Ed Warner: Soft power and sport – why do they do that? December 9, 2021 To the Guildhall for the launch of EY’s study of soft power and major sporting events, commissioned by the City of London and UK Sport. The publication was timely, coinciding with the findings of the inquiry into the chaos at the Euro 2020 final at Wembley which tarnished Britain’s hosting credentials, as well as the [...]
Ashes talking points: England weren’t good enough, but Aussies shone December 8, 2021 There was a deep feeling of dread when Haseeb Hameed and Rory Burns walked out onto the Gabba’s moderately green crease to open the batting in the first Test of this winter’s Ashes. But no one would have predicted the collapse that followed. Here are the talking points from England’s batting on day one of [...]
Measure For Measure at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse review December 8, 2021 Government sleaze is on display again, but at least in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse’s latest Shakespeare production, it’s entertaining. In Measure for Measure, the Duke of Vienna delegates power to an outwardly righteous advisor, with the hope he will restore moral order in an increasingly licentious society, but remains in the city in the guise [...]
Eight Premier League stars in KPMG top 10 most valuable players list December 8, 2021 KPMG has underlined the financial supremacy of English football by naming eight Premier League stars among its top 10 most valuable players. Erling Haaland of Borussia Dortmund, valued at €142m (£121m), and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, valued at €128m (£109m) occupy the top two places. But the remainder of KPMG’s top 10 is comprised of [...]
All Hale: why this Tottenham area is a new residential superstar December 8, 2021 Tottenham Hale in North London’s borough of Haringey is part of one of the largest “opportunity areas” in the capital, receiving £1bn worth of new development and a £30m upgrade to Tottenham Hale station. “This is a really exciting time for Tottenham Hale,” says Tom Goodall, head of residential at property developer and investor Argent [...]
The One that Trot Away: My dream of a Peppa Pig restaurant empire December 8, 2021 As Pied à Terre celebrates its 30th anniversary, there are plenty of highs and lows I could look back upon. Winning a Michelin star just over a year after opening; regaining our second Michelin star with chef Shane Osborn; the fire that closed the restaurant for most of 2014 (at least my badminton game came [...]
The last supper: Actor Nathaniel Parker on his dream final meal December 8, 2021 I prefer the sound of a “final meal on Earth” to “Last Supper”, as otherwise it feels a bit too much like the night before an execution. I also like it because if I was religious, I’d feel as if I was going on to somewhere else, which would be nice. My final meal on [...]
Australia captain Cummins hails ideal start to Ashes after England collapse December 8, 2021 Australia captain Pat Cummins hailed a perfect start to their Ashes defence after they dismissed England for 147 on day one of the first Test in Brisbane. England opener Rory Burns was bowled first ball by Mitchell Starc, while Cummins marked his debut as skipper with figures of 5-38. “It’s all gone to plan so [...]
Australia joins US in boycott of Beijing Winter Olympics as China hits back: ‘They violate Olympic spirit’ December 8, 2021 Australia’s prime minister said this morning the country will join the US in a diplomatic boycott of the Beijing Winter Olympics over human rights concerns. Scott Morrison said it should come as no surprise that Australian officials would boycott the event after the nation’s relationship with China had broken down in recent years. He added [...]
Champions League: Barcelona on brink ahead of Bayern Munich trip December 8, 2021 The last time that Barcelona were absent from the Champions League knockout stages, Lionel Messi was yet to make his debut and Gavi, the club’s newest star, hadn’t even been born. But 18 years later that scenario could come to pass again on Wednesday evening, depending on the outcome of the club’s make-or-break final Group [...]