Thu 1 Nov 2007
Coffee mate
I have a reader. How else can I explain the letter from Linden Homes land buyer Christopher Knight, who very kindly sent me a Linden coaster "upon which to rest your Grande Caramel Macchiato".
This was in response to my piece about being served a coffee on a George Wimpey coaster, despite the Taylor Wimpey merger. "The Linden coaster makes a stylish and unique edition to any desk and is no doubt far superior to any similar offering from Taylor Wimpey," said Knight.
Little does Knight know that the Taylor Wimpey giant now has its eye on Galliford Try (buyers of Linden earlier this year) and coaster criticism will be key to the redundancy process. Only kidding Christopher. I think.
Whoops, I've probably alerted Persimmon.
Starter homes and main course
It is as if he has never been away and he has not. David Pretty, the former Barratt boss and now chairman of the New Homes Marketing Board, has again called on more help for first-time buyers, following a national survey carried out by the NHMB.
"First-time buyers are now an endangered species," said Pretty. He was speaking to a gathering of hacks and the great Jeremy Gates was heard to mutter: "Well the private dining room at luxury London hotel One Aldwych seems as good a place as any to discuss the social and financial plight of first-time buyers."
Squirrel was there too. Let them eat rillette of duck with spiced plums, followed by poached organic salmon and hollandaise sauce. Mind you try getting a bunch of property journalists to turn up to Burger King in Bolton to discuss a package of help for first-timers. "Change at Wigan you say? Sorry Bob (as in Barlow, still running Pretty‚s business diary with panache and an immaculate grey beard). Any chance you could pop the press pack in the post? Yes I know there's a strike." I make light of a serious issue but unlike headline-grabbing Government initiatives, Pretty will not rest until his campaign for first time buyers bears significant fruit.
Hippy Christmas
Many thanks to the Wriglesworth Consultancy for their kind drinks party invitation to the Ivy. I assume all the drinks will be served in hip flasks in recognition of the 2,423 HIPs related emails I have received from this tireless PR firm in the last year.
Top of the props
What do you mean this column is obsessed with rugby? What do you expect when one of our number jets off to France for weeks, at least keeping in touch with the office with emails about the state of England's back play, sorry state of Brown's housing initiatives. Anyway thought I‚d draw your attention to this international Rugby Property XV (a couple of flankers are picked in the second-row) selected by our very own Rupert Bates and published in The Daily Telegraph at the start of the World Cup to highlight the unique bond between rugby and property.
Incidentally in Squirrel's mountain of Christmas parties is an invitation from All Blacks rugby captain Richie McCaw to The Hurlingham Club in Fulham for a dinner "looking back at the events of World Cup 07." You can bet McCaw's plan was to be introduced as the World Cup winning captain. "Ladies and gentlemen please welcome the man who led New Zealand to quarter-final defeat to France and plunged his nation into despair" will not have quite the same ring from the toastmaster.
1. Andrew Sheridan
England World Cup strong man. Set for a future in building having completed brickwork and plumbing courses.
2. Keith Wood
Former Ireland captain, Keith Wood is behind Links Living, a lifestyle property club, based around golf at Doonbeg, County Clare.
3. Jason Leonard - England
England's most capped player. Now the face, or cauliflower ear, of housebuilding, as managing director of Wyse Group, offering construction site support services.
4. Francois Pienaar
Lifted the World Cup in 1995 as captain of South Africa. Pienaar is involved with global fractional ownership through The Best Group.
5. Lewis Moody
The England flanker builds houses, while his wife Annie is an interior designer.
6. Lawrence Dallaglio
England World Cup winner worked for property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton, having studied Urban Estate Management at Kingston University.
7. Mark Rigby
Former Wasps captain. Chief executive of property consultancy Lambert Smith Hampton.
8. Zinzan Brooke
A New Zealand great. Brooke builds apartments and houses in the English Home Counties.
9. Bernard Laporte
Former France A scrum-half and now France coach. Many property interests in France.
10. Michael Lynagh
World Cup winning Australian in 1991. Lynagh, a surveyor, has worked with property giants Nigel Wray, the Saracens rugby owner, and Nick Leslau.
11. Dan Luger
In England‚s 2003 World Cup winning squad. Once a Battersea estate agent before developing abroad.
12. Rob Andrew
England‚s outside-half in the 1991 World Cup final. The City surveyor was a director of DTZ and is England‚s director of Elite Rugby.
13. Brendan Mullin
Former Ireland centre. An ex-director of international property group Quinlan Private, but now with his own investment fund.
14. Mike Hall
He was Wales captain in the 1995 World Cup and is a qualified surveyor and director of Welsh property developer PMG.
15. Andy Irvine
Former Scotland full-back. Irvine is chairman of property investment company Jones Lang LaSalle, Scotland.
First published in Show House Magazine November 2007.
The greatest care has been taken to ensure accuracy but some information contained within this article may have changed since it was first published.
Posted by Secret Squirrel
in Christopher Knight, David Pretty, Linden Homes, New Homes Marketing Board, Secret Squirrel, Wriglesworth Consultancy on Thu 1 Nov 2007
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