Savoy Hotel for the ECIF dinner
Savoy Hotel for the ECIF dinner

Disappointed with Archer’s Wood as an acquisition prospect and then off to stay at The Strand after hiring a dinner suite from Moss Bros and the ECIF dinner where the minister disappointed also

 

Up on another cold morning and no sign yet of a thaw. Down for breakfast and up again to finish my paper by 8.30am; and then to wash and dress whilst listening to Yesterday in Parliament as usual. No chance to feed the ducks this morning – they are still far upstream with the river opposite frozen completely. The clear patch of water downstream is far too tempting. The doves will also only come to the bird table when it is placed directly under the dovecote. An interesting phone-in radio programme on this morning with fancy pigeons as the subject. To the office and to do a few things, reading mail and making a few phone calls. Then I hear that Fountain Forestry are inspecting my Huntingdon wood and learn that a young forester, Mr Tim Shardlow, will be there. The wood is Archer’s Wood near Coppingford and Sawtry. I finish packing my suitcase for tonight’s stay at the savoy Hotel, load wellington boots and warm socks and take off at about 10.00 to the site.

Spotting Mr Shardlow’s car from their description, I wandered through the woods and noticed that the oak and ash trees were quite mature. I found Tim in the company of an older man who was introduced to me as the foreman/gamekeeper for a large and local estate, which is under their management. They are very helpful, proficient and knowledgeable in their trade, but do not think much of Archers, which they describe as a low-grade wood. First the shape of the land is awkwardly thin and irregular, with a long boundary. This makes it difficult to enclose and also renders it open to the weather, which slows tree growth. Next the wood is over-mature, planted in too open a fashion and badly looked after. They think the ash was an old coppice (clear felled every 10/12 years for firewood) until allowed to grow haphazardly out. The trees are not growing strongly any longer due to their age and openness/exposure. There is damage from woodpeckers that has probably strained many of the mature ash, and a bulldozer has been used to thin the wood very roughly, with broken wood everywhere and physical damage to some of the trees. The TPO (tree preservation order) was also seen as a problem. An area had been clear felled, but this probably means that the council will not allow more to be done for quite some while, which is a problem as the rest of the timber is aged. Also the area planted with poplar was of poor value and, on the whole, the wood had been badly managed. There is more potential for sporting use and they had seen a few roe deer. They are reporting, but will suggest the value is at only about £500/acre. The plan will be to make such an offer and then subject to the agreement of a reasonable management plan with the local authority. We would then plant the bare land with mixed oak and spruce, leave the poplar for 20 years before felling and replanting and also replace other blocks of the woods in sequence as the plan allowed. In the meantime a good half of the rubbish would be cleared from the floor and used as firewood and the mature woods managed for sport. They tell me that good Forestry Commission woods should become available in the area with the disposal plans in place and we should not rush into Archers Wood unless the price was realistic and the plans agreed. We walk back to the cars as they explain the situation and we shake hands and part. South by car back to Little Paxton and I pick up Diana for a Little Chef lunch. We had cancelled the architect’s visit this morning, being concerned and divided on the question of buying next door’s house and combining the two; and I briefed Diana on Archers Wood and settled her over our house plans. Finished by 1.00pm and, dropping Diana off, I set off for London and The Strand. Parking my car in Bedford Street, I went into Moss Bros and hired a black tie dinner suit for this evening and then checked into the Savoy Hotel; leaving my car to be parked and washed in the hotel garage. Up to my room, 329, and ‘pestered’ by the staff. They have three buttons – waiter, valet and maid. You do not use the telephone, but all services are channelled through these three! Although the tariff (of £101/night) is supposed to be inclusive, it is very difficult to avoid a constant cycle of service and tipping. I take a Campari and soda from the floor waiter and ask him to arrange a haircut with the resident hairdresser, Andre Bernard, at 4.15pm. I also check my office for messages, but do not have the number to return a call from Patrick Johnstone of DMS. Down to the hairdresser, a man named Jim, and a very pleasant experience. First a shampoo and then a carefully cut hair style – short, but even all over. I am to return in about 6 weeks to even the trim out. Back to my room and I order an afternoon tea, exquisitely presented, of scones, cream, tea and other tidbits. Then to listen to the news (more coverage of the Kinnock/Thatcher duel and after effects of the Pontin decision) before bathing, shaving and dressing up in my dinner suit for the ECIF annual dinner downstairs. A pleasant evening, nice meal, but rather spoiled by the lack of people I closely know amongst a company with time only for its existing acquaintances. Pleasant enough table companions; a Mr Ron Gladwell, Director and General Manager of Marketing for BICC-VERO Electronics Limited, who I advised on a career for his son; and Mr James Edwards, Managing Director of Plessey Connectors Limited, who invited me to see his operation in Northampton some time. Amongst people I had met, but on other tables, was Geoffrey Pattie (the guest of honour and speaker), Brian Oakley (of the Alvey Directorate), Michael Marshal (PITCOM Vice Chairman) and the ECIF Chairman and Director General. I was a bit relegated to table 12, but glad of the hospitality. In the after dinner speeches, the ECIF Chairman pressed the Minister on the moratorium on the SFI and also on Inward Investment. The Minister ducked the latter, but explained that the results of the moratorium review and consultations would be announced very shortly and by Easter at the latest. He made helpful statements on Standards and the European Marketplace, but droned on to everybody’s boredom on the British Space effort. Chance to talk to the ECIF officers afterwards and then up to my room and to bed after some televised boxing.