The Diary

JLL Who?

2013-04-24T12:43:22Z

It is fair to say that we all hate our jobs from time to time. Sometimes you really just want to turn around to your boss and give them what for. But you can't always do that. Now, Diary is not saying that the owner of this car has or does work for one of the world's largest agents, but if he (no self-respecting woman would drive a Volvo, or have it be this dirty, surely) does/did, point made.

Groping Gormley

2013-03-27T09:38:26Z

Who knew cast iron was such a turn-on? The property managers at Regent's Place in Euston have noticed something strange about the two nude Anthony Gormely statues that make up one of the site's major art installations - The Reflection. The statues - which were modelled on the artist's own body - have notably smoother patches on the more intimate areas of the anatomy as passer's by seem unable to keep their hands to themselves. The outside statue in particular - the two mirror one another through the window of 350 Euston Road - requires regular wipe downs to remove finger prints and hand marks from the buttock region. "Sometimes we have to polish the other side," said one Regent's Place tenant in hushed tones. "People quite often reach around to the front too."

Boris and his Daily Dozen

2013-03-08T09:59:09Z

Property spinners are notorious for weasling meaningless quotes into press releases which usually offer such radical insights as someone being "delighted" to have been instructed to sell a building. It is a minor annoyance but one they often get away with given the desire to report at least something from the horse's mouth.

But diary took exception to one release in particular this week which offered no less than 13 "insightful" comments on just how exciting a missive it was.

So hats off to the Southbank centre for really pushing the boat out and making sure no one could be in any doubt of the truly delighting news that it had unveiled plans for an overhaul.

As well as hearing that London Mayor Boris Johnson was "delighted" at the plans, journalists were offered the views of:

Alan Bishop, Chief Executive of Southbank Centre

Jude Kelly, Artistic Director of Southbank Centre

Peter Clegg, Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios

Alan Davey, Arts Council England's Chief Executive

Rick Mather, Southbank Centre's Masterplan Architect

Lib Peck, Leader of the Lambeth Council

Kate Hoey, MP for Vauxhall

Valerie Shawcross AM, London Assembly Member, Lambeth & Southwark

Simon Hickman, Inspector of Historic Buildings and Areas at English Heritage

Paul Finch, Chair, Design Council Cabe

Graham Morrison, Partner of Allies and Morrison Architects

Dennis Crompton, one of the original architects involved in the design of the Hayward Gallery

Coffee Break

2013-02-21T10:32:10Z

It's a confident auctioneer who asks bidders to leave the room and come back later. But that's what happened at Savills' February auction when auctioneer Chris Coleman-Smith gently suggested a coffee break to some of his eager buyers. "If you're here for Lot 80 it's going to be a couple of hours," Coleman-Smith said. "Go to Starbucks, go and have a coffee, that's what I'd recommend." The London Marriott Hotel, Grosvenor Square - Savills' brand new auction venue - was strictly standing room only at the time, so Diary assumes it was a comfort, rather than commercial, suggestion.

Still way off a reaching the Pinnacle ...

2013-02-20T12:38:23Z

How long before we see action at the Pinnacle? Diary has picked up a fresh clue...

Brookfield Multiplex, the company's construction arm tasked with building the £1bn tower, recently won another tower job in London. It is now on site delivering the 317,000 sq ft Aldgate Tower which recently secured the £85.5m needed to ensure a speculative start. Curiously, the contract to build the tower had been awarded to another contractor, Sir Robert McAlpine, but somewhere along the line it was handed over to Brookfield. And it turns out the crack Brookfield team that's been drafted in is the very same as the one enlisted to build the Pinnacle. Clearly they weren't expecting to be busy for quite some time...

Lonely hearts and empty spaces this Feb 14th...

2013-02-12T12:55:18Z

The diary blog is back in a shower of rose petals and fluffy teddies.

In the spirit of Valentine's Day, I have some gifts to offer - three bottles of champagne and, even more exciting, a personalised love poem. Yes indeed.

To win, all you need to do is spare a thought in the lead up to this February 14th dear readers for all those lonely, empty buildings out there unable to find true love.

From those with no suitors on the horizon to the high maintenance, expensive structures scaring lovers away, we will be publishing three Lonely Hearts with a twist every day until Thursday.

If you can guess all nine, we will pick three lucky winners out at random to be delivered a bottle of bubbly on the day of all things romantic/cripplingly disappointing.

We would also love to read your very own Lonely Hearts and the writer of the best one will be sent their own, personalised love poem.

So, introducing our first trio of sad singletons...

12/02/2013

Busty Uruguayan looking for love in London, my top heavy looks should insure your interest. I like walks and talks and can sing like a canary. My ideal man would be from the Pru. Allergic to cheese.

