The Steeple Times

Tag: Italy

  • Wally of the Week – Vanessa Branson

    Wally of the Week – Vanessa Branson

    At a time when her billionaire brother Sir Richard is deservedly taking a pounding for trying to rape the state, multi-millionairess Vanessa Branson could have perhaps postponed the launch of her self-indulgent autobiography

    It’s not Vanessa Branson’s fault that she’s the sister of the all-round dickhead Sir Richard Branson, but it is she alone whom made the choice to gauchely publicise a book about her anything but modest life during the worst pandemic since Spanish Flu.

     

    Serialised, as only it could be in the top paying publication for such guff, the Daily Mail, Vanessa Branson’s One Hundred Summers: A Family Story has a stench of what the Scottish would call “guff” about it. Aside from bemoaning “sulking about” buying a tidal island complete with 9 houses in the Inner Hebrides – which she terms “Neverland Found” – this privileged woman boldly touts her book as: “Taking the reader on a journey from the dying embers of Edwardian England, through the trauma of two world wars, the hedonism of London in the 1980s and ‘Cool Britannia’ in the 1990s right up to the present day.” How utterly endearing.

     

    Just like her self-publicising brother, this constantly crying 61-year old former art gallery owner plainly cannot get enough of herself. Here is a ramble through holidays in palazzos in Venice and trips to LA; there’s an arts festival in Morocco and there’s a second home in Sussex. Life ain’t that shabby for this woman, but all she does is moan. Her husband comes and goes (and comes and goes again and again), but with such she name-drops how Grayson Perry gave her a pot charmingly featuring the words “Marriage Wrecker” next to “images of fat middle-aged men with drooping breasts and sagging scrotums” and Tracey Emin wrote her a poem for her to use on her headboard. Its read: “Oh God you made me feel so beautiful/ And then I wanted to feel it again and again. With myself, by myself/ Never forgetting.” That’s surely enough to make anyone join in blubbering with this very, very rich multi-millionairess.

     

    With her brattish brother condemned even by that pillar of capitalism that is The Telegraph as “Now Virgin Atlantic’s biggest liability,” Vanessa Branson could not have chosen a worse time to launch her tome. Though lauded as: “A vivid and charming tapestry of English eccentricity, fortune, fate and passion,” One Hundred Summers is more likely to ultimately be remembered just as a tale of the pathetic appendage of the deservedly most loathed man of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Here is one book we most definitely will not be recommending as essential lockdown literature.

     

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  • A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc

    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc

    1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ limousine owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense

    Félix Houphouët-Boigny (whom claimed to be born in 1908, but was more likely born in 1905, and died in 1993) was known variously as ‘Papa Houphouët’ (‘The Old One’), the ‘Sage of Africa,’ the ‘Farmer President’ and the ‘Grand Old Man of Africa.’ Westerners, more simply called him: ‘HB.’

     

    The first President of Ivory Coast and ruler from 1960 to 1963 was considered “politically moderate” and under him the country “prospered economically.” His tenure was referred to as the “Ivorian miracle” and with growth, this larger-than-life leader moved the capital from Abidjan to his hometown, Yamoussoukro, in 1983. There he built not only an international airport, but also, at an extraordinary cost of the equivalent of £629 million ($780 million, €713 million or درهم2.9 billion) today, the largest church in the world, the Basilica of Our Lady of Peace of Yamoussoukro.

     

    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
    “Well-loved first President of Ivory Coast” Félix Houphouët-Boigny (1905 or 1908 – 1993).
    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
    Félix Houphouët-Boigny travelling in one of his Mercedes-Benz ‘Dictator Cars’.

    Aside from the usual ‘perks’ purchased by leaders of his time – including homes in France, Italy and Switzerland – Houphouët-Boigny was known for his love of shiny metals. In 1983, he declared: “People are surprised that I like gold. It’s just that I was born in it.” With his ‘Françafrique-style’ of diplomacy, Houphouët-Boigny liked to travel in style also and now one of his fleet of cars is to be sold at auction in June.

