Lynn Scrivener Marketing

Taking the Waters

2012-01-30T14:51:00.005Z

Yes, water is my theme for this month's blog - seems to be a lot of it about. I visited The Roman Baths in Bath this weekend, the first time since completion of its £5mill+ re-development. As well as the excellently displayed rooms of museum exhibits, crowded even early on a Saturday morning, it was a pleasure to wander outside, around the wonderful, steamy Great Bath and all the very well interpreted spa bathing rooms. Amazing to think that the massive central bath is still lined with the original lead from 2000 years ago. A quick coffee at the tea-cup tinkly Pump Rooms followed, including a glass of famous Spa Fountain water - yuk! Apparently ailing 18th century visitors drank up to a gallon a day of the stuff - enough to make anyone sick!

The shimmering green of Roman bath water reminded me of Atkinson Grimshaw's evocative, green-tinged 'Thames by Moonlight' paintings, recently displayed at London's Guildhall Art Gallery. His atmospheric paintings cleverly disguised the grimness of city life for his romantic Victorian customers.

Talking of the Thames, I think the plans for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee river pageant on 3 June, sound great. They reckon that 1,000 boats will accompany the Queen's luxurious barge, The Spirit of Chartwell, loaned for the occasion by Philip Morrell, all the way from Hammersmith to Greenwich. The Thames is the reason that London exists and any opportunity to celebrate its history and enjoy its river banks today, should be welcomed.

Contrasts for Christmas

2011-12-31T12:38:00.003Z

I've just spent a really enjoyable Christmas week with friends in Bahrain. We enjoyed a brilliant ex-pat, family Christmas with turkey and all the trimmings courtesy of Waitrose, would you believe, though beyond 'the compound', the contrasting customs were fascinating. I've never spent Christmas time so close to the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem, yet felt so very far away. Lots of red and white decorations everywhere, not for Santa but to celebrate Bahrain's National Day in December. No Christmas carols or church bells ringing but the regular calls to prayer from so many mosques. No donkeys at the manger but rather 'nodding donkeys' in the sandy expanses between high rise building plots and camels tethered bleakly at the Janabiya Camel Farm. We visited the huge Al Fateh Mosque in Manama, without the usual Christian church adornments and embellishments, of course, and so all the more striking in its simplicity. I certainly didn't miss any Heathrow flight path disturbance which we do get here in Hanwell from time to time but instead became accustomed to the buzzing of helicopters overhead, keeping a watch on actual or potential anti-Government protest groups which seem to spring up on a regular basis. The times of uncertainty we certainly have in common so I wish a Peaceful New Year to all.

Under and over London

2011-11-30T17:07:00.002Z

Much concern in the press this week about the risk to UNESCO World Heritage status of the Tower of London and the Palace of Westminster due to what Simon Jenkins calls the 'phallic obsession' of Ken Livingston and Boris Johnson. It seems that the Tower could be downgraded thanks, in particular, to the Shard. Next door to London Bridge and casting its shadow over the Tower, the dazzling 66-storey block will be the tallest building in Europe when it is finished. And the Westminster Abbey is likely to be blighted by the 43-storey Doon Street tower, to rise immediately behind the National Theatre on the South Bank, higher than the London Eye and visible from everywhere in west London. Will future generations curse us for this high-rise mania, I wonder?
Buildings are driven ever higher in London by the rising cost of real estate so one solution is to go underground instead. A brilliant idea from a new company called the Old London Underground Company is to recover and refurbish 26 empty tube stations. deep-level shelters and caverns to use as nightclubs, meeting rooms and members clubs as well as tourist attractions. For sure the Old Vic Tunnels have become very popular very quickly and the Rotherhithe Shaft, built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, is on my 'to do' list , to see before Christmas. The ups and downs of London life .... love it !

Thought for St Paul's

2011-10-30T14:45:00.004Z

I'm not sure that I can add much that is new to the current St Paul's Cathedral and 'tent city' debate but I do want to offer my opinion, albeit briefly. A few years back I was thrilled to be invited to work on a couple of marketing and audience development projects for the Cathedral which I enjoyed very much. It became clear to me just what a complex and multi-faceted organisation St Paul's is, with very many distinct yet inter-related audiences: volunteers, visitors, worshippers, partners, associates, funders, supporters and the wider Church of England community. At that time communication was of course, taking place with all the Cathedral's audiences though not necessarily in a strategic , integrated manner. Also at that time, as part of my consultation, I learned about the St Paul's Institute too which was already leading discussion and debate around justice and finance, morals and money. The lack of connectivity between the various Cathedral 'departments' was clearly an opportunity to be grasped. I think that the absence of this 'cross departmental thinking' and communications foresight has clearly contributed to the terribly difficult circumstances that the Cathedral now finds itself in, not only the PR difficulties but also the resignations and unhappiness amongst the clergy. Like thousands of others, I do sincerely hope that a peaceful solution can be found soon so the protesters can leave their camp in front of Wren's masterpiece and St Paul's, one of the most famous and beautiful cathedrals in the world, can also move on and continue to campaign for equality and social justice.

Globe to Globe

2011-09-30T20:30:00.006+01:00

Shakespeare has been on my mind lately. I've just been to another class at my brilliant local Questors Theatre in Ealing. It's a few years now since I acted in a production there but I like to 'keep my hand in' so a series of Shakespeare workshops is just the thing. Thanks to the RSC, which has finally woken up to the value of amateur theatre, Questors is one of 57 theatre groups working with the RSC over 2011-12, in skills exchange and training. Under the 'Open Stages' banner and supported by grant funding, all of us 250 Questors acting members have the opportunity to improve our understanding of Shakespeare texts and our acting skills. Re-inspired by examining the rhythms, rhyme and pure power of Shakespeare's First Folio edition of 'Hamlet', I was delighted to hear about the Globe Theatre's 2012 multilingual feast, announced this week. Next Spring, 37 Shakespeare plays will be presented in 37 different languages, performed by 37 different international companies. What a marvellous contribution to the Cultural Olympiad! Supported by local ambassadors who will be 'selling' the performances into local ex-pat communities, we all have the chance to experience Shakespeare through another culture's eyes. I'm sure that the universality and timelessness of the Bard will triumph. Might not be everyone's cup of tea though. A friend of mine has just been to see 'Playboy of the Western World' at the Old Vic and swears she didn't understand a word of it, so thick were the Irish accents. So she might take some persuading though I'm certainly up for booking tickets.

Return to Edinburgh

2011-08-31T22:04:00.004+01:00

It's two years since I last went to the Edinburgh Festival so I think I can risk writing another blog about it and in fact, comparable observations are interesting. I came home just after the last day of the Fringe and the announcement that it had broken records for the third year running, 2% up on 2010, selling 1.8mill tickets. And all that in spite of awful weather, the inevitable recession and the closure of some key venues, including my favourite Assembly Rooms on George Street. Of all of the shows I saw, the one that was most special for me was Sriyah, a programme of abstract dance by the Indian Nrityagram Dance Ensemble, accompanied by four brilliant musicians. The exquisite performances were beautiful, dreamy and sensuous. The contrast with the show I saw immediately afterwards, as you do in Edinburgh, could not have been greater - Rock the Ballet from New York, which was loud, fast and sexy - imagine 'ballet meets the Chippendales' - it was a blast.

