Heel meet again
Diary does love a good wardrobe confession and at LREF last week the Crown Estate’s head of Regent Street portfolio, David Shaw, showed us that when it comes to his kicks he takes a giant step back in time.
Speaking at the New West End Company drinks reception of the undying appeal of London’s central shopping district, Shaw, a non-executive director at the BID, unabashedly wielded a retro platform heel that he purchased in the West End in the Sixties.
And don’t think for a second this particular item of foot clobber has been gathering dust ever since.
“I can assure you I was wearing these last week at a Bowie event in Regent Street,” he announced to howls of laughter.
May rocked by reduction
Brian May and his actress wife Anita Dobson accepted £25,000 by way of settlement in a row with neighbours over a basement extension. And when it came to recovering the £208,236 (including VAT) of legal costs, the Queen guitarist as good as declared “I Want It All”. But the amount was reduced to £35,000 plus VAT by costs judge Master Rowley, meaning the curly-haired couple had to make do with just a fifth of their claim. Diary likes to think that when they were informed of the decision, the judge might have told them to “Get on your biiiiicycle, biiiiiiiiicycle…”
Take a gamble for LandAid
Preparations are already under way for LandAid Day on 13 October and Palmer Capital chief executive Alex Price has helped kick off proceedings. He has given the eight Palmer-backed companies £250 each and challenged them to use the cash to make as much money as they can by LandAid Day. Diary understands Wrenbridge is a resounding last already, having made short work of the cash at Palm Beach Casino. For those of you who think you could do better, Price is offering a further two lots of £250 for two teams to invest. To take part pitch your best ideas to
amy.cummings@ palmercapital.co.uk before 8 July – just don’t suggest putting it all on red or black.
Water, water everywhere…
Widely considered one of the biggest property events in Scotland, nobody expects to have an early night at the Savills Scottish Garden Party. Drawing property professionals from all over the country, the crowd is as diverse as the drinks being served. While there was a choice of beer, wine and all manner of other alcoholic beverages, it was notable that after around 9pm (Diary’s details are slightly fuzzy) not a drop of water was to be found. In true Scottish party style, there was plenty of the stuff pouring down from the sky, but the softest tipple to be found at the drinks stand was lemonade – very seasonal indeed.
Orange is the new… orange
The redeveloped Sainsbury’s in Vauxhall, SW8, will soon open to the public, as will the first phase of flats above it in the Nine Elms Point development. This is not the first tie-up between the retailer and Barratt, so it is odd that there may have been concern over whether the right shade of orange glass was used in the shop front. Apparently it is spot on… but only when the right light hits it, and only in the morning.
Chocs away for Sir Stuart’s golden celebration
Sir Stuart and Lady Ruth Lipton’s 50th wedding anniversary bash at the Abbey Road Studios in London was a meticulously staged event for a couple of hundred family and friends and as well-constructed as anything the veteran developer has been party to. Great grub, a fab dance band and a fittingly music-inspired speech by Ruth. A deft final touch was a box of chocolate bricks given to departing guests, spelling out “Ruth & Stuart 50 Years” and containing another show-stopper in the form of a picture – from many years ago – of the latter in shorts and the former in a bikini.
