squirrel Red whine
Imagine my delight on being emailed news of the re-opening of the Mouton Cadet Wine Bar in Cannes by Baron Philippe de Rothschild. Finally an invitation I’d richly deserved for many years, drawing a cork or two from some of the world’s finest wine at
the Cannes Film Festival, “International celebrities will meet at the Mouton Cadet Wine Bar to share exceptional moments at the most exclusive venue on La Croisette, bringing together the greatest stars to enjoy its wines.” ran the invitation. Except it wasn’t an invitation. They’d merely asked to publicise the venue, which I’ve just gone and done God damn it.
Through the round window
Those in the know call it ‘Tekkers’ when a footballers shows peerless technique. Think a Robin Van Persie volley, a Lionel Messi dribble, a Ronaldo free kick, or, er, a Rupert Bates penalty. Our man was on hand as
whathouse.co.uk – from the Show House stable – was announced as the new, main sponsor and partner of Wolverhampton Wanderers. Half-time entertainment at Molineux next season will see fans trying to score goals through the windows of a house and Bates was on hand alongside Wolves players and executives to show how it was done. Wolves manager Dean Saunders is laughing not at the attempt, but because he saw his next striker – well until the fitness coach Tony Daley turned up and made a quick visual assessment of the proposed new signing.
Tapping into liquid gold
That annual orgy of envy The Sunday Times Rich List came out last month. While there has to be an element of estimation in its compilation, it shows Peter Jones of The Emerson Group, which includes Jones Homes, as Britain’s richest housebuilder. His wealth is listed as £707m. What The Sunday Times doesn’t tell you is how
gentleman Jones has retained his fortune. Many years ago I toured some of his developments in Portugal, with his passion for property and attention to detail extraordinary. Finally after inspecting the grouting in the umpteenth en suite bathroom, Jones declared ‘Lunch!’ Grilled sardines washed down with gallons of Vinho Verde thought I. Wrong. A bowl of soup and a glass of water. You don’t get to be the 124th richest person in Britain by buying me a big lunch. Behind Jones in the housebuilders’ league come John Bloor of Bloor Homes and Triumph Motorcycles, Steve Morgan of Redrow, followed by Terry Bramall (who sold
Keepmoat), David Wilson, the McCarthy family, Michael Shanly, Berkeley’s Tony Pidgley, Anthony Brotherton-Ratcliffe (Croudace) and Stewart Milne. But the most striking part of The Rich List was to see a page advertisement – the same ad running in Show House – from our old friends Quooker. I love the thought of Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov (topping the list at £13.3bn) and the Beckhams (£200m) ringing up to buy the coolest, or rather hottest, tap on the market.
Mike Tyson eat your (cauliflower) ear off
Now the first rule of Fight Club is you don’t talk about Fight Club, but considering Show House columnist David Flatman talks for England and Bath and it is part of his Testimonial year, this Fight Night needs shouting about. Flatman, the former England rugby prop, is a tough enough veteran of the front-row, but top of the bill on October 2nd at the Park Plaza, Riverbank Hotel, London is not some patsy out for a few laughs to entertain tables of property and sporting types. Oh no. Flatman has only gone and got the hardest man on the planet Danny ‘The Cock’ Grewcock. Not that you’d call him that to his face, because he’d kill you. Rugby types talk in hushed tones of Grewcock, the former England and Bath lock forward. He is more likely to talk to you about beekeeping than boxing, if he decides
to talk at all. His opponent on Fight Night is Justin ‘The Plank’ Harrison, the former Australian international, given his nickname on a Lions tour by Austin Healey, who let’s face it everybody wants to hit. The undercard pits former New Zealand and Northampton Saints scrum-half Mark ‘Sharkey’ Robinson against the old Munster and Ireland back-row warhorse Alan ‘Cobra’ Quinlan. Buy a gold table ringside at your peril. There will be blood. The night will raise money for Help for Heroes, The Burned Children’s Club and the Down’s Syndrome Association. Flats has not confirmed whether buxom ring girls will hold the round cards, or Jason Leonard. If you fancy a table please email
joy.barker@
essentiallygroup.com or phone 020 7820 5043.
www.davidflatmantestimonial.com
120| May 2013 showhouse
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