The best exhibition for me was the Tony Cragg retrospective at the National Gallery of Modern Art. I remember the small Tony Cragg exhibition we held on the River Terrace at Somerset House a few years ago and I confess to not being too impressed but this time around, his work took my breath away. On until 6 November - catch it while you can.

And I can't not comment today on the fiasco of the Edinburgh tram, especially as I was so shocked by the resultant roadworks during my last visit in 2009. The disruption to transport, trade and business has been absolutely dire. The whole visionary project was due to be completed for next year and yet on the day I arrived, the City Council had just voted to cut its losses by spending a total of only £700mill on a route from Edinburgh Airport to Haymarket, rather than spending another £76mill to take the line as far as originally planned, to St Andrew's Square. Now I'm hardly a frequent visitor to Edinburgh but even I can see that this decision is a cop-out - either cancel the project altogether or complete the route into the centre. Apparently the phrase "getting off at the Haymarket" is a euphemism in Edinburgh for coitus interruptus - you couldn't make it up !

Post Script
since writing this blog, I note that Edinburgh Council has been forced to reverse it's decision on tram extension so that it will now 'go all the way' - hurray!

More volunteering

2011-07-16T14:36:00.006+01:00

I went for an interview last week at my local Ealing Volunteer Centre, hoping to be a 'London Ambassador' for the Olympic Games. Looks like I just missed Boris who visited a few days later saying, "How tremendous!" it all is. And I must say, the process was surprisingly well organised. Apparently there are 10 volunteer centres aiming to recruit 8,000 Ambassadors from 16,000 applicants. Mind you, as only half of the applicants have been turning up for their appointments at Ealing, that increases the odds of being selected to start with ! We were split into small teams and firstly had to speak on several topics each for a few minutes and then role-played dealing with stressed out tourists - "Calm down, dear, it's only the Olympics!" Then we had to locate a range of tourist attractions on the London map and apart from sticking Tower Bridge on London Bridge station (?) our team did pretty well at that. So will I be steaming out to one of the 33 Olympic information 'pods' come next summer ? I'll keep you posted.

Also last week, literally in the heart of London, the first St John's Waterloo Festival themed 'War and People' drew to a close. Enjoyed by over 1000 people, six days of concerts, theatre, dance, walks, art and poetry were all initiated, conceived and delivered by a brilliant team of willing volunteers including myself, responsible for branding, marketing and promotion. The first night's Southbank Sinfonia concert was thrillingly recommended by Time Out and we're already planning for next summer's Festival to be themed 'War and Peace'.

Meanwhile, back in Ye Olde Hanwell, hurrah! We have succeeded in keeping Hanwell Library open - see my February post. But Ealing Council have warned us that it may only be for another year and that they are about to start consultations with volunteer groups with a view to them helping run and maintain local libraries. Aaah, so that'll be that 'power to the people' mantra that Cameron keeps preaching - in other words, we all do even more for free whilst supposedly embracing our new-found local 'People Power'. I'm not convinced by this blurring of amateur and professional boundaries but maybe I'm just a cynical and sometime, weary volunteer.

Art-ed out

2011-06-26T20:04:00.004+01:00

In the past couple of weeks I've seen more fabulous art than is good for me. This is rather a worry, given that I'm about to start work at one of the country's finest small museums, the Courtauld Gallery at Somerset House. So how come I'm so be-dazzled? Firstly, a visit to Sotheby's Evill/Frost Collection pre-sale exhibition, to see the most amazing display of works by Stanley Spencer, Edward Burra, Henry Moore, Lucian Freud and more. Shortly followed by Christie's £multi-million pre-auction show of masterpieces including Michelangelo, Picasso, Gainsborough and Mueck, amongst others. All truly amazing works of art, most of which have never been seen in public before and most of which, transferring into other private collectors' hands, will never been seen in public again. In between these treats, I was in Venice for the Institute of Travel and Tourism Conference and managed to escape for an afternoon to discover just some of the pavilions at the Venice Biennale. So not only was I in Venice, an art installation in its own right, but I also experienced over just a few hours, some of the most extraordinary, 'in your face', gruesome, challenging, dreamy and wonderful contemporary art installations and even performances that I've ever seen. I'm thrilled that this year's Biennale is considered by critics to be amongst the best ever so I was particularly fortunate to have been there at the right time.
And if all this isn't already enough, the Courtauld has recently completed a re-hang of its permanent collection of masterpieces which, together with its new temporary exhibition, 'Toulouse-Lautrec and Jane Avrill', make for one of the most breathtaking gallery displays ever. So wish me well as I swoon my way through the coming weeks. How lucky am I !

The Lambeth Palace to Disney Dash

2011-05-29T17:10:00.003+01:00

An evening of contrasts this week. Firstly to the reception to celebrate the opening of this summer's exhibition at Lambeth Palace Library, 'Out of the Original Sacred Tongues': The Bible and Translation, marking the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. The Archbishop of Canterbury brilliantly hosted the evening, having dashed back from Obama's Westminster Hall speech for a press photocall just before we opened to our Library guests. My colleague, Gail McGuffie, and I have been working hard on the presentation and PR for the exhibition and we're looking forward to another successful run. For the scholars amongst you, this exhibition complements those at the Bodleian Library in Oxford and at Cambridge University Library. The Lambeth exhibition tells the fascinating story of the power of sacred text and the suppression of and drive towards translations over the centuries. It closes on 29 July so book now - it's a hot ticket!
My second date of the same evening could not have been more different. I raced over to the new concept Disney Store on Oxford Street to "preview the re-imagined Disney Store and the unveiling of the signature Disney fragrance, Imagination". Here is display merchandising and retail presentation at its cleverest best. I defy anyone to visit the store and not leave without buying something. It's the biggest Disney store in Europe and yet the combination of different Disney story lines and screen shows, sounds and lighting, creates a magical atmosphere - even for a cynic like me. Though maybe their brand-new baby fragrance, Wonder, is a step too far. I think new babies already smell wonderful without the added scent of 'lemon sugar, apple blossom and marshmallow clouds'. But hey, what do I know - I can hear those Tinkerbell tills ringing now.

