Sharper-eyed readers may have noticed a bit of a theme to this week’s EG. Diary certainly wasn’t going to be left out so, once we’d Googled to check what COP26 actually is, we eagerly took the baton. Thankfully, our colleagues and contributors have dutifully handled the serious side of the climate crisis. You’ve come to Diary for a touch of light relief, and perhaps a bit of spectacle. It turns out that Boris Johnson isn’t the only lumbering, hairy beast to have gone green this week – the “iconic” DunBear, fittingly located at DunBear Park, Dunbar, has taken on an emerald hue as a show of support for COP26, some 75 miles away in Glasgow. The typically brown, five-metre high steel sculpture, designed by Andy Scott, is the focal point of the low-carbon, mixed-use development located beside the A1 at Dunbar. According to Ken Ross of Hallhill Developments: “The DunBear has become a much-loved piece of public art, well-visited by the local community and drawing visitors to the area and into Dunbar itself to find out more about John Muir, the pioneering naturalist and conservationist which it is a tribute to. It not only celebrates the work of one man but also reminds us that we can each make a positive contribution to climate change and reduce global warming for future generations.” You’ll be delighted to know that the lights are powered by on-site solar panels, making it greener than the average bear.
Good COP, bad COP
Everyone, it seems, wants to have their say on climate matters this week. A rough-and-ready search of our inbox for “COP26” shows 46 results so far, and they’re still flooding in. Brindleyplace, we are told, is “leading the way in Birmingham with green initiatives that are shaping the future for those that work in and visit the city centre”. Placemaking specialist Countryside has announced the launch of its net zero strategy, following its 25-target sustainability approach earlier this year. Lena Jüngst, co-founder of refillable drinks bottle Air Up, wants to discuss the wonders of “retronasal smell”, which apparently provides “a new and fascinating way to taste”. Diary applauds each and every one of them, as any move towards a greener future is a ray of hope after all. But, with every text-based e-mail said to emit about four grams of carbon dioxide equivalent, one wonders if the footprint of press releases should be high on the COP26 agenda.
A fair COP
Major kudos to writer and designer Richard Littler – the genius behind fictional northern town Scarfolk – for spotting that the COP26 logo and font “look like the name of a gritty British 1970s police/crime TV drama”. Diary would watch the heck out of COP26. Somebody get it on our screens… before it’s too late.
Reindeer games
Well, Halloween has been and gone, so it must be time for the Christmas countdown to begin. Diary went past a house on 1 November and a tree was lit up in the living room – before the pumpkins have even started to rot. Meanwhile, online auctioneer 574 has us in the festive spirit with news of its December sale, featuring eight units in the heart of Worcester… in the delightfully named Reindeer Court. Guide prices for each unit in the “popular retail area” are between £50,000 and £135,000 – what better gift for the property investor in your life?
That’s a spicy meatball
Diary doesn’t often share news from “professional kitchen experts”, but when analysis of a major real estate story is as insightful as that of Maxima Kitchen Equipment, we feel an obligation to pass it on. In the days following last week’s news that Ikea has bought the former Topshop flagship on Oxford Street for £378m, online searches for Ikea’s famous meatballs apparently “exploded 669%”. Remarkable. An anonymous, but easily pleased, spokesperson for Maxima said it was “fascinating” to see the surge in interest for the famous foodstuff, adding: “With the news that Ikea will be based in the heart of the UK’s most popular shopping street, it will be interesting to see if
there is a rise in Swedish cuisine in the surrounding areas.” Judging by the online interest, one can only imagine the queues on opening day leading all the way to Tottenham Court Road.
