hmmm

020 7269 1430

• Communication
• Legal Business
• Real Estate
• Wealth Management

A Pedestrian Pedant?

September 27, 2009

Renowned pedant, Richard Dixon of The Times, is in the Royal Parks Half-Marathon on October 11. He is thus soliciting sponsorship for the oft-unheralded but rather wonderful Article 25 charity, which sends architects and related specialists abroad where there is a need for decent buildings.

Mr Dixon avows that he is planning to walk the 13 miles, 192 yards, 1ft 6in (approx) of the course, but we have our doubts. As the Chief Revise Editor of The Times, Mr Dixon may be a pedant, but toiling daily on the front line of linguistic inexactitude does not lend itself to pedestrian activity. Swiftness of thought, allied with a merciless red pen and the consistently ruthless execution of its all-too-evident marks, make for a man of hitherto unapprehended alacrity.

You heard it here first. Our money’s on Mr Dixon to speed round the course – on foot, yes, but at a canter, not a stroll. We only hope that our words, hewn from the depths of the Swordplay labyrinth, escape his censure.

Editor’s Note: we are aware of a fault in the Just Giving link. Hopefully this will be noted, revised and corrected in due course.

The ABC Cup

September 24, 2009

Here’s an event we’d like to attend. The Advertising, Brands and Communications Cup is taking place today and tomorrow on the Solent, with crews getting that wild and blustery feeling as they compete on 40ft Beneteau yachts. The ABC Cup is in aid of Helen & Douglas House, the UK’s first children’s hospice, and its title sponsor is Lewis Silkin. A great event for a worthy cause – next year we hope to be there.

Chelsea v QPR: An Alternative Match Report with a PR Slant

September 24, 2009

One of Swordplay’s friends found herself at a football match last night. Specifically, she witnessed Chelsea prevail 1-0 over fellow West London club QPR in the third round of the Carling Cup. It was the first time she had ever seen a football match, and, by and large, she enjoyed the occasion. Stamford Bridge is a fine stadium and the attendance of some 37,000 made for a lively atmosphere, especially among the QPR fans, whose singing, chanting and, as Swordplay’s friend put it, taunting was relentless.

Here, though, is the rub. Outside the ground, after the game, what had been a simmering feeling of menace blossomed into ugly scenes which many assume have long since disappeared from British football. Police, on horses and foot, had to separate Chelsea and QPR fans as scuffle after scuffle broke out on the way to Fulham Broadway station. For perhaps 25 minutes, anyone unlucky enough to be caught in the middle of this mini-riot was unable to move anywhere, making for a growing sense of dread each time there was a surge of the crowd or a charge of a police horse. It was unnecessary and unpleasant.

But Swordplay’s friend kept her wits about her. Later, in the relative calm of Parsons Green, she made the following observations:

1. Quite a few football fans are not very good-looking. Perhaps this contributes to their anger with the world?

2. Football fans predicate their existence on a sense of hate. “We hate Chelsea and we hate Chelsea, we hate Chelsea and we hate Chelsea, we are the Chelsea haters” was but one of many anthems sung by the QPR faithful. No one asks that they replace the word ‘hate’ with ‘love’, but seeing such visceral loathing, in so physically unprepossessing a group of people, was dismaying.

3. Before the game there was a tangible feeling of danger in the streets near Stamford Bridge. Afterwards, its fuse caught fire. But why should attending a sporting event in modern Britain be accompanied by fear for one’s safety?

4. Social media plays an intriguing role in fans’ confrontations. The standoff around Fulham Broadway saw virtually every fan holding mobile phones high above their heads and filming the action. Soon enough, footage will appear on Youtube. Just add bilious comments and you have a snapshot of tribal warfare in football.

5. What sort of father applauds his 12-year-old son when he hears him shout “F*** off, you Rangers *****!!”? For this happened as the QPR fans slowly made their way home, a proud Chelsea dad saying “Go on, son!” as his offspring screamed abuse.

6. The majority of football fans are decent folk. But thanks to the minority who prefer to watch what their opposing number is doing rather than enjoy the action on the pitch, football fans badly need some positive PR. “The trouble is,” said Swordplay’s friend, “with all the above factors in mind, where on earth do you start?”

Pictured courtesy of alofbrid: Stamford Bridge, Yorkshire. If only the scenes outside the West London version last night had been as idyllic.

« Previous Page — Next Page »