All at sea

2011-04-30T21:07:00.005+01:00

To Turner Contemporary this week, a seaside jaunt deliberately fixed for after the Easter weekend to miss the crowds. And what crowds - apparently the venue had a third of its expected full year visitor volume in the first 10 days - how's that for an opening ! I admit that I wasn't expecting to be thrilled. Brian Sewell had been so damning in his Evening Standard piece and other critics gave mixed reviews. Approaching along the prom from the railway station, the building does indeed look like a DIY shed though its prominent position on the front is startling. But once inside, thank heavens, the expanse of air and light blew me away. I'm so pleased to say that I loved the Shawcross sculptures and Ellen Harvey's seaside shack with its etched photographs of Margate. Though I was less impressed by Turner's St Vincent painting. Perhaps because I've seen many, more glorious Turners at the Tate and the National. This image of a volcanic eruption in the Caribbean seemed so distant and disjointed from the other seascape images and installations at the gallery. Beyond the gallery and a delicious, though windswept, fish and chips lunch on the front, unfortunately for Margate, the attractions of the town didn't hold us much longer. We soon zipped off to Chatham, to re-visit the acres of exhibitions at Chatham's Historic Dockyards. Now there you really do feel the power of the sea, or rather, the power of the industry of the sea and indeed, the tragedy of it's demise - when it closed in 1984, 7000 people lost their jobs. The spring sunshiney day demanded an open-air afternoon so we crawled through the submarine Ocelot and then climbed all over HMS Gannet and Cavalier. We boarded the train back to London buzzing with seaside memories and plans for more visits - our appetite for the Kent coast is far from quenched.

Olympic travel plans

2011-03-30T21:03:00.009+01:00

As the email reminded me today, tomorrow is the closing date for all organisations and venues across the 33 London boroughs to lodge details, no matter how provisional, of any event planned for next year on to the Mayor's 2012 Culture Diary. This will ensure that ultimately, all events will be shared with any cross-cultural planning group or operational planning team and that they are included in some way in the year-long promotions to celebrate London, the Olympic city. It also will help individual venues spot clashes or opportunities to co-operate as the magic Olympic season draws closer. Having seen the massive rings high above at Paddington Station the other day, it's all starting to feel very real. And a 2012 Business Briefing meeting yesterday suddenly brought home to me the reality of the operational implications of what for me so far, has been a cultural opportunity. The stark warning given by the chap from the Olympic Delivery Authority (yes, note 'Authority') was that unless businesses across the capital start to work closely with the Authority and essentially, help them out a bit, getting anywhere around London on public transport at peak Games time is going to be a nightmare. Businesses need to either get staff to work nights, work at home or even better, take annual leave, or you could be waiting an hour in central London for a jolly old Jubilee Line train. Lord knows what will happen if there is a fault on the line. Late arrivals could become the normality across theatres, restaurants, recitals and receptions all over London next summer. We need to think about our own plans as well as preparing those for our clients, visitors, customers and colleagues.

Save our library

2011-02-20T19:28:00.005Z

I think it is ironic that just yesterday I visited an exhibition celebrating the power and joy of children's books and on the same day was asked to be part of a local action team, preparing to object to the closure of our local library. Libraries are not just for books, they are for readings, discussions, writing events, DVDs and computers. The thought of such life affirming resources being withdrawn from the reach of children especially just makes my blood boil. As a child in Derby my local library literally opened the world to me. I read voraciously and there was no way that our very modest collection of books at home could have satisfied that hunger.
The Imperial War Museum's new exhibition 'Once upon a Wartime' delves into five war stories, exploring the themes of separation, danger, belonging and adventure. The stage setting for each of the stories really makes the fiction come alive. The drama and trauma of war are explored in a safe way so that chidren are protected from the absolute savagery of war that surely can be seen in other corners of the museum. I'm sure that those five books will already be selling like hotcakes and be much in demand at local libraries.
And children don't just access books in libraries - thousands of them rely every day on quiet library space and computer access for their homework that they simply can't do at home. I went to the Longford Lecture given by Martha Lane Fox last November and one of the many statistics she quoted was that of the 9 mill people in the UK who don't have computer access (many of their own free will), 4 mill (30%) live in deprived households, with the old, unemployed and families with children. Take local libraries away and we exclude a whole slice of the population from inspiration, support, learning and enjoyment.
So I shall be outside the Hanwell Library soon, helping to run an observational survey of users and preparing for the consultation pre-closure of a number of local Ealing libraries. If you're in the area, come along and borrow some books.

Gallery rage

2011-01-23T20:41:00.004Z

In the past couple of weeks I have been to three exhibitions. I saw Gauguin at the Tate, Cezanne at the Courtauld and William Lawrence at the National Portrait Gallery. All of them were crowded and yes, I enjoyed them a little less because of that but I still loved them all. And it was pretty much the last week of each of their hugely successful runs and I do think that these days, it has to be expected. So I'm surprised to see so much fuss in the media about 'gallery rage'. Unless you can manage to go as soon as an exhibition opens, ideally first thing in the morning or at the end of a 'late night', in my experience you have to expect the crowd scene. It's not new - for example, Van Gogh at the RA was heaving with visitors, as was Picasso at the NG and the Summer Exhibition at the RA is always a bit of a bunfight. I'm sure that gallery professionals across the country, and especially in London, are at this very moment studying visitor numbers, visitor flows, dwell times, satisfaction (or not) surveys, Tweets, online forums, etc. etc. as well as the good old box office returns. What a fine balance to achieve in these days of cuts and economies than that of raising as much income as possible whilst at the same time, delivering as enjoyable and satisfying an experience as possible for visitors of all types, as well as keeping the sponsors happy, let alone curators and conservators. Roll on the blockbusters, I say. And if you really want to experience a sharp elbowed, culture vulture melee, try getting your coat from the cloakroom at the end of a sell-out performance at the Opera House, Covent Garden.

A Week in December

2010-12-30T13:30:00.002Z

I managed to escape to my dear friends on the Algarve for Christmas, luckily slotting in through the snow via Luton Airport on Christmas Eve. Given the ex-pat, transient nature of the community down there, everyone I met had been directly or indirectly affected by the weather - delayed or cancelled flights and train journeys, road accidents - some friend or family member was missing from every festive gathering. I came home yesterday, delayed, landing and driving through a blanket of thick fog as the temperature was rising and the snow melting. Accustomed as many of us are to regular travelling, I think we forget just how complicated, inter-linked and cleverly managed the whole international journey process usually is and that most of the time, it is robust enough to withstand what's thrown at it. Not much comfort, I expect, when you've just spent the night on the floor at Heathrow. And I'm glad not to be flying again, for a few weeks anyway.
When I was away, I thought Sebastian Faulks' 'A Week in December' would be a timely read. Goodness, it was grim! Unlike the Daily Telegraph, I did not find it 'hilarious' though it certainly was 'clever and compelling'. What did make me smile was the description of the Auction House Gala on Dover Street, with its prize exhibit, the £4mill Cash Cow made of sterling bank notes and lutetium, which could be viewed for no longer than 30 secs by each fabulously wealthy guest. Vicious satire, indeed. I shall think of it next time I venture to a contemporary art exhibition - market manipulation par excellence.

