A bicycle made for two
An architect and an entrepreneur are travelling to Propski, the annual young property professionals event taking place in the French Alps during 14-21 January, by penny-farthing. Jon Beswick, who heads the firm Adventure in Architecture, and his ally in absurdity, entrepreneur Nico Cary, are embarking on a 730-mile cycle from London to the French ski resort of Tignes to join 300 mountain-top networkers this weekend. The stuntmen say the challenge is a celebration of British design, marking 150 years since the penny-farthing was invented. We say: better you than us. Don’t forget your snowchains! Follow the progress of the penny-farthings via @nicocary on Instagram and donate at https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/nico-cary
Thirsty work
After an indulgent Christmas, a dry January is a must for many in the property industry. But not everyone. Some have had quite enough and are taking a stand, including Philip Barnes, group land and planning director at Barratt Developments. “As act of rebellion against ridiculous #DryJanuary concept I have gone to pub, on my own, for the last hour of work,” he tweeted from the Diamond Inn in Ponteland, Newcastle. Cheers to that.
New year, same old story
Any hopes that property might soar in the estimations of a sceptical public appear to have been dashed in the early weeks of the new year, if the industry’s treatment by satirical websites is anything to go by. NewsBiscuit – “the news before it happens” – claims the government’s new garden villages “are really allotments”. Meanwhile, Diary’s preferred purveyor of spoof articles, the Daily Mash, discloses: “Every building in London to be a Pret A Manger by 2020.” The entirely-made-up article goes on to claim: “Pret A Manger has announced plans to open its ten millionth London branch by the end of the decade. Pret currently owns around half of all buildings in the capital, with the rest of them split between Costa, Chicken Cottage and Foxtons.” Diary suggests others adopt its own approach to 2017: head down, hoping nobody notices it quietly going about its business.
The holiday’s over
Oh, what it must be to live the life of an in-demand non-executive. Eastdil Secured, Crown Estate, Redevco, Town Centre Securities and Secure Income REIT man Ian Marcus ventured to the Antarctic over the festive break and the normally clean-shaven ex-banker has been inspired to grow a Sir Ernest Shackleton-style beard in order to keep the cold away. Now back in London and no longer trying to communicate with penguin colonies, Diary is assured that the beard is a limited edition and will soon be removed.
Making a dog’s dinner of EG
Diary was sad to hear of the lack of appreciation Benji, the dog of Peter Cunliffe, director at Acuitus, has for our hallowed organ. On delivery Benji decimated the news section of last week’s Estates Gazette but thankfully didn’t quite destroy all the content most relevant to his owner. Cunliffe tweeted: “Luckily Benji stopped before the auctions section #mydogatemyEG”.
