Tag Archives: Boston

Feb 20 2010

MIPIM 2010 – preparations continue

With just over three weeks to go before the Le Marche International des Professionnels de l’ Immobilier (MIPIM) final preparations are underway. Investor numbers are reported to be up.

Plimouth plantation nr. Boston - an idea for the Castle? grounds?


Nottingham City Council will be at the show – promoting the City on the world stage. In fact the leader of the Councillor is going very green this year – he’s cycling there! You can sponsor him and Nigel Turpin here. It’s for a great cause – he is raising money for Maggie’s locally.

It looks like there will also be some publicity around Robin Hood – both in terms of the film (due for release on May 14th in the UK) but also some information about the work of the Sheriff’s Commission. I have been on the advsory board of the Commission for the last seven months or so. Some of the key timefames and ideas can be found here. There are some great further Ideas emerging – which I might be presenting in Cannes. I will share them on the blog.

I saw the Sheriff in the week – it is clear that he remains really enthusiastic about how Nottingham capitalise on the Robin Hood brand. We still have some way to go in bringing about a world class attraction to the City – but I remain convinced that it can be done. The World Cup in 2018 might be a driver – it’s not actually that far away when you consider what we need to do. In a nutshell we need an Investor. Public Finances in the next few years are going to be restricted.

One of the things that will happen is Robin Hood month in May (to coincide with the film). Armour making, Jousting and Archery are planned for the Castle. But we are fortunate in that Universal Studios have been kind enough to loan us props from the film – it is hoped that these will be on show! The Broadway Cinema is having a season of films around Robin Hood. Then there is the excellent Castle Rock brewery which is brewing a special Robin Hood Ale…

At last, Nottingham is beginning to realise the value of Robin Hood as a brand for the city. For too many years we have been reticent about his importance.

I am really enthusiastic about what we can do with Robin Hood. He doesn’t run an airport near Doncaster – he belongs to Nottingham. Or as John Paul Davis said “Robin Hood and Nottingham go together like peaches and cream”. I rest my case.

Dec 31 2009

2009 – a year in review

I think as you get older the years just seem to fly by much quicker. But looking back on 2009 as the year draws to a close, I tried to think through the highs and lows of the year. On reflection, many more highs than lows I think. Which can only be a good thing! So here goes:

High Points

1. A great weekend in September at St Andrews celebrating our 25th Wedding Anniversary. We stayed in an amazing hotel overlooking the 18th hole at the Old Course. Where did 25 years go? St Andrews is a magical place – I can’t believe we had not discovered it earlier. It helps if you like golf…

St Andrews - and the 18th hole on the Old Course

2. Our son Jack getting 8 GCSE’s and a place at Confetti. This despite his Dyslexia. And then Jade getting a hard-earned place at TeachFirst and working in two challenging schools. Adam worked on another film – the details of which I will spare you, but if I said it was an NHS Information film – that’s enough of a clue!

Jack, Jade and Adam - in the Summer.

3. Lesley and I seeing The Killers at Madison Square Garden (New York) in January. Quite a long way to go to see a gig but they were just brilliant – and then we came home and saw them again at The Arena in Nottingham. Musically the Isle of Wight featured in the calendar again – and was great – especially the infamous toilets & showers… I wasn’t sure about Neil Young though!

The Killers play Madison Square Garden NYC

4. The opening of the Abel Collins ‘Drury Bungalows’ in November – at the end of a three year stint! I think they are great and four couples will move in shortly! The Sheriff of Nottingham and his Lady did us proud on the day – and I think the bungalows are brilliant! Designed by Marsh Grochowski they are ‘of their time’! High green credentials make them highly energy efficient.

The Abel Collins Almshouses - Drury Bungalows

5. My trip with the Sheriff of Nottingham to the USA in September – to research World Class attractions. We visited six cities in 10 days, flying 12,500 miles. It was exhausting but informative – and there was some fun along the way. Highlights – Segway riding, The Experience Music Project in Seattle, Getty Museum in LA, Alcatraz, The High Line in New York and Little Boots in concert – and much more!

The USA tour team - at Top of the Rocks NYC

6. Seeing Jack play his first gig as part of the Hockley Hustle 2009. They were great (I may be a bit biased). That all of their friends turned up was just great to see.

Jack playing drums in his first gig

7. A great holiday in Dartmouth – including an interesting two days sailing – more so for me than Jack – who was none too well! It may have been something he ate – or could it have been the force 7/8 gale?