Adaptive resilience

2010-11-28T15:37:00.004Z

I recently returned from a 'management retreat', so called because myself and a small group of arts sector folks were closeted away for 3 days in the delightful setting of the Moller Centre in Cambridge - well, as much as you can be these days, accompanied by our Blackberries and iPhones. Distant from most of the distractions of daily life, we concentrated on the lastest best practice and business models in organisational development, business planning and change management. It was fascinating, stimulating and , the minute I got home, exhausting!
Amongst the various business tools and frameworks we worked with, the one that most resonated with me was the 'spider's web' assessment tool, designed to explore how 'resilient' an organisation might be. As the arts and cultural sector enters an era of unprecedented cuts and changes, it won't necessarily be the strongest or most intelligent that survives but, as Darwin said, the most responsive to change. As introduced to us by the ex-Arts Council guru, Mark Robinson, 'adaptive resilience' is described as "the capacity to remain productive and true to core purpose and identity whilst absorbing disturbance and adapting with integrity in changing circumstances". So this isn't about 'sustainability', it's more proactive and empowering than that.
The assessment chart plots an organisation's strengths and weaknesses against a number of key characteristics of 'adaptive resilience' such as innovation and management of vulnerabilities. And then, of course, the real work starts: intelligent leadership coupled with a determined, creative team of people, all sharing a common goal. Then enough of all this business school malarkey - let's roll up our sleeves and get cracking!

Action rich or action poor?

2010-10-18T13:45:00.003+01:00

I revisited St Paul's Cathedral last week. It is always a beautiful and inspiring place to visit at any time but on this occasion I was keen to try out the new touch screen multimedia guides. A year or so ago a colleague and I worked together on an interpretation development plan for the Cathedral and these newly installed hand-sets are part of that programme. The tours are very well researched with an excellent balance of facts and story telling and great 'zoom in and see' details. I tried out the family tour too and enjoyed the quirky quizzes. Like any audio guide in an historical attraction, whether simple or sophisticated, they are all intended to increase and deepen the visitors' engagement and enjoyment of the building. A good audio or multimedia guide will not detract or spoil the sensory or spiritual impact of the experience but enhance it in a way that the visitor can personally time and control. In my opinion, the new kit at St Paul's does just that.
I was therefore somewhat alarmed just a few days later to read in a Future Foundation report (The Future of Freetime, April 2010) that a new generation of young people are emerging who will reject 'real' leisure and travel experiences in favour of social networking and 'always on' media. Brought up on a diet of constant gaming, communication and stimulation, these so-called 'go-nowhere-gamers' will find out of home experiences too action-poor. They will prefer to live their lives completely at home, playing computer games, watching interactive 3D TV and chatting on line. Maybe I just don't 'get' this virtual world stuff but my heart sinks at the thought of what these youngsters will be missing. But what I do 'get' is that the challenge to make real life experiences in the world of arts and heritage even more interesting and engaging for this generation in the future is just getting even harder.

TV Times

2010-09-26T12:10:00.004+01:00

This summer I managed to make just one of this years record breaking Proms concert season which had audiences of over 300,000 for the first time. I heard the BBC Philharmonia play Schubert and Mozart symphonies as well as a new work by Robin Holloway, a 'reharmonisation' of Schumann songs entitled 'Reliquary: Scenes from the Life of Mary, Queen of Scots'. I must admit to being a bit doubtful about the latter but was actually blown away by the achingly beautiful song cycle. I should have known better as I have often before enjoyed clever Proms programmes of new commissions combined with popular pieces. So although I only attended one concert, together with over 12 million others in Britain, I watched more on TV as the BBC broadcast more concerts than ever before. To quote Michael Henderson of The Spectator, together with the Chamber Proms at Cadogan Hall and the pre-concert talks at the next-door Royal College of Music, the Proms "amount to nothing less than an Open University course, with the tuition fees paid". Not quite for free though, as we do contribute via the licence fee. The BBC subsidises the Proms to the tune of (ha, ha!) £5million. With threatened cuts to the licence fee from 2012, I wonder how the Proms will be affected.
Meanwhile, the BBC recently announced another TV watching statistic, that 93% of live TV watching still takes place in the living room. So despite the rise of catch-up or on-demand viewing taking place on laptops or on TVs around other rooms in the house, we still all want to be together to share dramatic moments of news, sports and 'X Factor' finals. It seems that tribal instincts still compel us to gather together for broadcasts of reality events. Yet whilst I believe that the presentation of the Proms on the TV this year was better than ever before, you can't beat actually being there. I wouldn't describe my own experiences there as ever being tribal but communal listening in a packed Albert Hall is always such a thrill.

A wee dram

2010-08-31T09:55:00.002+01:00

I've just spent a week in Scotland, firstly staying deep in the glen beside Loch Voil and then in Helensburgh, close by Loch Lomond and its fabulous golf course. Unlike most of the country it seems, we were blessed with good weather - the air was clear and soft and when it did occasionally rain, the showers moved quickly away. It's a long time since I visited the glorious Scottish countryside and this year I was happy to byepass the Edinburgh Festival for an equally dramatic experience. The surrounding lush, deep greeness was in stark contrast to the baked yellowing parks and gardens I'd left behind in London.
As part of my visitor experience, both my hosts introduced me to their local whisky, for which all that lovely Scottish water is an important constituent. Firstly, Deanston Single Malt from the distillery near Callander. Their water comes from the nearby River Teith and whilst the distillery uses unpeated malted barley, the water contains enough peaty traces in itself to create what was described to me, happily sipping away, as a 'slight smokey note' in the finished whisky. Uniquely at Deanston they are producing organic whisky and in a few months will be releasing their first ten-year old malts for which even the casks had to be de-charred, re-fired and re-assembled.
Not far from Helensburgh is the Auchentoshan Distillery, situated at the foot of the Kilpatrick Hills. Their water comes from Loch Katrine, used uniquely in a triple distilling process which creates a particularly smooth and delicate malt whisky. Having personally examined the stills, I reckoned I was fully prepared for my tasting session and learned how just the merest splash of water magically releases all those amazing flavours.

The Big Society

2010-07-30T21:03:00.003+01:00

The new 'Big Society' idea that was conceived and launched by the Tories in opposition in March is now beginning to take shape. Nick Clegg and various ministers recently met a number of civic society chiefs to debate the Big Society Programme and David Cameron last week announced details of the 'Big Bank' which will use dormant account monies to 'fund social projects across the country, creating opportunities for social action and social involvement'. The Big Society Programme is billed to 'create a climate that empowers local people and communities, building a Big Society that would roll back big government, bureaucracy and Whitehall power'. Crikey - I really hope it works but somehow, it doesn't feel quite so new to me. I reckon that the Church of England, for one, has been doing pretty well on the Big Society front for years. Hundreds of parishes all over the country work hard with scant resources every day, offering support, advice, space, training, comfort and shelter to all types of people of all sorts of faiths and creeds - masses of 'little societies', quietly getting on with their own local parish business. And so many local and regional museums and galleries would simply cease to function without their teams of trusty volunteers, again already 'actively contributing to their local community'. I worry that by putting a political label on what's largely happening already, the Government is in danger of losing the support of potential new contributors. I'm still hoping for the best ......

