黑洞社区

Easy does it, Jonny

Bovis Lend Lease鈥檚 PFI arm certainly got a famous name along to celebrate work starting on an extension to Hexham General Hospital in Northumberland. Rugby World Cup star Jonny Wilkinson popped in to lay a commemorative stone. Given the fly-half鈥檚 litany of injuries, including most recently a 鈥渓acerated鈥� kidney, we were surprised he was able to lift the trowel up in the first place.

Win a bottle of wine!

Here鈥檚 a bizarre twist on the 鈥楲ife is like a box of chocolates鈥� homespun philosophy of Forrest Gump. Apparently the NEC contract is like a pizza, according to lawyer Michael Blackburne.

Speaking at a breakfast seminar about the en vogue contract the head of construction at Reynolds Porter Chamberlain said the potential for adding extra conditions to the basic NEC was like 鈥渁dding toppings to a pizza鈥�. Which leads to the question we need answered 鈥� what foodstuff most reflects the JCT or the PPC2000? Send your ideas through to qsnews@cmpi.biz and we鈥檒l send a bottle of wine for the best culinary analogy.

We were soldiers

We failed to storm the safe house, or assassinate their president, but our thanks still go to British Gypsum, who challenged QS News and sister titles 黑洞社区 and 黑洞社区 Design to a round of paintballing. And won (just 鈥� the final score was 4-3).

We think four hours listening to grown men and women scream in a large warehouse in Canary Wharf is time well spent. We also enjoyed the cartoon style egg-shaped bump emanating from one challenger鈥檚 head, and wish him a speedy recovery.

The Simon Jones case closes

Our profound thanks to sister magazine 黑洞社区 for solving the mystery that has bugged our sector in the last year 鈥� what does newly installed senior partner at Gardiner & Theobald Simon Jones really look like? You may recall our blunder at the beginning of the year in publishing a picture of a Simon Jones, but not the Simon Jones. So here鈥檚 the man himself, who apparently is a little camera-shy, in full technicolour glory.

Jumping for joy

Here鈥檚 the picture submitted by Bucknall Austin to celebrate its success in winning a new deal with the Royal Parks, including readying Horse Guards Parade, which borders St James鈥檚 Park, for Olympic beach volleyball. Not sure we needed quite that much detail. Judge for yourselves.

Do you have any wacky tales about yourself or your colleagues? Email us at: qsnews@cmpi.biz