Boris goes Bond for Poppy Day as he speeds down The Thames
THE Capitalist, and presumably most of London, simply cannot escape Mayor Boris Johnson these days.
Fresh from his appearance at the NFL game at Wembley Stadium on Sunday evening, Boris was cruising down the River Thames on a Royal Navy RIB yesterday morning.
Pointing his trigger finger at onlookers, Bozza arrived at Canary Wharf in timely 007 style to launch the London Poppy Day Appeal.
For the first time ever, the Poppy Appeal has gone electronic this year. Barclaycard has donated 400 mobile card payment terminals so that Londoners with empty pockets can donate using their debit cards.
After his boat was winched aboard HMS Severn, the Mayor swiped his card and bought the first poppy using the contactless payment system. Money raised from the appeal supports The Royal British Legion.
■ One of The Capitalist’s favourite providers of amusing surveys, Travelodge, released a “scary snooze study” yesterday of bedtime Bogeymen who are causing us to lose out on beauty sleep. In the poll, George Osborne, Gordon Brown and Ed Balls make the list of culprits rudely making unwanted appearances in the nightmares of British adults. All very plausible entries with the exception of number seven, pop singer Justin Bieber, who is surely a less terrifying dream catcher than the shadow chancellor? Perhaps the ‘Lodge should have surveyed a few more of Balls’ neighbours. Having recently admitted to taking up the piano, that is one poll where the politician is guaranteed to count on winning votes.
■ As Goldman Sachs was sandbagging down the hatches of its West Street building on Monday, most New York City workers were opting to weather out the Frankenstorm with books and candlelight after the power went down. However gym chain Equinox, which has 25 clubs in the New York region, took an optimistic approach to the storm, informing members by email that: “Last August, Hurricane Irene didn’t stop us from delivering an unparalleled experience; Hurricane Sandy won’t either. We are open regular hours today and tomorrow and invite you to come in for a complimentary workout.” Now there’s a city where the glass is truly half full.