Are you sitting comfortably?

2010-06-30T10:52:00.003+01:00

I heard on the R4 Today programme the other day that the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford had commissioned its new theatre seats not from a trusty UK supplier but from an Italian manufacturer called Poltrona Frau which, amongst others, designs the seats for Ferrari and Alfa Romeo. As it happens I drive an Alfa, albeit a rather old one now, and the seat is comfortable but hard and so, like Mr Naughtie, I was puzzled by the RSC's choice. It seems that in their new, thrust stage auditorium the Company is determined to keep audiences alert and 'on the edges of their seats', literally. Not for them the lush armchairs much beloved by many luxury cinema goers.
This is what I enjoyably experienced last week when I went to see 'Sex & The City 2' (escapist nonsense but a great girls' night out) at the Lexi Cinema in Kensal Rise. Formerly an Edwardian theatre, this privately owned venue is now an intimate screen space with deep, well spaced chairs and armchairs, plus a bar and cafe. Friendly, easy-going and with a great programme, the Lexi covenants all its profits to a sustainability charity in South Africa so lots of reasons to go again.
By contrast I sat on the plastic grass verge of the Royal Festival Hall last Saturday, listening to 'The Fishermens Friends', folk singers from Cornwall, part of Richard Thompson's Meltdown Festival, enviously gazing up at those lucky enough to have nabbed the deckchairs. And as if my bottom hadn't suffered enough, the next evening I sat on the floor of Tate Modern's Turbine Hall, listening to a Salon Series debate about the justification for investment in art and performances in public spaces. I'm afraid that I wasn't sufficiently engaged by the observations of the panel to be distracted from the numbness of my bum, despite the provision of a flat, foam Tate cushion. Let's hope that the new sporty seats in the RSC auditorium do a better job.

Settle down now !

2010-05-31T22:35:00.005+01:00

Just a few weeks since writing my last blog, and since May 6th Election Day, I had genuinely expected life to have settled down a little. But, no - having just got to grips with a skillfully constructed, new coalition Government, and a new 4-handed Dept. of Culture and Media, this weekend has seen the unseating of David Laws who, only days ago, was 'dominating the Commons' according to Simon Hoggart in The Guardian. As the Government regains its balance today, BP loses the plot with its spewing oil disaster and BA tailspins on with its UNITE collision course.
Next week, I'm looking forward to some recreation and inspiration at the ITT conference, this year in Spain. But all I hear on the radio is how the 4th largest Eurozone economy is having just as difficult a time as Greece and Italy.
And so, thank goodness for Lambeth Palace Library! Just 2 weeks ago, based on the strength of advance bookings, the prospect of a successful 400th Anniversary exhibition looked rather uncertain. Having worked on the project for well near a year, it was hard to maintain confidence as opening day beckoned. Now 2 weeks in and all our efforts have been rewarded. The response of the media and of the public has been amazing and so far at least, we have a success on our hands. So that's one major uncertainty settling down at least. I can sleep more soundly now.

Uncertain times

2010-05-02T16:25:00.003+01:00

The world feels unusually unsettled of late with crises and disasters of both personal and professional impact for me. The horrendous earthquake in Haiti in January was only 3 months ago yet it seems longer and of course, is now lost from media coverage. Last month came the Islandic volcano eruption - the ash crisis shut European skies for an unprecedented 6 days and left 10 million passengers without flights. Fortunately I'd recently returned from a short break in Poland so wasn't stuck in Eastern Europe but several colleagues and friends were forced to battle their way home from holidays or business trips or were frustratingly stuck in London, missing work deadlines and family commitments. Then, just a week after returning from Poland, came the tragic air crash which killed the Polish president and over 90 of his fellow countrymen and women. Having just visited the stunning beautiful St Mary's Basilica in Krakow, I felt terribly sad watching scenes there from the funeral ceremony on TV.

This week now another disaster - 4000 square miles of oil slick spilling across the Gulf of Mexico - with potentially catastophic environmental and commercial impact. No-one yet knows how bad this will be. And just today, a car bomb discovered though made safe, in Times Square, New York. And the financial melt-down in Greece looks likely to result in more strikes and unrest. What further jitters will follow in the travel and tourism industry now, I wonder?

And all this as we approach the general election, generating a seemingly endless stream of surprises and disasters, especially for a Labour party member like me. As a regular news junkie, life has never been quite so stimulating but I look forward to more settled times - my nerves can't take much more.......

Brand Tiger

2010-04-05T15:56:00.002+01:00

Much in the press this weekend of Tiger Wood's eagerly awaited comeback at Augusta this Thursday. And later this evening, along with thousands of others, I too will be logging on to see how he manages the tournament press conference, the first open press interview since he plummeted down the sporting pedestal last December. It seems that we should expect his regular style of bland and unimaginative answers, no matter what the press ask of him. Tiger was never one to speak out of turn, adding safe value to many of his hitherto lucrative sponsorship deals.
In fact, it's the consideration of 'Brand Tiger' rather than 'Golf Tiger' which interests me, with the two being inextricably connected, of course. According to Lawrence Donegan, writing in The Observer yesterday, Tiger has lost an estimated £26m of annual sponsorship earnings, largely from the withdrawal of Accenture and AT&T. I wonder whether those monies are to be re-invested in alternative corporate branding work or thankfully returned to internal coffers? Meanwhile Nike, EA Sports and Upper Deck continue to 'keep the faith' and according to Forbes, the Tiger brand still has sufficient financial clout to make him the top athelete brand in sports. Expected to still be the world's highest paid athelete in 2010, his brand is worth an estimated $82 million, exceeding that of some of the biggest names in the sports world combined - including David Beckham, Roger Federer and National Basketball Association stars. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant.
And I think it's this aspect of the 'human brand' that makes the Tiger Woods phenomenon all the more extraordinary - an actual human being who represents 100% of the values, imbued meaning and differentiation in the field in which they compete. I cannot possibly comprehend the pressure that that must put on one, as we now all know to be, all-too-human individual.
So it's back to the golf course for Tiger, where his super-human brandness resounds and where he can once again play amazing golf and for the sake of both himself and his sponsors, rehabilitate Brand Tiger.

A treat on the doorstep

2010-03-22T18:42:00.004Z

I have to admit that although it's only Monday, I'm already somewhat weary because I've rather overdone it on the culture vulture front these past few days, as well as managing the day job! My down town feast included: the Queen Elizabeth Hall for an evening of amazing jazz/rock by a Swedish combo called Tonbruket, including a surprise support set by a Korean jazz vocalist which was eerily beautiful; to Wilton's Music Hall for the Doris Day story - always great fun there; the fascinating Henry Moore exhibition at Tate Britain; and late evening at the V&A for their stunning new Medieval and Renaissance galleries.
But the real revelation was much closer to home. I live very close to Syon Park and for years have regularly visited the garden centre and have even enjoyed the gardens but have never taken that extra time to visit inside the house - shame on me! Thanks to a friend who now works on site, I was fortunate enough to be treated to a private tour last week as the house has just re-opened for the 2010 season. What a treat! The London home of the Dukes of Northumberland, it is full of glorious Robert Adam interiors with lots of fabulous original furniture and furnishing, all tied together with the story of the young Princess Victoria. Highly recommended, wherever you live!