     

    The car to be offered by RM Sotheby’s is a 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman with six-doors. It is one of five delivered to Ivory Coast at that time, unusually has no door handles on its middle doors and is fitted with air conditioning and an intercom also. Presented in its original colour combination of black lacquer with a natural coloured leather interior and brown carpets, the car left Africa after the death of Houphouët-Boigny in 1993. It was then exported to Germany and in the time since has been subject to restorative work costing some £88,000 ($109,000, €100,000 or درهم401,000) in 1994 and between 2013 and 2014 also. The auctioneers note that “the car is equipped with a replacement engine of the right type and that a second engine of the right type comes with the purchase.”

     

    Twice married Houphouët-Boigny was said to be worth somewhere between the staggering sums of £5.7 billion and £8.9 billion ($7 billion and $11 billion, €6.4 billion and €10 billion or درهم25.7 billion and درهم40.4 billion) on his death. His funeral was attended by 7,000 people and subsequently Ivory Coast’s economy declined rapidly. A religiously grounded civil war followed and still today, what was previously a prosperous land remains “severely damaged.”

     

    RM Sotheby’s will sell the ex-Félix Houphouët-Boigny Mercedes-Benz 600 Pullman at their Essen sale on behalf of its current owner, Dr Urich Speicher. The event runs from 24th to 27th June and an estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.

     

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    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
    A Grand Old Man’s Grand Old Merc – President Félix Houphouët-Boigny – 1967 Mercedes ‘Dictator Car’ owned until 1993 by the first President of Ivory Coast to be auctioned after being restored at vast expense – 1967 Mercedes-Benz 600 Six-Door Pullman to be sold by RM Sotheby’s at their 24th to 27th June 2020 sale in Essen, Germany on behalf of current owner Dr Urich Speicher. An estimate of £220,000 to £247,000 ($273,000 to $306,000, €250,000 to €280,000 or درهم1 million to درهم1.1 million) has been set.
  • Wally of the Week – Sir Christopher Meyer

    Wally of the Week – Sir Christopher Meyer

    Pompous pillock Sir Christopher Meyer sticks his oar in over coronavirus and makes a most bigoted suggestion as to its origin in blaming travelling Chinese textile workers

    Sir Christopher Meyer is someone who just cannot help himself. Aside from lauding it over anyone he encounters alongside his equally unctuous wife – now senior in rank given Theresa May elevated her to the peerage with no good reason – this “red socked fop,” as John (now Lord) Prescott, once quite correctly branded him, took to Twitter on Friday to blame Chinese textile workers travelling to northern Italy for the spread of coronavirus.

     

    In the tweet – forwarded to us by a flabbergasted reader given The Steeple Times is blocked on the medium by this cowardly creep – the blabbermouth announced:

     

    “Somebody told me today that the unique severity of Covid-19 in northern Italy is due to tens of thousands of legal and illegal Chinese workers in leather and textile factories, many travelling to/from Wuhan after the outbreak there. True or false?”

     

    The ex-British Ambassador to Washington certainly knows very little about diplomacy and he certainly knows nothing about science and respiratory conditions. His expertise on travel patterns, equally, is something we’d most definitely question.

     

    Like prattling popstars such as Sir Elton John preaching to the nation about what they need to do during this crisis, Sir Christopher’s views are about as much use as a chocolate teapot. He should do the decent thing and jolly well shut up.

     

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  • TIGing a Drunken Duchess

    TIGing a Drunken Duchess

    The boozy bird the Duchess of Sussex and the newly formed The Independent Group have something in common; this “TIG moment” lover should become their leader

     

    The former Meghan Markle – a bizarre woman who ludicrously  likes to create “spaces to share” and “breeding grounds for ideas and excitement” – once had a blog called ‘The Tig.’ It was supposedly about matters “lifestyle” and on it she created “a hub for the discerning palate – those with a hunger for food, travel, fashion [and] beauty.”

     

    On this oracle of wisdom the busybody ‘Murky Mucky’ shared information that the world simply shouldn’t be without. On the now defunct site’s ‘About’ section, she bizarrely stated:

     

    “Several years ago I had a sip of wine called Tignanello (pronounced “teen-ya-nello“). But let’s be real – in the states most people said “tig-na-nello“…or just plain old “Tig.” The Italiano of it all gets a little tricky, so the bartender kept it simple; it was a glass of “Tig.“ So there I am, with very minimal wine knowledge and I take a sip of this wine. It wasn’t just red or white – suddenly I understood what people meant by the body, legs, structure of wine. It was an ah-ha moment at its finest. For me, it became a “Tig” moment – a moment of getting it.”

