The real Pussy Galore

Fancy a change of career?
You might think the daily life of a housing officer has little in common with the tuxedo-wearing, Martini-swigging lifestyle of a secret agent. Well, apparently, you’d be wrong. According to a new BBC3 programme, Israeli intelligence service Mossad tests potential agents by asking them to win a tenant’s trust and gain access to a housing estate flat. If they can be seen having a glass of water on the rear balcony within 10 minutes, they’ll have a glorious career as a spook.

It’s curtains for Hill
Housing minister Keith Hill was as enthusiastic as ever when he opened the National Housing Federation’s new HQ last week. After congratulating everybody, he proceeded to unveil the commemoration of the event. Such was his excitement that he tugged too hard on the curtain string, toppling the plaque and its temporary stand – very nearly on top of himself. I would have loved to bring you photographic evidence, but the snapper who was there apparently “doesn’t do the embarrassing stuff”.

If you wanna be a record breaker …
Records will no doubt fall in next month’s Olympic Games, but social housing will have won a first of its own before the opening ceremony. The Greek Workers’ Housing Organisation has become the first social housing body to be given charge of planning and constructing the athletes’ village for an Olympic Games. After the games, the development will be part of a social housing scheme of 2300 homes.

Des res
Could Peckham be the new Wandsworth? Following reports earlier this year that hip Londoners are flocking to the latter – formerly less than fashionable – borough, Southwark council is hoping the home of Only Fools and Horses’ Del Boy and Rodney could be the next must-have address.

A glossy tourist map promoting Peckham has been released, which highlights cultural landmarks such as the Will Alsop-designed library, gothic Nunhead cemetery and a 19th-century care home for retired pub workers.

But Peckham just can’t shake its retro TV connection: the leaflet also proudly states that it’s still possible to get a haircut at Desmond’s, the barber shop used in the eponymous 1980s sitcom.

Grace under pressure
Rumours abound over the sudden announcement of the abandoning of the Fourth Grace art project in Liverpool. To add insult to injury, Eddie Clein, the councillor in charge of the scrutiny committee looking into the debacle, has been forced to resign the commission after it emerged that his son was part of the team behind a controversial PR campaign that has been heavily criticised by the Fourth Grace’s designer, Will Alsop.

Tutti frutti

Perhaps the Home Office is barking up the wrong tree with its zero-tolerance attitude to antisocial behaviour: dispersal orders may allow police to break up gangs of kids hanging around on street corners, but in one Italian town near Venice the local carabinieri have a much cooler way of moving on the youngsters.

They pay for local girls to visit ice cream parlours, pizzerias or nightclubs and have found that the boys put down their spray cans and follow. Well, it must cost less than an antisocial behaviour order.

Source

Housing Today