Dartmouth

Dartmouth Harbour

8. The celebrations in Paris for our friends John & Denise celebrating their 50th birthdays! They are getting old and I am one of the babies of the group. Good to see the gang growing old disgracefully – long may it continue.

The NHR gang do Paris in the Spring!

Low Points

Seeing Nick Hammond and Nick Lewis leave Castle College – both loyal clients over 17 years, but also really nice people & people I regard as friends. I do expect both of them to make returns in 2010!

Nick Hammond in LA (on the right.. in case you wondered)

And that’s it. I wonder what 2010 will bring – hopefully the same split again – or preferably no low points. But already things to look forward to – Minsk in January?, Skiing in February, MIPIM in March and at some point New York (again). I have also agreed to help the Bromley House Library look at the possibility of building an extension / upgrading the wonderful facilities they have!

Lots to look forward to then…. Happy New Year!!

Dec 20 2009

Nottingham – on the up!

Fantastic news this week as Dorling Kindersely released their list of places to visit across the globe in 2010. Nottingham is listed in third place – behind Istanbul & Reykjavik.

Nottingham Castle


They said, “In May 2010 Hollywood’s eyes will focus on this corner of the East Midlands, as Ridley Scott’s new Robin Hood film is released to the world. Meanwhile, Nottingham Contemporary, a new building designed by award-winning architects Caruso St John, opens with a series of exhibitions and art projects running across four galleries. Add to this its designer shopping credentials and there are plenty of reasons to visit Nottingham in 2010.“

So votes for Robin Hood and The Nottingham Contemporary! Our shopping gets a mention too. Nottingham does have a world class reputation – which we need to build on. We beat Boston MA – and I am not surprised! See one of my earliest blogs here.

Then there was the news that Nottingham had been named as one of the regional centres for The World Cup 2018 bid to FIFA. If England ‘win’ the right to host the tournament things should come together nicely for 2018! The work we have been doing on a Robin Hood attraction has timelines that run through to 2018.

If all comes good, who knows we might well be the number one place to visit in the world – now that would be quite cool! We certainly have a target to aim for – and eight years will pass quite quickly…

Sep 20 2009

Quite a stir in Boston!

I ‘guest blogged’ for John Lyle – one of my co-tourers on the USA trip – along the lines of:

“The Freedom Trail”, Boston is a historic walk which runs for 2 ½ miles and takes in 16 sites.

It starts at a Visitor Center on the edge of Boston Common (a sort of Central Park thing) – and then weaves through the old part of the town.

You have a choice of DIY or escorted. Both follow a red brick or painted line in the pavement and eat each interest point there is a brass plaque set in the pavement where you stop and take in the sight.

the freedom trail brass plaque set in the pavement

We picked up a $3 map and guide – which is badly laid out and reminds you of the old paper origami maps – easy to take apart but impossible to put back together! Fortunately it wasn’t raining – we would have had a soggy mush to help us along.

The first stop was very impressive Massachusetts State House – complete with real 23ct gold topped roof. Not sure Nottingham is ready for this! It cost $133,000 in 1798 – five times over budget.

We then meandered through the ancient streets until we happened upon the Kings Chapel – built originally in 1749. Inside it houses the oldest pulpit in the USA, but the best feature were the individual pew boxes – which were sold to wealthy families! Washington came here in 1789.

pews in the Kings Chapel Boston

Back on the Street we continued towards the USS Constitution and stopped by the site of the Boston Massacre in 1770. The site is marked by a stone circle – we were somewhat underwhelmed by the monument. It’s a traffic island!

Out of time we opted out of the tour at this point and headed back into town. So our impression. It’s a great idea – and the pathway is something that can transfer. But the destinations are mixed and we walked past a few. At the Kings Chapel we were invited to part with cash; so if you do this at each tour stop it can be quite expensive. The guide was expensive and rubbish – it would have been a liability in rain. It also very clearly marked us a tourists and I couldn’t help but wonder about being targets as we concentrated on finding things. If I am really honest we got bored. I (as a surveyor) found interest in the buildings but the story seemed a bit disjointed. Perhaps we would have been better with the uniformed guide tour.

It seems that this was not the thing to say, and has much of Boston up in arms! This was not my intention!

boston blog

The one thing that made me smile though was that one person agreed and said that the tour was known amongst school-kids as “The Boredom Trail”. I rest my case!