     

    “From that point on, any new awareness, any new discovery or “ohhhhh, I get it!” moment was a “Tig” moment. At New York Fashion Week understanding that clothes aren’t just pieces of fabric, but that they can be art. So Tig. Traveling off the beaten track and hand diving for sea urchin in Jamaica – understanding that travel is adventure and discovery, culture and surprise. A Tig moment, indeed. And the same could be said for my love of cooking & dining, for cultivating friendships that inspire you, for the idea of “beauty” and what that means to us. An understanding that comes with living your life to the fullest so that it bursts at the seams. An unbridled joy. An insatiable curiosity. That’s what Tig means to me.”

     

    We won’t bore you with the rest of this right royal pest’s drivel but yesterday, in Westminster, seven now ex-Labour MPs quit their party. They formed a group called ‘The Independent Group’ or more simply ‘TIG.’ Perhaps it might be appropriate that their fellow ‘Tigger’ The Duchess of Sussex become their leader.

     

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    TIGing a Drunken Duchess – Meghan Markle should go into politics – The boozy bird the Duchess of Sussex and the newly formed The Independent Group have something in common; this “TIG moment” lover should become their leader
    The Independent Group announced their creation in Westminster yesterday; they came across as a bunch of attention seekers.

    TIGing a Drunken Duchess – Meghan Markle should go into politics – The boozy bird the Duchess of Sussex and the newly formed The Independent Group have something in common; this “TIG moment” lover should become their leader
    Meanwhile, elsewhere, in New York, ‘The Modern Day Mrs Simpson’ couldn’t help but don the look of an extra from ‘Last Of The Summer Wine’ in wearing a flat cap. Here indeed was a right royal embarrassment.

  • Kyra Kennedy

    Kyra Kennedy

    A bit of a wildchild, Kyra Kennedy is the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (‘RFK’ to his friends). In 2015, she “freaked out” at a New York club that refused to let her in and “screamed”: “I’m a Kennedy, Google me!” whilst in 2016, she again hit headlines after allegedly cyberbullying a blogger named Allie Jones. Born in 1995 in Massachusetts and educated in New York and Italy, Kennedy tells her 14,000 Instagram followers that she’s “somewhere between psychotic and iconic.”

     Kyra Kennedy – Wildchild and scion of the Kennedy dynasty – A bit of a wildchild, Kyra Kennedy is the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. She has been accused of cyberbullying and claims to be “somewhere between psychotic and iconic.”Kyra Kennedy – Wildchild and scion of the Kennedy dynasty – A bit of a wildchild, Kyra Kennedy is the daughter of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. She has been accused of cyberbullying and claims to be “somewhere between psychotic and iconic.”

  • A Modern Beauty

    A Modern Beauty

    “One of Britain’s finest 20th-century country houses” has been placed for sale for £20 million; it comes with 530 acres and was built by the late businessman Sebastian de Ferranti in the 1980s

     

    One could imagine being in the early 18th century or in Italy even on first taking a look at the Palladian style Henbury Hall, near Macclesfield in Cheshire. However, as Moliere said: “One is easily fooled by that one loves” and in reality this 12,496 square foot beauty was actually constructed between 1980 and 1986.

     

    The vision of the buccaneer businessman and patron of the arts Sebastian de Ferranti (1927 – 2015) and based upon Palladio’s Villa Rotunda at Vizenza, the 6-bedroomed main residence stands on the site of an earlier mansion demolished in the 1950s. It was designed by the architect Julian Bicknell in conjunction with Felix Kelly and David Mlinaric, was constructed by Tarmac Construction and is faced with warm-toned limestone from north east France. The estate also includes a Grade II listed dower house, five further houses and cottages, a Grade II listed and stable block and courtyard.

