The sun sets on the first day of MIPIM 2009 and everyone was talking about how much quieter it is. One prominent London developer, and I'll spare his blushes by not naming him, described it bluntly as "f***ing quiet".
There is less of everything: people, marquees, branded cafés and hotels. The public sector seem to be the ones waving the biggest flags but as Boris Johnson and Sir Howard Bernstein have both said in their own way: "how can you promote your city if you aren't here?".
Boris has provided much of the entertainment for the day choosing to deliver part of his speech to the guests assembled at the LDA drinks in French. He also pointed out that with the current exchange rate a meal at two star restaurant in Cannes would cost you €80 while the same meal in a similar restaurant in London would cost €25. I'm not sure he took into account MIPIM inflation though.
Overall the atmosphere has been a lot more serious and about getting as many bangs for your MIPIM buck as possible.
Value is even being squeezed out of the celebrity with Bradford Regeneration favourite Linda Barker - of Changing Rooms fame - required to work the stand in the bunker this year rather than swan around the airier and more pleasant apartment.
Wednesday is normally the day when MIPIM reaches its peak but on today's performance I think is going to be more of a Scarfel Pike than Kilamanjaro.
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