Hansom

Rover’s return

Anyone who saw the press conference called to announce Nanjing Automotive’s acquisition of MG Rover last week might have noticed a vaguely familiar face smiling broadly from the ranks of the Nanjing executives. The smile belonged to John Miles, chairman of the global consulting division at Arup and an adviser to the Nanjing team. Miles is known to the construction industry as an expert on modern methods of construction; less well known is his background in vehicle design. This could explain why Miles says his favourite structure is not one of the great buildings of the world, but the Jaguar XJR. It remains to be seen whether he will now switch his allegiance to the Rover 25.

Very public relations

Further news reaches me of the sacking of former Amec boss Steve Bowcott. As you’ll remember from last week, Bowcott was dismissed for allegedly covering up the award of £250,000 worth of public relations contracts to a woman who later became his wife. Amec is apparently slightly miffed by Building’s version of events as it reckons the cost of the contracts topped £300,000. But what’s £50,000 between friends?

Whitehall whispers

Just when you thought that the post-election shake-up of government departments had resolved itself into some sort of order and construction leaders had worked out who they were supposed to be lobbying, it appears that things may again be changing. Word reaches me that the DTI is lining up a swoop on all of the construction functions currently overseen by the ODPM. Is the department planning for the post-Prescott era? Or is Alun Michael building a construction empire? We await further news with interest …

Going too far

Is there a better way to celebrate your birthday than a boat trip down the Thames, complete with jazz band, fine food and the chance to drink your own weight in Pimms? So it was that NHBC Building Control’s celebration of 20 years of fine service to the built environment went swimmingly. Where the planning seemed to go a wee bit awry, however, was with the parting gifts: a set of shot glasses, a crystal decanter and a commemorative bottle of the NHBC’s own-brand whiskey. I gather that some of the guests who decided to sample their present on their way home ended up randomly distributed around the railway terminuses of south-east England.

This waking nightmare

Dominic “Sleepy Dom” Helps, the slumbering giant of construction law, must have been hitting the Pro Plus and espressos of late. The Shadbolt man, famed in these pages for nodding off at industry functions, managed to maintain consciousness for the entire duration of lunch with a colleague the other day. But despite his newfound alertness, Dominic was no match for the Canary Wharf waitress. In one deft swipe, she managed not only to collect his menu but also to knock his glasses off his face and send them hurtling across the table …

A fine Feilden tradition

I’m heartened to see that Feilden Clegg Bradley Architects still maintains the green transport policy that was initiated by the late Richard Feilden. For one thing, the practice’s reception is adorned with bikes, neatly folded up and arranged around the wall. And just as Richard cycled to Buckingham Palace to receive his OBE so his widow, Tish, and practice partner, Keith Bradley, pedalled to the Banqueting House in Whitehall to collect a Housing Design Award.

A man of wealth and taste
For advice on looking sharp without shelling out a fortune, image-conscious readers might want to take a tip from Construction Industry Council chairman Stuart Henderson. Talking to one of my colleagues for this week’s investigation into the tie-wearing habits of men in construction (pages 42-43), Henderson admitted that his favourite places to pick up neckwear were charity shops. “Ninety-nine pence is the top rate I pay,” he said. “And being Scottish I regard that as very good value.” Hmmm. Good advice, Stuart, but it could be argued that it conflicts with your later comment: “My view is that if you’ve got to wear a tie, it’s got to be special.”