     

    A Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de Ferranti
    The late Sebastian de Ferranti

    A Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de Ferranti
    Henbury Hall during construction

    A Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de Ferranti
    A depiction of the original Henbury Hall in 1707

    A Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de Ferranti
    The front elevation of the current Henbury Hall with parkland beyond

     

    Aside from 12 acres of immaculate gardens with a series of lakes, there is a 200 year old landscaped park, woodland, agricultural land, a beautifully designed swimming pool, a tennis court and a polo field.

     

    Selling agents Savills offer the Henbury Hall Estate as a whole for a guide price of £20 million – a world away from the £9,000 sum the estate sold for in 1872 (the equivalent of £934,000 today).

     

    A Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de Ferranti A Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de FerrantiA Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de Ferranti A Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de FerrantiA Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de FerrantiA Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de Ferranti A Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de FerrantiA Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de FerrantiA Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de Ferranti A Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de FerrantiA Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de FerrantiA Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de Ferranti A Modern Beauty – Henbury Hall Estate, Henbury, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK11 9PJ, United Kingdom – For sale through Savills – Built by and former home of Sebastian de Ferranti

  • Benjamin Lipari

    Benjamin Lipari

    East London based Benjamin Lipari was born in Italy, grew up in Australia and is described as a “digital comms guru.” Aside from working in marketing for a bank, he has 16,500 followers on Instagram, loves jazz and cocktails and blogs about menswear and travel.

     

    Benjamin Lipari – East London based menswear and travel blogger Benjamin Lipari was born in Italy, grew up in Australia and is described as a “digital comms guru.” He has 16,500 followers on Instagram.

  • Tossed in Tonbridge

    Tossed in Tonbridge

    Kentish salad company Southern Salads tosses 260 jobs to the wolves after going into administration because of Brexit

     

    Illustrations of the likely negative impact of Britain’s decision to leave the UK are coming from far and wide and though Nigel Farage may be crowing over an alleged £60 million film deal – though unsurprisingly no particular studio has actually announced such ‘news’ as ‘truth’ – companies are relocating staff abroad and even closing altogether. Even hardline Brexiteers are being heard to remark: “There’s going to be a heavy price to pay for the complacency… Britain is f***ed” and asking: “What the hell have we done?”

     

    Aside from Bloomberg revealing “London could lose 10,000 banking jobs and 20,000 roles in financial services” to such cities as Dublin, Frankfurt and Paris in an article last month, a more localised illustration of the impact of Theresa May’s appallingly bad handling of this issue was provided yesterday in the form of news that a Tonbridge, Kent based firm, Southern Salads, had gone into administration due to “unprecedented pressure on cash flow in the immediate aftermath of the Brexit vote.”

     

    Southern Salads, a 30-year old, family run firm which employed 260 people and whose motto was “share the passion”, ceased trading Wednesday and of why it failed, joint administrator Ian Vickers of FRP Advisory told KentLive:

     

    “The sudden decline in sterling was not foreseen by the company, leaving the business grappling with an immediate fall of between 10% and 20% in its purchasing power for overseas-grown salads required for the winter and early spring UK market, which in turn put a severe strain on cash-flow.”

     

    “With insufficient protection from its currency hedging arrangements, pressure increased on cash-flow as the business traded through to this spring.”

     

    “The company was unsuccessful in negotiating any significant changes to its pricing terms with its suppliers in mainland Europe, while also being unable to pass on its cost increases to supermarkets and its other customers.”

     

    “The company relies on European suppliers for fresh vegetables and fruit from the Netherlands and Poland in the north to France, Italy and Spain in the south.”

     

    It’d be fascinating to know what Nigel Farage, Boris Johnson and Theresa May thinks about that.

     

  • Enzina Fuschini – What’s on your mantelpiece?

    Enzina Fuschini – What’s on your mantelpiece?

    A 20-question interview with artist, ceramicist and designer Enzina Fuschini

     

    The Steeple Times shares “wit and wisdom”. What’s your guiding force?

    God. I am a Christian and I believe in what is good and honourable.

     

    “Don’t get even, get medieval” is, in our humble opinion, a great motto. What’s yours?

    To forgive and forget.

     

    Kerry Katona was considered unacceptable in 2007. Who or what is unacceptable in 2017?

    A lack of support for mental health.