Let it shine!

2010-02-28T20:17:00.003Z

Last month I was thrilled to be nominated for a Shine Award, an awards programme which, since 2004, has been 'recognising and celebrating the achievements of outstanding women in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism sector'. The paucity of women in the top jobs in this sector is something that, perhaps shamefully, over the years I have simply become accustomed to. But it came as something of a shock to learn that, from research carried out by People 1st, whilst over 60% of the sector workforce is made up of women, only 6% of board director positions are filled by women. So now, in order to support the development and retention of good women in this male dominated field, I'm adopting a new mentoring role. Whilst I have informally mentored many young women in my time as a manager, director and consultant, my skills and experience are now about to be tested in a more formal fashion. From next month, my mentee will be a French post-graduate student, studying for a Masters in International Tourism Management. I'm due to meet her soon to begin our mentoring journey together. I'm sure we both have much to learn and I hope to report back on progress in a future blog - a bientot !

Everyone's a fruit and nut case

2010-01-28T21:30:00.004Z

My Mother used Persil washing powder and Fairy washing-up liquid her whole life. Loyally, I do the same. For me, the brand association is cleanliness combined with motherly love. And no matter what the price difference is between them and other brands, I always buy the same.

The Cadbury brand, omnipresent in the news these days, is also close to my heart. When I was a little girl, my Father would come home from work on a Friday night with a paper bag of treats. I didn't realise at the time but Friday was pay-day and on his way back from work, he'd stop off at the newsagents to pay the paper bill, buy his weekly cigarette supply and treat us all with a bag of goodies. There was always a couple of quarters of boiled sweets, such as Everton Mints or butterscotch, a few bars of Fry's Turkish Delight or Mint Cream or maybe Walnut Whips and for, Dad himself, a large block of Cadbury's Fruit and Nut Dairy Milk. That was his favourite and remained so for the rest of his life.

So like thousands of others, I reacted with horror to the prospect of a Kraft takeover that seemed to threaten even the very memory of my Father, such is the nostalgic power of the Cadbury brand for me...... ridiculous, isn't it? Once the battle cries had died down, reading recently more measured press commentary, it seems in many respects that Cadbury might just be on to a good thing. Kraft will lead them into global markets that they otherwise would not have reached and and production will still be based in Britain. Long live sharing and giving, and long live Cadbury Fruit and Nut!

Another Christmas Carol

2009-12-13T12:59:00.002Z

I've been doing a lot of carol singing lately. As a member of Ealing's Questors Choir, I sang in our brilliant Christmas Music Concert last weekend. And lately I've been rehearsing for the Questors Theatre Christmas show 'A Christmas Carol'. The choir are supplying regular interludes of carol singing throughout the show, based on the wonderful Royal Shakespeare Company's adaptation of the Dicken's novel.
It's been some time since I performed on the Questors stage and I'd forgotten quite what a challenge it can be. So much to remember - the words, the cues, to step carefully around the busy set in a full length skirt and petticoats, to stand in the right place, to sing at the right volume, when to engage and when not with other cast members and to smile all the time! And yes, it's tiring but also exhilarating and the extra bonus for me is that whilst I'm doing all that, I can't possibly think about my 'day job'. I love my work but switching off completely is very hard. Thankfully I'll be doing just that on several evenings and afternoons over the next 3 weeks. So this will be my final blog for 2009 - so much to do and so little time .... and meanwhile:
"We wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas, we wish you a merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!"

Christmas cards rule !

2009-11-12T21:26:00.002Z

I hearby declare that I have not only ordered Christmas cards again this year but that they've already arrived! And I ordered them whilst we were still under threat of Christmas postal strikes. I just love Christmas cards, both receiving and sending them. Yes, I know they're not as eco-friendly as e-cards. But I do buy as carefully as possible on FSC certified paper. And my cards always contribute to my favourite charity, Centrepoint, which supports the young and homeless. Especially as a marketing person, I guess it could be considered rather quaint these days that I still send traditional cards rather than a singing, hopping or even dancing e-card, wishing everyone of you sincere seasonal wishes as with just one click, I broadcast away. But how can you compare an ethereal email with the sensory pleasure of receiving a real life card and envelope, hand-written, personally addressed, stamped and postmarked? Having said all that, don't let me stop you sending e-cards, especially to me. I'd rather have email greetings and wishes than nothing at all !

Healthy buildings

2009-10-11T11:51:00.002+01:00

I attended the Museums Association Conference this week, the annual 3 day bash held this year at the QEII Conference Centre in London. It does what it says on the tin, that building. But it's oh, so cold and clinical in its deliberate efficiency. A colleague and I visited the loo together at one point, a quick break from the relentless programme of talks and seminars. As we clattered into the small room, we gasped in pleasure. From the window on that 5th floor was a sweeping vista over the undulating, green-tiled roof of the old Middlesex Guildhall, now the new Supreme Court, to the concertina of silver grey, Gothic arches of Westminster Abbey. We laughed and chatted together then as we scrubbed our hands, dutifully following the hygiene instructions now slapped on every public toilet in the wake of Swine Flu. That snatched Westminster view undoubtedly raised our spirits, ready for re-entry to the conference fray.

I was reminded of this happy interlude this morning. On one of my favourite Radio 4 programmes, Broadcasting House, there was an article on the soon to be awarded Stirling Prize for Architecture. The discussion centred on the 2 shortlisted buildings in the health sector, Maggie's Centre at the Charing Cross Hospital in Hammersmith from the Richard Rogers partnership and the Kentish Town Health Centre from the architecture practice Allford Hall Monaghan Morris. Was it true, they wondered, that buildings can promote good health? "Of course they can!", I shouted at the radio. Phrases such as "the building envelopes me in love" and "I feel re-connected and healed here" were testiment to the obvious truth that we need to cure the spirit as well as the body. And I was grateful for just a spoonful of that precious medicine in Westminster this week.

Festival assortment

2009-09-01T20:25:00.003+01:00

Back home from another fabulous Edinburgh Festival weekend. In just 48 hours I encountered, amongst others, Michael Clark, Michael Mansfield, Frances Barber, El Greco, W G Sebald, Ray Charles, Picasso, Billie Holiday, David Bowie, Brahms, John Bellany, Renoir, Karin Schaupp, Tam White and Greg Behrendt. The Festival to me is like a chocolate box of art, music, books and theatre - all in easy to reach, bite-size chunks, wrapped up in the pleasure of Edinburgh streets, squares, slopes, parks and gardens. It seems I was part of a record-breaking audience this year. The Fringe recorded a 21% rise in ticket sales compared to last year with my tickets being just five of the 1.8 million tickets sold - let alone main International Festival and Book Festival tickets. The one blot on the landscape, quite literally, is the brutal gash of road works caused by the long term build for the Edinburgh tram. Goodness, I hope it's worth it! Right now endless traffic congestion and pedestrian re-routeing is disturbing enough for us visitors. So by the time of its completion in 2012, I reckon Edinburgh residents will deserve the best tram system ever in return for their patience.