US internet sensation WLTM multiple generously proportioned partners - say three or four - to add to my eight existing UK 'bits on the side'. I am quite a big deal but a little shy for now and would appreciate it if we could keep our liaisons out of the media spotlight. Perhaps in time I will shed my inhibitions.

Although I have a serious suitor waiting in the wings, there is still more of me to give. I am new to the UK's second city and, if I say so myself, am a trophy good enough for anyone's shelf. I may give off a chilly impression but am warm-hearted. My ideal match would have a GSOH and must love trains

13/02/2013

And now for three more as promised...

My friends have nicknamed me the stealth bomber becuase I stand relatively discretely among my City slicker neighbours. I work all week - including weekends - but don't let that put you off. I can still show you a good time wining and dining you at the latest celebrity restaurants including Barbecoa and Bread Street Kitchen

I have been a little indecisive of late and have somewhat fallen out of love. I am in need of a quick fix beucase the current beau in Charlotte Street has told me to pack my bags. Looking for a big boy - say 150,000 sq ft) in the West End where us media types like to schmooze the days, and nights, away

Tall, angular Londoner with Italian roots looking for love in the big city. I am head and shoulders above the rest and promise to show you the very best of the capital. I have no problem attracting interest and attention, just getting someone, anyone, to commit. I do have a degree of international fame but don't be put off. I just wnat to meet the right person to melt the shard of glass in my heart

And finally the day has arrived....Happy Valentine's Day and here's our last three lonely hearts for you:

Lonely patriarch WLTM God-fearing, animal-loving wife for nights in sheltering from lashing rain and the wrath of the Almighty. Have been single for some time. Could you be the Mrs Noah I've been waiting for?

Flash but often unnoticed Northerner looking for something more long-term. I've had lots of short-term relationships but quite a few have ended in them moving out after a couple of years.I still have (p)lots to give and ideally would like to meet someone in the banking or finance sector, for chats, walks by the River Irwell and a 25-year lease paying £30 a sq ft or more. I might sell you out to a German shortly after you move your things in though. No time wasters.

I'm partial to Maple Syrup, moose and Mounties but will happily give these up for the right (deep-pocketed) mate. Just back on the market after breaking up with my (sometimes problematic) long term partner, I'm quietly confident my prime central London address and flexible outlook will have international suitors lining up around the corner.

Please send your own Lonely Hearts entires in by commenting below or by emailing emily.wright@estatesgazette.com

Wheelie good sheds

2013-01-29T11:59:23Z

It is fair to say that warehouses are not the most compelling subject matter for an entertaining video.
But boy do the folks at River Film Communication prove that wrong with their promo video for Goya Developments's and Scottish Widows Investment Partnership's 163,000 sq ft Central Park scheme at Park Royal, NW10.
Starring all the agents on the scheme, the video kicks off in a style akin to a Quentin Tarantino blockbuster introducing the main features of the speculative development as if they were characters in a film.
Then it cranks up a notch when a BMX rider bursts from the back of a lorry to carry out a series of stunts highlighting the multi-let scheme's best features.
Diary's highlight has to be the rider flushing the plush new toilets with his front tyre - it's wheelie good!

Click here to watch the video and judge for yourselves.

Fifty Shades of... builders

2012-07-12T12:59:38Z

With all the hype about "mummy porn" bestseller "Fifty Shades of Grey," Diary was particularly amused to see tradesmen and builders website mybuilder.com came up with its own video spin off.

Enjoy...

Olympic residents' missile claim 'shot down' in high court

2012-07-10T14:24:06Z

Spare a thought for those poor old tenants of Fred Wigg Tower in Leytonstone, east London.

The tower block residents today lost their high court challenge to a decision to allow the government to station surface-to-air missiles on their roof during the Olympic Games .

The council tenants had claimed that their human rights had been breached by plans to install the air defence system, arguing that they were not consulted properly.

They sought to persuade Haddon-Cave J to order the Secretary of State for Defence to instead install the Ground Based Air Defence (GBAD) High Velocity Missile (HVM) systems atop a specially constructed tower, or provide hotel accommodation for tower block residents who do not wish to live there during the Olympics.

However, the judge ruled that the residents were "under something of misapprehension" both as to the nature of the equipment, which he said "is not highly explosive", and the extent of the risk of terrorist attacks on the building that it poses.

Refusing them permission for a judicial review, he said: "The establishment of an air security program involving the application of the GBAD system is essential to the protection of the 2012 Olympics."

He said that their grounds of challenge were not arguable, and that they had failed to bring their claim promptly after being informed of the plans in April.

He added: "The exercise of the Crown's discretion has clearly been carried out in accordance with law.

"The proportionality of the deployment is overwhelming."

Shard opens 38 years after Towering Inferno movie became box office smash

2012-07-05T10:35:23Z

Not only is the Shard opening tonight but Diary couldn't help noticing that it's almost 38 years since one of the world's best property themed movies opened in screens around the world, The Towering Inferno.

