carved out its own little advertising niche courtesy of takeaway cups from one of Wandsworth’s tiniest (but most popular) cafés. Nothing quite like a Savills Sunday…
Not so hard to arrive at the Shard
In holding its client party in the viewing gallery at the Shard, SE1, Investec could be pretty sure that its invitees would know how to get to their intended destination. As one of the original lenders for the land assembly for the iconic tower, the man behind the project, Irvine Sellar, was of course made welcome. Not ones to take unnecessary risks, the Investec boys made a particular point of making sure he had forensic details to get to his intended destination – just in case he got lost. He made it safe and sound in the end and shared a beer or two with the bank’s real estate top brass Steve Cook (r) and Gary Dobson (l).
