April 2020

Capitalising on the ongoing British thirst for gin, OZEN by Atmosphere, the flagship luxury all‐inclusive resort from Atmosphere Hotels & Resorts, has become the first resort in the Maldives to open a Gin Bar – aptly named Gin Is In.
With all beverages included in the resort’s Atmosphere Indulgence Plan, guests can enjoy an authentic gin journey during their stay without having to worry about a bill at the end, giving discerning travellers staying on the exotic Maadhoo island a chance to sample all the gins they wish during their stay.

After a busy week touring in the Rolls Royce Black Badge Dawn we decide to finish with a relaxing day at Stoke Park Spa with a massage and lunch. Stoke Park is one of the finest country clubs in England and the location of many iconic movies including James Bond’s Goldfinger with Sean Connery, Tomorrow Never Dies with Piers Brosnan, Bridget Jones Diary with Hugh Grant and Renée Zellweger, and Layer Cake with Daniel Craig (who now of course plays James Bond).

Griff Rhys Jones is the star of Not the Nine o'Clock News, Smith & Jones and Three Men In a Boat and a legend in the comedy world. His face to face sketches with Mel Smith were exceptional examples of pure comedy, just two heads on screen chatting and defying expectations with surprising moments of irresistible hilarity. For many years they were the dominant force in alternative British humour along with Rowan Atkinson, Lenny Henry, Billy Connolly and French and Saunders.

The UK has seen the sixth consecutive year growth in revenue for the superyacht industry. The fall in the pound has helped, though a third of superyacht owners are actually based in the UK, the exchange rate means there is much more bang for your buck. Whilst there has been a rise in new build this year, the biggest growth has been in refit. The trend for restoring luxury items that people become emotionally connected to seems to have migrated into the superyacht industry.

Dacre resignation provides no comfort to the victims of Daily Mail misconduct and alleged illegal newsgathering
 
Paul Dacre has announced his resignation as Editor of the Daily Mail.  He will become chairman and editor-in-chief of Associated Newspapers.
Commenting, Hacked Off Executive Director Dr Evan Harris said,
 

The Alfa Romeo 4C is the car you run off with for a weekend, the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is the one you marry, because you will never get that lucky again.
Alfa Romeo has its legions of loyal fans who stood by it when things weren’t going so well, now they can confidently assert that Alfa Romeo are producing cars that deserve passion and loyalty, justified by the sheer exhilarating performance of the Quadrifoglio.
Quadrifoglio stands for the four leaf clover emblem that Ugo Sivocci painted on his Alfa Romeo RL in which he won the

Santamaria Shirt Makers in Notting Hill Gate is the genteel place to have a bespoke shirt made to measure. At this lovely little boutique just off Pembridge Square Gardens you can create the ultimate shirt, choosing from a huge list of gorgeous fabrics and be fitted to perfection.

The Milan furniture fair is always an enjoyable feast of out-there work. Typically art-masquerading-as-furniture or installations of dazzling complexity and bewildering utility. Which makes it all the more interesting that over the years, a number of car manufacturers have chosen the Salone as the location for model launches or campaigns to promote their brands outside the benzine-tainted halls of motor shows. One of the most high-profile of these is MINI.

The Excellence Group recently organised a luxury event hosted by the prestigious Emsworth Polo Grounds to showcase Team Brit and their new Aston Martin Vantage V8, in which the team stormed to victory in their first ever GT4 race at Oulton Park on the 12th May. The high net worth guests were treated to the inside track on the drivers’ experiences and the inspiring story of how Team Brit was formed.

It is always a pleasant surprise and refreshing to find an hotel that exceeds your expectations.  The opening photograph on the Congham Hall website is, even if I am being a bit mean, rather reminiscent of a prep school.  However, as we happily discovered, it hides the many charms and friendly experiences both within the hotel and around the gardens.