Is there anyone out there?

2009-08-23T11:01:00.001+01:00

I know folks read my Blog because they talk to me about it. But no one has actually posted a comment for me yet. And as much as I enjoy writing it, I know I'm actually just a tiny, tiny part of that cacophony of voices out there in the vast virtual universe. But with so many people talking, is anyone actually listening? This question is beginning to worry some people. With so many of us 'ordinary' folks blogging and tweeting our views across the network, where does that leave the more knowledgeable commentator - political, religious, social - whose voice may not be heard amongs all our noise. Is there a danger that these expert views might be lost and so we'll all be less well informed. I must say that scripting my own blog has been a very unattractive prospect this past few weeks as I've been much preoccupied with writing professional text - brochure and promotional copy and reports. So blogging finds it own level in the hierarchy of my writing world. And maybe that's how this whole new media phenomenon will shake down - surely we can be trusted to pick and choose who we listen to and when, selecting the stories, comments and opinions of Everyman or Superman (or Superwoman), depending on our moods and circumstances.

Summer holidays

2009-07-26T09:58:00.000+01:00

For the past few days it seems like everyone I know or work with is either going or about to go on their summer holiday, either for a week or even five or six. Because I've already had several trips away this year, I have deliberately decided to stay close to home for the next few weeks. And even so, I have a few excursions planned so I'm not exactly house bound. And yet, I can't help feeling twinges of envy every time I hear of others plans - isn't that awful? So think how pleased I was to read in the August edition of 'Prospect' magazine (yes, you guessed, the 'summer holiday' issue - grrr!) that "thanks to Google, you no longer need to jet abroad". According to the author, Joy Lo Dico, Google Maps can take you on a virtual holiday without the hassle of actual, real life travelling. So far I've checked out just a couple of the tours of Paris and New York, dragging the little orange avatar man as instructed. I reckon my Google skills need more practice as my tours seem a bit dis-jointed but I'm nonetheless sufficiently inspired by some lovely views and especially the 'user photos' to want to re-visit already. Let alone a quick browse through some of the destinations I haven't been to yet to want to add them to my list. So thank you, Joy - just when I thought I'd happily stashed my case away, I'm now itching to get back to the airport !

Compare and contrast

2009-06-28T17:34:00.000+01:00

Over the past couple of weeks I've been fortunate enough to visit both Dubai and the Dordogne. Arguably it's unfair to compare the two but I can't resist! It was my first visit to Dubai which I was keen to see for myself , having heard so much about it. Whilst I was impressed by the driven ambition of the place - the spectacularly high buildings, the island and beach creations - and of course, I enjoyed the glitzy hotels and soaring shopping centres, but underneath the happy bling, I found it somehow empty and dispiriting. A return to the lushness of the French countryside on the other hand literally fed my soul - the pleasures of local food and wine, the miles of rolling, vine-packed fields, the rivers and lakes, markets and gardens - all glorious, good and fresh. What really struck me however, was the contrast in service levels and attitude. From the excellence of service faultlessly delivered in the international hotels and restaurants to the friendly courtesy shown in local bars, shops and markets, Dubai really impressed me. But in France I was really surprised by beligerent waiters and rude airport staff. I don't remember this from previous visits - maybe I've just been lucky in the past, or maybe the contrast with Dubai sharpened my attention or maybe it's true that some French folks just don't like the English, no matter that we may be valuable customers or visitors. All disappointing, whatever the reason.

Thames versus Seine

2009-05-27T14:59:00.000+01:00

I had lunch in Paris last week - such a pleasure. An effortless and efficient journey on Eurostar followed by a short stroll around the Ile St Louis before a leisurely lunch at a restaurant on Place Dauphine at the far end of the Ile de la Cite. It was such a lovely day that rather than heading then for one of my pre-selected galleries, we opted to spend the short afternoon on a lazy Seine sightseeing cruise. But I couldn't quite agree with my friend's claim that "the Seine is so much more beautiful than the Thames". And having zipped up the Thames this Sunday, from the 02 at North Greenwich to Embankment, I'm now certain. Admittedly the busy atmosphere of a scheduled Thames Clipper service may not quite compare to the romantic floatiness of a Bateau Mouche cruise, and the Seine does have some fabulously ornate bridges, but the Thames is incomparably bulging with life, both past and present. And it's been years since I'd seen the Tour Eiffel close up - from a distance I love its fretted metalwork but up close from the river it's positively brutal. As opposed to the elegant curves of our London Eye, also seen both from afar and close up this weekend. And I read that the operator Merlin plans to refurbish all of the 32 capsules, removing one at a time, between now and 2012 so that it should require no major maintenance for the next 15-20 years. I wonder if it will last as long as the Eiffel Tower?

Parlez vous francais

2009-05-03T19:32:00.000+01:00

I had cause recently to look into the use and teaching of foreign languages. Apparently giving up a language at school remains the biggest regret from adult Britons' schooldays, according to a recent survey of UK adults. Government plans now underway will make language teaching available in every primary school in England by 2010 - starting young has to be an advantage. And although 300 languages are spoken in London alone, many young people who speak another language with their family are unaware of the benefits that their community language skills can bring them - so that's another task on the Government's language learning agenda. Fortunately for me, I was able to study French up to A level and then spent two successive summers working as an au pair in France, determined to improve my language skills - as well as adventure into a foreign country and earn a modest living along the way. Regular trips to France since then, plus a few years working for the very Francophile tour operator, VFB Holidays, just about kept me au courant. But these days I find that je cherche mes mots as, like most things in life, if you don't use it, you lose it. And I'm off to Bergerac in a few weeks' time, to celebrate a friend's birthday and I've spotted a new gadget called the mi-box, a portable, pre-loaded audio-book which apparently will help me "pick up the essentials of my chosen language quickly and easily". The French version is only £13.99 - I worry that it might be a bit basic - but then again, je profiterais surement des lecons en francais.