     

    Tony Blair misses being Prime Minister. What do you miss most in your life?

    Human justice and my childhood home.

     

    What might you swap all your wealth for?

    One more day with my mother and grandmother. Both have sadly passed away.

     

    Donald Trump was once a case of: “If you owe the bank a thousand, they close you down; but if you owe the bank a billion, you own the bank”. What’s your view on the state of the financial system?

    It is a disaster. The financial target is to control and depopulate humanity. The rich want to get rich at any cost and they want to create an elite race.

     

    What phrase or word do you most loathe?

    I loathe swearing in any context.

     

    In the UK, some people consider charity to “begin at home”. What’s your view and what causes do you personally support?

    I support charities associated with my faith and congregation at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB), Knightsbridge.

     

    The judge in Law Abiding Citizen states: “I can pretty much do whatever I want” before being blown up whilst answering her mobile phone. What’s your view on the appropriate use of such devices?

    Mobile phones are useful but people are addicted and these devices cause them to become anti-social.

     

    What’s on your mantelpiece? The Steeple Times conducts a 20-question interview with London based artist and designer Enzina Fuschini.
    Enzina Fuschini exhibited at the 508 Kings Road Gallery in Chelsea, London, SW10 in June 2017

     

    If you could fill a carriage on The Orient Express, who would be your fellow passengers?

    People not fortunate enough to be able to afford this experience that work hard and would deserve it.

     

    If you were unfortunate enough to end up on death row, what would be your last meal and where would you eat it?

    I wouldn’t want to eat anything as I would be too scared about death.

     

    What time is it acceptable to consume the first drink of the day?

    At lunchtime with friends.

     

    A Negroni, a martini or a cup of tea?

    A dry martini.

     

    Whose parties do you enjoy the most and why?

    Those given by family and friends that celebrate the achievements of life.

     

    Who is the most positive person you know?

    My daughters are the most positive people I know.

     

    What’s your most guilty pleasure?

    Apple tarts. The best one I’ve ever had was at The Botanist on Sloane Square.

     

    If a tattoo were to sum you up, what would it be of?

    A tattoo could not sum me up as I do not like them.

     

    If you were a car, what marque would you be?

    A Jaguar.

     

    Cilla Black presented Surprise, Surprise. Tell us the most surprising thing about you.

    When you get to know me, you will know. I’m not giving away my secrets.

     

    What’s currently sitting on your mantelpiece?

    An antique mirror and a vase of white roses.

     

    Enzina Fuschini is a London based artist, ceramicist and designer. She was born in Matierno, Italy and aside from exhibiting internationally, has also produced luxury collections for and to be sold by amongst others The Dorchester, Harrods and Sunseeker Yachts. Her style has drawn comparisons with the ‘wit’ of Picasso and the vitality of Kandinsky, Klee and Miro.

     

    Follow Enzina Fuschini on Twitter at @FuschiniEnzina.

     

  • A Take On Theresa

    A Take On Theresa

    Artist Enzina Fuschini showcases her take on Theresa May at an exhibition in Chelsea; the work is supposedly anything but political

     

    Italian artist and designer Enzina Fuschini held a press preview for her ‘Impact’ exhibition at Chelsea’s 508 Gallery on the Kings Road last night.

     

    Aside from eleven 100cm by 100cm oil on canvas works, ranging in price from £3,000 to 4,000, and one larger canvas at £6,850, this energetic “pictorial force” has included a timely portrayal of Theresa May. The painting contains all the colours of the Tory leader’s “red, white and blue Brexit” but, according to its artist, presents “her in a timeless style with an ageless expression”.

     

    Of the work, a spokesman for Fuschini remarked:

     

    “[Enzina sought to] portray the woman behind the politician. The painting is not political. She had already started the painting three months before the General Election announcement and intends to give the painting to Theresa May as a keepsake”.

     

    ‘Impact’ will be shown at 508 Kings Road Gallery, London, SW10 0LD until 19th June.

     

    A Take On Theresa – ‘Impact’ by Enzina Fuschini will be shown at 508 Kings Road Gallery, London, SW10 0LD until 19th June – Painting of Theresa May
    One of thirteen works by Enzina Fuschini on display at the exhibtion