Starring Steve McQueen and Paul Newman, the film tells the story of architect Doug Roberts who returns to San Francisco for the dedication of the Glass Tower which he designed for property tycoon James Duncan. Stretching to 138 stories (1,800 ft) the scheme is the world's tallest building.

The movie goes on to show how during a dedication ceremony on the 135th floor to which all of the city's highest profile dignitaries and celebrities, a fire is discovered, and it all goes down hill from there.

Let's hope that, for the great and the good joining Prince Andrew, the Prime Minister of Qatar and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra don't suffer anything like that.

But for those of us with fond memories of the cult disaster movie, here's a few quotes;

James Duncan: Is everything under control?
Chief O'Hallorhan: You have to move all these people out of here right now.
James Duncan: Oh, come on. Now just how bad is it?
Chief O'Hallorhan: It's a fire, mister, and all fires are bad

Senator Parker: At this rate it's going to take a couple of hours to get everyone down. So, I would suggest that those of us with stout hearts and trim waistlines start using the stairs.
James Duncan: That's 135 floors.
Senator Parker: All downhill

Chief O'Hallorhan: You know we were pretty lucky tonight, body count's less then 200. You know, one of these days, you're gonna kill 10,000 in one of these firetraps, and I'm gonna keep eating smoke and carrying out bodies until someone asks us... how to build them.
Doug Roberts: Ok, I'm asking.
Chief O'Hallorhan: You know where to reach me.

Tee for two around London's Gherkin.

2012-06-01T10:19:36Z

What's this? It looks like a small scale replica of London's Gherkin made of cake and used as part of a crazy golf course.

And that's exactly what it is. Selfridges has opened a rooftop tea and golf party this summer on top of its Oxford Street store.

The 9-hole, 2,500sqft crazy golf course is designed by British jellymongers and food architects, Sam Bompas and Harry Parr of Bompas & Parr.

The course has been designed to look like a giant display of cakes, one for each hole, representing famous London landmarks. Participants will be challenged to conquer Buckingham Palace (hole #7), St. Paul's Cathedral (hole #4) and Tower Bridge (hole #6), all clad in fondant and piped icing. Even the bunkers are made of cake-stands.

Now that's crazy.

A Right Royal Queen of Shops

2012-05-10T10:39:04Z

It must be tough being a self proclaimed Queen of Shops.

As well as implementing her plans to revitalise the UK's high streets, Mary Portas has been busy recently designing footwear for Clarks, clothing for House of Fraser, and fronting a knicker manufacturing programme for Channel Four.

With such exposure, it's easy to see why Jonny Woo finds her such a great subject. Check out his video here. Even Portas enjoyed his impressions of her. "My team thinks it's hilarious," she said.

More Floors for a Good Cause

2012-04-26T15:40:16Z

Phones 4U founder John Caudwell threw down a gauntlet to Westminster council this week when he launched his Thin Air Foundation aimed at tackling social deprivation issues in London. Caudwell, who bought the UK's most expensive car park in South Audley Street, Mayfair, from Irish bad bank NAMA in October for £155m, says that if Westminster council allows him to build two further floors to his already consented scheme for 24 flats, he'll give the extra money they generate to charidee. "Imagine if the planners were to be allowed to flex their rules, in London alone the extra revenue for good causes could be hundreds of millions of pounds a year. The lives of thousands of vulnerable people would be transformed," said Caudwell. Asked whether it would bend the rules for Caudwell, a Westminster spokesman declined to comment. Shame

Karma Completion

2012-04-19T11:00:18Z

MEPC has been busy trying to secure the pre-lets that might allow it to build out the next phase of its 22-acre Wellington Place business campus in Leeds. Visitors to the developer's website might then be forgiven for thinking that it has sought spiritual guidance in the hope of finding a new tenant. 'The Dalai Lama is coming to Wellington Place' reads a headline on the site. It turns out that the Tibetan spiritual leader will be the keynote speaker at this summer's Yorkshire International Business Convention, to be held in a purpose-built marquee at Wellington Place. The Dalai Lama will be discussing ethics in business as part of the spiritual leader's UK tour. Om...

Lawyers go to the bar

2012-03-30T12:36:30Z

Liverpool-based law firm BMD:Law was so fond of its local pub that it has decided to move in. The legal practice is moving from Picton Road, Wavertree to The Lamb public house on High Street, Wavertree, after acquiring the Grade II listed building and local landmark for an undisclosed sum. Colliers International secured the sale of The Lamb to Bernadette McDonald, the founder and principal solicitor of BMD:Law, on behalf of the freeholder Punch Taverns. McDonald said: "The building is not only historically important and impressive in its own right but also has strong emotional ties for me because my parents, grandparents and great grandparents all lived within sight of The Lamb and it was a long-running family joke that we would never move far away."