Not So Golden Algarve

2009-04-21T18:26:00.000+01:00

Just back from a great Easter break on the Algarve, staying with friends in what's known as the 'Golden Triangle', the area of central Algarve between the two luxury resorts of Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo and the towns of Almanil and Quarteira. The 'Golden Triangle' - land of pleasure and plenty - though slightly less so these day it seems. Much local chatter about where to shop for bargains, from foodstuff to golf gear. And many developments remain empty or lie half-built, including the much anticipated 6-star Conrad apparthotel - rumour has it that buyers have been keen to withdraw and lose their significant deposits rather than maintain their 'investment' in a declining property maket. So the European recession impacts on even these golden shores. Further along the coast at Praia da Luz was another visitor, Gerry McCann, returning to the Ocean Club, the site of his daughter's tragic disappearance. The local newspaper reported him filming for a Channel 4 'Cutting Edge' documentary to be shown in May. And whilst the paper had respected his request for secrecy leading up to the visit, it gave full coverage of his 'on location' trip, including McCann's praise and appreciation of all that the local community had done for him and his family over the past two years, including his recognition that local jobs and tourism had also suffered. It seems that half the staff at the Ocean Club resort have just been fired with the 'Maddie Case' being cited as one of the reasons for the dismissals. And I noticed that in turn, Mark Warner has launched a legal action against its insurers, AIG, seeking compensation for loss of earnings following the 'Maddie Case' at the resort. It's not so Golden along the Algarve these days.

Staycations

2009-04-07T15:06:00.000+01:00

I read that the latest holiday trend in these straitened times is not to go away at all but to stay at home, so much so that the 'staycation' is now on Collins English Dictionary's shortlist of new words to be included in their next edition. I do think there may be some confusion here regarding 'at home' - is that in your local neighbourhood, county or country - could it mean not leaving your street or not leaving these shores? Travel Weekly last week published a survey suggesting that 38% of a sample of 2,000 Brits were planning not to go away this year but to spend their annual hols 'at home'. Last week VisitEngland were claiming their research shows that 63% of Brits expect to take an English break or holiday this year with one in five who took an overseas holiday last year considering switching to the UK to save money. I must say that I'm all in favour of staying close to home and discovering what's on our doorsteps. Living as I do in West London, I'm luckily spoilt for choice for local days out such as: Kew Gardens,Osterley, Richmond Park, Ham House, Syon Park; quirky museums like the Musical Museum at Brentford and Kew Steam Museum; let alone miles of walks along the Grand Union Canal, literally just down the road. I did find myself vaguely considering a National Trust working holiday the other day - did I prefer dry stone walling or forestry?! Thank heavens an exhausting day's work in my own garden this weekend has convinced me that I can even fix one of those 'at home' for myself as well.

A Thing of Beauty

2009-03-26T09:44:00.000Z

To the National Geographical Society last week for a National Trust Debate on 'Britain has become indifferent to Beauty' of which more below. Firstly I should confess to being chastised by my companion as we enjoyed a pre-debate glass of wine and I was moaning about how much my hands were hurting, having carted heavy work bags around London all day. Did I not realise that I was standing below the portrait not only of the legendary "Scott of the Antarctic" but also that of the missionary Dr. Livingstone and how dare I winge about a little bag carrying in the presence of such brave adventurers who really knew about suffering !? Anyway, back to the Debate with Roger Scruton and David Starkey speaking for the motion and claiming that beauty is central to life and politics and something to be contemplated and not 'sold' as in Britain where beauty has become priced but not valued. These opinions countered by Germaine Greer and Stephen Bayley, arguing that the British today are visually very sophisticated and that it is folly to patronise with yearnings for the past but rather to look to the new and equally beautiful as Britain excels in music, architecture, art and fashion. I disagreed with the motion at the start of the debate and with the majority of the audience, still disagreed by the end and thoroughly enjoyed the witty and intelligent performances. But what about inner beauty - that which can't be seen nor measured but which when encountered is so rare and special ? If only the National Trust could protect that too, the world would be a lovelier place.

That Movie Magic

2009-03-17T09:46:00.000Z

I read this week that new research commissioned by Travelsupermarket.com "revealed" that 34% of British travellers had been inspired to visit a destination after seeing a film. That's hardly new, is it? English Heritage and the National Trust have been benefiting for years from the impact on visitor numbers of films and TV costume dramas filmed on location at many of their sumptuous properties.The latest historic house to push the 'brand extension' is Chatsworth which I see will this summer host an exhibition of costumes from The Duchess, filmed on location both there and incidentally, in the lovely Courtyard of my previous client, Somerset House. And apparently it works long as well as short haul - the US Department of Commerce claimed an amazing 18% conversion rate for a tourism campaign which originally ran in the UK in 2005 called "You've Seen the Film, Now Visit the Set", amongst folks who saw the campaign and who visited the US in the following year and claiming their visit was as a direct result of seeing the ads. So with a survey sample of one, yours truly, I can certainly endorse the 'film effect', at least as regards intention to travel. A recent visit to the fabulous Byzantium exhibition at the Royal Academy (the first sultans of bling, apparently) for sure made me want to rush back to Istanbul. And having seen Woody Allen's delightful Vicky, Christina, Barcelona the other day, I also now want to get back to Barcelona this summer. Maybe it would be wise for me to take time out this Wednesday and fix to watch Channel 4's broadcast of Kind Hearts and Coronets, one of Ealing Studio's most famous 1940's hits - surely brilliant enough to make me want to stay right here at home in lovely West London!

The Royal Mail Saga

2009-03-09T16:37:00.000Z

No doubt like many of you, despite endless emails, I also get masses of post most days, all delivered by my trusty Postman. So I was keenly interested in his recent request to sign the CWU petition 'against the privatisation of the Royal Mail' - reading the CWU Response to the Hooper Review, one might almost believe that Mandleson was recommending the wholesale sell-off of the Royal Mail and the Post Office to some dastardly European operator who would close down half of the network and fire half the staff - probably including my Postman! Trying to understand other views in the debate has been more difficult. The issue is fast becoming a political football with the Royal Mail being kicked about between what The Guardian describes as 'New Labour zealots versus the Luddite Union' , Harriet Harman apparently using it as a 'party leadership contest tool', Mandleson being unhelpfully vague on detail when questioned on both TV and radio, the Tories supposedly proposing full privatisation and the Lib Dems opting for a 'third way' , a sort of ' John Lewis Trust style model'. In fact the Royal Mail does make a profit -£255m in the first nine months of this financial year but weighed down by a pension fund deficit of £9bn. So, yes, it's insolvent but no more so than the banks. Meanwhile the cover article of February's Marketer magazine profiles the Media Director of the Royal Mail, waxing lyrical about the brand strength of the Royal Mail and the fact that according to 2007 Neilsen research, only 30% of e-mail is actually opened and read, compared to 80% for direct mail. And that the Royal Mail is presently investing £1.2bn on modernising its mail sorting processes and apparently is going from strength to strength. So I intend to muddle along and try to monitor the progress of the Royal Mail footie match - for me too much a part of my daily life to be ignored.

The Scrivener Blog

2009-03-09T14:06:00.000Z

With a name like 'Scrivener' I thought it only appropriate that I had my own Blog. The Dictionary definition of my name is 'a person who writes out deeds; a notary'. And I certainly do like writing and regularly use cards, postcards and letters to keep in touch with both personal and business contacts. But these days any marketing campaign worth its salt uses a combination of traditional and digital media so as a Marketing Consultant, I decided it was high time that I joined the Web 3.0 community. So this Blog will be my regular take on incidents and events that interest or affect me and my business and of course, any feedback is welcome.